The Power of ONE – Week 3 - ONE Action
Series Big Idea: The power of ONE church family carrying out ONE vision will allow us to accomplish the
ONE mission together.
Message Big Idea: ONE Action has the power to demonstrate your commitment to God.
Scripture: Genesis 22:1-19, James 1:17, 2:21-22, 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Introduction: Domino Effect
Video: Domino Effect
(Short video showing elaborate domino sets falling down)
That was a pretty wild video, wasn’t it? Just that one bump from a toy truck led to that whole incredible
scene unfolding. Not surprisingly, we call this the domino effect – the notion that one action can trigger a
whole series of events. I think our lives are a lot like that: one action can have tremendous impact, both in
our lives and the lives of others.
ONE Initiative Recap
Today as we continue our series The Power of ONE, let’s talk about the power of ONE Action. Remember,
during this series we’re highlighting the ONE Initiative, which is a generosity initiative we’ve been
engaged in across all ten of COMMUNITY’s campuses. We’re halfway through the 2-year journey, and if
you want to learn more about the progress we’ve made together and the projects we have yet to tackle,
pick up one of these flyers. (Hold up flyer)
We believe we are ONE church family carrying out ONE vision that will allow us to accomplish the ONE
mission together. Our two main goals for the initiative are to make God #1 in our lives and to see 100% of
us participate.
If you made a commitment last year, we are so grateful for your partnership in this journey. Your
generosity has already made an incredible impact, and together we will accomplish amazing things in this
next year as we finish the ONE Initiative strong.
If you have yet to make a commitment, next week, on what we call “Commitment Sunday,” (Hold up
Pledge Card) you have the opportunity to join the rest of us next week by making a 1-year pledge of
generosity to the ONE Initiative.
I don’t want anyone to miss out on being part of this because here’s the truth… The ONE Initiative could
have a domino effect in your life. This one action could trigger a whole series of events; it could be a key
moment in your spiritual journey.
Think about it… There have been other actions that have triggered spiritual growth in your life:
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The first time you decided to come to church.
The day you decided to be baptized.
The first time you joined a Small Group.
The time you decided to go on a mission trip to another country.
The first time you committed to serve on a Ministry Team.
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Each time you’ve taken action, God has worked in your life to grow you, deepen your faith, and transform
you more and more into the person he created you to be. The ONE Initiative can be one of these key
moments in your spiritual journey. That’s the power of this one action, and I don’t want anyone to miss
out on that!
Throughout this series, we’ve been examining the life of Abraham. He was on a journey with God, just like
us, and along the way he was called to an action that would define the rest of his life.
Abraham and Isaac Story
So, let’s review the story.
In Genesis chapter 12, God calls Abraham to leave his country and go to the land of Canaan. God gives him
a great promise, that he will make him “into a great nation, and will bless him so that he can bless the
world.” When Abraham and his wife arrived in Canaan, God’s promises continued. He said, “I am going to
give this land to your future generations.” And so Abraham built an altar in that place.
Now God did not fulfill his promise of offspring for quite some time. In fact, Abraham had to wait 25 years
to see movement on that promise. But, after a long and arduous wait – we see in Genesis 21 that Isaac is
finally born. Just imagine how excited Abraham and Sarah must have been! Isaac was the key to the
future, the proof and security of God’s vow. The promise of a son is finally fulfilled.
But then we turn the page to Genesis 22, and… what the heck??
Just look at how this chapter begins:
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of
Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” – Genesis 22:12
Ummm – did we miss something here?
The last mention of Isaac we’re giving is this miraculous account of his birth, and the joy that filled
Abraham and Sarah at this surprising, beautifully fulfillment of God’s promise… and now this?
Keep in mind, in this day and age human sacrifice would have been a common and prevalent practice in
this part of the world so it wouldn’t have been as shocking to Abraham as it is to us, but that would not
have changed the anguish Abraham must have felt upon receiving this command. How could God ask him
to do such a thing? Didn’t he remember that Isaac was Abraham’s only key to the future he was
promised? Why would God ask Abraham to make this unthinkable sacrifice?
Personally, I think we often fail to give out of fear that we will find ourselves in a place of shortage, as if
God is unaware of our needs. But when we give because we trust God, we receive him as the one who
makes us secure. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Now, the text tells us that this journey to Moriah took them three days. Can you conceive what that scene
must have been like? How many times must have Abraham second-guessed this decision? How agonizing
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must that journey have been for him? If that had been me, I’m sure there would have been countless
times that I doubted I heard from God at all. But Abraham remains obedient.
