A Comforting Faith

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have your Bible, open ‘em up with me to Genesis chapter 16…Genesis chapter 16. We’re gonna be in verses 7 through 16 this morning.

If you were with us last week, we saw this story with Abram take a huge turn. It had been 10 years…God had promised Abram over and over again that this promise, this promise of sons…this promise of land…it was gonna happen. And here they were 10 years later and yet nothing the Lord had told ‘em had happened. And so, in their own wisdom and in their own power, Abram and Sarai, they did what they thought was right in their own sight. They tried their very best to manipulate God’s plan and bring about His promises by their own effort.

Sarai, she gave her servant girl to Abram. Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she conceived. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, the Biblical text, it says that she looked on Sarai with contempt…she looked down on Sarai. She was, after all, the one that produced a son for Abram…which of course, infuriated Sarai even more to the point of it causing her to treat Hagar harshly…causing Hagar to flee.

Now remember, Abram’s not in some developed country where there’s all these resources and huge cities. He’s living in a tent, in the middle of the wilderness. And so when she fled, she was fleeing into the wilderness…she was all alone…she didn’t have the resources she needed to survive. I’m sure see felt abandoned.

Listen, I think all of us at some point…or maybe even now…we’ve all felt that way, right? For me, you’ve heard my testimony…when I was 17…my mom left my oldest sister and I. It was the summer between my junior and senior year…She left my step dad and she decided to pursue her 4th marriage. And guys, my whole world was uprooted. Luckily my dad stepped in, he took me in…I finished my senior year with him in Mississippi…but guys, that was the point in my life where I felt most abandoned…most alone. I was in the wilderness with no resources. Now, to make a long story short…since that point in my life…God’s taken that story, and He’s used it for good. He’s brought redemption to it…reconciliation.

But it wasn’t until I started to truly walk with Him, to grow in my relationship with Him, that I realized He was with me in my affliction…and that He was using my affliction to bring Him glory. It wasn’t until I started walking with Him, that I began to realize what brought on affliction…it’s our sin nature…it’s sin that surrounds every one of us. As a believer today…I don’t look on my mom with anger and hurt because of what she did to me and my sister…I look on her with a great burden…I see why there’s such a great need to advance the good news of Jesus.

Listen, I don’t know everything you’ve each dealt with or walked through…I don’t know everything you’re walking through right now…but guys, when we understand the reasons for affliction, it better prepares us to face it when it comes our way. Affliction, its brought on by sin. That’s true of this story with Hagar, right? But listen, when we understand the other part of the story…the good parts of the story…we notice there’s a God who sees us in that affliction. Our sin nature, it might bring about pain and hurt…but guys, our God, He finds His own as they wander around in the wilderness…and listen, He comforts ‘em. That’s the main idea of our passage this morning. God and God alone, through Christ Jesus…He can bring restoration to the afflicted…He can redeem us in our sin.

And so, if you’re there with me…let’s stand together as we read verses 7 through 16. It says this:

Genesis 16:7–16 (ESV)

The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur (Sure). And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” And the angel of the Lord said to her,

“Behold, you are pregnant

and shall bear a son.

You shall call his name Ishmael,

because the Lord has listened to your affliction.

He shall be a wild donkey of a man,

his hand against everyone

and everyone’s hand against him,

and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”

So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi (Beer-la-high-roy); it lies between Kadesh (Kay-desh) and Bered (Ba-red).

And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Thank you, you can be seated.

[Prayer]

If you’re taking notes, I’ve got three points for us this morning. Number one, God finds us…Number two, God blesses us…and then number three, God restores us.

And so, if you’re following along with me…let’s look at this first point together.

I. God Finds Us (vv. 7-8)

God finds us.

Look at the first part of verse 7 with me again. It says, “The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness…”

Now remember, Hagar’s pregnant here…she’s most likely seeking to find her way back to Egypt. Times are hard and so she runs back to the last safe place she knew, right? I think we can relate to her here. According to the text, she finds herself at a well just between Kadesh and Bered. She’s lost!

