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Fierce Church Sermons
Can You Trust God When Obedience Hurst? | Prepare the Way
Have you ever been asked to return to a place of past pain, only to find healing where you least expected it? Join us as we recount a personal journey, weaving together stories of faith, obedience, and the often challenging path of following God’s call. This episode centers on the idea of preparing room in our hearts, exploring the depth of faith exemplified by biblical figures like Abraham, and reflecting on the relevance of Jesus' teachings in our own lives. We confront our own tendencies to hold onto material possessions and consider the peace that comes with following Christ’s example of self-denial and service.
We take a closer look at Abraham's test of faith, focusing on the critical moment when he was asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and how this parallels with the anguish Jesus faced in Gethsemane. By examining the cultural context and profound trust Abraham displayed, we uncover insights into the nature of obedience, even when God's promises seem beyond reach. The narrative of Abraham challenges us to reflect on our own faith journeys, encouraging us to believe in God's power and wisdom, much like Abraham believed in the possibility of Isaac's resurrection.
As we prepare for the holiday season, the concept of surrender emerges as a central theme. What are the "Isaacs" in our lives that we need to lay down in trust? Through personal stories and biblical narratives, we explore the transformative power of surrendering our fears, dreams, and relationships to God. This episode invites you to prioritize the promiser over the promise, reminding us that while God's plans may require sacrifice, they also hold the promise of ultimate good and fulfillment.
Hey, what up? It's Mark Carter. I'm the pastor of Fierce Church. Welcome to our podcast. I'm so pumped that you're able to join us today. I hope this encourages you, inspires you, strengthens you, gives you hope to keep pressing on, and it's my prayer that this sermon gives you a more expansive view of God's love for you. Enjoy the message.
Speaker 1:Today we're talking about preparing room in our hearts. We're talking about what do we do when obedience is costly? What do we do when obedience is costly? I didn't want to tell her. I was sitting on the stoop next to Mackenzie and I knew, even though we had left the place where we were part of a church split. We were in leadership at that church split. In fact, I installed the guy that turned out to be a villain as a leader. I was young, I didn't know any better, I didn't really know how to interact with it. The entire church fell apart. We were now away from it, living in another city, and I look over at Kenzie and I say we got to go back. I didn't want to go back. She didn't want to go back. We didn't want to go back because it was a place of trauma. It was a place where something went wrong. You know, it's like even think about that space, it's like I don't want to drive over there because it makes me feel icky. It makes me feel like that reminds me of the pain that I was in and she agreed. I couldn't get her to agree to go, but she said I will pray about it, let's pray about it together. And that's what we began to do.
Speaker 1:One of the purposes of this Prepare the Way series is for us to see that Jesus really is the central character of the Bible. He really is the solution. It's important for everybody to know at Christmas time. Jesus is not like an extra chapter that they tagged on at the end. Jesus is not an addendum. Jesus is the main guy that this thing has been about. He's the main hero the whole doggone time, and I want to show you that in different places, especially in the Old Testament and then ultimately in the New.
Speaker 1:But as we're trying to understand Jesus, we have to understand something about us. To understand us rightly, you have to understand that God created us to be good. He made us in his image and yet there's something that went wrong. We call it the hell disease or the sin disease. It's the fall.
Speaker 1:It's that thing in us, and one of the ways it manifests in particular and you might notice it even more at Christmas time is there's a desire in each one of us to possess stuff. I want to get my hands on my stuff. God made us to use things and use, maybe even power and use status for his glory, but he never made us to serve those things. He never made it so that we needed to grasp for that and have it and own it and it to be ours. And yet there's something that has gone wrong in each one of our hearts your heart and my heart where we want things. We even want to live under the tyranny of things. This is why Jesus said whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me, for whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. He says there's something in you guys that wants to save and grasp your life, and he says that very thing is the wrong thing to do. That's actually. You're malfunctioning there, human. I didn't make you to be like that. You should have done the other thing. You should have asked how can I help somebody else, how can I give away what I have in order to help other people? And Jesus is the perfect example of that. He does it perfectly. He says you guys have to think about it, though. You have to embrace what we could call a losing your life, a giving up.
Speaker 1:As we go back in time, as we go back in time 4,000 years ago from right, here we meet Abraham. Abraham is known. Everybody knows he's like the father of the faith. Okay, he's kind of a big deal. Well, let's review his story, because we're going to see how even Abraham, in a lot of ways, was teeing up the Messiah, jesus who was to come.
