Sermon
3-3-13 the bible part 1 – from death to life
Will
read scripture later
Everyone
here has a story, -
·
I
have a story. You have a story.
·
Some
read like tragedies, some like comedies.
·
Some
are mysteries, and others are romances.
·
Some
are much longer than others, and some are just getting started.
·
But
everyone has a story.
All
of our stories, different as they are, are part of a bigger story:
·
A
story that is older than any of us,
·
a
story that defines all of us,
·
and
can—if we let it—guide us, too.
·
It
is the story told in the pages of your Bible,
·
from
the first words of Genesis to the last lines of the book of Revelation.
Starting
a new series w history channel The Bible
we
are going to discover some of the most gripping stories from the Bible––
stories
that are more than just stories;
stories
that tell us something about ourselves, our lives,
and
God’s hopes and plans for us.
the
series starts with a look at an incident from the life of Abraham
[tell
the story of Abraham, sarah and issac]
the
book of Genesis, the twenty-second chapter.
It
is sometimes called “The Binding of Isaac,”
and
we’ll look at it first on video,
VIDEO
Wow
is that painful or what………
the
story of a father who was so obedient to God
that
he was willing to make the greatest sacrifice imaginable
some
years ago, my son was sick……… God and I had some long talks.
This
story is usually told from the fathers perspective
But
have you ever looked at it from Isaac’s perspective?
That’s
how we will approach it today.
It
is not just Isaac’s story;
it
is the story of all of us - in at least three very important ways.
1.
My life is an uncertain journey (Genesis 22:1–8).
Dad
says we are going on a trip
You
aren’t told lots of the details – the whole thing is a mystery
That
is true of your life and mine.
We
are all on a journey–– an uncertain journey.
We
don’t know what lies ahead.
A
pastor and songwriter named Ira Stanphill once wrote,
I don’t know about tomorrow;
I just live from day
to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may
turn to grey. …
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to
understand
None
of us knows what is to be.
No
matter how much you may know, no matter how educated you are,
no
matter how much you have figured out, your life, like mine, is an uncertain
journey.
That’s
one way in which Isaac’s story is my story, and yours, too.
But
there is another way in which his story is true of each of us,
and
that is:
2.
death appears certain (Genesis 22:9–10).
Genesis
22, verses 9 and 10, say this:
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 took the knife to slay his son (NIV).
Can
you imagine?
I
have to stop for a commercial
I
Cant imagine harming one of my children
Parents
that hurt their children, is beyond understanding
In
fact, I invite you to think hard with me about the concept of hurting another
human being ever.
Cars
- We
hurt people With road rage cutting people off.
What
is the point.
Why
would we want to do this at all?
War
In
time of war people get hurt. Innocent people too…..
Quakers
are pacificsts
Part
of me wants to be so as well.
Now,
commercial over….. back in Isaac’s shoes.
Can
you imagine his amazement, his horror?
Did
his father surprise him?
Did
Abraham explain what had to happen?
Did
Isaac resist?
We
don’t know for sure.
At
some point, he realized that his death was certain.
Can
you imagine this moment?
Abraham
raised the knife to “slay” his son!
Talk
about your life flashing before your eyes!
Some
of us have had such a moment.
Maybe
it was a cancer scare.
Maybe
it was a car accident or an operation.
When
we are kids we think we are invincible…….
When
we grow older we start to understand that we are not here forever.
But
Isaac’s story is your story, and mine, regardless.
The
Bible says, Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as
sin entered the world through one man,(X) and death through sin,(Y) and in this way death came to all
people, because all sinned
Ever
since the first human beings ate the forbidden fruit,
we
have all gone astray.
We
have all rejected God’s way and chosen our own way … repeatedly.
And
the awful consequence of the sin that touches us all
is
the death that awaits us all.
it’s
not a question of if death is coming,
it
is only a question of when.
We
all know our time on this earth, in this life, is limited.
We
all know that the human condition is terminal.
We
know that the death rate is 100%.
