The Purpose of Your Life: A Study of Abraham

“If we suffer the neglect of this, we shall undo all. What are we like to do ourselves to the reforming of a congregation, if all the work be cast on us alone; and masters of families neglect that necessary duty of their own, by which they are bound to help us? If any good be begun by the ministry in any soul, a careless, prayerless, worldly family is like to stifle it, or very much hinder it; whereas, if you could but get the rulers of families to do their duty, to take up the work where you left it, and help it on, what abundance of good might be done!” (from The Reformed Pastor, Richard Baxter) What is the modern church’s greatest untapped evangelistic opportunity? I think that the answer is clear. The greatest opportunity to make new disciples of Christ is given to fathers. If the modern church is to thrive, she must recover the fatherhood model that we see in Scripture. Over the next few minutes, let’s take a look at Abraham. Abraham’s Calling When God called Abraham, He called him to fulfill the Great Commission. Abraham’s call and commission sets forth the great evangelistic program of God for all of human history. In Genesis 12, God makes an incredible promise regarding the means of salvation for the following generations, and he links it to the transgenerational fatherhood of Abraham. God says to Abraham: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And, in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). Put simply, evangelism is the blessing of the “nations” and the “families of the earth”. Later, in Genesis 15, God affirms the covenant and elaborates on it: “‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’ But Abram said, ‘Lord God, what will You give me seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?' Then Abram said, ‘Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!’ And behold the word of the Lord came to him saying, 'This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’ Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And he said to him, ‘so shall your descendants be’” (Genesis 15:1-5). Notice that God's promise to Abraham (which was ultimately fulfilled in Christ, for the salvation of multitudes) is linked to Abraham’s role as a father to future fathers, who would follow in his footsteps.   The result? Through Abraham’s seed, “all the families of the earth [would] be blessed”. What a promise! At the end of the age, there will be multitudes of people from every tongue, tribe, and nation, worshipping before the throne of God. God is assembling this multitude now. How will this be accomplished? How will God’s promise be fulfilled? By a father. Through a father (Abraham), God will bring forth a godly heritage from one generation to the next.   Fatherhood and … Evangelism? To fully comprehend God’s call upon Abraham, we need to understand the link between fatherhood and evangelism. Sadly, most Christians do not make any connection between fatherhood and evangelism. However, the Bible makes it clear that fatherhood is one of God's chief evangelistic enterprises. God created fathers to be His great multigenerational evangelists.   Scripture inextricably links fatherhood and evangelism. This is true in the Old Testament, and it is also true in the New Testament. Says the writer of Hebrews:   “Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude – innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore” (Hebrews 11:12). From the seed of Abraham, believers were rescued from darkness through the kindness of a covenant-keeping God.   Note also Paul’s teaching on the qualifications for eldership. Paul clearly links the roles of father and elder. Paul asks, “[I]f a man cannot manage his household well, how will he be able to lead the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:5) We see Paul arguing that fatherhood and eldership are intimately intertwined. Hence, a man’s effectiveness as an elder is connected to his faithfulness as a father. Genesis 18 makes it clear that the evangelistic enterprise of Abraham is woven into the fabric of his family life. God-honoring relationships with his wife, household, and offspring are crucial to his mission. In Abraham, we see a powerful connection between home life and evangelism. With this as our introduction, let’s dive deeper into Genesis 18, where God reveals Abraham’s life purpose. Walking By Faith In Genesis 18, we get a glimpse of Abraham’s walk by faith. He is a man of intimacy with God. He loves God and demonstrates that love through his hospitality. Abraham teaches his children to walk with God; he teaches future generations to spread God’s Name on the earth, so that all the nations and families of the earth would be blessed. This beautiful narrative allows us a glimpse into the household of Abraham. We see the family’s glaring weaknesses. We also see their strengths. We see Abraham for the man he is. He’s not a perfect father or husband. Nonetheless, this imperfect father has been chosen by God to declare His glory. In this way, God comforts the rest of us imperfect fathers. He gives clear direction regarding Abraham’s purpose and thus our purpose. After all, as spiritual sons of Abraham, our purpose is the same as Abraham’s purpose. In this text, we see Abraham passing on a vigorous, God-centered family life that future generations should imitate. Let’s take a look at Genesis 18:1-19. ‘Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”

‘They said, “Do as you have said.”

