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Pastor Brant Seacrist

JULY 26, 2020

"THE LAUGHTER OF SARAH
"

TEXT: GENESIS 18: 1-16
READING: PSALM 85: 1-13

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SUBJ: The Lord's appearance to Abraham and to Sarah with the final confirmation that Isaac would be the promised seed and the confrontation of the doubts of Sarah.

AIM: That we might be reminded of our own tendency to doubt as we see first the doubting and the rebuke that came because of it.

INTR: In the last part of the last chapter Abraham has the issue with Ishmael resolved and Isaac is the name given to the promised seed and so the order is set and the promise restated.
1. Circumcision was established and Abraham and all his household were made to comply and so the sign of the covenant was given.
2. The manner of the last appearance of the Lord to Abraham had caused him to fall on his face before the Lord and we will notice that he quickly responded to this appearance of the Lord.
3. There is much mystery regarding this event, but it is not without significance if for no other reason the faith of Sarah is brought into play.

THESIS: We marvel at the manner in which the will of God is worked out by faith as we think of the sovereignty of God. The marvel is that He involves His people materially in all with which they have to do - not as a condition but as a result of His grace.

I. Abraham's humility and service before the Lord (vv. 1-8)
1. We can only imagine the scene here and yet we see Abraham in his position as a wealthy and powerful man.
2. The fact he bowed is thought by some to have been a matter of eastern custom and would have been done to other strangers as well.
1) The fact that he ran to meet them indicates a level of recognition that these were not ordinary men.
2) It was Jehovah that appeared, but Abraham uses another term for a superior one and desires the presence.
3. Some of the things done here would have been customary, the invitation to wash their feet, to rest, and even be fed. It is the urgency that we sense with Abraham that suggests more.
4. He desires to serve them but senses that they may be passing by.
5. The genuine desire of Abraham to humble himself and serve the Lord (Abraham is doing it) is received by the Lord - v. 5 "Do as thou hast said."
6. The true servant of the Lord will render the absolute best of service to Him as did Abraham here. And they did eat.

II. Then Sarah Laughed (vv. 9-12)
1. The question of verse 9 was not due to a lack of knowledge. It intended to establish the fact that she was involved in this as well.
2. The Lord could have accomplished the birth of Isaac without the faith of Sarah and the Lord knew of her unbelief. Abraham had believed the Lord.
3. The details were now stated in her hearing:
1) She would again be enabled to bear a child (although she had passed that age).
2) Both she and Abraham were physically incapable of producing children and she knows it.
3) Her laughter was not that of seeing something funny - it was an inward expression that what the Lord was saying was impossible.
4. We are herein alerted to the fallacy of human reasoning and bidden to believe the Lord despite all the evidence against what is promised.

III. Faith imparted to Sarah (vv. 13-15)
1. The question is directed to Abraham as to why Sarah laughed and is answered by a question:
2. Is anything too hard for the Lord?
1) "I will" appears often concerning the Lord and does so preciously here.
2) "Sarah shall" have a son.
3) Other determinations by the Lord - We consider Mary who worshiped as the news of a Son and that
4) She pondered prophetic words spoken concerning the Babe.
3. Sarah denied that she had laughed and may not have construed her reaction as such. Our attention needs to be directed at how it is perceived by the Lord.
4. The impossibility of salvation considering the awful state of those the Lord saves!

IV. On to Sodom (v. 16)