Hagar in the Wilderness

Welcome/ Series Intro/ Prayer

Good Morning Church! How is everyone doing this morning? I hope everyone got enough sleep last night. This morning we will be starting a series for the season of lent called: IN THE WILDERNESS.

IN THE WILDERNESS: as we have changed our worship space to represent this somber and reflective season of lent. God has placed this theme on my heart for us to journey through the bible in this lenten season. In the wilderness is not just a physical place that runs throughout the bible, but a spiritual place we all go through in seasons.

Exploring the Wilderness in the Bible is not just a way for us to reflect on the sin and brokenness in the world, but a place to see where God shows up!

What really excites me about this mini series is because it is in the wilderness that God makes promises, reveals Himself, Starts a new chapter in the lives of many, in the wilderness God speaks, Its in the wildness that we are tested and challenged that we some of the rawest human emotions. but it is in the wilderness where we also find some of the most powerful moments with God!

This morning we are going to look at the story of Hagar who finds herself in the wilderness not only once, but twice in a short span of time. My prayer is that Hagar’s story would inspire us, challenge us, and draw us closer to knowing the God who sees us. Would you pray with me?

Prayer: God we come before you this morning and submit ourselves to the power of you Spirit and Word. Lord, I ask that we would be drawn closer to you this morning. That you would remind us of the times we have seen you move. That you would revive us through the power of your Holy Spirit. May we walk out of this place transformed by you Jesus.

Transition: If you have your bibles with you this morning please turn to Genesis Chapter 16 as I read the scripture passage for us this morning. Read Genesis 16 from the NIV (Faithlife Bible).

Walking Through the Text

Characters and Context: Before We unpack this specific story, lets unpack the characters and context here a little bit?

Who are the Characters in the story? Abram, Sarai, and Hagaar

Why are Abram and Sarai important to the story here?

Who is Hagar and Where did she come from?

Servant from Egypt- Jewish commentary places her as possibly pharohs daughter after the encounter in Gen 12.

Last Question: Why is it important for Abraham to have a son so badly? -to fufill the promise of God!

Lets dive in and unpack this story further.

Abraham’s Problem Sarah’s solution

Sarai could not bare children at this point. So she “gives” her servant to Abraham to sleep with.

Now: In that context this was not only acceptable and appropriate this was the duty of a servant to be a seregate for the wife. Especially, in this situation there would be a ton of pressure on Sarai as God had just made this big statement about their future and barrenness was considered punishment from God.

Yet: We have to name this today for what it is: this is sexual abuse on multiple levels to force this kind of arrangement on Hagar. We cannot simply say, oh thats the way things used to be because we live in a world where this kind of thing still happens.

I think we should see Hagar as a victim of both Sarai and Abraham. She was forced into a relationship she did not want and had to endure a pregnancy.

When we think about treatment of women in our world today, we fail to hear the victums side of things.

Bruxey Cavey- He confessed an afair, but the victim says, it was no affair it was an abuse of power.

As we transition back to Hagar, we might forget the reality of the situation when we read that Hagar’s response to being pregnant that she “dispised or no longer respected her”, but We have to think about who has the power in the relationship here? Hagar or Sarah? Sarah.

Hagar’s pride and Sarai’s response

What does Sarah decide to do with Hagar?

How does Hagar Respond?

Hagar in the wilderness

She is alone, in the wilderness, without food or water.

God comes to her- this is a theolphany.

God meets her in the wildness and asks her: Where are did you come from? and Where are you going?

God responds to Hagar with a promise. She recieves the same promise of God gave to Abraham and Sarai that she would be the source of a nation.

Ishmael - means God listens.

Hagar names God

In verse 13, we see something extraordinary. Hagar names God. She names Him El Roi- What does that mean church?

God keeps his promise and Hagar gives birth to a son, but that is not the end of Hagar’s story. If you turn in your Bibles to Genesis 21:8 the story continues. I am going to read verses 8-21 for us.

Hagar and Ishmael are Evicted: Thats the title in my study Bible. Now, given our current situation in life reading this story spoke to me in a different way. Lets unpack this a little more.

Sarah hears Ishmael laughing and it causes her to want Hagar and Ishmael out!

laughing- this may have ignited her fears that Ishmael would take over her sons role as his name meant - he laughs.

Abraham at God’s word, sends Hagar and Ishmael out into the wildnerness, yet again.

I dont know about you but I feel like Hagar has consistently gotten the short end of the stick here, dont you think?

Hagar wanders in the dessert, runs out of supplies and is lost to grief. At this point Ishmael is just a todler if he can fit in a sling like this.

In utter Grief She puts the boy down and unable to watch him die, sits in grief and weeps.

God shows up again! God comes and says Hagar! Whats wrong? Once again I have heard.

God tells here that she doesnt have to be afraid - isnt that profound. You have no water. No food. No hope of survival and God says dont be afraid?

Then God tells her to go and pick up the boy because He intends to keep his promise and make Ishmael into a great nation.

God then provides for Hagar and Ishmael and it says that God remained with the boy.

In this encounter we see God promise, provide, and His presence remain even in the wilderness.

There is a ton of good stuff in these two stories of Hagar in the Wilderness and her powerful encounters with God. But, How does Hagar’s story Change how we live? How does the Bible speak to us today?

Application: God who See’s. The God who promises, provides and is Present.

First thing I want to draw out is that God truly is the God who sees us.

For some of us that is a comfort, when we like Hagar have been under intense stress and just feel like the world is against us.

Think about times that you have felt overwhelmed and overloaded, God saw you in those times

God sees you now.

I think there is another side to this coin to El Roi means God who sees me, that means he really sees us. In this time of lent as we think about sin and brokenness this is also a time to recognize that God sees our sin too! He sees the way it causes brokenness. From the brokenness of Hagar to the Brokenness of some of the things we have seen in the church right now.

Now is the time for us to recognize that God sees us, and ask Him to work on us, to use lent to refine and sanctify us. The Hope is that if God can see me for who I am, and still love me despite what He sees, isnt that amazing?

The more amazing thing is he wants to help me be better.

God is a God that Listens, Promises, Provides and is present

I think we can find hope in these 4 things about God even when we are in the worst of situations and seasons of life.

We really should remember that God does here us when We pray.

God has a plan for each of us, and a promise in his son.

God provides in our times of Greatest need.

God is present even in the Wilderness

Sharing with others: God has really placed a burden on my heart for us to be a missional community that Shares the person and message of Christ this week.

Challenge is to share something from Hagar’s story that touched you with someone this week?

Share something about God from Hagar’s story this week.