Heavenly Father,
00:00:05.47\00:00:06.80
Lord, as we open up
the scriptures once again,
00:00:06.84\00:00:09.34
we're asking that Your
Holy Spirit would help us
00:00:09.37\00:00:11.54
to see in this
passage some of the lessons
00:00:11.57\00:00:14.91
that you have for us today.
00:00:14.94\00:00:16.95
We pray that You
would give us understanding,
00:00:16.98\00:00:18.45
Lord, that our minds
00:00:18.48\00:00:19.81
may not be
distracted to other things,
00:00:19.85\00:00:21.65
but to know that the reason
that this story is in Scripture
00:00:21.68\00:00:24.99
is because You want
to speak to our hearts
00:00:25.02\00:00:27.19
and our minds today.
00:00:27.22\00:00:29.06
This we ask in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:00:29.09\00:00:33.96
Richard was a young
man in his early 20s.
00:00:34.00\00:00:36.93
He lived during the 1950s,
00:00:36.97\00:00:39.67
in fact Richard had
just gotten out of the army,
00:00:39.70\00:00:42.20
and he was ready to begin
his life in the real world.
00:00:42.24\00:00:46.21
In fact, as soon
as he was discharged,
00:00:46.24\00:00:48.51
he met a beautiful young lady
00:00:48.54\00:00:50.55
and they eventually got married.
00:00:50.58\00:00:53.15
Exactly nine months
into their marriage,
00:00:53.18\00:00:55.68
they were blessed
with a beautiful baby girl.
00:00:55.72\00:00:59.05
Well, as soon as
that baby was born,
00:00:59.09\00:01:00.92
Richard realized
00:01:00.96\00:01:02.29
that he needed to
get his life together.
00:01:02.32\00:01:04.96
And for him, that
meant finding a good job
00:01:04.99\00:01:07.96
with a steady income so
he could support his family.
00:01:08.00\00:01:11.60
And you have to
understand for Richard
00:01:11.63\00:01:14.07
who quit school in 10th
grade in order to join the army,
00:01:14.10\00:01:17.71
he just barely got his GED
00:01:17.74\00:01:20.31
and so jobs were
few and far between.
00:01:20.34\00:01:23.75
Fortunately for
him, he found employment
00:01:23.78\00:01:26.41
at a paper mill
working seven days a week
00:01:26.45\00:01:29.05
on the swing shift.
00:01:29.08\00:01:30.42
And he earned just enough
00:01:30.45\00:01:32.32
to be able to make ends
meet and provide for his family.
00:01:32.35\00:01:36.59
But, you know, it wasn't long
00:01:36.62\00:01:37.96
after Richard began
working at this job,
00:01:37.99\00:01:40.46
that he realized
he needed to have
00:01:40.50\00:01:42.16
some sort of spiritual
foundation in his life.
00:01:42.20\00:01:45.90
And so he started
going back to church
00:01:45.93\00:01:48.34
like he did when he was a child.
00:01:48.37\00:01:51.01
And as he did, he
began to redevelop
00:01:51.04\00:01:53.38
his relationship
with Jesus Christ,
00:01:53.41\00:01:56.08
and eventually he was baptized,
00:01:56.11\00:01:58.38
and he was
reconverted all over again,
00:01:58.41\00:02:00.85
and his
spiritual life just soared.
00:02:00.88\00:02:04.05
But it wasn't long
until something happened
00:02:04.09\00:02:07.22
in Richard's life
that would challenge him
00:02:07.26\00:02:09.96
to the very core of his being.
00:02:09.99\00:02:12.79
In fact, he faced a
crossroads in his life
00:02:12.83\00:02:15.66
when he learned a
very important truth
00:02:15.70\00:02:17.63
from Scripture.
00:02:17.67\00:02:19.00
He learned about the Sabbath.
00:02:19.03\00:02:21.60
And you see Richard knew that
when it came to the Sabbath,
00:02:21.64\00:02:24.54
and he wanted to honor that
day and to keep it holy to rest
00:02:24.57\00:02:28.21
and to set aside secular labors.
00:02:28.24\00:02:30.45
So focus on his
relationship with Christ
00:02:30.48\00:02:33.01
and to worship his Creator.
00:02:33.05\00:02:35.12
For him that was a problem.
00:02:35.15\00:02:37.65
Because you see, he
worked seven days a week
00:02:37.69\00:02:40.32
on that swing shift,
and he needed all seven days
00:02:40.36\00:02:43.79
in order to be
able to pay his bills.
00:02:43.83\00:02:46.93
As he thought
through this in his mind,
00:02:46.96\00:02:48.86
he wondered how in the world
00:02:48.90\00:02:50.27
could he ever honor God
and keep the Sabbath day holy.
00:02:50.30\00:02:54.77
Finally, he
garnered up enough courage
00:02:54.80\00:02:57.67
to go talk to his boss about it.
00:02:57.71\00:02:59.81
And he was afraid,
because he figured his boss
00:02:59.84\00:03:02.34
would look at this
young guy and say, you know,
00:03:02.38\00:03:04.85
Richard, you should be
lucky to just have a job
00:03:04.88\00:03:07.68
considering you
barely finished high school.
00:03:07.72\00:03:10.55
In fact, as Richard
00:03:10.59\00:03:11.92
had this
conversation with his boss,
00:03:11.95\00:03:13.96
it did not go very well.
00:03:13.99\00:03:15.89
His employer basically
looked at him in the face
00:03:15.92\00:03:18.59
and said, "Listen, Richard,
00:03:18.63\00:03:20.10
if you don't
come in on Saturday,
00:03:20.13\00:03:22.13
then don't bother
coming in on Sunday,
00:03:22.16\00:03:24.37
because you won't have a job."
00:03:24.40\00:03:26.94
Richard was visibly shaken.
00:03:26.97\00:03:29.67
He didn't know what to do.
00:03:29.70\00:03:31.04
He wasn't sure how to
handle this situation.
00:03:31.07\00:03:33.81
And he wondered within his mind,
00:03:33.84\00:03:35.84
"Does God really expect
me to obey when it hurts?
00:03:35.88\00:03:40.45
Does God really
expect me to obey Him
00:03:40.48\00:03:43.59
when it's going
to cost me something?
00:03:43.62\00:03:45.82
Or do I only obey God
00:03:45.85\00:03:48.32
when it's easy and
convenient for me?"
00:03:48.36\00:03:52.09
Monday and Tuesday passed
00:03:52.13\00:03:54.06
and this battle
raged within his mind.
00:03:54.10\00:03:56.56
Wednesday and Thursday came
00:03:56.60\00:03:58.33
and Richard
wasn't sure what to do,
00:03:58.37\00:04:00.54
should he worship,
should he go to work?
00:04:00.57\00:04:03.00
What was the right decision?
00:04:03.04\00:04:05.37
Finally, Saturday morning
came and Richard had to decide
00:04:05.41\00:04:09.14
once and for all, would
he work or would he worship?
00:04:09.18\00:04:14.08
Well, Richard
decided that morning,
00:04:14.12\00:04:16.05
that when he gave
his heart to Jesus,
00:04:16.08\00:04:18.12
he gave Jesus all of his heart.
00:04:18.15\00:04:20.19
So that morning found Richard
in church worshiping his Savior
00:04:20.22\00:04:24.49
and not at the workplace.
00:04:24.53\00:04:27.43
But the next morning,
when Richard went back to work,
00:04:27.46\00:04:31.40
just as was
expected, he was fired.
00:04:31.43\00:04:35.74
And he had to go
home to tell his family,
00:04:35.77\00:04:37.81
he no longer had
a job or an income.
00:04:37.84\00:04:41.31
There was no miracle,
00:04:41.34\00:04:43.08
there was no
divine intervention,
00:04:43.11\00:04:45.45
God did not step in
and save him at that time.
00:04:45.48\00:04:49.75
In fact, for
the next few months,
00:04:49.78\00:04:52.19
Richard and his family struggled
00:04:52.22\00:04:54.22
to be able to
put food on the table
00:04:54.26\00:04:56.36
to be able to make ends meet
00:04:56.39\00:04:58.46
because it was quite a while
00:04:58.49\00:04:59.86
before he found
another good job.
00:04:59.89\00:05:03.53
This is actually a true story.
00:05:03.57\00:05:06.27
You may ask how do I know?
00:05:06.30\00:05:08.27
Because Richard was my father.
00:05:08.30\00:05:11.74
You see, Richard faced
a challenge in his life
00:05:11.77\00:05:14.64
where he had to ask
00:05:14.68\00:05:16.01
and answer a very
difficult question.
00:05:16.04\00:05:18.31
And that question is,
will I obey God when it hurts?
00:05:18.35\00:05:23.32
Will I obey Him
00:05:23.35\00:05:24.72
when it's really
going to cost me something?
00:05:24.75\00:05:27.22
Or do I only follow God
00:05:27.26\00:05:29.22
when it's easy and
it's convenient for me?
00:05:29.26\00:05:32.43
And my friends, the truth is,
00:05:32.46\00:05:33.90
every disciple of Jesus Christ
00:05:33.93\00:05:36.03
is going to have
to face that question
00:05:36.06\00:05:38.03
at some point in
their Christian experience.
00:05:38.07\00:05:41.14
It may come in the
area of the Sabbath,
00:05:41.17\00:05:43.47
it may come in
the area of honesty,
00:05:43.51\00:05:45.87
or it may have to do
with some teaching of Jesus
00:05:45.91\00:05:48.58
or some doctrine in Scripture.
00:05:48.61\00:05:50.58
But what we know for sure
is we will come to a point
00:05:50.61\00:05:53.65
when we will be tested.
00:05:53.68\00:05:55.15
And both you
and I, every person,
00:05:55.18\00:05:57.39
man, woman or child
00:05:57.42\00:05:59.12
is going to have to answer
that question in our minds,
00:05:59.15\00:06:02.42
the most difficult questions,
00:06:02.46\00:06:04.39
will I obey God when it hurts?
00:06:04.43\00:06:09.20
This morning, I
want to share with you
00:06:09.23\00:06:10.57
the story of another man
00:06:10.60\00:06:12.40
who faced those
very same questions,
00:06:12.43\00:06:15.14
except his story
happened about 4,000 years ago.
00:06:15.17\00:06:19.71
It's probably one of
the most gut wrenching,
00:06:19.74\00:06:22.48
emotionally taxing stories
00:06:22.51\00:06:24.61
you will find in the
entire Old Testament.
00:06:24.65\00:06:27.98
And what I want
to invite us to do
00:06:28.02\00:06:29.38
is as we look at
this person's story,
00:06:29.42\00:06:31.85
we need to ask
ourselves the question,
00:06:31.89\00:06:34.92
is there some area in my life
00:06:34.96\00:06:37.56
where I know I'm
not fully obeying God?
00:06:37.59\00:06:40.90
Is there some area in
my spiritual experience
00:06:40.93\00:06:43.93
where I know that
I'm only following Jesus
00:06:43.97\00:06:46.63
with half of my heart?
00:06:46.67\00:06:49.14
I want to invite you
to take your Bibles now
00:06:49.17\00:06:50.87
and turn with me to
the Book of Genesis,
00:06:50.91\00:06:53.44
and we're going to
begin reading in Chapter 22.
00:06:53.48\00:06:56.68
You want to go to
Genesis Chapter 22,
00:06:56.71\00:07:00.05
and we're going
to start in verse 1.
00:07:00.08\00:07:03.79
Now, as you look this up,
you'll recognize the story.
00:07:03.82\00:07:06.96
It's the story of
Abraham and Isaac.
00:07:06.99\00:07:09.69
And the temptation right
now is you might be thinking
00:07:09.72\00:07:12.76
that you want to turn me off,
00:07:12.79\00:07:14.36
because we all know
the details of this story.
00:07:14.40\00:07:17.20
We learned it in
either Sabbath school
00:07:17.23\00:07:18.90
or maybe Sunday school.
