Greeting Members and Friends
It time once again for our weekly Sunday School preview so thanks for joining me and welcome back. The Spring Quarter entitled “Acknowledging God” focuses on ways God’s people have acknowledged His Greatness. The March unit is entitled “Follow in My Ways” and provides four lessons drawn from the books of Genesis and 2 Chronicles showing how Abraham and Solomon acknowledged God by following His guidance. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “The Lord Will Provide” or “A Test of Truth”.
Jesus is the Author of our faith, but Abraham is the father of our faith. The bible teaches us that Abraham believed God and because of that belief God imputed or ascribed unto him righteousness. God called Abraham while he was still a heathen and idol worshipper like we were and some still are. Abraham was following the practices of the people his day when he heard the voice of God calling him to come out from among his family, neighbors and friends and follow Him and in return God would bless him and honor him with blessings he could not achieve on his own. This is what Abraham believed.
He trusted that God would do what He said He would do and obeyed His voice and did whatever God asked Him to do. This belief demonstrated through obedience is why God declared Him righteous. It is this example of belief and obedience that makes Abraham the father of our faith. Everyone that God will declare righteous will follow this example. Today’s lesson recalls one of the acts of obedience that helped to cement Abraham’s place as the father of our faith. Abraham was command by God to offer his own son unto Him as a sacrifice and test of His allegiance to Him.
Abraham was old and so was his wife and Isaac was their only child. They both loved him very much and had waited a long time for him. In order for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, Abraham would need a son to carry on his name. If he killed Isaac, how could that promise be fulfilled? Abraham didn’t know the answer to that question but he believed God would make it happen because He said He would. Therefore, Abraham was willing to sacrifice His own son in obedience to God because he believed God would still do what He said. Just as Abraham was about to slay Isaac, God stopped him from doing so. He had passed a great test and demonstrated His love and faith in God.
Ours is a faith of works like Abraham. There can be nothing we are willing to withhold from God, not even our own children. If we are to receive the inheritance, we must prove ourselves to be the children of Abraham in believing that God will provide and being obedient to His word. True believers worship and trust God and hear and obey His voice. They follow the example of faith that Abraham did and are called the children of Abraham. You can get a better understanding of this lesson by reading the daily SS readings found in your SS book which can also be accessed through our website and mobile app. Well, that’s all for this week’s preview. Be sure to join us in Sunday School this week for a fuller discussion of this lesson and the general topic of Follow in My Ways. So, until then
Grace and peace
Pastor Jordan
