How many of you - when you were growing up - how many of you had a hero that you wanted to be like?

This is probably dating some of us.   Remember Superman?  This is a little more up to date.   Or this.  Maybe this man?  Or James Tiberius Kirk.

Someone that you respected - looked up to - that had an impact on your life.   For many of us it was President Reagan.  For some it was this man.  For many its been Billy Graham. 

This morning we’re beginning a study of the life of Abraham - focusing on lessons in faith.  Thinking through a top ten list of the most significant people in the Bible - or just the top 5 - who’d be on that list?  Jesus -  God - number one of course.  Moses.  Paul.  David.  Without question - Abraham would be on that list.

Judaism - Islam - Christianity - all trace themselves back to Abraham.  Abraham’s a man that God spoke with - ate with - incredibly blessed - used - holds up as an example to us - be like Abraham.  An example to us of a man who lived by faith - someone we should look up to - that we should pattern our lives after.

What should be encouraging for us - the more we get into this study - is that unlike some superheroes - who are larger than life - we’re going to see that Abraham struggled with faith just like we struggle in our faith.  His faith wavered.  He messed up.  He had lessons to learn.  Abraham is a guy that we can relate to on the level of where we live life.  And yet - what gives us hope - is that through it all he grew in his relationship - his faith in God.

We’re going to start our look at Abraham - beginning in Genesis 11 - starting at verse 31 - and get a running start at chapter 12.

Genesis 11 - starting at verse 31:  Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran, and settled there.  The days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.

Terah had three sons - Abram - who was married to Sarai - Nahor - who was married to Milcah - and Haran - who had at least three children - one of whom was Lot.  They all lived in Ur - which is located here in what is now southern Iraq.  Here’s a picture of what Ur looks like today.

Ur was a very sophisticated city.  It had great wealth - culture - a library - a university.  There were ziggurats - temples - office buildings - a highly complex - literate civilization.  The religion of Ur was the usual mix of sacred prostitution and idolatry.  Like everyone else in Ur - Abram was probably a worshipper of the local Moon goddess.

In the book of Acts - Stephen tells us that while Terah and his family were living in Ur - while Abram is worshipping idols - God broke into Abram’s life.  God commands Abram to leave Ur and head to a land that God would show him.  Which is what verse 31 describes.   The family leaves Ur - travels as far as Haran - located here - looks like this today.  Then in Haran - at the ripe old age of 205 - father Terah dies.

Genesis 12 - verse 1:  Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.  And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Verses 1 to 3 are  the incredible offer that God makes Abram - absolutely mind boggling.  Walk with me through this offer.  There are two parts to this offer that we need to grab on to.

The first part is  what God commands Abram to do.  Say that with me, “What God commands Abram to do.”

Command number one:   Leave your country.  Go forth.  You’re the power hitter.  Clear the bases.  Bad joke.

Go forth from your country.  Don’t get comfortable here in Haran - keep going.  Leave where you’ve been living - what you’ve accumulated around you - the security you’re clinging on to - your ambitions and loyalties.  Leave it behind.

To follow God - means leaving behind the old life - the values we’ve lived by - what we’ve tried to control our lives with - our goals - our desires - the world we constructed around ourselves.  Leave behind the stuff of the world.  Leave it behind to follow God.

Command number two:  Leave your relatives.  Those people who’ve shaped our lives - with their opinions and traditions and pressures.  Family and friends and community.

To follow God means we must be willing to leave all that behind to go where God calls us to go.  To follow God means choosing to leave behind what others think and to be concerned only for what God thinks.

Command number three:  Leave your father’s house.  We get stuff from our parents.  Our good looks.  My teeth are falling apart like my dad’s did.  Good parents provide good resources for life - genetically - spiritually - financially.

To trust God means leaving behind our dependence on our own looks and talents and natural resources.  To trust God means learning to depend on God to do what we cannot do for ourselves.

The second part of God’s incredible offer is  what God promises Abram.  Say that with me, “What God promises Abram.”

This incredible offer that God makes Abram is what theologians call the Abrahamic Covenant.  There are other covenants in Scripture.  For example: The Mosaic Covenant - where God gives His people the 10 Commandments.  Another incredible offer - God telling His people - live this way before Me and I’ll take care of the rest.

Here with Abram - God is initiating a covenant - an agreement.  Trust Me and leave.  Leave and go to the land that I’ll show you and this is what I’ll do for you.

First promise:  Land.  A place to call home.  To put down roots.  To belong.  To cease wandering and restlessness.  To watch generations grow.

If you’ve ever listened to country music - anyone willing to admit that?  Those truck drivers are the loneliest people on earth.  White line fever and the good woman waiting at home. 

We long for a place that’s ours - where we feel secure - welcomed - a place of peace.  In many ways God has designed the church for that.  When we trust God with our lives He puts us into the Church - His body - this community - the fellowship of believers. 

Even deeper.  When God’s people - trusting God - dwelt in the land - God dwelt with them.  What God is talking about here - on a spiritual level - is about living daily in a deeply satisfying - intimate - relationship with God - and God’s people - where we know that we are His - that we belong to Him.

