Genesis 17-18:15 Sermon

Genesis 17:1-18:15

Sermon Notes

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The Sound of Laughter

7/15/2018

Lynchburg, Virginia

EXHORDIUM

This chapter is filled with laughter. Abraham laughs. Sarah laughs. And I think God gets the last laugh. God’s promise to Abram that he will have numerous descendants becomes increasingly clear. There is a promise of land and descendants. 

Abram has a son, Ishmael. But we know that Ishmael is an allegory of how we do things the wrong way while we are too impatient to wait upon God. Thus, Ishmael could not be the heir. 

Furthermore, God waits a very long time to bring about the promise through Sarah. He is like that. He gives life to empty wombs. Remember barren Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth and even a virgin, Mary, and their babies. And remember how many peoples and nations issue forth from these women by the promise of God.

Ishmael is the firstborn son of Abram but he cannot be the heir because he is neither the son of promise nor a son of faith. And so it is with all sons of the flesh. They shall not inherit so we know that the inheritance is by promise. But in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed.

EXEGESIS

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I amthe Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. ²And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. ³And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

         We fast forward about 13 years from our previous encounter with Abram and God. He was then 86 years old and he and Sarai contrived to get Abram a son through Hagar. 

Meal Laughter

Laughter around our Table is possible because of two things. Gratitude and peace. We are grateful for the food, for those who fixed it, for the nourishment it brings, for the flavor, for the way it looks on the plate, for the family and friends gathered there.

         But all of that is for nought if the table atmosphere is tense and cold. In fact, when you are out of fellowship with God or your family and friends, it easy to despise the good food and all that went in to preparing it. Remember the dwarves.

So, in order to laugh well at the table we need gratitude and we need peace. Let us then eat from this Table with gratitude for we are at peace with God and men.

Unbelief's Laugh

Many in our day are professional scoffers. They are practiced skeptics and just won’t believe anything, even when there is good reason to believe. How much more are we tempted to not believe those things that require faith?

But our faith is not blind faith. We might be encouraged to believe something that seems utterly impossible but we have good reasons for our belief. We believe based upon God’s Word, His promises, His good name and character. We know those things about God are true and are then enabled to believe, and thus know, the things we cannot see.

Are you skeptical of God’s goodness? Do you not believe He is a kind and gracious God? Did you laugh at God’s provision for you in the storm of life, seeing only the wind and the waves? 

Choose rather the laugh of faith. How can it be that my Lord would consider me? I know not but am thankful He does.

Standing Ground

The Revoice Conference will soon take place. There has been a great deal of controversy swirling around the stated theme and topics. 

This following is from the front page of the Revoice Conference website:

Revoice 2018-Supporting, encouraging, and empowering gay, lesbian, same-sex attracted and other LGBT Christians so they can flourish while observing the historic, Christian doctrine of marriage and sexuality. 

In light of the this sort of accommodation of false teaching on sexuality becoming increasingly common, our denomination, The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) has put out the following statement.

CREC Statement on Sexuality

CREC Statement on Sexuality

July 16, 2018

The CREC affirms the Bible’s teaching on the creation of man and woman and the establishment of the marriage relationship as only between one man and one woman. There are two sexes, male and female. We stand against all attempts to confuse the Bible’s clear teaching in this area. 

The CREC believes that Christians who struggle with various sexual temptations should receive ongoing pastoral care, including those who are tempted to engage in sexual perversions. At the same time, we believe that any teaching that combines LGBTQ identity with identity in Christ is completely unbiblical.

We believe that encouraging Christians who face certain sexual temptations to identify as lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders, whether in sexually active relationships or not, is unbiblical, and further, that this teaching will have destructive effects in the long term, both for individuals who follow it and for any Christian bodies that accommodate it. 

We exhort all ecclesiastical bodies to declare the Bible’s full and clear teaching on sexual behavior, whether in desires or actions, and to encourage individuals to repent of sinful desires and sexual behavior as they turn to Christ to resist temptation. 

We encourage patient pastoral care for struggling individuals who repent of their sins and seek to be obedient to Jesus.

We exhort the broader Christian Church, and particularly Reformed Churches, to hold their churches and pastors accountable to faithful biblical doctrine and practice in all areas of sexuality. 

