July 22, 2007

Abraham #1

1)      Introduction

a)      Abram’s name was changed to Abraham

b)     Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah she was Abram’s wife

c)      Lot was Abram’s nephew

d)     Abram had two sons Isaac and Ishmael

e)      Jews are descendants of Isaac

f)       Arabs are descendents of Ishmael

g)      Abram was 75 years old when God called him 12:4

2)      The big picture “Divide and Conquer”

a)      Genesis 11:1-9 now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. Then the Lord said, "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech”. So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city

b)     Man was untied in his sin nature

c)      God divided the people at the tower of Babel by force

d)     God used Abram to conquer all nations by being God’s channel of blessing and love through Christ

3)      His calling: Genesis 12:1-2 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”

a)      Abram worshiped the moon

b)     God Chose Abram

i)        John 15:16 You have not chosen me but I have chosen you

c)      He received unmerited favor

d)     He was called to repentance

e)      He was called to Follow God

f)       Hebrews 11:8 by faith Abraham when he was called obeyed

g)      God has called you out of darkness and in to his marvelous light 1^st Peter?

4)      The Promise Genesis 12:2-3

a)      I will make you in to a great nation and I will bless you I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you

i)        At this time Abram had no children

b)     I will bless you = receive salvation

c)      I WILL MAKE YOUR NAME GREAT

i)        A contrast with Chapter 11:4 And they said, “Come let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose top will reach into heaven and LET US MAKE A NAME FOR OUR SELVES

ii)      character like God’s

d)     I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse

i)        Refers to Abraham personally and the nation of Israel

e)      And all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you = Messiah

f)       He is a god of Blessing

5)      A slight detour

a)      The promise 12:7 And the Lord appeared to Abram and said “To your descendants I will give this land 

b)     12:8 Then he proceeded form there to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east

c)      Abram started this detour between Bethel and Ai

d)     12:10 Now there was a famine in the land

i)        When God gives you a promise stand fast endure stay in His will

ii)      Know that you will be tested

e)      Because of the difficult circumstances Abraham left God’s will

f)       He went DOWN to Egypt = represents the world system in the Scripture

g)      Abram went from trusting God to scheming

h)     Abram moved form being others centered to self centered

i)        Abram was supposed to be a blessing but brought judgment

j)       13:3 And he went on his journeys form the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Ai

i)        Abram ended this detour where he started it