Teaching Series
The Crucible
Sunday—The Crucible

Series: The Crucible
Message: The Crucible
Preacher: Tommy Eickmann
Daily Walk: Tommy Eickmann

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 107:33-43.

Read: Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV). As you read the English Standard Version, note 1–3 insights or questions. 

Reflect: This text relates the story of Jesus being tested in the wilderness, which we will study later this week. This is not the first time a Biblical character has been tested. A well-know story in the First Testament is that of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22). God knows how important Isaac is to his father Abraham, but He also wants to know if Abraham will be willing to give up his “everything.” He asks Abraham to climb Mount Moriah and sacrifice his son. God knows that if Abraham is willing to give up his son, he will also be willing to do anything else that God asks of him. This loyalty would make Abraham the perfect leader under God. Although leaders go through different trials, according to Maxwell they all have these five things in common:

    1. Leaders get tested at each stage of growth.
    2. The leaders goal is to pass the test.
    3. Testing always precedes promotion.
    4. Self-promotion or promotion by others can never replace divine promotion.
    5. "Promotion requires sacrifice."(Leadership Bible, p. 26)

Abraham’s test allowed God to test him as a leader and foreshadow what he would one day do with His Holy Son at the same time. When we  look at the similarities between the story of Jesus and this story, it is clear that Jesus is both Abraham and Isaac; He would later lay down His own life on an altar. Jesus, Abraham, and Isaac all had to trust God rather than be self sufficient. Jesus trusted his father when he was hungry. Abraham and Isaac trusted God even if it meant giving Isaac's life as a faith sacrifice.

Recalibrate: ​​​What is most important to you? Could you sacrifice it if God asked you to?

Respond: Pray for God to open your eyes both spiritually and physically.

Research: What are some of the characteristics of a successful leader?

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