I think it’s also worth noting Isaac’s obedience in all of this. We’re not quite sure how old he is at the time
is this is taking place, but we do know that Abraham is over 100 years old. Even as a small child, Isaac
likely could have easily overpowered or outrun Abram. But he doesn’t. He trust’s his father because he
knows his father trusts God. What a picture that is.
After three days, they reach the place that God commanded them, and here’s how the story unfolds:
9 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. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of
the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do
not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you
fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
13 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. 14 So Abraham
called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of
the LORD it will be provided.” – Genesis 22:9-14
Now, at first glance, this story may be tough for us to stomach, simply because the notion of human
sacrifice is so foreign and unthinkable to us. But can’t we all think of something that we hold dear,
something that feels unthinkable for us to sacrifice? Something that feels like it is the only key to our
security, future, or success? For many of us, that is our wealth, our money.
I think that’s why when an opportunity to give, to take action and be a part of something like ONE – it can
feel like an unthinkable sacrifice to us. It can almost even feel like we are putting something to death. But
what if, in giving and giving big – we are actually giving God the opportunity to bring something to life?
So, what can we learn from Abraham’s story that can help us take action?
Action Completes Faith
First, Abraham’s action completed his faith. (On Screen: Action Completes Faith) Let’s think back on the
story for a moment. At what moment was Abraham’s faith made complete?
It wasn’t during the journey to Moriah.
It wasn’t even in the binding of his son.
Abraham’s faith was made complete in the raising of the knife. In this action he demonstrated that he was
truly willing to trust God…that he was willing to give whatever God asked.
God says to him:
“Now I know that you fear God, (which means to respect God, to revere him) because you have
not withheld from me your son, your only son.” (Genesis 22:12)
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It was in this action that Abraham’s faith moved from theoretical to substantial.
Writing centuries later, Jesus’ brother, James, says this about Abraham’s faith:
Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son
Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith
was made complete by what he did. (James 2:21-22)
His faith was made complete by what he did. And our faith is made complete by what we do, too.
A couple years ago I (Tammy) had the opportunity to visit Vancouver. As I
did some research beforehand to find the best tourist activities, I kept
coming across the website for the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Anyone
ever been to this bridge? Here’s a picture of it. It stretches 450 feet across a
canyon, 230 feet above the canyon floor. Although you can’t tell from the
picture, it sways quite a bit up and down and side to side as people make
their way across it. It looks beautiful, but there was only one problem…I’m
deathly afraid of heights, and even more afraid of plunging 230 feet into a
canyon. Yet, I wanted to experience the Capilano Suspension Bridge! As I
stood on the safety of the ground and took this picture, I was a little bit
queasy. Sure, I believe the bridge could hold me up. I trusted that it was
made well and that if I ventured out onto it, I could make it to the other
side. Yet, as long as I stood on the sidelines watching other people cross it,
my faith was incomplete. I had to walk across the bridge to make my faith
in it complete. (Picture) And, yes, here’s evidence that I did it! You can’t
even tell that I’m about to throw up in this picture, can you?
(On Screen: Action Completes Faith) Our actions complete our faith. And this
is true, too, when it comes to trusting God with our finances. How often do
we say we trust God, but then withhold from him? When it comes to the
resources he’s blessed us with, are we willing to give whatever God asks?
The ONE Initiative gives us an opportunity to take action, to stop standing
on the sidelines and instead step out in faith. Like Abraham, it’s an
opportunity to demonstrate that we’re truly willing to trust God, to give
whatever God asks.
Action Demonstrates Trust in the Giver not the Gift
Which brings me to the second observation from Abraham’s story… (On Screen: Action Demonstrates
Trust in the Giver not the Gift) Abraham’s action demonstrated that he trusted in the Giver not the gift.
Abraham trusted God over what God had given.
Think about it…from the beginning of Abraham’s story in Genesis 12, he’d been looking for God to fulfill
his promise by giving him a son. 25 years had passed before God came through on this promise and Isaac
is born. After all the waiting and doubting and trusting, Abraham finally has the gift he’d been longing for.
And now God asks him to sacrifice this gift?
In this moment, Abraham has to decide…will he now transfer his trust to the gift or will he continue to
trust the Giver?
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When it comes to giving back to God, it might help to stop and ask ourselves, “What am I actually giving?”
We often believe that what we are giving belongs to us—our money, our resources, our possessions. But
the truth is we are giving what God has provided for us to give. Again, James reminds us:
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly
lights…” (James 1:17)
All I have is a gift from God. All you have is a gift from God. That’s why when we talk about generosity
around here, we say it’s “giving back to God.” So when it comes to giving back to him, we need to ask
ourselves: “Am I going to trust in the Giver or the gift?”
