Why Are You Laughing?
Continuing with the series, “Questions?”
• First week, “Did God Really Say…?”
• Second week, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?”
• Both of these were questions asked in opposition to God’s plan and purpose
This week, we are going to look a little closer at a question that was asked by God himself.
• As we have said all through this series, when God asks a question, He knows the answer. The purpose behind the question is self-evaluation, to bring us back to reality.
• Like when God asked Adam and Eve, “Where are you?”
• Or when He asked Cain, “Where is your brother?” and “What have you done?”
The question we are going to explore today is, “Why Are You Laughing?”
• This isn’t God cowering in a corner like a child, “Stop laughing at me!”
• It is a declaration of authority at the foolishness of the laughter!
• I believe God is still asking the same question to the doubting, skeptical world of today!
• Soon the world will see that it is no laughing matter!
• I also believe He is asking it to the church today that somehow has fallen into a state of compromise, doubt and even making excuses for Him, while secretly scoffing at some of the promises ourselves!
Genesis 18:13 (NIV)
Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?'
But before I go too far with that, let’s look at the biblical origin of this question asked by God…
If I have found favor?
We all like the idea of being in God’s favor.
• Superstitions (Rabbit’s foot, Horseshoe)
• Some think it can be earned by good deeds.
• Others think it is some kind of secret selection process known only by God himself.
• To me the strongest case can be made that faith is the key to favor
Genesis 18:3 (NIV)
He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.
Abraham who asked this question (a question that we all have asked at some level) is a very interesting Character in the Bible.
• Abraham was a direct descendant of Shem the son of Noah
• At the age of 75 God called him out by faith to leave his people and set out to an unknown destination with the promise, He would bless him and make him a great nation.
• Abraham was a man of faith, but just like us, he had his moments of doubt
o When he and Sarah had to go to Egypt due to a famine, out of fear he had Sarah pose as his sister instead of his wife…
o He also had times of struggle with the promise of a son due to how long the fulfillment was in coming
o He got restless and tried to make the promise happen by his own means…
• Yet he was capable of moments of great faith! (Heb 11)
o By faith Abraham went to a land he did not know
o By faith Abraham believed God would fulfill the promise
o By faith he was willing to sacrifice the promise, believing God would raise Isaac up
The question Abraham asked God, “If I have found favor?” shows that after the original promise at the age of 75, that 25 years later even at the age of 100, there was still a glimmer of faith!
This morning, I have no doubt that most of us here today have that same question, “If I have found favor…?”
• That one thing that is a deep longing and often prayed for request
• You long for that promise you can hold on to
• Or maybe you received the promise and it has been a long time coming and doubts are creeping in and you are desperately trying to find a glimmer of faith that is can still happen for you!
• Deeds itself will not earn the favor, however, faith that produces deeds will!
• Keep the faith!
• Remember, we serve a God of the suddenly!
Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
In other words, “Found Favor”! (Found favor with)
Why are you laughing? (Will I really?)
True Faith doesn’t laugh at the impossible!
At 99 years of age and Sarah around 90, God at this encounter says that at this time next year, Sarah will have a son!
Genesis 18:11-13 (NIV)
Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?'
Sarah laughed at idea of God’s decades old promise finally being fulfilled.
Ecclesiastes says there’s a time to weep and a time to laugh but I don’t know if it’s ever appropriate to laugh at God, His Words, or His Promises.
• Have you ever been tempted to laugh at God?
• Perhaps when you look at your past while the power of God’s grace is being preached
• Or the promise that just as He cares for lilies and birds, He cares for you more and will meet your needs
• Maybe it is just the whole idea that the Bible is correct and science could be wrong in some key areas.
Anytime we ignore or discount the promises or the word of God, it’s really no different than Abraham & Sarah’s laughter.
You see Abraham didn’t laugh right then but he had already gotten the laughter out and had moved past it to faith.
Genesis 17:17 (NIV)
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"
Doubting God is never a “laughing matter”! Doubt is a poison we should do our best to avoid!
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
So laughter directed towards God can only be classified as extreme doubt and the absolute opposite of faith!
Now Sarah must have known in her heart that her laughter was wrong.
• She got pretty defensive when God asked the question “why did Sarah laugh?”
• She then follows up that mistake by lying about it!
It’s one thing to laugh at a teen-age shepherd boy waving a sling and wanting to challenge a giant.
Or to laugh at the idea that God could save from a fiery furnace or a Lion’s den.
But don’t laugh at the promises of the Creator and Maintainer of the universe.
When God comes to us with a promise or a command, he knows ahead of time the level of our faith and human frailty.
• That’s why He introduced himself with the name “El-Shaddai.” which means “God of the mountains” or “God Almighty.”
• Genesis 17:1 (NIV)
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.
There’s two powerful things that come out of these verses.
• Unbelief limits God’s ability to do mighty works through and for us
o You won’t step out and act if you don’t believe
• We can’t even begin to please God without faith.
Matthew 22:29 (NIV)
Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
In this case they could quote the word but did not understand nor have true faith in the heart of the promise.
• They were trying to find holes to fit their argument
• Not looking through the eyes of faith at the heart and nature of God
His Word is there to remind us of His nature and particular attributes that fit our need.
• If our financial present & future is in trouble or we’re hungry, he reminds us that He is our Provider. (Jehovah-Jireh)
• If we face physical danger He is our Defender, Shield, Shelter or Fortress. (machceh {makh-seh'};)
• If we are spiritually hungry or thirsty, He is our Bread and Living Water.
Whatever our need or crisis, we must remember and hold on to His nature in faith!
• He is more than able to handle it.
• So don’t laugh, or ignore, or disbelieve his Nature.
Don’t laugh at God’s Commands.
• The world laughs at them saying they are outdated and old fashioned
• The church as a whole is letting far too much of that creep in
• His commands are still His commands. (Not suggestions) (10 good ideas)
To walk before God (blameless) means to be constantly aware of his continual presence in our lives.
• We are told to be perfect but we know that is impossible.
• Would God ask us to do something that is impossible?
Matthew 5:48 (NIV)
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
PERFECT- here means to completely follow God and believe what He says.
But if you believe God is who he says He is,
• and believe that He keeps His promises,
• if you believe that His Holy Spirit resides in you to strengthen and empower you,
• then you will find miraculous strength to handle every temptation and trial you face.
• “Greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world.”
Sometimes as in Abraham and Sarah’s case, the promise can seem impossible!
• I don’t think even Ripley’s Believe it or Not or the Guinness book of world records would buy this story: a 100 year old man and 90 year old woman having their first baby!
• Which leads us to a question God asked that was designed to bolster their faith
Is anything too hard for God?
This question should be written on our hearts to bolster our faith and remind us of what we already know!
Genesis 21:1-3 (NIV)
Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.
Abraham believed God and all his incredible promises, and scripture says it was credited to him as righteousness.
What promises have you been holding on to?
• Don’t laugh, God can still make it happen
• God can save your prodigal children.
• He can still put that home back together.
• He can cause His peace to rule over that situation that seems so impossible.
Know His nature and have faith that God wants to bless you, make your name great, and multiply your spiritual gifts and your spiritual children.
He is preparing a place for you right now, a paradise that will last for eternity, and it’s nothing you can earn or deserve, but just something you have to believe and give thanks for.
What’s your need this morning.
• Do you feel like your relationship with God is not what it needs to be?
• Quit trusting everything else as your source instead of God
Serving God is no joke.
• He wants to work miracles in your life, in your spirit, and even in your body.
• Jesus bought you with His blood with the idea of making you a blood son and daughter of His family
• You can put your faith in His nature
Romans 4:21-25 (NIV)
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