We
may hope it’s not today.
We
may feel like we’ve got all the time in the world.
But
none of us knows.
But,
happily, that is not the end of the story.
Or,
at least, it doesn’t have to be.
Because
there is one more way that Isaac’s story is my story,
and
it is this:
3.
our salvation has been provided Let’s look at the
text.
Genesis
22, verses 11–14, says this:
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,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. 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 a 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. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is
said, “On the mountain of the Lord it
will be provided” (NIV).
On
the way to the mount Isaac asks where the sacrifice is
Abraham
said to Isaac... God will provide.
God always
carries us through the pain. He walks us through the dark valleys even when we
are the most distant, He is there for us. God draws near and provides for us.You may think that you are alone, but God is there
so the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham......, and the next thing you know, a ram appeared, tangeled in a bush nearby. A ram. A sacrificial animal. A substitute. And Isaac was saved.
You might have noticed in the clip there was a lamb instead of the ram. This wasn’t an accident, the producers of the miniseries are making a point. Because just as He did for Isaac, God provided us a substitute.... a lamb. He provided a Lamb for all of us. For me. For you. When we put our trust in Him we go from death to life..
Romans
6 says
The
wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23, NIV).
But
your story doesn’t end there,
The
rest of the verse says
but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Because
just as he did for Isaac,
God
provided salvation for you … a substitute. A Lamb.
John
the Baptist announced to everyone:
“Look,
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
God
provided a Lamb for all of us. For me. For you.
Transition
Let
me ask you to put yourself in Isaac’s shoes—or sandals—one last time
The
knife is up. But then his father is stopped. The ropes are cut
Can
you picture him climbing down from that altar?
Do
you imagine that he wiped his brow and said, “Whew! That was close”?
I
would like to think that he embracing his father.
I
would like to think that he dropping to his knees in gratitude for the
salvation God provided
What
about you?
When
you think of what God has done -do you have a sense of gratitude?
But
God has provided - A ram. A substitute
Instead
of rejection, a welcome
God
has provided a savior for you.
This
is not merely an acceptance and then you get on with your life.
This
kind of sacrifice creates a bonding,
Randy Ross’s story
A
realization that you life is now hidden in Christ.
A
leaving of yourself for him
It
is the losing yourself in the love of another
Has
god saved you from something?
I
want in invite you to nod to this, but there is more
I
want you to enter into the divine embrace?
I
want you to feel the joy of salvation.
Thank
God. In Christ, we all can go from death to life. Thank God.
let’s
pray together:
“Lord
God, thank you for your great salvation. Help us—each one—to live in
gratitude and constant joyful awareness that we have been delivered, we have
been spared, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
From: Jeff Brinkman [mailto:JeffB@woodschapelchurch.org]
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 2:45 PM
To: Sherri Swanson; Jeff Brinkman
Subject: sermon notes.......for me, still too long........will keep working on paring it down to an outline.
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 2:45 PM
To: Sherri Swanson; Jeff Brinkman
Subject: sermon notes.......for me, still too long........will keep working on paring it down to an outline.
Sermon
3-3-13 the bible part 1 – from death to life
Winnie
the pooh
Nearly
a hundred years ago,
a
little boy in England received a stuffed bear as a gift on his first birthday.
Soon
after, his father, a playwright and novelist,
began
writing stories that featured the little boy, his bear,
and
other toys in the boy’s playroom, as characters.
You
know the bear as Winnie-the-Pooh.
You
know the boy as Christopher Robin.
Since
then, these stories have been translated into more than fifty languages,
and loved by millions
But
it all began with a little boy and a stuffed bear as characters in a
simple story.
Everyone
here has a story, - whether
you have a stuffed bear or not.
·
I
have a story. You have a story.
·
Some
read like tragedies, some like comedies.
·
Some
are mysteries, and others are romances.
·
Some
are much longer than others, and some are just getting started.
·
But
everyone has a story.
