If you have your Bibles this morning, I want you to turn to Genesis chapter 22.
Genesis chapter 22.
I want us to climb again up Mount Moriah to look at Abraham and Isaac.
I preached on this three weeks ago.
I don't expect you to remember that.
But it is such a poignant passage that I believe we need to look at it one more time.
I say that because there are similarities here to the cross of Christ that to me seem amazing.
And I want you to see it.
I don't want you to miss the sacrificial similarities.
It's in Genesis chapter 22 beginning in verse 1 and it says this.
After these things, God tested Abraham and said to him, Abraham.
And he said, here am I.
He said, take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah
and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.
So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him
and his son Isaac.
And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to a place of which God had told him.
On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.
Then Abraham said to his young men, stay here with the donkey.
I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac, his son.
And he took in his hand the fire and the knife, so they went, both of them together.
And Isaac said to his father Abraham, my father, he said, here am I, my son.
He said, behold the fire and the wood, but where's the lamb for the burnt offering?
Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb.
For a burnt offering, my son.
So they went, both of them, together.
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order
and bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.
Then Abraham reached out his hand and took his knife to slaughter his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham.
And he said, here am I.
He said, do not lay your hand on your boy or do anything to him, for I now know that you fear God,
seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.
And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.
And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
So Abraham called the name of the place the Lord will provide.
As it is said to this day, on the mount of the Lord, it shall be provided.
Let's pray together.
Lord Jesus, thank you for the cross of Christ, the sacrifice that Christ made for us that is foreshadowed in this passage today.
Help us to see the correlation, not only of the Christ event and the Abraham and Isaac event,
but also the relationship to our life, of what it means to acknowledge the sacrificial death of Christ
and then live our lives as living sacrifices.
Give us understanding today as can only come through your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus' name, amen.
There's no doubt that this event, Mount Moriah, points to the most pivotal event in all of history.
And the most pivotal event in all of history happened on Mount Calvary.
Jesus died on the cross and rose again.
That is what history rotates around.
And if you look at the Old Testament, there is often scripture that is a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Christ.
It foretells what is to come.
In reality, the Old Testament sets the stage by showing us the need of Christ.
Everything that's happened since the cross looks back to the cross.
In other words, our hope is found in the cross.
And in a very real sense, those that came before the cross were helpless,
if not for the coming of the event of the cross of Christ.
Even though their knowledge of Christ was limited at best.
And that is filled with such a foreshadowing that we see in the Old Testament again and again.
First of the year, I plan to preach on Genesis 1 through 11.
The creation of the world and where the war really started that we're facing today in our world.
And even there, with the first sin and the covering of that sin, you see the cross.
You see it again and again.
And so today I want to show you seven similarities.
I know it's scary.
Just chill out, all right?
Seven similarities of this event and the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross.
Now having little sleep, if I fade out on four, forgive me, okay?
First is the pain of the sacrifice.
When Abraham was told in verse 2 to sacrifice his son, his only son,
it was the ultimate demand.
For as long as Abraham had had the call of God upon his life,
and that was throughout his adult years,
he looked to the promise of the birth of his son.
Not only did he want a child,
but his future legacy hung on this boy.
The promised covenant that God made with Abraham would be only fulfilled through his line.
Yet here God says all of that, sacrifice it.
Sacrifice him.
It was the ultimate ask.
But God did not ask anything of Abraham that he would not do himself
because the price of holiness requires that sin must be paid for permanently.
Before the cross of Christ, bulls and goats of yesteryear sacrificed in orchestrated fashion,
served as just a stopgap to an eternal sin problem.
Every sacrifice that was made in a tabernacle or a temple
were only a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of the sinless one to come.
The reality is the offering of Isaac is similar to the cross of Christ
concerning the pain involved of the sacrifice.
But not only that, but there's also a similarity to me in the struggle of the journey.
I don't want you to read this casually.
Abraham and Isaac wound their way up to the mountain
to the place that God ordained for them to go.
And it was upon that spot where that sacrifice was offered
that the temple would be built in the future.
It was upon that spot that the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement
and the Holy of Holies, the sacrifices that would be made
would be on that spot.
It was at that spot God picked out and led him.
It was a prophetic spot.
And it was a three-day journey.
Three days of knowing that he was to offer his son.
Three days, I believe, of wondering how it all played out.
Like the man said to Jesus,
I believe, help thou my unbelief.
I believe that must have been the prayer of Abraham
as he wound up that mountain.
