Lessons from Abraham

Sermon notes from Sunday 5 July 2015

James 2 verses 14 to 23

It is said of Abraham that he was "the friend of God" verse 23. What a wonderful tribute to be paid to any person.

Abraham's title.  He was a friend of God. How was that title acquired?  It was not purchased with money but it was the gift of God. In verse 23 see the context in which the title came about. Titles are important to some people. The only access into a place is because we know a person. Today we are all hoping (and trusting) to be in heaven and the only way to be there is on the authority of someone else - Jesus. It is not something to be acquired or merited, it is "not of works less any man should boast". It was through the shedding of Christ's blood being shed on Calvary to die for our sins. Can you lay hold of that title?  Abraham was not born a friend of God. He was born as a sinner into this world but became a friend of God because he believed in God. When he was living in Ur of the Chaldees God looked down on his family and called him out of that place, from his family and told him "get thee out of thy country unto a land I will show you." God spoke to him, we don't know how long for or how often he spoke to him but he spoke to him. It called for a decision and that is what we have to do too. Remember how God spoke to Samuel in the darkness of the night. So clear that Samuel thought it was Eli the priest. Like Elijah it can come in a still small voice. Abraham realised God was speaking to him. When did we last hear God's voice? Do we take every decision to the Lord, pray and take his guidance? The Psalmist could say "teach me the way I should go." Listening for the God of heaven, waiting on the Lord. He may not answer then and there, we may get up and feel God has not been speaking at all. We may have to wait and hear God's voice showing the direction. Moses out in the wilderness saw the burning bush, it was out of the ordinary for it to burn. Sometimes that is what God does in our lives, shows us he is speaking. Maybe God had been  speaking to Abraham day after day until he could go no further. Even today God is singling out one person, asking them to follow him. Will you step out of where you are, lay your all on the altar for God?

Abraham's testimony.  Many bear the title but have no testimony. For Enoch in Genesis it was said "he walked with God". There was a time when he didn't walk with God but one day he made a conscious decision. Enoch maybe looked at his son and saw the beauty of him, the perfection of him and he lifted his eyes to God. It was at that point that he walked with God.  Abraham's father had already died and they had moved to Haran and stopped there. Now God spoke again. The death of his father provoked a walk with God. Abraham was prepared to turn his back on an idolatrous society, a place where they worshipped the moon God and all the stars, where the elders brought their children to be sacrificed. Abraham made a decision to follow God. "What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" There must come a time when we must decide if we want this world or rather put God first and follow him. Abraham turned his back on this society. Isaiah 1 verse 38. Remember the testimony of Daniel. He was living in a society opposed to the worship of God. They had him cast into den of lions because he was not prepared to pray to the king. Daniel opened the windows facing the house of God in Jerusalem and began to pray. The people arrested him and brought him before the king. The king couldn't change the law and Daniel was put into the den of lions. The king said to him "thy God whom thou servest continually shall deliver thee." He realised there was a difference in Daniels God. You may bear the title but what about the testimony? 1 Peter 3 verse 1 "that they might be won by the conversation of their wives". That word conversation means lifestyle. A love for the Lord and for souls is the most important thing of all.

Abraham's trials.  To be called a friend of God does not mean you will be ushered in to heaven on a bed of feathery clouds. When you trust the Lord as Saviour you become an enemy of the world.  And there is the greatest enemy the world has never know, Satan himself.  A friend of God will put God first in every aspect of their life. Abraham loved his son Isaac and God asked him to sacrifice him on the altar to show his love for God. Just in time God stopped him from doing it and gave him a lamb caught in the thicket behind him. Do we put God first in our lives?  The widow woman whom Elijah met had only a small amount of meal and a cruise of oil, enough to feed her and her son one last meal. Elijah told her to give him some first and she did so, she survived and had enough and plenty more to keep on living. The widow woman in the New Testament had only 2 mites yet she threw it all into the collection plate.  It was all she had but she gave it so willingly. If we want to see God's hand of revival are we prepared to give our all to him?

Abraham's trophy. He didn't see all the things God promised him but he saw them "by faith".