June 29, 2008

When Loving Means Letting Go

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

Genesis 22: 1-14

Opening Illustration

Is anyone at the controls? Does God want to bless us?

Written after time of exile.

Still a chosen people?

Reassurance through storytelling.

Practice in Abraham’s time of sacrificing firstborn males.

Israel also sacrificed firstborn male of livestock. (Slide)

First sons were redeemed by animal sacrifice.

Aqedah story is very famous.

Isaac was son God promised Abraham. God said the nation would be produced through Isaac.

Tell the story.

Seems wrong for God to test anyone. (Slide)

Reinforces that God of Israel doesn’t require child sacrifice, even if their neighbors were doing it.

Early church compared Isaac to Jesus, who was given by God for sacrifice.

What can we learn today? No child sacrifice here.

First – We’re going to run into situations where it looks like we don’t have what we need.

Tempting to say God isn’t in it.

Churches look around the congregation and feel like they don’t have what they need.

Don’t panic. Just keep walking.

Second – Have faith of Abraham, who was convinced God was watching over him.

Translation “provides” is not accurate. God “sees”

Abraham walked on even when he was convinced he was going to lose his son.

Whatever situation we’re in – God sees what’s going on. We’re not alone in it.

Giving up my old Concept of Ministry success.

From our perspective, there is no need to question whether or not God sees our hearts and judges our success, regardless of how everyone else looks at it. God didn’t just see Abraham, God doesn’t just see what we suffer. God suffered it in the person of Jesus. It doesn’t get any more firsthand than that.

The next time your back is up against the wall, they next time you feel like there’s no way out, the next time you feel like there no hope, and that nothing will ever change, remember that God’s watching. And then look around to find that ram waiting for you in the thicket.