Imperfect Faith; Genesis 16:1-6

Introduction

We started the process of learning about the people in the lineage of Jesus

we started with Abraham (Abram)

we have been talking about his faith

it is easy to look at these heroes and start to think they are perfect

this is why I love the Bible… when we study these people, we see they are not

the Bible does not try to act like God’s people are perfect

With that said, they are people of faith

faith in a God that would provide for them

Abram believed that God would bring a people from his line

that God would give them a land

that God would protect him as he followed God by faith

But his faith was not perfect

like us, he is saved by grace through faith

Faith brings nothing of our own to God, but receives what God spontaneously offers us. Hence it is that faith, however imperfect, nevertheless possesses a perfect righteousness, because it has respect to nothing but the gratuitous goodness of God.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

Genesis 16:1–6 CSB

1 Abram’s wife, Sarai, had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So Abram’s wife, Sarai, took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband, Abram, as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she saw that she was pregnant, her mistress became contemptible to her. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.” 6 Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

PRAY!

We are saved by grace through faith. Then brought into obedience. We trust him fully, not simply to pick up where we fall short.

Our Worldly Ideas

waiting on the Lord is hard… We should not pretend it isn’t

people are not good at waiting

I do not think it matters which people, its all people

our society might be the worst

commercials that cry out its my money and I want it now

fast food that is not fast enough, and when it is, its not fresh enough

we grow impatient with God when he does not do what we think he should, when we think he should

the funny thing is that we can come up with all kinds of things on how God can do

Genesis 16:1–2 CSB

1 Abram’s wife, Sarai, had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

History of this idea - culturally normal

A slave would become a surrogate and the owner would adopt and grow their family that way

The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible Genesis 16:2

It was culturally acceptable for a barren wife to provide a slave-concubine for her husband to get children but contrary to God’s will for marriage (2:24). Sexual relations outside of monogamous marriage are sinful and sure to produce inevitable conflict.

If we read this in the context of today, all kinds of red flags start to fly.

God is slavery is ok, polygamy is ok…

Nobody seemed to ask Hagar if she was okay with any part of this plan.

Culturally acceptable does not mean that it is ok with God. Both were acceptable at the time.

All of this is true… But the point of the passage is not getting caught up in slavery, polygamy or anything else.

The promise was that Abram Sarai would have a son.

didn’t mention Sarai in the promise, but that is Abram’s wife

God isn’t using sin, adultery to bring about this promise

Instead, God would do this.

Their impatience, lack of faith in God’s ability and Abram’s failure to lead his wife in that direction are the root causes, and the point that should be focused on.

Blame as to why she had no children

is God keeping her from getting pregnant, yes

but the question is not then what do I do

how do I go against what God is doing

instead, why is God doing this

Ease of them going along reveal their lack of faith

Sarai because God never said she would be the mother

she uses the same word God does in chapter 12

I… I will build

she was going to build the family that God has yet to do

Abram assumed that God would bless whatever son that he would have

Where are you failing to wait on God’s promises or attempting to do what he has not done yet

we disguise it well

we say things like, God is calling me to this thing

the truth is God made the promise

God then showed Abram that was based on God’s power

but their impatience and lack of faith caused them to come up with a worldly solution

Pain From Our Sin

The pain that follows sin is not a mark of condemnation or rejection by God, but is a reminder that we have sinned and should also be a deterrent to further sin.

John F. MacArthur

We think that the pain of sin is because God is mad at us for sinning

showing our lack of understanding of God’s love and what our sin really is

with this trifecta of sinners we see immediate pain

Genesis 16:3–4 CSB

3 So Abram’s wife, Sarai, took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband, Abram, as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she saw that she was pregnant, her mistress became contemptible to her.

The plan is followed as they had discussed

the slave is given to Abram as a wife

not simply as a surrogate, a wife

she becomes pregnant

Hagar treats Sarai with contempt

She has been elevated in the family of Abram

the wife who gave him a son

in her eyes, she has surpassed Sarai and she would let her know

We do not like to see the consequences of our sin

we have a sense of justice in being ok with others saving the consequences of their sin

they get what they deserve

we do not think we deserve it…

because like Sarai, we have reasons for our sin

some will knowingly sin because we have the grace of God to fall back on

or even think that we are helping God by allowing him to show off his grace

Romans 6:1–2 CSB

1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

know what your sin does

it separates you from God

every sin that you commit is worthy or God’s wrath

not all sin are the same, but the punishment of sin is

meaning your sin and mine is what put Christ on the cross

When we understand what our sin does, we truly begin to appreciate our salvation

not just how it effects us now, our relationships with people

How is effects our standing with god

if god will just forgive you because your covered by grace, then you do not truly appreciate the grace offered

You want to take advantage of grace to satisfy your fleshly desires

Others Feel Pain From Our Sin

When God takes second place in our lives, we inflict pain on Him, ourselves, and others.

John D. Barry

let’s be honest, the thought of a son was more important that their relationship with God

many people do… their kids and family are the most important thing to them

God should be enough, regardless of if he gives them a family…

that is a different sermon for a different day

We can be so self centered that we do not see how it effects others

or really even care

we just want what we want, our flesh satisfied

Genesis 16:5–6 CSB

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.” 6 Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

The sin of Abram and Sarai did not only effect themselves

Hagar has gone from slave to wife back to slave (language… here you take her back, like she is standing there)

only to be so mistreated that she ran away

Wait… what about the promise, the son

Sarai must have gotten to the point she did not care, no son is better than that woman looking at her that way

she has been with Sarai for quite some time

most likely was given to Sarai after her and Abram were in Egypt

they were there in chapter 12, after they left Haran in obedience to God’s call to go

there was a famine and they went to Egypt

she would have traveled back to the land of Canaan, without any record of running away

but now the relationship has changed

This sin is not only effecting those three, but there is a child

so often they are the overlooked ones

we have a tendency to think kids are too little, to young, they don’t really know what is happening

although the baby is not born as of yet in this passage it would be foolish to think he will not be effected

Islam has come from this sin

I am not saying that Islam would have not happened if it were not for this sin

but Satan has sure used this sin to spread chaos around the world

the original believers of Islam were said to be descendents of Ismael

in 610 in a cave outside of Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad is said to be visited by the angel Gabriel

one of many religions that claim to have a new revelation from an angel to correct the gospel of the Bible

Galatians 1:8 CSB

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!

We often see how sin effects us, we are selfish that way, we hesitantly see as it effects those next to us, but we see that sin can have effects for thousands of years!

we have wars, attacks and other terrible things in the name of a religion that is said to come from the line of the son conceived in sin

sin moves from generation in that way

it has been passed down from our parents in the garden

This sin did not eliminate the promise

God would come later and tell them that this son is not the son of the promise

God did not come back and say he could not do what he had planned… or wouldn’t

you are not powerful enough to stop God, even with your sin

if it is his will, it will happen

if he has promised, it will be

Paul would use Hagar and Sarai as examples

children of a slave, slave to the law

children of the promise, saved by the gospel

The gospel is powerful enough to cover your sin

it may have effects in this world for generations to come

but the blood of Jesus is enough to cover the sin of all who would repent and come to Christ