Genesis 22:1-19 - God has given everything we need.

Scotland Schemes

Government housing.

They want to plant gospel-preaching churches in forgotten areas.

Several Americans have moved over to Scotland to serve as a church planter in the schemes.

They had comfortable houses, comfortable jobs, and comfortable lives.

The pastor at Bailleston, Mike was supposed to go to Ireland, but the Lord had closed the door.

His family already sold 80% their belongings.

Then he got in touch with 20Schemes and his family resolved, “This is where we’re going to go.”

He told me, They moved in faith that the Lord would provide.

Every church planter in the schemes used this phrase several times in almost every conversation.

“The Lord will provide.”

Big Idea: God has given everything we need

Context

Genesis 21—God delivers on His 25 year promise and provides Abraham and Sarah a son named Isaac.

God had provided the son of the promise

God promised that he would use Isaac to make a people for Himself.

Through Issac, the Lord was going to establish His people

He promised that He would give them a land, and that He would be with them as their God.

Although Isaac was the son of the promise, God would bless Ishmael and Hagar also.

Hagar took Ishmael and left them.

Now Abraham is down to one son—Isaac.

Stand to read

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.”

Leader: This is God’s Word

Everyone: Thanks be to God

This is the first mention of Abram, who would be called Abraham.

God tested Abraham—He did not tempt Him.

The Lord does not tempt anyone to evil.

He will test people’s faith—That’s happening here.

Abraham had deep affections for Isaac.

Isaac was Abraham’s promised son.

The one he and Sarah had waited 25 years for the Lord to give!

Now God is calling Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.

This would include the entire sacrifice to be consumed by fire.

This is a major test.

Genesis 22:3–5 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.”

Abraham obeys immediately.

He goes first thing in the morning and goes on a three day journey to get to where the Lord had directed him.

While Abraham was committed to sacrificing Isaac, he plans to do so in trust that the hope that they will both return (v. 5).

He trusts that if God has called him to this, that the Lord is completely capable of raising Isaac from the dead.

This requires a deep faith to obey this command.

Genesis 22:6–8 ESV

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.

Abraham’s faith is shown by his actions.

He’s not acting so that he would be rewarded by God for obedience.

What he’s doing is not the point.

Who Abraham believes in is the point.

Genesis 22:9–10 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.

His actions show that He trusts God, not himself to accomplish what God has promised.

Church,

We show our faith by our obedience

We do not obey in order to be saved—We obey God because He saved us first.

The proof that we belong to the Lord is by how we listen to His command and respond in faith.

We cannot demand God to operate first.

We cannot negotiate with the Lord.

If I tell Hilary, “I want steak and potatoes”

What she won’t say, “That’s a great thought I’m going to spend my week thinking about that

That’s a great idea, pastor. I’ll ponder that once maybe twice the week—I might even write it in my journal. Thank you for giving me something to think about!

That does not lead to life change.

“If you do this…then I will…”

Faithful obediences trusts the Lord’s promises BEFORE they’re given.

Our faith in God’s Word is demonstrated by our obedience to God’s Word alone.

If you’re a Christian, obedience to Jesus is not optional.

If you do not obey Jesus, you do not follow Jesus

Regardless what God called him to do, Abraham was going to seek to bring God glory through his obedience.

Transition

At the last moment, right before the knife falls—the Lord intervenes and provides a substitute.

Genesis 22:11–14 ESV

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.”

Abraham passed the test.

He did not withhold his ONLY son from the Lord.

The Lord

God had provided a ram to be slaughtered instead of Abraham’s son.

Abraham’s passed the test of faith, God provided a substitute for Isaac.

“Substitute” is a major word when we think about God’s grace.

Say, “substitute”

This is a picture of the gospel, church

Gospel presentation

God sent Jesus to be our substitute.

We have all sinned against a holy God.

We’re all guilty and deserve death and judgement because of our sin.

We have all made a train wreck of our lives and there’s no way we can fix ourselves.

Jesus stepped in our place to take the wrath of God for our sin.

Jesus was sacrificed on the cross in your place so that you be set free from your sins!

Then He rose again three days later so that you could be brought into God’s family!

When you trust in Jesus, His blood counts to God for your sins and you will be forgiven and saved!

God has provided everything for you to be saved!

God has given everything we need in Christ.

If you’re not a Christian, turn from your sin and trust in Jesus.

God did not give us a long list of instructions to figure out on our own!

He provided a way for us to be made right with Him through faith in Christ alone.

This is the only way we can be saved.

We have be gospel-people because God has provided a way for us to be saved by Jesus.

In the Scotland schemes, they recognize that people of Scotland have been deprived of the gospel.

They’re trusting the Lord will provide more gospel-presence in the schemes.

They’re trusting the Lord to provide more opportunities for people to hear the gospel, be changed by the gospel, and live for the gospel.

The gospel is that God has provided us a substitute, Jesus

Who died on the cross for our sins and rose again so that we could be saved by believing in Him alone for salvation.

Take the Next Step

(Confess and Repent) What are you withholding from the Lord?

Bank account?

Marriage/Children?

Future?

Status?

Those who refuse to give everything to the Lord reveal that their value is not in Christ.

Lets surrender our lives to Jesus because He has given us everything we need!

(Obey) Do what God has called you to do.

Invite someone.

Pray - “God change me.”

Big Idea: God has given us everything we need.

Let’s show our faith by obeying the God who gave us a substitute.