Life of Abraham 10

Praise and Pray Fellowship Time

share something about your situation

breakout rooms

Poll Questions

Poll question (reveal it to online people first)

How many years did it take for the promise of Isaac to come to pass?

What does the name Isaac mean?

What did Abraham give Abimelech for the well?

Chapter 21 Review

Isaac is finally born, when Abraham is 100 years old, 25 years after God first promised

Abraham had him circumcised on the eighth day, as per the covenant

as in Jesus day, as in today

Isaac did bring laughter and Joy

But one day Sarah saw Ishmael mocking, scoffing, making fun

surely got attitude from mother

natural attitude to have with baby momma drama

Sarah says, they’ve go to go!

even though it was her bright idea in the first place

lesson learned again, you do your job, let God do his job

Abraham doesn’t want to do it (these were not time of child support)

not only will miss seeing his child

but this was giving them little chance of survival . . .

But God said he would take care of them, make a nation out of Ishmael too, but that the son God always promised was Isaac and not Ishmael

God does rescue Hagar and Ishmael, Bible says God was with him

So God was not against Ishmael, but he was not the son of promise and faith

Abraham is so prosperous that Abimelech (title), the king makes a treaty with him

Lesson 1: How am I saved?

or the question we find ourselves asking every now and then: Am I saved?

what does it take?

how does it work?

What must I do?

let’s go to a scripture written about these scriptures we’re studying to find out

A scripture where Paul is trying to refute some teachers who said that in order to be saved, you had to be circumcised, observe special days, eat certain foods, and follow the other laws and regulations.

Paul says this is false, And Paul uses the story of Abraham to prove his point

Galatians 4:22–23 NASB95

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

Ishmael, Hagar’s son, the bondwoman, came about because of human scheme, effort, plans

Paul calls that being born according to the flesh . . . the flesh is trying to making it happen

just like the people who say you have to follow all these regulations

Isaac, Sarah’s son, the free woman, came about because of God’s promise, and faith in that promise

Paul calls that through the promise, being born according to the spirit, God is making it happen

the people, like Paul, who say salvation is through faith

First, Paul makes a funny comment that people who live according to the flesh always give people who live according to the spirit a hard time (remember Ishmael scoffing at Isaac)

Galatians 4:29 NLT

29 But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.

Then Paul says that this “according to the flesh” thinking, this I need to do my part to be saved teaching, needs to be cast out just like Ishmael was cast out . . .

Galatians 4:30–31 NASB95

30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.

we are from the free woman, and we are free from working our way to salvation

Paul is saying that salvation is all about faith, just like in Abraham’s day

God promised Isaac, Abraham believed, and God gave Isaac to Abraham

God promised salvation through Jesus, you must believe, and God will give you salvation

trust in God’s promise of salvation through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Period.

not because you try to treat people right . . . though you should

not because you are generous . . . though you should

not because you go to church . . . . though you should

you are saved by grace through faith . . . . faith in God’s promise . . . the promise of

whosever believeth in him shall not perish

whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved

now let’s get everyone into an uproar!

Lesson 2: Should husbands listen to their wives?

let’s go to the scripture right after Sarah says to send Hagar and Ismael away, Abraham of course does not want to do it

Genesis 21:12 NASB95

12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.

1st time Sarah had a bright idea, it turned out disastrous, baby mamma drama

through the intervention of the Lord, Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham have been able to exist together . . . but now Isaac is here . . . and that changes everything . . .

should Abraham listen to his wife this time?

He is probably doubting her wisdom, doubting her motives, emotional state

The Lord will intervene again and solve the problem, he tells Abraham to listen to his wife

why? How do husbands know when to listen to their wives?

let’s look at what Sarah said (remember these are real/regular people)

Genesis 21:10 NASB95

10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.”

drive out this maid and her son . . . anger

the son of this maid . . . anger, insult

shall not be an heir with my son Isaac . . . bingo!

Clues on when to listen (heed): Does your wife’s advice contain a correctly applied Biblical/spiritual truth?

not just misquoting the Bible, or using it out of context, like when Sarah said, “Sleep with Hagar since I can’t get pregnant” . . . that’s misusing what God said

but Sarah correctly applied God’s word when she said “the son of the maid shall not be an heir with my son” . . . that’s straight from God, there was supposed to be one heir, and Isaac was supposed to be that heir, despite their earlier foolishness.

Genesis 17:19–21 NASB95

19 But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 “But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.”

God had made it clear, there were NOT to be two covenants, two promised sons, two heirs

When discussing hard decisions, You should know enough Bible to bring the Bible into the discussion (husband, wife, friend, sibling)

not what big mama used to say

not what all my friends say

those are second and third sources

that’s why you need to continue to come to Bible study!

we’re not just learning about some guy named Abraham . . . we are learning about God and His ways

The final answer:

Husbands or whoever is hearing advice

always listen . . . sometimes go with what she says, and sometimes don’t, depends on what she says

also notice that the responsibility fell on Abraham each time

Sarah gave bad advice the first time, but Abraham had to deal with the fall out

and if Abraham had not listened the second time, he would have had to deal with the fall out it

Ultimately, seek confirmation/instruction from God . . . Abraham gets assurance from God that Sarah is correct

realize that God will and can speak through your wife

be man enough to face your wife’s displeasure if you go against

be man enough to know it doesn’t diminish you if you just because you do what you wife says

Wives, understand that sometimes you are 100% right and sometimes you are dead wrong, or sometimes in the middle

more importantly, try to give advice based upon biblical truths

The Real Lesson 2: Bible your decisions!

this was the whole point about husband listening to your wives question.

let the Bible determine your course of action

When you “Bible” your decisions, it makes a lot of decisions easy.

by easy, I mean knowing what to do (Abraham knew what do to, though it was hard sending Ishmael away)

carrying them out might not be easy, but knowing what to do can be, you can be confident and at peace, that you are doing the right thing

Lesson 3: God can open your eyes

Hagar sent away went barely nothing, expecting to die

Genesis 21:19 NASB95

19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.

different kind of miracle - not creating, healing, fixing, providing, but God opening your eyes to what’s already there . . . God letting you see what is already in front of you

This might be a prayer that is not used enough . . . Lord open my eyes

you might already have what you need

to fix that situation

to solve that problem

to heal the relationship

to be financially better off

to change your lifestyle

but you can’t see it

often because of despair and a lack of faith, you miss good things right in front of your face

Often we need to remember what God has already promised (chapter 16, the angel promised her many descendants through Ishmael)

Ask the Lord to open your eyes . . . . in this situation, open my eyes, my understanding

asking God to reveal things is another good prayer

don’t know what’s happening

don’t know who to trust?

God knows! Ask him to reveal it to you!

You are saved by faith

Bible your decisions

Ask God to open your eyes

Mentor Moment

change up some of your routines, people are always watching

different ways I approach church

Announcements

This Sunday is installation of Elijah Caver

Texas Baptist Men . . . . donate ($25 so far)

October, 40th anniversary

Special presentation each Sunday

1st Sunday – 40th Picture day, Mother Alston installed

2nd Sunday – Youth Day/T-shirt day

t-shirt sizes to 1st Lady Sherry Caver

3rd Sunday – Old School Service Day (songs, dress)

Clothes: dress up

Men – 3 piece suit Ladies - Children – dress up

4th Sunday – Men’s Day

Men’s Praise Team

5th Saturday, October 30 - Carnival

5th Sunday – Women’s Day

Women’s Praise Team