The Truth About The Path Out of God's Will

Following in the Footsteps of Faith  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  36:02
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Series: Abraham: Following in the Footsteps of Faith
3. The Path out of God’s Will
Genesis 12:10-20
January 24, 2010
Series Intro: few men, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself have has such an impact on the history of the world as did the man introduced to us in this passage of scripture. This man is revered by over one-half the world’s population. In our day, Abraham is held in high esteem by Jews, Muslims and Christians. In ancient times the Jews considered Abraham to be almost worthy of their worship.
Consider This:
1. Genesis 1-11 deals with 2000 years of history-creation, sin, flood, languages changed.
2. All the rest of Genesis 12-50 covering about 400 years deals with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
3. The rest of the OT 39 books deals with the history of the nation which sprang from Abraham, the nation of Israel.
4. All of the rest of the Bible is occupied with and centers on Abraham’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. One man’s obedience and devotion impacted all of human history, and we don’t think it is important for us to obey God!!!!
In the Bible, Abraham is presented to us as a great example of a man who lived his life by faith, Heb. 11:8-19. James 2:23 records the fact that Abraham was called the “Friend of God.” This man’s life was a special life and a great portion of the first book of the Bible is devoted to it. Now, some may ask, “Why take the time to study a man who lived 4,100 years ago?” My answer to you is that, first, the Bible takes the time to speak about him, so we should take the time to study him. The second is that the life of Abraham teaches us much about the matter of walking with God by faith. That, after all, is the goal of the Lord for all His children. God is calling every one of His children to live a life of faith. This man teaches us how.
Intro: We have before us what is probably the saddest event in the entire life of Abraham. We see him making a decision that will bring tremendous trouble into his life and into ours as well. Our text tells that during a time of famine in Canaan, Abram took his family and moved to the land of Egypt.
Now, in the Bible, Egypt is always presented to us as a picture and a type of the world. It was where the children of Israel were held in bondage to Pharaoh for 400 years. Even after they were delivered by the power of God, they still longed for what they had left behind in Egypt, Ex. 16:3
Exodus 16:3 KJV 1900
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
That’s just like us! Regardless of how the Lord blesses us, there is still a part of us that looks back longingly to the world we have left behind.
Abraham decided to take his tent (temporary dwelling on this earth) and leave the altars that God had caused him to build and take a trip down into the world!
As we see this man make his journey into Egypt, there are some truths about the path he took to Egypt that we need to notice. I want to preach for a few minutes about The Truth About The Path To Egypt.

I. IT IS ALWAYS A DOWNWARD PATH-VS. 10

(Ill. When a believer leaves Canaan (The place of victory and blessing) to go to Egypt (The world), it always leads him down. Ill. Jonah - Jonah 1:1-5.
(Jonah 1:1) Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
(Jonah 1:2) Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
(Jonah 1:3) But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
(Jonah 1:4) But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
(Jonah 1:5) Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
A. It Led Him Down From The Land Of Promise
- The land of Canaan represented God’s Best for Abram. Canaan land was where he was supposed to be!
(Note: There is no place more precious/perfect than the place God wants you to be!
(Philippians 4:11) Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
(Philippians 4:12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
(Philippians 4:13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
B. It Led Him Down From The Land Of Preparation- The famine in Canaan was not a punishment for sin, rather it was a test of faith.
1. He left God’s best and ran away from God’s test. Real faith will always be tested.
2. The great test is to submit to the test and trust God instead of running away! (Ill. The Widow of Zarephath - 1 Kings 17)
3. Abram was to choose the uncertainty of Canaan over the abundance of Egypt.
(James 1:2) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
(James 1:3) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
(James 1:4) But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
(James 1:5) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all menliberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
(James 1:6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
(James 1:7) For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
(James 1:8) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
4. God will always provide a way to trust Him!!
(1 Corinthians 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
C. It Led Him Down From The Land Of Provision - God had promised to bless Abram in Canaan, Gen. 12:2. Canaan was also the place of God’s rest for Abram. Only there could he rest in the arms of providence and trust God to take care of him. (Ill. The best place to be is where the Lord places you, even if it is difficult - Ill. Elijah - 1 Kings 17:4, 9 - “There”)

