READ: Genesis 17:9
CHALLENGE: MAKE A COMMITTED DECISION TO TRUST GOD
Vv9-14 – Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
- TRUSTING GOD IS A PERSONAL DECISION
God made a promise; a promise so strong, it was called a covenant – solemn and unbreakable. Abraham, you’re going to be a nation. Your descendants will take possession of this land of Canaan. Two promises that were so large that one could scarcely imagine how it could be possible. Even looking at it now, it seems so improbable. A barren couple would start a nation? A nation birthed in Egyptian slavery would be freed and have this land? It’s SO incredible. We learn that God can do the impossible! God makes huge promises and has the power to back it up!
He also made the promise that he would be their God! Of all the promises made, we could argue that this was the greatest of them all. Would I be most excited that God gave me the State of Montana for all of my descendants some day or that God was my God? God is eternal and can give me a place in eternity so He’s the best part of any promise. Thus, God is the biggest part of the equation.
The promise was offered to Abraham but he had to “keep it” according to verse 9 and he did that by getting circumcised. He entered into the promise through his faith and his faith was demonstrated by his obedience. Faith and works go hand in hand. Abraham needed to hold up his end of the bargain so to speak. He was asked to do something to be set apart and to demonstrate the depth of his faith.
Can you see that this was a personal decision? It was an opportunity offered by God that Abraham could embrace or reject. Get circumcised or not. Now the act of circumcision is cutting off the foreskin and it’s practiced in America to this day although there is typically no religious connotation to it. It’s more for hygienic purposes.
Abraham stepping up to the plate at age 99 was telling. He had to really believe God to go along with this plan. You’re going to take a sharp knife and cut what? I’d want you to knock me out with a board and do it while I was unconscious. And I only bring that up to remind us of what an extraordinary step of obedience this was. The pioneer of our faith obeyed when it was painful. It was undoubtedly challenging. I might have been asking, “Are there other options”? What’s behind door #2? Circumcision was a complete buy in! It was the mark of being God’s person.
Faith was shown in this extraordinary step. You go God’s way whether that makes total sense or not. But in later days, children were circumcised and they had no choice! I wondered how a faith-obedience decision could be made for another person. A parent was deciding for their children. How did it show faith if you never had a say in it? Well, to answer that, when these people grew up and had a son, they made a decision to circumcise the child, which demonstrated their buy in. Every time they would bring a male child and circumcise them at 8 days old, they were demonstrating this overall faith in God’s plan.
They were saying, “I’m God’s person”. He’s my God. I’m keeping this covenant and understanding my absolute need of God. It was done once and if it really counted for you, it would show up in how you lived. This is a decision! Every single person had to believe in the covenant and demonstrated this same faith – generation after generation. It’s your decision!
Let’s talk about today. There’s an enormous promise out there and we see it in John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Here’s an offer. Eternal life through faith. But you have to buy in and believe!
John 1:12 – Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Today, we don’t enter into God’s family through circumcision, it’s through faith. There is a promise and we must keep it meaning to come to God, God’s way. You become God’s person through faith. When did you put your trust in Christ?
Years ago, my brother mailed me a shovel for my birthday. I received it. Put my hands on it. Embraced it. For years it has been the ultimate tool and I’ve worn it out. It’s been part of my outdoor world for decades. I made a decision to buy in and use it! It’s helped me tremendously. There’s an offer but there has to be a decision.
A decision to follow Jesus can be like the decision to be married. It’s not one you enter lightly and you stick with it. When getting married, eventually you pick one out of the many people begging to marry you! Seriously, though. You can’t be married without making a clear decision about it. And you’re adhering yourself to that one person. There are plenty of religions, ideas, movements, and substitutes for God. We make a decision to believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one gets to the Father apart from him.
Have you ever made that decision to open this gift of salvation through faith?
- TRUSTING GOD IS A DECISION WE MAKE FROM THE HEART
Abraham didn’t “try” God as if He were a flavor of ice cream. Abraham sold out and was willing to stand out and be different in order to follow God. You can make a lot of decisions, but are they from the heart? In other words, are you ALL IN!
Circumcision was about as all in as it gets! You can be religious but not committed to doing the hard stuff of really following God and keeping oneself from being polluted by the world as James put it. Where’s our commitment? Our all in? Giving, serving, loving, attending church.
Circumcision wasn’t a go through the motions things. It powerfully stated that you believed in God.
You can put your faith in Jesus Christ and you can come to church and get baptized. But, is it truly from your heart? We are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. For Abraham to take this step of circumcision would require as deep trust in the Lord. There’s no way you make a decision like that half-heartedly. You have to be sold out. It’s what faith looks like.
Romans 2:28-29 – A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
Deuteronomy 10:16-18 – Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.
When I think of the things in your heart, I think of the absolute commitment. When Abraham took that step there was no turning back. Jesus said, once you put your hand to the plow, don’t look back. If you look back at that world, you’re not worthy!
It’s kind of like when you first start a project, you have to see it through. Once in a while you’ll see a house started but then it’s just a shell and no one ever finished and you cannot understand why.
If an idol worshiper gave up the idols to follow God, you get rid of the idols. You burned the ships so to speak. It’s utter commitment. Don’t look back.
If you’re married to your spouse, are you dedicated to them? If you are, you’re not looking back at old flames. Right? Your heart belongs to them and you’re committed. You’re not chasing others. You belong to them and that’s how you move forward!
Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. There’s only one way to look when you’re following God. You can’t look back.
When your heart is in it, it’s a total commitment.
The Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands is beautiful. George Boldt built it for his wife. She died before it was completed in 1904. He stopped all work and never returned. He was doing it for his love and without her it lost all meaning. It fell into disrepair. His heart wasn’t there any more! But when it was, he was building the grandest house in all the Thousand Islands area.
When we’re committed and our heart is into, you’re going to see it showing up.
- TRUSTING GOD IS A DECISION THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE
Vv13-14 – Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
- Set Apart from the World
It’s such an interesting comment – “my covenant in your flesh”. The spirituality of faith impacting the practicality of what happens with my body. In this case, circumcision. But it’s deeper than just removing some skin because this is part of being the “people of God” or “God’s person”. When you’re believing in God, you’re His person, right?
Clearly God will leave some distinct changes in my life that show I’ve been close to Christ. That demonstrate that I’m truly a follower of Jesus.
Listen to these words from Paul in Galatians 6:14-17 – May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God. 17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
Some people were circumcised but never kept God’s laws. Others were never circumcised but kept God’s laws. What does God really want? Paul said, “what counts is the new creation”. And wasn’t he suffering for obeying God? He said, “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus”. What is this? The scars from whippings? Stonings? Beatings? His body was God’s and he followed God’s will and obviously it wasn’t always easy.
Abraham was marked by God. Paul was marked by God. God’s working make a difference. Paul wasn’t living like the rest of the world. Paul was crucified to the world and the world to him. He’s not following sin’s false promises and this is THE POINT! Don’t follow the world. Our world can be lustful and prideful and immoral and dishonest and selfish as well.
The circumcision given to Abraham clearly set him apart from the rest of culture at that time. The circumcision was a sign that he belonged to God. Like Paul, he was dead to the sinful world. Abraham was decidedly set apart as God’s person.
Circumcision was the reminder that they belonged to God. What is it today? When I’m solely attached to God and living for Him. One clear mark of the disciple of Jesus Christ is “love”. Jesus said that. There’s so much junk in this world – part of living successfully and following God is staying out of the mess! Whether drunkenness or immorality or addiction or even trying to get as much attention for myself as I can.
- We Are Changed
Paul said, what counts is the new creation. God’s work in my life shows up in my physical life. Being “saved” is like having a new engine placed in a car with a blown engine. Now, that car should move now! I’m different than I was.
I gave Mark an old rototiller and I told him that the beast needed some TLC. He took it and worked on it and now it’s tilling ground. What would be the point of having it, if it wasn’t tilling? Wasn’t getting a place ready for a garden? That rototiller in my hands and in Mark’s hands is night and day. It belongs to him now and that has made a difference.
Being circumcised showed that they belong to God. When you own something, you get to put your stamp on it. When we were renovating our house, I did some things that were cool but didn’t fit the style of the house originally. I said, “I’m writing my own history”. Since it was my property, my stamp is on it. It can’t but help to reflect some of my personality over time.
Doesn’t God leave His mark? Absolutely, when you belong to God you should look like you belong to God. There was a man who collected taxes. He just wanted to see Jesus. Instead, he got to meet Jesus. That day his life was transformed and he wasn’t the same. He repaid what he had stolen. He was now honest. He was a better human.
I want it to show up in my love for God and others. I want it to show up in my commitment to church and service and faith and praying and seeking God. And just like circumcision – obedience is hard. When God calls us to do something, it doesn’t mean that it’s easy. Even in things like sacrificing time to help out in a ministry. You’re not doing it because it’s the easy thing.
When I come into that relationship with God. My life changes. Jesus preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John the Baptist also preached repentance. I realize we’re not perfect but we need to show that we’re buying in by our obedience. Every single person is buying into taking up our cross and following Him.
That life of selfishness turning to unselfishness. It’s SO much better! That life of hope and peace and joy. There are so many great things that God promises. I appreciate those positive changes that He makes. And when you’re following God, it’s best to put your ego aside. The amount of attention some people require is staggering.
Abraham wasn’t just about him. There were so many others to think about.
- We Commit to Cutting Off the Evil
Here’s how this verse rolls. Cut off or be cut off! That decision was sacrificial, painful, and permanent. You’re not going to undo that!!
I hope that we’re forever marked after meeting Christ. When you got circumcised, something was removed. This same is true of us today. What is of the sinful flesh gets cut off. And that’s the take away. It was for purity. Spiritually speaking, we should live to be pure.
Deuteronomy 30:6 – The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
Colossians 2:11 – In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ,
Your flesh was put off. That sinful part of yourself is set aside by a work that God is doing.
This obedience was a no turning back kind of commitment to obedience. We probably need to think through what we do permanently. Marriage to tattoos. When you do things that are permanent and require that kind of commitment, consider it well.
Circumcision even from a hygienic perspective was to prevent further issues. When I’m cutting out a menacing sin from my life, it’s going to prevent problems down the road. There may be sinful practices that we give up because they’re going to lead to further problems in our lives. Cut it out now! I just spoke with someone about how God’s ways are best in the long run. You’ll never find happiness trying to come another way.
Anger can be an issue and it’s nothing to mess around with. You can say some mean things and cause some hard feelings. Sometimes you have to get to that point of “never again”.
You can’t do circumcision half way. It’s all out or nothing. It’s permanent. When you say goodbye to drunkenness, say good-bye forever. When you’ve hurt your spouse by a certain behavior pattern, you need to cut it out! And there’s no going back. That’s what true change looks like.
Is there anything holding you back right now? Something that is keeping you from following the Lord. Perhaps it’s time to make the changes so you can be God’s person truly!
There’s just no turning back. I have decided to follow Jesus.