GOD HAS SOMETHING BETTER….
TEXT: GENESIS 22:1-18
A SMALL BOY, CLUTCHING A WELL-WORN TEDDY BEAR
DAD HAD BROUGHT HIM A BETTER GIFT
ME, CAUGHT UP IN MY WELL-WORN LIFESTYLE
OFFERED TO GIVE IT UP ON THE CONDITION ….
I. Listen to His Call
V.1 God spoke to Abraham. He called him by name and Abraham answered, “Here I am.” Nothing elaborate – just a simple, “Here I am.”
God spoke to him and him alone.
Not like Bill Cosby portrayed the call of Noah – a big booming, frightening voice.
Like He spoke to me -- from within with a still, small voice.
He can speak to us at anytime, any place.
Abraham -- in or around the camp area. Later, again on a mountain.
Adam -- in the garden
Moses – from a burning bush; in the wilderness and on a mountain
Paul -- on a road out in the middle of nowhere. God is omnipresent – He is everywhere.
II. Respond to His Offer
V. 2 Abraham rose up early in the morning and prepared to follow God’s directions.
GOD DOESN’T ASK FOR ANYTHING YOU CANNOT GIVE WILLINGLY.
“Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.”
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:28-33)
he was the only one on this trip that knew what it was all about.
He could set up the altar right there …
Those of you who are hearing the voice of God can get up and walk out of here today, and no one else will know the difference.
There is one hitch – you know and, most importantly, God knows!
Separation from the old is required … so that God can replace it with something better.
Be willing to be separated from habits; lifestyle; family …..
35For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. 37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
(Matt. 10:33-39)
Abraham had to be willing to release his son
Abraham was willing to give God that which was the object of his love …
He’s asking you to do the same ….. offer Him the object of your love….
The little boy knew he needed both hands for the bicycle.
I looked over what I had in my lifestyle – it was going nowhere….
III. Accept His Gift
Releasing something leaves a void in its place.
Abraham, in the ninth verse, was in the process of emptying his life of his son ….
…. when God gave him something better!!
“And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.” (v 13)
THE VOID WAS FILLED WITH A MORE ADEQUATE SACRIFICE. A ram was the best to offer.
OUR LITTLE FRIEND FINALLY RELEASED THE BEAR
… “Thanks, Dad. I love you.”
I RELEASED MY LIFESTYLE TO GOD SO HE COULD GIVE ME SOMETHING BETTER … and did He ever!!!
God offers you the greatest gift of all – His Son, Jesus Christ – to meet your need to be a part of the “King’s Crowd.” But, you must go further than just thinking about what He can give. That’s only part of it. You must be willing to give something in return ... so He can give you something better in its place – His Son, Jesus Christ. You need to be willing to listen to His call; you need to be willing to respond to His offer; and you need to be willing to accept His Gift.
Today, your Heavenly Father would like for you to accept His substitute in payment for your sins. If you continue to live without Jesus Christ in your life, you will have to pay for your sin on your own. And we are told in Romans that the wages of sin is death – everlasting death.
If you accept the Supreme Sacrifice, and the fact that He paid the price for your sins for you, you are left with everlasting life in Heaven. What greater blessing is there than that!!
Let’s bow our heads in prayer…..
Hear … Respond … Accept
