I'm always extra blessed
00:00:32.79\00:00:34.13
when we come to the
time for our communion,
00:00:34.16\00:00:38.73
because to me it's a story
00:00:38.77\00:00:40.17
that never needs
to stop being told
00:00:40.20\00:00:43.57
about the prevision of
Jesus for our Salvation.
00:00:43.61\00:00:47.88
Can the church say amen? Amen.
00:00:47.91\00:00:50.65
The story about our salvation
00:00:50.68\00:00:52.18
is one that should
never stop being told.
00:00:52.21\00:00:55.28
If somebody were to tell
00:00:55.32\00:00:57.49
the story about
how they were rescued,
00:00:57.52\00:01:01.22
they would,
throughout their entire life,
00:01:01.26\00:01:04.73
repeat the beauty of God's
deliverance on their lives.
00:01:04.76\00:01:10.63
The story of our redemption
will never stop being told.
00:01:10.67\00:01:16.17
It will be told throughout
the ceaseless ages of eternity.
00:01:16.20\00:01:20.48
And I plan on being
there to tell my part,
00:01:20.51\00:01:22.31
what about you?
00:01:22.34\00:01:23.91
I want to tell what
the Lord did for me,
00:01:23.95\00:01:25.71
how He changed my
life, how He redeemed me.
00:01:25.75\00:01:30.35
And so whenever I
get ready for communion,
00:01:30.39\00:01:32.75
I don't come with
the pretence that,
00:01:32.79\00:01:34.49
"Well, you know, I've
been a pastor 30 years,
00:01:34.52\00:01:36.36
and I've been married 34 years,
00:01:36.39\00:01:37.73
and I've been an
Adventist X amount of years."
00:01:37.76\00:01:39.56
No, I come to the intersection
of who He is and who I am,
00:01:39.59\00:01:43.60
to remember
00:01:43.63\00:01:44.97
that had it not
been for His grace
00:01:45.00\00:01:46.67
and His blessing
and His prevision,
00:01:46.70\00:01:48.90
I could not even
stand up here today.
00:01:48.94\00:01:52.11
We come to the foot of the cross
00:01:52.14\00:01:53.48
and I invite you to
take your Bibles this morning
00:01:53.51\00:01:55.61
and open to Genesis 22:8.
00:01:55.64\00:02:01.02
Genesis 22:8,
00:02:01.05\00:02:02.88
one of the most
profound stories in the Bible
00:02:02.92\00:02:06.65
that prefigured in us,
00:02:06.69\00:02:08.72
gave us a fore picture
00:02:08.76\00:02:13.33
of the work that
Jesus would accomplish
00:02:13.36\00:02:16.63
when He came as the lamb
00:02:16.67\00:02:18.83
that taketh away
the sin of the world.
00:02:18.87\00:02:22.87
Genesis 22:8
00:02:22.90\00:02:27.61
and I like you to
read this with me.
00:02:27.64\00:02:30.25
I always like to give
you a chance to get a reset.
00:02:30.28\00:02:32.95
Let's stand together
and read the scripture.
00:02:32.98\00:02:34.92
Kind of something
00:02:34.95\00:02:36.28
I'd like to give you a
chance to extend those lungs.
00:02:36.32\00:02:38.82
Let's stand together
and read the word of God
00:02:38.85\00:02:40.36
as on the screen.
00:02:40.39\00:02:42.42
And the Bible says, together:
00:02:42.46\00:02:44.69
"And Abraham said,
00:02:44.73\00:02:46.63
"My son,
00:02:46.66\00:02:48.00
God will provide for Himself
the lamb for a burnt offering."
00:02:48.03\00:02:53.77
So the two of
them went together."
00:02:53.80\00:02:57.37
Let's bow our heads.
00:02:57.41\00:02:58.74
Loving Father,
now take Your word
00:02:58.77\00:03:01.94
and confirm it and
affirm it in our hearts
00:03:01.98\00:03:06.95
that this message of redemption
00:03:06.98\00:03:09.85
will be one that receives in us
00:03:09.88\00:03:13.19
the deepest of appreciation
00:03:13.22\00:03:15.52
for what Jesus has done
to redeem each one of us,
00:03:15.56\00:03:19.69
in your precious
name I pray, amen.
00:03:19.73\00:03:24.60
You may be seated.
00:03:24.63\00:03:27.90
I want to begin with
the statement that really,
00:03:27.94\00:03:32.67
the Lord put on my heart.
00:03:32.71\00:03:34.94
You know, one of the challenges
of telling the old, old story
00:03:34.98\00:03:38.61
is try to find new
ways to tell an old story.
00:03:38.65\00:03:42.32
Try to find new ways
00:03:42.35\00:03:43.69
to make an old story
relevant and exciting.
00:03:43.72\00:03:47.42
The fact that Jesus died
for us is a beautiful story.
00:03:47.46\00:03:53.70
It is one that should
never stop being told.
00:03:53.73\00:03:57.57
But the focal
point this morning,
00:03:57.60\00:03:59.33
the life of
Abraham and his son, Isaac,
00:03:59.37\00:04:02.20
the sacrifice, the
journey to Mount Moriah.
00:04:02.24\00:04:06.27
It has a great
significance that brings us
00:04:06.31\00:04:08.31
to the table of communion today
00:04:08.34\00:04:10.28
because the reality is,
00:04:10.31\00:04:11.98
a Christian that
has not been tested
00:04:12.01\00:04:14.85
is a Christian that
has not been approved.
00:04:14.88\00:04:17.62
I assume you believe that.
00:04:21.89\00:04:25.46
I could never tell, but
I assume you believe that.
00:04:25.49\00:04:29.16
A Christian that
has not been tested
00:04:29.20\00:04:31.43
is a Christian that
has not been approved.
00:04:31.47\00:04:34.90
And I support that with
the following observation:
00:04:34.94\00:04:40.38
Now every one of us drives.
00:04:40.41\00:04:42.68
I'm assuming
most of you have a car
00:04:42.71\00:04:44.21
or maybe some of you
have a driver's license
00:04:44.25\00:04:46.21
but don't have a car
00:04:46.25\00:04:47.58
or you've
driven in a car before.
00:04:47.62\00:04:49.38
One of the
things you want to know
00:04:49.42\00:04:50.75
when you get into anyone's car
00:04:50.79\00:04:52.32
is that you're going to be safe.
00:04:52.35\00:04:56.02
Is that, that
car has been tested
00:04:56.06\00:04:57.96
before it has been
released to be put on the road?
00:04:57.99\00:05:02.43
And with that in mind
00:05:02.46\00:05:03.80
I decided to do
some homework and look at
00:05:03.83\00:05:05.50
how car
manufacturers think about us
00:05:05.53\00:05:08.60
and what they do to assure
that when we begin to drive,
00:05:08.64\00:05:13.14
that we can feel safe and secure
00:05:13.17\00:05:15.98
and to getting into their car.
00:05:16.01\00:05:17.35
By the way the cars are
made by people we don't know,
00:05:17.38\00:05:20.88
never met them,
don't know where they are,
00:05:20.92\00:05:25.55
don't know if they
had a good or bad day
00:05:25.59\00:05:27.02
when they released that car
and approved it for road use.
