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SERMON
In today's lesson we come to the major hinge-point of the book of Genesis. At chapter 12 we leave the primeval account of all peoples and begin the history of a particular people - the chosen people. Actually the story of Abram is foundational to three of the world's great religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and there is much to learn from the life of this remarkable man.
The saga begins with God telling Abram (who was pushing 75 years of age) to pack up all his belongings and move to "the land I will show you." God didn't detail the destination; he simply said, "Go!" Now, put yourself in Abram's place. There were no maps, no brochures, just a message saying, "Go west, old man, go west." At the time Abram lived in the city of Ur, in southern Mesopotamia, near the Persian Gulf. He would have to leave his clan, his business, his friends.
How do you suppose God communicated with Abram? The Bible is silent on that point. It may have been a dream or messenger. Perhaps it was an audible voice. Maybe it was an inner voice. We don't know. What we do know, however, is that Abram obeyed the command. At the very least, he left all of the conventional comforts that a settled, urban life could afford to go in search of God only knew what. He traded his townhouse for a life of tent camping. Would you do that?
But however the word came to Abram, it had the desired effect. Abram took his father
Terah, his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, and they set out from Ur heading northwest. Eventually they made it to the community of Haran (in what is today Syria) and for a time they lived there. In fact, the author of Genesis makes the parenthetical comment at the end of chapter 11 that Abram's father,
Terah, decided to make Haran his retirement home until he died at the age of 205. Now it may not have been part of the original plan to even stop there. And it's rather unclear whether Abram received a second message, a reminder, from God while he was in
Haran. But clearly, Abram knew that settling in Haran was not his destiny. So he moved on from there with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. But like so many Old Testament stories, the real benefit to us is not so much in the historical details; it's in what we can learn from them about God - and about life with God.
1. So let me suggest that the first lesson we learn from the call of Abram is that it was initiated by God. Face it; it wasn't Abram's idea to become a migrant in search of a promised land. And there's no indication God chose him because he was godly. There's nothing in the text to suggest that Abram even knew God, let alone walked with God. It's true, we read about Abram's faith in the New Testament letter to the Hebrews. But there it's clear that his faith came after God first called him and made those great promises to him. God acted first.
In fact, when we piece together a background check on Abram, we learn some interesting things, for example, from Joshua. In chapter 24 of the book that bears his name, Joshua says to the people: "Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and
Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods." That's interesting. Abram grew up in a home where idol worship was the religion of choice. He was a pagan; and yet God chose him. In fact, as we read the Bible we discover that this seems to be one of God's favorite methods of recruiting volunteers.
Moses makes the same point in Deuteronomy, chapter 7. He says to the people: "The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery." God doesn't disclose why he chose the Israelites any more than he discloses why he chose you and me. Our only clue is that, for reasons we cannot fathom, God loves us.
Paul says the same thing repeatedly. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, he writes: "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential, not many were of noble birth. But God chose… It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus…" In Romans, chapter 9, Paul writes: "For he (God) says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' It does not, therefore depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." And in his second letter to Timothy, chapter 1, Paul invites him to "join with me in suffering for the Gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace." God makes the call!
I read about a young boy down south years ago who wanted to join the church, so the deacons were examining him. They asked him, "How did you get saved?" He replied, "God did his part and I did my part." They thought there might be something wrong with his doctrine, so they questioned him further: "Well, what was God's part and what was your part?" The boy said, "God's part was the saving, and my part was the sinning. I done run from him as fast as my sinful heart and rebellious legs could take me. And He done took out after me till he run me down." That child of God understood grace.
Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." The first thing we learn from Abram is that his faithfulness was not a result of his goodness but a response to God's gracious call on his life. The Lord ran after Abram and "run him down." He reached out to Abram, laid hold of him, and Abram responded gratefully. God works the same way with all of us.
2. A second thing we learn from Abram's call is that God's promised blessings are free, but they're not cheap. In order to receive them, Abram had to leave his past life behind. And make no mistake, it cost him dearly. Let's be clear about this. Abram was not blessed because of his obedience; he was blessed in his obedience. Think about how we bless our children. We don't love our children because they do well. We love them because we love them. But when they're obedient and follow our direction, the fact is they're more likely to experience the blessings of being our children.
