Achieving the Blessing

Galatians 3:6-14

April 13, 2014

 

Well, you know we are studying through the book of Galatians

And it is a letter with a very distinct theme.

It is a letter written to refute legalism and to secure freedom in Christ.

 

And Paul has wasted no time exposing this vicious deception

And shaming the Galatians for entertaining it.

 

In fact last week Paul called them “foolish”

They had believed that which they never should have believed.

 

They were believing that the way to now please God

Was through the works of the Law, namely circumcision.

 

And to that Paul asked a series of questions meant to cause them

To analyze the truth of the situation more accurately.

 

How did you get the Spirit? Works or Faith

So if it started with faith, why would it finish with works?

 

And the point was that you didn’t earn salvation through works

And you don’t perfect salvation through works.

 

God does all that He does in your life on the basis of faith, not merit.

 

And tonight we take the next step and understand why this matters.

 

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE REALITY OF BLESSING.

Is that not what we want?

 

When we really get honest, we want to please God

Because we want the blessing of God to be on our lives.

 

And so, the legalistic thought is, if I’ll just do enough good then God will be pleased and God will bless me.

 

Is that really how it works?

• You know, go to church enough…

• Read my Bible enough…

• Pray enough…

• Give enough…

• Don’t cuss, steal, lie, or cheat…

 

And if I keep that sort of basic code then God will be pleased

And the result will be blessing in my life.

 

But by now you should realize that this is a backward thought.

Let me ask you a few questions:

 

What was the greatest blessing God ever gave you?

-Salvation

 

Did He give that in response to your good behavior?

-No

 

He blessed you with salvation

When your behavior was as bad as it ever was.

 

He blessed you with your greatest blessing

When your works were at an all time low.

 

Romans 5:7-8 “For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

What did you do that prompted that blessing?

-Faith

 

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”

 

So if God gives His greatest blessing in response to faith,

In what manner will He give the lesser blessings?

 

And you see what Paul is talking about.

 

We are not knocking works – works are important

But you must understand that the blessings of God

Are not given in response to works,

They are given in response to faith.

 

And Paul is continuing to drive that point home to the Galatians here.

 

And to do that Paul pulls out his favorite Old Testament example.

(Hopefully because of our study in Genesis, you can see why)

 

But Paul’s favorite Old Testament example is none other than Abraham.

 

And Abraham is a wonderful example,

Not only because his life clearly depicts the salvation of God,

But because the argument Paul is facing is in regard to Judaism

And Abraham is the father of the Jews.

 

So tonight let’s further emphasize that God works in regard to faith,

Not works, and see this in the life of Abraham.

 

3 things in our text.

#1 THE BLESSING OF FAITH

Galatians 3:6-9

 

Now again, we know what it was that the Galatians wanted.

They wanted the blessing of God

 

They wanted God’s favor on their lives.

 

Galatians 3:5 “So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

 

They were after God’s blessings in their lives.

 

And they wanted it so badly that they were willing to be circumcised

And come under the Law in order to have it.

 

And this idea of circumcision came from the Judaizers.

They were the ones who came in and told the Galatians

That circumcision was the means by which you obtain God’s blessing.

 

NOW WHERE WOULD THEY HAVE GOTTEN SUCH A THOUGHT?

(We looked at it this morning)

 

Genesis 17:9-11 “God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. “This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. “And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.”

 

Well that command was clear enough.

And you’ll remember from our study this morning that anyone who did not obey that command was to be cut off from the people of God.

 

I mean, from a Bible stand point

It sure seems like the Judaizers have a strong point.

 

After all, if circumcision was required of Abraham, why wouldn’t it be required of the Galatians?

 

Let me tell you why.

Because the Judaizers were quoting the wrong Scripture.

 

(Can that actually happen? – Of course it can. This is the danger of studying Scripture out of context and then pulling it to fit your argument or desire)

 

We studied this just this morning

But let me hit it again briefly to make sure you fully grasp it.

 

Genesis 17 had nothing to do with

The promise of blessing that God had for Abraham.

Genesis 17 revealed the sign and the seal of the covenant,

Which was circumcision.

 

But if you study that chapter you will NOT find where God says, “If you don’t do this, then I’m changing My mind and the promise is off.”

 

God didn’t say that, because this chapter

Was not about Abraham earning God’s blessing.

 

If the Judaizers wanted to read Scripture that pertained to

Being blessed by God they should have read chapter 15.

 

Which is what Paul quotes here.

Genesis 15:1-6 “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.” Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, ” Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

 

This is the chapter where Abraham pleased God

This is the chapter where God gave Abraham the greatest blessing

 

And what prompted God to do that?

Abraham’s faith.

 

ABRAM DID RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSING

BUT HE RECEIVED IT THROUGH FAITH, NOT WORKS!

 

So if you want to receive the blessing of Abraham,

You don’t do it through works.

 

(7) “Therefore be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.”

 

And I hope you pick up on the slam Paul just put on the Judaizers.

Those men claim to be Jews…

They claim to be sons of Abraham…

 

But the true sons of Abraham are those who are like him,

And Abraham was not a man of works, Abraham was a man of faith.

 

Romans 4:7-12 “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.”

 

Abraham was saved by faith, not works,

So you don’t become a child of Abraham by works.

You become a child of Abraham by faith.

 

Consider Abraham’s life.

Hebrews 11:8-10 “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

 

Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.”

 

Abraham was a man of faith.

This is what it means to be like Abraham.

We see that.

 

And then we see that it is not just Jews who can be children of Abraham.

 

(8) “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”

 

God told Abraham that more than just Jews would share in his blessing.

“All the nations will be blessed in you”

(A promise made in Genesis 12:3 – also before circumcision)

 

Not just Israel, everyone can share in your blessing.

 

HOW?

(9) “So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”

 

And so I hope you see the point.

 

There was a promised blessing to Abraham and his descendants.

But this promise was never restricted to the circumcised.

 

This promise was to anyone who pleased God the same way Abraham did,

AND THAT WAS THROUGH FAITH.

 

Abraham didn’t please God by works.

If you’ll remember Abraham had some pretty questionable works.

Abraham pleased God with faith.

 

And it is those who follow the example of Abraham

Who are really his children and who share in his blessing.

 

AND DO YOU SEE WHAT THE JUDAIZERS WERE DOING?

 

They were piecing Scriptures together, out of context,

And using them to make a very convincing argument about legalism.

 

It really baffles me today when someone so boldly asserts

That works are required for salvation.

 

And sure, but picking verses here and there,

They can even make a pretty convincing argument.

 

But you can’t study Scripture as a whole in context

And make any argument at all.

 

When people do this, I just want to ask:

• “Have you never read Romans 4?”

• “Have you never read Galatians?”

• “Have you never read the entire life of Abraham?”

 

Scripture is so clear that salvation is totally by faith,

The only possible way you can add works to it

Is by quoting verses out of context and applying them

In a way in which God did not intend.

 

I mean, show my one person in the Bible

Who was saved because of something they did.

No one was

 

And the blessings of God don’t come that way either.

Faith brings the blessing.

 

The Blessing of Faith

#2 THE CURSE OF THE LAW

Galatians 3:10-12

 

Here is an often forgotten reality

When it comes to offering people a blessing.

 

The Galatians wanted God’s blessing…

The Judaizers said it comes through obeying the Law…

 

REALLY?

The Law was a source of blessing?

Hmm

 

Not according to Paul.

(10) “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”

 

Deuteronomy 27:26 “Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”

 

Just listen to the Law

 

Deuteronomy 28:15 “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the LORD your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:”

 

Deuteronomy 28:45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the LORD your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you.”

 

Deuteronomy 28:58-68 “If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the LORD your God, then the LORD will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, even severe and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses. “He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you. “Also every sickness and every plague which, not written in the book of this law, the LORD will bring on you until you are destroyed. “Then you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, because you did not obey the LORD your God. “It shall come about that as the LORD delighted over you to prosper you, and multiply you, so the LORD will delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be torn from the land where you are entering to possess it. “Moreover, the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known. “Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul. “So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. “In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see. “The LORD will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way about which I spoke to you, ‘You will never see it again!’ And there you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.”

 

Well that sounds pleasant doesn’t it?

That sure sounds like the path to blessing…

 

WRONG!

That is a threat – that is a curse waiting to happen

There was no blessing there.

 

Now it is true that perfect obedience to the Law did offer blessing.

But may I stress the word “PERFECT” obedience.

If you failed the Law at any one point

You were no longer under the blessing, now you were under the curse.

 

James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.”

 

You break one command and you are a law breaker

And there goes the blessing, here comes the curse.

 

If you think the Law is your ticket to pleasing God and obtaining His blessing you are greatly mistaken.

 

Do you not remember the veil?

Do you not remember the YEARLY sacrifices?

Do you not remember the countless restitutions?

 

The Law did not usher men into blessing,

It ushered men into condemnation and a curse.

 

The Law didn’t save anyone

(11) “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

 

Here Paul pulls out another Old Testament passage.

If the Law only brought condemnation, then what brought justification?

 

That’s easy – faith.

It was faith that brought justification to Abraham,

And that was true for everyone.

 

Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”

 

(Incidentally, that was the verse that broke Martin Luther)

 

The Old Testament teaches that righteous men were righteous

Not because of their flawless observance of the Law,

But because of their faith in God.

 

They never pleased God with works, it was always by faith.

 

Do you remember what a thug Moses could be?

Do you remember the heinous sins of David?

IT WASN’T THEIR WORKS, IT WAS THEIR FAITH

 

Hebrews 11:32-39 “And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith”

 

IT WAS FAITH THAT BROUGHT THEM THE BLESSING

 

TIMEOUT

What about that often used statement:

“Obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings a curse”?

 

Isn’t that clearly seen in the Old Testament?

Yes, but it is not in regard to pleasing God.

 

Obedience brings blessing in the sense that

Doing what is right has favorable results.

 

God’s commands are perfect,

And obeying them does yield positive results.

 

Breaking His commands does bring negative consequences.

 

But it is never your works that usher in God’s blessing, it is your faith.

 

And notice Paul’s next point:

(12) “However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.”

 

Now there is a unique statement.

“the Law is not of faith”

 

WHAT DOES HE MEAN?

Well, he quotes Leviticus 18:5

 

Leviticus 18:5 “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.”

 

There is no faith involved there.

Why?

 

Because there is no expectation for God to do anything.

The burden of the Law does not fall on God – it falls on you.

 

Seeking to keep the Law is trusting in your own abilities, not God’s

 

When you seek to justify yourself or usher in the blessing through works,

You are putting the entire burden squarely on your back.

 

You are saying, “I’ll take care of it…”

But the one who does not work, and instead trusts God for righteousness, puts the entire burden on the back of God.

 

One is trusting in self

The other is trusting in God

 

And only one of those receives the blessing

And the righteousness of God.

 

And so the question to the Galatians is obvious.

HOW DO YOU PLAN ON BEING BLESSED IF THE BLESSING IS BASED ON FAITH, BUT YOU PERSIST IN WORKS?

 

The Law won’t bring you a blessing, it only brings a curse.

 

The Blessing of Faith – The Curse of the Law

#3 THE REDEMPTION OF CHRIST

Galatians 3:13-14

 

Now here is where the gospel message of salvation comes in.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law”

 

That is to say that Christ bought us back

Christ paid off our debt

 

WHAT WERE WE UNDER?

Not just the Law, but “the curse of the Law”

(as Gentiles the Law was written on our hearts and our consciences condemned us)

 

Why were we under such a curse?

Because we had not kept it perfectly.

 

You break one command and you are guilty and the curse is here.

 

But Christ “redeemed us from the curse”

 

He bought us out of it.

HOW?

 

By “becoming a curse for us”

 

In other words, He took our curse upon Himself.

 

And that is clearly seen:

“for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”

 

The crucifixion itself was in and of itself a divine curse.

Christ died upon a cross because He was taking our curse.

 

 

The entire curse of the Law…

• All the plagues…

• All the judgments…

 

Christ took them all.

He bore our curse.

 

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.”

 

WHY?

(14) “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

 

Christ took the curse so we could get the what?

“the blessing of Abraham”

 

And “the promise of the Spirit”

 

And it all comes “through faith”

Faith in what He did

Faith in His success

 

We put the burden on Christ, not our own back.

He told us to come to Him if we were weak and heavy laden

And He would give us rest.

 

And the point is simple,

We are NOT now trying to get a blessing through works.

 

We are seeking the blessing through the work of Christ.

We are betting everything on Him.

(Not only our salvation, but also our blessings in life)

 

AND SO WE SEEK THE BLESSING THROUGH FAITH

 

When someone throws over your head this legalistic mindset

That you must do something to earn God’s favor and be pleasing to Him.

They are simply following in the foot steps of their fathers the Judaizers.

But it is not the truth.

 

The Galatians were contemplating trying to please God

By coming under the Law, and Paul says, “That is foolish”

 

No one ever pleased God by coming under the Law.

Anyone who thinks that, obviously hasn’t read the Bible.

The Law is a killer…

The Law is a condemner…

The Law is a curse bringer…

Don’t run to the Law as a means of obtaining blessing.

 

Christ set us free from the Law by becoming a curse.

 

If you want the blessing…

If you want to be pleasing to God…

Then pursue it the only way it works, by faith.

 

And tonight that is all I want to ask you to do.

I want to ask you to trust God.

 

Trust that what Jesus did was successful.

Trust that if you never did another good thing, Jesus did enough.

Trust that what He did can and will save you, apart from your help.

 

Now I’m not advocating a license to sin

And I’m not advocating a freedom from righteous living

 

We know the truth about such things.

I am merely encouraging you not to trust in those things.

 

Trust in what Christ did

As all you’ll ever need to be pleasing to the Father.

And when you give God that kind of faith,

The blessing of Abraham is yours.

 

God blessed Abraham because of his faith, not his works

And the same is true for you.

 

So, you foolish Galatians, quit thinking you need a circumcision appointment.

Quite thinking you need to go do something to please God.

 

What Jesus did is enough.

And the blessing is yours if you will simply trust that.

 

YOU ARE BLESSED

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

 

The Expectation of Grace

Genesis 17:1-27

April 13, 2014

 

As you know we are studying through the book of Genesis.

 

We are calling it “The Gospel According to Moses”

 

Galatians 3:8 “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”

 

Make no mistake what is being recorded here in Genesis is “the gospel”

Moses is carefully revealing that message to his congregation

As they travel through the wilderness.

 

We’ve seen sin in Adam

We’ve seen judgment in Noah

And now we are looking at salvation in Abram

 

And in Abram we have first seen grace

And are now presently looking at faith.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

 

Seeing both grace and faith in Abram’s life has not been difficult.

• God chose him when he was a pagan idolater

• God granted him the faith to believe

• And Abram did in fact believe in God so that God granted righteousness to Abram.

 

We are currently in the process of Abram’s life

In which God is growing Abram’s faith.

