1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:06,280 Now, last week we looked at the story of Abraham who I described as the flawed father, and 2 00:00:06,280 –> 00:00:11,600 today we’re particularly going to look at Sarah who I’m describing as the perplexed 3 00:00:11,600 –> 00:00:12,600 wife. 4 00:00:12,600 –> 00:00:19,379 Now, the first thing to say about Sarah is that she was a godly woman. 5 00:00:19,379 –> 00:00:25,920 Twice in the New Testament she is commended as a model to us, once in the book of Hebrews 6 00:00:25,920 –> 00:00:30,740 chapter 11 and verse 11 where she’s held up as a model of faith. 7 00:00:30,740 –> 00:00:39,119 The other time is in 1 Peter, in chapter 3 where Sarah is held up by the apostle Peter 8 00:00:39,119 –> 00:00:43,279 as a model for godly Christian women today. 9 00:00:43,279 –> 00:00:49,119 Of all the folks he could have selected, the apostle Peter says, no, Sarah here is the 10 00:00:49,119 –> 00:00:51,680 model of godly womanhood. 11 00:00:52,480 –> 00:00:59,000 So we should think very, very highly of Sarah as we think very, very highly of Abraham. 12 00:00:59,000 –> 00:01:09,699 In Sarah we have womanhood at its best, but even here, as we are going to see today, this 13 00:01:09,699 –> 00:01:19,800 godly woman struggled with doubt, she engaged in manipulation, and she brought pain into 14 00:01:19,900 –> 00:01:25,580 the lives of people God had placed around her, even this godly woman did that. 15 00:01:25,580 –> 00:01:35,059 Sarah the beautiful, Sarah the godly, Sarah the model of faith, Sarah also needed God’s 16 00:01:35,059 –> 00:01:42,279 grace in her life, her fractured, fractured life. 17 00:01:42,279 –> 00:01:46,720 Now the good news of course is that God persevered with this fractured family, isn’t that good 18 00:01:47,019 –> 00:01:51,260 news, that God does not give up on fractured families. 19 00:01:51,260 –> 00:01:56,199 That his grace comes precisely there, I’ve been reflecting on it and tried to just put 20 00:01:56,199 –> 00:01:59,620 it this way in a way that might be helpful. 21 00:01:59,620 –> 00:02:04,980 Grace means that God doesn’t give up when people mess up. 22 00:02:04,980 –> 00:02:10,460 That’s what grace means, God does not give up when people mess up and that’s why God 23 00:02:10,460 –> 00:02:15,080 perseveres with Abraham, that’s why God perseveres with Sarah, that is why God will persevere 24 00:02:15,740 –> 00:02:17,960 and with me that is what grace means. 25 00:02:17,960 –> 00:02:23,860 And this is why faith is for fractured people, and it is for fractured families. 26 00:02:23,860 –> 00:02:30,100 Now please open your Bible today then at Genesis 18 as we take up the story. 27 00:02:30,100 –> 00:02:36,020 Very simple outline today, this is a story about hospitality, it is a story about Sarah 28 00:02:36,020 –> 00:02:39,740 and supremely it is a story about God. 29 00:02:39,960 –> 00:02:44,339 And so that’s our outline, Genesis and chapter 18. 30 00:02:44,339 –> 00:02:51,600 Now the story begins with Abraham sitting at the door of his tent, verse 1, and he lifts 31 00:02:51,600 –> 00:02:56,399 his eyes up verse 2 and he looks and behold there are three men who are standing there 32 00:02:56,399 –> 00:02:57,960 in front of him. 33 00:02:57,960 –> 00:03:07,399 Now quite clearly what Abraham sees is three men, that is what he sees before him. 34 00:03:07,440 –> 00:03:14,500 But we are three times told in the story that God himself appeared to Abraham here. 35 00:03:14,500 –> 00:03:20,320 Let me point that out to you, in verse 1, it says, the Lord appeared to him. 36 00:03:20,320 –> 00:03:25,160 In verse 10, it says, the Lord said, I will surely return to you. 37 00:03:25,160 –> 00:03:29,839 Verse 13, the Lord said to Abraham, why did Sarah laugh? 38 00:03:29,839 –> 00:03:34,839 Now, if you look very closely, you will see that in each of these three cases, verse 1, 39 00:03:34,839 –> 00:03:41,339 2 and 13, the word Lord, is printed with four capital letters. 40 00:03:41,339 –> 00:03:48,240 And every time you see the word Lord printed in four capital letters in the Old Testament, 41 00:03:48,240 –> 00:03:54,020 that means that the original word in the Hebrew that is being used is the word Yahweh. 42 00:03:54,020 –> 00:04:00,059 It is the personal name for God almighty, the great I Am. 43 00:04:00,100 –> 00:04:07,100 And so when we read that the Lord, four capital letters, appeared to Abraham, Yahweh appeared 44 00:04:07,100 –> 00:04:14,100 to Abraham and the great I Am came to dinner outside Abraham’s tent. 45 00:04:14,100 –> 00:04:15,660 Isn’t that amazing? 46 00:04:15,660 –> 00:04:18,200 That is what we’re being told here. 47 00:04:18,200 –> 00:04:27,739 The New Testament tells us that God became a man in Jesus Christ. 48 00:04:27,739 –> 00:04:35,339 But long before that in the Old Testament we have multiple instances of God appearing 49 00:04:35,339 –> 00:04:44,399 as a man in order to cultivate relationship with folks like Abraham, folks like us, so 50 00:04:44,399 –> 00:04:47,220 that Abraham is described as the friend of God. 51 00:04:47,220 –> 00:04:49,420 You find it first, for example, in the Garden of Eden. 52 00:04:49,420 –> 00:04:55,059 You remember it says in the story at the beginning of Genesis that the Lord God walked in the 53 00:04:55,059 –> 00:04:57,619 garden, in the cool of the day? 54 00:04:57,619 –> 00:05:01,440 How can the invisible God who is spirit walk? 55 00:05:01,440 –> 00:05:08,140 And the answer is that God was taking a human form appearing in the form of one who walked 56 00:05:08,140 –> 00:05:15,140 in the form of a man so that He could cultivate relationship with Adam and Eve in the Garden. 57 00:05:15,140 –> 00:05:19,260 We call this a theophany, an appearance of God. 58 00:05:19,260 –> 00:05:24,019 He appears in the form of a man, and there are two others with Him by which we assume 59 00:05:24,019 –> 00:05:31,359 also angelic visitors that also took a form that Abraham saw as being the form of a man. 60 00:05:31,359 –> 00:05:34,739 But truly, God was present with Abraham. 61 00:05:34,739 –> 00:05:42,739 God comes to this fractured home and to this fractured family. 62 00:05:42,739 –> 00:05:45,000 That’s what this story is all about. 63 00:05:45,000 –> 00:05:52,399 Now verse 2, when Abraham saw them he ran from the tent door to meet them and he bowed 64 00:05:52,420 –> 00:05:55,480 himself to the earth and he said O LORD. 65 00:05:55,480 –> 00:05:58,640 Now notice that’s not for capital letters there. 66 00:05:58,640 –> 00:06:03,859 If I have found favor in your sight do not pass by your servant. 67 00:06:03,859 –> 00:06:12,480 Now where the word LORD is not in four capital letters it means here SIR or MASTER or some 68 00:06:12,480 –> 00:06:19,320 other kind of term of respect and that indicates I think that Abraham, he saw three men, he 69 00:06:19,399 –> 00:06:27,420 did not realize at this moment that he was actually immediately in the presence of God. 70 00:06:27,420 –> 00:06:31,739 Now I love what happens next. 71 00:06:31,739 –> 00:06:38,239 Abraham has some sense that something wonderful is happening and so he spins into action and 72 00:06:38,239 –> 00:06:42,320 it’s easy to imagine the domestic tension that must have followed. 