“What A Test!”          

Genesis 22:1-14

    Make us O God not only hearers but also doers of your word. Amen.

What was the most memorable test that you took in your life? For some, it was their professional board examinations, for others the final test on college or the final defense of a thesis or a paper. There are those who look forward to whatever kind of tests. Others have some sort of fears over tests. Some have preferences. I remember a classmate who likes the matching type exams and while the others delight on true or false choices. Not many like the memorization part, the fill in the blanks. The most difficult ones at that time were the essay questions, when one had to explain their answers. Only a few like this type of test.

Tests come in different forms in school and work but the most challenging ones are the tests of our character, our values and our faith as we live our daily lives. These are tests that are not written on paper but tests that are defining in nature. We have one such kind of test today – the story of Abraham and his son Isaac.

The story of Abraham being tested by God appears to be simple yet provocative. The story raises many questions about the sacrifice human beings, about straight forward honesty and even about the nature of God that we believe in. But this story critical and crucial in the development of our faith. People of the different faith traditions – the Jews, the Muslims and the Christians remember this story and make sense of their own faith in God as they look to Abraham, who is referred to as the father of the faith.

We recall that the whole story stared with a call and a promise. God called Abraham and Sarah to move from Haran to the land of Promise. The moving part itself was a difficult decision considering their age. But the call had a corresponding promise – the promise of an offering. God promised Abraham and Sarah descendants as many as the sands in the desert and the stars in the skies. At one point, Sarah laughed at God because the promise was not only incredible but most of all impossible. But the promise did come true. Abraham and Sarah bore a son, and they named him Isaac.

Now, God asks something from Abraham that would undo the promise. God asks him to sacrifice his son Isaac. The story line begins with the statement in v. 1, “after these things, God tested Abraham.” Let us remember that this is not a blow by blow account in cable TV like what we got with Pacquiao and Diaz fight. The writer of Genesis had the luxury of knowing the outcome of the story. But that moment when the story unfolds itself – Abraham and Isaac went into the motion not knowing what the outcome would be.  It does not make sense to read a novel from the last chapter first or watch a DVD movie and fast forward to its ending before watching it in the beginning. If we do this we lost the thrill of the story. This is what we got today. We all know the ending because we read this again and again. But I want you to imagine the emotions and the tensions that went through Abraham as he set foot on a journey to fulfill God’s command.

When God called, Abraham responded “Here I Am, Lord” and when given the instructions on what to do, he did not argue nor question God’s judgment – very early in the morning they started the journey. It was quite a distance because it took them three days. Three days is a long period of time to reflect and to ask and I would say to challenge God. We do not know what went through in Abraham’s mind as he looked at the face of his beloved son knowing that he would be offered soon as what they did to animals. To offer choice lambs would be fine but this time God asked for his only son, Isaac.

Child sacrifice was not foreign to surrounding cultures. Worshippers of Molech did such practice, later in history, Jeremiah noted that (32:35) “They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter my mind that they should do this abomination, causing Judah to sin.  There is one disturbing story about child sacrifice in the Bible, the story of Jepthah and his daughter in Judges 11:29-40.  Jepthah made a vow to the Lord that if the Amorites will be handed to him, he will offer whoever comes out first in his house. True indeed, the Amorites was defeated and the problem was that it was his daughter who came out first and Jephtah was devastated.

At times, people use the Bible indiscriminately as if it is prescribes everything as long as it fits their purpose. It is not enough for us to say that it is in the Bible so it is true and should be followed. The Bible has to be interpreted, the word of God has to be mined in the texts and for us Christians should be subjected to the spirit and the mind of Christ who for us represents God’s fullest revelation. Let me state clear that we do not believe in burnt offerings, in the sacrifice of animals and much more in the sacrifice of children. We do not believe in such kind of God who demands these offerings from us. So what shall we make of the story of Abraham and Isaac?

First, we affirm that God has the power and the privilege to test us. There is nothing wrong in being tested. We do this all the time. We test if the product we buy is consistent according to its claim. Teachers give tests to validate whether what they taught was absorbed and learned by their students. God also has the right to test us – to test our loyalty, to test our faith, to test whether we are true to our promise.

