Friday, May 26, 2006

By Faith... Abraham - Part I, Part 49 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: We often refuse to respond to God's call to salvation because we don't want to give up what is precious to us.

PURPOSE: To help listeners appreciate why it is not easy to do what God wants and go where God wants us.

Do you think that political campaigns are dirtier or more contentious today than in the past?

Why is it that we have an ideal view of the past and a pessimistic view of the present?

I. When we read about Abraham in the Bible or about the disciples who followed Jesus, does it seem that it was easier for them to follow God than it is for us?

It was never easy to follow Jesus Christ or to follow God. The decision to follow was always made in tension.

Do you know of people today who faced the kind of decisions Abraham faced to follow God's call?

A student at seminary gave up a promising career in healthcare because he felt God was calling him to ministry.

A man in his 50s who turned his back on a successful career because "He wanted to have significance."

II. One reason we don't respond to God's call to us is that we don't want to give up what is precious to us.

Abraham had to make a decision to accept or reject God's call.

We assume now that it was easy, but the reality of it could have been very different.