 

We know where his faith is headed.

In chapter 22, he will be asked to sacrifice his own son and Scripture records that Abram will do that believing that God is able even to raise him from the dead.

 

Abram’s faith will be great.

But it didn’t start out that way.

 

His faith started small, and we saw evidence of that last week.

• As the promise was 10 years old and still unfulfilled, Abram and Sarai resorted to fulfilling the promise through the flesh.

• Sarai gave her made Hagar to Abram, and Abram conceived a son with her named Ishmael.

• When the result was not as fulfilling as Sarai had hoped she mistreated Hagar and Hagar fled.

• However God sent her back.

• Her son was to be named “Ishmael” (God Hears)

• And she went back with a testimony that God sees

This Ishmael would be a living reminder to Abram

That even if the promise does not come as soon as think it should,

That does not mean that God does not see you

And it does not mean that God does not hear you.

 

So God has been growing Abram’s faith.

 

Well this morning it is time for Abram’s faith to grow again.

We are now 13 yrs. later.

 

Ishmael was born in chapter 16, he is now 13yrs old in chapter 17.

 

So Abram has now been in the land 23 years

And still yet to see the promise fulfilled.

 

He has believed God and God is growing his faith.

 

AND NOW COMES THE NEXT STEP.

And that is THE EXPECTATION OF GRACE

 

Grace requires a response from you.

Grace is offered free of charge, but those who respond to it

Are expected to respond in a certain way.

 

WHAT DO I MEAN?

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

 

Verse 10 indicates the expectation.

We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works.

 

In Romans 6 Paul asked:

Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

 

Paul was there refuting any abuse of grace.

• Grace is not a license to sin.

• Grace is not a free pass to do as you please.

• Grace is freely bestowed on undeserving people (like Abraham), but it does expect that it will have a positive effect on your life.

 

In short grace comes with an expectation.

And that is where we are in Abram’s story.

 

In fact the chapter begins by stating the whole point.

(1-2) “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

These two verses reveal for us the point of the chapter.

God has been gracious and now He expects something from Abram in return.

 

WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT?

“Walk before Me, and be blameless”

 

Ephesians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”

 

This is what God expects of Abram.

 

Now make sure you keep your theology correct.

God has already made the promise to Abram,

This is not a condition added later.

 

The promise belongs to Abram,

It is not a condition, it is an expectation.

 

God is still going to give the promise to Abram,

But He does expect Abram to respond to it in a proper way,

Which is to “be blameless”

 

Grace is not a license to sin.

Anyone who uses it in that fashion has perverted thinking.

 

Grace is a driving force to be holy.

 

And in the remainder of the chapter we see that unfold.

 

4 things

#1 THE SUMMARY OF THE COVENANT

Genesis 17:1-8

 

Here God just reminds Abram

Of all that He has done and is doing in Abram’s life.

 

Now let me quickly point out to you 4 realities

About the grace of God in Abram’s life.

 

1) YOUR POSTERITY (3-5)

“Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. “No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”

There God again reminds Abram that

He has promised to make a great nation out of him.

And to further solidify that promise,

God has a name change in store for Abram.

 

• Abram means “exalted father” it insinuates an important man.

• Abraham means “father of a multitude” something Abram was not – YET

 

And isn’t that just like God?

He doesn’t name us for what we are, but for what He will make us.

 

Remember Simon?

John 1:42 “He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).”

 

Jesus saw Simon and said, “No, your name is Rock”

Now you know Peter, he was no rock.

If anything Peter was fickle

• One minute confessing, the next getting in the way

• One minute boasting, the next retreating

• One minute defending, the next denying

 

The only time Peter resembled a rock

Was when he sank while walking on the water

 

But Jesus didn’t name him Peter because he was a rock,

But because Jesus would make him a rock – and He did.

 

Peter was the rock who stood in the city which crucified the Lord

And boldly preached at Pentecost.

 

God names us according to what He will do in and through us.

 

That’s true for you.

If I ask you if you are a sinner, you will tell me “yes” because we still sin.

But if I ask you what God calls you, what is it? “SAINT”

Because that is what He is doing in you.

 

And so it is for Abram.

God is going to make him a great nation

And so God changes his name to Abraham.

 

“For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations”

 

That is God’s grace in Abram’s life to make him a posterity.

2) YOUR PROSPERITY (6)

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you.”

 

And you have to love that promise.

You won’t just have many descendants, but you will have important ones.

 

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful”

 

HOW FRUITFUL?

“nations…and kings”

 

I’m not make just some average race from you, but a great one.

 

Your Posterity, Your Prosperity

3) YOUR PERMANENCE (7)

“I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.”

 

I hope you picked up on the two very important words there:

“everlasting covenant”

 

We love the fact that the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.

• God did not make a temporary covenant

• God did not make a fragile covenant

• God made an “everlasting covenant”

 

He will not break it, nor let it fail.

What God is promising to Abraham will endure.

 

4) YOUR POSSESSION (8)

“I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

 

And there is another reminder that the land

Is for your descendants forever.

 

AND OF COURSE NONE OF THIS NEWS IS NEW.

We’ve seen all of this news before.

 

This is merely God reminding Abraham

Of all the grace that has been bestowed upon him.

 

Incidentally it is important that you also remember

All the grace that has been bestowed upon you.

 

• Once called sinner, you are now called Saint

• Once a dry tree, you are now promised to be fruitful

• Once in constant limbo, you are now firmly established and secure

• Once a spiritual beggar, you now have a heavenly inheritance

 

Ephesians 2:1-9 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

 

Grace has been good to you, just as it was good to Abraham.

And it is important to remember that.

 

WHY?

Because that grace is supposed to motivate your obedience.

Grace comes with an expectation.

 

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

 

So having seen the covenant again, now let’s move on to the expectation.

#2 THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT

Genesis 17:9-14

 

Here we see the expectation

“God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant…”

 

The covenant was freely given and is totally permanent,

But it does come with the expectation that Abraham will keep it.

 

HOW DOES HE KEEP IT?

Through obedience

 

(10-11) “This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. “And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.”

 

There it is.

The sign of the covenant is circumcision.

 

To put it in terminology you can understand,

This is the “wedding ring” so to speak.

 

And you notice that everyone in the covenant is required to participate. And if they will not participate they are to be cut off from the people.

 

(READ 12-14)

So circumcision is the sign of the covenant.

WHY CIRCUMCISION?

 

You have to understand sin to understand circumcision.

Sin is a major problem, and it is passed down to us from our father Adam.

 

Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned”

 

Romans 5:18 “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men…”

 

Romans 5:19 “For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners…”

 

1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die…”

 

In Adam all of humanity fell.

He is our father and through him we all inherited a sin nature.

 

Had a debate about this with a pastor last week.

He adamantly claims children have “no sin”

That is not true.

 

Children are referred to as “innocent” in the Scripture in the sense of

No awareness of their sin, but they are not without sin.

 

That is why God could command the destruction of men, women, and children in places like Jericho.

 

Children are born with a fallen sin nature, bent toward sin,

And that is why every human when given the opportunity chooses sin.

 

That’s also why Christ was virgin born.

He, like Adam, was born without a sin nature.

Christ is the second Adam.

 

But where Adam chose sin, Christ chose righteousness.

 

But thanks to Adam we are all now conceived in iniquity

And born with a sin nature.

 

That is why circumcision was the sign of the covenant.

It was the removal of the flesh from the procreative organ.

It was symbolic of a break with sin.

 

Now, did circumcision make you holy? No

It was a sign a symbol

 

IT WAS AN OUTWARD REPRESENTATION OF AN INWARD REALITY.

The fact was God didn’t just want His people to be

Circumcised in the flesh, but circumcised in the heart.

Deuteronomy 30:6 “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

 

Jeremiah 4:4 “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds.”

 

Jeremiah 9:25-26 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised — Egypt and Judah, and Edom and the sons of Ammon, and Moab and all those inhabiting the desert who clip the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart.”

 

That’s why Paul even wrote:

Romans 2:28-29 “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”

 

Circumcision then was the sign of the covenant.

It was the outward picture of

What God desired to do in the heart of Abraham.

 

NOW, WE ALSO HAVE A SIGN OF OUR COVENANT.

Our sign is not circumcision.

 

What is the sign of our covenant?

Baptism

 

1 Peter 3:21-22 “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.”

 

Peter is adamant there that it is not the water that God is talking about.

The water is the outward symbol.

 

The baptism that saves you is the “appeal to God for a good conscience”

The baptism that saves you is of the heart.

 

Water baptism is in outward picture of an inward reality.

We do it as a sign of what God has done in saving us.

 

And this is proven in Abraham.

 

Paul spends the entire chapter of Romans 4

Proving that Abraham was saved before he was ever circumcised.

 

Abraham was saved back in chapter 15. It has been at least 13 years since that day and Abraham is just now getting circumcised.

His circumcision did not save him – it was a sign

Our baptism does not save us – it is a sign

 

But it is an important sign

So important in fact, that if a person refuses to do it we have a problem.

 

In regard to circumcision if a person refused,

They were to be cut off from God’s people.

 

We indicate ourselves as one of God’s people through our baptism,

If a person refuses they are refusing

To identify themselves with the people of God.

 

Neither circumcision nor baptism saves you,

But the refusal to do it is a major problem.

For they are sign of the covenant.

 

The Summary of the Covenant, The Sign of the Covenant

#3 THE SPECIFICS OF THE COVENANT

Genesis 17:15-22

 

These few verses may actually appear to be a bit of a deviation

From the point of the chapter,

But in reality that address a very important issue

In regard to God’s command.

 

See, God is commanding a human work from Abraham.

 

But it is important that Abraham fully understand that

No physical work will ever usher in the promise of God.

 

Works of the flesh can never obtain the promise of God.

We know what obtains the promise of God – faith

 

And these verses drive that point home to Abraham.

 

God not only has a new name for Abraham,

But He also has a new name for Sarai.

 

(15) “Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.”

 

WHY SARAH?

Sarah means “princess” and that is a fitting name for the mother of kings.

 

(16) “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.”

 

 

See God is reiterating His plan to use supernatural means

To fulfill the promise to Abraham.

 

And this idea by God is so far-fetched that Abraham thinks it’s a joke.

 

(17) “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?”

 

Abraham was pretty confident that Sarah wasn’t going to get pregnant.

That ship had sailed.

And yet God promised it – and Abraham laughed.

 

Then Abraham revealed what he had thought God was going to do.

(18) “And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!”

 

First Abraham thought it was going to be Lot

Now Abraham thinks it is going to be Ishmael.

 

And he points that out to God.

 

But pay special attention to verse 19 – it is SO IMPORTANT

To understanding Abraham’s walk of faith.

 

(19) “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.”

 

This is now the first time that God ADAMANTLY and FORCEFULLY

Tells Abraham that it is not Ishmael, it is Isaac

 

Isaac is the franchise

Isaac is the promise

Everything that is coming is coming through Isaac

 

God is driving that point home to Abraham.

It is important that you understand that so when God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac you will understand why Abraham was so confident that God would at the very least raise him from the dead.

 

God was adamant – Isaac, Isaac, Isaac, Isaac

 

Now, that does not mean that Abraham is not capable of doing great things in his flesh – he is.

 

(20) “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.”

 

Abraham is very capable in his flesh.

In his flesh he is capable of starting a nation with 12 princes

There was nothing supernatural about that,

It was the natural course of human procreation.

 

Abraham was cable in his flesh

(21) “But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.”

 

WHAT WAS GOD SAYING?

 

Abraham I know that in your flesh you are capable of great things, BUT YOU CAN’T USHER IN MY PROMISE THROUGH THE FLESH.

 

You can accomplish a lot through your own works,

But you cannot accomplish enough.

My promise only comes through faith, not works.

 

AND WE DO GOOD TO REMEMBER THAT

(many have missed it)

 

God has also given us a physical act to perform, but that does not mean that our promise is ushered in through the flesh either.

 

Baptism is important, but it does not and can not usher in the promise.

ONLY FAITH CAN DO THAT.

 

The Summary of the Covenant, The Sign of the Covenant, The Specifics of the Covenant

#4 THE SEAL OF THE COVENANT

Genesis 17:23-27

 

WHAT DO WE SEE HERE?

Obedience

• Abraham did what God commanded. (he and all his household)

• And Abraham did it that same day.

• He fully obeyed God.

 

Did that save him?

No he was given righteousness way back in chapter 15

 

THIS WAS NOT THE SOURCE OF HIS SALVATION, IT WAS A SEAL.

 

Romans 4:11 “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,”

 

Paul said Abraham’s circumcision was a sign (that we got)

He also said it was “a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised”

 

Perhaps a better word than “seal” is the word “indicator”

 

Did Abraham receive righteousness before or after circumcision. (Before)

 

How do we know?

(well Scripture says so)

 

But apart from that, if that verse was not included, how would you know that Abraham already had a righteous believing heart?

 

You know that because he obeyed.

His obedience, his work was an indicator (a seal)

That he was righteous, that he had faith.

 

Now listen to me very closely, many stray here,

And I want you to understand this accurately.

 

There is seemingly a contradiction in Scripture.

Let me show it to you.

 

Romans 3:28 “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

 

James 2:24 “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

 

WOOPS – What do we do with that?

Could it get more contradicting?

 

Let me explain it to you.

 

NO FAITH = NO SALVATION

• Because we are justified by faith

• It was by faith that God credited righteousness to Abraham

 

If you have no faith then you have no salvation.

(That is what Paul was talking about in Romans 3)

 

Here it is:

NO WORKS = NO FAITH

And that is what James was talking about in James 2

James 2:18-26 “But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

Listen to me closely.

If you were to ask James if a man is justified by faith he would say, “Yes, but it must be real faith.”

 

You would ask, “What is the difference between real faith and fake faith?”

James would say, “Real faith obeys God”

 

James’ point is that we are certainly justified by faith,

But it must be real genuine faith,

The kind of faith that obeys the commands of God.

 

If you don’t obey the commands of God, then I don’t know what you have,

But it most certainly is not faith.

 

And if you don’t have faith, then you are not saved,

Because we are saved through faith.

 

So to say it again:

• No Faith = No Salvation

• No Works = No Faith

 

And that is what makes Abraham’s circumcision a seal or an indicator.

The fact that Abraham instantly obeyed God proved that his faith was real,

Thus indicating that his salvation was real.

 

Circumcision didn’t save him,

But his obedience in circumcision proved he was in fact saved.

 

Now, let me bring it home to us.

(You know I don’t push for flashy invitations)

 

I believe people are saved as they listen to the proclaimed word of God, not necessarily in a pushy invitation

 

Just like Cornelius was saved in the middle of Peter’s sermon

(Cornelius, incidentally, was also clearly saved

Before he was baptized since he had the Holy Spirit first)

 

So I know that it is possible that there are some who have been saved,

But never walked an aisle or made a public decision –

You simply believed the word and God has begun to change your heart.

