Tawa Baptist

With God

Scripture: Genesis 21:22-34

Title: With God

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God is with Abraham
  • Dispute resolution – grace & truth
  • The everlasting God
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

When I was a boy my Dad was digging in our vegetable garden at home and he unearthed a Maori adze – a greenstone axe head

–         It was a very special find – quite unexpected

–         After that, I went digging too for hidden treasure, but alas I found nothing

–         It’s funny isn’t it – we could easily go to a museum, to look at an adze, but that is never as cool as finding one yourself in your own back yard

Today we pick up our sermon series on the life & faith of Abraham

–         This has been a rather interrupted series for various reasons but that’s okay – we are getting there

–         Abraham’s journey of faith can be described as two steps forward, one step back, with some sideways steps thrown in for good measure

–         Both this week’s story and next week’s represent forward steps

–         Today’s instalment focuses on Genesis 21, verses 22-34, where Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, makes a treaty with Abraham

–         At first glance this story seems a bit vanilla, a bit ordinary, just a backyard vegetable garden, nothing interesting here

–         I don’t want to talk it up too much but as I dug beneath the surface of this passage I found a couple of hidden treasures. From the NIV we read…

22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. 23 Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.” 24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized.  But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”

So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”

He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.” So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there.

After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

 May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

Three things happen in this little vignette:

  • – Abimelech approaches Abraham to make a treaty with him
  • – Abraham accepts this treaty and in the process settles a dispute
  • – And thirdly, Abraham worships the Lord, the Everlasting God.

 

God is with Abraham:

It is easier to chop wood with the grain

  • – Toast tastes better with butter
  • – We see things with the lights on
  • – Conversation goes smoother with food
  • – Perspective returns with rest
  • – Love grows with trust
  • – Grief fades with time
  • – Memory forms with repetition
  • – Truth finds a way in with grace
  • – Paint sticks with sanding
  • – Peace is sustained with justice
  • – Life finds meaning with God

With – it’s a versatile word and its one of those hidden treasures I was alluding to earlier

 

In verse 22 Abimelech and his general, Phicol, come to Abraham to make a peace treaty with him

  • – If you think about it, this is quite remarkable really
  • – Normally, with peace treaties, the party in the weaker position approaches the one in the stronger position
  • – Outwardly Abimelech appears to be in a stronger position than Abraham
  • – Abraham is a wandering shepherd – he doesn’t have a fortress or an army like Abimelech does and so we wouldn’t ordinarily expect Abimelech to approach Abraham, cap in hand, yet that’s what happens.
  • – Why then does Abimelech feel the need to do this?

Well, Abimelech gives his reason in verse 22 when he says to Abraham…

  • – “God is with you in everything you do”
  • – What does it mean that God is with Abraham

To be with someone is to be alongside them

  • – Not above them, forcing them to do things against their will
  • – And not below them, to be used like a human tool
  • – But beside them, freely acting in their interests and for their well being
  • – God is with Abraham, as a friend, standing in solidarity with him,

I’ve come up with a little acronym which outlines some of the characteristics we would expect to find when we are in a relationship with someone

  • – W is for wellbeing, I is for intimacy, T is for trust and H is for help

You know someone is with you when they are committed to your wellbeing

  • – When they share themselves intimately with you
  • – When they trust you
  • – And when they provide you with help
  • – Likewise you know you are truly with someone when you are committed to their wellbeing, even if there is nothing in it for you
  • – When you are able to be emotionally intimate with them,
  • – When you trust them deeply
  • – And when you are ready to help them should they need it

God’s ideal for marriage is that husband & wife be truly with one another

  • – Marriage is a commitment to mutual wellbeing, intimacy, trust and help

 

God was with Abraham and he wants to be with us

  • – One of the names of Jesus is Immanuel – which means ‘God with us’
  • – Jesus is, God with us
  • – In John 14 Jesus says to his disciples: I will ask the Father and he will send you another Counsellor to be with you forever
  • – The Counsellor Jesus is talking about here is the Holy Spirit or the Paraclete – that is, one who comes alongside to be with us

 

Returning to Genesis, how does Abimelech know that God is with Abraham?           