The Psalmist speaks of God not only as righteous but the one who test the hearts and minds. (Psalms 7:9) There are several instances in the Bible where God tested the people. In Exodus 16:4 we read, Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. Writing to the early church in the time of persecution Peter said, (4:12)   Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

There are tests that we go through in life and blessed are we if we pass the tests. The open question that we have to ask ourselves has to do whether we have the right to test God as well. There is a verse that is quoted all the time during financial stewardship campaign, Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.

To test God is to doubt God’s power and to challenge God’s authority over our lives. I believe that the giving of offerings should not be based on return of investment concept. Although many testified that those who are generous also receive generously from God. If you test God then it is between you and God. We are called to trust and not to test God. There is also a section in the Bible that is explicit. In fact Jesus quoted it when he was tempted by the devil. Deuteronomy 6:16, Do not put the LORD your God to the test as you tested him at Massah. Between test and trust, I would not dare to test God. I would rather trust God at all times.

Second, the good news in the story of Abraham and Isaac is the truth that God saves. God saves just at the right time and on right moment. There are many questions that come to mind but the basic fact remains that God did not really want Abraham to kill his son Isaac. In the story we read, Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am.”He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

If this is a movie then this would be a great thriller. This is the moment of suspense. Then as we are about to shout or close our eyes, the storyline shifts and so with the whole movement. Then Abraham named the mountain, Yahweh-yireh which means God will provide. This is the good news! At the same time the end of the test and Abraham passed it with distinction.   

This story happens again and again in our lives. How many times have we thought that everything comes to an end when all of a sudden a surprise changes the whole scenario? For those who have no faith, they say, “suerte ka” (good luck) or it’s just the right timing. But for us who believe we say, it’s not “suerte” but God working in our lives.

A personal testimony… our eldest son, Dim is a student in Cebu right now. He was complaining about difficulty in breathing and numbness of his hands and feet. Last Friday evening, we chat over the net and he asked permission to go home to Dunaguete. Gangging said; “he was just home sick.” But I have reservations. I remember saying, “have a check up because if something happens on the way you will be on your own and it would be difficult.” But it looks like he was just home sick and got so excited when he was allowed to go home. So he boarded the bus to Dumaguete. But when it was on its way – he again experienced difficulty of breathing and the numbness he felt before. We have a very close friend in Minglanilla, Cebu, Butch and Jo Ann Orillan-Guasa. Dim remembered just at the right moment when the bus was about to enter the town and asked that he will be dropped off at the Caltex Station that Buth and JoAnn owned in Minglanilla. He was about to collapse and Butch and Jo Ann also just arrived from Cebu. In fact Butch, as Jo Ann narrated was still at the steering wheel of their vehicle.

It was also timely that they did not travel to Ormoc, Leyte where they also had a business. So they were there just at the right moment to help him. If Butch and Jo Ann were not in Minglanilla at that moment, personnel in the station do not know him and perhaps will not help him. Had he collapsed somewhere beyond Minglanilla then the consequence would be worst. But why do events like this happen – right people on the right place and the right moment. You tell me its suerte, it’s timing – no I would say, it’s God’s gracious and saving hand on work in our lives.

God will provide is a testimony for many of us. Even at the darkest hour of our lives, God is there. I have a verse that I keep coming back when I think of tests and trials in life. Paul wrote something very powerful in I Corinthians 10:13, he said, No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

God is not over yet with us. There would be other tests as well. But with what all of us went through in life, like Abraham looking at it in retrospect, we can say, what a test! It was through those tests that we know God in a more intimate way. For the reality is that while God tests us, God also build us. So don’t be afraid of test rather be prepared when tests shall come. Amen.

7^th Sunday after Pentecost

June 29, 2008

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Sermon Archives
June 22, 2008 - "Earthquakes, Cyclones" - by Dr. Angel Alcala
June 15, 2008 - "Each to the Assigned Task"
June 8,2008 - "Where Does Faith Lead Us"
June 1, 2008 - "Follow the Building Code"
May 25, 2008 - "Getting Real with Our Worries
May 18, 2008 - "Speaking of God"
May 11, 2008 - "When the Spirit Comes"
May 4, 2008 - "Why Do You Stand Looking Up to Heaven"
April 27, 2008 - "Don't Forget the Punch Line"
April 20, 2008 - "Comforting or Confronting"
April 13, 2008 - "Life Abundant"
April 6, 2008 - "The Emmaus Experience"
March 30, 2008 - "I Believe; Help My Unbelief!"

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