Following In The Footsteps Of Faith Sermon #15
Genesis 22:1-14
ON THE MOUNTAIN OF ABSOLUTE SURRENDER
Intro: This is one of the great mountain top passages of the Bible. In it, we
find one of the clearest pictures of the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ on
the cross at Calvary. It seems as though God used the life of Abraham as
a canvas to pain a portrait of His Own heart as He willingly gave His Own
darling Son to die for the sin of man. This is usually how we approach this
passage. However, there is another dimension to this text.
I would like to look at this passage from Abraham's perspective. As I
read the Bible, I am confronted with the truth that no other man was called
upon to give so much. Yet, as Abraham's sacrifice to the Lord is offered, we
do not see the heart of a devastated broken man. Instead, we see the heart
of a worshiper! I believe there are lessons that we can learn from Abraham
today.
As you and I pass through this life, there will be demands made on our
lives by God. Often, these demands will call for personal and profound
sacrifices on our part. From a human perspective, we may not want to
participate in what God calls us to do. However, God's demand from your
life and mine is total, absolute and unquestioning obedience to His perfect
will, 1 Sam. 15:22; Rom. 12:1-2. Even though we know this, there is still a
part of us that wants to rebel against the command of God for our lives.
Today, I would like for us to join Abraham as he climbs the lonely Mountain
Of Absolute Surrender. There are steps we must take if we will climb that
mountain. Let's join this great man of God on this mountain and see what
it would take for us to be On The Mountain Of Absolute Surrender as
well.
I. V. 1-2 INVOLVES PERCEPTION
(Ill. We must be in a position to hear God.)
A. This Demands A Relationship - Abraham came to know the Lord
back in Genesis chapter 12. The reality of his conversion is
revealed in Gen. 15:6. Their relationship had often been rocky, (Ill. Lot - 12:4; Egypt - 12:10-20; Hagar - 16:1-4; Gerar - 20:1-18 - He
wasn't perfect, but he knew the Lord.) (Note: How about you?
Have you been saved? If so, then no doubt your relationship has
been rocky too. Be that as it may, there is still a relationship. If you
have not been saved, you need to bow to His will and be saved!)
B. This Demands A Readiness - As soon as God speaks, Abraham
responds! This implies that he had been listening for the voice of
His Lord, and he was not disappointed. (Note: God is on the lookout
for people who want to be in a deep, close relationship with Himself - John 4:23. If you ever get hungry for the Lord, you will not be
disappointed!)
C. This Demands A Revelation - God revealed His plan for Abraham's
life. This was a necessary part of the process, for no man can know
the mind of God until it is revealed to man by God.
1. Notice How God Defines His Commands - "thy son, thine
only son Isaac, whom thou lovest." Abraham's son Ishmael
had already been sent away. Now, the command comes that
would take Isaac away as well. God was asking for everything
Abraham had! All his hopes, his dreams and his plans were
bound up in Isaac. God says "give it all to me!" (Note: God
wants nothing less than everything - Rom. 12:1; Luke 14:26-27.)
2. Notice How God Details His Commands - God was very
precise about what Abraham was to do. (Note: When God
speaks, He may not reveal every detail of His plan, but your next
step will always be made clear.)
3. Notice How God Darkens His Commands - God does not
explain the "why?" to men! (Note: Does the "why?" even
matter? It shouldn't! Faith knows that he path of God always
leads to good for us and to glory for Him - Rom. 8:28.)
II. V. 3-5 INVOLVES PREPARATIONS
(Note: As we observe Abraham doing what the Lord commanded, we
see a man who is throughly prepared. There are three areas in which
Abraham made his preparations.)
A. V. 3 His Hands Were Prepared - Abraham wasted no time, but got
himself up and gathered everything he would need to do what God
had commanded. He left nothing out, but he took nothing extra!
(Note: There is an urgency to the commands of God. The moment
He calls is the moment you should act - John 9:4.) (Note:
Procrastination has caused the death on many profound spiritual
experiences. We miss them because we hesitate.) (Note: Carpe
Diem should be the rallying cry of the church!) (Note: Just a thought:
If anything is worth doing for the Lord, it is worth doing right! May
we always refuse to build with cheap materials! 1 Cor. 3:12)
B. V. 4-5a His Head Was Prepared - Abraham had three days and
three nights to think about what was about to happen. To him, it
must have made no sense at all, yet he did it without question! All
he knew was: 1.) Isaac was the future - Gen. 17; and 2.) God
wanted Isaac back! Even though he couldn't make it add up
mentally, by faith he was willing to obey God. (Note: This is the key
to consistent spiritual victory! We are called to walk by faith, Rom.
