Walk blameless

• 1^st – A bad idea…vs. 1-3 (4 points)
  • 1^st – It is hard to WAIT…
    • 10 years had passed since the Lord had called Abram out of his country…
    • 10 years since He had PROMISED to give Abram children – more than the stars…
    • And still God had not fulfilled His PROMISE!
    • James 1:4 – “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete…”
    • God has given us the promise that He will make us PERFECT and COMPLETE…
    • The challenge is we want to be perfected instantly – we miss the PATIENCE part!
    • We FORGET God has promised to perfect us – by His grace in His time!
    • II Peter 3:8-9 – “You must not forget [because we always do], dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day…”
    • Following Jesus means being PATIENT – willing to wait on the Lord for His timing!
    • Psalm 27:14 – “Wait patiently for the LORD… Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”
  • 2^nd – Sarai had a maidservant named Hagar (flight) … vs. 1
    • This was the same servant that they got while in Egypt – Genesis 12:10-20
      • There had been a famine in the land (no food) so Abram went to Egypt (the world) …
      • There he lied about Sarai (his sister) and she was taken into the house of Pharaoh…
      • Because of Sarai the Pharaoh blessed Abram with servants – including Hagar…
      • Abraham had trusted in the WORLD during a hard time – the famine…
      • Now Sarai went back again to someone from the world – Hagar – for help getting a son!
    • The example of Abram – was passed onto his wife…
      • I Corinthians 11:3 – “I want you to understand that… the head of a wife is her husband…”
      • Husbands we need to be careful about the example we give to our wives / families…
      • We are the spiritual leaders of our homes – we set the precedent for them to follow…
      • If we are TRUST in the WORLD to give us solutions – THEY will also put their faith there…
      • If we are putting our TRUST in the LORD – then our wives / children will also!
  • 3^rd – Sarai believed she would NEVER have a child… vs. 2
    • See now Lord has restrained (perfect) me from bearing…
      • Sarai knew the Lord had promised to give them children – Genesis 12:2 / 13:16 / 15:5
      • Note Sarai in essence blames the Lord for not having children – HE restrained her!
      • When things do not go the way we want – there is a temptation to blame God…
      • It is your fault God – why did YOU let things go wrong…
      • Yet often we are actually suffering from our own poor decisions – sinful choices…
      • Or we just might not understand HIS plan – and get impatient waiting!
    • Perhaps God just needed a little help…
      • Harar could have children for Sarai to call her own!
      • This may seem an odd – even immoral – idea…
      • The New Testament makes it very clear we can only have ONE spouse – I Corinthians 7:2
      • But having multiple wives was a common practice at that point in history…
      • We saw it first with Lamech – Genesis 4:23 / see will it again with Esau – Genesis 28:9
      • And if a woman was barren – she could give her servant to her husband…
      • We will see the same practice with the Leah and Rachel – Genesis 30:3 / 30:9
      • The children of the servant would then be raised as her own!
      • The plan sounded good – but it did not depend on the Lord!
  • 4^th – Sarai gave Hagar to be a second wife of Abram… vs. 3
    • He took Hagar as his wife – in an effort to fulfill the promise of God!
      • Galatians 4:22-23 – “The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave-wife and one from his freeborn wife.  The son of the slave-wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.”
      • God made a promise to Abram – and HE was going to keep it…
      • But because Abram had tried to help God – he created a work of the flesh!
      • Hebrews 12:28 – “Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably…”
      • It is impossible to please God – server the Lord – in our own strength!
      • The problem of trusting in ourselves – is we end up creating Ishmaels…
      • Rather than solving a problem – we just create a problem!
    • Abraham was to become the father of the people of God – but not through Ishmael…
      • God did not even recognize Ishmael as a son of Abraham – Genesis 22:2
      • The descendants of Ishmael were not the chosen people – they were not Israel…
      • In fact – Ishmael is never even mentioned by name in the New Testament!
      • The picture being – God does not recognize a work of the flesh…
      • Those who try to fulfill the promises of God in the flesh – are not the children of God!

• 2^nd – An unavoidable conclusion… vs. 4-6 (5 points)
  • 1^st – Hagar – when she became pregnant despised (looked down) on Sarai… vs. 4
    • Likely Hagar realized that Sarai considered the baby her own…
    • Like any mom – Hagar saw the baby as HERS alone…
    • Perhaps Hagar even felt she was the better wife for Abram – she could have kids…
    • Therefore – she despised Sarai because of the baby and because of Abram!
  • 2^nd – Sarai – took it out on Abram – my wrong be upon you (this is all your fault) … vs. 5
    • Sarai felt the scorn of Hagar – and perhaps the shame of being barren…
    • Rather than admitting this was all a terrible Idea – Sarai passes the blame…
    • The Lord will judge between you and me – (He will make you pay for doing this to me)!
