A God-Honoring Faith
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· 2 viewsWe interact with the world in a way that honors God because we’ve experienced salvation and because we trust in God’s faithfulness.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Well, good morning!
If you have a Bible and I hope that you do, open ‘em up with me to Genesis chapter 21.
Thank you, Kyler for walking us through the first parts of this chapter last week. I just love getting to see these guys get better and better every single time they preach.
Listen, this morning, for me, it’s one of those weeks where I’m just reminded of why expository preaching’s so important…why it’s so important that we walk through books of the Bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter.
Number 1, this passage today, it absolutely addresses some things we need to hear in light of the election this past week. And what I love about expository preaching, I picked the book almost two years ago…and so God, He’s the only One that could’ve perfectly lined up our passages this morning, knowing what He would sovereignly do in our nation today. The way we preach here at FBC, it allows the Word of God to do what it’s meant to do…to communicate God’s Word to us.
And in light of the election this week…regardless of what happened…today’s passage, it shows us how to respond to it. And listen, just a side note…don’t think for a second we’ve won this fight…the issue of abortion was on the ballet in many states this week, and only 3 voted it down. There’s a long road ahead of us.
But number 2, the reason I love expository preaching…if you read ahead…this part of Genesis, a lot of times we read it, and we’re like, “What’s the purpose here? Like what’s going on?” And the thing I love about expository preaching…its that no matter how insignificant a passage may seem…no matter how hard it may be to preach, that’s where we’re going because we believe all of God’s Word to be inspired and sufficient and important in our lives today? Amen?
And so, if you’re there with me this morning, let’s stand together and read…starting in verse 22:
Genesis 21:22–34 (ESV)
At that time Abimelech and Phicol [Fit-cal] the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized, Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set seven ewe [u] lambs of the flock apart. And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe [u] lambs that you have set apart?” He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” Therefore that place was called Beersheba [Beer-she-ba], because there both of them swore an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk [ta-mar-isk] tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.
Thank you, you can be seated.
[Prayer]
Listen, when I first sat down this week and started studying this passage, I thought, “How in the world am I gonna preach this? It’s about two guys fighting over a well…making some kind of insignificant agreement!” But as I really dug into it…I began to realize what it was God wanted to communicate to us. It has to do with how we live our lives today as Christians in a world that’s extremely dark. We interact with the world in a way that honors God because we’ve experienced salvation and because we trust in God’s faithfulness. Remember what I said two weeks ago…we care about God’s glory…and as His representatives, we seek for others to see Him in a positive light.
Listen, in our nation today, the relationship between the church and the state, its debated…a lot! There’s those on one side that that insist that the Constitution created this “wall of separation between the church and state.” But on the other, there’s a side that points out that those words aren’t actually in the Constitution at all. And then, in the middle of all this…there’s a side that points out the first Amendment actually forbids Congress from passing any law that “prohibits the free exercise” of religion…whether that’s in the state or outside the state. There’s a lot of debate on how Christians should be involved in church-state relations.
But listen, what I love about Scripture…it has an answer for everything…its sufficient in all matters. There’s a number of very clear passages that indicate the Bible’s view on this topic. We talked about this a little, two weeks ago…there’s Paul’s passage that commands civil obedience in Romans 13. We see Jesus’s principle of rendering to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, right? And of course, to God what belongs to God. That’s Matthew 22:21. But I think one of the most informative passages for us on this matter…its this text, here in Genesis. We have to remember that Abraham’s in the land of the Philistines and that Abimelech, he’s the king there. And listen, what we see here…this exchange between the two of ‘em…it demonstrates how Christians are to respond to government. And as we walk through this, we’re reminded that in keeping with God’s original promise to bless “all the families of the earth” through Abraham (remember Genesis chapter 12), we’re reminded that likewise the church, today, we’re to manifest the grace of God to the world by being “a channel of blessing to society.” That’s how we honor God.
And so, if you’re taking notes, I have three points for us this morning…number 1, We live a life of integrity…number 2, We deal with conflict peacefully…and then number 3, We interact with the world differently.
And so, with that, let’s jump into this first point.
I. We Live a Life of Integrity (vv. 23-24)
I. We Live a Life of Integrity (vv. 23-24)
We live a life of integrity.
Now, if you remember…the last time we saw Abimelech, there was some frustration there, right? Abraham feared the king and so he lied, saying that Sarah was his sister. Abimelech took Sarah into his house…and at that point, Abimelech received a pretty severe judgement from the Lord, right? That was just one chapter back.
And if you remember, Abimelech concluded that interaction by giving Sarah back and granting Abraham the status of legal residency in his territory, which was in the south of Canaan.
And listen, being a wise king, I’m sure Abimelech had watched Abraham as he sojourned in his land. In fact, he says to Abraham in verse 22, “God is with you in all that you do.” Abimelech was a witness of God’s hand on Abraham’s life. There’s an acknowledgement here of God’s presence and God’s favor on Abraham’s life. Which again, means Abimelech had been keeping an eye on him…and for good reason, right?
If you pay attention to the text, you’ll notice who Abimelech brings with him as he confronts Abraham here. His military commander. Abraham had proved to be untrustworthy in the past…and listen, now…it was clear, not only did Abraham have a sizable military force (if you remember from Genesis chapter 14)…but it was clear that the God of the universe was on Abraham’s side. I think there’s some fear here. Abimelech, being the king of Gerar, I think he’s fearful of what the Lord may take from him and give to Abraham…And Abraham being untrustworthy, I think it just adds to Abimelech’s anxiety here. He’s ready for war…he’s ready to fight. That’s why his commander’s there with him.
But look at verse 23:
Genesis 21:23 (ESV)
Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.”
Guys, let me be clear…if you’re the king of a small nation…and if there’s this sizable military force in your land…you don’t want them there. I have no doubt that Abimelech wanted to get rid of Abraham here…But listen because God was with Abraham…because it was clear that God’s hand was on him and all the covenant people, God’s blessings were apparent to even pagan kings.
Guys, because of God’s work in Abraham’s life…because of God’s faithfulness to His promises…Abraham went from a place of disgrace to a place of respect. Abimelech was seeking Abraham’s favor here. And in rising from disgrace, Abraham became a positive witness for God to a lost world. Again, that’s why Abimelech said, “God is with you in all that you do.” Abraham’s mistakes no longer defined him here…it was God at work in him that the world witnessed.
And listen, this change in Abraham…in God’s covenant people, it enabled them to live harmoniously with one another. They did it through shared love, through godly conduct, faithfulness to each other. And these blessings, they lead to even greater prosperity for Abraham and his people. Abimelech witnessed this. It was obvious even to a pagan king.
And then verse 24:
Genesis 21:24 (ESV)
And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
Abraham responds to Abimelech’s offer by returning the gesture of respect to his host ruler. Abraham’s agreement here, it acknowledged this mutual relationship they shared and he pledged to be a faithful neighbor to his host sovereign. Now you have to remember, Abraham, he had a sizable force…that’s why Abimelech brought his military commander…and the fact that God was on Abraham’s side…it meant Abraham could’ve over taken Abimelech…but he didn’t. He submitted to him, because Abraham knew that would bring God glory.
And listen, some of you might disagree about the idea of a believer pledging faithfulness to a pagan and an obvious ungodly ruler. But yet, this is exactly what God’s Word commands. Both Peter and Paul, they emphasize this principle. Paul wrote in Romans 13:1:
Romans 13:1 (ESV)
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
And then Peter in 1 Peter 2:13-17:
1 Peter 2:13–17 (ESV)
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Now, obviously we shouldn’t obey civil laws that violate God’s commands…but guys, notice what these passages are saying…our general attitude, it should be that of respect for our local and national rulers…knowing that God’s established them for good. And included in our responsibilities, its our duty to pay taxes and to give respect to these public officials. We should be model citizens of whatever country God’s sovereignly placed us in. And listen, this transcends every sphere we’re involved in…our workplaces, our families, our communities, our political affairs…we should be respectful…and we should strive for integrity in our dealings with everyone, so that God might be proclaimed through our actions.
