The Faith Fail

Sermon by: Bruce Zimmerman

Written by: Amy Adams

It’s not very hard to find trouble. There is trouble overseas, crime is going up, there is trouble at the borders, and there are people who have financial problems and health problems just to name a few. Jesus said in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!” We are to follow Him and know there is going to be trouble along the way.

Abram is mentioned more than any other person than in the New Testament. Abram moves in faith and follows God. Canaanites were in the land when Abraham got there. It wasn’t then and still continues to be a place that doesn’t welcomes outsiders. He hears and believes God, and worships God.

Abraham’s faith failed for a period of time though. Genesis 12:10- 13:4 talks about the journey of Abraham being a journey of trouble; troubles came even when he was following God. There was a severe famine in the land.. people were wondering how they were going to eat the next day month or even the next 6 months; disease, bugs, drought affected the land and killed the crops. When God came to Abram, he had immature baby faith. God is in the process of developing and maturing him. He allows trouble to come into his life. A mushroom can grow overnight, but not an oak tree. God is seeking to build an oak tree of faith in Abraham and in us. God knows what’s going to be needed in his life and ours down the road.

Romans 5:1-5 says: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness and he was tempted by the devil. The spirit of God led Him there. Troubles come even when we follow God. Abram panicked and said, “I got your promise. Now where’s the provision?” He went to Egypt when he panicked. Abram walked outside of what God had told him to do. Proverbs 3: 5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” God made manna appear on the ground; He made water come out of a rock; He brought herds of birds to the Israelites when they were wandering around in the wilderness. Sometimes His ways are not always conventional.

Abram went narcissistic. The rabbis said Sarah was so beautiful that she made all the other women look like monkeys. God made her that way. Abram wants her to say that “she’s his sister” so that Abram may live. Who would concoct such a plan? He walked away from trusting God with his provisions and protection. Adultery was very wrong. Back then, they would have to kill the husband first. God says it’s all sin. It’s out of His plan. Abram is just focused on himself at this time. There’s a fable that Abraham stuffed Sarah into a basket on his way into Egypt and he lied about what was in the basket. They didn’t believe him and when Sarah came out, she lit up Egypt because of how radiant she was. Abram’s sin “snowballed” – he made Sarah go along with his story about her being his sister. He received gifts for her by Pharaoh. He received sheep, donkey, oxen, camels, female and male servants. But, he lost his integrity. It was a system failure. When Pharaoh found out she was his husband, he gave her back and told them to leave after the severe famine came upon his house. “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can be given in exchange for their soul?” Matthew 16:25-26.

Troubles came to Pharaoh’s house when Abram failed. Plagues are described as a skin disease in some parts of the Bible when it’s inflicted on a person, like boils, rash, or leprosy. All of Pharaoh’s house are struck with the skin plague. They somehow knew it was connected and tells Abram and Sarai to get out. It was a system failure of epic proportions. There are no altars of God in Egypt. God uses trouble to steer Abram back to the promised land. He failed to trust and depend on Him, so he decided to go back to the place of provision and worship Him. John 4:24 says: “God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” These stories are given to us for our trust and for our benefit.

Troubles come even when we’re following God. Troubles come even when we push the panic button. Troubles come even when we resort to narcissism. Troubles come when we allow sin to snowball. Troubles come to others in our path when we fail. Troubles come to steer us back to God. God’s not going after mushrooms, He’s going after oak trees. Someone said: “Don’t let your troubles come between you and God. Let God come between you and your troubles.” Jesus loves you and He’s calling on you today to walk out of the darkness and come into His glorious light. Come walk with God and come back home!