We continue our series on Abraham this morning. If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Genesis 18, if you will.
As a part of today’s message, we have something special for you. At the end of today’s service, you will be invited to one of several locations in our worship center. Volunteers in our church have worked diligently to ensure you have something to take home with you today. They wanted to ensure the Lord spoke directly to you for your encouragement. Please wait for instructions at the end of today’s message.
Do you believe God can do the impossible? Pause and consider this more personal question: Do you believe God can do the impossible in your life?
Today’s Scripture
“And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. 9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.” (Genesis 18:1–15).
Over 100,000 text messages sent around February 14 of this year were finally delivered on just a few weeks ago. The delayed texts caused some awkward moments. One young man said he just received this message from a young lady, “Yes, I’d love to go out for Valentine’s Day.” He now knows why they never dated. Barbara Coll, from California, received a message from her sister that said that their now deceased mother was doing well. The message talked about planning to visit her mom. The whole mess-up had to do with a server going down around Valentine’s Day and coming back online in early November, some 9 months later.
Sarah receives a visit from God Himself. But like the text messages, she feels His visit was way too late. Do you believe God can do the impossible in your life?
1. God Makes the Invisible, Visible
One day, three strangers come to the tent of Abraham. The three travelers are the Lord and two angels, though that is not immediately apparent. The reason we think the two are angels is because our story continues into the next chapter where we are told about 2 angels (Genesis 19:1). Then there’s a tornado of activity in the middle of the hottest part of the day for Abraham shows incredible hospitality to his guests. Whether Abraham and Sarah know it immediately or not, God appears to them. The Lord Himself shows up in this couple’s life.
1.1. Abraham’s Vision
Now, God had already come to Abraham. Abraham had heard God speak and Abraham had witnessed God’s presence back in Genesis 15. The presence of God showed up in Abraham’s vision. The Bible records Abraham’s mood when God appears: “And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him” (Genesis 15:12b). God is pictured as a smoking fie pot and a flaming torch. Plus, God shows up again in Abraham’s life in Genesis 17 where He changes his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many nations), showing just how many children Abraham will have. He had come for Abraham there but now God comes to show Himself to Sarah.
1.2 Why a Second Visit?
Why does God do this? Why would God take the time to show up again? Why wouldn’t Sarah simply learn from her husband here? It’s not good enough to know God through somebody else. Sarah believes in God, but she doesn’t really believe God. She knows about God, but she doesn’t know God. Everything she knows about God has been through Abraham, and that’s not good enough.
You have to have your own encounter with God. You have to have your own experience of God with Jesus. You cannot rely on your parents’ experience, your spouse’s experience, or even your pastor’s experience. Second hand clothes may work for you and second hand car may save you money, but no one can have a second hand encounter with God. It’s not good enough to know God through somebody else. You have to know Him for yourself.
1. God Makes the Invisible, Visible
2. God Makes the Impossible, Possible
I love the way God lets the question hang out there in verse 14: “Is anything too hard for the Lord” (Genesis 18:14a)?
Like a balloon in the air, the question is there for us to ponder. Now remember, just before this that God catches Sarah laughing at His promise: The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ (Genesis 18:13). When you hear Sarah laugh, it’s a mixture of cynicism and disappointment with life. It’s a laugh that says in essence, “You’re too late.” You need to know that Sara could not have children for she was barren (Genesis 11:30). To really see what’s behind Sara’s laugh here, you have go back to see how this couple attempted to engineer a baby in their own efforts.
Sara was barren before God showed up and He made THE promise to Abraham. God made Sara barren and even Sara recognizes this for the very first time Sarah speaks in Scripture, she complains about her infertility in verse 2, “the LORD has prevented me from bearing children” (Genesis 16:2a). Sarah’s laugh is laugh that says, “You’re too late, God.”
The Timeline and the Pumpkin
We are just a few weeks removed from Halloween but it’s still fall. The beautiful weather is still with us and the heat of summer behind us. And nothing says, “It’s fall,” like just the right pumpkin. Gone are the days of the pumpkin patch but those of you who pick your pumpkin, you stand in front of a bunch of pumpkins at the Farmer’s Market or the grocery store. You mull over your decision of a pumpkin and you pick them up to see if they look good on every side. You may inspect your choice in every way to find the right one you’re happy with, right? Now, if you’re God and you’re choosing to your husband and wife team to restart the world with, you’d pick the right people, right? Like the pumpkin patch, you select the right couple. You might check to see if your chosen woman was infertile. Yet, God purposefully and intentionally selects Sara who is infertile. God goes out of His way to find an infertile women to populate the world with believers. God stood over the various women of the world the way you would a pumpkin and He found someone that no one else would have selected. He purposefully chooses a disadvantage from the “get-go.”
