Faith Of Our Fathers

A woman was preparing to cash her husband’s paycheck when she realized her husband, hadn't signed it. So, she sent 4-year-old daughter upstairs to “get Daddy's name on the back of it.” Her daughter came back downstairs and proudly handed the check to her mom She said, “I knew his name, so I did it myself.” And on the back of the check, the little girl had printed, “D-A-D.”

Today is Father’s Day and our sermon is focused on dads. And most importantly it’s focused on the “FAITH OF OUR FATHERS”. Our text today has an interesting comment by God. Speaking to Moses at the burning bush God declared “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:6

God was declaring that HIS relationship to the Israelites was based upon THE FAITH OF THE FATHERS – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

There’s an old camp song that kids used to love. If you don’t know the song, I’m going to teach it to you today: “Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham. And I am one of them, and so are you. So let’s all praise the Lord - RIGHT ARM”

“Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham, and I am one of them, and so are you. So let’s all praise the Lord - RIGHT ARM – LEFT ARM”

And they’d go on and on like that - Right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, nod your head, turn around, sit down. And by the time they were done, the kids were all laughing and pretty much worn out. It was a great song… and the kids loved it. But more than that… it’s a Biblical song.

Romans 4:11 tells us “(Before Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, (he received) a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be THE FATHER OF ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE…” So Romans teaches us that if we BELIEVE IN JESUS - Abraham is OUR father. Abraham is the father of ALL THOSE who have faith in Christ.

But wait a minute? Jesus said GOD is my Father, He’s my heavenly Father. And God is WAYYYY more important and valuable… than Abraham is. So, what is this about Abraham being my FATHER? Well, Romans is basically saying that Abraham is a “father figure to us”. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians: 1 Corinthians 4:15 he told them “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Paul was saying that he’d became their FATHER (their father figure) as an example of how to live like a Christian.

ILLUS: In every church I’ve served, there have been men who have been Father figures. I looked up to them; I trusted them; I relied on their advice and guidance. They were FATHERS (if you will) to me. In the same way Abraham is our Father figure as Christians. We should look to him to see what faith looks like.

Now, what’s interesting in our passage in Exodus - God expands on that. He doesn’t just say He is the God of Israel’s father Abraham… but also of their fathers Isaac and Jacob. Those 3 names – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – show up together 33 times in Scripture.

• At the END of his life Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Genesis 50:24

• Just before the Israelites are to enter the Promised Land, Moses said “See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob...” Deuteronomy 1:8

• II Kings 13 declares that “the LORD was gracious to (God’s people) and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...” 2 Kings 13:23

• And in Acts 3:13 Peter declared “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.”

It’s like God was saying – “Remember These Names”! They are important! Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God was the God of these men, and these 3 men were the FATHERS (the Father figures) of God’s people.

So, the question is: WHY do their names show up together 33 times in Scripture? What was it about these 3 men that God wanted us to see? Why are they held up for us as FATHER FIGURES?