73 00:06:42,320 –> 00:06:49,720 Verse 6, three visitors have arrived unexpectedly and verse 6, Abraham went quickly into the 74 00:06:49,720 –> 00:06:58,119 tent to Sarah, and said, quick, three seers of fine flour, knead it, and make cakes! 75 00:06:58,119 –> 00:07:00,619 I mean, talk about fast food! 76 00:07:00,619 –> 00:07:10,480 I mean, Sarah’s instant bakery swings into action for three entirely unexpected visitors. 77 00:07:10,679 –> 00:07:17,480 Whenever I read this story I’m always reminded of a time during the first year of our marriage, 78 00:07:17,480 –> 00:07:22,720 these things often happen in the first year of one’s marriage, when I had invited a friend 79 00:07:22,720 –> 00:07:29,700 to stay with us in London and promptly forgot to tell my wife. 80 00:07:29,700 –> 00:07:34,559 I completely forgot about it myself as well, and there we are, 11 o’clock at night one 81 00:07:34,799 –> 00:07:41,260 Sunday evening, and we’re just getting ready to go up to bed and the doorbell goes, and 82 00:07:41,260 –> 00:07:45,179 we’re looking at each other going, what in the world, who’s at the door at 11 o’clock 83 00:07:45,179 –> 00:07:52,820 on a Sunday night, and I go to the door and then my wife hears me saying, 84 00:07:52,820 –> 00:07:59,119 Ah! Jim! Oh, how wonderful to see you, come on in! 85 00:07:59,119 –> 00:08:02,179 Let me take your case up to the room where you’re staying. 86 00:08:02,299 –> 00:08:05,279 Oh, it’s so good to see you and so forth and so on. 87 00:08:05,279 –> 00:08:10,839 And then a few moments later coming down and looking to see a rather perplexed wife and 88 00:08:10,839 –> 00:08:14,380 saying, I’m so sorry, I messed up, I completely forgot. 89 00:08:14,380 –> 00:08:19,079 This is, this guy is an old friend from Scotland, he says he hasn’t eaten since breakfast, it’s 90 00:08:19,079 –> 00:08:22,859 11 o’clock at night, do you think you can rustle up something quickly? 91 00:08:22,859 –> 00:08:30,660 Well, that was an occasion where I was shown amazing grace, and I think it has led to a 92 00:08:30,779 –> 00:08:35,119 real measure of repentance since. 93 00:08:35,119 –> 00:08:39,059 But it was a little like that for Sarah, don’t you think, except that there was no fault 94 00:08:39,059 –> 00:08:41,919 on Abraham’s part, God simply showed up. 95 00:08:41,919 –> 00:08:45,200 It’s wonderful that he does that, by the way. 96 00:08:45,200 –> 00:08:54,080 The visitors from heaven appeared, God came to this fractured home and to this fractured 97 00:08:54,080 –> 00:08:55,080 family. 98 00:08:55,280 –> 00:09:01,320 Let me move on in the story, I just want you to notice this, that Abraham and Sarah were 99 00:09:01,320 –> 00:09:06,840 blessed by opening up their home to these visitors. 100 00:09:06,840 –> 00:09:12,619 Now it is very easy in our culture to get the idea, especially when things are not as 101 00:09:12,619 –> 00:09:17,880 you would want them to be in your life, or perhaps your home is not as you would want 102 00:09:17,880 –> 00:09:22,859 it to be either, and you can get easily get into this way of thinking that other people 103 00:09:22,859 –> 00:09:26,460 will have very, very fine homes and who would ever want to come to mine. 104 00:09:26,460 –> 00:09:29,119 And our lives are just fractured in all kinds of ways. 105 00:09:29,119 –> 00:09:33,500 And so then the best thing for us to do is to keep ourselves to ourselves until we’ve 106 00:09:33,500 –> 00:09:38,760 tried to sort ourselves out and therefore you keep everyone else at a distance. 107 00:09:38,760 –> 00:09:43,599 Remember that Abraham’s home was a tent, just remember that. 108 00:09:43,599 –> 00:09:46,919 And God came there. 109 00:09:46,919 –> 00:09:53,640 And then remember this, that the book of Hebrews uses this story as a direct encouragement 110 00:09:53,640 –> 00:09:57,900 to Christians with regards to practicing hospitality. 111 00:09:57,900 –> 00:10:04,880 Hebrews 13 and verse two, do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. 112 00:10:04,880 –> 00:10:08,320 Doesn’t say if you got a big house or if everything in your family is well-ordered, 113 00:10:08,320 –> 00:10:16,200 it just says do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for thereby some have entertained 114 00:10:16,940 –> 00:10:19,859 angels unawares. 115 00:10:19,859 –> 00:10:25,200 And that is a direct reference that includes the story of Abraham and Sarah that we’re 116 00:10:25,200 –> 00:10:27,599 looking at here today. 117 00:10:27,599 –> 00:10:34,599 And he says, by the way, angels, because Christians today should not expect a theophany the sight 118 00:10:36,179 –> 00:10:38,419 of the resurrection. 119 00:10:38,419 –> 00:10:44,340 But we can anticipate that God will bless us through other Christians, brothers and 120 00:10:44,799 –> 00:10:49,599 sisters in Christ who will be like angels to you in this sense that they will be as 121 00:10:49,599 –> 00:10:55,580 messengers from God that bring something of His blessing and something of His light into 122 00:10:55,580 –> 00:10:57,500 your life. 123 00:10:57,500 –> 00:11:01,460 And so, at a very practical level I just want to say this before we move on. 124 00:11:01,460 –> 00:11:07,440 The first instinct that you will have when your life is fractured is to withdraw. 125 00:11:07,640 –> 00:11:12,320 And I am saying to you from the Bible, don’t do that. 126 00:11:12,320 –> 00:11:19,820 Open your fractured life and even your fractured home to others, and you may be surprised at 127 00:11:19,820 –> 00:11:25,140 how God ministers to you through them. 128 00:11:25,140 –> 00:11:28,859 That was the experience of Abraham and of Sarah. 129 00:11:28,859 –> 00:11:30,500 So first there’s a story about hospitality. 130 00:11:30,500 –> 00:11:36,080 Second, and here is where we want to focus for a while, it is obviously a story about 131 00:11:36,159 –> 00:11:37,159 Sarah. 132 00:11:37,159 –> 00:11:39,520 Let’s take it up in verse 9. 133 00:11:39,520 –> 00:11:43,200 I want to make two observations about Sarah today. 134 00:11:43,200 –> 00:11:50,520 The first is that unbelief crept up on this godly woman. 135 00:11:50,520 –> 00:11:54,200 Now I know it’s hard to hold these two things together in your mind. 136 00:11:54,200 –> 00:11:55,200 She’s a godly woman. 137 00:11:55,200 –> 00:11:56,719 You’ve got to get that clear. 138 00:11:56,719 –> 00:12:01,179 The believer, a modeled believer. 139 00:12:01,179 –> 00:12:05,820 And we’re also learning from this story that this can happen, that unbelief can creep up 140 00:12:05,840 –> 00:12:14,840 even into the heart, and even into the life of a model godly woman. 