REAL PEOPLE: Abraham & Sarah
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him… Genesis 12:1-4 ESV
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
1. What if God told you…
…to GO from what you know to where He will SHOW?
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1 ESV
Go from your residence to the residence that I will show you.
Go from your job to the job that I will show you.
Go from your budget to the budget that I will show you.
Go from your schedule to the schedule that I will show you.
Go from your habits to the habits that I will show you.
Go from your relationships to the relationships that I will show you.
Go from your ministry to the ministry that I will show you.
Go from your priorities to the priorities that I will show you.
Go from your way of life to the way of life that I will show you.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 ESV
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
2. What if God told you…
…to CHANGE so that others receive the BENEFIT?
2 “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:2 ESV
Change the desires of your heart so that others receive the benefit.
Change the emotions of your soul so that others receive the benefit.
Change the thoughts of your mind so that others receive the benefit.
Change the actions of your strength so that others receive the benefit.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
30 “‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Mark 12:30-31 ESV
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
3. What if God told you…
…that His plan to bring GAIN would cause you to experience LOSS?
3 “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 ESV
God’s plan to bring gain might cause you to lose relationships.
God’s plan to bring gain might cause you to lose resources.
God’s plan to bring gain might cause you to lose rest.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.” John 15:18-21 ESV
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
4. What if God told you…
…and you OBEYED?
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him… Genesis 12:4 ESV
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him and experienced famine.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him and lied about his wife.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him and was kicked out of Egypt.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him and had a family dispute.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him and had to rescue his family.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him and questioned God’s promise.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him and eventually believed God.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:23-27 ESV
If your NEXT ACTION was in obedience to God, what would you do?
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)