This series is not just about characters from the Old Testament. It's about the character God wants to develop in each of us to make who He created us to be. God is far more interested in our character than in our comfort. He isn't going to allow us to stay in our comfort zone and just glide through life. He's going to ask us to step outside of our comfort zone so He can grow our character. He's working in the lives of His children to shape us more and more into the likeness of His Son, Jesus. And an important aspect of Christ-like character is obedience.
One Old Testament person who illustrates obedience is Abraham. Time after time, God called Abraham to obey and step outside his comfort zone. And time after time, Abraham obeyed and stepped outside of his comfort zone and God blessed him as a result. Now, Abraham didn't always get it right. But when he did, God blessed him.
Today, we're going to focus on the beginning of Abraham’s journey with God, when Abraham first stepped out of his comfort zone to obey God in a big way. In Genesis 12:1-4a, where we read of God calling Abraham to leave his homeland to go to the land of promise, we have a beautiful lesson about the requirements and rewards for obeying God.
1. The requirements for obeying God - v. 1
A. A willingness to sacrifice - v. 1a
Even as Abraham willingly sacrificed his country, his people, and his father's household, we must be willing to sacrifice to obey God.
"One can't go with God and stay where they are." - Henry Blackaby
Obedience always requires sacrifice. It will always require the sacrifice of getting out of our comfort zone. Other times, it may require more, like sacrificing something or someone we hold dear. Or we may be required to take the criticism of others. Or we may be required to put our feelings aside, as when God says to forgive those who have hurt us. Sometimes the sacrifice of obedience means giving up possessions or uprooting to physically go somewhere else to do something for the Lord. Obedience always costs. It can cost time; friends; or money. But there's a greater cost.
“It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it.” - Anonymous
When God calls us to obey, whatever the sacrifice, we should keep things in perspective, as missionary, David Livingstone, once put it:
"If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" - David Livingstone
We must learn to never refuse God anything. As the old saying goes, "Two words that never go together are "No" and "Lord."
B. A willingness to step out - v. 1b
As Abraham was called to a land he'd never seen, God calls us to a life of faith; which, by definition, means a life we've never known before
“When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your
positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” - Joshua 3:3-5 (NIV)
If the people were to experience God doing amazing things among them, they had obey the call of God and step out by faith in obedience. The same is true for us.
It was growing dark in the old barn. To little Freddie, who was playing there, it looked very shadowy indeed. Freddie, heard someone moving about in the hay overhead. He heard a voice call out to him. It was his grandpa, who was in the loft above. Freddie's grandpa told him to come up the ladder to join him. But Freddie had never been in the loft of the barn before. He was nervous. He walked over to the ladder that led to the hay loft and looked up. "I can't see the top step," he told his grandpa. Grandpa laughed and said, "Believe me, it's there. Just start climbing, and by the time you reach the top, you'll see it." So Freddie started climbing, and sure enough, when he reached the top, he not only say the top step, but he saw his grandpa. And together, in the hay loft, they were able to look out from the barn to the night sky and view the stars!
It's not easy to step out by faith, but if we would do what God tells us today, we can rest assured that His guidance will be with us tomorrow.
"We should never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." - Anonymous
2. The rewards for obedience - vs. 2-3
A. We will be blessed - vs. 2a; 3a
God promised to bless Abraham's obedience, and He will bless ours.
"But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." - James 1:25 (NLT)
How frustrated God must be by our lack of obedience!
Next to the person who does not pay his bill, the doctor's most annoying patient is the one who refuses to follow orders. In an article appearing in U.S. News and World Report, entitled, "When You Don't Follow Your Doctor's Orders," we are told that an estimated $300 billion is wasted each year in the U.S. because patients don’t follow their prescribed treatment regimens, which lands many people in the ER or in prolonged hospital stays.
Now, just as the disobedient patient misses out on the full benefits of health care, the disobedient believer misses out on the full measure of blessing from God in their life!
"A full measure of blessing from God comes only to those who give a full measure of obedience to God." - Anonymous
B. We will be a blessing - vs. 2b; 3b
Abraham was told that through his obedience to God, he would be a blessing to others. Of course, the chief blessing that Abraham would bring to all nations would be that the Messiah would come through his lineage. Through his obedience, people would come to Christ!
Likewise, of we seek to live a life of obedience to God, we will bless others, especially as they see Christ at work through us and are pointed to the Savior! This is our calling and ultimate reason for being in this world as Children of God.
"You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)
How do we fulfill our call as God's children to be lights in a dark world and point others to Christ? How are we to be a blessing to them in this way? Through living a life of unquestioned obedience to God.
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." - Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV)
Conclusion: The Associated Press ran a story of humorous excuses sent into Leesville High School, in Louisiana. They were compiled by the Assistant Principal, Richard Carter. Some were likely made up by students, while others might well have been written by the parent. The students were given the anonymous names of Mary or Fred. Here are some of the funniest: "My son is under the doctor's care and should not take P.E. today. Please execute him." "Please excuse Mary for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot." "Mary could not come to school today because she was bothered by very close veins." "Fred has an acre in his side." And a most generic excuse: "Please excuse Fred for being. It was his father's fault."
I know you would agree with me that some of those excuses are wild! But so also are many of the excuses we give as to why we do not obey God.
As we began today's message, we pointed out that Abraham didn't always get obedience right. When he did obey as he was called to, he was blessed; when he didn't obey, his life became a mess.
The choice is ours today. To obey or not to obey? To be blessed or to make life a mess?
Which choice are you making? Which choice will you make?
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” - Luke 11:28 (NIV)
