Genesis 22 (part 1)

(Audio: Spanish)

SUMMARY: The sermon is based on the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22, where God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. The sermon focuses on the theme of stewardship and giving generously to the Lord. The pastor encourages the congregation to be ready to give generously to the church's temple project. He challenges the congregation to commit to giving $5,000 in 24 months and also encourages everyone to give something, even if it's a small amount. The pastor emphasizes that when we give to God, it should be in the zone of discomfort, where it costs us, and not something that doesn't bother us. He cites the story of Ornan the Jebusite in First Chronicles 21 as an example of a generous giver towards the Lord. The pastor concludes by saying that we should not sacrifice to the Lord something that does not cost us.

The principle of giving to God in a way that costs us is seen repeatedly throughout Scripture. The widow who gave all she had, the Macedonians who gave beyond their means, and Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his only son are examples of this principle. When God asks us to give, he often involves a process of crucifixion, where we must die to ourselves and our desires for comfort and security. God tests us in these situations to see if we truly believe in and honor Him. Trials bring to light what is within us, and God uses them to purify us like gold in fire. We must be willing to sacrifice what we love for God, and always remember that He tests us continually throughout our lives.

God tests us in various ways, including through our possessions. He wants to know if we are willing to honor him even in what is scandalous and insulting. God does not guarantee that we will win the test, but if we dare to honor and bless him, he will not fail us. We must give to the Lord first so that he can bless us later. God wants to settle the matter of our hearts before he can bless us. We must seek first the Kingdom of God and his justice before all other things are provided by God at the right time.

The principle is that God does not guarantee that we will win a test, but if we honor and bless Him, He will provide for us. We must have faith and take risks, but we can trust that God will not fail us. When we give to God, we are giving to a being that did not spare His own son, and He promises to give us all things along with Him. We must be generous with God, who has given us everything, and be willing to give up what we love most for Him. The Lord wants us to detach ourselves from things and die to self, so we can be free from attachments and experience spiritual growth. We need His help to do this.

Let's go to the Book of Genesis quickly and there you're going to find Chapter 22, and let me read some verses here, starting with verse 1, Genesis 22: “...it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham and told him : “Abraham”, and he answered: “here I am”, and said: “now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a holocaust on one of the mountains that I I'll tell you." And Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took with him two of his servants and Isaac his son, and he cut wood for the burnt offering and got up and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place in the distance, then Abraham said to his servants: "Wait here with the donkey and I and the boy will go there and worship and return to you." And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son, and he took the fire and the knife in his hand and they both went together. Then Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, and said: "My father", and he answered: "Here is my son", and he said: "Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the holocaust? ?” (one of the most innocent questions that have been asked in the entire history of humanity, that) and Abraham answered: "God will provide Himself a lamb for the holocaust, my son", and they went together. And when they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood, and bound Isaac his son, and put him on the altar on the wood, and Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay the man's throat. your son. Then the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am,” and said, “Don't stretch out your hand on the boy or do anything to him because I already know that you fear God. because you did not deny me your son, your only son”, then Abraham raised his eyes and looked and here behind him a ram caught in a thicket by its horns and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Will Provide. (All say: Jehovah will provide. Amen.) Therefore it is said today on the mount of Jehovah it will be provided. Amen”

We are going to leave it there, then I can perhaps elaborate a little more on what continues but in the spirit of moving forward... As you know, brothers, we are using these Sundays to meditate on the theme of stewardship, of our life of dedication to the Lord, of giving generously to the Lord. We are meditating on possessions, on money, on talents, on time, on those things that we consider ours, our family, our bodies, our lives as a whole, and how God expects us to relate to those things when we we in turn relate to Him and what He expects of us.