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Hello and welcome to
Wednesday night Bible study.
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Also Wednesday night prayer
meeting sometimes called. And
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welcome to A Sharper Focus.
My name is John Dinzey. Pastor
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Lomacang could not be with you
today so I have the privilege
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of spending this hour with you.
Of course, we're asking for the
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Lord's blessing. We're praying
for the Lord to bless us in this
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Bible study. We have a wonderful
group of people that have joined
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us here in Thompsonville Seventh
day Adventist Church and by the
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way, if you are in southern
Illinois area we invite you to
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join us at the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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Thompsonville, of course, those
that live in southern Illinois
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know it's a very small town. It
is route 149 where you find the
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Thompsonville Seventh-day
Adventist church just before you
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get to route 34 as you're coming
from the West Frankfurt area.
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If you're coming from the Benton
area, of course, when you come
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up route 34 you'll have to turn
right on route 149 and drive
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about what is it? Two miles
or so. Less than that. Okay less
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than that and you'll find the
church on the right hand side
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We are here Wednesday at 7 p.m.
for the Wednesday night Bible
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study and Saturday morning to
join you at... and we ask you to
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join us here at 9:15 a.m. where
we have song service and we are
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here praising the Lord, studying
the Bible together, and you'll
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hear the preaching of God's
word here at the Thompsonville
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Seventh-day Adventist church.
Also we want to encourage you to
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pray for the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist church.
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We want to be a light to the
community. And so we want this
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to be a vibrant church that
ministers to you. Today we are
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going to study a very
interesting topic I believe.
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I have a difficult time finding
titles but this one I entitled
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The Ultimate Sacrifice. We
are going to study the Bible
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together. The Ultimate Sacrifice
Now perhaps you've made some
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sacrifice that you consider
ultimate. So today we're going
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to look into what happened when
God called a man to do something
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that seemed like the ultimate
test of faith. But before we
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continue we like to tell you how
you can join us. There are some
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Bible studies you can download
at the website at ASF.3ABN.org
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I'll repeat that. ASF that's for
A Sharper Focus, ASF.3ABN.org.
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for those listening to the radio
we welcome our listeners from
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all over the world. So there
you can download Bible studies.
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Pastor Lomacang is going through
a Bible study series and then
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you can download them and join
in the Bible study. There is no
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handout for today. Today we
don't have a handout for this
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particular study. However, it's
a study worthy of our attention
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so we want to go to the Lord
in prayer right now and ask for
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His blessing as we study
His word. Let us join in prayer.
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Our loving heavenly Father,
we are grateful to you for your
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goodness and mercy to us. Lord
we little comprehend how great
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is thy faithfulness, how
wonderful is thy mercy. Many
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have written about it and there
is even a song that says Amazing
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Grace. We thank you Lord, for
you have made a great sacrifice
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for us, a plan of salvation that
reaches every human being in
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the world. We pray Lord that
as we study together our hearts
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will burn within us as your Holy
Spirit helps us to understand
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the scriptures. We pray
for your Holy Spirit to be upon
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each and every one of us. I
place myself aside Lord and pray
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that you will be the one to
speak, you will be the one to
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lead us. And we pray Lord for
those that have concerns here
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present. They are concerns great
and small. So we pray that you
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will attend to each one. We also
ask the same for our viewers
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and for our listeners that join
us during this hour. You know
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their needs. Some are in great
stress waiting for an answer
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Lord. We pray that in the
time that it is _ you'll bring
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them the blessing they need.
Give them strength for today.
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Courage to go forward knowing
that with you all things are
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possible. We pray Father for
these things in Jesus' name Amen
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Well today we start talking
about a man that God said take
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up your household and I will
show you a land where you're
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going to be. We're talking about
Abraham. He started out with the
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name Abram and the Lord changed
his name to Abraham which means
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Father of many nations. And the
Lord came to Abraham one day and
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told him that he was going to
have a son. And Abraham rejoiced
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to know that he was going to
have a son. Sarah also rejoiced,
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his wife, but the promised
blessing delayed in coming.
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It was a test of faith. The
promised blessing delayed in
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coming and again the Lord
repeats the promise. You're
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going to have a son and he will
be a father of many nations.
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You're going
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to be a father of many nations
God told Abraham. There was a
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delay and so the time came
when Abraham and Sarah decided
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perhaps the Lord will bring
the blessing this way. Sarah
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suggested that Abraham take as
his wife who? Hagar. Hagar was
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Sarah's servant, her handmaid,
the Bible calls her and says
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maybe through my handmaid
the promised blessing will come.
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Abraham consented to this and
of course his firstborn son, his
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name was Ishmael, was born.
However, that was not what God
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had said would happen. He
said his wife Sarah would have a
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child. Abraham loved Ishmael and
he told God, Oh that Ishmael may
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live before you. And He said no.
It is the fruit of your loins
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that will be your inheritor.
So it was that upon the set time
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the Lord visited Abraham. Three
individuals came and told him in
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the proper time, in about a year
from now your wife is going to
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have a son. They were already
very old. Sarah even thought it
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was impossible because the Bible
says it ceased to be with her
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according to the manner of women
and she even laughed when she
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heard it, How can it be?
I'm already a woman that is old.
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But with God, all things are
possible. So her son was born.
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What a joy Isaac brought to the
family. It was the joy and pride
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of the home. Abraham was
very happy that through his wife
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Sarah now he really had a son.
His name, Isaac. Unfortunately
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a little struggle showed
up between Isaac and Ishmael.
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Because Isaac was the little
one Ishmael the bigger one and
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unfortunately it was such that
Sarah said, You must send this
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woman away with her son.
It was a difficult thing,
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but Abraham did just that.
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The Lord said to Abraham, Do as
your wife has said. And when the
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Lord tells do as your wife has
said, what should you do? Do it.
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There is big blessing in doing
the things that the Lord says
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for us to do. But I wanted
to take you now to our study for
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today. I'd like to invite you
to join me in Genesis chapter 22
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and verse 2. In Genesis
chapter 22 we have here a very
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interesting story. Abraham had
failed God in not waiting for
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the promised blessing. So
I'm going to ready Genesis 22:1,
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it's not going to go on
the screen but it says... we're
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going to pick it up on the
screen with verse 2. It says...
