Sermon Central
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Abraham: Walking By Faith Series
Contributed by Chris Jordan on Oct 9, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: God is calling us to walk by faith. Faith obeys the call, believes the promise, and sacrifices everything.
HEROES OF FAITH #3: ABRAHAM: WALKING BY FAITH
INTRO TO TOPIC: Two weeks ago we began a series in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11.
Enoch walked with God. We learned that to walk by faith means to walk with God.
Noah built an ark. We learned that God wants us to build the kingdom.
This week, we’re going to look at the faith of Abraham, the father of our faith (Rom. 4:16).
OPENING TEXT:
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6).
THE BIG IDEA: God is calling us to walk by faith. Faith obeys the call, believes the promise, and sacrifices everything.
1. FAITH OBEYS THE CALL:
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Heb. 11:8-10).
When God called Abraham to go, he obeyed, not knowing where he was going.
(You can read Abraham’s story in Genesis 12-25 – it’s a great story to read in your own Bibles).
PERSONAL TESTIMONY: When we were called to Beausejour five years ago.
Our journey is not always making a geographic journey like Abraham did.
The whole Christian life is a journey of walking by faith:
• To move from exploring Christ,
• to growing in Christ,
• to being close to Christ,
• to living a Christ-centered life.
Our goal is to know Jesus more and to become more like Him, totally surrendered to Him.
We want to see people’s lives transformed by the living, loving Saviour, Jesus Christ!
How was Abraham able to obey God and trust Him completely?
“And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he 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.” (Genesis 12:8).
• He built an altar to the Lord – he knew that worshipping God was his highest calling.
• He lived in tents – he knew life on planet earth was temporary, and eternity is forever.
• What is God calling YOU to do? Our highest calling = to know, love & serve Him!
• Obeying the call means obeying God’s general will (what’s written in the Bible), and also His specific will (what He’s calling you to do personally).
• God called Abraham to leave Ur, a place that represented sin and unbelief.
• What “Ur” are you called to leave? The place of lying, gossip, unforgiveness? The place of lukewarmness or compromise? It’s time to leave Ur and journey to the Promised Land!
2. FAITH BELIEVES THE PROMISE:
“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.” (Heb. 11:11-12).
• I’m glad Sarah was included in the hall of faith – women can be heroes for God, too!
• God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations at the age of 75.
• At the age of 99, they still didn’t have any children.
• Would you continue to believe God’s promise after 24 years with no results?
• Don’t give up or lose heart – keep believing the promise!
• Hebrews 6:12 says it is “through faith and patience that we inherit the promises.”
“And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” (Romans 4:19-21).
• That’s faith! Remember, faith doesn’t just believe God exists.
• It also believes that He is good and faithful, and rewards those who diligently seek Him!
• Not only is faith about obeying the call and doing what God is calling you to do for Him, but it also trusts Him to do what He has promised to do for YOU!
• Abraham was strengthened in faith – His faith grew – and our faith can grow too:
