He said, Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless, and the one who will inherit my estate is Eleazar of Damascus?
And Abram said, You have given me no children, so a servant in my household will be my heir.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.
He took him outside and said, Look up at the sky and count the stars, if indeed you can count them.
Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be.
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
He also said to him, I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.
But Abram said, Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I shall gain possession of it?
So the Lord said to him, Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.
Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two, and arranged the halves opposite each other.
The birds, however, he did not cut in half.
Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.
Then the Lord said to him, Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own,
and they will be enslaved and ill-treated there.
But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterwards they will come out with great possessions.
You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.
In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here,
for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen,
a smoking brassiere with blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces.
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said,
To your descendants I give this land from the wadi of Egypt to the great river of the Euphrates,
the land of the Canaanites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites,
the Rephaites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Well, let's pray and ask for God's help.
Father God, thank you for this account, this true account of Abraham.
We pray that as we think about his encounter with you,
that we ourselves would encounter the living God.
that we would hear his words to us,
that we may go trusting a faithful and good God.
Help us this morning by your Spirit's power we ask.
Amen.
Well, over Covid I had a painting job to do in the house,
so a trip to B&Q was organised.
But I had a dilemma.
If you go to B&Q, you're not short of choice.
There was a whole aisle full of paint,
each one claiming to be the best paint you could buy.
So what do I choose?
How do I know which is the right one?
Well, one stood out.
You might remember the catchphrase from the TV advert.
Ron Seal.
It does what it says on the tin.
In other words,
it promises to deliver.
It's not going to let you down.
Well, our text this morning is a bit of a Ron Seal promise.
It does what it says on the tin.
In other words,
God promises to deliver.
What God says he will do, he will do.
He isn't going to let you down.
But it isn't always as easy as that, is it?
We know the words.
We sing them.
We repeat them.
But there's still a wondering in our lives.
Will God deliver?
Can I trust God with his promises?
Will God do what he says he will do?
Will he forgive me of all my sins?
Will he give me all that I need in my walk with him?
Will he build his church here in Carragaleine?
Will he keep me in the midst of all of my failures
until Jesus returns?
Well, Abram had been given some great big promises
and he wanted to know,
is God going to deliver?
Let's go back to chapter 12.
God makes a great big promise.
Verse 2.
He says to Abram chapter 12,
I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you.
And then in verse 7,
the Lord appeared to him and said,
to your offspring,
I will give this land.
When we get into chapter 13,
God repeats the same promise.
Verse 15.
All the land you see,
I will give to you and your offspring forever.
And I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth.
And in chapter 14,
God protects the promise.
Abram has come up against some tribes who are after him
and, well, God intervenes.
Verse 20.
Praise be to God most high
who delivered your enemies into your hands.
Then we step into chapter 15.
But it seems God still hasn't delivered.
Well, God is gentle and gracious
and he gives us the assurance that we need.
You see, when it comes to God's promises,
it does what it says on the tin.
Four things we're going to see.
The promise or the surprise of God's promise,
the timing of God's promise,
the guarantee of God's promise,
and then the response to God's promise.
So there's a surprise,
the timing, the guarantee,
and the response.
So first, look at the surprise of God's promise.
Despite all of God's words to Abraham,
he still has no children.
He doesn't have this great nation.
So, as we would expect,
God gives him some reassurance.
Verse 1.
We're in chapter 15.
After this,
the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision.
Don't be afraid, Abram.
I'm your shield.
Your very great reward.
I'm with you.
Well, without being disrespectful,
it just sounds like more words, doesn't it?
Verse 2.
But Abram said,
Sovereign Lord,
what can you give me since I remain childless?
I've got everything I need,
but I haven't got the one thing
that I desperately need.
Verse 3.
And Abram said,
You've given me no children.
Well, to strengthen Abram in his faith,
God takes him stargazing.
Verse 5.
He took him outside and said,
Look up at the sky and count the stars,
if indeed you can count them.
Then he said to him,
So shall your offspring be.
Now for us,
clear nights are hard to come by,
but when they do,
and we gaze up into that night sky,
wow,
it's like somebody's opened up a container of glitter
and fired it over a blank or black canvas.
And we can count, can't we?
One,
two,
three,
keep going,
267,
268,
a thousand.
I mean,
you could be there all night.
Not just one child,
Abram.
Your children
will be like the stars of the sky,
more than you can count.
You see,
there's something of a surprise here.
God's promise is bigger and greater
and more than we could ever expect
or imagine.
But yet we shouldn't be surprised
because this is the kind of God that we have
who's for us.
