OBEDIENCE THE ACID TEST OF OUR LOVE,FAITH, AND FEAR OF GOD
GEN. 22 1-19
INTRODUCTION
Gold Rush 1849—Testing Gold
Scratch the object with a file and apply a drop of Nitric Acid. If the object turns a bright green it is gold plated or gold filled on base metal. If the object turns a pinkish cream color it is plated or gold filled on silver. 10 karat gold will turn dark brown. 12 karat gold will turn light brown. 14 karat or higher will have little or no reaction.
How can you tell if your love for God is genuine?
How can you tell if your faith in God is genuine?
How can you tell if your fear of God is genuine?
I. THE ACID TEST IS OBEDIENCE!
A. If you are not obeying God then your faith/love/fear are faulty!
1.If you life is only faith-plated or love-plated or fear-plated then your lack of obedience will reveal it!
2.Obedience is crucial in the Christian life, not because it is necessary to earn heaven but because it reveals the true quality of our faith, love and fear of God.
B. In our passage today God put Abraham’s faith, love and fear to the acid test!
1.In this passage we can learn some important principles about obedience.
2.Gen. 22:1-19
Context
*God had entered into a covenant with Abraham some 50 years earlier
*God had promised him that through his son Isaac, he would become a great nation
*Through his seed the nations would be blessed
II. GOD DOES TEST HIS CHILDREN (1)
"Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, " Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
A. The Hebrew word means “to prove, to assay, to examine for the purpose of showing quality”
1.God puts test before His children to show the quality of their faith/love/fear
2.God’s sincere desire if for you to pass the test
*like a home schooling parent giving his child a test
*you want them to make a 100
*But if you make it too easy it will not mean anything
3.God tests us to show us and others the quality of our walk with Him
B. This word can also be translated “to tempt.”
1.God does not tempt, satan does that!
2.satan tempts you because he wants you to fail-
3.he is out to destroy you.
C. You say, “But how can I know if God is testing me or if satan is tempting me?”
1.Does it really matter?
2.Whichever it is, God wants you to succeed and satan wants you to fail.
3.Just obey God and do the right thing!
*it won’t matter then if it’s a test or a temptation
*We know God will not allow satan to tempt you beyond what you can stand.
Illus. I God testing you right now in some area of your life?
*has He shown you some area where he wants you to obey Him
*has He placed His finger on something in your life and said “I want you to give that up to Me.”
III. OBEDIENCE IS ALWAYS BASED ON GOD’S WORD (2)
"He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
A. Both the Hebrew and Greek words for "obey" carry the idea of hearing and then doing what you have heard.
1.Obviously you must first know what to do before you can obey and do it.
2.Men and women of the Bible obeyed the voice of God
*Noah built an ark although there had never been any rain…
*Abraham left his home because God told him to leave
B. As Christians our obedience must also be based on the Word of God.
1.It is not for us to do what we think God wants us to do or what we may want to do for God
2.We must make sure our obedience is grounded in God’s word.
3.God would never tell us to do anything contrary to His revealed Word.
Illus. Take the area of divorce
*God says He hates divorce
*God’s design is one man-one woman for life
*God allows divorce for only two reasons
*If those reasons are not there, then God does not want you to divorce that person
4. Our obedience must be based on the Bible.
IV. OBEDIENCE INVOLVES PERSONAL SACRIFICE (2)
"He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
A. This act of obedience was the ultimate personal sacrifice for Abraham.
1.Isaac was his only son of the promise
2.He and Sarah had waited over 25 years …
3.God had miraculously allowed Sarah to conceive
4.God knew how much Abraham loved Isaac- “whom you love”
5.It reminds us of God’s sacrifice of His only Son..
B. Abraham was to kill him and lay him on the altar to be completely consumed by fire.
1.What a difficult thing for him to do!
2.You can see why obedience is the acid test of our faith/love/fear of God.
*anything less than a genuine faith, love and fear would fail the test
*Noah sacrifice pride, wisdom in building the ark
*Jesus sacrificed His all to obey God and go to the cross
C. The obedience God requires of you will also involve personal sacrifice.
1.How else could it show the true quality of your faith/love/fear of God?
