Creating an object lesson for children, especially regarding Genesis 22, should involve concepts they can easily grasp, such as trust, obedience, and the idea that God provides. Here's an object lesson that could effectively introduce the story of Abraham and Isaac to children in an engaging and understandable way:

"The Trust Fall"

Materials Needed:

A blindfold.A soft, large pillow or a few pillows stacked together.A small, wrapped gift (to symbolize God's provision).

Introduction:

Start by explaining that today, we're going to learn about a man named Abraham and his trust in God. Mention that trust is when you believe in someone so much that you know they will always be there for you, even if you can't see them.

The Trust Fall Activity:

Demonstration: Begin by demonstrating a simple "trust fall" with the help of an adult assistant. Explain that the person falling must trust the person catching them to not let them fall. Perform a safe, gentle version where the faller leans back into the arms of the catcher from a standing position.

Participation: Now, ask for a volunteer among the children. Use the blindfold to gently cover the volunteer's eyes, explaining that sometimes, like in the story of Abraham, we can't see what's going to happen next. We have to trust God even when we can't see.

The Catch: Position the volunteer a short distance in front of the pillows (ensure safety and proximity for a soft landing). Explain to the volunteer that they should fall backward, and you or another adult will guide them safely onto the pillow but not catch them before they touch the pillows. This is to illustrate that sometimes, God's help might not seem immediate, but He always provides what we need, just as the pillows are there to safely catch the volunteer.

Reveal and Connect: After the trust fall, present the volunteer with the small wrapped gift. Explain that in the story of Abraham and Isaac, God asked Abraham to trust Him completely. Abraham didn't know how things would turn out, but he trusted God. In the end, God provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice, just as we provided the pillow for a safe fall and this gift as a surprise provision.

Conclusion:

Conclude by emphasizing that just like the volunteer trusted the person guiding them to fall safely, and there was a pillow to catch them, we can trust God to take care of us. He knows what we need and will always provide for us, even if it's not in the way we expect.

This object lesson introduces the themes of trust, obedience, and God's provision in a way that's tangible and memorable for children, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of Genesis 22.

To create a focused sermon outline based on Genesis 22, we can draw directly from the themes and insights provided in the document segments you shared. This outline will highlight the key elements of trust, obedience, sacrifice, and provision that are central to the narrative of Abraham's test.

The Ultimate Test of Faith

Introduction

Hook: Start with a story about a moment when someone had to trust completely in someone else without knowing the outcome. Relate this to the trust fall activity for children.

Genesis chapter 22 is a crucial chapter where God tested abraham's love for him. God wanted to know if Abraham trusted him. So God gave Abraham a extraordinary test. Do you trust God? Do these moments in your life where every fiber in your being is doubting God? That's normal to doubt. It's normal to be worried about what you're facing.

Context: Introduce Genesis 22 as a pivotal chapter in the Bible that teaches us about faith, obedience, and God's provision.

Purpose: Explain that today's sermon will explore how Abraham's faith was tested, his obedience to God, and how this story speaks to us about trusting in God's provision.

I. The Test of Faith (Genesis 22:1-2)

Genesis 22:1–2 ESV

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.”

Abraham's Call: Discuss how God tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, highlighting Abraham's immediate response without question.

The passage says that God tested Abraham. By and large none of us liked tests do we? They stress us out and sometimes we don't like the results.

As one writer puts it:

Genesis A. Moriah Meeting (22:1–8)

“Abraham’s trust was to be weighed in the balance against common sense, human affection, and life-long ambition; an act against everything earthly” (Kidner, 143).

In essence Abraham had to weigh his trust in God against every bit of earthly information he had. Everything he knew up to that point.

Let me stop right here. We like to think that God will ask us to trust him in things that we understand or we've already been through a period God will help us to take our next science test just like we took the last two science tests. God will get us through this stressful family Christmas just like you did the last one. God will help us with this problem at work just like he did the last problem at work.

But sometimes we are going to run into so totally new situations where the problems we face are extraordinarily different but the God we serve is still the same. Will we trust God then?

Back to the text of the scripture: you might notice that god says abraham sacrifice your only son. We know that Abraham has two sons but with regards to all the things that God has promised Abraham Isaac was the only son that mattered. Isaac was the one that was supposed to receive the promises.

Mount Moriah

So mount Moriah where is this place that God told Abraham to go? It's actually mentioned a number of times throughout the scripture and it turns out to be a very important place:

2 Chronicles 3:1 ESV

1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

The temple was built on mount Moriah. Nowadays the Muslims Dome of the rock is built on mount Moriah. The Dome of the rock is a Muslim holy place they built on that mountain.

Human Sacrifice?!?

OK one other thing, human sacrifice?! Isn't human sacrifice wrong?

Sadly human sacrifice was common in a lot of ancient cultures and God declared it was wrong for his people when he gave the law to Moses.

