Preacher: Stephen-John Yeo |
Two different sources
A very important lesson to learn: “God’s promises can only be fulfilled by God’s power; human effort no matter how sincere is doomed to fail.”
As followers of Jesus Christ we all face challenges. Sometimes we do not behave in the right way or say or think the things we should when we go through adverse circumstances. We become discouraged and want to give up. Later on we are so embraced by the thoughts we had and the things we did. But let this verse and what is to follow be an encouragement to us and strengthen our faith in Christ.
Here is a verse to remember when we fail.
Hebrews 4: 15-16 (NKJV)
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Abraham
Abraham grew up in a house were his parents worshiped idols. (Joshua 24:2). The city where he grew up in was an idol worshipping city, they were polytheistic in their believes, they believed in many gods. But God revealed Himself to Abraham and called him to leave his country, his family and his father’s house to go to a place that God would show him. God promised him that He would make Abraham a great nation. Genesis 12:1-2.
Note, God made the promise. “God’s promises can only be fulfilled by God’s power.”
Abraham obeyed and left and travelled to the land of Canaan. Abraham passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. There again the Lord appeared to Abraham, promising him that He would give this land to his descendants. Genesis 12:7.
Note that at the time when God called Abram that he had no descendants, no children. His name, Abram means, father of many. Yet at the age of 75, he had none. When he was younger, when people asked him what his name was and he answered them, Abram, father of many. I am sure they said to him, ah, you are still young, you will have plenty of children. But as the years continued there were no children.
Can you imagine people meeting Abram at age 75. “Hi, what’s your name?” “Abram”. “What does that mean?” “Father of many.””How many children do you have?” “None.” “Oh….” I am sure that when people left they were probably saying to one another: “Did you get his name? Father of many, yet he has no children…Ha,ha,ha”. I wonder if he ever thought of changing his name.
Now there came upon the land of Canaan a severe famine and he left to dwell in the land of Egypt. The bible tells us that Abram’s wife, Sarai was a very attractive women and that he was afraid that when the Egyptians she her that they will kill him and take his wife. So he asked her to lie and say that she was his sister. Abram also had many servants and so they too had to be drawn in to this lie. They all had to lie for Abram. Remember, God had made a promise to Abram. I am convinced that Abram would havebeen safe and that no harm would have come to him because God had made a promise. But Abram faced a great challenge and he tapped into his own resource to deal with the challenge. The way to deal with this threat for him was to lie! He had a genuine fear of being physically harmed. He felt vulnerable and without protection. Yet rather than trusting in God he trusted his own self-protecting scheme.
It did not work out for Abram and he was scolded by Pharaoh, who turned out to be quite an honourable man. Genesis 12: 10-19.
The next challenge he faced was with Lot’s herdsmen. Lot and Abram went their separate ways. And again after their separation, the Lord spoke to Abram, saying: “for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth.” Genesis 13:14-16
In Genesis 15 we read that God appeared to Abram in a vision. Abram looking at his circumstances says to God that because he is childless that God must make Eliezer the heir of his house. Eliezer was the head servant of Abram’s house. God’s promise in Abram’s eyes had stalled. Abram had a solution, here again tapping into his resource. But God rejects his solution and again confirms his promise. Abram, believes the Lord
Then in Genesis 16 we read about Sarai’s plan. After another 10 childless years Sarai taps into her resource to solve the problem. She resorts to a custom of her day where a barren wife could get a child through one of her own maidservants. Abram unfortunately submits to his wife’s request and Ishmael was born. Galatians speaks of this incident.
“But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise”. (Galatians 4:23)(NKJV)
The one is the result of the effort of man; the other is the result of the promise of God.
In Genesis 17 we see Abram request that his lineage might go through Ishmael. But God rejects Abram’s plan and again confirms His promise and changes their names. God changes both Abram and Sarai’s names. Abram now is Abraham, Father of many nations and Sarai to Sarah, Mother of nations. Imagine if Abraham was embarrassed by his previous name, how did he feel now? He believed God and now nothing could derail his faith in God. He was a changed man. Abraham’s faith in God kept him from becoming discouraged by his natural weakness even when things around him made it look impossible. The next year Isaac was born, the son of promise. No flesh could have achieved this, it was a work of God.
“And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.” Romans 4: 19-20 (NKJV)
This is where the change came for Abraham, Genesis 17. No longer would he look to his own resources but to God.
Jump to Genesis 22 where God tested Abraham. “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:2. (NKJV)
Abraham and Isaac are on their way and Isaac asks his father: “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” Genesis 22: 7-8.
He looks to God as his source. Hebrews tells us that Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son believing that God would be able to raise him from the dead. He is looking to God as his source, no longer his own.
Moses
Acts 7:19-35
Paul
2Corinthians 1:8-10
Remember: “God’s promises can only be fulfilled by God’s power; human effort no matter how sincere is doomed to fail.”
