Where Do You Go When You Fail God? | Genesis 12:10-13:4 | Darien Gabriel
Series: God's Promises, Our Journey
Title: "Where do you go when you fail God?"
Scripture: Genesis 12:10-13:04 NIV
James 1:2-6
Bottom line: When we fail God, we return to the place where we left his presence and start again.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
SERMON OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
NOTES
OUTLINES
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
MAIN REFERENCES USED
My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.
INTRODUCTION
Many of you know that last week we were online only due to the snow and hazardous roads. I was super encouraged by the number of people who tuned in as well.
However, the most common feedback I got was interesting. Apparently, it looked like I was reading from the back of my Bible. But I was reading Genesis which is in the front of our Bibles. So, just to set the record straight, I was reading from the front of my Bible while my iPhone live-streamed the mirror-version of me reading. Some of you figured that out by looking at my rings or some other thing. I thought that was funny:-).
So "Hero to zero" is a term that athletes sometimes use to describe when a player follows an amazing play with a boneheaded play. I see this in Ultimate Frisbee a lot. (And have done it too)
You make an amazing, diving catch. The sidelines erupt with sounds of awe and groans of opposition. Then the player jumps up and instead of dropping it to the open handler poised to throw a scoring strike, they act on their inflated confidence and make a poor throw that ends up in the other teams hands. Hero to zero.
The psychological term is overconfidence effect.
I don't know if Abram is dealing with that but he definitely goes from a very high confidence in God to a very high confidence in himself.
Let's read this together now.
Shorter-
God initiates redemption, calls us to trust Him without all the details, blesses us for the sake of the world, anchors us with His promises, and forms a people who respond with obedience, worship, and witness.
Longer-
God is the One who initiates redemption. He calls people before they understand all the details, inviting them to trust His voice and follow His lead. God’s blessing is never merely personal—it is always meant to flow outward for the sake of others and ultimately for the nations. Along the way, God anchors His people in uncertain places with unshakable promises. And when God calls, His people respond—not perfectly, but faithfully—through obedience, worship, and public witness as they walk with Him step by step.
CONTEXT
**Genesis 12 marks a decisive turning point in the biblical story, as God initiates His redemptive plan through one man and one family, promising land, descendants, and blessing that will ultimately extend to all nations. God’s promises are spoken clearly and graciously at the outset, calling Abram to leave what is familiar and trust God with an unknown future. Abram responds in faith, worship, and obedience, yet the chapter quickly reveals that walking in God’s promises does not mean a flawless journey. Famine, fear, and failure follow obedience, exposing Abram’s weakness and need for grace. Throughout the chapter, God remains faithful to protect His promise, preserve Sarai, and continue His purposes despite Abram’s missteps. Genesis 12 therefore holds together both realities of our series, God’s Promises, Our Journey: God’s promises are unshakable, while the journey of faith is marked by growth, testing, and restoration rather than perfection.
SERMON (influenced by W Wiersbe, Kent Hughes, and Bethancourt)
Review last week:
God Is the Initiator of Redemption
God Calls His People to Trust Him Before They Understand Him
God’s Blessing Is Never Merely Personal—It Is Missional
God Promises to Anchor His People in Uncertain Times & Places
God’s People Respond with Obedience, Worship, and Witness
Truth 1: Tests often follow triumphs.
Moses gets Israel delivered from Pharaoh after the 10th plague followed by Pharaoh abusing the entire arm after them and trapping them against the Red Sea.
God brought them through the Red Sea only to test them with no water in the desert. Then no bread. Then no meat.
God's tests often come after triumph when we're tempted to think the victory was because of us--not God. We quickly forget God.
Of course, God doesn't have us face the tests alone. He allows them for our good* and for his glory. God is with us so we don't have to be afraid.
*James 1:1-12
Application: So after a faith victory, expect a trial or test. Humble yourself instead of swelling with pride by thanking God and asking him to not let you forget who made that happen or who the source of that grace and provision is.
Truth 2: Tests tempt us to run.
Ex. People travel up and down I-95 from NY to FL asking for $$$ from people and churches because they're running from crisis only to travel back a year later.
Ex. People move from one town to another trying to start over as if all their problems will stay behind.
12:10 Instead of staying (or even just asking God), Abram schemes his own plan. A plan with dangers and risks.
We go "down" to Egypt not just topographically (elevation is lower in Egypt) but spiritually, in the Bible. (Abe, Mo, Joe)
We go "up" to Jerusalem (where God lives) not just topographicaly (elevation is high) but spiritually, in the Bible.
Application: When testing occurs, stay put until God tells you to go.
Now, I've met with a lot of people who say God told them to go, even though their sitting in front of me in crisis. So this requires great discernment and prayer.
Faith moves towards peace and hope.
