The Heartbeat of Galatians

Galatians 4:12-20

June 1, 2014

 

You have probably recognized by now that the letter Paul wrote to the Galatians was not only fiery, but extremely heavy.

 

It was loaded with reproach and loaded with doctrine.

 

Not only did Paul call them foolish and express his frustration,

But he has left no stone unturned as he sought to shed light

On the doctrine of justification by faith apart from the Law.

 

These realities no doubt make the first 3 ½ chapters

Of the book of Galatians one of the toughest to read.

 

It is theological, it is direct, it is confrontational, it almost feels cold.

 

However, do not assume that it is coming from a cold or calloused heart.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

The fact is that the reason Paul was so fiery and so direct

Was not because he did not care, but because he cared so much.

 

1 Corinthians 13:6 “[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;”

 

This was the type of love Paul had.

It was far greater than the sloppy sentimental emotion

That is often confused as love today.

 

Today it is not actually love for others that drives most people,

But rather love for themselves.

 

• People say nice things simply because they desire for you to love them.

• People refrain from rebuke or correction or confrontation, not because they

agree, but because they do not want to be thought ill of by others.

 

In short, they would let you fall all the way to destruction

So long as they can keep their popularity and the love of everyone else.

 

What we see today does not at all resemble the love of the Bible.

 

God’s love is genuine, unselfish, uncompromising, and unfailing.

 

It loves the sinner, sacrifices self, endures hardship,

And exposes that which is dangerous no matter the consequences.

 

This is precisely the type of love Paul had.

He would risk his own popularity

So long as he might save the Galatians from destruction.

He would rather lose them as friends than lose them as brothers in Christ.

That is love.

 

And the harshness of his letter must be seen as that

Which was necessary to turn the Galatians from their sin.

 

Titus 1:7-11 “For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

 

2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

 

It is absolutely essential that our love be genuine enough

To turn a sinner from his sin,

Even though risking our popularity in the process.

 

James 5:19-20 “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

 

Those who will not confront your sin

Or tell you when you are failing do not love you.

They only love themselves and value what they get from you

More than your own wellbeing.

 

Well, Paul was no selfish person.

He loved the Galatians.

 

And if the harshness of this letter has caused you to question that,

Then it is imperative that you understand this portion of the letter.

 

For in these 9 verses Paul bears his heart in a way

That is unequaled in any of his other letters.

 

• For just a moment the theology is laid aside…

• For just a moment the doctrine is pushed back…

• For just a moment the confrontation is stilled…

 

And Paul just addresses them with the heart of a man who loves them.

 

AND NEVER FORGET HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.

 

As believers there must be a compromise of both attributes in our lives.

There must be a commitment to expose sin and confront error and teach truth and this must all be done with love and compassion.

 

Ephesians 4:15 “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,”

 

As followers of Christ we must be those who proclaim the truth and rightly expose sinful realities.

 

• After all did Jesus not tell woman at the well about her promiscuous past?

• Did Jesus not tell the woman caught in adultery to “go and sin no more”?

• Did Jesus not tell the cripple at the Bethesda pool, “do not sin any more”?

• Did Jesus not tell the Rich Young Ruler to leave his idolatrous love of money?

 

• But Jesus also offered the woman at the well living water and talked to her

when no one else would.

• Jesus also refused to condemn the woman caught in adultery.

• Jesus also healed the cripple at the Bethesda pool.

• And Luke says Jesus felt a love for the Rich Young Ruler.

 

The point is that in order to be like Christ, both are required.

We must be stern, and yet we must be compassionate.

 

One of the best passages in regard to church discipline

That I think is often overlooked is:

 

1 Timothy 5:1-2 “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.”

 

Paul did not say not to rebuke people.

 

• When you rebuke an older man treat him with respect like your father.

• When you rebuke an older woman treat her with dignity like your mother.

• When you rebuke a younger man treat him with equality like a brother.

• And when you rebuke a younger woman treat her with purity like a sister.

 

In your desire to stomp out sin and confront error

There must always be compassion.

 

It is that compassion that Paul puts on display here.

 

He is angry, he is frustrated, in this very passage he says he is “perplexed”, but don’t let that cause you to assume he doesn’t care.

 

Four things I want you to see

#1 HIS PLEA AS TO A BROTHER

Galatians 4:12a

 

If there was any thought that Paul had grown cold and rigid

This verse lays that idea to rest.

“I beg of you, brethren…”

 

Paul was angry and disillusioned, but don’t think for one second

That he was done with the Galatians.

 

He still viewed them as “brethren”

 

And here in the midst of one the harshest letters in Scripture

We actually find Paul down on one knee pleading with them.

 

“I beg of you”

The language could not be more compassionate.

 

What does he desire?

“become as I am, for I also have become as you are.”

 

What does Paul mean?

• Well, Paul was a Jew

• He was under the Law

• He was committed to legalism

• He was religious man in every sense of the word.

 

Philippians 3:5-6 “circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.”

 

Paul understood legalism better than most people, he used to live in it.

 

But he left that and became like a Gentile.

 

“I also have become as you are.”

 

Philippians 3:7-11 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

 

Paul had been under the Law, but purposely came out from under it.

He was born a Jew and for all practical purposes became a Gentile.

 

And now Paul is faced with the reality that his new Gentile brothers

Are actually trying to become Jews.

 

And so Paul begs them not to.

“I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are.”

Paul speaks like a recovering alcoholic

Trying to beg his brother not to start drinking.

 

It is an appeal that is reminiscent of the rich man in hell,

As he begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his family:

 

Luke 16:27-28 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house — for I have five brothers — in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’”

 

That is the same passion and heart that is fueling Paul’s letter.

• Is it stern? Yes

• Is it weighty? Yes

 

But don’t confuse that for being uncompassionate.

• Just as an alcoholic would give every gory detail about the cruelties of

alcoholism if it would save his brother from drinking…

 

• Just as a man in hell would give every gruesome detail about the

agonies of hell if it would save his brother from going there…

 

Paul has, in the same way, covered every possible doctrine

About the truths of legalism

If it might persuade his brothers to leave it alone.

 

Paul is begging with the brothers he loves.

 

This is how we must approach our brothers in Christ as well.

Be stern, be direct, don’t sugar coat the dangers

BUT DO IT FROM THE PROPER MOTIVE OF LOVE

 

Paul’s Plea as to a brother

#2 HIS OBSERVATION AS TO A FRIEND

Galatians 4:12b-16

 

Again Paul is very quick to point out that this letter

Is not a retaliatory letter to some perceived wrong they have done to him.

 

“You have done me no wrong;”

 

Many times when you confront someone for any reason,

And especially if it is a strong confrontation, you may hear the words, “What did I do to you?”

 

I’m sure as the Galatians opened this letter and began to read it

That thought must have crossed their mind.

How did we wrong Paul to make him so mad?

 

Sure he doesn’t like our decision to get circumcised, but how does that hurt him?

Well rest assured Paul’s passion and fire

Is not a result of something wronging him.

 

His motive is purely for his friend.

“You have done me no wrong”

(This isn’t about me)

 

And Paul even expounds on that:

(13-14) “but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.”

 

Far from them wronging him, Paul says he is actually indebted to them.

 

Many of his missionary voyages were intentional,

But the trip to Galatia was actually a necessary one.

 

He went there “because of a bodily illness”

(No, we don’t know what it was because it doesn’t matter)

 

The point was that even thought a stranger, and a sick one at that,

The Galatians still accepted him, loved him, and helped him.

 

In fact Paul says you did it for me

“as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself”

You couldn’t have treated Jesus any better than you treated me.