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I would like to bring out at
this moment that it says that
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the Lord did tempt. This is the
King James Version that uses the
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word tempt. However, it is a
word that means tested Abraham,
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proved Abraham. You may remember
a scripture in Daniel 1 where
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Daniel asked for a test to be
made. He said prove us. And so
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he was proved. That's the same
word that is translated prove in
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Daniel 1, it's the same word
translated here tempt. So the
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Bible tells us in James that
the Lord does not tempt anyone.
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But He does try our faith, to
increase our faith, to help us
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understand that we should rely
and trust in Him and that God
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is faithful. What He says he
will do, He will do. So the word
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nawsaw is the word tempt there
and it means to test and prove
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and to try. So you can see the
same one in Daniel 1:14. Let's
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take a look at that. It's not
going to be on the screen for
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the sake of those that are
joining us. Daniel 1:14 we're
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going to see the same word used.
As we mentioned before in Daniel
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1 you may remember that Daniel
and his friends were taken
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captive and they were offering
them food that Daniel thought
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was not good for him to eat.
So Daniel approached the eunuch
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and said give us pulse and water
to drink, vegetables and water
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to drink. And it says there
in verse 14 that he consented to
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them in this matter and proved
them 10 days. And to continue
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reading in verse 15, it says
and at the end of 10 days their
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countenance appeared fairer
and fatter in flesh than all the
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children which did eat the
portion of the king's meat. So
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this word proved is the same
word used in Genesis 22:1 but
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it used the word tempt. But
we must understand that God does
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not tempt people. He tests
us for our benefit. He tries our
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faith for our benefit. So now I
invite you to join me in verse 2
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of Genesis 22, let's go to
Genesis 22 again if you have
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Bibles we invite you to join us.
You may want to write some of
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these down. Of course,
we're going to deal mainly with
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Genesis 22 and onward and we're
going to go to other places as
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well. And now in verse 2, we
have the following scripture:
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And He said, Take now thy son,
thine only son, Isaac whom thou
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lovest We're reading from
Genesis 22:2 and get thee into
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the land of Moriah and offer him
there for a burnt offering upon
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one of the mountains which I
will tell thee of. Kind of
similar to the same
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call that God made to Abraham
in the beginning. So when you
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look at Genesis 22:2 you will
find something interesting. Look
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at the way, God talks to
Abraham. Take thy son, thine
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only son. Question: Did Abraham
have another son. Yes, we just
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talked about it. He said he had
another son named Ishmael. But
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why does God tell him, Take now
thy son, thine only son and then
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repeats whom thou lovest. It is
because God recognized Isaac as
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his firstborn son from his wife.
The other son was not recognized
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because he was not the son
of the promise. And He used the
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words Whom thou lovest, he could
have left that word out. Whom
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thou lovest. And God was testing
Abraham's faith. Notice that he
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also told him go to the land of
Moriah and offer him there for
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a burnt offering upon one of the
mountains which I will tell thee
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of. In other words, he's going
to the mountain but the Lord is
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going to show him when he gets
there which one is the one. So
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at the present time, he could
not tell anybody, we're going to
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this particular spot. The Lord
was going to show him later.
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So now I would like to invite
you to enter into the experience
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of Abraham. What if the Lord
told you take whomever you love
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the greatest and offer that
person as a burnt offering, as a
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burnt sacrifice. What would you
do? Very difficult thing. A very
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difficult thing that Abraham had
to face. And I would suggest to
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you, had Abraham been faithful
in the past, he wouldn't have to
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to go through this difficult
test. And I say this for us as
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well, because there are things
that happen in our lives where
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the Lord will test our faith,
test our faithfulness, that if
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we are victorious, if we follow
God in these things, we may not
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have to face something more
difficult later. Because we will
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go trusting the Lord, our faith
in Him will be solid. We may not
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have to encounter something
more difficult later on. And so
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Abraham he receives the message.
Do we have any evidence in the
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Bible that he told anyone about
what God had asked him to do?
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No. Notice verse 3,
let's go to verse 3:...
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So there was no communication
with Sarah. Imagine if he had
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told Sarah. Sarah, God has asked
something difficult. He has
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asked me to go and sacrifice
Isaac. Ohh. What would Sarah
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do? What would Sarah say? I
could hear her say NOOO, not my
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son! It would have been
something that would break her
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heart. Now imagine this for
a moment. It would have been
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difficult, sad, a terror for
Abraham and Sarah to hear that
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their son was out taking care
of the flock and some people
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came and killed him. It would
have been very sad. Or even that
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Isaac was out there doing some
things and some animal came and
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tore him to pieces and killed
him. It would have broken their
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heart. But now God is asking
Abraham, Take thy son, thine
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only son and offer him for
a burnt sacrifice. What did
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Abraham have to do in order to
offer him as a burnt sacrifice?
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He had to take a knife and kill
his son. So it was heartbreaking
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to even consider what he had
to do. But we see Abraham as you
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read, he rose up early and went
with his son. I can see Abraham
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going to his son Isaac, Isaac
get up son. We need to go and
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offer a sacrifice to the Lord.
You can see by the reading which
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we'll come to later that Abraham
did not tell his son Isaac, by
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the way Isaac, you are going
to be the one to be sacrificed.
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That came later. Abraham
couldn't bear the thought. So
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let's go to see what happened
next as Abraham went. So in
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Genesis 22, now we go to verse
4, the screen may say verse 1,
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but it's verse 4. And it came
to pass after these things, I'm
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sorry, verse 4, sorry. Then on
the third day Abraham lifted his
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eyes and saw the place afar off.
So how many days? On what day?
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On the third day. But wait. What
happened the first day? What
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happened the second day? It
was a long journey and it was
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calculated for Abraham to think
about what he was about to do.
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He had plenty of time. Minutes
seemed like hours. Hours seemed
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like days. It was a long,
anguished and suffering that
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Abraham was going through.
