The Lord’s Message:  Hall of Faith, Faith of Abraham

The Lord’s Message:  Hall of Faith, Faith of Abraham
Date:  February 16, 2025
Where:  Tilghman Methodist Church
Scripture Reference:  Hebrews 11:1, 8-10

            We are continuing our sermon series, Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11:1.  We started with the Faith of Abel.   Abel gave God all of his heart in devotion and worship of God.  He did not hold anything back.  When we are worshipping God, we need to fully give God our heart and not simply go through the motions.  Next, we have the faith of Enoch.  Enoch started walking with God after the birth of his son, Methuselah.  He walked so faithfully with God for 300 years that he did not experience death, because God took him to heaven. Last Sunday, we observed the faith of Noah.  While everyone around Noah was doing evil, Noah continued to live his life in obedience to God.  He did not let peer pressure keep him from following God.  God confided in Noah that God was going to destroy all of humanity and all the animals on land with a flood, because of the evil in which humanity was engaged.  God gave instructions to Noah to build an ark, so that Noah and his family and two of every kind of land animal would be saved.   Noah followed God’s instruction to the letter.  Sadly, Noah and his family were the only humans that were saved.  This Sunday, we are going to study the faith of Abraham.

            Let us pray.

            In Genesis chapter 10, we have all the nations that were established after the flood.  You need to remember that all of humanity was destroyed, except for Noah and his family, after the flood. So, humanity had to begin all over again with Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their wives.  The last part of chapter 11, we have the lineage of Shem ending at Abram.  This is 350 years or the ninth generation after the flood. 

            Already, people are no longer following God, but idols.  In Joshua 24: 2 Joshua confirms that Abram grew up worshipping idols before he put his faith in God.  If the father is worshipping idols, then Abram grew up worshipping idols as well.  I have heard numerous times that parents have told me that they do not want to bring their children to church, because they do not want to indoctrinate them.  Sadly, they do not know that the world is already indoctrinating their children.  In Genesis 11:27-28, we know that Abram grew up in the land of the Chaldeans.  From historical records, we know that the Chaldeans worshipped many gods, especially four:  Marduk, Nebo, Manu, and Nanna.  The chief god was Marduk.  He was the father of all gods, the Sun god.  Just about every pagan society had a sun god that was worshipped.  Just 350 years or nine generations after the flood, no one is worshipping the true God that saved them from the flood.  How quickly we forget about God! 

            An interesting fact that Abram was not the first from his family called by God go to Canaan.  Look at Genesis 11:31-32.  Could it be that God had called Terah to go to the promised land in Canaan?  But Terah did not put his full faith in God.  He only went as far as Haran, but Abram finished the journey of faith.  Abram made it to Canaan. 

            The land that Terah and Abram left, the Ur of the Chaldeans, was a very fruitful and prosperous area.  There were many cities established in this area.  This was also the area where the tower of Babel stood.  Where God is calling them to is Canaan, described as a land flowing with milk and honey.  We do not know much about Haran, but this is not where God wants them to stay.  This became a settling place.  Are we fully committed in our journey of faith or are we willing to settle for something less?

In Proverbs 3:5-6, tells us to trust God and lean not on our own understanding.  There are many times when we look at our lives and maybe even now, where we find ourselves in comfortable places, even though God is calling for us to move forward to continue the journey.  We are reluctant not because of anything keeping us in our Haran, but because we are satisfied and comfortable with our lives.  This may have been Terah’s life.  He died in Haran.   Abram packed up his wife, Sarai, and his nephew Lot and journeyed to Canaan, Genesis 12:1, 4-5. 

You may be wondering what Abram is doing in these verses.  He is marking his territory.  In his day, you did not have land surveyors to place markers to determine property lines.  You used large trees or stones to mark your property.  Abram is marking his property with altars to God.  In Hebrews 11:8-9, the author tells us that Abram received his inheritance from God because of his faithfulness. 

The author goes on to tell us that Abram was not looking for an earthly inheritance, but an eternal inheritance.  Look at Hebrews 11:10.   This city is described in great detail for us in Revelations 21:1-7.

My hope and prayer for myself, and all of you, that we will continue to keep the faith.  That we will go to wherever God sends us.  That we will pass our faith on to others and share the love that God has for all of us with them.  That every day, we will look for opportunities that God will give us to share our faith with others.  We will not be stuck in Haran, but journey on to Canaan.  We will not stop in Canaan but continue our journey until we finally reach the city whose builder is God.  We want many, many people journeying with us.  It would be a shame for God to construct this enormous city and it be empty. 

So, we need to continue to read our Bible, live out the Bible and be the Bible for others.

Last Sunday, I passed out some information about to witnessing to people.  I forgot two important items.   First off pray.  Pray that God will give you the courage and the opportunity to share your faith.  Second, you need to be a friend with that person, before they will be open to receiving the Gospel message.  You need to be a friend to make a friend to bring your friend to Christ. 

Now last week I shared with you that we need to have an honest discussion with our friend.  I gave you some questions that will help you to begin the discussion.  After going through the questions, then you will need to have your Bible to go through the verses.  You will want your friend to know the truth.  Because the truth will set them free.  Now the way, you go about this is by having your friend read the first scripture, Romans 3:23.  After your friend reads the verse, you simply ask what does that mean to you? And continue in the same format with the next verse. 

Abram wanted to know the Truth.  He wanted to know this God that loved him.  He did not want to follow the false idols anymore.  We should want to same for ourselves, our families and our friends.   Amen.