Abraham Series

Sermon 1: Abraham – “Friend of God”

Series: God’s Heroes of the Faith

Introduction to series: Over the next few months we will be exploring the Heroes of the Faith found for us in Hebrews 11. We will be taking a quick glimpse at a few characters sketches. Theses Bios will teach us primarily 7 life lessons.

1. Life is not always fair but God is faithful.

2. God uses imperfect people to do His perfect will.

3. God’s Hall of fame recipients know how to say, “I choose to lose!”

4. Over-comers in life say, “I will never quit!

5. God’s heroes of the faith say, “No Pride!”

6. These real life stories will teach us, what to do.

7. These real life stories will teach us, what not to do.

8. Life is about servant-hood not about attaining fame and fortune.

Learning from real life teaches the most valuable lessons of survival in this life. These heroes of the faith will show to us the lessons of life. We will learn how to please God. We will discover that it is God who creates heroes of the faith with those who say “I Will”.

I look at these men and women and I discovered that they where people who made a difference with their lives. The reason they made a difference was because number one they had a relationship with the LORD. They lived their lives in service to the Lord. It was God alone who they served. They where individuals committed to Christ and His work. They discovered what God was doing and then became involved in it. The result of this decision propelled them into becoming a hero of the faith. The person given the largest write up about being a hero of the faith is Abraham. Lets explore Abraham’s life and learn what he did to get place in God’s Hall of Fame.

Character 1 – Abraham

Thesis: Abraham is called a friend of God and a mighty man of faith because he learned to say “I will Lord!”

Texts: Hebrews 11:1-19; James 2:20-24

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:2 (NIV)

2This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrews 11:3 (NIV)

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Hebrews 11:4 (NIV)

4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

Hebrews 11:5 (NIV)

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:7 (NIV)

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 11:8 (NIV)

8By 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.

Hebrews 11:9 (NIV)

9By 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.

Hebrews 11:10 (NIV)

10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:11 (NIV)

11By 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.

Hebrews 11:12 (NIV)

12And 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.

Hebrews 11:13 (NIV)

13All 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.

Hebrews 11:14 (NIV)

14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.

Hebrews 11:15 (NIV)

15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.