God doesn't dish out
small promises,
but great,
big,
history-shaping,
world-transforming,
people-saving promises.
Promises to bless
all the nations of the world.
You see,
God is determined
to have a people for himself
who will live in God's place.
Look up at the stars,
Abraham.
How do you think
they got there?
I spoke
every one of them
into existence.
I placed them there
and I will deliver
on my promise
and I will give you
a people.
He's determined
to bless us
with big,
surprising promises.
And along the way,
he continues
to surprise us.
Here's two great,
big promises
for us to think about.
Here's the first one.
He who did not spare his own son,
but gave him up for us all,
how will he not also,
along with him,
graciously give us
all things?
Here's another one.
Praise be to the God
and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ
who has blessed us
in the heavenly realms
with
every spiritual blessing
in Christ.
He graciously gives us
all things,
every spiritual blessing
in Christ.
So in our days
of wondering
and questioning,
is God going to deliver?
Remember,
when your head
is down
in the dumps,
go out into the night,
go stargazing,
look up into the night sky
and begin
to count
and be reminded
of the God
who spoke those stars
into existence,
who sustains them
and keeps them,
is the surprising God
who graciously gives us
all things
for our Christian life.
and fills us
with every
spiritual blessing.
God's promise
does
what it says
on the tin.
So the surprising
promises of God.
Second,
we have the timing
of God's promise.
The timing.
Abraham is not only
without
a nation,
a people
at this stage,
he's also
without a place,
isn't he?
He lives in the land,
but it's not his.
It doesn't belong
to him.
So once again,
God gives
the assurance
that we need.
Verse 7,
he also said to him,
I am the Lord
who brought you
out of Ur
of the Chaldeans
to give you
this land
to take possession
of it.
Well,
Abram's a trusting
kind of guy.
But let's just say
his confidence
is pretty low
right now.
He's heard
all the words.
When's it going to happen?
Verse 8,
Abram said,
Sovereign Lord,
how can I know?
Give me something
so that I shall know
that I will gain
possession of it.
Well,
what follows
is a lesson
in butchering.
A bunch of animals
are cut in half.
We're going to come back
to them in a minute.
For now,
God wants us
to understand
the timing
of his promises.
You see,
God's promises
are not always
fulfilled
as we expect
or imagine.
Surprising,
yes,
but when
will they happen?
Verse 12,
As the sun
was setting,
Abram fell
into a deep sleep
and a thick
and dreadful
darkness
came over him.
There's trouble
ahead.
Well,
what's the trouble?
Verse 13,
Then the Lord
said to him,
Know for certain
that for 400 years
your descendants
will be strangers
in a country
not their own
and they will be
enslaved
and ill-treated there.
But,
verse 16,
here's another promise.
In the fourth generation,
your descendants
will come back here
for the sin of the Amorites
has not yet reached
its full measure.
The promise
is going to be fulfilled
but not according
to Abram's timing.
In fact,
it's going to involve
a lot of waiting.
400 years.
In fact,
the waiting
is also going
to involve
suffering.
Did you see it
at the end
of verse 13?
This nation
that I've promised
to you,
well,
they're going
to be enslaved
and ill-treated.
Suffering first,
Abram,
and then glory.
And before
any of this
happens,
God says to Abram
in verse 15,
you, however,
well,
you're going
to go to your
ancestors in peace
and be buried
at a good old age.
You're going
to die
before this
promise
happens.
What?
I mean,
what about
the surprise
of God's
promise?
is God
failing to
deliver on
what he says?
Does he just
say things
and then not
deliver?
Well,
no,
God didn't
fail.
The author
of Hebrews
reminds us
this.
He gives us
the assurance
that we need.
Follow on screen.
All these
people,
he's talking
here of people
like Abram,
all these
people were
still living
by faith
when they
died.
They did
not receive
the things
promised,
they only
saw them
and welcomed
them from
a distance,
admitting that
they were
foreigners
and strangers
on earth.
Instead,
they were
longing for
a better
country,
a heavenly
one.
Therefore,
God is not
ashamed to
be called
their God,
for he
has prepared
a city
for them.
You see,
the land
promise
was only
ever a
foretaste
of the
ultimate
land,
a better
country,
a heavenly
one.
And Abram
knew that.
He had
his sights
fixed on
something
better and
greater,
and like
us,
waiting for
the fulfillment
of the
glorious land
to come.
God does.
God will
deliver on
his promise,
but it's
not according
to our
timing.
We need
to adjust
our clocks
to God's
clock.
We may
want things
to happen
now,
rather than
later.
We may
long for
justice to
be done
today.