1:17; 2 Cor. 5:7. God help us to come to the place where, even
when God's commands make absolutely no sense, we will still obey
Him without question or reservation!)
C. V. 5b His Heart Was Prepared - Abraham knew why he was there.
He was there to offer his beloved son to God. He was there to give
everything that was present in that day and all that was promised for
tomorrow. Yet, he looked at it as a service of worship! (Note:
Define worship - It is ascribing worth to someone! Worship is taking
a place of absolute humility before God, thereby leaving Him, alone,
in the place of exaltation!) Abraham viewed God as being worthy of
receiving all he had without question or without reservation. How
could he do this? Because Abraham knew that God ALWAYS
honors His Word - Heb. 11:17-19. (Note His great statement of faith
in Gen. 22:8 - "will come again!") (Note: This is the place God
would have us all to come to! He wants you and me in a place in life
where no one or no thing in our lives is more precious to us than He
is!) (Note: Can you honestly say that God os more important to you
than anything else in life? Be careful before you answer! (Ill. Matt.
10:35-37) Have you honestly come to the place of total and absolute
surrender to God? If you ever do, you will learn that you have no
rights, no possessions, no positions, nothing but Him and His will for
your life, 1 Cor. 6:19-20. Where are you in regard to this matter of
total surrender? Have you come to the place where nothing is more
precious to God.
III. V. 6-14 INVOLVES PARTICIPATION
A. V. 6 This Participation Is Personal - Abraham personally placed
the wood on Isaac. He personally took the fire and the knife and he
personally lead the way. For Abraham, this was an event of
personal commitment and sacrifice. (Note: God has determined that
you and I are to be personally ind intimately involved in His service
and worship - Rom. 12:1.) (Note: This kind of life was modeled by
Caleb - Josh. 14) (Note: Jesus Himself is the supreme example - Phil. 2:5-8; Luke 22:42.) (Note: Are you personally, intimately
involved with God and His work? God has a perfect, precious plan
for your life. Only your involvement will result in its being
accomplished.)
B. V. 7-10 This Participation Is Profound - Abraham willingly and
completely obeyed the command of God. He held nothing back! He
gave up everything he had longed for, lived for and loved at the
simple command of God! What and act of love and worship! (Note:
Have you come to that place in your life? Do you even want to?)
(Note: How could Abraham do this? Easy! Isaac was already dead!
He died in verse 2 when of God asked for him. That was the level
of this man's commitment to the Lord! And, that is the secret to
arriving at the summit of the mountain of absolute surrender. It's not
about the altitude of the body, but it's all about the altitude of the
heart! Isaac had already been offered in Abraham's heart, the rest
was mere window dressing!)
C. V. 11-14 This Participation Is Powerful - Abraham's participation
was powerful because it gave God an opportunity to flex His
muscles, and it gave Abraham the opportunity to receive some
special blessings that he would have otherwise missed out on.)
1. V. 11-14 He Received God's Provision - Ill. The context.
Abraham gave up Isaac and got him back again because he
minded God. Simply put, Abraham's faith honored the Lord and
God in turn honored Abraham's faith. Think about it, while
Abraham and Isaac climbed one side of the mountain, a ram
was coming up the other side of the mountain! God had already
gone ahead and made a way! (Note: That will still work today!
Our God is still Jehovah-Jireh. When we do what He tells us, no
matter what the cost, we will see Him bless in a profound way!)
2. V. 12 He Received God's Praise - Abraham got to hear the Lord
say, "I am pleased with you!" (Note: This verse points out the
whole purpose behind this episode. This was never about Isaac,
it had always been about Abraham! God wanted Abraham in
that place of total surrender and love for Him.) (Note: That's
what it's about in our lives as well! When God's commands calls
for sacrifice, it has nothing to do with what we are told to give up.
It has everything to do with our being willing to give it up at the
simply command of God. God doesn't want you Isaac's, He
wants you!) (Note: Is there anything in your life that you have
not been willing to give to the Lord?)
3. V. 15-19 He Received God's Promise - God renewed His
covenant with Abraham. This is merely a reminder that the
condition of their relationship was still intact. (Note: God know
what Abraham would do! He put him to the test so that Abraham
might see what was in his own heart. He was brought to a
blessed place of peace, provision and promise, because he put
God ahead of everything else in life.) (Note: If you really want
God's best, then put God first, Matt. 6:33)
Conc: So, is everything you have and are totally, absolutely and completely
surrendered to God? God isn't really interested in your Isaac's, it's you He
wants! Does He have all of you there is to have?
