But God... I hate tests
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Illus: We test everything because our safety matters. Companies don’t want to sell a product that is unsafe. Good companies put there products through measurable tests.
As we continue to talk about legacy faith, we must recognize that we will have to go through some tests to prove our faith and to strengthen our faith.
So often we want to serve God on our own terms.
We what to set the agenda that we expect God to bless… we want our plans, on our terms, with our way, with our comfort as the most important.
We will step out in faith, as long as it’s possible within my own resources, as long as it doesn’t require any real pain or sacrifice.
Commendable, Hebrews 11 faith is giving up our very best for God’s very best…
Believing God’s perfect promise, trusting HIM through it all, and knowing that HE is more then enough.
God will always stretch us… He will always test our faith and show us that HE is faithful.
The test will always prove that God can be trusted, HIS plan is the best, and the test will always encourage and confirm our faith.
The test will always reveal the truth about our faith. The test will reveal weather our faith is all talk or real action. The test will reveal how we see God and show us that God is all that HIS Word declares HE is and more.
In Hebrews 11 we see that God promised Abraham but in order to receive what God promised but he had to leave the land he was currently living in. He had to leave his house, his family, his friends, his job, his identity and go to a different land around different people.
God sent him to an unknown land but a promised land. A land currently occupied with his wife, his possessions, setting up and tearing down tents in a land that he did not own but God promised that his descendents would possess.
They were living in a land they did not possess without any children to pass on this promise.
Abraham was old and Sarah was barren but God still promised that HE would start a nation through these 2 people.
This situation was no longer possible… but God always honors faith.
Isaac was born, God’s promise was fulfilled. He used a barren old lady and a very old man late in the game to carry out HIS promise.
Now they can retire, enjoy the rest of their life because they passed the test.
But God had one more test for Abraham...
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
PRAY
Do we have any “But God, I hate test” excuses?
I would serve you… God but I need you to this for me first… would trust you but I have trust issues… I would obey you but I first need to know the why and where and how… but God...
I’ve been burned in the past, been disappointed, been hurt, I have issues trusting people. I would, but God… God says, I knows your issues, God knows your resistance, God knows your past, I know you want to be in control… thank you for being honest.
God says, let me walk with you through this, let me show you who I AM and just get to know me. Spend time with me, talk with me, hear from me, listen to me and trust me.
I’m not going to leave you high and dry, I will walk with you through it all but you have to trust me.
And I’m going to give you a test.
Are we ready for the test?
Are we ready for the test?
Abraham already left his native country, became the father of Isaac at 100 years old, he sacrificed a lot for God and God was faithful. HE recieved God’s promised son so Abraham could just enjoy the latter years of his life… but God had one more test.
The test was, would Abraham be willing to give up God’s promise… His prized possession, his son born through impossible circumstances and that’s exactly how God put Abraham to the test.
Illus: Doing well on a test, requires us know the material. We have a greater confidence that we will do well if we know the study guide.
Abraham knew the material, he knew God’s faithfulness, he knew God’s power.
Hebrews 11:17–18 (ESV)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
Abraham walked with God, he listened to God, trusted HIM and was true to HIS word. So when God gave him this major test that would have destroyed everything God promised and fulfilled.
Abraham was ready because he knew God. He knew the material to pass the test.
We have to be willing to give up the promise.
It’s not our promise, it’s God’s promise. If God wants to change how HE fulfills HIS promise, we must trust HIM, remember it’s not ours it’s HIS to begin with.
God makes promises in HIS way according to HIS timetable, not ours.
The full account is found in Genesis 22:1–19.
God commanded Abraham to give up his son, the son of the promise.
Even though God did not let Abraham take Isaac’s life, Abraham did not know God’s response until the end of the story. He simply trusted that God will be faithful to HIS Word and HIS promise.
God gave this command in order to test Abraham’s faith. Instead of taking Abraham’s son, God gave Abraham a whole nation of descendants through Isaac.
We have to be willing to give up the promise.
We have to believe that God is still able to resurrect a better promise.
Abraham knew that God had the power to do the impossible, even resurrecting his son from the dead.
19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Abraham was willing to give up everything God promised because he knew God had the power to resurrect HIS promise into something even better. Abraham heard from God, knew God and trust HIS promise.
If you are afraid to trust God with your most prized possession, greatest dream, or most dearly loved people… learn from Abraham’s Hebrews 11 faith, its not our deal, it’s God’s deal. He just chooses to use us in HIS plan, to carry out this legacy faith.
It may not be immediate, it’s not be in the form of material possessions. Material things should be among the least satisfying of rewards. Our greatest rewards await us in eternity.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Our worship is more then a song. Singing is easy, sacrifice is hard and there will always be a test. We live in a constant state of worship as we daily offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
Not confirming to the pattern of this world… not wanting more of what this world promises… material stuff, success, leisure… but when we offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, God will transform us through the power of the Holy Spirit, then we can discern the will of God.
Are we ready for the test?
Are we blessing others in faith?
Are we blessing others in faith?
As we walk with Jesus, our faith is built up. As we continue to study, prepare, and then pass those faith tests we can bless others in faith.
Hebrews 11 reminds us that faith becomes a blessing when passed down to our kids.
20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
Here we see that the “blessing” conferred by aged fathers on their sons. Before the father died, he performed a ceremony of blessing in which he officially handed over the birthright to the rightful heir. Although the firstborn son was entitled to the birthright, it was not actually his until the blessing was pronounced. Before the blessing was given, the father could take the birthright away from the oldest son and give it to a more deserving son. But after the blessing was given, the birthright could no longer be taken away. This is why fathers usually waited until late in life to pronounce the blessing.
They were looking forward to the future as they conferred blessings on their children. They trusted in God’s future promises and were able to trust their children to the future. Faith in the promises of God allowed Isaac to bless his sons concerning things to come.
We may not know the future but we know that God does and we trust the next generation as we bless them. Our blessings are powerful.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Our words have power behind them. We can worship to God and curse others with the same mouth. James says, this should not be so.
That’s why it’s important that we are full of faith, walking with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, Living according HIS Word and we know, believe and obey in faith.
Faith is caught more then taught. The next generation needs strong faith.
Are we building generational faith?
Are we building generational faith?
When we build from one generation to the next, they will not have the same challenges that we are having but God never changes from generation to generation.
After Joseph’s generation the children of Israel will be facing different challenges. That’s why Joseph gave directions concerning his burial.
22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
Joseph saw that tough times were coming.
Bad things were going to happen for the next 4 generations. The children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were going to be enslaved in Egypt for 400 years but God was going to set them free and take them to the land that HE promised.
He said, don’t leave my body in Egypt. He could have had been buried with the other Pharaohs because Joseph was a hero in Egypt. God used Joseph to save the Egyptians in a severe famine in that region.
But Joseph believed God for a better ending to his story. He wanted his children to remember God’s promise.
24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Joseph said, don’t leave my body in Egypt, take my remains to the land of God’s promise.
I don’t say this for my own sake, but for your sake. Let God’s promise encourage you when things are tough, when life is at its worse, when everyone seems to be against you, God still has a promise land in store for you.
The land that you are enslaved in is not your home.
Stay faithful, live out that legacy faith in your generation to pass it down to the next.
Take Away
Are you ready for the test?
Are you blessing others?
Are you passing down your faith to the next generation?
6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.