141 00:12:14,840 –> 00:12:23,059 Verse 9, these visitors say to Abram, where is Sarah your wife? 142 00:12:23,059 –> 00:12:26,679 And Abram said she’s in the tent. 143 00:12:26,679 –> 00:12:32,239 And the heavenly visitors, they’re making sure that Sarah is within earshot because 144 00:12:32,239 –> 00:12:33,239 me. 145 00:12:33,239 –> 00:12:36,659 And although they speak first to Abram, it’s quite clear that everything that is going 146 00:12:36,659 –> 00:12:40,440 on in this passage is primarily to do with Sarah. 147 00:12:40,440 –> 00:12:41,859 That’s what the visit is for. 148 00:12:41,859 –> 00:12:43,179 It’s all about her. 149 00:12:43,179 –> 00:12:49,020 She is the one to whom they are really speaking, as we will see. 150 00:12:49,020 –> 00:13:02,159 Then, with Sarah in the tent, but within earshot, God himself speaks, verse 10, the Lord—for 151 00:13:02,380 –> 00:13:04,140 mother’s letters—said.” 152 00:13:04,140 –> 00:13:11,760 The great I AM himself, appearing in human form, said, “‘I will surely return to you 153 00:13:11,760 –> 00:13:20,239 about this time next year and Sarah, your wife, shall have a son.’ 154 00:13:20,239 –> 00:13:26,979 And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 155 00:13:27,919 –> 00:13:34,479 Now, Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. 156 00:13:34,479 –> 00:13:40,059 The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.” 157 00:13:40,059 –> 00:13:46,280 Is that not a delightfully discreet expression? 158 00:13:46,280 –> 00:13:48,119 She’s past the menopause. 159 00:13:48,299 –> 00:13:54,900 So, Sarah laughed to herself, saying, 160 00:13:54,900 –> 00:14:02,919 after I am worn out, and my Lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 161 00:14:02,919 –> 00:14:10,739 So, here you have Sarah, this godly woman, and she believes in God, and she worships 162 00:14:10,739 –> 00:14:22,599 God, and she prays to God, but she does not exercise faith in relation to this promise. 163 00:14:22,599 –> 00:14:31,340 Unbelief crept up on a godly woman. 164 00:14:31,580 –> 00:14:41,659 Now, I need to say, guys, that Abraham had some responsibility here, and here’s why I 165 00:14:41,659 –> 00:14:42,659 say that. 166 00:14:42,659 –> 00:14:48,840 If you turn back with me one page to chapter 17, you will see there that God had previously 167 00:14:48,840 –> 00:14:54,900 appeared to Abraham on his own, and given the same promise that Sarah would have a son, 168 00:14:54,900 –> 00:15:00,539 and guess what Abraham did when God said to Abraham that Sarah would have a son? 169 00:15:01,140 –> 00:15:02,260 Abraham laughed. 170 00:15:02,260 –> 00:15:06,320 You have that in Genesis chapter 17 and verse 17. 171 00:15:06,320 –> 00:15:08,820 He fell on his face and he laughed. 172 00:15:08,820 –> 00:15:15,000 He says, “…shall a child be born to a man when he’s 100 years old and as Sarah who is 173 00:15:15,000 –> 00:15:20,419 90 years old, going to bear a child.” 174 00:15:20,419 –> 00:15:23,780 But as you read through chapter 17, God doesn’t accept that. 175 00:15:23,780 –> 00:15:32,619 He presses the promise on to Abraham until Abraham comes to the place where he believes. 176 00:15:32,619 –> 00:15:40,780 So, when Abraham in chapter 18 hears the promise, he is hearing it for a second time already 177 00:15:40,780 –> 00:15:47,640 in that encounter with God chapter 17, having been pressed by God out of his initial unbelief 178 00:15:47,640 –> 00:15:53,200 into a place where he has come to believe the promise for himself. 179 00:15:53,239 –> 00:15:56,380 And so, in chapter 18 he does not laugh. 180 00:15:56,380 –> 00:15:57,380 Why? 181 00:15:57,380 –> 00:16:02,919 Because he has already come to believe the promise, but Sarah does laugh. 182 00:16:02,919 –> 00:16:05,320 What does that tell you? 183 00:16:05,320 –> 00:16:10,080 It seems to me and many other writers pick up on this point. 184 00:16:10,080 –> 00:16:18,000 That Sarah was in fact hearing this promise for the very first time, which means this. 185 00:16:18,000 –> 00:16:26,359 That Abraham did not share the promise with his wife. 186 00:16:26,359 –> 00:16:29,940 Perhaps he didn’t want to get her hopes up and have her disappointed. 187 00:16:29,940 –> 00:16:33,419 A little bit of doubt. 188 00:16:33,419 –> 00:16:35,960 Perhaps it was that he didn’t think that she would believe him. 189 00:16:35,960 –> 00:16:40,380 Think he’d gone off his mind. 190 00:16:40,380 –> 00:16:42,359 But I want you to take this in guys. 191 00:16:42,440 –> 00:16:47,039 Here we have the great man of faith. 192 00:16:47,039 –> 00:16:50,400 The father of the faithful. 193 00:16:50,400 –> 00:16:57,640 And he has not taken spiritual leadership in his own home. 194 00:16:57,640 –> 00:17:01,400 He’s not been building up his wife’s faith. 195 00:17:01,400 –> 00:17:06,640 He’s not been sharing the promise of God with her. 196 00:17:06,640 –> 00:17:10,880 Perhaps that is why God does not 197 00:17:10,880 –> 00:17:13,760 rebuke Sarah for laughing. 198 00:17:13,760 –> 00:17:18,239 God rebukes Abraham for Sarah laughing. 199 00:17:18,239 –> 00:17:20,040 Why? 200 00:17:20,040 –> 00:17:22,520 Because God has given this man some responsibility. 201 00:17:22,520 –> 00:17:24,599 And it’s quite evident from the story 202 00:17:24,599 –> 00:17:26,900 that he’s not been fulfilling it. 203 00:17:26,900 –> 00:17:28,119 So God says, verse 13, 204 00:17:28,119 –> 00:17:29,900 “‘The Lord said to Abraham, 205 00:17:29,900 –> 00:17:31,819 why did Sarah laugh?’ 206 00:17:31,819 –> 00:17:35,839 I’ve given you this promise. 207 00:17:35,839 –> 00:17:38,760 Why have you not been building up your wife’s faith?” 208 00:17:39,140 –> 00:17:42,119 You’re asleep at the wheel, man. 209 00:17:42,119 –> 00:17:43,979 What are you doing? 210 00:17:43,979 –> 00:17:46,640 Why are you not taking 211 00:17:46,640 –> 00:17:50,359 spiritual leadership in your home? 212 00:17:50,359 –> 00:17:54,140 Why are you not nurturing 213 00:17:54,140 –> 00:17:58,199 the faith of your own wife? 214 00:17:58,199 –> 00:18:00,280 And here’s this man who’s going to be 215 00:18:00,280 –> 00:18:02,680 the blessing to all the nations of the Earth. 216 00:18:02,680 –> 00:18:04,000 And the question is, 217 00:18:04,000 –> 00:18:05,979 Abraham, when are you going to start 218 00:18:05,979 –> 00:18:07,119 sharing that blessing with 219 00:18:07,119 –> 00:18:08,719 the person I put closest 220 00:18:09,219 –> 00:18:13,400 to? See the challenge. 221 00:18:13,400 –> 00:18:18,000 But, Sarah also has responsibility 222 00:18:18,000 –> 00:18:20,500 here quite clearly. 223 00:18:20,500 –> 00:18:23,140 Here she is a Godly woman. 224 00:18:23,140 –> 00:18:25,880 And she’s the model of faith 225 00:18:25,880 –> 00:18:29,119 for Christian women today. 226 00:18:29,119 –> 00:18:31,500 But even Sarah here 227 00:18:31,500 –> 00:18:33,699 is struggling with unbelief 228 00:18:33,699 –> 00:18:36,140 in the immediate presence of God 229 00:18:36,140 –> 00:18:37,920 and more than that, 230 00:18:37,979 –> 00:18:39,160 and this perhaps is where 231 00:18:39,160 –> 00:18:43,760 she is particularly responsible. 