Pastor Matt Weekly Newsletter
First Baptist Church, Stillwater – Newsletter for the week of Nov. 9, 2025
“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.”
– Genesis 22:13 (NIV).
– Genesis 22:13 (NIV).
There’s a famous scene in Spartacus where the recaptured slaves are interrogated by Roman authorities to identify the rebel Spartacus – who is scheduled to be executed. If they do so, the captured rebels will not face charges. Just as the real Spartacus is about to come forward and identify himself as Spartacus, a different man offers himself as Spartacus, then another, then another, until the whole group stands and identifies as Spartacus. Each man stands saying “I am Spartacus.” It’s even become a cliche in the sixty-five years since the film’s release.
In the Abraham story, the scene is even more intense. God has issued a confusing directive: “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 22:2). How does this fit? How can God ask Abraham to give up Isaac? The son who was promised to him and Sarah? The son who was designated to be the start of the promise that Abraham’s offspring would be too numerous to number? How does this work in God’s plan?
In the book Abraham’s Silence, author J. Richard Middleton argues that Abraham forgot who he was dealing with. Instead of Abraham going to sacrifice his son, Middleton writes that Abraham was to intercede and argue with God as he had done with Sodom before. In doing so, Middleton asserts, Abraham would have gained deeper relational understanding with God without the messy affair of the sacrifice of Isaac. It’s an interesting thought. Regardless of how Abraham should have dealt with things, the outcome is actually the same: Abraham gains a deeper relationship and covenant with God.
In verses 15-18, God tells Abraham that all the nations of the world will be blessed through the offspring of Abraham. Relational closeness was achieved even in this weird story. We have the benefit of knowing what Abraham didn’t: God doesn’t expect us to sacrifice our flesh and blood, instead He did that for us in the person of Jesus. God providing a ram in the thicket foreshadows what Jesus did for us.
It’s almost as if Jesus sees our accuser and stands up and says “It’s me! I’m the one!” God provides a savior, just as he did for Abraham and Isaac, just as he does for us.
May the Lord bless us and keep us,
Matt
Matt
Announcements and other thoughts
Build Nights – Our last Build Night of the semester is this Sunday. I hope you will make it a point to join us in the Fellowship Hall at 4:30. Childcare will be provided, and as always bring a dish to share!
New Groups – On 11/23 we will hold launches for two groups on Sunday Mornings at 9:30: a youth group led by Will and Nancy Word; and a Career-aged group led by Matt and Debra Davis.
New Prayer Team – There will be a brief information meeting next Sunday (11/23) after church regarding the formation of a new church-wide Sunday morning prayer team. For more information, please contact Pastor Matt.
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