00:05:27.06\00:05:30.36
We don't have any idea
of any of those things.
00:05:30.39\00:05:32.99
So I decided with
a car manufacturer
00:05:33.03\00:05:35.06
that I thought had
pretty high standards
00:05:35.10\00:05:38.40
and I decided to glean
from the Jaguar website
00:05:38.43\00:05:42.67
these following words,
00:05:42.70\00:05:44.17
talking about their commitment
to quality and I quote:
00:05:44.21\00:05:50.85
"Throughout
each stage of design,
00:05:50.88\00:05:53.48
development, and production,
00:05:53.52\00:05:55.95
every component of a Jaguar
goes through thousands of tests
00:05:55.98\00:06:01.62
and checks for safety,
durability, and quality,
00:06:01.66\00:06:07.06
ensuring that the
finished product, the what?
00:06:07.10\00:06:11.53
The finished product
is the most reliable,
00:06:11.57\00:06:15.50
dependable, and
safest car you can drive.
00:06:15.54\00:06:20.41
How many tests?
Thousands of tests.
00:06:20.44\00:06:24.08
How many checks?
Thousands of checks.
00:06:24.11\00:06:27.35
And I decided to look
at one of their videos
00:06:27.38\00:06:29.52
and I realized
00:06:29.55\00:06:30.89
the same thing is done
for the tires on our cars.
00:06:30.92\00:06:34.52
For the windshields...
00:06:34.56\00:06:35.99
For the windshield wipers,
00:06:36.02\00:06:37.96
they simulate
thousands of hours of use.
00:06:37.99\00:06:41.50
They would put a
car tire on a machine
00:06:41.53\00:06:44.00
that will take that car
tire to the suggested speeds
00:06:44.03\00:06:47.47
and they would run that car tire
00:06:47.50\00:06:49.20
simulating the use of a car tire
00:06:49.24\00:06:50.91
for maybe for years,
00:06:50.94\00:06:52.41
but they will
shorten the period of time,
00:06:52.44\00:06:54.28
intensify the
testing to make sure
00:06:54.31\00:06:56.81
that when that
tire is on your vehicle,
00:06:56.85\00:06:59.28
it won't give out,
it won't fall apart.
00:06:59.31\00:07:02.18
If they see in that
vehicle or in that car,
00:07:02.22\00:07:05.22
or in that manufactured product,
00:07:05.25\00:07:07.96
any sign of weakness,
00:07:07.99\00:07:10.26
they put it back
on the assembly line,
00:07:10.29\00:07:13.33
they put it back
to the manufacturer,
00:07:13.36\00:07:15.96
they focus on the area
where that vehicle is weak,
00:07:16.00\00:07:19.27
where that component is
weak, where that tire is weak.
00:07:19.30\00:07:23.24
They make adjustments,
00:07:23.27\00:07:24.61
then they put it
back on the testing line
00:07:24.64\00:07:26.81
to make sure that
before it's released to us,
00:07:26.84\00:07:29.68
it's been proven for safety,
00:07:29.71\00:07:31.78
durability, quality,
reliability, dependability.
00:07:31.81\00:07:35.68
Amen, somebody? Amen.
00:07:35.72\00:07:37.82
Because we don't
want to get in the car
00:07:37.85\00:07:39.72
and that thing falls apart
00:07:39.75\00:07:41.66
or the tires
give out on the road.
00:07:41.69\00:07:43.76
When we buy it,
00:07:43.79\00:07:45.46
we have the mindset
that some deep consideration
00:07:45.49\00:07:49.36
has been taken to ensure quality
00:07:49.40\00:07:52.00
in that individual.
00:07:52.03\00:07:53.80
And the thought came to me...
00:07:53.84\00:07:55.94
You see a Christian
that has not been tested
00:07:55.97\00:07:58.24
is a Christian that
has not been approved.
00:07:58.27\00:08:01.48
If the car manufacturer
00:08:01.51\00:08:03.95
put their machines
through rigorous testing
00:08:03.98\00:08:06.72
before they are considered
durable, reliable, dependable,
00:08:06.75\00:08:10.32
and of high quality.
00:08:10.35\00:08:13.36
God will put us through tests
00:08:13.39\00:08:16.59
before we are considered
durable, reliable, dependable,
00:08:16.62\00:08:19.49
and of high
quality of service to Him.
00:08:19.53\00:08:23.10
And before God
provides the blessing,
00:08:23.13\00:08:25.53
God puts us through testing.
00:08:25.57\00:08:28.57
Do you know that? That's a fact.
00:08:28.60\00:08:33.27
That's an evidence.
00:08:33.31\00:08:34.94
God's provision always
comes after God's testing.
00:08:34.98\00:08:41.72
God's blessings always come
00:08:41.75\00:08:45.59
after we have
been tested and proven.
00:08:45.62\00:08:48.72
God never blesses
us before He tests us.
00:08:48.76\00:08:53.56
He always tests us
before He provides.
00:08:53.60\00:08:57.80
What His testing reveals
that we're in need of Him.
00:08:57.83\00:09:01.34
And for us to
appreciate what God provides,
00:09:01.37\00:09:03.91
we must understand
what our needs are.
00:09:03.94\00:09:08.14
God always tests us.
00:09:08.18\00:09:09.51
Have you been
through a test this week?
00:09:09.54\00:09:12.71
Some of you have.
Most of you are just fine.
00:09:12.75\00:09:17.02
Have you been
through a test this week?
00:09:17.05\00:09:18.65
Amen.
00:09:18.69\00:09:20.02
A Christian that
has not been tested
00:09:20.06\00:09:22.36
is a Christian
that is not reliable,
00:09:22.39\00:09:26.83
thus the test.
00:09:26.86\00:09:28.36
But I also
discovered something else.
00:09:28.40\00:09:30.83
God never
informs us ahead of time
00:09:30.87\00:09:33.47
when the test will come.
00:09:33.50\00:09:36.50
God never says
00:09:36.54\00:09:37.87
you're gonna be
tested this week.
00:09:37.91\00:09:39.67
God never forewarns
us about the kind of test
00:09:39.71\00:09:42.78
that will come
00:09:42.81\00:09:44.15
but when the test does come,
00:09:44.18\00:09:46.95
be sure that God has
allowed the test to come.
00:09:46.98\00:09:52.05
Open your Bibles
to Genesis Chapter 22
00:09:52.09\00:09:54.49
and walk with me
00:09:54.52\00:09:55.86
through this very profound story
00:09:55.89\00:09:57.43
that sets the stage
and sets the foundation
00:09:57.46\00:10:00.06
for our communion service today.
00:10:00.10\00:10:02.90
Genesis 22:1.
00:10:02.93\00:10:08.24
Last Sabbath my sermon
was a silence of the lamb.
00:10:08.27\00:10:12.37
It wasn't the
silence of the saints.
00:10:12.41\00:10:15.18
Help me out somebody. Amen.
00:10:15.21\00:10:17.65
You guys are like dormant.
00:10:17.68\00:10:20.32
Breathe, at least
let me hear you breathe.
00:10:20.35\00:10:23.39
Clear your throat, do something.