Each step he came closer to the
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moment when he would have
to sacrifice his son. It was
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difficult, very difficult. I
imagine that okay let's go to
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sleep. That first night, do
you think Abraham slept? No. I
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seriously doubt he slept.
Probably when he couldn't stay
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awake any longer he fell asleep.
I see Abraham praying, Lord,
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does it have to be this way?
Remember Jesus in the garden of
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Gethsemane. Lord, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from
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me. Nevertheless, not as I
will but as thou wilt. I can see
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Abraham struggling. Perhaps
not in the same magnitude as
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Christ, but he struggled with
this thing. Cried at the thought
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that his son would be dead.
First day. Second day, the long
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journey ahead. Getting closer
and closer to that moment where
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he has to sacrifice his
son. Very difficult. So here the
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scripture takes us to the third
day. It doesn't tell us what
00:20:10.14\00:20:15.21
happened, but I'm sure Abraham
struggled every moment he got
00:20:15.24\00:20:18.65
closer to the place where the
Lord said, There is where you
00:20:18.68\00:20:22.28
will sacrifice. As we read in
verse 3, he lifted up his eyes
00:20:22.32\00:20:26.25
and saw the place afar off. What
do you think happened when he
00:20:26.29\00:20:32.93
saw the place. Somehow the Lord
gave him a sign, perhaps a cloud
00:20:32.96\00:20:36.00
a bright cloud. Patriarchs and
Prophets says there was a bright
00:20:36.03\00:20:40.37
cloud. And so he saw the place
00:20:40.40\00:20:43.71
I can imagine. I don't know
how it is about you when you see
00:20:43.74\00:20:48.58
someone you hadn't seen for a
long time. Haaa!. You're heart
00:20:48.61\00:20:51.91
rejoices. But when he saw this
cloud, when he saw the actual
00:20:51.95\00:20:55.42
place his heart sank. Oh
no. There it is. Let's go to the
00:20:55.45\00:21:03.86
next verse and see what happened
In verse 6 of Genesis 22. And
00:21:03.89\00:21:14.40
Abraham took the wood of the
burnt offering... I'm sorry we
00:21:14.44\00:21:18.51
skipped a couple of verses here.
Let's go to verse 5. You may not
00:21:18.54\00:21:22.04
see this on the screen but let's
go to verse 5. And Abraham said
00:21:22.08\00:21:28.08
unto his young men, Abide ye
here with the donkeys and I and
00:21:28.12\00:21:35.62
lad will go yonder and worship
and come again unto you. So
00:21:35.66\00:21:40.80
these two individuals did
not know what Abraham was to do.
00:21:40.83\00:21:44.37
In verse 6, And Abraham took...
I'm sorry verse 5. And Abraham
00:21:44.40\00:21:52.57
said unto his young men... I'm
sorry. We read verse 5. They're
00:21:52.61\00:21:55.78
going to go yonder and worship.
We must understand that Abraham
00:21:55.81\00:22:00.68
and his household they
worshipped God. For some reason
00:22:00.72\00:22:04.09
he's tells them, you guys stay
here. What do you think that was
00:22:04.12\00:22:09.42
Very good. Jesus told his
disciples he told some of them
00:22:09.46\00:22:15.26
to stay here and we're going
to go pray over there. Very
00:22:15.30\00:22:19.47
interesting parallel there. But
Jesus chose three of his closest
00:22:19.50\00:22:27.81
disciples, but none of them
could see Him struggling as He
00:22:27.84\00:22:31.75
did. Very powerful study in the
garden of Gethsemane. So then
00:22:31.78\00:22:36.45
he goes with his son and an
interesting conversation takes
00:22:36.48\00:22:42.66
place as Abraham and his son go
together. Let's go to verse 6.
00:22:42.69\00:22:52.03
And Abraham took the wood of the
burnt offering and laid it upon
00:22:52.07\00:22:55.50
Isaac his son. Isaac was very
strong. That's Genesis 22:6.
00:22:55.54\00:23:01.48
And he took the fire
in his hand and a knife.
00:23:01.51\00:23:05.21
We'll talk about
that in a moment.
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.46
Where's the lamb, Dad. We have
a fire, we have the wood, we
00:23:27.87\00:23:40.82
have the knife but where is the
lamb father? That sounding of
00:23:40.85\00:23:47.39
the word father _. The
question says he's bright
00:23:47.42\00:23:55.53
he's a young man, he's a
teenager already. Abraham is
00:23:55.56\00:23:59.67
about 120 years old. And I will
tell you that if Isaac wanted to
00:23:59.70\00:24:05.34
being that strong, he could have
resisted the idea. But what does
00:24:05.37\00:24:11.95
Abraham say to his son?
Genesis 22:8 tells us. And
00:24:11.98\00:24:19.72
Abraham said, My son, God will
provide himself a lamb for a
00:24:19.75\00:24:28.46
burnt offering: so they went
both of them together. There is
00:24:28.50\00:24:36.37
no evidence that Isaac
said, What? The Lord is going to
00:24:36.40\00:24:40.04
provide one for us. Praise the
Lord. So they walk together. And
00:24:40.08\00:24:46.75
again consider, every step was a
moment closer to the time he had
00:24:46.78\00:24:52.55
to sacrifice his son. He could
turn back. He could say, I can't
00:24:52.59\00:24:57.79
go through with this. I can't
do it. This is my son, my only
00:24:57.83\00:25:02.93
son, I love him, I can't do
this But Abraham went forward to
00:25:02.96\00:25:11.94
sacrifice his son. They
walked together it says. When we
00:25:11.97\00:25:19.58
continue the reading it doesn't
tell us that Abraham told his
00:25:19.61\00:25:25.69
son. But he had to tell his son.
