Step One

Text: Genesis 12:1-9

Central Idea of the Text: God’s promises give Abram all he needs to take his first step of faith.

Proposition: Faith is the Foundation of our Salvation.

Purpose: Every follower of Christ must walk in the way of their Father Abraham and take the “Next Step.”

Some of you may be blessed not to have had this argument in your home, but I know it’s one that’s come up as we raised kids and teenagers plenty. What movie are we watching tonight? Maybe it went better for you, but I know at certain ages, we would suggest a movie to our kids, and then we would go to take the movie off the shelf and they would see the cover. And I still remember the reactions: “Ah, black and white? NOOOOOOO! It’s gonna be terrible.” Or the reaction when they’d see an older picture and clothing style of the people on the cover. “Oh no! This is an OLD Movie. It’s gonna be so bad.” Now I think our kids reactions to such things have tempered out in their old age. They have figured out that at some points, your parents did know what they were talking about. But imagine how much poorer that your love and knowledge of films would be: without the tears cried at the end of Casablanca, without the sweet sentiments of It’s a Wonderful Life, without the artistic vision of Citizen Kane, without the epic scope of Ben Hur, without the chills of Psycho and without the hilarity of Duck Soup. When you take a moment to truly watch, consider, and discuss those stories of old, we are enriched by the stories.

It’s interesting the commonality that this discussion holds with the journey our church has been on for the last 5 weeks, celebrating our 150th birthday as Auburn Christian Church. I’ve had a few weeks to recharge my preaching batteries, and we’ve had several other “older” voices here filing the pulpit, and sharing their own “Old Stories”. I know that I’ve had a discussions with a few of you, some who said, “You know, this 150 thing and celebration might be ok for some people, but it’s not really for me. I don’t know any of these people or the stories they are telling. Some of you may have even taken the last few weeks to miss worship with us. I’m not here to give guilt, but I’m here to say if you missed those old stories, you missed the reasons that our butts have seats to sit in to worship here, why our baptistry has water to be baptized in, why we have youth and kids programs, and why we have a Family Life Center to serve our youth and our community. Without the stories that went before, we wouldn’t be where we are now. Those stories may seem trivial, but they are NOT inconsequential.

This is true not just for the past 50 years or 150 years. What if the stories in question are 4000+ years old? What if they actually and factually took place in this world? What if there’s not even any black and white film to preserve them, and all we have are some ancient letters scratched on papyrus? What if those people never sent a text, tasted pizza, or rode in a car? Can we even find these older stories to be relevant, or are they irrelevant to us? That is the question that plagues us when we approach a book like Genesis. It’s a sweeping narrative that covers thousands of years of history, but one that a person can follow and understand if they are paying attention. Yes, this book may be 2000+ years old, but as the old adage says, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” These stories are not irrelevant, because people are still people, and they do people things, and God is still the same God.

Let’s hear the narrative of Abram’s Founding Faith-filled steps, found in Genesis 12:1-9 [Read Text]

Genesis 12:1–9 ESV

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

This is the word of the Lord for His Church this morning.

Please pray with me: Lord, your word endures forever. We thank you that as we change along with the times, you give us sure words to depend on. As we study these stories of the faithful from generations gone by, please open our ears to hear truths, guidance and principles that would guide us in our life and faith. Help us to see the son Jesus, who is our life and salvation. We pray in His name, amen.

3+ years ago, you had the opportunity to hear me preach through the first 11 chapters of Genesis. It was in that sermon series that I sought to hammer into your mind and heart the trustworthiness of this book and these accounts. Creation, The Garden and the Fall, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, the Tower of Babel. They are not mere myths, but they are foundational stories that all of the apostles and the prophets, and even Jesus himself, simply assumed as truth because they are legitimately true. But today? We pick up and we preach the rest of the book. And we start by telling one of four intertwined stories, the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. To this point, these are the four longest narratives of individuals in the Bible, and their stories paint the images and form the backbone of the faith of Israel, and the foundation of our faith in Christ. And Abraham (or Abram as he’s referred to in today’s text)? He is illustrative as the founding father of Biblical faith; if not the founding father, then he certainly belongs on the Biblical Mount Rushmore. He is greatly commended, as we note from Hebrews 11 for his faith. The writer there spend three full paragraphs extoling the faith of Abraham, and he illustrates broadly in his life that definitional statement regarding faith there: Hebrews 11:6 “6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

But to help you understand his story? I need to give you a little backstory to help you understand context to what is happening and what is being said.

