Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Q & A with Pastor Brian

Questions and Answers Sunday Evening Service at Orange Park Bible Church
Question #1: What is the relationship between and where do the following two meet: God's Sovereignty and Man's Responsibility?
Restated: Does the Doctrine of Divine Sovereignty and Providence eliminate human responsibility?
John MacArthur calls this question “The Big Hurdle.”
Here is a link to a message I listened to this week that helped me greatly:
The Scripture often places these two truths side by side.
Isaiah 10:5-6 – Assyria is the instrument of Divine judgment.
Isaiah 10:7 – Assyria’s purpose is not to carry out Divine judgment. It is in the heart of wicked Assyria to destroy, but not for God’s purposes.
Isaiah 10:12 – If this is the work of God, how is Assyria responsible?
Isaiah 10:15 – If God wields the axe handle, how is the axe head held responsible?
John 3:1-8, 27 compared to Job 3:15-16, 18
John 6:37, 44 compared to Job 6:36, 40, 47
Answer: There is a reason that you have not been given a reasonable, satisfactory answer to this dilemma. There is not one. Here are a few things to consider and a Biblical response.
A Few Things to Consider:
If you walk away from questions like this one, the Triune God, the Hypostatic Union; the Eternal Existence of God; Abiding in time and one day being as a thousand years to God – it is not that “you don’t get it” – you actually “got it” just right. If we do not walk away from the deep things of God scratching our heads, we were probably not “getting it.”
The purpose of theology is doxology. Is your desire for God to know God, worship God, enjoy God or is this question a means through which God must justify Himself to you before you will worship Him? Will you walk away saying, “That is not good enough for me.” Read Romans 11:33-36; Job 38-40; Isaiah 40:13; Deuteronomy 29:29.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). Think of the examples: Noah; Abraham; Joseph; Disciples and Jesus’ death.
The Puritan John Flavel once wrote, “The reason men do not understand the providence of God is because the word can only be understood when read backwards.”

A Biblical Response:
Divine Sovereignty: Romans 9:6, 14, 19-23; 10:6-7
Personal Responsibility: Romans 10:9-10
    "...we allow that man has choice and that it is self-determined, so that if he does anything evil, it should be imputed to him and to his own voluntary choosing. We do away with coercion and force, because this contradicts the nature of the will and cannot coexist with it. We deny that choice is free, because through man's innate wickedness it is of necessity driven to what is evil and cannot seek anything but evil. And from this it is possible to deduce what a great difference there is between necessity and coercion. For we do not say that man is dragged unwillingly into sinning, but that because his will is corrupt he is held captive under the yoke of sin and therefore of necessity will in an evil way. For where there is bondage, there is necessity. But it makes a great difference whether the bondage is voluntary or coerced. We locate the necessity to sin precisely in corruption of the will, from which follows that it is self-determined."
    - John Calvin from Bondage and Liberation of the Will, pg. 69-70
Question #2: How can someone practically live by faith and in total dependence on God without having a fatalist mentality?
Answer: I would never advise one to do such a thing! Something must control the outcome of all things. There is no such thing as “chance.” Either we determine the outcome or God determines the outcome. Therefore, I walk with much confidence knowing that God controls the outcome of all things.
The doctrine of providence teaches Christians that they are never in the grip of blind forces (fortune, chance, luck, fate); all that happens to them is divinely planned, and each event comes as a new summons to trust, obey, and rejoice, knowing that all is for one's spiritual and eternal good (Rom. 8:28-29).
The Bible clearly teaches God's providential control (1) over the universe at large, Ps. 103:19; Dan. 4:35; Eph. 1:11; (2) over the physical world, Job 37; Pss. 104:14; 135:6; Matt. 5:45; (3) over the brute creation, Ps. 104:21, 28; Matt. 6:26; 10:29; (4) over the affairs of nations, Job 12:23; Pss. 22:28; 66:7; Acts 17:26; (5) over man's birth and lot in life, 1 Sam. 16:1; Ps. 139:16; Isa. 45:5; Gal. 1:15-16; (6) over the outward successes and failures of men's lives, Ps. 75:6, 7; Luke 1:52; (7) over things seemingly accidental or insignificant, Prov. 16:33; Matt. 10:30; (8) in the protection of the righteous, Pss. 4:8; 5:12; 63:8; 121:3; Rom. 8:28; (9) in supplying the wants of God's people, Gen. 22:8, 14; Deut. 8:3; Phil. 4:19; (10) in giving answers to prayer, 1 Sam. 1:19; Isa. 20:5, 6; 2 Chron. 33:13; Ps. 65:2; Matt. 7:7; Luke 18:7, 8; and (11) in the exposure and punishment of the wicked, Pss. 7:12-13; 11:6. (L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 4th ed.).
The Puritan John Flavel once wrote, “The reason men do not understand the providence of God is because the word can only be understood when read backwards.”

