Lord Have Mercy

Intro:

Church it is inevitable that life will hit us some time. It is imperative that we as the children of God teach our children and our families that sometimes life is just hard. So many times I see so many young people and so many families crumbling in the face of adversity. Part of the problem is that at some point in our history, we have spoiled our children and not raised our children. At some point in history some child, grandchild, niece, and or nephew has not been introduced to the magical two letter word NO! I am not just talking about young folks and children, but I am even speaking to some folks my age. For some reason we have gotten to a place where folks think everything should go their way all the time. I don’t know about you, but my life has never gone the way I wanted and or thought. When I was young this upset me, but now that I am old I tell God thank you! Don’t look at me funny! I say thank you because some of the stuff I wanted was good to me, but not good for me! Can I help a few folks in this place this morning? Some of the best things that ever happened to you was when you was told no. Can I talk to the real folks this morning? Is there any one with me this morning that God said no that relationship? Any one glad that God did not allow you to get that Job that would have literally killed you. Any one glad that God didn’t allow you to go that school where you would have utterly failed. Any one glad you didn’t marry that other one? Any one glad that God didn’t allow you do that one stupid thing you was going to try? Can someone say I am so glad God said NO!! Look at your neighbor and say Lord Have Mercy!

Text work:

In the text we are in today we notice friction in the text. In Genesis chapter 21 God gave Abraham and Sarah the promised seed. This was a moment of celebration in that God had opened the womb of Sarah who was barren, and brought forth life and a nation from her womb. Abraham was happy, Sarah was happy, and the whole house was happy except Hagar. Sometimes church when God finally comes through for you some folks will be happy and some won’t! Hagar was Sarah’s maidservant or bondservant. They were close and good acquaintances. So much so that Sarah and Abraham in their haste to produce a seed offered Hagar to her husband. Sometimes church we make decisions that seem good at that time, but can be destructive later. I don’t hear anyone this morning. In their haste of the word they received from God they thought they knew better than God and decided to manufacture and heir on their own through surrogacy! Can I say this candidly? It is dangerous to put your spouse, children, and legacy in someone else’s hand. This is touchy, but let me say it. Wives be careful not taking care of your husband, because someone down the street are waiting on you to slip. She is happy to run bath water, cook dinner, listen to his pains from work and the world, massage his back, and rub his feet. Yall don’t hear me! Husband be careful not to neglect your wives. There’s a wolf waiting around the corner who will notice that she got her hair done different. Who is willing to buy dinner, get nails done, and hair did too! Fathers and mothers don’t neglect your sons and daughters! There’s a gang, some girlfriends, sugar daddies, sugar mommas, and cruel world that would love to consume them. We so busy we cannot even have a meaningful conversation with them, and so haughty we cannot admit when we have been wrong. This pushes them into the streets as they say. Just like the text we try to artificially inseminate the blessings of God’s word through frivilous relationships and actions! We can’t blame the other chick, the other dude, the gang, or the girlfriends, because truth be told we pushed them into their tents! Just like Sarah did Abraham, and then we have to deal with the aftermath. Court costs, jail time, battered relationships, money, tears, and pain. Look at your neighbor and say Lord Have Mercy!

Status:

The problem with the friction in the text is that Sarah looks over and there Hagar is snarling instead of celebrating. Sometimes you can handle your haters when you don’t see them, but when they are in plain sight it’s hard to ignore them. See the problem was is Hagar had been receiving favor and special attention from Abraham and God in that she bore a seed in which God promises he would bless. Can I help a few people in here? Just because you carry and nurture the blessing don’t mean you can’t get out of order! She was blessed, but she forgot that she was the side chick and not the main chick. Abraham forgot he was not the husband, but became the baby daddy! I don’t hear anybody in here. Lord have mercy they forgot their place! You have to understand that the promise is bigger than you position. Don’t get so high, because this all can come crashing down at any moment. She forgot her place church, because she couldn’t identify with Sarah’s pain and victory, because she didn’t have to go through what Sarah had to. Sarah was barren and was embarrassed, but God wasn’t through with her yet! So when she scoffed at what God did she had to go. When someone shows you who they are and what they think of you Sometimes you have to believe them. When this occurs there is pain in separation church. Remember that they were close constituents and she trusted her even with her husband, but now it is time to separate and go our separate ways. Look down you your isles Lord have Mercy!

Close:

So after all of the pomp and circumstance there comes a place where my Grandfather would say here is where the rubber meets the road. Church this is the most pivotal portion of the text in that Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham have to deal with what they done. She has to go, and the Lord has approved of it. He told Abraham do what your wife says. Abraham is heart broken, Hagar is partially innocent and insolent at the same time, and Sarah is angry, jealous, and crushed as well. Church we have to reap what we sow. Sarah and Abraham took God’s promise into their own hands, and implicated an innocent you servant. Abraham enjoyed the transaction obviously. You never read where Abraham says oh no let’s not do that. Well?!?!??! Instead he gladly goes in with her and they conceive Ishmael. They celebrate Ishmael, and then Isaac hits the scene the party for Ishmael is over. The prominence that Hagar once enjoyed is over. Instead of being thankful and understanding that she would always be taken care of she gets haughty and forgets her place. Abraham is tore between the two, because he loves both sons. God says she has to go, but God did not say he would not be with them. Abraham packs them up and gives them provisions and put them out. This is so hurtful and sad, but is so necessary. We have to understand that God will not share his glory with anyone! Watch this church! After everything happened, after all of the missteps, and all of the mistakes God is still there. I am so glad church that God is in charge. When they ran out of water and ran out of provisions that was provided by Abraham. The bible says that God heard the voice of Ishmael crying! I just need a few people to be encouraged that even though you messed up God still hears your cry. Ishmael was innocent, but born into a war and God knew where he was! Hagar was prepared for death, but God had to show her it is not Abraham that provides it’s me that will provide. When man runs out God will make water show up in the middle of the desert. The old folks said He will be water in dry place. Bread in a starving land. Shade in the desert, and breeze on a scorching hot day. I am so glad that the Lord has mercy. I got myself into it, but thank God he got us out! Somebody look at your neighbor and say Lord have mercy!