‘So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.

‘Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

‘So he said, “Here, in the tent.”

‘And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

‘(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

‘And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

‘But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.

‘And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

‘Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way. And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”’ A Snapshot of Family Life Abraham was living in Hebron when God gave him a life purpose. Genesis 18 provides a snapshot of God’s ministry to a family and through a family. As with all families, we see a mixture of joy and sorrow, provision and pressure. God has prospered this family, yet Abraham’s wife Sarah is barren. Abraham himself is beyond the age of normal fertility, and his wife is well past the age of childbearing. But both are longing for a child.   Profound tensions are often created when a family lives with this kind of disappointment. And as we all know, unfulfilled desires can cause us to panic and compromise. Abraham and Sarah demonstrate this.   An Imperfect Family From the biblical narratives of Abraham’s life, it is clear that, at times, the family stepped beyond godly wisdom. They used worldly methods to accomplish their own purposes (consider the situations with Hagar and Abimelech). Nevertheless, we see Abraham and Sarah ministering to the Lord and his guests, and caring about the lost people of Sodom. Though not a perfect family, we see God’s mercy through it. There are many interesting things to observe in Genesis 18. But, let’s not jump ahead of ourselves. We first note the example of Abraham as a provider and a leader in his household. He demonstrates how an exemplary man leads his home. God works through our everyday lives. Things were no different in Abraham’s household. Unfulfilled Dreams Though they have unfulfilled dreams, Abraham’s family is marked by faith. The husband, Abraham, is a friend of God. According to Paul, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, is godly and submissive. While not perfect, she loves and respects her husband. In the New Testament, we learn that Sarah calls Abraham “lord” (1 Peter 3:1-6). She loves her husband. She follows her husband. Genesis 18 provides for us some wonderful pictures of family life in the house of Abraham. Let’s take a look. Intimacy with God First, we see a picture of intimacy with God. The family involves itself in preparations for a shared meal with visitors (One being of divine nature). We see Abraham and Sarah showing humble hospitality to their guests; they foster a loving context for fellowship with them. We see God draw near to Abraham, and Abraham respond with the heart of a child. He appears to be genuinely happy to be in the presence of the honored guests. He is energized. He is reverent but active. He is humble, but he is also vigorously responsive to the needs of his guests. Godly Government in the Home Secondly, Genesis 18 presents a clear picture of a godly government in the home. Sarah is a submissive wife ready to serve the guests. She shows all of the qualities of humble hospitality. Abraham and Sarah have prepared their servants to be a blessing to all those who come by. God blesses those who enter this household. John Calvin explains it this way: “[H]e presents us … with a beautiful picture of domestic government … Here is the sweet concord of a well-conducted family” (p 471, Calvin’s Commentaries, vol. 1, Baker Books). Guests in this home are honored. This is seen in the arrival of the visitors and their meal with Abraham in verses 1-8. “Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground.” This was a normal day in a normal place. But what do we find in this passage? In the first verse, we learn that God appeared to Abraham. In the second verse, we learn that there were three visitors. But these were not normal people. Who are they? Scholars have various opinions. I believe that one of the visitors is the pre-incarnate Christ, the second Person of the Trinity. The other two are angels. This story recounts the intimate fellowship between the Lord, two angels, Abraham, and his family.   Abraham is unaware that he is entertaining angels. He has simply not “forgotten to entertain strangers” (Hebrews 13:2). On this day in Abraham’s life, the strangers are “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). Abraham experiences the blessing of God’s protecting love. It is clear that angels appear in order to protect, serve, and communicate God’s will to His people. Abraham is letting “brotherly love continue,” by remembering “to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”  God’s love is displayed here, as it is clear that God takes the initiative. These three visitors meet Abraham at the door of his tent. Interestingly, in the next chapter, two angels meet Lot at the gate of the city. Perhaps this indicates a difference between Abraham’s family and Lot’s family. We could speculate that Abraham is ruling his household from the door of his tent, so the Lord comes to his home to speak with him there. In contrast, the Lord meets Lot on different turf. Lot is a man of the world, who is neglecting his family for the city gates. So the Lord meets him at the city gates. Abraham is a Friend of God God’s friendship with Abraham is displayed. God initiates the relationship. Abraham did nothing to get close to God. On the contrary, God pursues Abraham. The truth is, we only get as close as God allows. He calls. He speaks. He comes. God draws Abraham in, for “no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him” (John 6:44). In this account, the Lord comes to Abraham as He has already come before (12:7 and 17:1).   