Question #3: Can man change God's mind? 
Answer: No. At first glance this question seems ridiculously easy. Of course God does not change His mind. The Bible explicitly says He does not:
  • "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD" (Pro. 16:33).
  • “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36).
  • "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" (Numbers 23:19).
  • “And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind” (1 Samuel 15:29).


Open Theism teaches that God does not know all things, is constantly learning, and is subject to changing His mind when presented with information He did not previously have.
For the sake of argument though, let’s try to imagine God literally changing His mind. I want to explain how this concept is inseparably linked with God's omniscience because for God to change His mind, He would need to make a decision and then be given new information He did not have before, so that He could either see the error of His ways, or choose a better course of action. It is important we see this. For God to change His mind, it would mean that God is learning new material as each day unfolds, and because you and I make that information known to God, or He sees that plan A is not working too well, because He is now armed with new information, He can make a better decision than the one He did previously. However, this idea would totally undermine God's exhaustive knowledge of future events (His omniscience) one of the very attributes of God. Such a thought is unthinkable (Ligon Duncan).
However, it is not as simple as “no” with a few accompanying verses. How about verses like the following:
“So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people” (Exodus 32:14).

Having now laid a foundation upon which we can build, I wish now to point you to an excellent article by Dr. Ligon Duncan on the subject:
You might want to turn Exodus 32 before you and just remember the context. This is right in the context of the golden calf. The people of God have already violated the first and second commandments before Moses can even get down from the mountain, and in the context of this, God threatens to destroy his people, and Moses intercedes. He intercedes and he says, “Don’t destroy this people. Don’t destroy this people that you brought out of the land of Egypt into the wilderness, because if you destroy this people, the nations are going to mock and say, “What did he do but just bring this people out in the wilderness to destroy them. So Moses fervently intercedes with God.
Now what is Moses trying to teach us there the following things? One, that his influence conditions the compassion of God. Is Moses trying to teach us that his influence conditioned the compassion of God? God’s compassion had just come to the end of the rope—he’d had it, “that’s it, I’m going to fry them”—and Moses in the greatness and generosity of his heart talked God out of it. Is that what he’s trying to teach?
Is he trying to teach us here that God changes his mind, that he reverses his intentions? Is he trying to teach us here the principle that God’s people have influence by their prayers on evoking the future actions of God?
So what’s happening here? God is training Moses to have a heart for his people like he already does, because Moses is the mediator. Moses is the mediator, and he’s got to have a heart for his people if he’s going to intercede for them, if he’s going to mediate for them. And so in Exodus 32, he’s training Moses to be a mediator. The whole passage is about Moses being a mediator. It’s not about God changing his mind. It’s not about God having Moses exercise some influence on him.
Now we Calvinists, we Reformational Christians, happen to think that that’s incorrect. God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are not in contradiction. We may not be able to explain fully how those things work together, but they are not contradictory. And so the fact of the matter is, God often uses the prayers of his people as the instrument for the accomplishment of his will. But in that case, prayer functions—as C.H. Spurgeon once said—like a carrier pigeon.
You know, the carrier pigeon is sent from home base with its message out to the place where the message is to be taken, and then it comes back home to the place from which it was sent. And, Spurgeon says, prayer is just like that. Prayer begins in the heart of God and lights in the heart of his people, who send it back to him where it returns from whence it came. And so God uses the prayers lifted up for the accomplishment of his will, but it is his heart where the origins of those prayers lie and they are sent out to ours. Do our prayers affect the plans of God? Not by themselves, but they may be the instrument which God has ordained from the foundation of the world to accomplish his will.
Question #4: Is there symbolism in all of God's Old Testament laws? Do all of God's laws, even those that are void through the New Covenant, have significance for me today? 
Answer: No, you should not read “thou shalt not eat shellfish” and wonder if there is some practical daily theological significance (necessarily).
Question #5: Is speaking in tongues Biblical? Please elaborate in relation to modern occurrences.
Two different views:
Answer: If you were to believe with Carson, you must also conclude that 99% of what you see today in the arena of “Spiritual Gifts” or “Charismatic Movement” is false teaching by wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Question #6: Is drinking alcohol sinful?
Answer: When all is said and done, we must distinguish the use of wine from its abuse. Sometimes in Scripture gluttonous partaking of food is paralleled with immoderate drinking of wine (Deut. 21:20; Prov. 23:21). But food is not universally prohibited! Sometimes in Scripture sexual perversion is paralleled with drunkenness (Rom. 13:13; I Pet. 4:3). But all sexual activity is not condemned! Wealth often becomes a snare to the sinner (I Tim. 6:9-11), but the Scripture does not universally decry its acquisition (Job 42:10-17)! Each of these factors in life is intended by God to be a blessing for man, when used according to His righteous Law.
It would seem abundantly clear, then, that the Scriptures do allow the moderate partaking of alcoholic beverages. There is no hesitancy in Scripture in commending wine, nor embarrassment in portraying its consumption among the righteous of Biblical days. Wine is set before the saints as blessing and gladness (Deut. 14:26; Ps. 104:14-15), even though it may be to the immoderate and wicked, a mocker and curse (Prov. 20:1; 23:29ff.).
Question #7: Outside of the Bible, what has been the single most influential book you have read?
Answer: It is a three-way tie.
John Calvin’s Institutes
John Piper’s The Pleasures of God
Question#8: Who are the 24 Elders in the Book of Revelation? 
Answer: There is no answer.
“Who are the twenty-four elders?”
By Rev. Bill Lee-Warner & Rev. Charles Cooper

