Abraham - Faith, Fear, and Worship Genesis 12:1-3

God makes a covenant with Abram - God will change his name to Abraham later God promises him a nation, a great name, blessing and to bless all the nations through him.

The stipulation: Abram must leave his country, kindred and his father's house and go to the land.

Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭4-9‬

4a. It was no small thing to leave your family in those days. Abram would have left everything familiar: home, family, friends. But he trusted that God had something greater for him, so he left.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭8‬)

God regularly calls his people to follow him out of comfort, out of security into a life of faith. He calls us to follow him even though we don't know where he'll lead. God calls you to trust him and follow his leading. Don't let the security and comfort make you miss God's plan for you.

4b. Abram took Lot with him - maybe not perfectly obedient, but seems to be out of generosity. Lot was Abram's nephew. Lot's father, Abram's brother, Haran died.

1. ch 11 mentions that Sarai is barren, so they have no children.

2. They passed through Schechem, to the oak of Moreh. Schechem is a city in Canaan near two mountains, Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal. It is also near the oak of Moreh - literally, "oracle, soothsayer, or teacher."

3. God had promised this land to Abram,

4. God appears, "To your offspring I will give this land."

Two problems 1) the Canaanites already lived there and 2) Abram and Sarai had no children.

What was Abram's response? Anger towards God? Give up and go home? He built an altar to God there. Did Abram receive God's promise? Abram believed God's promise and worshipped him as though the promise was as good as fulfilled. He just set foot in Canaan and worships God at his word.

We do not know the Lord's timing. We do not know his plan. Sometimes all we know is that the Lord is good and faithful to his promises.

When Abram dies in ch 23, all he will own of the promised land is a cave for family burials. But he receives the promises of God by faith.

Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭13-16‬ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

They were strangers and exiles on earth. The patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) were nomadic because they did not receive the promised land. Their descendants wouldn't receive the land for several more generations. But the passage says more than that. They lived by faith in God. They aspired to more than land and property. They looked to a home beyond this existence, a better existence. They desired a home with the their God. God is not ashamed to be their God

1. he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord In the midst of the Canaanites, pagan idol worshippers, he "called", "proclaimed" or Martin Luther translated it, "preached" the name of YHWH.

Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭10-20‬ - In fear for his own life, Abram lies about Sarai, leads to her being taken into Pharaoh's harem. But God protected her, came to her rescue. Abram demonstrated faith by trusting God and leaving everything. Is God leading you to greater obedience, service? Don't stay in comfort zone Even though the land wasn't his, Abram believed God's promise and worshipped. Waiting for God? What to do in times of waiting? Worship God in faith.