Speaker 1:Abraham started rich. He's got a rich daddy, he lives in a space where he's never going to have to worry about anything, and yet the Lord calls him on an adventure. He says Abraham, I know that you feel like you've got everything, but I want to call you to a place. I'm not even going to tell you where you're going. I want you to obey me. I know you don't even know a ton about me. I'm God Almighty and I'm calling you out. I'm going to lead you to a land that's going to be your very own land someday. I'm going to make you the father of many nations.
Speaker 1:And Abraham, to his credit, he grabs his wife, he grabs their crew and they go, and he passes a test of sorts. But the problem for Abraham and his wife, sarah, is she's barren. They can't have any kids, and that makes the promise from God a little bit weird, because if he can't have any kids, how is he going to be the father of many nations? And so they are believing that one day, god is going to give them a child of promise, a child that will lead to more children, and more children and, ultimately, this incredible nation. Well, the problem for Abraham is also that he's like us and he doesn't do everything right. And so there's one scenario where he goes to Egypt and he's afraid that the Egyptians are going to covet his wife and steal his wife, and if they can't have her, they're going to kill him.
Speaker 1:And so, instead of trusting God, the God who called them out, instead of trusting God, he lies, he embraces deception, he goes around the way of God. Instead of just shooting straight, like God would want him to, he embraces deception. He goes around the way of God instead of just shooting straight, like God would want him to, and so he makes that kind of mistake. But you know, he's also the father of faith, because he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. One night he was particularly discouraged God, we ain't having this baby, I'm going to die soon. And this baby's not coming. And God said go outside the tent, look up at the night sky, see all those stars. I'm going to die soon. And this baby's not coming. And God said go outside the tent, look up at the night sky, see all those stars. I'm going to make your descendants as countless as that.
Speaker 1:And Abraham did something really cool. He believed God and the Bible says it was accredited to him as righteousness. Guys, right from the beginning. This is Genesis. Right from the beginning, god is saying people are not right with God by what they do. All Abraham did was believe God. He just said I think you're right. What did he do? He trusted him. He became the friend of God and he trusted him. Okay, I trust that you're going to do what you say you're going to do. And God says that's enough, I'll take that. I'll tell you what I'm going to overlook all of your sin ever. I'm not going to tell you how I'm going to do it right now. In fact, it's going to be 2,000 years from now, through Jesus Christ. But I'm going to overlook it and I'm going to say you now have the right standing of God just because you believed and trusted me as your friend. That's a pretty big deal. Well, even so.
Speaker 1:Then he and Sarah got this plan because they were getting older and I don't know if this baby's going to come. And so they said I got an idea. Why don't we do this? Let's have Abraham, you can sleep with my servant, and that way she'll have the baby and that'll be the child of promise that we were always waiting for. And Abraham's like all right, good deal.
Speaker 1:But how many know that that was the plan of man, that was what man could come up with, and often there's a plan of man before the plan of God finally gets around to happening. So in the plan of man, which God wasn't going to use, they went around God's plan. They didn't wait on God's plan. They made another mistake. Abraham's getting older, he's getting tempered, he's learning the lessons, but they went their own way and it produces Ishmael and Ishmael. You know everybody. Abraham loved him. God loves Ishmael, but he's not the one. This isn't the right way, this isn't where it's supposed to go. And finally they have the child of promise. They have Isaac, and Isaac is he's not really the only son, but he's the only son of promise. He's the one that God was always talking about, the one who God wants to bring this nation through them, even in his old age. And yet, even when Isaac is there, god begins to discern. I believe in Abraham's heart Okay, uh-oh, there's something that could go wrong here, and it can go wrong with each and every one of us.
Speaker 1:What happens when the thing that was promised begins to compete with the one who promised it? Is there a danger that the thing that we want, the thing that we're after, or the thing that we love the family and friends, or the item or the thing or the job or the status is it possible that that thing it can be so good, or we're hoping it's going to be so good that it can eclipse the very God that would give it? And God said well, that's going to put him in danger. I don't want him to be that way, and so I'm going to give him a challenge. And that's exactly what he did. Now I need you to hear. It's not just a challenge for him, it's a challenge for us right here in this time. What are we saying? God wants to be more important than anything, but that means sometimes he's going to lead us through a time where he's going to say I want you to choose obedience, and it's going to look like you're going backwards. It's going to look like the exact opposite thing of what I promised or what you think is good is happening. I'm going to challenge you because I want to know if I'm more important than the thing and maybe even Abraham. You need to know it and everybody else needs to know it.
