Abraham's Faith in Action

Introduction

Great family night last week. Thank you to everyone that came out and participated. Looking forward to the one at the end of the month.

It was great having a week of nothing to do during a service. I’m thankful for Juan preaching for us and the opportunity I had to work the camera while he was preaching. Let me tell you though, that was more of a hand and wrist workout than a leisurely experience.

He moves around more than I do. No more complaints about my movement, ok?

What about that hat though? That was awesome huh?

Go ahead and open your Bibles to Hebrews 11:8. You can follow along on our digital worship guide by scanning that QR code on the back of your chair and scrolling down.

We are going to be looking at Abraham and a couple points in his journey of Faith today.

For those that don’t know, I’m preaching through the Bible this year and seeing the gospel from Genesis to Revelation.

The gospel by which we are saved is the death burial and resurrection of Christ. Paul clearly says that in 1 Cor 18. The story of the Gospel is the thread throughout scripture that allows us to see God’s plan all along.

If your not familiar with the story of Abraham, please know I’m just hitting the high tops of the wave here and theres much more but my prayer is that you will be able to understand a couple key points in Abrahams life and being able to walk away applying this message to your own.

Follow along with me in Hebrews and we will jump over to Genesis as I preach today.

Hebrews 11:8

Hebrews 11:8 KJV 1900

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Pray

Now Turn to Genesis 12 and see with me that

I. True Faith is Seen not Said

Genesis 12 is where God calls Abraham who at the time was known by a different name.

A little backstory here, Abraham was living in a land called Ur of the Chaldees.

This was a place where polytheism was rampant and the culture and even Abraham was believed to worship multiple gods.

Abram is 75 years old at this point in his life. He’s not a young man full of life and energy. He is a respectable man of age and wisdom.

It’s at this time in his life God calls to Him and say “Leave your country and go to an unknown land.”

From experience I can tell you that God’s calling on your life or actions He desires you to take don’t always make logical sense.

Abram was living it up. 70 years old, no children, servants, handmaidens, farmland, livestock, and a comfortable life with the Chaldeans. He was in a situation where his life was easy....I’m sure there were some troubles and trials but for the most part, what we know of it, it seems as though things were going well.

And then all of a sudden God calls him to live by faith.

Go from all you know and go to the place I know. Step out from your comfort zone and watch me work, God said.

Look at

Gen 12:1-4

Genesis 12:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

You know what I read here when I read God’s conversation with Abram?

I hear God saying “You’ve done well for yourself. In your own power you’ve made your life comfortable. Step out into my power and I’ll make your life great.”

Now, if you know the story of Abraham, he didn’t become rich and live in a lavish house and have a life of ease. He did have a life that made an eternal impact on others.

How was he able to have a life like that? How can you have a life like that?

Faith.

Where does faith come from?

Rom 10:17

Romans 10:17 KJV 1900

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Hearing the Word of God, the Bible preached and taught brings about faith because the expounding on the Word of God from preachers and teachers brings understanding.

Now here’s a trap many fall into. We believe we must understand it all before we can live any of it.

Nothing is further from the truth. There is so much of the Bible I have yet to learn. So much I have yet to apply properly. But there is some I do understand. There is some I do apply. Much I fail at too.

To often we think God wants perfection from us. You do know God doesn’t expect you to be perfect right? We are called to push toward the mark of the high calling of God through Christ Jesus.

Phil 3:12-14

Philippians 3:12–14 KJV 1900

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

What I find interesting about this passage is that Paul says he hasn’t attained but is pursuing after the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. And no where in scripture do we find that he attained it.

He even says a couple verses earlier, “Not as though I have already attained, or am I perfect, But i am going after what I can apprehend” WHY? “Because I am apprehended of Christ Jesus”

We push toward the mark of the High calling of God on our lives not because we are able to meet it but because Jesus has apprehended, siezed, taken posession of, us and HE did attain the mark.

Paul and Abraham both lived by faith in God. It took them from their comfort zone, to a place where only God could get the glory.

Abraham didn’t have all the details, he didn’t understand HOW God was going to work things out yet he chose to trust that God WOULD work things.

Too many Christians are waiting for God to not only tell them what to do but how to do it. I believe it’s because of fear.

Luke 1:74

Luke 1:74 KJV 1900

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Might serve him without fear,

Zecheraish prophesying here asks that we would be able to serve God without fear.

Fear of what? Fear of man?

Proverbs 29:25

Proverbs 29:25 KJV 1900

25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Which man? Others? Yes…don’t fear others.

Which man? yourself? yes…Don’t fear yourself.