 

I have no complaints toward you.

• You owe me nothing.

• This letter is not about some grudge or previous wrong.

 

Boy and there is a good point.

If our present confrontation is rooted in a personal wrong

We had better check our motives.

 

If you are only eager to expose your brother’s current sin

Because of a previous offense, you may not be acting in love.

 

Paul had nothing against the Galatians, he purely cared for them.

They had helped him immensely.

You are my friends.

 

But here is the observation he makes of his friends.

 

(15-16) “Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?”

In short – WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FRIENDSHIP?

• All of a sudden you don’t want to hear what I have to say, what happened?

• All of a sudden you regard me as an enemy, why?

 

Paul came to Galatia and they loved him in spite of his infirmity,

And now after he is gone they begin to treat him like an enemy.

 

Those are not the words of an unloving man.

• Paul loved the Galatians

• Paul valued their friendship

• The grief he has is over a brother tripping into sin

• The grief he has is over a friend now out of fellowship

 

You can see Paul’s love

 

Paul’s Plea as to a Brother

Paul’s Observation as to a Friend

#3 PAUL’S WARNING AS TO A SISTER

Galatians 4:17-18

 

We read the passage earlier about confronting younger women as sisters.

 

The idea there is that of purity.

You would never want to discipline a young lady

In any way which threatens her purity or innocence.

 

Just as a brother seeks to protect the purity and innocence of his sister,

That is how Paul said discipline should be done.

 

And that is how he speaks here.

He comes to the Galatians as a sister

Who is being seduced by a dangerous fellow.

 

In fact the word “eagerly seek”

Was a word often used of a man courting a woman.

 

And Paul said that is what they are doing to you.

“They eagerly seek you”

 

The problem is that it is “not commendably”

 

In other words they want you but they don’t have the best intentions.

 

Any man who has a sister, or any father with a daughter

Has learned to be on the lookout for that guy.

 

He’s the guy who wants your daughter or wants your sister

For the wrong reasons.

 

That is what Paul is saying here about the Judaizers.

They want you, but it isn’t commendable.

 

“but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.”

 

In other words they want to alienate you from the church

So that they are all you have left.

 

They don’t want you,

They want the glory that comes from you wanting them.

 

It is like the warning Paul gave to the Ephesians:

Acts 20:25-30 “And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. “Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

 

It is like the Pharisees, whom Jesus said:

Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

 

• These guys won’t cherish you

• These guys won’t love you

• These guys don’t have our best interest in mind

• They are parasites who want to use you for their own personal gratification.

 

And Paul, like a concerned older brother, is warning them.

 

Forgive him if he is a little passionate,

But he knows what those guys want

And he is refusing to let them have it with his sister.

 

Now, you will notice he does soften even that blow

 

(18) “But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you.”

 

Now dads that is a good talk to have with your daughters.

Watch out for the wrong guy that guy who is selfishly pursuing you.

 

But, that doesn’t mean being “eagerly sought” is a bad thing.

 

It’s good to be sought by the right kind of guy.

Everyone wants to be loved, it’s part of the desire.

 

Just make sure you aren’t so quick to want it that you take it from the wrong guy.

Paul says, it is good that you are sought – that is a good thing.

 

And he says, “not only when I am present”

 

In other words, it is even a good thing

That someone other than me seeks you.

 

Paul wasn’t selfish in this.

He wasn’t trying to keep them all to himself.

He understood the value in being wanted and sought and pursued.

 

He just wanted to make sure that his sister understood

That not everyone who pursues you is on the up and up.

 

There is nothing selfish or mean spirited about this letter.

• It is written with the love a brother

• It is written with the adoration of a friend

• It is written with the protection as over a sister

 

He loves these people.

Make sure when you have to confront your brother or sister in Christ

It carries the same compassion.

 

His Plea as to a brother

His Observation as to a friend

His Warning as to a sister

#4 HIS FRUSTRATION AS TO A CHILD

Galatians 4:19-20

 

And now we are pulling back into the fury of the letter a little bit.

Paul calls them “My children”

 

And you understand then that Paul is writing these two verses

As that of a father who knows what is best

And who will do what is best to protect and guide his children.

 

And I love the imagery…

“My children, with whom I am again in labor…”

 

How many of you women remember the joys of going through labor?

 

Now Scripture says that labor is just about as bad as it gets,

But that the pain of labor is forgotten with the joy of having the baby.

 

But Paul says, forget that joy, I feel like I’m in labor again.

I feel like a woman who has to deliver the same baby twice.

 

You have so digressed and so stumbled

That it’s like we have to start over at the beginning again.

 

In short as children

They were totally missing the point of what Paul desired for them.

 

What was the goal?

“until Christ is formed in you”

 

The goal was for them to be like Christ,

(sons, heirs)

And yet they are running in the opposite direction.

 

And because of that, Paul is frustrated.

 

This explains the brutality of his letter

This explains the fury of his confrontation

 

• He sees them like a brother about to fall into a trap he’s already gotten out of

• He sees them like a friend who has decided to ignore him

• He sees them like a sister who is being seduced by a charlatan

• He sees them like a child who won’t grow up

 

And that leads to the final statement here:

(20) “but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”

 

His point of frustration is boiling over.

He has thrown up his hands in defeat.

I don’t know what to do with you

 

Now tell the truth parents, you’ve had days like that with your kids.

• You just reach your wits end

• Parenting skills are lost to you at the moment

• You don’t know what else to do

• It is time for our kids to go to youth camp for a week

 

That is Paul

He is frustrated

 

So if you read this letter and see the fire and the passion and assume

• It is because he doesn’t like the Galatians

• Or because he is bitter about some past wrong,

• Or that he is jealous wanting to be the only one who gets their attention,

• Or that he just doesn’t like the struggle that it takes to lead them.

 

Then you are misreading the letter.

Paul loves them like brothers

Paul loves them like friends

Paul loves them like sisters

Paul loves them like his children

 

And that is why he is so fired up.

In fact, if he wasn’t this fired up

We would actually wonder if he loved them at all.

 

• If you can see your brother headed to destruction and it doesn’t prompt you to confront him, then you don’t have much love for your brother.

 

• If you can see your friend falling into deception and you don’t feel the need to correct him, then you don’t have much love for your friend.

 

• If you can see your sister about to be taken advantage of by some thug, and you don’t warn her, then you don’t have much love for your sister.

 

• If you can see your children digressing in their maturity, and you don’t try to straighten them out, then you don’t have much love for your children.

 

Hebrews 12:7-8 “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”

 

Those parents who don’t discipline their kids and just let them run wild –

They don’t do it because they love their kids.

 

They let them run wild because they love the affection they get from their kids and they know if they discipline them, then their kids might get mad at them.

 

Love confronts, but it confronts out of love

 

And that is the heart beat of this letter to the Galatians.

 

It is also a wonderful example for us to follow

As we stand for truth and seek to encourage one another

To be all Christ intended for us to be.

 

Acting Like An Heir

Galatians 4:1-11

May 25, 2014

 

As you know we are presently studying this letter

That Paul wrote to the churches in the region of Galatia.

 

It is a fiery letter where Paul shows passion for truth and hatred for legalism

 

If you fail to understand why Paul is so angry,

It is because you fail to understand the true goal of the apostle.

 

• Many today talk about the desire to win souls.

• Many today talk about the desire to make converts.

• Many today push for church growth and numerical increases.

 

But I can confidently say to you that these were not the goal of Paul’s ministry.

 

Paul understood that the number of those who were saved

Was really up to the sovereign call of God.

He knew that he planted, but God was causing the growth.