Son, I have some bad news for
00:25:25.72\00:25:33.73
you. It breaks my heart to tell
you. God told me that you are
00:25:33.76\00:25:41.64
the burnt sacrifice. I can
imagine his voice breaking with
00:25:41.67\00:25:47.01
sorrow and tears, tears flowing
down his face as he tells his
00:25:47.04\00:25:50.81
son; Son you are the
burnt sacrifice. Now Abraham had
00:25:50.85\00:25:59.89
taught Isaac to worship God, to
love God with all of his heart,
00:25:59.92\00:26:03.99
with all of his soul, will
all of his mind, with all of his
00:26:04.03\00:26:08.56
strength. There is no indication
that Isaac resisted the idea,
00:26:08.60\00:26:13.64
that he rejected the thought.
There is no indication that
00:26:13.67\00:26:19.91
Isaac said, Wait a minute father
my whole life is before me. I'm
00:26:19.94\00:26:24.28
not even married. I would like
to get married and have children
00:26:24.31\00:26:27.95
I have my whole life before
me and you want to cut it short?
00:26:27.98\00:26:31.59
Are you sure father? There
is no questioning Isaac. Abraham
00:26:31.62\00:26:40.40
loved his son. Isaac loved his
father. Abraham loved God with
00:26:40.43\00:26:46.97
all of his heart, with all
of his mind, with all of his
00:26:47.00\00:26:51.24
strength. Isaac must have loved
God with all of his heart, with
00:26:51.27\00:26:56.98
all of his mind, with all of his
strength. To yield to the idea,
00:26:57.01\00:27:00.32
to say okay father. If this is
what God wants, let's do that, I
00:27:00.35\00:27:06.55
am willing. Difficult and we see
the description here let's read
00:27:06.59\00:27:13.80
it in Genesis 22:9:
00:27:13.83\00:27:15.16
And they came to the
place which God had told him of,
00:27:15.20\00:27:18.93
Genesis 22:9 and Abraham built
an altar there and laid the wood
00:27:18.97\00:27:23.74
in order and bound Isaac his
son and laid him on the altar
00:27:23.77\00:27:28.28
upon the wood. I would tell you
that Isaac helped him build that
00:27:28.31\00:27:34.02
altar. Isaac helped him prepare
everything and said okay father
00:27:34.05\00:27:39.75
let's go to the next step. They
gave themselves the last embrace
00:27:39.79\00:27:45.79
saying goodbye son. I love
you but this is what God wants.
00:27:45.83\00:27:52.23
Difficult. I'm not going to ask
for a raising of hands how many
00:27:52.27\00:27:57.01
of you would be willing to
do this because this is a very
00:27:57.04\00:27:58.64
difficult test. This is why we
call it the ultimate sacrifice.
00:27:58.67\00:28:07.18
So the moment came when Abraham
had to take the knife in his
00:28:07.22\00:28:13.25
hands. Let's go to Genesis 22:10
And Abraham stretched forth his
00:28:13.29\00:28:23.50
hand and took the knife to slay
his son. Wow, I would say this
00:28:23.53\00:28:33.07
is great faith. This is why
Abraham is called the father of
00:28:33.11\00:28:36.24
the faithful. I would say that
if you take a thousand men, a
00:28:36.28\00:28:42.88
thousand women and offered the
same test, how many would take
00:28:42.92\00:28:49.32
the knife and go through with
what Abraham did. Very few in
00:28:49.36\00:28:54.83
number. Very few in number.
Abraham did not question God.
00:28:54.86\00:29:00.70
It was something completely
new, never heard of this before,
00:29:00.74\00:29:05.84
never heard of God asking this
from anyone else in history and
00:29:05.87\00:29:11.28
Abraham said yes Lord. I
will obey. Let's go to Genesis
00:29:11.31\00:29:21.79
22:11. I'm sorry. Let's go
to the moment here. There's
00:29:21.82\00:29:28.60
something interesting that
happens here. Because Abraham
00:29:28.63\00:29:31.40
has taken his knife and he's
about to kill his son. Hebrews
00:29:31.43\00:29:35.40
11 shows something interesting
about this experience. So if you
00:29:35.44\00:29:40.21
turn in your Bibles to Hebrews
11, we're going to read verses
00:29:40.24\00:29:44.78
17-19, Hebrews 11:17-19 and this
is what the Bible tells us. If
00:29:44.81\00:29:52.39
you find it say Amen. Okay
we have two witnesses so we can
00:29:52.42\00:29:55.56
go forward. By faith Abraham
when he was tried offered up
00:29:55.59\00:30:01.93
Isaac. What does it say that he
did? He offered up Isaac and he
00:30:01.96\00:30:08.30
that had received the promises
offered up his only begotten son
00:30:08.34\00:30:12.74
of whom it was said that in
Isaac shall thy seed be called.
00:30:12.77\00:30:21.12
Accounting that God was able to
raise him up even from the dead;
00:30:21.15\00:30:27.26
from whence also he received
him in a figure. Do you see what
00:30:27.29\00:30:35.06
the scriptures here are trying
to tell us. In his mind, Abraham
00:30:35.10\00:30:40.24
went through it. He saw himself.
Were you ever involved in
00:30:40.27\00:30:46.57
something and you see yourself
doing what you're going to be
00:30:46.61\00:30:48.84
doing? Abraham saw himself
killing his son. In his mind, he
00:30:48.88\00:30:53.25
was going through with it.
Nobody's going to stop you from
00:30:53.28\00:30:56.89
doing this until the angel
called out. And so, we see here
00:30:56.92\00:31:03.43
that apparently Abraham
reasoned, Wait a minute, God
00:31:03.46\00:31:09.10
promised that through my son
the blessing would come, that my
00:31:09.13\00:31:16.00
seed will multiply as the stars
of heaven. Remember, the Lord
00:31:16.04\00:31:19.77
showed him the stars of heaven.
This is going to be the amount
00:31:19.81\00:31:22.84
of children you will have,
as the stars of heaven. And
00:31:22.88\00:31:27.72
according to the scripture it
is as if Abraham understood God
00:31:27.75\00:31:32.32
said he promised that through
Isaac it's going to be, and if I
00:31:32.35\00:31:35.66
have to slay him, sacrifice him
God can bring him back from the
00:31:35.69\00:31:42.36
dead to fulfill his promise.
