How To Have Hope For The Future Series

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PORTRAITS OF FAITH: ABRAHAM

HOW TO HAVE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

November 26, 2006 Jay Robison HEBREWS 11:8-10, 13, 16

This Thursday Thanksgiving is A Celebration of Pilgrims . .

At Harvest in 1621 over 100 people gathered to thank God

Pilgrim Edward Winslow described it this way

Our harvest gotten in, our governor sent 4 men hunting so that after a special manner we might gather & rejoice in the fruit

of our labors. Great Indian King Massasoit with 90 men killed

5 deer and celebrated with us for three days.

By the goodness of God we are far from want.

Pilgrim =A PERSON JOURNEYING TOWARD A FUTURE LIFE

Journey undertaken w\an end in view, a purpose, not just a tourist.

We have been considering portraits of faith

Last week, Enoch who walked with God

Before that Abel reminder to give our best to God

Today from Hebrews 11 Abraham who was a pilgrim

With similar qualities to pilgrims who came here 300 + yrs ago

Journeying toward a future, living for tomorrow

Tomorrow is filled with promise and potential

Chance to better ourselves, brims with opportunity

Tomorrow also filled with mystery and pitfalls

We want to know the future only if good but

Maybe things will not work out as we wish tomorrow

Certainly the same hope and anxiety lived in our

Faith portrait today Abraham Let’s look at his experiences

So that we might gain a model of how to live life

1. What GOT INTO ABRAHAM

Abraham went out from his own surroundings

To a country he never had seen or knew anything about

He followed an inner calling to tomorrow

Believing things for which he had no proof,

Listen to Vs 8NLT It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God

called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give

him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going

Abraham was moved by a call to the “land of promise”

He left his homeland and family never to return home

Imagine Abraham and God talking. “Abraham, this is God.”

I want you to leave everything and go to the land I will show you.”

“Where’s that?” “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Try me.” “It’s 1500 miles from here in a place called Canaan.”

“Never heard of it.” “I know, and guess what else?” “What?” “

I’m going to make you the father of a great nation.”

“That’s impossible. I don’t have any children Sarah & I in AARP.” “Don’t worry.” “What do you mean, don’t worry?” “Just trust me.” “Let me see if I’ve got it straight. You want me to leave everything,

travel across the desert to someplace I’ve never heard of, & become the father of a great nation.” “Right.” “Is this some kind of joke?” “No.” “What am I supposed to tell my wife?” “That’s your problem.”

Abraham was called out on the limb and then to jump off it

We can make ourselves comfortable by world’s standards

Or we can listen to an inward voice calling us to Move Out

God always sees ALL OUR POTENTIAL

Few of us live up to our potential, think we do

May even feel that we cannot do any more

I am asking are you being in touch with God’s inner call

on your life, following as God leads us God has a call for all of us

Society is full of people who have lost all strength and hope

Have never moved to focus on one thing energized by that

Faith for Abraham was not a static settled issue

He was willing to boldly go where no one had ever gone before

This was a few millennia before Star Trek

He had to go on his own vision not with large contingent

Tribe did not move with him only immediate family

There was risk involved in living life of faith

If faith is so great why do so few people live it out?

Most people would rather do anything than take a risk.

Taking risks, means being vulnerable. And that may affect our

finances, our friends, our future, our feelings, our occupation,

where we live, and a host of other considerations.

Human tendency is to want to be safe and secure, to hedge our bets,

to insure ourselves against loss. Basically, we fail at faith because

we fear to risk.” [Charles Swindoll. A Study of Hebrews 10-12.]

But faith w\out risk is not faith God called Abraham from comfort

2. What DID ABRAHAM GO THROUGH?

Since Abraham faithful to God everything should be smooth sailing

Right, after all if we are faithful doesn’t God owe us

Abraham and company traveled from Ur of Chaldees West