Sermon Outline 17 Aug, 2008 Morning Service

Topic: Rebuked By A Heathen

Text:    Genesis 20:1-18      

Introduction

I.      Why does fear tend to dominate so many lives?

A.     We consider some fears to be irrational.

B.     Others strike us as being universal.

II.     We fear the things we don’t understand.

III.    We probably realize that fear is unreasonable.

A.     Our worst fears are rarely realized.

B.     Fear does not change the outcome.

IV.    Even so, some measure of fear seems commonplace.

A.     Some of the greatest men and women ever known have experienced fear.

B.     In cases where there is evidence that there is no reason to be fearful some were.

C.    Today we’re going to see what we can learn about fear from a truly great man: Abraham, the father of the faithful.

Text

I.      Worry And Fear Are Frequently Based Upon Facts.

A.     But those facts can often be incomplete (Philippians 4:6; (1 Peter 5:7)).

B.     God does not tell us our fears are unfounded.

C.    It seems even the most powerful believer struggles with fear.

II.     The Bible Tells Us That Abraham Was A Great Man Of Faith.

A.     In “The Role Call Of Faith” (Hebrews 11) Abraham is the star.

B.     But then we read of his encounter with Abimelech.

III.   Was It Faith Or Fear That Lead Abraham To Say That Sarah Was His Sister?

A.     We can’t imagine fear from such a man, but it can’t be faith.

B.     Consider the facts:

1.     God tells us that Abraham was a model of godly faith.

2.     God lets us know how Abraham acted when faced with danger.

3.     God must want us to see something here.

C.    Perhaps what God wants us to see is this:

1.     Faith isn’t something that you wake up with one morning.

2.     Faith doesn’t just happen.

3.     Faith is a journey.

4.     Faith comes over a long period of time.

5.     We learn faith, and it is God who teaches us.

D.    God teaches us faith by putting us in the midst of situations where we have to make painful decisions (Zechariah 13:9).

Conclusion

I.      We can probably agree that trials should be welcome, but the truth is that they are not.

II.     But surely we can also agree that our trials make us stronger.

A.     In turn, they make our faith stronger.

B.     As our faith becomes stronger our trust in God will also become stronger.

You are not finished when you lose. You are finished when you quit.