Broken at the Brink

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever found yourself frustrated by the gap between where you ARE and where you thought you’d be?

You start out a certain direction thinking things are going to go a particular way but then detour after detour you find yourself ten years later in a completely different place?

What are you to do with that gap?

And what are you to think when the reason for that gap is a series of foolish decisions you’ve made on your end?

Can God deliver you from the mess that you’re in?

Well, the Lord has a robust history of delivering people out of a terrible mess, even when the mess of of their own making.

Abraham was one such person. And the Lord didn’t just deliver him out of ONE mess in his life. He delivers Abraham again and again and again.

Set The Table

For those of you just joining us, let me fill you in on the details about Abraham and God’s plan for his life.

God chose Abraham and called him out of sin and idolatry into a new life of blessing and prosperity.

God’s promise to Abraham can be summarized under three L’s: land, lineage, Lord.

The promised land was the land of Canaan.

The promised lineage was a yet born child named Isaac through his wife Sarah.

The promised lord was a savior who would reverse the curse of Gen 3 and come from the line of Abraham.

At each point in this story we’ve seen Abraham’s unbelief and sinful brokenness put those three promises in jeopardy.

In spite of Abraham’s brokenness and sin God’s grace is greater.

It’s the theme of every book in the Bible. Genesis 20 is no exception.

Our sin is great, but God’s grace is greater.

Read the Text

With that in mind let’s read our passage.

Genesis 20:1 CSB

1 From there Abraham traveled to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

If you’ll take a look at the map you’ll see Abraham is leaving the northern regions where he was, “Oaks of Mamre” down to the more southern region of the Promised land.

We don’t know WHY he moved. It might’ve been the sulfer and ash floating their direction after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It might’ve been Abraham’s tendency to just like moving around.

Whatever the reason, he lands at the city of a Philistine King in Gerar.

When he gets there he allows fear for his life to make him deceptive about his wife.

Genesis 20:2 CSB

2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

For those of you who’ve been with us a while this probably feels like Dejahvu. The last time he did this was in Genesis 13 with the Egyptian Pharoah.

Then, as now, it was Abraham’s fear that caused him to do this.

It was common practice in that day to sexually exploit foreigners and steal their wives. (see Sodom and Gomorrah)

The Philistines were notoriously wicked and Abraham knew that their culture being a godless culture it was likely they would attempt to steal Sarah and kill him.

So in an effort to save his own life, he convinces his wife to say that she’s his sister.

In this way, Abraham would be able to negotiate an economic arrangement with the King so that instead of losing his life he would be secure and prosper.

When we looked at this same moral compromise in Genesis 13 we noted:

There’s always a compelling reason to justify your sin against God.

There’s usually a convenient opportunity to minimize it’s damaging effect.

There’s always collateral damage and usually on those you love the most.

Then, as now, there was a believable lie that Abraham could leverage to protect himself from.

Then, as now, there was legitimate fear that doing otherwise would result in a disaster.

Then, as now, the collateral damage was going to impact every party of the decision.

It was terrible lapse of judgment and invites God’s discipline both on HIM and the KING.

Dream Sequence

But God. Verse 3 opens up with those two beautiful words, “But God.”

This passage repeatedly creates a contrast between the depravity of man and the goodness of God.

Genesis 20:3–5 CSB

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, “Lord, would you destroy a nation even though it is innocent? 5 Didn’t he himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”

Notice here that Abimelech is somewhat of an innocent bystander in all of this. We’re going to see later that he had been suffering from some kind of disease (inflicted on him by God for taking Sarah) and that this disease was about to end his life.

When he finds out that Abraham had been lying to him (and that Sarah was in on the lie as well), he pleads for mercy and God’s understanding.

Of course the Lord already knew about Abraham’s lie and Abimelech’s so called ignorance, but that doesn’t change the moral calculus of the situation.

What a wonderful reminder that “the wages of sin is death” irrespective of our intentions or motivations.

Neither ignorance nor good intentions nullify the price of sin. You harvest what you plant regardless of your heart.

In fact, it is God’s grace to Abimelech that informs him of the situation and gives him an opportunity to make it right.

Genesis 20:6–8 CSB

6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience. I have also kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I have not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours.” 8 Early in the morning Abimelech got up, called all his servants together, and personally told them all these things, and the men were terrified.

GRACE IS GREATER:

Before we look at Abimelech’s response I want to bring out this contrast between the grace of God of and the failure of Abraham.

God intervenes in such a magnificent and powerful way when you put this event in context.