00:10:23.42\00:10:26.72
Thank you, cough,
00:10:26.76\00:10:28.29
whatever you gotta do,
let me know you're there.
00:10:28.32\00:10:30.99
Sometimes I think, man,
00:10:31.03\00:10:32.36
do I need to just
preach to the chairs.
00:10:32.39\00:10:35.40
Come to church on Sabbath,
00:10:35.43\00:10:36.77
come praising
God that we're here.
00:10:36.80\00:10:39.63
Genesis 22:1: Look at the
text. Look at how God works.
00:10:39.67\00:10:44.31
And when you walk
through this sermon, remember,
00:10:44.34\00:10:47.14
this sermon, this message
00:10:47.18\00:10:48.51
is a prefiguring
00:10:48.54\00:10:51.31
thousand years,
00:10:51.35\00:10:54.95
like fifteen hundred
years before Jesus showed up.
00:10:54.98\00:10:58.42
This story is
written to remind us
00:10:58.45\00:11:01.32
of how beautiful
00:11:01.36\00:11:03.39
the sacrifice of Jesus would be
00:11:03.43\00:11:06.26
to understand the relationship
of the Father to the Son,
00:11:06.29\00:11:09.53
the Son to the
Christian and the gravity,
00:11:09.56\00:11:13.13
the gravity of
what Jesus contributed,
00:11:13.17\00:11:16.81
what Jesus sacrificed,
00:11:16.84\00:11:19.47
what Jesus gave
just to redeem us.
00:11:19.51\00:11:23.18
And the reason I'm just giving
the emphasis today because,
00:11:23.21\00:11:26.68
you know, when
you're a Christian
00:11:26.72\00:11:28.05
for a length of,
or any period of time,
00:11:28.08\00:11:30.69
you can come to the place
00:11:30.72\00:11:32.05
where you lose appreciation
for what God has done for you.
00:11:32.09\00:11:36.83
You kind of...
00:11:36.86\00:11:38.19
You know, when you have
a good cook like my wife,
00:11:38.23\00:11:40.50
she cooks very well.
00:11:40.53\00:11:41.86
Yesterday she hooked me up.
00:11:41.90\00:11:44.23
You know, as I was
out cutting the lawn
00:11:44.27\00:11:46.13
and I came in the house.
00:11:46.17\00:11:47.50
And, you know, how it is
when you come in the house
00:11:47.54\00:11:48.87
and your wife cooks
00:11:48.90\00:11:50.24
or if you're the
husband that cook,
00:11:50.27\00:11:51.61
vice versa, I don't know.
00:11:51.64\00:11:53.44
But when your
favorite meal is being cooked,
00:11:53.48\00:11:55.44
you smell it and you
get this different feeling.
00:11:55.48\00:11:58.55
I walked in the
house the other day,
00:11:58.58\00:12:00.22
yesterday and I could just smell
00:12:00.25\00:12:02.92
from the aroma
coming from the kitchen.
00:12:02.95\00:12:06.35
I said, "this is going to
be a really good meal tonight."
00:12:06.39\00:12:10.26
And my wife cooked
a vegetarian meatloaf
00:12:10.29\00:12:13.86
and West Indian rice
and peas and curried cabbage
00:12:13.90\00:12:18.40
and I had like
four plates of food.
00:12:18.43\00:12:20.60
Do I look like it? Come on.
00:12:20.64\00:12:22.80
I had four plates of...
00:12:22.84\00:12:24.17
I enjoyed the meal.
00:12:24.21\00:12:27.44
She provided,
00:12:27.48\00:12:29.78
she provided a meal
and I'm excited about that.
00:12:29.81\00:12:32.78
Would, that we would get excited
00:12:32.81\00:12:35.18
that God provided
his Son to save us?
00:12:35.22\00:12:40.36
And unless you,
00:12:40.39\00:12:41.72
you see right now
in this little quiet,
00:12:41.76\00:12:43.59
you know, this
secluded little community,
00:12:43.63\00:12:45.43
you know, drive
bys going on right now,
00:12:45.46\00:12:48.13
no hip-hop music
00:12:48.16\00:12:49.50
and nobody outside
breaking the windows
00:12:49.53\00:12:51.07
to the house next door.
00:12:51.10\00:12:52.80
You know, we're so secluded.
00:12:52.83\00:12:54.17
Some of you ought to
go to New York for a week
00:12:54.20\00:12:55.54
and then come back.
00:12:55.57\00:12:57.37
Go to Detroit. Go
to LA. Go to Chicago.
00:12:57.41\00:13:02.38
While you're passing out tracks,
00:13:02.41\00:13:03.75
you're dodging bullets.
00:13:03.78\00:13:05.21
You know, go to the city
00:13:05.25\00:13:06.58
and then you come
back to Thompsonville,
00:13:06.61\00:13:07.95
you'll say, "Lord Jesus,
thank you for the solitude
00:13:07.98\00:13:11.25
of this quiet little community."
00:13:11.29\00:13:13.82
But some of you
ain't been anywhere,
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.29
where you had to just
00:13:15.32\00:13:16.66
kind of go up the steps
and look behind yourself.
00:13:16.69\00:13:19.23
You haven't been,
00:13:19.26\00:13:20.60
where the car
almost ran you off the road
00:13:20.63\00:13:22.20
and you made it.
00:13:22.23\00:13:24.73
But God was there
00:13:24.77\00:13:26.10
to let you know that He
could carry you through.
00:13:26.13\00:13:28.67
But look at the test.
00:13:28.70\00:13:30.04
Look at how God
sets the stage for us.
00:13:30.07\00:13:32.57
This beautiful example
00:13:32.61\00:13:34.28
of the Father and
the Son relationship,
00:13:34.31\00:13:36.44
not only in
reference to Abraham and Isaac
00:13:36.48\00:13:38.98
but in reference to the Father
and the Son in our behalf.
00:13:39.01\00:13:44.02
Genesis 22:1, the Bible says,
00:13:44.05\00:13:46.25
"Now it came to pass
00:13:46.29\00:13:48.96
after these things
that God" did what?
00:13:48.99\00:13:52.99
"God tested Abraham
and said to him, "Abraham."
00:13:53.03\00:13:59.13
And he said, "Here I am."
00:13:59.17\00:14:01.14
God tested Abraham, "Abraham"
and he said, "Here I am."
00:14:01.17\00:14:04.97
A very important point.
00:14:05.01\00:14:06.41
We must be willing
to give ourselves to God
00:14:06.44\00:14:09.64
before God gives Himself to us.
00:14:09.68\00:14:13.11
"Here I am."
00:14:13.15\00:14:14.48
If God were to
call you this morning,
00:14:14.52\00:14:15.85
would you say, "Here I am."
00:14:15.88\00:14:17.22
Isaiah, when he heard
the voice of God he said,
00:14:17.25\00:14:18.95
"Here I am."
00:14:18.99\00:14:21.02
The test of a Christian
00:14:21.06\00:14:22.39
who is connected to
God is whenever God calls,
00:14:22.42\00:14:25.39
he or she is
willing to say, "Here I am."
00:14:25.43\00:14:30.40
And the blessing comes
00:14:30.43\00:14:31.77
when we make
ourselves available to God.
