OPEN: How many of you have heard of the recent “Mad Cow” disease scare? (All hands went up). It seems that never a year goes by that we are not exposed to the fact that one food or another is endangered by some chemical or biological threat.
Back in the late 1990’s a High School freshman won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair by urging people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "Dihydrogen monoxide" because:
1. It was known to cause excessive sweating and vomiting.
2. It was a major component in acid rain.
3. It could cause severe burns in its gaseous state.
4. Accidental inhalation could kill you.
5. It contributed to erosion.
6. It decreased the effectiveness of automobile brakes.
7. It had been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients.
He asked 50 people if they support a ban. 43 said yes. Six were undecided. But only one knew that the chemical was ... water.
APPLY: Many of people’s fears and worries are often based upon “facts” like these. Every one of the “facts” presented by that High School Freshman was completely accurate:
1. Water can cause excessive sweating and vomiting (you couldn’t do either one without it)
2. It is a major component in acid rain (rain is water)
3. It can cause severe burns in its gaseous state (steam)
4. If you accidentally inhale water it could kill you (you’d drown).
5. It does contribute to erosion (rain washes away soil)
6. It does decrease the effectiveness of car brakes (you can slide on wet pavement).
7. And water is found in tumors of cancer patients (it’s in every cell of our bodies).
I. Worry & Fear are frequently based upon facts.
But those facts can often be incomplete. Many times our fears and worries are based upon imperfect information… facts that don’t tell the whole story.
And - as far as God is concerned - fear and worry are ALWAYS based upon imperfect information. All worry and fear are based upon facts that don’t tell the whole story.
(pause)
Does anybody know what the most common Biblical command in Scripture is? What command occurs the most often in Scripture? It is: “Do not be afraid”
Does anybody have an idea how many times that command occurs in the Bible? 365 times – one command for each day of the year.
In fact, in Philippians 4:6 God tells us
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Or, as Peter wrote: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
God does not tell us our fears are unfounded. He simply teaches us that the “facts” upon which our fears are based - THOSE facts are ALWAYS incomplete - they are imperfect. They fail to take into account one significant factor… GOD
As one person put it: “Faith does not blind the eyes. It looks the difficulties square in the face and heaps them to one side of the balances. On the other side, it puts, simply and solely--GOD.”
The problem, of course… is that even the most powerful believer struggles with fear. How many of you have struggled with fear and anxiety? How many of you have struggled with these feelings over the past year? (Almost every hand went up to each question).
II. The Bible tells us that Abraham was a great man of faith.
In Hebrews 11 (that great Chapter of Faith) Abraham is the star attraction. More is said about him (in that chapter) than any other Godly man or woman
Galatians 3:9 praises Abraham and it tells us: “… those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”
From the very first, Abraham pleased God by his faith
Hebrews 11:8 tells us “By 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.”
And because Abraham trusted God so deeply, we’re told that God made a covenant with him. And this covenant was repeated to 3 or 4 times in Genesis. Each time, God was driving home to Abraham that he would use Abraham to build a great nation.
Abraham… A Great Man Of Faith… (pause…)
BUT THEN, we read this story out of Genesis 20…
Abraham leads his flocks into the southern part of Canaan into the realm of a man named Abimelech, the King of Gerar.
Now, apparently Kings of that day had developed a certain reputation: If a woman was attractive to them, the King would take them into their harem. And – if that woman happened to be married - she wouldn’t be married long. Her husband would die… and THEN she’d be taken into the King’s harem.
This kingly tradition was a well known fact and Abraham had no desire to allowing that to happen. He had no problem with Sarah becoming a part of the King’s harem… he was just NOT IN ANY GREAT HURRY TO DIE! So when he brought his flocks close to Gerar he let it be known that Sarah was his sister – which was technically true (half-sister).
Sure enough, Abimelech liked how Sarah looked and took her as his wife.
Understandably, God wasn’t too keen on this arrangement. And so God visited Abimelech in a dream. He told the king – in no uncertain terms – you touch her… you die!
Abimelech repents, gives Abraham back his wife, presents Abraham with sheep and cattle, servants and treasure. And then offers to let Abraham to pasture his flock anywhere he pleases
In return Abraham prays for Abimelech and his household and brings healing to the King’s family
Now, this wasn’t the 1st time this had happened to Abraham. A couple of years or so before this Abraham traveled down to Egypt because of a famine. He passed his wife off as his sister. The Pharaoh took Sarah into his harem. And God paid Pharaoh a visit and afflicted his household with disease.
So – not once, but twice, Abraham is faced with a difficult decision and makes the same decision both times.