Some people might argue that Abraham’s wealth is evidence that God is with him – but I don’t think that’s it

  • – Yes, some people like Abraham do become wealthy because God blesses them, in that way, but wealth in itself is no indicator that God is with you
  • – People can become rich for a whole lot of reasons including being ruthless or working hard and making sacrifices or simply being in the right place at the right time
  • – By the same token, poverty or loss is no indicator of God’s absence
  • – The Scriptures tell us that God is near to the poor, the widow, the orphan, the refugee, and the broken hearted – they hold a special place in his heart

So the question remains: how then did Abimelech know that God was with Abraham?

  • – You may remember, in Genesis 20, how Abraham deceived Abimelech by saying that Sarah was his sister, all the while leaving out the part about her being his wife
  • – Abimelech unwittingly took Sarah into his harem but before he slept with her the Lord confronted Abimelech in a dream and told him to return Sarah to her husband, Abraham
  • – When he had done this Abraham prayed for Abimelech and the Lord healed Abimelech, his wife and the women in his household, so they could have children
  • – So that was one obvious sign, to Abimelech, that God was with Abraham

After this, Sarah became pregnant to Abraham and gave birth to Isaac

  • – Sarah was 90 years old when that happened
  • – Given that Sarah had gone past the age of menopause this was a miracle comparable to that of resurrection
  • – Sarah’s pregnancy at 90 and Isaac’s birth were another clear sign, to Abimelech, that God was with Abraham in a life-giving way

Consequently Abimelech makes a treaty with Abraham in order to align himself with Abraham’s God who holds the power of life & death

  • – Abimelech is looking for some insurance – a hedge against spiritual risk
  • – He doesn’t want to get on the wrong side of Abraham or his God
  • – Abimelech wants Abraham to deal honestly with him and to treat him with kindness

The Hebrew word translated as kindness here is hesed

–         We don’t really have one single word in English for hesed

–         It is a Jewish term which is sometimes translated as kindness, sometimes as mercy and other times as steadfast love or loyal (covenant) love

–         Hesed isn’t just an abstract concept though – it is an action, something tangible that one does for someone else’s well-being

Katherine Sakenfeld, who did her PhD on this subject, outlines the three main criteria of hesed… [1]

–         Firstly, the action is essential to the survival or the basic wellbeing of the recipient – so it’s not something you do to entertain a whim or a fancy

–         Secondly, the needed action is one that only the person doing the hesed is in a position to provide – given the circumstances no one else can do it

–         And thirdly, hesed takes place in the context of an existing relationship

 

Abimelech wants Abraham to make a solemn commitment to always treat him and his descendants with hesed – and Abraham quickly agrees

–         It appears Abimelech’s treaty provided Abraham with the opportunity to sort out a problem – a dispute over watering rights

–         And Abraham’s creative solution to this dispute un-earths another hidden treasure

 

Dispute resolution – grace & truth

Abraham had dug a well of water and Abimelech’s servants had seized it

–         Water wells were vitally important in that part of the world

–         Rain fall was seasonal – it wasn’t all year round – so wells were essential to the survival of people and animals alike

 

Abimelech wanted peace with Abraham but without justice there can be no peace – peace is sustained with justice

–         Therefore Abraham sought justice over the well

–         What’s interesting here is the way Abraham resolves this dispute – with truth and grace

–         Abraham doesn’t sweep the issue under the carpet – he doesn’t fudge the truth or pretend there is no problem

–         Rather he addresses the issue by speaking the truth

 

I imagine this was an awkward moment, especially for Abimelech

–         The Philistine king has just given a speech about how he has treated Abraham with ‘kindness’ or hesed and now he is learning that in actual fact his servants have done nothing of the sort

–         The servants have embarrassed Abimelech and the king is quick to plead ignorance, as he had done when God confronted him about Sarah

 

