Sermon Notes: The Foundation For My Future | Living With Biblical Faith 

Main Scripture: Genesis 20-50

Introduction: Trust and Faith in God

In this sermon, we explore the importance of Biblical Faith and how it forms the foundation for our future. Trust in God is essential to living out our faith. Trust is not just a feeling but a choice to believe in God’s faithfulness and His promises. When we trust God as provider, we are choosing to surrender our own control and live by faith, knowing that God will guide us to where He wants us to go.

The Nature of Trust and Faith

We all encounter challenges when it comes to trusting others, but Biblical Faith requires us to trust in God’s faithfulness, even when things are difficult. Trusting God in hard times means believing that He is working for our good, even when we cannot see the bigger picture. Biblical Faith is built over time as we get to know God and His Word, just as Abraham did in Genesis.

Genesis: The Foundation of Faith

As we look at the book of Genesis, we see God’s promises unfold through the lives of individuals who trusted in Him. Genesis 12 marks the moment when God’s faithfulness to Abraham begins. Abraham’s faith journey is an example of Biblical Faith and God as provider.

• Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)
  The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”

God promised Abraham a future that was beyond his comprehension, and by Biblical Faith, Abraham obeyed, leaving his home and trusting that God would provide for him and his descendants.

The Power of Surrender and Faith

The foundation of our future is built upon Biblical Faith, which requires us to surrender our own plans and trust in God’s. This surrender is not easy but is the path to a life of faith that honors God. We see this in the story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac in Genesis 22. God had asked Abraham to surrender the promise that He had given him, and in doing so, Abraham’s faith was tested and proven. God honored his faith.

• Genesis 22:5 (NIV)
  He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

This act of worship was not just a physical action but a spiritual declaration that Abraham trusted God’s faithfulnessmore than the promises He had given. Abraham understood that God as provider would make a way even when it seemed impossible.

Worship as an Act of Faith

Worship is more than just singing or praying; it is a posture of surrender and trust in God’s faithfulness. In Genesis 22, Abraham showed his faith by choosing to worship God even in the midst of a difficult trial. True worship comes from a heart that believes God will provide, even when we cannot see how.

• Genesis 22:8 (NIV)
  Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

This act of worship involved trusting in God’s provision, even when the future was uncertain. Abraham’s words to Isaac, “God will provide,” is a reminder that God as provider will always make a way.

Living a Life of Purpose through Faith

Biblical Faith is not just about believing in God’s promises; it’s about living in a way that reflects our trust in Him. This life of faith requires us to align our actions with our beliefs and step forward in faith and prayer, knowing that God’s faithfulness will guide us. God’s plan for us is to live a life of purpose, and through Biblical Faith, we trust Him to direct our steps.

• Genesis 45:7-8 (NIV)
  But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

In this passage, Joseph reflects on how his life of faith led him through hardship, only to see that God was using his life for a greater purpose. Even when things didn’t make sense, Joseph trusted that God had a plan for his future.

Redemption through Faith

As we see in Genesis, God’s plan for redemption begins with Biblical Faith. He promises that His faithfulness will restore and redeem us. The story of Joseph is a powerful reminder that no matter how challenging our circumstances are, redemption is possible through Biblical Faith.

• Romans 8:28 (NIV)
  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

In the life of Joseph, God worked all things together for good, showing that God’s faithfulness and redemption are intertwined. God will use every trial to bring about His plan for our lives, just as He did with Joseph.

Conclusion: Trusting God’s Plan for Your Future

The foundation for our future is Biblical Faith in God’s faithfulness. When we choose to trust in God, even in difficult times, we are aligning ourselves with His will and His purpose for our lives. Like Abraham and Joseph, we are called to live with a life of faith that reflects our trust in God as provider.

• Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
  You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

As you move forward, remember that trust in God and surrender to His will are the foundations of a life of faith that will lead to an incredible future, built on God’s faithfulness.

Key Takeaways

• Biblical Faith is the foundation for living a life of purpose and trusting God as provider.
• Worship is an act of surrender and trust in God’s faithfulness.
• Redemption is possible through Biblical Faith and God’s plan for our future.
• Trusting God’s faithfulness in hard times can lead to a life of faith that impacts future generations.

Bible Verses

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Isaiah 44:8 (NLT)
Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.

