INTRO: I. New Year upon us.
A. New goals and made new commitments.
B. Time to reflect how did last year’s goals develop.
II. We need to become like this lady.
A. Professional violinist – Carnagie Hall.
B. Ask how she became so good.
C. Planned neglect. She planned to neglect everything that was not related to her goal.
III. Many of us need to be like this.
A. Today look at individual who got sidetracked.
B. Abraham.
TITLE: Jewels of Abraham
TEXT: Genesis 12:1-5
I. Call (READ v. 1)
A. Background (31-32)
1. First call UR of the Chaldeans (Mesopotamia) Acts 7:2 – “The God of Glory appeared to our Father Abraham while he still was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran.”
2. Picture: First called UR of the Chaldees and then to go to Canaan.
a. Geography: Ur of the Chaldees – by Persian Gulf, Iraq.
Canaan – Isreal today. Arabian Desert – go around – 1,000 journey.
B. Purpose: separating.
1. Ur of the Chaldees was known as “The Great Moon City” – very center of Chaldean worship.
-Pagan idol worship, sexual immorality.
2. Bad Influence.
Ex. Lot and two daughters (50-10) Sodom and Gomorrah.
3. Sanctification.
-Process to become more Christ-like (holy).
*Most basic meaning is separation or to be set apart.
C. Journey: Long hard – 1,000 miles
1. Traveling Terah, Abram, Sara, Lot.
a. Hard conditions (weather, constantly moving).
Ex. Felicia – “how many miles.”
2. Stop in Haran (half way) and settled down.
a. God wanted them to go on to Canaan, but they stopped and settled.
b. Reasons: could be many.
-Dad old, about ready to die. *Maybe just tired of journey.
-Constant fighting – was too hard.
D. Christian journey (played out in life of Abram).
1. God has called us – taken that step of faith. Accepted Jesus Christ.
a. Lord called us to be holy “sanctification”. 1 Peter 1:16 – “Bee ye holy because I am holy.”
**become Christ-like.
**constant war.
**saved, God did not make us so that we would no longer sin.
b. Like Abram or his family, Lord has called us on a journey with Him (journey of faith,
obedience).
1. Tired, long, hard journey.
-Seems like just finish one trial and another one has just started.
2. (Halfway) Stopped like Abram and his family because the journey is hard and you need a
break.
a. Settled down (comforts, Satan has given you a pillow to sit on, for your rest.)
Note: Break from war front.
b. Pace slowed down (run with fervor, crawling at a snail’s pace).
Note: Running cramps
E. Second call to help motivate you – v. 1
1. Willing to sacrifice.
a. Give up the comforts that they have come to enjoy.
1. Haran was also a center for moon worship. On main trade route between Babylon and Mediterranean.
2. (I believe) God lightened the load (Terah died).
- Lord took what was slowing them or hindering them.
Ex. Guy is heroin addict, prison broke it.
**Hard thought – must be willing to have the Master mold you.
2. Abram ordered to give up:
a. Country d. Heritage
b. People e. Friends
c. Family f. Loved ones
Read v. 1 again.
*We complain and feel it’s hard to give up the simplest things, imagine giving up the things Abram
did.
3. Emotional struggle
a. Excitement – new opportunities, God spoke again.
b. Loneliness – hard to make new friends.
c. Fear – unknown.
1. Trials and testings (going through again).
a. Faith – George Muller said, “trails, obstacles, difficulties and sometimes defeats are the
very food of faith.”
Note: Well, if that’s for supper, I am going to fast.
b. It takes faith to step into the fiery furnace the first time, but it takes more faith to step in
the second time (know the pain).
Abram was stepping in for the second time, but God was helping him.
II. Promise – v. 2-3 (READ)
God does not always explain why He does things, but He gives encouragement by promises of future good.
A. Promises Abram considered two-fold.
1. Concerned him personally.
a. Loss of country. God promised that He would make him a great nation.
1. Abram’s own nation falling into idolatry and wickedness.
2. God would make him a great nation Isreal – “the apple of God’s eye.”
b. Loss of his place of birth. God promised to bless him.
1. Abram left much behind, all prospects of wealth and comfort.
2. God blessed him. God blessed him so much by Chapter 13. Abram and Lot separated
(land could not support both of them).
c. Loss of family distinction. God promised to make his name great.
1. Abram left his father’s house.
2. God blessed him by a famous and lasting house.
2. Concerned about his relation to humanity.
a. Abraham blessing is highest sense.
1. His line was to flow all benefits of salvation and precious gifts of covenant of grace.
a. For the Jews. He is the father of a nation (Isreal).
b. For the believer. “We are considered the seed of Abraham.”
c. v. 3 – and all peoples on earth. “Literally says all the families of the ground.”
1. Think back: goes back to Adam, original curse Gen. 3:17 – “cursed is the ground
because of you.” Adam’s ground is cursed. Abraham: it will be blessed, because of
his faith in God.
B. Giver Behind the Gift
1. God who has everything at His disposal.
Illustration: When you think about the blessings of God, remember one child’s description of an
elevator: “I got into this little room and the upstairs came down.”
a. God – owner of everything. Everything you see, He owns. He allows you to use it.
1. Who would you rather serve, an Almighty God or the enemy (Satan).
Ex. Mike Warnky served as Satan’s high priest. End result: 98 lbs., laying in gutter,
needles broken off in his arm. (Satan took real good care of him).
Point: You will either serve one or the other…either Satan and your selfish wants OR God.
b. Choices: We need to be like Abraham and choose to serve God, no matter what the cost.
-Rather have in charge of my life than anyone else. Amen.
1. Lord is gentleman, will not force His way on you. He might try to persuade you, but He’s not
going to force His way.
TS: Like with Abraham, God gave him a choice to either obey or disobey the Lord’s calling.
III. Result (v. 4-5) READ
A. Obedience – Abraham left as the Lord told him.
1. Notice prompt and unhesitating. Scripture does not show that God kept asking and asking.
a. One of the worst things we can do as Christians is when we feel God prompting us to do
something, is not to do it. I Samuel 15:22 – “to obey is better than sacrifice.”
Note: Not saying not to question, but it’s an attitude.
2. Notice Abram didn’t question or complain – it’s OK to question sometimes, but not all the time.
Commercial: Little girl asking why to everything.
a. Been around someone who complains a lot, hard to be around.
Ex. Moses leading children of Isreal to promise land (gray hair).
-Abraham was not like this. God called him to do something and he responded.
1. Afraid (I believe)
2. Uncertain
3. Anxious
4. Reluctant
But reason why Abraham is spoken of so highly in the Bible is because he obeyed God and had
faith in Him.
-Not the most holy.
-Not the greatest leader.
*But he was faithful to God to the best of his ability.
B. Was a man of faith (faith in God).
-Faith is something that if you don’t exercise and use it, it becomes weak.
1. God wants us to have faith in Him.
-Provide for our needs
-Depend on Him
-Get to know Him personally
Abraham was an example for us, a man who is known as a man of faith.
IN CONCLUSION:
1. Early life Abram
a. Called on a journey Ur of the Chaldees to Canaan.
1. Started the journey.
2. Stopped halfway (many reasons why).
a. Like some of us “we may have not stopped, but our pace is slowed quite a bit.”
-We’re kind of tired. Journey has been long and hard.
b. Lord is calling again like He did with Abram to finish the journey.
1. Must be willing to sacrifice.
a. Give up whatever the Lord wants.
1. It does not have to be sin, it can be a weight, something that is slowing you
down.
c. Lord will bless you if you are faithful.
d. Key is obedience.
1. Be faithful like Abram
Not a better time (New Year Commitment).