In Abraham’s story, the gift that satisfied the test of God, the ram, was provided by God himself. But this is
not just some miracle for Abraham; it is true in all of our stories. What he wants for us to give is what he
has already given to us. We are simply stewards of every resource God has blessed us with.
And don’t forget - rather than name the place, “This is where the Lord almost gave my a heart attack and
caused my son to panic,” he names it “The Lord will provide.”
So often when the opportunity to take an action like committing to the ONE Initiative comes, we are filled
with fear. We worry that we won’t have enough. We’re tempted to trust more in the gift than the Giver.
But Paul gives us this warning:
“Command those who are rich in this present world (which, as Americans is 99.9% of us) not to
be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in
God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to
be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17-18)
Will we put our hope in our wealth? Or will we put our hope in God? The ONE Initiative gives us an
opportunity to take action, to demonstrate, like Abraham, that we trust in the Giver not the gift.
Action Reveals God is #1
One last observation from Abraham’s story… (On Screen: Action Reveals God is #1) Abraham’s action
revealed that God was #1 in his life. Did Abraham need to prove something to God? Maybe. But have you
ever considered that this story is more about Abraham proving something to himself? As he moved on
from Moriah, he would always be able to look back on this moment, the action he took, as a time when he
proved to himself that God was #1 in his life. No doubt God used this experience to grow him, to deepen
his faith, to transform him more and more into the person God created him to be.
One of the primary goals of the ONE Initiative is that it would give each of us an opportunity to prove to
ourselves that God is #1 in our lives.
Often when we think of God being #1, we think it’s about making a list of our priorities putting God in the
#1 spot. Something like…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
God.
Family.
Church.
Job.
Friends.
Finances.
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7. Cubs.
…and so on. But that’s not what it means to make God #1! It’s not about making a list of your priorities
and saying, “Look, God, how nice it is that I made you first. And here is the rest of my list for your
information.”
No, what it means to make God #1 is to take everything on the list that God has given you and bring it to
him saying, “God, I’m giving all of this…everything I care about…everything that is important to me…I’m
giving ALL of this to you FIRST and asking you to decide how I should prioritize things. You decide how I
should order my life and allocate my resources. And when you are done with the list, please give it back
to me so I can do what you want.”
When you are the one making the list, who is really #1? You are! I am! Making God #1 is not about placing
him in the first spot on my list, it’s about letting him make the list. Letting him order my priorities. Letting
him direct the actions I take.
The ONE Initiative is an opportunity for each of us to clearly prove to ourselves that God is number #1 in
our lives. Like other key moments in our journey, this could be a moment we look back on for the rest of
our lives as a key moment where God grew us, deepened our faith, transformed us more and more into
who he created us to be.
Video: ONE Testimony
Challenge: Commitment Sunday
Next Sunday, Commitment Sunday, we all have an opportunity to take action, an action that has the
power to change our lives and demonstrate our commitment to God.
The question I want to challenge each of us with today: What is God asking you to do?
For those of you who are already on this ONE journey with us, next week we will ask you to fill out this
Pledge Card as a reaffirmation of your commitment to the ONE Initiative. For most of us, that will be
writing down the same number we committed to last year as we commit to finishing strong. For others,
perhaps God is asking you to increase that number. What is God asking you to do?
For those who haven’t yet joined us in the ONE Initiative, next week is your opportunity to take action!
Remember, our primary goals for this initiative are to make God #1 and for 100% of us to participate.
Take this card home with you this week and ask him to direct you to the 1-year commitment he’d have
you make. What is God asking you to do?
Conclusion
So, I want you to think back to the dominos we saw at the beginning. Your commitment next week could
have an impact in your life and the life of others beyond anything you could dream or imagine. Your
decision to be generous, to join us on this journey could affect your spiritual journey for years to come.
We must remember, that while giving often feels like a great sacrifice, ultimately God wants something
for us, not just from us. What might God be waiting to do with your commitment to give to his mission?
Let’s pray.
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Communion Idea
We’re now going to celebrate what’s called, Communion. It is a chance to pause and remember, not only
the great sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, but also the fullness of life he calls and invites us to live in. He
gave his very life so that to and I might live and live to the full. That is the very essence of our generosity.
God gave, not out of obligation or impulse, but freely gave himself for the benefit of humanity – for each of
us. He wasn’t driven by his own good, but instead to show us how to give so that all of creation might
flourish.
We give because he first gave – and he gave it all.
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