Genesis 17:19 (NIV)
Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”

Romans 4:21 (NIV)
Being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Hebrews 11:9 (NIV)
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Genesis 22:5 (NIV)
He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Genesis 22:8 (NIV)
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Hebrews 11:19 (NIV)
Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

Romans 8:28 (NIV)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Genesis 45:7-8 (NIV)
But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

Galatians 3:29 (NIV)
If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Books:

“The Promises of God: Discovering the One Who Keeps His Word” by R.C. Sproul
This book delves into the nature of God’s promises and His unwavering faithfulness in fulfilling them. Sproul provides theological insights to deepen understanding of God’s covenantal commitments.
Available on Amazon

“God’s Promises for Your Every Need” compiled by Jack Countryman
A handy reference that organizes Bible verses according to various topics, offering comfort and assurance of God’s promises in different life situations.
Available on Amazon

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” by Robert J. Morgan
Through 52 devotions, this book reflects on scriptures that highlight God’s steadfast faithfulness, providing encouragement for those in times of waiting or uncertainty.
Available on Amazon

“Unshakable Hope: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God” by Max Lucado

In this book, Max Lucado explores twelve of God’s promises from the Bible, demonstrating how they provide the foundation for unshakable hope in various aspects of life. He offers practical applications and personal stories to illustrate the power of standing firm on God’s assurances.

Available on Amazon

“Finding God’s Path Through Your Trials: His Help for Every Difficulty You Face” by Elizabeth George

Elizabeth George offers insights into navigating life’s challenges by relying on God’s promises. She provides practical steps and biblical wisdom to help readers grow in faith and trust during difficult times.

Available on Amazon

Articles and Blog Posts:

“How to Trust God, Even in Difficult Times” by Cru
This article offers practical advice on deepening trust in God amidst life’s challenges, emphasizing the importance of faith and reliance on His promises.
Read the Article

God’s Timing is Perfect: 6 Keys to Fully Trust His Plan” by WealthBuilders
Discusses the importance of trusting God’s perfect timing and offers keys to align oneself with His plan, reinforcing the message of patience and faith.
Read the Article

Videos:

“Learn How To Trust God’s Timing with Rick Warren”
Pastor Rick Warren shares insights on the importance of trusting God’s timing, using biblical examples to illustrate patience and faith.
Watch on YouTube

“Joyce Meyer: Trust in God’s Timing & Plan for Your Life!”
Joyce Meyer discusses the significance of trusting God’s plan and timing, encouraging viewers to rest in His faithfulness.
Watch on YouTube

“TRUST GOD’S TIMING – Inspirational & Motivational Video”
An inspirational video emphasizing the importance of trusting God’s perfect timing in various life circumstances.
Watch on YouTube

Transcript: The Foundation For My Future | Living With Biblical Faith

We’ve been singing a lot about coming to Jesus. And boy, you think about it, one of the major issues when it comes to religion is it’s a matter of trust. Isn’t it? Any religion, it’s a matter of who or what you’re going to trust. How far do you go in trusting people? Are you naturally a trusting person? Do you naturally assume people are trustworthy until proven otherwise? I know somebody, a relative, one of those outlaws and more than an in-law, I guess he says, oh, I don’t trust anybody. And he wanted to train his kids that you don’t trust anybody and he would make deals with his kids and let the deal fall apart and say, see, teach you to not trust anybody and that kind of thing. It’s just like where does trust fit? Is there a scale either you, between one in 10 of trusting and some people are a three and some people are an eight?

Or is it something you just decide to do? Trust is an important concept in our society and over and over again, it’s being challenged in terms of who or what we can trust based on who or what. Sometimes we put our trust in things that we have no right to put a trust into. We shouldn’t even bother it to be like saying, well, do I trust my three-year-old to drive me to work? That kind of thing. Well, we shouldn’t be trusting them. It is to say we don’t trust our three-year-old. No, but there’s limitations on it and so is with us in terms of our relationship with God trusting him. That’s what he wants. And the only way that we’re really going to follow Jesus all the way is if we trust him. And the only way we get to trust somebody is if we get to know them.

And I’m not just saying get to know a lot about them, but really get to know God. And that takes time and it takes a willingness to do it. You’ve just got to want to do it. You’ve got to wait in that half hour line. It just doesn’t happen automatically. Talking about Jesus in Hebrews 13, eight, that’s sort of the overall verse for this whole series we’re doing is that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He doesn’t change, nothing’s changed about him and he won’t change. And that’s just one more reason why we should be able to trust him. He knows the past, he knows the present and what we’re going through, and then he also knows the future. And if he knows that and then he says he wants to have a personal walk, a personal relationship with you in order to reveal those things, it would seem like we should be able to trust him.

But we struggle. So the emphasis of this series that I’m doing is to just show that God hasn’t changed. I’ve heard many people say, well, the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament, the God of the law, the God of grace, and it’s all the same God. And I’m glad he is. He hasn’t changed and I hope through this time that we get to see more and more of the character of God revealed. So looking at Genesis, we’re still there. We’re closing it up today. We’re actually moving through it pretty quick. But remember it was written by Moses after 400 years of living in Egypt, the people of Israel were coming to a point when it was time to leave. And I just can imagine Moses trying to get all these people that were living under all these pagan gods together under one banner, and that is the almighty creator God.

