Abraham's Faith, Our Faith

You may be seated. Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone and I'm one of the pastors here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church.

! It's my joy to bring God's word to you today. This morning we're continuing our series in the book of Romans and you'll remember that the book of Romans is a letter.

It's a letter written by the Apostle Paul in the 50s AD and it's called Romans for a very simple reason, which is that it's written to the churches in the city of Rome.

And it is about the gospel. It's about the good news of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Now if you've been with us for a while, you know that maybe a couple times every year I pull out the quote by Samuel Johnson,

an English writer from the 18th century who said people need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.

People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.

I looked back in my notes and the last time I said that was February 2nd, so we're doing great.

I haven't run into my limit yet. And I say that because this Sunday is another reminder Sunday.

We are finishing this long stretch we have had with the figure of Abraham.

And we're going to see Abraham one last time. We will not see him again until Romans chapter 9.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

So you'll remember back in the month of May, we started in Genesis chapter 11.

Genesis 11 · chapter mention

We went through Genesis chapter 25. Then we started in Romans 4.

Genesis 25 · chapter mention

And now Paul is going to remind us of everything we've seen.

So the question is this.

What is the most important lesson from Abraham?

What is the most important lesson from Abraham?

What is it above everything else that we are meant to learn from him?

So with that question, I invite you to turn with me now to Romans chapter 4, starting at verse 16.

Romans 4 · chapter mention

You'll find it on page 7 of your worship guide.

Remember as we turn here that this is God's word.

Jeremiah chapter 23 tells us that God's word is a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces,

Jeremiah 23 · chapter mention

which means there is nothing that can stand against the power of God's word.

So that's why we read now Romans chapter 4, starting at verse 16.

Romans 4 · chapter mention

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring.

Not only to the adherent of the law, but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham,

who is the father of us all.

As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations.

In the presence of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead,

and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Verse 18.

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations.

As he had been told, so shall your offspring be.

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead,

since he was about a hundred years old,

or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God.

But he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,

fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness.

But the words it was counted to him were not written for his sake alone,

but for ours also.

It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead,

Jesus our Lord,

who was delivered up for our trespasses,

and raised for our justification.

I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word.

Our Father in heaven, we do praise you and thank you again for drawing us together as your people.

We thank you again for coming and speaking to us in your word.

We ask that you would do that again this morning.

That you'd honor your promise in Isaiah chapter 55,

Isaiah 55 · chapter mention

that your word does not return to you empty,

but accomplishes all your purposes for it.

And so we ask that that would be true this morning,

that you would use your word to accomplish great things

in our hearts and our minds and our lives.

Most importantly, we ask that you would show us Jesus,

that we would see him,

that he would be more beautiful

than we've realized ever before.

And we ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Do you guys need me to do something different before I...

No? Okay.

Let's keep rolling.

One of the most boring events in politics every four years

is the vice presidential debates,

and they are boring primarily because vice presidents do not matter.

But the 1988 vice presidential debate made history

for a grand total of four sentences

that became famous sentences that are still remembered today.

Senator Dan Quayle, who was the Republican,

was coming up against Senator Lloyd Benson, the Democrat.

And Dan Quayle, Bush 1's running mate,

had come under a lot of criticism.

He was widely viewed as insufficient and unqualified.

So the press had a heyday going after him.

And so Quayle's strategy was to compare himself

to John F. Kennedy, the 35th president,

because there's the logic.

JFK did not have much experience.

He was still a great president.

I don't have much experience.

I will be a great vice president.

And so he would repeat this on the campaign trail.

His opponent, Senator Lloyd Benson,

then began to practice in his debate prep

a destructive killer line.

He was waiting for Dan Quayle to bring this up

in the vice presidential debates.

Dan Quayle did not disappoint.

And so when, once again, he compared himself to JFK,

Lloyd Benson said this,

Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy.

I knew Jack Kennedy.

Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine.

Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.

And the point was this.

Do not compare yourself to the greats.

Yeah, that's fine that Jack Kennedy

didn't have a little bit of experience,

but he was a great man, right?

He's the exception that proves the rule.

You, Dan Quayle, are in fact not.

And still today, this phrase is used.

If you want to cut someone down to size,

all you have to say is,

you, sir, are no Jack Kennedy.

