[Sermon Archive]

This Week's Sermon THE FIRST MIDWEEK IN LENT 04 March 2009 "The Greatest Sacrifice" Genesis 22:1-18 LSB Series B Vicar Gerald D. Heinecke Soli Deo Gloria!

The switch of our office hymn was very appropriate today. "The Lamb" fits so well with our text today. Keep its words in mind as we travel through this sermon.

On Sunday, we talked about the temptation. On this second midweek service, temptation is once more a key component in our discussion. The Old Testament lesson is an example of a positive temptation. Allow me to explain. The Old Testament lesson is actually used in the questions of our catechism for the sixth petition. The catechumens are asked in question 494, "didn't he, for instance, tempt Abraham to offer up Isaac?" And they echo, "Yes, but he tempted him to do good, to a greater proof of obedience." God did test Abraham. He said, "Abraham!... 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." Abraham was being tested by God to know whether or not he loved God more than his son. God tempted him to good to believe in him as the one who fulfilled all the promises that had been outlined for Abraham in Genesis 12 and 15 which were then confirmed again at the end our text today.

Could you imagine taking your only child or even all your children and offering them as a sacrifice to God? While there are incredibly evil people out there who do bring harm to their children, most of this nation of pampered people would never even think to keep from their child anything he wanted.

Today's children are given everything their parents can afford. They get their own cell phones, TVs, computers, and designer clothes. They have the opportunity to participate in whatever sport or club they want to be in, and the list goes on. What these youth often do not get from their parents are the discipline and the consistent opportunity to learn of their Savior. They are not taught the seriousness of the life and death struggle from which Christ has freed us. Many have begun to see the need of the church to be, first and foremost, what's in it for me? Is it fun to be here?. The reason often is because parents have become selfish in their desire to satisfy their carnal pleasures. To deny your children of what they want is seen as the greatest sacrifice. Families today are often lost in a struggle of who is first, God or family. The desire to put the family first plagues the church today but it is a test that can be overcome and endured as we see occurs with Abraham.

Abraham was tested. He was a rich man both in wealth and animals. He had all he could ever want and more! He had a wonderful son in Isaac. Would he love his child or his God more? Abraham chooses God. He trusts that God will make him a great nation, yet he is told by God to kill the heir that was given to make that happen. I can not imagine what Abraham thought would happen to this promise.

Abraham once again though places his faith in God. He takes Isaac on a little trip. You have to love the fact that Isaac knows that he is going on a trip to worship God. Abraham has taught him about the true God. We hear no complaints to go on this trip to worship, but we also see Isaac is no dummy. He is willing to carry the wood but he of course recognizes that something is missing. Isaac said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" He knows that in sacrifice God requires the blood of an animal, for in that blood one is cleansed of their sin when worshiping before God.

And Abraham replies, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." You can just feel for Abraham as he nears the mountain. The trust that he has placed in his Lord and Savior is unwavering as he lays the wood together and then binds up his one and only child. He draws out his knife to slaughter his son and just as he is about to kill Isaac the Angel of the Lord called down from heaven saying, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

After this Abraham sees a ram that has been provided by God. Taking that ram, he offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide." The story didn't end there. The angel of the Lord calls down a second time, saying that because he did not withhold his son the Lord will surely bless you,... will surely multiply your offspring,...your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,... and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

There is amazing amount of typology found within this text. There is Isaac the only son. There is the mountain that they went to, the wood that the child carried, and the knife that was to be used to pierce the boy. There is also the lamb that needed to be provided, the father sacrificing his son, and the son being sacrificed. All these parallels point to the work of Christ. There is one more and it is also much like a prophesy The Lord will provide. It is this last one that we will connect with this evening.

The Lord will provide. That is what Abraham said. What amazing prophetic undertones there are in that passage. If you follow that whole verse out, It is Genesis 22:14, Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided." How true those words are.

What appeared to be a sacrifice that Abraham would provide through the death of his only son is quickly squelched. The Lord indeed provided the burnt offering that day, a ram, for the forgiveness of their sins. While Abraham is appreciative of a sacrifice that the Lord provided for him, he didn't call that mount "The Lord provided." Rather he said, "The Lord WILL provide." It has a future tense in it. Future tense? What will the Lord provide? A final sacrifice, a sacrifice to end all sacrifices. This sacrifice will not only cleanse the outside of the body, the filth of sin clinging to it, but it will cleanse everything, body and soul.

It is about Jesus whom Abraham prophesied. The blood of the perfect sacrifice was demanded for our salvation. Only perfection could save us, and perfection could come only from God. It had to be a pure sacrifice without any spot or blemish of sin just as the Jews had to sacrifice a lamb without spot or blemish at Passover. It is Jesus who was the greatest sacrifice.

While Abraham is spared of sacrificing his one and only son, God the Father had no choice. I asked earlier could you imagine sacrificing your own child? If God wanted you to be saved, he had to give up his son. The blood of Christ had to be spilt for your sake. God did sacrifice his son upon the cross for your sins, but this is no sad ending. Like Abraham who believed that the Lord would provide, the Lord has provided for his victory. Through his death he has won victory. Through his death, he overcomes eternal death and proclaims victory over the grave through his resurrection! Abraham and Isaac, you and I have been spared from eternal damnation because the Lord has provided. He has provided the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World.

What an amazing journey for Abraham, to come within seconds of his son's death to the realization of eternal life for all people is coming. Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. He did not earn his salvation through good works. He knew as you know, nothing that you do will ever gain you salvation. God has truly provided for all that we could ever want or need. He provides us with family, friends, and all material blessings. Yet God has provided the greatest thing for us as well, eternal life. This is realized in the cross where the

Through him God has provided and will continue to provide eternal life.