Let Go, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ.

The funny thing is, that's what faith is risk missing. I put all my eggs in Christ basket every thing that much at stake in my life. The reason to be alive.

The day my view of eternity. Everything is in Christ by his whiskey joining up today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana when Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word. Our world look at verse 17 and Hebrews 11 by faith Abraham, when he was tested receipt. Even the writer of Hebrews knows this is a test when he was tested with the great let go test by faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac and Hugh had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son for was he to whom it was said in Isaac your descendents shall be called and then this reason, he considered, he reckoned he believed he trusted that God is able to raise people even from the dead from which he also received him back is a type what did Abraham believe, even if I take his life. We go back to Genesis. Even if I take his life.

God will raise him from the dead. Because God told me he's the child of promise, what does it take to do that tremendous faith tremendous faith is only begotten willing to give up his only begotten son is just like the father doesn't willing to give up his only begotten willing to sacrifice him all by the way, on the same Hills in the same place. Mariah is on the hills around Jerusalem.

The same I would be surprised if it was the very place why because the writer of Hebrews says this type see God was willing to do that Abraham didn't have the same kind of consternation you and I would've had.

And the reason is he had an AA from the beginning because this test to let go test is always the same. Do you trust me and Abraham is emphatically yes how much will you let go of. He says the best I have everything. My son, you see, we read the story of a completely different perspective.

This is the triumphant story.

This is a story that's filled with all the fear and trepidation that we read into it because Abraham wasn't feeling that and Abraham took the wood of the burn off any later on Isaac his son, probably because he was much stronger. He took in his hand. The fire and the knife and so the two of them walk together this two perspectives. I like to see this from actually 31 is the perspective of Abraham.

I will trust God. But if the writer of Hebrews is correct and is Abraham believes that he is going to slit the throat of the zones and that God would raise but just imagine if you were Abraham walking with your son what he's thinking. Then there's the point of view of Isaac. Isaac is been with Abraham when they made offerings before and is going to see in a moment Isaac site will look it's all here. We got the wood. We got the 19th. There's something missing here. You see, that seems oddly always have a ramrod go, I will only have a sheep we have something or is it there's another perspective. The look at this. Don't underestimate the feelings of God. How do you think God felt when he watched this man old man walked with this young boy, what kind of faith. This is this man is walking with his son. I had to believe it's him overwhelmingly emotional just for God and he knows it's a type it's a picture what's going to transpire in the future, and Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and he said my father. He said here I am, my son is now normal response when someone asked him some here I am, he says and he said, behold, the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt offering, I don't know about you but no matter how you feel how you hold back your emotions that moment.

How do you maintain self-control in that moment and Abraham said God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son, so the two of them walked on together step-by-step up the hill and they came to the place which God had told and Abraham built the altar there and he arrange the wood and then he said, put your hands than me type while he bombed his son Isaac, and he laid him on the altar on top of the ward, Abraham's a hero in the story so's Isaac how much that he loved his father how much that he trusts his father. I mean, you're 16 years old to father's 116 or whatever it is in your thinking maybe dementia may be he's just old. Not a word, not a point of clarification. Why is that because Isaac represents who Jesus Christ your will be done. See claims on their no problem at all. He probably have the power to overpowers father doesn't he just climbs up on their if that's what the father ask of me than I will be the sacrifice God watching all of this Abraham stretched out his hand took the knife the slaves for this is as far as you can go with this. Any time this could've stopped using the imagery. There is not for God got the missing gun.

This is going to turn out. We also know that is not necessarily only for Abraham because Abraham already trusted God would raise the dead.

I believe that the imagery to this point with the knife comes out right over his son is for you and me. That's how far faith will go. You see, that's how far faith will go.

And that's exactly what happens. I can imagine it. One commentator said when he put them up there on that altar and he must've felt like he was turning down the sheets of his son's death bed just putting him up there. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said Abraham. Abraham, I gotta believe this is I think this was a very energetic response.

I have I'm sure that he just couldn't wait to respond that way. Do not stretch out your hand against the lad do nothing to him.

I know for I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me while A+ A+ when the let go test there is a lot of things that Abraham well but I don't think there was anything to compare Isaac and he was willing to let go. He was willing to let go and then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns and Abraham went and took the ram and offered them up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. I love verse 14 and Abraham called the place he out of a year.

You have a year. The Lord will provide the Lord will provide. Actually, literally, it says the Lord will see to this the Lord will see to this and was so great about it is. Abraham called the name of the place. The Lord will provide. And it is said to this day Moses writes in the amount of the Lord. It will be provided all the Jewish people remembered this forever. We should remember this forever.

You see, whenever you're facing a let go test the Lord will see to this that's so important for us.

I mean the number of let go test are innumerable. But there are several just a couple of the mention your son or daughter is being deployed to Afghanistan back to a rocker wherever the Lord will see this she that's a let go test she that's the way something like this works you see it over and over again you get a call that the doctor wants to talk about your diagnosis little cedar this she that's the way it works a little cedar this. He's never going to ask you to have a let go test where he isn't there to say and if you trust me I have a provision she that's the way this works sometimes.

