The Test of Obedience

Have you ever wondered how you would respond if you were really tested? I mean the extreme test. Sometimes I wonder what I would do if someone hurt one of my children or my wife? What if someone stole my identity or the economy finally collapses and I lost everything? Or what if I was to experience persecution and I had the count of 3 to renounce Christ with a gun to my head? Or a gun to my sons head? What would I do? Do you ever have those thoughts? What would you do? My hope is that I would obey Jesus in those moments-but I wonder sometimes.

What about less extreme tests? Like when someone’s telling crude jokes at work or someone pulls out in front of you and causes an accident? Or you don’t get the respect you think you deserve from your spouse or boss? How do we respond in those moments; what’s our knee jerk reaction: obedience or sin? My experience with Christians in general is that far too often our first response is not to obey the words of Jesus. Instead we tend to rationalize and justify a sinful response and maybe repent later.

Today were looking at a man who was given the ultimate test and never flinched. Open your bibles up to Genesis 22. Let’s pray and then read God’s word through verse 19. Thank you for your word, we submit ourselves to it, teach us to trust and obey your word as you have recorded it.

Some of you have come to me over the last several months of our study in Genesis and commented to me with some degree of amazement that Allen and I have been able to relate this 1st book of the Old Testament with the New Testament and specifically to draw out the gospel. Ephesians 1:3,4 says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world”

I just want to say: please don’t be surprised-instead, expect to see Christ in every page of scripture. Paul is saying that before the earth was formed, He knew you and chose you and had already devised His wonderful plan of redemption-before the world was formed. And what’s the first thing that happens in Genesis-the earth is formed. This book, and every book after it, is written with His ultimate plan of redemption in mind and therefore it’s written with you in mind. Jesus Christ is on every page of this book.

It’s ironic that God’s promise to bless all humanity through Abraham seems to be in jeopardy while at the same time this story is a vivid foreshadowing of the fulfillment of the promise through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. Let me give you a few examples:

• In vs. 2 and 12 God identifies Isaac as Abrahams only son whom he loves. John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, Matt. 3:17- a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

• In verse 6 Abraham puts the wood on Isaac to carry which symbolizes Jesus carrying his own cross.

• In verses 7-8 Isaac asks what they’re going to sacrifice and Abraham tells him that God will provide for himself the Lamb for the sacrifice, which he did by sending Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world-John 1:29.

• Verse 6 and 8 both say “So they went both of them together” which emphasizes the fact that the son obeyed and the father. John 6:38- For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

• In verse 10 it’s the Father who afflicts the son…almost, until God intervenes-which is what he did for us, isn’t it? This is where the symbolism transitions. Now Isaac is us, bound tightly and laying on the wood awaiting our just fate when Jesus rescued us and died our death. Romans 5:6- For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

• And then in verse 13 Abraham worshipped and celebrated that he had received his son back. Luke 15:23-24- bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

We’re now going to transition from the redemptive-historical aspects of this chapter to the more practical. In other words, what does this mean for us; what can we learn from this story? If you’re taking notes, the title of this message is “The Test of Obedience”.

This is Only a Test

The first thing we should note is that, from the very beginning, we know this is a test. Verse one says, “After these things God tested Abraham”. So we know that God is not advocating child sacrifice or that He’s suddenly changed His plans. He’s simply testing Abraham. Allen Ross explains it this way: “Although the commandment was to sacrifice Isaac, as an offering to the Lord, the real point of the act was Abraham’s sacrifice of himself, that is, of his will and his wisdom with regard to his son Isaac.” This comes clear later when we see that Abraham’s sacrifice was acceptable to the Lord before he harmed Isaac. The Lord didn’t want Isaac, he wanted Abraham.

Progressive Faith

But even though we know God was testing Abraham, his response is still shocking, isn’t it? How could he do something like this without even thinking about it? The second thing we must realize is that this inconceivable act of obedience did not happen in a vacuum. This wasn’t an isolated event. Abraham’s ability to obey God in this way was a result of his faith in God growing over years of testing. Listen to Mr. Spurgeon:

“It is well to learn that God does not put heavy burdens upon weak shoulders and He does not allot ordeals fit only for full-grown men to those who are but babes. He educates our faith, testing it by trials which increase little by little in proportion as our faith has increased.”

Like a weight trainer who increases the weight that he lifts as his strength grows, we grow in faith as the intensity and frequency of testing comes in our lives. Abraham failed some of his tests and passed some but from all of them he learned who God was; that He was faithful, powerful and trustworthy. God is patient and merciful with us. He doesn’t require everything all at once-which is a good thing. But, he does require obedience.

Obedience

Abraham’s obedience is amazing. There were no questions, hesitations or waiting. He was up the next morning and at it; immediate obedience to the most difficult of commands. In weightlifting terms, Abraham is a heavy-weight power lifter second only to Jesus Himself.

So what’s the point? It’s not to tell you that if you’re not a heavy-weight like Abraham you’re a failure. The point is for you to see the result of years of testing and training in one man’s life. Whatever level of faith you find yourself in right now is not the issue. What matters is your response in it. Are you challenged? Are you growing in strength, trust, faith? Is your training causing you to grow or are you just in maintenance mode? Or has atrophy set in?

Abraham knew God had planned the future around Isaac and that he wanted him to sacrifice Isaac-he didn’t understand but he trusted completely. Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, [18] of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” [19] He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” Church-this is true worship. This is what it means to worship God with everything. Abraham’s faith enabled him to obey even though there was no way to make sense of His command. He was completely submitted to God.

What is our “test of obedience”? What does God require from us? There are 2 ways that God speaks to us today.