What happens next is quite unexpected – like finding a hidden treasure in a vegetable garden

–         Normally the one who has been wronged – in this case Abraham – would be owed some compensation

–         When Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham he gave Abraham 1000 pieces of silver by way of vindicating Sarah and compensating her

–         But in this situation Abraham doesn’t seek compensation for himself

–         He does the opposite – he compensates Abimelech by giving him 7 sheep

–         Abimelech is confused by this act of grace – he asks what does this mean

–         And Abraham explains that by accepting these sheep you are acknowledging the well is mine

Truth and grace you see

–         By taking Abraham’s well Abimelech’s servants had done an injustice to Abraham and brought shame on their master

–         To save face Abimelech might feel it necessary to punish his servants

–         But Abraham comes to the rescue of the men who seized his well by providing compensation on their behalf

–         In this way Abraham has preserved Abimelech’s honour and shielded the servants from punishment

–         Touched by Abraham’s act of grace, Abimelech and his servants will now stay away from Abraham’s well

Abraham’s act of grace toward his enemies is at the same time an act of hesed

 

Let me tell you a story…

–         Once there was a police officer who worked in a small town

–         This police officer had a son called Ned

–         Ned tended to get picked on at school because it was a small town and everyone knew who his Dad was

–         Ned responded to the treatment he got by becoming a bit of a rebel – he felt a strong urge to prove to everyone that he wasn’t like his dad

One day, to show how tough he was and how little he cared for the rules Ned stole an orange Mark 2, Ford Escort – and took it for a joy ride. He was 16 and still on his restricted.

The Escort was in mint condition – it was owned by a retired guy called Jim

–         Jim had plenty of time on his hands and had lovingly restored the car, partly because he liked that sort of thing but also because the car used to belong to his late wife and so he felt a sentimental attachment to it

–         It didn’t take much for Jim to figure out who had stolen his car – a neighbour saw Ned driving away in it

–         Jim didn’t react in the heat of the moment – he gave it a few days and thought about what he would do

–         On the one hand he didn’t want to ruin the boy’s life with a criminal record or a bad reputation but on the other hand there still needed to be some kind of consequence

–         Without justice there is no peace, for the victim or the perpetrator

In the end Jim called the policeman and asked him to come over to his house

–         Jim explained the situation, how Ned had been seen stealing his car four days ago

–         What Jim wanted was restoration – both for himself and Ned

–         If Ned was willing to admit what he had done and return the car, Jim would drop the matter

–         He just wanted his car back and for Ned to unburden his conscience

The policeman went home and confronted his son about it

–         Sure enough Ned knew where the Escort was, abandoned not far out of town in an old quarry

–         The car had a few more k’s on the clock and it needed a clean but apart from that it was okay

When Ned and his father returned the Escort to Jim they found him working on an old Cortina in his garage

–         Shame faced and embarrassed Ned made his apology and asked if there was anything he could do to make it up to Jim

–         Jim listened and said, ‘Yes, since you seem to like driving so much I bought this old Cortina for you. You can help me restore it.’

Ned was deeply touched by Jim’s act of grace and for the next six months they worked on the car together, after school and in the weekends

–         Ned stayed out of trouble and learned some skills at the same time

–         With a project to keep his mind occupied he didn’t worry so much about what others thought of him

–         In more than one way Jim put Ned on a life-giving path

 

It’s amazing what an act of hesed can do – the power of grace & truth, you see

 

Okay, so far we’ve heard how God was with Abraham

–         We’ve also heard how Abraham resolved a dispute in a creative way – with an act of hesed and in a spirit of truth & grace

–         Our passage this morning concludes with Abraham worshipping the Everlasting God

 

The Everlasting God:

At our church forum last November we had a time of prayer

  • – Just prior to that meeting one of our church members shared a vision they had seen of a giant cactus growing in this auditorium
  • – We are not entirely sure what the meaning of the vision is but we discussed it at the meeting and one of the things that came out was the resilience of the cactus plant
  • – Cacti have a number of good qualities including the ability to survive in very arid and desolate environments