I mean, thinking about the church today, for just a moment. Don’t you think its very possible for the outside world to see God’s blessings on our lives as a community of believers?…just like Abimelech saw in Abraham’s life? And listen, haven’t most of us come from a place of disgrace, where someone on the outside could maybe remember who you were prior to coming to Christ? Guys, hopefully that’s the case in our lives. Hopefully, people see the change in us and when it draws them to us…when it causes them to ask us of things…we respond with respect and integrity because we’re no longer motivated by the desires of our heart but by the desires of God’s.
And listen, here’s some practical ways we do that…its not just about keeping our promises, like we see here with Abraham…but its also how we live our lives. It’s how we treat things like marriage…As Christians, we hold the marriage vow in high esteem…It’s how we encourage sexual purity among believers. That involves integrity, right? It’s how we’re viewed in our public dealings…we’re always honest. If a cashier forgets to scan something, we don’t just walk out with it…we let ‘em know!
It’s how we respond when someone serves us. We should tip well! That’s something that just gets under my skin…And I get it, I used to be a bad tipper. I hated giving money to someone that didn’t necessarily deserve it…but guys, Christ gave us everything when we deserve nothing, right? Restaurants shouldn’t hate when Christians come into their establishments…which is the case right now. They say we’re the worst people to serve…and they say we leave the worse tips. We should be the easiest to serve (because we’re supposed to be servants ourselves)…and we should be the best tippers (because we realize none of it’s ours anyways).
We show integrity in how we deal with public officials…We shouldn’t just pray for people we support, politically…we should lift up and pray for all those in offices that lead us. We should do it privately…we should do it publically.
Guys, the point? We live a life of integrity which allows us to deal with the conflict around us peacefully…which is our second point.
II. We Deal with Conflict Peacefully (vv. 25-31)
II. We Deal with Conflict Peacefully (vv. 25-31)
As believers, we deal with conflict peacefully.
As we just saw…Abimelech, he was concerned that Abraham’s offspring was gonna become a threat to his own descendants…which is why he made him make the promise he did, right? Which of course, Abraham agreed…entering into this relationship of mutual cooperation.
But listen, in entering into this peace agreement…Abraham realized that in order for peace to become a reality…there had to be justice. Meaning, its not okay for us to just promote civil peace if we’re not advocating for fairness and equity, right? And so, in realizing that Abimelech’s offered peace treaty required mutual justice, it says in verse 25:
Genesis 21:25 (ESV)
Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
And so, Abraham, he points out that if you wanna have peace, then you have to deal with the wrongs you’ve done to me as well. Abimelech would have to be willing to work things out, right?
And listen, pay attention to what Abraham’s doing here…if he would’ve brought these concerns up first…he would’ve given the impression that he wasn’t willing to seek peace. He does it only after he’s committed to Abimelech that he’ll do right by him.
And so, Abimelech answers, in verse 26:
Genesis 21:26 (ESV)
Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.”
While Abimelech doesn’t necessary give a solution to Abraham’s problem here…he does show his willingness to address the problem. In fact, because Abraham sees his willingness here…because Abraham sees he’s committed to both peace and justice, it says, “[He takes] sheep and oxen and [gives] them to Abimelech, and the two men [make] a covenant.”
If you remember, in Genesis 15, we saw the significance of “cutting” a covenant…in which those making a treaty, they passed through severed animals to place themselves under a curse if they betrayed their promise. So this was big deal, right?
And then following this covenant, the text says that Abraham gives Abimelech seven more lambs to justify his ownership of the well in dispute.