You and I see this from reading Genesis, but in “real time” Abraham and Sara don’t see God’s intentional choice here. All they see is a problem. I recently came across a Chinese proverb that says, “A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man made perfect without trials.”
We have a mighty God at the control room of the universe. There is not a random atom running in anarchy in the universe – not one! There’s no promise that God cannot keep and there’s no prayer too hard for God to answer. Faith isn’t really faith until it is tested.
THE Promise
God shows up out of nowhere and makes a world-changing, life-altering promise to Abraham. 5,500 years ago, the wheel was invented. 5,200 years ago, the first writing systems appear in history. More than a 1,000 years ago, gunpowder was used in warfare with the Chinese and was called “flying fire.” In 1886, the first gas-powered car was invented. In 1903, Orville & Wilber Wright fly for the first time. All of these are significant events in our history. But none are as monumental as the significance of when God spoke to Abraham. Yes, bigger than the wheel, the airplane, and even gunpowder.
“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3).
God makes some version of this promise to Abraham 13 times over the course of Abraham’s lifetime. Now, years go by after God makes this promise of a home and a family to Abraham. And every year the pressure builds for our couple. So they began to work the problem. Abraham is one of the greatest men in all the Bible. He is a man whom the Bible reveals had many bright spots of his life. His life serves often as an example of patient faith and obedience but he wasn’t perfect.
One fellow said that the only perfect person he ever knew was his wife's first husband.
Abraham’s successes are inspiring but his failures are informative. Abraham, as great as he was, was by no means a perfect man. He often made mistakes and stumbled in his walk with God. You can almost hear them saying, “If God isn’t going to open a door, then I’ll kick it in!”
Possibility #1: Eliezer
First, you see Abraham say, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus’” (Genesis 15:2b)? And then Abraham adds, “And Abram said, ‘Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir’” (Genesis 15:3). God says to Abraham: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir” (Genesis 15:4). God cuts Abraham off at the pass, if you will.
Possibility #2: Hagar
Ten years later, Sarah still not pregnant. So she has a suggestion – what if her husband, Abraham, has a child with her servant, Hagar. At his wife’s suggestion, Abraham and Hagar had relations with one another and she becomes pregnant. Ishmael is born and he’s around 13 years old.
Recently a man went to the doctor with severe burns on both sides of his face. The doctor asked how the man got the severe burns. The man said, “I was ironing when the phone rang. So I accidently picked up the iron instead of my phone.” The doctor said, “Well, what about the other side?” The man replied, “The man called back.” Some people just don’t learn, do they?
When Abraham and Sarah engineered Hagar, we later learn that Abraham had been trying to talk God into making Ishmael the chosen child for all these 13 years: “And Abraham said to God, ‘Oh that Ishmael might live before you’” (Genesis 17:18)!
Possibility #3: 25 Years
Nearly twenty-five years go by and Sarah still isn’t pregnant. Now, Abraham is 99 years old when God appears to Him a seceond time: “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child’” (Genesis 17:17)?
Abraham laughed at the idea before Sarah laughed. You have heard of “The Power Couple.” Well, they’re the laughing couple.
God waits twenty-five years from the time He makes the promise of a family before the Isaac is born – twenty-five years. Do you have any idea just how long twenty-five years are? The NY Times reported just a decade ago, that currently, you have less than a 50% chance of remaining married for twenty-five years.
A $100 bill only stays in circulation nine years in America.
As of 2016, the average American lived in their home on average of ten years. Your family dog will only live on average a little over ten years. Someone says, “What about cats? How long will my cat live?” Too long, your cat will live too long. Don’t worry about cats and stay focused with me ?.
Twenty-five years is 9,131 days. Twenty-five years is over thirteen million minutes. Twenty-five years is a long time.
Look carefully at all that God does here. God shuts off Eleizer, Abraham’s servant. He shuts off Hagar and Ishmael. He selects a woman incapable of having children, a woman that is barren and postmenopausal. And then He waits until the couple is so old that she is postmenopausal, and only then He announce: “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son” (Genesis 18:10). Is there anything too hard for God? God often requires the impossible before He makes His move.
