Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Introduction

a

I want you to take God’s Word now and turn with me to Genesis chapter 17.

Raise Need:

We’re talking about faith.

We’re in the school of faith.

Today, we’re talking about how to be strong in faith.

Archimedes was a philosopher and physicist, and he said, “If you will give me a lever long enough, if you will give me a fulcrum with something to rest it on, and,” he said, “if you will give me a place to stand,” he said, “I can move the earth.”

And he was right.

My dear friend, may I tell you, for us, that the lever is faith, the fulcrum is the Word of God, the place where we stand is in His grace, and with it not only can we move the earth, but we can move heaven as well—if we learn to be strong in faith.

Orient Theme:

Now Abraham, as we’ve said, is the brightest star in the Hebrew heaven; he is the hero to our Jewish friends.

But, my dear friend, he’s more than a Hebrew and a father to the Jews; he is the father of all of those who believe.

And what a lesson we’re going to learn today on how to be strong in faith, because I remind you that the Bible says, “According to your faith be it unto you.”

()

Adrian Rogers, “How to Be Strong in Faith,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), .

State Purpose:

Main Thought

Walking by faith requires forsaking the flesh and being filled with the Spirit.

Sub-Introduction

On four earlier occasions, God had spoken His covenant to Abram (; ; ; ), although He used the term “covenant” (Hebrew berith) only once (15:18, outlining the boundaries of the promised land).

Here in chapter 17, however, God uses the term “covenant” no less than thirteen times!

The adjectives attached to the word are significant.

Nine times it is called “my covenant,” three times it is called “an everlasting covenant,” and once it is called “the covenant betwixt me and you.”

In every case, God Himself was speaking.

In , it had been stated simply that “the Lord made a covenant with Abram.”

Background/Intro Material:

Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1976), 331.

v. 1a Introduction: Abram “ninety-nine”

vv.

1b–22 Covenant revealed

vv.

1b–8 Covenant promises announced

vv.

9–14 Sign of circumcision prescribed

vv.

15–22 Covenant promises explained

v. 23 Circumcision inaugurated

vv.

24–27 Conclusion: Abraham “ninety-nine”

I. Abraham & the Almighty God (Gen.

17:1-14)

At some point in your education, you may have read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet; and you discovered in that famous quotation: “What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.”

Juliet spoke those words as she talked to herself on her balcony, ignorant of the fact that Romeo was listening below.

She was pondering the fact that she belonged to the Capulet family and he to the rival Montagues, and that this accident of birth hindered them from getting married.

What difference did two names make?

No matter what his name was, Romeo was still her love!

Shakespeare notwithstanding, if you had asked a biblical character the question, “What’s in a name?” that person would have replied: “Everything!

Our names are very important!”

Names might record something significant about one’s birth () or about some life-changing experience.

Jacob was renamed Israel after a night of wrestling with God (), and Simon received the name Peter (rock) when he met Jesus Christ ().

The names assigned to unborn babies even carried messages (; ).

In this chapter, you will discover [three] new names and a name that will always be old because it cannot be changed.

Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1991), 61–64.

A. Abram's New Title - Seen With God's Newly Revealed Name ().

John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1810), 120.

1. Revelation ().

Gen. 17:1

State Point -

the Lord appeared to Abram; in a visible manner, in an human form very probably, even the Logos, the Word and Son of God: it seems as if the Lord had not appeared to him since the birth of Ishmael, until this time; and if so, it may be thought to be a correction of him for listening to the voice of his wife in marrying Hagar, without asking counsel of God

John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1810), 120.

El Shaddai:

This name of God is found 48 times total in the OT.

Only twice of those is it rendered exactly thus, Almighty God: here, , and describing the sound of cherubims' wings as the voice of Almighty God.

Five times it is given in reversed order as God Almighty, which arrangement is peculiar to God's revelation of Himself to Jacob in particular (see ; ; ; and ).

The majority of times (41 of 48x), it is simply given as Almighty, and the most of these in the Book of Job (31x).

Of note however, this name of God was selected by Naomi, particularly when she desired a changing of her name to Mara (see ). Significantly, the first time the name appears is when God changed Abram's name to Abraham, and Sarai to Sarah, respectively.

Naomi appears to be invoking the covenant God in her name change.

Also of note is that the first time the Book of Job uses the name (), it treats of God's chastening, which consider the thought of 13 years of silence that Abram experienced from Jehovah over the episode of Hagar and Ishmael, when he hearkened to the voice of Sarai over the LORD's.

This blessed text, “I am God All-sufficient,” may apply to us in times when we are inclined to shirk any service for God.

Have you never felt on certain seasons that God’s choice of you for a special labour could not be a wise one, for you were so unfit for it?

Have you never felt in your own hearts—“I cannot do that; I think the Lord would have me do it, but I cannot.

I have not the qualification.

I believe I am called to it, but it is too difficult for me.

I shall not be able to achieve it”?

Have you never had the disposition, like Jonah, to flee to Tarshish, or somewhere else, and to escape from Nineveh and its trials?

Have you never pleaded, like Jeremiah, “But I am a child?”

Have you never cried, like Moses, “I am slow of speech, send by whomsoever thou wilt send, but not by me”?

Now, at such a time the Lord may well remind us, “I am God All-sufficient, cannot I strengthen thee?

Weak as thou art, cannot I make thee strong?

Worm of the dust, cannot I make thee thresh the mountains?

Why dost thou fear?

Thou art feeble, but I am not.

Thou art foolish, but I am wise.

Give thyself up to my guidance; trust thyself in my hands, and thou shalt achieve marvels; and exceeding great wonders shalt thou accomplish by my power and grace.”

It will be sadly sinful if we arrogate to ourselves the right to arrange our own place, and alter heaven’s appointments.

We are not where we are by chance, or by a freak of fate: as God’s servants, our work is allotted us wisely and authoritatively.

Dare we be wiser than the Lord?

Are we also of Jehovah’s council?

His choice of instruments is wise, even when he chooses the weak things of the world to work his purposes.

Their insufficiency is of no consequence, for their sufficiency is of God.

C. H. Spurgeon, “The Life, Walk, and Triumph of Faith,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol.

18 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1872), 652.

But why would God reveal this name to Abraham at this time, at the close of thirteen years of silence?

Because God was going to tell His friend that Sarah would have a son.

The Lord wanted Abraham to know that He is the God who is all-sufficient and all-powerful, and that nothing is too hard for Him.

God says “I will” twelve times in this chapter; He is about to do the miraculous.

After Abraham’s battle with the four kings, God came to him as a warrior and told him He was his “shield.”

When Abraham wondered about his refusal of Sodom’s wealth, God told him He was his “exceedingly great reward” ().

Now when Abraham and Sarah were “as good as dead,” God assured them that He was more than sufficient to bring about the miracle birth.