Three days of dread.
Three days of struggle.
Three days of heartache.
Three days of surrender.
Giving up his way for God's way.
And it reminds me of another struggle.
Because in Luke chapter 9, verse 51,
Jesus, it says,
set his face toward Jerusalem.
Now, roughly six months after that verse,
he would climb Calvary's hill.
But that pivotal verse in Luke
shows us that everything after that point
was aimed at the cross of Christ
and what he would do on the cross.
His earlier ministry was gathering disciples.
His earlier ministry was teaching those disciples
the truths of God's kingdom.
His earlier days was showing them how to minister.
He was displaying for them the power of the Holy Spirit
and training them to found the church.
And after three years of that kind of ministry,
it all becomes directly related to the cross.
And when his last week began,
he barred a beast of burden,
made a triumphal entry,
and began his journey
to struggle up Calvary's hill.
And on the night he was betrayed,
and before he would be crucified,
he suffered in prayer.
As I told you at Easter time,
I think you can only understand
the weight of the cross
if you understand the journey that got him there.
And in the same way,
what kind of walk was that
with Abraham and his boy?
The struggle of the journey.
Third similarity.
The loneliness of the surrender.
When Abraham and Isaac reached the foot of Mount Moriah,
Abraham spoke to those that traveled with him.
Verse 5 tells us what happened.
And it says in verse 5,
Then Abraham said to his young men,
Stay here with the donkey.
I and the boy will go over there
and worship and come back to you.
Now that's a poignant statement.
There's a lot there.
But some of it is
that that final journey
would have to be traveled alone.
Just he and his precious son.
And when I saw that,
I could not help but think about
when Jesus had taken
Peter, James, and John
with him up the Mount of Transfiguration
in that amazing event
where the glory and the light of heaven
shone upon him,
moved in a mighty way,
and he was up there
with only Peter, James, and John.
It was the same three,
Peter, James, and John,
that he took further
into the Garden of Gethsemane
to pray with him.
However, in the final hours
of his prayer,
he went a little further
alone
to lay out his heaviest burdens
before the Father.
I believe this journey
of Abraham and Isaac,
this last leg of the journey,
foreshadows that of Christ
in the Garden.
It was the loneliness
of the surrender.
Fourth thing is
the foresight of the Father.
Abraham was instructed
to go to Moriah.
Moriah is a Hebrew word,
and the meaning of the word
Moriah is foreseen by Yahweh.
God saw all of this
before Abraham was even born.
He knew that he would say
to Abraham,
go to the land of Moriah.
He also knew much more.
He knew before he placed
Adam and Eve in the garden
that they would sin.
And that after him,
we would all be born
into sin.
He knew it
before it happened.
I wear an Apple watch today,
but
to not so many years ago,
some of y'all
will blow your mind,
you youngins,
we've not always had
Apple watches.
We've not always had
smart watches.
unless you count the way
the Swiss make a watch,
which is pretty fabulous.
And this watch does a lot of stuff,
but let's forget this watch.
A traditional watch's job
is to tell time.
It can do other things.
It can possibly tell you
what day it is
and those type things.
But his job
is to
tell time.
It's primary purpose.
And in the same way,
we can do a lot of things,
but
I want you to know
that our primary purpose
in life,
we were made
to glorify God.
That's what we were made for.
It's our primary purpose.
We can do a lot of other things
in life,
but our primary purpose
will always be
to glorify God.
That's what we're made for.
Now,
a watch
can fail
to perform.
Sometimes it runs fast.
Sometimes it runs slow.
Sometimes it even stops.
And when a traditional watch
stops,
its face
tells a lie.
It's not the right time.
It does not live up
to its making.
But the watchmaker
knew that was going to happen.
And so he built
a provision in there.
One of two ways.
The early watches
are those who
would need to be
wound again.
They could wind
that watch
up again.
reset it
and go on.
Newer watches
added batteries
and so it goes
until the battery dies
and then you
replace the battery
if you can ever
get the back off of it.
There's a provision
built in
for a
malfunctioning
watch.
I thank God
that he's built
a provision
for
humanity.
For a humanity
that fails
to live up
to our primary purpose
because God
has built
into his plan
a plan
of redemption
before the fall
of man.
Actually before the
foundation
of the world.
Revelation 318
tells us
God
knew a provision
would need
to be made
and that provision
was made
through Christ
on Calvary.
But the
father
knew it would
be needed
before the
fall ever came
in the garden.
