July 28, 2024 - Genesis 21:8-21

His wife Sarah Sarah slave Hagar and Abraham has two sons Ishmael and Isaac. But before we get to the text, it would be wise for us to remind ourselves of what happened in Abraham's life much like before, you know, you sit down and watch a like a TV series they have last time on this is not last time on Abraham, so

What's on my priest about as a little more than a month ago? I cover the account of Hagar and Abraham Abraham taking Hagar who's Sarah slave as a second wife and hopes that he would have a son through Hagar and that God's promise for offspring would be fulfilled and indeed Hagar did conceive but instead of bringing joy and hope and peace to Abraham's house and brought division anger and strife. Haggar became proud and sought to usurp Sarah's Authority. Sarah became angry and abusive and Abraham shut himself away from the situation entirely but God intervened in common to the chaotic Waters of that family relationship. and Abraham had a son born to him in the name Tim Ishmael, which means God sees and 13 years later. God promised Abraham that his son would be born to Sarah. And so fourteen years after the conception of Ishmael Isaac was born is important to keep this in mind as we examine the text today for these accounts of Abraham are the accounts of real people with real struggles and gods very real calling their lives to trust and believe in his promises. But without further Ado, let's read the text that we have for today Genesis 21 verses 8 through 21. Starting a sake and the child grew and was weaned. This is Isaac. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian Room. She had borne to Abraham laughing. So she said to Abraham cast out the slave woman with her son for the son of the slave woman shall not be are with my son Isaac.

I have seemed to have lost others getting used to this double sided at this is 32 pages. So I'm trying to organize myself And so this thing this proposition that Sarah brought to Abraham was displeasing to Abraham on the account of his son. But God said to Abraham be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman, whatever Sarah says to you do as she tells you for through Isaac shall your Offspring be named and I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also because he is your Offspring. So Abraham Rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar putting it on her shoulder along with a child and sent her away and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of your shoe. When the water in the skin was gone. She put the child under one of the bushes then she went and sat opposite him a good way off about the distance of a bow shot for she said let me not look on the death of the child and she sat opposite him. She lifted up her voice and what And God heard the voice of the boy and the angels God Called to Hagar from heaven and said to work what troubles you Hagar you're not for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is up lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand for I will make him into a great nation. Then God opened her eyes, and she saw well of water and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink and God was with the boy and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Braun and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. Please bow your heads with me as we ask our lord for guidance as we unpack his word this morning.

