Sermon 1: Abraham – “Friend of God”
Series: God’s Heroes of the Faith
Introduction to series: Over the next few months we will be exploring the Heroes of the Faith found for us in Hebrews 11. We will be taking a quick glimpse at a few characters sketches. Theses Bios will teach us primarily 7 life lessons.
1. Life is not always fair but God is faithful.
2. God uses imperfect people to do His perfect will.
3. God’s Hall of fame recipients know how to say, “I choose to lose!”
4. Over-comers in life say, “I will never quit!
5. God’s heroes of the faith say, “No Pride!”
6. These real life stories will teach us, what to do.
7. These real life stories will teach us, what not to do.
8. Life is about servant-hood not about attaining fame and fortune.
Learning from real life teaches the most valuable lessons of survival in this life. These heroes of the faith will show to us the lessons of life. We will learn how to please God. We will discover that it is God who creates heroes of the faith with those who say “I Will”.
I look at these men and women and I discovered that they where people who made a difference with their lives. The reason they made a difference was because number one they had a relationship with the LORD. They lived their lives in service to the Lord. It was God alone who they served. They where individuals committed to Christ and His work. They discovered what God was doing and then became involved in it. The result of this decision propelled them into becoming a hero of the faith. The person given the largest write up about being a hero of the faith is Abraham. Lets explore Abraham’s life and learn what he did to get place in God’s Hall of Fame.
Character 1 – Abraham
Thesis: Abraham is called a friend of God and a mighty man of faith because he learned to say “I will Lord!”
Texts: Hebrews 11:1-19; James 2:20-24
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:2 (NIV)
2This is what the ancients were commended for.
Hebrews 11:3 (NIV)
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Hebrews 11:4 (NIV)
4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
Hebrews 11:5 (NIV)
5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:7 (NIV)
7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:8 (NIV)
8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Hebrews 11:9 (NIV)
9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
Hebrews 11:10 (NIV)
10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Hebrews 11:11 (NIV)
11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he£ considered him faithful who had made the promise.
Hebrews 11:12 (NIV)
12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
Hebrews 11:13 (NIV)
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
Hebrews 11:14 (NIV)
14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
Hebrews 11:15 (NIV)
15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
Hebrews 11:16 (NIV)
16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:17 (NIV)
17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,
Hebrews 11:18 (NIV)
18even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring£ will be reckoned.”£
Hebrews 11:19 (NIV)
19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
James 2:23 (NIV)
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.”
James 2:20-24 (NIV)
20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless£? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”£ and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Introduction: Abraham’s faith in God is incredible if you know the background of his life. He grew up in an idolatrous culture void of God. He had no bible to instruct him, no precedent to go by in living for God, no fellow believers to confide in. Yet he had the faith to here God’s voice and the assurance to do what he was instructed to do. Uproot out of his homeland and go to a place he had never been before.
Faith – is defined by the Holman Bible Dictionary:
FAITH Trusting commitment of one person to another, particularly of a person to God. Faith is the central concept of Christianity. One may be called a Christian only if one has faith.
Our English word “faith” comes from the Latin fides, as developed through the Old French words fei and feid. In Middle English (1150-1475) “faith” replaced a word that eventually evolved into “belief.” “Faith” came to mean “loyalty to a person to whom one is bound by promise or duty.” Faith was fidelity. “Belief” came to be distinguished from faith as an intellectual process having to do with the acceptance of a proposition.
Scripture tells us that Abraham’s faith was amazing and it is what caused him to become a genuine hero of the faith. Faith as stated above is the central concept of Christianity. It’s the key that unlocks the potential of anyone. Abraham was a man of faith not a perfect man. Yes believe it or not Abraham was not a perfect person by any means but yet he made the faith hall of fame in Hebrews. Why you ask? Because he learned how to say two words to the Lord “I will!”
These two words are the two most important words in our language today. To many like the opposite of these words, “I won’t!” These two words are found far to often in the world and yes even in people’s relationship with the Lord. Our society has breed more “I won’ts!” then “I will’s!” Lets explore the Life of Abraham and discover how he was willing to say to Lord “I will!” And we will see how his “I wills” made him part of God’s Hall of Fame.
I. Abraham said, “I will leave my home land and go where you send me Lord.” (Gen. 12:1-4)
1The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
4So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
a. Abraham’s faith was rooted in God for him to be willing to leave his home country and go to a place he had never been before.
i. He was willing to follow the call of God even if it required leaving his hometown and country.
ii. Abraham took a risk for God by choosing to follow the direction he received from Him.
iii. I want you to note that even though this call to Abraham in scripture is only 4 verses. I’m sure it was a call that he wrestled with.
1. I’m sure he asked, “Is this God?
2. He could have said, “I could stay here and change this city! If I leave who will share the Gospel?’
a. No this cannot be God! I will stay!
3. I am sure the questions came and God answered them and he yielded to the call.
a. He could have convinced himself that it is not God and stayed but he chose to say, “I Will!”
iv. I’m sure he realized it would not be easy but he was determined to go. So he went because he wanted his life to make a difference for all eternity.
