It's Not What I Expected

Romans 4:18–22 ESV

“In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

Introduction

Someone said, “Sometimes the best stories begin with the words, ‘It’s not what I expected,’ leading to adventures we never could have imagined.”

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you thought you knew exactly what to expect, only to be completely surprised by the outcome?

Have you ever found yourself standing at the crossroads of life, only to realize that the path ahead looks nothing like what you anticipated?

The Bible gives us a word when things isn’t what you expected: 1. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” - Proverbs 3:5

2. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:8-9

3. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28

4. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11

5. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” - Proverbs 16:3

This morning our sermonic spotlight shines on Romans 4:18-22, the apostle Paul addresses the faith of Abraham in the context of justification by faith. He uses Abraham as an example to illustrate how faith is credited as righteousness. The background of this passage stems from the Old Testament narrative found in Genesis chapters 15 and 17, where God promises Abraham and Sarah descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, despite their old age and Sarah’s barrenness. Despite the seemingly impossible circumstances, Abraham believed God’s promise, and this faith was credited to him as righteousness. Paul uses Abraham’s example to emphasize that justification comes through faith, not through works, and that this principle applies to both Jews and Gentiles.

Let’s journey back in time to the life of a man whose story is filled with unexpected twists and turns. Abraham, known as the father of faith, embarked on a journey that was far from what he initially expected. Imagine the surprise on his face when, in his old age, God promised him descendants as numerous as the stars! This morning, as we gather to explore the theme ‘It’s Not What I Expected’ through the lens of Abraham’s life, we’ll uncover timeless truths about faith, resilience, and the remarkable ways God works in our lives despite our expectations.”

1. He Refused To Listen To Reason

He refused to let reason sway him from obeying God’s command, demonstrating his unwavering faith and obedience. When the promise was first given to Abraham, he was 75 years old. Even then, it must have seemed impossible.

v18“In hope he believed against hope, [kjv who against] [ESV In].

The terms hope in this case, is the desire for something that might be true or might happen.. This passage encapsulates the essence of Abraham's faith, which was rooted not in visible evidence or human possibility but in divine assurance. The phrase "against hope" (v. 18) Hope against Hope is a spoken word, Hope against Hope is a sure word, Hope against Hope is a steadfast word, implies a situation devoid of hope from a human perspective, yet Abraham chose to believe in the promise of God.

Abraham was 99 years old. It must have really looked impossible by then! Yet, his faith did not waver! The Bible tells us that Abraham “believed” God. This word is in a tense that suggests that he believed God when he received the promise and he kept on believing until the promise was fulfilled.

Yet despite the seeming impossibility hoped for, he believed it would happen as God said.

That is the kind of faith that sees mountains moved!

This conviction wasn't based on naive optimism but on a deep understanding of God’s character and power. Abraham's belief in God—who "gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist" (Romans 4:17)—underscores a faith that sees beyond the immediate reason to the God who transcends it.

Faith faces hopelessness for what it is.

Abraham believed the promise of God “Against all hope, … in hope” (v. 18). The promise of God to the aged patriarch was beyond hope. It was no longer a human possibility. There was a twenty-five year lapse between God’s first promise to Abraham and the renewal of that promise. Human hope had reached and passed its utmost limit. Abraham also hoped against hope. That is, he hoped in defiance of all human calculations. Ninety-nine-year-old men and ninety-year-old women do not have children. In both the longevity and patent impossibility of the situation there was absolute hopelessness. Abraham faced the contradiction between his and Sarah's bodies and the spoken promise of God.

Faith considers the promise of God more than hopelessness.

In the face of an absurd contradiction Abraham hung everything on the promise of God. God had said, “I will make you a great nation” (Gen. 12:2). Twenty-five years later God had promised descendants as numerous as the stars (15:5–6). God promised the future as if it were already the present: “I have made you a father of many nations” (17:5). In the face of all facts Abraham depended on the promise of God alone. He refused to focus on the hopelessness but rather fastened his attention and suspended his life for a hundred years on God’s promise.

Abraham refused to dwell in the negative. God had given him a promise, and that was enough for him! What a lesson for you and me!

The same decision belongs to us all. Will we look at visible present circumstances or the yet unseen, future fulfillment of God’s promise? Whatever your impossibility—physical, financial, emotional, rational, vocational, academic—you act in faith when you focus on the promise more than the problem.

(Ill. Let me just encourage some of you who have been waiting on the Lord to move in your life. He hasn’t forgotten about you! If He has made you a promise, then you can count on that promise being fulfilled in His time. Don’t give up, don’t despair, but trust in the Lord and He will bring it to pass!)

