R692 laying Down Isaac

Encouraging Word with Dr. Don Wilton We're going to be studying God's Word together, and I want to encourage you to take your Bibles, as we always do, because contrary to public opinion, I have nothing to say to you outside of the Word of God.

I wish on an occasion like this, that I could say something to you from the Reader's Digest, perhaps that I could spice things up a little from the National Geographic, or even from the local newspaper. But I'm going to submit to you, my beloved friends, that if we want to know what God has to say to us, in anything that pertains to our lives, the things that we have, the people that we are, our dreams and our aspirations, I believe that God's mandate is that we go to His Word. I do not believe that this Word contains the Word of God. I believe, as we do here at First Baptist Church, that this is the Word of God. And we believe implicitly with all of our hearts, that this Word from Genesis to Revelation is the complete, full revelation of God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. God has given to us our Isaac. Who or what is your Isaac? Let's read about it in Genesis chapter 22, verse one. Sometime later, God tested Abraham. He said to him, Abraham, Here I am, Abraham replied. And God said, I want you to take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love. Did you notice that? I want you to take your only son, Isaac.

And God inserts something there that I think sometimes people seem to miss. I want you to take your only son, he's the only one you've got, and you love him with all of your heart. Listen to the instructions. I want you to go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about. Early the next morning, Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son, Isaac, when he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place that God had told him about. On the third day, Abraham looked up and he saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, Stay here with the donkey while I go together with the boy up over there.

Now watch this. We will worship you and then we will come back. If you haven't picked up on something here, what did God just told him? He said, I want you to take your son, Isaac, and I want you to go and sacrifice him.

If I could put that into modern day terminology, just take your son, go and stab him to death. Let's read on verse six. So Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son, Isaac. He carried himself.

He himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and he said to his father, Father. Yes, my son, Abraham replied. The fire and the wood are here, Isaac said.

But where is the land for the burnt offering? Abraham answered. I wonder what you would say, parent.

I wonder what we parents are telling our children today. I wonder what message we're going to send to this community concerning this Isaac of ours. Abraham answered. God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.

And so the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and he took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, Abraham, Abraham. Here I am, he replied. Do not lay a hand on the boy.

Do not do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns.

He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son, just like the Lord Jesus Christ. So Abraham called that place. The Lord will provide Jehovah Jireh.

And to this day, it is said on the mountain of the Lord, it will be provided. I want to speak to you this morning on this wonderful occasion on the subject of laying down Isaac. My friends, I believe that there are three questions that we must ask of ourselves. You might want to jot these down, young people and adults here today. Write these things down. Number one, what are our most prized possessions? I want you to answer that in your own life. Number two, how do we come to the place where we can trust God with our most precious things?

Here's the third question. Very important question. Do we have practical suggestions for this or supernatural solutions? Now we're going to need listen very carefully. Now I want to say something to you this morning. I want everybody to watch me, both here in this auditorium, in the sanctuary, by way of television, literally thousands upon thousands of people.

I want you to watch me. I want to say to you today, my precious friend, that if you listen carefully to what God is saying to your heart, and if you are willing to open your hands, let go of those prized possessions, God will give them back to you in a way that he will manage and control what it is that he has given to you. And when God is in control of the prized possessions that he's given to you, you'll never imagine the joy that will come into your heart, the influence of your life, the magnitude and the scope of what God will be able to accomplish through you. This is what happened here in the life of Abraham. And so it is I'm going to submit to you today that we're going to study six steps from the word of God to laying down Isaac.

First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, I want to make an announcement to you as your senior pastor. I want to announce to you that on the morning of opening this Isaac that God has given to us, that as of this moment, we are going to lay down this Isaac at the foot of the cross of Christ Jesus. We are going to do what our forefathers did. We are going to follow the example of men and women who have preceded us.

We're going to follow the faithful example of the Abrahams of our generation. I'm going to announce to you today that there is not one single person in this place within earshot of this preacher that is deserving of thanks when it comes to this place. The only person who needs to receive all the praise and all the glory is the Lord Jesus Christ. Do I hear an Amen this morning?