He believed God completely. So I
00:31:42.40\00:31:49.87
praise the Lord for that. So we
see here that in Genesis, this
00:31:49.90\00:32:01.48
is not going to be on
the screen Genesis 22, we're
00:32:01.52\00:32:02.85
going to go in verse 11 and
so we pick up the story there
00:32:02.88\00:32:06.55
to see what happened next.
Genesis 22:11, if you've found
00:32:06.59\00:32:11.76
it say amen. Okay, Praise the
Lord. And the angel of the Lord
00:32:11.79\00:32:16.67
called unto him out of heaven
and said, Abraham, Abraham and
00:32:16.70\00:32:21.47
he said, Here am I. And He said
lay not thy hand upon the lad,
00:32:21.50\00:32:26.64
neither do thou anything unto
him, for now I know that thou
00:32:26.68\00:32:31.68
fearest God seeing thou hath not
withheld thy son, thine only son
00:32:31.71\00:32:38.39
from me. Verse 13. And Abraham
lifted up his eyes and looked
00:32:38.42\00:32:44.79
and behold behind him a ram
caught in a thicket by his horns
00:32:44.83\00:32:49.53
and Abraham went and took
the ram and offered him up for a
00:32:49.56\00:32:53.07
burnt offering in the stead of
his son. Abraham called the name
00:32:53.10\00:32:58.64
of that place, verse 14, Jehovah
Jireh as is said to this day in
00:32:58.67\00:33:03.98
the mount of the Lord it shall
be seen the Lord provided. Not a
00:33:04.01\00:33:10.79
lamb, a ram. Now it said that
Abraham went to get him because
00:33:10.82\00:33:17.23
Isaac was bound. His hands were
tied up. So when you read the
00:33:17.26\00:33:20.90
scriptures and it says now
I know; did God know at that
00:33:20.93\00:33:25.73
moment, or did God know before?
God knew before, but Abraham
00:33:25.77\00:33:30.24
didn't. And so God tests us
knowing what is going to be the
00:33:30.27\00:33:35.08
outcome. It was for the benefit
of Abraham that God said, Now I
00:33:35.11\00:33:40.68
know that you will not withhold
thy son, thine only son from me.
00:33:40.72\00:33:47.16
So Abraham is called the father
of the faithful, he offered up
00:33:47.19\00:33:53.56
his son accounting that God was
able to raise him from the dead
00:33:53.60\00:33:58.23
to fulfill his promise. Would
you say amen to that. Amen.
00:33:58.27\00:34:03.04
But I want to talk to you about
another Father who also had to
00:34:03.07\00:34:08.18
make an ultimate sacrifice.
So I take you to the cross and
00:34:08.21\00:34:13.62
there is another son, Jesus
Christ. Because the Bible says
00:34:13.65\00:34:17.99
I'll put it on the screen. John
3:16. You know it by memory:
00:34:18.02\00:34:24.39
Interesting. Abraham was told
take now thy son, thine only son
00:34:38.77\00:34:43.71
whom thou lovest. Question: Did
God the Father love the Son. Yes
00:34:43.75\00:34:48.58
And He had to take His son,
His only Son, whom He loved and
00:34:48.62\00:34:54.06
offer Him up as a sacrifice for
us. Why? Scripture tells us: So
00:34:54.09\00:35:03.57
that whosoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have
00:35:03.60\00:35:09.10
everlasting life. So I would
like to take you to the cross.
00:35:09.14\00:35:12.17
Let's look to see what happened
there. Just as Abraham had to
00:35:12.21\00:35:20.15
take a knife to kill his son,
the Father had to do something
00:35:20.18\00:35:26.55
a little similar. And there's
a hint given to us in Zechariah
00:35:26.59\00:35:30.39
chapter 13:7, Zechariah 13:7.
It's one of those little books
00:35:30.43\00:35:37.73
sometimes hard to find,
Zechariah 13:7. We have it on
00:35:37.77\00:35:43.27
the screen for you just in case
you don't find it Zechariah 13:7
00:35:43.30\00:35:48.21
So you see that scripture that
says: Awake O sword against my
00:36:03.83\00:36:11.30
shepherd. Did Jesus say I am
the good shepherd and I give my
00:36:11.33\00:36:17.41
life for the sheep. So this
scripture is giving us a hint
00:36:17.44\00:36:21.78
that God the Father has to
strike the shepherd, smite the
00:36:21.81\00:36:29.08
shepherd. Why? It is because
Jesus Christ took our sins upon
00:36:29.12\00:36:37.89
him and it is either you, me or
Christ that has to die. Christ
00:36:37.93\00:36:45.83
became our substitute. Many of
you know this. Christ became our
00:36:45.87\00:36:50.41
substitute, took our sins upon
Him and died in our place. And
00:36:50.44\00:36:55.71
being in that condition in that
category now the punishment that
00:36:55.74\00:37:03.42
I deserve now he is supposed
to get. He suffered what I was
00:37:03.45\00:37:08.52
supposed to suffer. And so
because he is now in my place
00:37:08.56\00:37:14.20
the Bible says the wages of sin
is death, God the Father has to
00:37:14.23\00:37:19.10
exercise justice and He is the
one that has to do this. Let's
00:37:19.13\00:37:24.47
look at some scriptures
that will help us with that.
00:37:24.51\00:37:26.27
In Matthew 26:31, Jesus alludes
to this scripture we just read
00:37:26.31\00:37:35.92
in Zechariah and notice
what he says. Matthew 26:31:
00:37:35.95\00:37:41.06
So Jesus said this is the
prophecy about me. So the Father
00:37:55.94\00:38:02.01
has to do that which was
difficult to do. Just as it was
00:38:02.04\00:38:06.58
difficult for Abraham, it was
difficult for God the Father to
00:38:06.61\00:38:10.69
do. Exercise justice. So we see
here Jesus live a perfect life,
00:38:10.72\00:38:17.86
never sinned. The Bible says He
was in all points tempted like
00:38:17.89\00:38:22.53
as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus had a perfect hatred for
00:38:22.56\00:38:31.17
sin. Perfect hatred for sin.