*maybe it’s a financial sacrifice God is calling on you—missions, tithing, more than 10%
*maybe it’s your time God wants He wants you to work with Youth? SS? More time in the Word?
*maybe it’s a habit?
*you know what it is.. Holy Spirit has made it clear
V. OBEDIENCE IS A FORM OF WORSHIP (5)
Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you."
A. When you sacrifice all to God in obedience to His will you are worshipping God.
1.What greater way to express the ultimate worthiness of God than by giving up all to obey Him?
2. Than you being obedient at the price of great personal sacrifice?
B. The Scriptures are silent about the long night that preceded this day but I can imagine it must have been a very difficult and trying time for Abraham!
1.Great personal sacrifices rarely come without great agony/ i.e. Jesus in the Garden
2.The battle against the flesh and self-life is fierce
3.But when the battle is won and the decision is made to obey God no matter the cost—worship takes place!
VI. OBEDIENCE MUST BE COMPLETE (9-10)
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
A. Abraham went all the way in his obedience.
1.If he had stopped anywhere in the process it would have been partial obedience which is disobedience.
2.If he had come to the point of cutting his throat a then decided to stop that would have been disobedience.
*what if Noah had built the ark but not put pitch on the wood?
*what if Noah had built the ark but decided to make it smaller than God said?
*what if Jesus had allowed the soldiers to beat Him and mock Him but not nail Him to the cross?
Illus. Let me tell you a story that shows how seriously God takes partial obedience. 1 Kings 13:1ff
1 Kings 13:20-22
20 Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; 21 and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus says the LORD, ’Because you have disobeyed the command of the LORD, and have not observed the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, 22 but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water"; your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers.’"
VII. OBEDIENCE IS AN EXPRESSION OF LOVE, FAITH AND FEAR OF GOD. (12)
He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
A. Fear = reverence, awe, respect
1.Abraham showed his ultimate allegiance was to God.
2.He valued his relationship with God more than anything—more than his beloved Isaac
B. Faith= Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the ashes in order to fulfill His promise
Heb 11:17-20
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED." 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
C. Love=Abraham loved God more than he loved Isaac because he was willing to obey God even tho it meant killing Isaac
1. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15
D. Noah’s obedience showed his faith, love and fear of God—acid test
E. Jesus’ obedience showed His love, faith, respect for the Father
Illus. When you obey God it shows your faith, love and fear of God.
Ex. 1. Maintain moral purity for marriage Ex. 2. Stay in that marriage instead of divorce
VIII. OBEDIENCE RESULTS IN GREATER BLESSINGS (14, 17)
A. Deepen walk with God Gen 22:14
Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided."
1.Abraham understood God as his provider that day as never before
2.He was forever changed—closer to God
Illus.
Noah—deepened his walk with God
*as he saw God fulfill His Word
*as he saw God save his family
*what was the first thing Noah did after the flood —built an altar and worshipped
Jesus—obedience resulted in exaltation Phil 2:8-11
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Illus. When you obey, God will deepen your relationship with Him John 14:21
21 " He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
*you fight against your flesh and the world and the devil and maintain moral purity you will deepen your walk with God
*you stay in that marriage, you will deepen your walk with God
*YOU SAY NOT TO DRUGS you will grow closer to Jesus
*you step out and start giving 10% of your income to the Lord and you will deepen your walk with God
B. Greater Ministry Gen 22:16-19
16 and said, " By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 " In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
1.God affirms His will to use Abraham to bless the world
2.Jesus will come from Abraham (18) “seed”
3.Because he obeyed God’s voice.
*What if Abraham had not obeyed..?
*Where would we be today?
Illus. 1. Noah—
*he became the father of the human race (new Adam)
*God used him to establish His covenant with mankind that He would never destroy …
Illus. 2. Jesus
*redeemed His own through his obedience unto death.
*He became the Savior of mankind
Illus. As you live in obedience to God you will broaden your ministry
*moral purity—help others to do the same
*stay in that marriage, help others….
*trust God in your finances …
IX. THERE IS NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR OBEDIENCE AS THE ACID TEST OF OUR LOVE, FAITH AND FEAR OF GOD.
A.You can have external obedience without love faith and fear of God—Pharisees
B.You cannot have love, faith, and fear of God and without obedience to Him.
