Introduction:
Why is it so important? We see in this story Abraham being called from his homecountry to Canaan. And when I saw this, I thought God called Abraham when he was young, but looking at this again, God called Abraham when he was 75 years old. When he was an old man, and this is where we have to find all our answers today. When God calls Abraham from his homecountry.
1. God has called us like he has called Abraham
God has called you and I from the curses of sin and hell. It says God created us and knew us since we were in our mother’s womb. God selected us before time. It is not by my ability that we were picked by God. But no it is by God’s grace. It is by God’s grace that we believe that Jesus is the Christ and we are children of God. God has called Abraham, this is the difference between religion and the gospel. It is not that we reach out to God but God who reaches out to us. When we look at the context of Abraham’s home, it was full of idolatry, corruption and sin and this is where God calls Abraham from to go to Canaan. We see the covenant of Genesis 3:15 but its revealed slowly, and here the land is revealed. It is the land of Canaan. God has called Abraham to hold onto Christ. Acts 4:12 there is no salvation found anywhere else…
What is the gospel? John 19:40 it is finished. When we believe in Jesus, everything is finished. Jesus himself said “It is finished” not it will be finished or it may be finished. We are free, we carry our burdens no more.
Juneteenth, from June 19th, the day, one year after the emancipation, that the slaves there learned of the emancipation proclamation. In that same, we live as slaves, even though we have been freed. We have been called not to live with our past scars or our problems but to live in true freedom which comes from only the Gospel. God has called us just as he called Abraham, we don’t have to live with disbelief anymore. We too are filled with disbelief, but God is alive and is with us today. He is with us and present, but we live with disbelief. God has called us so we can live with faith. Our curse and sin has been completely been washed away. We are a new creation in Christ. The old has gone the new has come. No more slavery. People are no longer slaves to the things of this world. I remember speaking with someone at a conference, and he came in in the middle of the sermon with a bike gang outfit on. So I went to speak to him and his name was Rob. He was here for an AA meeting. I didn’t know but he told me there are about 5k AA meetings in churches every night. And we talked and he told me that he was addicted to alcohol and he lost his family and his marriage and he knew that he would eventually die like this. And the only thing they can do is keep each other accountable, and they stick to the winner. That’s why he bikes, from morning to night to keep his mind off of alcohol. And I shared the gospel and why people have these problems. And he said “my problem is a spiritual problem? No one ever told me that” and I told him “Jesus is the Christ”. I told him you are no longer a slave to alcohol.
Think about what you’re slaved to? Christ has set you free from it. We don’t have to spend our time on the useless things of this world. What is most precious? The kingdom of God. Worship,
There is also nothing to fear. People are so anxious that they can’t sleep. I have a friend who always has her airpods in, but she doesn’t listen to anything. She’s so nervous that if theres silence, she thinks something is gonna happen. We have nothing to fear because we are children of God, And we didn’t choose God, but God chose us. Why did God call Abraham from his home? So he could get rid of his false sense of security. After 75 years, he mustve accumulated so much wealth and acknowledgement. What is your false security? Health?
After everything in our lives disappear, alll thats left is Jesus Christ, the kingdom fo God and the Holy Spirit. What does it mean God has called you? God has taken complete responsibility for your life. Then whom shall we fear? 1 Peter “You are a chosen people, a Holy nation” God has called us from darkness, to marvelous light.
2. God has given us the status of victory
When God called Abraham, God gave him the Identity of victory. Verse 2-3. We see the new identity God gave Abraham: Father of Nations. Cannot be bought with money and can only be given by God. So Abraham has no other choice but to have victory. We think when we believe in Jesus we have no problems, but you will face more problems but Jesus who has resolved all those problems is with us today. I hope he can be your hope and fortress. We are on the covenant journey, and in this journey, God will give you strength and remind you of who you are. All we need to do is be led by the Holy Spirit.
Satan is deceiving and attacking Christians today so they can lose hold of Jesus Christ. He is causing division in families and in churches so we must remember our identity and fight the spiritual battle. Fight for our church and our church members who are struggling, and for this region, All we need to do is pray, because Jesus is alive, he is with us.
3. Renew ourselves towards the blessings and answers that God gives
God has given us everything in Jesus Christ, we must open our eyes to see we have received all the heavenly blessings in Jesus Christ. All we need to do is renew ourselves in Christ. How? With God’s grace, that’s why worship is so important. We receive grace through Sunday worship and personal worship. Abraham, does a very respectable thing. Leaves everything and moves to Canaan. But in Canaan there’s a famine, so he moves to Egypt. And we see him struggling constantly. Let us renew ourselves, put worship and Christ first. How? Pray and God will give us the strength to change. Abraham struggled because his standard was the world, not Christ or the Gospel. We’re praying so we have all nations gather here. Racial division can only be resolved through the gospel of Christ. This is God’s will and covenant.
Conclusion:
Abraham goes to Bethel, there he raises an altar. What is the key here to renewal? Bethel, when Abraham set up the altar, that is worship. Worship is everything. Through worship, we receive healing, God’ s direction, We need to receive grace till we see the Canaan that God has prepared for us.