Tested Faith
Notes
Transcript
Mr. Smith - Science teacher:
Loved to teach and enjoyed being a teacher
As he taught he would give a test or exam
The test was given to see how much we had learned the curriculum
When we received the results back it exposed whether or not we had listened, studied, and learned the material
His tests were not any harder than other teachers - he made learning enjoyable, exciting, and fun
I remember being disappointed when I mixed up 2 answers, and was disappointed that I did not get a perfect mark
This is how I believe God teaches
He is the perfect teacher
He is not some grumpy teacher
The HS reminds us here in Hebrews 11 of some pupils or students in the class of faith
Abraham
God will test our faith
God will test our faith
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Tried speaks of testing
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 saddled his ass, 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, Abide ye here with the ass; 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.
Tempt - to test v. — to put to the test in order to ascertain the nature of something, including imperfections, faults, or other qualities.
The test is never to hurt us, but to help us see what we have or have not learned
This test was not designed to hurt Abraham or Isaac, but to bring to light what Abraham had learned in faith
We learn a lot from the failures
We gain confidence in the success
God tests upon promises received
God tests upon promises received
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
God tested Abraham’s faith AFTER God’s promise was received
God teaches us the promises, and then tests our faith
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.
Abraham knew Isaac was the promise of God fulfilled
Abraham knew how to build an altar
Abraham knew how to lay the wood on the altar
Abraham knew how to prepare a sacrifice
God did not test Abraham on what he didn’t know, but rather what he had received from God
In part this time is a test from God
This will expose every child of God’s heart in numerous ways
Those that have not received the promise of God, God desires to use this time to lovingly draw people to His Son for salvation
God does the impossible through tested faith
God does the impossible through tested faith
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Abraham knew that, if God could give Sarah and him a son at a hundred years of age, God could raise Isaac back to life
Abraham’s faith had grown to the point that nothing was too hard for the Lord
God had led to this mount, God instructed a sacrifice, and He knew God was going to raise Isaac back to life or provide a sacrifice
And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
This mount would be a reminder to all of what God can do
When God tests our faith, and the test is passed; it gives glory for all to see what the Lord can do!
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Through this testing of faith, God did and would do the impossible
It gives evidence to how strong God is and credits His powerful work!
Charles Spurgeon
If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord’s faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father’s countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,” is heaven-born faith.
Mr. Smith - Astrology:
Now that we have learned the constellations let’s go see the stars