00:07:18.93\00:07:20.60
But this morning,
we're not going to look at it
00:07:20.64\00:07:22.94
just on a surface level.
00:07:22.97\00:07:25.04
We're going to dig deep
00:07:25.07\00:07:26.41
and try to understand the things
00:07:26.44\00:07:28.14
that were going
on in Abraham's heart
00:07:28.18\00:07:30.95
and mind as he faced this
particular trial in his life.
00:07:30.98\00:07:35.05
Because if we're honest,
00:07:35.08\00:07:37.29
as we trace through
the verses in this story,
00:07:37.32\00:07:40.62
and we begin to see
what Abraham is facing,
00:07:40.66\00:07:43.63
we just might see a little bit
00:07:43.66\00:07:45.79
of our own life in
the experience of Abraham.
00:07:45.83\00:07:50.07
Genesis Chapter 22,
00:07:50.10\00:07:52.83
we're going to
begin reading in verse 1.
00:07:52.87\00:07:56.64
The Bible says,
"Now it came to pass
00:07:56.67\00:08:00.04
after these things
that God" did what?
00:08:00.08\00:08:04.18
"He tested Abraham, and
he said to him, 'Abraham!'
00:08:04.21\00:08:08.98
And Abraham said,
'Here I am, Lord.'
00:08:09.02\00:08:12.05
Then God said,
'Take now your son,
00:08:12.09\00:08:15.32
your only son
Isaac, whom you love,
00:08:15.36\00:08:18.09
and go to the land of Moriah,
00:08:18.13\00:08:20.60
and offer him
there as a burnt offering
00:08:20.63\00:08:23.43
on one of the mountains
of which I shall tell you.'"
00:08:23.47\00:08:27.50
Let's pause here for a second.
00:08:27.54\00:08:29.67
Right here in verse 1, at
the beginning of this story,
00:08:29.70\00:08:32.57
it says that God tested Abraham.
00:08:32.61\00:08:36.85
Now, how many
of you believe that
00:08:36.88\00:08:38.21
God purposely brings
tests in our lives at times?
00:08:38.25\00:08:42.02
Can I see your hands?
00:08:42.05\00:08:43.39
I mean, I know that I do.
00:08:43.42\00:08:44.85
In fact, there are times
00:08:44.89\00:08:46.22
when God will
purposely allow some trial
00:08:46.25\00:08:49.29
or perhaps some difficulty,
00:08:49.32\00:08:51.16
because He wants to show us
00:08:51.19\00:08:52.73
some area of our
life that needs to grow,
00:08:52.76\00:08:55.63
or some part of
our spiritual existence
00:08:55.66\00:08:58.40
where we know we haven't
given our whole heart to God.
00:08:58.43\00:09:02.07
And so therefore, in
order to open our eyes,
00:09:02.10\00:09:04.77
God brings tests into
our spiritual experience.
00:09:04.81\00:09:09.91
I know it's happened in my life,
00:09:09.94\00:09:11.51
and chances are that
it's happened in yours.
00:09:11.55\00:09:14.98
But here's the question,
00:09:15.02\00:09:16.72
why in the world would
God have to test Abraham?
00:09:16.75\00:09:21.12
I mean, isn't Abraham
00:09:21.16\00:09:22.49
known as the father of
the faithful in the Bible?
00:09:22.52\00:09:25.86
I mean, Hebrews lists him
00:09:25.89\00:09:27.40
as like the
ultimate example of faith.
00:09:27.43\00:09:29.90
So why would God
00:09:29.93\00:09:31.27
have to test
Abraham's faithfulness?
00:09:31.30\00:09:34.94
Well, let me ask you something.
00:09:34.97\00:09:36.64
Was Abraham automatically
born as a man of faith?
00:09:36.67\00:09:40.24
What do you think?
00:09:40.28\00:09:41.68
Was he born with a heart
00:09:41.71\00:09:43.08
that
automatically wanted to follow
00:09:43.11\00:09:44.81
and obey God?
00:09:44.85\00:09:46.38
Certainly not.
00:09:46.41\00:09:47.75
He was born with a
sinful human nature
00:09:47.78\00:09:49.62
just like you and I.
00:09:49.65\00:09:51.22
And when you look at
Abraham's life experience,
00:09:51.25\00:09:54.22
the truth is, in the beginning,
00:09:54.26\00:09:56.59
he was anything
but a faithful man.
00:09:56.62\00:09:59.89
In the first half of his
life, you read things like
00:09:59.93\00:10:02.66
when he left the Promised Land,
00:10:02.70\00:10:04.50
because he didn't trust God
00:10:04.53\00:10:05.97
to provide for him in the famine
00:10:06.00\00:10:07.97
and he sojourned down in Egypt.
00:10:08.00\00:10:10.31
And so when Pharaoh
came to take his wife,
00:10:10.34\00:10:13.17
he lied and said,
00:10:13.21\00:10:14.54
"Oh, well, she's my
sister, you can have her."
00:10:14.58\00:10:17.58
And so Sarah was taken
00:10:17.61\00:10:19.25
to basically
join Pharaoh's harem
00:10:19.28\00:10:21.62
and become his play thing.
00:10:21.65\00:10:23.75
And Abraham let it happen.
00:10:23.79\00:10:26.49
He was willing to
sell his wife up the river
00:10:26.52\00:10:29.36
in order to save himself.
00:10:29.39\00:10:31.89
And what's shocking is
that if God had not intervened,
00:10:31.93\00:10:35.66
he could have
lost his wife forever.
00:10:35.70\00:10:37.93
And then 20 years later,
he does the very same thing
00:10:37.97\00:10:41.30
with another king by
the name of Abimelech.
00:10:41.34\00:10:44.64
Not only that,
you read in Chapter 16
00:10:44.67\00:10:47.04
about how Abraham
began to mistrust God,
00:10:47.08\00:10:50.11
and he began to take
Hagar and to sleep with her
00:10:50.15\00:10:53.58
to provide the child of promise
that God had not yet sent.
00:10:53.62\00:10:58.52
So you see in his early
life, much like our own,
00:10:58.55\00:11:02.32
Abraham was not
always faithful to God.
00:11:02.36\00:11:06.19
But you see, through
the years, through the time
00:11:06.23\00:11:09.40
that he understood the
Old Testament scriptures,
00:11:09.43\00:11:12.17
through the times
that he began to pray
00:11:12.20\00:11:14.54
and grow closer to God,
00:11:14.57\00:11:16.50
he developed a grand
spiritual experience.
00:11:16.54\00:11:20.28
And it came to a point now
where he was so close to God,
00:11:20.31\00:11:23.41
the scriptures
actually described him
00:11:23.45\00:11:25.18
as being the friend of God.
00:11:25.21\00:11:27.15
And so now God brings him
a test of epic proportions,
00:11:27.18\00:11:31.79
a test to see if
Abraham will truly obey God
00:11:31.82\00:11:36.76
even when it hurts.
00:11:36.79\00:11:39.46
Let's pick it up now
beginning in verse 3.
00:11:39.49\00:11:43.63
Verse 3, the Bible says,
00:11:43.67\00:11:45.83
"So Abraham rose
early in the morning
00:11:45.87\00:11:48.90
and saddled his donkey,
00:11:48.94\00:11:50.74
and took two of his young
men with him, and Isaac his son,
00:11:50.77\00:11:55.34
and he split the wood
for the burnt offering,
00:11:55.38\00:11:58.65
and arose and went to the place
of which God had told him."
00:11:58.68\00:12:03.59
And let's pause
here for a second.
00:12:03.62\00:12:05.62
We're told in the
middle of the night,
00:12:05.65\00:12:07.86
God brings a dream
or a vision to Abraham.
00:12:07.89\00:12:11.79
And in this dream,
00:12:11.83\00:12:13.16
God commands him
to do the unthinkable.
00:12:13.19\00:12:16.53
Something that to
Abraham was unbelievable,
00:12:16.56\00:12:19.27
to you and I, it
would also be unfathomable.
00:12:19.30\00:12:22.74
He told Abraham to take his son,
00:12:22.77\00:12:25.71
the son that he had
waited forth for so long,
00:12:25.74\00:12:29.24
take him to a
place called Mount Moriah
00:12:29.28\00:12:32.31
and there sacrifice
him to God on the altar.
00:12:32.35\00:12:36.99
Can you just imagine in
your mind how Abraham felt
00:12:37.02\00:12:40.42
when he heard this
command from God in the dream?
00:12:40.46\00:12:44.56
Abraham couldn't understand it.
00:12:44.59\00:12:46.90
He couldn't comprehend
00:12:46.93\00:12:48.26
why God would have him
do such a thing as this.
00:12:48.30\00:12:51.53
I mean, isn't this the same God
00:12:51.57\00:12:53.30
that centuries later
would tell the Israelites
00:12:53.34\00:12:56.07
they were not to be
involved in child sacrifices?
00:12:56.10\00:12:59.61
I mean, this was the same God
00:12:59.64\00:13:01.54
who specifically told
the children of Israel,
00:13:01.58\00:13:03.98
he finds that sort of thing
00:13:04.01\00:13:05.45
to be an
abomination in His sight.
00:13:05.48\00:13:08.32
But here he is commanding
Abraham to do the same thing.
00:13:08.35\00:13:13.92
How would you have reacted?
00:13:13.96\00:13:16.49
Has God ever brought a
conviction to your heart
00:13:16.52\00:13:19.06
that you didn't
fully understand?
00:13:19.09\00:13:22.53
You see, in my mind's eye,
00:13:22.56\00:13:23.93
I can imagine Abraham
leaving the tent that night,
00:13:23.97\00:13:27.54
going out into the
darkness of the nighttime air
00:13:27.57\00:13:30.31
and falling prostrate on
the ground, just, you know,
00:13:30.34\00:13:32.67
clutching the
dirt with his fingers,
00:13:32.71\00:13:34.41
praying to God,
trying to understand why God,
00:13:34.44\00:13:37.81
why are You asking
me to do such a thing?
00:13:37.85\00:13:40.45
Lord, is this really Your voice?
00:13:40.48\00:13:42.95
Is this conviction
really coming from You
00:13:42.98\00:13:45.32
or is this just
one of the tricks
00:13:45.35\00:13:46.79
and deceptions of the devil?
00:13:46.82\00:13:49.52
But it seemed like
the more Abraham prayed,
00:13:49.56\00:13:52.49
the more convicted he was that
this was a message from God.
00:13:52.53\00:13:57.50
You ever experienced that
00:13:57.53\00:13:59.90
where God
convicted you of something?
00:13:59.93\00:14:02.90
He laid a burden on your heart.
00:14:02.94\00:14:05.51
It didn't make sense.
00:14:05.54\00:14:07.31
You couldn't explain it.
00:14:07.34\00:14:08.98
It wasn't even logical,
00:14:09.01\00:14:10.35
but somehow you
knew it was from God.
00:14:10.38\00:14:12.51
And the more you
prayed, the stronger it became.
00:14:12.55\00:14:15.95
That's what's happening to
Abraham on this very night.
00:14:15.98\00:14:19.65
And the sad thing is,
00:14:19.69\00:14:21.49
in reality,
Abraham feels all alone.
00:14:21.52\00:14:26.03
He can't share this with anyone.
00:14:26.06\00:14:28.96
I mean, he can't exactly
go wake up the mother Sarah,
00:14:29.00\00:14:32.27
and explain what God has said.
00:14:32.30\00:14:33.97
He knew that Sarah would
never allow such a thing.
00:14:34.00\00:14:37.04
And it's interesting that
00:14:37.07\00:14:38.41
God did not bring
this test upon Sarah.
00:14:38.44\00:14:40.71
Did you notice that?
00:14:40.74\00:14:42.08
Abraham never once in
this story tells Sarah
00:14:42.11\00:14:45.18
about this dream,
00:14:45.21\00:14:46.68
because even God
realized this kind of a test
00:14:46.72\00:14:50.49
would have been too much
for a mother's heart to bear.