    • So many times – when we fail – we want to blame anyone but us…
    • If we take the blame – then it means that we have to change…
    • It means we did something wrong – and need to repent and make it right…
    • But it is far easier to just pass the blame onto someone else…
    • Then we do not have to do anything – it was not our fault (or all at least all our fault)!
  • 3^rd – Abram – said she is YOUR servant – do with her what you like… vs. 6
    • Abram was no better than Sarai – and just as much to blame…
    • Rather than taking responsibility – he reminds Sarai Hagar is HER servant…
    • Abram took the easy way out – and put the blame on Hagar!
    • If we choose to follow the idea of someone else – and it does not go well…
    • They are not to blame – we were the ones who decided to follow them!
  • 4^th – Sarai dealt harshly (piel) with Hagar… vs. 6
    • Harshly – intensive / causative – she was REALLY hard on Hagar – driven by bitterness!
    • In response – rather than facing her part in all that had taken place – she ran away…
    • Her solution was to try and hide – but instead found herself in the wilderness!
    • Another way we deal with the consequences of a poor choice – run away…
    • Rather than facing the responsibility for our actions we hide from them…
    • Sometimes this means moving to a different place / new friends / new faces…
    • Sometimes it means hiding in a TV or alcohol…
    • Ultimately this never works – the Lord loves us too much to let it work…
    • We may avoid a problem for a while – but it will only come back again…
    • Even in some far away place – we are still there…
    • When we turn off the TV or sober up – we will still be there…
    • We cannot run from ourselves – therefore the problem will come back!
  • 5^th – The unbreakable connection…
    • Sarai said – Abram listened – Sarai took Hagar – gave her to Abram – Abram went…
      • Hagar conceived – Hagar saw she had a child – Hagar despised Sarai…
      • Sarai said judge (choose) – Abram said do what you will – Sarah dealt harshly with Hagar…
      • Then Hagar fled from the presence of Sarai and Abram!
      • All seven of these VERBS are connected in the Hebrew – sequential imperfect…
      • Meaning the moment Sarai opened up her mouth – the conclusion was unavoidable!
    • No one was innocent when it came to this this debacle of – helping out God!
      • Abram had set a bad example – Hagar in pride had grown to despise Sarai…
      • But Sarai is the one who started the process – her words led them all down a dark path!
      • Wives – never underestimate the power you have over your husbands…
      • Although it is the responsibility of the Husband to lead – he can easily be turned…
      • Peter tells us that wives should have an a gentle – we would say MEEK – spirit…
      • Meekness means having power – but not using it – instead depending on Jesus!
      • I Peter 3:4 – “The incorruptible beauty of a gentle [meek] and quiet spirit…”
• 3^rd – Finding Grace… vs. 7-16 (3 points)
  • 1^st – The Angel of the Lord met Hagar there and asked her… vs. 7-9
    • Where did you come from – in other words – what have you done…
      • God was holding Hagar accountable for her actions…
      • God knew that running from her problems would not solve anything!
    • Where are you going – in other words – what will you do next…
      • Hagar had no idea where she was going – she was just running away…
      • She could not run forever – at some point she had to face the consequences!
    • Go back (command) and submit (command) to Sarai…
      • How do you stop running – go back to where you ran away from…
      • When we make poor choices – the only answer is to face the consequences…
      • It may not seem like a pleasant idea – but when we humble ourselves…
      • It opens up the door for God to pour out His Grace into our lives – James 4:6 / I Peter 5:5
  • 2^nd – God gave Hagar three promises… vs. 10-12
    • You will have more descendants than you can count…
      • Her son would be the son of Abram – therefore he received the promise too…
      • Her son would have more children than could be counted…
      • God here shows Hagar Grace – she did not deserve the blessing / the promise…
      • But that is what Grace is all about – getting what we do NOT deserve!
      • Only the Lord can take a poor choice – and turn it into a blessing…
      • He can take a life that had nothing left but ashes – and make it beautiful!
      • Isaiah 63:1 – “Beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.”
    • You will have a son – Ishmael (God will hear) – for God heard about you…
      • I am sure at this point she felt very alone – isolated – abandoned…
      • Hagar was given the comfort the God heard about her!
      • When we run from our consequences – we are really running from the Lord…
      • We do NOT want to hear from the Bible – or pray – because we are reminded…
      • When we humble ourselves – we find that the Lord is there and listening!
    • Your son will be wild (donkey) – he will be against everyone and they will be against him…
      • There was no promise that her son would be easy to raise…
      • They were going to have a tough life submitting to Sarai – but God would be with them!
