Trust And Obey
Notes
Transcript
Good morning Christ Church of China.
My name is Tommy.
I want to express my gratitude to Pastor Steve and Gord for the invitation to speak.
I send you greetings from Oakridge Baptist Church.
In case you don’t know my connection with Pastor Steve. I was actually introduced to him by Keon Lum. He spoke at this church last Sunday. We had coffee many years ago at Oakridge Mall, which is under a huge redevelopment.
I also want to say Happy Father’s Day to everyone here. I’m a father of two beautiful children. My wife, Alison, is sitting somewhere with our kids.
Introduction
If you have your Bible, then I would invite you to turn to Genesis 22:1-14.
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Prayer
Thankful for God’s grace
Ask the Spirit to illuminate His word
Ask the LORd to bless the preaching of His word and myself.
Illustration
I want to begin with a quote from Warren Wiersbe. He said this:
“We are never too old to face new challenges, fight new battles, and learn new truths. When we stop learning, we stop growing; and when we stop growing, we stop living.”
No matter how young or old we are in the Christian faith, we are always growing spiritually to be more obedient and faithful to our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
Biblical Theology / Context
At the age of 75, Abraham entered into a lifelong lesson of faith beginning in Genesis 12 when God called him out of the land of Ur and into the land of Canaan.
God entered into a covenant relationship with Abraham.
The word, “covenant,” is an important term in the book of Genesis. To put it in simple terms: a covenant is a promise made between two or more parties to perform certain actions.
God promised him that He will make Abraham a great nation, make his name great, bless him, and that in him all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And Abraham was to go from his homeland (which is the land of Ur) to the land of Canaan.
When Abraham began his journey of faith, he was not perfect. He had his moments of failures and sins.
Abraham spent many years learning who God is.
His knowledge of God was refined, and he grew in his character.
Despite his imperfections, God continued to work in Abraham’s life.
Since God promised Abraham that he would be a great nation, it implies that Abraham would have a child.
The tension with that promise, however, is that Abraham and Sarah were childless.
So, Abraham waited patiently for God to give him a son.
Certainly, after many years, God gave him a son through Sarah in Genesis 21, which is Isaac.
Now, Genesis 22 is one of the most famous stories in the Bible.
Those of you who grew up in Sunday school may be all too familiar with this narrative.
Abraham will take on the greatest test given by God.
It is a dramatic story where God tests Abraham by telling him to sacrifice Isaac, his son. His only son.
And maybe you know how the story ends.
Spoiler alert: The story concludes with Abraham passing the test, and God vindicates him for his faith in verses 15 and onward, showing that God is a covenant keeping God.
But for now, we’ll only focus on verses 1-14 for this morning’s message.
And as we unfold the tension and drama of this narrative in the verse-by-verse exposition of God’s word, the big idea of this message is this: “Trust and Obey God And Leave The Results To Him.”
There are four lessons to be learned from this story.
First lesson: Trust And Obey God When Being Tested By Him.
Look at verses 1-2.
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
We see that “God tested Abraham.” It was a test to show whether if Abraham’s faith was genuine.
True saving faith in God produces obedience to God.
This test requires Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his only son, in one of the mountains in the land of Moriah.
In 2 Chronicles 3:1, it would be known as Mount Moriah.
And it would approximately be the same place where Solomon built the temple where the high priest would make sacrificial offerings and the nation of Israel would gather to worship God.
But, why did God give THIS KIND of test out of all the tests to Abraham?
There are perhaps two reasons why God would give this kind of test.
First, this test defies all logic.
God promised Abraham and made a covenant with him. One of the features of the covenant is the promise of descendants.
As I alluded to earlier, out of Abraham, God would make him into a great nation.
In Genesis 17:7, God says to Abraham:
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
For this covenant to be fulfilled, it had to be established with Isaac.
But, if Abraham were to sacrifice Isaac, then how would this covenant be continued?
How could God work through Isaac if he’s dead?
It had to be a test that does not make any sense.
Second, this test requires Abraham to offer his one and only son, whom he loved, to God for a burnt offering.
Think about it. Abraham waited all these years to have one child with Sarah.
And he received this promised child from God.
This is someone whom Abraham long to have and was dearly precious in his sight.
It had to be this test because it may have been the hardest for Abraham because he loved Isaac, his son, his only son.
Now, would Abraham love Isaac more than his faith and obedience to God?
Would Abraham have an undivided loyalty to God?
First lesson: Trust And Obey God When Being Tested By Him.
Second lesson: Trust And Obey God At All Cost.
READ v.3-4. Genesis 22:3-4
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.
Now, I don’t know how many of you have a problem with waking up early.
Some of you question whether if you should wake up to go to work or call in sick, or go to church or skip out on it.
