Sermon Nuggets Mon July 23
-Abraham's Test
Gen 22: 1-2 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to
him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your
son , your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of
Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will
show you. ”
Abraham's Test
You’ve
hear the story of a hen and a pig walking around in the farm yard when they saw
a hungry little boy. The hen turns to the pig and says, “Let’s offer him breakfast
of bacon and eggs. “ The pig looked at the hen and said, “Wait a minute..for
you that is an offering. For me it is a sacrifice.”
Certainly
there can be no better understanding of the two options. For we are often
called upon to make offerings, but are
we ever called upon to make a total sacrifice? We are going to speak on
Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac this morning.
Our
culture does not take very well to infanticide
and rightly so, unless of course it is an abortion then it is perfectly
accepted. A child can be throw into the garbage bag soon after this birth and
murder is charged. The mother is sent to prison. That same child 5 minutes
earlier however can have his head crushed while in the womb of the mother, even
if other parts of the body have left the uterus in the birth process and he is
killed and then thrown in to the garbage. That is a legal partial abortion,
challenged even recently by the courts and declared to be a mother’s choice.
You figure out if that makes sense? I cannot.
Charges
of neglect and abuse of parent to child abound in every country becaue society
ways we need to take care of children to provide them food, clothing, safety
and shelter.
That
is why this story is repulsive when a father is asked to take his son and
sacrifice him on an altar. This promised child, Isaac took Abraham 100 years in
the making and many decades in the promise and afterwards God ask him to kill his child. A parent would
rather sacrifice himself or herself than see a child go through pain, sickness,
or death. God is asking for the ultimate sacrifice.
But this story is really not
about sacrifice; It’s about love, not
only between a father and son, but more importantly- God and mankind.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues July 24 The Love Test
Verses: Gen 22: 1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God
said, "Abraham!" "Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm
listening." 2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go
to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains that I'll point out to you." 3Abraham got up early in the
morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son
Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God
had directed him.
A test of His Love
The
sacrifice of Isaac was a test of Abraham’s Love- the KVJ translates this as
tempt, but the in the New Testament James tells us plainly God does not tempt
anyone but He does test us. So the newer translations are clearer in using the
word test.
Who
does Abraham love most, God or Isaac? That is what is tested. Most would
probably fail the test. The things of this earth draw an attraction to people
more than God does. There are a multitude of things that churches are trying to
do to keep people coming, which borders on consumerism, not love for God. I
hope I am not being misunderstood, for indeed there is a place for that and for
creative outreach to invite people to hear the good news. But when materialism
is the main attraction people are attracted to a materialistic gospel. Jesus
fed the 5,000 and healed those who were sick. He did preach good news to the
poor and people came from far and wide. Peoples earthly needs were met before
they were able to hear about their eternal needs by faith in Jesus.
The old time gospel meeting did have entertainment as a
means to gather people to hear the truth. When we were planning our meetings in
India Bryan was asked to bring his trombone. In many of the villages children
haven’t even seen a TV before much less a trombone. Our host Indian couple were
excited about the possibility of gathering children by listening to a trombone,
then giving them Bible stories. I don’t see anything wrong with that.
What
attracts people to the churches and what keeps them? There are churches that
have clinic and blood pressure checks and churches that have ice cream parlors
and bowling alleys and comfortable seating, sound and lights. Given the choice
of going to a church with air condition or not I would pick the first.
It is
fair to ask, Where is the line that we draw our love for God in the requests
that He asks of us? For most the ultimate test is your family. Abraham longed
for this promised child and waited so long. Why would God ask to put him on the
altar for sacrifice?
Now there
are other matters I don’t have time to go into about the background of this
culture of the Canaanites and Chaldeans that did offer human sacrifices. They
lived all around Abraham, but that was not the Lord God Jehovah. Up until this
time believers in God just practiced animal sacrifice where they were killed
and burned on the altar, just as they were from Abel’s day. Blood from the
animal was shed for forgiveness of sin as our substitute.
I am so
glad our love isn’t tested today to that extreme, but there are times when
people are asked to follow Christ even if it means being separated from their
family. There are times when love is tested when thing of this world and our
activities are re-evaluated in terms of our commitment.
Do we
really love God first in our attachments to money, to activities and to
families? Many times a person overseas is disowned if they embrace Jesus Christ
as their savior. For some it is a death sentence even carried out by a Muslim
father or a daughter turned into authorities by a Muslim mother.
