Sermons from the book of genesis



Sermons from the Book of Genesis

TRUST AND OBEY FOR THERE IS NO OTHER WAY

Genesis 22

Genesis 22 is one of the great scenes of the Scripture. It is one of those special moments in God’s Word. F.B. Meyer wrote: “So long as men live in the world, they will turn to this story with unwaning interest.” It is a story of the length, depth, and height of one man’s consecration to God. Billy Bray used to speak of “teetotalers.” Abraham was without a doubt a “teetotaler,” a man totally yielded to God and obedient to God.

In verse 18 there are five words that are the heart of the chapter: “Thou hast obeyed my voice.” This is above anything else, a story of obedience. In fact, this is the first time that you have the word “obedience” in the Bible. In fact, in Genesis 22 we find several words occurring for the first in the Bible: love, worship and fear. If you really want to know what real obedience is, here is both the demonstration and definition. I can't help but feel that all these words are connected. If a person loves, fears, and worships God, they will obey Him.

Someone has said, “Every great person first learned how to obey, whom to obey, and when to obey.” You often hear people say, “I want to do what God wants me to do.” I wonder sometimes if they really mean that. Would you obey God no matter what, when, where, and why? Let’s examine our desire to obey God by the example of obedience that we see in Abraham.

First, think with me of:

 

1. THE LENGTH OF A BELIEVER'S FOLLOWING GOD

 

We read in Genesis 22:1, "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am." There are times that God makes us put our money where our mouth is. We say that we will obey God and God puts us to the test to see if we really mean what we say. The word "tempt" means to "prove" or "put to the test." God put the length of Abraham’s obedience to the test. Or to say it another way, God put Abraham to the test to see how far he would obey Him.  What lengths will you go in the matter of obedience?

As we look at Abraham we see:

 

A) An Immense Act of Obedience

 

Warren Wiersbe said, “Our faith is not really tested until God asks us to bear what seems unbearable, do what seems unreasonable, and expect what seems impossible.” The “who” of God’s command involved the unbearable and the "what” of God’s command involved the unreasonable. What was it that God asked of Abraham? He asked him to offer his son Isaac as a burnt-offering. That it was to be a burnt-offering is made very clear in the fact that six times in the chapter the burnt-offering was mentioned. I think that is very significant.

The burnt-offering was the most gruesome of the Levitical offerings. The offerer would bring the sacrifice and cut the throat of the sacrifice and drain the blood from the body. Then the body would be skinned and afterward carefully dissected. Then the pieces would be placed upon the altar and consumed by fire. Afterward, the ashes would be carried to a separate place.

Now, you think about what God was asking Abraham. He was asking him to cut his son's throat, drain the blood from his body, dissect his body and place it upon an altar to be consumed by fire, and then gather his son's ashes and bury them in a separate place. This was an unprecedented request on the part of God. It was indeed an immense act of obedience. Did Abraham obey God?

We see that on Abraham's part there was:

 

B) An Immediate Act of Obedience

 

We read in verse 3, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him." Abraham did not fight, or fear, or flee God’s command. There doesn’t seem to be any indication that he argued with God or wrestled with God asked. He obeyed God’s command to the detail. There was an immediate following of God's command.

We see the spirit of obedience when he heard God’s Word. In verse 1 he responded to God's voice by saying, "Behold, here I am." He had heard God's voice on other occasions and even before he knew what God was going to ask of him, he was expressing his submissiveness. Obedience was settled in his heart. I doubt that he had any idea what God was about to ask, however, his reply indicated that he was ready to obey.

We see the steps of obedience when he heeded God’s will. In verse 3 he sets out early in the morning having with all he needed to obey God's command. Obedience was shown in his life. What is the length of our obedience? Would we obey God no matter what He asked? Is there such submissiveness to God's Word and His will that we are willing to obey God, no matter what? If God spoke to us at this very moment, would we say as Abraham, "Behold, here I am." In all honesty, that is the kind of obedience God desires and demands from every believer.

Secondly, notice not only the length of a believer's following of God, but also:

 

2. THE DEPTH OF A BELIEVER'S FAITH IN GOD

 

The reason for Abraham’s following of God was his faith in God. This was the foundation to his willingness to obey God. We read in verse 5, "And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and lad will go yonder and worship, and come again unto you." Please note the words "come again." Abraham intended on offering his son as a burnt-offering but he fully expected to return with the son. Now, that my friend is faith.

Why was Abraham's faith so strong? First, he had faith in:

 

A) God's Provision

 

We read in verses 7-8, "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together." Abraham believed that God would provide.

Secondly, he had faith in:

 

B) God's Promise

 

We read in Hebrews 11:17-19, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." He knew that God had promised that Isaac was the chosen seed and from him his seed would come. That could have never happened if he were dead. Abraham was ready to actually go through with the killing of his son, but he knew that if God kept His promise, He would have to raise Isaac from the dead. He had faith in what God had promised.

If you do not believe that God is able to provide and that He will keep His promises, your faith will be weak. If your faith is weak, your willingness to obey will be weak. If you are firmly convinced that God can provide and will do everything He promised, there will be fear in obeying Him. Obedience really comes down to whether or not we have faith in God.

Thirdly, we see:

 

3. THE HEIGHT OF A BELIEVER'S FAVOR BY GOD

 

We read in verses 11-12, "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 anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." God always blesses the obedient Christian.

In Abraham's case we see that there will be:

 

A) A Greater Revelation of God

 

You will learn things about God being obedient than in any other way. Abraham had seen and experienced God in marvelous ways before, but this day there was a new revelation of God. It is as we obey God that we are introduced to God. We see God at work in our lives proving to us that He is the very God He claims to be.

As well, there will be:

 

B) A Glorious Reward from God

 

God will richly reward those who are obedient to Him. God paid a great compliment to Abraham. He spoke of how his obedience was true blue. There can be no greater reward than for God to pay us a compliment. As the song writer said:

When we walk with the Lord

In the light of His Word

What a glory He sheds on our way

While we do His good will

He abides with us still

And with all who will trust and obey

 

Trust and obey

For there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus

But to trust and obey.

A Missionary translator was trying to find a word for “obedience” in the native language. Among the people he was working, obedience was a virtue seldom practiced. One afternoon as he was walking through the village, he whistled for his dog and it came running at full speed. An old native seeing this said, “Your dog is all ear.” Immediately the missionary knew he had found his word. Obedience is being “all ear.”

During the war between the states, General Lee sent word to Stonewall Jackson that he rode in the direction of headquarters he would be glad to see him on a matter of no great importance. When Jackson received the message he immediately prepared to leave the next morning. Rising very early, he rode 8 miles to Lee’s Headquarters against a storm of wind and snow. He arrived just a Lee was finishing breakfast. Lee greatly surprised, asked Jackson why he had come through such a storm? Jackson replied, “You said that you wished to see me. Sir, your slightest wish is a supreme command to me.”

God’s slightest wish was a command to Abraham. How about you?

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Sermons from Genesis by Ken Trivette

Gen #18

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