Alison and I don’t have a choice because our kids are our morning alarm clocks.
As far we know from this text, Abraham got up early and obeyed unquestionably even at the cost of his only son.
Unlike the time when Abraham was interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah, he did not negotiate with God about this matter in this situation.
This may show the faith and obedience that Abraham has towards God even though the test makes entirely no sense whatsoever.
So now, Abraham and others journey to Moriah from this place called Beersheba.
To journey from Beersheba to Moriah would have been about 80.5 KM.
They would travel by foot with the donkey. Approximately, it would be from here to somewhere in between Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
We are not told what happened during the travel.
We’re not told if the travel was dead silent.
We’re not told if Abraham explained to them why they’re going to the land of Moriah.
According to verse 4, they arrived on the third day.
Don’t miss the importance of the day. It might seem insignificant or we may think that they just “so happen” to arrive on the 3rd day.
But God the Holy Spirit included the third day for a reason.
All Scripture is profitable for teaching.
In the Bible, the number 3 is associated particularly with God’s mighty acts.
In Hosea 6:2, Hosea prophesies that the Lord would raise up his people ‘on the third day.’
On the third day, the prophet Jonah was delivered from the belly of the Great Fish.
On the third day, God raised Christ from the dead. (1 Cor. 15:4).
Now, keep in mind that the significance of the third day is preparing us for what will happen in later verses.
Let’s continue READING from verses 5. Look at this closely because I’m going to unpack it for you. Genesis 22:5
5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”
So, after seeing the place, Abraham tells his young men to stay with the donkey.
Abraham understands that this is WORSHIP.
The offering of Isaac as a burnt offering is an act of worship.
Let me explain to you what a burnt offering is.
It is different from the one in Leviticus, although it could be similar.
It is probably the earliest and most basic form of sacrifice.
It is seen as a gift to God, it is either a thanksgiving for His goodness or an atonement for sin.
In this case, I think this worship is giving back to God what He has given to Abraham.
In a sense, Isaac is Abraham’s best fruit.
It was God who miraculously gifted him with a son through Sarah’s barrenness.
Isaac did not ultimately belong to Abraham.
Isaac belonged to God.
Furthermore, verse 5 subtely alludes to Abraham’s great faith, which is crucial for us to see. Notice that it says, “I AND the boy will go over there and worship AND come again to you.”
They will go there and worship and THEY will come back to the two young men.
Do you see that?
It was not only Abraham who was coming back, but he includes Isaac.
Abraham knows he’s going to offer Isaac as a burnt offering and he’s ready to sacrifice him.
Somehow, just somehow, Abraham knows and believes that EVEN IF he does sacrifice Isaac, he has faith that SOMEHOW God will bring Isaac back to life because he has faith that God will fulfill His covenant promise to Abraham through Isaac.
Place yourself in Abraham’s shoes.
He doesn’t know what the final outcome would be.
We as readers get the benefit to see the result.
He doesn’t know that the angel of the LORD would stop him.
We as readers get the benefit to see that.
Nonetheless, Abraham still trusts and obeys God for the result.
That is FAITH.
That’s why Scripture challenges us to walk by faith, and not by sight.
It is trusting God and obeying Him even though you do not see the future nor results.
Based on that, we have the third lesson: Trust And Obey God and Focus On His Promises.
One more comment about verse 5, and that is the word, “boy.”
There is a common misconception that Isaac might have been about 10 or younger.
We see paintings and we watch children’s Bible stories, and sometimes, they illustrate Isaac as a small boy.
This is very significant to correct because if we misunderstand Isaac’s age, then I think we may miss the importance of the story.
I don’t think “boy” is the best translation because, to our modern ears, it makes Isaac seem like a child.
The Hebrew word for “boy” can also be translated as “Lad” or “young man.” One of them would be a better translation.
So, the question we need to ask is this: How old was Isaac in this story?
The 1st century historian, Josephus, supposes that Isaac was now twenty-five years of age.
Jewish Rabbis say that he’s about 35 years old.
If you average the age, he could have been around 30 years old.
This is important as I get to verse 9, but I mention this because Isaac’ age foreshadows the age of Jesus.
If Jesus died on the cross at the age of 33, then perhaps Isaac might have also been 33.
Therefore, it would make Abraham to be around 130 years old.
We move to verse 6. READ. Genesis 22:6
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.
This is a subtle foreshadowing of what would happen a couple of verses later.
Pay attention to the literary structure of this verse because it is structured intentionally.
Notice that Isaac would be the one carrying the wood of the burnt offering - signifying that he would be the sacrifice.
One may wonder if this act prefigures Christ carrying the cross.
Abraham would be the one carrying the fire and the knife - signifying that he would be the worshiper or the slaughterer.