That's what it's all about. I want you to think about Abraham. He had quite a predicament if you really think about it. God came to him evidently and said to him, Abraham, I've got news for you.

You're going to be the father of many nations. I can just understand the consternation that presented itself not only to Abraham, but to his aging wife, Sarah. I mean, they were way beyond the age at which they could bear children. I can just imagine the look upon their faces, the perplexion of their heart, the conversation they must have had with God. Well, to cut a long story short, God provided them with Isaac. Oh, we know that Abraham tried to help God out.

I'm going to talk about that in a moment. But God presented Abraham with a means to fulfill the covenant that he had made with him. God never reneges on his promises. God always carries through with what God has said. Now, God put this on our hearts. God told us to build this facility. The question that I'm going to ask of each one of us today is threefold. If we prize this, what do we need to do in order to get to the point at which we will trust God? And third of all, are we going to look for practical suggestions?

Or are we going to trust ourselves to supernatural solutions? Please forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the conclusion in just a moment. But Pastor wants me to remind you that we're available. We're available 24 hours a day, both online at theencouragingword.org. And we love to speak and to listen and to pray at the other end of 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673.

We'll be right back after this. Are you seeking or rejecting God? The proof of love is the investment of time. You already know God loves you. He sent His Son to die on the cross for your sins so that you could be forgiven and free. But have you ever wondered how to love Him in return? The Bible says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. How do you do that?

How do you practically live out that kind of love? This month, Dr. Don Wilton wants to help encourage and inspire you to pursue the God who is pursuing you in his message, Going After Jesus. Going After Jesus is available on CD or DVD for your gift of any amount today. Write to us at post office box 2110, Spartanburg, South Carolina, 29304. Or call us toll free at 866-899-WORD or visit online at theencouragingword.org.

Thank you for your support. The Encouraging Word is a viewer and listener supported ministry that broadcasts the good news of Jesus Christ around the world. We now return to The Encouraging Word with Dr. Don Wilton. Today's message, message number 692 is called Laying Down Isaac. If you're interested in it, remember Laying Down Isaac message 692 at 1-866-899-WORD. There are six steps to laying down Isaac.

You might want to write them down. Step number one, learn the lesson of obedience. You want God to bless you?

Learn the lesson of obedience. Everybody turn to Genesis chapter 12. Now we're going to be in Genesis for a while.

I need to hear those pages roughly. Genesis chapter 12, right here in this remarkable passage, the Bible says in verse one, the Lord said to Abram, leave your country and your people and your father's household and go to the land that I will show you. Now the operative verse here is verse four. Look at verse four.

So Abram left, he departed as the Lord had spoken to him. By the way, the word for Lord here we're going to find in each one of these passages a different word for the word Lord. Really the word for the word Lord comes from the word Yahweh or Yahweh, which has its root form Elohim.

And the root El literally means the strong one. It stresses the sovereignty and the creative work of God, the mighty acts of God. In other words, what happened here in Genesis chapter 12 is the one who is mighty and strong, who is sovereign. That is the one who came Yahweh, Jehovah Elohim. He came to Abram and he said to him, Abram, I, I who am the mighty one, I who am the strong tower.

I who am the one who is involved in all of creation. I am the one who is about to instruct you to do something. But if I tell you what to do, step number one, you need to learn the lesson of obedience. And what does the lesson of obedience mean? It means two things. It means number one, to listen to what God is saying. That's what it means. Learning the step of obedience and the lesson of obedience means listening to what God is saying. Number two, it means doing what God says.

Any questions? If God speaks, that settles it. I'm going to do it.

God, you can count on me. I love this passage about Abram. God came to him, said to him, Abram, I want you to get up. I want you to leave your father's house. I want you to go to a land that I will show you. And verse four says, Abraham sat down and said, Now, Lord, could we just have a talk a little bit about this for a moment?

How about a little conversation? Could you explain to me how I get from Haran over all the way to the other side to the land of Canaan? Lord, you know they're murderers and robbers on that treacherous highway. You know that desert is going to kill me.