Not only,

1. He Refused To Listen To Reason

2. He Refused To Look At Reality

v19 “He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.”

Abraham refused to look at his situation, his eyes were on the promise of God….Instead of dwelling on the harsh reality of their situation, refusing to let the limitations of the natural world overshadow his faith.

Faith does not deny circumstances.

Abraham fully and completely considered the deadness of his own body as to siring a child. Abraham even laughed and fell facedown on the ground when he heard that a hundred-year-old man would produce offspring (17:17). Faith is not a sort of illusion or fiction whereby normally sane people refuse to face facts. Faith faces human impossibilities for precisely what they are.

Faith is belief mixed with unbelief, but action is taken on belief!

Faith acts in the face of circumstances.

Faith acts without weakening: “Without weakening in his faith” (Rom. 4:19). We weaken when we take God’s promises less seriously than circumstances. Abraham gave more weight to the promise than to the circumstances

• The power of his faith. “Being not weak in the faith.” Abraham had his faults, but he was very strong in the faith. There were times when his faith seemed to disappear but like a cork on a fishing line, it soon popped up and dominated his walk.

• The priority of his faith. “Considered not.” The word considered means he fixed his thoughts, his mind, his attention upon the matter. But he did not give in to the thoughts…… His own body as in a dead condition—“he considered” it, and knew it to be thus, and was therefore wholly hopeless in himself. Moreover, Abraham knew Sarah was “past age,” unable to bear a child. He had before him, then, himself as dead, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

Not only,

1. He Refused To Listen To Reason.

2. He Refused To Look At Reality.

3. He Refused To Lose The Reward.

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Abraham was not weak in the faith. Doubt did not cloud his mind. He staggered not at the promises of God. What does that mean? The words “staggered not” come from the Greek word diakrino which means “to hesitate, doubt, waver, to be uncertain; to vacillate between two opinions or decisions.” Abraham did not vacillate between belief and unbelief. He was not going through a mental struggle concerning the Lord. He believed that God would perform what He promised.

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God”—“giving glory to God.”

That’s the praise factor. He gave praise. One translation gives it this way: “He gave praise to God for the miracle that was to be wrought through him”—“He gave praise to God for the miracle that was to be wrought through him.”

He was strong in faith giving glory to God.” That is, God said, “Abraham, you’re going to have a son.” He said, “Well, glory, I’m going to have a son. Praise the Lord, I’m going to have a son.” And, he began to praise God even before he had a son, he gave praise to God for the miracle that was to be wrought in him. He didn’t wait until he got a son and said, “God thank you for the son.” He said, “Thank you God for the son I am going to have.” Now, that’s faith.

Do you know what praise is? It’s faith turned inside out. And, the Bible says, as we said as we began this service this morning, “Who so offers us praise”—praise is the way that God gives glory and faith, above all things praise God. So faith and praise are inseparable. Faith and praise are inseparable, like faith and works are inseparable. Faith and praise are the heads and tails of the same coin. Praise is faith turned inside out. And, by the way, if your faith is weak, begin to praise the Lord, thank the Lord, it will strengthen your faith. You see, praise strengthens faith and faith strengthens praise. How, how can that be? Well, when you have faith, praise. When you have faith, praise—Well, glory to God—and faith hears that, and says “Well, listen over there, praise is glorifying me, I must be pretty good”—and faith grows a little bit, and when faith grows a little bit praise grows a little bit and there’s a reciprocal coalition between faith and praise. Begin to praise the Lord, just praise the Lord, it’s the seed bed in which faith grew.

Now, if you don’t have a strong faith, get a promise from God, spend time with God, knowing the character of God. Look beyond the problem to the promise, glance at the problem, glued to the promise, just hold on to the promise of God. Obey the Bible, whatever he says to you, do it. Begin to praise the Lord and you’re going to find this faith growing in your heart and in your life.

1 I trust in God wherever I may be, Upon the land or on the rolling sea; For come what may, from day to day, My heav'nly Father watches over me.

Refrain: I trust in God, I know he cares for me, On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea; Though billows roll, he keeps my soul, My heav'nly Father watches over me.

2 He makes the rose an object of his care, He guides the eagle through the pathless air; And surely he remembers me, My heav'nly Father watches over me.

3 I trust in God, for, in the lion's den, On battlefield, or in the prison pen; Through praise or blame, through flood or flame, My heav'nly Father watches over me.