Never sinned. He has to then
00:38:31.21\00:38:37.05
open himself up to take that
which he hated upon himself.
00:38:37.08\00:38:44.55
Wow! Because he loved us so much
Let's go to Isaiah 53. We're
00:38:44.59\00:38:51.73
talking about the Father having
to sacrifice his Son, having to
00:38:51.76\00:38:56.90
himself punish his Son in our
behalf. In Isaiah 53:3, we're
00:38:56.93\00:39:05.67
begin reading in verse 3,
Isaiah 53:3. So if you've found
00:39:05.71\00:39:11.58
it say amen.
00:39:11.61\00:39:12.95
So who smote Jesus? The Father
struck him. Why? Because he took
00:39:44.61\00:39:56.89
our place. It is interesting
that in different parts of the
00:39:56.93\00:40:01.86
scriptures in Psalms and Isaiah,
Jeremiah, it shows you a little
00:40:01.90\00:40:06.87
bit of the experience of what
Jesus went through. One of them
00:40:06.90\00:40:10.54
is Psalm 22 and Psalm 69.
But we're going to look at
00:40:10.57\00:40:15.18
Lamentations chapter 3 because
it communicates something
00:40:15.21\00:40:18.08
interesting to us and I think
you can see something of the
00:40:18.11\00:40:23.25
experience of Christ in this
scripture we're about to look
00:40:23.28\00:40:27.49
at. Lamentations 1:12. He's
there on the cross, as he's on
00:40:27.52\00:40:37.50
the cross he's being mocked
by people and this experience
00:40:37.53\00:40:41.97
mentioned in Lamentations 1:12
speaks to us about this. Notice:
00:40:42.00\00:40:47.68
By taking our sins upon him,
Jesus Christ placed himself in
00:41:08.20\00:41:14.77
our place to suffer what we
were supposed to suffer. So I am
00:41:14.80\00:41:22.21
grateful for that. Are you? I
hope you are. Let's go back to
00:41:22.24\00:41:28.08
Isaiah 53. Hope those at home as
well are grateful for what God
00:41:28.12\00:41:35.72
has done for us. Isaiah 53, now
we go to verse 5. Isaiah 53:5:
00:41:35.76\00:41:41.90
It says...
00:41:41.93\00:42:05.75
the Lord hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all. Just like
00:42:05.79\00:42:16.06
Isaac did not resist, Christ
did not resist. He took all that
00:42:16.10\00:42:23.41
suffering, took our sins
upon him. At any moment he could
00:42:23.44\00:42:29.74
escape. But there they tied
him and whipped him, viciously,
00:42:29.78\00:42:35.25
viciously, drew blood. There
were little bones and metal
00:42:35.28\00:42:38.72
stuck on those whips. Sometimes
they would attach bones,
00:42:38.75\00:42:41.76
sometimes they would attach
little pieces of metal so when
00:42:41.79\00:42:44.96
they struck him it would break
into the flesh and pull back out
00:42:44.99\00:42:50.93
At any moment he could say, Wait
wait, wait, this is enough. He
00:42:50.97\00:42:53.90
went through all that for
us. He could have escaped at any
00:42:53.94\00:43:01.18
moment. You remember sometimes
they wanted to push him off a
00:43:01.21\00:43:03.28
cliff, and the Bible says, And
going through the midst of them
00:43:03.31\00:43:06.65
he went his way. Even Jesus
said himself at the garden of
00:43:06.68\00:43:11.99
Gethsemane, I could call
angels to come to my aid. But he
00:43:12.02\00:43:18.26
willingly took all that
suffering because of his great
00:43:18.29\00:43:22.40
love for us. Let's go to Isaiah
53:7. It says: He was oppressed
00:43:22.43\00:43:34.31
and he was afflicted, yet opened
not his mouth. He's just trying
00:43:34.34\00:43:41.92
to tell us that he's not
complaining about it. He's
00:43:41.95\00:43:45.25
willing to take the cross.
He's brought as a lamb to the
00:43:45.29\00:43:50.03
slaughter. And as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so he
00:43:50.06\00:43:56.60
opened not his mouth. No
complaint. He had given himself
00:43:56.63\00:44:03.34
totally so that we could be
saved. To this I say, Thank you
00:44:03.37\00:44:10.05
Lord, thank you Lord. Let's
look at verse 10 of Isaiah 53,
00:44:10.08\00:44:15.95
Isaiah 53:10: Notice the words:
Yet it pleased the Lord to
00:44:15.98\00:44:25.13
bruise him. He had put him to
grief when thou shall make his
00:44:25.16\00:44:31.00
soul an offering for sin.
He shall see his seed, He shall
00:44:31.03\00:44:36.71
prolong his days and the
pleasure of the Lord shall
00:44:36.74\00:44:39.71
prosper in his hand. So
this scripture tells us that it
00:44:39.74\00:44:44.98
pleased the Lord to bruise him.
In what way? I would say to you
00:44:45.01\00:44:52.25
this is one of those bitter
sweet things. It was bitter that
00:44:52.29\00:44:58.53
he had to punish His Son,
bitter. The Father suffered as
00:44:58.56\00:45:04.93
His Son was suffering. The
pleasing or the joy is, remember
00:45:05.40\00:45:12.11
the scriptures say there is more
joy in heaven over one sinner
00:45:12.14\00:45:15.91
that repents. This is the
pleasing aspect of finally the
00:45:15.94\00:45:22.78
moment comes when the plan of
salvation will open the door to
00:45:22.82\00:45:27.82
the whole world to be saved.
Unfortunately, not all accept
00:45:27.86\00:45:35.96
and that is sad. I would like to
invite you to go to Hebrews 12:2
00:45:36.00\00:45:43.10
for the Father, it was one of
those bitter sweet experiences.
