No Laughing Matter

Opening Announcement

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Acts 11:29–30 ESV

29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

If you don’t know, my brother became senior pastor at my old church

I went out to help him

He’s facing what I just did over the last 3 years

Hoping to keep from making same mistakes

I got to see where things are at first hand - definitely worthwhile

Lifepoint and Kevin were very grateful

I’ll show a video of Bernie (elder) during offering

Show video

I love seeing the church work together

The Christian life is all about people

That’s why we have discipleship training this weekend

It’s a way to learn community the way Jesus modelled it

It’s about iron sharpening iron

I was able to do that with Kevin this week - thanks to the support of my church

Thank you all for sending me, please know it was appreciated

Introduction

Back in the day watching TV at 2:00am, what could you look forward to?

Infomercials! All the old “As seen on TV” gimmicks

You might see something like this:

Sauna Pants!

Why waste all that time at the gym when you can steam your fat away on the couch?

Neck Magic Air Cushion!

Achieve muscle relaxation and headache relief by strangling yourself into unconciousness!

My Secret Hair Enhancer!

Nothing says you’re trying to cover up your thinning hair like swirly marks of spray paint!

UroClub!

Having trouble waiting for the bathroom while you’re hitting the links? Just pee into your putter! That won’t be weird at all!

Finally, the Better Marriage Blanket!

Can’t stop farting while you’re snuggling with your wife? This blanket uses military technology to absorb your farts! Who doesn’t want to sleep all night in a fart sponge...

You might think a Shake Weight, a Donald Trump Chia Pet or vacuum hair cutters sound awesome...

Then they try to get you with this: But wait, there’s more!

Ooh! You get another worthless item, a smaller version or a second one absolutely free!

Just pay S&H...

For 99% of these things, they don’t really work like they promise on TV

They’re at least exaggerations if not flat out lies

We have been given so many false promises over the years that I think we have become skeptical about promises.

Whenever a person makes a promise, whether it be a preacher, a politician, or Ron Popeil, two things that you must consider about that person

1. Is their ability to keep the promise

Some people make big promises with good intentions but they lack the resources to carry them out

When I can’t sleep I make a thousands plans - then wake up and do nothing

2. You need to consider that person’s trustworthiness

Is this person just blowing smoke trying to get you to do something.

Joe Jimenez – Smoke and mirrors and crocodile tears

It’s the same with the many promises that God makes to us in His word, we have to consider God’s ability to keep those promises and His faithfulness to uphold His promises.

In the scriptures, we read about a loving heavenly Father who has made to you many precious promises.

Promises that tell us that our needs our taken care of

That all our sins our forgiven

That He will carry is through all the storms of life

That he has the keys to everlasting life

Intellectually we know that Scripture and history has proven God’s power and His faithfulness

Now although we may know this and truly believe this, at times we may find it difficult to believe all that God has promised.

Sometimes we find ourselves so far behind the “8 ball” in life that we just can see things working out for our good. There are times that promises of God fly in the face of human logic …and we think that miracles can’t happen to me.

To doubt is part of our human nature. So how do we open ourselves us to be receptive to God’s blessing?

Our study of the life of Abraham brings us to a place where we can see how to be receptive to God’s blessing

YouVersion: No Laughing Matter

We’re in Genesis 18:1-15

Genesis 18:1 (ESV)

1 And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.

We find Abraham going about his daily routine… He’s taking a break from the mid day heat sitting at his tent’s door.

God’s blessings can come at any time

No reason to believe that this day was any different than any other for Abraham when God showed up.

Illustration: Prayed for new worship leaders and God showed up!

Went from me, to Kevin, Andrew, Tyler and me!

I only led twice a month and rotated the other days - it was liberating!

I went from no help to an abundance in 2 weeks

Though this was just another day for Abraham …I do believe that he was ready for the Lord to show up… look at verse 2…

Genesis 18:2–3 (ESV)

2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.

He wasn’t watching for them to come because it says He lifted his eyes and they were standing there

…but he was ready for them…

Glenn Myers: To be ready to receive God’s blessing we need to live life like you are expecting God to show up.

We should live like we expect God to show up

ILLUSTRATION: I don’t expect a robbery every day, but I keep bear spray, a buck knife and a 9mm

I hope I don’t use them, but I’m ready just in case

Scholars debate whether this was another appearance of God or just 3 angels and they debate whether or not Abraham recognized Him here.

Many believe any human form of God seen is Christ

1 Timothy 6:16 (ESV)

16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Tells us we can’t see God the Father, so it’s likely God the Son with two angels

I believe this is another appearance of pre-incarnate Christ

And I believe Abraham instantly recognized them - or at least one of them

Remember he met the Lord face to face less than 3 months ago, so he was familiar

It’s hard to serve God if you don’t recognize Him when He shows up

To live like we’re expecting God to show up begins by knowing how to recognize Him when He is standing right in front of us.