00:14:31.80\00:14:33.94
We don't make
ourselves available
00:14:33.97\00:14:35.44
because we're qualified,
00:14:35.47\00:14:36.94
we make ourselves available
00:14:36.97\00:14:38.91
because God is qualified
and we're simply vessels,
00:14:38.94\00:14:42.44
we're like the
pipes, Jesus is the water.
00:14:42.48\00:14:45.15
We're like the wire,
Jesus the electricity.
00:14:45.18\00:14:48.98
He is the one that
has all the prevision.
00:14:49.02\00:14:53.25
But when God
calls, remember this.
00:14:53.29\00:14:55.92
When He is testing us,
00:14:55.96\00:14:57.29
God will never ask us
to surrender something
00:14:57.33\00:15:00.30
that costs us nothing.
00:15:00.33\00:15:01.90
Verse 2 of Genesis Chapter 22.
00:15:05.80\00:15:11.71
"Then He said, that is God said,
00:15:11.74\00:15:15.04
"Take now your son,
your only son Isaac,
00:15:15.08\00:15:21.18
whom you love..."
00:15:21.22\00:15:22.85
Let me pause.
00:15:22.88\00:15:24.22
When the Father
decided to send his Son,
00:15:24.25\00:15:26.62
He sent the Son that He loved.
00:15:26.65\00:15:30.29
For God so loved the
world, that He did what?
00:15:30.33\00:15:33.26
Gave.
00:15:33.29\00:15:34.63
He didn't send "a"
son, He sent his "only" son.
00:15:34.66\00:15:38.30
And He sent his son
out of a love for us
00:15:38.33\00:15:42.00
but a deep love for his Son.
00:15:42.04\00:15:43.84
And, you know,
00:15:43.87\00:15:45.21
it's gonna take
eternity for us to understand
00:15:45.24\00:15:48.24
what will bring the
Father match to the place
00:15:48.28\00:15:50.28
where He's sending His son
00:15:50.31\00:15:53.18
with a high possibility
that he will not come back.
00:15:53.21\00:15:58.49
With a high probability
that Jesus would come
00:15:58.52\00:16:01.66
and could fail the mission
00:16:01.69\00:16:03.29
and we could ever,
00:16:03.32\00:16:04.66
forever be locked
in this defeat of sin
00:16:04.69\00:16:07.20
and suffering and death
and funerals will be final
00:16:07.23\00:16:10.20
and there will be
no more resurrection
00:16:10.23\00:16:11.87
and hell would
completely encapsulate
00:16:11.90\00:16:15.10
the earth and Satan, his
demons would run unrestrained
00:16:15.14\00:16:18.41
throughout eternity.
00:16:18.44\00:16:19.81
That was the possibility.
00:16:19.84\00:16:21.38
So God gave His only Son knowing
00:16:21.41\00:16:24.78
that in that
kind of environment,
00:16:24.81\00:16:26.98
Jesus could have failed
in the flesh of humanity.
00:16:27.02\00:16:30.79
But He gave His Son
not only out of love for us
00:16:30.82\00:16:34.52
but out of love for His Son.
00:16:34.56\00:16:37.26
The plan of salvation required
00:16:37.29\00:16:39.73
the only one
00:16:39.76\00:16:41.50
that can redeem fallen humanity.
00:16:41.53\00:16:45.53
"Take now your son,
your only son Isaac,
00:16:45.57\00:16:47.80
whom you love and go
to the land of Moriah
00:16:47.84\00:16:52.11
and offer him
00:16:52.14\00:16:54.14
there as a burnt
offering on one of the mountains
00:16:54.18\00:16:58.35
of which I shall tell you."
00:16:58.38\00:17:01.28
This human
account is a preproduction
00:17:01.32\00:17:03.65
of the divine
account of God and the Son.
00:17:03.69\00:17:05.95
This journey
00:17:05.99\00:17:07.32
that Isaac and Abraham took
is synonymous to the journey
00:17:07.36\00:17:10.63
that the Father and
the Son took in our behalf.
00:17:10.66\00:17:13.63
And I'm gonna say,
00:17:13.66\00:17:15.50
I know, I've
been prefacing things.
00:17:15.53\00:17:17.67
I want to say,
I'm not gonna say,
00:17:17.70\00:17:19.27
'I want to say,'
I'm going to say,
00:17:19.30\00:17:21.00
"Praise God that
the Father and the Son
00:17:21.04\00:17:24.01
was willing to take
that journey to save me."
00:17:24.04\00:17:26.94
Amen.
00:17:26.98\00:17:28.51
But before Jesus faced
00:17:35.25\00:17:37.25
any of the earthly
temptations and tests,
00:17:37.29\00:17:39.92
He endured the
greatest test already
00:17:39.95\00:17:42.26
and that is
separation from His Father.
00:17:42.29\00:17:46.06
Just think about the
day. It's time to go.
00:17:49.50\00:17:53.87
The Apostle Paul says,
00:17:53.90\00:17:55.64
"When the
fullness of time had come,
00:17:55.67\00:17:57.61
when the time
had been determined
00:17:57.64\00:17:59.37
for Jesus to come.
00:17:59.41\00:18:00.81
When the
fullness of time had come,
00:18:00.84\00:18:03.18
God sent forth his Son.
00:18:03.21\00:18:05.45
When the
fullness of time had come,
00:18:05.48\00:18:07.45
God sent forth his Son
and the journey began."
00:18:07.48\00:18:13.66
And the Lord told Abraham
00:18:13.69\00:18:15.92
what mountain to go to
and Abraham took his servants.
00:18:15.96\00:18:19.43
They took wood, they took fire,
they took all the provisions,
00:18:19.46\00:18:24.30
they took everything they could
00:18:24.33\00:18:27.50
and they began this journey,
00:18:27.54\00:18:28.87
this deep-seeded conviction
00:18:28.90\00:18:30.47
that Abraham didn't
want to tell his wife about.
00:18:30.51\00:18:32.47
He did not wake up Sarah.
00:18:32.51\00:18:33.98
Because if you waited
that long to have a Son,
00:18:37.31\00:18:41.45
and your husband
wakes you up in the morning
00:18:41.48\00:18:44.49
at 4 o'clock and says,
00:18:44.52\00:18:46.76
"Isaac and I are going
out for a camping trip today."
00:18:46.79\00:18:51.43
And she says,
"Where are you going."
00:18:51.46\00:18:52.89
He said, to mount...
00:18:52.93\00:18:54.60
I guess God's gonna
tell us where to go."
00:18:54.63\00:18:57.10
And what's the
purpose of your journey?
00:18:57.13\00:18:58.47
Well, the Lord told
me to sacrifice Isaac."
00:18:58.50\00:19:04.04
I want to tell you, that mother,
00:19:04.07\00:19:05.97
that mother would
jump out of that bed
00:19:06.01\00:19:08.44
and question
00:19:08.48\00:19:09.81
the sanity of her husband
and the divinity of her God.
00:19:09.84\00:19:14.55
"Is not this the son
00:19:14.58\00:19:16.28
that the Lord
promised to bless us with?"
00:19:16.32\00:19:17.65
"Yes."
