Apr. 05, 2026

Background:

• God had given Adam specific instructions about what to do and what not to do
• Because of their disobedience and Adam's and Eve's sin, they tried to provide covering for themselves with fig leaves
• Sin has a way of separating us from God
• God shows up and asked where Adam was (not that God didn't know)...He wanted Adam to know where He was
• Adam was hiding from God
• What man tried to provide for himself was not adequate
• God killed an animal to shed blood to cover Adam and Eve
• From that point on, it takes shedding of blood to cover our sins
• God's provision is a central theme of faith and promises through the Bible
• God provides our physical, spiritual and emotional needs
• We must trust God as the ultimate source (Philippians 4:19)
• God is pleased with a sacrifice that comes from true obedience and love

Key Sermon Points:

1. God's test of obedience

• From Genesis 21 to Genesis 22 there is a time lapse of 5 - 10 years because Isaac is now about 25 years old
• God had not spoken to Abraham in 5 - 25 years
• When God had broken His silence, He spoke in judgment because it appears that every word was calculated to hurt Abraham as deeply as possible
• God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son (because Ishmael was already sent away)
• Abraham was being tested and his faith proven
• Abraham had a relationship with God, and Abraham was obedient
• The test was designed to prove Abraham's faith...it asked if Abraham loved the Giver more than the gift
• Anything that replaces God or takes first place in our lives, then we think more of the gift than the Giver
• God told Abraham to send Ishmael away and now tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac
• A lot of time we will trust God for things, but once we receive it we don't want to let it go
• The test is for Abraham and for the people around Abraham so that they would all know what was in Abraham
• We don't know what we have in us until we are tested and the pressure is applied

2. Abraham's unquestioning obedience and trust

• Abraham responded instantly to God's command
• Abraham did not sigh or try to bargain with God
• Sometimes obedience is often challenged by difficulties that we don't understand because God doesn't always let us see the whole picture
• Sometimes hardships come from being obedient to God
• Sometimes God will show us His plan later
• Abraham did not question God, but went in faith
• We don't know what we will go through in life, but we must trust God
• Abraham's obedience demonstrated his trust in God's promises
• Abraham's statement to the lads to wait until they return demonstrated His faith
• Sometimes everyone can't go with us where God would have us to go
• Sometimes we go through things so our faith is tried
• Abraham was old, but didn't make excuses
• Some of us will miss our blessings because we won't go far enough
• Obedience is often rooted in deep faith
• Trust in God is given without questioning or thinking about it
• Isaac realized there was an offering that was going to take place, but Isaac didn't see the offering
• Abraham told Isaac that God will provide

3. Isaac was a type of Christ

• Abraham laid Isaac on the altar (even though Isaac could take his father)
• Because of Abraham trusted God, Isaac trusted his father
• Abraham was a model father that trusted God
• Isaac was laying his life down (and doesn't fight Abraham)
• Isaac is representative of Christ
• Abraham was like the Heavenly Father sacrificing his only son
• Isaac was subject to his father's will just like Jesus submitted himself to the Father
• Isaac carried the wood for the burnt offering represents Jesus carrying his cross
• The ram was caught in the bush, which represents the crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head
• When Isaac was placed on the altar, God calls out to Abraham to not do any harm to Isaac...even though there is a ready made altar, there still needs to be a sacrifice
• God provided a ram for the sacrifice, which was only a substitute year after year
• But the Lamb of God would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29)
• Jesus came down through 42 generations and walked the dusty streets of Jerusalem preaching, teaching, and healing...and was rejected by His own who received Him not
• Then Jesus came on Palm Sunday on a donkey (which was a sign of Him being humble)
• Pilate found no fault in Jesus, but the Jewish people wanted Jesus to be crucified
• They took Jesus from the judgment hall and stripped and beat Him
• When they got to the hill, they nailed Jesus to the cross from noon to 3 and bled
• The sun refused to shine, but the Son was shining
• The rocks split and the thieves mocked Him
• Jesus stayed on the cross!
• Jesus told one of the thieves that he would be with Jesus in Paradise
• Jesus was buried in a new (unused) tomb that was then sealed
• The veil was ripped from top to bottom
• A Centurion guard said that truly Jesus was the Son of God
• There was a rumbling and shaking of the ground, but Jesus got up with all power in His hand
• 500 came out of the grave...there is hope for us
• Salvation cost God His only begotten Son