But we need to remember two things in abraham's story. First of all God had given Abraham no previous instructions saying that human sacrifice was wrong. As crazy as this sounds Abraham lived in a culture where this was common and God did not give him instructions contrary to this. But the bigger point here for Abraham and for us is that God's command took precedence over the human customs at that time.

So what should we take from this passage about human sacrifice today? It sounds so horrible so terribly wrong. The reality is we live thousands of years later with all sorts of revelation and instructions from God on how to live. We understand and we have seen all the passages in the Bible where God condemns human sacrifice. God calls us in every moment to consider both supernatural revelations that he gives just to us and also everything else that he's revealed about himself.

No matter how you look at this, it was a terribly hard request that God made of Abraham.

Abraham was asked to give up the son He had waited so long for.

II. Journey of Obedience (Genesis 22:3-8)

Genesis 22:3–8 ESV

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.

Preparation and Journey: Describe Abraham's preparation and the three-day journey, the emotional and spiritual turmoil he must have faced, yet he proceeded with faith.

So Abraham sets out right away taking two helpers and his son Isaac period. When he gets to the mountain he says in the original language we will go there and we will return back to you. This is almost odd because God had told him to sacrifice his son so just obeying God he should not have expected to come back as a we but instead as a me.

Another passage in the Bible tells us this about what Abraham was thinking

Hebrews 11:17 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,

Hebrews 11:19 ESV

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 thinking that God had the power to raise the dead!!

Genesis 22:7–8 ESV

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.

Isaac's Question: Highlight Isaac's question about the sacrificial lamb and Abraham's response, "God himself will provide the lamb," showcasing Abraham's unwavering faith in God's provision.

Isaac asks a question here and Abraham makes a statement of trust in God. Most Bible scholars think Isaac wasn’t just a child, he was likely more of a teenager/young adult.!

III. The Altar of Surrender (Genesis 22:9-14)

Genesis 22:9–12 ESV

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.”

At any point in this journey God could have easily stopped Abraham and told him yes I see your faith that's enough but it wasn't until Abraham was just about to take his son did God stop him. God's timing was God's timing. Abraham was asked if he was willing to trust God.

Sometimes we will go through painfully long situations where we are simply asked to trust God. We are simply asked to obey God.

Genesis 22:13–14 ESV

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.”

God provided a substitute! A ram that took the place of the boy. God provided a substitute for each one of us Jesus took the place of you and I. Isaac didn't die that day because God provided a ram that Abraham sacrificed. Abraham experience faith that at one point was simply trusting God to guide him and at this point was absolutely confident that God could do it.

I love how one writer puts it:

Genesis B. Sacrificed Son (22:9–19)

When our timid faith becomes tested faith, it can turn into triumphant faith. But it all begins with an acceptance of God’s substitutionary atonement.

When our faith becomes tested faith it is a powerful thing. When you learn that you can trust God to provide you will experience extraordinary freedom.

Abraham names the place

Genesis B. Sacrificed Son (22:9–19)

Yahweh Yirʾeh—The LORD Will Provide

The Ultimate Act of Faith: Discuss Abraham's actions upon reaching the site, how he built the altar, bound Isaac, and prepared to sacrifice his son, demonstrating his complete obedience and trust in God.

Divine Intervention: Focus on the moment God stops Abraham, providing a ram as a substitute sacrifice, reinforcing the lesson that God will provide.

IV. God's Provision and Promise (Genesis 22:15-19)

Genesis 22:15–19 ESV

15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Consider this after Abraham demonstrates his absolute willingness to be obedient to God God renews his extraordinary promises of blessings for him. I don't believe in prosperity theology. I don't believe that if we simply obey God he'll bless us with a pile of money. But I do believe if we demonstrate obedience to God he will bless us.

Isaac and Jesus

You know the really cool thing about the story of Isaac is the story of Isaac and Abraham is so very much like God and his love for us.

Romans 8:32 ESV

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?

John 3:16 ESV

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.

Hebrews 11:19 ESV

19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

I love what one author says here:

Genesis B. Sacrificed Son (22:9–19)

“I can never think about the willingness of Abraham to offer up his son Isaac without thinking of the willingness of God to offer up His son Jesus. God provided a lamb to take the place of Isaac, but there was no lamb to take the place of Jesus. He was the Lamb! You and I have our life and our salvation and our hope of eternity because of what God has done for us in Christ; and the only way this world will ever come to know the salvation we know will be by way of our faithfulness. God expects us to be faithful” (LaSor, 30).

Conclusion

Faith in Action: Conclude by drawing parallels between Abraham's faith and how we are called to trust God in our lives, even when the path is uncertain.

Trust God even when obedience looks painful trust God.

God's Faithfulness: Reiterate that just as God provided for Abraham, He continues to provide for us in every challenge we face.

Call to Trust: Encourage the congregation to live a life of faith, obedience, and surrender to God, trusting that He will always provide, just as He did for Abraham.

Prayer

Close with a prayer for faith to trust in God's plans and provision, for courage to obey His commands, and for strength to face the tests of our own faith.