00:19:17.69\00:19:19.02
"Isn't this the one that,
00:19:19.05\00:19:20.39
He said, 'in his
seed all the nations
00:19:20.42\00:19:21.82
of the earth will be blessed?
00:19:21.86\00:19:23.19
Well, how is it
that this same God
00:19:23.22\00:19:25.03
who just gave us the son
is going to tell us that...
00:19:25.06\00:19:29.10
Are you all right, Abraham?
00:19:29.13\00:19:31.10
You need to go get a check-up.
00:19:35.57\00:19:38.77
I mean, think
about it, your only son.
00:19:38.81\00:19:42.94
So when did God tell you this?
00:19:42.98\00:19:44.31
Well, He told
me this last night.
00:19:44.35\00:19:46.28
Well, He didn't tell me.
00:19:46.31\00:19:47.98
And since he's half of my son,
00:19:48.02\00:19:49.35
you're not taking
my son out of here.
00:19:49.38\00:19:52.15
God gave that
impression. So Abraham left.
00:19:52.19\00:19:55.62
Didn't tell his wife.
00:19:55.66\00:19:58.93
But notice what he
did. Let's go to verse 6.
00:19:58.96\00:20:02.66
Every action
prefigured the actions
00:20:02.70\00:20:04.53
that Jesus would take under
the direction of His Father.
00:20:04.57\00:20:08.77
And the Bible says,
"So Abraham took the wood."
00:20:08.80\00:20:12.04
He took the what?
00:20:12.07\00:20:13.64
"The wood of the burnt offering
and laid it on Isaac his son,
00:20:13.68\00:20:19.28
and he took the fire
in his hand, and a knife,
00:20:19.31\00:20:22.72
and the two of
them went together.
00:20:22.75\00:20:25.49
He took the wood
and laid it on his son."
00:20:25.52\00:20:29.79
When I read that, I
remembered in John 19:17.
00:20:29.82\00:20:34.26
Just look very carefully there.
00:20:34.30\00:20:36.30
Speaking about Jesus
on his way to Calvary.
00:20:36.33\00:20:39.93
Look at what Jesus did
in the very same setting.
00:20:39.97\00:20:43.10
Look what Jesus did
00:20:43.14\00:20:44.47
in the very same
setting, John 19:17.
00:20:44.51\00:20:47.58
The wood is there on Isaac
00:20:47.61\00:20:48.98
but the wood of the cross
00:20:49.01\00:20:50.35
is laid on Jesus
and the Bible says,
00:20:50.38\00:20:51.71
"And He, bearing His cross,
00:20:51.75\00:20:54.98
went out to a place
called the Place of a Skull,
00:20:55.02\00:20:57.92
which is called
in Hebrew, Golgotha,"
00:20:57.95\00:21:00.39
the place of a skull.
00:21:00.42\00:21:01.76
So as the wood was laid
on the shoulder of Isaac,
00:21:01.79\00:21:04.06
the cross was laid on
the shoulder of Jesus,
00:21:04.09\00:21:06.53
prefiguring the very same thing.
00:21:06.56\00:21:08.43
Abraham representing the Father,
00:21:08.46\00:21:10.27
Jesus represented by Isaac,
00:21:10.30\00:21:12.70
the wood on the
shoulder of Isaac,
00:21:12.73\00:21:14.50
the cross on the
shoulder of Jesus,
00:21:14.54\00:21:16.54
the sacrifice ahead of them,
00:21:16.57\00:21:19.07
the greatest gift,
his only Son to be given
00:21:19.11\00:21:22.34
for the redemption.
00:21:22.38\00:21:23.71
The test came to them both.
00:21:23.75\00:21:27.52
But I like the fact
that Isaac followed Abraham
00:21:27.55\00:21:31.25
with no knowledge of
the plan of the sacrifice.
00:21:31.29\00:21:34.62
He did not know
00:21:34.66\00:21:36.46
and so we ask the
words in verse 7 and 8.
00:21:36.49\00:21:40.40
Did not know the
plan of the sacrifice.
00:21:40.43\00:21:42.13
There were certain
things about that plan
00:21:42.16\00:21:44.20
that Abraham kept
aloof from his son.
00:21:44.23\00:21:46.67
And let me also
make the application,
00:21:46.70\00:21:48.40
when Jesus was born
into the world as a babe,
00:21:48.44\00:21:51.17
He did not know as an infant,
00:21:51.21\00:21:52.67
He did not know until
the Lord shows the time
00:21:52.71\00:21:55.11
to reveal to Him
the plan of salvation.
00:21:55.14\00:21:57.61
He did not know that
there was a cross ahead of him,
00:21:57.65\00:22:00.08
until the day came.
00:22:00.12\00:22:01.45
And He began to
gain this knowledge
00:22:01.48\00:22:03.52
when He was in the
temple at 12 years old
00:22:03.55\00:22:05.69
and He said to
his mother and father,
00:22:05.72\00:22:07.36
I must be about
my Father's business.
00:22:07.39\00:22:09.36
The Father began to unfold him
00:22:09.39\00:22:11.29
briefly the plan of salvation...
00:22:11.33\00:22:13.29
Until it became very clear.
00:22:16.43\00:22:18.43
And He said to his disciples,
00:22:18.47\00:22:19.80
"It is for this reason
that I've come into the world.
00:22:19.83\00:22:21.77
It is for this hour that
I've come into the world.
00:22:21.80\00:22:23.94
This is your hour and
the power of darkness.
00:22:23.97\00:22:26.44
He understood at that moment
00:22:26.47\00:22:28.41
that this is the
very reason I've come."
00:22:28.44\00:22:31.08
But Isaac did not know
his journey to Mount Moriah.
00:22:31.11\00:22:33.98
He asked
questions in verse 7 and 8.
00:22:34.02\00:22:36.99
"But Isaac spoke to Abraham
00:22:37.02\00:22:38.35
his father and
said, "My father!"
00:22:38.39\00:22:40.26
And he said,
"Here I am, my son."
00:22:40.29\00:22:42.76
Then he said, "Look,
the fire and the wood,
00:22:42.79\00:22:45.49
but where is the lamb
for a burnt offering?"
00:22:45.53\00:22:49.46
And Abraham said,
00:22:49.50\00:22:54.30
"My son, God will provide."
00:22:54.34\00:22:58.84
Let's say that together.
00:22:58.87\00:23:00.21
"God will provide for himself
00:23:00.24\00:23:04.71
the lamb for a burnt offering.
00:23:04.75\00:23:07.12
So the two of
them went together."
00:23:07.15\00:23:09.62
The proper way that that is,
00:23:09.65\00:23:11.19
and I remember
this so wonderfully,
00:23:11.22\00:23:13.66
our seminary professor,
00:23:13.69\00:23:17.43
who was a, was a...
00:23:17.46\00:23:21.16
I don't want to use
the word "Ace" of a teacher
00:23:21.20\00:23:23.30
because that's not
the proper terminology.
00:23:23.33\00:23:25.83
A man experienced
in the study of Hebrew.
00:23:25.87\00:23:28.54
He said, when you
read that passage,
00:23:33.71\00:23:35.68
the way that
it's better read is,
00:23:35.71\00:23:37.98
"God will provide himself
00:23:38.01\00:23:44.12
a lamb for the burnt offering."
