Title: Quite Laughing
Theme: To show the importance of trusting God when we pray.
Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15
Introduction
The Lord called Abram and Sari out of the Ur of Chaldeans to go out into the land of Canaan. Genesis 12 describes this calling:
Genesis 12:1-3 Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. (2) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
1) I will make you a great nation 2) I will bless you 3) Make your name great 4) You shall be a blessing 5) I will bless those who bless you 6) I will curse those who curse you.
Max Lucado describes what it must have been like when Sarah first heard the news from Abraham that they were going to have a baby 24 years earlier.
“She gets excited. She visits the maternity shop and buys a few dresses. She plans her shower and remodels her tent … but no son. She eats a few birthday cakes and blows out a lot of candles … still no son. She goes through a decade of wall calendars … still no son. Finally the wallpaper in the nursery is faded and the baby furniture is several seasons out of date … and the topic of the promised child only brings sighs and tears and long looks into a silent sky.”
By the time we get to this passage it has been 24 years. 24 years of silent promises. 24 years of broken hearts. She has begun to accept that the promise that God has given was never going to happen. Or at least through her. She had been waiting. Did Abram really hear from God? We the prophet correct? Maybe she was not the right person. That is where Hagar and Ishmael came in.
Sarah Laughed
Now another reason for Sarah to laugh at God’s promise for a child was the long delay in the fulfillment of the promise. It had been 24 years since Abraham first heard the promise from God that he was going to be a father.
You know, long delays in a promise often leads to a weakened faith. You think will it ever happen? Has God forgotten?
Have you been there? Are you there now? At a point where you are laughing at God's promises. Questioning if it was really God in the first place.
.... the promise of a child yet the nursery is empty
..... the promise of peace yet the storms keep coming
.... the promise of salvation for your children yet they seem to get deeper and deeper
.... the promise of a spouse yet everyone you meet seems to hurt you more than hurt you
You may have been just like Sarah and thought, maybe it wasn't you, maybe you misunderstood. Maybe the prophet did get the right person. I am here to tell you today that the Lord says it is time to start digging the old wells. We have come to accustomed to let downs, and satisfied with a little.
So what do you do when you are at that point?
The Lord reminded me of two stories in the Bible where people had to deal with this. I think that there are some things we can learn from
Zachariah and the Angel in the Temple
The Bible says that Zachariah went the temple to fulfill his duty. He was faithful. Yet he was disappointed.
any he is in the temple praying he is visited by "the angel of the Lord".
Your Prayers are Heard
Luke 1:11) Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. (12) And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. (13) But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard;
Zacharias response and result
(18) And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." (19) And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. (20) But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."
Voice of Doubt
It is better not to say anything that speak with words of doubt.
David said in Psalms 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Matthew 12:24b For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
God's Word for Me
Lamentations 3:25-33 GOD proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. (26) It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from GOD. (27) It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times. (28) When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. (29) Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. (30) Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst. (31) Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. (32) If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. (33) He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way:
The Church and Peter
Peter was thrown into prison for preaching the gospel. So the church did what the church should have done , they went to prayer the Bible says:
Acts 12:7) Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. (8) Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me."
Churches response to Peter's freedom
(12) So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. (13) And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. (14) When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. (15) But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel." (16) Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
Our Solution - Open the Door
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
2 Peter 3:8-9 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (9) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, [10] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Elisha and King Joash - 2 Kings 13:14 - 19
Elisha had become sick. Joash was the king of Israel and he visited him to see what promise God had from him. He was worried. This was the prophet of the land.
2 Kings 13:15) And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and some arrows." So he took himself a bow and some arrows. (16) Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. (17) And he said, "Open the east window"; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot"; and he shot. And he said, "The arrow of the Lord's deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them." (18) Then he said, "Take the arrows"; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground"; so he struck three times, and stopped. (19) And the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times."
Lessons
1. Don't sell yourself short
2. It may seem strange but fulfill God's word
Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,” Think about that, more then you could even ask, more then you could dream…but here is the kicker, listen to the remainder of that verse, “according to the power that works in us, God can do more than you think by the power that He is working within you!
1 John 4:4 greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Philippians 4:13 says, “for I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Do you know whom you serve? God's Promises
Finally, I want to give you a few things you can be assured of when dealing with the promises of God. First, know that God is faithful and able to fulfill every promise He has made. 2Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us."
Romans 4:18-21 tells this about Abraham. It says, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” God has the power to do what He has said He will do!
Second, Know that God is not limited by your limitations. You may be 90 years old, but God can still use you for His glory.
David was to young, but God used him to kill a giant.
Moses couldn’t speak well, but God used him to lead millions of people out of bondage.
Paul was public enemy #1 of the church, but God used him to bring the Good news to the Gentiles. God can do anything, even if that anything is through you.
And finally, Know that nothing is impossible with God. You may be in an impossible situation right now with no apparent hope of it getting better. But God can do the impossible.
Verse of Faith
Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. (3) By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Let me share a few truths from this story about why doubting God is “no laughing matter.”
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
First of all, the Bible tells us “without faith it is impossible to please God.”
Those who seek God must believe that he exists, that He is who He says He is, and that He will reward those who seek him.”
rewarder - one who pays wages, a rewarder
Conclusion
What are you laughing at? Maybe it is time to come an reclaim those promises. Maybe it is time to come and drink from the well again.
