Abraham: The Faithful Sacrifice

Abraham: The Faithful Sacrifice
Hebrews 11:17-19
Introduction:
A. Life gives us many choices
a. Choices that may make or break us.
b. God has given us the ability to chose and make decisions for ourselves
i. How are we choosing
B. Then also again there are many sacrifices that we must make
a. They involve many things
i. It may affect:
ii. Christian life
iii. Family
iv. Work
v. Friends
vi. Who we choose as a spouse
1. These are things that we will sacrifice in our ability to choose
2. Not always are the choices easy!
C. We need to understand that God has expectation and sacrifices need to be made
a. Joshua spoke of the choice that he made and that the children of Israel should make also (Joshua 24:15)
D. Let’s ask ourselves a question:
a. Are we willing to sacrifice our own children if God told us to
b. Not many of us may be willing or it may be hard to do
E. Although this may be hard
a. Abraham did so
F. We talked last week about the faithful traveler
a. How Abraham left for a land he didn’t know about
b. A land that God promised to his seed
c. By faith he went and followed as the Lord commanded
d. A lesson of faith
G. Let’s open our Bibles and study on Abraham the Faithful Sacrifice
I. the Commandment given by God
A. Abraham had deep concern about being childless
a. He was promised a land for his seed yet there was no children (Gen. 15:4-6)
b. He believed and had faith that God would provide
B. It came to the point that Sarai was concerned about this problem also
a. To the point of giving her maid to Abraham (Gen. 16:1-4)
C. God said to Sarai you will give birth to a son (Gen 17: 15-22)
a. It was questioned by Sarah because of her age yet she still followed
D. Thus Isaac was born (Gen 21:1-3)
E. He grew and we come to the point of a commandment God made and commanded Abraham to follow (Gen 22:1-2)
a. How many of us would be willing to do something like this?
b. WE finally have our first true son and now we must make him our sacrifice
i. A very tough and hard situation
F. Notice his faith in God (Gen. 22:3-6)
a. He immediately went and left to make this sacrifice
b. But once again notice his faith (Gen. 22:7-8)
i. God will provide the lamb for sacrifice
G. He came to the point of having the knife in his hand about to kill his son when the angel appeared and said (Gen 22:9-12)
a. His faith was proven and the angel confirmed that faith he had in God
b. There was ram that God provided for the sacrifice (Gen. 22:13-14)
H. Abraham by faith was so faithful to God that he was willing to give his son as an offering to God
II. God provided His Son for us
A. As faithful as Abraham was with his offering
a. God was and is also faithful in His offering for us
B. He has offered Son with love (John 3:16)
a. The willingness Jesus had to take on a fleshly body for us to make the sacrifice for us for the hope and promise of eternal salvation for everyone who believes
C. How awesome and wonderful is this sacrifice for us
a. A sacrifice that was made for everyone
b. God bestowing His faithfulness to us by giving His son
D. God said this once again of showing His son and the need to hear Him (Matthew 17:5)
E. Jesus continued even though he knew the death he would die by (Matthew 26:37-39)
a. That is a love for everyone that nobody can compare to
i. By giving His life on the cross
F. He died on the cross for each and every one of us (Matthew 27:27-50)
a. This love came through the shedding of blood and a terrible death that he died by for each and every one of us
Conclusion:
A. Abraham was faithful to God by giving his son as an offering
B. The same faith God has shown to us by love through giving His Son
a. To die on the cross for everyone
b. For an eternal home
C. God has given expectations of being faithful to Him
a. Our bodies being the living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2)
D. Are we willing to do this commandment?
a. Being faithful like Abraham
b. Sacrificing our body in service to God
E. We can have the hope and promise of eternal salvation
a. Starting today
F. Are you ready to start?
G. We can help you in this effort starting today!