Speaker 1:Let's pick it up Verse one, chapter 22, genesis. Now, what happened after these things that God tested Abraham? Everybody say test, it was a test. God is telling us upfront this is a test, just so we know this is a test. And he said to him, abraham. And he said here I am Now this test. There's a reality. We have tests. We've talked about this recently.
Speaker 1:You've got tests and sometimes it's a test of preparation. Sometimes you might be sick, like I was, for a long time. Sometimes you might lose some status. Sometimes you might be longing and longing and waiting and waiting, and nothing is ever happening like the thing you think is supposed to happen. Sometimes you might have a quarter-life crisis or a midlife crisis and you think I'm not getting what I want. So I'm going to go around what I think God would approve of and I'm just going to grasp what I can possess right now because, doggone it, I'm worth it. And, besides, god owes me and we take it. Or maybe we're just disappointed and we're afraid. Okay, I've already lost this much. How much more is there to lose?
Speaker 1:Then he said take now your son, your only one whom you love, isaac, and go forth to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which, I tell you, yikes, that's scary. Let's review a couple things, okay. First, remember, god told us right away this is a test. He's telling us just so you know. There's no way that Isaac dies in this. Either Abraham's not going to obey or God knows that he's going to stop it from happening. But let's go back to that time. Let's not interpret it through our lens. Let's go back in that time.
Speaker 1:In that time, ancient cultures, multiple ancient cultures, pagan folks around Abraham and then other people on the other side of the world. They would often sacrifice their children, their firstborn, to prove to that deity. Hey, you're so important and we need your favor so much. You gave me this thing. I'm going to give it back so that you give us more stuff. That was a common thing in Abraham's time. So, though it's revolting to us and it was revolting the ancient Chinese, the ancient folks of Africa, the ancient Greeks, the ancient Aztecs, all these people would have child sacrifices.
Speaker 1:And yet God knows that's not really what's going to happen. In fact, he's so insistent about it. Remember, moses is writing this. This is part of the Pentateuch. In this very Pentateuch, in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, god says just so we're clear, just so everyone understands that that was just a test and that was never really going to happen. I hate child sacrifice. You should never, never, never do that. That's not how I receive worship. So God is super clear in the very Pentateuch that we're reading. He doesn't really want this to happen, but he does want to test Abraham's heart. So that's what he does.
Speaker 1:So Abraham rose early in the morning and settled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and Isaac, his son, and split wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day, abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from the distance. Can you imagine how long this walk was for Abraham? It's three days and I'll bet you he's going slow. He's looking at Isaac every other minute. Man, I just love this kid man. This is my guy. I'm going to let this guy go when we get there. I'm walking slow. I'm trying to make this take as long as it can possibly take till we get there, because I don't want to lose him. I love this. This was the one. This is the proof that God is not a liar. Like this was never going to happen.
Speaker 1:Sarah was way too old for this, and here is the miracle right in front of me, and so he's taking his time. He doesn't want it to happen and even as he it says, and he saw the place from a distance, can you imagine what it's like the sinking feeling in your heart when you see that, oh my gosh, there it is. That's the place. It's going to happen. He's got to be going through so much agony and I believe he's probably going through more agony than anybody else ever did, maybe right up until the point where Jesus Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane and he was the son. He was the innocent son and he said Father, and he was the son. He was the innocent son and he said Father, I don't want to do this. See, he was 100% God and 100% man. And the 100% man part was like is there another way? Because there's nothing in me that wants to get on this cross and die, but I will. I will if that's what you're asking me to do.
Speaker 1:I think, as Abraham was making his way toward this mountain, this is where he began to contemplate what we learn in Hebrews 11 or 17 through 19. Listen to what it says by faith. When he was tested, abraham offered up Isaac, and he, who had received the promises, was offering up his only son, to whom it was said in Isaac Isaac, your seed shall be called. He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back. What is he saying?
