EM Worship Service (6/17/18)

[Summary]
James says that those who stood the test will receive the crown of life. And Abraham father of faith is the example of this. Even though he failed here and there, he passed the final trial by obedience. 
After God led him to Shechem, he was told that God would give him this land. However, when he met the severe famine, he decided to go to Egypt. There, he was able to avoid the famine. Not only that, but also he became rich by telling a lie. It was a smart decision, yet it was not the way of faith. He seemed to succeed, but he lost the promised land. In the place where he fail, God intervened. And Abraham was able to come back to the land of Canaan by the grace of God. Abraham's fail was not God's fail. And God used his failure to the test as means of his revelation. 
In his last test, God told him to sacrifice his only son - everything - as a burnt offering. Although it contradicts God's character and promise, Abraham obeyed. Heb. 11:19 says that he reasoned that God could raise the dead. It was shown in Gen. 12:5. By obedience, he was able to stand the test.  The angel of the Lord told him, 'Now I know that you fear God.' This doesn't mean that he never knew before. It means that it was known (proved) by this event. His faith was proved through this trial. And Abraham was molded into the carrier of God's blessing to the world. This is the example of standing the trial by obedience.