I. The Word: Romans 4:16-22

16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,  17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.  18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.”  19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.  20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,  21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.  22 Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

Reflection Questions:

1. In Abraham’s time, fathering many descendants awarded one high honor in the community. What modern-day accomplishment would make you feel similarly honored?

2. When you face seemingly dead & barren situations, do you reflexively trust in God or yourself?

3. What does it mean to have the faith of Abraham?

In Abraham’s time, producing many descendants was a sign of prosperity & supernatural blessing. In the 21^st century, large families get reality shows, but not necessarily high honor & respect. We often wonder, “Why do they have so many children?” out of concern for the parents’ judgments & children’s well-being. We view family growth as a liability that should be approached with caution, and not a valuable resource for which to yearn. For these reasons, we’re prone to miss the magnanimous act of the Lord in Abraham’s life because we don’t value descendants quite like their culture.

So, time to make it relatable! If you switch “descendants” for “money”, Abraham is the ultimate rags to riches story. For this analogy, Sarah’s barren womb is similar to a servant woman in an impoverished third-world village. Now imagine this woman firmly believed, with absolute certainty, that she would become infinitely wealthy without any personal effort. She would likely be laughed at, mocked, and ignored. Sarah was done with child-bearing by biological standards; this meant their chance for honor was nonexistent. Believing they would gain such blessings was about as ridiculous as the servant woman knowing she would become a billionaire without exertion. Yet, that ridiculousness is what makes this passage in Romans so phenomenal!

This passage initially states that our salvation relies on our faith in His grace & promise. We often think this is simple, yet the rest of the passage explains how having the faith of Abraham is anything but simple. Abraham was fully aware of his age and Sarah’s post-menopausal status, yet he believed! You must understand the hopelessness of his situation, i.e. the servant woman, to recognize the magnitude of his faith. This uncanny faith caused such a change in his heart that he was made righteous with God. This didn’t mean that Abraham’s works were perfect; Abraham still attempts to expedite God’s promise by having a child with Sarah’s servant. Yet, his righteous heart by faith combined with God’s unending mercy erase his fallen tendencies. Isn’t it funny how God’s first instruction to humanity was to be fruitful and multiply, yet the man who gains the Lord’s covenant could do neither by his own power? And that divinely orchestrated lack was the foundation of Abraham’s ridiculous faith. God is not only the source of all grace, but also the foundation of our faith which makes us righteous. The Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end.