Speaker 1:I believe it was during this time that Abraham is thinking okay, well, I know God has said it's coming through Isaac, like this whole nation is supposed to come through Isaac. How does that work if he's dead? That doesn't work, and so the only thing I can figure is somehow I've got to trust him. Somehow God's going to bring him back to life. There's only one way. Now that might sound insane, but then again it was insane that Sarah would ever have this miracle baby, and so maybe that's exactly what's going to happen, and he must latch onto that. Because it says he considered God is able. He decided in his mind. He said I'm going to regard this as true. God is able to raise the dead. And so they approach and Abraham said to his young men stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there and we will worship and check it out and we will return to you. He's speaking faith man. He's like I don't know how it's going to happen. I don't know what God's going to do to save this boy from the very thing that he says must happen.
Speaker 1:Then Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and put it on Isaac. Guys, just watch this. If you have blessed New Testament eyes, just look at this. He took the wood of the burnt offering and put it on Isaac, his son. Innocent-ish Isaac is carrying the wood, just like the true innocent. Jesus Christ carried his own cross and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. The father has the fire and the knife, the son has the wood. My friends, this is a picture of the father and the son. See the son.
Speaker 1:Jesus really is innocent. Isaac isn't actually innocent of sin. Jesus is 100% innocent and the innocent is going to die for the guilty. And the Bible teaches us, in Isaiah 53 and the entire New Testament, that it wasn't just that Jesus was going to die, he was going to take the penalty. He was going to be the substitute. He was going to be the substitute for you and for me. He was going to be guilty, even though he's not guilty, so we could be innocent. It is this theological side. Note, guys, we're stopping off on the side and saying this is all happening, but let's just check it out.
Speaker 1:This is talking about Jesus. This is the Christmas promise. Jesus must be my substitute. You want to prepare him room? Prepare for this. Don't just prepare for bells, don't just prepare for carols. Prepare for this. Jesus Christ must be my substitute because he's the only one who's innocent, but he'll give me for Christmas, his innocence and I can walk in his innocence.
Speaker 1:And Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, and said my father? And he said here I am, son. I said behold the fire in the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? And Abraham said check it out. Check it out, 2000 years before Jesus. The spirit of God. Moses doesn't know that he's writing this, but the Spirit of God knows that he's writing this through Moses and he says God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering. My son, god will provide for himself the lamb. And so the two walked on together.
Speaker 1:Did you know, if you're looking at the plot of the Bible, and especially of the Old Testament? The entire Old Testament is asking this question what is God going to do about these sinners, like how? He's a holy God and yet he seems to have overlooked they're all rebelling against him. What is he? He's a God of justice and yet he clearly loves these wicked people. I don't know why. What is he going to do? And the answer is he's going to satisfy justice and draw near to him the people he loves by taking all the sin that these cosmic traitors are doing and putting it on the innocent. He's going to answer it himself with a substitute.
Speaker 1:Now where this gets real for you and for me is we ask the question are you operating? Are you living like? Jesus is your real substitute Right now, actively, jesus is your substitute. It's not just before now. You need Jesus as your substitute every day. And here's the difference when Jesus isn't our substitute, we're still living like well, I hope I got favor, I hope I do enough right that God helps me out, or I hope he forgives me, or I'm just going to try to keep. I hope I got favor, I hope I do enough right that God helps me out, or I hope he forgives me, or I'm just going to try to keep doing good. I got to stay. Okay, we're operating, we're trying to get to a place of finding favor, but when Jesus is our substitute and we know it, we're operating from a place of having favor, and it's very different.
Speaker 1:Let me give an example. In my early 20s I worked for a lot of places where I was irrelevant. Okay, worked on construction crews, worked on the railroad, worked in factories, and in every one of these places it was like you know, dude, we can get 300 more of you, we don't care about you. You're nothing and so just watch it, just do it right, okay, because we don't need you around here. And so there was a sense of there's a little bit of fear, like, dude, don't jack it up, don't do it wrong, or they're just going to let you go because you ain't nothing.