And so, what’s all this mean? What’s this mean for us? Listen, there’s all kinds of issues in our nation today that Christians need to speak into…but we have to understand how God’s Word instructs us to do that. In order to have peace…to make peace, people on the other side, they have to see God at work in us…they have to see that we live lives of integrity…that we’re different…they have to see the same things in us that Abimelech saw in Abraham, right? That’s the only way they’ll hear us out and be willing to make any kind of agreement with us. They have to see Christ in us…Which means for us…initially, we make everything about the gospel. We can’t expect lost people…worldly people to see things our way when their eyes are still covered.
I literally had a conversation with a very close friend of mine this past week…he’s on the other side of the aisle, political…by his own admission, he’s not a believer…he said to me, concerning abortion…if I believe the baby’s soul goes to heaven anyway, when its aborted, why wouldn’t I want to abort it then? And of course, I said a lot of things…I gave a lot of rationalizations…but guys, here’s the deal…without that key part…without Jesus, my friend will never seek peace in this area. I have to live in such a way, that my friend will see God at work in me.
And listen, if I do that…I can seek justice, because we’re on the same page at that point. He has to see, that like him, I do want peace…But peace can’t come without justice. And that’s why I think it’s important to understand that it’s not enough to just share the gospel and model the gospel…we have to seek justice as well. We seek justice for unborn babies…we seek justice for women and men, being forced to bend to this idea of gender confusion. We seek justice in all areas concerning the image of God. I would actually call this discipleship.
It’s not enough to just share the gospel and see conversion…it then takes discipleship to deconstruct one’s world views…and reconstruct them in such a way that brings glory and honor to God. That’s why Jesus says not to only make disciples…but to teach them as well, right? (Matthew 28:19-20).
Guys, in dealing with conflict we bring peace by giving this great example of the gospel…allowing people to see God in us…and we seek justice in the world around us…by discipling or teaching them what God’s Word says….and then living that out with integrity.
And listen, pay attention to Abraham here…he does that boldly…he does it gracefully…he does it respectfully.
Ultimately we seek peace through the gospel and justice through the Word of God.
III. We Interact with the World Differently (vv. 32-34)
III. We Interact with the World Differently (vv. 32-34)
But listen, pay attention to how all this ends. Our last point…we interact with the world differently.
In these final verses, there’s three things that really stand out to us here.
First, we see despite this mutual respect and cooperation, despite this treaty Abraham’s made with a secular nation here…we see from this text that God’s people would and should remain separate and distinct from the world.
After we see the covenant made, verse 32, “Then Abimelech and Phicol [fit-col] the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.” Notice, it doesn’t say Abraham went with them. And notice too, Abraham also doesn’t minimize the great difference in their way of life…in their aims…he doesn’t minimize the difference in their calling versus his own.
We have to remember, that as the church, we’re not of the world. And while we should seek peace, we’ll never walk together in true fellowship with those who don’t call on the name of the Lord. There will never be a kingdom, or a political party, or a class of society to which the church can offer full allegiance. Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom, it’s not of this world…For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:36-37). Ultimately, worldly people, they’ll respond in faith to the witness of Jesus’s church OR they’ll turn away in unbelief, just as Abimelech and his general returned to their pagan ways.
James Boice writes:
The church must be different from the world. It must be in the world, for Christ has put it there. It must identify with many of the world’s interests, for it shares those interests. Still, it will not be of the world. Its values will not be the world’s values, nor will its priorities be the world’s priorities. The true church must always strive to be what it is in fact, namely, the community of the people of God.
Let’s apply this idea to just this past week. According to polling, a large majority of evangelical Christians voted for Republican candidates in this election. And rightfully so, mainly because of how the party stood for principles that preserve the image of God. And listen, this isn’t me endorsing a party or a candidate…this is coming to a point. Hopefully, you were here a few weeks ago when I talked about politics…our vote, it should always be motivated by the image of God. But check this out…10 states voted on expanding abortion rights in those states. Only 3 states voted it down…and in those states, they only missed the mark by a few points. Most of these states, voting for abortion…they were also states voting for the Republican party. Meaning, if you’re following me…its no longer, nor will it continue be a major party platform moving forward. We have to remember what we’re about…we have to remember that we’re different…and there can never be a worldly institution that we fully align ourselves with…We have to remember our mission…and we have to remember our purpose.