232 00:18:43,760 –> 00:18:45,619 Sarah struggled not only with unbelief, 233 00:18:45,619 –> 00:18:47,479 but she also tried to cover it up 234 00:18:47,479 –> 00:18:49,719 before the Lord. 235 00:18:49,719 –> 00:18:52,060 She lied to God. 236 00:18:52,060 –> 00:18:52,859 Verse 13, 237 00:18:52,859 –> 00:18:54,040 the Lord said to Abram, 238 00:18:54,040 –> 00:18:56,420 Why did Sarah laugh? 239 00:18:56,420 –> 00:18:57,300 Now at this point, 240 00:18:57,300 –> 00:18:59,599 it seems that Sarah came out of the tent 241 00:18:59,599 –> 00:19:01,859 if you can picture this. 242 00:19:01,859 –> 00:19:06,459 And Sarah speaks directly to God. 243 00:19:06,479 –> 00:19:09,339 And when Sarah speaks directly to God 244 00:19:09,339 –> 00:19:10,619 for the very first time, 245 00:19:10,619 –> 00:19:16,900 the first thing she says is a straight-out lie. 246 00:19:16,900 –> 00:19:19,400 Isn’t that astonishing? 247 00:19:19,400 –> 00:19:20,339 But Sarah denied it, 248 00:19:20,339 –> 00:19:21,239 verse 15, 249 00:19:21,239 –> 00:19:22,839 saying, 250 00:19:22,839 –> 00:19:26,000 I did not laugh. 251 00:19:26,000 –> 00:19:28,640 And, she hides the truth the scripture tells us 252 00:19:28,640 –> 00:19:30,199 because she was what? 253 00:19:30,199 –> 00:19:32,040 Afraid. 254 00:19:32,040 –> 00:19:33,140 Afraid of what? 255 00:19:33,140 –> 00:19:35,020 I think she was afraid of what was happening 256 00:19:35,040 –> 00:19:38,280 in her own heart. 257 00:19:38,280 –> 00:19:39,359 Sarah denied it, 258 00:19:39,359 –> 00:19:40,079 saying, 259 00:19:40,079 –> 00:19:41,079 I did not laugh, 260 00:19:41,079 –> 00:19:42,140 for she was, 261 00:19:42,140 –> 00:19:45,079 verse 15, 262 00:19:45,079 –> 00:19:45,719 afraid. 263 00:19:45,719 –> 00:19:46,619 So think what we have here. 264 00:19:46,619 –> 00:19:49,420 Here’s a woman who is speaking to God. 265 00:19:49,420 –> 00:19:51,060 What do we call speaking to God? 266 00:19:51,060 –> 00:19:54,199 We call that prayer. 267 00:19:54,199 –> 00:19:58,160 And her prayer is a pretense. 268 00:19:58,160 –> 00:20:00,199 Because in the very act of praying 269 00:20:00,199 –> 00:20:03,099 she is covering up 270 00:20:03,099 –> 00:20:04,579 what is actually happening 271 00:20:04,579 –> 00:20:09,660 in the deep place of her heart. 272 00:20:09,660 –> 00:20:11,239 And so there’s a falsehood 273 00:20:11,239 –> 00:20:15,900 that’s even at the heart of her prayer. 274 00:20:15,900 –> 00:20:16,319 And God knows 275 00:20:16,319 –> 00:20:17,500 that she’s covering up, 276 00:20:17,500 –> 00:20:20,459 of course. 277 00:20:20,459 –> 00:20:21,280 So I’m saying to you 278 00:20:21,280 –> 00:20:25,699 unbelief has crept into the soul 279 00:20:25,699 –> 00:20:27,359 of this most godly woman 280 00:20:27,359 –> 00:20:28,839 in the Old Testament. 281 00:20:28,839 –> 00:20:29,880 That can happen to Sarah, 282 00:20:29,880 –> 00:20:30,959 that can happen to you, 283 00:20:30,959 –> 00:20:32,260 that can happen 284 00:20:32,319 –> 00:20:35,260 across the genders to us guys 285 00:20:35,260 –> 00:20:37,979 as well. 286 00:20:37,979 –> 00:20:39,660 Second observation about Sarah 287 00:20:39,660 –> 00:20:40,939 is I want you to notice 288 00:20:40,939 –> 00:20:43,880 what is behind unbelief 289 00:20:43,880 –> 00:20:46,300 creeping into our soul. 290 00:20:46,300 –> 00:20:47,680 Because whenever something happens 291 00:20:47,680 –> 00:20:49,140 it’s reasonable to ask the question 292 00:20:49,140 –> 00:20:49,959 what led to that, 293 00:20:49,959 –> 00:20:51,339 what’s behind that? 294 00:20:51,339 –> 00:20:52,619 You wanna know what’s behind it? 295 00:20:52,619 –> 00:20:53,739 The natural thing to do 296 00:20:53,739 –> 00:20:55,880 is to flick back in the, 297 00:20:55,880 –> 00:20:56,660 in the Bible and say 298 00:20:56,660 –> 00:20:58,479 well what happened before? 299 00:20:58,479 –> 00:20:59,939 What might have led to this? 300 00:20:59,959 –> 00:21:01,959 And since Chapter 17 301 00:21:01,959 –> 00:21:03,599 is all about a unique encounter 302 00:21:03,599 –> 00:21:05,000 with Abraham. 303 00:21:05,000 –> 00:21:06,479 You go back to Chapter 16 304 00:21:06,479 –> 00:21:07,920 to see the last thing that happened 305 00:21:07,920 –> 00:21:09,520 in regards to Sarah. 306 00:21:09,520 –> 00:21:11,239 And we’ll look at that passage 307 00:21:11,239 –> 00:21:13,319 much more closely next week 308 00:21:13,319 –> 00:21:15,119 but let me just read these two verses 309 00:21:15,119 –> 00:21:18,079 cause they’re important. 310 00:21:18,079 –> 00:21:18,880 We’ve got the story here 311 00:21:18,880 –> 00:21:21,839 of Sarah and Hagar. 312 00:21:21,839 –> 00:21:22,859 And what we find here 313 00:21:22,859 –> 00:21:25,260 is that behind Sarah’s unbelief 314 00:21:25,260 –> 00:21:26,079 lay what? 315 00:21:26,079 –> 00:21:29,719 A story of manipulation, 316 00:21:30,439 –> 00:21:31,260 a story of manipulation. 317 00:21:31,260 –> 00:21:33,160 That’s what lay behind her. 318 00:21:33,160 –> 00:21:34,439 Creeping unbelief. 319 00:21:34,439 –> 00:21:37,599 Gaining a hold within her heart. 320 00:21:38,520 –> 00:21:39,859 Let me just read these two verses. 321 00:21:39,859 –> 00:21:41,020 16 and verse 1. 322 00:21:41,020 –> 00:21:43,040 Now Sarah, Abraham’s wife 323 00:21:43,040 –> 00:21:44,959 had born him no children. 324 00:21:46,640 –> 00:21:50,199 Sarah had a female Egyptian servant 325 00:21:50,199 –> 00:21:51,959 whose name was Hagar. 326 00:21:53,800 –> 00:21:55,400 And Sarah said to Abraham, 327 00:21:55,400 –> 00:21:59,359 behold now the Lord has prevented 328 00:21:59,359 –> 00:22:01,599 me from bearing children. 329 00:22:02,699 –> 00:22:06,160 Go in to my servant, 330 00:22:06,160 –> 00:22:10,660 it may be that I shall obtain 331 00:22:10,660 –> 00:22:14,119 children by her. 332 00:22:15,680 –> 00:22:18,439 So here is a woman Sarah 333 00:22:18,439 –> 00:22:21,520 and she wants a child. 334 00:22:21,520 –> 00:22:22,439 Very natural 335 00:22:23,479 –> 00:22:26,380 and that longing is very strong. 336 00:22:26,380 –> 00:22:28,680 Nothing strange, unusual, 337 00:22:28,719 –> 00:22:31,439 surprising or wrong with that 338 00:22:31,439 –> 00:22:36,119 but this woman is prepared 339 00:22:36,119 –> 00:22:37,880 to go to any length 340 00:22:39,380 –> 00:22:40,380 to get what she wants 341 00:22:41,959 –> 00:22:45,839 and there is no doubt about who is driving this. 342 00:22:46,800 –> 00:22:48,160 Look at what the scripture says. 343 00:22:48,160 –> 00:22:51,680 Verse two, go in to my servant, 344 00:22:52,599 –> 00:22:56,359 it may be that I shall obtain 345 00:22:56,359 –> 00:22:57,359 children from her. 346 00:22:57,359 –> 00:23:02,359 So this is about Sarah’s intense, dominating, desire 347 00:23:04,500 –> 00:23:08,140 and Abraham listens to the voice of Sarah 348 00:23:09,680 –> 00:23:12,280 and his union with Hagar 349 00:23:13,359 –> 00:23:15,880 leads to the birth of Ishmael 350 00:23:17,099 –> 00:23:20,319 and this already fractured family 351 00:23:20,319 –> 00:23:24,599 is now plunged into a web 352 00:23:24,640 –> 00:23:29,640 of conflicting loyalties and of hidden resentments. 