Against All Odds, Renewed in God
Faith in God, when all else is impossible
Purpose for Record of Abraham’s Faith
NCBC, 12/28/03
Three Trees
Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.
The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: “I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I’ll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!”
The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. “I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I’ll be the strongest ship in the world!”
The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. “I don’t want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they’ll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.”
Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.
The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell.
“Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest. I shall hold wonderful treasure!” the first tree said.
The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell.
“Now I shall sail mighty waters!” thought the second tree. “I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!”
The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven.
But the woodcutter never even looked up. “Any kind of tree will do for me,” he muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter’s shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals.
The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.
The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead, the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail on an ocean, or even a river; instead, she was taken to a little lake.
The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard.
“What happened?” the once tall tree wondered. “All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God...”
Many, many days and night passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams.
But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox.
“I wish I could make a cradle for him,” her husband whispered.
The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. “This manger is beautiful,” she said.
And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.
One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake.
Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.
The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, “Peace.” The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun.
And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.
One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands to her.
She felt ugly and harsh and cruel.
But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth tremble with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God’s love had changed everything.
It had made the third tree strong.
And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.
That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
The next time you feel down because you didn’t get what you want, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.
Source unknown
In and through God and Jesus Christ the ordinary become extraordinary.
In our lesson today we will witness the extraordinary faith of Abraham.
He was in his late 90’s, his lovely wife was in her late 80’s, both were past the prime for child bearing and both had come to the end of any possibility of having children…apart from a very real renewal in and through God. Let’s look at our study today in Romans and gain from insight from a further walk with Abraham.
Faith in God, when all else is impossible
Romans 4:18-22 (KJV)
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. [19] And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: [20] He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [21] And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. [22] And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
In whom do you place your faith or confidence today?
When will or do you change to place your confidence in God?
Let’s note two very significant lessons form Abraham’s walk.
1.Abraham’s faith was in what God said, the promise of “a seed” meaning “a son”.
He had nothing else to go on but God’s Word: “that which was spoken.”
When Abraham surveyed where he was…his age, the age of his wife, the condition of her womb, he was sure that he was beyond his own abilities.
The phrase “against hope believed in hope” means that Abraham was past hope,
beyond all human help and any possibility of having a son.
This place although hard can be the beginning of wisdom and truth.
You see Abraham’s situation was beyond hope, yet he believed God; he placed his hope in God and in what God had said.
a. Abraham was not weak in faith despite thinking about his own physical
inability. His body was “now dead” (past childbearing); he and Sarah were about one hundred years old. The word “dead” is a perfect participle in the Greek which means that his reproductive organs had stopped functioning and were dead forever and never be resuscitated by anything Abraham could do.
Apart from a miracle of God, Abraham could never have a son; it was not
humanly possible.
Abraham thought about the matter. The word “considered” () means He fixed his thoughts, his mind, his attention upon
the matter. But he did not give in to the thoughts. He was not weak in faith.
Thought 1. Just imagine the personal relationship Abraham must have had with God! To know God so well—loving and trusting God so strongly—that God could give him an experience so meaningful that Abraham would believe the promise without even staggering in faith.
How is your personal relationship with God today? With HIS son Jesus Christ?
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me” (Isaiah 43:10).
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:5).
“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear [trust] the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” (Deut. 10:12-13).
b. Abraham was strong in faith—not staggering at the promise of God. Instead he
walked about glorifying and praising God for HIS glorious promise. The word
“staggered” () means he did not waiver, did not vacillate, did not question God’s ability to fulfill His promise.
c. Abraham was fully convinced of God’s ability and God’s power. He knew if there was any chance HIS God could overcome the difficulty of his body being “dead,” and he believed God could and would either...
•quicken his body, or
•recreate his reproductive organs (Romans 4:17).
He did not know what method God would use, but he knew God was able to
do what HE had promised. Abraham believed God; He was fully persuaded that
the promise would be fulfilled.
Do you have this same trust in God and HIS faithfulness today?
“God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Luke 3:8).
“Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:25).
“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform” (Romans 4:20-21).
“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (Deut. 7:9).
“Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel” (Deut. 31:19).
“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is” (Jeremiah 17:7).
2.Abraham’s faith was credited as righteousness. It can be said that Abraham deposited his faith with God, and God credited Abraham’s faith as righteousness.
Are you ready today or have you come to a point that you can be said to have deposited your faith in God?
God seeks to credit your faith as righteousness also.
Purpose for Record of Abraham’s Faith
Romans 4:23-25 (KJV)
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; [24] But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; [25] Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Some might ask, so what’s the big deal, “So Abraham believed and had faith” what of it?
The recording of Abraham’s faith is for two purposes.
1. That men…you and I… might read the account. It wasn’t recorded to honor Abraham as a great man.
It was written so that we might read and understand how we are to become
acceptable to God.
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31).
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-3).
“It seemed good to me [Luke] also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed” (Luke 1:3-4).
2. That men might be counted righteous by believing. It is necessary to believe two
things.
a. That God raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
b. That Jesus died for our sins and was raised again for our justification.
When we “commit our lives by believing” that God raised Jesus who died for our sins from the dead and ask HIM into our hearts and lives we become a new creation in Jesus Christ. I love the thought at this time of year about new things as this week we will celebrate New Years.
If we aren’t changed or haven’t changed, we need to look at if we truly are a “New Creation in Jesus Christ”.
The new things we are able to become in and through Christ Jesus are:
Old Testament references to this New Thing of God through Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 42:9-10 (KJV)
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. [10] Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Isaiah 43:19 (KJV)
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 48:6 (KJV)
Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
Isaiah 62:2 (KJV)
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
Jeremiah 31:22 (KJV)
How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
Jeremiah 31:31 (KJV)
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
New Testament:
Matthew 26:28-29 (KJV)
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [29] But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Mark 16:17 (KJV)
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
1 Cor. 5:7 (KJV)
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
2 Cor. 5:17 (KJV)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Galatians 6:15 (KJV)
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Ephes. 4:24 (KJV)
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Col. 3:10 (KJV)
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Hebrews 8:8 (KJV)
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Hebrews 8:13 (KJV)
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.
Hebrews 10:20 (KJV)
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
2 Peter 3:13 (KJV)
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Rev. 2:17 (KJV)
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Rev. 3:12 (KJV)
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Rev. 5:9 (KJV)
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev. 14:3 (KJV)
And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev. 21:1-2 (KJV)
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev. 21:5 (KJV)
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
What a blessed newness Jesus Christ brings into the hearts and lives of all who believe on HIM and have called upon HIS name. Are you counted as one of HIS sheep?
The first step however is to come and partake and to become something “New” in Jesus Christ.
You see God wants you to have a personal trust relationship with HIM today, tomorrow, and forever if you will only accept HIM.
God sits waits and watches— ever searching for the wanderers to return to what they have left.
Are you seeking that place of newness?
Are you seeking that place of peace?
Are you seeking that place of serenity?
Are you seeking that place of love?
Are you seeking that place of belonging?
Are you seeking that place of comfort?
God is waiting and watching, ready to dash out—caring less what the world would think for your salvation.
This is how others will come to see Christ in you and I.
If you have any prayer needs we ask you to come forward.
If you would like to get right with God or ask for forgiveness for being like the wayward sons we ask you to come forward at this time and pray...God is always waiting.
Closing prayer.
Bruce Landry
Nome Community Baptist Church
Ranger1401@hotmail.com
