The Faith of Abraham - Part 1 - Sermon Notes | Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig

I. Introduction (Romans 1:17)

We are finishing Genesis chapter 11 this morning.
We learned about Nimrod last week

Nimrod was Satan’s MASTER Leader — world leader
And Empire builder
The pattern that ALL tyrants and dictators follow:
- Develop popular consensus
- Concentrate everyone in cities
- Mock God (see Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, etc)

He is a type, someone who is a ‘shadow’ of the coming antichrist
After the flood, all the three families of the world, the descendants of Shem, Ham and Japheth, were supposed to spread out and fill the earth — they didn’t
They instead wanted to rebel against the God who had made their world, and then destroyed it because of their violence and rebellion against God
So, they built massive religious towers (Ziggurats) to worship themselves and their own gods, and do whatever they wanted
They were unrestrained — they had everything in their favour: one language, one goal, one demonic spirit, great armies of people

A. The Need for Restraining Man (Genesis 11:6-8)

“And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” - Genesis 11:6

Men and women can do a lot of wicked things when unrestrained
So God intervened, and hindered Nimrod and mankind’s abilities
How? By confounding, multiplying dozens of new languages
Thank God for the restraining hand of God during history!
God didn’t change hearts, He just restrained man’s destructive abilities
Men’s hearts must change by choice
God has probably stepped into your life and restrained you from doing something stupid and life destroying many, many times!
He waits for you to wake up and smell the coffee — and seek Him!

“Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” - Genesis 11:7-9

B. God Now Introduces Us to a Great Man of Faith, Named Abraham

We are about to meet the most important man in the Bible next to Jesus Christ!
Someone who would be a bright light in a dark world, showing how to live by faith
Someone who would be the start of a great nation called Israel
And Abraham was someone who would bring the world its needed Messiah, Jesus
This is the man that every Christian needs to look to and learn from — Abraham

“And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.” - Acts 7:2-5

Abraham had nothing but the promises of God — and that was enough to live on!

II. Background (Genesis 11:10-32)

This is the Patriarchal stage of History (Genesis 12-50; the same time as the Book of Job)
This stage spans a period of some 350 years (from Genesis 12-50)
The important men who appear during this stage are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Job
In the first stage of history (the Creation Stage), God dealt with the entire earth in general
Now, in the Patriarchal Stage, God will focus on just ONE MAN — Abraham
Our attention is now drawn from the world to a nation (Israel), then to a tribe in that nation (Judah), then to a family within that tribe (Jesse), and finally to an individual within the family (David) and then to a son of that king (Jesus Christ)

“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” - Romans 1:17

Abraham will show us how to live by faith!

A. The Genealogy (Genesis 11:10-26)

“These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.” - Genesis 11:10-11

Watch the age of people decrease… after the Flood, people don’t live as long
The line: Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, and Terah

B. 300 Years of Family History

There are many other sons and daughters born — loads of them — filling up the world
God ignores Japheth and Ham and focuses on Shem and his descendants
But these are important, because they are a line of faithful, godly, God fearing, and trusting men and their families, that God would lead to the coming of Abraham, and ultimately to king David, and finally to the Messiah, Jesus the Christ!
All of these people appear in Luke chapter 3, showing a godly line of men, from Noah all the way to Abraham
They are names we rarely focus on
But are a path through history of millions and millions of people, on the way to one man — Abram of Ur of the Chaldees

C. Abraham’s Family (Genesis 11:26-32)

Abram’s Father, Terah

“And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.” - Genesis 11:26

“Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.” - Genesis 11:27

Three sons: Abram, Nahor and Haran (3 brothers)
Abraham’s name at first was ‘Abram’ — a father of children — not that great of a name, especially since he had no children
God was about to change that!
Abram and Abraham are the same man — it is changed to Abraham in chapter 17
You will find his wife’s name at first was Sarai, and not Sarah
REAL Faith changes us, and God recognises that when he changes names of people in the Bible

Abraham was born around 2050 B.C. (more than 4,000 years ago)

We know nothing of his early life
YET… the importance of his life cannot be underestimated. He is mentioned some 308 times in the Bible; 234 times in the Old Testament; and 74 in the New Testament
The book of Genesis spans a period of around 2,350 years
The first eleven chapters, which describe the Creation of the universe, the Fall, Flood, and Tower of Babel, cover a period of 2000 years
The last 39 chapters talk about Abraham and his seed, covering some 350 years
God gave us more detail about Abraham than about the origin of the universe!