This is just one more affirmation in Scripture that God created the world so that unity, honor, and intimacy would exist between God and man. This intimacy with God should be the hallmark of every Christian father. As sons of Abraham, we also stand before God, and He calls us into fellowship. This is the most important aspect of a father’s life – intimacy with God. Abraham Displays Manhood This story puts vigorous godly manhood on display. Abraham is a manly and proactive person. There is much we can learn from him about manhood in the home. He is ready to serve. In humility, Abraham bowed to the strangers; showing us an understanding of humble servanthood. He is service-oriented.   Abraham is Hospitable We’ve already touched on this topic a bit, but in Genesis 18, the hospitality of Abraham is very clearly put on display: “So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts” (Genesis 18:2-3). He demonstrates that hospitality depends mostly upon a man’s attitude and not upon his resources (although Abraham did have resources, it was his heart of service that put his resources in play). What matters most is not how much space you have or what resources you have, but whether or not you have a heart disposition towards service. The New Testament emphasizes our need to serve others, even those who are strangers. Because Abraham was hospitable to strangers, he actually entertained angels! Abraham is also a cheerful giver, and God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7). Abraham modeled 1 Peter 4:9-11 style hospitality: “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” As fathers, may we learn from Abraham’s example, and lead our families into a lifestyle of hospitality. Abraham is Gracious ‘They said, “Do as you have said”’ (Gen. 18:5b). Abraham has a way about him. He describes his hospitable intentions. We see in Abraham the same brand of kindness that is required of elders in the New Testament. Titus 1:8 elevates the grace of loving strangers. Abraham honored his guests by bowing down to the ground.   Abraham is Generous ‘So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate’ (Gen. 18:6-8). Abraham is the opposite of the stingy man mentioned in Proverbs 23:28, “Do not eat the food of a stingy man … he is always thinking about the cost.” Abraham takes his time and resources and puts them at the service of his guests. Hospitality is not free; it costs money. The family budget will be affected by it. But the godly man redirects funds toward hospitality -- funds that might have been spent on property or luxury items. Abraham demonstrates that a lifestyle of hospitality requires a different set of values regarding resources. Hospitality doesn’t just require you to rethink possessions and cash; it also requires a different set of values regarding time. Hospitality takes time. Over-scheduled people often neglect hospitality because no time is left for it in their busy schedule. Abraham has Authority Abraham leads his household. Though he gives clear instructions to his wife, he is in no way tyrannical. Scripture teaches that Sarah willingly submitted to her husband, “calling him lord.” She possessed the “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” of peaceful obedience to her husband (1 Peter 3:1-6).   Abraham effectively deployed the workers in his household. We see the whole household working together under the loving direction of their head. A Spirit of Urgency The language of the text includes words that indicate a spirit of urgency in Abraham. Abraham “ran” and “hurried”. He asked Sarah to “quickly” make preparations. This spirit of urgency reveals an attitude of service and labor in Abraham’s household. In his home, there is a culture of urgent service, not a laid back or retiring one. A Household in Order Abraham has his house in order. He is leading. He is not passive. He has created a well-ordered home, which is critical for carrying out the blessing of hospitality. When it is time to act, everyone knows what to do and how to do it. Here we interject a question: “How important is a well-ordered home to God’s plan of redemption?” Abraham, the father of all who believe, provides for us a wonderful example of loving leadership in his home. In the plan of redemption, it mattered how Abraham managed his household. For this reason, it also matters how a Christian father (who is a spiritual son of Abraham) manages his household. It is especially important that a church leader “manages his own household well”. Abraham is Personal Remember that Abraham was ninety-nine years old. He was wealthy, with at least three hundred and eighteen servants who could wield the sword (Gen. 14:14). Abraham did not need to lift a finger; he had enormous resources that would have allowed him to delegate everything. Instead, he personally served his guests. He took personal action so that his visitors could eat an intimate meal together.   Abraham’s manner of hospitality leads to intimacy. This helpful example shows us that intimacy is the goal of hospitality. Our households have been designed by God to be intensely personal, encouraging, and relational. We live in a world of impersonal institutions where people have a hard time building relationships. The Christian home is a tremendous counterbalance, and a good example for our children.   A Message of Hope... Laughed At? ‘Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

‘So he said, “Here, in the tent.”

