(12/15) Jesus came so that we might have abundant life, the completeness of life, but when our perspective is limited, you and I can't see all the details. I remember watching The Passion of the Christ and being struck by the director's powerful choice of angles for each shot. Every scene came from a different perspective, different angles, because point of view determines whether you focus on the scene or the anguish on Jesus' face. And it is that point of view determines the impact of a scene, and yet in our own lives, we often miss the value of a moment because we only see it from one point of view.

Today, I want to share with you from both the Old Testament and the New Testament—two different periods of time—where we find a powerful parallel between two different sons. I want to begin in Genesis chapter 22. Although the messages are similar, the characters are different, and I believe this will powerfully illustrate the importance of obedience regardless of the consequences.

In Genesis chapter 22, God tested Abraham by instructing him to take his son, Isaac, to the region of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain. Obediently, Abraham sets out early the next morning with Isaac and two servants. When they reached the mountain, Abraham and Isaac proceeded alone.

"Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together" (Genesis 22:6).

In silence, deep in thought about their mission, they carried their burdens up the mountain, their only sound being labored breathing. Isaac knew they were going to worship, as his father had told him. Abraham carried the fire and knife, and Isaac the wood, but he was reflecting on the fact that there was no lamb to sacrifice. Finally,

"Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (Genesis 22:7).

This verse triggers strong emotions as they climb to the place of sacrifice, and Isaac recognizes that they are missing the most important thing—the lamb for the offering. Isaac’s innocent question to his father highlights his trust, setting the stage for a profound demonstration of faith and obedience to God, underscoring the narrative's tension and anticipation.

"Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together" (Genesis 22:8).

Isaac continued to follow his father Abraham, climbing the mountain without understanding how or what would happen. Without the sacrifice and without all the answers, Isaac obediently followed his father, serving as an example for us all.

As we flip ahead to the gospel of Matthew, in chapter 16, we find Jesus inviting his disciples to follow him, disciples who like Isaac don’t understand what is happening. You see, the events in Genesis are mirrored in the gospel; while the texts are not duplicates, they imitate each other, telling the story of the Father and the Son. I've taken the same scene but changed the perspective so that you can see it from a different point of view.

In chapter 16, Matthew tells us,

"Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life" (Matthew 16:21).

"Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" (Matthew 16:22).

Jesus responds sternly, he turned around and said to Peter,

"Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men" (Matthew 16:23).

Jesus rebuked him because his mindset was human-centered rather than God-centered. Peter couldn’t grasp the idea that the Messiah—the promised King, the Son of David, the promised Deliverer—would suffer and be killed. The concept was too much for him, and perhaps for us. But Jesus was revealing the character and nature of God as one who makes Himself vulnerable.

In fact, that is exactly what the Scripture tells us,

"Jesus who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus made Himself vulnerable, allowing the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law to hurt Him and make Him suffer. He fully embraced this because it was necessary for Him to suffer and be killed, as He took on the sins of humanity for our redemption.

Therefore, He faced suffering head-on, telling His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and be raised on the third day. Then, He offered them the invitation to do the same:

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24).

This kind of discipleship requires a radical shift in how we view our lives and our purpose. By "denying ourselves," Jesus meant that His followers need to put aside their own desires, ambitions, and personal gains to follow His teachings and example. In essence, He was calling His followers to embrace the same path of sacrifice and obedience that He demonstrated.

When Jesus says we must "take up our cross," He means we must obey regardless of the consequences, even if those consequences are suffering, rejection, persecution, or even death for our faith. This is a radical call for total commitment to Him, sharing in His mission, and being willing to follow His example of obedience to God even unto death. In fact, let’s zoom in on Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane as he prayed. He said,

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).

This is a prayer of complete submission to the Father’s will, despite the suffering He is sure to endure. This call of discipleship extends to all believers across all times, inviting us to live a life of faith and obedience, regardless of the consequences.

