Part 2
(reading time: 3 minutes, 52 seconds)
Let’s continue with how Abraham’s faith was rooted heroically in the Word of God. Read or listen to Hebrews 11:1-16 here. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+11%3A1-16&version=NIV
Abraham heroically obeyed God because he was so sure of his future with God.
Here’s what he saw with the God-given eyes of faith…
He saw “home” with his human eyes. Where he grew up. What he was used to. But with the eyes of faith, he saw that God had another piece of ground in mind for him where he could pitch his tent and raise his family, and let his animals graze. Where God could turn his family into a great nation. A nation that lived in the Promised Land, from which the Promised One would come. God didn’t tell him where this was and all the details, but Abraham went. Because God gave him his word.
Abraham saw with his human speculations that this new land could be great or it could be terrible. Either way, he had a better home to look forward to...the city of God, the architect and builder. A city not of this world. God would use his next temporary home as a transition to his real home.
Abraham saw with his human eyes that his wife was old! He was old! Both on their way out! But with the eyes of faith, he saw God would make his Word into reality. The child God told him he would have, the child he had hoped for, would be born of Sarah. And from the line of that child, would come the Promised child, Jesus, who would bring many back into the family of God.
Because his faith was rooted in the reality of his future with God, in the proof of the things he could not see,
Abraham was able to go all in!
There was a time when a bunch of kings ganged up and went and sacked Sodom and Gomorrah. They carried off Abraham’s nephew, Lot. And Abram the Hebrew, living near the great trees of Mamre, heard about this tragedy. And he looked at the resources God had given him. He mobilized 318 trained men to pursue these kings. Not only did they rescue Lot and the women and children that had been enslaved and abused, they brought back all the goods to the cities.
It’s time for us to get off the fence.
Either our faith is rooted heroically in God’s Word or it’s not. If it is, now is the time to go ALL IN! What would that look like for us to have our faith heroically rooted in God’s Word? The possibilities are endless once you’re looking through the eyes of faith! Before we get too crazy, how about we simply put our faith in God to lead his people into the 21st century. He will not let his people trickle away to nothing. He will preserve us with his Word, as he always has. He brought about the creation with his Word, he gave Abraham a home on earth and a heavenly country. He gave Abraham and Sarah a son and then sent Jesus the Promised One.
Why are we so fearful and nervous about being Christians today? Fear is a confession that we need more faith! So God, give us more faith! Help us to see what our eyes cannot! Help us to see the reality you tell us to hope for! You will bring more people into your family through us. You are welcoming your long lost sons and daughters back through us.
This is where the example of Sarah is helpful.
We can relate to her.
This is a confusing example at first. The author to the Hebrews says Sarah had faith in God’s promise and was able to conceive, even though she was barren. Now, where her story is recorded for us in Genesis, it’s obvious that her faith in God’s promise isn’t very strong. She laughs when God sends the messengers to tell her and Abraham this would actually happen.
Can you and I relate? Absolutely. There are times when we are conflicted. Like Sarah, we wonder what God is really up to. We might even think some people in our church are crazy for being so welcoming, reaching out to people who wear their problems on their sleeves and don’t hide them behind the curtain. We laugh at his promises or worry because, like Genesis tells us about Sarah, we are afraid. Can I really trust God? Is his Word reality? Is there proof? We get so focused on what we can see that we have a hard time believing what we can’t see, what God has told us. The person of faith heroically confesses, “I believe Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!”
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob were heroes because they saw what they did not yet have in front of their eyes.
They took God at his Word.
They welcomed these promises from God. They yearned for them. They lived for these future promises. They went all in on obeying God now because they had heaven to come. They knew they were but strangers and exiles on earth and were headed to their homeland. We, too, are pilgrims. Heroes of faith who are rooted heroically in God’s Word.
Root your faith in God’s Word. That is where God is. That is where you see the reality and proof that your human eyes cannot see. That is how you live by faith and not by sight. Live heroically by faith in God’s Word today because you have heaven forever.
Takehome point: Live heroically by faith in God’s Word today because you have heaven forever.
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