2. WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH TESTING?
• TESTING IS NOT TEMPTING
• PASSING THE TEST PRODUCES BENEFITS
• IS IT HIS PLAN OR MY MESS?
• BETTER THAN GOLD
• ONE STEP AT A TIME
• WHAT ABOUT ME?

3. WHY ABRAHAM PASSED THE TEST
1. Abraham was convinced of God’s goodness.
2. Abraham was convinced of God’s plan.
3. Abraham was convinced of God’s power.

4. By faith Abraham, when he was tested,
offered up Isaac, and he who had received the
promises was in the act of offering up his only
son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall
your offspring be named.“ He considered that
God was able even to raise him from the dead,
from which, figuratively speaking, he did
receive him back.
Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)

5. After these things God tested Abraham and
said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here
am I.“ He said, "Take your son, your only son
Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of
Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt
offering on one of the mountains of which I
shall tell you."
Genesis 22:1-2 (ESV)

6. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am
being tempted by God," for God cannot be
tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no
one. But each person is tempted when he is
lured and enticed by his own desire.
James 1:13-14 (ESV)

7. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast
under trial, for when he has stood the test he
will receive the crown of life, which God has
promised to those who love him.
James 1:12 (ESV)

8. …for you know that the testing of your faith
produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be perfect
and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:3-4 (ESV)

9. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and
character produces hope, and hope does not
put us to shame, because God’s love has been
poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit
who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

10. These trials will show that your faith is
genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and
purifies gold—though your faith is far more
precious than mere gold. So when your faith
remains strong through many trials, it will
bring you much praise and glory and honor on
the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the
whole world.
1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)

11. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8 (ESV)

12. So Abraham rose early in the morning,
saddled his donkey, and took two of his young
men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut
the wood for the burnt offering and arose and
went to the place of which God had told him.
Genesis 22:3 (ESV)

13. By faith Abraham, when he was tested,
offered up Isaac, and he who had received the
promises was in the act of offering up his only
son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall
your offspring be named."
Hebrews 11:17-18 (ESV)

14. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes
and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham
said to his young men, "Stay here with the
donkey; I and the boy will go over there and
worship and come again to you.“ And
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering
and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his
hand the fire and the knife. So they went both
of them together.

15. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My
father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He
said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but
where is the lamb for a burnt offering?“
Abraham said, "God will provide for himself
the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they
went both of them together.
Genesis 22:4-8 (ESV)

16. When they came to the place of which God had
told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid
the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and
laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then
Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife
to slaughter his son. But the angel of the LORD
called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham,
Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I.“ He said, "Do
not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to
him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing
you have not withheld your son, your only son,
from me."

17. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in
a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and
took the ram and offered it up as a burnt
offering instead of his son. So Abraham called
the name of that place, "The LORD will
provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the
mount of the LORD it shall be provided."

18. And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a
second time from heaven and said, "By myself I
have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have
done this and have not withheld your son, your
only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely
multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and
as the sand that is on the seashore. And your
offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,
and in your offspring shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my
voice."
Genesis 22:9-18 (ESV)

19. He considered that God was able even to raise
him from the dead, from which, figuratively
speaking, he did receive him back.
Hebrews 11:19 (ESV)

20. Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
You see that faith was active along with his
works, and faith was completed by his works;
and the Scripture was fulfilled that says,
"Abraham believed God, and it was counted
to him as righteousness"—and he was called a
friend of God.
James 2:21-23 (ESV)

21. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the
mercies of God, to present your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 (ESV)