OBEDIENCE THE ACID TEST OF LOVE/FAITH/FEAR
GEN. 22 1-19
Gold Rush 1849—Testing Gold
Scratch the object with a file and apply a drop of Nitric Acid. If the object turns a bright green it is gold plated or gold filled on base metal. If the object turns a pinkish cream color it is plated or gold filled on silver. 10 karat gold will turn dark brown. 12 karat gold will turn light brown. 14 karat or higher will have little or no reaction.
How can you tell if your love for God is genuine?
How can you tell if your faith in God is genuine?
How can you tell if your fear of God is genuine?
II. THE ACID TEST IS OBEDIENCE!
If you are not obeying God then your faith/love/fear are faulty!
1.If you life is only faith plated or love plated or fear plated then your lack of obedience will reveal it!
2.Obedience is crucial in the Christian life, not because it is necessary to earn heaven
3.But because it reveals the true quality of our faith, love and fear of God.
B. In our passage today God but Abraham’s faith, love and fear to the acid test!
1.In this passage we can learn some important principles about obedience.
2.Gen. 22:1-19
*God had entered into a covenant with Abraham some 50 years earlier
*God had promised him that through his son Isaac he would become a great nation
*Through his offspring the nations would be blessed
II. GOD DOES TEST HIS CHILDREN (1)
Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, " Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am.
The Hebrew word means “to prove, to assay, to examine for the purpose of showing quality”
1.God puts test before His children to show the quality of their faith/love/fear
2.God’s sincere desire if for you to pass the test
*like a home schooling parent giving his child...
*you want them to make a 100
*But if you make it too easy it will not mean anything
3.God tests us to show us and others the quality of our walk with Him
B. This word can also be translated “to tempt.”
1.God does not tempt, satan does that!
2.satan tempts you because he wants you to fail-
3.he is out to destroy you.
C. You say, “But how can I know if God is testing me or if satan is tempting me?”
1.Does it really matter?
2.Which ever it is God wants you to succeed and satan wants you to fail.
3.Just obey God and do the right thing!
*it won’t matter then if it’s a test or a temptation
*We know God will not allow satan to tempt you beyond what you can stand.
Illus. I God testing you right now in some area of your life?
*has He shown you some area where he wants you to obey Him
*has He placed His finger on something in your life and said “I want you to give that up to Me.”
III. OBEDIENCE IS ALWAYS BASED ON GOD’S WORD (2)
He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
Both the Hebrew and Greek words for obey carry the idea of hearing and then doing what you have heard.
1.Obviously you must first know what to do before you can obey and do it.
2.Men and women of the Bible obeyed the voice of God
*Noah built an ark although there had never been any rain…
*Abraham left his home because God…
B. As Christians our obedience must also be based on the Word of God.
1.It is not for us to do what we think God wants us to do or what we may want to do for God
2.We must make sure our obedience is grounded in God’s word.
3.God would never tell us to do anything contrary to His revealed Word.
Illus. Take this area of divorce
*God says he hates divorce
*God’s design is one man-one woman for life
*God allows divorce for only two reasons
*If those reasons are not there then God does not want you to divorce that person
4. Our obedience must be based on the Bible.
IV. OBEDIENCE INVOLVES PERSONAL SACRIFICE (2)
He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
This act of obedience was the ultimate person sacrifice for Abraham.
1.Isaac was his only son of the promise
2.He and Sarah had waited over 25 years …
3.God had miraculously allowed Sarah to conceive
4.God knows how much Abraham loves Isaac “whom you love”
5.I reminds us God’s sacrifice of His only Son..
B. Abraham was to kill him and lay him on the altar to be completely consumed by fire.
1.What a difficult thing for him to do!
2.You can see why obedience is the acid test of our faith/love/fear of God.
*anything less than a genuine faith, love and fear would fail the test
*Noah sacrifice pride, wisdom
*Jesus sacrificed His all to obey God and go to the cross
B. The obedience God requires of you will also involve personal sacrifice.
1.How else could it show the true quality of your faith/love/fear of God?
*maybe it’s a financial sacrifice God is calling on you—missions, tithing, more than 10%
*maybe it’s your time God wants …. Youth? SS? In the Word
*maybe it’s a habit?
