Mother's and the Promises of God
Text: Gen. 18:1-15; 21:1-7
Introduction
1. Illustration: Mothers are central to the success of the American family. Their love, dedication, and wisdom touch countless lives every day in every community throughout our land. And their love and guidance of children help to develop healthy and spiritually sound families. President John Quincy Adams once said, “All that I am my mother made me.” President Abraham Lincoln believed, “All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother. I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” These statements are just as true for the millions of Americans who credit their mothers for helping to successfully shape their lives (George W. Bush).
2. Many of us get strength from our Mother's, but where do they get their strength? They get it from the Lord!
3. In order to maintain that strength Mother's need to:
a. Practice the Presence of God
b. Trust the Promises of God
c. Experience the Joy of God
4. Read Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7
Proposition: Mother's deal with the difficulties of life through the strength they receive from the Lord.
Transition: The first thing that Mother's need to do is...
I. Mother's Need to Practice the Presence of God (18:1-8).
A. My Lord
1. As our test opens, it's focus is not on a mother, but on her husband. However, the truths we learn from this text are relevant for both men and women.
2. As the text begins we see, "The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day."
a. The word Lord in verse 3 is the Hebrew word adonay (Ross, 341).
b. This word is only used in the OT for God.
c. The Hebrew text leaves no room for doubt here, it is the Lord himself who appears to Abraham.
d. The three visitors came from another world to bring Abraham a message.
3. However, the most important aspect of this text is how Abraham responded to the visitors. First we learn, "He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground."
a. Abraham didn't just ignore them and just go about his business, but he dropped whatever he was doing and he ran to them.
b. He knew that this was a visitation from God himself, and he treated it as precious and special.
c. My Pastor before I went to Bible College used to refer to our devotions as "our daily appointment."
d. We need to look forward to that daily appointment as if it were the most important part of our day - because it is the most important part of our day.
e. It is that part of our day where we gather strength to meet the challenges of our day.
f. It is that part of our day where we put on the full armor of God to deal with the opposition of our day.
g. It is that part of our day where we receive the spiritual nourishment required for our day.
4. The second thing that Abraham did was he said, “My lord,...if it pleases you, stop here for a while. Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet."
a. Abraham begs the Lord to come and stay with him.
b. He knew that this was a special opportunity and he didn't want it to get away from him.
c. How often do we treat our devotional time as something we do it we have the time?
d. How often do we push the Lord into a corner and tell "Now stay there until I'm not so busy."
e. We need to treat that time not as luxury but as a necessity.
5. Notice what Abraham does next, "So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, 'Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.' Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it."
a. He didn't say, "Hey Sarah, why don't you see what we've got laying around."
b. He didn't say, "Hey Sarah, is there any of that meat loaf left from last week?"
c. No, he told Sarah, "Hurray and give the Lord the best we have to offer."
d. Don't give God your left over’s, give him your best.
e. Don't just give him a part of your day; give him the best part of your day!
B. God's Presence
1. Illustration: Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path" (Today in the Word, June 29, 1992).
2. Mother's, only in God's presence will you find the guidance and strength you need for the day.
a. Psalms 16:11 (NLT)
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
b. It is there that you will find strength.
c. It is there you will find joy.
d. It is there you will find answers to your questions.
e. It is there you will receive what you need.
3. Mother's only in God's presence will you find spiritual nourishment.
a. Psalms 42:1 (NLT)
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.
b. Just as the deer finds refreshment in the water, so you will find refreshment in God's presence.
c. Just as the deer maintains his strength from the water, so you will gain strength in God's presence.
d. Just as the deer needs the water, you need to spend time with God every day.
4. Mother's only in God's presence will you find the light to see in the darkness of life.
a. Psalms 119:105 (NLT)
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
b. Only in the Word will you be able to see the obstacles in your way.
c. Only in the Word will you find the wisdom to deal with everyday problems.
d. Only in the Word will you find the truth to combat the lies of the enemy.
Transition: Being a Mother isn't easy, and you will need God's strength to handle its challenges.
II. Mother's Need to Trust the Promises of God (18:9-15).
A. Why Did Sarah Laugh?
1. This is where Sarah comes into the story. The visitor's ask, “Where is Sarah, your wife,?” and Abraham responded, “She’s inside the tent.”
a. Now in case you are unfamiliar with the story, God had made Abraham a promise several years before this, and a part of that promise was that he would be the father of a great nation.
b. Genesis 12:2 (NLT)
I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
c. The only problem is that at this time they have no children. Last time I checked in order to be the father of a nation required lots of children - at least one!
2. So the Lord tells Abraham, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”
a. Now the thing that we miss in English is that the statement "I will return is emphatic.
b. It is more appropriately, "I WILL CERTIANLY RETURN..."
c. The Lord leaves no doubt that this will happen.
3. Only one problem with this, "Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children."
a. At this time in their lives, Abraham was about 99 years old and Sarah was 90.
b. Not exactly the child rearing years!
c. It would be like Lisa going over to visit Charlotte, and Charlotte announcing that she was going to have a baby brother!