Paul, the entire chapter, chapter four of Romans,

has been focused on Abraham

because Abraham is one of the greats.

Right, remember, a couple weeks ago,

he pulled out Abraham as an example,

and then he pulled out David to prove his point.

Hey, if this is true of the greatest figures

of Israel's history,

it can be true of you as well.

In fact, that's Paul's point here

as he comes to the very end of chapter four.

He's saying actually the opposite of Senator Benson.

He doesn't say,

Christian, you are no Abraham.

No, he actually says the opposite.

That's his point here.

Christian, you can be like Abraham.

Christian, Abraham was one of the greats.

You can be too.

That's why our sermon title,

you'll see this on page seven,

is this, Abraham's faith, our faith.

You, Christian, can be like Abraham

no matter how great he was.

And that's where we jump into this passage.

He gives us the first reason in verse 16.

You can be like Abraham

because Abraham was in his salvation,

in his life,

based on faith rather than works.

That's why we see verse 16.

It depends on faith

in order that the promise may rest on grace

and be guaranteed to all his offspring,

not only to the adherent of the law,

but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham.

Paul here is saying,

look, you can be a child of Abraham

whether you're a Jew or a Gentile.

If you believe in God,

you are Abraham's child.

That's why he says there,

who is the father of us all.

In other words, Paul's saying,

look, because Abraham's life

was resting on faith and not on works,

you, if you rest on faith and not on works,

are his child.

In fact, that's the only way.

That's the only way

that the blessings of Abraham

can be guaranteed to his offspring.

If it were based on works,

then we'd have to see every generation,

will this generation be good enough

will this generation measure up?

Will they be able to do the great things

that Abraham did?

That's not the question, though.

The question is not whether they can do

the great things Abraham did.

The question is whether we believe

in the great God that Abraham believed in.

And so then, after verse 16,

he jumps into it.

What does it look like

for us to be like Abraham?

What does it look like for us to have

that Abraham sort of faith?

Verse 17, he tells us about Abraham.

Abraham was the one who believed in God.

It doesn't just tell us that he believed in God,

though he tells us the type of God

that Abraham believed in.

In the presence of the God in whom he believed,

who gives life to the dead

and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

That's one of the great themes of Scripture, by the way,

that God creates something out of nothing

by the power of his word.

God's word is so powerful that,

as I mentioned in my prayer in Isaiah 55,

he makes this promise,

my word will accomplish whatever I want it to accomplish.

God speaks and it is done.

And so how is it that we're supposed to be like Abraham?

Well, the first answer is this.

We are like Abraham when we believe in Abraham's God.

Believe in the God who is powerful.

Being like Abraham is not like trying to be like JFK.

Being like Abraham is not trying to be great.

Being like Abraham is believing in the God who is great.

Believing in the God gives life to the dead

and calls to existence the things that do not exist.

Abraham believed in the all-powerful God.

Christian, you believe in the all-powerful God as well.

Paul then tells us what exactly that belief looks like.

Okay, we see that Abraham believed in this powerful God.

What does it look like to have faith in that powerful God?

He goes on from telling us about the type of God

that Abraham believes in to the type of faith

that Abraham had.

That takes us to verse 18.

Abraham believed in the impossible.

That's what had hope against hope means.

Now that's a confusing phrase.

In English we might say this.

Abraham had hope against all odds.

Abraham believed God despite the evidence.

And what was it that he believed God to do?

Verse 18 also tells us that.

Abraham believed against all odds

that he would be the father of many nations.

It's a simple logic here that Paul's following.

So verse 18, he believes the impossible.

The impossible is that he'd be the father of many nations.

Verse 19 tells us why exactly that's impossible.

It's impossible because Abraham is impotent

and Sarah is infertile.

Abraham's belief was against all odds

because humanly it was impossible.

So again, we're talking about the type of faith Abraham had.

It takes us to verse 20 which tells us

despite these things being impossible,

impossible, Abraham's faith is growing in hope.

And then finally, verse 21.

What is it that Abraham believed?

Remember I said this was a review Sunday.

Abraham believed that God would do

what God said he would do.

The faith of Abraham is believing

in the almighty and all-powerful God.

The faith of Abraham is believing

that that God will do exactly what he said he would do

even when and especially it is impossible.

Abraham's faith, our faith.

And then verse 22.

What happens?

That faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.

