Abraham: The Schemer Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

Foolishness.

• The fear of man (vs 11)

• The rationalization of sin (vs 12)

• The old sinful nature (vs 13)

Faithfulness.

• They were kept safe (vs 14)

• Sarah was kept pure (vs 4-6)

• Abraham was recalled (vs 7)

Forgiveness.

• Abimelech forgives Abraham (vs 6-16)

• God forgives Abraham (vs 17)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• A man opened a new business and his best friend sent him a floral arrangement:

• When the friend popped in to see him a few days later;

• He was shocked to see that the shop had sent a card saying; “Rest in peace”.

• When he called the florist to complain.

• The florist said; “Well, it could be worse.

• Somewhere in the city is an arrangement in a cemetery that reads;

• “Congratulations on your new location”.

• TRANSITION: Mistakes of course, are part of life;

• Even the so-called greats have made them!

Ill:

• In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene II,

• Caesar asks Brutus, "What is't o'clock?" Brutus replies, "Caesar, 'its strucken eight."

• The great Bard had forgotten that mechanical clocks;

• Were not invented until 14 centuries after Caesar's death.

• So mistakes are part of life;

• And we will see in today’s passage that Abraham & Sarah are about to make a big one!

Now for Abraham & Sarah this chapter is Déjà vu:

• Abraham and his wife have already committed this type of mistake before;

• (You can read about it in Genesis chapter 12 verse 10 to chapter 13 verse 4)

• Years earlier they faced an almost identical situation;

• The choice to trust in God or to try scheming their way out of the situation.

• On that occasion instead of trusting God and relying on him;

• They lied, they schemed, they deceived!

• They tried to handle the situation in their own wisdom.

Note:

• As we pick up the story of Abraham and Sarah;

• There is a twenty-five year gap between these two incidents.

• The question that jumps out of the chapter is this one;

• Have they learnt to trust in God or will they make the same mistake.

• We all grow older in the faith, but God wants us to grow UP in our faith;

• Have they matured, have they a deeper confidence that God will meet their needs?

• For all believers life is very circular;

• God allows certain situations to reoccur in our lives;

• To see if we are just growing older in the faith,

• Or are we growing UP in our faith;

Ill:

• At a certain Children’s hospital;

• A boy had a reputation for wrecking havoc with the nurses and staff.

• Embarrassed by his behaviour his mother tried to blackmail him into being good.

• She made a deal with him,

• If you can behave for 24 hours;

• When I come back tomorrow I will give you a pound.

The next day the mother returned and looking her son straight in the eye said;

“I’m not going to ask the nurses or staff if you have behaved, I’m going to ask you.

You must tell me yourself, do you deserve the pound?”

• After a few minutes silence the boy said;

• “You had better give me 10p”

• TRANSITION: Maybe we can identify with that boy;

• Even after we have trusted Christ for many years:

• We can find ourselves making the same mistakes over and over again!

• Even though we should be at the stage of receiving the pound;

• Sadly, we are still struggling at the 10p, 20p 30p stage!

Stories in the Bible like this one in Genesis about God’s people failing;

• Are not there to encourage us to fail,

• Rather they are there as warnings,

• Reminding us again that we must always keep on trusting!

• The moment we think we have arrived, that we can handle it in our own strength;

• Then we are in big trouble! We are an accident waiting to happen!

• ill: A common road sign that you see says: ‘Work in progress’.

• I like that sign, it is a reminder;

• That was true for Abraham & Sarah and it is certainly true for us as Christians!

Quote: Alan Redpath:

“The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment,

the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime”.

• We are all works in progress;

• Who need to keep looking to God for strength and wisdom;

• And remember the dangers of being self-sufficient!

(1). Foolishness.

1“Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.”