Abraham's Example of Faith

This is the outline I preached from last Sunday. Amazingly, without planning it to come off this way, it became a sequal to last weeks sermon. It seems I have a little mini-series developing here! Any way, here it is:

1. Intro:
1. Greeting
2. Recap of Last Week:
1. We saw Paul's example of righteous waiting.
1. He Waited
2. He Got Distressed
3. He Acted
3. Today we'll be looking at Romans 4:19-21, and Abraham's example of faith.
2. Scripture: Romans 4:19-21 (18-22 for context)
3. Pray
4. Point 1: Face the Facts (vs 19)
1. Explain the context of the verses pertaining to the book verses the context of this story.
2. Context: Abraham was promised offspring as numerous as the stars. He was already very old and Sarah was considered barren.
3. Application:
1. We are like Abraham spiritually; dead.
2. We are as good as dead because of sin.
3. We need to recognize that without God, we're worthless.
4. We need to face the facts of our human state of being.
4. Illustration: Missions week @ Bethany 1st semester was a flop but 2nd semester was a huge success because I recognized I couldn't do it; it had to be God doing it all.
5. Point 2: Don't Waver (1st part of verse 20)
1. Explain Waver
2. Context: Abraham could have hesitated and not believed what God told him. He could've given up because of his age and walked away from the promise of God. Instead he was strengthened in his faith.
3. Application: We need to stand and act in confidence in what God is having us do, in where he is having us go. We cannot doubt or "waver."
4. Illustration: How many times does scripture tell us to not doubt, to have courage, or stand firm when we need to do something? If we doubt or waver it just makes things worse for us. (James 1:5-8).
6. Point 3: Give Glory to God (last part of 20 & 21)
1. Context: Despite Abraham's physical circumstances, Abraham believed God was going to follow through on His promise and gave God glory for it. Unfortunately, he had to be persuaded to believe this. Remember Hagar & Ishmael?
2. Application: We've seen many examples about God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. We need to stay constantly persuaded and give glory to God because He will do what He promises.
3. Illustration: How many of us have experienced God's promises being fulfilled? What about beyond the examples in the Bible? Most believers can share personal examples. Ways from our own lives that God has provided and fulfilled His promises. There's been a number of times God's provided for me just when I needed it most, especially financially! In fact when I learned I needed to preach and speak at churches to raise my finances for my trip, God provided that ability!
7. Conclusion: We need to follow Abraham's example of Faith.
1. We need to face the facts of our humanity and thus our own inability.
2. We need to not waver or doubt God's abilities but instead believe more fully on Him.
3. We need to give glory to God because we know He has the power to do what He promises.
   

Preaching Weekly

A friend of mine, Pastor Tinsley Stetson of New Hope Assembly in Garberville has some stuff going on with him. He has a mechanical heart valve that was put in many years ago but he has lately had some complications with the aorta going into the valve. When they did the surgery, they just stitched the aorta back to the heart. Now that place has began to swell so he has to have it reattached because it may rupture if it keeps swelling. Thus, he cannot preach or do anything for that matter that may raise his blood pressure. Pray for him.

How this effects me? He needs someone to fill his pulpit until he's recovered from the surgery and has asked me to do so. I jumped at the oppurtunity because it'll be the first time I've preached multiple Sundays back to back and I need the practice to be able to put sermons together on a weekly basis. I'm excited! It's fortunate yet unfortunate circumstances so keep it in your prayers. Hopefully I'll be posting the sermons here so keep checking back here.

I preached at Tinsley Stetson's church, New Hope Assembly of God in Garberville today. I wanted to post the sermon outline that I used for all to see and hopefully give some feedback on. I hope you like it and are blessed by it. If you want to put it a little more in context, go ahead and read the passage from the beginning of the chapter to the end and you'll understand more about what's going on here.

I. Intro:

1. Today, we’ll be looking at Acts 17:16-17. It’s a short chunk of scripture that’s going to illustrate how Paul acted in a situation of waiting.

II. Read Scripture: Acts 17: 1-17

III. Pray

IV. Point 1 : Paul Was Waiting

1. Context: How did Paul come to be waiting? What was he waiting for?

2. Application: We all go through times of waiting of all kinds.

3. Illustration: I’ve been waiting for my trip to Macedonia…

V. Point 2: Paul Got Distressed

1. Context: Paul was righteously distressed; not by waiting itself but by his surroundings.

2. Application: We get distressed by the wrong things when we’re waiting. We get caught up by waiting itself!

3. Illustration: I’ve gotten frustrated by the waiting…

VI. Point 3: Paul Acted

1. Context: Paul observed his surroundings, saw a need for God and acted.

2. Application: We need to be watching for opportunities in the midst of our times of waiting and be willing to act boldly, in confidence when the opportunity arises.

3. Illustration: Prayer event story…

VII. Conclusion:

1. Waiting: We all go through a waiting stage.

2. Distress: We need to be righteously distressed.

3. Acting: We need to act when the opportunity is presented.

VIII. Close in Prayer