First is the written Word of God, the bible. The second is the rama Word of God which He speaks into our hearts. The bible is the clear objective word of God. There is no question or debate about the commands and instruction within. And everything necessary for salvation and maturity are understandable to those who approach the word with faith and humility. We’ll come back to the written word in a minute. Let’s first talk about the rama word.

The Rama word of God is subjective. Because it comes to us through our hearts and minds it’s subject to our emotions, affections and sin. It can be misunderstood or even abused but it should not be dismissed. When we hear the internal voice of God we have to test it-primarily against the word of God. If our desire is to please and obey God He will lead us and confirm His word to us. Let me give you a personal example:

In 2006 our family joined a group of folks from our church of 10 years who were sent out to plant a church on the west side of Orlando. Our decision making process to go on this church plant included, among other things, asking the Lord to speak to us, which I believe he did.

6 months later, in June of 2006, we began to hear the Lord calling us to move to a little town called Corning, NY. 2 weeks later, after praying and fasting, we were all but convinced that the Lord was telling us to go. We used 4 criteria in making our decision: 1. Scripture, in which we found plenty of wisdom and prudence as well as encouragement to exercise faith and go-but no clear directive. 2. The inner voice of the Spirit, which was what started this process and was only growing stronger. 3. Counsel from others, which were mainly our pastors and closest friends-which was wise Godly counsel but a mixed bag of advice. 4. As the leader I sought to discern where our family would flourish in the grace of God-would this move set us back spiritually.

Friends would ask us questions and the discussion would go something like this: Why do you want to go? I don’t know, because the Lord is telling us to. Is there a good church up there? Yes, I think, it’s a Sovereign Grace church plant. Oh, who do you know there? No one. Where are you going to work? I don’t know… You get the idea. We didn’t have a good or specific reason for any of the questions other than “God”.

But God gave us faith and we moved 1 month later in August of 2006 and He sustained us through all the unknowns. This week I was wondering how we were able to make such a move with such faith and never look back and then I realized that almost exactly 10 years earlier in 1996 God moved in our hearts the same way on a smaller scale. By His leading, we decided to move from Daytona Beach to Orlando, which meant leaving the church that we had attended for 10 years previous, the church that I was saved in. I think He was building our Spiritual muscles and that move in 1996 served to enable us to have the faith to make the move to Corning from Orlando. And I think we’re finally starting to see some of the reasons that he stirred our hearts to move.

I don’t tell you this testimony so that you can try to duplicate it in your life or to draw attention to us in any way. I share it with you to show that, although this isn’t the primary way that God speaks to us, God does speak to us and leads us by His Spirit. And when you have a sense that you’ve heard a word from the Lord- you have a responsibility to respond with due diligence. And if you determine that word to be from God-to the best of your ability, you have a responsibility to act on it and obey.

Now back to the written word. Turn to Romans 12. Remember, the question is “What is our test of obedience?

Romans 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The phrase “that by testing you may discern” has the sense of finding out the worth of something by putting it to use or testing it in actual practice. So what does this mean? Don’t be conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Why? So that by testing you can know the will of God; by testing you will know what a holy and acceptable sacrifice is. In other words: when your mind is transformed from a worldly way of thinking to a godly way of thinking you will know how to live in such a way that will be pleasing to God.

Now turn to Ephesians 5:

• Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. [2] And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

• Ephesians 5:8-10 “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light [9] (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), [10] and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”

The transformation from the world to godliness, from darkness to the light has an effect. As we’re transformed in our thinking and we walk in the light we’ll be able discern the will of God for our lives and know what is pleasing to Him-which is walking in all that is good, right and acceptable to God. And the result should be a life that’s a fragrant offering and sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God; a life that obeys and holds nothing back.

Isn’t that what Abraham did? Didn’t he give himself up to God? Isaac was everything to him. Remember the quote I read earlier-that “the real point of the act was Abraham’s sacrifice of himself.”

D.A. Carson notes that “Abraham’s faith here issues in such stellar obedience that he does not elevate his own cherished son to the place where he might dethrone God.” Back in Genesis 22:12 the angel of the Lord called down to Abraham and said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

Nothing stood in his way of worshiping God above all; not even Isaac. What’s your Isaac? Who or what is sitting on the throne in your life? If it’s not God, are you willing to place it on the alter? Just like the athlete, the only way to grow in faith is to be stretched-and you’re going to feel resistance. Our test of obedience is to follow Jesus and imitate Him; to imitate Him in His sufferings and sacrifice; to give Him everything that He requires which is everything you have. Are you doing that? Are you willing to do that?

Remember that we’re all at different stages in our faith. There is no reward for latter climbing and comparison-that’s sin. But there’s much reward and blessing for faithfulness. That’s what you are responsible for; being faithful and obedient with what we have and where we’re at. And if you are you will grow.

And the good news is that we have the hope of the gospel. We’re not ever going do any of his perfectly on earth but our Savior and our Advocate before the Father has gone before us and done it all perfectly. So not only does our faith grow as we obey the Lord and continually find Him faithful and good but also when we look at the cross and see the one who obeyed completely in the midst of the greatest test our faith soars. It’s at the cross that our faith began and it’s because of the cross that our faith will continue to grow.

We not only draw grace and power from Jesus as we walk this life of humble obedience but we also depend on Him to complete everything that we do. You see, we will fail even though we give our all to please Him because we love Him. He is now enthroned on High and on that day when we stand before the Father and give an account for the way we have lived our lives Jesus will speak on our behalf. He’s our champion.

So no, I don’t know how I would respond in the face of evil directed at me or my family, but I know by looking at the life of Abraham that if I trust my God and if I continue to grow in my faith through obedience in the testing that He brings, I’ll be ready-He’ll make sure of it.