A Father's Climb To Legacy

We are celebrating our Father’s Day today, and the best example of a father on this occasion is the father of our faith just as the Bible says in Galatians 3:6-9;"just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, therefore know that ONLY THOSE who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand,saying,In you all the nations shall be blessed. So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing in Abraham."

As Abraham left a legacy to us, it is noteworthy for us to emulate his examples, his journey, his testings of which we should take a special attention because it is our key to success and victorious Christian living.

Today, as pillars of our family, let’s take a climb to remember to the provision of God’s promises and also left a legacy to our children by pondering on four points of this ascent.

BODY OF THE SERMON:

I-FIRST CLIMB:

(TEST BEFORE TESTIMONY)

The chapter started with these words;"...after these things," which means to say that all God had promised to Abraham ever since Gen.12 is being fulfilled. He had proven the faithfulness of God particularly the birth of his long awaited son, Isaac. It is in this point that God tested him. Why is it that He tested Abraham? God would sacrifice the comfort Abraham is now enjoying to develop more of his character. And testing is God’s Way of molding him. Like Abraham, Lazarus of Bethany became a testimony only when he died. We have to die to our self to obtain a promise over these tests and problems. We have to give our precious Isaacs.

Let us leave a lasting legacy to our children, God is continually testing us into the mold that He sees fit to the purpose He had for us.

We can not teach any good thing to our children unless we experienced it personally through the guidance of our Abba, our Father!"No one is good but One,God," says our Master in Mark 10:18

God’s testing always deepens our capacity to obey, thus develop our attitude. Most of us complain or we should really try to see God’s stretching us to develop our personality. Are we not created according to the image of His first-born Son?

God specifically told Abraham in verse2"...Take now your son,YOUR ONLY SON ISAAC,WHOM YOU LOVE... and offer him there as a burnt offering.." God knew that the apple of Abraham’s eyes at this period of his life is his Isaac. God wanted that no one else should occupy the first place in Abraham’s heart. Jesus also stated it in Luke14:26ff where our Lord is at the height of His popularity in Palestine. Jesus knew that at this juncture of His earthly ministry, many were following Him because of what they are witnessing... lames walk, blind men see, feeding 5,000 men, miracles everywhere! Our Savior wanted to tell them to follow Him because He is worthy to be love! He alone is dependable! He alone is Faithful! In these world where there is no constant, ONLY ONE IS FAITHFUL! G O D.

Let us not react or complain nor grumble in times of God’s testing but let us respond to Him, it would strengthen us to share with our children.

II-2nd CLIMB:

(PROMISE AND NOT ON THE PROBLEM)

The word "so" in verses3-6 indicates that Abraham obeyed God and focused solely on the promise and not on the problem. Secondly, on the third day of their travel, he instructed two of his young men to wait for them as they would WORSHIP AND THEY WILL COMEBACK! What a faith in God! How did he do it? ONLY ONE THING IS IMPORTANT TO HIM, He focused on the Word of God, the main source of his hope, his promise.

In these problem situations, to obey God’s words is of utmost importance. We don’t always try to understand... but we must always have to obey. Some times we asks questions that is beyond our maturity in God. When we look at problems, at calamities, situations beyond explanations of our relationship to God, we forgot His faithfulness in us. If we forget His words to us, many times even our family become affected. We become irrational to the needs of our children, of our wife, of people around us,in our workplace.

In every problem hurled around us, there is only one Source to the solution: GOD. And God met his problem at the top of the mountain. And that’s what mountains are made of. God did not met Abraham at the foot of the mountain, but at to top! And we have to obey! God needs us at the right time, at a perfect place.