III. Now… a question:
When Abraham told everyone that Sarah was his sister (even tho’ that was partly true) was this an act of faith… or fear?
Fear??? But, we’re told in Scripture that Abraham was a great man of faith, a man who is the model for what our faith should be like. How can this be???
Abraham acts out of fear (rather than faith) by, not once - but twice – sacrificing his wife’s honor for his safety. How could a man like this – this Abraham - possibly be an example of Godly faith to us?
CONSIDER THESE BIBLICAL FACTS:
1st - God tells us that Abraham was a model of Godly faith. Repeatedly throughout the New Testament, Abraham is held up as THE model of what our faith should be like.
Secondly God allowed us to read about how Abraham acted when faced with danger in Egypt and at Gerar.
I’m telling you, there’s something here that God wants us to see. And I believe what God wants us to see is this:
Faith isn’t something that you wake up one morning and suddenly say: “Hey I got faith!”
Faith doesn’t just happen.
Faith is a journey
Faith is something we learn over a long period of time.
We learn faith… and God is one the one who teaches us.
God teaches us faith by putting us in the midst of situations where we have to make painful decisions. Where we have to decide whether to trust Him or our own wisdom. God tests our faith.
Zechariah 13:9 compares this process to refining of precious metals. Here, God says “I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’"
What a “refiner” does is this: He heats precious metals in a cauldron until it becomes liquefied. When this happens, the dross – or imperfections – float to the top and are skimmed away.
In the same way, God refines His people. God puts His people into fiery trials… difficult situations so that they’ll learn to trust Him.
AND this should be an experience that we welcome.
This should be an experience we should embrace.
David wrote: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24
And again
”Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” Psalms 26:2-3
ILLUS: Joel C. Oregory, in his book “Growing Pains of the Soul” writes this:
“… there may be something suspect about a faith that has never been tested.
An army going through basic training is not ready for battle. Not until soldiers have faced the battle, and been under fire, do they consider themselves proven, hardened, worthy.
A ship cannot prove that it has been sturdily built as long as it stays in dry dock. Its hull must get wet; it must face a storm to demonstrate genuine seaworthiness. The same is true of our faith. When we hold fast to belief in Christ in spite of life’s storms and crushing criticism, that is when we demonstrate the genuineness of our faith.”
God tests His people. And that’s exactly what He was doing with Abraham.
God wanted to create a man of great faith - and so he put Abraham into situations where he would be tempted to use worldly solutions to solve painful problems.
It was no accident Abraham was forced to go down to Egypt.
And it was no coincidence that brought Abraham near the city of Gerar.
Abraham was being tested to see what he’d do.
AND HE FAILED A BOTH TIMES!
But each time he failed… Abraham learned that God was faithful.
Each time he failed… Abraham learned that God was worthy of his trust
CLOSE: We shouldn’t fear times of testing because it’s in these times of difficulty that we grow in our faith. And each time we succeed in passing the test God seeks to reward us and encourage us for our faithfulness.
ILLUS: Many stories are told of the good Paul Gerhardt whose hymns are still sung in Germany. That great John Wesley translated some of them for us to sing.
Gerhardt’s family was very poor. He was the shepherd boy who cared for the small flock of sheep and goats on the edge of the forest. One day a hunter came out from among the trees and asked the lad how far it was to the nearest village.
"Six miles, sire," he replied, "but the road is only a sheep track and can easily be missed."
"I’ve lost my way and I am very tired," returned the hunter. "Leave your sheep and show me the way. I will pay you well."
"No, Sire" said Gerhardt. "I cannot do that for they would stray into the forest and be stolen or eaten by the wolves."
"Never mind; your master would never miss one or two, and I would pay you more than the price of one or two sheep."
"But, sire, my master trusts me with these sheep, and I have promised not to leave them."
"Well," said the hunter, "Let me take care of the sheep while you fetch me food from the village and a guide."
"The sheep do not know your voice and would not obey you, sir."
"Can you not trust me? Do I not look like an honest man?" asked the hunter with a frown.
"Sir," said the boy slowly, "You tried to make me false to my trust, and break my word to my master. How do I know that you will keep your word to me?"
The hunter could not help laughing.
"I see you are an honest lad, and I will not forget you," said the hunter. "Which is the path? I must find my way for myself."
But Gerhardt would not let the man depart hungry, so he gave him the humble contents of his scrip. Just at the moment several men came hurrying through the forest uttering shouts of delight as they caught sight of the two of them. Gerhardt had been talking to the Grand Duke and these were his attendants who had been much alarmed at his disappearance.
This was the beginning of Gerhardt’s future charter of honor and success. Pleased with the lad’s honesty, the Duke had him well educated and thus gave him a good state in life.
