The Coolidge examiner., 1937-04-29


place which he should after receive for
an inheritance, obeyed. Hebrews 11:8.
PRIMARY TOPIC-A Friend of God.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Hebrew Pioneer.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
1C-AdVenturouS Faith.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Creative Faith.
One of the greatest characters in
all human history comes before us
today in the person of Abraham.
He is venerated by Christian, Jew,
and Mohammedan alike. His per-
'sonal history is replete with inter-
est and instruction. But his claim
to an outstanding place in history
is broader than any of these things,
for he was the one by whom God
called out nation for himself and
began his dealings in sovereign
grace which continue to our day.
In choosing Abraham God began
the history of the Jewish people,
his chosen nation. They were called
by him to be not only a national
witness to the one true God, but
also to be the repository for his
truth (the Holy Scriptures) in the
earth, and, above all, to be the
channel for the coming of the Re-
deemer to the earth. So we are
studying today one of the "begin-
nings" of Genesis which is of the
utmost Importance.
Our lesson, however, centers on
the faith of Abraham. AS the Gold
en- Text (Heb 1873 indicates, it was
by faith that Abraham responded
to the call of God. That call came
to him in his fathers house in Meso-
potamia (Acts To, 81. His partial
obedience brought delay at Haran
| Gen. 11:3D, and wasted years, but
in Genesis II we find his complete
obedience and the resultant bless
ing.
The study of faith is always fas-
cinating. Faith is the thing in man
| that pleases God. He is quick to
honor our trust in Him. Unbelief
shuts the door not only to blessing,
but also to usefulness.
1. Faith Calls for Separation, Obe-
dience, and Worship.
l. Separation Gen. 12:D. Get
thee out" was Gods command to
Abraham. 1t is his command to his
followers today. Come out from
among them and be ye separate,
saith the Lord" QI Cor. GID. This
is the crying need of the church in
our day. Instead of the church's
being in the world seeking to win
it for Christ, the world has come
into the church and destroyed much
of its vital testimony.
2. Obedience Gen. 12:4,5). so
Abram departed, as the Lord had
spoken" Faith obeys God, without
question, without hesitation, and
without reservation. We need re-
vival of obedience in the home, in
society, and in our relation to God.
3. Worship Gen. 1877, 1919.
There builded he an altar unto
the Lord" Faith in God is far
more than the psychologists
preachment of self-confdence. 1t
results in fellowship with God, re-
lance upon him, not on ones own
strength of personality. Faith Wor-
ships God.
III. Faith Results in Blessing, Pro-
lection, and Liberty.
l. Blessing Q2:2,3. II will bless"
said God. The Lords commands
are rarely accompanied with rea-
sons, but they are always accom-
panied with promises, either ex-
pressed or understood. God is al
ways on the giving hand.
In the case of Abraham the prom
ise was not only to him, and to the
nation of which he was the father,
but to "all families of the earth"
That promise was fulfilled in the
coming of Christ to earth to be our
Redeemer Matt I'D.
2. Protection Q2:3. Il will.
curse him that curseth thee" That
promise to the seed of Abraham
is still true. The nations have
forgotten it in their hatred of the
Jew, but God has not forgotten. The
promise is equally true in the case
of those who follow Christ, "the
son of Abraham" His protecting
hand is over us even in the dark
hour when it looks as though the
hosts of Satan had conquered. We
are still safe in Jehovah's keep
ing"
8. Liberty Q3:14-1O. "AIl tn e
land. will I give" After many
and varied experiences in which Alb
raham proves Gods grace and pow
er, he comes out into a place of
unlimited liberty.
The man who boasts of his 'per-
sonal liberty" who feels that he is
free from the bondage of religion"
is in fact slave to the enemy of
his soul. And the man who becomes
1.-THE bondslave of Jesus Christ" he
alone is free None is more fet-
tered than he who shouts Il am
the captain of my fate. I am the
master Of my soul" And none is
so free as he who can say, Christ
is the Captain of my fate, the
Master of my SOU"