353 00:23:30,959 –> 00:23:33,680 And so to understand what is happening in this story, 354 00:23:33,680 –> 00:23:35,760 let me try and summarize it this way, 355 00:23:35,760 –> 00:23:39,719 that this is the story of a believing woman 356 00:23:40,739 –> 00:23:45,739 who uses her power to get what she wants 357 00:23:45,959 –> 00:23:47,520 in a way that dishonors God 358 00:23:48,619 –> 00:23:52,020 and brings pain to all who are around her, 359 00:23:52,020 –> 00:23:53,959 try and take that in there. 360 00:23:53,979 –> 00:23:55,439 This is what the Bible is telling, 361 00:23:55,439 –> 00:24:00,260 so the fracturing is as it widens in this family, 362 00:24:01,500 –> 00:24:03,359 it’s a believing woman 363 00:24:03,359 –> 00:24:06,680 and she’s using her power, which is very great, 364 00:24:06,680 –> 00:24:08,760 and she’s using it to get what she wants, 365 00:24:08,760 –> 00:24:10,119 which is very strong, 366 00:24:11,060 –> 00:24:14,280 and she’s doing it in a way that dishonors God 367 00:24:15,119 –> 00:24:16,680 and she’s doing it in a way that, 368 00:24:16,680 –> 00:24:18,439 as we’re gonna see in the story, 369 00:24:18,439 –> 00:24:22,939 is gonna bring pain to everyone around her. 370 00:24:24,060 –> 00:24:29,060 The fracturing of the family is widening all the time. 371 00:24:30,719 –> 00:24:32,040 I wonder how Christian women 372 00:24:32,040 –> 00:24:33,800 might do this kind of thing today? 373 00:24:35,359 –> 00:24:39,000 Use your power to get what you want 374 00:24:40,239 –> 00:24:41,780 in a way that dishonors God 375 00:24:43,040 –> 00:24:45,199 and brings pain to other people around you. 376 00:24:46,900 –> 00:24:50,260 I feel my limitations in being able to suggest such, 377 00:24:51,479 –> 00:24:53,719 so I asked Linda Greene, 378 00:24:53,920 –> 00:24:57,119 one of our women’s ministry directors, 379 00:24:57,119 –> 00:24:59,400 for her thoughts on how Christian women today 380 00:24:59,400 –> 00:25:01,479 might use their power to get what they want 381 00:25:01,479 –> 00:25:03,439 in ways that dishonor God 382 00:25:03,439 –> 00:25:05,599 and bring pain for everyone else involved. 383 00:25:07,479 –> 00:25:09,400 Here’s what she said, 384 00:25:11,540 –> 00:25:13,400 I quote Linda here. 385 00:25:13,400 –> 00:25:18,079 Women innately recognize 386 00:25:18,079 –> 00:25:20,400 that they have power over men 387 00:25:21,140 –> 00:25:24,579 and can use that to get what they want. 388 00:25:25,760 –> 00:25:28,520 She then listed nine ways 389 00:25:28,520 –> 00:25:32,699 that married women might manipulate their husbands. 390 00:25:32,699 –> 00:25:34,280 You can listen to this 391 00:25:34,280 –> 00:25:37,839 and you can identify with one or two 392 00:25:37,839 –> 00:25:40,079 and then, hopefully, in the life groups in the discussion, 393 00:25:40,079 –> 00:25:40,979 you can add a few more. 394 00:25:40,979 –> 00:25:42,640 I mean, let’s try and be honest about this 395 00:25:42,640 –> 00:25:44,920 because this is not the kind of stuff 396 00:25:44,920 –> 00:25:48,439 in which we’re wanting to follow the example of Sarah. 397 00:25:48,579 –> 00:25:51,520 Here’s Linda’s nine suggestions. 398 00:25:51,520 –> 00:25:52,839 They’ve got some color in them 399 00:25:52,839 –> 00:25:57,520 so it’s okay at this point to smile or even to laugh. 400 00:25:57,520 –> 00:26:02,020 Number one, being a leaky faucet, 401 00:26:02,020 –> 00:26:05,920 complaining and nagging until he gives you what you want. 402 00:26:05,920 –> 00:26:07,160 That’s using your power 403 00:26:07,160 –> 00:26:09,640 in a way to get what you want 404 00:26:09,640 –> 00:26:11,160 in a way that dishonors God 405 00:26:11,160 –> 00:26:14,199 and it brings pain to those who are around you. 406 00:26:14,199 –> 00:26:16,380 Number two, intimidation. 407 00:26:16,420 –> 00:26:19,979 Out-talking him and shutting him down 408 00:26:19,979 –> 00:26:22,780 with her verbal skills. 409 00:26:22,780 –> 00:26:26,060 Number three, making her husband feel like 410 00:26:26,060 –> 00:26:29,560 he is responsible for her unhappiness, 411 00:26:29,560 –> 00:26:32,040 her anger or her sadness. 412 00:26:32,040 –> 00:26:34,239 If only you made more money, 413 00:26:34,239 –> 00:26:36,020 if only you were home more, 414 00:26:36,020 –> 00:26:38,599 if only you had a better job, end quote. 415 00:26:39,459 –> 00:26:42,140 Number four, this is an interesting one. 416 00:26:43,819 –> 00:26:45,260 What do you think of this guys? 417 00:26:45,260 –> 00:26:48,060 Expecting him to read her mind 418 00:26:48,060 –> 00:26:50,300 but giving little in the way of clues. 419 00:26:52,140 –> 00:26:55,079 Sighing, pouting, giving one word answers 420 00:26:55,079 –> 00:26:58,060 but when he asks what’s wrong saying nothing. 421 00:27:00,119 –> 00:27:02,640 Your Director of Women’s Ministries wrote this. 422 00:27:03,979 –> 00:27:07,439 Number five, banging pots and pans 423 00:27:07,439 –> 00:27:09,119 around in the kitchen to make the point 424 00:27:09,119 –> 00:27:10,500 that you are doing the dishes without 425 00:27:10,500 –> 00:27:13,420 just coming out and asking him for some help. 426 00:27:13,459 –> 00:27:15,300 Number six, tears. 427 00:27:16,260 –> 00:27:19,800 Most men don’t like to see a woman crying 428 00:27:19,800 –> 00:27:21,619 so even when he thinks he’s right 429 00:27:21,619 –> 00:27:24,839 he’ll usually soften to stop the crying. 430 00:27:26,520 –> 00:27:31,260 Seven, withholding sex or using sex 431 00:27:31,260 –> 00:27:32,660 to get what she wants. 432 00:27:33,699 –> 00:27:36,920 Number eight, laying guilt on him, 433 00:27:37,939 –> 00:27:41,500 telling him how disappointed she is in him. 434 00:27:41,699 –> 00:27:46,699 Nine, I like this one, making him feel inadequate 435 00:27:48,180 –> 00:27:50,239 and here’s the sample, quote, 436 00:27:50,239 –> 00:27:53,359 we are the only ones I know who haven’t been 437 00:27:53,359 –> 00:27:56,319 to Disney World and I like that 438 00:27:56,319 –> 00:27:58,140 or you can substitute in whatever else 439 00:27:58,140 –> 00:28:01,579 you want there that happens to be the thing. 440 00:28:01,579 –> 00:28:04,239 Now here’s my point, I’m just trying 441 00:28:04,239 –> 00:28:07,199 to help us think by way of application here 442 00:28:07,199 –> 00:28:09,619 as we’re learning from Sarah, 443 00:28:09,699 –> 00:28:10,699 what are we learning? 444 00:28:10,699 –> 00:28:12,719 That this woman used her power to get 445 00:28:12,719 –> 00:28:15,500 what she wanted in a way that dishonored 446 00:28:15,500 –> 00:28:17,819 God and brought pain to all around her 447 00:28:17,819 –> 00:28:20,420 and that this is what she did as a believing woman. 448 00:28:21,359 –> 00:28:23,020 So we’ve gotta ask the question 449 00:28:23,020 –> 00:28:25,439 in what ways might believing women 450 00:28:25,439 –> 00:28:28,739 follow this bad example and then find down 451 00:28:28,739 –> 00:28:30,819 the line that unbelief creeps up 452 00:28:30,819 –> 00:28:33,180 into the heart in a way that somehow surprises? 453 00:28:35,199 –> 00:28:36,619 It’s a story about hospitality, 454 00:28:36,619 –> 00:28:38,099 it’s a story about Sarah. 