Courage to Go
Scripture Reading: Genesis 12: 1 - 4;
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.
Acts 1: 8 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Message: Courage to Go
Go from your country, your people, your household
Abraham is known as the father of the believers
He is remembered for his faith because he went, he responded to God’s calling
There’s always a call - a call to act on your belief
Faith that does not lead to action is like potential that has not materialized yet
What you have in your heart feels good, but it has not led to something, yet
The story of Abraham’s faith has inspired believers to put faith into action
God calls Abraham, and Abraham responds by going
He leaves behind everything that is known and comfortable for him - his country, his people, his known world (fahter’s household)
Perhaps in text we find a definition of what Abraham’s comfort zone looks like
He leaves behind what is comfortable for him - his identity, his relationships, his inheritance…
As believers, we should know that faith will challenge our comfort zone
Faith will challenge what is easy for me
Faith will challenge what is logical for me
Faith will challenge what is sensible to me
Faith will make me uncomfortable
Side note: over the years I have encountered many who don’t like to be challenged in their faith
It is as if they expect that their faith should not be upsetting to them
If you want to go “Forward in Faith”, you should expect discomfort
I will show you where to go - you don’t need an iteniary (Holy Spirit)
Faith is not like a leasure cruise where your iteniary is laid out for you
You will not have everything laid out and planned for you
But in the story of Abraham’s calling, we find encouragement for going out into the uncertain future
God says to Abraham: I will show you the way… “Go to the land I will show you.”
God will never tell to go somewhere and desert you - God will always go with you to show you the way
God did that with his people coming out of Egypt
And God did that with disciples when Jesus promised them: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you”
In faith, you will not be required to go alone or figure things out on your own
God will provide, God will be there on the journey with you
Going forward in faith, we should learn to let go of the need to have it all figured out
Faith does not come with an iteniary, it comes with the promise that God will go with us… to show us the way when things get rough on the journey
Go and be successful - opposite to complacent
If you consider the story of Abraham and the impact the apostles had in changing the history of the world, it illustrates how powerful the impact of faith can be in the world
To go out in faith is the total opposite of being complacent and comfortable
But to go out in faith will impact the world
It will bring about great things
The world will notice (for the right reasons)
That is why I am really inspired by our renewed focus through our mission statement
We will make a difference in our community when we go forward in faith
We will be successfull, because God will go with us and God will show us the way
We will receive the Holy Spirit so that we will be the witnesses of our Lord in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
In our context… Durham and Holstein, Grey Bruce, Ontario, Canada, and the whole world (internet)
It is not far-fetched, it is a call not to be complacent
We are called to look for opportunities, not excuses
We are called to look for reasons to make things happen and not to look for reasons why we should not do anything
We are called to let go of “we have always done it in that way” (Presbyterian light bulb joke)
So he went
In Genesis 12: 4 we find these powerful three words: “So Abram went”
It was Abraham’s Nike moment: He just did it!
It reminds of Peter in the boat when Jesus called him to walk on the water (Matthew 14)
Jesus said “come” and Peter just got out of the boat and walked on water (before his self-doubt got the most of him)
Forward in Faith means to simply to go, without hesitation, not “buts”
Nike - Just do it!
Courage to go
In this message today, in this series, in this time of a new mission statement and being part of God’s church at DPC, God wants you to gather your courage to go
It will take courage to go forward in faith
You will be called out of your comfort zone - it will be uncomfortable
You will be challenged to go forward in faith - don’t be surprised or upset
You will not be alone - God will be with you and God will show you the way
When you go forward in faith, God will do great things through you
You will be part of something bigger than yourself
Now, gather up your courage to go!
Forward in Faith!
AMEN
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