Faith Tested, Faith Victorious
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Tell me how you interpret this Scripture.
John 15:13 (NKJV)
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Love, sacrifice, selflessness, compassion, true friendship, etc.., but it also talks about the faith of a person and the testing of their faith.
Faith is substance that is connected to hope and evidence.
Faith- strong belief, complete trust and confidence, persuade, to win over
Substance- solid presence, real physical matter, tangible reality
Hope- desire for something to happen, expectation
Evidence- available body of facts, information indicating whether something is true and valid, proof
Apart from Christ’s obedient sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross, probably the greatest act of faith in fear and trembling recorded in all of Scripture is the obedient response of Abraham when God commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Tonight I want us to look at “Faith Tested, Faith Victorious”
Text; Heb. 11:17-19
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
1. Faith Tested; Gen. 22:1-4
1. Faith Tested; Gen. 22:1-4
After 25 years of waiting for their son Isaac, whom God said would be the seed that would bring forth the nations of Israel, now God says to Abraham, “take your son and offer him as a burnt offering”.
1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Then He said, “Take now 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 and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
Can you imagine how Abraham felt at this time?
Probably perplexed at what God was asking him to do [taking a human life as a sacrifice is not in God’s nature]
How would Isaac become the promised seed if I kill him as a sacrifice [burnt offering was the whole animal burnt up completely]
How am I going to get Isaac bound and put on an altar? [Isaac was in early 20’s, some say he was 33 years old]
How am I going to look at my son as I slit his throat?
How am I going to tell Sarah that the God we trust took her only son for Himself?
I have no doubt that his heart was burdened, grieved, maybe even angry, but Abraham’s faith in God allowed him to turn the results of this situation over to God and just trust Him.
19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
[4] Up until this point in human history nobody had ever been raised from the dead. Abraham made up his mind that God could even do that. Accounting that God could do the impossible, Abraham did the impossible!
Afar off- This is not so much the distance to the mountain, but seeing God’s plan of redemption in the future. This act of obedience of Abraham/Isaac is a type of Christ’s act of obedience to His Father at the Calvary’s Cross! Calvary is on the mountain range of Moriah, outside of Jerusalem.
2. Faith Victorious; Gen. 22:5-14
2. Faith Victorious; Gen. 22:5-14
5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.
7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”
12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Three areas of Abrahams faith is shown victorious in this situation;
[5] Abraham was confident that God would accept Isaac as a sacrifice but that He would raise him from the dead so they would return to the young men.
[8] Abraham was confident that God would provide the lamb for the offering, speaking of the Seed that would bless the world.
[10] Abraham had an unconditional trust in God that allowed him to take the life of his only son, believing God would raise him from the dead to keep his covenant.
[7] Isaac knew all that was needed for sacrifice and they didn’t have a lamb. Isaac also knew his dad would not come to worship a holy God unprepared/empty handed. Isaac knew he might possibly be the sacrifice [9] no struggle.
What formed Isaac’s faith to trust his dad in this? Abrahams faith in God
Abraham’s faith demonstrates unconditional love/trust towards God. That type of love means we have to hold other things loosely, even family.
Luke 14:26 (NKJV)
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
Abraham’s faith demonstrates complete surrender to God;
Clay Crosse/ I Surrender All
I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams, though the price to follow costs me everything.
I surrender all my human soul desires, if sacrifice requires that all my kingdoms fall, I surrender all.
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Abraham’s faith demonstrates victory in a seemingly no win situation
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
Close;
A faith that is tested and becomes a victorious faith will affect generations to come for the glory of God and the good of the people!
John 15:13 (NKJV)
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.