Abraham: Following In The Footsteps Of Faith
Sermon #8
ABRAM'S WORD FROM GOD
Intro: Years ago Dr. Seuss published a children's book entitled "Horton
Hears A Who". This book is about an elephant named Horton who hears
voices coming from a little speck of dust. The story relates how Horton
placed the speck of dust on a clover bloom and did his best to protect the
tiny residents inside that speck of dust from the other animals who could not
hear the voices rising from the dust particle. As the story develops, Horton
learns that the race living inside that speck of dust were the "Who's". They
lived in a town called Whoville and needed a protector to prevent them from
being blow about by the wind, or destroyed by other means. Of course, the
other animals in the jungle do not believe Horton and give him a hard time
about his belief that a tiny race inhabits a particle of dust. They try to destroy
the speck of dust and they even try to tie Horton up. Eventually, all the
"Who's" in "Whoville" join their voices and shout in unison so that they
might be heard by the animals who have torment Horton about his strange
beliefs. They are finally heard when the tiniest "Who" of them all, a tiny, yo-yo throwing tike by the name of "Jo Jo" lifts his voice and says "Yupp". To
make a long story short, there are two great moral lessons taught in "Horton
Hears A Who." The first is that we should be kind to all people, even when
others refuse to be. The second is that even the smallest of the small is an
important person. You may wonder what this has to do with our text. The
answer lies in the fact that Horton heard a voice one day that forever
changed his life.
In our text, Abram hears the "word of the LORD" and this word from
God changed his life. In Abram's day, he was just one insignificant person
among millions of other people, but God had a special plan for his life. To
God, Abram was of supreme importance. In this passage, Abram receives
a word from the Lord concerning his Fear, his Future and his Faith. What
he heard changed his life forever. He receive a word from the Lord and it
revolutionized his life.
By the way, of all the possessions we have in this world, none can
compare to the Word of God! To be able to hold in our hands the complete
and perfect revelation of God to man is a treasure without equal. In this
passage, God had a word for Abram, but He also has a word for you and
me this evening. Let's listen in on this conversation between the Lord and
Abram. Let's hear the words that Abram heard and see what they have to
teach us about our own walk with the Lord.
I. V. 1 A WORD ABOUT ABRAM'S FEAR
(Ill. Abram has just returned from a great military victory. During the
course of the campaign, he made a bitter enemy in king Chedorlaomer.
This king was mighty enough to come against Sodom and the cities of
the plain, surely Abram felt that he too was in danger of attack from this
king from the East. God has a word to comfort him in his fear.)
A. The Peace That Comes From Knowing God - This is the first time
the phrase "fear not" is used in the Bible. But, thank God, it will not
be the last! Men may encourage us to walk in peace and fear not,
but their words are empty and without power. However, when the
Lord comes by and speaks peace to your heart, fear must take flight!
(Ill. The Disciples in the ship - John 6:17-21. He is still the great "I
AM". Let him on your vessel and he will calm your storm!)
B. The Protection That Comes From Knowing God - Abram needed
not fear the attack of his enemies. The Lord was camped about him
and all he had providing perfect protection day and night. (Note:
Those who are the Lord's are sheltered by Him all the time, Psa.
34:7. "Round about" = "On every side!" Ill. Col. 3:3)
C. The Prize That Comes From Knowing God - Abram is a man who
has left home and family to follow God, but as yet, he has not
received even the slightest hint of all that he has been promised. He
is also a man who gave up much when he refused the offer of the
king of Sodom, 14:21-24. Now, the Lord comes by to remind Abram
that if one has the Lord, they possess everything! (Note: What
earthly treasure can compare with God's love, grace, mercy,
salvation, forgiveness, presence, peace, power, heaven, hope,
etc? When we have Him, we possess it all, even if we have none of
this world's goods! The child of God is not to be pitied this evening.
He is to be envied! When we have him, we have all that is His, Rom. 8:17. (Ill. The Prodigal received the Father's ring when he
returned from the far country, Luke 15:22.))
II. V. 2-5 A WORD ABOUT ABRAM'S FUTURE
(Ill. Abram is concerned and burdened about all the promises he has
received. His are not questions of doubt, but they are honest questions,
which, by the way, God doesn't mind at all! Abram knew where to take
his burden and, as a result, he received the answers he sought! There
is a lesson in that for you and me this evening, Phil. 4:6-7. God's
answer brought hope to the old man's heart once again.)