00:14:50.52\00:14:54.22
So he didn't tell
Sarah and it's not like
00:14:54.26\00:14:56.93
he can go tell
any of his neighbors
00:14:56.96\00:14:59.46
because his neighbors
00:14:59.49\00:15:01.03
would have been pagans no doubt,
00:15:01.06\00:15:02.40
worshipping pagan false gods.
00:15:02.43\00:15:04.53
And so he's
supposed to tell them,
00:15:04.57\00:15:06.30
hey, my God has told me
to sacrifice my only son.
00:15:06.33\00:15:09.94
Because no doubt Abraham
00:15:09.97\00:15:11.31
had told them that
he worships the true,
00:15:11.34\00:15:13.51
the Almighty God of heaven,
00:15:13.54\00:15:15.14
that his God
Jehovah is different.
00:15:15.18\00:15:17.95
And so, he's gonna go
tell his neighbors now
00:15:17.98\00:15:20.38
that his God has said
he must sacrifice his son.
00:15:20.42\00:15:23.79
Then his neighbors,
00:15:23.82\00:15:25.15
his pagan
friends would say to him,
00:15:25.19\00:15:26.55
"Well, your God doesn't sound
much different than our gods.
00:15:26.59\00:15:29.42
Our gods have us do that, too."
00:15:29.46\00:15:32.16
So Abraham truly felt as though
he was all alone and abandoned,
00:15:32.19\00:15:36.87
and he wasn't sure what to do.
00:15:36.90\00:15:39.73
But you know what?
00:15:39.77\00:15:41.10
When that night time was
over, and the sun began to rise,
00:15:41.14\00:15:45.97
verse 3 says
something that really,
00:15:46.01\00:15:48.38
I have a hard
time understanding.
00:15:48.41\00:15:50.85
Because it says in verse 3,
00:15:50.88\00:15:52.21
that Abraham rose
early in the morning,
00:15:52.25\00:15:55.05
and he's often
ready to do God's will.
00:15:55.08\00:15:57.65
He wakes up Isaac, he
gets two of his servants,
00:15:57.69\00:16:00.62
he saddles a donkey,
and he's ready to begin
00:16:00.66\00:16:03.32
this journey to Mount
Moriah to sacrifice his son.
00:16:03.36\00:16:08.16
Now, I have to tell you,
00:16:08.20\00:16:10.03
I'm not sure
that I would have been
00:16:10.07\00:16:11.67
able to come to
grips with that so soon.
00:16:11.70\00:16:14.34
I mean, it was
only just a few hours
00:16:14.37\00:16:16.10
before when
Abraham had this dream.
00:16:16.14\00:16:19.01
It was just the night before
when God convicted him of this.
00:16:19.04\00:16:22.81
And now, by the
end of the night,
00:16:22.84\00:16:24.68
he's up and he's ready to go.
00:16:24.71\00:16:27.72
You see, humanly speaking,
I would think of saying,
00:16:27.75\00:16:31.95
"Well, Lord, just let
me pray about it some more,
00:16:31.99\00:16:34.39
and just make sure
that it's your will."
00:16:34.42\00:16:37.29
That sounds logical,
00:16:37.33\00:16:38.79
but that's not what Abraham did.
00:16:38.83\00:16:40.96
See, there's a lesson in this.
00:16:41.00\00:16:43.30
When we're convicted
of God about something,
00:16:43.33\00:16:47.00
when He lays a burden
or some truth on our heart,
00:16:47.04\00:16:50.37
we need to obey
immediately and don't delay.
00:16:50.41\00:16:53.58
Because you see,
when we begin to delay,
00:16:53.61\00:16:56.21
we start making
excuses, then the devil brings
00:16:56.24\00:16:58.91
all sorts of
obstacles into our mind
00:16:58.95\00:17:01.92
or out in real life,
people come out of the woodwork
00:17:01.95\00:17:04.75
to try to talk us out of it.
00:17:04.79\00:17:06.42
And the longer we delay,
00:17:06.45\00:17:08.76
the weaker that
conviction becomes.
00:17:08.79\00:17:11.29
And so Abraham realized,
00:17:11.33\00:17:13.36
even if he had
waited a few more days,
00:17:13.40\00:17:15.66
do you think it would have been
00:17:15.70\00:17:17.03
any easier for him
to start that journey?
00:17:17.07\00:17:19.63
I highly doubt it.
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.10
Abraham knew it was from God,
00:17:21.14\00:17:23.07
and he knew that he
needed to obey immediately.
00:17:23.10\00:17:27.98
It actually
reminds me of a true story
00:17:28.01\00:17:29.51
that I experienced for myself.
00:17:29.54\00:17:32.41
I remember when
we were pastoring
00:17:32.45\00:17:33.78
in the state of Pennsylvania,
we were asked to go
00:17:33.82\00:17:36.79
and to hold a series of
revival meetings in a place
00:17:36.82\00:17:39.65
called Leechburg.
00:17:39.69\00:17:41.12
I'm sure you never heard of it.
00:17:41.16\00:17:42.52
It's just a small town
on the northeast portion
00:17:42.56\00:17:45.89
of the Pittsburgh
or metropolitan region.
00:17:45.93\00:17:48.70
And I remember holding a
series of meetings there.
00:17:48.73\00:17:50.87
I met this man
by the name of Bob.
00:17:50.90\00:17:53.50
And that's not his real name,
but we'll just call him Bob.
00:17:53.54\00:17:56.64
And I remember as Bob had been
00:17:56.67\00:17:58.07
coming to church
for quite some time,
00:17:58.11\00:18:00.68
and he began to attend
these revival meetings.
00:18:00.71\00:18:03.55
And so the people
asked me to visit him.
00:18:03.58\00:18:06.08
And I remember sitting
right there in Bob's house.
00:18:06.11\00:18:09.45
And I said, "Bob, I
understand you've been
00:18:09.48\00:18:11.19
coming to church and that
00:18:11.22\00:18:12.95
you've been wanting to accept
Jesus Christ as your Savior.
00:18:12.99\00:18:15.86
And we're going
to have some baptisms
00:18:15.89\00:18:18.13
at the end of this meeting.
00:18:18.16\00:18:19.73
Bob, would you like
to be a part of them?"
00:18:19.76\00:18:22.23
And I remember, Bob
looked at me and said,
00:18:22.26\00:18:24.50
"I'm not ready yet, Pastor.
00:18:24.53\00:18:26.60
There's some things
I want to take care of.
00:18:26.63\00:18:28.67
First, I want my
family to join me."
00:18:28.70\00:18:31.67
Well, I don't
believe in pressuring people.
00:18:31.71\00:18:33.44
And I understood that, you know,
00:18:33.48\00:18:35.28
you want your
family to join you.
00:18:35.31\00:18:36.91
So I didn't say anything.
00:18:36.95\00:18:39.21
A year later, I
was asked to go back
00:18:39.25\00:18:41.45
to the same church
00:18:41.48\00:18:42.82
and hold another
set of revival meetings.
00:18:42.85\00:18:44.95
And partway through,
00:18:44.99\00:18:46.32
I found myself
talking to Bob again,
00:18:46.35\00:18:48.56
in the same house,
00:18:48.59\00:18:49.92
sitting in the same chair,
having the same conversation.
00:18:49.96\00:18:53.53
And I said, "Bob,
it's been a year now.
00:18:53.56\00:18:55.96
I know you love Jesus.
00:18:56.00\00:18:57.73
I know you've been
attending the church.
00:18:57.77\00:18:59.13
Are you ready to make
your decision for Him now?
00:18:59.17\00:19:01.37
You're ready to be baptized?"
00:19:01.40\00:19:03.91
And Bob's answer was the same.
00:19:03.94\00:19:06.27
Said, "I'm not
ready yet, Pastor.
00:19:06.31\00:19:08.78
Some things I
got to take care of,
00:19:08.81\00:19:10.25
I want my family to join me."
00:19:10.28\00:19:13.95
Well, I can understand that,
00:19:13.98\00:19:15.32
but when someone
delays baptism for a year,
00:19:15.35\00:19:17.62
it starts to
worry me a little bit.
00:19:17.65\00:19:19.59
Because when
they delay that long,
00:19:19.62\00:19:21.16
in many cases, it never happens.
00:19:21.19\00:19:23.43
So I decided to just, you
know, gently challenge Bob,
00:19:23.46\00:19:26.03
and I said, "Bob,
I understand that.
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.63
But you realize, if
you wait for everything
00:19:28.66\00:19:30.67
to come together in your life,
you may never take that step.
00:19:30.70\00:19:33.74
And as far as your family,
you want them to join you,
00:19:33.77\00:19:36.74
Bob, it may very well be that
00:19:36.77\00:19:38.27
God is asking you
to step out first.
00:19:38.31\00:19:40.94
And as you step out in
faith, and your family sees
00:19:40.98\00:19:43.75
what your faith in
Christ means to you,
00:19:43.78\00:19:46.18
they will eventually follow,
00:19:46.21\00:19:48.08
but he wants
you to be the leader
00:19:48.12\00:19:50.02
and step out first."
00:19:50.05\00:19:52.55
I was disappointed
00:19:52.59\00:19:54.32
when at the end of the meetings,
00:19:54.36\00:19:56.22
Bob wasn't baptized.
00:19:56.26\00:19:58.46
A year later, I was asked
to go back to the same church,
00:19:58.49\00:20:01.90
hold the same meetings,
00:20:01.93\00:20:03.40
found myself
sitting in the same house,
00:20:03.43\00:20:05.40
the same chair
having the same conversation
00:20:05.43\00:20:07.84
for the third time.
00:20:07.87\00:20:09.57
"Bob, are you
ready to be baptized
00:20:09.60\00:20:11.64
and follow Jesus?"
00:20:11.67\00:20:13.31
"No, Pastor, I'm not ready."
00:20:13.34\00:20:16.71
It's been over 10 years since
00:20:16.75\00:20:18.15
I've had that
conversation with Bob.
00:20:18.18\00:20:20.02
And as far as I know,
00:20:20.05\00:20:21.55
Bob still hasn't
chosen to follow Jesus.
00:20:21.58\00:20:25.95
See, when you're
convicted of something,
00:20:25.99\00:20:27.86
whatever it is,
obey God immediately.
00:20:27.89\00:20:31.73
That's what Abraham did.
00:20:31.76\00:20:34.56
As we move on in this story,
then you begin to see that
00:20:34.60\00:20:37.93
it says it took three days
journey to get to Mount Moriah.
00:20:37.97\00:20:41.80
Now let me ask you something.
00:20:41.84\00:20:43.41
What do you think that
journey was like for Abraham?
00:20:43.44\00:20:47.21
I mean, every mile
that he walked with his son
00:20:47.24\00:20:50.65
and his servants, realizing
00:20:50.68\00:20:52.65
what he was going to have to do
00:20:52.68\00:20:54.65
at the end of this journey
00:20:54.68\00:20:56.15
had to be heart
wrenching for him.
00:20:56.18\00:20:59.22
I would picture in my
mind that at nighttime
00:20:59.25\00:21:01.92
as they lay down to
sleep in their tent,
00:21:01.96\00:21:04.33
or whatever
they had that, again,
00:21:04.36\00:21:05.99
Abraham must have gone out
into the quiet nighttime air
00:21:06.03\00:21:09.46
and continued
wrestling with God,
00:21:09.50\00:21:12.03
saying God, again, is
this really Your voice?
00:21:12.07\00:21:15.80
Why do You want me to
do this, whatever lesson
00:21:15.84\00:21:18.67
You're trying to
teach me, please,
00:21:18.71\00:21:20.58
if there's another
way to teach it to me,
00:21:20.61\00:21:22.58
please find another way.
00:21:22.61\00:21:25.91
But the more he prayed,
00:21:25.95\00:21:28.72
the more he was convinced
00:21:28.75\00:21:30.45
this is what God
was calling him to do.
00:21:30.49\00:21:33.42
He didn't understand,
00:21:33.46\00:21:35.32
but he knew he
needed to follow God.