There are 175 references to "elders" in the Bible. One hundred and sixteen of those references are in the Old Testament leaving fifty-nine in the New Testament. The vast majority of the references in both testaments refer to the elders of Israel, the elders of the congregation of Israel (i.e. the leaders of the people).
In the New Testament, the gospels and Acts have a similar meaning. Beginning with Acts 11:30 and jumping to 1 Timothy 5:17, the primary usage of the term refers to the leaders of a local church. In the book of Revelation there are eleven references, each of which refer to the twenty-four elders that surround the throne of God.
Much speculation has arisen as to who these twenty-four elders are: (1) a leader from each of the 12 tribes of Israel plus each of the 12 apostles, (2) twenty-four godly men from throughout biblical history and, (3) a special class of angels.
The best identification seems to be that the twenty-four elders are a special group of beings that are always in view when the throne of God is in view. What they do, other than worship God, we do not know. Why they are there, we do not know. Who they are, we are never told, other than that they are elders and from common usage throughout the Bible, they function in some capacity as spiritual leaders.

Perhaps we should leave their identification as it is given in the Scripture: unidentified.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Sermon Notes 7/24/2011

Sermon Text: Genesis 14:1-24
Sermon Title: Who is Melchizedek?
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 7:1-28

Melchizedek is one of the most instructive figures in the whole Bible to help us put our Bibles together and see clearly who Jesus is.

Follow the trajectory: Genesis 14 à Psalm 110 à Mark 12 à Hebrews 7

Genesis 14:1-16 – The first mention of war in the Bible
  • Genesis 14:1-3 is the first time Chedorlaomer (Kador-la-omeir) defeats the King of Sodom.
  • Genesis 14:4 shows that 12 years pass.
  • Genesis 14:5-7 records Kador-la-omeir’s second victory (although 14 years removed from the first).
  • Genesis 14:8-11 records Kador-la-omeir’s third victory as he comes face to face with the rebel King of Sodom (five rebel armies lose to the four).
  • Genesis 14:12 records the involvement of Lot, which explains Abram’s involvement.
  • Genesis 14:13-16 records Abram’s victory and rescue of Lot (318 soldiers against four Kings and their soldiers who had just won 2 consecutive victories). Abram just defeated a very accomplished King.
This brings us to our text for today: Genesis 14:17-24

These kings are more like small town mayors. Armies are really like small raiding parties (a few hundred soldiers). It comes down to four kings vs. five kings. The four kings win (Chedorlaomer).

We now see Abram, the King of Sodom, and Melchizedek meeting together in the valley. These are not separate episodes. They meet simultaneously. Abram did nothing for Melchizedek. Abram did everything for Sodom. Sodom is not being generous; he is actually being rude. Think about how dramatically Abram’s actions served to benefit the King of Sodom.