And so, Isaac and Abraham went to the mountain together.
Let me ask you a question: How many of you have forgotten something important while you were traveling?
We know that packing for a vacation is very stressful.
We want to make sure and double check that we do not forget something very important.
About 15 years ago, I travelled to Edmonton for Campus For Christ Winter Conference. I forgot to bring a toothbrush.
But, I only found out when I GOT THERE. You know what I mean? It’s frustrating to realize that you forgot to bring something when you arrived at the location and start unpacking.
Thankfully, at the conference, the host made an announcement to all the students, “Who forgot to bring their toothbrush?”
And he gave out free toothbrush to poor students like me, but we had to walk up the stage and get it.
Thankfully, God provided me a toothbrush.
Now, why am I bringing this up?
Now, verse 7 READ. Genesis 22:7
7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Interestingly enough, this is the first time that Isaac speaks in this chapter and in Genesis.
Isaac is smart.
He knows that something is missing for the burnt offering.
He knows that something is not right, and that is the lamb is missing!
“Dad, you forgot to pack the lamb for the sacrifice!”
Ironically, Isaac may not know that he’s the sacrificial offering!
We may think Abraham would say, “Ha, jokes on you Isaac, I didn’t forget to pack. You’re the sacrifice.” But, he doesn’t say that.
Instead, Abraham responds by saying this in verse 8. READ. Genesis 22:8
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
Was Abraham dodging the question to an obvious answer?
OR was Abraham expressing more of His faith in God?
Abraham knows something about God that we often fail to understand and remember.
Abraham knows that God will provide.
He is the Provider.
God provided Abraham a son through the impossible.
Let me remind you of the third lesson: Trust And Obey God and Focus On His Promises. So, without further questions, Abraham and Isaac continued their journey.
We have reached the pinnacle of the story.
It is very closed to the climax. Abraham and Isaac have arrived at the place where God told Abraham, which is one of the mountains in the land of Moriah.
Indeed, as much as this chapter focuses on God’s provision and Abraham’s faith, verse 9 tells us a lot about Isaac and his faith. READ.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
This verse is commonly known as the “binding of Isaac.”
What is commonly depicted in this part of the story - especially with the painting drawn by Michael Angelo known as the sacrifice of Isaac - is that Abraham was a cold-hearted man who forcefully binded Isaac without his consensus. We tend to read emotions into this story.
We try to speculate what Abraham and Isaac must have felt during this moment.
We may imagine that Abraham was crying, sad, and terrified because he’s going to butcher his own son.
We may imagine that Isaac was a terrified child and perhaps saw his father as a cold and heartless man.
But that is a misconception.
Let me clarify something.
I do not deny that Abraham and Isaac had emotions, and they should have experienced something, but emotion is not what we need to focus on.
If God wanted us to know Abraham and Isaac’s emotions, then I believe the Holy Spirit would have included that in the story.
Those misconceptions rob us from the beauty and glorious message that God wants to speak to us.
As I mentioned before, Isaac may have been at around 30 years old.
Abraham would have been at around 130 years old.
If you were to compare the strength between a 30 years old young man and a 130 years old man, then who would naturally have more strength?
It would obviously be the young man.
Abraham would not have much superior strength over a young man like Isaac.
If Abraham binded Isaac, then wouldn’t Isaac have something to say about what’s happening? Wouldn’t Isaac have said, “Hey dad, what do you think you’re doing!? You can’t force your will on me.”
I am convinced that Isaac has the physical strength and stature to resist Abraham.
So, if Isaac indeed did have the physical strength to resist his father, then how come he did not do so?
Abraham binding Isaac implies that there was a consensus between them.
Isaac chose not to resist because of his love, obedience, and submission to his father.
When Abraham said “God will provide…”, I think Isaac trusted his father’s words because of Abraham’s faith in God’s provision.
Isaac spent approximately 30 years learning and growing up.
He would have known about Abraham’s faith.
He would have known that his mother bore him at an old age.
If this understanding were accurate, then Isaac possesses an equal amount of faith as Abraham does when it comes to obeying and submitting to his father's desires.
Doesn’t this point us to the glorious picture of who Jesus Christ is?
Christ came into the world voluntarily, not by force from God the Father.
In John 6:38, Jesus says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Jesus willingly went to the cross to die for sinners like you and me.
Not only willingly, He did so with JOY.
Now, verse 10. Abraham’s obedience culminates at this very act of slaughtering his son. READ. Genesis 22:10
10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.
There was full intention of completing the will of God to the last extremity or to the furthest point as possible.
Just before his knife got close to his throat, the angel of the LORD stops him.
And Abraham listened and obeyed immediately. And we see that in verse 11-12. READ.
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
Abraham passed the test because he obeyed or feared God to the last extremity.