We may
want healing
now.
we may
want peace
and prosperity
now,
but we
can't
fast forward
God's
timing.
We've
got to
adjust
our
clock.
Blessings
we have
in abundance,
but the
greater and
eternal
blessings
are yet
to come.
God's
timing is
always right,
and we
need to
fit in
with that.
God's
promise
does
what it
says on
the tin.
So there's
a surprise,
there's a
timing.
And then
we need
to think
about
the
guarantee.
Let's
go back
to the
animals
being
cut up.
Verse
8.
Abram
said,
Sovereign
Lord,
how can
I know
that I'll
gain
possession
of it?
How do
I know
you're
going to
deliver
on your
promise?
Give
me
something.
Verse
9.
So the
Lord said
to him,
bring me
a heifer,
a goat,
and a
ram,
each three
years old,
along with
a dove
and a
young pigeon.
So Abram
brought all
these things
to him,
cut them
in two,
and arranged
the halves
opposite each
other.
The birds,
he didn't
cut in
half.
Presumably,
they were
too small.
It's a
strange event,
isn't it?
It's as if
Abram is
arranging a
corridor
of dead
animals with
pieces of
meat this
side and
pieces of
meat this
side.
What's going
on?
Well,
before we
call the
animal welfare
rights,
let's
understand
something of
how people
made commitments
to each
other.
It was
called a
covenant,
a promise
of guarantee.
So say
Jimmy enters
into a
contract with
Bob over
some land.
To seal the
deal, an
animal would
be cut in
half, the
parts would
be placed
opposite each
other.
And then
Jimmy and
Bob would
walk between
the cut-up
animal, and
the symbolism
was very
clear.
if you
should break
your promise,
if you
should fail
to keep
your commitment,
then what
happened to
this animal
should happen
to me.
You are
putting your
life on
it.
Your word
was your
life.
So as
Abram
arranged the
animal parts,
he knows
what's coming.
He's going
to walk
with God
between the
animals.
And if
either party
should break
their commitment,
if they
should break
their word,
then may
what happened
to this
animal happen
to me.
Except for
that's not
what happened.
Look at
verse 12.
As the
sun was
setting,
Abram fell
into his
deep sleep,
and he
has this
vision,
this dream.
verse 17.
When the
sun had
set and
darkness
had fallen,
a smoking
brassiere
with a
blazing
torch
appeared
and
passed
between
the
pieces.
Now,
we've got
to get
the symbolism
right here
because smoke
and fire
were common
signs of
God's
presence.
This is a
vision he
has,
and in
his vision
he sees
this smoke
and fire.
this is
God who's
present.
And what
happens?
Well,
instead of
both Abraham
and God
walking between
the pieces,
God alone
appears and
passed between
the pieces.
Verse 18.
On that
day the
Lord made a
covenant with
Abraham and
said to
your descendants,
I'll give this
land from the
wadi of Egypt to
the great river
of Euphrates.
You want a
sign?
You want to
know that
this is going
to happen?
Well,
have you seen
what I've
just done?
God is
making it
abundantly
clear to
Abraham,
if you
should break
your promise,
if you,
Abraham,
should fail
to keep
your commitment,
then what
happened to
this animal
will happen
to me.
I am
the God
who will
go to
death for
you so
that the
promises I
make to
you will
be guaranteed.
I am
going to
take the
curse for
you,
Abraham,
so that
you might
receive all
the blessings.
That's
the commitment
of God
to us.
But you
say,
how?
How could
God possibly
die for us?
how could
God possibly
take the
curse?
Well,
let this
truth penetrate
our disobedient
hearts.
Here's how
the New
Testament puts
it.
Christ
redeemed us
from the
curse of
the law
by becoming
a curse
for us.
You see,
God was
the one
who never
ever failed
in his
commitment
to Abraham.
Abraham
failed many
times.
We saw
that in
chapter 12.
and we
will see
it in
the future.
So God
had to
die for
him.
And we
are no
different.
Either God
dies or
we die.
And on
the cross,
God in
the person
of Jesus
dies for
us.
Jesus,
as it
were,
was
slaughtered
for us.
He takes
the curse
of God's
judgment so
that we
might receive
his
blessing.
you want
to know
that God's
promises are
guaranteed to
you today?
You want
to know
that God
is loyal
and steadfast
and committed
to you?
Look to
the cross.
Look at
Jesus.
He went
to death
for you.
He took
your judgment
for you.
God is
for you.
This is
the assurance
we have.
God's
promise
does
what it
says
on the
tin.
So the
surprise,
the timing,
the guarantee
and the
response.
We have
the guarantee
that God
will keep
his promise.