God shows up in our lives more times than you ever expect… He tells us this in

Matthew 25:35–40 (ESV)

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

These kinds of “God moments” happen all the time

We’ve got to train ourselves to recognize God when he is standing right in front of us

Abraham recognized God instantly and he knew exactly what to do next

He ran to where they were standing and He fell face down before them…

He even had a greeting ready… “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.”

Illustration: Have you ever rehearsed what you’d say to someone? “Doh! I should have said……!”

I had what my friends called, “a fear of cash registers”

So I always find myself planning conversations ahead of time.

Sometimes we do it with negative things… “If I ever see, so and so again I’ll give them a piece of my mind!”

Other times we do it as a positive… If I ever get to see so and so again I want them to know how much I appreciate them.

I think Abraham was totally ready for God to show up… If I were Him I’d have rehearsed over and over what I’d say to him when I see Him next.

Have you ever thought about what your response will be the next time you hear from God?

I think it helps to plan our response to God sometimes

I’ve lived with regret of bypassing God’s too many times…

because I was unprepared to obey Him…

Pat asked, “Are you religious?” No...

Didn’t even hear the story… I should have been prepared

Even looking for an opportunity

Meeting up with Jay at Maniac Mikes, saw our old waitress Cindy

We’re ministers, can we pray for you? Sure!

If you don’t seek answers, you end up with excuses

What Abraham does next shows us that living like you are expecting God also means being ready to serve and to please Him…

Genesis 18:4–5 (ESV)

4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”

They said, “Do as you have said.”

Foot washing was just common hospitality in Abraham’s day

It was Abraham’s sign that He wanted the Lord to know He was welcomed to stay

Interesting twist: Notice what he wanted to give the Lord… “Rest” & “Refreshment” …those are generally two things that we get from God. …they are not normally things we can give Him.

But the real story here is what was going on in Abraham’s heart… Abraham is doing anything he can to please and serve the Lord

That’s the kind of mindset we need to develop…

We should be eager to please and ready to serve God.

Gratitude should make us like children who are eager to please their parents

Many people struggle with being people pleasers

That is a prison - you keep doing, but also resenting

We should strive to be God pleasers

People only take and don’t appreciate the cost - we can’t help it

But God takes with kindness and understanding that surpasses all

Even if He asks for you to give it all, it’s still more than fair - He is God

If you are living eager to serve the Lord with your life I promise you, you won’t miss those times when God shows up…

The Lord grants Abraham’s wish (Please Lord let me serve You before You move on.) God says go, “Do as you have said.”

Abraham gets started…

What Abraham does next is a vital step in living life prepared for blessings…

Genesis 18:6–8 (ESV)

6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

Abraham turns to the people in his charge

Ministry engages those around you in serving and honoring God

Notice the first thing he does is to show Sarah and his servant exactly how he wants them to serve the Lord… “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.”

Then He went into his herd and carefully selected a tender and good calf, gave it to a servant and told him to prepare this.

Abraham is teaching and modeling service to the Lord to his household

Men hear me in this…. God has placed you as the spiritual leader in your home. It is your God given assignment to lead your house in serving and honoring God.

As the spiritual head of your house it is also your duty to be the role model of honoring God.

It’s a duty because you have no choice about your influence

If parents both attend, 33% attend and 25% are lost

If father attends, 38% attend and 44% are lost

If mother attends, 2% attend and 60% are lost!

Abraham is a wealthy man with many servants. He knows how to command people to do what he wants. We saw him lead an army to go and rescue Lot from those 5 Persian kings

Yet look at what he models for those in his house when it comes to the Lord…

Back in V. 3. He said, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.

In V.5 he used the same word to describe himself as “Your servant” That word lit = Your slave

He says to the Lord “I am your slave.”

Not only does he say it with words …but he also takes the position of a slave to the Lord.

In V.2. he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord.

Now here in V.8. he stood by them under the tree while they ate... which is what a house servant did while his master ate… He is standing by ready to serve.

Church if we really want to be receptive to God’s blessing then we want our whole house to be in that mode as well

ILLUSTRATION: The players that are growing the fastest have competition for their position.

The people around you affect your ability to thrive, and you theirs

There is nothing more helpful to our walk with God than surrounding ourselves with others who know how to serve and honor God

On the other hand there is nothing more hazardous to our walk than being surrounded by people who are spiritually stuck in neutral or reverse…

It’s up to us to engage those around us in serving and honoring God.

DISCLAIMER: Now in this next section I think Sarah gets a bum wrap. She does blow it, but I want you to see another side of the story…

Genesis 18:9–10a (ESV)

9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

The Lord tells Abraham, other versions say “according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

The birth cycle (9 months).

