By Faith: Abraham
By Faith • Sermon • Submitted
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· 30 viewsThe Great Hall of Faith can teach us how to have faith
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Introduction
Introduction
As we have studied this Great Hall of Faith we have been able to see many characteristics of these ordinary people that found themselves believing and trusting an extraordinary God. Maybe you have been able to identify with one or more of these examples of faith and hopefully apply from them something that has made your faith stronger.
We come to a point in this study where we have more verses about this one person than any others. Abraham is already mentioned in a previous chapter in Hebrews is chapter 6:13-15
Hebrews
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
Abraham was par excellence a man of faith. In fact, he is mentioned throughout the bible as such a man. He is known by the Jewish faith and the father of their race. But the New Testament teaching shows him to be the father of all who have faith.
makes a reference that all who believe are descendants of Abraham.
For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.
and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.
Hebrews
Abraham’s faith is definitely worth studying for us today.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
If we look closely at the summary of Abraham’s faith in , we will find several distinct characteristics that you might be surprised that you and I can adapt and grow in our own faith.
First, we can see that Abraham had a RESPONSIVE FAITH.
Responsive Faith
Responsive Faith
We first learn about Abraham when God first called him and his name was Abram.
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.
Abram, later becoming Abraham, was called by God. He obeyed and went. He trusted God’s word and depended on that word.
In order to understand how to respond one must understand the call of God.
The call of God is a unique opportunity. The call of God is from the Grace of God.
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 30
The Call of God must come to us before we can come to Him.
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Call of God comes in His glory to do a glorious work.
Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
Psalm 111:
The Call of God compels us to leave sin, sinful company and whatever would keep us from being devoted to Him.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1 John 3
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
1 Thessalonians 4
The Call of God is for all, not to get well, but to go on well.
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
The Call of God will not leave us short or lacking.
1 Corinthians 1:
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
So how are you going to respond to the call of God? Abraham responded obediently. He had a responsive faith.
Abraham had a SACRIFICIAL FAITH
He also
Sacrificial Faith
Sacrificial Faith
Abraham was willing to go out from all he knew as secure, prosperous, peaceful and enjoyable.
John Calvin wrote, “It is a rare trial of faith to leave what is on one’s hand to go seeking for what is far off and unknown to us.”
Abraham recognized that if God called him, God would guide his steps, meet his needs, and purpose his future.
God promises to equip us!
equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Do you have such a faith? Are you able to be like Abraham and realize that God will guide your steps, meet your needs and purpose your future?
Abraham also has a COURAGEOUS FAITH.
Courageous Faith
Courageous Faith
Abraham took off, not knowing where he was going to go.
I am blessed with a pretty good sense of direction. But, I rarely just take off without a map or some kind of direction in which I am going to follow. Abraham was 75 when he received this directive from God and he took off. Today if a 75 year old takes off like that, we would do a silver alert, just because it is odd.
What courage it was for Abraham to say, “Yes, Lord, I will go.” You and I are called to have that same type of courage. God is calling us to have such a faith that when we are called, we are ready to go.
We are called to carry out what Paul wrote to the Corinthians
We live by faith, not by sight.
I recently heard Aileen Coleman speak. Ms. Coleman has been a missionary in Jordan for over 60 years. She is credited with helping start a hospital in Jordan that serves patients that have multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. It is the only hospital around that does so. Patients have to stay there for weeks at a time and because of that care, many Muslims are hearing and seeing the gospel and accepting Jesus. Hundreds are coming to faith in Christ because of this work. She is 87 almost 88, and when asked if she was going back, she replied, “Yes, because the Lord has directed me to go.” That is courageous faith.
Are you living by faith? Are you trusting God enough to say as you are walking out the door, “yes Lord, I will go!”
Abraham also had a PERSISTENT FAITH.
Persistent Faith
Persistent Faith
Abraham was called to go to a promised land that was inhabited by others. He continued to live in tents.
Abraham looked backwards as he remembered God’s command. Even when he went through difficulty and when things seemed to go against him, Abraham looked upwards, reminded that God promised to be His protector and rewarder.
After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
When Abraham was uncertain, he looked forward, beyond the trials of uncertainty and the insecurity of the tents which he resided to the sure foundation of the city being built, whose architect was God Almighty!
Abraham had a DEPENDENT FAITH
Dependent Faith
Dependent Faith
God told Abraham that He would make him the father of a nation. The bible tells us that even though his wife Sarah was past age and barren, Abraham depended on God’s word. HIS INABILITY DEPENDED ON GOD’S ABILITY.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
I can’t help but wonder, what is going on in your life right now that may be challenging your faith? Maybe it is a relationship that is struggling, maybe it is a financial concern, maybe God has called you to step out on faith and you are having a hard time in doing so. Abraham had a dependent faith and you and I can as well.
We see in that all of these great members of this Hall of Faith we have looked at lived by faith until they died. What an example of confidence for you and I to be able to engrave in our hearts and minds the promises of God.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Hebrews 10:
This dependent faith refuses to be silent. Our faith must compel us to share it with others. Are you sharing your faith with others? Are you sharing what God is doing in your life?
The example of Abraham shows us a responsive faith, a sacrificial faith, a courageous faith, a persistent faith, and a dependent faith. All of these, though. show you and me a waiting faith.
Waiting Faith
Waiting Faith
I absolutely hate to wait. I hate waiting in line, I hate waiting for anything. Abraham obeyed when he did not know where he was going.
Abraham obeyed when he did not know God’s promise would be fulfilled.
Abraham obeyed when he did know how God’s will would be accomplished.
You might be saying, “well I am certainly not Abraham.” You are right. You have so much more because in the time between you and Abraham, God has proved Himself more and more faithful.
As you wait, remember
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man
who makes the Lord his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1-