The Price
Cast your mind back to Genesis 12, the beginning of Abraham's story. God called him to make a great sacrifice by leaving all of his family behind and starting fresh. He had made relationships, built a life, surrounded himself with family, and God called him to sacrifice all of that to follow Him.
God calls us to a sacrificial faith. We often have to turn from things we cherish in order to go where God calls us. And so Abraham did that, he left it all behind and started again. He spent years following God and holding onto the promise God gave him of a son.
The Ultimate Sacrifice
How devastating for him to finally have that son, only to have this happen in Genesis 22:2: "God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love - Isaac - and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.'"
This is the first instance of the word "love" in the Bible. How he must've loved this boy! But God calls us to sacrifice. And in this case, He called Abraham to sacrifice the one who he loved most.
Now, certainly this was a unique situation. I believe that there is no world today in which you can believe that God calls you to kill somebody. Least of all an innocent person.
The point of the story is not so much to encourage us to do anything violent. But the point is this: are you willing to pay the price of sacrificing things you love so that you can get closer to God? Not physically sacrificing anybody, but perhaps paying the price of an earlier morning, a later night, a regular Sunday time in worship, a daily time of prayer?
The Cost of Discipleship
One of the most startling things Jesus ever said was this, to the crowds who were following Him: "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26-27)
Scholars all agree this was classic Jesus hyperbole. He wasn't saying you should hate them - His other teachings are clearly about loving and being gracious. But to emphasise the price that followers of His were called to pay, He exaggerated it like this.
Your commitment to Jesus should be so strong that even your commitment to your family won't look as strong.
Christians come to church to worship when they could be out having a great time with the family. Christians pay the price of some time and money that they and their family might have because their love for Jesus is greater. This is what Abraham's story illustrates to us. How big a sacrifice are we willing to make to remain connected to God?
Notice how Abraham responded when God called him: "Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied." (Genesis 22:1) The text says it was the next morning that Abraham got up and left with his son to go do this. I imagine a sleepless night. Much prayer and begging. Like how Jesus in the garden said "please, if it be possible for this to happen another way, take this cup away from Me..." I imagine Abraham praying something similar.
But, convinced of God's call... he gets up and goes to make his sacrifice.
Perhaps today you know God is calling you to sacrifice. Your morning, your evening, your Sunday, your money, your entertainment, your comfort, your pride... your whatever.
Perhaps today's the day you say "Here I am!"... and make the sacrifice.
