LESSON 4 ENLARGING YOUR VISION

 

ENLARGING YOUR VISION

LESSON 4

BEYOND SACRIFICE

Genesis 22:15-18

 

Anything great we do for the Lord always requires sacrifice. It is so easy to attach ourselves to things. Our troubles begin when God is forced out of His shrine in our hearts and other things are allowed to enter. Within the human heart, things have taken over. We must, in our hearts, live through Abraham’s harsh and bitter experiences if we are to know the blessedness that follows him.

 

YOUR WILLINGNESS TO MAKE SACRIFICES IN LIFE WILL TAKE YOU INTO A LIFE OF CONFIDENT FAITH:

Scripture tells us (Genesis 22) that God wanted to ‘test’ Abraham. God could have easily just taken Isaac, but God needed to take Abraham on a journey beyond sacrifice. Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son? He wanted to test the authenticity of his faith. Are we more in love with the gifts God gives us or are we more in love with God Himself? Do I adore the gifts or the Giver of those gifts? Have I turned to worship the things that God has given me, instead of worshipping the God who gave me those things?

The word: “burnt offering,” means the whole offering, the entire offering (sacrifice) given to God. Abraham didn’t hesitate, or question God, or bargain with God, no reluctance. That's faith. He rose early in the morning. He took two of his servants, and his son, and some wood for his offering. He went to the place where God told him to go. He held nothing back. He began on his journey. Why would Abraham be willing to make such a tremendous sacrifice? Hebrews 11:17 answers the question, “by faith”. 

Faith is the ultimate challenge of your life. You give yourself to God with complete trust. God has risked all in Christ to save us. And now, He wants us to risk everything by placing absolute trust in Him. The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face everything without wavering. Jesus demands that you risk everything you hold by common sense and leap into what He says. Christ demands of the man who trusts Him, the same bold spirit that is daring enough to step out of the crowd, and trust his faith on the character of God.”

That’s what Abraham did. God was taking Abraham on a journey beyond sacrifice. Here was a father who was willing to release his son. Some of us are not willing to do that. Your unwillingness to make sacrifices in life will rob you of great blessings.

 

YOUR WILLINGNESS TO MAKE SACRIFICES IN LIFE WILL TAKE YOU IN TO A LIFE OF TRUE WORSHIP:

A. Abraham told his two servants, "we will go, we will worship, and we will return." Not only is this a great statement of faith, but it is a statement of true worship (Hebrews 13:15).

B. In John 4:1-26; Jesus made a conscious effort to seek someone who genuinely wanted to worship Him. The woman at the well didn't have a good reputation, but her heart was ready to worship.

C. In Luke 7:36-50; a woman who had lived a sinful life was willing to "sacrifice" her alabaster jar of perfume to enter into true worship.

D. Enlarging your Vision is not about equal gifts, it's about equal sacrifice.

YOUR WILLINGNESS TO MAKE SACRIFICES IN LIFE WILL TAKE YOU INTO A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE:

A. I Samuel 15:22, "To obey is better than sacrifice."

B. God's will always requires obedience.

C. Proverbs 8:33, 34 "Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway."

D. The word 'listen' here means 'unconditionally obey."

E. There's a miracle on the other side of your obedience.

F. The Spiritual Sacrifice Pyramid: Romans 12:1, 2:

     "Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

G. "You have to give up to go up."