 

Paul’s driving passion was not to make converts.

 

Paul’s driving passion was to take those whom God had called

And make sure that they became all that God intended for them to be.

 

Colossians 1:28-29 “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”

 

Romans 15:15-16 “But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

 

Paul wanted those whom God had entrusted to him

To become all that God intended.

 

And when it appeared that this reality was in jeopardy,

Paul immediately focused in on it and tried to fix it.

 

Remember the church at Corinth?

2 Corinthians 11:1-3 “I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me. For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”

 

Paul pictured himself like a stage coach driver,

Entrusted with the duty of transporting Christ’s bride to Him safe and unstained.

 

He wanted to make sure that when Christ received her,

She was everything He intended her to be.

 

He will write a similar truth later to the Galatians.

Galatians 4:19 “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you”

 

And there the point is made abundantly clear.

Paul wants to see Christ in everyone under his care.

 

He isn’t so focused about church attendance…

He isn’t really even focused on baptisms…

 

In fact he wrote:

1 Corinthians 1:14-17 “I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”

 

Obviously baptisms and attendance were not the goal.

 

• He wanted to see Christ fully formed in those who claimed to follow Him.

• He wanted to see the flesh die and the new life shine through.

• He wanted to see people transformed by the renewing of their mind, proving what the will of God was.

• He wanted to see sinners turned saints

• He wanted to see Jesus in those who claimed to follow Him

 

That was his goal

And so you understand why he was so upset with the Galatians.

 

They had prayed the prayer…

They had been baptized…

But in regard to Christlikeness, they were actually digressing.

 

They were not becoming like Christ, and this grieved Paul.

 

Paul wanted them to live like the Christians Christ intended them to be.

 

Last time we met

We saw those three “you are” statements in the end of chapter 3.

 

“You are sons”

“You are one”

“You are heirs”

 

That is what you are – now Paul wants them to live like it!

 

There are four points in our text tonight.

 

#1 THEIR REMINDER

Galatians 4:1-3

 

Now let’s pull ourselves back into the middle of Paul’s argument.

He has been on a rather long discourse talking about the purpose of the Law,

And how we are no longer under it.

 

• We’ve seen the Law as a mirror which exposes our sin.

• We’ve seen the Law as prison which keeps us under guilt.

• We’ve seen the Law as a tutor which prepares us for Christ.

 

But Paul reminded us that once the purpose of the Law was fulfilled,

We were no longer under that tutor any longer.

 

We had become full blown sons

We had become full blown heirs of the promise

 

NOW PAUL IS READY TO MAKE ANOTHER POINT.

Hence the “Now I say…”

 

And again he starts with a natural or earthly illustration.

 

“Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.”

 

As a son you may in fact be an heir of all that your father owns,

But you don’t get to have full use of it until you are deemed ready for it

 

Let’s say you own a 10,000 acre cattle ranch with a full blown cattle operation.

And your wife gets pregnant and you have a son.

 

Now, that ranch is going to be his someday.

He is your heir.

Someday he’ll get to call the shots and make the decisions.

 

However, just because he is three years old and rides his tricycle out to the barn does not mean you are going to let him tell the foreman which cows to sell and which cows to keep.

 

Instead, he is actually treated just like the hired hands.

He fixes fence

He works cattle

He brands, he vaccinates, he ships

Eventually he goes to the sale

 

In many ways you make him work just as hard (if not harder)

Than every hired hand you have.

 

Because you are preparing him to run the place some day.

Now is there a difference between him and the hired hands? Absolutely

 

But if you were to just observe them both on any given day,

You would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

 

A son might be an heir, but before he takes his full position,

He is first treated like a slave.

 

That is a natural illustration.

Now let’s look at the spiritual reality.

 

(3) “So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.”

 

Now please follow the analogy here.

 

Many times in Scripture people give the analogy of children

As a positive analogy.

 

People take the story where Jesus said if you don’t become like this child,

You won’t enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

People then take that story and assume that

Christ wanted you to be like a child.

 

That wasn’t what Christ meant.

He chose a child because by the world’s standards

The child was the least important person in the room.

 

He was talking about the necessary humility that is required to enter the kingdom, but Jesus was not promoting that you be like a child.

 

In fact, Scripture repeatedly tells you NOT to be like a child.

 

Ephesians 4:11-14 “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;”

 

1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”

 

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?”

 

Hebrews 5:12-14 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

 

In Scripture children are painted as gullible, naïve, ignorant, and foolish.

• That doesn’t mean they aren’t precious or important.

• It doesn’t mean God doesn’t love them.

• It doesn’t mean God doesn’t have big plans for them.

 

He does, but just because He loves them

Doesn’t mean He is finished with them.

 

Repeatedly we are told NOT to be children.

We are to literally “grow up” into who God intends us to be.

 

So when Paul says here that “we were children”

He is not talking about a time that we should be proud of.

 

In fact he explains what he means further down in verse 8.

“However at that time when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.”

 

Obviously Paul is not talking about a time we should be proud of.

He’s talking about a time when we were deceived, ignorant, and enslaved.

 

“we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.”

 

And the main thing I want you to see is that

WE WERE IN AN UNFAVORABLE POSITION.

 

• Many a son has felt frustrated that he couldn’t call the shots on the ranch sooner…

• Many a son grew tired of working like a slave…

 

It may have been a beneficial position, but it was not a favorable one.

 

So here is the point.

 

IF YOU ARE AN HEIR,

THEN YOU NATURALLY ASPIRE TO BE AN HEIR, NOT A SLAVE

 

You may endure some slavery,

But it is all for the purpose of finally being the heir.

 

Their Reminder

#2 THEIR REDEMPTION

Galatians 4:4-5

So picture a son, working like a slave, waiting for the day

When he can finally realize his true calling as an heir…

Well here Paul speaks of the day when that longing became a reality.

 

It is the spiritual bar mitzvah if you will.

 

Here is how:

“But when the fullness of the time came…”

 

That merely indicates that when God was ready.

We read earlier that the son is no different than a slave

Until “the date set by the father”

 

So the father sets the date.

Well, when that date arrived…

 

“when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

 

NOW PLEASE PAY ATTENTION.

 

We gave the illustration about being an heir, but being treated like a slave.

 

Paul is here is referring to something even bigger.

 

Paul is not talking about being a son, but being treated like a slave.

PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT BEING A SLAVE,

AND YET ADOPTED AS A SON

 

The Son who was treated like a slave was Christ.

 

• Christ came, “born of a woman” (because we were)

• “born under the Law” (because we were)

 

So that He could “redeem” us.

 

Romans 8:3-4 “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

 

Christ came to “redeem” us.

 

That simply means to purchase us out of our position.

Now, we’ve been talking about a prison we were in

We’ve been talking about slavery we were in

 

But one aspect of this that we have not mentioned

Is the inherent debt that is associated with that.

 

We often say criminals must pay “their debt to society”

So did we.

Only our debt was to God.

 

We were incarcerated as slaves, with a debt we could not pay,

Doomed to be slaves forever.

And yet Christ came and redeemed us from it.

 

Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

 

John 8:31-36 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, ” We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

 

Ephesians 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”

 

Christ came to those who were slaves, with a debt to pay,

And freed us from our slavery.

 

This freedom then made it possible for us to become more than a slave.

We “receive the adoption as sons.”

 

Listen, for a slave freedom was enough.

This going the extra mile for sure.

 

Not only is their debt paid, but now they actually receive benefits.

They get adopted and become full blown heirs of the kingdom.

 

They weren’t born into it

They didn’t deserve it

But they did receive it

 

AND PICTURE THIS REALITY FOR A MOMENT.

