Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Last Sunday night bro.

Jason Perlack was so kind as to fill in for me in my absence due to sickness.

He preached a message using the same Passage of Scripture that we are focusing on today - the story of Abraham taking his son Isaac upon the hill to Sacrifice him unto the LORD.

I’ve always loved this Scripture, the illustrations it provides and the depth of faithfulness that we see demonstrated by God’s servant Abraham.

But as I called upon the LORD as to what to preach unto you today, He directed me to this same passage.

My initial reaction was reluctance, given the situation, however, I submitted the LORD and I believe He gave me what amounts to simple truths, but life altering if they are put into practice.

So today in honor of Father’s Day, we’re going to examine this passage and preach this message titled ‘Principles of a Godly Father’.

Save our Father in Heaven, I can think of no better example in Scripture that would show us what a Godly Father should look like.

Most would say “that is kind of either ironic or idiocy to say that the best example of a Godly Father is the one who actually was going to kill their son”.

I will admit, on the surface that doesn’t seem logical, however it most certainly is true - as we will see here today.

I.

He Made God Priority

God and his relationship with him was the preeminent thing in his life.

NOTHING was more important to him than his God.

Let me just say - this is the way it should be.

Before His Family

This is the most obvious.

Abraham put God before his family.

He did not consult his wife about the matter.

He did not care what his son thought about the matter.

Because frankly, none of that mattered.

Because God had commanded it, Abraham did it.

It’s that simple!

God said ‘this is the way it’s going to be’, and Abraham obeyed.

One problem I see in many Christian parents is that they dote on their children.

They love them so much that they don’t want them to miss out on anything.

They don’t want them to ever feel bad.

They want them to be loved and accepted by everyone.

And they give them stuff.

Anything they’re little hearts desire.

In the process of all this time and attention, what happens is that their children become idols unto them.

But church, might I remind you: Ex. 20:4-5 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”

A Godly Father DOES NOT place their children before God.

Before His Fleshly Desires

Put yourself in Abraham’s shoes for a moment.

Abraham was 75 years old when God called him and told him that He was going to give him not only a family, but a nation through him.

Then the years drag on.

Abraham laments that he has no heir (Gen.

15:2) then in v4, God tells him again he’s going to give him his own child - and in Gen. 15:6 “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

Then we see next that Abraham is 99 years old and is told that God is getting ready to fulfill his promise and give him a son through Sarah, and when Abraham turns a ripe age of 100, God fulfills that promise and Isaac is born unto them.

The child is then weened & grows.

I will say this: I appreciate my children more now than I have in the past.

Not because of any reason in them, but because I’ve grown older and wiser.

How much do you think Abraham adores his son?

Now how do you think he feels when God tells him it’s time to kill him?

Do you think there was anything within Abraham that said ‘Oh, that’s a great idea LORD!’ Absolutely not!

Nothing within Abraham wanted to do what God told him to do!

All too often, Christians are more concerned about doing what they want instead of what God commands!

But that’s the difference between those who Love God and those that only love themselves!

Before the Focus of Others

What I mean by this is, is that he cared more about what God wanted, than what others thought about it.

All too often we’re so consumed with what other people think that we fail to honor God with or lives: We’re so worried about ‘fitting in’ that we end up pushing God out!

‘If I don’t laugh at that perverted joke, then they’ll think I’m weird’

‘If I don’t wear the skinny jeans with rips all through them, they won’t think I’m cool’

‘If I say that sodomy is wrong, I’ll be called a homophobe’

‘If I say that boys should dress like girls, I’ll be called transphobic’

‘If I say that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, I’ll be called narrow-minded’

‘If they see me reading or quoting the Bible, they’ll call me a Jesus freak’

Abraham was going to kill his son!

How many people do you think would have applauded him for that?

That was the most ‘outsider’ thing that he could have done!

This is (I think) a problem that is greater in a community such as this.

This small town, everybody knows everybody stuff going on & it’s more personal - therefore there’s more pressure to ‘fit in’.

Abraham made God Priority in his life.

Secondly, Abraham Promoted the LORD

II.

He Promoted the LORD (v5;8;11;14)

In this account, Abraham opens his mouth to speak 4 times.

And every time, he is honoring God in some way, shape or fashion.

He’s promoting ‘making much’ of God.

In the minds of those around him, his son, even us today - Abraham Promoted the LORD.

God’s Worthiness (v5)

He told the young men that were with him that they were going to ‘worship’ the LORD.

This tells us that Abraham believed God to be worthy of worship.

If you believe someone is worthy to be questioned, you ask questions

If you believe someone is worthy to be praised, you praise them

If you believe someone is worthy to be criticized, you criticize them.

Abraham obviously believed that God was worthy of worship - therefore He went to worship Him… AND HE WASN’T ASHAMED TO SAY SO!

Abraham promoted God’s Worthiness to Worship - Next we see that Abraham spoke of God’s Providence

God’s Providence (v8)

Notice he didn’t say ‘God could provide, or God might provide’ - he said ‘God WILL provide himself a lamb…’

Abraham was committed to the providence of God - even if the lamb provided was his very son.

You see Abraham knew that Isaac was given through the providence of God!

He understood that if God was able to open the womb of a 90 year old woman and the loins of an hundred year old man, God was able to provide for Himself whatever He desired!

In this respect, we see that attitude of Job - Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Hey daddy’s, we need to make sure that our children know that whatever their need is, God is able to provide!

They don’t need to look to the things of this world to provide what they need - we must teach them to seek the LORD and trust in HIS Providence!

Abraham promoted God’s Providence

God’s Authority (v11)

We see the next time Abraham speaks is in v11 - God calls out to him, right in the midst of Abraham getting ready to strike the blow - and Abraham stops to respond to God.

What this demonstrates unto us is that Abraham is promoting God’s Authority.

Two things to notice here:

Abraham was busy when God called - yet Abraham stopped what he was doing to respond.

All too often, we are busy about out lives - too busy for God.

Church let me give you some sound advice: If you’re too busy for God and the things of God, you’re too busy.

God and your responsibilities unto Him should not be the first thing to go by the wayside when we’re busy - it should be the last.

Abraham did this in the sight of his son

Do you think there was any question in the mind of Isaac how serious Abraham took his relationship with God?

Do you think that Isaac questioned at all if his daddy feared the LORD?