00:23:44.15\00:23:47.22
That's why when Jesus
was introduced they said,
00:23:52.99\00:23:57.37
call His name
Emmanuel, God with us.
00:23:57.40\00:24:02.47
God will provide Himself.
00:24:02.50\00:24:06.71
God didn't send a
substitute, He provided Himself.
00:24:06.74\00:24:12.15
Well, I wish I could
just buy an amen this morning.
00:24:12.18\00:24:15.68
God, the Creator of
limitless space and time...
00:24:15.72\00:24:20.19
The one for whom
there are no boundaries,
00:24:25.13\00:24:30.13
the one whom the
angels adore day and night.
00:24:30.17\00:24:32.93
Worthy, worthy is the lamb.
00:24:32.97\00:24:37.04
God provided Himself
00:24:37.07\00:24:40.68
for this little motley planet
00:24:40.71\00:24:43.28
that He could just thought,
00:24:43.31\00:24:44.65
He could just have
thoughtless out of existence.
00:24:44.68\00:24:48.38
But He loved us so much
00:24:48.42\00:24:50.39
in the dust of
the constellations
00:24:50.42\00:24:54.22
that are still being estimated
00:24:54.26\00:24:56.86
by scientists with
limited capability.
00:24:56.89\00:24:59.79
In their own understanding,
there are billions of galaxies
00:24:59.83\00:25:02.76
in which there are
billions of suns and stars
00:25:02.80\00:25:05.60
and all types of moving parts,
if I could the layman's terms.
00:25:05.63\00:25:12.14
And yet in that little galaxy,
00:25:12.17\00:25:13.84
I was looking the other
day the Andromeda Galaxy.
00:25:13.88\00:25:16.85
It is said that
00:25:16.88\00:25:18.21
we're within the
same belt of the Andromeda
00:25:18.25\00:25:21.12
and the Milky Way
00:25:21.15\00:25:22.48
and the Andromeda has
over one trillion stars
00:25:22.52\00:25:25.65
and the Milky Way,
200 to 400 billion stars.
00:25:25.69\00:25:29.89
They said, we are just two
of the billions of galaxies
00:25:29.92\00:25:32.53
that this God created
and He took a vacation
00:25:32.56\00:25:37.13
from creating galaxies
and came down here to get me.
00:25:37.17\00:25:41.64
And that news sometimes
hits us like a sleeping pill.
00:25:49.61\00:25:54.28
You're right, happy He did that,
00:25:54.32\00:25:56.79
don't wake me up.
00:25:56.82\00:25:58.15
But the offer of
Isaac was a dual sacrifice.
00:26:04.76\00:26:08.83
The father had
to give his only son
00:26:08.86\00:26:11.40
and the son had to submit
to the will of the father.
00:26:11.43\00:26:14.00
Amen.
00:26:14.04\00:26:16.84
Verse 9 and 10.
00:26:16.87\00:26:20.14
I'm almost done.
00:26:20.18\00:26:23.85
But I didn't
want to give you a...
00:26:23.88\00:26:28.02
I don't want to give you crumbs
00:26:28.05\00:26:29.38
because I wanted us to
understand this morning,
00:26:29.42\00:26:32.99
this communion service
00:26:33.02\00:26:34.36
that we have
participated in so frequently,
00:26:34.39\00:26:36.66
sometimes could
lose its importance,
00:26:36.69\00:26:39.39
become a great ceremony
00:26:39.43\00:26:40.76
that we just
have to hurry through,
00:26:40.80\00:26:42.13
get our unfermented wine
00:26:42.16\00:26:44.00
and get our cracker
with no yeast and just...
00:26:44.03\00:26:49.50
"Thank You Lord,
for the Sabbath."
00:26:49.54\00:26:51.67
But when I read the story
00:26:51.71\00:26:53.71
about what Jesus
was willing to go
00:26:53.74\00:26:55.81
through to save us,
00:26:55.84\00:26:57.18
He says now you've
got to communicate that,
00:27:00.88\00:27:02.65
I've called you to do that.
00:27:02.68\00:27:04.02
Verse 9 and 10:
00:27:06.96\00:27:10.03
"Then they came to the place
of which God had told him."
00:27:10.06\00:27:13.96
I want to add this.
00:27:14.00\00:27:15.33
When Jesus came to Calvary...
00:27:15.36\00:27:18.33
It's important to get this.
00:27:18.37\00:27:19.70
When Jesus came to Calvary
00:27:19.73\00:27:22.50
He was not there
without His Father.
00:27:22.54\00:27:26.68
He was there with His Father.
00:27:26.71\00:27:31.78
I told you this a few weeks ago,
00:27:31.81\00:27:33.15
maybe a month or so ago,
00:27:33.18\00:27:34.52
that the reason
00:27:34.55\00:27:35.88
for the darkness on
the hill called Golgotha
00:27:35.92\00:27:38.65
is that the glory of
the Father had to be veiled,
00:27:38.69\00:27:43.12
so that this
perfection of divinity,
00:27:43.16\00:27:46.90
God in his unbridled power
00:27:46.93\00:27:51.77
and divinity and
might could not have exposed
00:27:51.80\00:27:55.17
that glory to a Son
00:27:55.20\00:27:56.91
that was wrapped in human flesh,
00:27:56.94\00:27:58.41
lest He consume Him.
00:27:58.44\00:28:00.74
And so over the hours
that Jesus hung on the cross,
00:28:00.78\00:28:03.71
there was darkness
that covered the hill.
00:28:03.75\00:28:06.51
Yet that signified at
that particular moment
00:28:06.55\00:28:09.55
there was a need for a veil
00:28:09.58\00:28:11.12
to be between the
Father and the Son,
00:28:11.15\00:28:13.12
lest the Son in his humanity
00:28:13.15\00:28:15.92
would be consumed by
the Father's divinity.
00:28:15.96\00:28:19.59
So when you read in verse 9,
00:28:19.63\00:28:21.46
"Then they came to the
place of which God had told him,
00:28:21.50\00:28:24.67
they went together."
00:28:24.70\00:28:26.60
The Father was at the
cross when His Son was there.
00:28:26.63\00:28:30.44
He was at the tomb
when His son came forth
00:28:30.47\00:28:34.08
and He was in
the halls of eternity
00:28:34.11\00:28:37.98
when the decision to send forth
00:28:38.01\00:28:39.61
His Son was already made.
00:28:39.65\00:28:41.05
And He created the wood
on which His Son would hang.
00:28:44.35\00:28:47.59
"And Abraham
built an altar there
00:28:47.62\00:28:49.56
and placed the wood in order,
00:28:49.59\00:28:51.33
and he bound Isaac his son
00:28:51.36\00:28:52.86
and laid him on the
altar upon the wood.
00:28:52.89\00:28:55.60
And Abraham
stretched out his hand
00:28:55.63\00:28:57.67
and took the
knife to slay his son."
00:28:57.70\00:29:02.24
You read that.
00:29:02.27\00:29:03.61
Let's go back to the house.
00:29:08.74\00:29:11.18
Sarah, wow, they've
gone for a number of hours.
00:29:11.21\00:29:15.58
I wonder what's
taken them so long.
