PP0528 DATE
THE FORMULA FOR KEEPING GOD FROM
BEING ASHAMED OF YOU?
Hebrews 11:16.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (KJV)
I want us to consider the phrase – “Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.”
INTRODUCTION: This is one of the most sobering statements in all of the Bible. When we stop and consider the impact of this statement, who is saying it and why it is being said, should make each of us sit up and take inventory of ourselves.
This phrase will tell us that God may be ashamed at any one of us, or even all of us. There were some things Abraham did that caused God not to be ashamed of him. This wasn’t considered because of Abraham’s total obedience, because early on he was not completely obedient.
Remember he took his wife down to Egypt and caused some problems between he and Pharoah over Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Then some years later he gave up on God and had a son by the Egyptian hand maid. But neither of those incidents are mentioned in this passage. So neither of those made God ashamed of him. So it must not be moral issues that brings shame to God. David was also immoral, and we don’t find where God was ashamed of him either. I am not minimizing the sin of immorality. It is a horrible and wicked sin. I am saying that God did not mention Abraham’s immorality in this passage.
I believe that we can study these verses concerning Abraham’s faith and discover how we can keep God from being ashamed of us.
In the entire Bible we see the phrase “God of Abraham” seventeen times. Mixed in those seventeen times we will see “God of Isaac” and “God of Jacob”. But always first is the “God of Abraham”. That will assure us that God was pleased to be called Abraham’s God. He was not ashamed of him.
Would He be ashamed of you? How can you and I be assured that God would not be ashamed to be called our God. When someonne calls your name does God in heaven say to the hosts of heaven “I am not ashamed of him. I am proud to be called his/her God?”
Let’s examine these verses of scripture and see if we can discover why God was not ashamed of Abraham and Sarah.
Notice Vs. 8-11.
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. His sole interest was to find the city of God. For you and I that would amount to being in the will of God and following the plan He has directed for each of us.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. (KJV)
In these four verses we see four reasons for God’s pleasure in Abraham. We will see two more reasons in verses 10-13.
I. HE WAS CALLED OUT!
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
The key ingredient in this verse is Abraham’s faith. All that took place in Vs. 8 is because of faith. Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (KJV)
Ro 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (KJV)
To find out when this calling took place look at Gen. 12:1-3.
Ge 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (KJV)
The call of God on a person’s life is a very sobering happening. His call is without repentance. Meaning He does not change His mind when He calls a person, and that calling will continue through this life. The assignment of that calling may change, but the calling will never cease. Remember also that at this point in history Abraham didn’t know much about God.
Notice with me what the call involves in these three scripture verses:
1. Leave the home place – “Out of thy country.”
2. Leave the family – “From thy kindred.”
3. Leave father’s house – “From thy father’s house.”
4. Into a strange land – “A land I will shew thee.”
But also notice the promises that accompanied the call:
1. Make of thee a great nation.
2. I will bless thee.
3. Make thy name great.
4. Thou shalt be a blessing to all nations.
The call may be multipurposed. He may call a man to be a preacher, or missionary. He may call a woman to be a S/S teacher, or a missionaries wife, or maybe a school teacher. There are several calls that a woman may be called to do. But God calls men and women to do His work for Him. God also puts certain calls together. An example: If He calls a man to be a missionary He also calles the wife to be a missionary also. I have known situations that the wife did not surrender herself to the husbans’s call, and the ministry that God planned for the man was hindered greatly by an unsurrendered wife.
God’s call is not without blessings. The call may not be easy or even enjoyable, but it will bring many blessings to the one that is called.
A. Abraham Didn’t Know Where He Was Going At The Time Of The Call. Vs. 8. “….not knowing whither he went”. God didn’t tell him where it was. The calling of God does’t always include the place or plan of service. The initial response to the call is to surrender and let God lead in the plan and the place.
When a person is called there are only two responses to that calling. Obey or disobey. I believe that God calls within every local church the man power and human tools that He needs to get the job done in that local church. The reason that churches fail or are slow in fulfilling God’s purpose is that those individuals are not obedient to the call God has extended upon them. You didn’t just join this church because you were looking for a place to attend. God had a plan and purpose for you when you joined. Every member has a job to do beside warming a pew. If you don’t fulfil your assignment then God’s plan will be hindered here.
God will put certain people in a church to help finance the ministry of that church. He will call ladies to work in the nursery. He has called Michael Harris to the grounds keeper. Mike answered that call and does a tremendous job at it. He has called others of you to be responsible of certain areas of need in the function and operation of this church. Have you answered that call? Have you filled that responsibility?
I’ll give you an example: If God’s purpose of BHBC was and is to take the Gospel to our Jerusalem and then utilmately to the world, then He has given us the tools and supplies needed to fulfil that commission. Why would we not get the job done? Because some are not doing what Abraham did. They haven’t been obedient in their call.
B. Don’t Try To Understand The Call Before Answering.
God may not show you the next step until you have taken that first step. The entire move of God could be waiting on you to step out in obedience to His call.
Everything Abraham did was “…by faith…”.
Then notice what he did after he was called out.
II. HE WENT OUT!
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
A. He Went Out By Faith. That is the way every call must be followed, by faith. Don’t forget this was all new to Abraham. He wasn’t a spiritual man. He had been an idol worshipper and had not prior experience with obeying God.
If God has called you to do a certain job here, then He expects you to act upon faith and go out and perform that calling.
I am reminded of the Kent Gossmeyer family. By faith, they went out and prepared themselves for the mission field of England, and now for over two years have been on that field, serving God.
I am also reminded of Bro. Mike and Miss Bonnie. God has called Bro. Mike to a ministry that takes him out on the road most of the time. That leaves Miss Bonnie at home alone. Neither of them regret that the calling of God has brought this situation upon them. They gladly went out and by faith are fullfilling that call.