This path may seem daunting because it involves hardship, suffering, and sacrifice, but it is through this radical obedience that we find true life. Jesus teaches His followers,

"Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:25).

When we, like Isaac, commit to obeying Jesus regardless of the consequences, we may face difficulties. However, in these challenges, we encounter the profound presence and provision of God. As we follow His ways, we experience His unwavering support, filling our lives with purpose and fulfillment beyond our understanding.

And we must, because Jesus emphasizes the ultimate futility of seeking worldly gains. He says,

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done" (Matthew 16:25-27).

This is the promise of our Savior: Jesus emphasizes the importance of prioritizing spiritual well-being over worldly gains. He teaches that true life is discovered by sacrificing our own desires to follow him in obedience. And then he promises that upon his return, he will reward each person according to what they have done.

I hope you all are still following me, as I illustrate the profound connection between Abraham and Jesus. Jesus said,

"Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56).

Here, Jesus emphasizes the fulfillment of God’s promises through him and underscores the continuity of God’s plan from the time of Abraham to Jesus' ministry. Abraham saw the coming of the Messiah and rejoiced in that knowledge.

Continuing with Abraham in Genesis, the Bible says,

"When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood" (Genesis 22:9).

Isaac had carried the wood for three days; he knew its weight, he saw the fire and the knife, but now it was his own burden laid upon the wood. He lay there in a position of trust, much like Jesus on the cross. He trusted his father with the knife because fathers circumcise their sons. He knew it might involve pain but also knew his father wouldn’t harm him because his love was too great. And the Scripture says,

"Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son" (Genesis 22:10).

This is the power of obedience. Abraham and Isaac climbed that mountain in agreement, because a covenant requires mutual agreement. In the same way, what happened on Calvary was an agreement between the Father and the Son. The agreement was this: "I’m going to take you through something that looks overwhelming, but if you trust me, you will discover that in all things I am working for the good of those who love me, who have been called according to my purpose" (Romans 8:28).

And so, it is in partnership and agreement that together, like Abraham and Isaac, we can scale the highest mountain, navigate the roughest terrain, and tackle the greatest challenges, because we know that God is working in all things for our good.

Abraham and Isaac in Genesis chapter twenty-two is just a shadow of John’s testimony in the book of Revelation where he says,

"The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8).

And these two testaments are staring at each other face-to-face in agreement, like the two golden cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant, because God has determined the end from the beginning. He is sovereign in all of his ways, the fight was already one, he was finished before you even started.

What we see in Genesis is just a shadow, because before Mary was even born, Abraham and his son journeyed together, climbing the mountain. This is a powerful parallel to another scene many centuries later when…

"Carrying his own cross, Jesus went out to the place of the Skull" (John 19:17).

Though they seem like separate narratives, they express the same eternal truth: the events between Abraham and Isaac echo the narrative between God the Father and Christ his Son. This dynamic between Father and Son highlights the profound connection of obedience and the ultimate sacrifice central to both stories.

As Abraham walked up the mountain, he was replicating what God was going to do through Jesus Christ. The Father and the Son are working this out together because the covenant is between them. The Son's obedience to the Father determines the outcome of the Father’s plan.

But let’s take that a little deeper, because today you and I need to understand how to be a father, just as we need to understand how to be a son. I don’t mean that in terms of gender because roles require a willingness to submit and learn from one another to truly fulfill our divine purpose within the Christian community. The Holy Spirit tells us,

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21).

And so, God highlights the importance of mutual submission and respect, fostering unity and love in all of our relationships.

Now, Jesus is carrying the cross just as Isaac carried the wood, and the weight is so heavy that he begins to stumble. As the Scripture says,

"The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

In other words, He is bearing the weight of the sins of the world—not just one man, not just His generation, but…

"Every nation, tribe, people and language" (Revelation 7:9).