For the first time Sarah is realizing that this birth will come from her having a normal pregnancy

Genesis 18:10b (ESV)

10 And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.

Why was she listening at the tent’s door?

First, It was improper for women of that day to join the men at the table especially when there were strangers at the table.

Second, I think that Abraham created an excitement in the home over these guest they were serving.

I think she wanted to hear what they had to say..

Parents you have the power to create the hunger in your home for your family wanting to hear from God…

Illustration: I look in the mirror everyday and I see my dad. You will become like your parents, and your kids will be like you

When you model your faith, they will catch it.

Genesis 18:11–12 (ESV)

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”

This makes no earthly sense

The way of women is menstruation - she’s gone through menopause

Here biological baby system has been permanently shut down

And she hears she’s going to have a normal, healthy, 9-month long pregnancy from God

And she laughs...

Let me first say that Sara is counted amongst the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11:11–12 (ESV)

11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

Sarah shares the faith of her husband

I couldn’t imagine trying to live a life of faith without my wife

I don’t think Abraham stayed faithful against his wife’s beliefs

I think she was in this with him 100%

So why is she laughing?

She is laughing at the absurdity of the picture of it all

Notice she brings Abraham into the picture

I hope I’m not teaching something outrageously new to you

Making a baby requires two people with functioning reproductive systems

5% of women after menopause can get pregnant

For a few years anyway, but after those years the chances are virtually non-existent

But it requires a man with a fully functioning reproductive part!

Abraham was 99 years old and Viagra wouldn’t come around for 4,000 more years!

No wonder Sarah laughed… “Will that old man bring me pleasure again?”

Seems pretty faithless… how could she be in Hebrews 11?

Faith is an action, I think the faith showed up when she actually bothered to try

Sarah and Abraham has probably gone straight to sleep for years

And at some point they had a little fun before sleep

Fun that would bring about a baby

But it seems to be a process...

Because her first reaction wasn’t in faith, the first reaction was a mistake

She laughed on the inside...

Her first response was doubt, but God was gracious enough to give her time

Remember, only God is the 3 omnis... Omniscient, omnipotent and omni-benevolent

Now here is where the Lord shows His omniscience …The Ability to know everything

Genesis 18:13 (ESV)

13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’

Remember v. 12: Therefore Sarah laughed within herself,

God heard Sarah's laugh even though she laughed within herself.

It’s understandable that our first instinct is doubt

This world offers so many dark, sinful, evil things

It’s reasonable to believe there is more to come, but faith works past that

And faith is a process, it takes time

God can build faith from our doubt

I’m not saying doubt is acceptable, I’m saying it’s not hopeless

Cancer isn’t always a death sentence, but you that doesn’t mean you want to have it!

Likewise, doubt isn’t something you want...

But that doesn’t mean God can’t meet you there and work you out of it

When Jesus rose from the dead, Thomas said, “Nope! I won’t believe until I see the nail holes...”

In grace, Jesus does show him the nail holes — but then says this:

John 20:29 (ESV)

29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Thomas messed up, but Jesus used him

Tradition says he went to India and converted thousands of Jews and Hindus

He loves Jesus so much he travelled 4,000 miles to share the gospel...

And was then murdered with a spear by the Hindu priests of Kali

God can still use people who initially doubt Him...

Here’s the bigger problem though - jump to v. 15:

Genesis 18:15 (ESV)

15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

There is nothing hidden before the LORD

A big part of being receptive to God’s blessing is always knowing that He is a part of all we say, think and do

Can you imagine how differently we might behave if we remembered that God hears and knows everything we think and say

There is a Truman Complex (Remember “The Truman Show”?

Imagine how he must have felt learning that he had been watched

What if you found out? You would suddenly behave completely differently!

Why don’t we react to God’s knowledge?

I think the fear of being called out made her question where she stood

For the first time, it seemed more foolish to doubt God than to believe and old lady could have a baby

Let that be a lesson to us all

We may doubt what God says

Clearly science knows about this, or people know about that, we don’t need God...

Someday, when we see Him face to face, we will understand how foolish it is to doubt Him

Let’s see what God has to say:

Back up to Verse 14

Genesis 18:14 (ESV)

14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

He’s speaking to both Abraham and Sarah (He uses the third person)

BTW this is probably why Abraham was waiting so diligently for God to show up

He wanted to hear what will happen next

If we are going to help ourselves be receptive to God’s blessing

True faith that believes God can do anything

Make sure you know that God can do the impossible! Don’t ever doubt that.

Also, know that God is not limited by your limitations

You may be 90 years old, but God can still use you for His glory.

…David was too young, but God used him to kill a giant.

…Moses couldn’t speak well, but God used him to lead millions of people out of bondage.

…Paul was public enemy #1 of the church, but God used him to bring the Good news to the Gentiles.

Remember this: God can do anything, even if that anything is through you