00:21:35.36\00:21:39.59
Now, the book
Patriarchs and Prophets tells us
00:21:39.63\00:21:42.46
that on the third
day of the journey,
00:21:42.50\00:21:44.10
as they saw Mount
Moriah in the distance,
00:21:44.13\00:21:46.84
there was a glorious
cloud covering that mountain.
00:21:46.87\00:21:49.44
And that was God's sign
to Abraham that this dream,
00:21:49.47\00:21:53.61
this vision was indeed from Him.
00:21:53.64\00:21:57.71
But what really strikes
me is what began to happen,
00:21:57.75\00:22:02.18
as Abraham and
Isaac and the two servants
00:22:02.22\00:22:04.79
stood at the
foot of that mountain
00:22:04.82\00:22:07.42
ready to begin their journey.
00:22:07.46\00:22:09.82
Let's pick up the story
now, beginning in verse 5.
00:22:09.86\00:22:13.63
Genesis 22:5.
00:22:13.66\00:22:17.43
The Bible says,
00:22:17.47\00:22:19.73
"And Abraham
said to his young men,
00:22:19.77\00:22:22.47
'Stay here with the donkey,
00:22:22.50\00:22:24.74
the lad and I will
go yonder and worship,
00:22:24.77\00:22:28.34
and we will come back to you.'
00:22:28.38\00:22:31.81
So Abraham took the
wood of the burnt offering
00:22:31.85\00:22:35.22
and laid it on Isaac his son,
00:22:35.25\00:22:37.79
and he took the
fire in his hand,
00:22:37.82\00:22:39.92
and a knife,
00:22:39.95\00:22:41.29
and the two of
them went together."
00:22:41.32\00:22:43.79
Now we need to pause here.
00:22:43.83\00:22:45.73
I want you to
picture Abraham, Isaac,
00:22:45.76\00:22:48.96
the two servants standing
00:22:49.00\00:22:50.33
right there at the
base of the mountain.
00:22:50.37\00:22:53.03
It is time for Abraham
00:22:53.07\00:22:54.40
to take the first
step of that journey
00:22:54.44\00:22:56.57
and start to
ascend that mountaintop.
00:22:56.60\00:22:59.94
He says to his two servants,
00:22:59.97\00:23:02.01
the lad and I will worship
00:23:02.04\00:23:03.38
and we will come back to you.
00:23:03.41\00:23:05.61
Somehow in Abraham's mind,
00:23:05.65\00:23:07.45
he must have had faith
00:23:07.48\00:23:08.92
that God was going
to work something out.
00:23:08.95\00:23:10.89
He didn't know how,
00:23:10.92\00:23:12.25
he just knew he could trust God.
00:23:12.29\00:23:15.06
Now do you think
Abraham began that journey
00:23:15.09\00:23:17.53
with joy in his heart
and a spring in his step?
00:23:17.56\00:23:20.86
Do you think he quickly
began to climb that mountain?
00:23:20.90\00:23:24.57
I doubt it.
00:23:24.60\00:23:25.93
In fact,
00:23:25.97\00:23:27.30
this is a place
where Abraham had to learn
00:23:27.34\00:23:29.60
what it meant to walk by faith.
00:23:29.64\00:23:32.44
He didn't feel like
going up that mountain.
00:23:32.47\00:23:35.51
There wasn't joy in his heart.
00:23:35.54\00:23:37.88
This wasn't his first
choice of what he should do.
00:23:37.91\00:23:41.28
But Abraham walked by faith,
00:23:41.32\00:23:43.32
you say, what does it
mean to walk by faith?
00:23:43.35\00:23:45.72
It means we do what is right
00:23:45.75\00:23:47.69
simply because it's
the right thing to do.
00:23:47.72\00:23:51.26
Not because we
necessarily feel joy,
00:23:51.29\00:23:53.76
or a feeling of ecstasy,
00:23:53.80\00:23:55.50
not because we're waiting
00:23:55.53\00:23:56.87
for something special to happen,
00:23:56.90\00:23:58.53
but we know it's
the right thing to do.
00:23:58.57\00:24:01.37
And so you and I
faced them in our life.
00:24:01.40\00:24:03.74
There are times in
our Christian experience
00:24:03.77\00:24:06.11
where, yes, there are wonderful
spiritual feelings of joy,
00:24:06.14\00:24:09.18
and that's a wonderful thing,
00:24:09.21\00:24:11.08
but it doesn't
always work that way.
00:24:11.11\00:24:13.11
There are times when
we have to follow God
00:24:13.15\00:24:15.98
simply because it's
the right thing to do
00:24:16.02\00:24:19.15
even if we don't feel like it,
even if our heart isn't in it.
00:24:19.19\00:24:24.13
That's what it
means to walk by faith.
00:24:24.16\00:24:27.00
That's what Abraham had to do.
00:24:27.03\00:24:30.17
And then as they
begin this journey,
00:24:30.20\00:24:32.77
it says that Isaac
turned to his father
00:24:32.80\00:24:36.57
and asked him what had to
be the worst possible question
00:24:36.60\00:24:40.08
he could ask his father.
00:24:40.11\00:24:42.44
He looks at Abraham,
00:24:42.48\00:24:43.81
and he says, 'Father,
00:24:43.85\00:24:46.75
here's the wood
for the offering.
00:24:46.78\00:24:50.45
Here's the knife
and here's the rope,
00:24:50.49\00:24:54.19
but where's the lamb
for the sacrifice father?
00:24:54.22\00:24:59.09
Where's the lamb?"
00:24:59.13\00:25:01.60
That question
had to tear through
00:25:01.63\00:25:03.77
the very heart of Abraham.
00:25:03.80\00:25:06.77
I mean, how was he
to answer that question,
00:25:06.80\00:25:09.57
knowing in his mind
that Isaac was the one
00:25:09.60\00:25:12.47
who was supposed
to be the sacrifice.
00:25:12.51\00:25:15.41
Hey, you see,
00:25:15.44\00:25:16.78
all Abraham could get
out of his mouth was to say,
00:25:16.81\00:25:19.75
"I don't know, son,
00:25:19.78\00:25:21.12
I just know the
Lord will provide,
00:25:21.15\00:25:24.19
that the Lord will provide."
00:25:24.22\00:25:28.52
Are there times in your life
00:25:28.56\00:25:30.63
when you know you
need to follow God?
00:25:30.66\00:25:33.43
When we know we need
to do what Jesus teaches?
00:25:33.46\00:25:36.56
Our friends think we're crazy.
00:25:36.60\00:25:38.37
Our family thinks
00:25:38.40\00:25:39.73
there's something wrong with us.
00:25:39.77\00:25:41.10
People try to talk us out of it
00:25:41.14\00:25:42.50
because we can't
even explain why.
00:25:42.54\00:25:44.91
And people ask us, how
you're going to make it.
00:25:44.94\00:25:47.28
How are you going
to make ends meet?
00:25:47.31\00:25:49.01
Why are you going
to do such a thing?
00:25:49.04\00:25:50.65
And the only
answer we can give is,
00:25:50.68\00:25:52.41
I don't know,
00:25:52.45\00:25:53.78
I just know that
God is going to provide
00:25:53.82\00:25:56.02
and I will trust Him.
00:25:56.05\00:25:58.25
Again, that's what it
means to walk by faith.
00:25:58.29\00:26:02.76
But there's one other picture
that happens in this passage,
00:26:02.79\00:26:05.09
I do not want us to miss
00:26:05.13\00:26:06.46
because it's the
whole crux of the story.
00:26:06.49\00:26:09.93
Notice it says that
Abraham takes the wood,
00:26:09.96\00:26:14.90
places it on Isaac,
00:26:14.94\00:26:17.21
and Isaac carries
00:26:17.24\00:26:19.27
the wooden
instrument of his sacrifice
00:26:19.31\00:26:22.04
up to the top of that mountain.
00:26:22.08\00:26:26.11
I want you to
think about that picture.
00:26:26.15\00:26:29.38
Do you know of any
other story in the scriptures
00:26:29.42\00:26:33.02
that talks about another man
00:26:33.05\00:26:35.06
who carried the
wooden instrument
00:26:35.09\00:26:37.29
of his sacrifice
00:26:37.33\00:26:38.86
up to the top of a mountain
or a hill called Calvary?
00:26:38.89\00:26:43.26
You see right
here in Genesis 22,
00:26:43.30\00:26:45.43
it's a picture
of what Jesus Christ
00:26:45.47\00:26:47.37
would do for us.
00:26:47.40\00:26:48.97
It's giving us a
picture of Golgotha,
00:26:49.00\00:26:51.67
the place of the skull,
00:26:51.71\00:26:53.04
Mount Calvary
00:26:53.07\00:26:54.41
where Jesus would be
sacrificed for our sins.
00:26:54.44\00:26:57.35
You see this picture
of it all the way back
00:26:57.38\00:26:59.68
in the beginning of Genesis,
00:26:59.71\00:27:01.82
because what God is doing?
00:27:01.85\00:27:04.02
God is allowing
Abraham and Isaac
00:27:04.05\00:27:06.96
to have just a small experience
00:27:06.99\00:27:09.46
of what God the Father
00:27:09.49\00:27:10.83
and God the Son
would go through.
00:27:10.86\00:27:13.50
What was it like for Abraham
00:27:13.53\00:27:15.30
to watch his son
00:27:15.33\00:27:16.67
carry this wood up to
the top of the mountain?
00:27:16.70\00:27:20.60
What was it like
for God the Father,
00:27:20.64\00:27:23.30
to have to watch His Son?
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.87
To have to watch His
Son be brutally beaten,
00:27:25.91\00:27:28.81
to be nailed to a cross,
to have people spit upon Him,
00:27:28.84\00:27:32.71
to have religious leaders
wag their fingers at Him?
00:27:32.75\00:27:36.18
What was it like for the Father
00:27:36.22\00:27:37.55
to have to actually distance
His presence from His Son,
00:27:37.59\00:27:40.69
because all the
sins of the world,
00:27:40.72\00:27:42.72
all the guilt of
billions of people
00:27:42.76\00:27:44.96
who would ever live
on the face of this earth
00:27:44.99\00:27:47.00
was placed on Jesus?
00:27:47.03\00:27:49.16
And then when
Jesus cried out, "My God,
00:27:49.20\00:27:51.67
why have You forsaken Me?"
00:27:51.70\00:27:54.34
That the Father
had to be silent,
00:27:54.37\00:27:57.41
because Jesus was
bearing the sins of the world.
00:27:57.44\00:28:00.11
See, Abraham is just
getting a microscopic picture
00:28:00.14\00:28:03.85
into what the heart of God
00:28:03.88\00:28:05.25
the Father would
face to save mankind.
00:28:05.28\00:28:08.68
And let's not
forget about Isaac,
00:28:08.72\00:28:10.69
because just as Isaac
had to carry that wood
00:28:10.72\00:28:13.25
to the top of the mountain.
00:28:13.29\00:28:15.06
So the Bible says that
on that Thursday night,
00:28:15.09\00:28:17.63
when Jesus was crucified,
or when Jesus was arrested,
00:28:17.66\00:28:20.56
it says, He went into
the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:28:20.60\00:28:23.03
And in the middle of the night,
He lay prostrate on the ground,
00:28:23.06\00:28:26.27
sweating drops of blood,
00:28:26.30\00:28:27.90
praying to the Father,
00:28:27.94\00:28:29.27
"Lord, please let
this cup pass from Me.
00:28:29.30\00:28:32.41
If there's any other
way, we can save mankind,
00:28:32.44\00:28:34.91
please, let's do it.
00:28:34.94\00:28:36.28
I don't want to
go to the cross."
00:28:36.31\00:28:39.05
He prayed that
prayer three times alone,
00:28:39.08\00:28:42.28
because His
disciples were sleeping.
00:28:42.32\00:28:45.69
And when the
night was almost over,
00:28:45.72\00:28:48.22
Jesus got up from
off the ground praying,
00:28:48.26\00:28:50.26
He said, "Not My will,
00:28:50.29\00:28:51.63
but Thy will be done."
