Abraham Father of Faith - 8

1. Abraham Father of Faith - 8 Destiny - God’s Choice Or Ours? Genesis chapter 21

2. The Birth of Isaac Genesis 21:1-5 MKJVAnd Jehovah visited Sarah as He had said. And Jehovah did to Sarah as He had spoken. (2) For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. (3) And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him (whom Sarah bore to him) Isaac. (4) And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. (5) And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

3. God’s Initiative • The birth of Isaac was God’s miracle • The birth of Isaac was in God’s time • The circumcision of Isaac was done at God’s command • God’s initiative is God’s responsibility – God would take care of Isaac! • And Jehovahdid to Sarah as He had spoken

4. Isaac’s Name Genesis 21:6-8 MKJVAnd Sarah said, God has made me laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me. (7) And she said, Who could have said to Abraham, will Sarah suckle children? For I have borne a son to him in his old age. (8) And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast the day that Isaac was weaned.

5. The God Of The “Ridiculous” • God does “the most ridiculous things” – things that astonish us, and things people might laugh at • A 99 year old woman having a baby • David defeating Goliath • Moses standing before Pharaoh saying “let my people go”. • A crucified man rising from the dead • Twelve fishermen from Galilee being asked to change the world

6. Destiny & Laughter • Many of God’s most famous promises and prophecies probably sounded “ridiculous” at the time e.g. Noah’s prediction of the end of the world. • Many great Christian leaders, scientists and inventors have been thought to be mad and their ideas “ridiculous” and “laughable” • When God works in you and through you it may sometimes seem weird, laughable, unimaginable or ludicrous • Remember Isaac! He made people laugh! Thomas Edison – many people laughed at his inventions and tenacity

7. Ishmael Sent Away Genesis 21:9-13 MKJVAnd Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian (whom she had borne to Abraham) mocking. (10) And she said to Abraham, Cast out this slave woman and her son. For the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son, with Isaac. (11) And the thing was very evil in Abraham's sight, because of his son. (12) And God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the boy and because of your slave woman. In all that Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice. For in Isaac your Seed shall be called. (13) And also, I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman, because he is your seed.

8. God Chooses, We Inherit • God chooses a certain “line” to inherit – in this case through Isaac (but He also blesses Ishmael) • God’s ultimate blessings and inheritance flow through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:3 • In Galatians 4:21-28 Paul applies this to us – we are the Isaac line because we are “born of the free woman”. The Jews are, spiritually speaking, of the Ishmael line because they are enslaved to the Law.

9. Two Covenants Galatians 4:21-28 MKJVTell me, those desiring to be under Law, do you not hear the Law? (22) For it is written: Abraham had two sons, the one out of the slave-woman, and one out of the free woman. (23) But, indeed, he out of the slave-woman has been born according to flesh, and he out of the free woman through the promise; (24) which things are being allegorized; for these are the two covenants, one indeed from Mount Sinai bringing forth to slavery, which is Hagar. (25) For Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in slavery with her children. (26) But the Jerusalem from above is free, who is the mother of us all. (27) For it is written, "Rejoice, barren one not bearing; break forth and shout, you not travailing; for more are the children of the desolate than she having the husband." (28) But brothers, we, like Isaac, are children of promise.

10. Lost In The Wilderness Genesis 21:14-16 MKJVAnd Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. And he gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. (15) And the water was gone in the bottle, and she cast the boy under one of the shrubs. (16) And she went and sat down across from him, a good way off, about a bowshot. For she said, Let me not see the death of the boy. And she sat across from him, and lifted up her voice, and cried.

11. Despair Despite God’s Promise • Hagar had been given a very great promise about Ishmael “he shall become a great nation” • So Ishmael quite simply WAS NOT going to perish in the wilderness! • Often before the promise is fulfilled it appears to vanish! • The dreams got give us may seem to “perish” but if they are of God – they WILL be fulfilled!

12. And God Was With The Boy Genesis 21:17-21 MKJVAnd God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of the heavens, and said to her, What ails you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. (18) Rise up, lift up the boy and hold him up with your hand, for I will make him a great nation. (19) And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave drink to the boy. (20) And God was with the boy, and he grew, and lived in the wilderness, and became an archer. (21) And he lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

13. The “Well” – Is Right There! • God opened Hagar’s eyes to see the solution • Her despair had blinded her to the obvious • God repeats His promise a third time and continues to bless Ishmael • There is always a solution but we have to believe it is there! • God may have to open our eyes to the obvious • God’s promises never fail for lack of essential resources – water, food, money people etc. • God always has a “Well” just around the corner!