00:45:43.14\00:45:47.11
Bitter because his son had to
die, bitter because he was the
00:45:47.14\00:45:51.81
that had to mete out the
punishment, but sweet because
00:45:51.85\00:45:57.49
you can be saved; I can be saved
In Hebrews 12:2 we read already
00:45:57.52\00:46:05.23
that Jesus Christ was a man
of sorrows and acquainted with
00:46:05.26\00:46:07.63
grief, but Hebrews 12:2 opens up
a little bit the curtain to help
00:46:07.66\00:46:12.10
us understand how Jesus
felt about this _. It says,
00:46:12.13\00:46:18.31
Looking unto Jesus the author
and finisher of our faith who
00:46:18.34\00:46:24.11
for the joy that was set
before him, endured the cross,
00:46:24.15\00:46:28.88
despising the shame and has set
down at the right hand of the
00:46:28.92\00:46:33.96
throne of God. Did he enjoy
being crucified? No! It was a
00:46:33.99\00:46:41.76
painful, horrible way to die.
But there's more. It was not
00:46:41.80\00:46:49.47
just the physical suffering
that made him suffer. There was
00:46:49.50\00:46:54.58
another aspect of suffering
that sometimes is not looked at
00:46:54.61\00:46:58.35
because internally
sometimes there's more pain than
00:46:58.38\00:47:03.12
externally. Have you ever
had that happen? Internally more
00:47:03.15\00:47:08.62
pain than externally. Why?
Because when he takes our sins
00:47:08.66\00:47:15.13
upon him, he is now in
a different position in
00:47:15.16\00:47:19.93
relationship to the Father.
He has taken sin upon him. In
00:47:19.97\00:47:26.21
2 Corinthians 5:21 it says that
he became sin for us. So the
00:47:26.24\00:47:32.38
Father has to withdraw his
immediate presence from the Son.
00:47:32.41\00:47:40.62
He doesn't leave completely but
Christ could not see Him there
00:47:40.66\00:47:46.09
because He has to withdraw His
presence because this is what
00:47:46.13\00:47:51.70
sinners will feel when they
cling to sin, when they decide I
00:47:51.73\00:47:58.24
refuse salvation, I don't want
salvation, I don't want eternal
00:47:58.27\00:48:01.81
life. I prefer sin and God
has to withdraw and God is the
00:48:01.84\00:48:09.62
source of all true joy and
peace. So Christ experienced
00:48:09.65\00:48:15.16
what sinners will experience
when they receive the reward
00:48:15.19\00:48:21.63
for their sins. In Matthew
27:41-46 we are going to take a
00:48:21.66\00:48:27.84
look at what happened there.
In Matthew 27:41-46 and I'd like
00:48:27.87\00:48:32.41
you to turn there in your
Bibles. Matthew 27:41-46 we read
00:48:32.44\00:48:39.11
Likewise also the chief priests
mocking him with the scribes and
00:48:39.15\00:48:42.65
elders said, He saved others,
himself he cannot save. If he be
00:48:42.68\00:48:49.32
the king of Israel, let him
now come down from the cross and
00:48:49.36\00:48:52.29
we will believe in him.
Will they believe in him? No. He
00:48:52.33\00:48:59.37
trusted in God, let Him deliver
him now if he will have him,
00:48:59.40\00:49:03.07
for he said, I am the Son of
God The thieves also, which were
00:49:03.10\00:49:10.48
crucified with him cast the same
in his teeth. Now from the sixth
00:49:10.51\00:49:14.72
hour there was darkness over
all the land unto the ninth hour
00:49:14.75\00:49:18.85
and about the ninth hour, Jesus
cried with a loud voice saying,
00:49:18.89\00:49:23.99
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That
is to say, My God, my God why
00:49:24.03\00:49:34.27
hast thou forsaken me? This
is a bitter experience to go
00:49:34.30\00:49:43.38
through that. The joy was that
you would be saved, but it was
00:49:43.41\00:49:48.68
a bitter experience to go
through that. This is why he
00:49:48.72\00:49:53.32
cries out, My God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me? He cannot
00:49:53.36\00:49:58.96
feel the Father's presence. He
cannot see the Father. With sins
00:49:58.99\00:50:05.60
upon him he has to experience
in totality what sinners will go
00:50:05.63\00:50:13.14
through at the end of time. I
would like to read to you from a
00:50:13.17\00:50:19.48
book that will explain it better
than I can. It's Testimonies to
00:50:19.51\00:50:25.99
the Church, Vol. 2, p. 210.
Listen to these words: Christ
00:50:26.02\00:50:30.99
felt much as sinners will feel
when the vials of God's wrath
00:50:31.03\00:50:35.40
shall be poured out upon them.
Black despair like the pall of
00:50:35.43\00:50:40.80
death will gather about their
guilty souls and then they will
00:50:40.84\00:50:44.01
realize to the fullest extent
the sinfulness of sin. Salvation
00:50:44.04\00:50:49.51
has been purchased for them by
the suffering and death of the
00:50:49.54\00:50:53.85
Son of God. It might be theirs
if they would accept of it
00:50:53.88\00:50:59.89
willingly, gladly. But none are
compelled to yield obedience to
00:50:59.92\00:51:05.66
the law of God. It's a choice.
You can choose to follow God or
00:51:05.69\00:51:09.96
not. You can choose to obey
God or not. If they refuse the
00:51:10.00\00:51:13.84
heavenly benefit and choose the
pleasures and deceitfulness of
00:51:13.87\00:51:17.61
sin, they have their choice and
at the end they see their wages,
00:51:17.64\00:51:25.58
which is the wrath of God
and eternal death. They will be
00:51:25.61\00:51:34.16
forever separated from
the presence of Jesus whose
00:51:34.19\00:51:37.46
sacrifice they had despised.
They will have lost a life of
00:51:37.49\00:51:42.36
happiness and sacrifice eternal
glory for the pleasures of sin
00:51:42.40\00:51:49.47
for a season. It is mind
boggling to consider that.
00:51:49.50\00:51:55.14
People will choose sin for a
short period of time compared to
00:51:55.18\00:52:01.92
happiness, peace and eternal
life without suffering forever
00:52:01.95\00:52:06.72
and forever and ever. People
will choose this little pleasure
00:52:06.76\00:52:10.63
over this huge indescribable joy
indescribable happiness, life
00:52:10.66\00:52:17.90
without suffering at all,
no suffering, not the least
00:52:17.93\00:52:22.34
hint of suffering.
