Walk Before Me And Be Blameless
28 FEBRUARY 2021 | TRADITIONAL SERVICE
Rev Michael Tan
Scripture Passage: Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16 (NIV)
WATCH | SERMON (VIDEO)
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Summary | Gen 17 begins with God appearing to Abram with the message, “I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless”. God Almighty in Hebrew is El Shaddai which means Lord or God, strength and power and the one who supplies, nourishes and satisfies. Walk is also used in the Old Testament to describe Enoch walking faithfully with God till God took him away (Gen 5:21-24). Here God is commanding Abram to continue to walk before Him and be blameless. How was Abram’s walk as God had instructed and in his entire lifetime since he was called to leave his kinsmen and go to the land that God would show him? (Gen 12:1)?
1. Abram started his walk in Gen 12:1-4. God instructed Abram to leave his father’s household. Although he obeyed God’s call to leave, he took with him his nephew Lot who is part of his father’s household.
2. When famine struck, Abram went to Egypt and there he lied to the Egyptians about his relationship with Sarai to protect himself (Gen 12:10-13). Pharaoh took Sarai into his palace but the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household. Pharaoh confronted Abram and after uncovering the truth released Sarai and sent them away with everything he had. Another time, after God’s confirmation of covenant with him and changing their names to Abraham (father of many nations) and Sarah (mother of many nations) recorded in Gen 17, Abraham repeated the same lie to Abimelech (Gen 20:1-2). Again God intervened, Sarah was released and Abimelech sent them away with many possessions.
3. Though God promised Abraham that he would have many descendants, (Gen 15:5), Abraham listened to Sarah to have a child through her servant Hagar.
In spite of Abraham’s inadequacies in trusting God, God fulfilled His promises to Abraham and Sarah.
Biblical definition of blamelessness:
1(a) OT-sacrificial animals without blemish or defect (Lev 1:3, 3:1,6, Nm 6:14)
1(b) NT- Christ is the lamb without blemish or defect (1 Pet 1:19, Hb 9:14)
2(a) OT- Moral perfection of individual through observing the laws (Ps 15:2, 18:23, 19:13)
2(b) NT – Christians’ positional benefit of salvation in Christ and moral character to be achieved (Eph 1:4, 5:27, Col 1:22, 1 Cor 1:8, Jude 24)
When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are given a new name – CHRISTIAN. Without CHRIST, we are IAN, I am nothing. God has reckoned us blameless through faith and will continue to work in our lives to bear fruit. We can begin to walk blamelessly with His help. We can soar on wings like eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31).
(Sermon Notes by Woo Choi Yin)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. How has the Holy Spirit spoken to you through the preaching of God’s word?
2. Do you have any questions? (or How would you summarise the message of this section or story?)
3. What are the implications for us through this message?
- What are the personal implications (for you)?
- What are the communal implications (for our gospel community)?
- What are the missional implications (for those we want to reach for Christ)?