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[Sermon] Genesis 12:10-20; The God of Abraham: Starting & Stumbling

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Abram claimed that Sarai was his sister, rather than his wife.
-Failure of faith
Worry & Fear --> Failure of faith.
What happens when our faith fails?

Abram Faces a Famine
v10 - Abram knew very little of God (?) and didn't think God had power over natural disasters.

Abram faces the future
v10-13 - Marrying his wife, and having her pose as his sister to an Egyptian to not get killed.
-Plan = evil, ignored power & presence of God in these times --> doubts
Abram looked to his wife to bring him blessing; but God had promised Abram to make him great and be a blessing. WRONG.
His fears were hypothetical & ethics were situational.
Abram was wrong to assume that he would be killed.
Sinful deception began.

Abram's fears are fulfilled
v14-16
Abram was not the victim of what he feared: he was caused of what came to pass.
Abram's plan only considered the men in Egypt, but didn't consider the Pharoah. 
Much time is needed to take a woman into the palace as queen.
Prosperity is never a blessing without God.

Divine deliverance and royal rebuke
v17-19 God intervened without even being asked.
(Serious diseases inflicted on pharoah)
Abram was confronted by Pharoah and roundly rebuked. The irony of the situation is obvious: here is a pagan correcting a prophet.
v20; Abram was escorted away.
God protected him despite his lack of faith.
Famine come from God as a test if faith, so if the people if God wish not to face famine, they must face failure.

1. When God promises the 'ends', he also provides the means.
2. Our faith fails because our God is too small. (J.B. Phillips : Your God is too small)
3. Situational ethics is wrong because it always refuses tk believe jn the sovereignty of God. (1 Cor 10:13- No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are temptee, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up for it.)
4. When our faith fails, God doesn't.
(2 Tim 2:13 - If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot deny himself)

Failure is painful, but it doesn't stop the purposes of God. Trust in our God, not ourself.

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