And so, we read, “The angel of the Lord found her…” It’s the very first time we encounter the angel of the Lord in the Scriptures. It’s the first time this title’s used. And listen, there’s not much debate here…it’s pretty much agreed upon, who this messenger is…its God Himself, in the bodily form. That’s why in verse 13, Hagar addresses this person as what? God, right? And listen, because we’re students of the Word, we know that the only member of the Trinity who’s task is to take up the human form…we know this angel of the Lord, He’s the divine Son who would later be known as Jesus, right?

It’s very important that when we place our trust in faith in Jesus, it’s that we understand and believe what it is the Bible says about who He is.

John in John chapter 1…He says that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Or in other words, “In the beginning was [Jesus], and [Jesus] was with God, and [Jesus] was God. [Jesus] was in the beginning with God. All things were made through [Jesus], and without [Jesus] was not any thing made that was made.” Jesus isn’t some created thing. He’s the Creator according to John…whose always existed in His role within the Trinity. Faith in Jesus, its faith that Jesus is God. That’s why Moses writes in Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 4:

Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV)

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

[Yahweh] our God, [Elohim] is one. Yahweh, our personal God…Elohim, our plural God, He’s one. The Trinity’s always existed and it’s member’s have always worked within their roles.

And so, what’s the angel of the Lord do as the Son of Man? He finds Hagar…He’s seeks to comfort her. And listen, the fact that He found her…it means He had to have reason to look, right?

Look at what He says to her when He finds her…verse 8, “Hagar, where have you come from and where are you going?” Of course, Hagar’s honest with Him, “I’m fleeing my mistress…she’s been harsh to me!”

Listen, here’s what I love about the Word of God…if you’re paying attention, it repeats itself over and over again. God’s the same yesterday as He is today. If you remember, back in Genesis chapter 3, when He came looking for Adam and Eve…it was very much the same thing. He found them and He said, “Adam…what is it that you’ve done?” And remember, He’s not asking these questions to gain clarity…He’s asking these questions from a place of patience…He’s asking these questions to get ‘em thinking. “Hagar, what are you doing? How’s this helping your situation? You might be able to run from the presence of Sarai…but you can’t run from Me. Think about what you’re doing!”

I mean just think about the irony in this passage here…Jesus knows Hagar’s name, right? He knows her location, her station in life…and yet, here He is asking Her where’s she come from and where she’s going. Again remember Psalm 139. The Lord knows us…intimately! Wherever in the Bible we find God asking a question, we can assume its not Him looking for information. He wants the person to think about their situation. The Lord wanted Hagar to think about two things here. One, “Where have you come from?” And two, “Where are you going?” She had come from being Sarai’s maid, right? And as such, she wasn’t free to flee from her duty. And where was she going? She really didn’t know. But, clearly, she wasn’t seeking the Lord and His will. I love this because God didn’t stop Abram earlier in the chapter…but He does stop Hagar.

Listen, here’s what we can take from these first two verses. Jesus, He sees our affliction…and listen, He knows better than us what we’re really struggling with. He’s the Good Shepherd, right? And as the Good Shepherd, when one of His sheep wander off, He chases after ‘em. But listen, you have to see this…He’s the One seeking, right? Paul says in Romans chapter 3, verse 11 that none seek God. Before we come to know Christ, understand that He saw us in the wilderness…understand that He saw us in our sin and He sought after us….He found us. We were lost…confused…dead in our sins, according to Paul in Ephesians 2. He came looking and He found us! If you know Christ as Savior, then you realize that you didn’t think, “I need a little help in my life…I’ll decide to let Jesus be my Savior.” No, the Son of Man didn’t come to seek and save those who needed a little help. He came to seek and save those who were lost, right? It’s our sinful pride that keeps us from seeing our true condition…that we’re lost without Him! We have to own that fact. But the good news, its that no one, not even a lowly Egyptian servant girl, is too lost in God’s sight. The angel of the Lord, He found her!

And listen, once He came to her…He helped her see her condition. “Where have you come from?” and “Where are you going?” You see, the beautiful thing about once the Lord finds us, its that He redirects us toward Him…toward His will.

I mean, these are good questions for us to constantly ask ourselves, right? Where have you come from? Did God allow that trial to happen for some reason?…Where are you going? Did you seek His permission to run?

Our real need in a bad situation, its not to escape…its to seek Jesus and submit to Him…which moves us into the next point.

