Take the Journey. Genesis 12:1-4
Eric A. Snyder, Minister, Farwell Church of Christ
September 29, 2002
4 Jokes
To celebrate its bicentennial, two dozen history buffs retraced the journey of the Lewis and Clark expedition. *In a related story, Biography Channel viewers retrace the rough career paths of Jerry Lewis and Dick Clark.
You know we all love to hear stories about Journeys, adventured and unexpected travel experiences. We crave the stories from others who tell stories of their vacations or travels. In fact some of the most popular books out today are about travel, not only is that true, but some of our classic books are about traveling adventures. Take the example of Homer’s Oddesy, The huge success of the travel channel on cable. Or even look at the car market and witness how many names are associated with an exciting adventure where we find the Journey we should be on. Explorer, Escape, Expedition, Pathfinder, Land rover, Outback, Forester, All of these things excite us as we try to find the journey that we need to be on.
But even more than the physical journey we love to hear about people’s journey through life. We want to know what makes people tick. Biographies are such hot sellers, that it seems everyone has one. I even read last week about a 17 year old kid in Switzerland that is writing his biography. TV. Shows like Behind the music, or True Hollywood story or even the biography channel show how much people like to chart the “life journeys” of other people. We enjoy adventure and unexpected story lines.
I heard a story recently that a sailor started talking with a pirate, and they take turns telling about their adventures on the seas. The sailor notes that the pirate has a peg-leg, a hook-hand, and an eye patch. The sailor asks "So, how did you end up with the peg-leg?"
The pirate replies "We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as my men were pulling me out, a shark bit my leg off."
"Wow!" said the sailor. "What about your hook"?
"Well...", replied the pirate, "We were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other men with swords. One of the enemy cut my hand off."
"Incredible!" remarked the sailor. "How did you get the eye patch"?
"A big bug flew into my eye.", replied the pirate.
"You lost your eye to a bug!?" the sailor asked incredulously.
"Well, yes...", said the pirate, "...it was my first day with the hook..."
There may be a lot of people here today who can relate to this story. I mean sometimes things happen in life but it seems that we have a tendency as people to inflict more pain on our own lives than is necessary.
And for some this may be a sore issue today because we feel mistreated or like we didn’t get what we thought we deserved. Or maybe we even ended up in a worse situation because of our judgment. Please don’t misunderstand me this morning. I am very independent and believe that life does not happen by accident. That this world is what you make it but I have learned that I don’t want my life to be about what I make it. My life needs to be what God wants it to be. All of that requires a lot. It requires time, patience, commitment, getting real about our lives, But most importantly it requires taking the journey of faith.
A little guy gets on a plane and sits next to the window.
A few minutes later, a big, heavy, strong mean-looking, hulking guy plops down in the seat next to him and immediately falls asleep. The little guy starts to feel a little airsick, but he’s afraid to wake the big guy up to ask if he can go to the bathroom. He knows he can’t climb over him, and so the little guy is sitting there, looking at the big guy, trying to decide what to do.
Suddenly, the plane hits an air pocket and an uncontrollable wave a nausea passes through the little guy. He can’t hold it in any longer and throws up all over the big guy’s chest. About five minutes later the big guy wakes up, looks down, and sees the vomit all over him.
"So," says the little guy, "are you feeling better now?"
I hope you all leave here today feeling a little better about your life and encouraged to take a journey of faith yourself.
Our Bible story today comes from the book of Genesis. We are in the 12th chapter. The story is about Abram or as we know him Abraham. It is in this text that God sets up the promise that is fulfilled in Jesus.
The New Testament says that that if we are followers of Jesus, then this passage is true for our lives as well. Paul calls Christians children of the promise. In another part the bible says that we are joint heirs with Christ if we have a right relationship with God.
When the bible calls Jesus’ followers “children of the promise”, This is the promise that is being spoken of.
But this promise did not come with out expectations. It did not come without conflict, it did not come without commitment and hard work and it certainly did not come about without a journey.
Genesis 12:1-4 The 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."4 So 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.
At a nursing home a group of seniors were sitting around talking about all their ailments. “My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee,” said one. “Yes, I know,” said another. “My cataracts are so bad I can’t even see my coffee.” “I couldn’t even mark and “X” at election time, my hands are so crippled,” volunteered a third.
“I can’t turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck,” said a fourth. “My blood pressure pills make me so dizzy!” exclaimed another. “ I forget where I am, and where I’m going,” said another. “I guess that’s the price we pay for getting old,” winced an old man as he slowly shook his head. The others nodded in agreement. “Well, count your blessings,” said one woman cheerfully, “and thank God we can all still drive”.
I imagine that’s probably how Abraham was beginning to feel in this text.
That although life takes us into things that wear us out that we can still go where God wants us to go.
We think of Abraham as this great man full of faith in God. He was a man who trusted God completely. So when we think of Abraham we immediately think of things like, “There a guy who trusted God with everything”. But life was not always like that for this man. There was a time when Abram was just an ordinary man.
Or as Vanessa Carlton has stated it “Just an ordinary day, just trying to get by” Have you ever felt like that?
