Abraham: Deja Vu

I appreciate so much that when you and I listen to a sermon, or read a passage of scripture… When God gives us instruction or teaches us a lesson in life… that we MASTER it, we LEARN and OBEY!

I love that as a parent… when I tell my kids something or instruct them in a matter that they learn and obey for life!

Oh if only this were true!!! The TRUTH is that we often, all of us, find ourselves learning things over and over, we find ourselves falling into the same habits, failures, SIN!

As we read this morning’s passage it may feel a little like deja vu…

Listen closely through these verses, don’t focus so much on Abraham and his sin, his failings, or his fear… NOTICE:

OUR GOD!!!

Observe His work, faithfulness, interceding, His Grace & Mercy… Genesis 20:1-21:7 READ

Genesis 20:1–21:7 NASB95

Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.” Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a nation, even though blameless? “Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” So Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly frightened. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you encountered, that you have done this thing?” Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. “Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife; and it came about, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is the kindness which you will show to me: everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever you please.” To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is your vindication before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.” Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children. For the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

There is so much we could unpack in these verses today… but in our time let’s focus on:

God’s Working

Israel would need to see & understand how there God works

You and I need to understand greater this God we serve

Abraham’s Weakness

One can always learn from others

The good and the ugly

Practical Application

We will look at several ways to improve

Practice does not make perfect but it does help improve

REMEMBER… Abraham was righteous NOT perfect, & we have seen growth in this man’s life and walk with God.

God’s Working!

This is a statement you and I need to never forget… our God is never taking a break from His working in our lives or this world in which we live.

Why is this recorded in God’s Word?

God’s over arching ability to work out His will in the midst of man’s sin. He is sovereign and His purpose and will is what will prevail!

We see God hold to His word to protect

God’s statement in verse 3

Look at the “I” statements in verse 6

“I know”

“I kept you from sinning”

“I did not let you”

We see God clearly demonstrate He is the One who will bring about this promised son and it will be from Abraham… NOT from another man. He is preserving the line of His Son Jesus Christ!

Verse 16 declares the kings public response and testimony before the people and to Sarah

We see clearly God’s power over fertility as he heals Abimelech & restores his wife and concubines to have children, and as He brings about the birth of Isaac!

Verse 18 and opening verses of chapter 21

We see God hold to His promise...

21:1 “as He had said” He remembered His Word (God’s Words are promise)

21:2 “at the appointed time” God had not been slow, He had a plan

God wanted the world to KNOW HE WAS GOD!!!

Abraham had seen this amazing God, You and I have seen this amazing God and yet…

Abraham’s Weakness

God is so gracious… Psalm 103:14 READ states:

Psalm 103:14 NASB95

For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

Abraham here is holding on to PAST HABITS:

Verses 2, & 11

How we approach life begins to form habits & cycles in our life

Romans 12:1-2 tells us how to break these habits and cycles...

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

This was a custom they began from the very beginning… and continued to justify in their hearts and minds!

Just because it is common in your life does not mean it should not be concerning

If you have to justify it, carefully consider the why

WHY??? (The struggle with SIN)

We see fear present in both of their lives...

Evidently 25 years later Sarah is still a beautiful woman… at 90 years old!!!

Our fears will lead us to JUSTIFY many of our sins...

We end up Covering our tracks, telling Half-Truths, making excuses… all from fear:

Paul addresses fear with Timothy as well… 2 Timothy 1:7 states:

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

The RESULT of giving into our fears and SIN is:

Egg on our face (a pagan king had better morals)

A stern rebuke!

A tarnished Testimony (our lives declare a bold statement about our God we love and serve!)

Practical Application

God has given us His Word to know Him and live in this real world, face real life, with real truths, and real answers!

GOD IS FAITHFUL

Even when we are not, He remains faithful

We see Isaac born based on God’s Word not Abraham and Sarah’s sinlessness

THERE IS GROWTH

As chapter 21 begins we see Abraham continuing to grow

It has been 25 years in the making… and God will continue to work in them

Abraham obeys in naming the child Isaac… laughter

Abraham is faithful to circumcise Isaac on the eight day

There is a recognition of God and His Working

POWER ~ LOVE ~ SELF-DISCIPLINE

As we grow we see His POWER

As we grow His LOVE impacts our lives, hearts, and walk with Him

As we grow we implement an attitude of self-discipline/control in our lives

This is an aspect of the fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

PRACTICAL WAYS TO GROW

As we minister (do life with God) we grow

Read bold points of handout in peoples seat from “Putting the Mini in Ministry”

EXAMINE YOUR HEART

David says to God in Psalm 139:23-24:

Psalm 139:23–24 NASB95

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Taking time to reflect on ones heart, allow God to examine it!

A good place to start with good questions Handout with John Wesley’s questions

As we grow we will discover that our attention and focus is more and more on HIM! Let me close with Philippians 4:8-9

Philippians 4:8–9 NASB95

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.