Consider what Abraham has done in light of the immediate context.

Where Sin Was Great

In Genesis 15 God creates a covenant promise with Abraham that he was going to bless him with a child. When Abraham argues and says “But Sarah is barren how about…” God stops him and says “No it’s going to be your biological child.”

Then God confirms that promise through a covenant commitment ceremony essentially arguing that even when you’re powerless and unfaithful to your end of the covenant, my grace is greater and I’ll be faithful to keep my promise.

In Genesis 16, Abraham has spiritual amnesia and he gives up on God’s timing and take matters into his own hands. He has a biological child but not through his wife Sarah. He impregnates her slave Hagar and has a son named Ishmael.

So in Genesis 17 God graciously reaffirms his covenant with Abraham and says, “Sarah will bear the child of promise. The covenant is going to continue through HER offspring and not Hagar.”

Then in Genesis 18 the Lord personally appears to Abraham along with two angels. As they’re enjoying dinner together the Lord tells Abraham “you’re wife Sarah is about to conceive. This time next year you’re going to have a baby!”

Again and again and again God’s graciously affirms his covenant to Abraham and with greater and greater specificity.

He’s on the absolute BRINK of a spiritual breakthrough his life.

And yet, even with all of that grace and provision and power and covenant promises Abraham STILL blows it and puts EVERYTHING in jeopardy.

That’s really the first half of the main truth in this passage.

You can be on the brink of a spiritual breakthrough and blow it because of fear.

He could’ve lost it all.

If Sarah would’ve been sexually exploited she might’ve lost the baby (assuming she was pregnant).

No child, No lineage. No lord.

He put his family in jeopardy. He put God’s promise in jeopardy. And all because of fear.

God’s Grace is Greater

But God. But God. Because of God where sin is great his grace can be greater.

God’s grace can be seen several ways in these 9 verses.

He shows grace in afflicting the King with some kind of disease that makes him impotent.

He shows grace in protecting the Philistine king from sinning.

He shows grace in protecting Sarah from sexual exploitation.

He shows grace to the King in revealing the truth through a dream.

He shows grace to Abraham by giving the king a reason and opportunity to give Sarah back.

Where sin is great, God’s grace is greater. That’s the message of this chapter.

Notice not only God’s grace in these verses but also God’s attributes.

He’s all knowing (even the secret intentions of the heart)

He’s all powerful (afflicting the King with a disease)

He’s all good (protecting all and offering a chance of escape)

The King’s Response

Having an opportunity to repent and make things right the King calls Abraham in to give an account.

Genesis 20:9–10 CSB

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, “What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” 10 Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What made you do this?”

This ought to be good. Now we get to hear a sinful man find an opportunity to justify his sin.

Genesis 20:11–13 CSB

11 Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘There is absolutely no fear of God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 So when God had me wander from my father’s house, I said to her: Show your loyalty to me wherever we go and say about me, ‘He’s my brother.’ ”

Did you catch all of that:

First he blames the King and his culture for being too wicked.

Second he blames Sarah for being too pretty or just being a woman.

Third he excuses himself because technically speaking Sarah is a half-sister.

Fourth he blames the LORD for making him leave his Father’s house and travel as a nomad.

Finally he minimizes the sin by saying, “we didn’t just do this to you… we do this everywhere we go.”

Unpacking Fear

This response by Abraham really gives us an insight into the nature of fear and it’s destructive affects.

I heard a definition of fear this week that was so good. Fear is a vision of the future divorced from faith.

Without fear, your vision of the future is filtered through worst case scenarios, unknown outcomes and your personal limitations.

Fear is the enemy of faith. Fear and faith cannot exist in the same heart at the same time.

One dispels the other, every time.

Fear is not just a feeling or emotion. Fear is a POWERFUl spirit that comes from the enemy.

The Bible says “God has not given us a spirit of fear. But one of power, love and self-control.”

We need to replace our fear with faith if we want to see that breakthrough in our life.

Faith is the life dominating conviction that whatever God has for me through obedience is better by far than any alternative.

So is your life driven by fear or by faith? How can you know?

1 John 4:18 says fear involves/has to do with punishment.

That was the case in Abraham. If I don’t they’ll hurt me.

When we’re driven by fear we’re trying to prevent pain and suffering from hitting our life.

Abraham was generally a man of faith but this threat of physical safety made him revert to a place of fear.

He should’ve been willing to lose his life for the sake of his wife. Because of fear he’s willing to lose his wife for the sake of his life. Sad.