 

If you are like that, then you need to listen.

You also have a work of obedience that you need to do.

 

There is a sign of our covenant

There is a seal of our covenant

 

It will not save you, it is not enough, but it is required of God.

That sign, that seal is water baptism.

 

Acts 2:38 “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

 

I am NOT telling you that if you have never placed your faith in Christ

That you need to be baptized.

 

If you’ve never placed your faith in Christ, it won’t do you any good.

 

I’m telling you if you have trusted Christ

And He has granted to you His righteousness,

That it is time for you to be obedient and be baptized.

 

And just as Abraham went that same day and was circumcised,

That is the call to you.

 

And this obedience is another step that God has in store

In order to grow your faith.

 

He is teaching the value of obedience.

And so just as God required obedience of Abraham,

He now requires it of you.

 

And I want to ask you, to be obedient.

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

 

Were It Not For Grace

 

Songwriters HAMILTON, DAVID ROSS/MCHUGH, PHILL
Read more:  Larnelle Harris – Were It Not For Grace Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Questioning Legalism

Galatians 3:1-5

April 6, 2014

 

I was talking with Sandy Sandlin this past week

And he shared a story with me I think you’ll appreciate.

 

In 1947 the General Mills Company invented a woman as a pioneer baker to help women. That woman’s name was Betty Crocker. And Betty Crocker was to instantly be a busy mom’s best friend.

 

Betty Crocker supplied a cake mix that only required water in order to bake a cake. All the other ingredients were present.

Just add water and bake.

 

The invention failed miserably. No one would buy it, no one would use it.

The think tank came together a few years later and revolutionized their strategy.

 

In 1952 the secret powder was changed.

Now, in order to bake a cake, you needed two ingredients.

Water and an egg.

 

And the rest is history.

 

Why did the first and easier mix fail where the second greatly succeeded?

Answer: People were more comfortable if they at least did a little work themselves.

 

In her book “Something from the Oven: Reinventing dinner in 1950’s America”

Laura Shapiro wrote:

 

“Looking for reasons why so many women who could benefit from cake mixes seemed to be ignoring them … Ernest Dichter [came up with an] analysis in the course of a study he was carrying out for General Mills. After interviewing women and exploring the emotions that surrounded cakes and baking, Dichter reported that the very simplicity of mixes — just add water and stir — made women feel self-indulgent for using them. There wasn’t enough work involved. In order to enjoy the emotional rewards of presenting a homemade cake, they had to be persuaded that they had really baked it, and such an illusion was impossible to maintain if they did virtually nothing. “This is typical of what the average housewife said: ‘Yes, I’m using a cake mix; it saves me a lot of trouble but I really shouldn’t,'” Dichter wrote later. His advice was to leave the homemaker something to do — for instance, add the eggs — whenever she made a cake from a mix. She would feel she had contributed something of herself, and the mindless nature of the task would no longer plague her.

According to Dichter, his client — and, by implication, the other manufacturers — seized on this wisdom and promptly reformulated their mixes, leaving out the dried eggs. Women started adding their own fresh eggs, stopped feeling guilty, and cake mixes became a success. Over the years this story came to be a favorite among other consumer experts, who often rounded up more psychological studies to reinforce Dichter’s analysis. The egg theory, with its emphasis on the homemaker’s personal investment in the cake, set the tone for much subsequent advertising (“You and Ann Pillsbury can make a great team”) and has been widely acknowledged as the insight that saved cake mixes.”

And wrapped in that story is the very heart of legalism.

 

People don’t accept something that is too good to be true.

They fell better if they can do a little of the work themselves.

 

Now granted, they don’t want to pick the grain, mill the flower,

And bake the cake from scratch – that’s too much.

 

But they’d sure feel better if they could at least add an egg.

 

What a picture of religious legalism.

People don’t want to go the whole distance and atone for their own sin,

But they would feel a lot better if they could just add a little to it for good measure.

 

And that is precisely the problem the Galatians are facing.

You will remember that they had been led astray by the Judaizers.

 

Led astray, not only from the gospel, but from the God of the gospel.

 

Galatians 1:6 “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;”

 

They had bought the Judaizer theology that Jesus + Law = Salvation.

And Paul is rebuking that heavily.

 

Over the last few weeks we saw Paul’s rebuke of legalism

From a theological point.

 

Paul exposed the true fruit of legalism.

Legalism:

• Divides the Body

• Distorts the Gospel

• Deserves Rebuke

• Destroys Sinners

• Disputes Christ

• Disregards Grace

 

I can’t think of anything else that can accomplish that much harm.

 

Legalism is the most dangerous of cancers to infiltrate the church.

 

William Hendricksen said it best:

“A supplemented Christ is a supplanted Christ”

 

And this helps explain Paul’s animosity toward legalism.

Paul was one who had learned first hand the futility of legalism.

 

Philippians 3:7-9 “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,”

 

Paul knew that all of his legalistic methods proved to be utterly worthless in regard to obtaining righteousness before God.

 

Paul had no use for it any more.

 

And what really has him angered now

Is the fact that so many who know that same truth

Are choosing to return to that worthless legalism anyway.

 

And that is where we are in the letter.

Paul now hits the Galatians right between the eyes.

 

What we find in these 5 verses are 5 questions.

Questions meant to challenge their logic and their new way of thinking.

 

Paul is very simply questioning legalism.

 

Let’s look at them.

#1 IN REGARD TO THEIR SEDUCTION

Galatians 3:1

 

Now you have already figured out that

Paul is not trying to win a popularity contest here.

 

“You foolish Galatians…”

Is not the type of phrase that earns you a lot of friends.

 

But understand what Paul is saying here.

He’s not calling them stupid, so much as he’s calling them lazy.

 

Remember the two men on the road to Emmaus that Jesus encountered?

Luke 24:21-27 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

 

Jesus said those men were foolish. Why?

Because they weren’t taking into account

All that the prophets had spoken.

 

They weren’t dumb, they were gullible to believe what they heard,

And too lazy to search out the truth on their own.

 

And that is precisely where we find the Galatians.

 

They weren’t doing the work, they weren’t practicing discernment,

They were just buying every argument,

Simply because it seemed like it made sense.

 

THAT IS FOOLISH!

 

1 Thessalonians 5:21 “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;”

 

Listen, only a fool believes everything he hears.

We are called to test, to discern, to examine.

 

Ephesians 4:14 “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;”

There is a good analogy.

Don’t be like children.

In what sense?

Children are gullible and they are undiscerning.

 

If you didn’t watch out for a child

They would either sweeten or poison themselves to death within a year.

 

They don’t know not to take candy from strangers…

They are gullible and trusting and undiscerning.

 

We are called not to be like that.

• Christians are called to have discernment and understanding.

• We are called to know better than to fall for a foolish argument.

 

And those who do, merely show their laziness

In regard to searching out the truth.

 

Paul is angry at the Galatians because they are lazy.

 

“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you…”

• Paul wants to know who “charmed” them.

• Who held the swinging watch in front of our face?

• Who sold you the snake oil?

• Who fooled you with smoke and mirrors?

 

Someone came in and gave you such a slick argument

That you didn’t even bother checking out the truth of it.

 

You just bought it because it tasted good.

Some false prophet amazed you with his presentation and slick argument,

But you didn’t even check him out.

 

That is so dangerous, because that is precisely how false prophets work!

 

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

 

That is precisely these false teachers,

Telling you too much of what you want to hear.

 

2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

 

That word “exploit” in the Greek means “to make merchandise of you”

It is were we get our word emporium.

