Father Abraham

Matthew 1:1-17

Matthew begins his gospel with the lineage of Jesus as he tries to convince the Jews that Jesus truly is the promised King and Messiah who descended from Abraham and David and will be the eternal King who delivers those who believe. Jesus’ genealogy begins with Abraham although his ancestry is traced all the way back to Noah and Adam.

Let’s start where Matthew starts…with Abraham. Many major people and events preceded Abraham’s life including Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, and the scattering of people and confusing of languages at the Tower of Babel. (Genesis 1-11). God has already made two covenants (promises) with humanity the first in the Garden of Eden where he promises that because of our sin, Satan and mankind will be enemies and the second after the flood when He promises to never again destroy the earth with a flood. Then we meet Abram, later known as Abraham where God makes a third covenant. This is the same Abraham whose wife is Sarah who is barren for years. Then they have a son named Isaac who is almost sacrificed by Abraham. It is also the same Abraham who, unfortunately, took plans into his own hands during the years of Sarah’s barrenness and had a son named Ishmael (who would live in hostility toward all his brothers and nations) with his maidservant Hagar. Although Abraham made some monumental mistakes (just like every human), his life is also made up of beautiful moments of obedience. I encourage you to jump into His Word and read these passages.

Genesis 12:1-9

Genesis 15:12-21

Genesis 17:1-14

For those of you who have less time-I’ll give a brief overview. Genesis 12 is critically important to our story, His story, the birth of Jesus. Genesis 12 starts with the Lord saying to Abram,

“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

 So Abram left, as the Lord told him. (Gen 12:1-4)

Did that take your breath away? This passage of scripture is so moving to me. Imagine being told to leave the place that you have established your life in for years, the people you have grown to love and are enjoying life with, and your family in order to go to an unknown destination that will one day be yours but right now I cannot tell you where or when.

And what did Abram do? He left.

 He obeyed.

For Abram to leave, to trust, to obey the way he did, he must have had a genuinely deep and intimate relationship with God. He must have been walking with Him, talking with Him, and seeking Him.

Abram’s obedience is an incredible testament to the impact our obedience can have on our own lives and others. Because of his obedience, Israel is formed. Israel, the nation that God wants to follow Him. The nation that God wants to bless others and to be blessed. The nation that comes from Abram. The nation from which our Savior is born. The nation that provided the person who allows us the incredible blessing of salvation and personal communion with Him.

God goes on to tell Abram two more times about His promise to him and about the nation that will come from Abram.

“Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here…” (Gen 15:13-16) *The future of Israel

 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer being called Abram; your name will be Abraham, or I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” (Gen 17:3-6)

 God used Abraham in a mighty way not because of his abilities, titles, or his position in life, but because of his willingness to obey.

He left.

 God used Abraham to create this nation of Israel that would face many difficult days, but would always have God’s everlasting love. He wanted a nation, a group of people, to honor Him and keep his ways alive in the world. He wanted a nation who would bless other nations by proclaiming through word and deed who He is and what He is like. He wanted a nation that would be the one to prepare others for the birth of Jesus, our Savior.

He wants the same thing today. He wants me and you to follow him, to seek Him, to run to meet Him each day. He wants me and you to show the world His love and goodness and grace. He wants to use me and you for His glory.

There is one condition…we must leave. We must obey. We must trust.

Let’s not miss out on the beautiful plans He has for us because we are staying in our comfortable places of safety and security. Let’s believe that our Father, the Father of Abraham, calls us to leave and to bless others and be blessed.

Shared with love,

Lindsay