Promises rooted in grace (Genesis 12:1-6)

 

In 1678 the Baptist preacher, John Bunyan, wrote the allegory ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’.  He wrote it while he was in prison, for preaching without a licence.  The Pilgrim’s Progress is in the form of a dream, in which the main character ‘Christian’ travels from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.

At one stage in the story, ‘Christian’ and his companion, ‘Hopeful’, are captured by a giant named ‘Despair’.  The giant puts them into a dark dungeon inside ‘Doubting Castle’.  Christian becomes overwhelmed by dark thoughts.  Then on the Sunday morning, just as day is breaking, Christians remembers that he has a key called Promise on a chain around his neck.  The key unlocks the doors in Doubting Castle from Despair.

 

The story of Abram is about our promise-giving God.

 

God gives promises to an undeserving world

What has happened so far in the book of Genesis?  We have seen creation followed by humankind’s fall into sin.  We have seen human evil and violence become so bad that our brokenhearted God sends the flood in judgement.  We have seen arrogant humanity tying to make a name for themselves as they built the tower of Babel, and God responding by scattering them over the face of the earth.  Humankind has proved helplessly corrupt and rebellious.

Yet God insists on blessing sinful humanity.  The Lord is good to all, He shows compassion on all He has made (Psalm 145:9).  God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45).  But there is something more.  Through Abram God has a plan to bless all the families of the earth (12:3).

God gives promises to undeserving people

Abram means ‘exalted father’, which is a bit ironic given that he is seventy-five years old and has no children.  Abram comes from Ur of the Chaldeans, which is a city located in modern day Iraq.  Ur was known as a center of moon worship and the book of Joshua tells us that his people worshipped idols (Joshua 24:2).  While Abram is in Ur, God speaks to him (Acts 7:2).  While humankind tried to make a name for themselves at Babel, God is going to make a name for Abram.

Why Abram?  Why this man from an idol-worshipping people?  We are not given any explanation for God’s choice!  But then we are also given no explanation why God should set His favor on us.  Bible commentator, Dale Ralph Davis, explains that, if ‘you think you know why God has shown grace to you, then you don’t know yourself and you haven’t the foggiest idea what grace is.’  We have done nothing to earn God’s blessing.  We have done plenty to forfeit His favor.  God’s grace is rooted in his sovereign goodness, not in any goodness in us.

God’s promises bring a challenge

God’s favor comes to us freely, but it will cost us everything.  The only appropriate response to God’s kindness is wholehearted obedience.  The Lord said to Abram, ‘go!’  ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the place I will show you’ (12:1).  It was a journey that of over two thousand kilometers.  The book of Hebrews explains that, ‘by faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going’ (Heb. 11:8).  But there is something else about Abram’s journey.  His ultimate destination is the same as ours.  He was longing for a better country than Canaan—a heavenly one (Heb. 11:13).

Abram is the Bible’s first pilgrim.  The apostle Peter writes: ‘Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans, that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us (1 Peter 2:11-12). 

Deep in the land of Canaan, Abram build an alter at the great tree of Moreh.  That could be translated ‘the great tree of the teacher’.  This was a pagan sacred site.  There Abram plants his flag and declares ‘my God reigns.’  He then travels to the hills east of Bethel.  He pitches his tent and builds another alter—Abram knows that his salvation depends on the death of a substitute, these sacrifices look ahead to the greater sacrifice on the cross.  There he calls on the name of the Lord. 

God’s promises point to Christ

The promises that God makes to Abram are the backbone of the whole Old Testament.  As we read through the unfolding narrative we will see God gathering a people to Himself, placing them in the Promised Land, and seeking to bless them (P, P, B).  Indeed, God’s people are to be a blessing to all the peoples of the world as they point to Yahweh.

Yet, ‘no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.  And so, through him the “Amen” is spoken to God’ (2 Cor. 1:20).  In Jesus we are the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:29).  Jesus is the place where we find rest (Matt. 11:28).  In Him we inherit every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3).  We are to be a blessing to all the families of the earth as we seek to shine like stars in the sky as we hold fast to the word of life (Phil. 2:14-15). 

Conclusion

The Monday before the one just past, I sat down to begin writing this sermon.  I felt very weary.  As you might know, Granny Jean has had a difficult summer and is not as strong as she was.  It is a tiring time in our family.

I am sure that many of you also feel weary.  You may be having troubles with housing and finances.  You might work with people who are not easy.  You might have issues in your marriage or with your children.  You might feel the strain of being a long way from home.  

As we work through the life of Abram we are going to think about how we learn to trust the promise-keeping God.  We too are pilgrims in this land.  We too are to be sustained by the promises of Yahweh.  Every command in the Bible implies the promise of strength to do as He directs.    So here are three promises to hold on to when life threatens to overwhelm you:

-          ‘Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you.  I will uphold you in my righteous right hand’ (Is. 41:10).

-          ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up’ (Gal. 6:9).

-          ‘Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need’ (Heb. 4:16).

God’s promises are the key to enable us escape from the clutches giant Despair and free us from Doubting Castle. So now as we begin this journey with our father Abraham, may God enable us to follow His various callings on our lives so that we can live well for the glory of Jesus.  Amen.