Now we hold nothing against the orphans in this world.

After all, it isn’t their fault they are orphans.

 

However, we will admit that because of the cruelty of this world

An orphan begins life with a great disadvantage.

 

Imagine now that one orphan who is chosen by a family,

Adopted in to their home, and instantly promised to be an heir.

 

We would all admit that the orphan was quite fortunate.

How much more could we say that about ourselves?

Born in sin, doomed to suffer, yet because of the sacrifice of God’s own Son,

Our debt was paid and we were free to be adopted.

 

That is what happened to the Galatians.

Once Slaves, Now Sons

 

Their Reminder, Their Redemption

#3 THEIR REALITY

Galatians 4:6-7

 

Now admittedly, all that Paul said in the first 5 verses

Seems a little too good to be true.

 

• I can believe I was a slave…

• I can believe I was a prisoner…

 

I could honestly look at my life and see that.

 

But now, all of a sudden you are telling me that I’ve been set free from my slavery and am now an adopted child of God and an heir of His kingdom?

 

Come on?

You’re yanking my chain.

 

I’m going to need a little proof here.

• Do you have the parole paper work?

• Do you have my adoption papers?

• Do you have a copy of the will where I can see I’m an heir?

 

Here it is:

“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

 

Incidentally there is another Trinitarian reference,

Since here the Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of His Son”

 

But God sent His Spirit to dwell in us.

 

How do we know He is there?

He cries out “Abba! Father!”

 

The Spirit within us actually causes us to love and trust God

In a way we didn’t before.

 

I may not fully understand the implications of being adopted in my mind,

But I sure am thankful for it in my heart.

 

Something in me sure does love God.

 

Romans 5:3-5 “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

 

Genuine love for God is one of the true fruits of salvation,

Because it does not come from you.

 

The love of God must be poured into your heart.

It is the Spirit who causes that.

 

Romans 8:15-17 “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

 

We know the Spirit is in us (among other things)

Because of the love He produces in us for God.

 

The next question is: WHY IS THE SPIRIT IN US?

“Because you are sons”

 

If you weren’t a son, He wouldn’t have given you the Spirit of His Son.

 

Romans 8:9 “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

 

The only people who receive God’s Spirit are those who are God’s sons.

He gave us the Spirit because we are sons.

 

AND SO HERE IS THE IMPLICATION.

 

I know the reality is far-fetched that God would take you, as slave, and redeem you from slavery, and then adopt you as a son, and make you a full blown heir.

I know that is hard to believe.

 

But if you want proof, just look at the fact that His Spirit dwells within you.

 

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

 

The Spirit is the proof that you are an heir of God.

 

(7) “Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

 

WOW!

 

It may be unlikely, but it is the truth none the less.

You are a fortunate person.

• Far more than a son who is treated like a slave for a while.

• You are a slave who was set free and adopted as a son.

 

You may not deserve it…

You may not understand it…

But it is reality none the less.

 

Luke 12:31-32 “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

 

Their Reminder, Their Redemption, Their Reality

#4 THEIR REBUKE

Galatians 4:8-9

 

Well, it’s been all flowers up until now.

Paul has really made us feel good about who we are thanks to Christ.

 

Here comes the big stick!

“However at that time when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.”

 

And we remember that.

• Just when he gets us to understand that we are adopted as heirs of God, now he takes us back and reminds us of that old dirty orphanage.

 

• Now he takes us back and says, “Remember that cold lonely prison?”

 

And we say, “Yes” I remember it.

 

(9) “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?”

 

And together we all say BOOM!

 

Do you remember the story of the prodigal son?

• How he wanted his inheritance early and then he went and squandered

it?

• He then came back, humbled himself before his father, and asked if he

could be a slave.

 

How degrading would that have been?

Could you imagine being the son who worked as a slave on your father’s farm?

 

Your life would be a continual shame and disgrace.

 

And yet, that is precisely what Paul says the Galatians are trying to do.

 

God pulled you out of slavery, made you a son, made you an heir,

And now you are willing to go right back into the slavery.

 

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!

 

You say, “What do you mean Paul? What are we doing?”

 

(10) “You observe days and month and seasons and years”

 

You are back into this mode of trying to earn God’s favor.

You think that something you can do will actually cause God to love you more.

 

You act like a slave in the midst of slaves who is trying to outwork all of his counter parts to make the master take notice of you.

 

Ever see a guy like that on the jobsite?

 

You’re out here acting like God is going to notice you

And love you more if you keep the Law too.

 

• Have you forgotten you are already a son?

• Have you forgotten you are already an heir?

• Have you forgotten God has already decided to give you everything?

 

AND THEN THE CRUSHING STATEMENT.

 

(11) “I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”

 

What did we say Paul’s goal was?

It wasn’t to get converts, but rather to see those who were saved

Become all that God intended them to be.

 

He wanted to see them conformed into the image of Christ.

In short, he wanted to see them start to be who God had made them.

 

• Since God had made them sons, he wanted to see them start acting like sons.

• Since God had made them heirs, he wanted to see them start acting like heirs.

 

And yet the Galatians had gone the exact opposite direction.

They are sons acting like slaves.

They are heirs acting like orphans.

 

Paul is totally exasperated.

You just don’t get it at all, and I feel like my entire ministry to you

Has been a waste of time.

 

DO YOU CATCH THE POINT THEN?

 

Be who God made you to be.

 

God has adopted you as a son…

God has sent the Spirit of His Son inside of you…

 

WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE GOD WANTS YOU TO BE?

A son!

 

• Quit trying to earn His favor…

• Quit doubting His goodness…

• Quit doubting His love for you…

 

Just live like a child of God.

• A child who is loved by his Father…

• A child who is provided for by his Father…

• A child who is carried by his Father…

• A child who is protected by his Father…

• A child who will one day inherit his Father’s kingdom…

 

Constantly acting like a slave or an orphan is not what God desires.

 

Legalism is a sin before God.

It shames Him as though He can’t be trusted.

It makes Him look like a tyrant father who can’t be pleased.

 

But that is not who our God is at all.

(That’s what the older brother thought of the Father)

Don’t treat Him like that.

 

Galatians 4:4-7 “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”

 

God Blesses Abraham

Genesis 21:1-34

June 1, 2014

 

Well you know that we are studying through the book of Genesis.

It is “The Gospel According to Moses”

 

And currently we are studying the life of Abraham.

 

Moses has been very unique to express various realities that he wanted the children of Israel to know, revealing those truths through specific people.

 

• In Adam we saw the Tragic Reality of Sin

• In Noah we saw the Terrible Reality of Judgment

• In Abraham we see the Terrific Reality of Salvation

 

We love the study of Abraham’s life because

Moses uses him to reveal to us the facts about God’s salvation.

 

Abraham was first and foremost a man of grace.

God selected him, God called him, God saved him, God has been preserving him.

 

Abraham became a man of faith (that to a gift from God)

“Abraham believed in the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness”

 

And since that moment of Abraham’s salvation we have continually seen

The extreme benefit that is found in being a child of God.

 

To put it mildly, Abraham is a blessed man.

 

 

For a pagan, barren, worldly man,

To have received so much from the hand of the living God,

There is really no better way to say it.

ABRAHAM IS BLESSED.

 

And if you have failed to recognize that so far in Abraham’s life

There is no possible way to miss it while studying the chapter today.

 

Let’s work our way through this chapter

And then we’ll talk a little about the obvious blessing on Abraham

And on all those who are called children of God.