 

They are snake oil salesmen who talk too fast and feel too good,

But you had better check them out first.

 

And that is Paul’s first question.

“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?”

 

That is to say, you know all about the crucifixion of Jesus.

You know all about what it accomplished.

You know all about its purpose

 

And yet you are now walking away from it.

Who sold you that bill of goods?

Who seduced you?

Who hood winked you into that decision.

 

They didn’t go that route by studying the word,

Someone deceived them.

 

And Paul wants to know who.

 

In Regard to their Seduction

#2 IN REGARD TO THEIR SALVATION

Galatians 3:2

 

Here is question number 2 and here Paul appeals to their experience.

 

Now experience can also be dangerous if not also discerned by the truth.

But experience based upon truth is powerful.

We call that a testimony.

 

And Paul is appealing to that here.

“This is the only thing I want to find out from you; did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”

 

Now why would Paul ask such a question?

 

B/C the presence of the Spirit equals the presence of salvation.

The absence of the Spirit equals the absence of salvation.

 

1 John 4:13 “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

 

1 John 3:24 “The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”

 

The presence of the Spirit equals salvation.

 

And so Paul is here asking.

I just want to know how you got saved.

 

Did you get saved after you read the Law and obeyed it?

Or did you get saved after you heard the gospel and believed it?

Which was it?

 

You know the answer when you look at your own life, just like I do.

We got the Holy Spirit…we were saved when we believed.

 

Acts 10:44-48 “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.”

 

And this is the same point Paul spent all of Romans 4

Making in regard to Abraham.

 

Romans 4:9-12 “Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.”

 

And again it is clear.

Salvation doesn’t occur when you finally obey the Law enough.

Salvation occurs when you trust Christ.

 

Their Seduction, Their Salvation

#3 IN REGARD TO THEIR SANCTIFICATION

Galatians 3:3

 

And this is really the main point of the questioning.

 

“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

 

Do you understand the line of thinking here?

 

They were justified in the sight of God by faith apart from works,

But now they think they are going to fully please God

By going back to works.

 

Works weren’t needed before,

But all of a sudden they think they are needed now.

 

Let me tell you what is actually occurring.

 

The Galatians are actually saying that the work of Jesus on the cross was enough to forgive them, but not enough to glorify them.

 

The work of Jesus on the cross was enough

To start the salvation process, but not enough to finish it.

 

In order to reach final glorification

It is still going to take some sort of works from you.

And that is so foolish!

 

What are you going to add to the cross?

2 Peter 1:2-3 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

 

We already have everything we need.

Christ did not short us in any way.

 

His death was more than enough not only to justify you,

But also to sanctify you, and to glorify you.

 

Who would be so foolish as to say that the death of Christ is not enough?

 

And yet that is what legalism says.

It challenges the sufficiency of the cross.

Legalism says that whatever Christ did on the cross, it was partial at best.

However far the atonement went, it was still incomplete.

 

If you are going to be truly perfect.

If you are going to be totally glorified.

Then there is still a checklist of things you need to accomplish.

 

THAT DIMINISHES THE WORK OF THE CROSS

 

And if the cross is not enough there are so many strange passages in Scripture.

 

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”

 

If what Jesus did was not enough then it seems to me that

His death shouldn’t have been all Paul preached about.

 

Seduction, Salvation, Sanctification

#4 IN REGARD TO THEIR SUFFERING

Galatians 3:4

 

Now, the word “suffer” here can also be translated “experience”

 

Paul is talking about their salvation experience.

Paul is talking about the day they received God’s Spirit.

 

And he asks, “Did you suffer so many things in vain?”

 

That is to say, was all of that pointless?

Was all of that of no value?

 

Apparently receiving the Holy Spirit was not that big of a deal to you, because you are running back to the Law to try and get better.

 

But that is what legalism does.

It convinces you that believing in Christ

And receiving His Holy Spirit is an insignificant thing.

 

Legalism would rewrite Paul’s statement in Philippians.

 

It would say it like this:

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of obeying the Law. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of obeying the Law, for which I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain the Law, and may be found with it, not having an experience of my own derived from the with Christ, but the righteousness which comes from the Law on the basis of obedience,”

 

Isn’t that foolish?

I have to tell you, I don’t know of any experience in my life

That I value more than my salvation experience.

 

That night in Brownwood, TX when Jesus confronted my spiritual poverty and offered to me His perfect righteousness, it was hands down the greatest day of my life.

 

• August 8, 1998 (wedding) was a big day

• October 11, 2003 (Zek) was a big day

• May 11, 2005 (Hannah) was a big day

• January 8, 2007 (Zech) was a big day

• February 19, 2009 (Abigail) was a big day

 

But none of those days are as big as the day I was born again.

 

But if were to now run to the Law in order to be pleasing to God

I would in effect be saying that that day wasn’t all that great.

 

I would be saying it was “in vain”

That I received Christ’s Spirit, it was futile.

 

And that would be foolish

 

Their Seduction, Their Salvation, Their Sanctification, Their Suffering

#5 IN REGARD TO THEIR STANCE

Galatians 3:5

 

Here comes the conclusion.

Here is the “so then” we have been waiting for.

 

Since you have now answered the questions and have decided that:

• I was saved by hearing with faith

• I am also perfected through faith

• My experience with Christ was not in vain

 

That being the case Paul then has one final question.

 

“So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”

 

Paul is simply asking, how do you think God works?

What do you think prompts God?

 

And the answer is obvious.

 

Everything God does in your life He does in response to faith,

Not works of the Law.

 

And so Paul wants to know:

WHAT IS YOUR FINAL STANCE?

 

Are you going to walk away with the opinion that works still matter?

Or are you going to walk away with the belief that faith is enough?

 

YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE.

 

And let me tell you, everyone in this place has to make this choice.

 

You have to decide in your Christian walk

Whether or not Christ is enough.

 

You have to decide whether or not faith in Him is in fact sufficient.

 

In short you have to determine whether salvation is by faith alone,

Or if it is by faith and something else.

 

In that same conversation I had with Sandy this week, he was lamenting a conversation he had with another preacher who adamantly denied that salvation was by faith alone.

 

The preacher’s main argument being that Ephesians 2:8 does not use the word “alone”

 

What other thing could it be?

And the answer is nothing.

 

IT IS BY FAITH ALONE.

IT IS BY TRUSTING IN CHRIST ALONE.

It is not by works…

It is not by effort…

It is not by ritual…

 

But you have to decide that in your Christian life.

You have to decide if what Christ did was enough,

Or if you need to do something else.

 

And that is precisely where Paul has the Galatians.

Decide!

 

• You know of Christ crucified…

• You know how you received the Holy Spirit…

• You know what prompted God to work in your midst…

 

What was it?

Faith in Christ or works of the Law.

 

AND FRIENDS THE ANSWER IS OBVIOUS, IT IS FAITH.

 

Do not return to works, it is not what God is seeking,

And if some slick salesman has come in and convinced you of that,

Then he is corrupt and you are foolish.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.

 

And still people won’t believe it because it is too good to be true.

 

They would feel more comfortable

If they could just add an egg to their water.

 

They would feel more comfortable

If they could just add circumcision to their salvation.

 

But when you do that,

You question the effectiveness of what Christ did,

And that is not faith, and that cannot save.

 

Trust in Christ – Trust in Christ Alone

 

The Small Faith of Abram

Genesis 16:1-16

April 6, 2014

 

As you know we have been the last several weeks

Studying the life of this man named Abram.

 

And we’ve seen a great parallel to the truth of God’s salvation.

