Radical Obedience

Dr. Albright's message centered on the story of Abraham's call to sacrifice Isaac, Genesis 22:1-14. Read it for yourself. If you don't have a Bible near, click on the Scripture reference to read online.

This is a hard story. According to Dr. Albright, in hard stories we have to go to deeper levels with God to find good news.

Abraham certainly went to deeper levels with God through radical obedience. Because he trusted God to the utmost, Abraham came to know Him as "The Lord will provide." And that is good news.

Abraham trusted God with his entire future. All the blessings were bound up in Isaac. Abraham didn't fully understand what was going to happen on the mountain, but he trusted God and obeyed even though it was hard and seemed like a completely insane command from a humanistic perspective.

God was testing Abraham, the father of the faithful, and through him all who would follow. God knew He was sending His own Son who would come and be radically obedient to His Father. He would become the ultimate provision of the Lord: The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Was there even one who would be willing to offer the same sacrifice He was?

Radical obedience witnesses to our trust in Him.

How about you? Do you trust Him with your future? 

Are you willing to go to deeper levels of trust with God and practice radical obedience? 

Do you want to experience the good news first hand?

Trust God with what you know of His Word.

Practice it to the utmost of your understanding.

Make it radical.

His master said to him, "Well done good and faithful servant.

You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.

Enter into the joy of your master."

Matthew 25:21 ESV

The song says it all: 

Trust and obey, for there's no other way, 

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Carol Weaver