Finally, when Abraham was 100 years old God gave him a son named Isaac. Isaac was a very precious son to Abraham because Abraham knew as old as he was he could probably never have another son. Abraham loved Isaac so much. He spent every spare moment with him. They played ball. They took many hikes. Abraham taught him many things. They talked about things and had great times together.
Then, one day, God called Abraham and said, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, who thou lovest and offer him for a burnt offering."
What a terrible blow to Abraham. He had waited so long and finally when his son had arrived he loved him so much. They had spent so many good times together and now God wanted him to kill his own son. But Abraham was obedient although he didn't understand. He cried and cried all night long. He remembered how happy he had been when his little boy was born. He remembered his little fingers, his little feet, his first step, the first word, the first time he said, "Da-Da". That night Abraham went into the bedroom of Isaac as Isaac was sleeping. He looked at the ball, the toy box, the wooden horses they had worked on together. He looked at Isaac sleeping. He looked at his chin, his nose, his forehead. He knew that tomorrow they would be burning. And he cried.
In the morning Abraham hadn't slept all night, he woke up Isaac. He told Isaac to get ready because they were to take another hike. They walked over to the hillside and Abraham loaded a bundle of firewood on Isaac's back. Abraham took along a knife and they began to walk up the hillside. Isaac went first, and Abraham followed. Abraham watched each step that Isaac took, knowing that each step was taking him closer, and closer to death. Once in awhile Isaac would slip under the heavy load and Abraham would help him up the hill to where he would be killed.
Somewhere along the way they stopped to rest and Isaac asked Abraham, "Father here is the firewood, but where is the lamb?" Isaac had gone with Abraham before to sacrifice the lamb and knew what the firewood was for, but didn't understand where the lamb was going to come from.
Abraham answered, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb." Abraham could say nothing else. He could hardly speak.
Finally they came to the place near the top of the hill. Abraham took the wood, laid it in a pile in such a way that it would burn as fast as possible in order to minimize the suffering of his precious son. Then Abraham took a cord and began to bind Isaac. Isaac looked at his father with questioning eyes but neither said a word. Isaac knew his father loved God and was obedient.
Next, Abraham laid Isaac on the wood pile with great difficulty. He walked over with a trembling handed picked up the knife that he would use to sacrifice his son. He did not understand why God would give him a son and then take him away. He prayed, "Lord, I guess you know I love you an awful lot."
Then Abraham walked over to Isaac, knelt over his son, but could not look into his eyes. He raised his hand, clutched the knife handle tightly, looked at his son's throat so as not to miss. His muscles were tensed...
Then he heard a voice, "Abraham, Abraham." Abraham said, "Here am I." It was Jesus. He said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou has not withheld thy son, thine only son from me."
Abraham looked over and there, caught in a thicket, was a lamb. The lamb that God provided.
But, that's not the end of the story.
That was only a picture of what happened in your town last night during the middle of the night. Many of you boys and girls have Jesus in your heart. Jesus also carried some wood up a hill one day for his father to be a sacrificed for sin. He also didn't speak a word. He was a son, the son of God, but he had to go ahead and die on that hill, to pay for the sins of all of us.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The rest of the story is this: there are some boys and girls in here now who do not have Jesus in their heart. You have sinned, but your sins are not yet covered by the blood that Jesus sacrificed on that hill, because you have not asked him to save you. Only you and God know whom I'm talking about.
Last night God looked down while you slept. He remembered the day when you were born. Your first smile. Your first word. He remembered your first step. He reached out for you through love. He looked at your face, your eyes, your nose, your chin, your little fingers. And he knew someday they will burn because of sin. You will have to pay for your own sin because Jesus is not in your heart.
This morning you are on the top of the hill. The lamb is there waiting to take your place. God is waiting to save you. The Holy spirit is whispering into your ear to get saved. Will you this morning? Or will you burn in the fire of hell someday because you said no to God.