And She Laughed

AND SHE LAUGHED

GENESIS 18: 1-15/ 21: 1-7 (17: 15-19)

MOTHER’S DAY MAY 11, 2003

INTRODUCTION: WHAT MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

My mother taught me RELIGION: When I spilled grape juice on the carpet, she instructed, "You better pray the stain will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me LOGIC: From her decisive words, "Because I said so, that’s why."

My mother taught me FORESIGHT: "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident."

My mother taught me IRONY: "Keep laughing, and I’ll give you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about STAMINA: "You’ll sit there ’til all that spinach is finished."

My mother taught me about WEATHER: "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: "Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about ENVY: "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have a wonderful Mom like you do!"

THANKS, MOM! Contributed by: Dana Chau

TEN THINGS A MOM DOESN’T WANT TO HEAR

1. I swallowed a goldfish.

2. Your lipstick works better than crayons.

3. Does grape juice leave a stain???

4. The principal called...

5. But DAD says that word all the time.

6. What’s it cost to fix a window???

7. Has anyone seen my earthworms???

8. I painted your shoes pretty, huh Mommy?

9. The dog doesn’t like dressing up in your clothes.

10. I’m moving out. (Well, maybe some days.)

TRANSITION THOUGHT: If a mother doesn’t have a sense of humor, she just might not make it? Today we gather to celebrate motherhood. We gather to realize that we would not be here without her. We gather to celebrate the goodness of motherhood and blessing of God realized through the gifts of moms. If any Secular Holiday could be considered sacred, I believe this is one of them. God surely knew that the plight of human kind would never be blessed or civilized without the gift of mothers. Today, with fear and trembling, I want to direct our thoughts toward what motherhood must be within the perspective of our faith in God.

I also want us to lighten up a bit and learn to laugh. Our heroine of the faith, Sarah, teaches us to laugh! Let’s dig into our text and learn to Laugh with Sarah!

THESIS SENTENCE: A MOTHER’S LAUGHTER IS PRAISE TO GOD!

I. A MOTHER’S LAUGHTER COMES FROM HEARING GOD’S PROMISE [Gen. 18: 9, 10, 12, and 14] (HIS PROMISE FORETOLD)

A. HEARING IS BEING CALLED BY NAME

1. Our text begins with a unique encounter. Abraham is a typical man. Sarah is hard at work in the tent and Abraham, having lost his remote for his television decides to kick back on the porch and take a lode off.

2. And who should appear, out in the middle of nowhere? Surely Abraham thought to himself, where did these three come from?

3. But in typical Bedouin fashion, Abraham greeted his guest and went about preparing something for them to eat and drink. He did not know who these strangers were.

4. Then something very interesting happens, they asked Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah (18:9)?” The text does not tell us that Abraham had told of his wife and according to the culture of the day, it would not have been appropriate to engage in such conversation.

5. God knows your name Ladies. He knows where you are and who you are. He knows your every need. Just listen to the text!!

B. HEARING IS THE PROMISE

1. If not overwhelming enough that these strangers knew Sarah’s name, “Then the Lord said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son (18:10).’”

2. In Genesis chapter 12, God called Abram, a seventy-five year old man, and promised to make him into a great nation. Sarah would obviously have a great part to play in this call.

3. According to Genesis chapter 15, at the age of eighty-five, still no offspring. 4. According to chapter 17, Abram is now ninety-nine years old and still has no offspring. BUT in verse 16 of chapter 17 we read, “I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

5. The promise is given to Abraham, his new name, and to Sarah, her new name, but did she know? Abraham laughs and maybe didn’t want to inflict any more pain on his barren wife and does not tell her the promised news.