The
question for us all is- do we love God
more than anything else in this world. What would cause us to give up that
love?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds July 25 Obedience
Verses- Gen 22:6-11 6 Abraham took
the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he
himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on
together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father
Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is
the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself
will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of
them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God
had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the
wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top
of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and
took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the
angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham!
Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
The test of Obedience
Part
of this drama was a test, not only of Love for God, but also Obedience to God.
How far are we ready to go for obedience?
One
novel I enjoyed reading was “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London.
Buck,
the hero, is a dog. The story is written from a
dog’s point of view. It is an action story of what it is like being a
team dog pulling sleds in Alaska and Canadian Yukon in the early century. The
book describes how Buck misused and abused and almost killed when Jack Thornton
saved him from death. In time this man and dog developed a love relationship.
No one could ever harm Thornton as long as Buck was around. He would do
whatever his master asked him out of love.
There was a test given to Buck. Dog and men
sat at the edge of the cliff. Buck was tied up on a leash and Thornton told
Buck to jump over the cliff. Three men had to hand on to the dog as he started
to jump in obedience to his masters command. He kept trying until Thornton told
Buck to stop. They were amazed that a dog would be willing to give his life out
of blind devotion to his master, who loved him and also didn’t want him to die
either but there was the test. He would do anything for his master.
Blind
obedience is not something valued in our society. It’s called stupidity. I have
seen many cult leaders rise up and demand blind obedience. If anyone,
especially pastors, asks for obedience
and loyalty no matter what- don’t give it. Jim Jones, David Korish, Sung
Moon, even Jimmy Bakker are examples. No one is to be followed except Jesus
Christ and Him alone.
But
why should Jesus be followed? If belief in Christ is a religion then that is an
appropriate question; but if Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is in personal
relationship with you, learn all He says and does is true. There is a record
called the Bible that proves it.
Now
I know there are bizarre teachings that need to be challenged because of atrocities done in the name of
obedience and taking Bible verses out of context or incomplete teachings on a
doctrine or truth. We’ve seen people handle poisonous snakes in services in the
South because the Bible said it would not harm you, but fail look at the
context like Paul who was bitten carrying out his ministry, not as a show of
his faith. That is tempting the Lord.
I see this with faith healers making promises
that bring big crowds, (and money) but ignore other passages that talk about
caring for the sick and learning through our weaknesses and this outward body
is wasting away to achieve for us glory.
What does it mean to be in God’s
will? Obedience is putting God and His
word first in your life as you read and study and are led by the Holy Spirit
regardless of you understand it or not. Miracles do occur, but it has to do
with His unmerited grace. We follow and watch Him work His will at His
time.
Jesus
plainly asked his disciples “Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and not do the
things I tell you.” When it comes to saying I want to accept Jesus as savior,
many say yes; but are you willing to follow Him as Lord? That means obedience.
That means Christ like living. That means we are His.
Abraham
had direct conversations with God as prophet, before the Scriptures were
written. Moses hadn’t put them down in writing yet since this was before his
time. God had spoken directly to Abraham before so there was no confusion
regarding who said what to whom. Abraham’s obeyed even though he did not
understand.
What is your test of obedience
this week?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs July 26 Faith
Verses Heb 11: 17 By
faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who
had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even
though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be
reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even
raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back
from death.
The test of Faith
Taking Isaac to the altar was a
test of Faith. For Abraham, if God promised one thing and demanded
something else, God was still trustworthy.
He was still eager to do what God wanted him to do. Instead of putting it off as long as possible
he got up early that next morning to set
out. We get an insight into what he was thinking from Hebrews. He
believed God, who could do anything, would raise Isaac from the dead. That’s
why he could tell his servants he would be back after worshipping. That’s why
he could tell Isaac, “God will provide.”
He had faith in two things: God keeps His word
and His word said Isaac would be the means of his descendants. Secondly, he
believed if God is the God who could bring life out of his dead body (by having
a son being 100 years old) God could bring life again after his son was dead.
Faith was believing God would raise him
from the dead. He could do the impossible. He didn’t think of the fact there
would be a substitute offering in the bushes. He didn’t think God would stop
him from the sacrifice of his son. He acted on faith doing what he instructed.
Testing
does not come to us when things are going smoothly but rather when things are
causing us to doubt the Word of God. Faith is trusting in the truth of God
regardless of the outward circumstance or inward feelings.
