The Sacrifice of a Nation Genesis 22: 11-18, by Marshall Zieman, preached July 2, 2017 at PCOC

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1 The Sacrifice of a Nation Genesis 22: 11-18, by Marshall Zieman, preached July 2, 2017 at PCOC On this 4 th of July weekend, we celebrate our freedom as a nation, and it s part of our heritage to remember the sacrifices of others who have earned our freedom. The idea of Sacrifice is a repeated theme in the Bible. Obviously, the whole ministry of Jesus leads to his sacrifice on the cross. Yet we also find, time and time again in the Bible, stories of individuals who are challenged by God to do great things, by sacrificing. We wonder what they will do, and we place ourselves in their shoes and wonder what we would do. Abraham, our story for today, is one example. But so is Joseph, and Moses. Job is another example of sacrifice. The 12 disciples are asked to sacrifice. So is the Apostle Paul. There are accounts throughout the Bible of individuals allowed to make key decisions - I like to call them moments when all the angels in heaven hold their breath looking on in wonder, not only in the crucial roles that humans are allowed to play in a heavenly drama but also in wonder of the God who allows us so much capacity for good or evil. God gives us life, and then puts us in the driver s seat, with so much riding on our decisions. And time and time again, we are asked to sacrifice our own desires for the good of others; the path of God involves obedience and sacrifice. Will we listen to God and obey him? Our story for today is the account of when Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. As if having a child at age 100 wasn t hard enough, years later [we re not told exactly how many] the Bible says that God tested Abraham in a most dramatic way. (By the way, it proves the adage that getting old is not for sissies; Abraham s encounters w God begin at age 75 and go on for another 100 years, until he dies, the Bibles says, at the age of 175!) The Bible is clear this is a test that God designs for Abraham. God, and we the readers, know that Isaac is not really going to be sacrificed - it s a test - but Abraham doesn t know. It is a test of Abraham s obedience. And, we see him obey. You can read the first ten verses of this story in chapter 22 of Genesis, painstaking details about the 3-day journey, gathering wood, building a

2 fire, binding Isaac, raising the knife Let s pick up the end of the story, beginning in v. 11: But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. 12 He said, Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. 2 [We remember from last week that Isaac wasn t Abraham s only son, there was also Ishmael, but since only Isaac is the child of the Promise, as far as the Promise is concerned, Isaac is referred to as the only Son.] 13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD will provide ; as it is said to this day, On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided. [At the beginning of the story, God is the Tester; now, at the end of the story, God is the Provider.] 15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God! In our democracy, as in our churches, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Our nation, our families, and our churches are built on the sacrifices of others. As we celebrate our freedom this weekend, we have stories of soldiers who went to war, both men and women, and were brave, who risked their lives to stand up to tyranny and oppression. A young Audie Murphy was one such person. Like many young men back in 1942, he lied about his age and tried to enlist in the Marines in WWII. His age didn t keep him out, but his height did. He was too short for the Marines, and too short for the paratroopers. So he became an infantryman, and by the war's end, Audie Murphy had become the nation's most-decorated soldier, risking his life numerous times earning an

3 unparalleled 28 medals, including three from France and one from Belgium. Murphy had been wounded three times during the war, yet, in May 1945, when victory was declared in Europe, he had still not reached his 21st birthday. (Arlington National Cemetery website) In times of war and crisis, our soldiers and military, as do our police and fire departments, stand ready to risk their lives for our safety; ready to sacrifice. 3 In another way, sacrifice is a daily part of family life every day. Parents make job decisions based on what s best for the family. We read stories of parents working two jobs so their kids could get ahead. We know moms who are the last in bed at night & then are up long before anybody else. Or you think of Jimmy Stewart s character in It s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey, whose whole life is a series of sacrifices to keep the Building and Loan going, for the betterment of Bedford Falls, avoiding the clutches of nasty Mr. Potter. In church, we are also called to sacrifice with our time, our talents, and our tithes. We give of ourselves for others, out of obedience to God. The Bible calls it giving to God s Kingdom here on earth. So we serve meals to the homeless at Siena Francis House, or donate to Heartland Hope Mission, or give of our time to Voices for Children in NE, or the Omaha Street School. We offer to God our time, talents, and tithes, and it s supposed to be a sacrifice. On a calamitous day in Israel s history, King David knows the cost of sacrifice and says, I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing. (2 Sam 24:24) That is why our Lord commended the widow s tiny offering that others scoffed at: this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. (Mark 12:44) So, try not to feel put upon when God calls you to sacrifice. It s part of God s plan for all of us. What was Abraham s attitude? We see a repeated phrase in this chapter 22 of Genesis, when God calls Abraham, and even when Isaac calls out to him, three times Abraham s immediate response is, Here I am! I m right here. He doesn t flinch from

4 answering. He is very present in the moment. He becomes used to communicating with God. 4 Author John White notes, unlike many of us, Abraham had no problem making contact with heaven. He never needed to try. Throughout his long life, it was God who made contact with Abraham. And in Abraham s 100-year history with God, repeatedly, we see God calling to him. God speaks, and Abraham responds. (Daring to Draw Near, 13) Time and time again. The Bible gives us a hint into what may have been going through Abraham s mind in all this. The writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 11, that great chapter of The Heroes of Faith, 17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom he had been told, It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you. 19 He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. As I mentioned, in the beginning of the story, God is the tester, but by the end, God is the provider providing the ram for the real sacrifice - and Abraham has learned that. God will provide. Do you know that that God will provide for all your needs? I think it was Mother Teresa who said, You will never know that God is all you need until God is all you have. And guess what? God will have a test for you, too. Not like Abraham s, but some test, or trial, or tribulation that will come your way to help grow your faith and draw you to Christ. The test very well may involve sacrifice, but the point is it will not be meaningless, or capricious, or some totally random thing. Tests from God are meant to accomplish things, important things, character things, eternal things. Abraham wasn t exactly sure what God was doing here, and there are times when we aren t sure, either. But just like the pattern of God initiating and Abraham responding, Here I am! We are challenged to be that man, that woman, that child, knowing where to turn in the face of crisis, and just who it is who holds our future in his hands. Over the course of 100 years, Abraham learns to trust this God who leads him, provides for him, challenges him, & is found to be faithful by him.

5 Don t wait until you re 75 to follow this God he is calling you now, today. What will God ask of you? 5 By the time this challenge came to Abraham, it s important to know that he and God already had their relationship cemented, so he had been prepared for this day with Isaac. How are you cementing your relationship with God? Are you doing the right things, putting yourself in the right position to hear God when he speaks to you? Being here today is one good step. Regular church attendance is a timetested way to be continually offering yourself to God. So is prayer. So is reading Scripture. So is reaching out in service to others. In every sacrifice, God is right there with you. Amen.