Unbelief moves towards restlessness and fear.
Truth 3: God is great! Therefore, he's in control so I don't have to be; he is able.
I am safer in a famine IN HIS WILL that in a palace OUT OF HIS WILL.
"The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you." (A saying)
Abe failed his test with God. This lead to more problems!
"When you enroll into the 'school of faith' you can't just drop out because of failure." -WW
It was the first nine weeks of my freshman year in high school. I'd just moved to Summerville 3 months before. And I just failed the first nine weeks of Alebra 1. I'd never failed any class or nine weeks before. I was scared to go home that day. My parents were concerned by supportive. We worked harder and I finished the year with a C average. I might have felt it was a little unfair since my teachers name was Mr. Phailer. But I digress...
Abram went down to Egypt moving from trust to scheming/grasping.
No altars built in Egypt.
No calling on the name of the Lord in Egypt.
No worship of God in Egypt.
When we stop trusting God's word, we start leaning on man's wisdom. -WW
Half-truths are used to deceive. In the 10 commandments, it says do not commit false witness. Do not deceive others. Abram did that.
Abram...
Moves from trust to scheming or grasping
Moves from confidence to fear ("I will" to "they will")
Moves from "others" to self
Moves from bringing blessings to bringing judgment
Truth 4: God keeps his promises. God graciously brought him (them) through it all. Mainly because it would have ruined his promise.
God rescued them from Pharaoh and sent them home well-provisioned.
This foreshadowed the fleecing that would occur when Moses led Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea.
Truth 5: Repentance leads to New Beginnings. When you stop trusting God's word and disobey, the only right thing to do is to go back to where you left him and make a new beginning. (1 John 1:9)
Abram went back to his tent and altar in the Promised Land; to his life as a sojourner and stranger in this world.
What was the big deal?! He came out well-provisioned and safe.
It led to other problems with Lot
Sarai paid a price
Application: Never abandon your altar. Stay in fellowship with the Lord and his people no matter the crisis. Resist the temptation to run or isolate. Rest in his provision and protection found in his community. This is part of his covenant relationship we made with us. And he is faithful!
CONCLUSION
Bottom line: When we fail God, we return to the place where we left his presence and start again. A new beginning.
God's promises are unshakable. They are for Abraham and they are for us through Jesus Christ.
Will we have times of fear and doubt? Yes.
Will God be there for us no matter what? Yes!
How do we minimize the times of fear and doubt?
We humble ourselves and review God's promises thanking God for them and resting in them. We continue our journey by grace through faith. When we get off track, we return to where we got off track and make another new beginning. We remember these truths and receive his blessings by obeying God's word, worship God himself, and being a blessing in word and deed daily.
INVITATION
Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:
““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” Acts 2:36-39 NIV
How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:
Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:
What is God saying to me right now?
What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.
What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.
[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.
Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.
Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.
Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)
Pray
NOTES
"Fellow believers (Abram's spiritual seed), when we truly believe the promises that are ours in Christ, when we truly understand and believe that we are seated right now in him in the heavenly places, when we understand that all things are ours in Christ, we will cease our grasping.
As Alexander Maclaren put it:
The less of our energies are consumed in asserting ourselves, and scrambling for our rights, and cutting in before other people, so as to get the best places for ourselves, the more we shall have to spare for better things; and Whereas Abram was living by taith, Lot was living by sight, much as Proram had lived in Egypt."
-Alexander MacLaren, Hughes, pp. 200-201
Illustration from last week:
"I only have eyes for..."
AN EXTRAORDINARY ANECDOTE comes to us from the annals of ancient Mideastern history. As the story goes, Cyrus, the great conqueror of the then known world including Babylon, had a general under his authority whose wife was suspected of treason. She was tried before a great and austere tribunal, found guilty, and sentenced to death. After the sentence was pronounced, the woman’s husband (a general) made his way to Cyrus’s throne and requested, “King Cyrus, please let me take her place.” Cyrus, in awe at what was transpiring before him, said to his court, “Can we terminate a love as great as this?” He then paroled the woman to her husband. As the couple left the court, the general said to his wife, “Did you see the benevolent look in Cyrus’s eyes as he pardoned you?” The wife responded, “I only had eyes for the one who loved me enough that he was willing to die for me.”
OUTLINES
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What do I want them to know?
Why do I want them to know it?
What do I want them to do?
Why do I want them to do it?
How do they do this?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/
Read the passage together.
Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really true, what should I do?
What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)
What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)
Who am I going to tell about this?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:
Who is God?
What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?
Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)
What do I do? (In light of who I am)
How do I do it?
Final Questions (Write this down)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes
Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt
The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris
The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis
“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
"Genesis" by Briscoe (TCC)
Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)
Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org
The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com
“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)