Abraham was an ancestor of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:1, 2, 17; Luke 3:23, 34
Jesus Christ was human; he was born into the line of Abraham, whom God had chosen to be the father of a great nation through which the whole world would be blessed. We are blessed because of what Jesus Christ, Abraham’s descendant, did for us.
Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation.
Matthew 3:9; Luke 3:8; Acts 13:26; Romans 4:1; 11:1; 2 Corinthians 11:22; Hebrews 6:13, 14
God wanted to set apart a nation for himself, a nation that would tell the world about him. He began with a man of faith who, though old and childless, believed God’s promise of innumerable descendants. We can trust God to do the impossible when we have faith.
Abraham, because of his faith, now sits in the Kingdom with Christ.
Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28; 16:23-31
Abraham followed God, and now he is enjoying his reward—eternity with God. We will one day meet Abraham because we have been promised eternity as well.
God is Abraham’s God; thus, Abraham is alive with God.
Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 7:32
As Abraham lives forever, we will live forever, because we, like Abraham, have chosen the life of faith.
Abraham received great promises from God.
Luke 1:55, 72, 73; Acts 3:25; 7:17, 18; Galatians 3:6, 14-16; Hebrews 6:13-15
Many of the promises God made to Abraham seemed impossible to be realized, but Abraham trusted God. The promises to believers in God’s Word also seem too incredible to believe, but we can trust God to keep all his promises.
Abraham followed God.
Acts 7:2-8; Hebrews 11:8, 17-19
Abraham followed God’s leading from his homeland to an unknown territory, which became the Jews’ Promised Land. When we follow God, even before he makes all his plans clear to us, we will never be disappointed.
God blessed Abraham because of his faith.
Romans 4; Galatians 3:6-9, 14-19; Hebrews 11:8, 17-19; James 2:21-24
Abraham showed faith in times of disappointment, trial, and testing. Because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him righteous and called him his “friend.” God accepts us because of our faith.
Abraham is the father of all those who come to God by faith.
Romans 9:6-8; Galatians 3:6-9, 14-29
The Jews are Abraham’s children, and Christ was his descendant. We are Christ’s brothers and sisters; thus, all believers are Abraham’s children and God’s children. Abraham was righteous because of his faith; we are made righteous through faith in Christ. The promises made to Abraham apply to us because of Christ.