Before the first
sin was ever
committed.
There's a
commonality
of Abraham
and Christ
in the
foresight
of the
father.
Even the
very mountain
that Abraham
was sent to
was named
after the
foresight
of God.
I'll tell you
another commonality
and that is
the dread
of the
place.
I picked
up on this
parallel
and I just
can't get
over it.
Because once
God told
Abraham to
go the
dread of
the place
was before
him.
He cut
the wood
or he was
100 years
old.
I hope
somebody cut
his wood
for him.
But anyway
he cut
the wood
he prepared
for the
trip and
he set
out for
the place.
That's in
verse 3.
In verse 4
it says on
day 3 he
lifted up
his eyes
and he saw
the place
from afar.
Don't you
feel the
dread in
that?
I mean
you've been
anticipating
and wondering
how God
was going
to work
all this
out and
exactly what
was going
to happen
and you're
winding around
making your
way and you
catch sight.
That's the
spot.
That's the
dreaded spot.
It was ever
before him.
Verse 9
says when
they came
to the
place.
The
place.
I'm
thinking
oh God
I believe
I know
you're
leading
I know
you can
provide
but
this is
the
place.
The
dread of
the place
that never
seemed to
leave.
And what
caught me
about that
was it
reminded me
of Luke
chapter 23
verse 33
and it
says and
when they
came to
the place
that's called
the skull
there they
crucified him
and the
criminals
one on his
right and
one on his
left.
The dread
of the place
was common.
there's
another
commonality
I want
to tell
you about
and that's
the
willingness
of the
innocent.
There's a
mysterious
part in
this story
that I
don't believe
when we
get to
heaven we'll
ask the
questions that
we say
we'll ask.
Okay?
People say
boy when I
get to
heaven I'm
gonna
no you're
not.
No you're
not.
If you
get there
okay.
That's a
whole other
matter I'll
deal with
before we
leave but
you're gonna
be so caught
up in the
glory of
God in
the presence
of Christ
in the
reunion of
the saints
in as
scripture calls
it the
marriage supper
of the land
that sounds
like a feast
to me.
You'll be so
caught up in
that that
your questions
will be
gone.
But I
wonder now
I won't
then I
guess
but I
wonder now
about that
trip up
there for
Isaac and
Abraham.
I mean how
did that all
go down?
You know I
mean and
how did it
work out when
they got to
the place of
the sacrifice?
Isaac was a
young strapping
man and while
Abraham was
old and I
mean if you're
a hundred today
I don't mean to
be you know
that's considered
old by most of
us you know.
was there any
dialogue there
besides him
asking about
that sacrifice?
I mean we
know on the
way up Isaac
asked where the
sacrifice was and
we know that
Abraham answered
that God would
provide but when
they got there
scripture tells us
that Abraham
laid the wood
in order and
laid his bound
son on the
wood and then
Abraham raised
the knife.
Isaac had to
be willing to
serve his
father when
just the two
of them are in
that spot.
Whatever may
come he had to
trust the father.
That reminds me
of Christ.
In the garden
of Gethsemane
may this cup
pass from me
yet not my
will but yours.
And on the
cross when he
cried out my
God my God
why have you
forsaken me?
Christ felt
forsaken.
But was he?
That's the
beginning of a
psalm that he
quotes that speaks
not only of the
prophecy of the
cross but it
also speaks of
the delivery of
the Lord.
And Christ
knew that
psalm.
Isaac had to
go willingly.
Christ went
willingly.
It was the
willingness of
the innocent.
One more
similarity and
I'll close.
The provision of
the sacrifice.
Abraham
as the knife
was raised in
agony over
his son the
angel of the
Lord spoke
saying in
verse 12
he said do
not lay your
hand on the
boy or do
anything to
him.
For now I
know that you
fear God
seeing that you
have not
withheld your
son your only
son from me.
And Abraham
lifted up his
eyes and
looked and
behold behind
him was a
ram caught in
a thicket by
his horns.
Abraham went
and took the
ram and
offered it up
as a burnt
offering instead
of his son.
So Abraham
called the name
of that place
the Lord
will provide.
And it is
said to this
day on the
mount of the
Lord it shall
be provided.
This is the
most obvious
similarity to
that of Christ
because God
watched his son
be led like a
lamb to the
slaughter laid
upon the wooden
cross bound by
the spikes in
his hands and
feet and it
is as if God
himself lifted
the knife of
sacrifice and
brought it down
on his own son
as Christ hung
on the cross and
died for our
sins.