 

Four areas where we see Abraham’s blessing

#1 PROMISE FULFILLED

Genesis 21:1-7

 

These 7 vs. contain one of the most remarkable occurrences in Scripture,

Especially when you stop and realize what has just happened.

 

First notice the SPECIFIC FULFILLMENT

(1-2) “Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.”

 

Did you catch those statement?

• “took note of Sarah AS HE HAD SAID”

• “did for Sarah AS HE HAD PROMISED”

• “at the appointed time OF WHICH GOD HAD SPOKEN”

 

Nothing here was accident

Nothing here was random

 

God did exactly what He said He would do

Exactly when He said He would do it.

 

• God said Sarah would have a son and she did.

• God said it would be at this time next year and it was.

• God promised kings would come from her and they will.

 

This was a specific fulfillment of all that He said.

 

And I absolutely love this.

We have actually begun to live in a bit of a mystical age and society,

Where people are continually putting all sorts of words in God’s mouth.

 

And then after the fact they sort of go back

And try to make sense of it and search for a confirmation of things.

 

But the truly fulfilled promises of God are never so vague that you have to find a way to make it look like He did what He said.

 

When God makes specific promises, God brings specific fulfillment.

That is precisely what God did for Abraham.

 

We see also A SACRED FULFILLMENT

(3-4) “Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.”

 

Obviously the name “Isaac” was given

Because God had told Abraham to name him Isaac.

 

But beyond that “Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.”

 

Abraham entered Isaac into the covenant.

Abraham surrendered Isaac to the Lord.

 

We talked about the purpose of circumcision back in chapter 17

When God commanded it of Abraham.

 

Because sin is inherited from our father Adam,

Circumcision was a picture of one seeking to stop the spread of sin.

It was a removal of the flesh, symbolizing a break from the sin epidemic.

 

And it was also sign of Abraham’s covenant with God.

God commanded that every male 8 days old be circumcised,

And if they refused they were to be cut off from God’s people.

 

Well Abraham obviously wanted Isaac to be part of God’s people.

So Abraham here devoted Isaac to the Lord.

 

There was a specific fulfillment and there was a sacred fulfillment.

It was also A STAGGERING FULFILLMENT

(5-7) “Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

 

I’m again thankful for these verses, just to help make sure that

We don’t lose sight of precisely what has occurred here.

This is 100% miraculous!

 

Even Sarah knows it.

“Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?”

 

And don’t you love this about God.

When He moves and works it is often times in ways

That you never even thought possible.

 

Of all the ways that Abraham and Sarah or anyone else involved

May have ever thought that God might bless them –

HAVING SARAH GET PREGNANT WAS NEVER CONSIDERED!

 

It reminds of what Paul said:

Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,”

 

We often times sit around and try to figure out

What God might do and how He might work,

And yet He purposely works in ways that literally blow our mind.

 

And He does it just because He can and so that He alone gets the glory.

 

And now Sarah “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.”

 

You may remember that when God told Sarah previously

She laughed in doubt as though God were playing a cruel joke on her.

 

Now she laughs in delight and knows that others will do the same.

 

Incidentally Isaac actually means “laughter”

God has blown their minds.

 

And friends I think we can all agree, this is a good day!

God had taken this old, barren, pagan couple

And give them a land and give them a child.

 

And the thing that makes it even more amazing is that the only reason we can find that God did it is simply because He wanted to.

 

It is all grace.

 

God made a promise He did not have to make.

God fulfilled a promise no one else could ever fulfill.

AND THE RECIPIENT IS BLESSED

 

Certainly Moses is reminding the children of Israel

Of the great blessing of having God on your side.

 

“If God be for us…”

Promise Fulfilled

#2 THREAT REMOVED

Genesis 21:8-13

 

Another aspect we have routinely seen in the blessing that God had for Abraham was that God was always willing to protect that blessing.

 

• God wouldn’t let Pharaoh mess up Abraham’s blessing

• God wouldn’t let Abimelech mess up Abraham’s blessing

• God wouldn’t let Lot mess up Abraham’s blessing

• God wouldn’t let Hagar mess up Abraham’s blessing

 

And here we find that God won’t let Ishmael mess it up either.

 

God knew the specific plan He had for Abraham.

God knew how He had chosen to bless him,

And He would not let Abraham have anything less.

 

BUT HERE WE FIND A THREAT.

 

God wanted it all to go to Isaac and through Isaac.

But there is a problem.

Abraham has another son, an older son, a first born son.

 

That son is Ishmael, and we already know that Abraham loved him.

 

Genesis 17:18-19 “And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!” But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”

 

Ishmael was Abraham’s son and he loved him.

It was one thing to send Hagar away while pregnant, but at this point Ishmael is somewhere in the neighborhood of 17 years old at this point.

 

And just like Abraham had previously done with Lot,

No doubt Abraham had big plans for Ishmael.

 

But the reality is that Ishmael was a threat

To God’s plan of blessing for Abraham.

 

(And isn’t it just like us to willingly accept less than what God has in store for us?”)

 

1 Corinthians 2:9 “but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

 

Again we realize that God has bigger plans for Abraham

Then he even has for himself.

 

Ishmael is a threat to that plan – and the story here makes it obvious.

 

(8-9) “The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.”

 

So Isaac was “weaned” probably around 3 years old.

And Ishmael (around 17) was “mocking”

 

Interesting play on words here:

Isaac in the Hebrew is “YITS-KAWK” (He laughs)

“mocking” in the Hebrew is “TSA-KHAK”

 

No doubt Ishmael is laughing at the one who is named laughter.

(Just like kids today make fun of a kids name)

 

I’m sure Ishmael was a little jealous and so he is mocking Isaac.

 

And that didn’t go over to well with Isaac’s momma

 

(10) “Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.”

Now I know when we read that, the assumption is

That this is just an over-protective momma

Who doesn’t like to see her son getting the raw end of the deal.

 

Now, I’m not going to assume Sarah isn’t emotional.

 

But it is far more than that.

The New Testament reveals that Sarah

Also understood this from a spiritual reality.

 

Galatians 4:29-30 “But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? “CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”

 

Paul actually unlocked this story a little more for us.

 

Isaac was born according to the promise, according to the Spirit.

He is a picture of God at work, a picture of salvation.

 

Ishmael was born according to the flesh

He is a picture of man’s religion, a picture of legalism.

 

And Paul was very direct that those who are of the flesh

Have no inheritance with those who are of the Spirit.

 

Even in the church today, there are those who are truly saved, transformed by the Spirit of God,

And then there are those who are merely religious,

Seeking to earn favor through religious works.

 

Paul was clear that only the former have an inheritance from God.

And to illustrate that point, Paul referred to this story.

 

Ishmael was indeed Abraham’s son through the flesh,

But those in the flesh are not heirs with those who are of the Spirit.

 

Paul made that clear in the 8th chapter of Romans.

Romans 8:5-8 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

 

You cannot become an heir of God’s promises or blessing through works of the flesh, it is only achieved through the work of the Spirit.

 

Isaac was the promise and the inheritance was his and his alone.

 

Ishmael was a threat to that promise.

And Sarah wanted the threat removed.

 

(11-13) “The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son. But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named. “And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.”

 

God confirmed what Sarah desired.

The threat had to be removed.

 

And one hand it was difficult…

(Being pruned always is)

 

But what God was doing He did out of love for Abraham

And in order to protect Abraham’s inheritance.

 

God made a promise to Abraham,

And He wouldn’t even let Abraham mess it up.

 

Promise Fulfilled, Threat Removed

#3 COMPASSION CONFIRMED

Genesis 21:14-21

 

Now this story feels a bit out of place,

And indeed we won’t spend much time on it.

