YOU CAN PASS GOD’S TEST (Outline)
March 5, 2023 – Lent 2 – GENESIS 22:1-14
INTRO: Today’s text clearly states: “…God tested Abraham.” Testing is NOT tempting. Temptations come from Satan. The world. Our sinful flesh gives in to temptations. Testing comes from the Lord. "Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” because God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one" (JAMES 1:13). Like Abraham: YOU CAN PASS GOD’S TEST.
I. Faithfully trusting. II. The Lord will provide.
I. PASS: FAITHFULLY TRUSTING.
A. Verse 1. God calls to Abraham. “Abraham answered, ‘I am here.’” Original Hebrew = behold!
1. Verse 2. Test: Take your son Isaac, whom you love, and sacrifice as burnt offering.
2. Ishmael had been sent away. Therefore, Isaac was considered Abraham’s only son.
B. Verse 3. Abraham does not hesitate. Early in the morning gets everything ready. Sets out on trip.
1. Verse 4. 50 miles later, on the third day, the place is in sight. Lots of time to talk on way.
2. Verse 5. Faithfully trusting Abraham tells young men they will go. Worship. Return to them.
C. Verse 6. Abraham had everything needed for the sacrifice. Wood carried by Isaac. Fire. Knife.
1. Isaac called to his father. Abraham answered. “I am here, my son.” Same word: behold!
2. Verse 7. Something missing. Isaac asked father where was the lamb needed for the sacrifice.
D. Quite a test the Lord had for Abraham. Sacrifice your only son, whom you love. Abraham listened. Abraham unquestioningly did what the Lord had asked. Acted in faithfulness to the word of God. Did this before. The Lord asked Abraham to leave family. Homeland. Friend. Travel to Canaan. (cf. first reading: Genesis 12:1-8). Abraham heard. Listened. Traveled. Abraham faithfully trusted the voice of the Lord. Only faith can or will listen to God. Obey his word. Carry out the Lord’s will. Scripture defines faith for us. "Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see. For by this faith the ancients were commended in Scripture" (HEBREWS 11:1, 2). We are sure of what we hope for. We are certain of the things we do not see. Heaven is our home. Such is the confidence of the faith our loving, heavenly Father has given to each one of us. We faithfully trust.
E. God does send test our way in life. These tests strengthen our faith. Each one reminds to look to the One who holds our future in his hands. A future that is always meant for the good of those who are called according to his purpose. We also know that the devil sends deceptive temptations our way. His lies have not changed since the beginning. Satan whispers: “Did God really say?” “Is the LORD the only true God?” “A little sin is not that bad.” By the way sin is sin. The Lord does not measure wickedness. All sin the same. Thankfully the Lord has worked faith in our hearts. God has given us the spiritual wisdom to recognize that which is evil. We can and do distinguish good from evil. Light from darkness. "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Keep away from every kind of evil" (1 THESSALONIANS 5:21, 22). God’s Word destroys the devil’s deceptions. Faithfully trusting in God, we pass God’s test.
F. Abraham displays an excellent example of faith put into action. Hear. Believe. Do. No questions asked. Faithfully trusting. People often asked Jesus about faith. Believing. Getting into heaven. Of course, they, like many today wanted to depend on they need to do. Jesus made it “simple”. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (MARK 12:30). A simple truth which demands faithful trusting. We love because God first loved us.
YOU CAN PASS GOD’S TEST. Like Abraham, God gives us faith to be faithfully trusting.
II. PASS: THE LORD WILL PROVIDE.
A. Verse 8. Isaac asked about the missing sacrificial lamb. Abraham: “God himself will provide…”
1. Verse 9. They came to the place for the sacrifice. Altar built. Isaac bound. Placed on wood.
2. Verse 10. Abraham takes the knife and reaches out to sacrifice his son Isaac.
B. Verse 11. Angel calls out to Abraham. “I am here.” Third time: behold = I am here.
1. Verse 12. Stop. Do not harm your son. Do not sacrifice Isaac. The LORD will provide.
2. Verse 13. A ram is caught in the brush. This is the suitable sacrifice that the LORD provided.
C. Abraham heard God’s voice. Listened to God’s word. Faithfully did what God told him to do.
1. Verse 15. Abraham calls the name of that place “The LORD Will Provide.”
2. It was really the power of the Lord that passed the test. Lord saw (Hebrew) = Lord provided.
D. The Lord will provide. This is always very important for us to remember. Even in situations that seem almost impossible to overcome. The Lord is there with his love. His help. On a mountain the disciples worried they did have enough food to feed the crowd. They had only two small fish. Five loaves of bread. Jesus blessed it. Gave to the crowd. Provided abundantly. "They all ate and were filled. They picked up twelve basketfuls of what was left over from the broken pieces" (MATTHEW 14:20). All who ate had their fill. 5,000 not counting women and children. Today the Lord still abundantly provides.
E. Satan wants us to think we need just a little more in order to happy. Just a little more than our neighbor. Or we might think we have been cheated compared to everyone else around. How come the wicked seem to be getting ahead in this life? Why do evil people seem to get whatever they want? You want to remember they are trying to make a heaven on earth for themselves. It will not happen. They will never be satisfied. Followers of Christ: godliness and contentment go hand-in-hand. You cannot have one without the other. Ponder God’s truth: "I was a young man. Now I am old. But I have never seen a righteous person forsaken or his children begging for bread” (PSALM 37:25). Can you think of any believing friends without food? Forsaken by God? Probably not many, if any. The Lord has given you a generous heart filled with his love to provide for those in need. The Lord will provide!
F. We dare not overlook the Lord’s spiritual blessings that he pours out on us abundantly. All of our loving, heavenly Father’s gifts are perfect. All of his gifts come without any merit or worthiness in us. This is amazing grace. Our sins are forgiven. Heaven is our home. "For at the appointed time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for the ungodly…But God shows his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (ROMANS 5:6, 8). While being helpless Christ died for us. While still sinners Christ died for us. The Lord did provide a Savior for our sins. The world’s sins. Jesus rose again from the dead. We too will rise. Live forever. Jesus really passed the test for us. Willingly. Perfectly.
CONCL.: God’s tests come and go. The Lord God makes sure we will pass each one. Not by ourselves. With and by Jesus. We put our faithful trust in the only One who provides us salvation. Our Redeemer. The Messiah. The Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savior provides eternity by his holy, precious blood. His innocent suffering and death. “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (GALATIANS 2:20). Christ lives in us! We faithfully trust in the salvation Jesus has provided. YOU CAN PASS GOD’S TEST. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
LENT 2 readings: GENESIS 12:1-8; ROMANS 4:1-5, 13-17; JOHN 3:1-17; (PSALM 121)
SERVICES: 8:00am @ McCook (Sun) / 10:30am @ Redeemer (Sun) / NCF 1:00 Min. (Sat) & 12:00 Med. (Sun)
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