Dear heavenly father we come before you today with humility and Thanksgiving for your provision and giving us your perfect words. What as we approach the scriptures today? We ask that you send us your spirit this morning. That our eyes and hearts may be opened to the receiving of the message. We pray that you would help keep our minds attentive in our hearts ready and able to be impacted by the power of your words this morning. We pray this in your son's Jesus name. Amen. One thing that you may have noticed when we are reading through this text is that the relationships of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar are still intention because of their past going on 14 years ago. Even more so now because of the birth and the raising of Abraham's new son Isaac we have to remember that up until Isaac was born Ishmael was the rightful heir of Abraham's household. Additionally. We must also recognize that in the fourteen years of Israel's life. God never put a Divine censorship on Abraham's relationship to his son Ishmael is in every way. The son of Abraham in Abraham is ishmael's father. And then indeed in the chapters previous to this one Abraham's love for Ishmael can be seen when he asked the Lord to have Ishmael be the one to inherit the promises of God, which the Lord Rejects. This leads us to the big idea this morning. The big idea is God is the one who chooses how his promises are kept. It is not we Humanity who decide it is God who's the beginning middle and end of every promise that he makes indeed God is the Alpha and Omega of everything that exists. And what is a exemplified in easily examined in the story of Genesis 21 is how God relates to his people through his promises. First of all after making a promise God calls his people to Faith and to trust in him. beginning and verse 8 and the child grew and was weaned and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. The children around this time where we end about age two or three the weaning of the child was occasion an occasion of Celebration as a child was growing healthy and strong moving past infancy into Early Childhood. It was like a coming-of-age party. But Sarah during the celebration saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian who she had born to Abraham laughing. so this word that's being used for laughing. Is the word Mythic or me? I suck. It's a play on words with Isaac's name. It can be translated as Laughing mocking or playing. The verb is a pond on Isaac's name. It's a literary usage that the scripture is using and in this context. It means poking fun at the expense of at this point Ishmael would be 16 or 17 years old. So his taunting should be interpreted as something more than just mere Child's Play Israel's negative disposition towards the infant makes sense as with Isaac's birth ishmael's claim to the heir of Abraham has been overridden his behavior also coincides with God statement made in Genesis 16 about his conception that ishmael's hand would be against his Kinsman. But Isaac's mother Sarah witnessed ishmael's mockery. And she then went to Abraham in verse 10 and says cast out the slave woman with her son for the son of the slave woman shall not be there with my son Isaac. Nothing was very displeasing to Abraham on the account of his son. According to the legal practices of that time. Sarah had no genuine cause for worry because Isaac was born to Sarah a free woman and Abraham's first Legal Wife Isaac's inheritance was Secure and ishmael's rights were inheritance would have been legally overwritten. Despite the legality of the matter Sarah's proposition to Abraham was no less upsetting before he raised Ishmael as his son. We have to remember his love. He wanted Ishmael to be his Heir at one point before Isaac was conceived and because of the conflicts in Abraham's hard. God reached out to him. Inverse 12 it says but God said to Abraham be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman, whatever Sarah says to you do what she tells you for through Isaac shall your Offspring be named and I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also because he is your Offspring God instructed not to be angry. He didn't want any more chaos or division that no more Strife happening within this family and although Sarah spoke out of motherly anger for her son Isaac for upholding Isaac's right for inheritance aligned with God's plan for fulfilling his promise. And so God calls Abraham to walk in faith. Your Offspring shall be named Sir Isaac send out Hagar and Ishmael Into the Wilderness and I will make them a nation.

This text brings up a topic that's not easily discussed in this chapter. We have to realize that God has the right to choose Isaac we might feel as though this is unfair to Ishmael who has gone through a lot of hardship or Hagar who? Has been taken in as a wife and then abused by her her owner or her mistress and then placed back down into the status of a slave but we have to realize that God has the right to choose who he Wills for his promise for it is God's promise. Neither party Isaac nor Ishmael deserves. It. It is a free gift from God God's choice here is given for no other reason than his own good pleasure. God wishes his promises to be passed through Isaac. So it will be passed through Isaac. This reminds me of a few conversations that I have had with a few members here in the congregation. That look at the wonderful gift and mercy that God has given them through Christ Jesus and they asked why me. There is no answer other than because God wants to and God has the right to and you might be dissatisfied with that. But that's how God operates. This is God's creation and he gets to do with it what he Wills. Many people Christians and non-christians alike have trouble accepting this aspect of God's sovereignty that he has the right to do whatever he was with his creation, but he is the Creator and we are the creature God has the authority to do such things. God has chosen Isaac to be the child of promise. And Abraham is told to send Hagar and Ishmael away with a promise that he will take care of them and he will bless Ishmael. So by God's Divine Authority the task is given to Abraham to send out his son along with Hagar. This shouldn't be viewed as Abraham getting rid of a problem. But Abraham's call to trust in God and his promise for provision for his son Ishmael. This task would not be easy for Abraham, but despite the difficulty Abraham chooses to walk in faith and trust God continuing a 14. So Abraham Rose early early in the morning and took bread and skin of water and gave it to Hagar putting on her shoulder along with a child and sent her away and she departed and wandered the Wilderness of your Sheba. With unquestioning obedience Abraham Rose early to prepare Hagar and Ishmael for their Journey a food and water for their journey and sent them away trusting that God would keep his promise and take care of them. This theme of God calling his people to Faith in his promises is seen through all of scripture and even in our own lives. This is what it means to walk in space today to believe that Christ came into this world. Both of us fill God's promise to provide a savior and to give us a new promise to put our faith in the promise of inheritance to the kingdom of God and eternal life. That we might live with God forever live in the house of the Lord forever.

