Walking Faithfully

Introduction

Faith is hard. Well, obedience in faith is hard perhaps. Faith in knowledge and belief is perhaps easier, but faith in obedience is hard. It is hard because it challenges us to our core. It requires a sacrifice in our lives. It is challenging to walk faithfully in a world that is the opposite of our faith.

In our text this morning we are going to see that faith is not mere mental assent to a belief system. Faith is the knowledge, belief, and trust in God that leads to action.

Thankfully we have numerous examples of faithfully walking in the Scripture along with numerous examples of unfaithfully walking. Abram is a key figure in our history to display faith. Imperfectly of course, but an example nonetheless.

Textual Breakdown

Abram’s Call (v.1-3)

Abram’s call begins with a command to go. He of course takes his immediate family, including a nephew named Lot, but leaves behind all other family. He leave behind all the culture, the comfort of what he has known. Everything Abram has ever known he leaves behind.

What causes him to do so?

Ultimately the Lord speaks to Abram. When God speaks, our only, true response is to listen and to act. We also learn what is to come of this change in life.

Abram will be made into a great nation, blessing will come to him and through him blessing will come to others, particularly all the peoples on the earth. What an incredible thing to hear. All people will be blessed through you.

Abram’s call is one of faith that must take action, one that will be challenge, one that will be a blessing.

Abram’s Action (v.4-6)

Abram obeys and goes. We are also given clues from the text of challenges in this journey of faith. He is supposed to have offspring, but is 75 years old. Stan, could you imagine having a baby at your age? Shoot, could you imaging picking up everything of life and moving to some unknown land at 75?

We also are told that they come to the land of Canaan. Canaan in Genesis is tied to pagan worship, false gods, and is a thorn in early Israel’s side. Even more, we find that Abram comes to Shechem at the oak of Moreh.

Kind of sounds like an old western. Meet me at Shechem at the oak of Moreh. What we don’t know from the text, but know historically is this place was a place of divine instruction associated with the Cannaanites. It was a place of worship of false gods.

Indirectly this tells us that Abram’s faith journey will not be easy.

Abram’s Worship (v.7-9)

God appears to Abram as Shechem and promises to give this land to his offspring. His response? Building an altar or a place of worship. Interesting how God moves into a place that was unholy, used for false purposes and it is now a place where He is to be worshipped.

The family moved to Bethel and again, we see Abram build an altar to the Lord and he called on the name of the Lord. Each step of the journey in faith brings Abram to worship. To dedicate to the Lord what He has done or is doing in the journey.

Themes of Genesis 12:1-9

What does this text teach us about faith then?

Faith comes with sacrifice

Abram is told to leave all he knows. This is a sacrifice of Abram to be faithful to the Lord. The Scripture is filled with sacrifice tied to faith.

One of the most obvious ones is to come with Abraham called to sacrifice his only son. Sacrifice doesn’t have to be something physical in nature, it can be a desire, a want, a sin, a feeling, a perspective.

Luke 14:25–27 “25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

Parable of the lost sheep, lost coin, and the lost son all depict a sacrifice in stepping in faith.

Philippians 2:5–8 “5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.”

Philippians 3:7–8 “7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ”

Do you hear the sacrifice in faith in these verses?

Faith is not meant to make us comfortable. It is meant to trust that no matter what the Lord desires of us; we will follow. Even if it means a sacrifice.

Sacrifice may look different for all of us. My calling as a pastor means a sacrifice of being near family. It means a sacrifice of roots in one location (most often). It means often never belonging where we are.

Faith requires obedience

Next we learn that Abram went. He didn’t mull it over. He didn’t take years to “pray about it.” He acted.

James tells us that faith without works is dead. Often that passage gets wrapped up into debates about salvation. James’ point is that faith that has no obedience, no action is not faith at all.

Faith without obedience is like watching a workout video and saying I exercised. While I eat Little Debbie snacks on the couch I let ol Richard Simmons, Suzane Summers, Tony Horton, Jillian Michaels, or Billy Blanks do the workout.

What benefit is there? None! Spiritually we can do the same. I will let the pastors do this or that. I will let the deacons handle it. I’ll let the “stronger Christian” share Jesus. I’ll let the church disciple my kid a couple hours a week. I’ll just spectate my faith.

Jesus said, Matthew 5:13 “13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

What makes faith salty? Obedience. Faith without it is useless. Obedience means action.

There is a benefit to obedience in our text. Blessing. The Lord promises to bless Abram and for others to be blessed. Blessing can be physical, but it is often spiritual.

Andrew Murray wrote, “Only in the emptiness that comes from the parting with what we have that the divine fullness can flow in.”

In other words, in self-sacrifice, in surrendering our will to the will of God in obedience, we open the path for a fullness of spiritual life often unknown. Blessing that brings a joy complete.

Even more, that blessing becomes a blessing for others. See, the Lord doesn’t just bless Abram for him alone. He blesses so that through Abram the world might be blessed.

Our salvation, the faith granted unto us is not just for us alone. It is to be used to bless others as we point them to Jesus.