Grew Up in Ur of the Chaldees

“And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.” - Genesis 11:28

Abraham was born and raised in the city of Ur of the Chaldees
Abram is born in Nimrod’s realm — Ur
Ur was a seaport on the Persian Gulf, at the mouth of the Euphrates River
Ur means “Light, or the moon city” that was dedicated to worshipping the moon
A very pagan city, closely linked with Babylon
Just before the time of Abraham, it was the most magnificent city in all the world; a centre of manufacturing, farming, and shipping, in a land of fabulous fertility and wealth, with caravans going in every direction to distant lands, and ships sailing from the docks of Ur down the Persian Gulf with cargoes of copper and hard stone
It is from this city that Abram is called to leave and to follow God!

Notice that Lot is with Abram

“Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.” - Genesis 11:27

So, Lot is a nephew of Abram
He is a smart man — knows to hang around a godly man — at least at first!
But he will be a thorn in Abram’s side all his life

Abram is Married to Sarai

“And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no child.” - Genesis 11:29-30

Sarai means ‘Noble woman’
She was stunningly beautiful — even when 65, 70, and 80 years old!
But she was barren — she could not have children
And that meant Abram would never have children — at least not naturally
But God had something marvellous for them, if they would just trust Him
The same is true for every one of us!

All of Abram’s family got OUT of Ur

“And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.” - Genesis 11:31-32

Terah took charge — led his entire family out of Ur
That was a good thing — separating from false religion and wickedness of that culture
But Terah was just following his son’s faith — didn’t have his own faith
Went as far as Haran — content to go only that far — comfortable there in Haran
Dies in Haran
No one was willing to go as far as God was calling Abram to go
Abram had a much deeper faith — deeper trust in God
And that is what Genesis Chapter 12 is about

III. Message — Abraham’s Faith

A. Abraham’s Calling (Genesis 12:1)

God gave Abram a new life purpose — a calling — a pull on the heart to something better!

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” - Genesis 12:1

Called to Go to a New Home

God didn’t even tell Abram where he was going
Just to leave Ur and his father’s house for a land that God would show him
God did not point to a map or give him ANY MORE information — just asked Abram to trust him completely!
It will become called, The Promised Land
We are never told to leave something, that God is not taking us somewhere else — somewhere better

Called to a New Way of Living — by obedient FAITH in Jehovah God

That is the big thing about Abram/Abraham — he lives by faith
He trusts that God will keep all His promises
All Abraham has to do is just trust and obey
And so he does!
That calling is STILL TRUE TODAY for us!

His Life-Calling is Based on the Word of God — “Now, the Lord had said unto Abram…”

This was direct communication by God with one man
Back then, it was a voice from above
There was no Bible
There was no prophet involved — at least that we know of
There was only a voice — God’s voice
The same voice Adam had heard in the Garden of Eden
The same voice that had told Noah to build an Ark
No one knows God nor his will without Him speaking to us
God has to speak to US — reveal Himself to us
You cannot just make up faith as you please — no D.I.Y.
Faith must be based upon what God said, and what only GOD promised!

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” - Matthew 4:4

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” - Romans 10:17

Not by someone praying over you, or laying hands on you, or by visions and dreams, but by HEARING THESE WORDS AND BELIEVING THEM!

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” - 1 Peter 1:23

God asked Abraham to just do one hard thing… trust Him completely
THIS IS THE WAY OF FAITH — absolutely trusting God
Live by faith in what God says
That means do what God says do, not what your heart says, or your friends
Overruling your emotions, and your opportunities and fears

God asked Abram to leave everything behind

To be willing to lose some things to follow God’s will and do His way of doing things
Matthew the tax collector did it when Jesus called him
Peter the fisherman did it when Jesus called him
Have you ever had to lose some things so you could follow Jesus?
Good! That is the way of faith!
Get out of his country and from his family and from his own father’s household
Abram could see all the wickedness of Ur — the idolatry, the human sacrifices, the fierce rebellion against God
God calls us, no matter where we are, to leave whatever we are doing and follow Him
People need to see the wickedness of their religion, their politicians, their own friends and leave it all to follow Jesus

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” - Luke 14:26

It would be like abandoning the home you are living in right now, and trusting a realtor to sell you a house you have not sought for, who then sends you and your family on a trip to a place you have never been to, to start living in a home you have never seen before… that is what Abram’s REAL FAITH looked like!

All people are constantly called by God to something more than they are

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” - Matthew 11:28-29

Not just to come to church, or pray a few prayers
But to actually watch and learn how to live every day from Jesus
To lean on Him, and depend upon His abilities
To constantly swap out burdens, and stress for His strength and rest
We are Called to be SAINTS — right here and now, not just in heaven!