Marks of Fear

Fearful people can incredibly selfish. The focus mostly/exclusively on themselves.

Fearful people are often demanding. Especially for information about whats going to happen. (unfortunately the more info you have the more fearful you can become)

Fearful people are often controlling. They manipulate people and outcomes as much as possible. (the less control they have the more fear they begin to feel)

The last thing I’ll say is that the OUTCOMES of a fearful life are often more destructive than the object that fear avoids.

Abraham is afraid of dying. But the circumstances he is creating because of fear are actually way worse than if he had just let himself die.

Had God not intervened it would’ve been complete hell for Sarah for the rest of her life and it would’ve meant the termination of God’s promised child who would reverse the curse of sin.

So it is with the fear in your life. Your fear is avoiding something that may indeed cause shame or embarrassment or pain and suffering.

But the longer you choose to live in that fear the more damage you’re creating for yourself further down the road. The longer you wait the worse it becomes.

There are also physiological symptoms (from book Body keeps the Score)

Mood swings (extreme highs and lows)

Lack of sleep due to anxiety.

Brain fog (can’t think/concentrate)

Sensitivity (little things become big)

Irritable/grumpy/ digestive issues

High blood pressure

Bad diet (over or under eating)

Constant sickness / poor immune system

Facts Over Fear

Here’s what you need to remember, you’re fear of the future won’t change the facts as God sees them.

You even get a hint of this in God’s description of Abraham in his dream to the king.

Genesis 20:7 CSB

7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours.”

He refers to Abraham as “a prophet who will pray for you so that you will live.”

What a beautiful picture of grace. Abraham’s sin didn’t nullify God’s calling and purpose on his life.

God doesn’t use people BECAUSE their righteous. We become righteous because of God grace and purpose.

This point is made even stronger by the fact that Abimelech, a godless king, responds in faith even though he’s not a believer.

He receives the warning Eve recieved in the garden - “if you do this you’ll surely die.” But he actually heeds the warning instead of rejecting it like Eve does in the Garden.

The just shall live by faith.

We’re saved by grace, through faith, not of works lest anyone boast.

The Grip of Grace

Here’s what you need to know about fear. Fear loses its power in the grip of God’s grace.

Grace is this compelling idea that God is not looking for you to clean yourself up in order for you to be accepted and then used by Him.

He wants you to come to Him in the broken, pathetic Sinful condition you are, and He wants you to get on your face in humility before Him and call out for forgiveness and grace.

He wants to be the one responsible for cleaning your life up, turning you around, and transforming you into a person who is useful in the kingdom of God. That's what our God does and that’s why He gets all the glory.

God is not interested in sharing His glory with any of you or me. He wants it. Because He's deserving of it.

If you think that you're not good enough to be saved by God, you're right. But He's not asking you to believe that you're good enough. He's asking you to believe that He's good enough. And He is. It's the awesome news of the Gospel.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And He's asking you to embrace the fact that you are a stubborn sinner. We all are. And yet, in spite of that, He is a sovereign Savior who can overrule our sin, our bad decisions, the brokenness and mess of our life. He can take that, He can clean it up, and He can make something beautiful and useful.

Fear is powerless in the face of that kind of grace.

Fear becomes powerless in the grip of God’s grace.

GRACIOUS PROVISION

God’s gracious provision is actually how this story ends.

Genesis 20:14–16 CSB

14 Then Abimelech took flocks and herds and male and female slaves, gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. 15 Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you want.” 16 And he said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your brother one thousand pieces of silver. It is a verification of your honor to all who are with you. You are fully vindicated.”

God shows grace to Abraham even though he didn’t deserve it. Abimelech not only returns Sarah to her husband. He also gives flocks, herds, male & female servants, his choice of the land and 1,000 pieces of silver.

Much of this was for Sarah’s sake as Abimelech makes clear but it was an act of obedience either way.

In response to Abimelech’s faith, the LORD heals him.

Genesis 20:17–18 CSB

17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could bear children, 18 for the Lord had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household on account of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

As the Lord promised Abraham in the very beginning, “those who curse you I will curse and those who bless you I will bless.”

And in the very next chapter God also shows even greater grace to Abraham in opening up the womb of Sarah who conceives and gives birth to their promised son Issac. Gen 21:1-4

Healing Humiliation

One of the great ironies of this chapter is that Abraham justified his fear and sinful actions because he assumed a godless king in a godless city will mean there is no fear of God in their eyes.

In other words, I’m justified in sinning against God because these people are sinning against God.