Abram is offered bread and wine by Melchizedek, but is offered nothing by Sodom.

Genesis 14:18 interrupts the narrative (you would expect v. 17 to continue into v. 21).

Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness.” “Melech” means King and “Zedek” means Righteousness. He is the King of Salem. Salem and Shalom sound very similar in Hebrew = well-being with God (peace). There is a very good chance that Melchizedek was King of (peace) or Jerusalem. “In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion” (Psalm 76:1-2).

We know that Melchizedek is greater than Abram (Hebrews 7:7) due to the blessing and the tithe.

Anybody who is someone in Genesis is connected to somebody genealogically.
Who is this guy and what in the world is he doing in the story?
Why is he interrupting the account?


Not only is Melchizedek greater than Abram, he is greater than David.

Psalm 110 is the chapter of the Old Testament that is most often quoted in the New Testament. He only shows up two times in the Old Testament (Genesis 14; Psalm 110) and one time in the New Testament (Hebrews 7).

Who wrote Psalm 110? Not one manuscript leaves the superscription “of David” out (Don Carson). The superscription is counted as part of the Psalm. One of Christ’s (Mark 12:35-37) arguments hinges upon David’s authorship of Psalm 110. “And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?’ David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put enemies under your feet.’ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son? The great throng heard him gladly” (Mark 12:35-37).
To whom does “My Lord” refer to? The answer is Jesus. This psalm (110) is written about 1000 years before Christ by David. Didn’t David just take the throne from a man removed by God by attempting to hold the dual office of priest king?

Two Explanations in Church History of “Who is Melchizedek?”:
  1. Pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus (it is very possible – but probably not).
  2. Psalm 110 and Hebrews 7 show that Jesus is a priest after “the order” of Melchizedek. Also, Hebrews 7:3 – he is like or resembling the Son of God. Why doesn't the text just say, “Jesus was Melchizedek.”



Hebrews 7:3 contrasted with what we know about Genesis (everything flows from genealogy) – plus, he is greater than Abram (Hebrews 7:4) – gives great weight to the silence in the text regarding this man of mystery.

Do not disregard that Melchizedek superceded the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 7:8-9).
Hebrews 7:11 – You are stating that the Levitical priesthood is to be eclipsed because it does not cut it – it is not enough. So David, in writing Psalm 110, sees that the Levitical priesthood is not enough. Better yet, God established the priesthood of Melchizedek long before the priesthood of Aaron.
Hebrews 7:12 – The Levitical priesthood established the Law. If you take the priesthood away, the Law goes away too. The Levitical priesthood was instituted together with the Mosaic Law that provided for it. The Law and the priesthood depend on one another. A new priesthood establishes a new law.
The Point: The law covenant is announced as obsolete before it is ever established (Genesis 14).

Main Idea:
Hebrews 7:19, 25You would draw near to God in the Old Covenant through the Law - and could not - so you would follow through to the priest. In the New Covenant you draw near to God through the Priest - and can - so you follow through in obedience to the law.
You have a priest/King show up before the Law that stated there cannot be a priest/King, and you have a man (David) who took the office due to the violation of this rule who looks forward to a future priest/King – his son-superior – this shows that the Law is to be temporary.
We have a Savior who is not only a King/ruler – if He is just a King, we live in terror and subjection only. However, if He is also the priest, we are able to draw near. I need a King to subdue me. I need a priest to sacrifice for me or I am undone. I need a King to rule over me. I need a priest so that I may obey.


Notes: I was greatly aided in my sermon preparation by Don Carson’s message “Getting Excited by Melchizedek” given at the 2011 Together For the Gospel Conference – Preaching Christ in the Old Testament.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Sermon Notes 7/17/2011

Sermon Text: Genesis 12:10-13:18
Sermon Title: The Unheroic Hero

Introduction:

Genesis 12:1-9 - Abram and the LORD
Genesis 12:10-20 – Abram, Sarai, and Pharaoh
Genesis 13:1-18 – Abram and Lot

Genesis 12:10 – Abram walked by faith – Walking by faith is trusting in the certain (What God has said) while walking through uncertainty (famine).

A famine compelled all the patriarchs to leave Canaan (Promised Land) at different times:
Scripture usually likens Egypt to dependence on the flesh. “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult in the LORD!” (Isaiah 31:1).