‘And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

‘(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

‘And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

‘But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”’ (Gen. 18:9-15). The angels asked Abraham a question about his wife. “Where is Sarah your wife?” They do not address Sarah directly. God, through these angels, asks Abraham about his wife. We should take note of this. This can help us understand the Lord’s tender interest in the welfare of our wives. God has placed our wives under our care, and He expects us to cherish them. Husbands are responsible for the care of their wives. God will hold men accountable. We know from Scripture that a man cannot express just any kind of love to his wife; his love must have specific qualities. It should be like Christ’s love for the church (Eph. 5:22-33). A husband must know his wife’s spiritual condition. He must “live with her in an understanding way.” The way that God approaches Abraham makes this clear.   The message that the angels have for Abraham’s wife is a message of hope. The Lord tells Sarah of her upcoming pregnancy. Until this point, Sarah was barren. Interestingly, Sarah stands as the first of a long line of women in the Bible who struggled with barrenness: Rebekah, Rachel, Manoah’s wife, Hannah, and Elizabeth (the wife of Zacharias). God dealt differently with each woman, but He always acted in faithful accordance with His own Sovereign grace. Through these women’s barrenness, God glorified Himself and, in the end, blessed them in a unique way. The Lord didn’t leave them alone in their plight. Throughout life, God will confirm His promises to us. This is what we see happening in Genesis 18. The visitors came to reaffirm God’s promise to Abraham. As promised, Abraham will have a son through his wife Sarah. This promise is given in spite of the fact that Sarah has passed the age of childbearing.   Sarah responds in disbelief. From what we can gather, she mocking laughed in the privacy of her own heart. Unfortunately, she has a cynical heart. But, as we read in 1 Samuel 16:7, “man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart”.   Here, Sarah does not acknowledge the greatness of God’s power. She is struggling with her situation so much that she begins to doubt God’s promises. This is the spirit of naturalistic philosophy. Under the influence of our godless culture, we begin to live as if we could control the things of greatest importance. We look to naturalistic means and forget God’s means. We are surrounded by atheism and it affects us profoundly. God’s encounter with Sarah reminds us that He is in control; He can defy the laws of nature, so He calls all of His children to do exactly what He called Sarah to do: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on their own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5).   The truth is, we often have puny and narrow thoughts. Married to a Sinner Abraham now faces a problem that confronts every husband from time to time. His wife is sinning. Sarah is cynical toward God. She lies about her true thoughts. In these circumstances, what should a husband do?   Observe the way that God handles this situation with Sarah. He reveals the truth about her sin, but is gracious and kind toward her. Instead of directly confronting her, God confronts her through her husband.   Why does God confront Sarah’s sin? Because He loves Sarah. In a well-ordered house, sin must be regularly confronted. As we see here, God’s means for confronting sin is through the head of the household. God Holds Abraham Accountable God approaches Sarah through her husband, the head of the house. Though it was Sarah who sinned, this was also Abraham’s problem, because Sarah was his wife. God asks Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?” By this question, God upholds His established order for the home. Abraham is responsible for his household. Sadly, since Adam, most men have been blame-shifters in their homes. They blame everyone around them for their own domestic failures. But God places the responsibility squarely on the head of the household.   Under the New Covenant, we continue to see the husband’s accountability for his family:

