EMBARRASSING RERUNS
Gen. 20:1-13,17
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Abraham bought himself a fancy new computer and was showing it to Isaac one day. "Look at all the wonderful programs it has on it. And look at all the neat things it can do."
2. Isaac was impressed but a little concerned. "But, Dad, I don't think your computer has enough memory."
3. Abraham said, "Don't worry, Son; the Lord will provide the RAM."
B. THESIS
1. When my boys were little, some relative gave them the old Star Wars trilogy. They must have watched it 100 times; they could quote each line. I’m amazed they could ever watch it again.
2. For me it’s like Thanksgiving Turkey – I can only eat it so many times. After that it becomes nauseating and I’ll feel like I’m getting sick to eat it.
3. As we read tonight’s text, you’ll recognize a rerun in the life of Abraham. Let’s find out it’s relevant to us.
4. The title of this message is “Embarrassing Reruns.”
C. TEXT
20 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, 2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. 3 But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” 4 Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.” 8 Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” 10 And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?” 11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.’” 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again.
I. ABRAHAM’S CHARACTER FLAW RESURFACES
A. ABRAHAM’S SIN
1. As you read this you get a vague sense of déjà vu; like this has happened before. Yes, it has.
2. In Gen. 12:10-20, Abraham & Sarah passed off the same story in Egypt with Pharaoh and his officials.
3. The results were much the same: Pharaoh took Sarah into his harem and God afflicted Pharaoh’s house with diseases.
B. WHAT IS HIS SIN?
1. ‘Fear’ drove Abraham to get his wife to lie and say they were brother & sister.
2. Probably it was a lack of faith in God’s preserving power (or unbelief) drove this decision.
C. SIN IS NO ONE’S FAULT BUT OUR OWN
1. Abraham was good at rationalization.
2. HIS THREE EXCUSES:
a. Thought, “There’s no fear of God in this place.”
b. They’ll kill me to get her.
c. “Besides, she really is my sister.” [“Technically, I didn’t lie.” However, he was trying to deceive them into thinking she WASN’T his wife!
3. Fear can drive you to do a lot of wrong things. Abraham also assumed the worst. That’s a trap many fall into. We should have faith and believe God for the best!
4. We’re all good at rationalizing our sins:
a. We SIDESTEP responsibility by pointing to our upbringing.
b. W shift BLAME to others, for the way we are.
c. We JUSTIFY OURSELVES – “everyone is doing it.”
d. COMPARE OURSELVES, “Compared with most people…”
. James 1:13-15 tempted “by his own evil desire.”
5. Satan will try to get you to fall again & again in the area of weakness.
D. SIN’S CONSEQUENCES
1. If this passage was your first exposure to Abraham & Abimelek, which would think was the most Righteous? Probably Abimelek!
2. CONSEQUENCES:
a. Abraham almost destroyed a large group of people.
b. Abraham damaged his character and testimony.
c. Abraham damaged his relationship with Sarah because he was willing to let her go home with another man, knowing the man’s intentions.
II. GOD’S GRACE: GREATER THAN HIS WEAKNESS
A. REVELATION TO ABIMELEK
1. God stepped into the situation by coming to Abimelek in a dream.
2. God has revealed Himself to those NOT His own people before, but always in connection with His people. Examples:
a. Pharaoh’s Dream – Joseph.
b. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream – Daniel.
c. Here
d. Pilate’s Wife – Lord Jesus.
3. God gave him notice of his danger/ sin.
a. “You are a dead man!” God saying meant that it must have been a literal fact.
b. Every willful sinner ought to be told that he/she is a dead man/ condemned.
4. Abimelek pleads IGNORANCE & INNOCENCE. See what confidence a man/ person can have before God if their heart
doesn’t condemn them!
5. It’s tough/ fearful to face God, even when you’re innocent.
B. RESTRAINING GRACE
1. God acknowledged his ignorance & innocency.
2. It’s a comfort to know that God gives credit to our good actions.
3. A STARTLING REPLY: “I withheld you from sinning against Me.”
4. How many times has God withheld you from sin? You would have often fallen had it not been for God.
5. Why had God restrained him? Because God knew that in his heart he wanted to do the right thing.
6. Even though Abraham was still going forward with sin, God was working to stop it.
7. It’s a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin.
III. STEPS TO DEALING WITH RECURRING SIN
A. ADMIT & CONFESS THE TRUTH
1. If Abraham had fully repented the first time it wouldn’t have recurred.
2. We must call sin, “sin,” no matter how small it may seem. To Abraham, he obviously didn’t see his misrepresentation as sin – but as being wise!
3. How wrong he was! God calls the ‘wisdom of this world’ foolishness! Let’s be as wise as serpents, but as harmless as doves!
B. AVOID TEMPTING SITUATIONS
1. Prob. lust? Be careful of the Internet!
2. Prob. ‘wasting time?’ Plan your use of time.
3. Prob. misusing money? Don’t carry your debit card!
4. Prob. gossip? Walk away when it starts.
5. HUMOR: Elijahs test.
a. The Sunday school teacher was explaining the story of Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal to her class. She explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the steer in pieces and laid it upon the altar.
b. And then Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this four times.
c. "Now, said the teacher, "can anyone in the class tell me why the Lord would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?"
d. A little girl raised her hand with great enthusiasm and said "To make the gravy!"
C. GET HELP FROM OTHERS
D. READ & MEMORIZE SCRIPTURES
E. DON’T GIVE UP
1. Repeated failures tempt us to give up.
2. Focus on the goal.
3. Remind yourself: Growth takes time.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: “LIKE SHEEP”
1. “One of my daily chores when I lived with my grandfather in northern Ghana was taking care of sheep. 2. Each morning I took them out to pasture and returned by evening. That was when I first noticed how stubborn sheep can be.
3. Whenever they saw crops growing, their instinct drove them right to it, getting me into trouble with the farmers.
4. Sometimes when I was tired from the heat and resting under a tree, they’d disperse into the bushes and head for the hills, causing me to have to chase them, scratching my skinny legs.
5. I had a hard time directing the animals away from danger and trouble, especially when robbers sometimes raided the field and stole stray sheep.
6. So I quite understand when Isaiah writes, “We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (53:6). Fortunately for us, we have a Good Shepherd!” [Our Daily Bread 5/26/16].
B. THE CALL
1. How many of you would like to avoid having embarrassing reruns of mistakes in your lives?
2. Let’s come to the altar and humble ourselves, asking God to deliver us from the stumbling blocks in our own natures that lead us to fall into sin.
[Reworked message originally by Bruce Goettsche]