Abram was focused on what he thought might happen instead of God’s Word

Although what Abram predicted was true, his response was wrong – we know this by noticing God’s intervention and Abram’s silence following Pharaoh’s rebuke (Genesis 12:17-19). How in the world am I supposed to have a son if I give my wife away?
Arthur Pink: “Abram did as we are all prone to do, he sought relief from all his difficulties rather than profit by the trial. The failure of Abram is a solemn warning against being occupied with circumstances instead of with God. Look not unto the famine, but unto God’s faithfulness.

It often times of great drought that supply the water we need to cause the Word we have received to bear fruit.
Worship does happen at the altar (12:7-8; 13:3-4, 18), but fruit is often birthed in Egypt.
  • (Abram; Isaac Genesis 26; Jacob in Genesis 32 running and wrestling; Joseph in prison; Daniel in captivity; Church under persecution).

Notice the unheroic performance of the hero (Wenham). This, again, amplified the covenantal nature of God’s working.

God’s sovereignty does not negate man’s responsibility. However, man’s fallibility cannot thwart God’s sovereignty.

Notice how it was not the famine that caused division. Division was prompted by their response to great and sudden blessing.
  • Tie together 12:16, 20, 13:2
  • Also, look at 13:6 and “for their possessions were so great” is sandwiched between twice emphasized “they could not dwell together.”
  • Also, we will find that Hagar (Genesis 16) is also brought back from this trip to Egypt. 

The solution to your problem is probably not “in front” of you. Going “back” is sometimes the fastest way forward.
  • “we are back to prayer and reading together”
Abram’s worship is fueled by God’s Word – you wonder why you are worshipping idols? See the inseparable link between your worship and God’s Word (12:7-9; 13:14, 18).

  • 12:7-8 – intermission in Egypt (of worship) 13:3-4 – When Abram needs to hear from God most (Egypt), there is no record of consultation, altar-building, calling upon the name of the LORD. Read Proverbs 3:5-6.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Sermon Notes 7/10/2011

Sermon Text: Genesis 12
Sermon Title: God’s Mercy and Grace in Election
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:8-16, 23-28
 
Introduction:
 
“Within the book of Genesis no section is more significant than 11:27-12:9. It announces the divine intervention that will bring blessing to all the families of the world” (Wenham).
 
The book’s focus on the origins of Israel unfolds against the backdrop of matters affecting the world. Moses tells us that prior to God’s election of the patriarchs, the fathers of Israel (chs. 12-50), mankind asserted its independence from God by striving to know good and evil apart from God and in defiance of His commands. Humans proved their depravity by token religion, rebellion, unrestrained vengeance, thinking about evil continually, and by erecting an anti-kingdom against God. God’s verdict about mankind stands: “the thoughts of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (8:21).
Just as miraculously and surely as God sovereignly transformed the dark, empty void at earth’s origin into a glorious habitat for mankind and brought it to rest, so also God sovereignly elected His covenant people in Christ to conquer Satan and to bless the depraved world. Before Jacob was born and had done either good or evil, God chose Jacob, not Esau, his older twin brother. He chose Jacob, even though he cheated his brother, deceived his father, and blasphemed God.
What begun in Genesis is fulfilled in Christ. The genealogy begun in chapter 5 and advanced in chapter 11 is completed with the birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1; Luke 3:23-27). He is the ultimate offspring promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; Galatians 3:16). God Himself proclaimed that the woman’s offspring would destroy Satan (3:15). That offspring is Christ and His Church (Romans 16:20). The gift of the bride to Adam prefigures the gift of the Church to Christ (Ephesians 5:22-32).
(The above quote is from R.C. Sproul’s Reformation Study Bible)
 
Genesis is the book of beginnings: The beginning of the human race in Adam; The beginning of the new earth in Noah; The beginning of the Chosen Nation in Abram.
 
Context of Genesis 12
The genealogy of the elect begins in 5:3-32, overlaps in 10:21-31 and continues in 11:10-32
  • This is the line of Shem (11:10)
  • Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran (11:26)
  • Haran, Abram’s brother, died (11:27). Haran’s death explains Abram’s relationship with his nephew Lot.
  • “Now Sarai was barren; she had no child” (11:30). Read 12:4. These details are very important to the tension in the narrative.
 