You think you can’t do it. You think you can’t live by faith. You can’t do without that money God is asking you to give. You can’t do without that sleep God is asking you to give up for Him. You can’t do without that time God is asking for you to serve. You can’t be invovled with the church because you don’t know how to.

If you continue to wait until you are ready to do what God calls you to, you will never get anything done.

Faith isn’t having it all together and then taking action.

True faith is taking action and trusting God will put it all together.

Rom 8:28

Romans 8:28 KJV 1900

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

I read a leadership quote about mindset the other day and I want to share it with you today

“Done is better than perfect”

We can’t do perfect, but we can accomplish being done.

It’s better to do something by faith than waiting to make something perfect by sight.

True Faith is seen and not said. Thats we see in Abram’s life when God calls Him out from his comfort zone and into the unknown. He doesn’t just tell others he belives in God, He lives it.

Let me ask you something…are you living out your faith? Faith in God says “I don’t know how nor do I know if I can but I know you, so here I go.” Faith in self says “I need to know everything to make sure I can do it and God you come in with whatever I can’t.”

Faith is seen and not just said.

II. When you live by faith you will find your true self

Turn over to Genesis 15.

I know, we are skipping some chapters. the rest of 12 tells of how Abram went to the land he was called to, there was a famine, so he went to Egypt, lied about his wife and said she was his sister, then 13 is hen Abram and his nephew Lot get into a fight and separate, and then 14 is something known as the battle of the 5 kings.

During all of these we see Abram, the one who took a step of faith, make multiple decisions that show he had a little faith but not full faith. He was still depending on his own knowledge rather than God’s Wisdom.

That’s important to us. Why? Because when you step out by faith, you will find yourself not knowing what to do sometimes. That’s ok. That doesn’t make you less of a Christian or believer in Jesus. It means your not God and you don’t know everything.

Even Abram, the one God called to be the father of the nation of Israel, slipped up on his journey. But notice what happens in

Gen 15:1

Genesis 15:1 KJV 1900

1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

God came to Abram again. It’s almost as though God is saying “I called you to do something. You failed. I’m still calling you.”

That’s unfathomable to some of us. If someone fails us we are very quick to write them off. Or maybe we just don’t let go of their failure.

I once heard a story about a little boy that was sitting on a park bench in obvious pain. A man walking by asked him what was wrong. The young boy said, "I'm sitting on a bumble bee." The man urgently asked, "Then why don't you get up?" The boy replied, "Because I figure I'm hurting him more than he is hurting me!"

How many of us handle forgiveness like this little boy? We endure pain for the sadistic satisfaction of believing we are hurting our offender more than he is hurting us. When we get off the bench of unforgiveness both parties can begin to realize relief from their pain.

However God forgives unconditionally. You are forgiven before you ask for it but to receive the forgiveness you must accept it. We must be willing to forgive before a person even asks for the forgiveness.

Is this easy? Absolutely not. Does call us to do what is easy? Nope. He calls us to do what is right.

Gal 2:20

Galatians 2:20 KJV 1900

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

If we are crucified, we are dead.

2 Cor 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

God makes us new and that is what is abut to happen to Abram.

God has come to him in a vision and is prepared to be His God and God and His reward. Notice what Abram says to that though

Gen 15:2-3

Genesis 15:2–3 KJV 1900

2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

Notice I and me statements.

I am childless. You haven’t given ME a seed.

He’s focused on what he hasn’t been able to accomplish. I believe he thought it was up to him to make this happen.

Theres a part we have to fulfill in God’s promises and work that must be done, but we cannot believe that the outcome is solely dependent upon our work.

How did God respond to Abram?

Gen 15:4-5

Genesis 15:4–5 KJV 1900

4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

He reaffirmed Him by saying “Here is what I’m going to do and it will be greater than you ever imaginned or are capable of.”

When God gives a vision, it’s a God sized vision. Meaning we see or hear it and think…there is no way. That’s crazy. I can’t do that.

And we are right on that last part. But in your weakness He is made strong. In your inability, He is able. You have to let yourself get to this place though.

Ever heard this verse

2 Chron 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV 1900

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God is immutable, that means He doesn’t change. His character, who He is, is the same yesterday today and tomorrow.

While this verse is directed toward the nation of Israel, I believe the principle we can draw from this is that before God will work, we must humble ourselves. We must accept our frailty. We must accept our imperfections. We don’t live in them but we don’t ignore them and we trust God to be strong even with them.

We don’t allow ourselves to be ineffective in life for God because we are not perfect, we allow Him to be effective through our lives because He is.

Abram was focusing on the things he needed to do and not what God said He would do.

What are you focusing on? Are you focused on being a better parent, spouse, worker, boss, Christian? That’s not wrong but it is wrong if you pursue it in your own strength and if that’s all you are pursuing.

