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by Sandy Shaw
We are reading the letter to Galatians but in Chapter 3 verse 6, Paul writes – “Consider Abraham” – and there is a significant reference to what happened in Genesis Chapter 15. We looked at the first part of Genesis 15 last week.
"Do not be afraid, Abraham. God calls him by name. I am your very great reward."
These kings had been fighting, and had offered him material goods - possessions - riches - and Abraham had refused them. He knew when to say ‘NO’.
And now GOD is reassuring him. I am your very great reward. Abraham - YOU HAVE ME!
Some of us may need to hear that word too. God has a purpose for Abraham.
You will never lose by having God.
You will never lose by doing what Jesus Christ commands and commends.
You may have lost things because you have followed Jesus, and because you have been faithful to Jesus. Jesus will more than make it up. We do not always know how, but His Word is sure and true.
"Abraham - never mind what you might have had - you have ME!"
When God's Word comes to us, it is good, and it will do us good, and HE always comes in mercy and love - even when He has to rebuke us.
Our task is to be open to His Living Word - to whatever needs we have brought into this time of Worship and Prayer. This Living Water is to refresh and revive and satisfy.
Abraham puts his thoughts into words - and we have to do that at times when we are talking with God - "What can you give me? What have you got to give me?"
What is there in this service for you today? What is the point?
That is what Abraham is saying here - even if you give me anything - I have no children to pass on the blessing to! Who am I? Just an old man! I have no son - I am childless - if you do reward me to whom can I pass on the blessing and the reward?
All Abraham had was a slave. Eliezer was next in line - "Lord, the line stops with me."
All this is going on in his mind - after working for God - after travelling with God - having been led by God and having been called by God - after years of service - and yet fear and turmoil and what we might call ‘depression’ had suddenly set in.
All he could see in the night hours were battles - poverty - no future. No wonder he could not sleep. Abraham is so pre-occupied with himself. He is so concerned and almost worried about himself. Self has to die. The ego has to be crucified.
If any man would come after me - let him deny himself - let him say NO to himself - and take up his cross and follow ME. So taught Jesus.
We have seen how in Paul - self had to die. Self wants to assert itself - I want - I think - I feel - the way I look at things is - consult me - cater to my needs. All that has to go.
Abraham had to learn the lesson, and later Paul had to learn a very similar lesson.
We all have to learn this lesson if we are going to be used in the service of God.
What a battle is going on - and that is sometimes not a bad thing. God changes His tactics - and he called Abraham to come outside - look at the stars - can you count them? NO. Then, so shall your offspring be.
Then we read one of the most central verses in the Bible.
"Abraham believed GOD and it was credited to him as righteousness."
This is how to get right with God and how to keep right with God. He could have said - I don't believe you - I'll believe it when I see it - but what he said was - Lord, I believe - I believe that YOU can do it LORD.
Abraham believed the bare Word of God, and this is the beginning of saving faith.
This is a fundamental incident in Abraham's life. There is so much nonsense talked about faith - but FAITH is to believe that what God says is true.
Faith is to believe that what God says He is going to do, He will do. And if a man does not believe what God says, then he does not have faith.
Abraham believed God - not just in God - not just that there is a God - he believed GOD.
It all came true. Isaac was born.
What Paul is teaching these Galatians is - Abraham believed God - and as soon as he believed it was reckoned to him as righteousness - and THAT is what Paul is fighting for in Galatians.
Paul had preached Jesus Christ - he had focused upon the Cross - he had seen people repent - believe - be baptised in water, and in the Holy Spirit - and then he heard that some had crept in with the aim of deceiving these vibrant believers.
He takes them to the Word - and seeks to ground them in the Word. Believe - hold on to Jesus - be filled with the Holy Spirit - love God with all your heart - and your neighbour as yourself. That is the freedom we have in the Gospel.
That is why Jesus left His Throne - to come to where we were - that we might be forgiven, rescued, and set free.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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