Sermon Central
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How To Live An Exceptional Life!
Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 8, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: This message is based on Genesis 22 and looks at God's testing of Abraham and his obedience; Abraham is called the "man of faith" in the NT
Title: How to live an exceptional life
Text: Gen 22:1-18
Introduction: You may have heard of the passing of Guy Lafleur (April 2022) ... an ordinary person in every way – with one exception...He was an exceptional hockey player...
5 Stanley cups
3 Art Ross trophy’s (scoring title)
2 Hart trophy’s (MVP)
6 years of 50 plus goals!
He Retired for 3 years – then returned for 3 more.
*** I have a signed jersey***
What if Guy Lafleur never played hockey?
His life would have been mostly ordinary - without fanfare or acclaim... like most of us mortals... an unknown face in the crowd.
Guy LaFleur had challenges... a son who was in some trouble with the law... Guy was charged/convicted with obstructing justice... appealed.
Smoker – likely the source of his lung cancer...
Did some business deals... had a restaurant...
But an ordinary life I’d say... but he had one exceptional quality – hockey.
...Wouldn’t we all like to have an exceptional life?
Is it possible?
I say, yes... we can all live lives of exceptional faith (!)
...exceptional trust and exceptional obedience to God.
Now that would be an exceptional life... a life most people bypass.
....Here today we have a baby...the future awaits... what will she become? ...the future awaits
The same can be said of you too... do you want your life to be exceptional?
How?
What if I don’t have exceptional ability to play the piano... paint... write music... or perform surgery...or discover new technology?
What if you do? ... will that make my life exceptional???
As parents, don’t we dream about raising a genius... a prodigy... a generational talent?
Here's the thing... you can’t choose to be an exceptional athlete or musician – it requires rare ability, aptitude, talent.
But you can choose to have exceptional faith...extraordinary faith in God.
Genesis 12 - Abraham’s Family History...starts in genesis 12
o At 75, God calls Abraham... God makes a promise/covenant (12)
o But Sarah was “barren” ...
o That’s a problem...
o In order for the promise to be realized A. needed an offspring.
Ch 15:3 – “you have given me no children...” (~~10 years have passed)
Abraham is waiting and waiting – and getting older and older.
• “the word of the Lord came to him...” 15:4
• “A son will be your heir”
o He took him outside to look at the stars.
o Try counting the stars, Abraham... so shall your offspring be.” (15:5)
**Verse 6: Abraham believed the Lord and he was credited to him as righteousness!
Exceptional faith!
10 years pass... Abraham was now 85.
...Still no children... was not this a test???
Sarai says, sleep with Hagar...(16:2)
“perhaps I can have children through her.”
At 86 (ch 16), Ishmael is born - What is this ??
Please note, Exceptional faith isn’t flawless faith
Age 99 ( ch 17), God reaffirms the covenant: 17:3-8
** now, a second opportunity...
17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty[a]; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
Genesis 17:17 17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
Ch 18: Sarah overhears the conversation with the 3 visitors...
• She laughs to herself...(18:12)
Yhwh: Why did Sarah laugh? ... “is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Isaac is born to Sarah!
o They name him “laughter” (21:5-6)
o He waited 25 years for Isaac – A is now 100.
o Your only son
Now we come to Genesis 22...
***(Some time later ... (years) (Isaac is now a boy---God tested Abraham...)
We know a test is coming - A. doesn’t!
How do you feel about exams? ...Tests...academics!
Genesis 22:1 ff. ...Abraham, sacrifice your son, your only son... whom you love!
