Hebrews 11_16_19 sermon outline

Text: Hebrews 11:17-19

Title: The Test

Intro: While in grade school I was not the perfect student I was a poor one. I made bad grades because I would have rather played:

9th grade History – test I copied off Eddie Hall who sat beside me (which was dumb of itself) I missed all the ones he missed we both failed. I got in trouble. But, as one who was always looking for a joke, I told my friends I got caught because I not only copied his wrong answers but I copied his name at the top of the test.

Test – coming to CCBBC????

CPS: Abraham was tested and he passed his test. The test of faith.

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

The offering of Isaac, after years of waiting for the promise of this son, was Abraham’s ultimate test of faith. The author of Hebrews expound the nature of Abraham’s confidence (that God would raise him from the dead if need be)

The Test of Abraham Vs. 17-18

The Son whom He Loved

The Promised Son

Isaac

Abraham received the Promised son who was to be born of Abraham and Sarah. The promise of God to multiply His descendants in such a vast number they could not be counted hinged on this promised son, Isaac not Ishmael nor any other son abraham

 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. (Gen. 21:12)

The fulfilment of God’s promises depended on Isaac’s survival.

Isaac was unique and irreplaceable— “only begotten”; he was, in God’s own words to Abraham, “your only son, whom you love, even Isaac”

Ishmael

In contrary to Islam’s teachings Ishmael is not the promised son.

He was sent away.

The request of God

Sacrifice - Something given up to a deity, most often to make atonement for sin.

The Trust of Abraham Vs. 19A

A. The Statement

1. The lad and I (Gen. 22:5)

Abraham so trusted in God that He knew without doubt that if He offer up His son God would raise Isaac from the dead becasue He trusted God's faithfulness to His word.

2. God will provide the offering (Gen.22:8)

B. The Question

1. Where is the Lamb (Gen. 22:7)

2. Isaac was familiar with sacrifices

C. The Action

1. offering of Isaac (Gen. 22:9-10)

The trust worthiness of Abraham's God Vs. 19B

The special offering

The special resurrection (figuratively)

The special place

Animal Sacrifice not desired

Child sacrifice is not desired

Isaac

Jepthah

Jesus' sacrifice

The will of the Father (Heb.10)

God spared Abraham only begotten but would not spare His.

Ransom for the World

Resurrection - an event in which something dead comes back to life

Application: Abraham passed the test, the instrument of His passing was not his goodness nor his family ties. It’s his faith!

Took God at His word and stood on the promises of God and knowing that God would bring about his enumerable descendants through Isaac even he offered him as a sacrifice.

The test – faith in action

As James would ask, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works,”….. “when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’

Will you act out your faith, will you believe God, if so righteousness is reckoned to you.