The Way to the Top
Gen 18:19 July 27th, 2009
What do you think is the most important job in the world? Soccer player David Beckham makes ½ million $/week, but most soccer players probably make about $100,000/ year. Dentists and doctors make 100 – 300/year. Big jet pilots about 200. Stock traders 1 mill, movie directors 1 mill movie producers 10 mill.
It’s very strange what the world values most and which jobs are deemed the most important by the salary they are paid. People in entertainment make obscene amounts of money. People in the financial world – the love of money world - make crazy amounts of money. Are these the most important things? Is following this route the way to the top? We want to look at things from a different point of view. Because we are Christ followers and because God is the most important thing to us we have different questions. Our question isn’t how much do you get – it is how much fruit you produce – how much good you do – how much aligned with God’s will you are.
When we measure success it is a little different than measuring how big your pay cheque is – it is measured spiritually and eternally. The way to the top is much more attainable, much closer to home and way more profitable than any of the top 50 careers. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself for a giant corporation. You don’t have to become a slave to the business world. You don’t have to compromise and do a hundred things that don’t sit well with you. You don’t have to leave your Lord and your loved ones to pursue wealth. God’s message to us is that one of the very most important jobs you can have is the job of parent.
Abraham was a very famous father. Throughout the Bible he is referred to as Father Abraham. How important do you think Abraham was? Pretty important right? The patriarch of Israel – the founder of the chosen nation through which the Saviour of the world would come. A father of the faith to us – a godly example of a righteous man, a radical God follower. Admired and revered, studied and emulated; imperfect? O yes he certainly was, but even still Abraham is still such an important man.
But Abraham wasn’t just an important man- he was a godly man – a person who pleased God, and people who please God are blessed by God. He followed God’s will and so he was not only important to people – he was important to God.
Gen 17:5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
The name Abraham means “Father of multitudes”. The honour that God bestows on Abraham – the promises God makes to Abraham all revolve around 1 thing – the fact that he is going to have a family and he is going to lead that family as God leads him. Abraham is important to God because He can use him to influence a family, a generation and all his ancestral generations. Through Abraham God will bless the world – how? – as Abraham becomes a good and godly father. Listen to our scripture:
Gen 18:19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
God plans to bless all nations through Abraham:
Gal 3:6-8 just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed."
This is a grand plan – an epic plan. What could be bigger – what could anyone conceive of that would be more huge or more challenging than to bless all nations? God has very big plans for Abraham, and so what does Abraham have to do to bring this into fruition? He has to be a good parent. That’s it. It’s kind of surprising isn’t it? God’s Master plan hinges on him - it is dependant on Abraham being a decent, God fearing parent to his family.
Parents; do you want to do great things for God? Are you unsure how to do it? Maybe become a missionary, maybe start a ministry like Joyce Myers, run huge crusades like Billy Graham or run conferences like Bill Hybels. Are you overlooking something? Could God have bigger plans for you than any of these people? – You have no idea how important your family is to God. I know you love them; I know you would do anything for them; I know that you want the absolute best for them, but have you ever dreamed that you could be a parent who would continue the Godly legacy of your father Abraham – that you could be a great and Godly person – renowned in Heaven because of what you do at home? Have you ever imagined that the world could be blessed through you and that you could be the patriarch or matriarch of generations of God fearing; God loving; righteous fruitful men and women?
The principal is out there – the promise is to you. Faith of our fathers is something to sing about – it is reason to rejoice – yes you are a part of the promises made to Abraham by God – you are a descendant of that great man, probably not by bloodlines – but by Jesus’ blood if you accept His sacrifice. Jesus said to His enemies:
Joh 8:39 They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did
You can do what Abraham did. Abraham fathered many nations, but he also fathered the nation of Israel from whom the Messiah would come. Everything that God planned relied on Abraham being a parent who passed on a godly nature to his children.
Gen 17:9 And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
How do parents raise the next generation to be godly men and women? How do they command their children and their household to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice? How do they show them the way to living in the abundance of God’s promises?
1. They become what you are:
Gen 18:19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
The phrase, “For I have chosen him” is also translated; “I know him” God knew Abraham – He knew his character and He liked what He saw. God knows that in families character is replicated. Family resemblance goes beyond looks – children act like their parents too. God looked at Abraham and though he was far from perfect - thought – I would like to fill the world with people like that. He will be a good example for generations to come.