455 00:28:38,099 –> 00:28:39,880 Third, and this is where there’s the marvelous 456 00:28:39,880 –> 00:28:42,380 hope and the redeeming grace that comes 457 00:28:42,380 –> 00:28:45,119 into this very, very fractured story, 458 00:28:45,119 –> 00:28:47,020 it’s a story about God. 459 00:28:47,020 –> 00:28:48,560 I want just to make these observations 460 00:28:48,560 –> 00:28:50,780 in the last part here. 461 00:28:50,780 –> 00:28:55,479 Number one, God comes to Sara. 462 00:28:55,479 –> 00:28:58,060 The conversation, of course, starts out 463 00:28:58,060 –> 00:28:59,619 being with Abraham, but it’s quite clear 464 00:28:59,619 –> 00:29:01,140 that the whole purpose of this visit 465 00:29:01,140 –> 00:29:02,979 is to confirm the promise to Sarah. 466 00:29:02,979 –> 00:29:04,479 Abraham already believes it. 467 00:29:04,479 –> 00:29:06,140 Though he has not communicated it, 468 00:29:06,140 –> 00:29:07,920 it seems to his wife. 469 00:29:07,920 –> 00:29:10,000 Sarah has been hiding in the tent. 470 00:29:10,000 –> 00:29:13,560 She’s not coming out into the presence of God. 471 00:29:13,560 –> 00:29:15,439 Perhaps she’s embarrassed at the weakness 472 00:29:15,439 –> 00:29:17,060 of her faith, perhaps she has a sense 473 00:29:17,060 –> 00:29:20,760 even of shame at her own manipulation. 474 00:29:20,760 –> 00:29:23,660 And maybe you know what that is like. 475 00:29:25,239 –> 00:29:28,959 People see you as a leader, men and women here. 476 00:29:29,900 –> 00:29:32,239 People see you as a leader. 477 00:29:32,239 –> 00:29:34,060 And they look to you and God has given you 478 00:29:34,060 –> 00:29:35,739 responsibility, and here you are 479 00:29:35,739 –> 00:29:36,959 and you’re serving in a ministry 480 00:29:37,380 –> 00:29:38,979 and so forth and so on, and sometimes 481 00:29:38,979 –> 00:29:40,560 you say to yourself as you look into 482 00:29:40,560 –> 00:29:43,300 your own soul what would people think 483 00:29:43,300 –> 00:29:48,300 if they knew how threadbare my faith actually is? 484 00:29:50,520 –> 00:29:52,739 And I’m telling you God knows how 485 00:29:52,739 –> 00:29:56,439 threadbare your faith actually is and that’s good news. 486 00:29:57,500 –> 00:29:59,180 Nothing is hidden from him. 487 00:29:59,180 –> 00:30:01,780 He knows your worst thought. 488 00:30:01,780 –> 00:30:04,900 Nothing about you ever comes as a surprise to him. 489 00:30:04,939 –> 00:30:09,780 He set his love on you knowing you at your worst. 490 00:30:11,380 –> 00:30:14,880 Knowing you at your lowest point. 491 00:30:14,880 –> 00:30:17,079 That’s how his love is and everlasting love. 492 00:30:17,079 –> 00:30:21,099 You cannot come up with something that surprises him 493 00:30:21,099 –> 00:30:23,939 or in that sense disappoints him as if he had never thought 494 00:30:23,939 –> 00:30:26,520 such a thing were possible for you. 495 00:30:27,479 –> 00:30:30,140 And what a contrast that is to so much 496 00:30:30,140 –> 00:30:32,939 falsehood that can creep into relationships. 497 00:30:32,939 –> 00:30:34,540 I mean here’s a caricature. 498 00:30:34,560 –> 00:30:36,060 But you know what I’m referring to 499 00:30:36,060 –> 00:30:38,400 when I describe this, here’s what can happen 500 00:30:38,400 –> 00:30:39,579 in a relationship. 501 00:30:39,579 –> 00:30:41,219 Boy meets girl. 502 00:30:42,500 –> 00:30:45,500 And they see each other for some months 503 00:30:45,500 –> 00:30:47,939 or more at their best. 504 00:30:49,420 –> 00:30:52,520 And because they see each other at their best 505 00:30:52,520 –> 00:30:55,180 they think oh, this persons really something special 506 00:30:55,180 –> 00:30:57,199 and both think that and then someone pops 507 00:30:57,199 –> 00:30:59,619the question and then they end up married. 508 00:30:59,619 –> 00:31:02,180 And what happens after that? 509 00:31:02,180 –> 00:31:04,540 From then on their lives become an exercise 510 00:31:04,540 –> 00:31:07,079 in trying to make sure that the other person 511 00:31:07,079 –> 00:31:10,060 doesn’t find out what was effectively concealed 512 00:31:10,060 –> 00:31:11,800 during these months of courtship. 513 00:31:14,020 –> 00:31:19,020 But God said his love on you knowing you at your worst. 514 00:31:21,380 –> 00:31:23,160 At your worst. 515 00:31:24,420 –> 00:31:26,319 That means that the presence of God 516 00:31:26,319 –> 00:31:29,119 is the one place in the universe 517 00:31:30,119 –> 00:31:33,979 into which you can come without pretense. 518 00:31:35,119 –> 00:31:37,239 You are already fully known, 519 00:31:38,400 –> 00:31:43,400 and you have nothing to fear if you come in Jesus Christ. 520 00:31:47,000 –> 00:31:49,219 God comes near to Sarah. 521 00:31:52,219 –> 00:31:55,099 When God comes near to you, 522 00:31:55,099 –> 00:31:57,839 as through his word surely he approaches all of us 523 00:31:57,880 –> 00:31:59,280 in a fresh way today. 524 00:32:00,359 –> 00:32:01,239 What does he do? 525 00:32:01,239 –> 00:32:04,060 He exposes her unbelief. 526 00:32:04,060 –> 00:32:06,900 Verse 13, if you notice verse 12, 527 00:32:06,900 –> 00:32:09,800 it says Sarah had laughed to herself. 528 00:32:11,380 –> 00:32:14,380 What that means is, she didn’t laugh out loud. 529 00:32:14,380 –> 00:32:17,040 It wasn’t a laugh that could be heard. 530 00:32:17,040 –> 00:32:18,939 She just laughed in her heart, 531 00:32:19,959 –> 00:32:22,819 and you can’t hear someone laughing in their heart, 532 00:32:22,819 –> 00:32:25,920 and nobody could see her because she was inside the tent, 533 00:32:25,959 –> 00:32:27,560 so she’s quite convinced that 534 00:32:27,560 –> 00:32:29,719 because she didn’t utter a sound, 535 00:32:29,719 –> 00:32:32,859 that her unbelief was a private matter. 536 00:32:34,219 –> 00:32:38,439 Put on our nice clothes, come to church, nice smile. 537 00:32:39,640 –> 00:32:41,339 Nobody really knows what’s going on in here. 538 00:32:41,339 –> 00:32:45,500 I’m safe, and so the pretense continues, 539 00:32:46,839 –> 00:32:47,819 but God knew. 540 00:32:49,079 –> 00:32:53,339 God knew the unvocalized thoughts 541 00:32:53,339 –> 00:32:56,119 of this woman’s heart wonderfully. 542 00:32:57,420 –> 00:32:58,979 Nothing is hidden from him, 543 00:32:58,979 –> 00:33:01,339 and he loves her at her worst 544 00:33:01,339 –> 00:33:06,079 as he loves you, and he loves me at my worst. 545 00:33:07,979 –> 00:33:09,920 And he exposes her unbelief. 546 00:33:09,920 –> 00:33:11,060 He says, you did love. 547 00:33:12,260 –> 00:33:14,619 Suddenly, she must’ve realized I’m in the presence of God. 548 00:33:14,619 –> 00:33:16,939 How else could that have been known? 549 00:33:18,380 –> 00:33:19,380 And why does he do that? 550 00:33:19,380 –> 00:33:21,140 Is it in order to humiliate her? 551 00:33:21,140 –> 00:33:23,140 No, it’s to bring her out into the light of truth 552 00:33:23,180 –> 00:33:26,140 so that her faith may be restored. 553 00:33:26,140 –> 00:33:27,640 God does not want you going on 554 00:33:27,640 –> 00:33:30,239 with this secret unbelief that’s lurking there. 