Genesis 11-12:9 Abraham – A friend of God - Called to a relationship out of a lost world

What is a friend?

A friend is a special thing.

You don’t have to carefully word everything just right.

Someone you can just be you.

Someone who you can depend upon.

When things are good you can rejoice with.

Someone who will cry with you when life is broken.

Someone who will speak straight and blunt when needed.

But does with a heart that seeks your good.

(ESV) Proverbs 17 17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

(ESV) Proverbs 18 24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

(ESV) Proverbs 27 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

(ESV) Romans 15 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.

James 2:23 a friend of God

(ESV) James 2 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.

Let’s begin an examination of just why Abraham was called a friend of God and how it unfolded in his life.

I. A Friend of God: In the midst of the chaos

A. A culture of false hope Gen 11:28b-29

(ESV) Genesis 11 28 Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives. …

1. City of materialism - Major metropolitan city of the ancient world

a. Along Euphrates River 220 miles SE of Babylon in present day Iraq – major dig / some view a different site in the North as Ur – more likely in the area we would call the Mesopotamia region in the South

b. The center of society and civilization / 300-400,000 people /along the Euphrates / capital of the world /

2. City of false worship - moon-god

3. City facing turmoil - attack and would be destroyed after he left (history)

a. The destruction of Ur by the Elamites in the early second millennium b.c. would have provided impetus for Terah's departure for Haran

B. Unexpected relational disruptions Gen 11:28a, 31

1. Early death of his brother Haran

(ESV) Genesis 11 28 Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives. …

a. Died in his father's arms

b. Moved / resettled

2. Death of his father

(ESV) Genesis 11 31 Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, …

… but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.

C. Personal disappointment Gen 11:29-30

(ESV) Genesis 11 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

1. After death of brother – married with great hopes

2. Sarai his wife was barren

3. Seeming lack of God’s blessing

D. Lack of true spiritual understanding Joshua 24:2

(ESV) Joshua 24 2 And Joshua said to all the people, “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.

1. Not raised in a godly home

2. They – even Abraham

II. A friend of God: The Lord at work

A. An intentional plan Gen 11:10-26

(ESV) Genesis 11 10 These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11 And Shem lived after he fathered Arpachshad 500 years and had other sons and daughters. 12 When Arpachshad had lived 35 years, he fathered Shelah. 13 And Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah 403 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he fathered Eber. 15 And Shelah lived after he fathered Eber 403 years and had other sons and daughters. 16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he fathered Peleg. 17 And Eber lived after he fathered Peleg 430 years and had other sons and daughters. 18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he fathered Reu. 19 And Peleg lived after he fathered Reu 209 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he fathered Serug. 21 And Reu lived after he fathered Serug 207 years and had other sons and daughters. 22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he fathered Nahor. 23 And Serug lived after he fathered Nahor 200 years and had other sons and daughters. 24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he fathered Terah. 25 And Nahor lived after he fathered Terah 119 years and had other sons and daughters. 26 When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

1. Note: shorter years – Noah 950 / Shem 600 /Arphaxad 438 / Salah 433 / Eber 463 / Peleg 239 / Reu 239 / Serug 230 / Nahor 148 / Terah 205 / Abraham 175

2. Doesn’t mean that God was not at work in other lives, but this line is special

3. Focus on a single family from Noah – Shem – each generation is narrowed further

B. A focus on the individual Gen 11:27

(ESV) Genesis 11 27 Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot.

C. The Lord intervenes in life Acts 7:2; Nehemiah 9:7

(ESV) Acts 7 2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

(ESV) Nehemiah 9 7 You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.

D. The Lord invites with His promises Gen 12:1

(ESV) Genesis 12 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.

III. A friend of God: God continues to pursue

A. The original call to follow Acts 7:2-3

(ESV) Acts 7 2 And Stephen said: “… The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindredand go into the landthat I will show you.’

1. Glory of God spoke in Ur to Abraham – in the midst of his idolater ways

2. Get out of country – leave influence / old way of life

3. Come to a land – the place of blessing / a new life

4. Leave your family – idolaters / social structure / inhibitors

5. What happened?

(NKJV) Acts 7 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.

a. Still worldly surroundings

1) Ungodly family/friend influences still 2) Haran center of worship of the moon god just like Ur

b. Stopped short of what God wanted

1) Right direction but not far enough 2) God keep after you to force a decision

c. Disobedience? / an opportunity to reach others in family? / Tied to cultural obstacles? / It doesn’t say --- stopped short of blessing and full obedience

d. A renewed call comes at Terah’s death

B. A renewed call to follow Gen 12:1

(ESV) Genesis 12 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.

1. After we don’t quite get it right – He continues to work

2. In Haran after death of Father --- time to set out

C. A promise of blessing Gen 12:2-3

(ESV) Genesis 12 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.”

1. From God Himself

(ESV) Genesis 12 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I willbless 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.”

2. Personal

(ESV) Genesis 12 2 And I will make of youa great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that youwill be a blessing. 3 I will bless thosewho bless you, and him who dishonors youI will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

3. Impacting others

(ESV) Genesis 12 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 thosewho bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

IV. A friend of God: But a demand for faith

A. Based in the Word of God Gen 12:4-5a

(NKJV) Genesis 12 4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 … and they departed to go to the land of Canaan.

B. A response revealed by obedience Heb 11:8a

(NKJV) Hebrews 11 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

C. Trusting in Him instead of sight Heb 11:8b

(NKJV) Hebrews 11 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

D. A faith the produces righteousness Gal 3:6

(NKJV) Galatians 3 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

1. That He is

2. What He said

3. He is trustworthy to His promises

E. A faith that transforms life Gen 12:5

(NKJV) Genesis 12 5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessionsthat they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaantite

1. Worshiping God

. (NKJV) Genesis 12 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, … 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

2. Continuously walking with God

(NKJV) Genesis 12 8 And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. 9 So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.