SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST July 12, 2026 11 AM Take My Yoke Upon You Sunday Worship Bulletin Rev. Dr. Chris Ponnuraj, Preaching Mr. John Strybos, Music Director Join us for our
Friendship and Fellowship Hour after 11:00 AM service in Bodge Lounge. All are welcome. 
Come and share the joy of Christ's love with us.
All are welcome! 
Join us for the next showing: The Green Book July 18, 2026 Pot Luck dinner at 6 PM Movie at 7 PM All are welcome, admission is free.
|
|
God's goodness is displayed in manifold ways in this passage. God calls Abraham by name, and Abraham answers, “Here I am.” Abraham is anxious to hear what God will tell him. Maybe Abraham was thinking “What promise does God have for me now?”. “What encouraging words will God give me?” But here is the trial for Abraham's faith. God says, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you.” Abraham did not expect these words.
Did Abraham hear right what God wanted him to do? Each word was like a knife going deeper and deeper into Abraham’s chest, “your son . . . your only son, Isaac . . . whom you love so much.” In short, what God said was, “Abraham, go kill your son.” We may think how Abraham wished God had said, “Go sacrifice your lamb.” Abraham willingly would have parted with them by the thousands to save Isaac! But, no, God had said, “Take your son.”
We may think Abraham’s mind was filled with many agonizing questions. “Why does God want me to kill Isaac? How can this be right?” “God knows how much I love my son. Why has God asked me to do this horrible thing? This just doesn’t sound like the Lord.” “I waited for my son to be born for so many years. Sarah and I doubted that we would ever have a child together. Now that we finally have one, why does God want to take him away from us?” “What will happen to all the promises that God has given to me? God has told me that a great nation will descend from Isaac. How will this happen if he is to be killed? He is not even married yet!” “How will I ever be able to look Sarah in the face again? How will I be able to return home with the stains of Isaac’s blood on my clothes?”
I want you to notice that Abraham did not debate or argue with God, but rather he obeyed. His faith was demonstrated by the prompt obedience. Despite all these questions, Abraham rises early the next morning and saddles his donkey. He has made up his mind that he will obey the Lord and trust Him. Abraham says goodbye to Sarah only telling her that he and Isaac will be gone for a few days, he says nothing of God’s instructions. If she knew, she would try to stop him. Abraham takes with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. Then he chops wood to build a fire for a burnt offering and sets out for the place where God told him to go.
How could Abraham have continued on such a journey? Abraham knew that God had promised that Isaac would be his heir and Abraham believed that God would fulfill these promises despite the bewildering command to sacrifice Isaac. We know that Abraham expected this because he said to his servants, "We will worship, and we will come back to you." He was fully convinced that Isaac would return with him. His words demonstrated his faith.
If God is calling you to do something today, then do it today. It may be witnessing to someone, tithing, beginning a ministry for which you feel unprepared and ill equipped, testifying in church, asking you to help someone, to include someone in your prayer list, call a friend or a family member not been in contact for a long time or any other uncomfortable things that we are not willing to do. Do not say to yourself, “I will wait for a better time.” The key to Abraham’s kind of faith is the willingness to listen to God. A willingness to look at the question, and put God and His faithfulness down as my answer.
Did Abraham hear right what God wanted him to do? Each word was like a knife going deeper and deeper into Abraham’s chest, “your son . . . your only son, Isaac . . . whom you love so much.” In short, what God said was, “Abraham, go kill your son.” We may think how Abraham wished God had said, “Go sacrifice your lamb.” Abraham willingly would have parted with them by the thousands to save Isaac! But, no, God had said, “Take your son.”
We may think Abraham’s mind was filled with many agonizing questions. “Why does God want me to kill Isaac? How can this be right?” “God knows how much I love my son. Why has God asked me to do this horrible thing? This just doesn’t sound like the Lord.” “I waited for my son to be born for so many years. Sarah and I doubted that we would ever have a child together. Now that we finally have one, why does God want to take him away from us?” “What will happen to all the promises that God has given to me? God has told me that a great nation will descend from Isaac. How will this happen if he is to be killed? He is not even married yet!” “How will I ever be able to look Sarah in the face again? How will I be able to return home with the stains of Isaac’s blood on my clothes?”
I want you to notice that Abraham did not debate or argue with God, but rather he obeyed. His faith was demonstrated by the prompt obedience. Despite all these questions, Abraham rises early the next morning and saddles his donkey. He has made up his mind that he will obey the Lord and trust Him. Abraham says goodbye to Sarah only telling her that he and Isaac will be gone for a few days, he says nothing of God’s instructions. If she knew, she would try to stop him. Abraham takes with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. Then he chops wood to build a fire for a burnt offering and sets out for the place where God told him to go.
How could Abraham have continued on such a journey? Abraham knew that God had promised that Isaac would be his heir and Abraham believed that God would fulfill these promises despite the bewildering command to sacrifice Isaac. We know that Abraham expected this because he said to his servants, "We will worship, and we will come back to you." He was fully convinced that Isaac would return with him. His words demonstrated his faith.
If God is calling you to do something today, then do it today. It may be witnessing to someone, tithing, beginning a ministry for which you feel unprepared and ill equipped, testifying in church, asking you to help someone, to include someone in your prayer list, call a friend or a family member not been in contact for a long time or any other uncomfortable things that we are not willing to do. Do not say to yourself, “I will wait for a better time.” The key to Abraham’s kind of faith is the willingness to listen to God. A willingness to look at the question, and put God and His faithfulness down as my answer.
If you would like to strengthen your faith journey
please join us in our
Sunday worship at 11:00 AM.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
please join us in our
Sunday worship at 11:00 AM.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
~ All Year Long ~
Ongoing Food Collection
The Board of World Service collects
food donations for the
Yonkers Emergency Food Pantry,
which distributes them to families in Yonkers.
Non-perishable food can be brought to the church
any Sunday and left in the large basket
in the back of the Sanctuary.
Monetary donations are welcome, too;
checks can be written to West Center Congregational Church, noting "Yonkers Food Pantry"
on the memo line and can be left in the offering plate on Sunday.
When shopping, how about picking up a couple of things for the Food Pantry?
No matter what you can give, all donations are much appreciated!
|
Contact us: Church Office: 101 Pondfield Road West, Bronxville, NY 10708 Email: [email protected] Phone: (914) 337-3829 |
Your Donations help us to continue with
our Missions during these trying times!
View other ways to donate to West Center.
our Missions during these trying times!
View other ways to donate to West Center.