Tuesday, May 16, 2006

By Faith... Abraham - Part I, Part 41 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: If we believe in one God, then no matter where we are, we can’t change the central loyalty of our life.

PURPOSE: To help listeners see that to believe God alone is God has profound implications for the way they live.

When Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me,” does that sound like arrogance?

When people in our day dismiss the claims of the uniqueness of Jesus, what is their basic assumption?

I. People in the ancient world who were polytheists would change gods at the border of another country.

Why would they adopt another god and worship him? What assumptions do they have?

Do you think a devout Jewish merchant who traveled widely would do that? Why?

II. A commitment to one God means that it is illogical to have loyalties to other gods in your life.

Do you think it’s possible for Christians to be practical atheists?

Do you think it’s possible for Christians to be practical polytheists?

The apostle John refers to covetousness which is idolatry. What do you think he could mean when he wrote that to people who were professing Christians?

When we profess that we are monotheists and that Jesus alone is the way to God, that is not arrogance. It is a confession of what we believe to be ultimate reality.

We can easily embrace other gods when we go beyond the border of the church or leave the safety of Christian friends.