Second promise:   I’m going to make you to be a great nation.

There are more than 13 million Jews living today.  Many more that have some Jewish blood in them.  In the four thousand years since Abraham - maybe there’s been a billion Jews.  We don’t know.  But there’s been a lot.

Would you agree that greatness is not just because of numbers?  I read that 12% of all Nobel prize winners have been Jews.  Every book of the Bible has been written by a Jew or under the influence of a Jew.  Jesus the Messiah is a Jew.  Think about the impact that this small people group has made on the world - on world history - even today.  Huge. 

The church - this fellowship that God allows us to belong to - the church in obedience to God - has a huge impact on this world.  When we’re willing to trust God with our lives God uses us in ways that go way beyond what we’re able - ways that we can’t even begin to imagine.

Third promise:   I’m gonna’ bless you.

The Hebrew word for “bless” is “barak.”  It has the idea of “bending the knee.”  When the patriarch of a tribe knew that he was going to die he would pass on to his eldest son his inheritance.  The son would come and kneel before the patriarch.  The patriarch would bestow on the son the role of leadership and the wealth of the family.  He was given twice the inheritance of the others - given the authority and power of the patriarch - the responsibility for leading the family.

Behind the word “bless” is this picture of bestowing wealth and honor - of well-being - and ultimately happiness.  Blessed has the idea of receiving what makes us feel peaceful - satisfied - happy. 

Looking down the line at Abram’s life - Abram received great wealth.  In today’s world - Abram’s wealth, prestige, and influence would blow Bill Gates out of the water.  No comparison.

But let’s be careful.  God’s blessing isn’t about stuff.  God’s blessing is about what really satisfies our hearts.

God says, “I’m going to bless you and make your name great.”

Abram’s name has become great - revered by billions today.  Not because of wealth.  But because of his relationship with God.  What God did in him and through him. 

Paul writes in Romans 11:33:  “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” 

God knows what we’re searching for and how to bless us with it.  Only in Jesus is the answer to what we crave - restoration - self-worth - self-esteem - the possibility of being the men and women that we’ve been created to be. 

God says, “I’m going to bless you and make you a blessing to others.” 

Jesus said - John 12:26:  “If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”  Life - greatness - isn’t about being honored by men.  Its about pleasing God - about God’s approval of our lives.

God bestows His blessing on us - lifts us up - restores us - so that we can be used by Him to make a real difference in the lives of others - and to bring glory to Himself.

That is a blessing.  Isn’t it?  God Himself - the Almighty Holy God -  using us - according to His will - giving to our lives real purpose and meaning and significance.

Fourth promise:   The blessing of all the families - all the nations - of the earth.

God identifies with Abram.  Those who bless Abram are going to be blessed.  Those who curse Abram are going to be cursed.  The dividing line is how people treat Abram.

Looking down the line of history - is the fulfillment of that promise.  The dividing line of blessing and cursing is how people treat Jesus Christ the descendant of Abram. 

Grab this:  God is offering to do something incredible here in the life of Abram - to do something through Abram that transcends Abram.  God is calling Abram to become part of a larger story.  God’s work of buying back mankind from our sins - His work of restoration - of salvation.  God’s redemptive work in history that flows from Adam - through Abram - through Jesus Christ descendant of Abraham - crucified on the cross.

When we put our trust in God - trusting in Jesus as our Savior - God pours out His blessing on us - and we become part of that larger movement of God through history - part of God’s blessing to others.

That’s huge.  An incredible offer made to Abram.  Spiritually speaking - the same offer God makes to us today.

In the places where we live our lives - our version of pagan Ur - or maybe the distractions - the comfort - of Haran.  God calls on us - like Abram - calls us to step out in faith - to trust Him - to leave behind the stuff of this world - what we’ve built up around us - what we’re clinging to for security - to step forward and trust God.

God promises us the fellowship of the church - promises to dwell with us - to bless us - to give significance and purpose and meaning to our lives - to use us in the lives of others according to His will and for His glory.

Bottom line:  The incredible offer God makes to Abram - God asking Abram to step forward in faith.

Verses 4 to 20 record  how Abram responded to God’s offer.

Genesis 12 - verse 4:  So Abraham went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him.  Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.  Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the person which they had acquired in Haran and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus - with all of these things and people - because Abram stepped forward in faith - thus they came to the land of Canaan.

Last month we made a family journey to Armenia.  Some of you have been flying around the country.  Some of you are getting ready to fly off to different places.  Flying isn’t what it used to be.  Is it?  Airlines are charging money for things that used to be free.  Watch this.

(Video - No Frills Airline)

Abram’s on a journey.  God tells Abram to go forth and Abram - by faith - goes forth - just as the Lord had spoken to him.  They leave the country - their relatives - father Terah - take their own possessions - nephew Lot that Abram had responsibility for - and head south.

Verse 6:  Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh.  Now the Canaanite was then in the land.

Which brings them to here - up in the highlands of Canaan.  A place that looks like this  today. 

Verse 7:  The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land,”  So he built and altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.

Underline that statement.  “To your descendants I will give this land.”   

