Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham...

 I don't know about you but do you find that those words, "Some time
later God tested Abraham," kind of set you back and make you do some
serious thinking?  Well, if those words have never lead you to do some
serious thinking, then it is about time.
 First, what's going on here?  God is testing Abraham!  Now, Dear People,
God is God and God knows all things.  God didn't need to "test" Abraham
to see what kind of faith Abraham had, God already knew that.  When that
simple truth about God hits home then that the next thought jumps in.
This testing was not for God's sake.  This testing was done for Abraham's
sake!  God wanted Abraham to grow in faith and trust.  God wanted Abraham
to use the faith that he had for the good of Abraham and those around
him.
 Wow!  Then you realize that God is still God and that God still works in
our lives in the same way.  We may be tested of God!  We may have a trail
and tribulation to endure not for God's sake but because God in love
wants us to grow in our faith and trust in God.  In other words,
everything that happens is done for our eternal good, for our
strengthening in the faith.  The book of Hebrews puts it this way, "My
son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart
when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he
punishes everyone he accepts as a son.'  Endure hardship as discipline;
God is treating you as sons."
 Again let it sink in.  God may cause difficulty in your life...for your
good!  He is teaching you to rely more on him and his love.  It is what
happened to Abraham.  It is what happened to Job.  It is one of the ways
in which God works for our eternal good.  Of course our problem is that
we get all wrapped up in what's happening and forget the promises of God.
 We start thinking about how tough life has become.  Worse yet, we start
thinking about how we are basically good people and that we just don't
deserve any of this from God and what a putts he is for bringing this
into our life.  We let our self-righteousness get in the way of God's
blessings.  Yet time and time again the Holy Bible shows us that God is
working for our good, working to bring us closer to him, working to make
sure that we get into heaven because our focus stays on Jesus rather than
on our own worth and goodness.  Even the Apostle Paul had to learn that.
What did God say about the thorn in his flesh that Paul prayed to God to
remove?  God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness."
 Second, God's testing of Abraham even has lessons for us.  In this
testing God was showing us the depth of faith.  That's right, God was
showing that no matter what you think, you need to put your trust in Him,
even when you think you can't take what is in your life!  God is also
showing us the depth of his love, how he is right there, knows what's
going on and will bring about the right results.  It is those things we
will highlight for ourselves on this day.  Our theme will be: THE SHADOWS
OF LOVE.  1st. The Only Son.  2nd. The Substitute Sacrifice.  3rd.
Keeping Promises.
 Do you know why our theme is "The Shadows of Love?"  It is because in
this testing that God brings into Abraham's life God is also showing us,
yes, showing us and the whole world, what is yet to come, that is what
would be delivered in the Savior of the world.  I can't read this history
of Abraham without thinking about what is said in Colossians 2:17, "These
are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is
found in Christ."
 Yes, the reality is found in Christ.  Even in the days of Abraham and
Isaac the reality was in Christ.  Christ, the Savior who was yet to
come...Christ the Savior who was promised for the sake of the world.
Abraham knew that promise of the Savior.  For that matter, you have to
understand that Abraham knew that God had promised a number of things.
God had promised Abraham that he would become a great nation.  Abraham
also knew that it was through him that God had promised there would come
a Savior for the world.  Abraham had been promised that he was going to
be the father of nations and kingdoms and his name well known.  All of
these promises hinged on one thing, on Isaac, his son.
 We should not forget this truth.  All of God's promises hinged on Isaac.
 Isaac the only true Son that Abraham had.  I say the only true son
because God had told Abraham that the promises he had given were for both
him and Sarah.  Abraham and Sarah had only one son, a son born in their
old age when both of them were past child bearing capabilities.  Yes, on
this one son all the great promises of God were hinged.
 You do see the shadow of Jesus here, don't you?  The one and only Son.
The promises that all hinged on that Son.  What was going on in Abraham's
life was a promise of what God would do.  God had promised the world
eternal life and salvation.  God had promised to restore righteousness
and remember sins no more.  God had promised that of his grace and mercy
mankind would have a Savior of such simplicity and wonder that everyone
could be totally and absolutely sure that these promises were for them.
It all hinged on Jesus.
 In essence the testing of Abraham's faith was really about whether or
not he believed what God said, what God had promised.  And that's just
what Abraham did.  In the book of Hebrews we are told that Abraham was
willing to sacrifice Isaac because since Isaac was the one through whom
all the promises hinged, therefore God would have to bring Isaac back to
life!  What an awesome faith!  To believe just on the basis of the
promises God had made!  To believe just because God said so!  To believe
even when what you believed had never been seen or done and may have even
seemed utterly impossible.  There is the epitome of faith!