the promise of inheritance We must put our faith in must put our faith in Christ to put our faith in Christ. And his promise is the role that God has given his people today like Abraham were called to walk with the Lord in faith. Is not a simple belief that Christ rose from the dead although that is the beginning. It also includes the faith in everything that Christ taught and did you cannot have one without the other rarely-seen is Faith an easy task? Like Abraham are walking faith will inevitably bring us difficulty. Will find many reasons to doubt in God's Providence and care. Especially in our culture today where faith is a dirty word something practiced by fools and the weak-minded.

Get all faith means is to believe God at his word to trust in Christ and his promises faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. today we have an advantage something that Abraham did not have we have the spirit breathe record of God's faithfulness that serves as a witness to assure us of God's promises. This is why we must become a church engrossed in the scriptures by reading and studying God's word daily must change remind ourselves that the god of the Bible will assuredly fulfill all of his promises and that he is a god worth trusting. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 15:4. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction. The through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. We must become a people of God's word that we may be encouraged and continue to devote ourselves to walk in faith. We must devote ourselves to the reading the listening and the studying of scripture daily. Let God's word ring true in your ears this morning brother and sisters for God is the one who chooses how his promises are kept and he has chosen that we should participate in his promises through faith. And he provides us with the opportunity the strength. He provides us with his holy word so that we may participate in this promises through faith. Which brings us to the second point of the sermon? God Comforts and God provides continuing and verse 15 when the water in the skin was gone she Hagar but the child under one of the bushes then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off but the disk about a distance of a bow shot for she said let me not look on the death of the child. And she sat opposite him. She looked it up her voice and what? Ishmael and Hagar are struggling they've been cast out of Abraham's household Into the Wilderness which seems now to them a death sentence Ishmael unable to carry on possibly guilt-ridden that it may have been his harsh taunting Isaac to put him in his mother there in the first place has now been placed under a bush waiting to die and Hagar in complete despair only wishing to hide her eyes from the inevitable death of her son separated herself and lifted up her voice in grief. but God But God heard the voice of the boy continuing a 17 and the angel of God Called to Hagar from heaven and said you were what troubles you Hagar fear. Not for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Haggar may have forgotten the promise that God made to wear last time the last time she was alone in the wilderness, but God remembers all his promises. He remembers all the promises he makes and he reassures Hagar and Ishmael. Did they will indeed? Be the father the the beginning of a new nation. Up lift the boy continued reimburse 18 and holding fast with your hand for I will make him into a great nation. They're very few scriptures the fire me up. And one of the very few. That really gets my blood going is When God Says up he says the same thing to lot when he's telling him to get out of Sodom. He says it again here.

This word up is a call to action. It's a word that says you are not done yet in this context. It's God giving Hagar encouragement fear. Not you are not finished the word of comfort saying I am with you calling Hagar to keep the hope. Then God opened her eyes. Continuum burst 19 then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

In the depths of Despair God reminds Hagar of his promise. He gives her Comfort. He encourages her and opens her eyes to what she needs to keep on going.

When God gives promises and calls us to walk in faith. He does not leave us alone. But remains with us constantly providing for us comforting us and encouraging us to continue to trust in him always. What God showed Hagar was not a mirage. It was real. It was real provision and real comfort. What does this mean for us today? Are many ways that we can apply this portion of Genesis 21 to our lives. We could seek after God's comfort and provision in the scriptures or in prayer. Those are good things to always be doing for scripture teaches us to always practice these things but there is more for today. God has given us Christ's body the church, which is commanded to participate in a bigger way hear God's words from Philippians chapter 2.

so if there is any encouragement in Christ any comfort from love any participation in the spirit any affection and sympathy complete my Joy by being of the same mind having the same love being in full Accord and of one mind do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus who though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God. I think to be grasped but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men and being found in human form. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. So brothers and sisters in our walk with Jesus, we're not only to look to ourselves and look out for ourselves in our own Spiritual Development. But also to one another of course, we're always to be reading the Bible and praying to God for comfort and provision. But as the church, we are also to participate with God in the provision and comfort for one another we must commit ourselves to comfort those who are troubled or in despair in the same way that God has opened the eyes of Hagar in the wilderness. We must each remind one another of The Well of Eternal water, that is Christ Jesus the one that provides us everything that we need.