Ham/Canaan: First and foremost, we should not lose vision of a story that takes place in Genesis 9, at the end of the flood. I won’t rehash the whole thing here as we don’t have time. But it involves Noah, drunkenness, nakedness, and a son who mocked and dishonored his father. That son was Ham, one of the three sons of Noah. Noah goes on, in the aftermath of that even to pronounce a curse that is not simply from him, but from the Lord in the prophetic sense in Genesis 9:25 “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” Canaan is both a name, one of the sons of Ham, and it is a nation of people associated with a land that they live in. But as we hear of those Canaanites, living in the land we will later know as Israel, we need to understand that they are idol worshippers. They do not hear God’s voice, and they have hardened hearts and hands toward God’s people.

Terah/Ur: Secondly for background, we need to understand Terah (a man) and Ur (a place). The account following the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:10- 26 goes on to spell out and give the descendant lines from Noah and specifically his son Shem, on down thru 10 generations to Terah, and his son Abram. This 10 generation span covers approximately 350 years. Terah and his family live in a large and wicked city called Ur, which you can see on this map. It sits in modern day Iraq, and archaeologists know that it used to sit there near the coast at the mouth of the Euphrates river. A large, prosperous, idol worshipping and violent city.

Abram/Nahor/Haran/Sarai/Lot: We finally just bookmark some names here that are explained to us in Gen 11:27-32, but that the text assumes we will remember. So we have three sons: Abram, Nahor and Haran. Of those three brothers, we note that one dies: Haran. But before he dies, he has a son named Lot. Lot is Abram’s nephew then. We note that Abram is married to Sarai as well, but she is barren … cannot have any children. Therefore, you can imagine that since his brother has died, Lot is of close relation and something like a son to him.

Now that we’ve outlined a few of these details that will be with us not just today, but for this whole series, I simply want to bring us back to the text and the seminal point of Abram’s faith. A promise that will stick with us and overshadow the rest of these sermons, this book and the entire Bible. Today’s big question is simply this: What would set the faith of Israel’s founding father in motion? The answer will be evident in three clear steps:

Hearing God’s Words

Gen 12:1 starts with a very unassuming six word phrase: “Now the LORD said to Abram ...” We should not simply gloss over this fact, because it is no ordinary thing. If someone comes to you, and you don’t know that person that well, and your interaction with them is to hear them say to you: “The Lord spoke to me?” What is your reaction? I think for most to all of us, the word incredulity fits here. “Oh really? Do tell. Tell me what God told you, because I’m sure I’m going to believe you.” And we are right to be incredulous, because what we are understanding here is not an everyday occurance. People hearing a voice out of the blue: “THIS IS THE LORD.” And yet, this encounter lies with several other encounters in this book: if God does not speak, his will does not happen, and no good thing comes to pass. For instance, what if God had not spoken to Noah? We are not alive. Just that one experience reminds us that hearing God speak to us is IMPORTANT.

As we read back in Genesis 1:26 “26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” That is a deep meaning passage, one that Christians and theologians still seek to mine to draw all true meaning from. And while we know that God is spirit and not merely a man, there are characteristics that he shares with us and we with him. The fact that “the LORD said to Abram” gives implication to God having a mouth. He speaks, and accordingly, he has given us each of us a mouth: for communication, for fellowship, for transmitting words and meaning. Likewise, required for communication, God has ears, and he has given mankind ears to hear. These are the implications of the “The Lord said to Amram.” God is meant to speak, we are meant to listen. God’s speaking indicates that Faith has an author and initiator. Without God speaking first, faith would IN NO WAY be possible. Paul later makes this clear in Romans 10:17 “17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