It doesn’t mean that we can’t be all torn up
inside. An angel told Mary and then later Joseph not to fear. In other words
they were feeling fear. But they also rested in the fact that God has things
under control. That is faith. One of our missionaries said, “I know I can get
into the country of Sudan, but I do not have knowledge if I can get out. I will go in and leave the rest to God.” She
rested in faith that God would provide for her even though she did not know how
that would happen.
Perhaps
parents need to take a faith step to sacrifice your sons and daughters on a
altar before God symbolically when leaving them in His hands. Would you allow them to go into
missions, full time Christian work, leave the country, live by faith? Can you
say as part of your worship, “Lord here they are for they are yours, not mine?”
Many a parent will love to see their children close to home and going to their
church, but fight God if He calls them overseas or to work in hard or dangerous
situations. Faith is believing God enough to give them up.
God
says to Abraham “Now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your
son, your only son from me.” He past the faith test and has been used as an
example for the Kingdom since.
Could
God say that of you and me? What tests are before you to evaluate if you love
God with all your heart, your soul, your strength, your might? What does God do
to test your obedience to Him? How about your faith zone? Do you really believe
God? As you read the account you find God had Abraham all prepared for another
sacrifice. This was all part of His plan to provide picture of the sacrifice of
Jesus Christ who took our place to die for our sins.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nugget Fri July 27 Completed
Verses Gen 22: 22-19 12 “Do not lay a hand
on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,
because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ”
13 Abraham looked up and there in
a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the
ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So
Abraham called that place TheLord Will Provide. And to this day it is
said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. ”
15 The angel of the Lord called
to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and
said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have
done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I
will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the
stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants
will take possession of the cities of their enemies,18 and
through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because
you have obeyed me.”
19 Then Abraham returned to his
servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in
Beersheba.
The test Completed
Now
the test of love, faith and sacrifice was completed. Abraham passed. But he did
not have to go through the literal sacrifice of his son. A ram was graciously
provided.
There was a picture God was painting to show a
story not only about Abraham but about God himself. What this revealed was the
extent of the Love of God toward you and me. God did what He asked of Abraham.
He loved his Son. But to demonstrate the extent of His love He took his one and
only Son and offered him up as a blood offering on the altar called the cross.
Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin, but only a
perfect offering could be acceptable. One without sin took the place of
sinners. This mystery wasn’t revealed until after the resurrection of Jesus and
showed the amazing love story that let Jesus met the entire legal requirement
for our eternal salvation and promise of life forever with God.
There is one thing I still do not get. It is the why question? I do not understand
why God would love us to the point of dying for us. But He did, so communion is
a reminder of that love so awesome and wonderful.
The
cross is also a test of obedience. Abraham was obedient. Isaac was the obedient
son. And we see Jesus was desirous to do the will of the Father. He was willing
to carry out the plan just as his father told him to do. It says in Philippians
he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death on a cross.
Abraham
led Isaac to a special place called Mt. Moriah. According to Dr. M.R. DeHaan
that was the same Mountain which is
Mount Calvary where 1000 of years later Jesus as sacrificed.
] Isaac
was taken from his beast of burden just like Christ rode on a donkey coming
into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus
carried the wood for his sacrifice going with his father. He was bound
and tied just like Jesus was later as a lamb before his shears was silent.
Isaac could have overpowered a
100 years old man and outran him; Jesus could have called 10,000 angels and
done away with all his onlookers in a single flash.
At the right time the angel of
the Lord stopped the hand of Abraham. There was a ram in the ticket which
served the substitute sacrifice on that mountain .When God provided a
substitute on the Mt. Calvary He did so in Jesus. “Behold the Lamb of God that
takes away the sin of the world.”
But
with Jesus there was no ram in the thicket. He was that ram. There was no
divine intervention, but what God did not require of Abraham, he required of
Himself. The pain and the anguish that Abraham must have felt was felt by the
creator of the world when Jesus was crucified and he died alone for you and me.
“Father,
Father, why have you forsaken me?” That
was not the cry of Abraham before the lifeless son on the altar because he
never went that far. It was the cry of a son who moments later was died and his
body was placed into a real grave for burial.
When the test was completed
Abraham and Isaac returned home. When the test for Jesus was completed he said,
“It is finished” He returned home to heaven. When our tests of this life is
completed we too will go to a home provided for us by our Father.
Abraham called the place
‘Jehovah Jireh’, the Lord will provide. This is the picture of the story of
Abraham and Isaac; God provided the ram as a substitute just as God provided on
Mount Calvary. He is our savior, and because of his love, obedience, and
sacrifice we can worship an almighty God.
Pastor Dale