Speaker 1:In my latter half of my 20s I worked for my father, and how many know it was just very different. See, in the first jobs I had to kind of like work or keep favor. But when I worked for my father, guys, I didn't have to work for favor, even if I did things wrong. It's not that I wouldn't get corrected, but I didn't need to work for favor. I'm operating from favor, like, dude, I get extras, oh yeah, oh yeah, I did, oh yeah, we got all kinds of privileges, the sons that work there, we could do a little bit, we can get away with a lot. Because the old man was like, hey, they're my sons and I'm training them how to do right. Do you see the contrast there? Here I'm operating from favor, like, yeah, I mean, I'm not worried about getting everything right Over here. I'm always slightly afraid that I've got to keep it right, guys, that's the difference. When we're living with Jesus as our substitute, I'm always living within the Father's care. Hey, jesus has already satisfied this for me. I'm already adopted, I'm already in God's favor. Now I'm just kind of working that out. Can somebody say amen?
Speaker 1:This is the best Christmas sermon I think I will ever hear in my whole doggone life, until Christmas Eve. This is why John the Baptist, when he sees Jesus and the Spirit reveals it to him, says look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Verse 9,. And they came to the place of which God had told them, and Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood and bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Now we got to think this through. The Bible doesn't really say how did Isaac think about, like, how did he interact with that? You got to know if he's strong enough to carry the wood. Okay, he's probably. You know, at least on the latter end of being a teenager he can carry this stuff and guys either.
Speaker 1:Abraham knocked him out and I don't get the sense that that's Abraham's character, that he would do that. I think this is much more a mirror of God the Son and God the Father. I think Isaac just said okay, dad. Well, if that's what God told you to do, then let's roll with it. I don't know If that's what the God who made me in your old age said to do. I trust you and I trust him. Let's go. Whoa.
Speaker 1:And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven and said Abraham, abraham. He said here I am. He said do not stretch out your hand against the boy and do nothing, for now I know that you fear God, since you've not withheld your son, your only one for me. And then Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw behold, there was a ram, after it had been caught in the thicket by its horns.
Speaker 1:God provided, and Abraham called the name of the place Yahweh will provide. And it is said to this day in the mount of Yahweh, it will be provided. It will be provided for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. My friends, part of preparing our hearts for Christmas and preparing the way is to understand there's nothing you have to provide. Only God can provide. He provides the lamb of God. He gives us the lamb of God. He says this is for you. You don't have to earn it, you don't have to live up to it perfectly, you just need to accept the gift. I provide the sacrifice. You just live in light of it. But then things even get a little bit better. So now there's like some results of this. There's things that go right. Verse 15,.
Speaker 1:Then the angel of Yahweh called Abraham a second time from heaven and said by myself, I've sworn declares Yahweh, because you've done this thing and have not spared your son, your only son, your only one. Indeed, I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, as the sand on the seashore, and your seed shall possess the gates of his enemies. In your seed, all nations of the earth shall be blessed, which is Jesus, because you've listened to my voice. He says Abraham, you did it, man, you didn't hold back. You get everything I want to give you now. You passed the test I mean, guys, it's worded very carefully there Because you obeyed. It's because, abraham, I was testing you. You found out what I wanted you to do and you did your best to do it. Because of that now I can give you the fullness of everything I want to give you.
Speaker 1:I believe it's very scriptural to say there are Christmas gifts that God wants to give every one of us, but some of them are contingents on whether or not we will obey the voice of his word. Because you've obeyed it worked the same way in David's day. I don't know if any of you have read that and remember that when David sinned against the Lord with Bathsheba, the Lord's rebuke includes the pronouncement David, I've done all this for you and I would have done much more. But because you did this, there's a discipline that comes on David's life. But Abraham didn't miss any of his, and I don't know about you guys, but I just don't want to miss it, and I know that I do things imperfect all the time. I know I've probably missed a ton of stuff, but I don't want to miss any more. Come on Like I want God to be able to say I gave this kid everything I could possibly give him, because he didn't do it perfectly, but with God's help, he obeyed the voice as far as he understood it.
Speaker 1:When obedience is very costly, number one we regard. Number one we regard, which means we believe that God is able. God is able to do it Verse 19, he considered that God is able to raise people from the dead. He says God, I believe that you're competent enough to have the right plan. Okay, that's the first thing Abraham believes you would know. And sometimes we think God doesn't know. We're like God, I've got a plan, I'm competent enough to have the right plan. God, you're the helper. And God says no, you need to regard me as the one who has the wise plan. It doesn't look wise to Abraham that we have to slay Isaac now. But God says oh yeah, this is the wise way for you to pass this test. But it's not just I regard that his plans are wiser, it's I regard. He has the power to do whatever is necessary, whatever needs to happen. God is able to do it. Are you believing that today? Abraham was believing it.
