This view of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is, by far, the most offensive thing that I know for certain is the truth. This is the "hard saying" that keeps most men from following him. This is the same sort of thing that he mentioned in John 6, where everyone except his twelve disciples abandoned him. There are some things about the "Good News" that are only good news to the sheep. For the vast majority of people who hear the "good news", they hear nothing. [Read...]
Anyone who's been a Christian for more than a week or so knows this story:
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Wait here; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
We all know this story. We listen to it, or versions of it, in sermons every Sunday, somewhere in this country.
We are very comfortable with this story, and because of it, we are very comfortable with God. But we are so because we know how this story ends. In the end, the Angel of the Lord stays Abraham's hand, right at the very last second, and says, "that's OK... that's far enough."
We like to imagine ourselves in that same situation - how we would so boldly and bravely go to the altar to make some tremendous sacrifice; sacrifice something very dear to us; sacrifice it with permanency. We are so very ready to go there, to offer, to sacrifice it all - We are ready and willing to give everything for Jesus!
Like the disciples of Jesus said, "Yeah, we are able to drink of this cup", having no idea what it might really mean.
But how ready are we really? How willing are we really?
How willing ought we to be, to take that knife in hand, not knowing if this time God might actually NOT stay our hand, but require the sacrifice?
It's always a possiblility. Just because God staid Abraham's hand doesn't for one minute mean that he will stay yours.
When you come to him with a sacrifice that's bigger than you really intended, just because you thought in your heart, "Surely, he won't let me actually go through with it. Surely he will stop me right at the last moment and provide an alternative..."
When he asks of you a sacrifice of something precious, something dear, something priceless... When you think to offer something difficult, or hard, don't walk to that altar boldly thinking "Aha! This is just a test. He won't let me do something with permanent consequences."
Consider the possibility that he will!
We have let this story of Abraham and Issac lull us into forgetting that God is a terrible God - a fearful God. As C.S. Lewis put it, "He is not a tame lion." He is a God who works all things for His own glory, and at our expense (or so it appears on the surface of things).
Well, sir, I'm just a child - a young man. God will not require everything of me at such a young age.... It was young Issac on the altar.
But, I have a family, a wife and children to provide for. God would not require the ultimate sacrifice of me, for their sake. Issac WAS the family, the family was on the altar.
At no place, and at no time do you have any comfort in scripture that God might not require of you a sacrifice that he expects you to actually make. After all, he spared not his own son, even though he asked to be spared!
You sing, "All to Jesus, I surrender, all to him I freely give. I surrender all..." Do you not ever stop to think that perhaps God will actually require it of you some day? That you might be called upon to sacrifice your house; your job? Your life's savings in his service? And that God won't consider it "just a test" but actually require it of you?
When you nod approvingly when hearing about how we, as Christians, are called to sacrifice even everything we have, even our own bodies in his service, do you not consider that by nodding your approval, God might not be marking you for just that?
So you can speak so boldly about going out and being a missionary. I can do without a house. I can do without a car.
We say these things so easily, because in the back of our minds, we are thinking about that story of Abraham and Issac. God won't expect me to actually DO it.... I can say big things. I can boast of what I'd be willing to do. It's enough if I'm just willing to do it. That's what matters..."
Is it? Or might God not stay the hand in your case?
There's nothing for you in the way of comfort in this story of Abraham and Issac. How God chose to treat Abraham has nothing to do with what he might do to you.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. A God that says, "Be careful what you promise to me. It is better to not vow, than to vow and not pay."
My friend, the place of the Christian is to reverence and respect God for the infinitely glorious and infinitely powerful God that he is. And to trust him. That no matter what the outcome, it is best for no other reason that it is God's choice - not yours.
Be not just willing, but be prepared to actually do. Be prepared to the point of actually expecting it.
And keep in mind, too, that this sacrifice might not be so obvious as a stone altar, some ropes, a knife, and a voice from Heaven saying, "Do this."
Just a moment ago, I mentioned what another version of this sacrifice might look like to a couple of people who didn't recognize the enormity of what they proposed to sacrifice for God.
It was James, and John - Jesus' disciples. They came to Jesus with a boldness that if they knew what it was that they were asking, and what they were promising, they would have considered a bit more before offering it.
They asked Jesus "Lord, we would that thou should do for us, whatsoever we ask..."
And I can just about hear Jesus, thinking to Himself, "Oh, I've just got to hear this.
"Ok, what is it?"
And they asked.
And Jesus' reply?
Are you able to drink of the cup that I'm going to drink? Are you able to be baptised with the baptism that I am about to be baptised with?
And they answered, "Yeah, sure. We can do that", not even able to comprehend what it was that they were offering to sacrifice, and certainly not thinking that Jesus would actually require it of them.
But he did. And they did sacrifice, and God did not stay the hand that wielded that knife.
God is not like us. He is not like even the best of us. We, having been originally made in His image are nothing like that image anymore - twisted and perverted by sin. When God calls to you, it is best to say, as Abraham said "Here am I, Lord" and then go humbly and do as he bids you and nothing more - neither in act, nor in your heart!
Let your words be "Yes, Lord." And nothing else.
When it comes to other matters of grave consequence, such as giving up your comforts or possesions, and perhaps even taking on a life of poverty in service to Him, you have no confidence there at all. So be careful what you think in your heart that you are willing to offer him. He may take you up on it one day.
If you are wondering if there is a word for this kind of life; there is. It's called "humility."