*you know what it is.. Holy Spirit has made it clear
V. OBEDIENCE IS A FORM OF WORSHIP (5)
Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you."
When you sacrifice all to in obedience to His will you are worshipping God.
1.What greater way to express the ultimate worthiness of God than by giving up all to obey Him?
2. Being obedient at the price of great personal sacrifice?
B. The Scriptures are silent about the long night that preceded this day but I can imagine it must have been a very difficult and trying time for Abraham!
1.Great personal sacrifices rarely come without great agony/ Jesus in the Garden
2.The battle against the flesh and self-life is fierce
3.But when the battle is won and the decision is made to obey God no matter the cost—worship takes place!
VI. OBEDIENCE MUST BE COMPLETE (9-10)
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
A. Abraham went all the way in his obedience.
1.If he had stopped anywhere in the process it would have been partial obedience which is disobedience.
2.If he had come to the point of cutting his throat a then decided to stop that would have been disobedience.
*what if Noah had built the ark but not put pitch on the wood?
*what if Noah had built the ark but decided to make it smaller than God said?
*what if Jesus had allowed the soldiers to beat Him and mock Him but not nail Him to the cross?
Illus. Let me tell you a story that shows how seriously God takes partial obedience. 1 Kings 13:1ff
1 Kings 13:20-22
20 Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; 21 and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus says the LORD, ’Because you have disobeyed the command of the LORD, and have not observed the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, 22 but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water"; your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers.’"
VII. OBEDIENCE IS AN EXPRESSION OF LOVE, FAITH AND FEAR OF GOD. (12)
He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
Fear = reverence, awe, respect
1.Abraham showed his ultimate allegiance was to God.
2.He valued his relationship with God more than anything—more than his beloved Isaac
B. Faith= Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the ashes in order to fulfill His promise
Heb 11:17-20
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED." 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
C. Love=Abraham loved God more than he loved Isaac because he was willing to obey God even tho it meant killing Isaac
1. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15
D. Noah’s obedience showed his faith, love and fear of God—acid test
E. Jesus’ obedience showed His love, faith, respect for the Father
Illus. When you obey God it shows your faith, love and fear of God.
Ex. 1. Maintain moral purity, no to sex, ####, etc.
Ex. 2. Stay in that marriage
Ex. 3. Do not do drugs, alcohol
VIII. OBEDIENCE RESULTS IN GREATER BLESSINGS (14, 17)
A. Deepen walk with God Gen 22:14
Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided."
1.Abraham understood God as his provider that day as never before
2.He was forever changed—closer to God
Illus.
Noah—deepened his walk with God
*as he saw God fulfill His Word
*as he saw God save his family
*what was the first thing Noah did after the flood?
—built an altar and worshipped
Jesus—obedience resulted in exaltation Phil 2:8-11
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Illus. When you obey God will deepen your relationship with Him John 14:21
21 " He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
*you fight against your flesh and the world and the devil and maintain moral purity you will deepen…
*you stay in that marriage, you will ….
*YOU SAY NOT TO DRUGS …..
*you step out and start giving 10% of your income to the Lord and you will deepen your ...
B. Greater Ministry Gen 22:16-19
16 and said, " By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 " In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
1.God affirms His will to use Abraham to bless the world
2.Jesus will come from Abraham (18) “seed”
3.Because he obeyed God’s voice.
*What if Abraham had not obeyed..?
*Where would we be today?
Illus. A. Noah—
*he became the father of the human race (new Adam)
*God used him to establish His covenant with mankind that He would never destroy …
Illus. B. Jesus
*redeemed His own through his obedience unto death.
*He became the Savior of mankind
Illus. As you live in obedience to God you will broaden your ministry
*moral purity—help others to do the same
*stay in that marriage, help others….
*turn away from alcohol, drugs ….
*trust God in your finances …
IX. THERE IS NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR OBEDIENCE AS THE ACID TEST OF OUR LOVE, FAITH AND FEAR OF GOD.
You can have external obedience w/o love faith and fear of God—Pharisees
You cannot have love, faith, and fear of God and w/o obedience to Him.
1.Do not be deceived-