And personally, I think he told the story of Genesis pretty much from the beginning. There’s no record of when it was really written in his time with the people in the 40 years of getting them released from Egypt and a time in the desert and all that. But I believe at least the concepts were being taught early on. And the reason for that is, is to get ’em all on the same page that they were coming under the banner of Almighty God and that’s why they were leaving Egypt. So from the very beginning, he needed to establish who God is. He’s almighty, he’s creator, he’s in charge of everything. And for them to begin to think that way in order to apply it to their lives, he’s sovereign. He’s over everything. Nobody tells him what to do.

In Genesis three, then we moved to a little bit different scenario because we saw God as the Almighty creator. He laid that foundation down and then he had mankind through Adam and Eve and they had a purpose in life and they were to be related to each other and related to him in a flawless manner. But in Genesis three, something happened. Sin entered the picture, and that caused disharmony in the relationship between mankind and God and between mankind and mankind. Really, there’s been disharmony in relationships ever since. And so Genesis four through 11, what we looked at is all the nasty effects of that sin over and over again, how it continued to disrupt family life. It continued to ruin people’s lives. It continued to draw people farther and farther away from God. And God was saying, come to me. Come to me. Come to me.

Trust me, trust me, trust me over and over again. God wants us to trust him so we could see it in the life of Noah that God reached a point when he said, okay, your sin has reached a devastating point and I’ve got to start over again. So he did with Noah and then with the tower available again, the devastation of sin had its effects, defiance against God was rampant. And he says, okay, we’ve got to change things around here. So all along through that we could see God was providing a way for men to come to him, but they just chose not to come. Then in Genesis 12, I’m just kind of recapping here where we’ve been that God made a promise to Abraham. Ah, this is the shining light. This is where things really begin to change. God makes a promise, he makes that promise to Abraham.

So it applies particularly to Moses now. Now Moses going from some foreign concepts with the people to going to something that’s more familiar with them because Abraham is called Father Abraham to those people of Israel, and it has to do with how they ended up in Egypt. So he’s saying, okay, now listen. I’m getting to the part of the story that’s really important. Okay, listen carefully, listen up, because this is where it gets really good. The distance between Columbus and us is about the same distance as between Abraham and the people of Israel and Moses’ time, okay? So think about that. It’s important for us to know about Columbus, and it’s important for us to know about the founding fathers and to see where America’s come from and where it’s going. That’s why we teach history, American history. It’s important, and that’s where Moses is at.

He’s teaching now the history of the people of Israel, and he’s getting to the point where it’s something that’s really pertinent for them because it’s their real beginnings as a country. So he says, okay, at the very beginning, God made a promise to Abraham that applies to us here today to listen up. This is the beginning of God’s provision for redemption, for us to be redeemed, to be brought back into a right relationship with him. This is the beginning of all that faith in Almighty God is the thing that allows us to experience that redemption. We need to have faith in him, trust in him. So this is important stuff. Abraham is important to all of us. Abraham who’s the father of faith, was also the father of failure. At times he was a man of failure. But regardless of Abraham’s failures, God promises hold true.

That’s what Moses is saying, listen up. God’s promises hold true. You can trust him. So the bottom line over and over again throughout Genesis, God’s saying, trust me, trust me, trust me. Now, for us today, it’s probably the record of failure for Abraham that a lot of us can more identify with. I know I can. He wasn’t perfect, but every time that he’s mentioned within the New Testament, he’s mentioned in a positive manner. Abraham is an example for all of us that just because you doesn’t mean God won’t use you, there may be a time in your past, there may be a time right now that you’re not living in a right relationship with God. You failed him in some way. That doesn’t keep us from being used as a great man or a woman of God. So the promise to Abraham was very important to the people of Israel, and it is to us today to see that God hasn’t changed for Abraham and he doesn’t change for us.

The promise had both short-term benefits and it had long-term benefits. It’s sort of like a trust fund, okay? That’s the only way I can conceptualize it. We have some friends who are well into their retirement years and they have a handicapped son who’s both mentally and somewhat physically handicapped, and they want to make sure that this guy’s taken care of after they’re gone. And so they are continually working with their financial package and whatever else they’ve got there to make sure that today they’re taken care of with their needs, but at the same time their son is taken care of in the future. Well, that’s sort of what this promise is. Like there’s some parts that are necessary to take care of Abraham. Now, there’s some parts that are in the near future and there’s some that are in the far future of God’s promise.