00:28:51.66\00:28:53.03
You see, Jesus was
willing to obey the father,
00:28:53.06\00:28:55.96
even though it was gonna hurt.
00:28:56.00\00:28:58.23
Jesus was willing
00:28:58.27\00:28:59.60
to go through the
plan of salvation,
00:28:59.63\00:29:01.14
even though it was
going to cost Him something,
00:29:01.17\00:29:03.27
it was going to cost Him dearly,
00:29:03.30\00:29:05.74
because He wasn't just
going to obey the Father
00:29:05.77\00:29:07.68
when it was easy and convenient.
00:29:07.71\00:29:09.48
He was going to go all the way.
00:29:09.51\00:29:12.88
That's what Jesus asked
us to be able to do for Him.
00:29:12.91\00:29:16.92
When He asked us
to bear our cross,
00:29:16.95\00:29:20.32
to love Him with
all of our heart,
00:29:20.36\00:29:22.29
all of our soul
00:29:22.32\00:29:24.19
and with all of our mind.
00:29:24.23\00:29:26.03
This whole story,
00:29:26.06\00:29:27.76
the reason God
had Abraham and Isaac
00:29:27.80\00:29:29.80
go through with this
00:29:29.83\00:29:31.17
was to show them
and future generations,
00:29:31.20\00:29:33.70
how much it would cost
00:29:33.74\00:29:35.64
the Trinity, God
the Father, God the Son,
00:29:35.67\00:29:37.77
God the Holy Spirit,
00:29:37.81\00:29:39.14
how much it would cost heaven
00:29:39.17\00:29:40.78
in order to save mankind
00:29:40.81\00:29:42.84
that they could
have eternal life.
00:29:42.88\00:29:46.92
But you see, this
story is not over yet.
00:29:46.95\00:29:49.42
Because once you get to
the top of the mountain,
00:29:49.45\00:29:51.75
Abraham has to make a decision.
00:29:51.79\00:29:55.96
Let's pick it up in verse 9.
00:29:55.99\00:29:59.06
The Bible says,
00:29:59.09\00:30:01.40
"Then they came to the
place of which God had told him.
00:30:01.43\00:30:06.23
And Abraham built an altar there
00:30:06.27\00:30:09.00
and placed the wood in order,
00:30:09.04\00:30:11.27
and he bound Isaac his son
00:30:11.31\00:30:13.71
and laid him on the
altar, upon that wood.
00:30:13.74\00:30:17.01
And Abraham
stretched out his hand
00:30:17.05\00:30:19.48
and took the
knife to slay his son.
00:30:19.51\00:30:22.35
But the Angel of
the Lord called to him
00:30:22.38\00:30:25.15
from heaven and said,
00:30:25.19\00:30:26.52
'Abraham, Abraham!'
00:30:26.55\00:30:29.36
And he said, 'Here I am.'
00:30:29.39\00:30:30.86
And He said,
00:30:30.89\00:30:32.23
''Do not lay
your hand on the lad,
00:30:32.26\00:30:33.96
or do anything to harm him,
00:30:34.00\00:30:36.46
for now I know
that you fear God,
00:30:36.50\00:30:38.97
since you have
not withheld your son,
00:30:39.00\00:30:41.70
your only son, from Me.'"
00:30:41.74\00:30:46.88
Can you see this
in your imagination?
00:30:46.91\00:30:49.98
That is Abraham now is
at the top of Mount Moriah,
00:30:50.01\00:30:52.78
he can delay no longer.
00:30:52.81\00:30:55.12
He starts building
this altar stone by stone.
00:30:55.15\00:30:59.85
Part of me wonders if he did it
00:30:59.89\00:31:01.22
as slow as he possibly could.
00:31:01.26\00:31:03.89
But once this altar was built,
00:31:03.93\00:31:06.59
Abraham had to
decide once and for all,
00:31:06.63\00:31:10.00
was he going to
obey God when it hurt?
00:31:10.03\00:31:13.40
Was he really going to obey God
when it caused him something?
00:31:13.44\00:31:17.77
Or will he only honor God
when it's easy and convenient.
00:31:17.81\00:31:23.01
And then Abraham has to do
00:31:23.04\00:31:25.25
what I would think had to be
00:31:25.28\00:31:26.68
one of the most difficult
experiences of his life,
00:31:26.72\00:31:30.55
where perhaps he
has to kneel down
00:31:30.59\00:31:32.59
and look at his
only son and say,
00:31:32.62\00:31:34.26
"Isaac, God has
commanded me to sacrifice you.
00:31:34.29\00:31:40.70
You are the sacrifice, Isaac,
I must lay you on the altar."
00:31:40.73\00:31:47.14
What would it be like for you
00:31:47.17\00:31:48.50
have to tell your
son or your daughter
00:31:48.54\00:31:51.87
that you had to sacrifice them?
00:31:51.91\00:31:55.28
That's the smallest
of pictures of the pain
00:31:55.31\00:31:59.05
that went through
God the Father's heart
00:31:59.08\00:32:02.18
when He had to give up
His Son for you and me.
00:32:02.22\00:32:06.86
How God can have
such unutterable,
00:32:06.89\00:32:09.32
unexplainable love?
00:32:09.36\00:32:10.69
I don't know.
00:32:10.73\00:32:12.06
But one thing we can be thankful
00:32:12.09\00:32:13.43
of is the fact that God is love.
00:32:13.46\00:32:18.03
But let's not take
away from Isaac here.
00:32:18.07\00:32:20.54
I mean, Isaac was a young lad,
00:32:20.57\00:32:22.04
he could have
easily freed himself
00:32:22.07\00:32:24.01
from Abraham's grasp.
00:32:24.04\00:32:25.37
He could have easily
run away and saved himself.
00:32:25.41\00:32:28.24
I mean, Abraham is an
old man at this point.
00:32:28.28\00:32:31.68
But here is Isaac,
00:32:31.71\00:32:33.58
who also submits
himself to God's will.
00:32:33.62\00:32:37.75
Isaac also decides
he's going to follow God
00:32:37.79\00:32:40.62
even though it hurts,
00:32:40.66\00:32:42.42
that he's gonna obey God
00:32:42.46\00:32:43.79
even though it would
cost him his very life.
00:32:43.83\00:32:47.40
And so picture
Isaac not running away.
00:32:47.43\00:32:51.23
But Isaac willingly
00:32:51.27\00:32:53.13
laying himself
down upon the altar,
00:32:53.17\00:32:57.07
so that his
father can sacrifice him.
00:32:57.11\00:33:01.44
That's the picture of Jesus.
00:33:01.48\00:33:03.98
Jesus didn't have
to come to this world.
00:33:04.01\00:33:06.61
Jesus didn't
have to leave heaven
00:33:06.65\00:33:08.88
where all worship
is centered around Him,
00:33:08.92\00:33:11.52
where He is worshiped and
adored by millions of angels
00:33:11.55\00:33:14.29
24 hours a day,
00:33:14.32\00:33:17.13
and come to this rotten earth,
00:33:17.16\00:33:19.89
in the form of
human flesh, human nature,
00:33:19.93\00:33:23.26
where he gets tired,
where he becomes hungry,
00:33:23.30\00:33:26.57
where He'll be
crucified on a cross,
00:33:26.60\00:33:28.27
Jesus didn't have to do that.
00:33:28.30\00:33:30.24
He could have just said,
00:33:30.27\00:33:31.61
"Forget planet earth,
00:33:31.64\00:33:32.97
let's just
start all over again."
00:33:33.01\00:33:35.51
Because you're special to Him.
00:33:35.54\00:33:38.35
Because nobody could ever
fill the void in God's heart
00:33:38.38\00:33:41.15
if you and I are lost.
00:33:41.18\00:33:43.45
Jesus takes on the form of man,
00:33:43.49\00:33:46.19
and He willingly comes to earth,
00:33:46.22\00:33:48.89
to die on the cross,
00:33:48.92\00:33:51.06
to bear the
guilt of all the sins
00:33:51.09\00:33:52.63
that would ever be
committed on this planet.
00:33:52.66\00:33:56.50
Just as Isaac lays
himself on the altar,
00:33:56.53\00:33:59.23
Jesus lays him to
help down on the cross,
00:33:59.27\00:34:02.77
that we might be saved.
00:34:02.80\00:34:05.74
But the story ends in a good way
00:34:05.77\00:34:07.11
for Abraham and Isaac,
00:34:07.14\00:34:08.58
because Abraham raises
his hand to strike his son.
00:34:08.61\00:34:11.41
It says the angel of
the Lord calls out and says,
00:34:11.45\00:34:13.38
"Abraham, Abraham."
00:34:13.42\00:34:15.75
"Yes, Lord."
00:34:15.78\00:34:17.65
"Don't harm the
lad. Do nothing to him.
00:34:17.69\00:34:21.06
Now I know that you
love Me with all your heart,
00:34:21.09\00:34:24.83
because you've not
withheld your only son for Me."
00:34:24.86\00:34:30.33
Abraham, no doubt, was ecstatic.
00:34:30.37\00:34:32.20
Now he understood the
lesson that was taught.
00:34:32.23\00:34:35.97
But you see, for
Jesus, the hand of death,
00:34:36.00\00:34:39.57
the hand of
crucifixion was not stayed.
00:34:39.61\00:34:42.74
Jesus had to taste death.
00:34:42.78\00:34:44.35
Jesus had to go into the tomb.
00:34:44.38\00:34:47.35
But He did it
00:34:47.38\00:34:48.82
because He loves you
and because He loves me.
00:34:48.85\00:34:53.25
This is the picture we
get from Genesis Chapter 22.
00:34:53.29\00:34:58.86
So the question is,
00:34:58.89\00:35:00.30
knowing this, how can
you and I look at the cross,
00:35:00.33\00:35:03.80
look at what Jesus
has done for us and say,
00:35:03.83\00:35:05.97
"Lord, I'll follow you this far,
00:35:06.00\00:35:07.74
but no farther.
00:35:07.77\00:35:09.44
Lord, I'll follow you
with part of my heart.
00:35:09.47\00:35:12.91
But, Lord, don't
ask me to love you
00:35:12.94\00:35:14.41
with all of my heart.
00:35:14.44\00:35:15.78
I'll follow You when
it's easy and convenient.
00:35:15.81\00:35:18.01
But, Lord, don't
ask me to honor You
00:35:18.05\00:35:19.81
in the difficult
circumstances of life."
00:35:19.85\00:35:24.19
You see, my friends,
00:35:24.22\00:35:25.55
as we apply the
end of the story to us,
00:35:25.59\00:35:27.46
this is what we need to do.
00:35:27.49\00:35:29.36
It's not enough just to say,
00:35:29.39\00:35:30.73
oh, I know the
details of this story,
00:35:30.76\00:35:32.49
I know it by memory,
you know, I understand it.
00:35:32.53\00:35:36.30
What does it mean to you and I?
00:35:36.33\00:35:38.93
What about you?
00:35:38.97\00:35:40.77
Do we honor God
with all of our heart?
00:35:40.80\00:35:44.01
Do we obey God when it hurts?
00:35:44.04\00:35:46.81
Do I obey Him
00:35:46.84\00:35:48.18
when it causes me
to lose popularity?
00:35:48.21\00:35:51.08
When it causes
me to be ridiculed?
00:35:51.11\00:35:53.78
Do I obey God
00:35:53.82\00:35:55.15
when it means I'm
going to be in the minority?
00:35:55.18\00:35:58.42
What do I do?
00:35:58.45\00:36:00.26
When paying tithing means
00:36:00.29\00:36:01.62
I don't have
enough to pay the bills?
00:36:01.66\00:36:03.63
What do I do
00:36:03.66\00:36:04.99
when the employer asked
me to work on the Sabbath?
00:36:05.03\00:36:08.36
What do you do
00:36:08.40\00:36:09.73
when the boyfriend
says just one night?