Number 2…the second thing we see here…as the Philistines returned to their idols, Abraham turned to God. Look at verse 33:
Genesis 21:33 (ESV)
Abraham planted a tamarisk [ta-mar-isk] tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
He turned to God…He came to God in worship as a faithful witness. Guys, nothing in our world today…no problem we face, no dilemma we encounter…nothing should prevent us as a church turning to God in worship and witness.
And then finally, number 3…the third thing we see here…Abraham responds to his treaty with Abimelech by also making a memorial to the Lord. Again, look at verse 33. Abraham planted the tree to be a memorial to God. I mean, isn’t that what we’ve seen from him over and over again? He settles in these places for a little while, he raises up these altars and these memorials to the Lord. It’s the same thing here. The tamarisk [ta-mar-isk] tree, its an evergreen tree that grows 20 to 30 feet high and provides a ton of shade. Which would’ve been a fitting representation of God, right? I mean, wasn’t God kind to Abraham as he provided peace and provision in a barren land?
I can only imagine the tears on Abraham’s face as he called out to the Lord. Even though Abraham was an alien in the land, he at least now had the rights to a well where his people could find provision and refreshment. His worship, it dwelled on the eternal being of the Lord, “the Everlasting God.” who possesses abundantly sufficient resources to sustain and bless His trusting people. While Abraham was happy to make a covenant of peace with his pagan neighbor, his primary thanks was offered to the unchanging God in whose promises he could fully trust.
As Christians today, we too can rest our hearts on the Lord, knowing that our Savior sits enthroned above, interceding with the Father for us…we can trust, as Paul wrote, “my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
And look at how it all ends…verse 34:
Genesis 21:34 (ESV)
And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.
Listen, the lands ruled by a pagan king…these lands that were filled with so much evil and hostility…these lands, it would become a place of rest for God’s covenant people as they waited on the Lord.
Closing
Closing
Listen, in closing…don’t forget who you are…and don’t forget who you follow. We live in a land that’s not our own…this isn’t our home. Recognize the Lord’s provision for you…the great blessings He’s given you…take these opportunities to be a witness to a dark world. Don’t forget our calling to represent Him while we sojourn here. Remember who we are…we’re children of God…and we interact with the world in such a way that makes much of Jesus. We live lives of integrity…we deal with conflict peacefully…but at the end of it all, as the world turns back and as they go back to their idolatry, we turn to the Lord in worship. We’re different.
And so, for believers this morning, I’ll leave you with Paul’s words of encouragement.
Philippians 2:15–16 (ESV)
…be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life...
But listen, if you’re an unbeliever here this morning…I want you to take this time…think about the things I’ve mentioned. Understand that the Bible, it says you’re a sinner and that all sin, it ends in death. Realize that there’s nothing you can do about that on your own…and understand that Jesus is only One that can save us from this problem we face…because He’s God, who came in the form of man, He died for our sins…Realize that salvation, its all a free gift to us…And to receive it…all we have to do, it’s repent (turn from the world), believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord, that He raised from the grave…and confess that with our mouth. It’s that simple.
I mean the way we see Abraham act in this story…living a life of integrity, seeking peace…turning to the Lord…it all points to Jesus who did those same things to provide us with salvation.
And so, how do you need to respond this morning?
Every head bowed…every eye closed.
The praise team’s gonna come back up…they’re gonna lead us in worship one more time…Believers, in light of this week’s election…are you acting in such a way that models integrity and peace and your faith in the Lord Jesus? Do you look different than the world?
And unbelievers, do you see the severity of your sin? Do you see your need for a Savior? Turn to Jesus and ask Him for life this morning!
You take this time, and I’ll close us in just a moment…I’ll be in the back if you need me.