Or if there's anything that can be said about God is that he is faithful and do everything that it takes to fulfill the promises that he get that he has given so let us hold fast the scripture and what is cheech's and prepare ourselves not only to be encouraged by God himself, but also to encourage and build up one another in love. If this means texting or emailing someone with an encouraging word do it If this means asking someone who is struggling in the church if you can pray for them or help them out with anything do it if this means sharing the gospel with someone, you know who needs it definitely do it for God is faithful and will not abandon those who walk in faith and humility and all these things Christ will be with you. So do not be timid and build each other up and love God is faithful.

Which brings us to the final point? Of the sermon it's short, but it's straightforward and it is true. God himself is faithful.

The first part of his 20 had me emotional when I was reading it because after studying these passages these two stories covering Hagar and Ishmael. I've come to like Hagar and Ishmael. Though they aren't seen too much in the chapters of Genesis whenever they're mentioned. They're seeing messing up and not having a very good time. It reminds me of me. But God had promised to bless them. And his faithfulness is seen in a small sentence at the beginning of verse 20. And God was with the boy and he grew up. God's promise to Ishmael was fulfilled a happy ending given to the son of a slave provided to him by none other than God himself. God has proven himself faithful again. Continuing on a 20 and Ishmael lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. And he lived in the wilderness of Peron with his mother and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

This final point and it can be applied as a word of encouragement that you might all live with this in mind. God is faithful and keeps his promises. hear the words from Revelation chapter 21 one of God's final promises to his people. Starting in verse 1. Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth had passed away in the sea was no more and I saw the Holy City Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying Behold The Dwelling Place of God is with man he will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and Death Shall be no more neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away. And he who was Seated on the throne said behold I'm making all things new also. He said write this down for these words are trustworthy and true and he said to me it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end to the Thirsty. I will give from the spring of the Water of Life without payment. The one who conquers will have this Heritage and I will be his God and he will be my son.

If you're going to apply anything from today's sermon apply This Promise of God to your heart, let it fill you with. encouragement and comfort and know that God is the one who decides how his promises are to be fulfilled. We are to wait for patients. We not do not know the day in our where when Jesus is going to come back. But we can all be comforted that God is in control. God is sovereign. And God will surely be faithful. He chooses his heirs he calls them to repentance and to walk in faith. He Comforts and provides for them. And in the end does show himself faithful and so God chose Isaac not Ishmael, but he still provided and blessed Abraham's son for it was his promise and God never forgets his promises. I want to conclude with a quote by aw Tozer. It reads upon God's faithfulness rests our whole. Hope a future blessedness. Only as he is faithful with his covenants stand in his promises be honored only as we have complete assurance that he is faithful maybe live in peace and look forward with Assurance to the life to come. May today's message fill you with comfort and assurance that God is faithful in the God's promises will without a doubt be fulfilled. Let us pray.

dear God in heaven

We thank you today for your perfect inerrant word. And that you are The God Who is faithful and true?

Lord as we leave your house this morning. Maybe be ever reminded of your call for us. to walk in faith Lord we ask that you keep us close and guard us this coming week that we may grow and are obedient and love for you. And to meet your call on our lives as your children. Again, we thank you for the story of Abraham. We thank you for Ishmael and Hagar and all those wonderful things that we have learned through your working this into our lives Lord. We thank you for your faithfulness your provision and comfort in Jesus's name. Amen.

Well done eating.

the closing hymn Amazing Grace