God is the God of the Impossible

OPEN: We can become discouraged when we look at examples of broken promises. Consider the short-life of many wedding vows: the “til death do us part” becomes “til I find someone better.”

And we all know the disappointment that follows the news of a Christian leader being found involved in some type of immorality.

Transition: We live in a world of contracts with loopholes and escape clauses and we can become cynical. We can doubt that anything is real. While we will be disappointed in broken promises, we will NEVER be disappointed by entrusting our lives to the God of the Bible. He always keeps His word and we can trust Him.

READ the Text: Genesis 21:1-7

His visitation alters the situation (Gen 21:1)

Explanation: Chapter 21 opens with the birth of Isaac. The reader is informed that the Covenant God of Israel visited Sarah. The Hebrew word for visited carries more weight than our English word.

The Hebrew verb translated “visit” (פָּקַד, paqad) often describes divine intervention for blessing or cursing; it indicates God’s special attention to an individual or a matter, always with respect to his people’s destiny. Here he visits Sarah, to allow her to have the promised child. One’s destiny is changed when the LORD “visits.” (NET note on Gen. 21:1 accessed in preceptaustin.org)

God did not just drop by to have coffee and chat with Sarah about camp life or how to grow flowers in the desert. God visited Sarah in a way that changed her life. His visitation allowed an 89 year old, post-menopausal woman to conceive a child.

Argument: God is the God of the impossible. What natural man considers outside the realm of possible, God can accomplish. He is the Creator of the Universe and He is Sovereign over all of His creation. The text declares, “and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken.”

Application: Has the LORD visited you? Have you encountered the Living Lord of all creation? You may think this biblical account is simply fanciful history that took place 3,000 years ago and has nothing to do with you. God is not going to do something “impossible” in your life!

Consider the impossibility of any of us ever earning God’s favor through our good works. Contrary to popular belief, our good works will NOT bring God’s favor on our lives. It requires a supernatural act by God to transform a sinner to a saint. It requires the visitation of God! So, the question is asked again: Have you been visited by the Lord Jesus?

He works according to His plan not ours – we have to wait on Him (Gen 21:2)

Explanation: God promised Abraham and Sarah a son. This promise is made in Genesis 12:2-3 and it is fulfilled in Genesis 21:2. The amount of time between the promise and the fulfillment was 25 years! That is a long time to wait! We know that the couple struggled with the waiting because we looked at their disastrous “short cut” in Genesis 16 that involved Abraham having a child with Sarah’s maid Hagar.

Illustrate: We live in the world of “instant everything” with next day shipping, businesses that are open 24/7, and real-time news. We get impatient when we have to wait for a table at a restaurant or get stuck in a line at the DMV.

Argument: God is Eternal. He has always existed - there was never a time when He was not. He is outside of time as chronological time as we know it did not exist until He created the heavens and the earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:1). Because God is Eternal, He is never in a hurry. He is working to bring about His plan and His purpose. God does not do random! Just because we think He is late or has forgotten about us, doesn’t make it true. God works out His will on His timetable - not ours!

Galatians 4:4 KJV 1900

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Application: God is the One in control. Trust in the timing of the One who holds the future.

We are called to obedience (Gen 21:4)

Explanation: Abraham followed God’s previous command regarding circumcision. God gave the covenant sign of circumcision to Abraham the year previous to the birth of Isaac (Genesis 17: 9 -27.) Abraham was circumcised at 99, his son Ishmael was 13, and the men of his household were various ages. Now, a year later, Abraham circumcises Isaac on the 8th day according to the command (Genesis 17:12). Isaac becomes the 1st male child to receive the sign of the covenant according to the command.

Example: Isaac was a type of Messiah. He was the son of promise, but he was not THE promised One. The anti type or ultimate fulfillment took place when the 2nd person of the Trinity entered His own creation as the God-man. As an infant, Jesus received the sign of the covenant on the eighth day (Luke 2:21) just like Isaac. Abraham’s simple act of obedience had profound implications.

Argument: While we are waiting on God to reveal the next phase of His plan, we are called to obedience. Like Abraham, we are to carry out the part of His will that has been shown. We are not free to wander about doing whatever we want until He acts. Ours is the position of the servant who is ready to serve whenever the Master requests.

Application: Are you being obedient? Are you forgiving others? Are you fulfilling your marriage vows? Are you refraining from gossip? Are you publicly identifying with the Crucified One? These are just a few - not exhaustive.

We can (and should) find joy in the journey (Gen 21:6)

Explanation: The promised son was named ‘Laughter’ (the meaning of Isaac). The name refers back to the previous year when God told Abraham that Sarah would have a son the next year. Sarah was in the tent and overheard this conversation. She laughed within herself because she did not belief that it was possible for her to have a child at her age. God called her out on her lack of belief (Genesis 18:9-15) and told her that even though she laughed at what she considered impossible, He would bring it to pass.

When she conceived and gave birth at 90 years of age, she named her son ‘laughter’ in acknowledgment of God’s miraculous ability to bring about the impossible!

Argument: Sarah experienced joy at what took place and declared that all that heard would laugh with her. She embraced the joy of new life, even at her advanced age. We too, can experience joy as we follow God on our faith journey.

Application: Serving God through surrendering your life to Christ is NOT the end of an interesting life. While many consider that Christianity is suppressive and filled with a bunch of “don’t do this” and “don’t do that” and “no fun allowed,” a life with Christ is fulfilling and joyous. Following Christ is an adventure that brings fulfillment in knowing that your life has real purpose and meaning.