Virgil Hurt

Presiding Minister of Council

Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC)

Genesis 16 Sermon

Gen. 16:1-16

Let God Judge

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July 8, 2018

Lynchburg, Virginia

EXHORDIUM

         This story is a divine reminder of waiting on the Lord. When we take matters in our own hands and justify our behavior, the result is a pile of trouble. All of the parties in this event are culpable for various sinful actions. And even in the sins, the Lord is gracious and kind to them. 

         We should learn at least two lessons from this passage. One, wait upon the Lord. Do not justify your bad behavior by impatience or blame shifting. Two, the Lord is gracious, kind, long-suffering and quick to forgive. Even though the parties here are guilty, Sarai, Abram and Hagar, God forgives them all and looks upon them with favor.

         We need to wait upon God and resist the desire to take things in our hands and sin. But if we do this, falling to our fallen human nature, then we need to humble ourselves before the Lord, receive His forgiveness and move on. He is able to overcome our sinful desires. 

         We need to also remember that there are dire consequences for sins, even after forgiveness is granted. The issues with Hagar and Ishmael do not end here when Hagar returns to Sarai. We have a later incident where we see the strife continues. Furthermore,

A Well in the Desert

God is watching over us for good. Do you feel famished for the Lord? Is your soul parched, athirst for the living God? Then be encouraged, this food is like a well in the dessert, it gives life when there is no hope for survival. 

         To be fed on Jesus is to have meat indeed. To drink of the blood of Christ is to possess the rivers of living water, from which, if a man drink, he shall never thirst again.

         In Christ, our bellies are satiated and our throats are quenched, for Jesus is the well of life for all who come to Him in faith.

The Lord Sees

We sometimes wonder if the Lord notices our distress or if He will deliver us from duress. He does notice. He sees us even if we have failed to see Him.

         Are you in distress? Is it not your fault? Perhaps a medical condition? Or, is it your fault, perhaps a sin that has led to further consequences with your spouse or children?

         Does the Lord not see and deliver? He does. And whether your duress is out of control or caused by your behavior, the Lord sees you, in Christ, with favor. He forgives, restores, heals and blesses. He is that sort of gracious, long suffering and merciful God.

Genesis 15 Sermon Notes

Genesis 15:1-21

Sermon Notes

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Faith Like Abraham

July 1, 2018

Lynchburg, Virginia

EXHORDIUM

         This passage has large ramifications for us today. The New Testament declares that all those who have faith like Abraham are children of Abraham. God’s promise to Abram was that he would have offspring from his own body. That offspring would be as the stars in number, a whole earth full of people.

         This people would fill up the land of Canaan. When Abram received this promise, he was already growing old as was his wife, Sarai. In earthly terms, the promise was looking unlikely. But, in fact, it was more than unlikely. God wanted it to be clear that in earthly terms, it was not only unlikely but impossible. That is why God delayed so long in bringing the promise to pass. It needed to be clear that Abraham and Sarah could not manufacture the blessing through earthly or manmade manipulation. They try to do this but God still works His Sovereign and miraculous will.

         Abram is an example of great faith.

Near To God

God desires that we be near Him. In the garden, Adam and Eve sinned and then went away from God. So, He came to them. Sin has driven us away from God, but we have been brought near, even to the Holy of Holies, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

         This nearness is the peace of knowing God as Father, Jesus as Savior, the Holy Spirit as Comforter. 

         We are His children and He is our good and kind Father. There is no better place than near to your loving Father in Heaven. Come to Him in Jesus name. Amen.

Near Sighted

Just as Job could only see up close, we, too, suffer from near sightedness. That is why we have to look into the distance of the future with faith. 

Abraham also looked at his present circumstances in dismay, “Me and my wife are old and no chance for an heir.” But both Job and Abraham were rewarded with blessing when it was clear that God was doing the work. When God spoke, they believed Him, and it was put to their account as righteousness.

It is difficult for us to look into the future for blessing. We can imagine all sorts of things that may or may not really be blessings to us. We may set our desires and hopes on the thing instead of the God of blessings. The trick is to trust God now for what lies ahead. We do not know what lies ahead but we know Him with whom we have to do. It is fitting to confess our fears, our imaginations, even our desires, be they ever so good, and truly put them in the hands of the Lord, putting our trust wholly in our good and kind Father in Heaven.