So how
do we
respond?
Well,
Abram leads
the way
for us.
He may
fail,
but he
has
something
to teach
us about
faith.
Look back
at verse
6.
Abram
believed
the Lord
and God
credited
it to
him
as
righteousness.
Now
before we
get into
the detail,
it's important
to note
that this
is not
the first
time
Abram
has
expressed
belief.
Just
quickly
look back
at chapter
12,
verse 1.
The
Lord had
said to
Abram,
go from
your country,
your people,
and your
father's
household to
the land
I will
show you.
Verse 4,
so Abram
went as
the Lord
had told
him.
You see,
obedience to
God is
always evidence
of faith
in God.
So what
we need
to see
here,
what the
author is
telling us
is Abram
was a
man of
faith.
That's
what's
going on
in all
of chapter
15.
Here's
a man
with
faith
and we
would do
well to
follow in
his steps.
So what's
the details?
What is
this faith
all about?
Well first
it's faith
in the
faithfulness
of God.
Let's
look at
chapter 15
verse 6.
It says
Abram
believed
the Lord.
Abram
has faith
in God.
It's not
faith in
his own
faithfulness,
it's faith
in his
faithful
God.
You see,
Abram
failed,
he disobeyed,
he got it
wrong,
but he
never trusted
in his
own
ability.
He is
trusting in
the God
who will
be faithful
to him,
especially
in his
failure.
It's
faith
in the
faithfulness
of God.
And it's
faith
in the
declaration
of God.
Do you
see what
verse 6
says?
Abram
believed
the Lord
and he
credited
it to
him as
righteousness.
God
saw
Abram's
faith,
he saw
where his
faith was
resting.
He
trusted
God,
so God
credited
his
faith to
him as
righteousness.
Abram
didn't have a
righteousness of
his own.
He didn't have a
right standing
before God,
but God
gave it to
him.
He credited
it to
him.
God
declared him
to be
righteous
because he
believed.
God
is not
rewarding
Abram's
faith.
He's not
looking at
Abram and
going,
oh,
what amazing
faith this
guy has.
I must
declare him
righteous.
Or he's not
looking at him
going,
oh,
what little
faith he
has.
He must
do better.
Now,
it's never
about the
quality or
the quantity
of faith.
It's what
God
declares.
Abram
mightn't
ever feel
righteous.
He
mightn't
even live
as righteous.
But he
believes what
God declares
about him.
And God
says,
you are
righteous.
You see,
it's never
about us.
It's always
faith in
the promise
of God.
This is
how we
should
respond.
We don't
follow Abram
example of
failure,
but we
follow this
failure's
faith.
You see,
the way of
Abram is
the way
for us.
Listen again
to what
scripture says.
You can
follow it
here on
screen.
The
apostle
Paul,
I don't
have it.
You just
have to
listen.
It comes
from Romans
4,
23 to
24.
This is
what Paul
says,
the words
it was
credited
to him
were written
not for
Abram
alone,
but also
for us,
to whom
God will
credit
righteousness,
for us
who believe
in him,
who raised
Jesus our
Lord from
the dead.
You see,
what God
is saying
to Abram,
God is
saying to
you and
I.
me.
Here's
the response
that is
required of
us.
Simple,
failing
faith in
our great
faithful
God.
It's
faith in
the
promiser.
It's
faith in
the one
who is
loyal and
committed
to us
and will
never ever
give up
on us.
He will
hold us
fast.
You see,
as we
look at
Abram,
we need
to see
through
Abram
and we
need to
see
faithful
God.
We need
to hear
God's
promise.
He always
does
what it
says
on the
tin.
Let's
pray.
Lord God,
would you
help us
to hear
your
promises,
to
meditate
and to
reflect
on the
surprising
awesomeness
and greatness
of your
promise.
would you
help us
to adjust
our clock
to your
timing,
to your
perfect
way
and will?
And would
you help
us to
marvel
at your
guaranteed
commitment
demonstrated
by
Christ's
death
for us
taking
the curse
that we
deserve
so that
we might
receive
all of
your
blessings
now
and for
all
eternity.
And would
you
help us
strengthen
our faith
that we
may look
to the
promiser,
the one
who never
fails,
the faithful
God
who has
declared
us to
be
righteous
because
of
Jesus.
Thank you
for who
you are.
Amen.
We're going
to sing
together.
The song
helps us
reflect where
our hope
should be
built and
therefore the
song helps
us to
declare afresh
that we
dare not
trust in
anyone else
but in
the faithfulness
of the
Lord Jesus.
Let's stand
together if
we're able
and we can
sing.
Amen.