Jesus: Our Example in Christian Life Series #1 Abraham Tested: Genesis 22:1-14; John 8:56-59; Hebrews 11:17-19

Series #1 Abraham Tested Faith (Abraham) Submission (Isaac) Sacrifice (Ram)

John 8:56 Who is Jesus? 56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

Genesis 22:1-4 Abraham Tested 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. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

Genesis 22:1-4 If Noah illustrates the duration of faith, Abraham shows the depth of faith. Isaac- Abraham’s only son (Gal.4:21-30), in whom lies God’s promised to Abraham of numerous posterity. (Ge.15,18,21) It is impossible to see the God’s plan in sacrificing Isaac. By Isaac’s death, God’s promise to Abraham would be nullified.

v.1: A Faith “Tested” NIV: The clear statement that “God tested Abraham” reveals the Lord’s real purpose in the incident. God “tested” Abraham, not “tempted”. God does not tempt (Jas 1:13). Satan tempts us (1Cor.7:5) to make us fall God tests us in order to confirm our faith (Ex20:20) and to prove our commitment (Dt.8:2)

v.2-4 Overhanging Questions Without any further explanation, God’s request was made in three simple imperatives: “Take”, “go”, and “sacrifice”. This simple command seem to destroy what God has already promised. Can God go back on his own words? Even more surprisingly is Abraham’s blind submission. Did he question God’s purpose?

v.2-4: Act of Faith The narrative excessively and deliberately details Abraham’s preparation for the journey. The narrative does not give any details on the emotions of neither Abraham or Isaac. Abraham carried out God’s directions so matter-of-factly. What was on Abraham’s mind? Is this a lesson on the act of a blind faith?

Genesis 22:5 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."

v.5 Abraham’s Certain Faith “..we will come back to you.” Here we have one beautiful example of Abraham’s faith. Abraham understood God’s plan through faith. And he was richly rewarded because he saw God’s purpose and plan- Jesus.

Hebrews 11:1-2 1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

John 8:56 Who is Jesus? 56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

The Seeing through Faith cf. Jn.8:56 Number 1: Abraham sees the resurrection: he received Isaac back from death

Hebrews 11: By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

The Seeing through Faith Number 2: God’s Perfect Sacrifice- God’s own Son, substituting for our sins. Through this act of faith, Abraham beautifully illustrated what was to come- that God would sacrifice his own son on he cross.

Genesis 22:6-8 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. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "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, my son." And the two of them went on together.

Genesis 22:9 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.

The Seeing Through Faith Number 3: The Perfectly Obedient Son “The fire and wood are here.. But where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Isaac is here a type (prefiguration) of Christ. (Phi.2:8, Mt.26:39) Christ went to the cross and laid down his life willingly. He obeyed God and was bound to be sacrificed.

Submission to God Humility: Phi.2, Jas.4 Repentance: Jas.4 Societal: Eph.5:15-6:9, 1Cor.14:34, 1Ti.2:11

Genesis 22: 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! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

Sacrifice For God, Abraham sacrificed his only son, with faith. For us, God sacrificed his only son, with love. (Jn.3:16)

Sacrifice: We to God This was a test from God. A test of faith- the fear of God, the reverential trust in God that includes commitment to his revealed will. McArthur: The final standard of faith, its real proof, is willingness to sacrifice. Mt.16:24 Do we have a faith but a life without sacrifice? (Js.2:14-26)

James 2: You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

Hebrew 13:15-17 Sacrifice to God 15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Genesis 22: Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

John 3:16-17 Sacrifice: God to Us 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Sacrifice: God to Us, Us to Men Mk 10: Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus As our Example in Life A Life of Faith in the Father A Life of Submission to God’s command A Life of Sacrifice to God and to men

Footnote Abraham saw Jesus day: #1 Miraculous birth of Jesus through sacrificing of Isaac #2 The submission of Jesus’ sacrifice- redemption of mankind through sacrificing of Isaac #3 The resurrection of the dead through the substitution of the ram in the sacrificing of Isaac... And he was glad!