There's snakes and vipers out there. Lord, don't you seem to understand I've got a large family. How am I going to transport them over there? Lord, I've got no means of being able to get there. I've got a bunch of sorry old camels that look sorry.

How am I going to get all the way from Haran to over there? He learned the lesson of obedience. What did it mean? He listened to what God was saying. He did what God said. Lesson number one. Step number one, learn the lesson of obedience.

Step number two, learn the lesson of dependence, of dependence. Let's go to Genesis Chapter 14. Genesis Chapter 14 and verse 18. You need to turn there. Everybody turn to Genesis 14 and verse 18.

We need to learn the lesson of dependence. Here's what happens in verse 18. Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God most high. And he blessed Abram saying, Blessed be Abram by God most high, creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God most high, who delivered your enemies into your hand. Now look what followed there, I love that. Then Abram gave him a tenth of all that he had.

He tithed right there on the spot. Now watch this, watch this with me. Everybody watch me. Here's God coming to Abram.

Abram's in all kinds of dire circumstances. He's wondering what's going on, what he's going to do, where he's going to go, how he's going to get there, what he's going to do with what he's got. And God comes to him and says to him, I want to make an announcement to you. You need to understand who I am. I'm El Elyon, I am the dependable one. I am God most high. I want you to know that until you learn the lesson of complete utter dependence upon me, you will never get to the place at which you lay down your Isaac. That's the lesson of dependence.

It's laying down before almighty God. Number three, number three. We must learn the lesson of surrender.

We must learn the lesson of surrender. Go to chapter 15. Turn over the page to Genesis chapter 15 and verses one through six. After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision.

Here it is. Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. But Abram said, O sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless? And the one who will inherit my state is Eliezer of Damascus. And Abram said, you've given me no children. Lord, you've told me I'm going to be the father of many nations. I've got no kids. What are you talking about? That's what he was saying. Look at him.

Can you hear him crying? You've given me no children. So a servant in my household will be my heir. Then the word of the Lord came to him.

This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir. He took him outside and he said, look up at the heavens and count the stars. It was Abram outside one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 12, 13, 14 million, five million, 10 million, one billion, six trillion. I mean, he couldn't count them. There were so many of them. He said, Abram, look up and count the stars.

Indeed, count them. Then he said to him, so shall your offspring be. Now watch verse six.

Abram believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness. Now folks, listen, the word Lord, the word of the Lord. Here the Lord's name is Adonai, A-D-O-N-A-I.

Adonai, it is the plural form of majesty or master. What it stresses is literally it stresses man's relationship to God as master, as authority, as provider. Watch this.

Watch me here. Here is Abraham in all of his perplexion and consternation. God has spoken to him. God has told him to lay down his Isaac.

God has made an announcement to him and Abraham standing out there under the stars saying, give me a break. Here I am an old man. My wife is an old lady. How are we going to have children? Even my servants are going to inherit everything I've got.

I don't have an heir. God says, excuse me, boy, takes him outside, says, look up, count the stars, ran into trillions. He said, you see how many stars there are? He said, so will your offspring be. Excuse me, Lord?

Are you trying to tell me something? And what does the Bible say in verse six? So Abram believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. In other words, God blessed Abram because of what had taken place. What does surrender mean? Number one, it means never trying to help God.

Hey, everybody look at me again while you're writing at the same time. I wonder if there's anyone here today who's bold enough to say, look, you know, I've tried to help God a few times. I have, I'm telling you folks, there's been at least 10 times in the building of this incredible facility that I've decided, nope, God needs some help. I tell you, the parking lot wasn't prepared when I left to go with our senior adult choir on choir tour. And I said, well, Lord, maybe we need to help you because all the rain.

God said, hey, excuse me, I've raised up the most incredible people in Harper Corporation. I'm equipping them to do what they're doing. I've got Dave Wise leading this thing. I tell you, he'll do something. You don't need to worry about a thing. Go and sing and lead people to Jesus in the prison. Just be cool as a cucumber. Don't worry about a thing. God has got everything in control.

