SERMON: The Language of Sustaining Faith: Part 1—Abraham

The following are my notes from the first in this series. Even though there are many thoughts inbetween these notes, may the Holy Spirit encourage your heart as you read and trust the Lord to strengthen your faith.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-19; Romans 4:19-21

What is faith—this is where we need to start.

We start with  Hebrews 10:38-39--But my righteous one[a] will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure[b] in him.[c] 39 But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.

Faith, we need to understand as believers is the secret to the Christian life. The just shall LIVE by faith. Hebrews 11 is known as the Bible’s Hall of Faith.

Hebrews 11:1--Now faith is the reality[d] of what is hoped for, the proof[e] of what is not seen.

Faith treats the things hoped for as fact and places confidence that believers possess the promises of God. Interestingly, the Greek word for “reality” is hupostatis—it was used in Hebrews 1:3 to describe Christ’s relationship with the Father and in 3:14 as a firm confidence that believers possess.

Faith is not fleeting, but a substantial foundation in our lives to maintain our confidence in Jesus.

Hebrews 11:6--Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Faith is crucial in our lives to not only brings insight and confidence, but it is something we must have to please the Lord.

1 John 5 reminds us that it is our faith that helps us to overcome the things the world throws at us.

Matthew 17:20—Jesus is reminding us that faith as tiny as a mustard seed can move mountains. Reminding us that nothing is impossible with God as we move according to His will in our lives—which always requires both prayer and a prayerful reliance on God.

In part of the Hebrews Hall of Faith, verses 11:8-10, we see Abraham.

It tells us that Abraham obeyed when God called him and that by faith, he continued to trust the Lord even though he was a foreigner in the land that God had promised. Both Abraham and Sarah considered the Lord to be faithful to His promise that in verse 12 it says: “Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.”

Scripture calls Abraham “a friend of God.”It took Abraham and Sarah trusting the Lord to produce Isaac—the heir of promise. And it is from their faithful believing that came the Jewish people and through their line—the Messiah, Jesus.

This now brings us to our main verses today in Genesis 22.

God is testing Abraham—he is being stretched to his limits. A realization sets in here that those closest to the Lord often find themselves in the midst of the biggest tests. Its no different now for Abraham. He knew Isaac is the son of promise. This held firm in his heart—yet, now God is asking him to sacrifice him.

There are several interesting things that Abraham does at this juncture of God’s call to him.

*He rose early in the morning and packed to go.

*It says he split the wood himself for the burnt offering.

Abraham’s obedience was so complete that he prepared in advance for what God has told him to do!

We also understand that Moriah—where they were to travel to—was about 45 miles north of where Abraham lived—a very long journey in those days!

As we come to verse 5 we begin to hear the language of the faith that sustained Abraham.

SLIDE

“Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”

Even at this point Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac from the dead even though there is no evidence how he could have believed this.

Note Abraham’s statement of worship! This particular Hebrew term describes the act of an individual bowing all the way to the ground. This would be a physical gesture of complete surrender to the Lord and His ways.

Both the idea of worship and we will come back to you express great determination and faith. Abraham is believing God to do the impossible.

Secondly, we see another statement of faith in verses 7 and following.

SLIDE:

“Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.” And he replied, “Here I am, my son.” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide[a] the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together. 9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac[b] and placed him on the altar on top of the wood.”

We know the rest of the story-- Isaac is on the altar—the knife is raised—and Abraham is stopped and praised by the Lord for his obedience.

There certainly is sufficient emotional drama in this story and the writer does not have to build it up for us to grasp it. There is no discussion as to whether Sarah knew what God had commanded. There is no explanation of Abraham’s feelings and no record of any heart rendering exchanges between father and son.

Abraham almost seems artificial or subdued in a matter-of-fact way as he moves from one step to the next. Yet, Abraham moved in faith believing that the Lord would take care of the details.

Abraham, by faith and the confession of his heart and mouth believed God.

Romans 4 tells us that Abraham’s faith was counted to him as righteousness.

In Romans 10:17 we are reminded that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It is as we hear God’s word and let it sink into our hearts. It is then our response should be worship and walking out our faith by not only our actions, but what comes out of our mouths in believing the Lord and standing on His promises.

Why such a test for Abraham?

*To strengthen his faith

*To provide Isaac a firsthand experience with the Lord as he has seen his father’s faith

            This is also perhaps an important side note for each of us—in our walks with the Lord, how are others seeing us walk out our faith? How is your family, your children, your friends and others viewing your Christian Walk? What are they hearing coming out of your mouth during those tough times in life? How are you responding to the things the Lord asks you to do? Are you responding in obedience and faith or hesitant? Are you willing to worship despite the aches in your heart? Are you willing to stand on the promises of God whether at the time they make sense to your own emotions etc?

*Perhaps this was even to offer a picture of a father’s pain in sacrificing his son, as God eventually did in Christ’s sacrifice for each of us.

This test of Abraham’s faith allows him to demonstrate to himself, to Isaac, and really to the world, but most of all to the Lord that his faith is not driven by what he will receive out of it, but by his total commitment to God.

God and God alone motivates Abraham’s faith.

It is no different for each of us. We are to be motivated in our believing God—not by what we might receive from Him, but by our love and obedience to the Lord alone.

It matters what we confess in our walks with the Lord. It matters how we respond to the tough things in our lives. It matters to have a heart and spiritual ears that listen to the voice of the Spirit in our lives and to follow His leading.

It is impossible to please God without faith—but when we believe Him, we are promised that He rewards those who trust in Him.