 

I suppose there are various points we could make

About how God did the same thing for Hagar here

That he done for her previously when she fled from Sarah.

 

How God reminded her that He hears

And then pointed out a well of water for her to drink.

 

We could talk about God’s working in the life of Hagar a little.

 

But the point of the story (and Moses’ point in including it)

Is merely to show that what God did for Ishmael

He did as an act of compassion toward Abraham.

 

God had told Abraham in verse 13, “And of the son of the maid I will make a great nation also, because he is your descendant.”

 

God knew that this was hard on Abraham to send Ishmael away

And so God made a compassionate promise to him.

 

Don’t worry Abraham, I will take care of him.

I won’t do it for his sake, or for Hagar’s sake, but I’ll do it for your sake.

 

And these verses here indicate how God did just that.

God provided for them in the desert, and God allowed him to live, marry, and eventually become a nation.

 

The only reason this happened is because God blessed Abraham.

 

Ishmael was blessed simply because of Abraham’s presence in his life.

In other words, the blessing on Abraham was so great

That it spilled over on those close to him.

 

Incidentally you’ve seen this type of reality before.

You may remember it from when we studied the Kings a few years ago.

 

Several times we would see God bless a King or leave him on the throne

And do so for only one reason:

 

1 Kings 15:1-5 “Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. He walked in all the sins of his father which he had committed before him; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David. But for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem; because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.”

The only reason Abijam was allowed to endure

Was because of the blessing on David.

 

Or how about Laban being blessed because of Jacob?

Or how about Egypt blessed because of Joseph?

 

It was part of that original promise of blessing to Abraham.

Genesis 12:2-3 “And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

That is also true of Ishmael.

God was compassionate on him simply because

God had chosen to bless Abraham.

 

Abraham is clearly blessed

 

Promise Fulfilled, Threat Removed, Compassion Confirmed

#4 REST ACHIEVED

Genesis 21:22-34

 

Again we have a seemingly bizarre story that doesn’t seem to fit the context of what is going on.

 

But there are some telling facts in this story

That further support that God had indeed blessed Abraham.

Look at this story for a second.

It starts with the greeting between Abraham and Abimelech

 

(22) “Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do;”

 

I think we all remember where Abimelech learned that.

When he had taken Sarah, God was going to kill him for it.

 

And Abimelech learned not to mess with Abraham

Because God is on Abraham’s side.

 

Well now God has prompted Abimelech

To come and make sure that all is well between he and Abraham.

 

(23) “now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.”

 

That alone is a bizarre thing.

 

Does it seem strange to you that a king of a nation would search out a stranger sojourning there and make sure that there can be peace between them?

 

But this king did because he understood that Abraham is blessed

And I had better make peace with him for God is on his side.

 

It sort of parallels the story of Balaam and how Balak continually wanted him to curse the children of Israel but God wouldn’t let him.

 

Numbers 22:12 “God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

 

That is what is happening here.

Abimelech has learned that Abraham is blessed

And he wants to make sure they can dwell in peace.

 

(23-24) “now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.” Abraham said, “I swear it.”

 

Abimelech knows that he doesn’t want to be on the wrong side of Abraham and so he seeks a covenant with Abraham.

 

Here is the one complaint Abraham has.

 

(25-30) “But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized. And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today.” Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?” He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand so that it may be a witness to me, that I dug this well.”

 

Here we have a well that Abraham had dug

That Abimelech’s servants had seized.

 

Notice Abimelech’s answer: “You did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today.”

 

You know for a king Abimelech sure isn’t very observant.

(That was the same excuse he gave for taking Sarah – he pleads ignorance)

 

So Abraham sets a covenant and then set aside 7 ewe lambs and says, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand so that it may be a witness to me, that I dug this well.”

 

In other words, “I’ve told you and these lambs will serve as a witness that I told you.”

 

So peace has been made

 

Then the rest we alluded to:

(31-34) “Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.”

 

Here we just observe a few small things.

 

• Namely that “Abraham planted a tamarisk tree”

• And he “sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.”

 

You don’t plant a tree unless you are planning on hanging around.

For the first time sense coming to this new land,

Abraham is putting down a few roots.

 

Now Abraham is finally resting in the land.

He has his son, and he is resting on his land.

• God did what He said

• God protected what He did

• And now God is simply letting Abraham enjoy it

We have a word for this: BLESSED

 

It’s just good what God has done for Abraham.

 

And with that can I remind you of the joys of salvation?

 

• That God calls us when we don’t deserve it.

• God saves us when we can’t obtain it on our own.

• God protects us from various threats, whether that be of our own ignorance,

the attacks of the enemy, or even things we didn’t realize were a threat.

• And then God graciously lets us enjoy our salvation.

 

Can I remind you that the Christian life is meant to be enjoyed?

As a child of God you are also blessed.

 

Galatians 3:9 “So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”

 

It is true that in order to come to Christ we deny self, we repent of sin,

We leave the world behind, and following Christ could cost us.

 

But don’t assume that when you sign up to follow Christ

That you are leaving the good life to live the barren life.

 

NO

 

Was Abraham barren before or after God called him?

(before)

 

Life for Abraham got good

After the Lord chose him for His own possession.

 

You must understand it is God’s children who are blessed,

Not the children of the world.

 

Psalms 1:1-3 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”

 

Psalms 40:4 “How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.”

 

Psalms 84:12 “O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!”

 

Psalms 112:1-3 “Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.”

 

Psalms 146:3-7 “Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish. How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever; Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free.”

 

Jeremiah 17:5-8 “Thus says the LORD, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD. “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.”

 

The life of blessing is only found in the life with God.

 

So many people in this world see it all backward.

Sadly many times even believers see it all backward.

 

Satan has so situated this world with his advertisements and enticements

That it tends to look like the good life is found in the world,

And the boring life is found in God.

 

If you really want to have fun then go live it up,

But there is no fun to be had among God’s people.

 

But that is a lie from the enemy.

See, the world never shows you the consequences.

 

• They don’t show you what occurs after the beer party.

• They don’t show you the fall out after you take the girl home from the bar.

• They don’t show you the other side of pornography.

• They don’t show you the down side to gambling.

 

THERE IS NO BLESSING THERE.

It is pain, and hardship, and suffering, and remorse, and regret.

 

If you want the blessing, there is only one place to find it.

And that is from the God who gives life.

 

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

 

And specifically that blessing comes from those

Who trust Him and obey His word.

 

 

God has said it Himself:

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

 

You must understand there is only one who offers the blessing

Who can actually deliver on it.

 

False prophets offer it but can’t deliver:

2 Peter 2:17-19 “These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.”

 

They offer what they do not have and cannot supply.

They are liars.

 

But if you have learned anything

From what God did in Abraham’s life

Then you know that He blessed Abraham.

 

And that blessing is for you who will trust Him as well.

 

Friends, know that our God is good and our God is faithful

And if God is for you who can be against you.

 

• So trust Him.

• Do as He says.

• When He prunes in your life, don’t resist Him.

• Follow His lead.

 

He can and He will bless – Abraham is proof of that.

 

A Saint Under Attack

Genesis 20:1-18

May 25, 2014

 

Well, there’s the story.

I wrestled with this story for quite some time this week.

 

And I don’t mind telling you that we’re going to go a different direction with this story than perhaps you’ve gone before.

 

Every single commentary I read on this chapter

All came to basically the same conclusion with the same point.

 

Namely that Abraham was at it again.

• Here is Abraham falling back into that same old sin

• He walks in fear

• He trades off his wife

• He lies or at least deceives

• He then justifies himself

 

And every commentary I read then gave a few points

On how even the best of God’s people can fall into sin.