So Abraham had both to look at and consider the promise of, I’m just going to read these through being a great nation, a great name, the promise of the land of Canaan, a universal blessings through him protection and innumerable offspring. Okay, I am going to go through those slowly. Now, the first one being a great nation that as the founder of the Jewish nation, he was appointed, Abraham was appointed that the nation of Israel would be a witness of God forever, that they would be the ones preserving God’s word, which they did with the Old Testament for other nations. So all of anything would know about almighty creator, God would be preserved through this nation. So he had a purpose for them. So they were to be a witness of God. In Isaiah 44, it says, don’t tremble and don’t be afraid. Have I not proclaimed from ages past what my purposes are for you, that you would be my witnesses.

So the purpose for Israel is to be a witness of almighty God. And then also what makes them a great nation is that they develop nationhood, if that’s a word in captivity. They were living in Egypt while they developed as a nation, as a group of people. They continued to grow in numbers and in strength while living in another country under somebody else’s dictatorship. And they’ve maintained that national heritage throughout the ages. They’ve maintained it since the time of Christ that today the Jews are still Jews and for thousands of years since Christ, they have not their own place to call home as a nation, but they’re still regarded as a nation. That’s unheard of that anybody would do that. But God followed up on his promise that they are still a nation. And it’s not until the last generations recently that they’ve moved back to Israel and are reclaiming that land.

Then there’s a great name that even at the end of Abraham’s life, the people of that area considered him a great name, a great person to rely on that he was trustworthy. And one of the local leaders told Abraham that you’re an honored prince among us, and you can have the choice property for your burial sites. We want to give that to you because we respect you so much. And with his failures, you would think that that would hold back. But no, God promised him a great name regardless of his failures. So apart from Jesus, I think Abraham is one of the most influential men in scripture, probably one of the greatest men in scripture. I know we have Moses and we have David, and we have the Apostle Paul. But as you read about those guys, they all refer to Abraham all the time.

They keep talking about him and they talk about Abraham, not according to his failures, but talk about him with respect. So Abraham had a great name, and then another great name he had was the friend of God. Even today, Christians, Muslims, Jews identify him as a friend of God. In the book of James 2 23, it says, and so it has happened just as scriptures say, Abraham believed God, okay? Abraham believed God, trusted God, and that was declared to him as righteousness, and he was even called the friend of God. Isn’t that a great name? How’d you be called the friend of God? So he had a great name. So God fulfilled his promise and that great name sticks with Abraham even today. Then the land of Canaan. Okay, does anybody remember who Canaan was? You got to look at your notes. Okay? Canaan was the grandson of Noah.

His father Ham acted shamefully towards Noah, and there was a curse placed upon Ham’s family, or at least the one son Canaan. And from that point on, it said that Canaan would be Israel’s servant. So the land that Canaan developed was being developed for Israel, and that’s the land we know of today is the area of Israel. So the promise was fulfilled in Abraham’s life, only partially he moved into the land, but he did not possess the land. The only place that he possessed was the burial site that was given to him for he and his family when his wife Sarah died. Another thing about Abraham in terms of the land of Canaan was it was important at that time that Abraham lived in tents and worshiped at an altar. He was expressing his faith in God when he lived in and worshiped at altars.

See, when he abandoned his tent and dwelt among the people, he was in Egypt, and at that time he was the farthest from God he had ever been. That’s when he lied about his wife, Sarah being his sister. And that kind of stuff was going on. And the writer of Hebrews recognizes that the fact that hunt or that he does dwell in a tent was very important. In Hebrews 11, nine it says, and even when he reached the land, God promised he lived there by faith like a foreigner living in a tent. So even though he was in the land, God promise, he was living there as a foreigner in a tent. And then there’s the altars, the tent and the altar were symbols of separation. When he lived in a tent, it meant he wasn’t living in the city. It meant he wasn’t living with the people under their value system.

He was living among the people, but not with them, not dwelling with them. He dwelt in a tent separated from the people and their values. Then with the altar, he was also separating himself unto God. So it wasn’t enough to pull away into some holy huddle, but he pulled to God with the altar, so he was showing who his God was. So to maintain the tent in the altar was very important, and it is for Christians today to also realize that as Christians, we live a separated life. God has made us holy. We are called out to live different than the culture with different values, but then live them for God and for Jesus Christ and to represent him. So both the tent and the altar still apply in our lives today. And then the universal blessing in this part, the promise says that God will deal with anybody who deals with Abraham the same way.

