Summary: This chapter of The Story covers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I chose to focus on Abraham, pointing out that he influences generations after him by his faith.

1. The Story -- an overview of God's story -- last week in the "Book of Beginnings" we looked at Creation to Noah

a. God Creates

b. God Re-Creates

2. This Week -- Abraham -- Isaac -- Jacob

3. A Nailed Down Faith

An 84 year old grandmother fiercely maintained her independence and lived alone in the old family home. Her 4 children lived in the same town, but she rarely called them except in emergencies. It was with some apprehension, therefore, that her grandson drove to her house one morning in answer to her phone call. When he arrived, she said she suspected that there was a burglar in her bedroom closet, since she had heard noises in there the night before.

"Why didn't you call me last night?" the man exclaimed.

"Well," she replied, "it was late and I hated to bother you, so I just nailed the closet shut and went to bed."

That's an example of the type of faith that we can see in Abraham. A faith, that nails the doors of doubt shut and then calmly leaves the rest to God. His faith so impressed God that Abraham earned the title: "The father of all who believe" (Romans 4:11)

4. Focus will be on Abraham but all he was charged to do was forwarded to his descendants

5. In fact, through Abraham we have the beginning of the great nation of God, Israel and origin of Messiah

I. The Call to Commence (Genesis 12.1-3)

[Map of Abraham's Journeys]

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves."

A. Abram was Called:

1. FROM -- his environment of idolatry

[Jewish tradition about Abram -- as a child he saw the folly of idolatry; he lived in a land of idolatry and Terah was an idol maker; one day as a youth, Terah needed to go away on business and left Abram in charge of the idol shop; Abram took a stick and broke all of the idols but one, then laid the stick in the hand of the idol; when Terah returned, he asked Abram who had broken the idols -- Abram pointed to the idol with the stick and accused it.

2. TO -- New Land; New beginnings; New orientation to GOD; A New Mission

a. Land shown to him by God -- necessity of faith and openness to God

b. Alternate translation possibility:

by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves could be

"All families in the earth will be grafted into you."

Puts us in Memory of:

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." Galatians 3.8

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you. Romans 11.17-18

3. Mission of Abram was to GO and share the good news of the ONE God among the idolatrous nations

B. Abram Became -- Abraham -- Name Change

1. Abram = Exalted Father; Abraham -- Father of Many

2. Physical nations -- Isaac and Ishmael

3. Converts are also "children"

No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth. 3 John 4

Case for Abram's Converts -- Genesis 12.5

Normal reading -- 5 And Abram took SarŒai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan.

An alternative translation -- all the SOULS they had MADE in Haran

II. The Call to Covenant -- Genesis 15

A. Formalized Agreement

1. Land promise -- descendants, et al (15.7-16)

2. Blood Path and implications (15.17-21)

B. A Fouled Partner (Imperfect)

1. Message of hope for us -- Abram was not perfect, but was faithful

2. Examples of his imperfections:

a. Two Calls -- Acts 7.2-4 vs. Genesis 12.4

"Brethren and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in MesopotaŒmia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, 'Depart from your land and from your kindred and go into the land which I will show you.' 4 Then he departed from the land of the ChaldeŒans, and lived in Haran. Vs. Genesis 12.4 -- 4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

b. Lies about Sarah (influences Isaac and Jacob) -- 12.13ff

c. Hagar and Ishmael -- consequences

[A dad was talking to his daughter. He told her to pick a flower from the garden. She did and presented it to her dad; he then said to put it back -- impossible!

C. Application -- God has made covenant with us through Yeshua (Jesus) and what he says WILL happen; but he has worked with and through imperfect people to establish his covenant and rule in the world

III. The Call to Concede

A. Abram and Sarai had been promised a son

By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Hebrews 11.11

B. Abraham was Called to Sacrifice that Son -- Hebrews 11.17-18

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named."

1. Absence of bargaining as with Lot and Sodom -- "Here I am" (Genesis 22.1)

2. The Change in Abraham -- GREAT MAN OF FAITH -- (Abraham, for he is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations (Romans 4.16b-17a)

19 He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead; hence, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. Hebrews 11.19

3. This was only a test but look what it proved! -- we test everything -- test drive cars; tested in basic training

4. WE are also tested -- James 1.2-4

1. We are called to live by faith. That implies that not just any old faith is going to do. God wants a faith that changes how we live. But that doesn't always happen. According to a poll taken by George Barna back in 2002: 44% of adults make their moral choices based on "the desire to do whatever will bring them the most pleasing or satisfying results." But only 24% made their choices based upon "religious teaching or Bible content."

2. Faith in God is the answer to the dilemma of our culture

3. God's Pattern is to choose and use imperfect people -- willing to say -- "Here I am" and to be tested in order to grow up before God

4. WE have a call to Commence; Covenant; and Concede (surrender to God)

5. Abraham answered the call and sent it forward to Isaac; Jacob; 12 sons; all the way down to us -- How will we respond?