FAITH is OBEDIENCE

“By FAITH Abraham OBEYED…” (Hebrews 11:8).

We have been studying the call and life of Abraham on Sunday mornings as we prepare for REACH Sunday, in our series called “SENT.” Understanding that way back in the beginning, God has been calling His people into missions. To “go and make disciples of all nations!”

The story of Abram, who becomes Abraham, is such an appropriate life to consider when we think of Global Missions. From the call to leave his homeland, his career, his family and his comforts, to the unknown and uncertainty of what was ahead, Abraham stepped out in faith. As the author of Hebrews writes, “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, who designer and builder is God.” Abraham had his focused fixed on something bigger then the immediate and trivial things that so often consume our lives.

Abraham, known as the “Father of Faith,” has set for us an example to follow. Faith, true faith, is obedient to God’s call…no matter what. That is easy to say, it is easy to type, it is even easy to read…yet it is hard to do. What’s the last thing you have sacrificed? I mean really, something that hurt to give up in order to glorify God? It’s convicting to think about this question because often times we can’t even remember the last time.

Don’t misunderstand me; I am not saying that we cannot glorify God in our affluence or that we cannot glorify God while enjoying good things. What I’m getting at is, how are you living by faith today? What is faith to you? Is your view of a life of faith consistent with what the Bible describes?

Even after Abraham trusted God with leaving his comforts of home, career and being willing to live in a place he did not know, God had more challenges before him. Read Genesis 22:1-18. Maybe you should read it again.

Abraham was willing to follow the call of God because of the promise God had given him; a promise to bless him with descendants that will become a blessing to all the nations. Here we read that God wants him to sacrifice that very promise He gave him. Can you imagine, the most important thing in Abraham’s life, his one and only son, God asked him to sacrifice?

So what is the most important thing in your life? What do you value above all else? What if God asked you to give that up? Would you be willing to let go and follow God wherever He calls?

There are three things we learn about an obedient faith in this passage.

A life of faith is not an easy life!

It isn’t easy to believe God. It’s not easy to trust in the Bible over what everyone else is saying. And even when we do believe, the Bible never promises and easy life. It does promise blessings, but not a life of ease.

Abraham was asked to do the hardest thing imaginable, to sacrifice his own son. That is not easy. It’s not easy emotionally, spiritually or physically. Think of the questions that went through his mind. “What kind of God would want me to sacrifice my son? What will my wife say? I’m too old to start over. Will I ever recover from this emotionally?” And so many more. Yet he obeyed.

True faith doesn’t demand all the answers.

Faith is trusting God when things don’t make sense. If this is what God wanted, Abraham would do it believing that God could raise him from the dead (Hebrews 11:19).

Even as Abraham ascended the mountain, his answer to his son was, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together” (Genesis 22:8 KJV). I love how the KJV renders this verse. For after all, God became the perfect Lamb who was slain for our sins.

A tested faith produces a stronger faith

I believe the reason Abraham was willing to get up early the very next morning and begin the long hike to sacrifice his son, was because of the previous trials he had been through. He had seen God prove Himself over and over in His life and trusted that God would once again prove Himself faithful. Abraham’s faith had stood the test time and again, and was stronger because of it.

This is one reason I love missions trips. I thank God for the several opportunities I have had to travel the world to share the Gospel. In each and every trip, my faith was challenged, stretched and strengthened. Every time I step out on a new adventure, I recall how God has proved Himself more and more. My faith has become stronger and stronger and it’s easier to trust God. Yet I still feel the need to pray the Centurion’s prayer, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!”

What is God calling you to today? What is your mission field? Maybe there is an opportunity to “go into all the world” on a missions trip, or full time missions. Maybe God will place a burden on your heart for a specific area of the world. Certainly there is a mission field where you live, in your schools and at your work place. Who do you need to share the Gospel with this week?

God isn’t calling you to sacrifice your son, but He might ask you to sacrifice your pride. Are you willing to step out in faith and obey the call? After all “FAITH is OBEDIENCE!”