The Place of the Altar (November 2, 2025)
Sermon Outline for Sunday, November 2, 2025
The Place of the Altar
Passages: Genesis 12:6–7; Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:18
Abraham is known as the “father of the faithful” and he didn’t receive this recognition by accident or by the fortunes of men. It was bestowed upon him because of his personal experience with God and by his willingness to let these experiences result in the building of altars in his worship to God. These altars because the high points in his life.
This morning, we want to look at three of the altars that Abraham built, the names of these altars and the meaning they have for us today.
The Altar of Strength
Genesis 12:6–7 ~ “6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”
- Shechem means “shoulder”
- A Shoulder represents strength.
- Let’s think about what’s going on in Abram’s live at this moment:
- Abram has been called to leave everything he knows and go to a land God will show him.
- When Abram arrives at this land, he finds it is inhabited by some godless people.
- Abram could easily see that he was not going to possess the land within the foreseeable future.
- All kinds of questions must have flashed across his mind. He must have been gripped with uncertainty, misgivings, hesitation, questioning.
- Could it be that he had misread God, that he had make a mistake?
- Abram’s faith was being tested, sorely tested. The faith of this great pioneer for God was tested to the nth degree.
- He is in the land, but he could not yet possess the land.
- Then the Lord appeared to Abram …
- So Abram built an altar unto the Lord.
- At the altar of strength, we receive for ourselves …
- A desire to know God’s will. God’s will involves not only a willingness to go where He wants us to go, but also a willingness to stay where He wants us to stay.
- A determination to fulfill God’s will. Many people spend more time seeking God’s will than doing God will.
The Altar of Sacrifice
Genesis 12:8 ~ “From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.”
- Abram built an altar at Bethel
- Bethel (house of God) represents the church (the place of worship)
- The church represents sacrifice
- God has reassured His promises, both the promised seed and the promised land.
- Abram needed God, needed God to meet him face to face once again.
- Abram needed the assurance that God would mee the need of His followers.
- God reassured Abram.
- What was Abram’s response? Abram made the decision for God, to continue following after God and His promises.
- He built an altar, this altar had at least seven purposes:
- To offer sacrifices to God, asking forgiveness for unbelief and sins.
- To make a rededication to God, renewing his commitment to God.
- To seek God’s continued presence and guidance.
- To worship the LORD: to worship the very Person who had met his need.
- To acknowledge the LORD, that the LORD alone could fulfill so great a promise, that he was totally dependent upon the LORD.
- To praise the LORD, to praise Him for giving so wonderful a promise.
- To testify to the LORD, to bear witness to the Lord’s glorious goodness in meeting his need and in giving so great a promise.
- At the altar of sacrifice, we give to God:
- Commitment of possessions to God’s purpose. Whatever we may possess—money, things, and so on—are all committed to His purpose.
- Consecration of self to accomplish God’s purpose. We give our talents in total surrender to God.
The Altar of Service
Genesis 13:18 “18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.”
- Abram built an altar at Hebron
- Hebron means “union”
- Union represents service
- Abram’s faith in God continued on; Abram obeyed God; Abram worshipped God
- At the altar of service, we share with others.
- Companionship in daily experiences. We share together what we have received from others and gain help for faithful service.
- Communion in devotional experiences. We share together what we have received from God and gain help for fruitful service.
We must be willing to not only build altars in our personal relationship with God, but also maintain these altars in order to be what God wants us to be in our ministry or service to God!!!
Pastor Andy Lambert
Email: pastorandy@cvcog.church
Phone/Text: 205.642.8744 ext 101
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