{Faith tested}By Faith: Isaacs/Alters/Rams

{Example: Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan [Matt.41]. Paul encourages married couples to use self-control so that Satan won’t tempt them [1Corthians 7:5]. We’re encouraged to keep watch over ourselves lest we be tempted []. There’s talk of a Tempter who tempts in . }

- Tempting someone is an attempt to get them to sin or fall away.

(ESV) 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Testing = is designed to strengthen us

(ESV) 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

- James reminds us that the testing of our faith is part of the process of growing as a believer.

- The testing of our faith produces steadfastness which leads us to walking out the vision of God for our lives.

• James also reminds us that sometimes this testing of our faith comes via trials!

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How did God test Abraham’s Faith?

(ESV) 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.”

22 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.”

· This was HUGE!

· GOD is telling Abraham to sacrifice the most important thing in his life…his “one and only son”!

· This was the “promise” !

· This was the gift God had given them!

· This was the MIRACLE!

· The only other place in the Bible where a Father willingly allows his son to be sacrificed is God the Father and Jesus [but Abraham doesn’t know that]

In Abraham’s case, it was to have his faith tested

In God’s case, it was to give us LIFE through grace BY FAITH in Jesus [His son]

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4 Observations When Abraham’s Faith Was Tested:

1. He willfully obeyed God

(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.

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.

· Is our first response to obedience?

· [it’s often fear and rebellion]

· It’s easy to obey God when our faith isn’t being tested…but what about when hardship and trials come our way?

· Abraham’s obedience in was shaped by God’s promise to Abraham in “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.”

· This is why it’s so important to know what God has said so that when hard times come [because they will] our FAITH ISN’T DERAILED because we’ve forgotten who God is and what God has promised/said.

Application:

Maybe your faith is being tested by a job change, a relationship issue, a money woe, a schooling decision, an addiction, etc.

Remember:

God is Good!

His calling for every disciple is towards a total reliance and dependency on HIM!

We are called to hold on to this world loosely….so what has you scared to obey God?

2. He allowed his faith to drive

Remember that FAITH IS the assurance of things HOPED FOR and the conviction of things not seen!!!

Instead of letting his thoughts run wild….

Instead of letting the request bring him to ruin….

Instead of letting the probable drowned out the possible….

HE SPOKE FAITH INTO HIS TESTING!

(ESV) 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.”

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’s assurance of the things he HOPED for and his conviction of the things HE COULD NOT SEE!

· WE have NO REASON to believe that Abraham is going to come down off that mountain with Isaac!

· BUT ABRAHAM BELIEVED THAT HE WOULD!

Application:

Keep your faith in the driver’s seat!

Just because your faith is being tested or you may be experiencing hardship, doesn’t mean you have to be silent!

Speak LIFE into your situation!

Speak HOPE into your situation!

Let the assurance of the things you HOPE FOR drowned out your doubts, fears, and anxiety. [God’s always faithful; God is love; God is able; God can restore; God can _____]

3. Abraham even speaks this FAITH to Isaac!

(ESV) 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.

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.

YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS!!

Abraham was convinced that God would provide a sacrifice to take the place of his son [Abraham was convicted of what he could not see!! Because HE TRUSTED GOD!]

APPLICATION:

You need to speak that out sometimes…”God will provide…”

YOUR FLESH NEEDS TO HEAR YOUR SPIRIT!

4. THERE’S A GREATER STORY BEING TOLD

(ESV)

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.”

Make no mistake…the shadowing of the Messiah is THICK in this!

Sin = Death

WE all are guilty of rejecting God and rebelling against Him

Like Isaac, our lives were on the altar…a place where things go to die [the wages of sin is death]

But God [in the final hour] PROVIDED a substitute to take our place

The LAMB of God [Jesus], took our place on the altar…caught in the thicket/thorns [crown of Jesus]

On HIM [Jesus] was placed every sin, shame, guilt, and grievance we’d ever experienced

And like Isaac…we walk away free, because God provided a sacrifice to take our place.

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Conclusion:

· When you read the bible, understand that every bit of it has a thread of the Messiah/the Savior/the Redeemer in it.

· God’s plan of redeeming YOU was being shaped and formed in Genesis.

· God’s plan to give YOU a hope and future began long before you decided to love Him

· God loves us FIRST….always.

· That’s how important you are to Him

· That’s how valuable you are to Him

· How does this change your view of God?

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