II. God Blesses Us (vv. 9-12)

God blesses us.

You see, the angel of the Lord, He has some bad news for Hagar here…and listen, He also has some good news for her here.

Look at verse 9 and 10 with me again, “9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.”

And so, the bad news here…its that Hagar, she’s gotta go back and submit to Sarai, right?

I’m sure, in Hagar’s mind…she’s thinking, “But, Lord, don’t you know how she’s treated me? Don’t you know how bad it’s been? Lord, give me the blessing first and then I’ll submit,” right? I mean, can’t you relate to Hagar here?

But listen to what He tells her…submit first…be obedient first. And I get it, submit or submission…its kind of a dirty word in our culture today. You should just see some of the ladies faces when I use that word in premarital counseling…heck you should see some of the guys faces. You see, we as Americans, we have this history of not wanting to submit to anyone who oppresses us, right? Our country, it was founded because the settlers said, “The king can’t do that to us! We’ll revolt!” If we’re treated unfairly or harshly, we’ll stand up for our rights. The very word, “submit,” it just makes us mad. We don’t like it. But if you know your New Testament, we’re called to submit to God, we’re called to submit to each other…because we come to know that our bodies and our lives aren’t our own…but they belong to the body, which is connected to the head.

But listen, God, the very one who made us and knows us…the one who actually knows our real needs…He says, “Your number one need in a time of trial, its to learn submission…submission to Me!” That’s what the Lord calls us to in times of trial…submission to Him. And our first response, its always, “But Lord, you just don’t understand!” But guys, He does. He says to Hagar, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” Hagar doesn’t say, “My body, my choice”…she doesn’t say, “Its my right.” She’s experienced the Lord, and so she’s just submissive.

Taking this concept and applying it to the New Testament, the book of First Peter, its all about submission to authority in times of trial. The Christians to whom Peter wrote that letter to, they were suffering. Some were slaves…some were serving harsh masters…some were wives under disobedient husbands…but all of ‘em were citizens serving under an unjust government. And Peter’s word to ‘em…to these victims, it was to “submit.” He sums up his letter in chapter 5, verses 6 and 7:

1 Peter 5:6–7 (ESV)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Your number one need in times of trial, its to submit to God…to humble yourself under His mighty hand…remembering that He’s in control of all circumstances, right? Remembering that He cares for you…don’t doubt His love.

You see, submission, it allows us to experience God’s blessing.

You see, God tells Hagar, “I’m gonna multiply your offspring…I’m gonna make you into a matriarch of a great nation…but you have to submit first.”

Guys, pay attention to verse 11…notice what it says there. The Lord, He hears her affliction…He didn’t hear her prayers…He heard her affliction. We don’t know exactly what Hagar said to the Lord…maybe she was crying out…maybe she was calling for salvation. But regardless, the Lord, He graciously heard her affliction. And not only did He hear and see her affliction, but listen, He also saw and communicated Her future…the future after her affliction was over.

He goes on and He tells Hagar, “I’m gonna multiply your offspring…concerning the son in your womb, I’m gonna name him Ishmael which means ‘God hears,’ and every time you call out to your son, you’re gonna remember I’m faithful and that I heard you…Ishmael, he’s gonna be a wild donkey of a man (which means he’s gonna be strong and independent, untamed). He’s gonna be a fighter, whose hand’ll be against everyone.” According to verse 12, “Him and his kinsmen, they’re gonna be to the east and over against or in opposition to Isaac’s descendants.” Now we don’t know why God choose’s Isaac and his line through Jacob while He sets Ishmael and his descendants against His chosen people…but we do see here that at the very least he blesses Ishmael and his people. They’re not gonna be like Hagar…they’re not gonna be slaves. They’re gonna prosper. And listen, that’s Hagar’s blessing here…that’s her hope.

While she has to endure more trials and while she’s commanded to submit, the Lord’s gonna free her from that bondage…and He’s gonna bless her…He’s gonna give her even more than she could ever imagine.