So if you deal well with Abraham, God will deal with you. Well, if you don’t, you’ll be cursed. And throughout Abraham’s life and the life of Israel that showed true that those who blessed Israel were blessed and those who cursed Israel were cursed, and that holds true today. I believe that God will hold that promise today as people bless Israel, they will be blessed. And then protection that this was very much a part of Abraham’s life in that when he lied to the kings or got away from God, God still protected him. And even when he lied to the kings and they were very upset with him, they sent him away peacefully and with flocks and herds and all kinds of things. So they took care of him. And then the last one was, this is the tongue twister for me, innumerable offspring.

He wouldn’t be able to count ’em. Now, this was the part of the trust fund that God was giving him that he wasn’t really going to be able to experience much of, and things were looking really grim when we left Abraham last week until God said, next year you’re going to have a son. And they laughed. God chastised them for laughing, especially Sarah for laughing about it, said it’ll happen. And in Genesis 22, this is where we left off that Sarah couldn’t have any children, so they tried a do it yourself method that exploded in her faces when she Abraham took the maid servant and had a son through him. That caused family tension, which carries to this very day with the nation of the Arabs. That’s what came out of Ishmael there from the maid servant. And then the birth of Isaac comes, and the story could have ended there, couldn’t it? Okay, here’s the fulfillment of the promise. Isaac’s here, the issue of descendants and doing it God’s way has been fulfilled through a barren wife, and everybody lives happily ever after. But no, God’s got something more to teach. Abraham doesn’t He? See the final issue is not the fulfillment of a promise. He wants to burn into Abraham’s mind. And what Moses is saying to all his people, and God’s saying to us here today is what’s important is not what God’s promised you but God.

Who is your God? What are you trusting in? Are you trusting in what he will give you? Or do you trust him for who he is? Do you love him for who he is? That’s what Abraham needed to learn. That’s what Moses knew his people needed to learn. And that’s what we need to learn continually every day to trust God, not just his provision. So as the Almighty creator, God, the God of Abraham, or is the promise the God of Abraham small G God? See by now, there’s other things going on spiritually too. As we know, Satan approached Adam and Eve in the garden and he had been involved all along through this. And you might say, the cat’s out of the bag, Satan knows who’s going to defeat him and that it comes through the line of Isaac that that’s been declared by God.

It’s public knowledge now, and if any of you have read Job, we’ll be covering Job in a couple of weeks. But Satan had a conversation with God about Job, and I can imagine he had one about Abraham that went something like this, just quoting from Job, does Abraham serve God for nothing? You have blessed him with flocks and herds and you’ve provided for him a son through a barren wife. You protect him against kings. Even then when he’s less than honest, just ask him to give up his son and he’ll curse you to your face. See, Abraham had the faith to live with the promise in view. Now, did he have the faith to live that the promise looked diminished? Would he still trust God even though the promise was in jeopardy? Well, I’m sure as he made the decision that he was going to sacrifice his son, that 60 mile journey he had to take to sacrifice, Isaac was pretty quiet.

Could you imagine that? Just walking 60 miles, they did it in three days. So they were moving along pretty good. And then when the mountain came into view, he said to the servants, you wait here. Just wait there for a little while while we go up to worship. That’s in 22 5 Genesis 22 5. Little note to self there, we’re going to come back to that. Then he added that they’ll be back. We’ll be back later. And then in Genesis 22, 8, it says that Isaac asked his dad, where’s the sacrifice? And his dad said, God will provide some versions, say God himself will provide, and some versions say God will provide himself. There’s a little difference there, but the emphasis is that God is doing it. He’s providing the sacrifice, and that’s what Abraham’s trying to get across. It’s coming from God. And some people even feel that it’s a little look into the future that God’s providing himself as the sacrifice in Jesus Christ.

So God is providing the sacrifice he always has in order to have a right relationship with him. In Genesis 22, 8, it says, God will provide the lamb, my son, and they both just went on together. Now, Abraham is in a situation that’s totally out of his realm of understanding as any of us would be, sacrifice my child who can comprehend that he’s in a place where his finite thinking just doesn’t work. He just can’t figure this one out. Human reasoning fails him. He’s been there before when he was promised a son from a barren wife and all these other promises. But you know what? This time he spoke only what he learned over these a hundred years about the Almighty God that God provides. He always does.

All he had to go on was God’s word, and I’m sure he rehearsed it over and over and over again. And for him, God’s word goes back to Genesis 1719. This is where God said to Abraham, Sarah, your wife will bear a son. You’ll name him Isaac, and I will confirm my everlasting covenant with him and his descendants for 60 miles for three days. He’s rehearsing that scripture. That’s what it means to meditate on scripture day and night. Meditate on the truth of God’s promise to you. His promise to provide Abraham was put to the ultimate test to trust God’s word, that God will bear him a son, that he will name him Isaac, and his descendants will be through him. This was the only answer to the promise that Abraham knew of. Romans 4 21 gives us a little insight into what may have been going on there.