1. See the Christy Clip.
b. Hebrews told us earlier that Abraham left looking for a new country like Heaven!
i. It’s very similar to what transpired with the Puritans who came to America looking to form One Nation Under God.
ii. See Video clip “America’s Godly Heritage”
c. God’s response to this “I will” was “I will bless you with land.”
i. And you know what God fulfilled His Promise!
ii. And if you decide to go he will do the same for you.
T.S. – The first “I will” was to follow God’s call to a new Land and then the second “I will” was to give God His first fruits and proclaim to all that it’s God who gives us our financial blessings not man.
II. Abraham said, “ I will give you my first fruits!” (Gen. 14:17-24)
17After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18Then Melchizedek king of Salem£ brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator£ of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be£ God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”
22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”
a. Abraham became a hero of faith because he tithed to the Lord.
b. Who was Melchizedek?
i. Hebrews 7:1-10
1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.
4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. 6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. 8In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
ii. I believe Melchizedek was Jesus Christ who appeared to Abraham after a great battle to show us how Abraham knew what it mean’t to give to God what is God’s.
iii. This “I Will” also shows that Abraham knew to tithe to God to be blessed and to let no evil man try to take credit for blessing him financially.
iv. He not only tithed to the Lord he refused to have anything to do with evil and the money and possessions of evil men.
1. The King of Sodom was a reflection of his city and Abraham wanted nothing to do with that city.
c. God’s response to Abraham’s I will was “ I will make you a great nation by giving you a son’ (Gen 15:1-4):
1After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,£
your very great reward.£”
2But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit£ my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” 5He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
d. Abraham is a hero of the faith because he faithfully gave to God and refused to allow the world to take credit for his financial prosperity.
e. Abraham’s God given reward was, “God promised to be his shield – his protector and provider. His very great reward.
T.S.- Abraham said “I will!” give to God because He is the one who gave everything to me in the first place. Then his third “I will!” shows he also had the faith to trust God with his family and ancestors for the future.
III. Abraham said, ‘ I will give my son!” (Gen. 22:1-24)
1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
2Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
3Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of they went on together.
9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram£ caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
15The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring£ all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
19Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
20Some time later Abraham was told, “Milcah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor: 21Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.” 23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.
a. I want you to know it takes faith to trust God to be able to give away your family to Him.
i. He knew God would make away for Isaac – He planned on returning with his son alive!
ii. Do you trust God to take care of your family like Abraham?
b. God’s response to Abraham was because you said, “I will offer my son then I will offer my son for the world.”
T.S.- Abraham’s “I will’s!’ set Him up to become one of God’s blessed individuals.
IV. The result of Abraham saying “I Will” brought the following responses from God which God said, “ Because you said I will then I will do the following for you.”
a. I will bless you with land.
b. I will make you a great nation.
c. I will bless you.
i. There was personal blessing
ii. Abraham’s name became great.
1. Recall notes by snipes ‘No pride”
d. I will bless others because of you.
e. I will bless them that bless you Abraham
f. I will curse them that curse you.
g. I will bless all the families of the earth because of your acts of faith.
Conclusion:
So what are the eight life lessons learned from looking at Abraham’s life:
1. Abraham’s life was not always fair but God was faithful.
a. They had to wait many years to receive a son.
b. They where challenged by God to sacrifice him to the Lord- that’s not fair- but God was faithful.
c. Abraham had to leave his country.
2. God uses imperfect people like Abraham to do his perfect will.
a. Abraham was not perfect he lied to Pharoah about his wife.
b. He abandoned his wife.
c. He lived in fear.
d. He tried to help God out by having sex with Hagar and producing a son his way. This just caused more problems.
e. He did not always initially follow God’s direction to the T.
f. But yet God used Him to become the Father of Israel where the Son of God would be born to save the world.
g. And he is called a friend of God!
3. Abraham choose to lose to himself and let God be the leader in his life.
a. The 3 “I will” statements in Abraham life brought him many “I will” responses back from God.
b. Because of his faith and obedience he received the blessings of God on his life.
c. Abraham received more blessings then he could ever have imagined or earned on his own strength or way.
d. By choosing to do things God’s way he will be remembered for all eternity as God’s Friend and the father of the nation of Israel
i. The nation that God choose to allow his one and only son to be birthed.
4. Abraham never gave up and the end result was he is listed in God’s Hall of Fame and he resides in Heaven with the Lord.
5. Abraham’s life teaches us how to be heroes of the faith. Say ‘I Will to God!”
a. Answer the call of God and go!
b. Give God what is rightfullyHis, the tithe!
c. Trust Him with your family!
6. Abraham’s life teaches us not to distrust God – he will do what he says he will do!
a. Do not try to help God out in the natural. It only leads to bondage.
b. Do not lie!
7. Abraham’s life was penned so that you and I could learn that the most important point to life is to serve God and in the end as we serve him faithfully he will give us fame and fortune!