I mean, can you see the message of the gospel here? While Jesus has redeemed us as believers today. Those that have repented and believed. While we’ve been redeemed, we’re still left here to submit and be subjected to the evil of this world…listen, all for the glory of God! We do that, ultimately because submission to the Lord, understanding His mission to advance His kingdom and use us in that process…understanding the depravity of man…but also, understanding the blessing to come…understanding where our hope rest.

Paul says, in Ephesians 1:13, that’s why we’ve been sealed by the Holy Spirit, so that we can be reminded of our guarantee which is our inheritance.

Being blessed, it means we live in submission to the Lord…willingly, like Christ has done for us…willingly, submitting ourselves to the will of God understanding what’s to come…that God’s will, its so much greater than ourselves or our wants...which brings us to our last point.

III. God Restores Us (vv. 13-16)

God restores us.

Look at verse 13 with me again. It says, “13 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

Listen, understand this…Hagar, she wouldn’t have seen the Lord if it hadn’t been for her trial…if it wasn’t for the sin that led to her trial. I think that’s why Jesus says in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Until you realize your situation…until you realize the sin that consumes us…until you realize what causes affliction, you’ll never see God. Why? Well, because according to Scripture, sin, it separates us from the glory of God…it makes it impossible for us to see the goodness of God without God coming to us.

But guys, understand what Hagar’s saying here…God, He uses trials…He uses our sinful decisions to open us up to some fresh vision of Him which we would’ve missed if we hadn’t been there. And listen, in this dark moment…Hagar says to the Lord, “You’re a God who sees!” In spite of our confusion…in spite of our rebellion…in spite of our sinful tendencies, God sees us and He opens our eyes to give us a glimpse of Him! She says, “Truly I’ve seen Him who looks after me.” “I’ve caught a glimpse of God!” That’s what she’s saying here…And she’s caught a glimpse of God because God’s given her eyes to see…its not that He’s not always been there, its that she wasn’t able to see Him before.

Which really brings us to another important theological point about God…who He is. What we see here, its that in spite of our sin, there’s a God out there who’s merciful with us. When we look at this story, especially digging into the details from last week…there’s really no reason for God to be merciful with anyone in this situation, right? It’s all a mess, its a result of rebellion, distrust, sin…What we should expect, its that God would just strike ‘em all down. But that’s not what happened…Instead, He finds Hagar in the wilderness…He approaches her…He comforts her…He blesses her…And literally by the end of the passage here, He even shows mercy to Abram and Sarai. Abram gets to enjoy the birth of his son…and Sarai’s not reprimanded for anything she asked her husband to do. It’s all mercy here!

Listen, I’m sure, there’s things you’ve walked through…maybe there’s things you’re walking through right now where you just think, “There’s no way God would show me mercy in this situation!” “I’m a mess…I’m a sinner…I’m undeserving!” But listen, God, He’s a merciful God. There’s nothing He can’t redeem…and there’s nothing He can’t use for His glory! Joseph tells his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “What man intends for evil, God uses for good!” Believe that!

But listen, when you’ve experienced mercy and kindness…it should lead you into repentance. That’s what Paul says in Romans 2:4, right? He says, God’s kindness, its meant to lead us to repentance. He doesn’t show us mercy just to show us mercy…He shows us mercy so that we might experience His grace…so that we might be reconciled to Himself. Just look at Hagar in this situation. She experiences God’s mercy and kindness and what’s it lead to? Verses 15 and 16:

Genesis 16:15–16 (ESV)

And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Hagar, she submitted to God’s will and she returned to Abram and Sarai. Submission, its the proper response when we see God and experience His mercy.

And when we do that…when we repent and believe…when we turn to Him…place our trust and faith in His promises…He brings about restoration and reconciliation. He restores us and He restores our situations. That’s the picture we get here.

What started as a train wreck of a story where Abram and Sarai attempted to take God’s plans into their own hands…it ends with a happy ending, right?

But also notice the gentle jab at Abram here. The fact that the text says that Abram names his son Ishmael, it means most likely Hagar told him about her encounter with God…that God found her. Again, remember, God hadn’t come to Abram in all this time…but listen, here He was coming to Hagar. It’s a gentle rebuke of Abram…it’s a reminder to him who’s really in control…its a call to repentance.