00:29:15.62\00:29:18.09
There is Abraham sweating
and crying at the same time.
00:29:18.12\00:29:22.06
God must really
mean this. There he is.
00:29:22.09\00:29:25.26
You got to, you got to,
you got to go there with him.
00:29:25.29\00:29:27.73
There is Abraham wondering,
00:29:27.76\00:29:29.76
perspiration, in
trepidation, shaking.
00:29:29.80\00:29:32.93
When you read, when you read
00:29:32.97\00:29:34.30
the writings of the
servant of the Lord,
00:29:34.34\00:29:37.41
we're told that
the son had to confirm,
00:29:37.44\00:29:41.38
the son had to
comfort his father,
00:29:41.41\00:29:42.78
it's gonna be okay.
00:29:42.81\00:29:45.05
If God told you to do it, do it,
00:29:45.08\00:29:47.68
because Isaac was young enough
to break away from the moment.
00:29:47.72\00:29:51.09
His father was old. He
could not overpower the son.
00:29:51.12\00:29:54.52
He could have breaking away.
00:29:54.56\00:29:55.89
This is one of the most
powerful examples of obedience,
00:29:55.92\00:30:00.03
submitting to the
will of the father.
00:30:00.06\00:30:01.70
And when Jesus was
in the same position...
00:30:01.73\00:30:05.40
He said in John 5:30.
00:30:05.43\00:30:07.20
"I can of myself do nothing.
00:30:07.24\00:30:09.50
As I hear I judge and
my judgment is righteous
00:30:09.54\00:30:13.44
because I do not
seek my own will,
00:30:13.48\00:30:16.04
but the will of the
Father who sent me."
00:30:16.08\00:30:18.71
In other words, not my
will but thine be done.
00:30:18.75\00:30:24.45
And he says in John 10:17:
00:30:29.69\00:30:34.03
"Therefore my Father loves me
00:30:34.06\00:30:35.40
because I lay down my
life that I may take it again."
00:30:35.43\00:30:39.60
Very important point.
00:30:39.63\00:30:42.74
Until we are willing
to lay down our lives,
00:30:42.77\00:30:46.57
we will not be given
00:30:46.61\00:30:47.94
the privilege of
embracing our lives.
00:30:47.98\00:30:50.48
We'll not be given
00:30:50.51\00:30:51.85
the privilege of
holding our lives.
00:30:51.88\00:30:53.92
You know, the Lord says that,
00:30:53.95\00:30:55.28
unless a grain of wheat
falls on to the ground and dies,
00:30:55.32\00:30:57.95
it abides alone.
00:30:57.99\00:30:59.39
The Lord was testing to
see whether or not Abraham
00:30:59.42\00:31:02.19
was worthy of
holding on to his son
00:31:02.22\00:31:04.63
and his son was
being tested to see
00:31:04.66\00:31:06.80
whether or not his life
00:31:06.83\00:31:08.16
meant more to
God than to himself.
00:31:08.20\00:31:10.97
And when your life
means more to God than to you,
00:31:11.00\00:31:14.60
he that seeks to save
his life will lose it.
00:31:14.64\00:31:17.01
If Isaac chose not to lay down,
he would have lost his life.
00:31:17.04\00:31:22.21
But he that is willing
to lose his life for my sake
00:31:22.24\00:31:25.08
and the kingdom will find it.
00:31:25.11\00:31:27.08
And I want to tell you today,
00:31:27.12\00:31:28.45
there's no greater blessing
00:31:28.48\00:31:29.82
than to be willing to lay
down your agenda, your life,
00:31:29.85\00:31:32.25
your plans for the plans of God,
00:31:32.29\00:31:34.72
so that He can bless it
and give it back to you.
00:31:34.76\00:31:39.29
That's what He did.
00:31:39.33\00:31:41.20
God revealed the
blessing at the intersection
00:31:41.23\00:31:43.70
of the sacrifice,
not a moment before.
00:31:43.73\00:31:46.00
In other words,
00:31:46.03\00:31:47.37
we've got to be willing to
go all the way to that moment
00:31:47.40\00:31:49.17
where we're saying,
"When will God step in?"
00:31:49.20\00:31:53.17
That where Abraham...
00:31:53.21\00:31:54.54
When will God step in?
00:31:54.58\00:31:56.48
And is this really
what he wants me to do?
00:31:56.51\00:31:59.41
When will God step in?
And He did in verse 13.
00:31:59.45\00:32:02.42
Abraham, verse 11:
00:32:02.45\00:32:04.52
"But the angel of
the Lord called him
00:32:04.55\00:32:06.55
from heaven and
said, Abraham, Abraham.
00:32:06.59\00:32:09.66
And so he said, here I am."
00:32:09.69\00:32:13.96
And by the way when it
says the angel of the Lord,
00:32:14.00\00:32:17.07
that's the Lord.
00:32:17.10\00:32:18.90
And He said, do not
lay your hand on the lad
00:32:18.93\00:32:21.60
or do anything to him,
00:32:21.64\00:32:23.10
for now I know that you fear God
00:32:23.14\00:32:25.64
since you've not
withheld your son,
00:32:25.67\00:32:28.71
your only son from me.
00:32:28.74\00:32:35.05
And so as I
wind up this morning,
00:32:35.08\00:32:36.58
I like to invite Joel to come
00:32:36.62\00:32:37.95
and play as I'm winding up here.
00:32:37.99\00:32:40.16
The question this
morning that I asked you
00:32:40.19\00:32:41.82
as we prepare for
communion service,
00:32:41.86\00:32:43.83
as you look at your life in
the context of October 2017,
00:32:43.86\00:32:48.43
I have to ask you the question:
00:32:48.46\00:32:51.00
Abraham did not
withhold his son,
00:32:51.03\00:32:53.07
Isaac did not withhold his life,
00:32:53.10\00:32:55.07
what have you withheld from God?
00:32:55.10\00:32:58.41
What have you withheld?
What are you withholding?
00:32:58.44\00:33:01.24
Your time? Your ability?
00:33:01.28\00:33:05.41
What are you
withholding from God?
00:33:05.45\00:33:09.18
Anything that
you surrender to God
00:33:09.22\00:33:12.25
will result in blessings
that God will give to you.
00:33:12.29\00:33:16.06
But anything you
refuse to surrender
00:33:16.09\00:33:18.93
will result in blessings
that God will not give.
00:33:18.96\00:33:22.66
Now last two verses.
00:33:22.70\00:33:24.70
Verse 13 and 14.
00:33:24.73\00:33:27.44
"When Abraham
lifted his eyes and looked,
00:33:31.51\00:33:35.01
and there behind him was
a ram caught in a thicket."
00:33:35.04\00:33:39.21
I got to stop and say,
that ram wasn't caught,
00:33:39.25\00:33:41.35
God put that ram there.
00:33:41.38\00:33:42.72
Amen, somebody?
The Lord provided.
00:33:42.75\00:33:44.75
That ram didn't...
00:33:44.79\00:33:46.12
That ram was not
running and got caught.
00:33:46.15\00:33:48.76
The Lord said,
"Not my son, but you."
