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The Blessing of Abraham
Galatians 3:14, 16 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Galatians 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
I. Abraham
A. Abraham’s “Natural seed”
1. Abraham was chosen by God
a. Why? Because of his faithfulness to God
b. What? For a new relationship / covenant with mankind
c. How? Through a personal relationship with Abraham and his natural descendants
1) The Jewish race
B. Abraham’s natural life
Genesis 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
II. Who can receive this promise?
A. Exclusions destroyed by Jesus
1. Jew or Greek – race
a. The original promise was only given to the Jews
2. Bond or Free – societal
a. Slaves had no status in Biblical days
3. Male or Female – sex
a. Women were not heirs to a promise
4. Ye are all one in Christ
III.The blessing of Abraham
A. Providence
1. Whatever he needed God supplied
2. How do we know this? Abraham lived to be 175 years old. Sarah was 127
a. God must have provided food
b. God must have provided health
c. Abraham learned to trust God for his providence
Genesis 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
3. God is our provider in all things
a. We must learn to trust in Him
B. Protection
1. For himself
2. For his family
a. His wife – Sarah
1) She is my sister
b. His son – Ishmael
1) God met Haggar in the wilderness and protected her and Ishamel from the wild animals.
2) Ishmael grew into a man and fathered the Arab nations
c. For his nephew – Lot
1) When Lot was taken captive – Genesis chapter 14
Genesis 14:18-20, 15:1 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 15: 1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2) God delivered the enemies into Abraham’s hand
a) Abraham went with his servants to fight trained men of war and won.
b) Lot could have been killed in the initial attack
c) God protected him
d. God is our shield, our strong tower
1) Not only for us but for our families also
C. Prodigy
1. Sons
a. Abraham had two sons
b. Abraham’s children had children
c. Abraham’s grandchildren had children
d. Abraham’s sons became great nations – through their offspring
2. God gives us prodigy
a. Through new converts
b. Through new churches
c. You can be a soul winner
D. Prosperity
1. Abraham was a wealthy man
Genesis 13:1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
2. God gave Abraham financial wealth
3. Abraham was faithful and tithed
4. Abraham was obedient
a. He understood that everything that he had was given from God, and so if God wanted it back he was willing to give it.
b. Our problem is that we hold too tight to our possessions.
1) Possessions lead us into greed and envy
2) Which is a form of idolatry
c. But if God gives it to us, then only GOD can take it away. If God decrees that it will prosper then there’s not a force on Earth that can cause it to fail.
E. Plans
1. God told Abraham His plans
a. Both for Abraham’s life
b. And also for others
2. God gives us direction for our lives
a. He shows us our destiny
F. Personal relationship
1. Abraham was called the friend of God – James 2:23
a. They communed with each other
b. Abraham was never alone
c. Abraham experienced Love beyond measure
d. Abraham was able to take his mistakes to God and receive forgiveness
2. God is our friend
a. We are never alone
b. We can go to him with our failures
c. We can go to him with our mistakes
d. We can receive forgiveness
G. Promise
1. Salvation
Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
a. Abraham was made righteous by his belief
b. How did he show his belief? By obedience
c. Acts 2:38
2. Heaven
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