A. V. 4 The Simplicity Of God's Promise - God's promise is stated in
the simplest and clearest of terms. Abram is assured, again, that he
will have a son and that this son will be his heir. (Note: All of God's
promises are made in the same manner. He speaks very clearly in
His Word. Oh that we would learn to take Him at His Word and
believe all that He tells us without question. Ill. He is looking for
childlike faith, Luke 18:17.)
B. V. 4-5 The Sovereignty Of God's Promise - God's promise said
something about God's power. Abram is an old man, well past the
days when most people think of fathering children. God's promise
is designed to overcome the "laws of nature" and do what men say
cannot be done. (Note: It would do the people of the Lord to learn
that our God is an "able" God, Eph. 3:20. We need to remember
that He is a God Who operates in the realm of all-power, Matt.
28:18; Luke 1:37. We need to remember that we do not serve the
God of the "can do"; we serve the God of the "has done"! Before
we ever exercise our little faith, His plan is already in motion and He
is working out His will through His Sovereign power.)
C. V. 5 The Size Of God's Promise - Abram was concerned about a
single heir to his fortune. God was concerned with giving him more
heirs than he could count. God wanted Abram to know that he was
about to receive a blessing so big that it would blow his mind! (Note:
We serve the God of "abundance" this evening, John 10:10. He
wants to do more in our lives than we can even imagine, Eph. 3:20.
If we could ever get hold of that tonight, it would revolutionize our
praying and our faith. God is not just "enough" tonight, He is "more
than enough". He's not interested in doing the ordinary and the run
of the mill this evening. He wants to leave us scratching our heads
in amazement at His power when He comes through. He wants to
blow our minds tonight! He's not all we need! He's all we have and
He is more than enough for any situation!))
III. V. 6 A WORD ABOUT ABRAM'S FAITH (Ill. This is one of the simplest, yet greatest verses in all the Bible. It tells
us all about Abram's faith. What it teaches us about his faith should be
true about our own faith as well.)
A. The Direction Of His Faith - The little word "in" tells the tale.
Abram has moved beyond hearing the Word of the Lord and
believing the promises of God into the realm of casting himself totally
in faith upon the Lord Himself. He doesn't just believe the Word
anymore, he believes God. He is like Job, Job 13:15. His faith is
in the Lord. (Note: Has your faith mode that transition this evening?
It is one thing to believe what the Bible says about God and His
promises. It is another thing altogether to move from the intellectual
acceptance of the facts to the absolute trust in His person. One
believe leads to Hell, the other to Heaven. Which is yours this
evening?)
B. The Depth Of His Faith - Abram believed in spite of the obstacles.
No doubt others around him thought he was a fool when he started
talking about what the Lord had promised him. But, he still believed
God! (Note: What a challenge to you and me today. Our faith in
Him should be unassailable and unwavering Men may mock us
because we believe in Heaven. They may think we are fools when
we speak of "being saved" and "knowing the Lord". If you are
saved, then let no trial, no naysayer, and no devil cause you to
waiver in your faith!)
C. The Dividend Of His Faith - Faith in God always pays off big and Abram's was no exception. When Abram believed God, God erased
Abram's sin and applied His own perfect righteous to Abram's
account. God looked at Abram as being a just an righteous man.
(Note: Salvation has always been a work of faith. This lesson from
Abram's life is applied to our own lives in Romans 4:13-25.) (Note:
Abram was not saved by "keeping the Law", for it had not yet been
given. He was not saved by being "circumcised", for it had not yet
been commanded. He was saved by simple, childlike faith in God.)
(Note: What was the message that Abram believed? A message
about a promised son! That is the same message that saves the
sinner today, John 3:16.)
Conc: You will probably live you whole life and never hear voices coming
from a speck of dust. At least I hope that is the case. However, I know that
God has a word for your life. Abram heard a Word from the Lord, he
believed that Word and it forever changed his life. I wonder, has the Lord
has spoken to some need in your life this evening? Is there some battle you
need peace about? Is there some storm you need calmed? Is there some
area of your life where you need a Sovereign God to move? Has your sin
been dealt with biblically? Are you saved? Are you walking in the perfect
will of the Lord this evening? Have you received the dividend of faith in
Christ: perfect righteousness? If He has spoken to your heart, this altar is
open for you to come and do business with Him tonight. Let's mind Him!