“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” - 1 Corinthians 1:2

What are YOU like at home, at work, school?
You are pulled by God to be more than you are — to be godly, and clean, and good

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 1:9

Jesus waits on you to spend time with him
He created you and me for fellowship — heart to heart

“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:7

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” - 2 Corinthians 5:7

B. Abraham’s Conflict — He Struggled to Do God’s Will (Genesis 11:31-32)

This is the way of faith as well!
Abram was not perfect in his faith or his life
He will always struggle to trust God perfectly, and consistently — just like US
He didn’t go alone — His father and entire family went with him

“And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.” - Genesis 11:31-32

Abram could not walk away from his family yet — it was hard for him
And he allowed himself to get bogged down halfway to Canaan, in Haran
So, it slowed Abram down from enjoying the will of God!
Haran was the last outpost of civilization before you entered the vast desert of Arabia. The city was 700 miles north west of Ur. It was located on a main caravan road connecting the cities of the east with Damascus and Egypt. It was a strategic location for wealth and commerce. The city was just like Ur — the people worshipped the moon god and goddess as did Ur
Abram might have been content to settle in Haran permanently
At least he was OUT of Ur
But he was NOT IN the will of God
But then God stepped in and Terah his father died. God will have to do this often!
God is patient, but we waste so many years
What will it take before YOU do God’s will?
After that, Abram quickly moves on!
Application: Only God knows the multitudes of Christians that have left their old life (Ur), bound for something better (Canaan), only to get bogged down in their ‘Haran.’
And it is always because of one of three things:

Family — worrying about everyone else
Fears — it is usually hard to ignore your fears and just trust God
Fun — having too much fun right now to do what God wants me to do — today

C. God Makes Seven Promises to Abram (Genesis 12:2-3)

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” - Genesis 12:2-3

God never asks you to do something hard without making it worth your while…
Let’s look at these promises — not to everybody, just Abram
Modern charismatics make all these apply to them
The catholic church believes they all apply to the Pope and Bishops of the church
Modern Christians can’t help but believe everything in the Bible is about THEM, when it is NOT!

God promises to bring him into a land that would be his and his children’s
- It was REAL dirt — the land and fields and rivers of Canaan
- This inheritance of land ended up being FAR away from Ur (1,200 miles)
- And even from Haran (500 miles) — at least 1 month’s travel on foot
That God would make of Abraham a great nation
- Compare that with Nimrod creating his own nation
- Here was God saying a nation of people would come physically from HIM
- Yet, Abram had no children
- That was quite a big promise — kind of hard to believe God’s big promises
God promises to bless Abraham
- That meant God would benefit him and make him happy
- To cause him to laugh with joy — by the way, the name Isaac means LAUGHTER
God promises to make his name great
- Nimrod was well known back then, and Abram was a nobody
- Yet 95% of the world has never heard of Nimrod today
- But almost 100% have heard of Abraham!
- ABRAHAM is one of THE most well-known names in the world!
God promises to make Abraham and a line of his descendants into a blessing to others
- Ishmael has not been much of a blessing
- But Israel has — read Romans 9 and 10
- And those of us who are children of Abraham by faith are a blessing to the world
God promises to bless or curse people based on how they treat Abraham and his descendants — People need to take this promise of God seriously
“In thee shall ALL families be blessed”
- Speaking of all the Gentiles of the earth being blessed and benefited by Abraham!

“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” - Galatians 3:14

D. Abraham’s Conversion (Genesis 12:4-5)

All of the above was God dealing with a single man, before he was saved/born again
Something happens next that is the reason why God chose Abram

“So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.” - Genesis 12:4

The fact that Abram actually believed God — trusted God absolutely
He just believed every word God said, and every promise God made!
Abraham believed EVERYTHING God promised, not just bits and pieces
What God SAID caused Abram to trust God, enough to obey God to just get up and leave his home and old life in Ur!

Abraham actually obeyed — he left Ur — his beliefs affected his actions

There are so many who hear what God says do, but never move a muscle — never humble themselves, cry out to God for forgiveness, decide to follow

“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.” - Hebrews 11:8

He is finally trusting God with all his heart

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” - Romans 4:20-22

This is the way of living by faith
He is no “spring chicken”
Notice how old Abraham was — 75 years old when he leaves out of Haran
God is going to honour a flawed man, who had many things right
Remember, God is guiding Abram along the way with His words

IV. Conclusion

What made Abraham so great?

Not his wealth, or family, or empire, or popularity
Simply his faith and trust in God — child-like faith

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6

His obedience
In spite of all his flaws and struggles to believe…
His faith was greatly rewarded by God with all those promises being fulfilled and still being fulfilled 4,000 years later today!

So many similarities between how Abraham lived and how WE are supposed to live

Not so that we get some dirt here on earth, some land or property or even wealth
But we get a city in the heavens — the New Jerusalem — called to a new eternal home!
We just need to believe God — just believe what God says
READ this book — Learn its promises — Obey its commands
Follow the Lord Jesus Christ your entire life

THAT is the way of Faith — and it is the BEST way to live

Not easy
But full of the promises of God — Oh that you wanted to live this better way!

“…as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” - Romans 1:17