God Of Abraham 2 Series

The Godfathers

Pt. 2 - God of Abraham 2

I. Introduction

The movie, directed and written by Francis Ford Coppola and released in 1972, is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. The film paints a chilling portrait of the Corleone family's rise and near fall from power in America and focuses on this powerful Italian-American crime family. One of the quotes from the movie that has endured the years is this statement . . .

“Italians have a little joke, that the world is so hard a man must have two fathers to look after him, and that’s why they have godfathers.” – The Godfather

I am thankful for our Father. However, it struck me a while back as we sang a song that states "I call on the God of Jacob" that we too have God fathers. In over a dozen passages a statement is made in Scripture that continues to be quoted today. God is referred to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These three men (Father, Son and Grandson) are singled out as God Fathers. This phrase is used because God makes and repeats a covenant with these three men. Scripture declares in Galatians 3:6-7 - Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, so then, understand that those who believe are the sons of Abraham.

We even sing "Father Abraham had many sons and I am one of them." However, I question whether we really have any understanding of the powerful nature of the promises made to them and ultimately to us since

I want us to go back and examine the God of Abraham. The God of Isaac. The God of Jacob. Let's see if what our Godfathers experienced may have some lessons for us.

Text: Genesis 12:1-4, 21:5 (NLT); 22:1-13 (NIV)

God had told Abram, “Leave your own country behind you, and your own people, and go to the land I will guide you to. If you do, I will cause you to become the father of a great nation; I will bless you and make your name famous, and you will be a blessing to many others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and the entire world will be blessed because of you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him, and Lot went too; Abram was seventy-five years old at that time.

5 - Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

22:1-13 - Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”