Genesis 18

Intro

Because God has dealt very generously with us, we ought to:

Show hospitality

Trust God’s promises

Pray to God on behalf of others

We ought to prepare ourselves to show hospitality

State:

Abraham readily and sacrificially, and humbly served strangers.

readily -

Abraham sat himself where he would have the greatest opportunity to do good and show hospitality. Sarah was ready to do the same.

Verse 1 -

English Standard Version Chapter 18

And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre,

He was not only willing to be hospitable, but he proactively placed himself in situations where he would be able to show hospitality.

This was surely driven by how generously God had dealt with him.

humbly -

called him lord, and himself servant. Bowed to them

English Standard Version Chapter 18

When he saw them,

sacrificially -

Urgently had cakes made, took a “tender and good” calf from the flock.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

Quick! Three seahs of

English Standard Version Chapter 18

Then he took

It is worth asking the question, why does Abraham act this way? And when we consider that chapter 18 is just one part of a bigger story, and we reach back into the previous chapters, Abraham’s inspiration becomes clear.

He is a man who has received much from the hand of the Lord. He has been blessed beyond measure. Not because of who he was, or what he did, or what he promised he would do, but because God is generous and has dealt generously with Abraham.

Abraham is already incredibly wealthy. This wealth has come from the hand of God, and Abraham has denied unethical money.

Abraham has been made victorious in war and has seen God protect Lot, his nephew.

God has made more promises to give him the land, to give him a son, to make a great nation out of him. More on that soon.

And for as generously as God has dealt with Abraham, that was only a drop in the ocean compared to how generously God has dealt with us.

CCF: Christ prepared himself to show us immense hospitality, ushering us into his Kingdom

1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Readily -

planned from the beginning. (Ephesians 1:4-6)

English Standard Version Chapter 1

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Humbly -

he took on flesh and lived a humble life. Examples abound. (Phil 2:3-8)

English Standard Version Chapter 2

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Sacrificially -

God gave his own Son, the Son gave himself

Romans 8:31-32

English Standard Version Chapter 8

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Hebrews 9:26

English Standard Version Chapter 9

But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Apply:

We ought to be prepared to show hospitality

Hebrews 13:2 ESV

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Readily -

Seeking the opportunity, expecting the opportunity.

Pray for “divine appointments” where God will provide you the opportunity to show hospitality.

Live like you’re expecting to keep those appointments

Humbly -

Considering others as more important than ourselves

Sacrificially -

Serving others in a way that will make us feel it, but joyfully

We ought to trust that God will do what he promises

State:

English Standard Version Chapter 18

9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

A repeating of the promise because Sarah wasnt present the first time

This is a beautiful and glorious promise! More than the promise of a son, this is a promise of a holy seed. This is the promise of a coming savior through this line. The progression of God’s covenant

Notice how similar and how different the reaction of Sarah compared to Abraham

English Standard Version Chapter 18

So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”

Sarah isn’t thinking about the Lord and his power. She is thinking about herself and her own limitations. She is allowing for her “reasonable” thinking to get in the way of believing in the power of God.

Her laugh is one of direspect and disbelief.

Notice the Lord’s response to Sarah

English Standard Version Chapter 18

The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

He remains faithful to his promise. He doubles down and is determined to bless even the one who reacts in disbelief.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Sarah doubles down on her sin, compounding her sin of disbelief and disrespect by adding lying to her faults.

Especially when contrasted with Abraham’s reaction, we see just how ridiculous the sinful reactino of Sarah is.

Consider those words: is anything too hard for the Lord? If we’re being honest, there are too many times in our lives that we get caught up thinking about how “impossible” something seems, and we grow pessimistic, even disrespectful, and we laugh along with Sarah.

But is there anything too hard for the Lord? Is there any promise he would be unable to fulfill?

Once more, consider Jesus Christ.

He who defeated death by dying himself. He who overthrew the master of death by resurrecting from the dead. He has time after time shown that he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to him.

He has dealt so very generously with us. If there anything that should shake our faith in him? Is there anything he cannot do, anything that he has not done? He has shown himself to be worthy of our trust — let us give it to him.

We ought to humbly intercede for our nieghbors

State:

The Lord determines to make known his plans to Abraham concerning Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

The Lord seems to give the reason for why he makes this plan known to Abraham. First, God reveals his wrath against sin, and he does this so that all might know and be warned.

Second, God does this so that the righteous might be even more careful to watch their steps and to avoid the debauchery of this world which leads to utter destruction.

And so the Lord makes it known to Abraham that he is going to go to Sodom, and because of its immense wickedness, he is planning to destroy it completely. We then get what I think is a fascinating response from Abraham. He prays for the people of the city. Lets consider both what he prays for, and how he prays for it.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

He prays for the sake of the righteous

Abraham is distressed by the news that his neighbors are going to be obliterated. He is wrestling with the implications of an entire place being destroyed. Primarily, he is distressed that there will be “crossfire,” that innocents will be caught in God’s wrath.

He Prays Submissively

English Standard Version Chapter 18

25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

These words are not an attempt to remind God of justice. These words are a reminder to himself that God is just, and that God would not do an unjust thing. Abraham has been the recipient of God’s immense mercy, and he is reminding himself of that fact. He is submitting his understanding to what he knows to be true about God in this prayer.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

7 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?

Abraham approaches the Lord with a proper understanding of who he is and who God is. He does not pridefully insist that God is wrong and that he is right. There is a posture of humility as Abraham wrestles in his own mind about this thing that is going to happen.

He Prays Boldly

Abraham draws up courage and asks the Lord multiple times on behalf of the people of the city.

50, 45, 40,30,20, 10 — six times he asks.

This reminds me of an even greater intercessor that we encounter in the New Testament — Jesus himself as he often prayed on our behalf. Once again, there are many examples of Jesus praying on our behalf

Here is just one snippet from John 17, although I would recommend reading that whole chapter

English Standard Version Chapter 17

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Jesus prayed for his disciples, and he also prayed for his people who did not yet believe. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus prayed for you who would come to believe in him? He cared so deeply for you, and he prayed boldly for you. And he still is!

English Standard Version Chapter 8

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

We also know that the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us through faith, also intercedes with us.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

And this is exactly how Jesus taught you and I to pray as well, saying,

“forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Apply:

And because God has dealt so generously with us, and because he has given his own son to reconcile the world to himself, we also ought now to submissively and boldly intercede on behalf of the world.

We pray like this with all the boldness of a people who know that as badly as we want to see people saved, God desires it all the more. We go to God, not to change his mind, but to pray this his will for the salvation of his elect would come to pass.

Brothers and Sisters, God has dealt generously with us. Because of this, we ought to show hospitality, trust his promises, and intercede for our neighbors. May God be honored in all of this. Amen.