November 19, 2006

Reality Check
22:1 -19 ...

Some brief review, then we will see what you have already seen many times, the faithfulness of God, and the LONG term plan of God.

Recall with me the three day journey of Abraham and Isaac to a hill named Moriah, just outside of what would one day be Jerusalem. Picture that long trek, as Abraham pondered what he had been asked to do. Puzzled? probably, for human sacrifice was a pagan ritual and was detestable to God. Yet God had said it...but why? What had he done...how was he going to tell Isaac? And together they walked on, Isaac filled with excitement and Abraham pensive and filled with dread. Yes, He knew God had promised, knew that God always kept His word, but HOW was God going to do this? What would happen, would God let Him kill Isaac and then raise him up? would he actually have to do it?? Oh God please not...What would Isaac think of Him after this?

You know the routine, you are always doing the same thing when God is at work, second guessing, fretting, not thinking God won't work, but trying to figure ways He could do it???

And then consider Isaac as they traveled. Excited to be on a three day trip with HID dad, wondering though why dad was so quiet and troubled. and another thing bothered his keen young mind, where was the lamb? Abraham carried the wood along and all the things needed to sacrifice, but there was no lamb. Ah well, he’d ask Abba about that later, right now there was a lot to see.

You know the story, Abraham and Isaac and the young helpers get to the bottom of this mountain and Abraham says to the young men, “You guys wait here and My son and I will go up and offer the sacrifice as God has said.” And they trek up that long slow hillside, Isaac young and vibrant, Carries the wood, Abraham bearing as it were , the weight of the world on His shoulders.

Now Isaac gets a little more bold and asks Dad, “Abba, We have wood and an altar, but Abba, where is the lamb???”

I think that Abraham's eyes must have filled and His heart was so very heavy as he answered, “Son, God will provide the lamb.”

Then imagine the fear and dread as Abraham takes His precious son and says, “Oh my child what am I to do? “ God has told me that I am to offer you as a sacrifice.”
I believe that in Isaac dwelt already y the deep faith of His precious Abba. And I know that this young man was far more fleet of foot than that 115 yr old man. And We see no scene of a struggle as Abraham binds this sweet gift of God and lays him as sacrifice on the altar.

Keep in mind here hat these are real people with real ears and real pain and real emotions and real flutters of doubt. Keep in mind that Abraham is about to do a horrible thing and yet a truly awesome thing too, He's demonstrating a faith that knows no boundaries and He is guaranteeing a future for all humankind.

Now shudder with me as Abraham raised this knife , closes his eyes and .; 11 -And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here [am] I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me . Note that Abraham and Isaac were not the only Father and Son on the mountain that day. Note that God the Father was there, and note who else. “The angel of the Lord appeared, and look at what this angel says,” I know you fear God seeing that you have not withheld your own son from ME.

The visible manifestation of God was there that day , the pre incarnate Christ, the one who would one day put on human flesh and climb a similar hill. And He was up to the same thing then as He still is, Providing a substitutionary sacrifice. “Look Abraham, over there.” And Abraham looks through eyes no doubt filled with tears of relief and joy and blinks enough to see a ram caught in a thicket, a substitute. Ahh praise God His son was spared.

Was Abraham elated? was there any need to stir him to worship? I don't think so. He had obeyed and he had seen the salvation of the Lord. God had indeed provided a sacrifice He is God the provider.

I need you to not that more than just the sparing of Isaac happened on that day, look at verse 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Abraham's obedience that day had far reaching implications. It had implications for Abraham and His descendants, but it also had implications for YOU! In the obedience of Abraham you received the opportunity to become a child of the king of kings.

Gen. 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.; Gen. 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

Gen. 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
Gal. 3:8-9 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Ga 3:29 And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to ‡ the promise.

Do you see the results of obedience of only one man? Do you see how very important the obedience of ONE is? One Sunday school teacher? A Sunday school teacher led just one boy to the Lord, and what a disappointment this one was humanly speaking. He was possessed of a 5th grade education, when he attended his first service he began looking for John in Genesis.

Those around Him thought that he was lest likely to be used of God. But because of this one teacher, this Young man began to study and learn, and in the process of time became a well known preacher D. L. Moody It is estimated that in his lifetime he was used to bring more than one million souls to Jesus Christ.

All because of a Sunday school teacher, Ed Kimball who did what God had called Him to do. So in Abraham we see the importance of obedience, not just for ourselves, but for others yet unknown.

May I indulge in some comparisons today? Obvious enough ones and ones that show the provision of God and the keeping of further promises as well?

Good.

2000 years ago another Father had a son. He was also well pleased with this son and knew that He would be the promised heir and bearer of all the promises. And on that day nearly 2000 years ago this Father was to offer a sacrifice on a hill just outside Jerusalem. Go with me on their journey as well as this Son , full knowing the horror He must face, petitions His Father on the eve of His being offered. Hear him plead and agonize in a garden spot and feel the torment of His soul as He says “Oh Abba, Father, if there's any other way please take this horrible load from me, But Abba whom I love and trust, Not what I wish, but what you want.” And feel the grief in that lonely heart as all through the night the friends desert him and finally its just He and his Father walking up a hill just outside of Jerusalem.