This is it.  Your journey is over.  You’ve arrived.  This is the place of blessing - where I’m going to fulfill my promises to you.   There are Canaanites here now.  But their days here are numbered.

Shechem is the same place where Joshua - years later - after Israel’s years of slavery in Egypt - after their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness - now a mighty nation - when Israel first enters the Promised Land - Joshua brings them to Shechem where they build and altar - just as Abram did - God’s people - come to this very place to renew this covenant - this promise - to consecrate themselves and to praise God for fulfilling His promises.

Abram builds an altar - leads his household in worshipping God.

Verse 8:  Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel - which is near Shechem - and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.

Abram is moving through the promised land - building altars - spending time with God.  It’s a beautiful picture of life with God - intimacy - blessing - faithfully living within the promises of God.  Abram and his family.

Verse 9:  Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev - towards the great southern desert.   Verse 10:  Now there was a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to  sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

Canaan is like California - great agricultural land - Mediterranean climate - dependant on rainfall.  Like here - after a short time without rain people start using the “D” word - drought.  Abram is a man of flocks and herds.  He needs grass.  Food is getting scarce.  The famine is severe.  Abram heads south.  We’re off to Egypt.

Notice - there is no waiting for God’s instructions.  Abram takes matters in his own hands.  After doing everything right - after experiencing such an intimate relationship with God - living in God’s promises - Abe blows it big time.

Can you relate to this guy?  Oh yeah.  This is Abram brought down to where we live our lives.  When we go through times of famine - the hard stuff of life - when our lives are dry - when we’re weak and weary of being weary - the temptation to flee and trust ourselves rather than wait on God.

Maybe we retreat mentally to Egypt - checking out of our commitment to God - heading off into old habits of sin - what we think and involve ourselves with - maybe even drugs and alcohol - addictions and fantasy.  Maybe we neglect our time in God’s word - or in prayer - or worship.

Maybe physically we head south - changing jobs or neighborhoods - taking trips - changing churches - running home to momma.

Point being that - rather than hanging in there by faith - patiently seeking after God - waiting for God’s direction and movement in our lives - like Abram - way too often we take matters into our own hands - trusting ourselves.

Verse 11:  It came about when he came near to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman - very romantic - and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.  Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may live on account of you.” - not so romantic.

In reality Sarai was Abram’s half-sister.  Terah’s wife - Abram’s mother - had died.  Terah had remarried and had Sarai - Abram’s 1/2 sister.  So Abram isn’t exactly lying.  But, he isn’t exactly telling the truth either.  He’s bending the truth just a bit.  Its all a matter of perspective.

Verse 14:  It came about when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.  Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house - think harem - Therefore he - Pharaoh - treated Abram well for her sake; and gave him sheep and oxen and donkeys and male and female servants and female donkeys and camels.

How much for the woman?  How many sheep?  Apparently a lot.  Sarai was absolutely gorgeous.  Sarai gets taken.  Abe gets blessed.  Things are going according to Abram’s plan.

Verse 17:  But - God - the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues - notice - not just one plague - but plagues - serious illness - because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

Verse 18:  Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done me?  Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?  Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife?  Now then, here is your wife, take her and go.”  Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him.

The whole household gets escorted to the border and dumped there in disgrace.

The whole experience in Egypt is recorded here for us to see the contrast - the incredible offer of God and the utter foolishness of trusting ourselves.

Abram - rather than being a channel of God’s blessing to Pharaoh and the nation of Egypt - because Abram is trusting in himself and not God - Abram actually becomes a means of great suffering.

Abram - trusting in himself - forces his wife into adultery - sin against God - in order to save his own neck.  A position of danger he wouldn’t have even have been in if he’d stayed in Canaan.

Because Abram failed to trust God we’ll never know what would have happened if Abram had stayed in Canaan.  How God would taken care of the Canaanites - a people that have always since then been a thorn in the side of Israel.  We’ll never know how God would have provided for Abram’s needs in the midst of famine.

There are huge opportunities here - for blessing - for God to be glorified - huge opportunities that were lost because Abram takes matters into his own hands and heads off south to Egypt.

Ray Stedman tells about the closing days of Hudson Taylor’s life.

Ray Stedman writes:  The Boxer Rebellion had broken out in China.  Every day reports were coming to missionary headquarters of the death of national pastors, or the persecution and imprisonment of missionaries.  It seemed that all that Hudson Taylor had given his life to was crumbling before his eyes.

One black day, after some particularly distressing news had come, Hudson Taylor’s associates wondered if it would be too much for the old man.  He spent the morning in his house, alone, and when they came to see him in the afternoon, they trembled at what they might find.  But as they approached the house, they heard him singing to himself:

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness,
Of Thy loving heart.

Thou has bade me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole. (1)

Maybe you're in one of those times when it seems difficult to step forward in faith.  When it seems easier to head south to Egypt - hoping for some kind of relief.  But the cost of Egypt is very expensive. 

God offers us so much.  His promises are trustworthy.  May we learn to step forward in faith.  

_______________

1. Ray Stedman, sermon on Genesis 12:10-13:4  “The High Cost Of Letting Down”