 

In Genesis 21, verse 33, we read that Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and there he called upon the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God

Tamarisk trees have a deep-ranging root system which searches out water and enables the tree to survive in very dry conditions

  • – The fruit is a capsule with numerous seeds
  • – There are many varieties of tamarisk – some can grow as tall as 18 metres
  • – Tamarisks are valued for their ability to withstand drought and salty soil [2]
  • – They are a hardy tree often planted for shelter or feed
  • – The tamarisk is similar to a cactus plant in that it is resilient in harsh environments but it is perhaps even more versatile in that it provides a good wind break in the desert and its leaves can be eaten by livestock

 

Elsewhere in Genesis Abraham is noted as building an altar and calling on the name of the Lord – here he plants a tree and calls on the name of the Lord

  • – In this context planting a tree is like building an altar – it serves as a living memorial to the Everlasting God
  • – It’s a way saying: God is in this place, even a desolate dry place like Beersheba

Abraham probably chose to plant a tamarisk because it suited the environment but I can’t help noticing how Abraham is a bit like the tamarisk tree

  • – Through years of waiting in barrenness God has grown Abraham & Sarah’s faith strong & deep, like the root system of a tamarisk tree
  • – Abraham, who is now over a 100 years old, has moved from place to place in obedience to God’s call and he has shown resilience, prospering in even the harshest of environments
  • – Perhaps too the tamarisk tree is a parable for the nation of Israel
  • – Through Abraham, God was making a nation that would be resilient and life-giving – a source of shelter and sustenance to those who find themselves in the wilderness

 

Conclusion:

Sometimes our journey of faith can take us to barren, desolate, dry places

  • – Abraham’s story is similar to our story – it reminds us that God can still be found in the places we least expect

 

Let us pray…

  • – Everlasting God, resilient God, life-giving, hesed making God. God of grace & truth, justice & peace – be with us we ask
  • – May we be aware of your loving commitment to our well-being, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in
  • – Help us to discover you in unexpected places
  • – Fill us with your Spirit of grace & truth that we may settle our disputes and reconcile our differences in ways that are creative & life-giving
  • – May we be open to receive the help you provide, and ready to pass on your help where there is a need
  • – May we grow in our intimacy & trust with you and each other
  • – Through Jesus we pray, Amen.

 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    What does it mean that God was with Abraham?

–         How might we know that God is with us?

–         How is Jesus present with us today?

3.)    What is hesed? (E.g. what sorts of words begin to describe hesed, what three conditions need to be met for an act of hesed?)

–         Can you think of a time in your own life when you have been the recipient of hesed? What happened?

–         Is there someone you can do hesed for?

4.)    How did Abraham handle the dispute over the well?

–         What was unusual / creative about Abraham’s approach?

5.)    What is the significance of Abraham planting a tamarisk tree?

6.)    Discuss / reflect on the acronym W.I.T.H. (Well-being, Intimacy, Trust, Help)

–         Who do you need to be with this week, this month, this year?

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/10-june-2018-with-god

[1] Katherine Doob-Sakenfeld, Ruth, page 24

[2] https://www.britannica.com/plant/tamarisk

Tawa Baptist

Fear & Grace

Scripture: Genesis 20

Title: Fear & Grace

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Fear
  • Grace
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

In the 1980’s the NZ band Split Enz released a song called History Never Repeats

–         The chorus says: “History never repeats, tell myself before I go to sleep”

–         I’m not sure what the band had in mind when they wrote the song but it has always carried a sense of irony for me: History often repeats, despite what we might tell ourselves

This morning we pick up our series on the life of Abraham, from Genesis chapter 20 – page 22 near the front of your pew Bibles

–         Abraham’s journey of faith could be described as two steps forward, one step back – with a few sideways steps thrown in for good measure

–         Genesis 20 seems to be describing a backward step for Abraham

–         This is one of those occasions when history repeats itself

–         In Genesis 12 Abraham led Pharaoh to believe that he wasn’t married to Sarah, so that Pharaoh would treat him kindly

–         Now in Genesis 20 Abraham does the same thing by misleading king Abimelech. From Genesis 20, verse 1 we read…

 Abraham moved from Mamre to the southern part of Canaan and lived between Kadesh and Shur. Later, while he was living in Gerar, 2 he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. 3 One night God appeared to him in a dream and said, “You are going to die, because you have taken this woman; she is already married.”

