God's Plan is achieved through faith alone

Celebrate when God’s plan is being realized (v. 8)

Explanation: The setting for this account is the big celebration for Isaac. In the Ancient Near East the rate of infant mortality was high and many babies did not live very long. The weaning celebration took place when a baby had survived the critical stages of infancy and was expected to live into adulthood. Typically, a celebration like this would take place when the child was around three years old.

Example: Hannah brought Samuel to stay with Eli at the Tabernacle after he had been weaned. Hannah brought a 3 year old bull along with other items as a Thanksgiving / dedication offering to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:22-25)

Argument: Reaching this milestone was a big deal for any child in that era, and it was an especially big event for Isaac to go through the weaning process and take his place with others outside the immediate confines of the home. Abraham and Sarah recognized this was part of the unfolding of God’s plan through the Promise and therefore they had a great feast to celebrate God’s goodness and mercy.

Application: We need to observe / celebrate God’s goodness in bringing about His plan. It is good for us as a family of faith to come together for Homecomings, Thanksgiving services, Friend Day, Easter and Christmas services. It is good for us to thank God for His provision.

We recognize and celebrate birthdays & anniversaries; we should also celebrate spiritual birthdays. It is time of celebration when a lost sinner yields his or her life to Christ as Lord and Savior (Luke 15:10).

The supernatural birth of Isaac as the son of the Promise was a one and done. The new birth, however, is also a supernatural event, and it is one for which we are to thank God! We can share our faith heritage with our children and our grandchildren and our church family so it can be passed to the next generation. Do not miss the opportunity to thank and bless the Lord at these important life occasions.

Recognize that the flesh poses a threat to God’s plan (v. 9)

Explanation: Ishmael has a different outlook for Isaac’s weaning party. Instead of celebrating, Ishmael is mocking and making fun of Isaac. The Hebrew word is the same word for laughter, which is the meaning of Isaac’s name. A word play is involved and some translations will use the English world laughter. In context, however, the meaning is far from funny!

Ishmael is not happy with Isaac reaching the next stage of life and receiving the attention. Ishmael may have been jealous and feeling threatened by the survival of his younger half-brother. While the text does not supply details, the NT gives some further insight into this situation. The Apostle Paul informs us that Ishmael “persecuted him that was born after the Spirit” (Gal 4:29)

Argument: It the midst of the celebration we discover resentment and hostility. Not everyone is pleased to witness the plan of God unfolding. When God’s people are celebrating His Goodness and enjoying the blessings, the enemy is planning some action of disruption.

Example: God was working through Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and he encountered mockers (Neh 4:1-3). Tobiah was one who mocked the work of God and said, “if a fox goes up on the wall it will break” (Nehemiah 4:3)

Sarah witnessed this persecution of her son by Ishmael and recognized his actions as a threat. Sarah correctly saw Ishmael as a result of the purely natural and one opposed to Isaac who was a result of the supernatural.

Too many of us today see and hear things, but we do not recognize them for what they are. Because we are not spending time with God and in the Word, we are not spiritually sensitive, and we don’t even realize when we are operating in the natural.

Illustrate: Pastor of a mega church who reportedly made a statement along this line, “we have a great structure in place and great talent. If the Holy Spirit pulled out, we could keep going for months without skipping a beat.”

Take appropriate action to honor God’s plan (vv. 10 & 12)

Explanation: Sarah witnessed the persecution for what it was. She recognized that Ishmael was up to no good and she sensed her son was threatened. She took action to remove the threat to the son of the Promise. She immediately went to Abraham and demanded that Hagar and Ishmael be expelled from their household

Argument: This seems to us as an over-reaction. We do not see this as a just action. “Yes, Ishmael was out of line, but exile him and his mother for a bit of foolishness?” A pastor named Shane Lewis declared that in today’s church culture our response to Sarah’s demand would run something like this: “Sarah isn’t being very Christ-like in this; she certainly didn’t have the right attitude. How dare she want to kick someone out? What kind of Christian spirit is that?

Abraham’s response to Sarah’s demand is pain and confusion. The text states that Abraham was very grieved about the situation. Then, to our surprise, we read where God tells Abraham to do as Sarah has demanded - God also tells Abraham that Ishmael has to go (v. 12) This does not strike us as fair!

Pastor Steven Cole addresses the situation with these words: “God chose Isaac so that we would know that the life of faith requires total dependence on God, so that all the fruit comes from Him. That which stems from our flesh, which we can do apart from God, can never please Him. It exalts human pride and robs God of His glory. That which the Spirit produces in and through us brings God the glory due His name. So even though it seems unfair that Hagar and Ishmael be expelled, it was necessary for God’s purpose and glory. This story teaches us that the joy of the life of faith comes from obtaining what only God can do; the pain comes from separating from what I can do in my own power.” (The Joy and Pain of a Life of Faith -- Genesis 21:1-21)

Application: Moving forward in spiritual maturity is a worthy goal and one that all who are IN Christ should be striving for. It is unlikely, however, that God will allow us to move forward with competing affections. Honoring God with our lives CAN be a reality, but it requires that we adjust our lives to His plan. That adjustment almost always involves sacrifice - spiritual maturity means getting rid of the prizes of the natural so that the spiritual can have sway.

“for without Me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Lost people can do a lot of things: they can build bridges, grow gardens, invent cool tech gadgets, write novels and poetry, and create music. Without Christ all their accomplishments are temporal - they will not survive the fire.

What about those of us who are in Christ? Does the principle of John 15:5 apply to us? Yes it does. When we build, create, and achieve in the natural (the flesh), those works will not last either.

Whatever God convicts us of as being without Him needs to go. And giving it up will be worth it to receive His best for our life, our family and our church.