Abraham Walked With God In Faith

Temple Baptist Church - 1-29-2020

Hebrews 11:8-10

Introduction: 

A.  As we continue through God’s “Hall of Faith,” we find a man named Abraham.

1.  Abraham is called the “Father” of our faith.

2.  Abraham is called “the friend of God.”

3.  Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are called the “Fathers” of the Jewish nation.

4.  Abraham was the first Hebrew while Jacob was the first Jew.

B.  As we studied in Genesis, Abraham-Isaac-Jacob were flawed men.

1.  Abraham failed God to lead him.  He went down to Egypt in a time of famine.  He also went to Gerar.

2.  Abraham failed God to feed him.  In famine, he left the place that God sent him to because he felt that God had blessed Egypt.

3.  Abraham failed God to protect him.  Twice, he and Sarah lied about their relationship, placing Sarah in jeopardy to protect Abraham.

4.  Abraham hearkened to the voice of his wife.  He took Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian handmaid to wife.  This brought about the birth of Ishmael, whose descendants continue to be as thorn in the flesh to everyone living about them.

C.  The “Hall of Faith” is not about perfect men, it is about men of Faith!

1.  God can use flawed men who are men of faith!

James 5:17-18  Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.  (18)  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

2.  There is an old saying: “God can take a crooked stick and draw a straight line!”

3.  God is no respecter of persons.  But He is a respecter of men of faith.

4.  God is pleased with man’s faith.

Hebrews 11:6  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.

5.  God honors faith.  God uses flawed men because He honors their Faith!

D.  The Faith of Abraham:

1.  Abraham had Saving Faith – Romans 4:1-3  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?  (2)  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.  (3)  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.  (He had nothing to glory in except God!)

a.  Abraham’s Faith was a Personal Faith.  “Abraham our father … hath found”

b.  Abraham’s Faith was a Glorifying Faith.  “he hath whereof to glory; but not before God”

c.  Abraham’s Faith was a Biblical Faith.  “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him”

d.  Abraham’s Faith was a Saving Faith.  “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God … counted unto him for righteousness”

2.  Abraham had Following Faith – Hebrews 11:8  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.  (Abraham did not know where he was going but he knew that God did!)

a.  The age of Abraham’s call.  Abraham is now 75 years and almost half of his life is gone.

b.  The place of Abraham’s call.  In the Ur of the Chaldees, a heathen land of idolatry.

c.  The answer of Abraham’s call.  His obedience was immediate, not delayed.

d.  The unquestioning obedience to Abraham’s call.  At his age to leave his people and the land of his birth to go to a land that he had never seen.

3.  Abraham had Enduring Faith – Hebrews 11:9  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:  (Abraham never returned to the place of his family.)

a.  Abraham sojourned in the land of promise.  “sojourned in the land of promise”  He remained faithful to his call.

b.  Abraham sojourned in a strange country.  “a strange country”  He remained where God placed him.  A place where he remained an outsider.

c.  Abraham raised his children there.  “dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob”  He did not go home to raise his children and grandchildren.

d.  Abraham gave his children his heritage.  “the heirs with him of the same promise”  Neither did his children returned to the land of the father’s nativity.

4.  Abraham had Financial Faith – Genesis 14:18-20  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  (19)  And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:  (20)  And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.  (Abraham gave to God what belonged to Him because he knew where it all came from.)

a.  Abraham gave at the right place.  “the priest of the most high God”  In our economy, the local church.  Malachi 3:10.  Will a man rob God?  So many do.

b.  Abraham gave the right amount.  “tithes”  The tithe is the Lord’s!

c.  Abraham gave to the right Person.  “the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth”  All that we have belongs to God!

5.  Abraham had Strong Faith – Romans 4:19-21  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:  (20)  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;  (21)  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.  (Abraham believed God when all human hope was gone.)

a.  Abraham believed God!  “the promise of God”  If God says it, you can put it in the bank.

b.  Abraham believed the Impossible!  “an hundred years old … the deadness of Sara’s womb”  He was strong in faith.

c.  Abraham believed Unwaveringly.  “being fully persuaded”  He never doubted what God had promised.

6.  Abraham had Sacrificial Faith – Genesis 22:1-3  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  (2)  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  (3)  And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. (Abraham believed God for the incomprehensible.)

a.  What God gave, God required.  “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest”  The most precious thing that God had given to Abraham, God required.

b.  Abraham was willing to give what God required.  “And Abraham rose up early in the morning … And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.”  I find no hesitancy in Abraham’s obedience.  What faith this required?

c.  Abraham knew that God would have to resurrect his son, Isaac, the child of promise.  “Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” (Hebrews 11:19) 

7.  Abraham had Eternal Faith – Hebrews 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.  (Abraham knew that God’s promise was sure and Abraham’s eternity was secured.)

Conclusion:  Galatians 3:6-9  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  (7)  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.  (8)  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.  (9)  So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.