00:36:09.76\00:36:13.23
What do we do in
these situations?
00:36:13.27\00:36:15.84
What about when
the friend hands me
00:36:15.87\00:36:17.21
that porn magazine?
00:36:17.24\00:36:19.17
What decisions
are we going to make
00:36:19.21\00:36:21.11
in the difficult trials of life?
00:36:21.14\00:36:24.68
Tonight I want to ask you,
00:36:24.71\00:36:26.65
are you willing to look
00:36:26.68\00:36:28.02
at the story of
Abraham and Isaac?
00:36:28.05\00:36:30.45
Are we willing to look
to the cross of Calvary?
00:36:30.49\00:36:33.69
And are we willing to say,
00:36:33.72\00:36:35.06
Lord, help me to love
You with all my heart?
00:36:35.09\00:36:39.06
Am I willing to say Lord,
give me a heart like Abraham.
00:36:39.09\00:36:44.67
Lord, help me to obey You
00:36:44.70\00:36:46.74
even when it's going to
hurt and cost me something.
00:36:46.77\00:36:51.31
Lord, help me to follow
You with all of my being.
00:36:51.34\00:36:55.64
My prayer is, that's what
we will choose to do today.
00:36:55.68\00:36:59.15
And simply say, Lord,
help me to be like Abraham.
00:36:59.18\00:37:03.39
Help me have a heart
00:37:03.42\00:37:05.82
that will obey you
even when it hurts.
00:37:05.85\00:37:12.09
Heavenly Father,
00:37:12.13\00:37:15.80
Lord, You know the
trials and the circumstances
00:37:15.83\00:37:18.50
all of us are
facing right now today.
00:37:18.53\00:37:22.04
Lord, You know,
00:37:22.07\00:37:23.41
we're at different parts
in our spiritual experience.
00:37:23.44\00:37:26.88
But no doubt all
of us have some choice
00:37:26.91\00:37:28.58
we need to make.
00:37:28.61\00:37:30.28
So we're asking that
00:37:30.31\00:37:31.65
You would send
us Your Holy Spirit,
00:37:31.68\00:37:33.01
Lord, that You would
just change our hearts
00:37:33.05\00:37:34.68
and transform us
00:37:34.72\00:37:36.05
that we wouldn't be a
fair weathered Christian
00:37:36.08\00:37:38.92
but, Lord, that we would
choose to honor and obey You,
00:37:38.95\00:37:41.89
not just when it's easy,
but even when it's difficult.
00:37:41.92\00:37:45.39
Thank You that
You don't leave us
00:37:45.43\00:37:46.76
and forsake us.
00:37:46.80\00:37:48.13
And just now if
there's someone here
00:37:48.16\00:37:49.50
during this
prayer that wants to say,
00:37:49.53\00:37:50.90
Lord, help me be like Abraham.
00:37:50.93\00:37:53.54
Lord help me to have
a heart that obeys you
00:37:53.57\00:37:56.94
even when it's going to hurt.
00:37:56.97\00:37:58.31
I want to invite you
00:37:58.34\00:37:59.67
just to raise
your hand right now.
00:37:59.71\00:38:01.04
You're not
raising your hand to say,
00:38:01.08\00:38:02.41
"Yes, Lord, I've
got it all together.
00:38:02.44\00:38:03.88
I'm a perfect Christian."
00:38:03.91\00:38:05.78
You're raising your hand to say,
00:38:05.81\00:38:07.15
"Lord, help me be like Abraham,
00:38:07.18\00:38:10.25
help me to honor You
00:38:10.29\00:38:12.25
even when it
costs me something."
00:38:12.29\00:38:14.62
Father, you see
every hand that is raised,
00:38:14.66\00:38:17.33
bless their lives,
00:38:17.36\00:38:18.93
give them the
strength to do what is right.
00:38:18.96\00:38:22.33
We ask in Jesus' name.
00:38:22.36\00:38:24.43
Amen.
00:38:24.47\00:38:25.80
Heavenly Father,
00:38:30.21\00:38:31.54
as we come
together for this worship
00:38:31.57\00:38:33.07
on Sabbath morning.
00:38:33.11\00:38:36.08
Lord, it is so easy for us
00:38:36.11\00:38:37.88
to be distracted by
the cares of this world,
00:38:37.91\00:38:41.18
by the temptations in our life.
00:38:41.22\00:38:44.65
But we right now want to
claim Your promise, Lord,
00:38:44.69\00:38:48.29
because there was
once disciples on the road
00:38:48.32\00:38:50.26
to Emmaus that
You walked with them
00:38:50.29\00:38:51.99
and open the scriptures to them.
00:38:52.03\00:38:53.50
And they said,
00:38:53.53\00:38:54.86
"Did not our
hearts burn within us
00:38:54.90\00:38:57.53
while He opened the
scriptures along the road."
00:38:57.57\00:39:00.44
And so this morning,
00:39:00.47\00:39:01.80
we pray that
our hearts may burn,
00:39:01.84\00:39:04.67
that we might be able
to connect with Jesus,
00:39:04.71\00:39:07.84
that His Holy
Spirit lives in us.
00:39:07.88\00:39:09.74
And you would enable
us to give us ears to hear
00:39:09.78\00:39:12.98
and a mind that can
understand the lessons
00:39:13.01\00:39:15.22
that you have for us today.
00:39:15.25\00:39:17.75
Lord, only Your
Spirit can do that.
00:39:17.79\00:39:20.06
And so we pray for
a miracle this morning
00:39:20.09\00:39:22.79
in our hearts and lives.
00:39:22.82\00:39:24.79
We ask it in Jesus' name.
00:39:24.83\00:39:27.16
Amen.
00:39:27.20\00:39:29.20
It was the summer of 1996.
00:39:29.23\00:39:32.60
And I had been in the
workforce for about two years.
00:39:32.63\00:39:36.30
I had recently
graduated from college,
00:39:36.34\00:39:39.27
but I wasn't fully
satisfied with what I was doing.
00:39:39.31\00:39:43.41
And so as my wife
and I prayed about it,
00:39:43.45\00:39:45.71
we sense that
maybe God wanted us
00:39:45.75\00:39:47.75
to do something else,
00:39:47.78\00:39:49.52
that perhaps He was
calling us in to ministry.
00:39:49.55\00:39:53.62
So being someone that graduated
with a business degree,
00:39:53.66\00:39:57.19
I was always taught that
if you want to get a job,
00:39:57.23\00:39:59.86
what are you supposed to do?
00:39:59.89\00:40:01.96
Send out resumes.
00:40:02.00\00:40:04.60
And so that's what I did.
00:40:04.63\00:40:06.17
And I sent out resumes
00:40:06.20\00:40:08.47
to every single
conference in North America,
00:40:08.50\00:40:12.27
United States, Canada,
even parts of the Caribbean,
00:40:12.31\00:40:16.51
because I figured
that's how you get a job.
00:40:16.54\00:40:18.75
And I indicated to them
my desire to be a pastor.
00:40:18.78\00:40:23.42
Well, a few weeks later,
00:40:23.45\00:40:24.79
I started to get some
responses in the mail.
00:40:24.82\00:40:27.02
This was kind of before
the days of instant email.
00:40:27.06\00:40:29.89
And about 90% of
the letters said,
00:40:29.92\00:40:32.93
thank you for your interest,
00:40:32.96\00:40:35.06
we will keep your resume on file
00:40:35.10\00:40:37.43
for future reference,
00:40:37.47\00:40:39.50
which if you know anything
about the business world,
00:40:39.53\00:40:41.54
that's just
another way of saying what?
00:40:41.57\00:40:44.31
We're not interested.
00:40:44.34\00:40:46.54
However, there
was one conference
00:40:46.57\00:40:48.64
that sent back a
somewhat positive response.
00:40:48.68\00:40:52.61
And in their letter,
00:40:52.65\00:40:53.98
it said that
00:40:54.02\00:40:55.35
if we should ever find
ourselves in their area,
00:40:55.38\00:40:58.05
just stop by and
introduce yourself.
00:40:58.09\00:41:01.29
So Marquita and I took
that as a slightly open door.
00:41:01.32\00:41:05.89
Now this conference happened
00:41:05.93\00:41:07.26
to be in the southern
part of the United States,
00:41:07.30\00:41:09.80
not too far away from
where her family lived.
00:41:09.83\00:41:12.73
So the next time
we went to make a trip
00:41:12.77\00:41:15.17
to visit her family,
00:41:15.20\00:41:16.54
we decided to do
what the letter said.
00:41:16.57\00:41:18.41
And we stopped by
this conference office,
00:41:18.44\00:41:20.94
met the president,
00:41:20.98\00:41:22.31
introduced ourselves
00:41:22.34\00:41:23.68
and shared our
desire to be in ministry.
00:41:23.71\00:41:27.48
Now, I didn't really
think much would come of it,
00:41:27.52\00:41:29.78
because I didn't expect
00:41:29.82\00:41:31.15
that you walk into
a conference office,
00:41:31.19\00:41:32.85
and the next day, they say,
00:41:32.89\00:41:34.22
"Hey, would you
come work for us."
00:41:34.26\00:41:36.29
But a few weeks later,
00:41:36.32\00:41:38.53
my telephone
rang in Pennsylvania
00:41:38.56\00:41:40.50
where we were living.
00:41:40.53\00:41:41.90
And this conference said,
00:41:41.93\00:41:43.26
"We would like to sponsor
you to go to the seminary,
00:41:43.30\00:41:47.20
and we will pay for it."
00:41:47.24\00:41:49.70
Now, I was shocked,
00:41:49.74\00:41:51.11
because I wasn't expecting that.
00:41:51.14\00:41:52.51
And actually,
00:41:52.54\00:41:53.88
what I really wanted
is just give me a church,
00:41:53.91\00:41:55.98
and I'll learn while I'm going,
00:41:56.01\00:41:57.58
I really didn't want to
have to go back to school again.
00:41:57.61\00:42:00.38
I figured I was done with it.
00:42:00.42\00:42:02.05
But that's not the
choice I was given.
00:42:02.08\00:42:03.89
So we asked them
00:42:03.92\00:42:05.25
if we could pray
about it for a little while.
00:42:05.29\00:42:07.32
And when the
pastor of my home church
00:42:07.36\00:42:09.69
in Pennsylvania
00:42:09.72\00:42:11.06
heard about this,
00:42:11.09\00:42:12.43
I remember that he sat us down.
00:42:12.46\00:42:14.46
And he said,
"David, this is a miracle."
00:42:14.50\00:42:18.70
He said, "I
know this conference.
00:42:18.73\00:42:21.07
They never hire people
outside of their territory.
00:42:21.10\00:42:24.21
And they almost never
sponsor someone to the seminary
00:42:24.24\00:42:27.84
who doesn't yet
have a theology degree.
00:42:27.88\00:42:31.01
David, this is
God's call on your life."
00:42:31.05\00:42:35.32
Well, we took his
advice rather seriously.
00:42:35.35\00:42:37.85
So we accepted the call.
00:42:37.89\00:42:39.99
And a few months later,
00:42:40.02\00:42:41.36
we packed all of our belongings
00:42:41.39\00:42:42.99
in a moving truck.
00:42:43.02\00:42:44.36
Marquita quit her job.
00:42:44.39\00:42:45.83
And we made our way up to
Berrien Springs, Michigan,
00:42:45.86\00:42:48.86
where I
enrolled in the seminary.
00:42:48.90\00:42:52.67
Now I have to tell you,
00:42:52.70\00:42:54.14
that was a big
transition for us.
00:42:54.17\00:42:57.51
It was a lot of
change at one time.
00:42:57.54\00:43:00.21
For me, it meant
going back to school,
00:43:00.24\00:43:02.51
when I thought I was
done with it forever.
00:43:02.54\00:43:05.11
Having to get used to
sitting in a classroom again.
00:43:05.15\00:43:08.32
It meant
Marquita quitting her job
00:43:08.35\00:43:10.32
and having to find one
in a totally strange place.
