God’s Gift to Abraham and Abraham’s Obedience to God – Gen. 21:1-7; Gen. 22:1-19
Illustration:Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience, withdraws from Grace.
Thomas a Kampis.
1. Aim: To lead the people to understand how Abraham trusted and obeyed God even when he did not understand all of the reasons for compliance.
2. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS BEST. There are times when God’s commands may not make human sense to our way of thinking, but we should trust and obey His will in all situations.
After the Lord had miraculously given Abraham a son named Isaac, the Lord tested Abraham and said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” (Gen. 22:1,2)
Because Abraham had committed himself by covenant to obey the Lord and had consecrated Isaac to the God by circumcision, he did as he was instructed. When we trust and obey the Lord we can be sure God will bless us. Moses wrote, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our people forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29) There are many hidden reasons why God directs us as He does. We do not need to know all of those reasons before we obey and trust His will. Abraham’s faith and obedience stands as a legacy for everyone as a formula for how to be blessed by God.
3. LEARN FROM LIFE’S TESTS. Throughout life God puts people to test to help them grow in faith and obedience to His will. The Lord put Abraham to test in order to determine how mature was his faith and obedience. In order for God to use us He first requires that we completely yield our mind, emotions and will to Him. For this reason God said, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” Once the Lord knew that Abraham would obey Him in the most extreme ways, He knew that the man of God could use him as a model for many others to follow in the faith. God only multiplies those people who are faithful in little things before He uses them to accomplish great things for His kingdom’s purposes. Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac as a sacrifice is a foreshadowing of how God offered Christ as a supreme sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. No wonder Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for His friends.” (John 15:13)
4. MEDITATE ON GOD’S GREATER PURPOSES. Thank God that He knows the best reasons why it is better to obey than to sacrifice.
Do you know God asked Abraham to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice?
The BIBLE STORY teaches us how Abraham displayed great faith and obedience to the Lord during one of the most difficult test of his life.
5. What are some of most precious things in the world to you? Is it your Mother or your Father or your sister or your brother? How would you feel if God asked you to sacrifice your Mother or Father or children in order to obey God’s will? How do you think Abraham felt when God asked him to offer his only son Isaac as a burnt sacrifice on the altar of God? Why does the Lord allow us to have our faith and obedience tested?
6. ENDURE UNCERTAINTIES. At this point Abraham had endured many trials, difficulties and uncertainties. Yet, the Lord told Abraham to take your only son Isaac and offering him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah. The Lord tested Abraham so that He could help him mature in faith, obedience and in the knowledge of His reliability.
7. THANK GOD FOR HIS WORKING PERSEVERANCE IN YOUR LIFE. God allows us to pass through trials so that we can become more like Christ Jesus, not to punish us. Similarly, the Lord tested Job so that he might correct some of his mistaken beliefs. At the end of Job’s life he admitted that he had grown in his appreciation of God’s total sovereign control. Job said in summary to all that had happened to him, “Lord, now I know you can do all things and no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:1,2) When we are able to complete trust and obey God in all things is the time when He can really multiply and use us for His kingdom’s purposes.
8. RESIST TEMPTATION TO GET DISCOURAGED.
Abraham resisted the temptation to try to be clever and offer an animal sacrifice to try and trick God. Instead, Abraham took wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac. He carried the fire and the knife with him with full intention of doing what God had commanded. Even when Isaac questioned his father by saying, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice?” At this point Abraham must have felt like breaking down in tears, but he courageously answered his son by saying, “God himself will provide.” When we come to a point in our life when we there is a shortage of what we need, let us too be able to say, “The Lord will provide all that we need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)
9. OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOD’S GREATER GOOD.
There are many things that will not make sense to us at certain times of our life, but we are to trust and obey God in all ways. Abraham could have argued with God about how his command made no human sense, but he quietly obey the Lord. Do not argue with God when His will is clear. Do not hesitate to go forward with His plans. Do not compare yourself with others thinking that God has not asked them to do difficult assignments. At these times remember the words of the famous hymn, “Trust and Obey”. “Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
10. MAKE YOUR TRUST AND OBEDIENCE COMPLETE.
Be sure that your obedience to God is complete and wholeheartedly done to please the Lord in all respects. Abraham’s obedience was complete in every way.
First, Abraham rose up early without hesitating to speak with other members of his family or friends. Do not let friends or family talk you out of doing what you know is God’s will.
Second, Abraham made preparations for the sacrifice. Prior preparation prevents poor performance. When we are fully prepared to do God’s will you will face less temptation to shrink at the moment of our greatest tests. Jesus said, “No king goes to battle unless he makes all necessary preparations in advance.
Third, Abraham did not tell his wife Sarah who would have tried to talk him out of offering their only son. Sometimes, we have to only tell people what they need to know, even those who are closest to us.
Fourth, Abraham carefully looked around him to discover a the place appointed for the sacrifice. God made the man of God wait until the light illuminated the exact place where the sacrifice should be made. We must wait on God to show us, even at the last minute, where He wants us to go. Do not try to run ahead of God in your scheduling.
Fifth. Abraham left his servants at a far distance away. He did not want his people interfering with what God expected him to do. When we worship God be sure to lay aside all distractions, worries and possibilities of interference. Attend to God’s business without anything that may hinder you from concentrating on the task at hand.
Sixth, Abraham had Isaac carry the wood to teach him obedience. Christ also carried his own cross as a lesson that we must be obedient to the end and not grow weary in well doing.
Seventh, Abraham calmly tells his worried son, “The Lord will provide.” Even when it seems that there is no hope we must also say to all doubters, “God will provide what I need.” We must believe God will provide us with friends, employment, wisdom, food, shelter or whatever we need when God see fit to give us our daily provisions. Do not fear when you get in difficult situation since God knows exactly how much and when you need things.
Ask the people the following questions:
1. What are some of the ways that God asks us to obey Him?
2. What are some of the ways that many people refuse to obey God?
3. What are some of the excuses that people use for not obeying God?
4. What are some of the things that God may ask us to sacrifice in order to prove our complete allegiance to Him above everything else?
5. How can we demonstrate greater faith and obedience just as Abraham did?
6. Why do you think God used Abraham in such a great way?
7. Do you know of any people who exhibit the character qualities of Abraham?
8. How can we mature in our faith and obedience to God this week?
Memory Verse – To Obey is better than sacrifice.”
Response
Song – Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you to trust and obey Him regardless of whether it makes sense to you at the time.
At Home: Ask your family members how they are trusting and obeying the Lord like Abraham did in being willing to sacrifice anything to do God’s will.
Conclusion:Roger Staubach who led the Dallas Cowboys to the World Championship in ’71 admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn’t call his own signals was a source of trial for him. Coach Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass, when to run and only in emergency situations could he change the play (and he had better be right!). Even though Roger considered coach Landry to have a "genius mind" when it came to football strategy, pride said that he should be able to run his own team.
Roger later said, "I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory."
Source Unknown.