But listen, here’s the deal, in our affliction, when it seems that God’s forgotten about us or we’re too far gone…when it seems we’re depending on our own schemes and in our own plans…remember, we serve a God that sees us…that never leaves us or forsakes us…we serve a God that’s sole aim is our restoration. We can’t forget that! And while He may call us to some difficult circumstances, we can trust that His plans are perfect!

Closing

In closing, we have to understand that God’s intentions, they’re not to just redeem our physical circumstances. His intentions, its to redeem us spiritually. Its to make us holy…set apart…its to sanctify us in such a way that we can be in His physical presence.

Listen, when we were out in the wilderness…dead in our sins…God found us and He came to us…He drew us to Himself…and in that moment, He gave us a glimpse of Him. And listen, for those that’s repented and believed…for those that’s turned from their selfish ways…those that’s laid down their own wants and their own desires and their own opinions…those that’s picked up their cross and followed Christ…those that’s placed their faith and trust in His promises. Jesus tells us in John chapter 3 that those people, they’ve received new life…they’ve been reborn…and from that moment on…as we submit to God’s will for our life…we’re being built up…sanctified…made into the image of the Son, Jesus. We’re being perfected.

Listen, if that describes you this morning…then reflect on the moment where God found you in your own wilderness…in your sin…reflect on your own redemption, where God took your sin and He brought reconciliation to it…where He gave you a promise of the future…where He secured you and sealed you by the power of His Spirit.

Reflect on your life, where God’s taken you…where you’re at today. Are you still submissive to the Spirit? Are you trusting Him…following Him? Are you allowing the Spirit to convict you in places? Are you allowing Him to purge the bad stuff as He perfects you? Listen…reflect on the gospel! What God calls us to. He calls us to forsake all…He calls us to use our lives as a testimony of the gospel! You see, our lives, they’re no longer ours but His, to be used for His glory.

Or listen, maybe you’re here and you realize you’ve never submitted yourself to God’s will…you’ve never repented. You might believe but you haven’t really turned to Him. Listen, if that’s you…again reflect on the gospel!

While one man’s disobedience bought sin to mankind…one man’s obedience bought righteousness to those that repent and believe. God came to us…He became like us…He lived a perfect life…He went to the cross…Our sins, they were imputed to Him there…He experienced our punishment…He took on His own wrath…He died the death meant for us…the death we deserve. But listen, the Bible it says, the grave couldn’t hold Jesus. Three days later He rose. And listen, it tells us that to receive salvation…to be born again…all we have to do is repent and believe. All we have to do is turn to Him, submit to His will…and believe that Jesus is Lord. You see, we’re saved from our problems…not by anything that we do…but by everything that Jesus did on the cross. He takes our sin…and we get His righteousness.

And listen, some of you…you’re hearing this message and even now, the Spirit’s drawing you to the Father…He’s found you in the wilderness and He’s calling out to you. Let go of your pride…let go of yourself…follow Him.

And so listen…whatever the Lord’s doing in your heart right now…maybe He’s calling you to reflect…maybe He’s calling your to repent…maybe He’s calling you to believe…Whatever its is, would you bow your head and close your eyes with me?

Listen, our deacons, they’re gonna come and prepare the Lord’s Supper for us this morning…which if you’ve never done this before, we do it at the first of every month…and listen, we do it because we believe as Christians that Jesus commands us to constantly reflect on His sacrifice…to reflect on the cross. And so, we gather around the table and we take the bread, symbolically remembering Jesus’s body…and we drink the juice, symbolically remembering Jesus’s blood.

But listen, this is something for believers…this is something for those that’s placed their trust and faith in Him. This is something for someone’s who’s been set apart by the blood of Christ. As I mentioned a moment ago, you can take this with us by simply repenting and believing this morning.

But listen, for believers here…remember Paul’s words to the Corinthians…make sure your heart’s right…make sure you’ve dealt with any sin or any bitterness. Seek the Lord and make sure you’re walking in a way that’s worthy of the gospel message.

And so listen, as the deacons come and as we get ready for the Lord’s Supper…regardless of who you are this morning…you take this time, seek the Lord…confess, repent, allow Him to cleanse your heart…and we’ll close in just a moment.

[Prayer]

Matthew 26:26 (ESV)

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Matthew 26:27–29 (ESV)

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”