Please turn with me to Genesis 17 - starting at verse 1.  As you’re turning let me ask you a question.

July 1, 2008.  Anybody remember what law went into effect?  Hands free use of cell phones while driving?  Needing to have one of these?  Which cost a small fortune.

This is the low cost alternative.  The do-it-yourself kit costs .89 cents and includes two rubber bands.

Some people have speculated that hands free is really a subversive plot to take over the world.  Something like this - or this - leading to this.   Resistance is futile.  Somehow he doesn’t look Swedish.

We’re continuing on - looking at Abraham and the lessons of faith that he learned as he lived life with God - lessons that we’re learning by looking at Abraham - the times he messed up in his faith and the times he didn’t.  This morning we’re going to look at what Abram learned about faith and who or what is in control of our lives.

Genesis 17 - verse 1:  Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him,  “I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless.”

Let’s pause there.  There are three important things here in verse 1 that we need to understand.  Three things going on here that set stage for what’s coming in the rest of the chapter.

First - we’re told that Abram was 99 years old.

Its been 13 years since chapter 16.  Ishmael is now a teenager.  Oh boy.  Sarai is almost 89.  For 13 years Abram - Sarai - and Hagar have been watching Ishmael grow up.  The point of that is that they’ve been waiting  - for 13 years of silence - God not saying anything - wondering - waiting for God to move forward fulfilling His promises.   

We’re praying for a situation or a person - a need - and time goes by and we wonder why doesn’t God do something.  We’re looking at an opportunity and God just doesn’t move as quickly or in the way we think He should.  We’ve all be there.  Right?  Waiting and wondering. 

Second - Notice God’s Name.  “I am God Almighty.”

In Hebrew it’s the name “El Shaddai”  Literally “I am God - the Almighty.”  Which God?  The Almighty God.  Emphasis Almighty.  Emphasis - the all sufficient - all powerful - most awesome - eternal - cannot be moved - greatest - self-existent - incomparable - totally sovereign - almighty God.

The history of the word “Shaddai” has the idea of mountains.  The god who is like a mountain.  Immovable.  Powerful. 

You all recognize this place?  How many of you when you visit Yosemite can’t help but think of God?   Those granite cliffs - towering - majestic - immovable.  Strength that transcends who we are and the time we spend here on earth.   That’s the idea behind “El Shaddai”

By the way - these pictures were taken by some in the congregation.   Awesome pictures.  Yes?

Point Being:  That God is God the Almighty means that God is totally sufficient.  God is powerful enough to be able to do anything He wills.  Nothing can move Him from accomplishing what He purposes to do.  He is the totally adequate - completely capable - sufficient God.  Whatever God purposes to accomplish in Abram’s life - or our lives - God is able to accomplish.

I invite you to read with me - out loud - together - the words of Psalm 121.  Which focuses on God who is totally sufficient.  While we’re reading think about El Shaddai.  What God is sufficient to do in your life.

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.

Whatever God Almighty chooses to do - help us - keep us - shade us - protect us - guard us - spiritually - physically - now and forever - God is sufficient to do.  Is there anything too difficult for God?  No!

This is the God - our God - Who comes and speaks to Abram - the 99 year old man - who’s been waiting 13 years for God to do something.

Third - verse 1 - notice God’s command to Abram:  “Walk before Me, and be blameless.”

Walking is how we walk with God - live with God - through the days of our lives.  “Blameless” has the idea of “perfect” - complete - without anything lacking.  There’s no way to improve on perfection.    Live with God and be perfect.

Martin Luther - the original Martin Luther - the monk.  As an Augustinian monk - Martin Luther made a sincere effort to discover and know God by living in obedience to God - beating himself - spending days in fasting - laying for long agonizing hours on the cold floor of his cell.  Trying through doing all kinds of religious things to be right with God - to live in  a complete - nothing lacking - blameless relationship with God. 

People today are like that.  We hear the command and we start thinking about what we’re suppose to be living like.  We attend church services - sing the songs - abstain from certain foods and behaviors.  We don’t swear - at least not too much and not around the pastor.  We read 20 chapters a day for our devotions - attend seminars and read books - give tons of money.  All trying to live rightly with God.

Many Christians have the idea that somehow by doing the works of the Christian religion - that we can walk before God and be blameless.  That’s putting the cart before the horse.

When Martin Luther came to understand the words of Paul in R omans, “the righteous man shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17) he came to understand that faith comes first.  Turned the - doing the religious rituals - Christian world upside down.

Notice - in verse 1 - that God’s command is first what?  to walk before God - to live with God - to give our lives to God - what comes from that is being blameless.

The sufficiency to live blameless doesn’t come from us.  Can’t.  It comes as we choose to walk with God - by faith trusting Jesus as the Savior and Lord - and then daily allowing the all sufficient almighty God to fill us with His sufficiency - to make us complete.  That’s putting the horse before the cart.