00:43:10.35\00:43:14.02
And on top of that,
00:43:14.06\00:43:15.76
we were hundreds of miles away
from both sets of our family,
00:43:15.79\00:43:19.26
and we were still
basically newlyweds
00:43:19.29\00:43:22.06
in the first two
years of our marriage.
00:43:22.10\00:43:24.83
That is a lot of
change at one time.
00:43:24.87\00:43:29.14
After being at the seminary
for about four or five months,
00:43:29.17\00:43:33.38
it seemed as though everything
started falling apart.
00:43:33.41\00:43:37.98
The devil began to
plant seeds of pessimism
00:43:38.01\00:43:40.98
and negativity in my heart.
00:43:41.02\00:43:42.78
And I began to hate my classes,
00:43:42.82\00:43:44.75
I began to not enjoy
being at the seminary,
00:43:44.79\00:43:47.56
and I really
didn't want to fellowship
00:43:47.59\00:43:48.96
with the people around me.
00:43:48.99\00:43:50.36
In fact, I gradually
started skipping my classes.
00:43:50.39\00:43:54.30
In fact, I would
come home every day
00:43:54.33\00:43:55.73
from class in the afternoon.
00:43:55.76\00:43:57.43
And I would say
things to Marquita like this.
00:43:57.47\00:44:00.44
"I don't know if
we should be here.
00:44:00.47\00:44:03.00
I think maybe we made a mistake.
00:44:03.04\00:44:04.94
I don't know if God's
really calling us to ministry."
00:44:04.97\00:44:08.84
Every day, over and over again,
00:44:08.88\00:44:11.31
I would plant
those seeds in her mind.
00:44:11.35\00:44:14.02
And for a young wife,
00:44:14.05\00:44:15.52
who left everything in
order to follow what she thought
00:44:15.55\00:44:18.79
was her husband's
call into ministry,
00:44:18.82\00:44:21.12
that was hard to bear.
00:44:21.16\00:44:23.76
And I remember finally,
one day, it all broke loose.
00:44:23.79\00:44:26.96
I came home
00:44:27.00\00:44:28.33
spewing the same
pessimism and negativity,
00:44:28.36\00:44:30.67
and this time
00:44:30.70\00:44:32.03
she just
couldn't take it anymore.
00:44:32.07\00:44:33.57
And I remember
she screamed at me
00:44:33.60\00:44:35.94
and ran and she locked
herself in the bathroom
00:44:35.97\00:44:38.64
and she cried for two hours
00:44:38.67\00:44:40.58
and won't even come
out and speak to me.
00:44:40.61\00:44:43.65
I'm sorry if you thought
pastors and wives were perfect,
00:44:43.68\00:44:46.82
just not so.
00:44:46.85\00:44:48.85
I knew that was the
beginning of the end.
00:44:48.88\00:44:53.32
Because eventually, I
called up the conference,
00:44:53.36\00:44:56.79
and I told the president,
00:44:56.83\00:44:58.16
"I'm sorry. You made a mistake.
00:44:58.19\00:45:01.23
God did not
call me to ministry."
00:45:01.26\00:45:04.70
So we packed up our belongings,
got into the moving truck,
00:45:04.73\00:45:08.94
went back to Pennsylvania,
00:45:08.97\00:45:10.57
and returned to our
old jobs and our old life.
00:45:10.61\00:45:16.54
A few months after I
got home from the seminary,
00:45:16.58\00:45:19.61
I can remember
sitting in the basement
00:45:19.65\00:45:21.62
of our apartment
there in York, Pennsylvania,
00:45:21.65\00:45:24.89
reflecting on everything
00:45:24.92\00:45:26.25
that had happened
for the last few months,
00:45:26.29\00:45:28.69
and all of a sudden it
hit me like a ton of bricks,
00:45:28.72\00:45:31.09
and I realized that
00:45:31.13\00:45:32.53
I had just made the
biggest mistake of my life.
00:45:32.56\00:45:37.73
God had opened the
door, and I had closed it.
00:45:37.77\00:45:42.27
He showed me
what path to follow,
00:45:42.30\00:45:44.97
and I resisted.
00:45:45.01\00:45:46.68
He guided me
what choice to make,
00:45:46.71\00:45:48.94
and I wouldn't do it.
00:45:48.98\00:45:51.01
And I felt like
an absolute failure.
00:45:51.05\00:45:55.12
I can't describe to you
00:45:55.15\00:45:56.82
the weight of
guilt and the burden
00:45:56.85\00:45:58.65
that crushed upon my heart,
00:45:58.69\00:46:00.32
feeling as
though I had failed God,
00:46:00.36\00:46:02.56
I had failed my family
00:46:02.59\00:46:04.06
that I had even
failed my local church.
00:46:04.09\00:46:08.30
Have you ever been there?
00:46:08.33\00:46:10.67
Have you ever had
times in your life
00:46:10.70\00:46:12.10
when God impressed
a decision upon you,
00:46:12.13\00:46:15.04
or God convicted you
of doing a certain thing
00:46:15.07\00:46:17.47
or going down a certain path,
00:46:17.51\00:46:18.97
and for whatever
reason you resist it,
00:46:19.01\00:46:20.78
and you wouldn't do it
00:46:20.81\00:46:22.14
and you struggled with thoughts
of being a spiritual failure,
00:46:22.18\00:46:25.78
and with the guilt
00:46:25.81\00:46:27.15
and sometimes the worthlessness
that comes along with it.
00:46:27.18\00:46:31.02
If we're honest,
00:46:31.05\00:46:32.39
everyone has been
through those times.
00:46:32.42\00:46:35.22
And it's quite
possible, we may be there again.
00:46:35.26\00:46:39.19
But we need to
understand this morning,
00:46:39.23\00:46:40.76
how does God deal with people
who are spiritual failures?
00:46:40.80\00:46:44.87
How does God deal with people
00:46:44.90\00:46:46.77
who make mistakes in their life?
00:46:46.80\00:46:49.84
And so this morning,
00:46:49.87\00:46:51.21
we're gonna open
up the scriptures.
00:46:51.24\00:46:52.57
And we're going to take a
look at the life of a man,
00:46:52.61\00:46:55.58
a prophet, nonetheless,
00:46:55.61\00:46:57.81
who many people
considered to be a failure.
00:46:57.85\00:47:01.32
God gave him a
call, and he refused.
00:47:01.35\00:47:04.69
God showed him
what path to follow,
00:47:04.72\00:47:06.99
and he
absolutely wouldn't do it.
00:47:07.02\00:47:09.42
And I want us to notice
00:47:09.46\00:47:10.79
how did God deal with
this erring, faulty man?
00:47:10.83\00:47:15.76
So I want you to
take your Bibles,
00:47:15.80\00:47:17.27
and you're going to turn with me
00:47:17.30\00:47:18.63
to the Book of Jonah Chapter 1.
00:47:18.67\00:47:21.20
You probably figured out
00:47:21.24\00:47:22.57
what book we're going to
by the scripture reading.
00:47:22.60\00:47:24.61
You want to go to Jonah,
00:47:24.64\00:47:26.24
and what chapter
are we beginning in?
00:47:26.27\00:47:28.64
We're gonna look at Chapter 1.
00:47:28.68\00:47:31.95
Now, as I read this,
00:47:31.98\00:47:33.31
I also want to give you a
little bit of the background.
00:47:33.35\00:47:35.48
But let's start with
the first three verses.
00:47:35.52\00:47:37.52
Now, I'm not using
PowerPoint slides this morning.
00:47:37.55\00:47:40.29
But I want you to use
00:47:40.32\00:47:41.66
your God given
gift of imagination.
00:47:41.69\00:47:43.89
You know,
imagination is not a bad thing
00:47:43.93\00:47:45.63
if you put it within the
parameters of God's Word.
00:47:45.66\00:47:48.56
I want you to try to place
yourselves in Jonah's shoes.
00:47:48.60\00:47:52.40
I want you to
see what he's seeing.
00:47:52.43\00:47:54.30
I want you to
hear what he's hearing.
00:47:54.34\00:47:56.27
I want you to try to understand
00:47:56.30\00:47:58.41
everything that's
happening in this passage,
00:47:58.44\00:48:01.14
and just do your best
to picture it in your mind,
00:48:01.18\00:48:04.18
and let the Holy Spirit
make God's Word come alive.
00:48:04.21\00:48:07.98
Because these are real stories
that happened to real people,
00:48:08.02\00:48:11.65
and they're in there
00:48:11.69\00:48:13.02
so that you and I
can relate to it today.
00:48:13.05\00:48:15.16
Can you say amen?
00:48:15.19\00:48:16.56
Jonah 1:1.
00:48:16.59\00:48:19.93
The Bible says,
00:48:19.96\00:48:22.26
"Now the word of the Lord
00:48:22.30\00:48:23.73
came to Jonah
the son of Amittai,
00:48:23.77\00:48:27.04
saying, 'Arise, go to," where?
00:48:27.07\00:48:31.77
"Nineveh, that great
city, and cry out against it,
00:48:31.81\00:48:35.71
for their wickedness
has come up before Me.'
00:48:35.74\00:48:39.78
But Jonah arose
to flee to Tarshish
00:48:39.81\00:48:43.39
from the presence of the Lord.
00:48:43.42\00:48:45.69
He went down to Joppa,
00:48:45.72\00:48:47.69
and found a ship
going to Tarshish,
00:48:47.72\00:48:50.09
so he paid the fare,
and went down into it,
00:48:50.13\00:48:53.09
to go with them to Tarshish
00:48:53.13\00:48:55.20
from the presence of the Lord.'"
00:48:55.23\00:48:58.20
Now, we're going to
pause here for a second.
00:48:58.23\00:49:00.97
Here in Chapter
1, it's about 800 BC,
00:49:01.00\00:49:06.78
Israel was again
living in apostasy to God.
00:49:06.81\00:49:11.61
But at this time,
00:49:11.65\00:49:12.98
God seems to have His eye
on a place called Nineveh.
00:49:13.01\00:49:17.32
In fact, the whole
Book of Jonah opens up
00:49:17.35\00:49:19.55
with its focus on this city.
00:49:19.59\00:49:22.86
Now, let me tell you a
little bit about Nineveh
00:49:22.89\00:49:25.23
because it will
help put this story
00:49:25.26\00:49:27.73
and it will help put
Jonah's call into context.
00:49:27.76\00:49:31.53
Nineveh was the
capital of the Assyrian Empire.
00:49:31.57\00:49:36.40
Assyria was one of the
super powers of the world
00:49:36.44\00:49:39.97
at that time,
00:49:40.01\00:49:41.34
and they were one of
the arch-enemies of Israel.
00:49:41.38\00:49:44.58
Through much of
the Old Testament
00:49:44.61\00:49:46.05
Assyrian bands were
always leading raids into Israel
00:49:46.08\00:49:49.65
and just making
their life very difficult,
00:49:49.68\00:49:52.32
so Israel hated Assyria.
00:49:52.35\00:49:55.39
Nineveh is the
capital of that land,
00:49:55.42\00:49:58.56
which means it is
not some small village
00:49:58.59\00:50:01.63
out in the middle of nowhere.
00:50:01.66\00:50:03.57
In fact, the last verse in
the Book of Jonah says that
00:50:03.60\00:50:07.14
there are about 120,000 people
living in that city alone.
00:50:07.17\00:50:13.11
That's probably more
than Springfield, isn't it?
00:50:13.14\00:50:14.88
No, it's not, Springfield's
more than 120,000, isn't it?
00:50:14.91\00:50:17.81
That is a large
city for that time.
00:50:17.85\00:50:21.05
I mean, that is a metropolis.
00:50:21.08\00:50:23.82
So we're not
talking about someplace
00:50:23.85\00:50:25.99
no one has ever heard of.
00:50:26.02\00:50:27.36
The world of that
time was very aware
00:50:27.39\00:50:29.22
of who and what
and where Nineveh is.