As Abraham loved His son, so much more did this Father love His son. As Abraham laid the wood for the sacrifice on Isaacs shoulders on that other slow climb, so this Father laid the wood for the sacrifice on his sons bruised and bleeding back. And as Isaac was bound and placed on the altar, So this son was laid on another sort of altar. And there it stops. Because in the old, which is but a shadow of the new, God intervened and killed a lamb to spare the son of His servant whom he loved. But there was no one to say stop that day on that other hill. Because here a far greater thing was taking place. Here God was not slaying a lamb to save his loved ones, here God was slaying His loved one to spare his enemies. The question was asked by Isaac “Abba, where is the lamb?

The answer was given in its fullness as this second sacrifice came on the scene by one who was sent to prepare the way. “Behold the lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world.”

In Abraham's obedience many were blessed and that blessing came because of the obedience of another, this other son, this lamb of God, this man called Jesus. Ro 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

As there were more than Just Abraham and Isaac present on Mount Moriah, there were also many others present that day on Golgotha. On Moriah there were Abe Isaac and God and a sacrificial Lamb. And the adversary was no doubt there hoping for the ruin of Gods perfect plans.

But on Calvary that dark day there crowds of angry Israelites, Romans and Greeks all clamoring for his death. There was no earthly Father, but a weeping mother, a mother who knew something about this child, he was virgin born. There were followers and disciples who had scurried like ants the night before hanging on now as this sacrifice was made.

On Moriah the presence of God stopped the sacrifice, but on this dark day there was a noticeable absence of that voice. No voice called out, STOP! for the heavenly Father turned His face away and the son, through surrounded by many, was alone. He cried out in his deepest distress, “My God My God why have YOU forsaken me.” And there was a lamb, oh yes and it was not only a substitute, it was THE substitute, the last lamb that EVER needed to be sacrificed. On Moriah Abraham had said in response to Isaac's “where's the lamb“. God will provide himself a sacrifice.

The precious son on that day was the lamb of God. God had truly provided HIMSELF as a sacrifice. Year after year the sacrifices continued on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. It went on because these sacrifices were a covering for the sins of the people and not able to remit them, or remove them. Then the prophets began to speak of something better, a time when God would forget the sins of the people, but how was this to be?

The answer to that question is in this Lamb, the Lamb of Calvary. He was born alive, with a spirit that was in subjection to the Father. He had a life to lay down for us. And on the cross that day he took away the sin debt, and also, note “The sins of the world.”
On Mount Moriah Abraham obeyed God and opened the way for great blessing in this world. On Mount Calvary Jesus, Gods unique son obeyed God and opened the way for blessings that are out of this world.

On Mount Moriah Abraham received a covenant that was the beginning of blessings through his seed to all nations.

On Calvary Jesus cried out “TeTelestai” It has been accomplished and forever finished the transaction that sealed those blessings for time and eternity.
On Mount Moriah A father was willing to slay his Son because He trusted in a holy God and believed Him.

In Calvary a Father was willing to slay his holy son that we might trust in the ONLY God.
In Moriah A Father watched as his innocent son neared death .

On Calvary A Father turned his face away as his innocent Son became supremely guilty of all the sins of the race.

On Moriah A Son was slated to die to secure Gods promise for his chosen people.
On Calvary A Son was slated to die to secure God's promise for the alien and stranger.
Oh there are probably more similarities and differences, but the crux of the matter is this: what Isaac portrays weakly in shadow, Jesus fulfills brightly in reality. He is the true Lamb of God and His death made fellowship with God a matter of faith and not law. His sacrifice ended all other sin sacrifices that day.

I need to meddle a bit this morning!

Abraham was a an who listened to what God had to say . He was obedient in the training of his son and was even willing to sacrifice that son because of obedience.
Today I am afraid there are many who sacrifice their children because of disobedience.
“Ye Fathers,” writes Paul to the Ephesians, “Ye Fathers train you children in the warning and instruction of the word.”

Did you know that a gallop poll showed that while 60% of Americans attend some church only 12% read their Bibles?

Did you know that 85% of professing believers have NEVER read through the word?
Hosanna Ministry surveys done in 1987 of over 300 pastors brought out these reasons why people don't read the word of God. 48% laziness 44% lack of time 6% don't understand 2% poor eyes or reading skills. what are we to do? How are we to Obey a voice we do not listen to? Look at what the Lord demands of us his children: Deut. 6:18 ¦ Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: 21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

Gen 18: Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Proverbs 24:3-4 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
What God do you serve? Do your family really see that in you? Reflect it?
You think about that, Amen