DON’T SETTLE FOR ISHMAEL WHEN YOU CAN HAVE ISAAC
GENESIS (15:1-4) 16:1-5
Compromise has literally crippled the body of Christ… We see it everywhere… We compromise for various reasons: lack of trust, lack of patience, peer pressure… But you need to understand today, that God has not called us to a life of compromise, but He has called us to be committed to whatever He has called us to do, and to stand on the promises that He has given to you…
In our text today, we have the ‘father of faith…’ struggling with compromise… Compromise: “to make a dishonorable or shameful concession…” God has called and destined him to be the ‘father of many nations…’ But yet he’s ready to settle for second best… That sounds a little like us, God has promised us great blessing… Powerful ministries… Great exploits… But instead we settle for what we can see… What we can understand… What we can manipulate… (Trying to say…) We’ve got to stop settling for Ishmael, when God has already promised us Isaac… What is it that makes us settle…?
I. LACK OF FAITH (v 1-2)
- Her faith was based on her immediate circumstances
- Her circumstances caused her to complain
- Her complaint led to her compromise
II. LEAN ON FLESH (v 3-5)
- Sarai followed her flesh (Gave Hagar to Abram)
- Abram fulfilled his flesh (Slept w/ Hagar)
- They all felt the fallout (Sarai despised Hagar/
Abram failed to take responsibility)
III. LOOK TO THE FATHER (Heb 12:1-2)
“Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us… Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Amp)
- Let go of whatever has out of the will of God
(Hagar & Ishmael)
- Look away from whatever does not line up with the
Word
- Look to the One who has already set the course
before you (His course was to be the father of
nations…)
What’s the big deal about the whole thing…? Wasn’t Ishmael also Abram’s son…? There’s a difference…
Ishmael
- What you produced (Your will: a son)
- What you settled for (Born out of compromise)
- What you understand (Needed someone who was fertile)
Isaac
- What God produced (His will: an heir)
- What God promised: (Born of the union He ordained)
- What God already knew before in the beginning (Rom 8:28-30)
