The Four Faces Of Obedience

THE FOUR FACES OF OBEDIENCE

Gen. 22:1-13

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. There are times when even doing what is right seems like it will backfire on you. Old habits are hard to break.

2. One guy invariably left off the cap to the toothpaste and for years his wife had hounded him about it. Finally, on their 25th anniversary, he made a private commitment to break the annoying habit.

3. With faithfulness and regularity he screwed on the toothpaste cap every time he used it. After a week of unbroken success the poor guy was blindsided by his very suspicious wife.

4. She cornered him at the breakfast table and said, "Why did you stop brushing your teeth?"

B. LIFE & DEATH OFTEN DEPEND ON OBEDIENCE

1. Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse told of a missionary home in the Congo where the little son was playing in the yard. Suddenly he heard his father's voice.

2. "Philip! Obey me instantly! Dropped to your stomach!" The boy obeyed without asking a question. "Now crawl toward me as fast as you can!" Again the boy obeyed. "Now stand up and run to me!" The boy obeyed and ended up in his father's arms.

3. Only then did he turn and look at the tree by which he had been playing. Hanging from a branch was a 15-foot snake! Suppose the boy had paused to ask, "Why, Dad?" or "Do I have to right now?" He would have been killed by the snake!

4. Instant obedience is a mark of faith and love. Philip knew he could trust his father, so he obeyed his voice. "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears."

C. YOU CANNOT REMAIN A CHRISTIAN WITHOUT OBEDIENCE

1. Christianity is not just a set of beliefs, it is a worldview and life style. Paul said, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

2. But James states that belief alone does not constitute true biblical faith. He says in James 2:19, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” Obviously the demons believe in God and even fear Him, but that doesn’t save them, because they don’t obey Him. That’s the true test of faith. Obedience is not Optional. In 1 Pet. 1:14, Christians are called “Children of obedience”(Gr.). Faith “works” by love. Gal. 5:6

3. Faith is not static, but dynamic. We walk, stand, live, and must continue in the faith. Faith is not just head-knowledge. To Not obey betrays the fact that one is not believing. There are different types of surrender in war – limited, conditional, etc. – but the only type God wants is unconditional surrender. James uses Abram’s offering of his son as proof that faith must be combined with obedience (2:20-23).

D. TEXT: Gen. 22:1-13

1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey...When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out. 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. 7 Isaac...said..."The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering... 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy...Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns...and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

E. THESIS

Abraham demonstrates several characteristics about obedience. We will observe four of them and see if our obedience is of the same quality as Abraham’s. The title of this message is The Four Faces of Obedience.

I. SACRIFICE IN YOUR OBEDIENCE

A. WE WILL HAVE TO SACRIFICE TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. God usually asks us to give that which is most precious to us. In Matt. 19:21, Jesus told a young wealthy man, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." He wouldn’t do it & walked away from God.