 

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

 

And while that verse is truly depicted in every life that gets saved,

It is not found clearer anywhere than in Abram’s life.

 

Abram was first off a man of grace.

And now he is just becoming a man of faith.

 

In fact last week as we studied chapter 15

We finally saw Abram give God the faith that God was looking for.

 

Genesis 15:6 “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

 

That is not to say that Abram had no faith before that point, for he did.

• It took faith to leave Ur

• It took faith to enter Canaan

• It took faith to stay there

• It took faith to separate from Lot

• It took faith to turn down the King of Sodom

 

Abram had faith.

But until Genesis 15 he did not have saving faith.

 

That is to say that whatever Abram’s faith was,

It was not a faith great enough to cause God to justify him.

 

That is until chapter 15

On that day, Abram placed the trust of his whole heart on God.

 

So Abram has given his whole heart to God.

• He is a man of faith

• He is a saved man

• He is a follower of God Most High

 

But DO NOT ASSUME that Abram is now a finished product.

 

After all, many of you in here have also surrendered your whole heart to God, and placed your faith in Him, but you also know that you are not yet a finished product.

 

Faith must first be GIVEN

And then faith must be GROWN

The goal is to move from being a person of faith

To a person of great faith

 

It is a reality that our faith starts small and must be grown.

 

Just listen to the various encounters that Jesus had with His disciples.

Did they love Him? Yes

Did they trust Him? Yes

Where they chosen by Him? Yes

 

But they were far from a finished product.

 

TURN TO: Matthew 8:23-27

 

There is a familiar story.

Matthew is relating Jesus’ power over fallen nature.

Jesus calmed the storm with a spoken word.

 

But we also find a measuring point with the disciples.

• They had seen Jesus turn water to wine

• They had seen Jesus cleanse a leper

• They had seen Jesus cast out demons

• They had seen Jesus heal Peter’s mother-in-law

 

But still at this point they only had “little faith”

And Jesus not only exposes that but rebukes them for it.

 

TURN TO: Matthew 14:28-33

 

You remember this one as well.

Jesus is walking on water and Peter wants in on it.

Peter walks out to Jesus, but gets overwhelmed by the circumstances and begins to sink, crying out to Jesus.

 

And again we get a benchmark, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

 

The disciples were giving Jesus some of what He wanted,

They just weren’t giving Him enough of it.

 

TURN TO: Matthew 16:5-12

 

There you can actually pick up on the frustrating tone of Jesus.

 

Not only does He reveal again their “little faith”

But He also reveals how unnecessary that little faith is.

 

By now, having witnessed all they had witnessed,

Their faith should have been greater, but it wasn’t.

 

It is obvious that Jesus is extremely interested in the faith of these men.

 

TURN TO: Matthew 17:14-20

 

Again you have Jesus exposing the most glaring deficiency of His disciples and that is that their faith is small.

 

Now, simultaneous to Jesus exposing the disciple’s little faith,

He also took opportunity to praise the great faith around Him.

 

TURN TO: Matthew 8:5-10

• There is the centurion and Jesus purposely praised him

 

TURN TO: Matthew 15:21-28

• There again, is great faith, and again from an unlikely source.

 

Are you getting the point?

Jesus is working on the faith of His disciples.

He is taking them from men of little faith

And turning them in to men of great faith.

 

TURN TO: Luke 22:31-34

 

There Jesus tells Peter specifically of the plan.

I have prayed for you.

I want your faith to endure.

I want your faith to be great.

 

And I show you all those just to be consistent with you

To make sure you understand that God first brings us to faith,

And then He works to make that faith great.

 

HE GROWS OUR FAITH.

 

And that is where we are in Genesis 16.

Does Abram have faith? Yes

But it is little faith.

 

Now, we know where Abram is headed.

Genesis 22:9-14 “Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”

 

That is where Abram is headed.

And that is GREAT faith!

Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.”

 

So Abram is headed to great faith.

Right now he has little faith.

 

• Let me show you that little faith.

• Let me show you why it is little.

• And let me show you what God is going to do in order to grow it.

 

There are 5 points to this chapter.

#1 THE CIRCUMSTANCE

Genesis 16:1

 

Well we all know about excuses.

We’ve all made them in the past.

And that is what we have here.

 

It reminds us that we don’t exhibit weak faith because we want to.

We exhibit weak faith because of circumstances we don’t understand.

 

• The disciples were in a storm…

• Peter was sinking in the waves…

• The demon wasn’t coming out of the boy…

 

And here, it had been ten years and still no son.

 

See down in verse 3, “After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan…”

 

When you realize a decade had passed between chapters 15 & 16

We can better understand the dilemma Abram and Sarai were in.

 

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children…”

 

• Abram only had one wife, that was Sarai

• God had promised Abram a son from his own body.

• But ten years of trying had yielded no success.

 

Now that was only half of the circumstance.

 

Here was the other half: “and she had an Egyptian made whose name was Hagar.”

 

Sarai could look in the mirror and see that she was getting nowhere.

However, when she looked over her soldier she saw a possible solution.

 

And, bear in mind that God had yet to specify

That the promised seed was coming through Sarai.

God had merely said that the seed would come through Abram.

 

Now certainly, since God is opposed to adultery, Sarai should have known that as long as she lived, she was also part of the promise.

 

But ten years of trying had caused her to consider that maybe God was going to use another woman to bring about the fulfillment of the promise.

 

Sarai is in a tough circumstance

And that is fertile ground for weak faith to show up.

 

The Circumstance

#2 THE CONSPIRACY

Genesis 16:2-3

 

• Well, Sarai hasn’t been successful in a decade…

• Hagar looks like a suitable option to Sarai…

 

(2-3) “So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.”

 

Now I know that is just about as heinous as it can be to you and me.

And I’m not trying to make light of this.

 

What Abram and Sarai did here was polygamy, adultery, fornication

It was sin and heinous in the sight of God.

 

However, it was the common practice of the culture of their day.

 

It was definitely wrong, but let me confidently say that

It probably didn’t seem as wrong to them as it does to you.

 

TAKE GLUTTONY FOR EXAMPLE

A big deal to us? No

A big deal to Abram? Yes

 

I point that out because I want you to understand that it was not that hard for Sarai to come to this decision – she only had to look around her.

 

Everyone around her was already doing this sort of thing,

So it was not a stretch in her mind to do the same.

 

And “Abram listened to the voice of Sarai”

In a moment of weakness they chose sin.

 

And incidentally, if you want the point to this story,

The New Testament gives us that point.

 

Galatians 4:21-31 “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.” And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 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.” So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.”

 

According to Paul this story depicts the age old decision

That we all make many times in our life.

Will we walk by faith or will we walk by the flesh?

 

SMALL FAITH IS INDICATED WHEN WE TOO QUICKLY

RESULT TO THE FLESH FOR THE ANSWER

 

What Abram is doing here is trying to secure the promise of God

By his own fleshly ability.

 

The New Testament correlation is when someone tries to obtain God’s promise of salvation through their own human efforts.

 

Salvation is God’s doing.

He offers it, He grants it, He secures it, He performs it

 

It is NOT accomplished through works of the flesh.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

 

When we try to usher in God’s promises through our own strength,

That is the flesh and that is weak faith.

 

That is precisely what Abram was doing.

• He knew the promise of God…

• He believed the promise of God…

• He desired the promise of God…

 

He just tried to obtain it according to his flesh and not his faith.

 

It is safe to say that Abram is still a work in progress

(Aren’t we all?)