B. He Was Obedient To His Call.
“obeyed and he went out,” I wonder if I am looking at anyone that has been disobedient to the call of God? Has God called you to a specific calling and you have been reluctant to answer His call? Your Christian life will not be complete until you say “Yes” to His call. More likely than not you will be miserable.
C. The Place He Went Became His Inheritance.
Abraham didn’t know any of this at the time of the calling. However, it all became a reality because he was obedient to God’s call and went to where he was called.
A young man was engaged to marry a woman whose father was a home builder. The father asked the young man to go and build a house that was to be the father’s retirement home. He instructed the young man not to spare any cost. The younger man started out on the project. He cut costs and used inferrior material all throughout the project. He would pocket the money saved. When the house was built the father told the man that he had just built his own home and it was a wedding present for he and his new wife. That which he was commissioned to do became his inheritance. That’s the way it was with Abraham.
This one action stops most Christians dead in their tracks. They are not willing to go where or do what God calls them.
God’s whole plan is to bless all the families of the earth with the Gospel, and His only way of accomplishing that is that each local church be obedient in carrying out His plan for that church. When a church fails then their will be a gap in that plan of God’s. What it really means is that some people will go to hell as a result. In all probability God has not called you to be a pew setter. He wants all of us to be more action involved.
The first and primary priority of any local N.T. Church is to bring souls to Christ. That responsibility is not to be attempted by just a few, but by the total membership. I know that God has spoken to many more of this membership to get involved with the outreach ministry. He has spoken to you during a service about going out and witnessing to the lost. You may be timid or frightened about going, but God will provide the courage and the strength to go out. He will not exempt you because you are afraid.
Then notice the third thing about Abraham:
III. HE STAYED OUT!
Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: (KJV)
“Sojourned”. He stayed by the stuff. He was consistient.
Sojourn means to “reside as a foreigner” – “A stranger”. There are not many in today’s system that is willing to be a sojourner. To “reside in a foreign land” would be a very lonely assignment. This would be to accept any situation or assignment as a special project, or to allow God to assign you to any assignment or placement and accept it with pleasure.
A foreign land would not be a foreign country only – but may mean for some to get out of the comfort zone and get busy bringing people to Christ. That would be foreign to many. God may be calling you into a work that will put you in a place of loneliness or obscurity.
Could it be that BHBC is not growing like we should because we have too many members who are not “going out” and “staying out” in their call?
Where are the workers today that will go out at the daybreak and stay until sun goes down? Where are those who will put God and His calling first and before their own comfort and will? Where are they today?
Called out.
Went out.
Stayed out.
IV. HE LOOKED OUT!
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (KJV)
He had a vision. He had eyes that were controlled by the will and wishes of God. He looked for the things of God. His vision wasn’t controlled by tunnel vision. Whatever God showed him he did it.
I wonder how many of our members are in a “looking out mode”? I am going to be asking you to bring unchurched family and friends, and those you work with – bring them to church – pray for them – seek and work to get them saved. “No one left behind.”
Called out.
Went out.
Stayed out.
Looked out.
V. HE SPOKE OUT!
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (KJV)
“Confessing” is to speak out and witness to the sinners of our community. We have all but dropped this one part of our ministry. We will have those who will go out and pass out literature, but where are those who will “speak out” to the lost and tell them of the saving love of Jesus Christ? Which of these will you be?
This congregation knows enough lost people to fill this building two or three times each Sunday. I want to challenge you to bring them. I am going to ask you to set a goal of a certain number of people to bring to church during 2005.
Called out.
Went out.
Stayed out.
Looked out.
Spoke out.
VI. HE GAVE OUT!
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: (KJV)
A. He Gave The World The Lineage For A Saviour. Ge 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (KJV)
Mt 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (KJV)
Its likely that Abraham wasn’t aware of all that was involved in the lineage of the Saviour, but he gave himself to whatever God needed him to be. I wished we could say that? I don’t imagine that Abraham was totally aware of all that would eventually take place when he went out and obeyed his calling, but you and I understand it now. We are recipients of that promise.
Abraham didn’t totally understand the full benefit that would be given to the world by the offering of his son, Isaac, but you and I understand it now in its fullest. We are heirs of that promise.
B. He Gave The World An Example Of Answering The Call Of God.
Abraham wasn’t looking for that heavenly city when he left the Ur of Chaldees. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t even a follower or worshipper of God. He was an idol worshipper. The Ur of Chaldees is the land of Iraq today.
But let’s bring this down to you and I today. Could God say the same about the mermbership of BHBC. Would He be ashamed to be called our God?
I have been to some sporting events where one of the players would stand out in performance, and a family member would stand up and exclaim, “That’s my son!” They weren’t ashamed to be the parent of that boy. They were pleased and happy with the performance of their son.
That’s what God is saying here. Abraham had performed in a manner that caused God to be happy to be called his God. That means that Abraham was in the proper relationship with God. He was known as the friend of God.
One of my greatest fears as I was growing up was that I would make my dad ashamed of me. Do you have that same fear toward God?
C. Abraham Worshipped God! Gen. 12:9-14.
Ge 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. (KJV)
Jehovahjireh means – “God will provide”. Abraham has certainly experienced this truth from God. By remaining full of faith and obedience God was not ashamed to be called their God.
God looked down and said, “I am proud to be called his God. I’m not ashamed of him.”
Suppose God would write a book about you, would he put in it somewhere, “I’m not ashamed ot him.” I’m not ashamed of her.”
INVITATION
BETH HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH MINISTRIES
PO BOX 891523
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73189-1523
405-691-8701
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