555 00:33:30,239 –> 00:33:31,500 What’s he about? 556 00:33:31,500 –> 00:33:33,339 Sarah could say after this, 557 00:33:33,339 –> 00:33:34,260 with David, you know, 558 00:33:34,260 –> 00:33:35,780 the Lord is my shepherd. 559 00:33:35,780 –> 00:33:37,939 He restores my soul. 560 00:33:39,660 –> 00:33:41,339 He’s brought me out of this pretense 561 00:33:41,339 –> 00:33:44,839 where I can’t even pray without it just being words, 562 00:33:45,739 –> 00:33:47,420 and he’s brought me into this reality. 563 00:33:47,420 –> 00:33:48,579 He restores her faith. 564 00:33:48,579 –> 00:33:51,060 How do we know that Sarah’s faith was restored? 565 00:33:51,060 –> 00:33:53,619 And, so Hebrews 11, verse 11, 566 00:33:53,619 –> 00:33:57,920 tells us that by faith Sarah received the power to conceive 567 00:33:59,020 –> 00:34:00,579 even when she was past the age, 568 00:34:00,579 –> 00:34:04,459 then she considered Him faithful who had promised, 569 00:34:04,459 –> 00:34:07,500 and the promise was given in Genesis chapter 18. 570 00:34:07,500 –> 00:34:10,580 And Genesis chapter 18 happened one year 571 00:34:10,580 –> 00:34:12,419 before the birth of Isaac, 572 00:34:12,419 –> 00:34:14,419 and the book of Hebrews tells us 573 00:34:14,419 –> 00:34:16,340 that by faith she conceived, 574 00:34:16,340 –> 00:34:19,620 and so her faith must have been restored at this point 575 00:34:19,620 –> 00:34:22,699 so that by faith, trusting in the one who promised, 576 00:34:22,699 –> 00:34:27,360 this miracle of grace happened in her life. 577 00:34:27,360 –> 00:34:31,620 Her faith was restored through this encounter with God. 578 00:34:31,620 –> 00:34:33,379 And how is faith restored? 579 00:34:33,379 –> 00:34:35,719 You say, now here I feel the fracturing 580 00:34:35,719 –> 00:34:37,780 and the threadbare nature of my faith, 581 00:34:37,780 –> 00:34:39,500 how can my faith be restored? 582 00:34:39,500 –> 00:34:40,340 Here’s how. 583 00:34:41,379 –> 00:34:42,459 What does the Lord do? 584 00:34:43,639 –> 00:34:46,659 He reminds her again of who He is, 585 00:34:46,659 –> 00:34:47,899 looking to who God is. 586 00:34:47,959 –> 00:34:51,580 Verse 14, is anything too hard for the Lord? 587 00:34:51,580 –> 00:34:52,959 Four capital letters. 588 00:34:54,580 –> 00:34:57,379 Sarah, you’re looking simply at Abraham, 589 00:34:57,379 –> 00:35:01,060 who’s 100, no chance of fatherhood there, 590 00:35:01,060 –> 00:35:02,520 you’re looking at yourself, 591 00:35:02,520 –> 00:35:05,360 and it ceased to be with you as it is in the way of women 592 00:35:05,360 –> 00:35:08,159 so no chance there, you’re looking at yourself. 593 00:35:08,159 –> 00:35:10,239 There are folks here in this congregation 594 00:35:10,239 –> 00:35:12,459 that you feel without hope today 595 00:35:13,439 –> 00:35:15,500 because you’re looking at your child, 596 00:35:15,540 –> 00:35:17,060 you’re looking at your husband, 597 00:35:17,060 –> 00:35:18,139 you’re looking at your wife 598 00:35:18,139 –> 00:35:20,639 and you no change, no hope. 599 00:35:22,560 –> 00:35:26,179 And Sarah is being called by God 600 00:35:26,179 –> 00:35:29,840 to get her eyes off the hopelessness of Abraham 601 00:35:29,840 –> 00:35:31,780 and the hopelessness of Sarah 602 00:35:31,780 –> 00:35:34,840 and to say, is anything too hard for the Lord? 603 00:35:36,120 –> 00:35:38,100 Get your eyes onto him. 604 00:35:39,580 –> 00:35:44,580 Look to him, that is what the essence of faith is, 605 00:35:44,659 –> 00:35:47,280 look to me, I’m the sovereign creator, 606 00:35:47,280 –> 00:35:49,060 I’m the great I Am. 607 00:35:49,060 –> 00:35:51,560 I am the king eternal. 608 00:35:53,040 –> 00:35:54,679 And faith grows, my friend, 609 00:35:54,679 –> 00:35:56,379 when you get your eyes off yourself 610 00:35:56,379 –> 00:35:59,139 and all the impossibility that is around you. 611 00:36:00,820 –> 00:36:02,679 And you begin to look to the fact 612 00:36:02,679 –> 00:36:05,040 that there is a living God 613 00:36:05,040 –> 00:36:07,280 and you belong to him and he loves you 614 00:36:07,280 –> 00:36:10,080 and you’re life is in his hand 615 00:36:10,959 –> 00:36:13,439 and he’s able to do exceeding abundant 616 00:36:13,439 –> 00:36:16,620 above all that you ask, 617 00:36:16,620 –> 00:36:18,500 and all that you think. 618 00:36:18,500 –> 00:36:22,020 And then with that she must listen to what God says. 619 00:36:22,020 –> 00:36:23,000 Look to who God is, 620 00:36:23,000 –> 00:36:25,040 listen to what God says. 621 00:36:25,040 –> 00:36:27,699 God repeats the promise, 14. 622 00:36:27,699 –> 00:36:29,040 At the appointed time, 623 00:36:29,040 –> 00:36:32,239 I will return to you about this time next year 624 00:36:32,239 –> 00:36:36,020 and Sarah will have a son. 625 00:36:38,280 –> 00:36:40,040 What does that promise mean for us? 626 00:36:41,080 –> 00:36:44,760 Well, let me give good news for all 90 year old women 627 00:36:44,760 –> 00:36:46,439 in the congregation today. 628 00:36:47,840 –> 00:36:51,780 It does not mean that all 90 year old women 629 00:36:51,780 –> 00:36:54,719 are going to conceive children within the next year, 630 00:36:56,639 –> 00:36:59,719 nor does it mean that every woman 631 00:36:59,719 –> 00:37:02,439 who longs to conceive a child 632 00:37:02,439 –> 00:37:04,739 will conceive a child within the next year 633 00:37:04,739 –> 00:37:05,719 if she has enough faith. 634 00:37:05,719 –> 00:37:08,080 That is not the right application of this scripture 635 00:37:08,080 –> 00:37:09,979 and great damage is done 636 00:37:10,260 –> 00:37:12,179 by such arresting of scripture. 637 00:37:13,320 –> 00:37:14,320 Don’t go there. 638 00:37:16,020 –> 00:37:18,739 What does it mean for us? 639 00:37:18,739 –> 00:37:20,320 How does it speak to me today? 640 00:37:20,320 –> 00:37:21,879 How does it speak to men today? 641 00:37:21,879 –> 00:37:26,239 How does it speak to younger and older women today? 642 00:37:28,000 –> 00:37:28,939 Here’s the point. 643 00:37:30,500 –> 00:37:33,219 The revealed purpose of God for Sarah 644 00:37:34,820 –> 00:37:36,500 involved the birth of a child, 645 00:37:37,060 –> 00:37:39,820 and given that she was in old age, 646 00:37:39,820 –> 00:37:43,300 it seemed to her that she might indeed miss out 647 00:37:44,659 –> 00:37:47,300 on what God had planned for her, 648 00:37:49,719 –> 00:37:50,919 and that’s a horrible feeling. 649 00:37:50,919 –> 00:37:52,739 Have you ever felt that, by the way? 650 00:37:52,739 –> 00:37:54,060 You know, some twisting and turnings 651 00:37:54,060 –> 00:37:55,959 have happened in your life? 652 00:37:55,959 –> 00:37:58,419 You look at where you are now and you say, 653 00:37:58,419 –> 00:38:01,540 I miss out on what God planned for my life? 654 00:38:02,600 –> 00:38:03,679 I messed the whole thing up. 655 00:38:03,719 –> 00:38:07,280 Am I a guy who’s on the, you know, train B 656 00:38:07,280 –> 00:38:09,320 when I should’ve been on train A? 657 00:38:09,320 –> 00:38:10,540 That’s an awful feeling. 