God did not call us to pursue after the benefits of a relationship with Him, He called us to pursue Him.

As God came to Abram, Jesus came to you. In your failure and in your sin, Jesus died for you. Not for the things, material or immaterial, that you can get from Him, but so that you could have Him. So you could have a relationship with God.

We often equate that to more time in the Word and prayer. It’s not wrong to do either and in fact I encourage to ensure you have time in both. But you will not grow in your relationship with God if you do not trust His Word enough to apply in your life. It is only then we grow in faith because we see God move despite ourselves in small things and then we can trust Him in bigger things.

That’s living by faith. When you live by faith you find your true self because who you are doesn’t come from self improvement or peer coaching. It comes from finding your identity in Christ, in the gospel.

Abram is learning a lesson that will aid him in the rest of His life…that lesson is

III. The Outcome of your Faith is based on God’s Promises

Gen 15: 8-10

Genesis 15:8–10 KJV 1900

8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

God told Him to cut animals in half and spread them out except for a turtledove and young pigeon.

This is ritual that was done in the day to establish a covenant between two people. The idea was that whoever was making the promise to the other would face the same fate of the animals if they did not go through with their deal.

God has Abram do this and then watch what happens.

Gen 15:17-18

Genesis 15:17–18 KJV 1900

17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Abram fights off the birds from eating the carcasses and then God comes to him that night.

Who walked through dead animals and made the covenant? Not Abram…God.

God made the covenant with Abram. God didn’t allow Abram to make the covenant, He new Abram would fail. God’s love for the human race is exemplified in this passage as we see Him coming to us in our sin....not in our righteousness. He didn’t come to Abram when he was doing everything right. God came to him when his life was in shambles.

God isn’t waiting for you to be perfect to be saved and have a relationship with Him. God doesn’t expect perfection from you. He can’t. Why? Bein an omniscient God, He knows you can’t be perfect. He knows He had to send his Son to die for you becasue your not perfect.

It’s us and those around us that put this idea of perfection in our heads. Not God.

This truth sat me free. When I realized I don’t have to be perfect, I don’t have to be you think I should as a Pastor, I don’t have to be what I think I should be as a pastor, I have to be who God has called me to be in the role of Pastor.

This can set you free as well. It doesn’t give you Liberty to sin, and we still strive to be holy, separte from the world…not isoliated…but separete because God has called us to that…but you don’t have to be perfect. You have to be faithful.

Full of faith in the Lord that you trust to save your soul and to handle your day to day life.

The gospel is all about faith. Faith in the redemption provided by the death burial and resurrction of Jesus. The faith to follow Him as a disciple, like Jesus called you to by living according to His Word and not our own.

As God came to Abram, Jesus has come to you.

Abram didn’t know God in the begining. Abram didn’t choose to follow God and become perfect. Abram had to grow in his faith.

No matter where you are at on your journey of faith, the Lord is with you. He made the promises and He wont’ fail. You will…don’t let that stop you.

Keep going. Don’t quit. Live by faith. Forgive by faith. Love by faith. Respond in faith to life’s circumstances. That all starts with one decision…Trusting in Jesus as your Savior.

Time of Response

Heads bowed eyes closed

Aren’t you tired of trying to do this life all on your own. Getting through the difficulties this life brings is not easy…especially when you do it alone.

You don’t have to. You can, just like Abram, go through life with God…resting on His promises.

Are you here this morning or listening online and not sure if you have a relationship with God? Maybe you don’t know if your saved and on your way to heaven.

The Bible says that when we believe by faith in Jesus, we are saved.

John 3:16 KJV 190016 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God does love you. Loves you so much He sent Jesus to die for you.

Now you are faced with a decision…will you continue finding salvation in your own works or in the finished work of Christ?

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 19008 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Your first have to admit your sinner

Romans 3:23 KJV 190023 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

I’m sure each of us could do that.Next you believe

Romans 10:9 KJV 19009 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Then confess. Confess Jesus as your Savior and call out to Him

Romans 10:13 KJV 190013 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

IF you’d like to do that today I’d like to help.

“Dear Jesus, I know I’m a sinner, I believe you came to die on the cross and rose from the dead. I put my faith right now in you and ask you to come into my life and change me from the inside out. Amen.”

Christians, You know the promise of eternal life. Are you living by faith like Abram? your probably making mistakes like Abram…that’s ok....God’s there for you to reconcile with and lovingly walk through life with you.

Remember, the outcome of your faith isnt based on your ability…it’s based on God’s promises. What has God called you to? What roles in your life are you still leaning on your own understanding and not His? Give those over to Him now…let Him take the lead by you conducting yourself for His glory and not your own.

Lets’ pray