All
of our stories, different as they are, are part of a bigger story:
·
A
story that is older than any of us,
·
a
story that defines all of us,
·
and
can—if we let it—guide us, too.
·
It
is the story told in the pages of your Bible,
·
from
the first words of Genesis to the last lines of the book of Revelation.
Starting
a new series w history channel The Bible
Our
hope is that at the eend of this series you will:
1)
See stories from the Bible like you never have before;
2)
Gain a better appreciation for God’s redemptive plan
3)
Experience greater insight into God’s love for you.
Through
it all,
we
are going to discover some of the most gripping stories from the Bible––
stories
that are more than just stories;
stories
that tell us something about ourselves, our lives,
and
God’s hopes and plans for us.
the
story we will start with today is an amazing incident
the
book of Genesis, the twenty-second chapter.
It
is sometimes called “The Binding of Isaac,”
and
we’ll look at it first on video,
VIDEO
Wow
is that painful or what………
It
is a story of great faith,
the
story of a father who was so obedient to God
that
he was willing to make the greatest sacrifice imaginable.
It
is a story usually told from Abraham’s perspective,
as
a display of his great faith.
But
have you ever looked at it from Isaac’s perspective?
That’s
how we will approach it today.
Because
that story, from Genesis 22, is not just Isaac’s story;
it
is the story of all of us
in
at least three very important ways.
The
first way that Isaac’s story is my story is this:
4.
My life is an uncertain journey (Genesis 22:1–8).
Put
yourself in Isaac’s shoes. Or sandals, as the case may be.
Dad
says we are going on a trip
You
aren’t told lots of the details – the whole thing is a mystery
That
is true of your life and mine.
We
are all on a journey–– an uncertain journey.
We
don’t know what lies ahead.
A
pastor and songwriter named Ira Stanphill once wrote,
I don’t know about tomorrow;
I just live from day
to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may
turn to grey. …
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to
understand
As
the wise “preacher” and author of Ecclesiastes once said,
No man knows what is to be, and who can tell
him what will be after him? (Ecclesiastes 10:14b,).
None
of us knows what is to be.
No
matter how much you may know, no matter how educated you are,
no
matter how much you have figured out, your life, like mine, is an uncertain
journey.
That’s
one way in which Isaac’s story is my story, and yours, too.
But
there is another way in which his story is true of each of us,
and
that is:
5.
My death appears certain (Genesis 22:9–10).
Genesis
22, verses 9 and 10, say this:
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 took the knife to slay his son (NIV).
Can
you imagine?
I
have to stop for a commercial
Camp
on the moment when the knife is raised.
I
Cant imagine harming one of my children
Parents
that hurt their children, is beyond understanding
Children
that hurt their parents, is beyond understanding
In
fact, I invite you to think hard with me about the concept of hurting another
human being ever.
In
time of war people get hurt. Innocent people too…..
We
hurt people With road rage cutting people off.
What
is the point.
Why
would we want to do this at all?
Quakers
are pacificsts
Part
of me wants to be so as well.
Now,
commercial over….. back in Isaac’s shoes.
Can
you imagine his amazement, his horror?
Did
his father surprise him?
Did
Abraham explain what had to happen?
Did
Isaac resist?
We
don’t know for sure.
But
it seems likely that, at some point, Isaac understood what was happening.
At
some point, he realized that his death was certain.
And,
while the biblical account doesn’t give us much detail about how things got to
this point, it supplies excruciating detail at this point:
Abraham
raised the knife to “slay” his son!
Talk
about your life flashing before your eyes!
Some
of us have had such a moment.
Maybe
it was a cancer scare.
Maybe
it was a car accident or an operation.
When
we are kids we think we are invincible…….
When
we grow older we start to understand that we are not.
Anyone
that has had a major surgery or lost a close loved one……..
You
start to see that life reminds you that we are not here for ever.
But
Isaac’s story is your story, and mine, regardless.