Speaker 1:When we regard something, it's like we start to live as though it's true. Now, there's things that you and I know that we kind of we think are true and it's probably like a good saying, but we haven't necessarily started living it yet. When we start to live it, that's when we regard it as true. I'll give you some examples. I'm learning more and more over the past few years the importance of rest and balance. Now you could ask me at 21, man, do you need rest and balance? Oh yeah, oh yeah, you need rest and balance. But if you looked at my life, you would say you think you don't need rest and balance. And I'm learning as we go. No, you know, that's actually. That's actually true. I operate way better when there's rest and balance.
Speaker 1:Here's another one that might be meaningful to you. Quality over quantity in relationships pays off the best. Quality over quantity. When you're really young and you just want all the friends, you want to be the most popular person there ever was, that seems like it's a good idea. But as you get older, you begin to regard that's not necessarily a good idea. If I've got several a few, just a couple meaningful, deep relationships, that tends to go better in my life. Here's another one that we sometimes think, but as we walk in it more, we're really regarding it as true.
Speaker 1:Forgiveness frees me. Forgiveness is not necessarily for them. Yeah, I'm bitter, I feel like I want to hold a grudge, but actually when I just forgive them, it has nothing to do with them. Necessarily I need to forgive so I can go on, so I can make peace with my past, so I can be useful again and not be bound and stuck. So we regard it as true and then we trust.
Speaker 1:Number two a trust. Trust is a little bit different. Trust is moving a level beyond just thinking that. So Trust is a relational, emotional giving over. It's saying I trust the person. So faith is just saying I believe that what God says is true and that's what's going to happen. Trust goes one step further and says and I'm confident in it, not because necessarily I'm trying to manifest it with my faith. That's not what biblical faith is, by the way. It's not manifesting. Here's what it really is. It's faith in the character of the relationship that I am in. Here's something you might not know about Old Testament faith. We think about faith sometimes and we're like if I just have enough faith, I can, like I can pray for it and get it and that'll be, that'll be. That's like a tool, it's a lever for me to pull more faith, get the thing that I'm asking for in prayer. That's missing, what was present in Abraham's life and in most of the Old Testament saints who are walking with God. It's the covenant relationship Meaning. It's not that I trust that my faith magically, in the abstract, produces things. God produces things and I trust his relationship with me.
Speaker 1:He said he's going to be my father and he is Now. When my kids were real little and we went for ice cream man, it was a big deal. It's a little deal now, but it was a big deal then. Now, if I tell them, hey, we're going to get some ice cream at 4 pm, they're not going to be walking around at noon saying, well, you know, dad has the money to get ice cream, so that's how I know we're going to get ice cream. Or dad knows the route to Tasty Freeze to get the ice cream, so that's how I know we're going to get ice cream. You know what they would say. Why are they confident? They're confident because it's my dad. He said he's going to get me ice cream and because of the nature of our relationship, he's going to get me ice cream.
Speaker 1:That's what it's like with your heavenly father. It's not just that you're manifesting it, it's not that you're trying to talk him into it. The heavenly father is like but I'm your father, you can trust me to do it. You can trust that I have the best plan. You can trust that I have the power. But you can trust that I love you. I gave you my son. If I gave you the most important thing in the universe, won't I give you something less than that? If I'm going to deed to you the entire mansion, baby, I'll give you a paper plate. It's the character of the Father. I don't want you to just have faith in the abstract. I want you to trust me. I want you to be confident God's going to do it, because God is my friend. That's why it's going to happen.
Speaker 1:Romans 8.32,. He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for all of us, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? So, my friend, the most important place that you can put this faith is not just in the idea that Jesus Christ was crucified for your sin and rose from the dead. Check it out. Jesus Christ was crucified for your sin. For you it's relational. It's not just a thing he did out in the back room of the universe so that this thing could work right. No, he did it for you.
Speaker 1:I've been crucified with Christ and there's's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, in the life I now live, in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. That's how Paul knows him. That's how we need to know him. It's not just that he died for the sins of the world. When we know him relationally, when I can trust him relationally, baby Jesus, I trust you because it's you and me and we've got this thing where you clearly love me and you'll cross heaven to get me.