It says, and Abraham being fully assured that what God has promised that God can perform, that whatever God promises he can perform. He was fully assured that that’s the only way he could do it. That’s the only way he can go on. See, it wasn’t God’s intention for Abraham to kill Isaac, never was, but Abraham didn’t know that. See, they didn’t have the formal law from God at that time. All they had was the corrupt example of the pagan gods, the pagan society, which that would be acceptable to give up your kid, to sacrifice him. So really, I don’t know if Abraham questioned the morality of this at this point, but his heart was aching. He knew that God was testing Abraham to affirm his faith not to destroy it. He wanted to affirm the faith not to destroy it. A lot of us would recognize the little label on appliances that says UL approved.

Sometimes it’s got this sticky little thing you can’t get off your cord. Well, underwriter’s laboratory tests thousands of appliances and gizmos every year, and they put ’em through all kinds of hazardous experiences, explosions, fires, you name it, they put it through the tests. You know why they do that? They want to figure out how to break this thing. No, that’s not really why they do it. They want to see how strong it is. They want to see how good it is. So they put it through the test to see how good it is. The severe testing is not there to figure out how to destroy the thing. It’s there to approve it, to say it’s good. That’s why God puts us through testing. We’re approved to know we’re good and that we’re following after him. The times that we would consider that Abraham had failed and that he was weak in his faith. Those are really just times of testing for strengthening and to be able to go back to the drawing board and say, I need you more. Lord, I need to learn to rely on you. And Hebrews 1119, a little more insight here. It says, Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. He just assumed it. He didn’t know how it was going to work, but God would figure this thing out.

He might have even been getting excited towards the end because he’s going to see God work. Could you imagine that He’s going to see God raise somebody from the dead? Would you be excited about that? Maybe on the backside of it, huh? Once you see the person come back, but boy on the front side, there’s a lot of apprehension there. See? But Abraham’s life demonstrated to us that a life of faith is a continuous process. It’s ongoing. Many Christians can point to a time that they say, well, they’ve made a commitment to Christ, and they leave it there, but they forget that faith commitment to God is more than an event. It’s a lifestyle. It’s not a lifestyle of perfection. It’s not religion. It’s not just more devotion. No, it’s learning to trust God more and more every day, which might result in good religion, good devotion and things like that. But it’s not just things we add to our life. It’s things that add to our life. As we get to know God more in Genesis 22, 8, then it says, God will provide the lamb, and they both went on together. God provides. I thought about that. I thought that’s got to be the most important thing Abraham has ever said. God provides.

It summarizes the power behind living for God, doesn’t it? If you really believe God provides, won’t you have the power to live for him? Won’t you want to live for him? Believing that you can’t fail If he’s providing, God provides, he’s my provider. That is the foundation for our future. If you want to go on with God, you can only go on with God knowing that God is your provider. If you think you’re your provider, your future is going to look pretty dismal. You’re going to be pretty apprehensive. Like our friends with this trust fund, they’re trusting in their trust fund, and they’re very apprehensive that they’ve got all their ducks in a row. Now, not to say the trust fund is wrong, but hopefully they’re going to God first, and he’s directing them to do that so they can relax knowing that they’ve done the best they could, and now everything’s in God’s hands and let him be God.

But really back to that note on self, I mentioned in Genesis 22, 5. Really the most profound thing that hit me in this whole thing was in Genesis 22, 5, it says, stay here with the donkey. Isn’t that profound? Well, okay, maybe not. But you think, oh, he’s going on. He’s going to go worship. And what do I do? I stay here with the donkey. You ever feel like you’re just staying here with the donkey? Other people are going onto these great walks of faith, and here I am. It’s a stupid donkey. They had an important role to play. God placed them there to be with the donkey to take care of ’em. In fact, donkeys were very respectable. Jesus rode in the triumphal entry on a donkey. There’s nothing wrong with donkeys, and I believe they just had to be content with watching the donkey. So sometimes just know that there’s times that you’re going to be with the donkey, okay?

And that’s all right, but he went on. Now, this is where it gets more profound. Abraham told the young men, the boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there and we’ll come back to see you again. We, yeah, we’re there. First thing that hit me was worship. They’re going to worship. He was going to kill his son, right? What did he say they were going to do? Worship. Worship. Could you imagine that? He called that worship. See, worship is sacrifice. You can’t worship God without sacrifice. It’s got to be a part of it, but it’s not what we give to God. That’s the sacrifice. Even Cain and Abel figured that one out. It’s not what you give, it’s what you let go of. That’s the important thing here. So what we sacrifice to God isn’t what we give him. It’s what we’re letting go of.