 

And honestly when we were starting Genesis

And I was sort of reading the book as a whole,

This was not one of the stories that concerned me because

I thought that was precisely what I would preach on.

 

And you know we’d do a little Romans 7 study

• About how even though Paul “conferred the Law of God in the inner man”

• That he still struggled with sin saying, “The good I want to do, I do not do, instead I do the very thing I hate”

• How Paul said, “Wretched man that I am! Who will save me from the body of this dead?”

 

And I figured we’d talk about how

Even though Abraham was saved and declared righteous,

That even he struggled with sin and God helped him anyway.

 

But there is a really big problem with taking that perspective on this text.

 

And here is the problem:

NO WHERE IN THIS TEXT DOES GOD

EVEN REMOTELY PIN ANY BLAIM ON ABRAHAM AT ALL.

 

God doesn’t confront him

God doesn’t rebuke him

God doesn’t chastise him

Instead, God wholeheartedly, and adamantly

Protects, defends, and vindicates him.

 

If you take an honest study of this text, you cannot come away and say

It is a message about how even God’s people can struggle with sin.

 

Instead we have to take the flow of the story and ask:

• Why did Moses include this story?

• What lesson would Moses have wanted the Children of Israel to learn?

• What would the Holy Spirit teach us through this story today?

 

So let’s work our way through this story,

Without reading our thoughts into it, see what God has to say,

And then see if we can’t understand what the Holy Spirit would say to us.

 

We’re going to divide this story into 4 points.

#1 A DANGEROUS VACATION

Genesis 20:1-2

 

Moses did take a brief hiatus in walking us through the Sodom and Gomorrah account, but he is now back examining the life of Abraham.

 

Abraham was of course a perfect picture of God’s salvation.

• He was first a man of tremendous grace

• And he became a man of tremendous faith

 

He was a pagan whom God declared righteous

He was an alien whom God gave an inheritance

He is perhaps the greatest illustration of salvation in all the Bible.

 

Well now we return to looking at how God was at work in his life.

And the next story Moses selects to reveal to us

How God was at work

Was the story of Abraham’s sojourning in Gerar.

 

(1) “Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar.”

 

Now upon reading this story you are obviously going to want to

Draw a parallel back to the event of Genesis 12

When Abram and Sarai departed for Egypt.

 

There are a few differences here however.

 

1) They went to Egypt due to famine, we don’t know why they went to Gerar.

2) Egypt was outside the borders of Canaan, Gerar was inside.

 

The main differences are that Abraham is not running in fear,

And Abraham is not abandoning his inheritance.

You cannot find sin in the fact that Abraham traveled to Gerar.

 

And the fact that scripture says “he sojourned in Gerar”

Indicates a temporary stay.

 

We don’t know why he went

We don’t know how long he planned to stay

But nothing can be seen as sinful in the decision

 

Abraham is simply moving around in the country God has promised him.

 

And then we read:

(2) “Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.”

 

Here is where our natural human speculations quickly take over.

 

When we read this similar story back in Genesis 12,

Abraham was clearly in the wrong.

 

He was outside of the land where God told him to go

He was passing off Sarai to protect his own hide

He made a bad decision and the solution was even worse.

 

And this event is so similar

We instantly assume Abraham is back to his old sins.

 

NOW LET ME SAY THIS:

There is no way that we can ever come to the conclusion

That letting Sarah go is a good thing.

 

Frankly there is just no way to spin this story that allows us to say,

“What Abraham did was right”

This is clearly a bad scenario.

 

The textual problem comes from the fact that God never rebukes him.

Moses never rebukes him for it

 

So I think it is difficult for us to do so.

I’m not saying Abraham was right, I’m just saying Abraham’s mistake was obviously not the point God wanted us to focus on.

 

If God had wanted us to read this chapter

And talk about Abraham returning to a previous mistake

Then surely God would have pointed that out somewhere in the chapter.

 

So whatever the main point is, it isn’t about Abraham’s poor decision.

 

SO LET’S STICK TO WHAT WE KNOW.

 

• Abraham was in a new region (still in the land)

• And the king of that region has taken his wife.

 

“Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.”

 

So you can read this and look at Abraham’s past and blame this whole thing on Abraham…

Or, you can follow the flow of the text

And see that Sarah has been abducted.

 

And whichever path you choose to take

Will drastically shape the way you read the rest of this chapter.

 

• If you choose to place blame on Abraham, the rest of the chapter

will make no sense.

 

• But if you choose to place blame on Abimelech, the rest of the

chapter will fall right into place.

 

So that is what we will do.

 

Abimelech has kidnapped Sarah.

 

Now granted there wasn’t much opposition offered by Abraham

(and you will see why in a moment)

But it doesn’t change what has happened.

 

They were on vacation and his wife was abducted.

 

WHY IS THIS SO SERIOUS?

Well, aside from the obvious emotional implications,

this has huge covenant implications.

 

Genesis 17:15-19 “Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. “I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!” But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”

 

Genesis 18:9-14 “Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” He said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ “Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was just as much a part of the covenant as Abraham was.

Sarah’s involvement was just as important.

 

SO WHAT DO WE CALL THIS?

This is an attack of the enemy on the covenant God promised to Abraham.

 

It’s not the first attack – by the way.

• The first attack was when Satan tempted Abraham to run to Egypt (God protected)

• The second attack was when Satan tempted Abraham to take Hagar (God intervened)

• This is now the third attack in which Satan used Abimelech to try and wreck the covenant by abducting Sarah.

 

If Satan succeeds in corrupting Sarah or defiling her

Then the promise of God is off.

Yet again the success of the covenant is hanging by a thread.

 

A Dangerous Vacation

#2 A DIVINE INTERVENTION

Genesis 20:3-7

 

Now when Abraham went to Egypt, God intervened…

When Abraham went to Hagar, God intervened…

And here God intervenes again.

 

(3) “But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.”

 

Again, I remind you that you can read this story and place all the blame on Abraham, but don’t fail to see whom God confronts.

 

“God came to Abimelech”

 

And what a stiff warning!

 

“Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.”

 

Now, I don’t think this is the main thrust or point of the chapter,

But you’d certainly be foolish not to recognize

What a serious offense adultery is to God.

 

Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

 

Moses would certainly use this to reinforce his commands.

 

God tells Abimelech, “you are a dead man”

So based on the text, who do you think God is angry at?

Obviously Abimelech

 

But here is one of the reasons why we don’t tend to blame Abimelech.

 

(4-5) “Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a nation, even though blameless? “Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.”

 

Now we read that and say, “See, Abimelech is a good guy. He was lied to, it was not his fault, he never touched her. The blame must go on Abraham.”

 

But if you read it like that, you’re missing what God is saying.

 

(6) “Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.”

 

Now it is true that Abimelech genuinely thought Sarah was Abraham’s sister.

 

But please notice that there is only one reason

Why Abimelech did not touch her.

 

WHAT WAS THAT REASON?

“I did not let you touch her.”

 

There is only one reason why Abimelech did not commit adultery.

“I also kept you from sinning”

 

The reason Sarah was not corrupted by Abimelech

Is not because Abimelech was such a fine upstanding citizen.

 

He was not.

He took Sarah (and he took her for a purpose)

 

But it was the sovereign intervention of God

That kept him from doing what he had intended.

 

When you read and place blame on Abraham and let Abimelech go free,

You are failing to discern what God’s divine judgment was of the situation.

 

God blamed Abimelech.

God knew what he would do, if God did not restrain him.

 

Abimelech had attacked Abraham and Sarah

And was going to thrash the covenant, but God intervened.

