Abraham: The Test of Faith, Part 1

When spiritual challenges come along. Dr. Tony Evans says we need to put what we believe into action your lips. It is measured. There is no no matter how is celebrating 40 years of fullness. This is the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans offers speaker senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban being in school is knowing that there's always an exam right around the corner today. Dr. Evans explains that the same is true in the Christian life.

Let's turn to Hebrews 11 verse 17 as he looks at one man's time of testing about Abraham when he was tested, offered up Isaac and he will receive the promises was offering up his only begotten son received a whole. It was said, and I your descendents shall be called to consider that God is able to raise people even from the dead from which he also received it back as a type all of us as we came from school :-) test the teacher gave off test to see if we really heard what they thought whether we really knew the information that had been given so they gave us a test. Some of those tests came as pop quizzes little short exams that were unexpected, unannounced quizzes was to make sure you always ready for test but then there were the owners the midterms and finals over the big test they chemically carried more weight than the pop quizzes because they were typically more expensive in the nature of the testing.

Those tasks were critical and passing them to moving to the next grade level. If you found out you would have to repeat the grade all over again because you are not yet able to pass the test when you pass the test.

You then move up to a new level of testing you went from this grade test grade test but at a higher level, because now you and a higher grade. When God is ready to give you a new level of experience with him.

It comes with the test. Now the bad news of the test is that it's a test. The good news of a test. If that is preparation for higher-level and you can really know when God is ready to really move you to the next level because it will be a final exam.

In other words, it will be a major test minor test quizzes along the way. But then everybody gets hit with the that test that seems like it will not. It's a major exam because God is ready to move you to a major level you can experience with God until you pass the six grade exam. So today we want to look at the test of faith Abraham's final exam of Hebrews tells us that it came when God asked Abraham to offer up Isaac Which Took Pl. in Genesis chapter 22.

So when he talks about in Hebrews 11 Actually Took Pl. in Genesis 22.

This final exam he installed up Isaac who was the promise is when you know it's a major test. Could you get ready to have a major promotion to a whole another level.

You know it's a major test when it does for something in your life, and at the very same time makes absolutely no sense at all. It's a major exam when God is asking you to do something to bring you something to go. So there is some demanding place on you and it makes no sense at all. Hebrews 11 says that God told Abraham to offer up Isaac who was the son of the promise in Genesis chapter 22 where the story is unfolding for us in that chapter in detail.

God tells Abraham. These words he says Abraham in Genesis chapter 22. Now it came about verse one after these things God tested Abraham and setting up Abraham and he said here I am, he said take your son, your only son, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah and bear as a burnt offering on the mountain of which I will tell that made no sense of mystery why because it is full of contradictions, theological contradictions number one I made a promise that through you.

I'm going to both the nation via your son Isaac now killing but I would give the teenager he already has no children. You told me through him to build a whole nation and affect the whole world and he be the extension of validity that you promised is a contradiction when God is giving you a major exam. It makes no sense and looks like God is contradicting himself now. It wasn't a theological contradiction. It was a biblical contradiction, because in Genesis chapter 9 God condemns says you cannot take the life of another person. Yet he just told Abraham to take the life of his son. So God not only has contradicted his promise is contradicted God right now what you're asking that make sense. Not only was it a biblical contradiction in a theological contradiction. It was an emotional contradiction take your son, whom you love, your only son, your only son through Sarah and I want you to take human sacrifice to this boy waited 100 years for this boy you asking me to give up something most waxes you asking me to give up anything you bless me with that's that's a pull string that you can explain God that don't make sense. Not only was it a theological contradiction biblical contradiction emotional contradiction. It was a relational contradiction. How would you explain this to Sarah you'll your baby mama I can Sarah underrate take out and slam calls God told me that you know why that Abraham got up early in the morning I get up close and I got up they were not maybe it is worst of all, maybe it was a spiritual contradiction because God tells them pick Isaac's lay him and worship me if there was ever a day you don't feel like going to church. This is the day because how do you worship God with a broken heart worship God with God is doing a number on you, you worship God when he is disappointed you.

How you worship God and go to the altar. When you believe he has failed you, God. Why go to church today is that I don't feel like worshiping today in light of what you're asking of me demanding of me instructing me calling me to worship and bedside Baptist and mattress Methodists because what you are asking is to be Abraham got up as another thing you need to observe says get up and go to the mountain to the place I will show you. He had to obey without all the detail God didn't give them all the information you get up and happy to get to the mountain and I'll show you the spot. I want to go to but I'm not going give you all the details up front. I will only give you more details when I see you moving. See one of the reasons that we do not see more detail from God.

Is he can get us to move from where we because remember is like God is telling the truth. Faith is defined by your not bad you feeling. It's your life not your lips that you walk tall. Faith is measured by movement get. There is no movement there is no matter how faith is you feel Dr. Evans will be back with more of Abraham's story when he returns in just a moment.

First, that were excited to let you know that Tony is offered a brand-new book and companion Bible study that goes hand-in-hand with the material he's been talking about today. It's called kingdom heroes like the heroes of the faith messages that we been hearing this book in Bible study focus on two very powerful words by faith, you'll discover how otherwise ordinary people became the best-known characters in the Bible. They took God's word and believe what he said was true.

