Sermon Tone Analysis

How’s your faith?

October 22, 1844 people sat on rooftops, towers and hills waiting for Jesus to return.

Sold everything.

Wore white robes.

William Miller.

They were all in.

Ten years ago a man who had been a long time Anglican minister walked away from Jesus when his wife died from cancer.

He had been all in until God crossed a line the man didn’t allow.

Faith can go wrong without being based on God’s word - the millerites.

Can go wrong when it holds back parts of life.

Abraham is a checkpoint for us.

As we watch him, listen to him, and hear God speak, it will run a check on our own faith.

[Context: long promised miracle son arrives to 100 year old Abraham and wrinkled Sarah.

25 years after the promise.

Still no land to call his own.

Still no people.

In ch21 God makes clear that Ishmael is not the promised son - though God will still care for him.

In later chapters Abraham will negotiate at length just to buy a gravesite.

And then this happens:

We must pay attention to this.

Abraham doesn’t get this info.

But we do.

A test - to prove, to demonstrate Abraham’s heart.

Like Genesis 12. Out of the blue.

In ch12 it was leave family and go where i’ll show you, here is take your son and sacrifice him where I will show you.

[A word about this command and what kind of God?]

We have the words of God in Jeremiah.

Child sacrifice was never something God wanted, expected, commanded.

We are told explicitly God is testing Abraham.

3 day journey.

What is happening in Abraham’s mind and heart?

Tempting to speculate, to presume.

But we have his words:

Abraham expects to return, along with Isaac.

At this stage in Abraham’s experience of God - he’s come to trust God’s word.

This is 35 years of encountering God, seeing God rescue him in his own foolishness, seeing God bless and protect and provide for him, and stick with him, and keep his miraculous promise.

And Abraham has two sets of God’s word to deal with at this point - the command to sacrifice Isaac and ...

God has confirmed Isaac is the place the offspring will come from.

So when Abraham says to the servants -we will go, and we will return;

Abraham is expecting God to give a substitute or to resurrect Isaac.

Either way, Abraham hasn’t brought a back up lamb.

Abraham is all in.

The details slow down.

This is a painful moment.

Abraham is all in.

Genesis 22:11–12 (NIV)

11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham!

Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

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.”

God intervenes and interrupts.

Abraham has proved his faith is alive.

He fears God.

He does not withhold even the most precious thing in his life.

Abraham was right.

God did provide.

The promise of blessing repeated.

Intensified.

It was always by grace, now it is also reward for obedience.

Faith takes God at his Word

Faith takes what God gives

Another Father and Son

Another miraculous birth for a promised son.

Another son submissive to the Father’s will.

Another son carries his own wood for sacrifice.

Another beloved only son given.

The entire chapter is a shadow of an actual sacrifice.

This is the love of God for you.

This is not a test, but proof.

Abraham did have 35 years of experience to go on to trust and obey God in that moment.

But you and I are not lacking on God’s proof.

We have more than Abraham did.

Abrahm never got to see that God himself - Father Son and Holy Spirit - were willing to carry out a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world to be dealt with.

If you are shocked at what God tested Abraham with, are you equally shocked by the sacrifice Jesus himself was willing to go through?

So how is your faith?

Is it like the Millerites?

All in, but expecting things God has never promised?

Or like that minister, only in if God stays out of your private areas?

What things precious to me might I be witholding - I’ll trust Jesus but keep these parts/places/precious things to myself - my plans for a career, my sexual desires, my finances, my mind in idle moments, my temper/emotions might be off limits to God, my need to be close to my family, or a significant person in community.

That’s all faith with boundaries.

Following Jesus might mean being single for the rest of your life.

Or separated from family to be a witness to him somewhere else.

Not owning your own home or having annual overseas trips to give to make Jesus known and provide for the poor.

Refusing career advancement to give more time in service to the vulnerable, or my family, or my church family.

You can see this in your budgeting, your time management, your priorities for your children.

Your holiday plans, and overseas trips, and relaxation time.

It’s ok to serve God, but don’t get too serious.

Are we running the danger of that guest at the wedding in Jesus’ story from Matthew - [?] wanting the benefits but not respecting [fearing] almighty God.

If you take Jesus at his word to store up treasure here - what will that mean for mortgages, superannuation, and giving to support world mission and to the poor?

If you take Jesus at his word about leaving family for his sake - what will that mean for the Australian dream to be surrounded by grandparents and grandchildren if you instead are choosing to live as a witness for Jesus away from your blood relatives.

If you take Jesus at his word you will be setting your children up to fail in this world because your priorities will no longer be success, and worldly security, and sporting achivement.

Is your highest priority for them that they would know Jesus?

Real trust in God will have proper awe and respect (fear) for God, will not withhold aspects of our lives from God, and will produce obedience to God.

When we next sing ‘In Christ Alone’ - do we mean the words ‘Jesus commands my destiny’?

This kind of faith can only come from God, and be based on his reliable word.

We’re not being asked to exercise blind faith.

We’re trusting ourselves and giving ourselves to the God who has already given himself for us.