I am reminded of how the prophet Elijah called down fire from Heaven but first he had his altar flooded with water, not once, not twice, but 3 times (1 Kings 18:32-35). Do you remember Gideon and his army of 10,000 men? About to go to battle against the enemy, but God says to Gideon, “You have too many men here. Some of these guys need to go home for if you win the battle with 10,000 men, you’ll think your abilities delivered you” (Judges 7:2). Jesus purposefully waited several more days when He heard Lazarus was sick. Once Lazarus died, Jesus walked up to his tomb and said, “Lazarus, come out” (John 11:43).
Is there anything too hard for God? God purposefully does things the impossible way. He does the impossible to show His tremendous grace and to keep us in a humble place.
There’s no promise that God cannot keep and there’s no prayer too hard for God to answer.
1. God Makes the Invisible, Visible
2. God Makes the Impossible, Possible
3. God Makes the Disappointed, Delighted
Here is a woman who is dissatisfied with how her life turned out. Only she knows, it’s too late to do anything about it. She lives her days in continual cynicism. In many ways, she was functionally depressed. Sara laughs at God but when God catches her in her scornful laugh, she denies it. Yet, God says, “Oh, yes you did.” It’s right here that God doubles down on His promise: “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son” (Genesis 18:14).
3.1 The Value of Sarah
What’s interesting to note is God’s question in verse 13: “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’” (Genesis 18:13). Here, the Lord is repeating Sarah’s question but He doesn’t repeat ALL of Sarah’s question. Look carefully at the part He omits: “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure” (Genesis 18:11-12)? But the Lord strains out all Sarah’s self-loathing. Did you notice that? God removes the parts of Sarah downplaying her self-worth. Again, when you meet Sarah, you meet a woman who was cynical. You meet a woman who downplays both God’s supernatural abilities but also her God-given special role. Sarah didn’t understand how special she was to God. She didn’t consider her true worth. God said she was valuable – if only she acted like it. She didn’t comprehend what a privilege the promise God had given Abraham and her.
3.2 Real Laughter
A year later, Sarah would laugh again but this laugh was so different in tone. Pick up reading with me in Genesis 21: “The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me” (Genesis 21:1-6).
Imagine you’re walking down the grocery aisle behind an old couple. She is on a walker and he is in a scooter and the two doddle along. Of all the aisles, these two are ambling their way down the baby aisle.
They pick up …
• pampers
• formulae
• bottles
• baby shampoo
• infant toys
• and baby powder
You would think to yourself, “These two are having a grandchild,” right? You can sense the joy spilling out of her here. Gone is the cynicism. It’s replaced by grace – sheer, magnificent grace. He does the impossible to show His tremendous grace and to keep us in a humble place.
3.3 Real Faith
Real faith challenges the status-quo. Real faith says, “I was made for more than this.” Real faith sees past obstacles to a brighter future God has in store for His children. Sarah was ninety years of age. And she had no faith. She wasn’t on her knees praying for her son; instead, she’d given up all hope of a child. She was laughing at God.
Don’t be like Sarah!
Sarah’s laugh points ahead to something even greater – a child born to a woman who had no husband and no relations. Do you remember what the angel told the Virgin Mary, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).
Conclusion
Would you stand to your feet? In just a moment, I am going to ask everyone to leave their seat and make it to one of the stations where there is a sealed envelope waiting for you. A team of volunteers from our church took the time to share these promises are sealed in envelopes.
God didn’t promise you land like He did to Abraham. God didn’t promise to become the mother of nations like He did Sarah. But God did make some incredible, life-changing promises to you. Pastors and deacons are near each table for you to pray with them. Today, we invite you to ask them how to receive Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Would you make your way now to grab your envelope now?
List of Bible promises in sealed envelopes.
1.) Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
1 Chronicles 16:34
2.) The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still. Exodus 14:14
3.) "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:56
4.) He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Hebrews 13:8
5.) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:7-8
6.) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
7.) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
8.) The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7
9.) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
10.) For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5
11.) Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
12.) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Rev 21:4
13.) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those that love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
14.) "I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God." Luke 12:8
15.) In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10
16.) In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33b
17.) The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18
18.) My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. John 10:29
19.) The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
20.) And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10
21.) And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
22.) It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8
23.) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2
24.) Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
25.) My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2
26.) He gives power to the faint, and to him who has not might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29
27.) And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. Psalm 50:15
28.) "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor 12:9
29.) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
30.) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Cor 10:13
There’s no promise that God cannot keep and there’s no prayer too hard for God to answer.
