Hebrews 11:17-19

Some of you know that Bridget and I were store managers for McDonalds when we met. We’re approaching 30 of knowing each other.

In 1995, I was a shift manager and given more responsibility than my mature level should have allowed. That year, we got a new store manager that almost immediately began to push my buttons. This went on for a few months before I decided that no job was worth this work environment. I walked into his office and told him I was struggling with our relationship and thinking about transferring to another store. I told him that I thought he didn’t like me.

He was surprised that I thought those things and that I had the courage to talk to him about it. He said that he had been testing me because he wanted to know if I could handle a promotion.

At 21, that was a big deal. Not as big as other tests in my life, but God used that test to help shape who am I today.

My faith has been tested. Your faith has been tested. Some of you are going through faith tests right now. Abraham has some encouragement for us today.

Authentic faith gets tested

Hebrews 11:17–19 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, 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.

Some of us are familiar with James 1:3–4 - “…you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

When we talk about our faith being tested we might point to a significant medical need, your age catching up to you, tension in your marriage, what to do with a job that you aren’t crazy about, vehicle issues or some other financial struggle, parenting difficulties, being a witness at work or school, dysfunction in your extended family, the Holy Spirit bringing conviction during your personal Bible study that you want to ignore, a specific sin you thought you were done with that tries to sneak back into your life, or living without your spouse either because of death or separation. We could keep adding to the list. Authentic faith is tested. Sometimes our faith is tested when we pause and wonder why life isn’t the way we expected it to be by a certain age.

Sometimes we feel like God is working against everything the Bible promised to us as a believer. Enter Abraham and Isaac.

I want to invite you to use some of your devotion time this week to read the entire story of Abraham. Begin at Genesis 12 and go through Genesis 25.

Last week, we saw the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21. The promise had arrived. Not many verses later, Abraham had an “all-in” moment.

Let’s look at Genesis 21:8–12 - “And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

Ishmael was 17 and laughing at his 3 year old brother, Isaac. Sarah was 93. At 103, Abraham sent his 17 year old into the world to figure it out on his own. You’ve seen shows or movies that had a group of guys sitting around the poker table. Maybe you’ve seen a movie when one guy is so confident of the hand he’s holding that he slides his entire stack of chips to the middle of the table. Everything is riding on the cards he is holding and he’s willing to lose all of it because he believes his cards are the best.

Abraham put all of his chips on a 3 year old because he believed God would do what he said he would do.

Years have passed. Ishmael got married. Abraham continued to run his business. Isaac was growing up. Life was good. Then Abraham had a “God, you want me to do what?” moment.

Let’s look at Genesis 22:1–2 - “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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.””

Bible scholars believe Isaac is between 18-22 years old. Abraham is 100 years older than Isaac.

Abraham, I want you to go on a 2-day trip with your adult son that is stronger and bigger than you. I want you to put him on an altar and offer him as a burnt offering.

God provides when we obediently offer what God has given us

Hebrews 11:17–19 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, 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.

Let’s look at Genesis 22:3–14 - “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. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 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.” 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. 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?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 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. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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.” 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. 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.””

If you didn’t know the beginning or ending of Genesis 22, you might think verse 3 sounds like a dad is taking his son and two of his friends on a weekend camping trip. However, it quickly becomes an obedient act of worship for at least two of them.

Boys, you stay here at camp. Isaac and I are going to head over there, have some church, and we’ll be back. They gather the wood, the fire, the knife and they head out. The amount of faith required for this type of obedience is supernatural and grace-filled. Look at verse 9. Abraham built the altar and laid out the wood. Then, he tied up his adult son, picked him up and put him on the altar. How God revealed himself to Abraham and Isaac was a sacred moment of worship for two men that we should long for. This is what Romans 12:1 looks like ~ present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

I hope you know that obedience requires a lose grip on what we think we own and a tight grip on the power of God at work within us.

God’s promises are guaranteed

Hebrews 11:17–19 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, 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.

Check this out. Abraham knows what is supposed to happen on top of that mountain and he tells his servants to stay put. We’re going to head over there, have some church, and we’ll be back. It never entered Abraham’s mind that he was returning alone. He believed the long-term promise of God would override the short-term stress of his faith being tested.

While my faith is being tested, I’m going to be obedient regardless of the cost. While I’m being obedient, I’m going to remain confident that God’s word is faithful and guaranteed in my life.

How about you and me?

How do we respond when the test our faith gets is difficult and challenges our character?

What do you grip more tightly? The power of God at work in your life or anything you can control?

What priority do the long-term promises of God have in your life?