So what is it take to live a life of faith today where we live, what we say to a culture that insist that only seeing is believing. How can we learn to trust God when our fears and feelings tell us not to find the answers by getting for yourself a copy of Tony's two volume 13 message audio collection heroes of the faith on CD or digital download, and his brand-new book and Bible study kingdom heroes for a limited time we are offering this entire three resource package is our gift to you in appreciation for your generous contribution to help support Tony's ministry here on this station just visit us today@tonyevans.org or call us at 1-800-800-3222.

Make your contribution and let us send you the heroes of the faith, and kingdom heroes book and Bible study package as our thank you gift. Again that's Tony Evans.org or call us day or night at 1-800-800-3222.

Dr. Evans will be back with more of today's lesson right after this Dr. Tony with rail photograph and motion picture so that I was now see color in the environment till the excitement and learning what the Bible describes. Now you can have Phoenix area along with Tony in a new motion picture coming to November journey with a lot of people want to go to Israel.

It is an expensive trip.

We did not want those people did not experience that we had traveled with Tony explored actual site where the most powerful events in the Bible to plaintiff not just helping you understand what they mean and how they can change your life this to be experience not merely sites to journey with chief Anders November 15 60 Tony.org for location. Sometimes, to learn more. Verse four says on the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance the servants to help carry the load in the lab go up and we will worship and return to you, but God to which we coming back to see you after see when you call to faith you got us the truth in the midst of the contradiction of the circumstance.

Hebrews 11 says that was because he believed God was even able to raise the flavors 11 says God and do what you told me to do believe your promise that you make a great nation believe that you contradict yourself what you're telling do you got some kind of miracle you bring me in and speak with confidence, that God could raise the dead. Well, you recall sellers will and Abraham couldn't function no more God created a miracle baby of Isaac was born here and see what God could do in raising so he figured the same God could raise a son.

So when God calls you to a major exam. Don't forget what he did in the quizzes yesterday when you to a bigger challenge tomorrow. Today today is because he's moving into a new grade level prior experience with him and so they make their way to the place of God said. Isaac says to his father. My father, verse seven, Genesis 22. Here I am, my son of the whole world, but I was. We went to church. We have but today that some dogs got to fix this. The Lord will provide himself, don't have an answer. I don't know how this is going work out.

And when God put you in a final exam. You don't know how this is working. God has gotta do something here. God has an answer to this dilemma of that I convinces midterm or final is not a little quiz that is confusing not to provide the solution so he takes his son up.

He puts them on the altar. Verse nine he built an altar.

Arrange the wood down his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. Can you imagine what he's thinking, feeling, and Abraham stretched out his hand and the knife to slay us verse 11. The Lord called to him from heaven, and said Jesus in the Old Testament.

The Lord God call you names like they want to buzz one now in the middle of its crisis.

He called his name twice special. Coming down the pike, Abraham, and he said here I am 12 stretch your hand out against them and do nothing to him for now know you said you have not withheld your son, your you should be having a problem right now in order to be a theological problem because God says no one will your mission partnership means all-knowing, you already knew what I would do God knows yesterday you know today you know where I came from nowhere. I know what you mean. You only know this all-knowing God, which knowledgebase is stated as you already know, I didn't know before. I'm going now because of what you just did we bring together the concept of an all-knowing God and I'm not doing something till now. I want to share with you today. Something God does not know if we know everything. Informationally he knows everything actual.

He knows everything potentially knows what was what is what will be and what could have been the only one who can answer the what if questions of life. He knows all of that. What is this that now only knows what God knows everything actual and everything potential. He does not know everything experiential.

For example, if you want to ask God what does it feel like to commit a sin, I suggest you we couldn't answer the question because he's never done it.

Now you have a committed a sin. So if you ask and what does it feel like doing that, you know what sin is just as you know Woodson can do just give you all the information he can't give you is the experience what it feels like the doctrine lasted through Jesus Christ.

We can't tell you what it feels like to do it himself because that's not been part of his experience.

While God knows everything, experience everything you know the reason why God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ, according to the book of Hebrews is that God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ so he could set the files without weakness so he could see what we go through the father knows what you go through Jesus can feel it, Jesus the son can explain the God the father knows the information. The information feels like because became a man so is being said to Abraham at this moment I now know you love me because you have not given me the experience of mailing the verbalization we come the charge we say I love you I love you I love you more today, we express it we say we repeated God comes back saying love she wants to feel it makes God file that is no experientially informationally is when we chose the thing we love most sacrifice your son. The son, whom you love, your only begotten son. Do you mean more than that. The final exam. When God calls for act of love, so he can feel it. Now I know you informationally, yes.

Intellectually you you and I feel it because of your choice. Dr. Tony Evans will be back in just a moment with an important question we need to ask ourselves for so what you been listening to today's part of Tony's current series heroes of the faith.

As I mentioned earlier were making this two volume 13 message collection available to you on CD and digital download along with his brand-new book and Bible study kingdom heroes there our gift to you.

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Tony Evans.org or call us at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our friendly team members assist you. Our resource center is open 24 seven so call any time. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222 even if we say we trust God will never really know until the time our faith could cost us something, maybe something precious tomorrow.

Dr. Evans will help us examine the depth of our faith. As he continues his look at Abraham story right now though he's back with this important question. What is your Isaac that thing that God can have because you're too attached, is that your money is at the relationship is the career is that the skill is at the operative. What is it that is your eyes God says bring the alternative binding urban alternative celebrating Thanksgiving generous contributions of listeners