Abraham was made right with God

not by works but by faith.

There you have it.

Now if you're a cynic, you might be thinking,

man, we just spent four plus months

in the story of Abraham in Genesis.

And now we're spending a month

in Romans chapter 4

Romans 4 · chapter mention

and at the very end,

Paul has nothing new to say.

He's telling us the same thing

that we have reviewed again and again and again.

He's telling us

that God's a promise keeping God.

He's telling us the same thing

that we should believe those promises.

He's telling us that justification

is by grace through faith alone.

And so is it not

that as we end the story of Abraham,

we end not with a triumph

but with a whimper?

Is it not that we're ending

merely with a review?

If you're a cynic

and you think you've heard this all before,

you are in one sense correct.

Right?

We already know this.

If you've been with us,

you know that God made great promises to Abraham.

If you've been with us,

you know that God honored

and kept those promises against all odds.

You know that God did what he said

he would do.

We have talked about this over and over.

But, in another sense,

you are dead wrong.

Remember I asked you,

I told you the question was this.

What is the most important lesson from Abraham?

And what's new about this passage is this.

As we come to the very end,

Paul tells us

why it matters more than anything else.

Paul tells us the main point

of the Abraham story.

And he does it in verses 23 and 24.

Paul finally points back to us.

Points the finger straight at the reader.

Notice we shift here finally

to the first person plural.

The words it was counted to him

were not written for his sake alone,

but for ours also.

It will be counted to us

who believe in him

who raised from the dead

Jesus our Lord.

And so the point is this.

Not just Abraham.

You, sir,

you, ma'am,

can be like Abraham.

That's the point.

That's what we've been driving to now

for about five months.

For Paul to say this.

All the stories of Abraham,

everything we've seen

of his great trust

and confidence in God,

the ways that he put it all on the line,

the ways he risked it,

all of that's been driving

to this question.

What about you?

Do you believe

that God raised Jesus Christ

from the dead?

Do you?

I'm so serious.

Do you believe

that God raised Jesus Christ

from the dead?

That is what the point

of the story of Abraham is

that we've been driving at

for five months now.

There are so many reasons

that people come to church.

People come to church

because it's a great place

to meet other people.

People come to church

because they're lifted up

by the message

and the music.

They want principles

and ways to live

and they want to learn

about the Christian worldview

and what it is that we do

as we move forward together

in God's mission.

But none of that matters

unless we can answer

that question.

Did Jesus rise from the dead?

Do you know why

we worship on Sunday

and not Monday or Tuesday?

We worship on Sunday

because Jesus rose from the dead

on the first day of the week.

And so we celebrate

Jesus' resurrection

every week on the first day.

In other words,

happy Easter.

Every Sunday is Easter Sunday.

Christian,

if you believe

that God raised Jesus Christ

from the dead

and you stake your life on it,

you live your life

as if the resurrection is true

because it is.

and you take all the aspects

of your life

and orient them around that.

You stake your life,

you set as your north star,

whether it is in your finances,

your friendship,

your family,

your work,

your play,

your vocation,

that Jesus died

and was risen from the dead.

If you do that,

then you are like Abraham.

Abraham.

The words it was counted to him

were not written for his sake alone

but for ours also.

Paul is turning the mirror

on the reader for the first time.

Abraham had great faith.

That's wonderful.

What about you?

Will you also believe

the impossible?

Will you also believe

that God will do

what no human can do?

Do you believe God has done

what no human can do?

Has Jesus Christ

been raised from the dead

or has he not?

Do you believe in verse 17?

Do you believe in the God

who gives life to the dead

and calls into existence

things that do not exist?

Do you believe that?

Do you believe that

as you navigate

the mess

of family

and relationships

and work

and community

and government

and nations?

Do you believe that

as you come up against disease?

Do you believe

that what you do

in this life

is greater than

the sum of its parts

and it's greater

than the sum of its parts

because what God

tells us through

the apostle Paul

in Ephesians chapter 1

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

is true

that the very same power

that raised Jesus Christ

from the dead

is at work

in you?

Do you?

Do you believe it?

If you do

you are like

Abraham.

Do you believe

that God

keeps his promises?

Do you believe

that no matter

what happens

in history

in this world

in time

and space

in nations

in geopolitics

in families

in generations

that no matter what

the end of history

is a great

wedding feast

between God

and his people?

