If you were to ask me, I would tell you that my favorite chapter in the entire Bible is, of course, Matthew 25. I believe that if we live out and follow the meaning of those three parables to the very best of our ability, we will be living the life God calls us to live and we will be spreading the Gospel in the best way possible – by the example of our very lives. I may be wrong, but that is what I believe.

If you were to ask me what my favorite part of the Bible is, I would tell you that it is the first eleven chapters of the Bible, Genesis Chapters one to eleven. I believe that section of scripture is probably the most theologically profound group of passages found anywhere in the Bible. As often as I have read and re-read those stories of creation, of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Noah and the Ark, the Tower of Babel, I still learn more every time I read them again.

And if you were to ask me about my favorite story in the Bible, it would be the story of Abraham and his family, the whole story. For the past four weeks now we have heard bits and pieces of that story. We heard about the call of Abraham and were reminded of his great faith in accepting God’s call even though he had absolutely no idea what that call entailed and even though he was an old man when it all began. Hearing such a story gives each of us pause to reflect on our own faith in God.

Two weeks ago we heard the story of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child in their old age and how Sarah thought that that was such a silly notion that she laughed out loud. Hearing that story reminded us, I hope, that often our ways are not God’s ways and God’s ways are often not our ways. But if we walk with God, God will always show us the way and protect us all along the way.

Last week we were reminded just how human Abraham and Sarah were. As the story of Abraham and Sarah unfolded, Sarah believed she would never have a child of her own and so she gave Abraham permission to have a child by Hagar, Sarah’s maid. And he did. Ishmael was born to Abraham and Hagar. That’s when the trouble began. Hagar flaunted her child in front of Sarah. The when Sarah had her own child, Isaac, the cat fighting was on in earnest. Sarah got even with Hagar by ordering Abraham to throw Hagar and Ishmael out of the house. And Abraham did. Yes, God protected Hagar and Ishmael; but the story is simply a reminder that jealousy and pettiness know no bounds. We will hear much more of the story of Abraham and his family the rest of this summer as the Old Testament lesson each week will be a continuation of the Abraham story.

All of which brings us to today’s reading about the saga of Abraham and his family. This story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac is one of the great mysteries of the Bible. I don’t know about you, but whenever I put myself in Abraham’s place, at least mentally, I wonder if I could ever do what Abraham did. In fact, I do not even have to wonder. I know what I would do. I would not do what Abraham did. I would not sacrifice my child nor would anyone I know. I also know that my God would never demand that of me nor would God ever demand that of anyone, including Abraham.

So what gives? Is this story another one of those parables that make up the first eleven chapters of Genesis? No, not at all. I believe this is a true story. I believe Abraham, for whatever reason he had, truly believed he had been asked by God to do just that: sacrifice his son. But I also believe that deep down in his heart Abraham knew that God some how in some way would provide. No matter how awful this situation looked to Abraham, God would help him through it if Abraham were willing to do his part even if that part seemed impossible.

Why do I believe this is true? Because I have been there in my life, and so have you in yours. There are times in the lives of each one of us when we ask much of God, not more than we desire but certainly more than we perhaps deserve. But we ask anyway. When we ask, we ask in the belief that God will do what is best for us, even if it takes working a miracle, as it did for Abraham and Sarah giving birth in their old age.

On the other hand, like Abraham, there are also times when we know God asks much of us, perhaps too much of us. Sometimes in those times I find that I am unwilling to do what God asks of me because I think it will be too difficult, too painful and, perhaps, impossible. Yet I also know that if I have enough faith and trust in God, whatever God asks of me, I will be able to do it because God will give me whatever grace and strength I need to do what must be done.

When we read the story of Abraham and his family as it unfolds throughout the Old Testament, we learn how God would continue to ask much of Abraham and Abraham’s children throughout the ages. God would also do much for them. This incident at the beginning of Abraham’s call and his life’s ministry was simply a test of Abraham’s faith and his willingness to do whatever it would take to be faithful. Abraham did not know what that would be, but he knew God would provide whatever was needed. And God did. God always does, of course.

Nevertheless, one has to wonder what in the world was going through Abraham’s mind as he was walking with Isaac to the place where he was going to sacrifice him. One has to wonder why he was going there in the first place. Again, the only explanation was Abraham had such an intense and deep faith in God that he simply believed all would work out as God would have it work out. Otherwise he would have told God to take a long walk off a short pier, thank you, and that their former tight relationship was now over: How dare you ask me to sacrifice my son! Whenever I compare my faith to that of Abraham, I come in a distant second, if that.

Yet there is more to this story than Abraham’s great and deep and abiding faith in his God. We read and remember this story not just on this Sunday, and only every three years at that. More importantly, and even more theologically, we read this story on Good Friday, the day when God did not spare his own son. We also know the result of Good Friday: Easter and resurrection to new life. But, of course, is that not what happened with Abraham and Isaac? When Abraham lifted the knife to sacrifice his own son, God had seen enough. The deed was done. Abraham’s faith was complete. His trust in God was total. And as with Jesus, so with Abraham, God gave resurrection and new life both to Isaac and Abraham.

One does not have to die to experience resurrection. One only has to die to self, as did Abraham when he was ready to sacrifice the one person who meant most to him in his life at that moment in time: his son. When we give of ourselves, when we do what we know in faith we must do, no matter how difficult and painful, when we make that kind of sacrifice, resurrection will take place. We will come out of that experience a new and better person, as did Abraham, as did Jesus. What that newness, what that resurrection will look like, only God knows. But we know in faith it will happen.

The sacrifices we are called to make because of our faith are hardly as dramatic as the ones Abraham and Jesus were called to make, thank God. But that is not to downplay or make less or make light of them either. There are many times in our lives when we are called to stand up for what we believe in the face of strong opposition, when we are persecuted and ridiculed because of that faith, and we do make such a stand. It is not always easy, and it is often very difficult, to fulfill the mandates of Matthew 25. But whenever we do, we come away stronger and better and even more faith-filled. It is a life-giving, even resurrection experience. Ask anyone who walked the Relay for Life if that was not his or her experience.

That is not to say we welcome difficult and demanding tests of faith. In fact, if the truth were told, we do not. We would prefer that our faith not be tested, that our belief in resurrection and new life not have to be proved. No one likes to be tested by fire and we all pray that we will not have to be. I am sure Abraham no doubt prayed, as Jesus did, that the test would not have to be taken, that there would be a better and easier way. But there was not and they both passed and so do we.