Abraham was a godly man and godly parents tend to bring godliness into the lives of their children; godly people tend to bring godliness into the lives of those around them. Godly people are God-like in some way and they inspire others to be god-like too.
Paul says to us:
1Co 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
I guess we shouldn’t wonder that when we spend a couple of decades living with someone we become like them in many ways. It is natural and normal that we learn from our parents and be like them in some very distinct ways. If you are a parent you need to know that one of the greatest things you can do to bring your family along the way to spiritual success is to be a godly man or woman – a person who is concerned with justice and who values righteousness; because they will become what you are.
When we are little we imitate our parents. One stormy morning a man was breaking up the ice on his driveway with a baseball bat. He went inside for a while before attempting to clear the car. Several minutes later, his son, who had been outside with him, came in. “Dad,” he said, “I got the ice off the car.” “How did you do that?” his father asked. “Same way you did,” the boy shrugged, “with the baseball bat.” We teach by example – we must be careful what we teach by example.
Jesus’ parables talk about finding lost sheep, not lost lambs. Why? Because where the sheep go the lambs are sure to follow. Lambs don’t get lost unless their parents get lost because they follow the ewe. It is interesting that it is said that Satan attacks the younger generation thinking that they are the future, but God’s strategy is to speak to the older generation about leading the younger ones. Abrahams simple assignment was to lead the lambs in his household into paths of righteousness and justice – if he could do that – God will do the rest.
Besides the considerable influence being an example can be, there is another very significant way that parents can influence their children for godliness.
2. They respond to mentoring
Gen 18:19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
The word “command” isn’t quite what you think. The meaning of the Hebrew word isn’t the picture of someone sitting in a lazyboy handing out orders. It is active involvement. It is repeated and constant leadership. It is responsible mentoring. Parents do more than instruct – more than teach – they mentor.
You know something that seems strange at first? An amazingly large percentage of pro hockey players are born in January, February or March. A lot of them. Is it some kind of astrological thing that people born in the first ¼ of the year are better hockey players? Not at all. The reason is that kids are put on teams with other kids born in the same year. When you are 10 years old and born in January – you have a huge advantage over someone who is born in the same year but not until December. You get to go on the rep team or the all star team. You get more ice time, better coaching and way more encouragement. It isn’t because you are better – you are just older, bigger and more developed. The result is that you get much more resources given to them and they receive something invaluable – tremendous encouragement.
Kids born in Jan, Feb and March are more likely to become pro hockey players for one very good reason – they get more mentoring. People don’t just succeed by themselves. Brains and talent aren’t nearly enough. Everyone needs help – everyone needs mentoring. God desired Abraham to be a mentor to his family and his household – to be actively involved with them – to spend time with them – to encourage them. His offspring and his ancestors were righteous and just because they were mentored.
One more thing people need to find the way to the top:
3. They need your protection
Gen 18:19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
The words “keep the way” is for the Hebrew Shamar.
This word means to be diligently watchful – to protect. There is so much and so many ways that parents need to be watchful and to protect their families. There seem to be so many destructive forces, but with God’s help we can keep our children’s spirits safe – we can lead them into the way of the Lord.
Home should be a safe place. Your family should feel first and foremost absolute safety around you. Parents you are protectors and providers. This is your primary role. They need safety, not a lecture; protection, not a sermon. Your children don’t need a spiritual giant – they need your human arms around them. They need a safe place to cry laugh, sing, rejoice, challenge, share - and sometimes not to share and have it be okay.
They need a time with you that’s relaxed—unstiff, when they can pray honestly, in simple sentences, from their hearts. Unfixed. Unrigid. Unroutine. Unshackled. They need a place where different opinions are respected, and where God has the last word. They need servant leaders, not a general. Gracious. Relaxed. Human. A family shepherd who exhibits not infallible authority, but a thirst for God.
Abraham was chosen to be a blessing to the whole earth, but he did this in the most straightforward way – a most unexpected way. He was called to be an example, to mentor and to protect his own family. That’s it – and he became without a doubt one of the most important humans that ever lived because he followed God’s simple instructions.
If we will also do these 3 simple things God can make our lives bless the world. If we will wholeheartedly give ourselves sacrificially to our families we have found the way to the top and made parenting the most important – the best and the most profitable job in the world. Let’s be a church that supports the ministry of families – let’s recognize the emphasis that God places on family and practice faith at home.