Do you believe

that no matter

what happens

that will happen?

If you do

you are like

Abraham.

You like Abraham

hope

against hope.

You like Abraham

hope

against all odds.

You like Abraham

believe

in something

that is not

humanly possible.

You like Abraham

believe what's true.

You like Abraham

will see

the reward.

Do you believe

that God

raised Jesus Christ

from the dead?

Do you hope

against hope?

Do you believe

that all the promises

of God

are yes

and amen

in Christ?

Is that

your north

star?

Paul says

don't just talk

about Abraham.

Don't just remember

the stories

about Abraham.

Don't just rehearse

how great

Abraham was

be like

Abraham.

And be like

Abraham

in this sense

that Abraham

believed

in a great

God.

Abraham

believed

in the impossible.

Abraham

believed

in the God

who gives

life to the dead

and calls

into existence

things

that do

not

exist.

that's the

point.

That's the

point of

Abraham's

life.

The final

analysis

we're reminded

of what

Paul later

says in

Romans

Romans 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10.

If you

confess

with your

mouth

that Jesus

is Lord

and believe

in your

heart

that God

raised him

from the

dead

you

will

be saved.

Do you

believe

that God

raised

Jesus

Christ

from

the

dead?

Paul

makes

one more

point.

Not just

is it

that we

are meant

to be

like

Abraham

that

these

things

were not

written

for his

sake

alone

but

for

ours

also.

it is

also

easier

for us

to be

like

Abraham

than

it was

for

Abraham

to be

like

Abraham.

I'll

say that

again.

It is

easier

for us

to be

like

Abraham

than

it was

for

Abraham

to be

like

Abraham

and

it's

easier

for us

for this

one

reason.

Abraham

looked

forward.

Christian

you

look

backward.

Abraham's

hope

and

belief

was

in

something

that

had

not

yet

happened.

Your

hope

and

belief

is

in

something

that

has.

The

death

and

the

resurrection

of

Jesus

Christ.

That's

what Paul

says here

in this

last

verse.

Who

was

delivered

up

for

our

trespasses

and

raised

for

our

justification.

given

up for

our

trespasses

he's

just

saying

what

we've

talked

about

many

times

Jesus

paid

the

penalty

that

we

deserve.

Jesus

took

God's

punishment

so that

we

would

not.

But then

he doesn't

just talk

about

that

he talks

about

Jesus

resurrection

raised

for our

justification.

Wait I

thought

Jesus

death

was for

our

sins.

Why

is it

the

resurrection

that's

given

with our

justification?

Jesus

resurrection

proves

once

and

for

all

that

he

lived

the

perfect

life

that

we

should

have

lived.

If

Jesus

did

not

rise

from

the

dead

if

he

was

only

handed

over

for

our

trespasses

then

his

death

was

not

for

our

sins.

If

Jesus

did

not

rise

from

the

dead

then

Jesus

death

was

for

Jesus.

The

resurrection

proves

once

and

for

all

Jesus

died

for

our

sins

was

raised

for

our

justification.

It

is

the

confirmation

that

everything

God

promised

to

Abraham

was

true.

The

resurrection

is the

confirmation

that

Jesus

did

in

fact

die

for

our

sins

and

live

for

our

righteousness.

What

is the

most

important

part

of the

Abraham

story?

What

should

we

learn

take

away

more

than

anything

else?

It's

this.

Abraham

believed

the

impossible

would

happen

in the

future.

we

know

the

impossible

has

already

happened

in

the

past.

No

unbelief

made him

waver

concerning

the

promise

of

God,

but he

grew

strong

in his

faith

as he

gave

glory

to

God,

fully

convinced

that God

was able

to do

what he

had

promised.

that is

why his

faith

was

counted

to him

as

righteousness.

Has

Jesus

risen

from

the

dead?

Yes,

yes,

he has.

Let's

pray.

Our

Father in

heaven,

we do

praise you

and thank

you again

for your

word.

We thank

you for

the example

of Abraham,

not that he

was great,

but he

believed in

a great

God.

We ask

that you

would make

that true

of us,

that we

would see

clearly

that you

are the

God who

brings life

from the

dead and

calls into

existence

things that

do not

exist.

We ask

all of

these things

in the

mighty name

of Jesus

Christ.

Amen.