Abraham a model man of God and husband
PPT 1 Message title
Abraham, a great role model of a man of God and a husband.
So let's look at Abraham as a role model, first as a man of God.
1. Abraham sought out and welcomed the company of God. (Not the business of God, but the company, the presence of God)
PPT 2 text
Ge 18:1 Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
Ge 18:2 And when he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the earth,
Ge 18:3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
Abraham recognized God was near. He was aware of and sensitive to His presence.
Abraham ran to meet Him, he would not let the opportunity pass him by. Pay attention to this in Genesis 18 how many times Abraham is said to run or to hurry, or do something quickly.
Abraham went looking for God. Do you go looking for God or does God go looking for you? As an unbeliever God goes looking for us, but after salvation we should be constantly seeking Him out. He is a rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY seek him.
Abraham entreated the Lord to stay with him, he wanted to make the most of the opportunity for the special presence of God that he was experiencing.
He bowed himself to the earth. He recognized God's sovreignty and Lordship, and he humbly worshipped Him.
Secondly as a role model of a man of God, Abraham sought to please God.
PPT 3 text
Ge 18:4 "Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree;
Ge 18:5 and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant." And they said, "So do, as you have said."
Ge 18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread cakes."
Abraham hurried to Sarah, and told her to quickly prepare. A lot of people are slow about pleasing God, but quick about asking from God.
Abraham ministered to God. Most people seek God to minister to them! God didn't need food or water, but partook of those things as a way of allowing Abraham to express his devotion to God.
He brought Him water, he had his feet washed, he brought him to the best place on his property at that time. (Under the tree)
He sought to give God food to refresh the Lord.
He said after I have ministered to you, you may go - I am just delighted and amazed you have spent time with me. He didn't say God you can go after you have answered my prayer you can go, he said after I have brought you food and refreshed You, You can go. Abraham valued the presence and company of God above all else. His focus was on being with God not getting from God.
3rd as a role model Abraham gave God the best of what He had.
Over and over in this story it is about Abraham doing for God, not God doing for Abraham.
PPT 4 text
Ge 18:7 Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf, and gave it to the servant; and he hurried to prepare it.
Ge 18:8 And he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.
Abraham ran to the herd, agan he is pictured as wanting to rush to please God.
Abraham did not join in the meal, but stood by ready to see they were served.
God condescended to eat what Abraham had provided.
4th, Now let's look at Abraham as a role model of a husband
PPT 5 text
Ge 18:9 Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "Behold, in the tent."
I am stretching the literal meaning of the text, please bear with me because the point I am about to make is a very valuable one.
Abraham, as a husband, knew where his wife was.
In the case before us it is where here physical presence was, but isn't there a truth that a good husband knows where his wife is spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally, and vice verse?
No one can really know where another person is, but that doesn't mean we don't try.
Ilus: Seasick wife on boat. Husband kept coming and kneeling beside here while taking care of 4 children and elderly grandmother. He really couldn't feel what she was feeling, but he did his best to try, and to try and console her. As best he could, he knew where his wife was.
God help us to know where our spouse is. - Write it down!
Jacob never really understood where his wife Rachel was, until the day she came and said give me children or I die. Sometimes men need a revelation of where there wife is emotionally and vice versa.
5th Next thing to observe about Abraham was not that He was a promise claimer, but that he was a commandment keeper.
PPT 6,7 text
Ge 18:16 Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.
Ge 18:17 And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
Ge 18:18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?
Ge 18:19 "For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him."
If you want to be a God pleaser perhaps we should think about claiming a commandment to keep, next time you want to claim a promise to be fulfilled.
Notice the words: "in order that..." Promises are often predicated upon some action on our part. Many are not, but some are. You can't expect to be a great nation if you don't teach your children to follow the Lord. Let me say that again, "You can't expect to be..."
6th Next as a role model Abraham was able to hear God's opinion on society and sin.
PPT 8 text
Ge 18:20 And the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.
After hearing God's opinion on sin, Abraham as a role model doesn't get angry and say, "Yeah God isn't it time you started judging them." Instead he tried to stop judgment from coming!
Ge 18:23 And Abraham came near and said, "Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
Abraham came near...When Abraham presses in as close as he can to God it is not to ask for himself, but for others!
PPT 9-12 text
Ge 18:24 "Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
Ge 18:25 "Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"
Ge 18:26 So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account."
Ge 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.
Ge 18:28 "Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, wilt Thou destroy the whole city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."
Ge 18:29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose forty are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it on account of the forty."
Ge 18:30 Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
Ge 18:31 And he said, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the twenty."
Ge 18:32 Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the ten."
Notice the largest part of this story of Abraham meeting with God in Genesis 18 is about Abraham trying to avert judgment for the people of Sodom! What would the largest part of your prayer time be about?
On a side note, I believe this passage teaches the theological basis for a pre-trib rapture. God won't pour out the His wrath if enough believers are still present, because He will not destroy the righteous with the wicked.
Finally 2 last but brief and important points.
PPT 13
Ge 18:33 And as soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed; and Abraham returned to his place.
A. The conversation ended when God left. Who ends your conversations with God? Does the phone, or your schedule, or a sporting event. When God was done talking it ended. Stay in your prayer closed till God is done talking.
B. Abraham's life had much more normal than it did supernatural. Abraham returned to his place. But it did have both. He had a season of an incredible experience with the Lord, but then life returned to normal. God was with him, but not the same as He was on that day. We have more normal days than supernatural days. Some people are supernatural junkies they only want to live on the mountain top, (Mark 9) but at the bottom of the mountain was a dad with a demon possessed boy who needed to be helped by people who have mountain top experiences. Let us learn that life has its mountains and its valleys.
Close:
Men/women do you seek out to company of God, or are you in a place where God is looking for you? (You are not where you should be with God)
Men/women ask God to give you a commandment to keep.
Men/women ask God to give you insight to where your spouse and children are.
Men/women let us be much in prayer for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The worst of the worst. Let us not seek their destruction, but salvation.
Finally let us do our best for God to be comfortable in our presence, and not seek so much to be comfortable in His presence.