      • Galatians 6:7 – “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
      • The consequences of our actions do not always go away…
      • If we rob a bank – God will forgive us – but we will still go to prison…
      • But when we stop blaming others – stop running away…
      • We will find that even thought things might seem tough – the Lord is with us!
  • 3^rd – The one who sees… vs. 13-16
    • She called the name of the place – Beer Lahai Roi – the well of the God who sees…
    • For she said – I have seen the God who sees me!
    • Hagar returned to Sarai – and had a son – Abram named him Ishmael…
    • Abram was 86 years old when he was born!
• 4^th – 25 years later… vs. 1-2 (4 points)
  • 1^st – The LORD appeared to Abram… vs. 1
    • There were long gaps between times when God spoke to Abram – years!
    • I do not know about you – but I get impatient if I have to wait for an hour…
    • I cannot imagine waiting for the Lord fulfill His promise – for years!
    • But if the Lord gives us a promise – He will not go back on His Word…
    • Even if we do not see Him working – even if we do not hear from Him…
    • That does not mean that he will not be faithful to do the work!
    • II Corinthians 1:20 – “All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen…”
  • 2^nd – He said – I am Almighty God – El Shaddai (first time in OT) … vs. 1
    • God makes clear in His title that nothing is impossible for Him…
    • He is about to reconfirm promises to Abram that are impossible…
    • But that is not a problem because he is the God of the impossible!
    • There is no circumstance to difficult – or problem to overwhelming for God…
    • He turns sinners into saints – the week into the mighty – the lowly into the great…
    • The only thing that limits God – is us WAITING on and TRUSTING in him!
  • 3^rd – Walk before me blameless… vs. 1
    • Walk – hithpael imperative – commanded to cause yourself to walk before me…
    • Abram had a rough patch with the Ishmael debacle…
    • God is now going to reconfirm the covenant – do the impossible – give him a son…
    • But he had a part to play – he was to CHOSE to WALK before the Lord in holiness…
    • Stop following looking to the world – Egypt / Hagar – and put his FULL trust in the Lord!
    • What does it mean to walk blameless – be fruitful and grow in our knowledge of the Lord!
    • Colossians 1:10 – “Walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
  • 4^th – Confirming the covenant… vs. 2
    • God promised to make a covenant with Abram – he would multiply exceedingly…
      • This was no accidental encounter – the timing was specific – it came to pass (sequential) …
      • God chose to wait till Abram was 99 years old before meeting with him again…
      • No doubt at a point when Abram and Sarai had lost ALL hope in having their own child!
      • Abram was 75 years old when the Lord first game him the promise…
      • Abram was 85 when he had Ishmael – tried to fulfill the promise himself…
      • Now almost 25 years after the first promise – the hope of a child had long faded!
    • Often God will let things go far beyond our ability to handle them…
      • When God took the Israelites out of Egypt – He led them into a trap…
      • Mountains on the north and south – Egypt closing in behind – the Red Sea in front…
      • He let things get to the worst possible moment – before He acted!
      • Ever wonder why God did not act earlier – why wait till things got worse…
      • He does that just so that we can get to see Him do the impossible…
      • That is how we learn to trust in our God – El Shaddai!

• 5^th – A new name… vs. 3-6 (3 points)
  • 1^st – Abram fell on his face – and God spoke with him… vs. 3-4
    • He confirmed the covenant with Abram – he would be the father of MANY nations…
    • For that reason – God would change his name…
    • Abram – means exalted father / Abraham – means father of many nations!
    • Sarai princess / had her name changed to Sarah Queen – Genesis 17:15
    • Because from them would come NATIONS and KINGS!
  • 2^nd – God changed their names – in light of what He was going to do with them… vs. 5-6
    • Even though Abraham was not the Father of ANY nation yet – one day he would be!
    • Even though Sarai was not a Queen of ANY nation – one day her descendent would be!
    • This is not the only place in the Bible where we see a change in name…
    • The Apostle Peter (stone) was renamed by Jesus – from Simon (heard) – John 1:42
    • Apparently – Peter was not so good at listening – he was a little more like a rock…
    • The Apostle Paul (little) was renamed – from Saul (strong) – Acts 13:9
    • When he was filled with the Holy Spirit – he went from strong to little!
  • 3^rd – The purpose of the new name is not just a nick name – it a new character!
    • Proverbs 22:1 – “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…”
    • Perhaps we have a bit of reputation – a name that is not very respectable…
    • When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we become new creations!
    • II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
    • We are no longer the same person with the same old definition – same old name
    • We are now defined by Jesus – and one day we will get a name that matches!
    • Revelation 2:17 – “I will give him… a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”
    • We might think that we are not that different from what we used to be like…
    • Yet Jesus does not see us as we are – He sees us the way we will one day be – perfect!
