Sermon Tone Analysis

1. How does the context inform the meaning of this passage?

Please consider: a) the literary context (passages before and after the passage), b) the historical context (circumstances of the audience), and c) the biblical context (citations/allusions or historical connections to other books that the author is making).

Literary Context -

10 years post initial promise of God’s blessing to Abram ()

Abram’s fear and despair was increasing - Will my inheritance (God’s promises) pass to his slave (likely an Egyptian Slave)

Chapter 15 - God Establishing Covenant w/ Abram & He believes and is credited righteousness.

God will provide an heir through Abram’s own body, a slave will not be his heir.

(Romans 8)

Historical Context -

Moses is writing to the wandering Israelites who are wondering if their former enslavement was a better option for them

The implications of Egypt - (Babylon)

Biblical Context -

God’s unfolding covenantal relationship with his promised people.

Redemptive Arc - Movement from slavery to sonship.

2. How has the author organized this passage?

Please a) show the structure in sections with verse references and b) explain what strategies you used to see this structure.

- Abram and Sarai’s sin of fast-tracking God’s plans.

- God’s love all for all people - including the non-elect

- God reaffirms his covenant with the aging Abram

- God calls Abraham to mark himself and all male children in his home as his covenant people through circumcision.

- The Danger of Abraham enslaved belief that Ishmael would suffice as his promised heir.

- Abraham obeys the Lord and has his household circumcised.

3. Drawing on your work to this point, state the author’s aim for his audience (in one short sentence).

Abram and Sarai’s attempt to fast track God’s promises are the same as Eve’s attempt to do the same.

They are fulfilled through the covenant faithfulness of his people to multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.

4. What parts of this passage connect to the gospel of Jesus Christ?

What part of the gospel is in view?

Our Bent toward Sinful Fulfillment - Sarai and Abram’s offering of Ishmael

Covenant Fulfillment - Jesus is the end of the mark of Circumcision - Jesus is the faithful covenant keeper that secures all the promises of God.

5. Drawing on your work to this point, what conclusion will you argue to your audience (in one short sentence)?

What applications will you make for your audience?

MAIN ARGUMENT -

Gospel faithfulness does not come through fast-tracking mission through any means necessary, but through the covenant faithfulness through ordinary means.

APPLICATIONS

Fast Tracking Mission through World Means is always short sighted

Mission through World Means often times ends with hurt people

God mends the broken hearts of those hurt by God’s Covenant people

Faith in Jesus Alone empowers covenantal obedience and piety.

God people will be faithful when we embrace a life of piety through the ordinary means of grace.

6.

What is your sermon title and your preaching outline?

TITLE:

EMBRACING THE UNHURRIED PATH OF GOSPEL FAITHFULNESS

PREACHING OUTLINE:

The Danger & Consequences of Fast-tracking God’s Promises ()

The Sure Ground of God’s Covenantal Relationship with His people ()

The Primacy of Covenantal Faithfulness of God’s People ()

Introduction/Illustration

Amanda and I are nearing 14 years of marriage in August.

In that 14 years, we have been homeowners nearly 12 years of that.

I would say that homeownership comes with its lessons.

One of the ones that I learned is this: Short cuts never work when you own a home.

I hate painting my house actually.

I get in a hurry, I make a mess and make mistakes along the way.

The last time I painted out home, I sent Amanda and the boys to Knoxville for a few days so I could attempt to not hurry myself.

But what happened was I got more and more rushed, I cut corners and took short cuts and now our house needs a new paint job again.

Main Theme

Gospel faithfulness does not come through fast-tracking mission through any means necessary, but through the covenant faithfulness through ordinary means.

Main Theme

Gospel faithfulness does not come through fast-tracking mission through any means necessary, but through the covenant faithfulness through ordinary means.

Gospel faithfulness does not come through fast-tracking mission through any means necessary, but through the covenant faithfulness through ordinary means.

Gospel faithfulness does not come through fast-tracking mission through any means necessary, but through the covenant faithfulness through ordinary means.

The Sure Ground of God’s Covenantal Relationship with His people ()

The Primacy of Covenantal Faithfulness of God’s People

()

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY

How to Read Genesis – Tremper Longman III

Living in the Gap between Promise & Realtiy – Ian Duguid

Preaching Christ from Genesis – Sidney Greidanus

Context

The primal cry of Abram’s heart we found in was his concern that he had no heir and that if God didn’t do anything, then a slave in his household would be the heir to the promises.

(Deal with the idea of slave?)

Struggle to move from slavery to sonship - This will help us understand what is really unfolding here in between Abram/Sarai and their God.

The Danger & Consequences of Fast Tracking God’s Promises ()

Explaining the Text (V.1-6)

There is the tendency in the human heart to take short cuts, to fast track our visions in life.

This is certainly true in the life of God’s people.

There is an important observance that we find in v.1-5.

It is eerily similar to a similar and the all too family sequence we find in .

RATIONALIZATION: We find that Sarai, like Eve, concede to their earthly position instead of trusting in the Word of God to them.

She rationalizes with her present barren state in light of what God has told her…this was the same rationalization that Eve capitulated to as well.

The path of slavery is the most reasonable pathway forward

CAPITULATION BY SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP

INDIGNATION - All the players play a role here - Hagar became contemptible, Sarai’s hurt is shifted to Abram as its source, Abram is indignantly passive with Sarai as way to deal with his wife’s pain!

The main point we should see from these first 6 verses is that we are predisposed to relive the fall each day just like our first parents, Adam and Eve.

As one our brothers here this morning put it to me, we get in a hurry because we believe God is limited in his resources without us.

‘Surely, He must have set before him the paint, brush and canvas before he can deliver the work of art?’

APPLICATION

APPLICATION

Fast Tracking Mission through World Means is always short sighted - The dangers and consequences are numerous!

Think about the places we tend to try to fast track God’s mission or purposes in our lives.

There are 2 primary spheres we function in according the creation account:

Where are the places we tend to try to fast track God’s mission or purposes in our lives.

There are 2 primary spheres we function in according the creation account:

Our Vocation

Our jobs are a big piece of baring the image of God in the world.

- God gave Adam and Eve the mandate to be his regents, stewards on the earth.

The idea is to pursue flourishing.

Our vocations are a big piece of how we bring flouishing (Shalom) to the world.

Sadly, our jobs tend to function to build our own kingdoms rather than the Kingdom of God.

So we get impatient with a job because we don’t make the money we think we should so we tempted to jump from one job to the next instead of a long obedience in the same direction.

Or on the other side, We can tend to enslave ourselves to our work, never able to unplug at home.