That’s what God’s looking for. He didn’t want the death of a son. He wanted the surrender of a father. He wanted a father’s whole heart. God doesn’t need our things and our time to accomplish his will. He needs it for us to understand it all belong to him to begin with, and we don’t have control over all that He wants a surrender of our will. God was proving that Abraham loved God more than his son. That’s all he wanted to know is how do you love me? And how much more than anything do you believe I’m the provider? Do you believe I provided this son to begin with? Do you believe I’ll provide for your needs? Do you believe that? I’ll give you all the acceptance you need, all the security you need. Do you believe God will provide significance in your life? Even if you’re watching the donkey that you’re significant to God? He died for you. He sent his only son for you. That’s significance.

So God wasn’t just a convenient part of Abraham’s life. Then he said, we’ll be back. So he was showing his faith in God in that they would be back together. That worship involves trusting God, sacrificing and then acting on something that only God can accomplish. So the question is, do you believe God is good? Abraham believed God was good, so he acted upon that goodness. So today, keeping our focus on Jesus instead of on the shallow promises of the world to get our needs met or to have fun or whatever it is, keep our focus on Jesus is what he’s saying to do. That’s the key to the life of faith, is focusing on Christ. Moses knew that the example of Father Abraham was real important to the people of Israel, and it is for us. And that full commitment to God, listen to this full commitment to God is the duty of mankind. That’s all we’re here for, is to be fully committed to God and let him accomplish his purpose through us. We don’t have to make it happen.

So at this point, a lot of people get confused and they say, okay, God promised Abraham something, and he’s moving along and it’s gotten interrupted several times here. What’s going on? Is it a promise or isn’t it a promise? I mean, does God really keep his promise all the way to the end? He never did see all his offspring that we were just talking about innumerable offsprings here. Well, maybe I could give you another illustration. I could promise to buy my daughter a new sports car, right? And I could even like in Abraham’s day, cut a couple animals in half, throw ’em in the front yard and walk between them just to show that this covenant is done with. I could sign my name in blood or whatever you do. Just say, I’m going to give you a new sports car. But when she turns 16, I might see she’s not quite ready yet. I’ve got the sports car, but she doesn’t. At least she can’t drive it. Why? Well, she’ll probably kill herself for her own good. I’m not giving her that sports car, but the bargains clear. She’ll get the vehicle.

I may decide at 17 that she’s matured. She’s showing responsibility and give her the car. But six months down the road, now she’s spending a lot of time with her car. Her grades are going down. She’s not showing up for work on time. She’s never home, and it’s time to exile that car to the garage. Have I broken my promise? No car’s still hers. So in terms of this covenant with Abraham, God is committed to fulfilling that promise. It’ll all take place, but Abraham is not necessarily obliged to see it all happen at once. Neither are the people of Israel or to bless every generation that comes along because of their disobedience and the rebellious ways to give them a promise. And the rebellion would only cause them harm. It wouldn’t help ’em. But whatever God guarantees will come to pass that we know a lot depends on us living within the parameters. God has set up for us to enjoy what he wants to give us.

So as the family tree begins to grow, now we’re getting off of Abraham. He’s made it through this test, and the fulfillment of the promise is getting off to kind of a slow start. You got Isaac with his father Abraham, and in chapter 25, verse 19, we see the story of Isaac 20 years. Boy, this sounds familiar. After his wife was barren, she conceived. So she had been barren for 25 years, and the pregnancy within her was said like there was a war going on. She was having twins. There was a war going on with us inside her. So that kind of set the stage now for what family life was going to be like from then on for them. So Isaac also was not the most original thinker in the world. He got confronted with some kings and some people that he thought would want his lovely wife.

So what did he do? He lied. Said it was his sister, just like dad. And then just like dad, he didn’t confess it until he was confronted by the guy he lied to. The guy confronts him, and then he owns up to it. So he was not really the great shining example in his personal life either, but God promised to use him. And then in chapter 26, 25, it says what? Isaac built an altar there. He worshiped the Lord and he set up camp at that place. He came around to God’s way of thinking, set up camp, built an altar and set himself apart for God. I believe that was his born again experience. Then before that, he had the religion of his dad. Now, he had a relationship with God that was his own. It wasn’t secondhand. And then he had this strong spiritual heritage that was his own to pass on to others.

