Offering

·33 min·3 clips

God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering on a mountain.

The episode is a sermon from Harborside Church titled 'Offering'. The host opens by discussing how everything in life costs something, using a personal anecdote about his daughter saving for a doll. He transitions to the spiritual question of what it costs to follow Jesus, citing Luke 9:24 where Jesus says followers must lose their life to save it. The core thesis is that believers are called to be the offering to God, not just bring one. The host then delves into the story of Abraham and Isaac from Genesis 22, where God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son. This is presented as a difficult but key biblical narrative. The host uses an art gallery analogy to suggest people often have 'off limit' areas in their lives they withhold from God. To make this practical, team members John Mark and Joy share testimonies: John Mark discusses overcoming a scarcity mindset with money, and Joy talks about surrendering relationships to God's will. The sermon shifts to Isaac's perspective, highlighting the faith required in obedience even when confused. The host emphasizes that to be an offering, one must 'rest on the altar' in surrender. Team members Amos and Carly offer practical insights on mindset shifts and daily prayer to lay concerns before God. The story resolves with God providing a ram, sparing Isaac. The host connects this to John 3:16, explaining that Jesus became the ultimate offering on the cross, replacing believers as the sacrifice. He argues that Jesus took suffering so believers can receive blessings. The sermon concludes by urging listeners to consider the cost of not following Jesus fully, sharing the host's own journey from being a lukewarm believer to going 'all in'. The final takeaway is that God wants the person, not just their offerings.

As heard by us

A plainspoken sermon about money, control, and surrender.

Harborside Church Podcast shapes this sermon around control, scarcity, and the cost of holding too tightly to what feels safest in hand. It starts with the familiar idea that nothing in life is free, then moves through money, time, and family choices before landing in Luke 9.

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Why you'd press play

When your grip tightens, this sermon keeps talking about money, trust, and control.

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