Confronting and Comforting God confronts Abraham, but he also comforts him. God asks, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (v. 14). Notably, the word “hard” could also be translated “wonderful”. Just imagine the Lord saying this to you in your difficult situation: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Is anything too wonderful for Him? (See also Job 42:2; Jer. 32:17; Luke 1:37; Eph. 3:20-21). God comforts His people by reminding them of His power. This is why He says so often, “My grace is sufficient.” When Paul was beset with his thorn in the flesh, God comforted him: ‘And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me' (2 Cor. 12:9). Sarah denies laughing. However, God replies, “No, but you did laugh.” Even though Sarah lied to the Lord (and her husband), God shows mercy toward her. In our eyes, Sarah lost her integrity, but the Lord loves her with an everlasting love. God is patient with her; Abraham should be also. In all relationships where sin is present, we must remember that only God can judge the heart. God’s Mercy Towards Sarah In Psalm 103:10-14, the kindness of God toward sinners comes through clearly: “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” With one hand, God is addressing and confronting sin; with the other, He is demonstrating mercy. As it is the glory of God to show mercy to sinners, so it is the glory of a husband to forgive his wife for her weaknesses. Some husbands can be obsessed about the “lack of integrity” that they see in their wives, and miss the opportunity to display the grace of God toward them as fellow sinners. What a marvelous role God has ordained for heads of households! In this very interesting context, God finally reveals to Abraham the purpose of his life. In Abraham’s ninety-ninth year, the stage was finally set for the great instructions to come. We see here the practical piety of Abraham’s home life, which will be passed on to future generations. God's Plan for Abraham In this chapter, we see one of the Bible’s clearest and most powerful descriptions of a man’s mission in life. This passage draws together many of the themes regarding fatherhood taught throughout Scripture. God communicates Abraham’s purpose in what appears to be a soliloquy. In a play, a soliloquy is a mechanism used to communicate a special message to the audience to help them understand the significance of the actions on stage (those familiar with Shakespeare know that he often used this technique). Typically, an actor comes to the side of the stage and explains to the audience what is happening in the mind of the character, as if the main character cannot hear. This is what God does here in Genesis 18:17-19. He comments on the scene, but He does not share His thoughts with Abraham: ‘And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him”’ (Gen. 18:17-19). God has chosen Abraham for a powerful purpose. Abraham has the commission to bless all of the families of the earth. How is this accomplished? In the raising up of sons and daughters whose number will be like the stars in the heavens and the sand on the seashore. The Abrahamic covenant clearly links with the evangelism and fatherhood. Blessing the World Through a Family When the Lord spoke about Abraham -- saying that “all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” -- He expressed the wisdom of His method for reaching the world. When God wants to do something wonderful, He often uses a family. In the Bible, there are many families that God uses to bless the world. In the beginning, Adam and Eve were instructed to take dominion over Eden. ‘Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth”’ (Gen. 1:28). When God wanted to preserve His righteous seed from being wiped out by a wicked world, He chose Noah and his family (this family of eight is the origin of all who are alive today). When the Lord wanted to bless the world, He appointed the family of Abraham (Gen. 22:17). To bring salvation to mankind, God sent His only begotten Son to this earth, where He created a family – the family of God (Gal. 6:10). This family is “the church of the living God” and the “pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Tim. 3:15). It is composed of spiritual brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. Clearly, the family is a central aspect of God’s purpose in redemptive history. Fathers must preach the