NOW, how does Abram hear it? Is it an out loud voice? Perhaps. We certainly know, as we will see later in Genesis, that Abram has several out loud, back and forth, interactions with God. We are not told that here. I would never claim that God has spoken out loud to me, and I know many other saints that I would share a similar experience. God has not spoken aloud to them, but has spoken through his Word, both read and studied. And God has guided through the prompts and guidance of the Holy Spirit to a person. BUT Anything that any of us would ever claim to have heard from the Lord will have 3 things in common. 1. It will be 100% true. Proverbs 30:5–6 “5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Isaiah 55:11 “11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” 2. It will be fully in line with God’s word. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 3. It will be affirmed by other believers. Acts 2:42 “42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Any “word of the Lord” that operates outside of those parameters? God did not say it. End of story. Faith starts by hearing the word of God.

Believing God’s Promises

Abram’s second step understand and accept the message that is spoken? It is one of the greatest promises in all of scripture and one that will reverberate throughout the rest of this book: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Now, as we unpack that in this week and the following weeks, let’s start by looking at what Abram’s father had done. It seems as though the Lord may have been working upon the heart of his father, Terah. Back in verse Genesis 11:31, we read that it is TERAH, along with Abraham who set out to go to Canaan. Why? We are not told. We just know that Abram, Sarai and Lot all went with him along with their people and possessions. Headed to the land we now know as Israel. But if you look at a map? They didn’t take the most direct path. They took the path up the river valley. They took the path of ease. And they Settled there in Haran. Not the place, not the goal. They settled and Terah died there. And it appears that whether they had fled from a wicked city, or had traveled out of some grief due to the death of Haran, they left the idol worshippers, but the idol worship did not leave Terah. Joshua says in Joshua 24:2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.” Ultimately Terah (Joshua says) was an idol worshipper and could not hear God’s voice.

BUT then God speaks up, and Abram does hear it. God’s words then are promises. This is not a lengthy statement from the Lord, but the words carry weight. There is a request for Abram: “Go to the place I will show you.” What is it followed by? Promises. Like bullets from a gun they come fast one after the other. I will make a nation. I will bless. I will make. I will bless. I will bless. I will curse. All nations blessed through you.” Now. This all sound great. But if you are a disbelieving Abram, you might make a few objections. You might say, “na God, we have settled here. We good. River valley. Pretty comfy.” You might say, “Um God, I’m 75 years old. I don’t have an R.V. I’m not getting any younger. And I don’t like change.” You might say: “God, how are you planning to make me a nation. My wife and I can’t have kids. Are you kidding, God? is this some kind of joke to you?”

But is that what we see Abram doing? Not at all. Abram believes God. Faith is a matter that is initiated by the word, and is then granted by ears that listen and a heart that is receptive. We are not told all that was going on in Abram’s mind and heart, but we have to know by what follows that the word was received, took root and is now about to bear fruit in his life. It is the exemplar case Hebrews 11:1 “1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” And that leads to step 3 …

Doing God’s Will

You see, this father of faith Abram doesn’t merely show us a faith in theory. No his is a faith in action. James says: “Faith without works is dead.” Think about if Abram treated this revelation from God without action, like we so often do with our own Bible reading or a sermon we’ve heard. “Thanks God for that good word! I really liked it!” … then handshake. Walk out the door. On with your life. Nope. Not so with Abraham. We see living active faith in three ways to the call of God.

Abram went! God told him to go, So Abram went! 75 years old, but he walks out to the south. He takes his wife and nephew Lot, along with their possessions and servants. Several hundred miles to the south, they travel to Canaan. Again, though it was neither easy nor convenient, though they were old and childless, they went to chase this promise in practical action and movement because Abram believed. Then ...

Abram Waited! When Abram reaches a place called Shechem, he pauses at the oak of Moreh. In the time of the Canaanites, significant trees or other markers were often revered as places of worship. Abram sees this sizeable point of interest and says to his party: It’s time to pull the caravan over. Now look again at verse 7. Genesis 12:7 “7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” As Abram faithfully comes to the land, step by step, now in his arrival, God shows up and affirms: “This Land. You’re standing on it. I will give it to you and your family.” We will talk more about the Lord and his miraculous appearances to Abram, but because he has heard and now seen an appearance of the Lord, affirming the promises that Abram been given there is one response.