The weight of the cross—the wood that He was carrying—was so heavy that Jesus began to stumble. This is Jesus, whose beard had been plucked from His face, His back flogged with a cat-of-nine-tails until Scripture says He had

"No beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him" (Isaiah 53:2).

And what happened on Calvary was God swearing by himself, God in covenant with himself, because…

"His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him" (Psalm 98:1).

In other words, you are an heir of the covenant even though you are not the one God made the covenant with. We are heirs without ever signing a paper; we are heirs of salvation, and yet the covenant was between the Father and the Son.

This morning, I know the burden of the wood is heavy, the cross has you bent over, stumbling under its weight, but you haven’t seen everything yet. You have been praying about the wood, but there is a ram coming up the back of the mountain—a substitute that is going to take your place, deliver you, and set you free.

"Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son" (Genesis 22:13).

Right now, God wants you to believe in what you have not seen. He wants you to praise him for what you have not seen. He wants you to rejoice in what you have not seen. So don’t just praise him for what he has done but praise him for what he is about to do.

On Calvary’s hill, the soldiers crucified Jesus, stretching Him wide and hanging him on that old rugged cross. The connection between our text in Genesis and the gospel lies in obedience, regardless of the consequences. While the characters and scenes have changed, the common thread is that both sons trusted their fathers with their lives.

Abraham raised his hand with the knife to slay his son, and Isaac didn’t even blink. He remained obedient, even unto death. Like Jesus, who said,

"I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord" (John 10:17).

The sky turned black that day, the earth was darkened, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, and graves opened all over Jerusalem. Yet the Son never even flinched. The knife was raised in his Father’s right hand, but like Job, he said,

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15, KJV).

I know you can’t see everything yet. You may see the knife, the problem, the pain, and feel the weight of the burden, but Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb." What you need to understand is that the Lamb was not the sacrifice; his son was the sacrifice, and the Lamb was the substitute.

Today, whether you are sitting here or watching online, it doesn't matter where you are. Wherever you put your trust in God, that is the place of your provision. Your provision lies in the place where you trust Him.

"Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide" (Genesis 22:14).

The moment you stop worrying about the wood and surrender, saying, "Not my will, but yours be done," that is the place where God provides. That is the place where you declare in faith,

"On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided" (Genesis 22:14).

That is the connection between the Father and the Son in every illustration: it is the place where you trust him. No matter whether you are experiencing the weight of an unbearable burden, the pain of circumcision, or feeling abandoned, rejected, or held back, I want you to hear the Lord saying, "Trust me." He hasn’t revealed everything yet; he hasn’t explained everything yet, but he tells us,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

As we close, we’re going to celebrate communion, and I believe that God is speaking to someone here this morning. You came in stressed out, worried, and unable to sleep, but God is saying, "Trust me." This is crucial when your perspective is limited, and you can’t see all the details.

We have learned that Isaac followed his father without understanding what would happen, just like Jesus obeyed regardless of the consequences, and today we are called to do the same thing. When the outcome is uncertain, we are called to live by faith, trusting the Father and obeying despite what the situation looks like.

The good news is that there is somebody that loves you with a love like you’ve never imagined. His name is Jesus, and he came to earth to help you and take away your pain. He came to take your hurt and your sins and today he wants to take it away once and for all. He did his part and today it is up to you, he died on the cross for you, and three days later he rose from the dead.

Right now, he is offering you his forgiveness and he wants to take your sin, giving you his peace, and giving you life like you have never imagined. He wants to give you freedom and joy and so he says, let me take your sin, your hurt and your pain. His invitation remains, he is saying, "Come to me."

Jesus Christ is the one who called himself the seed that would be planted. He is the one who would give his life so that many could come to the knowledge of the grace of God. God raised him from the dead, so that anyone who calls on the name of Jesus would be forgiven, saved, and completely transformed. By his one life, he can bring a great harvest of new life in your life.

Read past sermons by Pastor John Talcott