Thursday, April 27, 2006

By Faith... Abraham - Part I, Part 28 of 56

TEXT: "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" (Hebrews 11:8).

IDEA: It's a good thing to think about your faith, but it can be a dangerous thing if you're embracing a faith that really makes no sense.

PURPOSE: To help listeners discern how to think about their faith.

Do you think that it may be dangerous to think too much about what you believe?

There are Greek and Roman pagans who, in thinking a great deal about the idolatry of their time, turned against it. It didn't make sense.

I. We look at Abraham as the first man who staked his life on the fact that there was one God to whom he would give himself.

Have you ever wondered what might have gone on in his mind, surrounded by idolatry, that opened him up to hear the voice of God?

There are legends that talk about Abraham thinking about the idolatry of his time that could have opened him up to respond to God's voice when God called him.

According to one legend about Abraham's birth and childhood, Abraham's father, Terah, was commander of the armies of Nimrod. When Abraham was born, a vivid star appeared in the sky obliterating all other stars. Nimrod wanted to murder the infant Abraham, but the baby was hidden in a cave and saved. One day, coming out of that cave and looking across the face of the desert, Abraham watched the rising sun. "Surely the sun is God the Creator!" he said, as he knelt down and worshiped the sun. But when the sun set that evening, Abraham said, "No! The Author of creation cannot set!" That evening when the moon rose and the stars came out, Abraham said, "This moon must be God and the stars are his host." So he knelt and adored the moon. But as the night passed, the moon sank and the sun rose again. So Abraham said, "These heavenly bodies are no gods, but they obey some law. I will worship Him who imposed the law on them."

Another legend, held by Arabs, said, Abraham saw many flocks and herds one day. He said to his mother, "Who is lord of these?" She answered, "Your father, Terah." "And who is lord of Terah?" he asked. "Nimrod," she answered. "And who is lord of Nimrod?" Abraham asked. And his mother told him to be quiet and not push questions too far. But already Abraham's thoughts reached out to the God who is God of all.

Another legend states that Terah worshiped 12 idols, one for each month of the year. He also made idols. One day Abraham was in charge of the shop. People came to buy idols. Abraham would ask them how old they were, and they would answer perhaps 50, perhaps 60. "Woe to a man of such age," said Abraham, "who adores the work of one day!" A strong man of 70 came in to buy an idol one day. Abraham asked him his age, then said, "You fool, to adore a god who is younger than yourself!"

As Abraham tended the idol shop one day, a woman came in with a bowl of meat for the gods. When she left, Abraham took a stick and knocked the heads off all but one of the idols. Then he put the stick in the hands of the idol with a head. Terah returned and was very angry. Abraham told him, "My father, a woman brought this dish of meat for your gods. They all wanted to have it and the strongest knocked the heads off the rest, lest they should eat it all." Terah said, "That is impossible, for they are made of wood and stone." Abraham replied, "Let thine own ear hear what thine own mouth has spoken."

All of these legends give us a picture of Abraham searching after God, dissatisfied with the idolatry of his people.

II. It's a good thing to think about your faith, but it can be a dangerous thing if you're embracing a faith that really makes no sense.