His faith was genuine because genuine faith produces good works and obedience.
Not only that, his faith was the driving force for obedience.
According to James 2:21-23, just to paraphrase, Abraham’s faith was evidenced by his obedience to God.
Furthermore, the angel says, “Now I Know that YOU FEAR GOD.”
Allen Ross describes the fear of God as this: “to fear God means to reverence Him as sovereign, trust Him implicitly, and obey Him without question.”
Without a doubt, Abraham did such that because he did not withheld Isaac from God.
That’s what Hebrews 11:17-19 says:
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.
Abraham did receive Isaac back in a figurative sense.
Isaac’s “resurrection” on the third day foreshadows Christ’s resurrection on the 3rd day.
God responds in moments of our greatest emergency and desperation as we walk in faith and obedience to Him until the very end.
The third lesson: Trust And Obey God and Focus On His Promises.
So, the final lesson is this: God blesses those who trust and obey Him. (v.13-14)
READ 13-14. Genesis 22:13-14
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
We see that a ram appeared, and Abraham sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of Isaac.
Therefore, the mountain where Abraham sacrificed the ram is known as Jehovah Jireh, meaning, “The LORD will provide”, as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” Hallelujah. Praise the LORD for His provision.
However, something is not right about this sacrifice.
Back in verse 8, Abraham said that “God will provide for Himself a lamb.”
But, he sacrificed a ram instead.
Hence, theologians have noted that verse 8 might be prophetic.
Christ, the lamb of God, would be the one who would fulfill verse 8, because “God WILL provide.”
And some would suggest that the mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac would be the same mountain where Christ died on the cross for sinners.
Abraham did not sacrifice his son, but an animal to gain his son back.
God did not sacrifice an animal, but His Son to purchase the salvation of those who repent and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Abraham’s son was spared and was provided a ram for sacrifice.
God’s Son was not spared and was sacrificed and crucified.
Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
The gospel of Jesus Christ is everywhere in this story.
In case you don’t know the gospel and don’t know Jesus.
Gospel means good news! The bad news is we have all sinned and deserve the wrath to come. But Jesus the Messiah died for our sins, was buried, and then raised on the third day, according to the scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and right now is seated at the Father's right hand.
Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
This gospel calls us to repent of our sins and to trust in Christ as our Lord and Savior for our eternal life. Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift given to sinners.
Forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with God, and appeasing the wrath of God are only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
So, here’s the big idea and the four lessons we can take away.
“Trust and Obey God And Leave The Results To Him.”
1. Trust And Obey God When Being Tested By Him.
2. Trust And Obey God At All Cost.
3. Trust And Obey God and Focus On His Promises.
4. God blesses those who trust and obey Him.
Sometimes God does test and command us to do things that do not always make sense.
Not necessarily the same way as Abraham because it was an extraordinary and unique event that it is not meant for Christians to try at home.
However, God testing us is a constant pattern throughout Scripture because it tests our faith in God. And we are to trust and obey Him and leave the results to Him.
Perhaps some of you are waiting for God’s blessings and provisions, but you’re not trusting and obeying Him.
As believers, you cannot expect God to bless us if you are not truly obeying and worshiping Him.
True worship is costly.
Obedience is costly.
It calls you to surrender yourselves and everything to God, and to present your bodies as living sacrifice to Him as an act of worship.
Perhaps some of you are trusting and obeying God, but you have not seen His provision.
Don’t get discouraged. Remember Jehovah-Jireh. God will provide. He has provided, He is providing, and He will provide for you. He will not overlook you. This is especially true in this economic difficulties.
Continue to trust and obey Him.
Continue to love Him.
Continue to make Him Your all.
God’s grace is sufficient for all your needs.
Perhaps some of you are building your whole life around this “Isaac” that you love and value so dearly to the point of idolizing them?
Your future, your dream, your value, your identity, your dignity, your hope, your passion and your affections.
What would those idols be?
“Whatever wins our affections will control our lives.”
Does God win your affections or do your idols win your affection?
John Piper said this, “When you know Jesus, you can say, ‘take my car, take my computer, take my house. I have the REAL TREASURE.”
I wonder if you will say this: “Even if God tests me and said to me, “Take that ‘Isaac’ and sacrifice it,” I will follow Him, I will trust Him, I will love Him, and I will obey Him because I believe God HAS provided HIMSELF for me.
He is my joy. He is my rock. He is my refuge. He is my shield. He is my salvation. He is my strength. He is my delight. He is EVERYTHING to me.
My faith will still be in Him, my love for Him will deepen, my joy for Him will be heightened, and my heart and soul are satisfied in Him, and somehow, He will work the results out, for my good and for His glory.
And in Him, I am fully satisfied.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Will you trust and obey Him? Why? For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.