Folks, listen to me. If you're going to learn the lesson of surrender, you need to understand that you can never try to help God. Number two, it means always trusting God. That's what surrender means, means that I trust Him. I trust Him with my wife. I trust Him with my children. I trust Him with my church. Folks, have you ever tried to be the pastor of a church like this? I'd go completely dilly if it was up to me. Some of you say, well, pastor, now we know why you look like that. Folks, you're talking about impossible.

If you knew all the things that were going when I looked at Britt Dillard and his media team, pulling wires and working more and more, a night after night, hour upon hour. Folks, listen to me. Listen carefully. If we didn't trust God, if we didn't surrender to God, what would we accomplish? You've got to let go. You've got to say, Lord, I can't do it. I'm just an instrument in your hands. Lesson number three, learn the lesson of surrender.

Lesson number four, learn the lesson of full reliance. Go to Genesis chapter 17. When Abram was 99 years old. Anyone here 99? Mr. Derlin Moore was in the senior Sunday school class. I'm not sure exactly how old he is right now. Mr. Ambrose Hudgens. Boy, I love that man. I tell you, I hope I look like Mr. Ambrose when I'm his age.

He's well in his 90s now. Bible says when Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am God Almighty. I'm going to tell you about that in a moment. Walk before me and be blameless. I who am God Almighty, I will confirm my covenant between me and you and I will greatly increase your numbers.

Watch what happened. Abram fell face down and God said to him, as for me, this is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram. Your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

We need to learn the lesson of full reliance. God Almighty comes from the Hebrew word El Shaddai. El Shaddai. It literally means God Almighty to nourish. It stresses God's loving supply. It stresses His nourishment. It stresses His comfort. By the way, the root word shad, S-H-A-D, literally translated is our word for breast. That's what it is literally translated. And the picture here that we've got is of God providing ultimate comfort, nourishing His children all over everywhere. God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Just as when a little bitty baby is born. Now folks, here's the picture. Watch this.

Here's the picture. El Shaddai. The breast of God. The one who provides nourishment, who cares for, who cares for his children.

The most beautiful picture. Here we learn the lesson of full reliance. And full reliance means two things. It means completely trusting in the ability of God. And it means completely worshiping before the throne of God.

He fell down before the throne of God. You see my friends, only El Shaddai can put a baby in an ancient woman. And only El Shaddai can put a baby in a virgin woman.

Only El Shaddai can do these things. We need to learn the lesson of full reliance. Number five, we need to learn the lesson of submissive faith. We need to learn the lesson of submissive faith.

We're back in our chapter 22 that I read to begin with. Here the word Yahweh or Yahweh literally comes from the verb to exist. It stresses God as independent, God as self reliant. And submissive faith means two things. It means listening carefully to what God has to say.

And it means leaving immediately to do what God has said. God gave Abraham and Sarah. By the way, the word Abram means exalted father.

When his name changed claim because he learned the lesson of full reliance, God changed his name to Abraham, which means father of multitudes. Number six, learn the lesson of provision. Chapter 22 in verse 14, the Bible says, So Abram called that place the Lord will provide, Jehovah Jireh, God will provide. Provision means God speaks. Provision means man acts. Provision means God provides. Who is your Isaac?

The question rings in my ear. Who is my Isaac? Who is your Isaac? Provision means God speaks. He is indeed our Jehovah Jireh, God provider. Sometimes we sing that song and at least I do in the middle of that song begin to think, am I just singing a song, just notes and lyrics, or do I realize how God truly is our provider? We'd love to connect you with a friend that believes in that same truth, that God is our provider. And maybe you realize that, you understand that, but you'd just like to have a Christian brother or sister pray along those lines about a sense of provision in your life. Our toll-free number is 1-866-899-WORD. That's 1-866-899-9763. And we would love to get connected with you. Perhaps email is more convenient. All you've got to do is go to our website at theencouragingword.org and you can obtain resources or connect with us, maybe even request our daily Bible guide, a wonderful opportunity to spend time in God's Word every day, for that is indeed our source of encouragement. On behalf of Dr. Wilton, have a great week and join us next time. The Encouraging Word