Who By Faith….abraham

Reading: Hebrews chapter 11 verses 8-19.

• Abraham is revered by all Jews, Christians, and Moslems;

• He serves as a common link between the world’s three great religions.

• He is the patriarch of the Jewish nation,

• A spiritual father to Christians,

• And Moslems regard him as a mighty prophet.

• In the Bible Abraham is called the “servant of God” (Genesis chapter 26 verse 24),

• The “father of Israel” (Exodus chapter 3 verse 15).

• And my favourite description God’s “friend” (Isaiah chapter 41 verse 8),

• There is more said in this chapter about the faith Abraham demonstrated;

• Than any of the other of the Old Testament characters mentioned in the chapter.

• He is a great example for us to study and then to emulate.

• This chapter makers it very clear Abraham was a man who lived by faith!

Ill:

• Faith is part of everyday living:

• e.g. When you are ill.

You go to a doctor whose name you can’t pronounce.

He gives you a prescription you cannot read.

You take it to a pharmacist you have never seen.

He gives you medication you do not understand --- and yet, you take it."

Now, that is living by Faith!

The fact is, we can’t get through a single day without living by Faith.

• ill: When you turn on a light switch you put faith in the electrical wiring.

• ill: When you turn the car key in your ignition, you trust the motor.

• ill: When you post a letter you have faith in the Mail Service.

• ill: When you turn on a tap you have faith in the water board.

• ill: When you plant a seed you have faith in nature!

• ill: When you sit on a chair you have faith it will hold you!

• Sometimes…..of course……our faith might be misplaced.

• Because faith is only as valuable as the OBJECT of that faith.

• For Abraham his faith was focussed on the right source;

• It was rooted in a God who had spoken to him.

Abraham was called of God to walk by faith – in other words to obey his leading;

• At the time of his calling - all Abraham had was questions and no answers!

• But that is where faith comes into operation.

• The challenge for us this morning is;

• Are we willing to walk by faith or are we just going to sing, read or talk about it!

(1). Faith when he did not know WHERE (vs 8-10):

“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.

9 By 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.

10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

• We are told in verse 8 that God told Abraham;

• ‘To leave his home and family and to go to an unknown place’.

• God said; ‘go’ and Abraham did not do a Jonah and say; “No!”

• Instead he replied ‘Okay, but where?’

• And God said; ‘I will tell you when we get there’.

• ill: A-B, B-C, C-D etc.

Quote:

He does not lead me year by year,

Nor even day by day;

But step by step my path unfolds,

My Lord directs my way.

Tomorrow’s plans I do not know;

I only know this minute.

But he will say, “This is the way,

By faith now walk ye in it.”

And I am glad that it is so,

Today’s enough to bear;

And when tomorrow comes, his grace

Shall far exceed its care.

What need to worry then, or fret'

The God who gave his Son

Holds all my moments in his hand

And gives them one by one.

Ill:

• Most of the time we travel roads that are familiar.

• Most of the time we take the same route to work, to school, to the shops etc.

• For Abraham familiar roads were to be a thing of the past.

• ill: Imagine waking up every day and travelling on a road you know nothing about!

• ill: Making a journey that you had no idea how long it would take;

• It could a week, a month, a year, a decade, a century!

Question: How many of us like Abraham would be prepared to leave:

• Our home;

• Especially if we have ‘at long last’ got it the way we want it!

• Abraham left his home and he never again owned a home;