Abram Worshipped! Abram does something that he knows about it. The way of those who followed God from long ages ago is now a way that he walks it. It was the Lord who sacrificed to cover for the sin of Adam and Eve. It was Abel who sacrificed good offerings to God. It was Noah who was saved thru the flood and built an altar and made a sacrifice to the praise of his God! A great God who is great in his words and promises calls for great sacrifices of praise. Abram built the marker, and gave a pleasing sacrifice from the best God had given.

Abram is not a father of faith in theory, but in action. In his practical action, his faith is on display for us.

This morning, we have walked step by step with Abram in taking his first steps of faith. In doing so a pattern has been set that God’s people can live in daily, weekly and for a lifetime. Step one: Hear God’s word. Have you heard him speak today? He says: Hello? Have you been listening to my faithful servant trying to bring you the words that you all need? Use their ears I’ve given you and hear me speak. Take those seeds in, and let that word grow. Step two: Believe God’s promises. You may be thinking all that you heard this morning was a bunch of promises to Abram, but the promises of Abram are promises to YOU. What do you think God means when he says that all the people of earth will be blessed thru Abram? It is a promise of the Son Jesus Christ, the one who will die for our sin to call us to believe that these promises for us as well. We are a part of the blessed and a part of the blessing of our father Abraham. Step Three: Do God’s will. Have we heard some things that the Lord might call us to this morning. I have many good friends who have heard this call to go in a variety of ways: sometimes to be a pastor or missionary. Sometimes to live in a hard place. Sometimes to a task we are not comfortable with. So When he says go, will you go? When he says wait, will you wait? When he says give, will you give? When he says worship, will you worship?

Friends, taking a step with the savior in the call, the intention, the Christian’s journey and joy.

Did you know that we heard the one of the saddest verses in the Bible? Actually maybe the saddest phrase. It is there in Genesis 11:31, speaking of Abram’s travels away from Ur with his father, Terah. 3 words. “They settled there.” Where were they supposed to be going? Canaan. Where did they settle? Haran. Terah led them to stop short of God’s place for them. He stopped short of hearing God’s voice and leading his family faithfully. He settled there.

If there is one place that the we get stuck in this life, it is when we settle. Not simply talking about the place you live, but your ability to change, transform, walk by faith in God’s way. We tend to settle. So I want to ask you this morning: Are you a settler, like Terah? Or are you a stepper, like Abram?

How could you be settling?

You could be settling in sin. Friends, sin is the thing that separates us from God. It was a big enough deal that he sent Jesus to the cross as the only solution and payment for it. And now he calls us to repentance out of it. If you’ve been in habitual sin that you are nearly blind to, and you’re getting annoyed by people calling you out on it, you might be settling in sin.

You could be settling in complacency. It could be that you are just content to sit out to pasture until the rapture as a follower of Christ. It could be that you’re just content to always do the same thing, occasionally attend church. Be the butt in the seat. But God calls us all to be more than a butt in a seat. He calls us to be a follower of Jesus, growing to become more like him. That is not a place of complacency. It is a place of as Jesus said: “Taking his yoke upon us and learning from him. Growing in your passion and your action.

You could be settling short on God’s call on your life. God may have a bigger picture in terms of how he is calling you to serve the church or the kingdom. Doing something really scary: Teaching a Sunday School class. Discipling someone who become a Christian and walk like Jesus. Going on a mission trip. Answering God’s bigger call and leading on your life in terms of career and direction. Stepping up to lead when others have identified you as one who should be leading.

Settling? it’s where faith goes to starve and die. Stepping by faith? That is your way to walk. So take the first step today. Not a follower of Jesus yet? Turn from your sin and place your faith in Christ. Obey him and be baptized. Ask for prayer for a sin you’re struggling with. Confess it. Lost for direction? Ask for prayer and guidance from the Lord and other believers. Hear the call of faith: step up and step out.