658 00:38:11,959 –> 00:38:15,459 You ever wondered whether you might miss out 659 00:38:15,459 –> 00:38:19,659 on the very purpose of God himself for your life? 660 00:38:21,760 –> 00:38:23,239 And the point of the promise here 661 00:38:23,239 –> 00:38:25,020 is Sarah must’ve been in that position, 662 00:38:25,020 –> 00:38:27,320 90 years old, and the promise for her 663 00:38:27,320 –> 00:38:29,080 involves the birth of a child. 664 00:38:30,479 –> 00:38:32,780 The message to her here, surely, is very clear. 665 00:38:32,780 –> 00:38:36,959 It is, Sarah, God’s purpose for you will be fulfilled, 666 00:38:36,959 –> 00:38:39,459 even though right now it seems impossible. 667 00:38:40,360 –> 00:38:42,120 Despite all the twistings, all the turnings, 668 00:38:42,120 –> 00:38:43,639 all the disappointments, and all the years 669 00:38:43,639 –> 00:38:45,000 that have passed, and all the failures 670 00:38:45,000 –> 00:38:46,639 of your life, and all the manipulations, 671 00:38:46,639 –> 00:38:50,520 and all the unbelief, God’s purpose 672 00:38:50,520 –> 00:38:53,699 for you will be fulfilled. 673 00:38:53,699 –> 00:38:57,379 And it was when Isaac was born. 674 00:38:59,040 –> 00:39:00,300 But here’s the principal. 675 00:39:01,300 –> 00:39:03,739 Everything that God has planned for your life 676 00:39:03,739 –> 00:39:06,439 will be accomplished. 677 00:39:07,699 –> 00:39:09,659 That’s what we have to take for ourselves 678 00:39:09,659 –> 00:39:13,239 as the application here today, and it’s very wonderful. 679 00:39:13,239 –> 00:39:15,260 You look at your own life, with all of its twistings, 680 00:39:15,260 –> 00:39:17,580 and all of its turnings, there are disappointments, 681 00:39:17,580 –> 00:39:20,000 there are failures, and here’s what the scripture 682 00:39:20,000 –> 00:39:20,919 promises to you. 683 00:39:20,919 –> 00:39:23,419 He who began a good work in you 684 00:39:23,419 –> 00:39:26,820 will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus. 685 00:39:26,820 –> 00:39:27,800 What does that mean? 686 00:39:27,879 –> 00:39:30,120 It means that everything that God 687 00:39:30,120 –> 00:39:34,219 has purposed for your life will be accomplished. 688 00:39:34,219 –> 00:39:36,719 Here you are, single, and you’re not even sure 689 00:39:36,719 –> 00:39:38,879 if you should have turned up for this series. 690 00:39:38,879 –> 00:39:41,679 And you’re longing to be married, 691 00:39:41,679 –> 00:39:43,000 and you say, well now I’m gonna miss out 692 00:39:43,000 –> 00:39:45,300 on a whole lot of life if I’m not married, 693 00:39:45,300 –> 00:39:47,800 and so that becomes a huge focus for you, 694 00:39:47,800 –> 00:39:50,540 and I’m saying to you from the scriptures, 695 00:39:50,540 –> 00:39:52,679 everything that God has planned 696 00:39:52,679 –> 00:39:55,780 for your life will be accomplished. 697 00:39:55,820 –> 00:39:57,719 Here you are, you’re married, 698 00:39:57,719 –> 00:40:01,060 and your marriage is not what you wanted it to be, 699 00:40:01,060 –> 00:40:04,139 and you have great longings in that regard, 700 00:40:04,139 –> 00:40:05,860 and I’m saying to you from the scripture 701 00:40:05,860 –> 00:40:09,159 everything that God purposes for your life 702 00:40:09,159 –> 00:40:10,459 will be accomplished. 703 00:40:10,459 –> 00:40:12,540 Here you are in a dead-end job, 704 00:40:12,540 –> 00:40:14,419 and you have little fulfillment in your job, 705 00:40:14,419 –> 00:40:16,379 and you long to be in a different situation. 706 00:40:16,379 –> 00:40:18,100 It’s hard for you when you see others 707 00:40:18,100 –> 00:40:19,239 who have great fulfillment in 708 00:40:19,239 –> 00:40:21,000 what they’re doing during the week. 709 00:40:21,000 –> 00:40:22,939 And I’m saying to you from the Bible 710 00:40:22,939 –> 00:40:24,739 that everything that God has planned 711 00:40:24,860 –> 00:40:26,479 and purposed for your life 712 00:40:26,479 –> 00:40:28,780 will be accomplished. 713 00:40:28,780 –> 00:40:30,679 Here you are anxious for your children, 714 00:40:30,679 –> 00:40:31,699 or whatever it is. 715 00:40:31,699 –> 00:40:33,560 You have some great longing in your heart. 716 00:40:33,560 –> 00:40:35,100 I need this to happen. 717 00:40:35,100 –> 00:40:37,120 And I’m saying to you that everything 718 00:40:37,120 –> 00:40:39,219 God has planned for your life 719 00:40:39,219 –> 00:40:40,780 will be accomplished, 720 00:40:40,780 –> 00:40:43,020 and I’m not saying everything you’ve planned 721 00:40:43,020 –> 00:40:44,780 for your life will be accomplished. 722 00:40:46,100 –> 00:40:47,659 But I’m saying to you on the authority 723 00:40:47,659 –> 00:40:50,040 of the Bible that everything that God has planned 724 00:40:50,040 –> 00:40:52,300 for your life will be accomplished. 725 00:40:52,300 –> 00:40:57,300 So, don’t go through your life telling yourself, 726 00:40:57,340 –> 00:40:59,800 everything for my life will be accomplished 727 00:40:59,800 –> 00:41:02,300 if my husband shapes up, 728 00:41:02,300 –> 00:41:05,060 or if we have that longed for child, 729 00:41:05,060 –> 00:41:08,020 or if I finally get that fulfilling job, 730 00:41:08,020 –> 00:41:10,459 or if I meet that person of my dreams, 731 00:41:10,459 –> 00:41:12,300 or if ministry develops in the way 732 00:41:12,300 –> 00:41:13,540 that I think it should. 733 00:41:14,540 –> 00:41:16,580 Because when the Scripture says to us 734 00:41:16,580 –> 00:41:18,639 that He who began a good work in you 735 00:41:18,639 –> 00:41:20,899 will bring it to completion 736 00:41:20,939 –> 00:41:22,500 on the day of Jesus Christ, 737 00:41:22,500 –> 00:41:23,739 that’s period. 738 00:41:23,739 –> 00:41:25,360 There are no ifs. 739 00:41:27,000 –> 00:41:30,860 And that’s what it means to live on the promise of God. 740 00:41:30,860 –> 00:41:32,879 To look to who He is, 741 00:41:34,560 –> 00:41:37,820 and to listen to what He says, 742 00:41:39,080 –> 00:41:42,899 and your faith will be restored. 743 00:41:42,899 –> 00:41:43,899 Let’s pray together. 744 00:41:45,939 –> 00:41:48,459 Father, thank you that you shine the searchlight 745 00:41:48,459 –> 00:41:50,459 into the hidden thoughts of our hearts 746 00:41:50,500 –> 00:41:52,419 and that you know us completely, 747 00:41:52,419 –> 00:41:53,919 and that it’s safe 748 00:41:56,379 –> 00:41:59,320 for us in your presence 749 00:42:01,100 –> 00:42:06,060 to open up at our worst with our most feared thoughts 750 00:42:08,080 –> 00:42:11,219 as we come to you in the grace and mercy 751 00:42:12,860 –> 00:42:14,179 of our Lord Jesus Christ. 752 00:42:14,360 –> 00:42:15,760 So, Lord Jesus Christ, 753 00:42:18,780 –> 00:42:20,800 plant your word deep into our hearts 754 00:42:20,800 –> 00:42:23,080 so that we may quit manipulation, 755 00:42:25,300 –> 00:42:28,340 so that by your grace we may confront unbelief, 756 00:42:30,719 –> 00:42:33,659 and through the great gentleness with which you come to us 757 00:42:33,659 –> 00:42:36,780 we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. 758 00:42:38,139 –> 00:42:41,939 These things we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.