Have you ever felt like one day just runs into the next? Have you ever felt like you were just trying to get by? Have you ever wondered if there is something more? That your life could be full of adventure? Have you ever felt like the kids, the job, and all of the extra curricular stuff was just too much and that your life had lost it’s zest and excitement?
I think we all have at one point or another. And I am convinced that Abram felt this way in our story today. You might be tempted to say yeah that was God talking to Abram, but when is God going to sent me on a mission.
God is using this verse today to talk to every person. And He wants you to know that life does not have to be a period of time that is wasted but it can be used for productive meaningful things.
This is the beginning of Abram’s great Journey. It was a journey of many miles but it was also a journey of his ability to trust God. And I sense that God is calling some to take similar kinds of journeys in your lives today.
God gives good stuff but we have to be willing to follow his leading
1. We are Called by God for something better
Abram doesn’t hesitate on this move. But it’s clear that God has something better for him. It’s also clear that God has something better for us. The promise is right here.
But you won’t find out what God had in store, You will never find out what he wanted to do in you life until you decide to leave where your safe place and move to where he wants you to go.
Does that mean you need to pack up the family? Now if you have asked that question then you have missed the point. Abraham had to leave where he was because God wanted him to have something better.
Did you hear that? God wanted him to be something better and God wanted to give Abram some really good land.
Don’t you feel like God wants to Give you something better? You need to know that God wants to add blessings to your life. He wants to make your life matter to those around you. He wants to make you a blessing to everyone who knows you.
Sometimes we think that God is out to get us but the truth is God wants to shower good things on people who love Him.
And don’t you get that feeling? When you wake up from a hangover don’t you start to think ; “you know I’m better than this”? When you get angry over something trivial on the highway don’t you stop and think: “That hysterical encounter was beneath me” When you go through and experience that is degrading and demoralizing don’t you get the sense that your life could be or should be bigger than what it is.
Can you see it? that’s what God is doing here for Abram. He says My life will not be filled with ordinary days anymore. Lord, take my hand and guide me to becoming the person that you want me to be.
A person who practices the characteristics of God. God help me to get out of the demeaning situation that I have allowed myself to get into. Because God I know my life will be much bigger with you in it.
Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above,
2. Good things come to us because of God
Every good gift comes from God.
Have you ever received something bad that broke your heart? Some of you may call them the bad gifts.
When I was younger I remember one Christmas My Grandfather had a wood burning stove. He used to put coal in it. I remember one Christmas when My grandfather wrapped up a huge piece of coal and gave it to my cousin for Christmas. Now to my grandfather it was all pretty elaborate joke. But to my 8 year old cousin it was an emotional assault.
Some of you feel emotionally assaulted because you have lost someone close to you. Or you have become sick. And the tendency is to blame God for the bad and forget about the good.
But the bible reminds us that the Good stuff comes from God and the Bad stuff does not come from Him.
Lamentations 3: 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?
Have you ever received a gift and had no idea where it came from? It came from God. Do what you can to explain it good gifts come from God. He inspired others to find generosity. He offers guidance and hope for the hurting and the Bible is clear that good things happen because of God.
Some feel like they have caused good things to happen on their own.
They claim Hard work dedication and commitment built this fortress. But without the presence of God in your plan, all you have is another Enron another Kmart or another Arthur Anderson. It does not take much for these ivory fortresses to topple to the ground.
God has something higher for you. He wants your life to benefit others and bring them closer to Jesus.
3. It’s never too late to come to God.
Abram was 75 when he finally said “I believe God has something better for my life”
That’s what it’s about if Abram can do it at 75 it’s obvious that people can start living out the promise of God at any age.
Jesus tells a story about 2 people who begin following him at different ages. He says that one man began in the early part of his life and another in the later part of his life. Then He says that in the end they both Go to heaven to experience God’s eternal rewards.
There are those who purposely wait till the later years to get it right, and invariably their only regret has been not coming to the party sooner. “o many wasted years”, they tell me. I could have done more with my life.
The reality is you are not promised tomorrow. That’s why it important to get right with Jesus today. And if you need to talk I want to let you know that I am available to talk at anytime.
But I want to ask you one question before I finish. If you know about all of the good things that following God brings to your life, why would you want to wait?
We have a stereotype that Christians are stuffy and becoming one means no fun. Nothing could be further from the truth. God created fun. He came up with things for us to do and gave us imaginations. He wants us to enjoy life. He wants us to enjoy our families. Unfortunately sometimes these are the excuses that stop us from being “something more” with the life He gave us.
If I were to tell you that I was ready to give you a key to a room filled with treasure. Gold, diamonds, pearls, and all you need to get in is to have the key and do your best to become the blessing that god wants you to be, how many of you would wait till the end of your life to enjoy that treasure?
God has promised salvation through Jesus. But there is so much here that God can add to your life.
I don’t know where you are today but in the next few chapters God starts calling Abram, Abraham. You might find that as you are searching your soul today that God is calling you to change your name as well. He is desiring that you step out and change who you were before. That you take the key to the kingdom and trust Him
Someone once said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. For some here being the person that God desires seem a thousand miles off but God says all you have to do is begin with that first step.
