Intro: Abraham is called "the father of us all" - Rom 4:16 -
how is that? By following his example of faith. Hebrews 11
has more to say about him than any other - Lk 16:23-30 -
Paradise is called Abraham's bosom

I) Trust in God's promises
A) Land of his own - Gen 12:1; 15:7,13-18
B) Great nation - Gen 12:2; 15:1-6 - did not waver from
this - Rom 4:18-22
C) All families blessed in him - Gen 12:3 - a blessing that
 we share in - Rom 4:23-25; Gal 3:14-18

II) Faith in obedience
A) Kept the covenant - Gen 17:1-27 - why do men today
 question the sign of God's New Covenant? - Col 2:11,12
B) Offered Isaac - Gen 22:1-19; Heb 11:17-19 - works are
 faith revealed - Jas 2:17-24

III) Faith in life's direction
A) Left homeland - Heb 11:8 - and would not let Isaac return
 - Gen 24:5-9 - when we leave this world we should not turn
 back - Gal 4:1-9 - (read article from Reader's Digest) do we
 fix our eyes on Jesus - Heb 12:1,2
B) Alien in promised land - Heb 11:9; Gen 23:3,4; 24:2-4 -
 Peter described the saints as aliens - 1 Pet 1:1; Heb 11:13-16
 - yet we are too comfortable in this life - Lk 12:19,20 - don't
 become concerned about your barns
C) Yet Abraham was satisfied with his life - Gen 25:7,8
 - as was Paul - 2 Tim 4:6,7

Concl: Abraham was not perfect - Gen 12:11-13; 20:2 - but
 is put before us as an example of faith that we should have
 in God and what walking by faith really means - 2 Cor 5:7
 - and what it means to have Abraham as our father
 - Gal 3:28,29