    • He does not see us with the name we have – He sees us with the name He will give us!

• 6^th – The sign of the covenant… vs. 7-14 (3 points)
  • 1^st – An everlasting covenant… vs. 7-8
    • God gave His covenant promise – He would always be the God of the descendants of Abram…
    • And promises again – his descendants the land of Canaan as an eternal possession!
    • But Abraham – and his descendants after him – had a part they had to keep – circumcision!
  • 2^nd – Circumcision… vs. 9-13
    • The sign of the COVENANT would be that every male (free or slave) was circumcised…
      • God commanded that every male be circumcised on the 8^th day after birth…
      • Medical science has found the 8^th day is when it is the least painful and heals best…
      • As for the less painful part – at least the kids do not remember it!
    • It was a symbol – meant to show an outward change reflecting the inward heart…
      • In other words – it was not just about the act of circumcision – that was a picture…
      • It was a about the cutting away the sinful desires of the heart!
      • Colossians 2:11 – “When you came to Christ, you were circumcised, but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure—the cutting away of your sinful nature.”
      • Before we came to Jesus – we did what our sin wanted us to – we were slaves to sin…
      • We were bound and captive to the sinful desires of our heart – we did not know better…
      • We did not think about Jesus – how to live for Jesus – how to live a righteous life…
      • We did not trust in Jesus – we only knew how to trust in ourselves…
      • But when we accepted Jesus Christ – we died to that old sinful nature…
      • The sinful desires of our heart were cut off – so we were free to live for the Lord!
      • Romans 6:6 – “Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.”
    • Did you ever wonder why sins bother us now when they did not used to…
      • It used to be if we lied / or cheated / or were mean to others – it did not matter…
      • Yet now these things bother us – because we have been circumcised in our heart…
      • We are no longer bound to sin – but free to love and trust Jesus will all our heart…
      • That change of heart – circumcision of the heart – is the sign that we are a child of God!
  • 3^rd – Cut off… vs. 14
    • Any male who was not circumcised would be cut off…
    • They would become outcasts – no longer part of the covenant of God!
    • In other words – cut off the sinful nature of our heart – or we will be cut off from God…
    • If we are still acting like (or worse) than the world around us – where is Jesus…
    • If we are wondering where our walk with the Lord is – II Corinthians 13:5
    • Those who live in willful sin – ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives…
    • Galatians 5:19 – “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

• 7^th – Not Ishmael… vs. 15-22
  • 1^st – God again promised to give SARAH a son… vs. 15-17
    • Abraham laughed in his heart – can a man at 100 have a child – or a woman who is 90…
    • The laughter in his heart was in disbelief of what the Lord had said…
    • He just could not believe – now 25 years later – that he and Sarah could have a child…
    • It was not that he did not want a child – he just did not think it was possible!
    • Often when God give us His Word we laugh inside thinking – that is a nice thought…
    • But we really are thinking that it is impossible – it just cannot happen!
    • Maybe God has promised to take care of our needs – and we think how…
    • Or He promises if we wait on Him – He will give us a godly spouse – but when…
    • And we just laugh inside – thinking it just cannot happen!
  • 2^nd – May Ishmael live before you… vs. 18
    • Abraham offered his own efforts to the Lord – but God refused them…
    • Abraham was willing to settle for second best – God was not!
    • God was going to do exactly what He had promised – and that did not include Ishmael!
    • Though for the sake of Abraham – God would bless Ishmael – give him 12 sons (princes)
    • When the Lord tells us He wants to do a work – we tend to look at our ability…
    • We think – well I cannot do much Lord – but I will give you MY best…
    • But God does ask what we have to offer to Him (Ishmael)…
    • He tells us what He has to offer to us!
  • 3^rd – This time next year Sarah shall give you a son… vs. 19-27
    • His name shall be Isaac – laugher!
      • Taking a cue from Abraham response to the promise – God names his son…
      • Not only did God give Abraham a new name – and a new heart (circumcision) …
      • But He also gave to Abraham the promise – He gave him laughter – a son!
    • That very same day Abraham circumcised all the men in his house…
      • No small undertaking – remember that there were 318 men old enough to go to war…
      • But with his new name and new heart – Abraham was quick to trust in the Lord!
      • God Almighty – El Shaddai – wants to do a work in our lives…
      • He does not see us as who we are – He does not see us as we see ourselves…
      • He sees us with a new name – He sees us as He what we will be by His Grace…
      • He changes our heart – cuts away the sinful desires of our heart…
      • Giving us a heart to love / serve / and trust in Him!
      • Then He gives us laughter – the promise – as He does the impossible in our lives…
      • All in His perfect time!