Challenges on the Mountaintop: Abraham and Isaac - Genesis 22:1-18

Growing up in church we have been conditioned to think that the place we want to be, need to be, is on the mountaintop. We have for many years thought that the only way we can experience true joy is when we are up on that mountain. Do you know the funny thing about those mountains? In order to get to the top, you have to start at the bottom! In order to get the peace and tranquility you desire, you have to work. If you want to experience the blessing, you can’t halfway do it, you have to be fully committed!

Then, sometimes, when we reach the mountain top we realize even there there are challenges. We want to receive the blessing, but we want to skip the challenge. That ‘s not how it works. Read Genesis 22:16-18, here God is speaking...

Genesis 22:16–18 KJV 1900

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Church, listen to me right now, God does not go around handing out simply handing out his blessing....I’m not talking about salvation! Salvation is free for anyone who will receive it. That is the blessing of God in forgiveness of sin. I’m talking about being in a right relationship with God, in step with God, on the same page as God. If that is your desire, you have to work at it!

If you want to be in the place where God will bless you, you’re going to have to be willing to climb that mountain!

Abraham was willing to do whatever it took to be blessed by God. Here is what we can learn from Abraham. Like Abraham, if you want to be blessed, you must, first...

Be Available v. 1c

He was not too busy to serve God

Abraham was a busy man!

He had a family now

He had servants and land

He had flocks and herd

He was established in business

Everyone knew Abraham

But he did not let this go to his head!

He heard the voice of God and drops everything and says “Lord, here I am!”

He didn’t say, “Just a minute Lord”

He said I’m here God!

I’m afraid that the reason revival tarries in our homes and in our churches is that we have become too busy for God

Let me tell you, if you’re too busy to serve God, you’re too busy.

You say:

“I have responsibility at home” or “at work” or “people are counting on me”

Guess what? You have responsibility to God too!

You have a family? You need to lead that family! For the glory of God!

We need men to rise to the occasion to be leaders in the home and in the church

We need men today that, regardless of how busy they are, they would be willing that if God called out to them like He did Abraham, they would drop everything and say “Behold, here I am”!

Do not be too busy for God

He was not too important to serve God

When God called Abraham did not say:

What Lord

Just a minute Lord, let me finish this up

When God called him, Abraham dropped everything and said, “Behold, here I am”

Church, another reason revival tarries is because we are not willing to put the desire of God above our own desires

It’s not that God is not willing to send revival, its that we’re not willing to receive it

Here is he truth, there is not a church on this planet that could not have revival right now if they would just get on their face before a holy God and fully commit themselves to Him

There is not a person here today in this place who could not have revival in their lives if they would only be serious with God!

But revival tarries, because our own desires are more important than God’s desires.

Church, if you want to be in the place where God can bless you then, you must make yourself available to Him. God cannot bless you if you are not willing to say to Him “Behold, here I am.”

If you want to be blessed you MUST be available, and you MUST...

Be Obedient vv. 1b-4

Obedience was something that Abraham had to be taught over a period of many years. After trial and failure, after impatience and failure finally Abraham had learned to be obedient. And the Bible says, “After these things...” It wasn’t until after his failures, not before them. After he’d learned to trust God, that is when God “tempted” him.

Let me say this right now, this is not a contradiction, this is not a misused word, this is the right word. God did tempt Abraham, but let me say to you today, God NEVER tempts us to sin and God was not tempting Abraham to sin here. The word Tempt actually means that God “put his faith to the test.” My friends, that is where the blessing lies, in having your faith put to the test! Look at the...

Unspeakable Request vv. 1-2

Take your son, and offer him up

Not me.

I’m not sure if I’m man enough to pass this particular test

Listen to me, God is not going to ask this of you today, but, there will come a time in your life, in your Christian walk, that God will put you to the test

There will be circumstances beyond your control that will test your faith in God

You may face a financial crisis and have no idea how things will work out

You may face a health crisis and find yourself with no understanding of “why”

There may be a child or loved one living in utter rebellion out of God’s will

There will be no explanation for “why” - just know that God knows what He is doing

Abraham held on to that fact through this trial

He knew that God had a plan, that God had a purpose, how do I know? Notice...

Unquestioning Response vv. 3-4

“And Abraham rose up early in the morning...”

No indication of hesitation

No indication of arguing with God

All we see is full, total, utter surrender to God

By the way, Isaac, he was in his thirties at this time

He was not some impressionable kid

He knew what he was doing

This was not easy.

Don’t think for one second that Abraham was excited about what he was about to do. He was not some super saint that never failed God. He was just as human as we were, but in his life he had learned to obey his God.

Church, I cannot tell you what trial(s) you will endure, I cannot tell you what storm you will be called to weather, but I can tell you that whatever uncertain circumstance you face, you will not face it alone. It will not be easy, it will not be pleasant, but the end result will be to the glory of God.

Before Abraham recieved the blessing, he had to climb that mountain. Before he could see what God had in store for him, he had to obey. If you want to know the blessing of God, you MUST be obedient.

If you want to be blessed you must be available, you must be obedient, and lastly, you must...

Be Faithful vv. 1a, 5, 8

Genesis 15:6 KJV 1900

And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

The simplest definition of faith is this: Trust.

*Several things you put your trust in today*

These two verses, verse 5 and 8 demonstrate Abraham’s faith in God.

Genesis 22:5 KJV 1900

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

I am not saying to you that Abraham “understood” what God was doing, I’m saying He trusted that God knew what He was doing.

In this verse, we see that Abraham knew God would not violate His holiness, that even if God allowed him to go through with this horrible act, God would bring his son, Isaac, back from the dead

I need to point out, up to this point, there is no record of anyone being reusrrected. But Abraham knew there was no limit to what God could do.

How is your faith today? How is your trust in God?

Genesis 22:8 KJV 1900

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

How is that for faith?

2000 years ago, God did just what Abraham said. He provided, literally, Himself, a Lamb.

Conclusion:

God wants to bless you, but He can’t unless you first place your trust in Jesus. Listen to this:

The city of Jerusalem and Golgotha (Calvary) are located on the same mountain ridge. Do you know what that mountain ridge is called? Mt. Moriah. While we do not know the exact spot, we do know that the Lord Jesus was crucified, sacrificed for sin on the same mountain that Abraham offered Isaac.

Listen to me:

Jesus made Himself available to you to die in your place.

He became obedient unto death, even the death on the cross and praise God,

3. He was faithful, fully submitted to the will of God.

Do you, today, right now, want to be in the place where God can bless you?

Every head bowed, every eye closed as we pray...

Christian, this morning has God spoken to your heart. Would you be willing today to admit to God that you are not in the place where God can bless you. You’re not making yourself available or being obedient and you’re not exercising your faith the way you should, I wonder today would you say, “That’s me pastor." Would you slip your hand up, I want to pray for you

I wonder today if you’re here in this place, but you can’t say for sure that you know Jesus as your Savior. Your heart is not right, you have no peace, and you no direction in this world. I want you to know you can have a clean heart and peace before leaving here today if you will simply put your faith in Jesus right now.

There may be one here today that needs the Lord and I invite you as we stand and sing together to come to this altar and pray for forgiveness of your sin. Won’t you come now?