But the truth of the matter is there WAS fear of God before their eyes.

This pagan King showed greater fear of God than did Abraham.

Abraham was driven by fear whereas Abimelech was driven by faith.

An ironic reminder for Abraham that God’s covenant righteousness comes from faith and not our effort or moral record.

This had to have been a stinging rebuke on Abraham by the Lord.

Divine testing and Satanic temptation often intersect at the “brink of breakthrough.”

You can cooperate with the Lord and it become a source of healing or you can succumb to the devil and it become a source of regret.

Abraham played both sides of the fence because of God’s grace.

Have you ever had one of those moments where the Lord just makes you painfully aware of your own weakness and brokenness before him?

I think this humiliation of Abraham had a tremendous impact on his life because this is the very last time he does this kind of behavior.

This was a turning point. And it’s also the final test of faith before God’s reward of giving Abraham the child of promise.

In other words, not only can we blow it on the brink of a spiritual breakthrough.

That season of testing will also be the season of temptation. The greater the test to show faith and obedience to Christ, the greater the temptation to show fear and succumb to the enemy.

The can be a healing in the humbling if you’ll let the Lord do his greater work.

And it’s never too late for the Lord to do that work. The only thing it requires is repentance and faith.

Even if you’ve blown it, there can still be a breakthrough on the other side.

Don’t waste the season of waiting. God is using it to prepare and refine you.

Silence the fear and summon your faith in the Lord’s promise and plan.

Application

You might say, “Wes that sounds great but easier said than done! How do I silence my fear when the voice is so loud?!”

Here are some things for you to consider.

Look Back

Look back on God’s power and promise.

I love that this chapter closes with God opening the womb of all of the women in Gerar. What a powerful way to remind Abraham, I am able to do what you can’t. Everything you’re afraid of I can control and establish for your good and my glory.

We also see an invitation to look back and remember God in how he reveals himself to King Abimelech.

We’re reminded that God is omniscient (all-knowing)

We’re reminded that God is omnipotent (all-powerful)

We’re reminded that God is omnipresent (all-present)

We’re reminded that God is omni-benevolent (all-good)

It’s interesting that fear expresses itself as a reaction to each of these attributes of God.

Fear forgets that God knows everything so it searches desperately for all the information.

Fear forget that God is capable of anything so it tries to personally control outcomes and individuals.

Fear forgets that God is everywhere so it leads to weariness trying to do be/do where /what it can’t.

Fear forget that God is good and so it offers up a counter-narrative of worst-case scenarios.

What fear forgets faith must remember! Remember God, his promise and his power!

Look Up

After you look behind look up. Look up and pray. Cast your cares on the Lord.

The New Testament says not to be anxious about anything but IN EVERYTHING through prayer and petition let your requests be made known to God. Then the peace of God which surpasses human understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6–7 CSB

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

It was when Abraham prayed for Abimelech that God’s blessing was unleashed in his life.

It you only look back to what God is ABLE to do but you never look UP and ask him to do it then you’ll be cutting yourself off from a great blessing by the Lord.

Look Forward

After you look back on the power and promise of God look ahead with eyes of faith.

If you believed that God for you and not against you what might the future look like related to your fear?

If you believed God knew everything and desired what was best for you how might your future look different?

There’s something powerful about preaching to yourself these truths so that the seed of faith can be planted into your heart.

If fear is a vision of the future without faith. Faith is a vision of the future WITH GOD.

WITH GOD all things are possible. Start to evaluate and dream about your future through that lens.

Conclusion

You may find yourself in the shoes of Abimelech this morning. Ignorance and good intentions aren’t going to save you from God’s judgment on your actions.

Maybe you could even point to a “so called” Christian who deceived you into thinking the way you were living is good with God.

God’s instruction to go to Abraham is really pointing to an even greater prophet. That prophet is the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you will come to Jesus this morning. Humble yourself and believe God is mighty to save, he will intercede for you and you will live.

The Bible says Jesus is our great hight priest. He is the one who intercedes for us so that we might be reconciled to God and given new life in Jesus name.

You might be here this morning and feel like Abraham. You’ve allowed fear to disrupt God’s plan for your life.

You were at the brink of breakthrough but you blew it because of fear.

This morning God is coming to you and saying, “it’s not too late. I can restore what the enemy has taken if you’ll just turn to me and live.

Will you repent of your fear. Fight your fear with faith?

Fear loses it’s power in the grip of God’s grace. Be strengthened by the grace that is in the Lord Jesus this morning.