02 February 2019

AM Bethany : A PATTERN EMERGES

AM Bethany : A PATTERN EMERGES
Text: Genesis 15:1-7

Speaker:
Rev Dr Charles Tan
Series:
2019

Message Notes

AM BETHANY 2 February 2019
Text: Genesis 15:1-7

A PATTERN EMERGES

1. God reaching out

a) To reveal
b) To redeem
c) To restore

2. Man’s part

a) To respond (Abram as an example)
b) To read (today’s circumstances)
c) To relate and make faith real and relevant

3. God’s patience

a) In teaching
b) In assuring the heart
c) In guiding
d) In confirming
e) In blessing
f) In developing a deeper relationship

REVELATION OF GOD TO ABRAM

1. In a vision

2. A word of promise given

a) Do not be afraid, Abram
b) I am your shield
c) Your exceedingly great reward Genesis 15:1

RESPONSE FROM ABRAM

1. Abram’s question

a) It has been on the back of his mind
b) He has never brought this up before though
c) He raises his concern
d) He did not seem to have responded directly to what he has just heard
e) He asked about his problem of being childless
f) The heir-apparent was his servant Eliezer of Damascus (Genesis 15:2-3)

2. The question raised and what it means

a) A question that is deep in the heart
b) This was the over-riding concern

GOD’S FURTHER WORD

1. The word of the LORD came to him (Genesis 15:4)

2. Clarification

a) This one shall not be your heir
b) But one who would come from your own body shall be your heir
(Genesis 15:4)

3. Further explanation

a) God brought Abram outside (He could have been in his tent)
b) An illustration given
c) Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them
d) So shall your descendants be (Genesis 15:5)
e) How would Abram respond to God’s word to him?

ABRAM’S HUMBLE RESPONSE OF FAITH

1. And he believed in the LORD (Genesis 15:6)

a) This was the first statement of Abram’s faith
b) His understanding and experiences with God now led him to a definite faith
i) Real
ii) Relevant

2. It was accounted to him for righteousness

a) Righteousness was now imputed to him
b) God gave him this further word to confirm his faith
I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans,
To give you this land to inherit it (Genesis 15:7)
i) God’s leading was given in Ur of the Chaldeans
ii) From Ur he came to Haran with his father Terah (Genesis 11:31-32)
iii) His leading may not have been understood at the beginning
iv) It was now clarified