Lectionary Year A
June 30, 2002
Genesis 22:1-14

Contemporary Address

(FS) C. ADDRESS

"What Would YOU Sacrifice?"
Intro: What a horrible story! Genesis has drawn a compelling story of Abraham: of an impossible promise of a son, a child whose name would mean "Laughter", given to a barren wife aged beyond hope; a promise wonderfully kept. Abraham has his heart's desire, a gift from God. Then, God speaks again. "Take Isaac, the beloved, your only son, and sacrifice him.

I. A TERRIBLE CALL! ABRAHAM IS ASKED TO GIVE UP HIS HEART'S DESIRE, HIS ANSWERED PRAYER.

A. He moves, though-- perhaps in a trance, perhaps in deep, deep faith. He has knife in hand, and Isaac lies bound before him, when God stays his hand.

B. He's passed the test: he trusts God even with his son.

C. Now, Jewish scholars have said that the fact God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac wasn't shocking for the Ancient Near East. God's refusing the offering was revolutionary. God would never countenance human sacrifice, the ritual offering of babies.

II. NOW, OF COURSE, WE CHRISTIANS CAN SEE ANOTHER LARGER STORY WHICH WOULD UNFOLD LATER: A STORY OF A 'FATHER' WHO SO LOVED THE WORLD, AS TO GIVE UP THE ONLY, BELOVED SON. We know the story of that sacrifice. When it ended with Jesus dying nailed to a cross, there was no ram conveniently caught nearby to be substituted.

Of course, God would never demand our children!

Then again...maybe it depends on what we mean by "demand".

III. FOR GENERATIONS OF JEWISH PARENTS, IN MEDIEVAL SPAIN, OR CENTRAL EUROPE, THIS STORY OF 'THE BINDING OF ISAAC' GAVE THEM COURAGE.

A. Many a parent in those places had to chose between staying faithful to the God of Abraham, or falling away and giving in to pressure to conform. Some had to chose between forced baptism, or death at the stake. Others, later, between opportunities for education and "assimilation" or persecution and contempt. They saw in the story of Isaac that perhaps they, too, were being called to choose between an easy accomodation or a faithfulness that entailed sacrifice. How dare they make that choice for their children?!
Yet, they did.

B. There are parents today who have to choose between what they believe to be God's call, or an easier life for their children.

illus.: A South American Presbyterian missionary I knew in South Texas, on leave to study in the U.S. He and his wife had three young children. What was his dream while he was able to live here, with the opportunity to make a life in the USA? To go to one of the Republics in Central Asia, risen from the old USSR. Dangerous, hard terrain. What right had he to make a decision to take his family there?
Only that he felt a very powerful call from God.

C. Could WE do that? Probably not. Our children are going to be affected by our choices, our commitments!

What about our commitment to the "KING OF KINGS"?

What about when the demands of our childrens' other activies clash with worship, etc., on a constant basis?

What about if our understanding of good stewardhip/Christian discipleship clashes with the longings for clothes, toys, etc. ur children are bombarded with?

(etc.)

Could WE sacrifice those things... and ask our children to live with the consequences?


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