Faith That Inspires: Abraham
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. 13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 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 a city for them.—Hebrews 11:8–10 (NASB95)
Today we are examining Abraham’s Faith That Inspires. Abraham is a central figure in three world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His story is told in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), the New Testament, and the Quran. His story reminds us that God is faithful to His promises, even when we do not understand them. It is also a reminder that faith is not about knowing everything but about trusting God even when we don’t know what the future holds.
Today we are examining Abraham’s Faith That Inspires. Abraham is a central figure in three world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His story is told in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), the New Testament, and the Quran. His story reminds us that God is faithful to His promises, even when we do not understand them. It is also a reminder that faith is not about knowing everything but about trusting God even when we don’t know what the future holds.
Discussion Questions
- God called Abraham from something to something but did not immediately reveal the destination. Abraham obeyed by “going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” What does this passage teach us about faith?
- Hebrews 11:9 says Abraham “lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land.” What are some examples of times you have had to “go out, not knowing where you were going”? How did you feel in those moments, and what did you learn? What helped you to trust God in those moments?
- Read Acts 7:2-7. Does Stephen’s speech sound more like a promise or a curse? Is following Jesus anything like this? Why or why not?
- Read Romans 4:1-5. Was Abraham justified because he obeyed God or because He believed Him? How is that relevant to us? If we are justified by faith, does it matter if we obey God?
- Read Romans 4:18-25, Have you ever lived “in hope against hope?”
- How do the actions of our lives glorify God rather than ourselves?
Dig Deeper: The Abrahamic Covenant
Read Genesis 12:1-3.
God’s promise of blessing is repeated throughout Genesis as the promise is renewed for subsequent generations (Gen 26:2–4; 27:27–29; 28:13–15; 49:28). Two elements from this passage develop into central themes for biblical theology: the promise of descendants and the promise that “all families of the earth” will be blessed through Abraham. God’s promises to Abraham frequently return to these themes: promising “offspring” or “seed” (zera’; Gen 12:7; 13:16; 15:3–5), promising land for those descendants (Gen 12:7; 13:14–15), and promising blessing to many through that offspring (Gen 22:18).
Read Galatians 3:15-29 and Ephesians 3:6.
How is God’s covenant with Abraham relevant to Christians today?
God’s promise of blessing is repeated throughout Genesis as the promise is renewed for subsequent generations (Gen 26:2–4; 27:27–29; 28:13–15; 49:28). Two elements from this passage develop into central themes for biblical theology: the promise of descendants and the promise that “all families of the earth” will be blessed through Abraham. God’s promises to Abraham frequently return to these themes: promising “offspring” or “seed” (zera’; Gen 12:7; 13:16; 15:3–5), promising land for those descendants (Gen 12:7; 13:14–15), and promising blessing to many through that offspring (Gen 22:18).
Read Galatians 3:15-29 and Ephesians 3:6.
How is God’s covenant with Abraham relevant to Christians today?
Posted in Sermon Notes