Sacrifice, from Faith

Hebrews 11:17-19

"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense."

God called Abraham to sacrifice his own son. Abraham believed God would restore Isaac to him after death. And God did. God called Jesus to sacrifice Himself to make us His children. Jesus believed God would restore Him to life after death. And God did. God calls you to sacrifice yourself, to die to yourself and your sin. Believe that doing this, God will bring restoration, forgiveness, and life after death. God will do it. The table pictures these 3 offerings for us. Abraham received bread and wine from Melchizedek, and gave him a tenth of his plunder - an act of faith that God was giving him much more. Jesus offered up His body to be broken, His blood to be spilled, taking God’s wrath on Himself instead of on us. He did this for the joy set before Him. And us? We follow Christ’s example. We have given of ourselves in response to God’s Word in our tithes and offerings. Let us do so with our lives, knowing Christ and making Him known. Knowing our labor is not in vain, that God will restore to us 100 fold what we sacrifice for Him.

5/13/12