Not Knowing - Follow Me
Hebrews 11:8

Action Points

• Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
• Seek to understand the Jewish roots of your faith
• Express solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people
• Make a prayer journey to Israel

Hebrews 11:8-10
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Follow Me ...
Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:19

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. Matthew 9:9

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 16:24

"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." John 12:26

Yad Vashem

• Isaiah 56:5 "And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (a "yad vashem")... that shall not be cut off."
• Dream of the small child
• Children's Memorial (8 month cycle of names)
• "He who saves one life saves the world entirely."
• What are we doing with our lives?

When God Seems Unreasonable
Genesis 22:1-2
James 2:19-24; 1:12-18

"Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!" Isaiah 45:15

"I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel." Isaiah 45:3

Abraham's darkness:

• Called out of his country
• Called into covenant
• Genesis 15:1 "After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
• His natural response was fear.
• Genesis 15:12 "Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him."

"Holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience." I Timothy 3:9

"Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." I Corinthians 4:1-2

Faith Statements:

• God is faithful!
• God is reason!
• God is the finisher!
• God is the provider (Jehovah Jireh)!
• God is the tester.
• He pushes us & He knows our limits
• God is a covenant God!
• God continually renews His covenant relationship with us!

Throughout our lives we are either growing closer to God or further from Him.
- C.S. Lewis

Genesis 22:1-19

• Vs 1 - The 7th time that God revealed Himself to Abraham - He is a self-revealing God!
• Vs 2 - The test - prophetic significance
• Where the Lamb of God was to be crucified, Mount Moriah
• Vs 3 - Abraham's immediate response.
• Vs 4 - The 3rd day - a 60 mile walk
• Vs 5 - Faith speaks! "we will worship - we will return!"
• Vs 6-8 - Jehovah Jireh - "God will provide!"
• Vs 9 - TYPES: Father & Son
• Vs 10 - How far do we have to go?
• Only He who made the human heart can adequately search it.
• Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting."
• Psalm 51:10-12
• Vss 11-12 - It is God's intention for man to reveal himself to God = his true character
• The test: Divine in origin, unexpected in timing, severe in form, needful in design.
• Time + Tests + Obedience = Christian Character
• Abrahamic covenant - dependent on Abraham's complete trust.
• not dependent on Isaac but on the Word of God.

Faith Keys
Obedience + Brokeness
Produces Humility

Time + Tests + Obedience
Christian Character

Growing Up In Him
Hebrews 11:8-10
Abraham, our father of faith

Ephesians 4:11-16

Throughout our lives we are either growing closer to God or further from Him. -C.S. Lewis

"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God" - John 13:3

Hebrews 11 - Heroes of Faith

• Vs 1-2,6 - Faith defined with purpose - gain approval, Please God!
• Vs 3 - The visible came into being - "God said, God saw!"
• Vs 4 - Abel offered a better sacrifice - "by faith!"
• Vs 5 - Enoch walked with God - taken!
• Vs 7 - Prepared an ark - He built something!
• Vs 8 - The Father of our faith - our subject today!
• Vs 13 - Key verse of faith! "All these died in faith"

"Holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience." - I Timothy 3:9

"Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." - I Corinthians 4:1-2

Our Ministry

• To God - as His priests
• Ministry to the Lord = Worship
• To His saints - as His servants
• Ministry to the Church = Service
• To His world - as His prophets
• Ministry to the World = Reconciliation

Our Father of Faith

• Hebrews 11: 8-10 - His Calling of faith
• Genesis 12:1-3 - The blessing of faith
• Genesis 12:4 - TIME - the test of faith
• Genesis 25:7 = 100 years of faith!
• James 2:17-24 - The growth of faith = greater testing; Genesis 22

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." - I Peter 2:9

The Great Commission
Reconciling the World To God