Obedience is challenging

It is easy for preachers to speak about obeying the Lord. It is easy to preach, less easy to practice. Why?

First, our sin nature makes it a challenge. I said this before, but it is at war with the new nature in Christ. Like a wounded dog that lost the fight, it still will try to bite and attack.

Secondly, it is challenging in a world that doesn’t obey the Lord. Abram will end up in the land of Canaan. A land known for pagan worship. They worshipped many gods, often used trees as a part of their religious worship. They were also known for child sacrifice. The people of Canaan were the embodiment of the curse and it’s brokenness. The embodiment of the rebellion against God from early Genesis.

Today we surely can see and understand that living as an obedient Christian is harder and harder in today’s world. Challenges that range from redefining morality and ethics to the prioritization of the Lord and His worship in one’s life.

It is a challenge to look at my son who will be playing in tournaments and say, if it keeps you(us) from prioritizing our weekly worship of God consistently, we will not participate in those games.

It is a challenge to raise boys in a world that is overly sexualized. To help them be pure and lead in purity.

It is a challenge to interact with people who find uncompromising morals and ethics are strange and are not as fluid as they think rail against us.

It is a challenge to know what Paul wrote to Timothy so long ago is even more of a reality it seems today,

2 Timothy 3:1–5 “1 But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.”

2 Timothy 4:3–4 “3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

This is also why Paul’s prayer to the Phillippian church is so necessary for us. It speaks on how we walk faithfully:

Philippians 1:9–11 “9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”

Faithful obedience brings worship

Both at Shechem and at Bethel, Abram builds an altar unto the Lord. Both were likely locations of pagan worship, now a place of Yahweh worship. Strongholds in the enemy camp. Flags planted to begin staking claim among the lost that the Lord is the One true God.

These are also acts of worship on Abram’s part. As he walked faithfully, worship was his response to the Lord. Faithful obedience deepens worship. Why?

Because we experience, as we trust, who the Lord is and what He has promised. When it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; He is present. When the victory is found, He is present. When the world is in chaos all around , He is present. When peace rules the day, He is present.

The truths of our worship that we sing become reality in faithful obedience.

“When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

“When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do His good will, he abides with us still, and with those who will trust and obey.”

“There is power in the blood”

“All I have is Christ.”

“Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrow share? Jesus knows our every weakness- take it to the Lord in prayer.”

“Cause all my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able. I will sing of the goodness of God.”

Oh, in faithful obedience do these truths we sing become our anthem, not just a song. They become our altar, our flag in the land that says Triune God is my God.

Christ Connection

The example of faith in Abram is good, but better is how this text points to Jesus. There are a few ways I see.

“All the people will be blessed through you”

Jesus is of the line of Abraham. He is the offspring spoken of who will bless all the peoples of the earth.

Galatians 3:16 “16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ.”

The “seed” from Genesis 3:15 is the same in Genesis 12:7. While there is immediate context, this is truly Messianic in nature.

As has been mentioned before, the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus is available to all who will receive it by faith through grace. Not of our own merit, but only by His grace. By His life, death on the cross, and resurrection did He take care of our greatest need. This is where true blessing begins.

“Go from your land”

Where was Jesus before the incarnation, before He took on flesh on this earth? He was in heaven with the Father in fullness of all that.

In humility and with full purpose of our salvation, He stepped down from heaven to meet us, to dwell with us, to show what relationship with God can truly be.

Philippians 2:6–11

“Make into a great nation”

Lastly, the Lord promises to make Abram (his offspring) into a great nation. A nation that will be a blessing unto others.

1 Peter 2:9–10 “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Through Jesus Christ we are made into that nation that belongs to God. A people that brings blessing to the world because we proclaim the One who has pulled us from darkness and into His marvelous light. A people who have recieved mercy and now show mercy. A people who are pursuing holiness because the Lord is holy. A people growing in our salvation. A people of an eternal inheritance in a faith that is more valuable than gold.

Conclusion

My faith journey began as a 5th grader and from its inception has not been easy. Bullied for my faith through many years of school. Physically assaulted, verbally assaulted because I wouldn’t be like the others.

It has walked through the death of loved ones, hurts from the church, from the world, from my mistakes, from moments of doubt, from extreme highs and extreme lows.

My faith walk has been a journey to trust in Christ, abide in Christ, find my joy in Christ despite all that I have journeyed through.

My faith journey has been a sacrifice from things of this world and self pursuits. My journey has been about surrendering to the will of Christ in obedience. Despite the difficulty the journey can be, there is still no greater joy that I have than knowing Christ and Christ crucified.

There is much to still be done on my journey. Setbacks will happen, advancement will too. But, I hold hope in the security that Christ is my salvation, my faith is in Him.

I ask, where are you on your faith walk? In this message, has the Lord spoken to your heart and is leading you to respond?

Maybe in salvation to His Son? Maybe in deeper surrender? Maybe is a challenging time that make obedience hard. Perhaps there is a sacrifice in faith that needs to be made.

However the Lord is leading, I pray you will respond.