The
Bible says, Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as
sin entered the world through one man,(X)
and death through sin,(Y)
and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned
Ever
since the first human beings ate the forbidden fruit,
ever
since they ignored God’s warning and did things their own way,
we
have all gone astray.
We
have all rejected God’s way and chosen our own way … repeatedly.
And
the awful consequence of the sin that touches us all
is
the death that awaits us all.
There
is a scene in The Bible miniseries dramatization of the Exodus,
in
which Moses has to explain the final plague to his people,
and
he tells them, “Death is coming for us all.”
It’s
true.
You
may not be tied hand and foot and placed on an altar.
The
angel of death may not be sweeping through your house tonight.
But
death is coming for us all,
one
way or another,
sooner
or later.
Every
one among us is facing physical death, just like Isaac did on the altar;
it’s
not a question of if death is coming,
it
is only a question of when.
We
all know our time on this earth, in this life, is limited.
We
all know that the human condition is terminal.
We
know that the death rate is 100%.
We
may hope it’s not today.
We
may feel like we’ve got all the time in the world.
But
none of us knows.
But,
happily, that is not the end of the story.
Or,
at least, it doesn’t have to be.
Because
there is one more way that Isaac’s story is my story,
and
it is this:
6.
My salvation has been provided (Genesis 22:11–14).
Let’s
look at the text.
Genesis
22, verses 11–14, says this:
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,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. 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 a 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. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is
said, “On the mountain of the Lord it
will be provided” (NIV).
On
the way to the mount Isaac asks where the sacrifice is
Abraham
said to Isaac... God will provide.
God always
carries us through the pain. He walks us through the dark valleys even when we
are the most distant, He is there for us. God draws near and provides for us. I
know that for me personally when I have gone through my most difficult times in
my life... it has been challenging to see the good or to sometimes lean on God
and let Him guide me. But in the end God has been my strength to get me
through....He has seen me through the death of both my parents------Now the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham......, and the next thing you know, a ram appeared, tangeled in a bush nearby. A ram. A sacrificial animal. A substitute. And Isaac was saved.
You might have noticed in the clip there was a lamb instead of the ram. This wasnt an accident, the producers of the miniseries are making a point. Because just as He did for Isaac, God provided us a substitute.... a lamb. He provided a Lamb for all of us. For me. For you. When we put our trust in Him we go from death to life..
You
may not be physically bound, hand and foot,
but
like all of us,
you
know what it’s like to be tied up in knots.
You
know the shackles of sin. We know the brokenness of humanity
You
might even know that the Bible says,
The
wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23, NIV).
But
your story doesn’t end there, any more than Isaac’s story ended on Mt.
Moriah.
Because
just as he did for Isaac,
God
provided salvation for you …
a
substitute.
A
Lamb.
John
the Baptist announced to everyone:
“Look,
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NIV).
God
provided a Lamb for all of us. For me. For you.
Transition
Let
me ask you to put yourself in Isaac’s shoes—or sandals—one last time today.
Can
you picture him climbing down from that altar?
Do
you imagine that he casually wiped his brow and said, “Whew! That was close”?
I
see him embracing his father.
I
see him dropping to his knees in gratitude for the salvation God provided
When
you think of what God has done for you do you have a sense of grattitude?
But
God has provided - A ram. A substitute
Instead
of rejection, a welcome
God
clothed the nakedness of adam and eve
God
saved noah and his family from the flood
God
saves the Israelites from Egypt
God
has provided a savior for you.
This
is not merely an acceptance and then you get on with your life.
This
kind of sacrifice creates a bonding,
A
realization that you life is now hidden in Christ.
A
leaving of yourself for him
It
is the losing yourself in the love of another
Has
god saved you from something?
I
want in invite you to nod to this, but there is more
I
want you to enter into the divine embrace?
I
want you to feel the joy of salvation.
Thank
God. In Christ, we all can go from death to life. Thank God.
let’s
pray together:
“Lord
God, thank you for your great salvation. Help us—each one—to live in
gratitude and constant awareness of our deliverance from sin, and guilt, and
death, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