That is the
work of the
cross.
The sacrifice to
replace all
previous sacrifices.
Hebrews chapter
10 verse 11 and
12 speaks of this
and explains it to
us when it says
and every priest
stands daily at his
service.
offering repeatedly
the same sacrifices
which can never
take away sin but
Christ had offered
for all time a
single sacrifice for
sins.
He sat down at the
right hand of the
father.
God has provided
the sacrifice.
He did for
Abraham.
He did for us.
And the
similarities of
these two stories
amaze me when you
look at the agony of
giving up your son.
When you look at the
struggle of the
journey.
When you look at the
loneliness involved in
that.
The prophetic foresight
of the event.
The dread that came
with it.
And the willingness of
the one to be
sacrificed.
And once again God
provides.
I want you to hear me
today.
He always provides.
He provides.
Now.
What are you going
through today?
What are you struggling
with?
God will provide.
He's good for it.
He always does.
What does he ask for in
return?
He asks for the
surrender of our lives.
Romans 10 9 says if you
confess with your mouth
that Jesus is Lord and
believe in your heart that
God raised him from the
dead.
You will be saved.
And the sacrifice of our
lives for him is what he
asked for.
And friend don't
misunderstand me.
He don't want us to die
for him.
He wants us to live for
him.
Romans chapter 12 verse
1 and 2 says this and I
appeal to you therefore
brothers by the mercies of
God to present your bodies
as living sacrifice holy
and acceptable to God which
is your spiritual worship.
Oh listen friend.
You need to memorize this
verse today.
In the world in which we
live you need to know it.
Bring your Bibles with you.
Underline it.
Mark it.
Put a post-it there.
Live by it.
Do not be conformed to this
world.
But be transformed by the
renewal of your mind.
That by testing you may
discern what the will of
God.
What is the will of God.
What is good and
acceptable and perfect.
God just wants you to live
for him.
That's what he wanted for
Abraham and Isaac.
That's the opportunity that
he gives us provided through
Christ.
And that opportunity is
provided through the
sacrifice of Christ to all
who come to Christ.
Some of you might need to
hear that this morning.
But I'll promise you one
thing.
There's a world right outside
those doors that desperately
needs to hear it.
With every head bowed and
every eye closed, if there's
never been a time in your
life when you have surrendered
your life to the Lord Jesus,
ask him to forgive you of your
sins, to come into your life
and to change you.
Empower you with the Holy
Spirit of God and enable you
to live a life that glorifies
him.
To live a life that pleases
him.
If you've never made such a
commitment as that, I want you
to know we'll stand in just a
moment and we'll sing, but more
important than any song we sing
is that you make the proper
decision for the Lord as he
leads you.
You come and say, Pastor, I want
to be saved.
I want to know the Lord Jesus
personally.
You come and we'll lead you in
that process.
Maybe you've done that privately,
but you've never told anybody
about it.
It's time to tell folks.
Jesus said, if you're ashamed of
me before others, I'll be ashamed
of you before my Father.
He wants us to boldly live for
him.
To honor him by letting others
know what Christ has done in our
life, by living that out and by
showing that through the first
step of obedience of baptism.
And man, what a cool opportunity
we have coming up in just a little
less than a month for you to
publicly display your faith in
Christ through baptism.
You might be here this morning.
God may be drawing you to First
Baptist Church.
You know this is the place that God
would have you to serve.
He's led you in that way.
You come.
We'll happily guide you in that
process.
And there's a lot of others here
today who look at your life and
when you look at your life, you say,
I'm not living sacrificially for the
Lord.
My life's not marked as a living
sacrifice for God.
I'm doing what I want to do instead
of what he wants me to do.
I'm displeasing him.
I'm not living for his glory.
And I need to set that straight.
Right here in the middle of the hot
summer.
What a great time to get it right.
Quit living lacklusterly for the
Lord.
Enough with casual Christianity.
The Holy Spirit of God fill us up.
Wear us out and build us back up.
That's what it's about.
You just do what God tells you.
Just trust him.
I don't ever want you to do more than
what God would have you to do.
I pray you'll never be satisfied with
less.
Lord Jesus, I love you.
And I thank you that week after week
you allow me to stand and proclaim
the salvation of the Lord.
With a full confidence that you will
provide.
God, help us to respond in obedience,
God, I pray.
In Jesus' name, amen.