Tabor Baptist Church

• Initially his name was Abram but changed to Abraham
• Called the 'father of all the faithful'
• Romans 4 - we are children of Abraham
• "Without faith it is impossible to please God" - do we really believe that
• I don't have faith - you must believe that God is and that He rewards those who seek Him
• Examples of men of faith: Enoch, Noah, Abraham

In Context

• Genesis begins with the creation of the world
• A Sabbath rest on the 7th day
• Adam & Eve rebelled against God so mankind was plunged into the bondage of sin
• Cain:
• Kills Abel (the first child of Adam & Eve killed the second)
• Abel offered a sacrifice of blood and was acceptable in the sight of God
• Noah:
• On a human level God regretted that He had made man
• God sent a terrible flood and only 8 people were save
• Noah believed God when nobody else dead
• Noah made a blood sacrifice after the flood
• Abraham:
• From you I will make a nation - from your seed
• 11:27-32 - his background and family
• 12 - going into the detail (not in chronological order)
• Acts 7:2-3 - God spoke to Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, out of Ur of the Chaldeans

The Call of Abraham

• A call to leave
• A call to break all ties with your culture and friends
• Going from a city life to a nomadic life
• Ur was a city of about 300'000 and they worshipped the moon
• Joshua 24:2 - Terah (Abraham's father) was an idolater
• Leaving some family members
• Entering into a relationship with the living God
• "Go to the land I will show you"
• This is similar to the call of salvation
• To leave a pagan mindset and culture and trust only on the Lord
• Abraham's attitude
• He did not murmur or complain
• Obedience and trust
• He offered sacrifice
• What is our attitude?
• Have you been saved?
• Have you taken hold of God's promise?
• Have you taken God at His word?
• Jesus calls you but you must respond
• Have you broken free from all your idols?
• The essence of the call is leaving and cleaving
• Leaving your old ways
• Cleaving to God
• Specific call
• Why did God call Abraham and not anyone else or from another city?
• Neh 9:7 - It was God's choice and electing love
• God in His great love chose a man who didn't deserve it to become the father of many nations
• Ps 65:4 - "Blessed is the man whom You choose and cause to follow You"

Implication of the Call

1. Did Abraham know how long the journey would be?

• It was more than 500 miles
• Did he take any provisions
• Did he know what the end destination was?
• The Bible says he did not know where he was going
• In a world of uncertainties we cling to God
• Many might have questioned Abraham and said what he was doing was not common sense
• He had faith in God
• Example of CT Stud

2. Called to leave his family

• Called to leave his family
• He did not leave his family but brought them with him
• 11:31 - The Bible implies that Abraham was under Terah's authority
• He is not neglecting his family but is saying that God must come first
• He would still care for his family and fulfil his obligations
• It is the same when you become a Christian
• You don't turn away from your family

3. Took his wife with him

• She was barren for many years - this was a trial

4. They stop and seem to settle in Haran - Terah died here

• 12:5 - However, Abraham and the family moved on
• Do we stagnate as Christians not able to move on?
• God does bless us but then He might move us on to live in tents

5. Settled in Canaan

• Settled in Canaan
• 12:6 - He has arrived in the land
• Abraham has to learn that things are not plain sailing
• We need to learn that there are trials and tribulations in this world
• We need to count the costs as Christians?
• There are difficulties and those who oppose us
• There are sins that try to best us
• 12:8-9 - Abraham was still journeying in Canaan even though he had 'arrived'
• 12:10 - There was a great famine
• How much do we hold onto our possessions?
• Abraham was willing to be satisfied in God and His purposes for him

The Promises of God

• It was the promises of God that kept, comforted and inspired Abraham
• 12:2-3
• Faith:
• Abraham's faith justified him - he trusted in the promises of God
• He trusted in the forgiveness of all his sins
• Abraham became a friend of God - he knew God
• Temporal blessings:
• 13:2 - Abraham went down to Egypt and came out with great riches
• The blessing of Melchizedek
• Greater blessings:
• That we could be a child of Abraham
• Are you a child of God?
• Have you believed the promises of God that if you believe in Him He will save you
• The Gospel promises

• What is our response to all this?
• Abraham built a family altar - 12:7-8
• He calls on the name of the Lord and worships Him
• Do we call on the name of God and worship Him?