Grab onto this :   To walk before God blameless speaks directly to the openness of our hearts to God.  To be perfect - nothing lacking - means that nothing is lacking in our complete openness to God - from the core of who we are - our utter dependence - faith - trust - in Him to supply to us everything that we need to live life as He’s created life to be lived.

Bottom line:  God - the Almighty - comes to this 99 year old man - and says to Him -  I will be your sufficiency - trust me with your life.

Going on - verse 2 - God speaking to Abram:  “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” - Beyond anything you can imagine - Abram fell on his face - a position of humility - honor - worship - and God talked to him, saying, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations.

Verse 5:  No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be called Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.  I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you.”

Verse 7:  “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.  I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Let’s stop there.  In verses 2 to 8 we see God making this incredible promise to Abram.  There are three major parts to the promise.  Land - a place to dwell with God in security.  Descendants - a whole lot of them.  And third, blessing - blessing Abram - his descendants - and all the nations of the world through him.

Each time this promise is repeated - reminding us of what God is going to do - each time God repeats this promise to Abram He adds new information.  Information that is connected to what God is doing in Abram’s life.

Follow me on this:  In the context of God - the Almighty - re-emphasizing this great promise to Abram - the 99 year old waiting man - called to live before God with total heart dedication - within all that is God’s changing of Abram’s name.

That’s significant.  What’s in a name?  A lot.  Especially in a culture that gives great emphasis to the meaning of names.

To this point Abram has been called what?  Abram - the name given to him by his father Terah.  Abram means “exalted father.”  And he has been.  As Abram’s been going along in life he’s become a man of wealth - position - power - esteemed - lifted up - exalted in the eyes of those around him.

Our children all have first names that come out of the Bible - names that reflect our faith and we pray - will be reflective of their own personal relationship with God.  Their middle names are Armenian - reflecting their ethnicity.  And they’re named after members of our family.  Our children are integral links - connecting parts between past and future generations.  All of that has great significance.

It’s a great privilege given to parents to name their children.  Isn’t it?  As a parent - with prayer - seeking God - reflecting our hopes and dreams and prayers for that child - to give a name to another person.

The privilege of naming a child reflects the authority of the parent over that child.  Sometimes our children think they have greater authority.  But it ain’t so.

Follow this:  The deeper current running through Abram’s name change is the authority of God over Abraham’s life.

God changes Abram’s name to what?  Abraham - which means “father of many” or, “father of nations.”  Which fits to God’s promise to Abraham.

Adam was told to name the animals since he was to have dominion over them.  Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter.  He had authority over His disciple and his future.

God has authority over Abraham’s life.  He is God - the Almighty - the One that Abraham has fallen on his face before - believed in - is trusting in.  It is God the Almighty who makes this covenant with Abraham.  God  the Almighty who declares that make Abraham a father of nations.  God who will make Abraham exceedingly fruitful.  God the Almighty who commands Abraham to walk before him.

Grab this:   Abram was exalted.  He achieved great things and great respect.  Abraham is God’s to exalt - to make into the father of nations.

Do you hear the call of God in that?  Even for our own lives?  To live with God - in the life that He’s created for us - we must loose our desire to exalt ourselves and learn to give control of our hearts totally to the One who really does have authority over our lives - God - the Almighty.

Going on - verse 9:   God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.  This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you; every male among you shall be circumcised.  And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.

Hold onto that:   The sign - not the covenant itself - the sign of the covenant is circumcision.

Verse 12:  And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants.  A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised.

Who does that leave out?  Nobody.  God is very specific.  Every male under Abraham’s tent is to be circumcised.

Going on - verse 13 - thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant - the sign of the covenant is this permanent removal of skin.  This marking - branding - of the person that declares God’s ownership.

Verse 14:  But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.

Circumcised - you’re in the covenant.  You’re God’s.  Uncircumcised - you’re out.  You’re on your own.  Have a nice day.

Ray Stedman writes, “What a strange thing this is - the removal of the foreskin of the male procreative organ - literally carving in the flesh the sign of God’s Lordship!  This is the great sign of Jewry, intended by God to be the mark of His possession, that they were God’s instrument to use for blessing among the nations.  It was placed upon this particular part of the body to indicate that they were to be physically separate from the other nations.  The very organ by which that separation could be violated, bore upon it the mark of God’s ownership.” (1)

Remember where the Jews took this?  They made circumcision a litmus test for being one of God’s people.  The sign of the covenant becomes the covenant itself.

They thought that as long as they’d done this circumcision thing for God then they were okay.  God would bless them and do all those things God promised them.  They compared themselves to the uncircumcised nations around them and came off with an attitude of superiority - of self-righteousness - proud of their “chosen people” status with God.

Paul writes - in Philippians 2:  “Beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”  (Philippians 2:2,3)

What was a physical cutting of the flesh to Abraham is really intended to show something of great spiritual significance - the circumcision of the heart - our mind - body - and soul - the core of who we are totally submitted to God’s ownership - God’s authority - His sovereignty over our lives.  Circumcision is the outward demonstration of a circumcised heart.  