4. Well Sarah did what you all just did, "So she laughed silently to herself and said, 'How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?'”
a. Sarah said, "Yeah, right!"
b. The pleasure she is talking about is the pleasure of having a child.
c. In this culture, even more so than our own culture, for a woman to be childless was considered almost like a curse.
d. Sarah is thinking to herself, I couldn't be so lucky as to have a child at my age.
5. Just when she thought no one could hear her, "the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
a. He asks, "why did she laugh?"
b. "Too hard" also means "too extraordinary, too marvelous" (Horton, CBL, 147).
c. What it boils down to is this, Sarah doubted that the Lord could cause her to conceive.
d. She thought there is no way humanly possible for me to have a child.
e. However, what she failed to realize is that even if it is not humanly possible, it is possible with God.
f. Mark 10:27 (NLT)
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
B. Trust and Not Doubt
1. Illustration: Sometimes children know more about trust than adults do.
a. Patrick, age 10, said, “Never trust a dog to watch your food.”
b. Michael, 14, said, “When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don’t answer him.”
c. Michael, wise man that he was also said, “Never tell your mom her diet’s not working.”
d. Randy, 9 years of age said, “Stay away from prunes.” One wonders how he discovered that bit of wisdom.
e. Naomi, 15 said, “If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.”
f. Joel, 10 years old, said, “Don’t pick on your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat.”
g. Eileen, age 8 said, “Never try to baptize a cat.”
2. Mother's need to trust God when they do not understand.
a. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
b. Trust him when you don't know what to do with your husband.
c. Trust him when you don't know what to do with you kids.
d. Trust him when you don't know how you're going to pay the bills.
e. Trust him when you don't understand why life happens the way it does sometimes.
3. Mother's need to trust God when they feel threatened.
a. Psalms 28:7 (NLT)
The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
b. He will be your defender.
c. He will be your counselor.
d. He will be your shield.
e. His Word will be your sword.
f. He will not allow anyone or anything to destroy you.
4. Mother's who trust in the Lord are an example for others.
a. Psalms 40:3 (NLT)
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.
b. Your trust will be a testimony to others.
c. Your trust will lead your husband to trust.
d. Your trust will lead your children to trust.
e. Your trust will lead your friends to trust.
f. Let your light shine before others and they will see your good works and praise your Father in heaven!
Transition: Another thing that Mother's should do is...
III. Mother's Need to Experience the Joy of God (21:1-7).
A. God Has Brought Me Laughter
1. In my mind there is nothing that can bring more joy than the miraculous hand of God at work.
2. In this chapter we see the end of the story, and it is a happy ending. It says in v. 1, "The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would."
a. We see in the first two verses of this chapter that God kept his promise to Sarah, and it is stressed by similar phrases that are repeated three times: 1)"kept His Word," 2)"exactly what he had promised," and 3)"at just the time he said he would."
b. The phrase "kept his word" is traditionally translated "visited" and refers to a divine intervention that alters someone's life.
c. This was a divine intervention that not only blessed Sarah, but many others, including us!
3. After he was born, "And Abraham named their son Isaac." And in verse 6 Sarah says, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me."
a. In the Hebrew text there is a remarkable play on words.
b. The name Isaac means "laughter."
c. It is not a laughter of unbelief and doubt like in chapter 18, but rather it is a laughter of joy.
d. His name would be a reminder of God's faithfulness and not their unbelief (Ross, 378).
4. She shows in v. 7 that she now trusts completely in the Lord's faithfulness and power. She says, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”
a. She now knows that there is nothing that God cannot do.
b. She realizes that what God has done in here life was not circumstance or coincidence, but it is nothing short of miraculous.
c. Psalms 86:8 (NLT)
8 No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do!
B. Laugh With God
1. Illustration: The opposite of joy is not sorrow, it is unbelief. - Leslie Weatherhead
2. A Mother's joy is not dependent on circumstances, but on the Lord.
a. James 1:2-4 (NLT)
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
b. It doesn't matter how much money you have in the bank.
c. It doesn't matter how big a house you live in.
d. It doesn't matter how appreciative your children are to you.
e. All that matters is that you lean upon Jesus!
3. A Mother's joy will cover a multitude of ills.
a. Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
b. A Mother filled with the joy of the Lord will chase the blues away.
c. A Mother filled with the joy of the Lord will make sicknesses easier.
d. A Mother filled with the joy of the Lord will make difficulties melt away.
e. A Mother filled with the joy of the Lord will never be alone.
4. A Mother's joy will be a source of strength.
a. Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT)
...for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
b. Strength for their children
c. Strength for their husband
d. Strength for other Mother's
Transition: Mom are you filled with the joy of the Lord?
Conclusion
1. Mother's need to:
a. Practice the presence of God
b. Trust the promises of God
c. Experience the joy of God
2. Mom are you:
a. Practicing the presence?
b. Trusting the promises?
c. Experiencing the joy?
4. Proverbs 31:30 (NLT)
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