00:52:22.37\00:52:24.31
They're giving all that up
for the pleasures of sin for a
00:52:24.34\00:52:28.58
season. I hope there's nobody
here in that category. I hope
00:52:28.61\00:52:32.21
anyone listening to this program
is not in that category and if
00:52:32.25\00:52:35.98
you are, give it up and look to
Jesus who can save you from your
00:52:36.02\00:52:42.12
sins. Amen. I tell you that God
the Father suffered along with
00:52:42.16\00:52:47.36
the Son. Quickly we turn to
Isaiah 63:8-9, a little example
00:52:47.40\00:52:53.07
of that, Isaiah 63:8-9. We're
down to about five minutes.
00:52:53.10\00:52:58.67
Isaiah 63:8-9 notice what
the scripture says about how God
00:52:58.71\00:53:06.55
involves Himself with His people
For he said surely they are my
00:53:06.58\00:53:10.45
people, children that would not
lie. So he was their Savior. In
00:53:10.49\00:53:15.99
all their afflictions he was
afflicted. So God suffered along
00:53:16.02\00:53:21.06
with His people. And the Angel
of His Presence saved them. In
00:53:21.10\00:53:26.94
his love and his pity he
redeemed them and he bore them
00:53:26.97\00:53:30.71
and carried them all the days
of old. So when God's people
00:53:30.74\00:53:36.81
suffered and were afflicted,
in all their afflictions God the
00:53:36.85\00:53:40.08
Father was afflicted. And so I
tell you in all the afflictions
00:53:40.12\00:53:44.25
of Christ God the Father
suffered. Every nail pounded,
00:53:44.29\00:53:47.89
Every pound of the nail the
Father felt it. Every strike
00:53:47.92\00:53:52.36
of the whip, the Father felt it.
He is sensitive to the smallest
00:53:52.39\00:54:00.34
suffering that we suffer, and
He suffers himself. Sometimes we
00:54:00.37\00:54:07.58
suffer needlessly because we do
bad things to ourselves. We can
00:54:07.61\00:54:12.61
escape from suffering, we can
escape the suffering that will
00:54:12.65\00:54:18.12
be for those who reject God. In
2 Corinthians 5:17-19, we have
00:54:18.15\00:54:31.07
these scriptures: Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a
00:54:31.10\00:54:35.10
new creature. Old things are
passed away. Behold all things
00:54:35.14\00:54:40.04
are become new and all things
are of God who hath reconciled
00:54:40.08\00:54:46.18
us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the
00:54:46.21\00:54:51.39
ministry of reconciliation.
To wit, that God was in Christ
00:54:51.42\00:54:57.33
reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their
00:54:57.36\00:55:02.50
trespasses unto them and have
committed unto us the word of
00:55:02.53\00:55:07.04
reconciliation. So where was the
Father? In Christ, reconciling
00:55:07.07\00:55:13.21
the world unto himself. Christ
did not feel Him but the Father
00:55:13.24\00:55:18.48
was there, suffering with
him. At the same time, he had to
00:55:18.51\00:55:25.79
punish him for our behalf. I
would like to, since the time
00:55:25.82\00:55:30.23
has passed, invite you to go to
the book of... Remember it was
00:55:30.26\00:55:36.40
the wages of sin is death. This
is what Christ suffered for us,
00:55:36.43\00:55:40.90
but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our
00:55:40.94\00:55:44.47
Lord. Romans 6:23. 2 Peter 3:9
tells us: The Lord is not slack
00:55:44.51\00:55:55.38
concerning His promise as
some men count slackness but is
00:55:55.42\00:55:58.92
longsuffering to usward, not
willing that any should perish,
00:55:58.95\00:56:02.52
but that all come to repentance.
This will be wonderful if all
00:56:02.56\00:56:10.27
would repent. There will be joy
for the Lord for all the sinners
00:56:10.30\00:56:16.57
that repent, but there will
be sorrow for the Lord for all
00:56:16.60\00:56:19.77
those that don't. This is the
part we do not understand. God
00:56:19.81\00:56:25.75
will suffer to see one person
be lost and have to suffer the
00:56:25.78\00:56:32.09
wages of sin, because Christ
already paid the price. So I
00:56:32.12\00:56:36.59
read to you from Isaiah 55:6-7.
Listen to the words of the Lord.
00:56:36.62\00:56:45.50
Seek ye the Lord while he may be
found, call ye upon him while he
00:56:45.53\00:56:52.24
is near. Let the wicked forsake
his way and the unrighteous man
00:56:52.27\00:56:58.08
his thoughts, and let him return
unto the Lord and he will have
00:56:58.11\00:57:04.59
mercy upon him, and to our God
for he will abundantly pardon.
00:57:04.62\00:57:12.19
Isaiah 55:6-7. So I encourage
all here to forsake evil and
00:57:12.23\00:57:21.50
follow the Lord. The Bible says
Let the wicked forsake his way
00:57:21.54\00:57:25.61
and the unrighteous man his
thoughts and let him return unto
00:57:25.64\00:57:27.68
the Lord and the Lord will have
mercy upon him. God is extending
00:57:27.71\00:57:32.28
his mercy to you watching,
listening to this program. I
00:57:32.31\00:57:35.88
encourage you to take the hand
of the Lord. I encourage you to
00:57:35.92\00:57:38.65
let him embrace you, forgive
you and give you a new beginning
00:57:38.69\00:57:41.89
in Jesus Christ. Christ has paid
the price for your sins. You do
00:57:41.92\00:57:46.59
not have to suffer for your sins
Christ has paid the price and
00:57:46.63\00:57:50.63
you can have eternal life
through his Son Jesus Christ who
00:57:50.67\00:57:54.14
has died for you and is ready
to save you. Go to him now. He
00:57:54.17\00:57:58.61
will receive you and
give you eternal life.
00:57:58.64\00:58:01.54
¤ ¤
00:58:01.58\00:58:15.36