Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson… A man named Ordinary who leaves the land of Familiar to pursue a dream given to him by God, the Dream Giver.

With the Dream Giver’s help, he faces Bullies, fights Giants, endures the wasteland, and finally is asked by God the Dream Giver to let go of his dream.

This is the hardest battle, but when he does, the Dream Giver takes him to the Land of Promise and gives his dream back—only it’s better and more beautiful than he could have ever imagined!

Ordinary learns that the real gift isn’t the dream, but the Dream Giver himself.

This is the same story we see in Genesis 22…

This is also the where a name of God is revealed: YHWH Yireh, pronounced in 17th century English (as seen in the KJV) as Jehovah Jireh, traditionally translated as the LORD will provide.

Bible trivia facts about YHWH (יהוה).

Modern Hebrew pronounces the vav as a “v,” while most scholars and historians agree that in ancient Hebrew, the vav was pronounced as a “w.”

Written Hebrew has no vowels.

Blvd = Boulevard.

No vowels means we’re not 100% sure on the correct pronunciation.

The strongest consensus is Yahweh.

Other options include Yihweh, Yehwah, and Yehowah.

YHWH Yireh: I AM Provider.

What does that mean and what are the implications for our lives today?

The Narrative (Gen 22)

God promised a miracle baby.

Abraham believed and trusted God.

God delivered on his promise and Isaac was born.

God tells Abraham to take his one and only son whom he most loves, Isaac, and sacrifice him on a mountain in the land of Moriah.

On the way up the mountain, Isaac asks his dad where the lamb is.

Abraham says, “God will provide for himself the lamb...”

Just as Abraham is about to kill Isaac, God stops him and provides a ram for the sacrifice instead.

Abraham names the place YHWH Yireh (Gen 22:14).

God promises to bless all the nations of the earth through Abraham’s offspring because of his obedience (Gen 22:15-18).

Implications

God sees you and understands.

God perceives your circumstances and knows your need.

Exposition

The Hebrew verb yireh doesn’t actually mean “to provide.”

It’s used 1,300 times in the OT, and only in Genesis 22 is it translated as “provide.”

Yireh means “to see and understand.”

Why translate it as “provide?”

That’s the implication of Gen 22.

We have similar sayings in English.

“God is looking out for you.”

“God is watching over you.”

“God will see to it that you are taken care of.”

Illustration: “When you pray to Yahweh Yireh, you are praying to the God who sees the situation beforehand and is able to provide for your needs.”

~ Ann Spangler

Application: God sees you.

He understands you… thoughts, feelings, fears, motives, words, actions, sins, your circumstances, challenges, obstacles… And he loves you.

God provides the right thing at the right time.

God gives exactly what you need exactly when you need it.

Exposition

Abraham’s faith is astonishing.

See Gen 22:7-8.

“God will provide (yireh) for himself the lamb...”

That’s exactly what happened in the story.

The ram didn’t magically appear out of thin air…

Illustration: That’s exactly what God did for us (Rom 5:6, NIV).

Application: It’s not always what I want when I want it, but it is always what I need when I need it.

Do we trust God to provide the right thing?

Do we believe that God knows what is best for us, even better than we know ourselves?

God brings you to moments of decision.

God allows your faith to be put to the test.

Exposition

See Gen 22:2.

God brought Abraham to a place where he had to give up what he loved most and choose God.

It’s the same thing Jesus did with the rich young ruler in Mark 10.

Jesus does the same thing with us… Do I trust the Dream Giver more than I love my big dream?

Am I still going to follow Jesus even though my cancer isn’t healed?

Do I still trust God even though the divorce is finalized?

YHWH Yireh — It’s not just that God sees us.

He brings us to moments of testing because in those moments, we see God (Gen 22:14).

Illustration: “Where’s my tithe?”

Application: What is the most difficult thing God has asked you to sacrifice?

God will use your faith and obedience to bless people in ways you don’t even know.

When you trust and obey God, your life becomes a conduit through which his blessings flow beyond what you can ask or imagine.

Exposition

Look again at the promise in Gen 22:15-18.

Abraham could never have imagined that 4,000 after this event, people on the other side of the planet would be remembering this story and talking about trusting Yahweh Yireh like Abraham did.

Look at Gal 3:16, 26, 29.

We are here today, we have eternal life in Christ, our sins are forgiven through Jesus’s death on the cross, we have been born again into God’s family because 4,000 years ago, some random Middle Eastern man chose to trust and obey God.

Application: How will God use your faith and obedience?

Conclusion: Practicing the Provision of the Lord

Pray for God to provide: Jim Hergenroether

Confess any desire to attribute the blessings in our lives to our own efforts: Andy

Give thanks for being part of God’s kingdom because of Abraham’s faith and obedience: Jo