The same is true of obedience in the Christian life. When we obey God's direction and follow his instructions, we begin to appropriate and enjoy the blessings he's been holding out to us all along. But we don't have to obey him. So the converse is equally true. When we are not enjoying God's blessings, it's probably because of the way we're living.
Let me review a partial list of God's directions as they come to us in his Word. God says that when we're ill, we should call for the elders and ask them to pray for us. Do we? He says we are to give him a tenth of our income. Do you? He says that we're to save sex for marriage. How about it? He says we should tell others about Jesus. Do we? He tells us that we're to forgive and to bless and pray for our enemies rather than curse them. He instructs us to influence others with kindness rather than with anger. How are we doing? He tells us the Sabbath is a day to honor God with re-creating rest. Ouch! He tells us not to worry, but to trust him. Now, all those instructions (and a good many more) come with blessings attached. But if we're not enjoying those blessings, it's not because God is withholding them. The painfully simple explanation is that we're probably not following his directions. God's blessings are free, but not cheap. They are the natural consequence of obedience.
3. Here's one last thing to learn from Abram's call. God's blessings are greater than our expectations. Listen again to what God promised Abram in his call. "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. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever disdains you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
God promises Abram that his descendants would become a great nation. Wouldn't you like to hear God promise you that your children and grandchildren will flourish and do well? And of course, the children of Ishmael became the Arabs and the children of Isaac became the Jews. God also promises Abram that he would be personally blessed; that God would stand with him to bless those who blessed him and to keep his adversaries in check. But best of all, God promised Abram that through him, the whole world would be blessed. Here is one of the very earliest promises that points to Jesus, a child of Abraham, who would make it possible for the whole world to know God's blessing. These blessings point to three eternal truths: God has a plan; God is in control of history; and therefore, God's plan is sure.
Think of what those promises mean for Christians. We have peace with God. Paul tells us in Romans, chapter 5, that "since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God." We have pardon from sin. Isaiah, chapter 55, says, "Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." How can he do that? Isaiah tells us it's because the Lord took on himself the consequences of all our sin and "with his stripes we are healed."
We have provision for our need. Paul says in Philippians, chapter 4, "My God shall supply all your needs..." Our definition of "needs" and God's may differ; but any real need we have will be met by God. We have his promise on it. God promises the preservation of his own. Again in Philippians Paul says, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." Our salvation doesn't depend on our ability to be good. It depends on God's promise to keep us in his care until we've finished the race.
We've been promised the perseverance of the saints. James says, "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials… because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." And best of all, we have the promise of the presence of God. Jesus said, "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Even when you feel alone and deserted, he's still with you. You're never out of his sight, never beyond his reach, never outside his love.
God's blessings go infinitely beyond anything we could expect; and not just for Abram, but also for you and me. So let's get right to the point. What sort of direction are we to draw from the call of Abram?
For one thing, perhaps you need to stop trying to save yourself and recognize that grace is an undeserved gift that has to be received in order to be enjoyed. Maybe it's time to realize that it's too late to do anything to earn your salvation. Jesus already paid the debt in full. Maybe it's time you stop running and gratefully receive the offer he extends to you. No, you don't deserve it. But it's there for anyone willing to take it.
It's also possible that you've forgotten that the call to salvation is not just about life beyond the grave. Our relationship with God in Christ has to do with the way we're living right now. God has made substantial promises about our daily living. Heaven starts now; not when we die. So it's up to you and me to study God's promises and stand by his Word.
Here's a question that grows out of our text. Is God calling you to something new today? It may be a new job or a new challenge. Maybe it's to talk to someone about your faith. It may be that God's calling you to begin a new ministry - or to work in an existing one. If he is calling you, what are you going to do about it?
I can tell you this much. If we will trust him, God will fulfill his promises to us. It may not be tomorrow, or even in the near future. In fact, we may not see the fulfillment of God's promises until graduation. But God keeps his word. Hebrews says: "By faith Abram, 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." Like Abram, God tells you and me to follow him to the place he wants us to be. And even if we don't know where we're going, it'll be worth the trip.
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