The 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews is
commonly known as the "Faith" chapter because it is rich in lessons on
faith. This ongoing series, "Faith", takes a close look at the lessons
we can learn from this chapter. For previous lessons on Faith, go to www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons/folder4/Faith%20--%20A%20Miniseries.htm
Faith, Lesson 9
By Faith Abraham, Part 1 . . .
In last week's lesson on faith, looking at Hebrews 11:7, we learned from Noah
that faith in God is so rooted in a friendship with God that when He speaks, no
matter what He says, you will both recognize His voice and obey without
questioning. Let's go to Heb. 11:8-10 for the first of many lessons that Abraham
has to teach us:
"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. 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: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and
maker is God." (Hebrews 11:8-10 HCSB)
We have to go to Genesis 12 to pick up Abraham's story. Abram, as he was called
in those days, was already an old man - 75 years of age. He lived in a very
wicked place, Ur of the Chaldeans. The only things we know about Abram prior to
this point in his life is his genealogy, but in Gen. 12:1 we read about God's
call: "The LORD had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and
your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'"
Let's put ourselves in Abram's shoes, friends. Let's say you live in Los Angeles
with all of your family, when out of the blue, God tells you that you are to
leave. Maybe this comes as a welcome command to you. Maybe you don't like living
in Los Angeles. But even then, it would be a bit scary. After all, you've never
lived anywhere else! But whether you respond with joy or dread, your question is
the same: "Okay, Lord, so just where is it we're going?"
The answer? "To the land I will show you."
Hum. That isn't very precise, is it? But since it's God speaking and you want to
obey, you set out. Your choice of direction is somewhat dictated by the presence
of the Pacific Ocean. Since you only have a Ford Explorer, and not a boat, God
likely doesn't want you going west. And since the farthest you can get without
hitting water is east, you load your family into the Explorer, hitch up your
20-foot hard-side trailer, and set out eastward. But do you go due east? Or
northeast? Or southeast?
You realize you are going to have to rely on God every step of the way, and this
realization causes doubt to set in. What if you hear God wrong? What if your
imagination or your personal desire takes over? What if???
And then you reach Las Vegas, and God tells you to stop.
"Uh, Lord??? This is Las Vegas! Haven't you read the reports about this
city? It's even worse than Los Angeles! You certainly don't want me to stop
HERE!
But you obey. And then your father dies, and only after the funeral is over does
God tell you to go on. Again, you have no idea where you are going, but your
steps keep leading you eastward and northward, until you find yourself in
Illinois. In fact, you are within miles of the mighty city Chicago when He
directs you into a campground that offers year-round camping and tells you to
buy a season's pass!
"Here???" you cry. "So close to Chicago??? The roads are awful
here, Lord! And wasn't the weather better in LA? Oh, and Lord, I'm getting kind
of tired of this trailer's lumpy bed!"
God realizes that you are doubting your ability to hear His voice, and He visits
you again: "To your offspring I will give this land." (Gen
12:7a)
"THIS land, Lord? Do my offspring WANT this land? There is so much evil
here! So much violence! So many potholes!"
That might be how I would have responded, but it wasn't how Abram responded.
Gen. 12:7b records that Abram "built an altar there to the LORD, who had
appeared to him." (NIV) God made Abram leave "Los Angeles"
(Ur) to camp in the shadow of "Chicago" (Sodom), and Abram's response
is to worship!
That's faith, friends! To leave your home and set out on a journey with an
unknown goal, to live in a tent within sight of one of the worst cities in the
known world, and in response, to worship God. That's faith!
Why did Abram leave his home and set out on this unknown journey? Why did he
stop near Sodom and there offer a sacrifice to the Lord? We're told the reason
in Heb. 11:10: "For he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and builder is God." Abram did it because he knew this
wasn't the end! He knew that he was only privy to a tiny bit of the plan, but in
the end, it would be a mighty plan, designed by God Himself. Abram was willing
to blindly play his role so that the big picture could come to be.
Enough to ponder, friends. But do ponder this: Faith in God means we must be
willing to fulfill our eternal role, even if we have no idea what the big
picture might be!
Join us next week for the next lesson in Faith to be learned from Abraham.
God bless you!
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Author, Moderator, the Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets, www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons/
, Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org
.