The Father's Love: Total Surrender and Obedience

This sermon explores the profound story of Abraham and Isaac from Genesis 22 as a test of faith and obedience, while revealing it as a beautiful foreshadowing of God's ultimate sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ. The message emphasizes that God tested Abraham not to harm him, but to demonstrate that true worship requires total surrender—holding nothing back from God. Pastor Jolie challenges listeners to examine what they're holding onto that God has asked them to release, whether it's possessions, pride, time, or habits. A powerful revelation emerges: the ram (God's provision) was already caught in the thicket, but it wasn't revealed until Abraham fully obeyed. Similarly, God often has our answers ready, but He's waiting for our complete obedience and surrender. The sermon culminates in the beautiful parallel between Isaac carrying the wood for his own sacrifice and Jesus carrying the cross, showing that God didn't ask Abraham to do anything He wasn't willing to do Himself when He gave His only Son for our salvation.