By the way, it's a truly attest that you're actively involved in. Sometimes it's a test you're not even aware of until it goes on and on. Think of Job. What did he have to let go of let go of his wealth.

Let go of his servants.

Let go of all 10 of his children. He let go of the respect of the community. He let go the respect of his wife.

He let go of his health as a lot in his response, even if he slays me. I will trust him. No wonder God said there's not a man on earth like Job you see in this difficult is what Joe went through. I'm not sure the what Abraham went through is even more difficult because your he's asking you not only to let go of your son to be the hand that causes your son to be let go see God is saying, look, the Lord will see to this. There are countless possibilities obviously from our point of view. We are to follow Abraham's example also were not to presume to tell the Lord what to do when were given a test like this were notorious for this one.

I know you want to let me let it go.

But here's what I want is what I want to do. I can tell you how many different versions I've heard of us throwing out a fleece warlord are you sure you really want me to do that.

So let me give me a sign over and over again and don't waste time guessing how God will accomplish his will. Don't waste time look, I spent some time and when realm and I left Pennsylvania and went to seminary to serve the Lord. I had a real clear idea of exactly how God was going to handle this. I'm going back to the Northeast.

I knew that was what God wanted to see. I assume something, don't assume anything. By the way was so thickheaded about that after I was here for a few years. I put out my resume and began to be interviewed in churches in Michigan and Ohio because we can get in Pennsylvania, Michigan.

I will close and here I am. Don't presume on God and by the way, so grateful you see that's what God does all but I had to give up relationships and God put me in amazing relationships. I gave up a vocation and now I have a vocation.

It seems like a vacation on certain days. Others. But the point is you don't give up drop those nets and I'll make you fishers of men. He says there was a cyclist tell me what you gave up for me that I have been given back to you. Don't tell me what you let go of simply trust the Lord's three timeless truths. I think from this passage. Number one what we cling to is usually what God asked us to release what we cling to is usually what God will ask us to release it might be your possessions might be your vocation. It might be your dreams. It might be a special relationship.

Usually what were clinging to what we cling to is usually what God asked us to release number two what we release God often allows us to keep not always, but what we release God often allows us to keep you see what's the whole problem that we run into the whole problem that we run into us were afraid of risk you see were afraid of risk. But the funny thing is, that's what faith is risk. You see, I have put all my eggs in Christ basket everything that my steak in my life. The reason to be alive.

The day my view of eternity. Everything is in Christ by faith is risky when he told the disciples.

He and fishermen in your gonna walk around Judea with me risky when the young man. No wonder the mission field one to the mission field. It's risky faith and risk go together. Some of us are people that in our flesh are so afraid of risk love the little book called God but I'm bored by Eileen good or I love the book is what she writes about people that like to play it safe. She says you can live on bland food so as to avoid an officer you can drink no tea or coffee or any other stimulant in the name of health you can go to bed early and stay away from the nightlife. You can avoid all controversial subjects so that you never give an offense to anybody you can mind your own business and avoid all involvement in other people's problems and you can spend money only on the barest necessities and save all you can.

And yet you can still break your neck in your bathtub and you deserve it. We can play it safe. We just can't.

That's one option. We don't have is a Christian. Our faith makes his people risk.

So what we cling to is usually would God ask us to release what we release God often allows us to keep in the last point is this. When we release what were clinging to God reassures us when we release what were clinging to God reassures us notice.

As the story goes on. Verse 15 then the angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. He said by myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son.

Indeed, I will greatly bless you I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore and your seed shall possess the gate.

He says of their enemies and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my what is that reassurance if the Abraham a covenant. He gets it again. God reassures him because he passed the let go test. No, we don't have the Abraham covenant given to us, but we are recipients of it but there's something else. God is said to all his children.

That is important for us to believe the reassure us in this last verse I want to look at Jeremiah 29 verse 11 for I know the plans that I have for you. Just a very important passage to look very important.

You struggling your life. Read a daily get up in the morning and read it, for I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. It's what God says I have plans for you.

I want to give you a future God once, you and me to hold things in dreams and people loosely and to help us in that pursuit. He uses tests. These test will test your obedience and your commitment to God. And whenever you do what Abraham did you pass the let go test your blessed God is glorified. Thank God for the let go test of your life whispering father I pray for those in the body. This very morning who may be facing a let go test right now that there's either a job or relationship, or some other issue that they may have to let go of as they trust you. I pray that the story of Abraham as an encouragement to them in a model for them in which to act.

Father for the rest of us. We've had let go test in the past we have probably passed some and failed others, but I pray father as we face those future test when you want to test our heart and our commitment to you that we remember the story in such a way that we willingly let go because we totally trust. We pray this in the name of our Savior, the great lover of arson pastor broke your heart on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever miss one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time.

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