Speaker 1:So if you've got some difficult stuff you're going through, if you've got some change that is unsettling, if you've got some things right now that aren't really happening on your timetable, if you've got some things that are unseen and you can't see the way and you don't know why it's going this way. I don't know why either, but I know Jesus and I know that his devotion to you has been proven true enough. Dear friend, just trust him on the strength of the relationship. Just trust him because of who he said and has demonstrated he is to you. Let's do one more.
Speaker 1:Number three is surrender. That's ultimately what Abraham had to do. That's where he had to get. He's got to surrender, he's got to see and God has to prove through this test. The promise is not more important than the promiser. Abraham will do what I say because it's me, not because he's trying to get something. In fact, he might lose everything. So we've all got Isaacs.
Speaker 1:Have you got an Isaac? Have you got some dream or something that you currently have that you're afraid to lose? Is it some relationship? For some it's even just a relationship with our parents. We're so afraid to disappoint them. We can't imagine. Even if God wanted us to and demonstrates in his word that we should, we can't imagine disappointing them. Sometimes, parents, it's your kids Like I can't do that because my kid thinks this Sometimes it's the perfect fill in the blank, it's the perfect spouse, it's the perfect whatever.
Speaker 1:There's somewhere out there and it is in Isaac, and God says you need to be free of that. You need to be free of that. It's not that I want to take it from you, it's that actually it's not safe until it's in my hands. It's in the hands of God that your thing is the most safe. It's not safe in your hands. Bring it to Jesus, I say God, you can do whatever you want. Now, the thing you got to know about God. Remember this God does ask us to surrender Isaac's, but God, the Father, went first and it cost him more than it will ever cost any of us. He went first, he sacrificed his own son. The worst possible thing happened to the most innocent possible person. God says I get it, I've done that, I promise it goes good, it works out if you'll just trust me. So what do we got to do to wave the white flag of surrender?
Speaker 1:I like the way Abraham did it because he just, you know, he just got over with it. Like he didn't stay there for another three days and ponder that command. He said, well, I got a three-day journey, I'll think about it on the way. But he got up right away and said let's go do it. All right, come on, guys, let's go Get that wood and let's go. And, my friend, sometimes we're thinking about it and, dear heart, you're thinking about it too long Like, yeah, surrender it to God. If it's, you don't have to worry about him giving it back. If he's like, no, I don't want that, it'll be fine, you know he'll give it right back. It's a very effective way to cut the heart and get this thing over with, so that we are free and we're not bound by that thing that we're making more important than God. We are free and we're not bound by that thing that we're making more important than God.
Speaker 1:So, Kenzie and I it was a few months, but we did it we moved back. It took us a little while to get there, but we got back and we moved back there for two years. We didn't want to go, but you know, something strange happened while we were there the things that were broken and hurting began to heal. The relationships that were broken and hurting began to heal, the relationships that were jacked up, and they came back together. Now they were blessed and forgiven and there were lessons that were reviewed and we got the lessons and there became a place of pain, became a place of blessing, and now when we talk about it, we're not talking about ooh, I hate that place. We're bragging about what God did and how God redeems the worst pain, but sometimes he asks for an Isaac before it can happen.
Speaker 1:So, my friend, that's my question to you Is there something that you need to bring to the altar, something you need to bring, and it's a little Isaac. Maybe it's a dream. Maybe you could literally just in your mind rattle you need to bring and it's a little Isaac. Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's. You could literally just in your mind rattle off names to God. This person, god, this is an Isaac in my life. That person, this situation, this is an Isaac. I need to give it to you and I need you to either take it or redeem it, or you're worth it if I don't get it, because you're more important than the promise.
Speaker 1:Hey, thank you so much for joining us today. If you don't have a home church and you're looking for a Bible preaching community that has its heart set on passionately knowing Jesus and being his witness in our generation, check out FierceChurch. We'd love for you to join us, either digitally or in person. Also, if you're looking for leadership development-related content, don't forget to check out the Fierce Leadership Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts from. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to support this ministry. It's because of you that this is possible. You can click on the link in the description to give now or visit fiercechurch for more information. If you enjoyed this podcast, why not subscribe? Share it with your friends. Click on the share button, take a screenshot and share it on social media or wherever you would share such things. Whatever challenges you're facing, I know you can make it. Don't give up. Hang on to Jesus. He won't let go of you. Jesus loves you so much and we love you. I hope someday we get to meet in person. Thanks again for listening.