I. Isaac was the most prized possession of His Father. "Thy Son, thine
only Son Isaac, whom thou lovest."
A. God had promised to Abraham that He would give to him a son,
and that through his seed all of the nations of the earth would
be blessed.
1. Abraham waited many years for that promise to be
fulfilled.
a. It is probably with Abraham in mind that the
writer of Hebrews declared concerning the Old
Testament saints, "Who through faith and
patience inherited the promises of God."
b. Sarah finally decided they perhaps needed to
help God out, and suggested that Abraham take
her handmaiden Hagar that she might become a
surrogate mother.
c. Abraham seemed to be satisfied with the son
that was born from that relationship and
accepted him as the fulfillment of the promise
of God.
d. So when Abraham was about 100 years old, God
reconfirmed the promise to give him a son,
Abraham responded, let Ishmael live before you.
God declared that Ishmael would indeed live,
but that through Sarah his seed would be
called.
2. It is interesting that God now called Abraham to take
his son, his only son Isaac.
a. God did not recognize or acknowledge the works
of his flesh, just as he does not recognize or
acknowledge the works of our flesh.
b. Notice the words "Thy son, thy only son Isaac,
whom thou lovest." It reminds us of a scripture
in the New Testament that declares, "For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son."
B. After the many years of waiting for the promise of God to be
fulfilled you can imagine the joy and blessing that they
experienced when Sarah by divine miracle gave birth to the Son.
1. For her to give birth to a Son after that many years of
infertility, and having gone through the change of
life, was almost as great a miracle as the virgin
birth.
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Chuck Smith (1927 - 2013)
Pastor Chuck was used in the Jesus People revival where he was used along with others to minister to the hippy young people. They saw a work of the Spirit where many were added to the church and discipled. He has raised up many pastors who are a part of the Calvary Chapel movement now and where he pastors the large Costa Mesa church in California.The Calvary Chapel movement is based of simple principles that Chuck Smith taught over the years such as: The priority of agape love, Simple fellowship amongst the saints, the breaking of bread, the teaching of God's word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. And lastly and most importantly the principle not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord.