Be a Blessing
10-18-2015
Gen 12:1-3
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."
Abram was told to leave the country, his relatives, his father’s household
(involved giving up economic security & inheritance) without a visible certainty
of the future.
o “bless” is used 5x= Gen 1-11, 5x
in 12:1-3.
§ God
intervenes to do good things both temporally & spiritually.
God gives a personal promise “I will bless you”. This is the foundation
for National & universal promises.
· A specific
area of land become great nation (Israel).
·
What God would do in and through Abram would result
in Abraham being long-remembered among men. Gen
12:2, 11:4, Jn
8:56, Gal 3:6-7
o
What Babel labored for
& never achieved, God freely gave to Abraham.
§ A great
name: good reputation & secure identity.
o Abraham’s
name is known worldwide to millions of people 4,000 years after he lived.
§ Jews, and
Christians have Abraham as the father of their faith.
§ Islam:
Abram 2nd to Mohammed, reference is made to Abraham 188x in the Koran.
o Abraham (not
a New testament person), is an example of life of faith.
§ 75 New
Testament references to Abraham.
Greatest promise that Abraham personally needed the most & the world
is desperate for is this - through the descendant of Abram redemption would come
to all nationalities. Gen 3:15, 12:3, Mt 1:1, Gal 3:29, Rom 4:16, 9:6-8
· Messianic
promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, He is the true seed of Abram who brings
salvation to the world.
o The term “all
blessed” is not proof of Universalism ie. everyone is saved.
Every time
someone responds to Gospel, this promise is fulfilled.
· God was faithful
& fulfilled every promise beyond Abraham’s expectations.
o Same
promises are true for Christians: new home (heaven), new nationality (body of Christ),
secure identity (Christian) & future with the lover of our soul, Messiah.
There is a ripple effect of being blessed by Lord which outflows into being
a blessing for the glory of Jesus. Gen 12:2, Lk 6:45, 1 Pet 3:9, Mt 5:16,
· This is a
command (Imperative) rather than prophetic statement.
o Heb= “Be
a blessing,” not “you will be a blessing.”
· Be a channel of Lord’s blessing in practical
ways: Eph 2:10,
o Be an example,
be Christ-like….in world but not of it.
LAST WEEK
o Serve others…especially
those in need: poor, widows, orphans. Gal 6:2
o Speak encouraging
words. Prov 16:24, 1 Thess 5:11,
· Primary
focus here is to be a spiritual blessing. Mt 28:19
o Share
Gospel with local, regional & global neighbors.
o Disciple
people to maturity in their faith. Gal
6:1,
o Pray for
Christains & the lost. Eph 6:18, 1
Tim 2:1
· The call
to be a blessing is for every believer both individually & corporately.
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