 

And to further reinforce this, look at God’s counsel to Abimelech.

(7) “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

 

God doesn’t mince any words there

 

And what does God say about Abraham?

• “I know he is a knuckle head…” – No

• “I know he deceived you…” – No

 

God says, “he is a prophet”

And you need him to “pray for you”

 

You Abimelech, sinned against him…

You Abimelech are guilty before me…

You Abimelech are about to be killed…

 

“if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

 

In other words, Abimelech is the thug of the story

And God is not about to let him trash the covenant,

Even if that means killing them all.

 

That is divine intervention.

 

A Dangerous Vacation, A Divine Intervention

#3 A DIRECT EXPLANATION

Genesis 20:8-13

 

Now the good news is that God seemed to get through to Abimelech.

 

(8) “So Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly frightened.”

 

Apparently Abimelech was willing to listen to what God had to say.

And everyone in his kingdom agreed.

 

But you will notice Abimelech is curious about the situation.

(Incidentally his curiosity is our curiosity)

 

Why would Abraham pass off Sarah again, and why was God mad at Abimelech and not Abraham?

 

Well, Abraham explains it very clearly here.

(we just don’t tend to accept his answer)

(9-13) “Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you encountered, that you have done this thing?” Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. “Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife; and it came about, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is the kindness which you will show to me: everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”‘”

 

Now because we are often times bent on condemning Abraham here,

We are tempted to read this as a lame excuse.

 

But again, God’s judgment was against Abimelech, not Abraham.

 

So perhaps, this wasn’t a lame excuse,

Perhaps this was an accurate evaluation.

 

When Abraham came to Gerar

He recognized what type of people he was dealing with.

 

“I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.”

 

Abraham recognized that his life was in danger.

Abraham recognized that there was an attack on him.

 

Now again, I’m not saying that passing off your wife is a suitable solution to saving your own neck – it clearly is not.

 

But I want you to see the situation.

The decision wasn’t just Abraham’s, it was also Sarah’s.

This was the kindness that Sarah had chosen to do to Abraham.

 

I’m not saying it was a good decision,

But please see the situation for what it was.

 

• You’ve just traveled to a new region…

• You recognize that the people there are godless…

• You know that they will kill you for your wife and take her anyway…

• When the king sends for her to take her, you either claim to be her husband

and be killed or you say she is your sister and by yourself some time…

 

No it’s not a pretty picture

But I just want you to see that Abraham

Was in a really dangerous and really scary situation.

 

Don’t compare this to the trip to Egypt, it is different.

Abraham has been bullied here

Abraham has come under attack here

 

Now this also speaks to the craftiness of the enemy.

Certainly Satan knew Abraham’s propensity to let Sarah go

Don’t think for a second that this was just some random attack.

 

This was a specific attack by Satan to unravel the covenant.

And God knew it.

 

That is why God intervened and confronted Abimelech, not Abraham.

 

A Dangerous Vacation, A Divine Intervention, A Direct Explanation

#4 A DECIDED RESTORATION

Genesis 20:14-18

 

Again, if you try to read this story and place the blame on Abraham,

It just doesn’t fit.

 

Because this story ends with all the blame on Abimelech.

And he is forced to repent, to restore, to vindicate,

And to throw himself at the mercy of Abraham.

 

This is as one sided as it comes.

 

And notice all that Abimelech restored.

1) HE RESTORED ABRAHAM’S WIFE (14)

“Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him.”

 

 

2) HE RESTORED ABRAHAM’S LAND (15)

“Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever you please.”

 

It was Abraham’s land anyway, now even Abimelech knows it.

 

In fact, notice what Abimelech will say to Abraham later:

Genesis 21:22-23 “Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, ” God is with you in all that you do; now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.”

 

Abimelech learned that God was on Abraham’s side.

 

3) HE RESTORED ABRAHAM’S HONOR (16)

“To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is your vindication before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.”

 

In other words, he paid the money

To show that he and not Sarah was in the wrong.

 

HE PAID THE FINE, NOT ABRAHAM.

It is abundantly clear whom God says is in the wrong here.

 

And then Abraham mercifully prays for him.

(17-18) “Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children. For the LORD had closed fast all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.”

 

If you honestly read that story, you cannot preach a sermon

On how sometimes God’s people fall back into sin.

 

That may be true, but it is clearly not the point here.

 

SO WHAT IS THE POINT?

GOD PROTECTS HIS OWN

• He protected Abraham from danger

• He protected Abraham from decisions

• He protected Abraham from defilement

• He protected Abraham from death

 

I don’t know if you can read this story and see anything

Other than the security that God afforded to Abraham.

 

We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the promise God made to Abraham was secure, and God would not let it fail.

 

Romans 8:28-31 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

 

I think Abimelech would agree with that, don’t you?

 

God was clearly on Abraham’s side.

And when God is on your side, you are secure.

 

Satan planned to destroy the covenant, and God wouldn’t allow it

God wouldn’t even allow Abraham to lose face in the incident.

He didn’t just rescue Abraham, He forced a public a vindication of him.

 

And God promises the same for us:

Revelation 3:9 “Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.”

 

Matthew 10:26-27 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.”

 

Colossians 3:1-4 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

 

When you are a child of God, He promises security.

• That doesn’t mean that a believer is exempt from danger

• That doesn’t mean that a believer is exempt from suffering

• That doesn’t mean that a believer is exempt from death

 

However, when this whole thing shakes out and comes to its end,

Rest assured that the believer will be in possession

Of every single thing God ever promised him

And will be vindicated before all those who ever challenged it.

 

God told Abraham previously:

Genesis 15:1 “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

 

Later God would tell Jacob

Genesis 28:15 “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

 

And this is a promise God continually made to Israel:

Isaiah 43:1 “But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!”

 

Psalms 121:3-4 “He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.”

 

And I think Moses’ purpose for including this story is becoming clear.

The children of Israel (like Abraham)

Were also in the midst of people who did not fear God.

 

They also feared for their lives and the loss of their promised inheritance.

 

But make no mistake, God was for them, just as God was for Abraham.

And friends the same can absolutely be said for you and me.

We live in a hostile world.

There are literally Abimelech’s everywhere.

 

They are those people whom Satan uses

To threaten, bully, attack, and humiliate God’s people.

Satan would even use them to even steal our inheritance.

 

But God will not allow it.

Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.”

 

Psalms 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.”

 

Psalms 27:10 “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the LORD will take me up.”

 

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.”

 

Psalms 61:3 “For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy.”

 

GOD IS A SHELTER FOR YOU

God has chosen you, God has called you, God has justified you,

AND GOD WILL GLORIFY YOU.

 

He does not fail to finish what He purposes to begin.

 

Philippians 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

 

When enter the world this week, do not fear the plans of the enemy.

Do not fear their threats.

Do not fear their attacks.

 

Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

 

Do not fear the enemy,

But rather rest in the security of the God who is on your side.

 

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

 

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

 

God’s people are secure in God.

He is our strong tower – in Him we are safe!

 

I want to leave you with the words of one of my favorite hymns.

It was written by Martin Luther.

 

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;

His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

 

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

 

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,

One little word shall fell him.

 

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;

The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever.

 

To Print the Camper Registration Form, click here:

Camp Courageous Sign Up Form

 

Camp courageous is a church camp for boys who have completed grades 1-12. 

It is held at the Plains Baptist Assembly (down in the canyon) in Floydada, TX. 

 

The dates are July 9-12 and the cost is $150 per camper. 

Sign up deadline is June 11 with a $25 deposit due at this time.

 

For more information, look at the camp website here:

http://www.boysadventurecamp.com/index.html