Abram Begins A Journey

Abram Begins A Journey

Genesis 12:1-8 (Sunday Jan 26, 2003)

Intro:

Roger Staubach who led the Dallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl Championship in ’71 admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn’t call his own signals was a source of trial for him. Coach Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass, when to run and only in emergency situations could he change the play (and he had better be right!). Even though Roger considered coach Landry to have a "genius mind" when it came to football strategy, pride said that he should be able to run his own team.

Roger later said, "I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory."

Christians have been called to a life of obedience.

Paul wrote in Titus 3:1 “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work

Acts 5:29 “…We ought to obey God rather than men.

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Without a doubt one of the greatest examples of obedience comes out of Genesis in the life of Abraham.

Obedience to God was not easy with the family and in the land that Abram dwelled.

The Bible speaks of Abrams family being involved in idolatry Joshua 24:2 “And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.

The land of Ur in which Abram dwelled and the land of Haran the land they dwelled in when his Father died were strong regions for worship of the moon.

Abram set him self apart, The Wesleyan Bible commentary suggest “Perhaps through the death of Abrams brother (11:28) The family was made aware of spiritual poverty of the material rich culture, and Abram specifically heard the call of God to a pilgrimage of faith, a spiritual adventure of the highest order.” (Volume 1 p59)

1. Abrams Call (12:1)

A. The Call From Jehovah (v.1a)

12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram

The word “LORD” here stands for the Hebrew word for God “Jehovah’ or “Yahweh” which is the personal revealed name of God. The word is capitalized in our Bibles to distinguish from another Hebrew word for “LORD” which is “Adonai”

The word Jehovah is explained in Exodus 3:14-15 “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

The LORD “Had Said to Abram” Abrams name means the “Exalted Father.” His name is changed to Abraham in Genesis 17:5 which means “Father of Many.”

God has called men in many different way’s he called Moses by the way of a burning bush, he blinded Paul by a light, But the method in which God called Abram is not specified, but what is known is Abram was asked to enter into a journey of twofold portion.

B. The Twofold Call (v1b,c)

1. Call of Separation (v.1b)

“Get out” of your country, The country was the land of Ur the place of his home From your family And from your father’s house, to ask him to leave his fathers house meant for him to give up being the leader of his family. His father Terah had passed away and Abram had assumed the role of leadership.

God has asked Abram to leave all that he knew, all that he had worked for, all that he ever loved, to follow him.

God calls us to become Christians, and after we become Christians God calls us to a state of “Separation.’

The call of separation was issued to a tax collector In Luke 5. before the name change Matthew was known as Levi he was setting in his tax office and Jesus said for Levi to “Follow Me.” The Bible say’s Levi “left all rose up and followed him.”

Luke 14:25-33 “Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. Jesus is not instigating hate. We know his whole message was love. What he is talking about is getting our priorities in line. Our loyalty must be to Christ. 27“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29“lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30“saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31“Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32“Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.