Celebrating our 169th Year
Chartered February 25, 1838
A 21st Century Parish with a 1st Century Faith
Acts 2:42
Mid-Week Lent 1
February 13, 2008
Genesis 12:1-4a
The call of Abraham
God chooses a people - The power of faith
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.
Prayer of the Day
“Heavenly Father, it is Your glory always to have mercy. Bring back all who have erred and strayed from Your ways; lead them again to embrace in faith the truth of Your Word and to hold it fast.”
Introduction: The Bible makes great claims of what faith can do. Jesus taught that faith can move mountains. The average person of faith often wonders why he cannot do great things by his faith. Often our faith is battered and weak. We question; we question the motives of others, we question the Lord or His timing, sometimes we question ourselves. Often we struggle with fear and doubt. Our text for this evening shows us what faith can do. As we continue our Lenten pilgrimage we focus on God’s dealings with His people. Tonight, we will focus on the power of faith as the Lord chooses a special people; although, at the time, this people was weak, frightened and of little importance.
Tonight we answer the question of what faith can do as we consider the call of Abraham.
I. Faith trusts in God’s promise for the unknown future — vv. 2, 3. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
A. To Believe is simply another word for faith. Faith is nothing less then taking God at His Word. Taking God at His Word means we trust in all of His promises.
B. Do we count on the promises of God? Do we rely upon them? Or, are they a burden for us? At times trusting in God’s promises was difficult for the wandering children of Israel and especially for Abraham. He learned obedience as he was forced by necessity to rely more and more on Him, especially in difficult and troubling times.
C. How so for you? Do you trust in the Almighty only when things are going well? Where is He leading you? Do you trust Him? Abraham had nothing to go by except for one thing; the Lord’s promise to direct his life. Faith calls for us to trust His Word no matter what the circumstance might be.
II. Faith acts upon the promise for the unknown future — v. 4. “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.”
A. The Lord said for him to go and Abram left. Abraham was asked of God to leave comforts and home and family and everything he was familiar at the age of 75 when most people are thinking of a simpler life. He did not know where he was headed. Yet he walked by faith. There are countless people in the Scriptures who traveled a similar path. The Shepherds outside of Bethlehem, the Wise men, the Savior’s disciples, all traveled as the Lord directed them even though they only had a promise, “there you will find Him.”
B. Where is the Lord directing you this night? Do you know the future? We too walk by faith and not always by sight. Yet, the Lord has given us His promise, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
1. God’s Word is a lamp - directing you. At times we can see God’s hand of direction clearly. In such circumstances His light is as bright as a halogen light bulb. There is no room for doubt. We can see God’s hand of direction clearly. Making a decision when the Lord’s direction is clearly seen is easy.
2. In other circumstances we can not always know in what direction we should go. The future is unknown. The prospects are uncertain. Yet, God’s Word remains a lamp – directing you. In these situations His light is a flashlight. You can’t see but for a few feet in front of you. Yet, it is enough light to keep you moving along the journey the Lord is directing.
3. The point is clear. To the extent we avail ourselves to God’s Holy Word will we be directed by the Lord. We need His Word for direction in every circumstance; when the future is certain and especially when it is unclear at the time.
III. Faith brings blessings — vv. 3, “I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
A. This is the one passage which ties the entire Old Testament Scriptures into one promise. On this promise hinge all of the other promises of God. It is the one verse by which we can know that the Savior is serious concerning all of the thousands of other promises found in the Scriptures of old.
B. The Lord gave Abraham a wonderful promise that through him all the peoples of the earth would be blessed. In the fullness of time God’s Son Jesus Christ, - a direct descendent of Abraham - was sent to this earth. He entered our world in time to be our substitute. He carried for you the burden of your sin. As He suffered, was crucified, and died He was buried. And there, in His own tomb He buried your sins and offenses and sealed them forever. He has separated them as far as the east is from the west and He remembers your sins no more!
C. Now the Lord has promised “grace and every blessing” to you and to me. Not based on our work or merit. Rather based on the merits of His own Son who went to a bloody cross to suffer and die there. He has removed your guilt and became your substitute, exchanging your wretched life for His perfect life.
IV. Finally faith erects altars to God — vv. 7, 8, “The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and 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.”
A. Abraham centered his life in God. Wherever Abraham traveled, he built an altar. It was a sign of his God centered life. What he was and where he was going resulted from God’s directives. An altar is a symbol of God’s presence and the place where God and people meet for conversation. A person of faith builds an altar wherever he goes that he might maintain his relationship with God.
B. Your prayer life is an altar to God. He calls us to join with Him in prayer. In prayer we have a conversation with the Almighty. In prayer we take our needs burdens joys and sorrows to the throne room of grace and we are thankful as He answers each petition and intercession according to His perfect will.
C. Where do we erect our altars? Sacred Scripture reminds us, Where your treasure is there your heart will be also. Where does man center his priorities? Look at the ledger of your check book. What does it reveal? It’s more then an accounting of where the money goes. It gives you a reference point of where your priorities lie. Where a man’s money goes there is where his heart (is at). As we ask the Lord for direction we sometimes need to look at our past to determine where we have come from…
Conclusion: By definition faith is simple trust. It is taking the Father at His word and trusting that He will give direction in your life. We do not know the future yet we know of Him who will direct our steps as He has the past. In full and complete confidence we submit to Him placing our body and soul and all things into His care. In this confidence be assured that He will direct your path. You are a sheep of His fold, a lamb of His flock, a sinner of His own redeeming. Fare thee well child of God. Fare thee well as He directs you, on this journey of faith.
+Soli Deo Gloria+
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