00:33:48.79\00:33:52.86
But when you
look at the parallel,
00:33:52.89\00:33:54.60
when Jesus went to the cross,
00:33:54.63\00:33:56.36
the lamb was set
free and the Lamb of God
00:33:56.40\00:33:59.83
was the one that gave His life.
00:33:59.87\00:34:02.04
You see, the reality of it is,
00:34:02.07\00:34:05.44
we will test God as Judas did,
00:34:05.47\00:34:09.24
thinking that the
lamb would always get away.
00:34:09.28\00:34:11.85
Let me say this clearly.
00:34:11.88\00:34:13.21
We will test God
00:34:13.25\00:34:14.58
in our lack of
complete dedication thinking
00:34:14.62\00:34:17.39
that He will
always dismiss himself,
00:34:17.42\00:34:19.75
but the day will come
00:34:19.79\00:34:21.12
if we continue testing Him
without giving our all that,
00:34:21.16\00:34:24.46
that's the day that
He will not get away
00:34:24.49\00:34:27.63
and we will be
guilty of crucifying
00:34:27.66\00:34:29.86
the Son of God all over again.
00:34:29.90\00:34:33.97
"Ram caught in the
thicket by its horns,
00:34:34.00\00:34:36.97
like the horns of the altar
00:34:37.01\00:34:38.34
on which the blood of
the lamb was sprinkled,
00:34:38.37\00:34:42.01
so Abraham went and took the ram
00:34:42.04\00:34:44.05
and offered it up
00:34:44.08\00:34:45.61
for a burnt
offering instead of his son.
00:34:45.65\00:34:49.05
And Abraham called
the name of the place
00:34:49.08\00:34:51.19
the Lord will Provide."
00:34:51.22\00:34:52.55
Say that with me,
the Lord will provide.
00:34:52.59\00:34:55.19
To this very day, when
we go to the holy lands,
00:34:55.22\00:34:57.23
later on this year,
first time we're gonna go.
00:34:57.26\00:35:00.60
I want to go to Mount Moriah.
00:35:00.63\00:35:04.23
I'm gonna say, show me the place
00:35:04.27\00:35:06.10
as best as you can describe
00:35:06.13\00:35:07.47
where Abraham took his son Isaac
00:35:07.50\00:35:11.11
to be sacrificed.
00:35:11.14\00:35:12.77
And they tell me
that Mount Moriah,
00:35:12.81\00:35:17.15
where Abraham was
to sacrifice his son,
00:35:17.18\00:35:20.35
on the other side
of that was a mountain
00:35:20.38\00:35:21.98
where Moses stood,
00:35:22.02\00:35:23.35
to look over
into the promise land.
00:35:23.39\00:35:24.72
You could see them
across from each other.
00:35:24.75\00:35:26.82
God has a way of taking those
00:35:26.86\00:35:28.19
who serve Him
to the mountain top
00:35:28.22\00:35:30.46
to show them his blessings,
to show them His promises.
00:35:30.49\00:35:35.26
The Lord will provide.
00:35:35.30\00:35:37.63
Jesus will provide Himself
00:35:37.67\00:35:41.67
if we are willing
to provide ourselves.
00:35:41.70\00:35:45.57
The lesson for us today,
00:35:45.61\00:35:46.94
are you willing
to provide yourself?
00:35:46.98\00:35:49.58
If you are,
00:35:49.61\00:35:51.01
He will provide Himself
00:35:51.05\00:35:52.88
because He
doesn't, what more we have?
00:35:52.91\00:35:55.25
He wants us.
00:35:55.28\00:35:58.29
I'm with the
statements I began with:
00:35:58.32\00:36:00.46
A Christian that
has not been tested
00:36:00.49\00:36:03.09
is a Christian that
has not been approved,
00:36:03.12\00:36:05.93
is a Christian
that's not reliable.
00:36:05.96\00:36:08.20
We must be willing
to give ourselves to God
00:36:08.23\00:36:10.20
before He gives Himself to us.
00:36:10.23\00:36:12.93
And the communion
service today is evidence
00:36:12.97\00:36:16.10
that He has given Himself to us.
00:36:16.14\00:36:18.34
But today,
00:36:18.37\00:36:19.71
we invite you to once
again give yourself to the Lord.
00:36:19.74\00:36:24.98
Today, before the
communion service,
00:36:25.01\00:36:27.88
we have the
ordinance of humility,
00:36:27.92\00:36:29.98
the foot washing service.
00:36:30.02\00:36:31.92
In John Chapter 13,
00:36:31.95\00:36:33.29
Jesus established
the example as He knelt
00:36:33.32\00:36:36.36
before his disciples
and washed their feet.
00:36:36.39\00:36:38.99
Today, the ladies will gather
00:36:39.03\00:36:42.83
in JD's
classroom right to my left,
00:36:42.86\00:36:44.93
to wash one another's feet.
00:36:44.97\00:36:47.44
The men will
gather in the foreyard
00:36:47.47\00:36:50.11
outside of this door to the back
00:36:50.14\00:36:52.17
to wash one another's feet.
00:36:52.21\00:36:55.74
What's the significance of that?
00:36:55.78\00:36:57.98
Jesus says, "I've
given you an example
00:36:58.01\00:36:59.88
that you should
do as I have done."
00:36:59.91\00:37:01.52
If you know these things
00:37:06.15\00:37:07.69
and you do
them, blessed are you.
00:37:07.72\00:37:13.19
If you know these things
00:37:13.23\00:37:15.90
and you do them, you're blessed.
00:37:15.93\00:37:21.34
As we serve each
other in preparation
00:37:21.37\00:37:23.00
for the communion service,
00:37:23.04\00:37:25.24
please keep your
conversations away
00:37:25.27\00:37:28.74
from things of the world.
00:37:28.78\00:37:31.41
If you want to
talk about anything,
00:37:31.45\00:37:32.78
talk about the
blessing of Jesus in your life
00:37:32.81\00:37:35.95
and then we will reconvene here
00:37:35.98\00:37:38.75
for the ordinance
of the Lord's Supper.
00:37:38.79\00:37:41.52
Let us pray.
00:37:41.56\00:37:43.73
Loving Father in heaven,
00:37:43.76\00:37:45.63
we thank You Lord
00:37:45.66\00:37:47.33
that You were
willing to give Your Son,
00:37:47.36\00:37:49.70
Your only Son.
00:37:49.73\00:37:51.67
Jesus, we thank You
00:37:51.70\00:37:54.20
that You were willing to
submit and give Your life,
00:37:54.24\00:37:57.24
Your only life
00:37:57.27\00:37:59.97
that we might have life
and have it more abundantly.
00:38:00.01\00:38:03.75
So today, Lord,
reconfirm in our hearts
00:38:03.78\00:38:06.01
the significance
00:38:06.05\00:38:07.38
and the meaning of
this great sacrifice.
00:38:07.42\00:38:09.45
And may we not partake or
accept this with complacency
00:38:09.48\00:38:14.96
but with hearts of
dedication and sincerity.
00:38:14.99\00:38:17.99
May you be exalted,
uplifted, and praised, we ask.
00:38:18.03\00:38:21.50
Bless now our
service to one another.
00:38:21.53\00:38:25.63
May we humble our hearts
in Jesus' name I pray, amen.
00:38:25.67\00:38:32.31