 

The Circumstance, The Conspiracy

#3 THE CONSEQUENCE

Genesis 16:4-5

 

This passage is not primarily about the regret of sin, but it easily could be.

 

For you can easily see that sin never pays off like you expect.

What seemed to be a brilliant idea and an effective way

To usher in the promise turned out to have less than favorable results.

 

(4) “He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.”

 

I doubt Sarai saw this one coming.

• One day Hagar was a more than compliant servant.

• But Hagar ambitiously dreamed of something more.

 

And when she was promoted to status of wife, and then able to conceive,

She developed a disdain for Sarai.

 

In Hagar’s mind she now had more claim on Abram than Sarai did.

 

We aren’t there yet in the story of Genesis,

But this isn’t much different than the feud between Rachel and Leah.

 

Both of those ladies tried to win the heart of their husband by conceiving children.

 

We hear statements from Leah like:

Genesis 29:34 “She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.”

 

It was very much about status and rank.

• And in Hagar’s mind she now outranked Sarai.

• In Hagar’s mind she was now more important.

 

She carried Abram’s offspring, Sarai did not.

And Hagar began to despise Sarai.

 

And if you will notice Sarai was none too happy.

(5) “And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

 

One would do good to ask

If their little plan had turned out like they hoped?

 

One could surely see that Abram did not think this thing through,

And now he is caught in the cross hairs of Sarai.

 

IT DIDN’T WORK OUT AS PLANNED.

This is how sin works

(And this is not new)

 

Do you see the parallels to the garden?

• Woman is convinced she is missing something…

• It is God’s fault that she is missing it…

• A simple yet sinful solution is offered…

• The husband consents…

• And then we get an undesirable result…

 

The scheme of sin doesn’t ever change much, does it?

 

I can assure you that walking by the flesh

Will not have the desired effect you are searching for.

 

The Circumstance, The Conspiracy, The Consequence

#4 THE COVER UP

Genesis 16:6

 

Well, when you make a mistake,

Most of us just desire to get out from under it as quickly as possible.

 

And that is precisely what Sarai does.

(6) “But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly…”

 

In case you missed it, what just happened there

Is that Abram chose Sarai over Hagar.

 

That was all the authority Sarai needed.

Hagar carried Abram’s son, but Sarai carried Abram’s heart.

 

And Sarai rode that advantage to its fullest extent.

She took back her place of prominence over Hagar.

 

And the result?

Hagar “fled from her presence”

 

So let’s take a little inventory of where we’ve come.

• We have circumstances we don’t understand

• We have a decision to sin and walk by the flesh

• That decision brought about unfavorable circumstances

• And so they did everything they could to remove those circumstances

 

And so at this point do you see Abram’s little faith?

And do you see why it is little?

Abram believed in the Lord

But you and I can easily see that Abram is far from a man of great faith.

Abram is still very much a man of flesh.

 

He solves his problems with fleshly solutions,

And then tries to eliminate the consequences of those bad decisions.

 

That is a vicious cycle of bondage.

Follow the flesh – reap the consequence – use the flesh to solve it

 

But it looks like Abram’s problem is solved, for Hagar just bolted.

 

But is it over?

No, not by a longshot.

 

GOD IS ABOUT TO GROW ABRAM’S SMALL FAITH

 

The Circumstance, The Conspiracy, The Consequence, The Cover Up

#5 THE CORRECTION

Genesis 16:7-16

 

Now if you spend much time trying to figure out the point of Moses,

This can be a tough part of the story.

 

I was particularly curious

• Why God spared Hagar…

• Why God promised to bless Ishmael…

• And mostly, why God was so adamant that Hagar go back…

 

In my way of thinking, many problems could be solved if

Hagar had died in the wilderness and that child had never been born.

 

After all, we’d be right back on track with Abram and Sarai

Waiting for the fulfillment of the promise.

 

But instead, God goes after Hagar

(7-8) “Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

 

Incidentally this is the first appearance of “the angel of the LORD”

Since it is clear that this is in fact God, many believe this to be a Christophony

(a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus)

 

And here God pursues Hagar.

He is “on the way to Shur” (that is back to Egypt)

 

Just for curiosity sake, where do you suppose Sarai picked up Hagar?

Hagar is headed home back to Egypt, and God comes and finds her.

 

“Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?”

 

Notice God specifically calls her “Sarai’s made” not “Abram’s wife”

 

God is reminding Hagar of the importance of submission.

You are Sarai’s made and you don’t have the right to flee

Just because you don’t like your circumstances.

 

And Hagar says, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

 

But as you will see, that is not ok with God.

(9) “Then the angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.”

 

Submission matters to God, and God is sending Hagar back.

 

BUT THAT IS PECULIAR THAT GOD WOULD DO THAT.

 

WHY?

Because in just a few chapters

God is going to command that they send Hagar away.

 

Genesis 21:8-14 “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. 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.” 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.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba.”

 

Why did God bring her back,

If all along He knew He was going to have the drive her out?

 

Because this story isn’t about Hagar,

It is about God using Hagar to grow Abram’s faith.

 

And that is seen in the coming promises.

 

(10-12) “Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” The angel of the LORD said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. “He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”

 

God makes a promise to Hagar that rivals the promise made to Abram.

“descendants…too many to count”

 

And here is the point.

“And you will bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael”

 

“Ishmael” means “God Hears”

 

Now, this boy is not going to be like Isaac, he’s going to be a fighter and a man of division, and a man at odds with others and separate from Israel.

 

God is not going to let this man share in Abram’s inheritance,

But it is very important that Hagar take this boy named “God Hears”

Back to Abram.

 

Then look at the second part.

(13-14) “Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.”

 

So here Hagar names God “A God who sees”

And she named the well where she had stopped “Beer-lahai-roi”

Which means “The Well of the Living One who sees me”

 

And then you will notice that Hagar

Returned to Abram and Sarai and had the son.

 

(15-16) “So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.”

 

And we know that Hagar told the story to Abram.

We know that because Abram named the boy

As the Lord had commanded Hagar.

 

NOW FOLLOW THE STORY.

Why did Sarai give Hagar to Abram to begin with?

Because she could have no kids and it had been ten years.

 

Why did Abram agree?

Because Sarai could have no kids and it had been ten years.

 

Who did they blame for this problem?

God

 

(2) “the Lord has prevented me from bearing children”

So these two had agreed that God had abandoned Sarai.

(That was their thought)

 

But then (after all the mess) Hagar returns to Sarai in submission (really was God who spoke) and brings with her a living reminder.

 

• She comes with a child named “God Hears”

• And she comes with a story of how “God sees”

 

And for the next 14 years Abram and Sarai would have a living testimony in their midst named “God sees”

 

It had been ten years since the promise.

It will be 13 more until its fulfillment.

 

Do you think they would ever be tempted to walk by the flesh again?

Sure they would

 

But God had a testimony to teach them to walk by faith and not the flesh.

 

The point to all this is that when we come to Christ,

We don’t start out with great faith.

 

We start out with little faith

We start out with small faith

If truth be told we are still pretty attached to the flesh

 

And God goes to work on us to grow our faith

And turn our small faith into great faith.

 

How does He do that?

(I’m sure in several ways)

 

But one of the ways (which we see here) is by living reminders of past failures, to teach us that the flesh is never the best solution.

 

So when you are discouraged

Because your past failures seem to pop up in front of you.

 

Don’t let them drive you to despair.

Let them do in you what God intends.

Let them teach you to walk in faith next time.

 

That is how God takes a person of little faith and begins to grow it.

 

Until we get to the point where we don’t just trust God for salvation, but we trust Him for everything.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”