Trusting God, when it doesn't seem Reasonable

Intro:

Don’t be Afraid

This was after he had rescued Lot.

He had effectively spurned the king of Sodom.

The end of chapter 14.

Maybe he could have felt like he could face reprisals.

Abram said; but I am childless so what can you give me?

My heir is Eliezer of Damascus.

God took Abram outside and showed him the night sky.

I can imagine a clear, dark night.

The stars are very visible.

You get a picture of God gently taking Abram outside, and with His hand on his shoulder saying look Abram. Drink this in.

Like a father who is gently teaching and showing his son an example.

This is how our Father is.

Like a child we don’t see and understand all the future, we say but how is this going to be.

Yet, we can still ask in faith.

Worry and Anxiety

Abram believed God.

Read Matthew 6:25-34

Jesus includes trusting God with the future in His teachings on what life is to be in His Kingdom.

This is perhaps one that more people will struggle with than any of the others.

Jesus calls us to the same faith that Abram exemplified.

Trust God to handle the future.

Worry and anxiety affect people at different times and to different degrees.

Worry and anxiety are a fruit of faithlessness.

Jesus commended or rebuked people for faith or lack of it.

The centurion, had great faith. Matthew 8:5-13

Jesus’s disciples were rebuked for lack of faith. Mathew 8:23-27

Peter had little faith. Mathew 14:28-33

The Canaanite woman seeking help for her daughter. Mathew 15:21-28

Jesus challenged the disciples to have faith and do greater things. Matthew 21:18-22

Jesus teaches about perseverance in prayer, then wonders if He will find faith on the earth when He returns. Luke 18:1-8

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice. Thank and praise God.

Be gentle.

Don’t be anxious, instead ask. Supplications asking God for what we need.

Rest in the peace of God!

When circumstances do not make sense.

Ask and rest.

Trust God to take care of your future.

Do the right thing!

When we don’t know how the future will turn out or we don’t know what will happen if we do or don’t do this or that, sometimes we know there is something that is the right thing to do.

I have made decisions this way sometimes in life and ministry.

There were risks, but I knew what was the right thing to do.

The outcome can then be left to God.

Foolishness or irresponsibility is not faith.

Wise as serpents harmless as doves.

Abram believed God!

Vs. 6

Quoted in the NT.

Wonderful and profound truth. God counted it to him as righteousness.

This verse and it’s New Testament quotations are often taken out of context.

Some people say all we need to do is believe, like Abraham.

We don’t need to live a life of repentance and godliness.

We should not be religious and have anything to do with any laws or rules in the Christian life.

This is normally the result of following Protestant Reformation Theology.

Lets’s look at the New Testament and see if this is what they were saying.

The church faced a dilema in the early days after Christ.

Would they continue to follow the law of Moses and circumcision or not?

This would seem normal I am sure to most devout Jews. This is how you were right with God.

Acts 10 & 11 are about this question when Cornelius (a gentile) became a believer.

Acts 15 is about the council at Jerusalem to answer this question, What is required of believers in regards to the law of Moses and circumcision?

Romans 3:21 “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.”

The point is that there is certainly a righteous now, but not through circumcision and the law of Moses.

Read Romans 4:1-3 Abraham was not justified by works of the law or circumcision.

Read Romans 4:9-12 Abraham was counted righteous or justified before he was circumcised.

Circumcision is not introduced at all until later.

Read Romans 4:16-22

Abraham believed contrary to hope, that God could and would deliver on his promises. vs. 18

Abraham is truly the father of all those who have the same faith that he did. vs. 12.

When he looked at that night sky and saw all those innumerable stars, he saw all of us.

We can be reminded of this when we look at the stars.

Also we can be reminded that Jesus said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Galatians 3:1-14

Here again is it by faith or the works of the law of Moses?

vs. 7&8 the gospel was preached to Abraham beforehand.

vs. 11 a quote from Habbakuk 2:4 “the just shall live by faith”.

vs. 14 the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:1-12 Paul is concerned that the Galatians do not go back to counting on the Law of Moses and circumcision for righteousness.

Jesus said that our righteousness would need to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, then laid out the laws of His Kingdom.

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that he would say: “I never knew you” to those who “practice lawlessness”.

We are justified by faith. Not by the Law of Moses and circumcision. But we still walk circumspectly, following our Lord Jesus.

James 2:14-24

In some way Abrahams faith was made perfect or brought to fulfillment when he was tested and was obedient. vs. 23

Example of saying words but not doing anything. There is really no point.

Is there a conflict between what James and Paul taught about this?

Paul was talking about the works of the Law of Moses which cannot save us.

James was talking about works of obedience to what God is calling us to do and be.

God made a Covenant with Abram

Abram believed, yet still asked; “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”

God didn’t say Abram was being faithless by saying this.

God went to this length to make a covenant. One commentary said the Hebrew word is literally “cut” a covenant.

Animals 3 years old in their prime.

vs. 17 and 18. A smoking oven and a burning torch went between the pieces.

What are other times God appeared as fire and smoke.

Leading the people out of Egypt.

The burning bush.

Heb. 6:13-20.

God himself went through the “valley of death”

The person who would go through the animals was saying, if I don’t keep this covenant, may I be like these animals.

God went between showing Abram and us that He will keep His promise.

God cannot die or lie!

Heb. 6:17-20

This is the hope that we have!

It is truly an anchor for the soul!

Hagar and the Birth of Ishmael

Abram listened to the voice of his wife.

Does this sound familiar. Adam and Eve.

Although some will say that this wasn’t a sin then because polygamy wasn’t condemned yet, it still did not work out well.

It caused all kinds of trouble in the family.

God still cared for Hagar and Ishmael.

Hagar even named the Lord “You are the God Who Sees.”

This wasn’t the way that God intended to deliver and it brought trouble.

Conclusion:

May we remember these things when we are tempted to go down the road of worry or anxiety about the present or future.

We have firm reasons to trust God with the present and the future. This does not mean that we will not have trials and difficulties, but that we have hope and faith to stay the course. We have hope to persevere and finish well. God is able and will deliver on His promises.