To be a follower of Jesus Christ means that our hearts need to bear the sign of Jesus’ Lordship.  All of who we are is to be at God’s disposal.  To walk before God blameless speaks directly to the openness of our what? hearts to God - the Almighty. 

Grab this:   Abraham’s keeping of the covenant - his walking before God - all that takes place as his heart is placed under God’s control.  

Going on - verse 15:   Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her.  Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings and peoples will come from her.”

Sarai means “contentious.”  Could have been she was a difficult women to live with.  God changes her name to Sarah - meaning “princess” or “mother of nations and kings.”  Which is part of God’s promised blessing to her in verse 16.

Point being - God let’s Abraham know that the child of promise will come through Sarah.  Not Hagar or anyone else.  But Sarah - mother of nations and kings. 

Verse 17:  Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old?  And will Sarah, who is ninety years old bear a child?

Literally Abraham’s laughing so hard he falls over.  Doesn’t that seem a tad unexpected?  Here’s this great man of faith - intimately talking face to face with God - promised so much by God?  Laughing to himself because of what God just promised him?

After 25 plus years of not having a child by Sarah - Abraham probably believed that God could do it - no question in his mind.  But he’d probably given up expecting that it would happen.  There’s no way Sarah’s getting pregnant.

Its the difference between what we believe intellectually and what we believe in our hearts.  We’re praying for God to do something but in our hearts we’ve given up believing that He will.

Verse 18:   And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!”  Maybe somehow Ishmael can be the one through whom the promise gets fulfilled.  Makes sense.  He’s already been born.  Maybe God could change His mind.

Verse 19:   But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac - meaning “laughter” - God and His sense of humor coming through - and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.  As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly.  He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation - which does happen in Genesis chapter 25.

Verse 21:  But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.”  When He finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

That’s pretty clear.  Isn’t it?  My covenant is with Isaac - to be born from Sarah - this time next year. 

Do you see the choice Abraham’s confronted with?  Whatever his doubts or expectations of what God can and will do - Abraham knows what God has said - the covenant promises - God’s promises about Sarah and Isaac.  He’s heard God’s command to walk before Him.  Circumcision being the sign of that commitment of the heart.

Bottom line:  Abraham - you need to choose who will control your heart. 

Verse 23:   Then - when?  Then - not the following week - not when he could schedule it in on his calendar - then Abraham took Ishmael his son - who took Ishmael?  Abraham took Ishmael - and all the servants - how many servants? - all the servants - who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male - how many males?  Every male - among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the very same day - when?  The same day - as God had said to him.

Verse 24:  Now Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.  And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.  The ages are important - in part - so that we know that Abraham didn’t wait to do what God commanded.

Verse 26:  In the very same day - when?  In the very same day Abraham - who? Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael - who?  Ishmael his son.  All the men of his household - how many men?  All the men - from where?  From His household - who were born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

Verses 15 to 27 emphasize three things that we need to grab on to.

First:  God will fulfill His promise through Sarah.

Second:  Abraham struggled with that.  Not because he didn’t believe God could do it.  He struggled that God would do it.

And yet - third - Abraham immediately did what God commanded him.  Took - Ishmael - all the men - bought or un-bought - all the males of his household - they all together on that same day were circumcised.  Complete - total - immediate obedience - commitment of his heart - to God.

Let me ask you a question.  Do you ever find yourself in the place where Abraham was?  Convinced of God’s sovereignty.  Desiring to live in obedience to Him.  Knowing that God has great plans for your life.  That He wills to bless you - to provide for you - to care for you.  To bring healing and wholeness.

And yet in that twilight zone between faith and reality - deep down you’re struggling - not really expecting God to deal with the areas of your life that are causing you pain - or uncertainty - where you keep falling short.  Is it possible that we may have stopped believing that God can do miracles?

To some it may sound like insanity.  Moses.  The plague thing doesn’t seem to be working.  And God says go tell Pharaoh that his first born son is going to die.  And he goes.  Or, Peter stepping out of a boat onto a raging sea - just because Jesus says, “Come.”  Paul and Silas - beaten and thrown in prison - singing their hearts out at midnight - praising God.  Or, calming down a panicked crew on a sinking ship.

Great faith - deep faith - grows deeper - when commitment - control of our lives - circumcision of the heart - when our choice of walking before God becomes irrevocable - a dogged determination to trust God - with no conditions placed on Him to earn that trust.  When trust seems to the hardest thing to do - perhaps even insane.

Abraham fell before God twice.  Once in worship.  Once in laughter.  Maybe we need to learn from that.  If we say we believe in God - the Almighty - who really does have control of our hearts?

_______________

1. Ray Stedman  Genesis 17:1-27  “The Circumcised Life”