Sermon on Genesis 22:1-14 – The Offering of Isaac
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Textual Sermon OutlinesSermon on Genesis 22:1-14
(Genesis 22:1-14)
INTRODUCTION:
A. Genesis 22:1-14 is the high-water mark in the book of Genesis, in the life of Abraham, and in the life of Isaac.
B. The offering of Isaac is discussed three times in the Bible (Genesis 22:1-14; James 2:2:21-22; Hebrews 11:17-19)
1. In James 2:21-22 and Hebrews 11:17-19, this event is discussed in the context of genuine faith.
2. Abraham is the Faith’s Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11, along with many other great servants of faith.
C. God had made a promise to Abraham
1. Genesis 12:1-3
2. This promise was given six times to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15:17; 18:16-19; 22:17-19)
D. In Genesis 21:2 Isaac is born, and Abraham now has the son he has always wanted, the one that God had promised him.
1. But notice now what the Lord tells Abraham in Genesis 22:1-2
2. The Lord wants Abraham to sacrifice his precious boy!
3. What would you do in this situation?
4. Would we have the type of Faith that Abraham had in this situation?
E. Let us now observe what the offering of Isaac revealed concerning the faith of Abraham.
DISCUSSION:
A. THE OFFERING OF ISAAC REVEALED A FAITH THAT WOULD OBEY
1. This is affirmed twice in the Scriptures
a. Hebrews 11:17
b. James 2:21-22
2. Biblical faith, in every dispensation, has always shown itself in obedience:
a. Patriarchal Age:
1) Hebrews 11:4
2) Hebrews 11:7
3) Hebrews 11:8
b. Mosaic Age:
1) Hebrews 11:30
2) Hebrews 11:32-39
c. Christian Age:
1) Acts 8:12
2) “Obedience of faith” (Romans 16:26)
3) “Faith working by love” (Gal. 5:6)
3. In James 2:14-20, 24 we are informed that a faith without works of obedience is:
a. Dead
b. Imperfect
c. No better than the devil’s faith
d. A contradiction to God’s word
B. THE OFFERING OF ISAAC REVEALED A FAITH THAT OBEYED WITH EXACTNESS
1. Notice the exactness of God’s directions … Genesis 22:2
a. Specified what He wanted … a burnt offering
b. Specified whom He wanted … Isaac
c. Specified where He wanted it … Mount Moriah
2. Abraham obeyed with exactness!!!
3. God gave Noah exact directions ….
a. Noah obeyed with exactness
b. “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he” (Genesis 6:22).
4. God gave Moses exact directions
a. Hebrews 8:5
b. Moses obeyed with exactness
5. When man does not obey with exactness, serious consequences will result
a. Consider the situation of Uzzah
1) 2 Samuel 6:6-7
2) This violated Exodus 25:14 … to be carried with staves by the Levites
b. Consider the situation of Moses in Numbers 20:8-12 … Moses smote the rock and didn’t give God the glory.
6. Many today are trying to treat obedience like a game of horse shoes … just trying to be close
a. We must take the greatest lengths possible to obey with exactness
b. Abraham had a faith that obeyed with exactness
C. THE OFFERING OF ISAAC REVEALED A FAITH THAT WOULD OBEY WITHOUT QUESTION
1. There would have been plenty that Abraham could have questioned God about:
a. Only heathen nations offer human sacrifices
b. How will the promise be fulfilled?
2. Did Abraham respond in this way?
a. “Do you really mean it, Lord?”
b. “Can’t you tell someone else to do it?”
c. “What about Ishmael?”
d. “Can’t I be faithfully thine without doing just this one thing?”
e. “Is not this requiring too much?”
3. Why didn’t Abraham ask these questions?
a. His faith was too strong
b. Romans 4:20-22
4. We should never put a ( ? ) where God has put a ( . ).
5. We should never question the Lord for He always know what is best … Isaiah 55:8-9
D. THE OFFERING OF ISAAC REVEALED A FAITH THAT WOULD OBEY WHEN SUCH WAS NOT CONVENIENT
1. Notice the inconvenience for Abraham …
a. There were donkeys to saddle, young men to recruit, wood to gather, a three day journey to make, which would mean two days of camping.
b. This was not a very convenient command for Abraham …
2. It is not always convenient to obey and serve God
a. The eunuch traveled some 1,000 miles to worship God (Acts 8:26-40)
b. What about the persecution Paul had to bear?
1) Persecution is never convenient
2) 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
c. 1 Kings 12:25-29 … not convenient so he changed God’s plan
3. We must realize that we all have crosses to bear
a. Matthew 16:24
b. It is not always convenient to:
1) Attend worship
2) Study your Bible
3) Teach the lost
4) Encourage a way-ward member
5) Do any aspect of the Lord’s work
4. Convenience must never dictate our faithfulness to the Lord
D. THE OFFERING OF ISAAC REVEALED A FAITH THAT WOULD OBEYREGARDLESS OF THE COST
1. Oh, what a price Abraham had to pay!
2. Obedience can be a very costly thing:
a. Obedience cost Job everything (Job 1)
b. Obedience cost Moses riches and esteem (Hebrews 11:24-27)
c. Obedience cost Daniel his safety (Daniel 6:10-24)
d. Obedience cost Stephen his life (Acts 6:10-24)
3. There is a cost attached to Christianity
a. Luke 14:25-33
b. We must not teach or practice discount Christianity!
c. 2 Samuel 24:24
4. What will obedience cost us? It may cost us our:
a. Friends … family
b. Job
c. Personal joys and habits
5. But what ever the cost, it pays to be obedient unto the Lord
a. Mark 10:28-31
b. God’s shovel is bigger than our shovel
CONCLUSION:
A. Is it any wonder that Abraham is called “a friend of God”? (James 2:23)
B. Are you a friend of God?