II. IT IS ALWAYS A DISHONEST PATH-VS. 11-15

A. Abram Birthed A Lie-vs. 11- It is a sad day when a believer turns away from the truth to embrace a lie.
1. This may be the saddest episode in Abraham’s life, and it forever preserved in the word of God. We can learn from his mistake!
2. (Note: We all have those times when we birth a lie in our hearts to try and justify the things we do and allow in our lives.. It is a sad day when it happens!)
B. Abram Became The Lie-vs. 12
1. After he told the lie, he began to live the lie!
2. One lie always leads to another!
3. (Ill. This is clearly seen in David’s lies and actions following his adultery with Bathsheba - 2 Sam. 11.)
4. Your lies will always affect your life!
C. Abram Believed The Lie
1. He came to believe the lie he had fabricated more than the truth he had received from God.
2. Verse 12 tells us that Abram was worried about something that could never happen. He could not die because God’s promise to him had not been fulfilled, Gen. 12:2-3.
3. (Note: This always sin’s way, Gen. 3:1-6(turn & read) - Eve sinned because she believed the devil’s lies more than she believed God.
4. Peter fell because he believed his own lies more than he believed the Lord’s word - Mark 14:30-31.)

III. IT IS ALWAYS A DISASTROUS PATH-VS. 15-17

A. Because Of The Potential
1. Abram’s sin had the potential to cause others to fall. Pharaoh could have taken Sarai to be his wife!
2. (Note: When a believer goes to Egypt spiritually, it causes others to fall away or stay away. Ill. Ghandi said that the reason he never became a Christian was other Christians!)
B. Because Of The Punishment
1. Abram’s sin brought God’s hand of judgment into the situation!
2. (Note: Wouldn’t it be a shame to know that our sin caused a believer to stumble or a sinner to be confirmed in his decision for hell? Ill. Matt. 18:6)
(Matthew 18:6) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
C. Because Of The Profits - The Bible tells us that Abram left Egypt with more than when he entered.
1. This is not always the case, Ill. The Prodigal - Luke 15: 11-24, but sometimes the believer will prosper in the far country.
2. However, those things that people think are gain are really often loss! Among the servants Abram acquired while there was an Egyptian girl named Hagar, Gen. 16:1-3. She became a problem for Abraham and Sarah and Abraham’s sin with her still has consequences in the world today. The lesson here is this, “What we think are the world’s best blessings often become life’s greatest burdens.” (Ill. Matt. 6:19-21)
(Matthew 6:19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
(Matthew 6:20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
(Matthew 6:21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

IV. IT IS ALWAYS A DISAPPOINTING PATH-VS. 18-20

(Ill. The world and all of its allurements can never satisfy the soul that has ever tasted of the goodness of the Lord!)
A. Because Of The Testimony It Forfeits - Abram lost his testimony in Egypt. He is even told by Pharaoh, “Take her and go!”
1. He was literally kicked out of the world by the world! Lost people never forget a ruined testimony! They may never remember your good works, but they will never forget your failures!
2. (Ill. What gets more air time, Peter’s preaching at Pentecost, or his denial of Christ? What about David and the Ark, or David and Bathsheba?)
B. Because Of The Things It Forgets
1. In Egypt, Abram had no altar, he offered no sacrifices and he lifted up no prayers. He totally left God out of all that he was doing!
2. When in the world, the child of God lives like the world. That is a tragedy within itself! God, and all that pertains to Him are neglected and ignored! You see, no man can serve 2 masters - Matt. 6:24.
C. Because Of The Tragedy It Fosters - Instead of bringing the light of the one true God into the darkness of Egypt, Abram only brought more darkness! He was not “salt and light” as he should have been! (Note: When we walk out of Canaan in Egypt, we cannot be what God has called us to be, Matt. 5:13-16! It is always a tragedy when believers leave the world worse off than it was when they found it!)
Conc:
The Truth about the Path to Egypt
1. Always a downward path
2. Always a dishonest path
3. Always a disastrous path
4. Always a disappointing path
Believers:
Is there a famine in your life today?
Finances, physical problems, marital problems, spiritual problems
The answer is never to run down to EGYPT!!! As a believer that is what you came out of !!!!!
Where is your tent pitched today?
Are you camping Canaan, firmly fixed in the land of blessing, victory and testimony, or have you gone down to Egypt?

All it takes to get to Egypt is a little compromise here and there and before you know it, you are miles away from the Lord.

You will never prosper as long as you are not where God wants you to be!
My advice is for you to come home, rebuild your altars and live for Jesus like He saved you to do.
Unbeliever:
You do not have to live all your life in sin, you can come to Jesus Christ today and he can cleanse break the bondage of sin in your life!!!!
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