 It hasn't changed for us.  These same things are still true.  Our faith
needs to be based on God's promises.  But that's where we have our
problems.  What kind of faith are you going to have if you don't know the
promises of God?  When God says that because of His only Son you have
eternal life, we need to believe that.  Not eternal life because of our
power, but eternal life because God says so, because even though it seems
impossible God will do it and accomplish it because after all, He is God!
 But remember, just like Abraham, our faith hinges on that one and only
Son and the promises connected to that Son!
 Let's go back to the history of Abraham for a moment.  Here is Abraham
getting ready to make the sacrifice.  What a moment when they leave
behind the two servants and go on and then Isaac asks, "Where is the lamb
for the burnt offering?"  Abraham tells him, "God will provide."  I don't
think Abraham was being coy or anything.  I think he was telling his son
just how he felt.  He completely trusted God.  Evidently so did Isaac.
We don't hear of any fight or scuffle when it comes to binding him and
laying him on the altar.  Then, that knife is raised...again, Scripture
makes it clear that Abraham was going to do what God had asked...but God
stops him.  God was testing faith for the sake of Abraham.  God's mission
was accomplished and Abraham to this day is still spoken of, still
admired as the very example of what strong faith is.
 Then God does the most wonderful thing.  Abraham looks around and there
is a ram caught in a thicket.  God had provided the sacrifice.  God
provided a substitute sacrifice for the glory of his name.
 You know what it's about don't you?  Jesus!  Again, you see Jesus
foreshadowed in this event.  It is in Jesus that true glory and honor is
given to God.  It is in Jesus "the lamb of God who takes away the sins of
the world" that we find the hope, joy and wonder of God's grace.  It is
Jesus who makes everything all right, Jesus who teaches us the most
important thing there is.  Jesus teaches us the extent and depth of God's
love.  Jesus is the substitute for our sins, the one who did die in our
place, took our punishment against sin and makes us all right with God.
 I'll tell you what, I'm gonna guess that the sacrifice that Abraham and
Isaac made on that day with the substitute ram was one of the most joyous
occasions that father and son were involved in.  I also think that the
sacrifice that God the Father and God the Son made on Good Friday was one
of the most joyous for them.  Okay, you have to put this into eternal
perspective.  I doubt that Jesus was really feeling joyful on Good
Friday, quite the opposite.  But the end result of that day, was the joy
of salvation won for mankind.  The only day that surpasses Good Friday in
importance is the day of Resurrection.  The Resurrection makes it all
clear.  Jesus is our substitute.  He is the lamb who died for us and who
won for all the wonder of eternal life, by grace through faith.
 There is then one last lesson for all of us to think about.  Do you see
the love in all of this?  When I ask that question bear in mind that
there are a couple of different persons involved here and so thus we need
to speak of those different kinds of love.
 The first kind of love to speak of has to be God the Father's.
Everything that God did for Abraham was something done purely out of love
for Abraham.  God didn't make the promises he did because Abraham was so
good he couldn't help it, God made those promises out of love for the
soul of Abraham.  God acted only in love.
 But I don't want to limit God's love to just Abraham.  Since Abraham was
the one through whom God had promised the Savior would come and the world
would be delivered from sin and death, recognize that God's love acting
for Abraham was also the very love that he had for the world.  God is a
God who keeps the promises that he makes.  God had promised this Savior
through Abraham, and mindful of that promise, mindful of the worldwide
impact of that promise God acts.  Acts in love.  The purest and most
gracious love that we will ever know.
 After we have a grasp of the love of God then we can go on and speak of
Abraham's love.  First, Abraham had a love for God.  But I believe that
Abraham had that love only because God first loved him.  Already in his
life Abraham had been blessed time and time again by God.  The several
times that Abraham seriously messed up, God forgave him, bailed him out
and made everything work for his good.  For instance, when Abraham and
his nephew Lot had to separate because they both had so much and Lot took
the best land for his herds and family what happened?  God blessed
Abraham all the more and Abraham despite having the worst land grew even
wealthier!  Abraham loved God because God took care of him and blessed
him.  But that love grew to be a rather awesome love.  A love so great
that Abraham in total trust of God was ready to sacrifice his son, his
only son.
 Then note that we can speak of Abraham's love for Isaac.  The love
Abraham had lead him to share that love with Isaac so that Isaac got to
know and love God.  Isaac also grew in faith and knowledge of God through
his father.  What greater love is there for a parent than to share the
knowledge and love of God?
 In Abraham life we see God acting and moving.  We see God acting in
love.  We see Abraham acting in love and faith for God.  We can still do
the same.  God's love is still with us.  God is still working for our
eternal good and benefit.  God is still providing that sacrifice that
takes away our sins.  God still loves us, yes YOU, even to this day.
What an awesome and wonderful God we have.  Amen.