00:50:29.26\00:50:32.66
But Nineveh
also had a reputation
00:50:32.69\00:50:36.40
for being a very
wicked and immoral city.
00:50:36.43\00:50:39.43
And in many senses,
00:50:39.47\00:50:40.87
it was pretty much on the
scale of Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:50:40.90\00:50:44.67
Even Nahum described
00:50:44.71\00:50:46.71
Nineveh as being a bloody
city full of lies and robbery.
00:50:46.74\00:50:52.21
Can you imagine that?
00:50:52.25\00:50:53.58
That almost sounds like
many of the big cities today.
00:50:53.62\00:50:57.05
But for some reason,
God had his eyes on Nineveh,
00:50:57.09\00:51:02.62
because God cares about Nineveh
00:51:02.66\00:51:05.03
then as much as He cares
about the big cities today.
00:51:05.06\00:51:08.60
Can you say amen to that?
00:51:08.63\00:51:10.27
Because He knew
there were people
00:51:10.30\00:51:11.87
even inside this Assyrian city,
00:51:11.90\00:51:15.00
even inside this
pagan stronghold,
00:51:15.04\00:51:17.64
who had a heart open
and searching for truth,
00:51:17.67\00:51:21.28
a heart that God knew
00:51:21.31\00:51:23.38
was finding no satisfaction
in worshiping gods of stone
00:51:23.41\00:51:27.08
and gods of wood,
00:51:27.12\00:51:28.45
they were looking
for something better.
00:51:28.48\00:51:30.89
And so God knew
00:51:30.92\00:51:32.42
it was time to send
someone on a mission to Nineveh.
00:51:32.45\00:51:36.93
And the Bible says,
00:51:36.96\00:51:38.29
"He chose this man
by the name of Jonah."
00:51:38.33\00:51:42.83
Now, I want you to think
about something for a second.
00:51:42.86\00:51:45.40
Just using human wisdom,
00:51:45.43\00:51:49.04
does it sound like Jonah
would have been the best choice
00:51:49.07\00:51:52.37
to go to a
difficult place like Nineveh?
00:51:52.41\00:51:54.81
What do you think?
00:51:54.84\00:51:56.18
Probably not.
00:51:56.21\00:51:57.65
Because when you think about it,
00:51:57.68\00:52:01.18
the only reason we know
that Jonah even existed,
00:52:01.22\00:52:05.65
is because of these
four chapters in the Bible.
00:52:05.69\00:52:08.19
Otherwise, we would
know nothing about him,
00:52:08.22\00:52:10.33
except that Jesus
said a few things as well.
00:52:10.36\00:52:13.23
Now, when you look at
the way Jonah is described,
00:52:13.26\00:52:16.46
he is not
described in any special
00:52:16.50\00:52:18.93
or outstanding way.
00:52:18.97\00:52:20.80
He's not a
teacher. He's not a scribe.
00:52:20.84\00:52:24.04
He's not a Pharisee.
He's not a religious leader.
00:52:24.07\00:52:27.44
In fact, he doesn't
have a higher education.
00:52:27.48\00:52:30.15
And he's not a wealthy man.
00:52:30.18\00:52:32.01
He is an
average, ordinary person.
00:52:32.05\00:52:35.15
And for whatever reason,
00:52:35.18\00:52:36.72
God decided to put
a call on his life,
00:52:36.75\00:52:40.29
to be His prophet,
00:52:40.32\00:52:41.92
and go and witness
to the city of Nineveh.
00:52:41.96\00:52:45.96
And what is Jonah's reaction?
00:52:45.99\00:52:49.06
He doesn't want to do it.
00:52:49.10\00:52:51.83
In fact, I can
imagine that in his mind,
00:52:51.87\00:52:54.64
he was probably finding excuses.
00:52:54.67\00:52:56.57
Maybe thinking,
00:52:56.60\00:52:57.94
"Well, God, I don't
want to be a prophet.
00:52:57.97\00:53:00.41
I mean, Lord,
00:53:00.44\00:53:02.01
couldn't You pick some
of the professionals to go,
00:53:02.04\00:53:04.78
someone like Elijah,
or Elisha, or Jeremiah.
00:53:04.81\00:53:07.95
They had
powerful ministers, why?
00:53:07.98\00:53:09.88
They did miracles, Lord,
why didn't You send them?
00:53:09.92\00:53:12.45
Why are You calling
me to go to Nineveh?"
00:53:12.49\00:53:17.26
And you see that should
say something to you and I.
00:53:17.29\00:53:20.30
You and I, maybe
we're not a pastor,
00:53:20.33\00:53:22.60
maybe we don't have
some sort of theology degree.
00:53:22.63\00:53:25.40
But it doesn't change the fact
00:53:25.43\00:53:27.34
that God wants to
use you in ministry,
00:53:27.37\00:53:31.14
that God wants to use you
00:53:31.17\00:53:33.04
to make a difference in
the lives of other people.
00:53:33.07\00:53:36.41
That's why He
called you to follow Him
00:53:36.44\00:53:38.78
and be His disciple.
00:53:38.81\00:53:40.92
We don't have to have a
plethora of spiritual gifts.
00:53:40.95\00:53:43.95
God has been
using imperfect people
00:53:43.99\00:53:47.19
for a long time.
00:53:47.22\00:53:48.56
Can you saying amen?
00:53:48.59\00:53:49.92
He wants to use people
who simply are willing.
00:53:49.96\00:53:53.80
Unfortunately,
Jonah was not willing.
00:53:53.83\00:53:57.50
And when you
read the scriptures,
00:53:57.53\00:53:59.03
it appears that for a time
00:53:59.07\00:54:00.50
he went on with his normal life,
00:54:00.54\00:54:02.60
trying to push this conviction
to the back of his mind,
00:54:02.64\00:54:06.61
hoping that through
time, maybe it would go away.
00:54:06.64\00:54:10.05
But you know, if you've
had any experience with God,
00:54:10.08\00:54:12.68
when He lays
something on your heart,
00:54:12.71\00:54:15.42
does it go away very easily?
00:54:15.45\00:54:18.35
Does ignoring it
quiet the voice of the Lord?
00:54:18.39\00:54:21.72
Not too often.
00:54:21.76\00:54:23.09
In fact, many
times it gets stronger.
00:54:23.12\00:54:24.76
And even if we're able to
forget about it for a while,
00:54:24.79\00:54:28.00
it seems that God always
bring something into our life
00:54:28.03\00:54:31.43
to bring it back to
the forefront again.
00:54:31.47\00:54:34.64
So when Jonah just
couldn't resist any longer,
00:54:34.67\00:54:37.54
when he couldn't
stand his conviction
00:54:37.57\00:54:39.57
being on his heart,
00:54:39.61\00:54:41.08
he decided that
00:54:41.11\00:54:42.44
he was going to try
00:54:42.48\00:54:43.81
to physically distance
himself from this call,
00:54:43.85\00:54:46.51
and to run away from God.
00:54:46.55\00:54:49.32
Now, I don't know
00:54:49.35\00:54:50.69
what made Jonah think
00:54:50.72\00:54:52.05
he could actually
run away from God.
00:54:52.09\00:54:53.76
But you know, when we are
resisting His convictions,
00:54:53.79\00:54:56.79
sometimes we can
do some strange things
00:54:56.83\00:55:00.16
that don't make sense.
00:55:00.20\00:55:02.36
So the Bible says that
00:55:02.40\00:55:03.73
Jonah goes all the way to Joppa.
00:55:03.77\00:55:05.53
And he decides to board a ship
00:55:05.57\00:55:07.67
that's going to a
place called Tarshish.
00:55:07.70\00:55:11.31
Now, if you're not familiar
with geography at that time,
00:55:11.34\00:55:13.98
let's just put it this way.
00:55:14.01\00:55:15.84
If Nineveh was over here,
00:55:15.88\00:55:18.41
which way do you
think Tarshish was?
00:55:18.45\00:55:21.18
Over there,
00:55:21.22\00:55:22.55
all the way on the other
side of the then known world.
00:55:22.58\00:55:26.15
Tarshish was probably
00:55:26.19\00:55:27.52
about as far as you
could go on that ship
00:55:27.56\00:55:30.29
in the opposite direction.
00:55:30.33\00:55:32.59
In fact, just to
give you an idea,
00:55:32.63\00:55:34.50
take a guess,
00:55:34.53\00:55:35.86
maybe your Bible
has some footnotes,
00:55:35.90\00:55:37.47
take a guess how far it
was from Nineveh to Tarshish.
00:55:37.50\00:55:41.50
You have any idea?
00:55:41.54\00:55:42.87
Just take a guess in miles?
00:55:42.90\00:55:45.44
How many?
00:55:45.47\00:55:47.14
Great, Sweetie, what is it?
00:55:47.18\00:55:49.11
Oh, little,
little, not quite 100,000.
00:55:49.14\00:55:51.75
That would probably
be around the world.
00:55:51.78\00:55:54.08
It was about 2200 miles apart.
00:55:54.12\00:55:57.79
And that is a long
distance for the ancient world.
00:55:57.82\00:56:01.62
That's about from
Pennsylvania to Colorado.
00:56:01.66\00:56:05.53
And as Jonah boards this ship
00:56:05.56\00:56:07.90
trying to
forget about the things
00:56:07.93\00:56:09.76
God has laid upon him,
a storm enters his life,
00:56:09.80\00:56:14.40
but this time,
it's a literal storm.
00:56:14.44\00:56:17.67
And I want us to pick up
00:56:17.71\00:56:19.04
the story beginning in verse 10.
00:56:19.07\00:56:21.34
Because now the crew
members of this ship,
00:56:21.38\00:56:24.51
who by the way, are pagan men,
00:56:24.55\00:56:26.05
they don't
believe in the true God.
00:56:26.08\00:56:27.82
Somehow they are
able to figure out
00:56:27.85\00:56:30.22
that the cause
of this great storm
00:56:30.25\00:56:32.62
must be Jonah himself.
00:56:32.65\00:56:34.76
Notice the conversation
00:56:34.79\00:56:37.13
that takes place
between Jonah and the sailors.
00:56:37.16\00:56:41.23
Jonah 1:10.
00:56:41.26\00:56:45.17
The Bible says,
00:56:45.20\00:56:47.67
"Then the men were
exceedingly afraid,
00:56:47.70\00:56:50.51
and they said to him,
00:56:50.54\00:56:52.27
'Why have you done this?'
00:56:52.31\00:56:54.94
For the men knew that he fled
from the presence of the Lord,
00:56:54.98\00:56:58.75
because he had told them.'"
00:56:58.78\00:57:02.22
Now I want us to
picture this in our minds here.
00:57:02.25\00:57:04.45
These men drew lots.
00:57:04.49\00:57:05.95
I guess that's what, you know,
00:57:05.99\00:57:07.52
believers in false
gods sometimes did.
00:57:07.56\00:57:10.13
They drew lots.
00:57:10.16\00:57:11.49
And God in His
mercy and kindness
00:57:11.53\00:57:13.23
allowed the lot
to point to Jonah.
00:57:13.26\00:57:15.66
And so they come
to Jonah and say,
00:57:15.70\00:57:17.93
"You're the
stranger on this ship?
00:57:17.97\00:57:19.73
What do you have to do
with this great storm?"
00:57:19.77\00:57:22.97
And Jonah spills the beans.
00:57:23.00\00:57:24.67
He says, "I'm
running away from my God."
00:57:24.71\00:57:27.41
And do you notice
00:57:27.44\00:57:28.78
what these pagan men say to him?
00:57:28.81\00:57:31.55
Why have you what?
00:57:31.58\00:57:34.18
Why have you done this?
00:57:34.22\00:57:36.52
Hi, this is David Klinedinst.
00:57:36.55\00:57:39.39
I hope you've been blessed
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00:57:39.42\00:57:42.66
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00:57:42.69\00:57:44.33
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00:57:44.36\00:57:45.96
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00:57:45.99\00:57:49.23
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00:57:49.26\00:57:54.27
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00:58:05.65\00:58:11.45
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