Election: God’s Sovereign Grace in Salvation
 
The narratives in the first of two major sections in Genesis:
a)     Adam and Eve
b)    Cain and Seth
c)     Ham and Shem
d)    Babylon and Israel
 
The four stories above (Genesis 1-11) share the same pattern. Each begins with God’s rule and humanity’s rebellion to that rule.
 
Concludes the primeval (resembling the earliest ages in the history of the world) and shows that man, left to himself, would always choose his own kingdom above God’s Kingdom (Adam and Eve; Abel and Cain – Seth did nothing righteous; Cannanite Lamech; The thoughts and intents of man’s heart was on evil continually; Noah’s drunkenness; Shem and Ham; Nimrod and Babylon).
Genesis 12 begins patriarchal history – God sovereignly electing a people out of this world to call His own.
 
There are two Kingdoms: The Kingdom of Self and the Kingdom of Christ. The elect are those who God sovereignly pulls out of their selfishness and places in the Kingdom of Christ.
 
Bruce Waltke gives an excellent and simple definition of election: Election here does not exclude or condemn anyone. Rather it works exclusively as a benefit to a world that, otherwise, has no intention of doing what is right.”
 
Why does God choose to leave some to their own devices? There are some good partial answers, but nobody knows the complete answer to that question. Two good resources that have good answers are Jay Adams’ “The Grand Demonstration” and A.W. Pink’s “Our Accountability to God.”
 
Romans 1:21-28 we read three times that “God gave them up.” This passage and Acts 14:16 refer to God turning away from those who first choose to turn away from Him.
 
An excellent definition of this doctrine is set forth in the Canons of Dordt:
 
Now election is the immutable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundations of the world were laid, he has, according to the most free goodpleasure of his own will, of mere grace, chosen out of the whole human race, fallen by its own fault from its primeval integrity into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons, neither better nor more deserving than others but with them involved in a common misery, unto salvation in Christ; whom even from eternity he had appointed Mediator and Head of all the elect and the foundation of salvation; and therefore he has decreed to give them unto him to be saved…”
 
“Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I TOOK your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac” (Joshua 24:1-3).
 
God did not suggest or ask regarding Adam; Seth; Noah; Abraham; Joseph; Mary; Moses; Paul
 
Also, if you are a first generation Christian or parent – you have a distinct advantage and privilege. Israel began with one special person. The ministry to the Gentiles began with one special person.
 
 
Remember last week when we contrasted 11:4 with Genesis 12:1-3. What people sought for their own glory, God exalted Abram with for the glory of God by His sovereign grace.
  • The LORD is the subject of the first verb “Go.”
Look at “I will” five times repeated in three short verses.
  • God’s fivefold use of blessing to Abram is the gracious counterbalance to the five curses against fallen creation and humanity (3:14, 17b; 4:11; 8:21; 9:25) – Sidney Greidanus.
 
 
 
You have to move from “wanting to change” or “wanting to go a different direction” or “wanting to be a Christian” or “wanting a better marriage” to wanting Christ. If Christ is not your goal, you will always veer.
Abram set out on his 1,500-mile journey by faith (Read Hebrews 11:8-16)
  • Abram knowingly lived for a reward he would never see (Hebrews 11:13) – Abram’s reward was the Father (Genesis 15:1). It is not the destination that we focus on. The destination is meeting Christ in theintermissions of life. Treasure Map Illustration.
  • Moses’ reward was Christ (Hebrews 11:23-27)
  • Jesus’ words are an invitation, not a restriction or sacrifice: Matthew 16:24-26, “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?’”
 
 
It was by God preaching the Gospel to Abram that He was fueled to walk by faith:
  • Do not confuse “it takes work” with “relying on works of the law” (Read Galatians 3:7-9
  • What is this Gospel that God preached to Abram? Genesis 12:7 (collective singular noun) with Galatians 3:16-18
  • It is NOT law à grace. It is grace (law) grace. Grace was never “added.” The law was “added.” Read Galatians 3:19
 
“By faith” means the Abram worshipped his way through the land (vv. 7-8):
  • 2 altars and “calling upon the name of the LORD”
  • Romans 4:13-25 especially v. 20
  • Trials produce nothing of any benefit. It is the looking in the trial that produces faith and change.
“The Lord’s commands are rarely accompanied with reasons, but they are always accompanied with promises” (A.W. Pink).