HEBREWS 11:8-19

Margaret Jensen, in an article entitled, "The Red Linoleum," tells about her father's call to a new ministry. It was in the days of the Model T Ford and took place in the prairies of Canada. With great excitement Papa ran into the house with a letter in his hand. "Mama, Mama! Look - Chicago!" He was being invited to pastor the Logan Square First Norwegian Baptist Church. He loved Chicago. He'd gone to college there at Chicago University. The news was blessed news to him. But not to Mama! She loved the prairie. Farming was in her blood. She read the letter and declared, "No, this cannot be God's will!" She had never defied Papa before. But this time she spoke her mind. Papa asked, 'Why?" She said, "Because God would never expect me to give up my red linoleum. It took a long time to save one dollar. God would never expect me to give up my prized possession." She loved that red linoleum. It covered a crack and all the splinters in the floor. It also added a spot of cheer and beauty in the small, otherwise plain house. Mama was unwilling to leave this prized possession. Looking to the text, we remember that Abraham and Sarah were also called to pull up stakes and move away from home. As we consider their response, we learn that they acted in faith. They set for all of us an example of taking a step of faith. What does it require to truly take a step of faith?

1. VV8-10: LIKE ABRAHAM, OBEY GOD'S CALL:

1. The Lord said, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you";Genesis 12:1. Abraham was told: get up, leave it all! Tough call!
2. But the text tells us in V8 "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going." He didn't:
1. Complain that the cost was too great! "I don't want to leave my prized possessions! I don't want to leave my loved ones!"
2. Worry about the itinerary or the difficulty of the way.
3. Ask for a roadmap or assurance that there would be plenty of oases along the way! (Those would be your early McDonald's or Howard Johnson's).
3. He went out by faith! Let me ask you: What will you do when God calls you? Where will you go at His leading?
1. Will you move out of
1. your comfort zones? Even if it means leaving your friends, family, home, employment?
2. your familiar routines, patterns and securities?
2. Will you go to:
1. Someone who needs you? The outcast, rejected and forgotten?
2. Someone who does not know Jesus Christ?
3. Someone you've offended to make restitution?
4. Someone who's offended you to extend the hand of friendship?
3. Will you move out of what is easy and into what is challenging?
4. May we be obedient to go wherever God may call us as was Abraham! God give us the heart of
1. Samuel who said, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."1 Samuel 3:10.
2. Isaiah who said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8.
3. Peter who went to Cornelius the gentile though everything Jewish in him resisted it.

2. VV11, 12: LIKE SARAH, BELIEVE GOD'S PROMISE:

1. You have to remember that these people were not teenagers starting out life together. When the promise came in Genesis 12 Abraham was 75 years old. The promise didn't come to fruition until he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90! Now, this may not be politically correct, but that is old! That is ancient! That's "Chronologically Challenged!" At the time when they must have been thinking of dying, they became parents!
2. You have to consider that they had doubts along the way. After all, 25 years is a long time to wait! Perhaps they thought:
1. "Maybe God forgot."
2. "Maybe God was jesting."
3. "Maybe God isn't able to do it after all."
4. "Maybe God changed His mind."
5. "Maybe we ought to fulfill that promise ourselves. Here is Hagar, bear a child by her." Hence was born Ishmael when Abraham was 86 years old.
6. But doubts not withstanding, the text says, "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised;" V11.
3. God always performs His promises. He is never late, He is never early, He is always right on time! His is to promise, ours is to believe! His is to perform, ours is to patiently wait.
4. God's promises are far too numerous and varied to list here. But consider these:
1. He has promised to provide all our needs, not all our wants, but all our needs.
2. He has promised to be with us in and through all things.
3. He has promised to limit the temptations and trials we will suffer.
4. He has promised to give us life that is abundant and rich.
5. He has promised mercy to spare us the punishment we do deserve and grace to give us the forgiveness we do not deserve.
6. He has promised to take us to heaven with Him, where He has prepared a place for us.

3. VV17-19: LIKE ABRAHAM, SACRIFICE YOUR MOST PRECIOUS:

1. Abraham went to Moriah as directed and was fully prepared to sacrifice his favorite son! Think of the faith that would require! Would you be willing to offer your child that way? Think about the cost!
1. If he offered Isaac on the altar, where would be the promise of becoming a great nation? Remember that Abraham was to become a mighty nation through Isaac!
2. If he offered Isaac, his heart would surely break! How could he give up his precious son?
2. But He was willing to offer his most precious because you see Abraham was absolutely convinced that:
1. God knew what He was doing! He reminds me of a little boy. His older brothers and sisters were cringing under the bed during a lightning and thunder storm. He peered under there and said, "Aw, quit yer bawling'! Don't you 'spect God knows what He's a doin'?" Abraham 'spected God knew what He was a doin'!
2. God is too wise to make a mistake, too loving to be cruel, too faithful to lie and too powerful to fail.
3. God could raise Isaac from the dead if he did sacrifice him. See again the text: "He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type." V19.
3. God asks that we give our best; that which is most precious! So, what will you lay on the altar of sacrifice?
1. Your pride?
2. Your anger?
3. Your own will and personal agenda?
4. Your comfort, peace and ease?
5. Your possessions?
6. Your life?
7. Your body?
8. Your personal pleasures? Your tobacco, alcohol, literature, TV programs, movies, recreation?
9. All your other idols whatsoever they may be?
4. What are you willing to surrender to God? When I was a boy I had a ton of comic books. One day I decided to give some of them away. So I chose out the torn ones, the ones I didn't particularly like, the duplicates. Those I would give, but "keep your dirty mits off the other stack!" Sometimes we are like that with God: "You can have this or that, I don't care that much about it. But don't touch this part of my life!" Oh, no! Instead, let us face life with this motto: "What He asks, I give."

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