gospel to their families and bring up children “in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4). Fathers are essential to God’s plan for the salvation of the lost. This is seen in the Abrahamic Covenant, but also applies to the Great Commission. Conduits of Blessings Christian families are a multigenerational conduit of God’s blessings for many. For this reason, Satan wants to destroy families. His attacks on the Christian family always have implications far beyond a single generation. From the very beginning, Satan has been at war with the “seed of the woman” (Genesis 3:15). He knows that sin is the only thing that can defeat the exponential impact of godly seed multiplying generationally. Sin is the reason families fall apart. Sin extinguishes seed. We see this in the account of Cain and Abel. “[S]in is crouching at the door, but you must master it” (Gen. 4:7), God told Cain. Cain rejected the Lord’s counsel. Sin has been the source of all family problems since Adam. Satan’s Pre-emergent A pre-emergent is a chemical which kills seedlings before they ever appear above ground. The Devil often works like a pre-emergent. Satan’s destructive power is focused on families. His purpose? To reduce the probability of faith taking root and growing within children. From the very beginning, Satan has been in the family-destroying business. We see this in the first three chapters of Genesis. The Devil sought to separate Adam and Eve from the Lord by questioning God’s sufficiency. Satan capitalized on Adam’s passivity; in the end, Adam did not protect his wife from the voice of the serpent. Instead, he blamed his wife for their problems. “It was the woman whom thou gavest me”, Adam said. Later, Cain became resentful and killed his brother. Cain and his family became vagabonds, fracturing the family for many generations. Sin stands in the way of God’s blessings. The attack on the family is central to Lucifer’s war against mankind -- his global, transgenerational war against the seed of the woman. In his attempt to wipe out the knowledge of God from one generation to the next, the Devil attacks the family. If they ever hope to stand against the wiles of the Devil, fathers must understand Satan’s genocidal, spermicidal, patricidal, matricidal strategy. Fathers must know that the Devil will viciously attack their families. They must stand and protect their families from sin. In the end, Satan’s schemes will fail. God’s irrevocable, incontrovertible plan will succeed. Through the seed of Abraham, God will keep godly seed alive. Impacting the World for Christ Abraham’s family will have a global impact. God will multiply this family globally. Genesis 18:18 means that Abraham’s offspring will multiply and migrate in such a way that they will impact the whole world. Again, the messianic prophesy in Genesis 12:2 says, “all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him”. The Gospel will be spread by the seed of Abraham. Again, let me suggest that fathers are at the center of God’s evangelistic efforts all over the globe. They function in the same way as John the Baptist; they point the world to Christ. As John said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Fathers, what does this mean for your family? Do you understand that the Devil is at war with your home? Do you see your duty to fulfill the Great Commission? Is your home a center for evangelism? An Ancient Mission Statement After making it clear to us that Abraham’s family would be used for global blessing, the Lord reveals the specific duties that Abraham is responsible to fulfill. “For I have known Him, in order that...” This is the passage’s key phrase. We discover the purpose of Abraham’s life and his family duties. Notably, this section of Genesis 18 reads almost like a modern mission statement. In a very few words, we see Abraham’s life purpose. What is more striking is that the statement is not Abraham’s personal vision statement. It is God’s vision. There is nothing more encouraging than knowing your purpose in life. The flip side is also true. If you do not know your purpose, you will be easily lost in a sea of conflicting desires; you won’t know which ones to serve. “For I have known Him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him” (Gen. 18:19). It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of this statement. We note three things in this verse:

God has an agenda us as fathers. May we remember it. Commander in Chief A father who “commands his children” is a father who has a direction in mind. Because his commands are based upon God’s commands, they are non-negotiable directions for his household. In this way, a father brings the government of God into his home. Without these holy governing principles, your family will become a curse to the world rather than a blessing, because your children will spread the sin that they learned at home. Contrast that with the godly man, who commands his household to live in a way that is consistent with the character of the King of that kingdom.   Is it appropriate for fathers to issue commands? Yes. There are several reasons for this. First, fathers are charged by God to issue commands, as we see here in this passage. Second, Scripture teaches that fathers are to lead their families. And third, fathers bear responsibility before God for the direction of their homes, so it is absolutely imperative that they provide guidance.   This biblical principle stands in sharp contrast to the modern mentality which assumes no primary authority in the home (and no responsibility if the home falls apart). Many men don’t lead because they don’t know that they are supposed to. Because they have been breathing feminist air all their lives, they don’t see headship as their responsibility. Some men don’t lead because they don’t know how (this is why many men in our Christian culture are afraid to lead their homes). And still others have wives who don’t allow them to lead. These men forget that they will stand before God (not their wives) and give an account for those who were under their authority (Hebrews 13:17). Keeping the Way of the Lord A father must lead with clear objectives in mind -- with certain results in focus: “That they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice”. Abraham’s children are to “keep the way of the Lord”. This means that they are to be governed by God. This is one of a man’s most important jobs in life. He is charged to raise children who are governed by God, not by their passions or peers. Abraham calls upon his children to follow the Lord, and to reject the ways of the world. This is similar to the command that Jeremiah issued, “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles” (Jer. 10:2). Paul delivered a similar command to “no longer walk as the Gentiles walk” (Eph. 4:17). Fathers are to teach their children that:  “There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12).   Clearly, the way that our children go is a life or death matter. Psalm 1:6 states:  “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.” In John 14:6, Jesus said:   “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me.” Only Two Roads There are only two options. Either you will follow the way of the Lord or the way of the world. The first is a narrow path; it has fewer travelers, but it leads to life. The second is a broad road; it is popular and well-traveled, but it leads to destruction. A father should know which road his children are traveling on. When he knows, he will be able to counsel appropriately, and ensure that his children are walking the right road. This task isn’t easy; nonetheless, it is a father’s responsibility. Doing Righteousness and Justice “[K]eep the way of the Lord” is not a vague command. There is specificity here. To keep the way of the Lord, our lives and the lives of our children must be characterized by “righteousness and justice”. Securing the hearts of children toward God’s righteousness and justice is the work of a father. Children characterized by righteousness and justice are a blessing in every community. God’s plan is to deploy families committed to righteousness and justice, so that they can bless “all the families of the earth”. So how do we as fathers instill a love for righteousness and justice in our children? A father ought to bring his children around him and personally and patiently teach them how to fulfill the will of God in their generation and in the generations to come. He must pass the baton of faith to his children; faith which includes the practical community outworking of the law of God. Righteousness and justice do not come naturally to the fallen children of Adam, so God commands fathers to teach their children the way of the Lord. It takes much diligence for a father to accomplish this, but the consequences of laziness in this work are devastating for generations to come. John Calvin urged his readers to order their households with diligence: “But in the person of Abraham, He has prescribed it as a law to all His servants, that they should endeavour to bring all who are subject to them into the same society of faith with themselves. For every family of the pious ought to be a church. Therefore, if we desire to prove our piety, we must labour that every one of us may have his house ordered in obedience to God” (p. 455, Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. 1, Baker Books). A Discipleship Community The family is God’s smallest discipleship community. But it is much more than that. The family is to be the place where the knowledge of God is cast to future generations -- the wonderful place where God’s ways are tasted and treasured. To make this vision a reality, a father must lead his home in “the way of the Lord”, teaching his children to do “justice and righteousness.” Though a wife might try to lead this effort, the Lord gives fathers the responsibility to make it happen.   Church leaders should want to see this vision for fatherhood fulfilled. If you are a church leader, pause here for a moment. Contemplate what expectations you have for the fathers in your congregation. Are your expectations consistent with the commands given to Abraham?   A Most Important Work By demonstrating God’s faithfulness, Abraham blesses more than his immediate children. His fruit will be seen generation after generation. The Lord says that He will “bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” What a beautiful picture of the certainty of God’s promises! Abraham will be the father of a multitude who will stand before God, whose number is as the stars in the heavens and the sand on the seashore. The work of fatherhood is the most important work that a man can do. Unfortunately, many men forsake this purpose for other purposes. A Purposeful, Ordinary Life Abraham was by the Terebinth trees of Mamre -- an ordinary place. But it was there that God gave him a life vision. By commanding his children, he would bless the nations. Perhaps you are in a similar situation. You have just read Genesis 18. You are sitting in an ordinary place – there is no fanfare or writing in the sky to tell you that there is something important here for you. Like Abraham, remember that you serve God through the ordinary moments in life – the ordinary, family moments. Your family can be a part of God’s plan to bless all the nations of the earth. In this sense, your work as a father is an evangelistic work; it is related to the fulfillment of God’s promises in the Abrahamic covenant. Christ Fulfilled God’s Promises to Abraham   Jesus Christ performed every fatherhood function that God gave to Abraham. But unlike Abraham, Christ performed God’s will perfectly. Issuing over one hundred commands to his disciples, Jesus called them to walk in justice and righteousness. Jesus was the blessing of God to all the families of the earth; we see this in His interaction with every family that He encountered. Christ fulfilled the blessings of Abraham for the families of Lazarus, the nobleman, the Gadarene demoniac, the woman at the well, and others. He was a source of healing to every family and family member that He ever encountered. What God promised to Abraham applies to all who are the spiritual children of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:6; 22:17-18; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10; Rom. 4:23-24; 9:7-8; Gal. 3:7). Every promise of the Old Testament is “yes” in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). What God promised to do through Abraham will be continued by every father who is following Jesus Christ. Fathers, may we have the faith of Abraham. May we disciple our children according to the law of God, so that we, as Christ’s followers, are a blessing to all of the families of the earth. May the Lord be with us.