So he separated himself and then whatever happened to his twins. Well, God’s choice of Jacob, the younger one was to be the heir of the promise. So that was announced at birth, but it became real obvious that Isaac liked Esau. The other brother and Rebecca’s wife liked Jacob. Okay, family favorites goes sour every time we’ll see it over and over again, and this one goes sour. And so Jacob tries to figure out he and his mom how to steal this birthright that God already gave him. But no, they got to steal it away, and he ends up leaving home never to see his mother again. He’s playing tricks and scheming for quite a while. And then finally he learns the life of faith through the school of hard knocks, right? Just like his dad, he had to get desperate. He met up with a guy that was a lot like him, a schemer labin who played games with him and said, well, I’ll give you my daughter Rachel as a wife.

Okay? So he works seven years to get this wife. What happens? He gives him the older daughter first and says, oh, well by the way, you get her first, then the other one. So then he is got to work another seven years for the next one, schemers and met their match. He ended up getting what he wanted, and still the conflict continues. See, and just a side note here, polygamy was never endorsed by God. And any time it’s mentioned in scripture, the outcome isn’t favorable, just so you know that it’s happened a lot. That doesn’t mean God liked it. He tolerated it because he was trying to teach something to the people beyond that. But Jacob spent his life running and scheming, just having God as a safety net saying, okay, God, I’ll trust you when I fall. But that’s about it. Well, finally, he ended up wrestling with God and his faith became his own.

What happened after that? Well, while he was out of God’s will, he had 12 sons. They were born between two wives and two maid servants. So four different women, and these would represent the tribes of Israel. So now the people of Moses are looking and saying, okay, I get it. Now. This is how we got here. This is the people of Israel. And they’re starting to recognize the tribes and things like that. Different people groups, story of Jacob is putting it all together for him. And then the rest of the book chapters 37 through 50 is about mostly one of those sons, and that is Joseph. And there’s also the other son, Judah, who’s a important player here. The Messiah would come from Jacob’s son, Judah. So Joseph came from Rachel, the second wife, and he’s the one who was dad’s favorite. Again, remember the coat with many colors and all that stuff?

Well, his brothers take advantage of him, throw him in a pit, sell him, and then others take advantage of him all the way along. He gets framed by Potiphar’s wife and all that. But he is a man of integrity and he’s showing that personal integrity and unwavering trust in God’s promise is going to pay off sometime. That’s what he’s there for. It’s going to pay off in his relationship with God. In Romans 8 28 is a summary of Joseph’s life, and we know that God causes everything to work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to his purpose for those who love him. Then you can add all the other things that came about because of Joseph and what he did. Listen to how Joseph summarized his life, and this is in Genesis 45, 45, 7 and eight. This is Joseph’s own summary of how God put it all together.

God has sent me here to keep you and your families alive so that you’ll become a great nation. Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you. So that’s their Romans verse, and he has made me the counselor to the Pharaoh manager of his entire household and ruler over all Egypt. He recognized God had a purpose for all the struggles he had. He protected the whole family. He brought them to Egypt to keep them from starving to death, and they spent 400 years there and Moses shows up and says, let’s get out of here. We’ve had enough. So what God said to Abraham in Genesis 1513 says, the Lord told Abraham that you can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land. They will be there for 400 years. Could you imagine Moses looking at the people and say, well, here we are.

Are you ready to let God rule your life? Are you ready to let God be in control? Are you ready to give up? How about us, each one of us? Are we tired of the mess we’re in? Are you ready to let God clean it up? You don’t have to clean it up before you come to him. See, his promise to Abraham is open to us through Jesus Christ. The good news is that God would justify the Gentiles was proclaimed to Abraham 2000 years before Christ ever came. In Genesis 12, three, it says, all the families of the Earth will be blessed through Abraham the Gentile, who believes that’s most of us here are blessed through Abraham in the New Testament book of Galatians. This is how he sows it up, how Paul summarizes it. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham.

Galatians 3 29, now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his errors, and now all the promises of God gave to him, belong to you, belong to you. You want to claim ’em, or do you want to keep running and trying to do it yourself? God will provide, but you’ve got to let ’em. Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, thank you that you haven’t changed, that the God of Abraham is the God of Jim Brown. Your promise is true for me as it was for him that welcome in your presence and through Jesus Christ, I am the friend of God. I pray, Lord, that each one of us here today will take this home with us in a way that we can live out this week knowing that we have a greater purpose than fulfilling our own agenda, more than working ourselves to death to get something we can never keep, that we’ll go this week with a sense that we’re here to love and serve Almighty God, to be responsible before him and let you figure out the rest. Lord, we’ve, some of us have really made a mess of life, and you can clean it up. You want to clean it up. You’re the only one that can clean up. We can’t clean it up ourselves. So we come to you with our mess today, Lord, and say, thank you, Jesus, that you took down the barrier between us and the Almighty creator, God, and you live within us, and the power is there, but through Jesus’ name only. Amen. Amen.

Original Sermon Date: October 9, 2005

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