Discussion Notes (for use in a small group or individual study)
Sermon: Holding Nothing Back

Questions:
1. Opening question: Think of something valuable you once loaned or gave away. What made it hard? How did it feel afterward?
2. The sermon was based on the story of Abraham offering Isaac up to God. What do you remember about each of the main points? What stood out to you?
3. Review Genesis 22:1-14 and Hebrews 11:17-19. What strikes you about this story?
4. Believe in God’s goodness
a) How does God’s command in Genesis 22 test Abraham’s view of God’s character?
b) What distinguishes this story from pagan child sacrifice? (see Jeremiah 7:31; Deuteronomy 12:31)
c) How does Romans 8:32 reinforce God’s goodness in giving His own Son?
5. Surrender to God’s requirements
a) Why would God ask for Isaac—the very promise He’d given?
b) James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 call trials “tests.” What does testing reveal in us?
c) What “Isaacs” (good gifts) might God ask us to lay on the altar today?
6. Trust in God’s provision
a) Abraham calls the place “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14). How did he act on that truth before seeing the ram?
b) Compare Hebrews 11:19 with Romans 4:20-21. What convinced Abraham that God could even raise the dead?
c) How can remembering past provisions build present trust? (see Psalm 77:11-14)
7. Receive God’s salvation
a) John 1:29 and 1 Peter 1:18-19 identify Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” In what ways does the ram foreshadow Christ?
b) Read Hebrews 10:10, 14. What does God’s ultimate provision mean for our guilt, fear, and striving?
8. What is one area this week where you sense God saying, “Hold nothing back—trust Me here”? How will you act on that prompting?
9. Prayer - Ask God to reveal anything you still cling to, give you the courage to place it in His hands, and deepen your trust in the Lamb He has already provided for your salvation and security.