So Show it
Sermon 7: Hebrews 11:8-19

This morning’s sermon picks up where we left off with our Genesis series last week. The movement of the first eleven chapters of brings us to a genealogy in chapter 11, whose only purpose seems to be to introduce Abram - the friend of God. Genesis chapter one: Adam walk with God in the garden. This intimacy was lost. In chapter 5 it is rediscovered by Enoch, who walked with God in such a way that he is raptured - saving him from the wrath that was coming. In chapter 6 Noah is found to be righteous and he walked with God. He builds an ark and together with his family survives the flood. But in all of these chapters the reader is left with a question: “How do you walk with God?” What this walk looks like and how it is accomplished is not explained in the first eleven chapters. Enter Abram. This man receives 15 chapters in Genesis and is quoted by both Paul and James in their consideration and explanation of faith. He is called the friend of God in James, but God called him that first (Isaiah 41:8).
Last week I pointed out that Abraham wasn’t perfect and we already catch him in a lie in chapter 12. Walking with God isn’t about being perfect. It’s about faith - even when faith is uncomfortable.

Four Scenes (Hebrews 11:8-19)
We’ve already covered this chapter in this series, but I want to learn about faith from the four scenes the author of Hebrews picks from the life of Abram and Sarah.

He follows without knowing where (8)
Abram is called by God in Ur of the Chaldeans (Genesis 11:32; 15:7) to leave his country and his people and separate from his father’s household (Genesis 12:1-6). Abram is a descendant of Shem, but he doesn’t appear to be worshipping God and there is no mention of a righteous walk. God chooses Abram and not the other way around. However, Abram exercises faith by heeding the call and obeying God. This is the point made by the writer of Hebrews.

He abides without certain comforts (9-10)
Now Abram was wealthy - we read this in Genesis 13 - and yet he never puts down roots to build a city. This was the common practice in those days and despite not building a city, Abram is able to fight and defeat the city-kings of the East (with a force of 318 trained men) when they take his cousin Lot as spoil after defeating Sodom. Yet despite his wealth, reputation, and strength he never builds a city and remains in tents. He remained a stranger in this land God has promised him and the writer of Hebrews gives us the why: his hope was the city that God would design and build. He didn’t run ahead of God’s plan and time table. His faith was patient - even if it meant going without certain comforts.

He expects without precedent (11-12)
Hebrews shifts the focus to Sarah, who through faith conceives at the ripe age of 90. A lot happened in the meantime, including the incident with Hagar - which certainly wasn’t an act of strong faith. According to Genesis 21 Sarah conceived at the time that God had ordained. This is where Abram exercised faith and it was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). He believed that God would keep His promises and he lived his life accordingly - even if there was not precedent of a 90 year old woman bearing children. Yes, there was doubt and manipulation along the way, but in the end - and they waited 25 years - Abraham and Sarah believed that God does what He says He will do. After these three scenes in Hebrews the author pauses with an incredible conclusion: God was not ashamed to be called their God. (11:16)

He trusts without knowing the outcome (17-19)
And then God asks the impossible of Abraham: sacrifice the son of promise (Genesis 22). And Abraham obeys and follows through. According to Hebrews he considered that if God could give him his son when His wife was too old to conceive, God could raise him from the dead too. There was not precedence for believing their either! So God intervenes as the knife comes down, but it was faith that compelled him to obey without knowing what God was planning or why God would ask this of him.

So show it James 2:21-24
When it comes to faith, James makes the point that the life of Abraham teaches us that faith isn’t stagnant. As one preacher put it: “there’s dead faith (17) and devilish faith (19) too and neither are going to get you very far.” Did Abraham work for His salvation? No, that’s not the point James is making… James uses Abraham’s life to establish that Abraham did more than say he had faith… he showed it. His life was a walk with God. Again: not perfectly, but believed God does what He says. And we are called to do the same… believe God. Have faith. Hold on. So...
Where He leads… I will follow.
Where He places me… I will remain.
What He promises… I will believe.
When He asks the impossible… I will trust.

“Christ teaches us not to save ourselves, but sacrifice ourselves. There is no such thing as belonging to Christ and living for yourself.” -- A.W. Pink