4 But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, “Lord, I am innocent! Would you destroy me and my people? 5 Abraham himself said that she was his sister, and she said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience, and I have done no wrong.”

6 God replied in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did it with a clear conscience; so I kept you from sinning against me and did not let you touch her. 7 But now, give the woman back to her husband. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will not die. But if you do not give her back, I warn you that you are going to die, you and all your people.”

8 Early the next morning Abimelech called all his officials and told them what had happened, and they were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? What wrong have I done to you to make you bring this disaster on me and my kingdom? No one should ever do what you have done to me. 10 Why did you do it?”

11 Abraham answered, “I thought that there would be no one here who has reverence for God and that they would kill me to get my wife. 12 She really is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not of my mother, and I married her. 13 So when God sent me from my father’s house into foreign lands, I said to her, ‘You can show how loyal you are to me by telling everyone that I am your brother.’”

14 Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and at the same time he gave him sheep, cattle, and slaves. 15 He said to Abraham, “Here is my whole land; live anywhere you like.” 16 He said to Sarah, “I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver as proof to all who are with you that you are innocent; everyone will know that you have done no wrong.”

17-18 Because of what had happened to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, the Lord had made it impossible for any woman in Abimelech’s palace to have children. So Abraham prayed for Abimelech, and God healed him. He also healed his wife and his slave women, so that they could have children.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

We notice two themes in Genesis 20, fear & grace. First let’s consider fear…

 Fear:

Basically, fear is a feeling of distress caused by impending danger

–         In some ways fear is sort of the opposite of hope

–         Hope is a feeling of joy caused by impending satisfaction

 

Fear (like hope) comes from what we think or imagine might happen

–         When what we think or imagine is accurate & true, then fear protects us

–         For example, I imagine (quite accurately) that if I try to monkey climb the steel ‘I’ beams in this auditorium I will probably fall and hurt myself

–         This thought creates a feeling of distress which prevents me from attempting to climb the blue beams

 

By the same token, when what we think or imagine is inaccurate & untrue, then fear becomes something which puts us at risk

–         For example, if I were to imagine (quite wrongly) that the floor was covered in snakes then the feeling of distress caused by that thought might cause me to climb the walls, which would inevitably lead to me falling and hurting myself

 

With these two examples we see that fear can act as both a brake and an accelerator

–         Sometimes fear stops us doing things

–         Other times fear moves us to do things, at speed

 

The really disconcerting thing is that we are subject to what we fear – which means we are not usually in the driver’s seat

–         When we are afraid we are not the ones with our foot on the brake or the accelerator – we are the passenger

 

Fear is taxing – it sucks the life out of us, kind of like an anti-energy

–         For example, we may be afraid of failure and that fear motivates us to work extra hard to succeed, but at the same time it also stresses us out and exhausts us

 

The other thing fear does is it makes us forget, at least temporarily

–         Fear has this way of locking out every other thought

–         In Genesis 20 Abraham appears to forget God’s promise to make him a father of nations

–         He also seems to forget what happened with Pharaoh in Egypt

–         Abraham’s fear of being killed overwhelms him and he manages the feeling of distress by deceiving Abimelech

–         In verse 11 Abraham says, “I thought that there would be no one here who fears God and that they would kill me to get my wife.”

–         Given that the people of Sodom & Gomorrah had no fear of God we can understand why Abraham might think Abimelech was similar

–         But in this situation at least, Abraham’s fear is based on a false assumption and when our fear is based on a lie it inevitably leads us to put ourselves or others at risk

 

When you hear the word ‘Philistine’, what do you think of? [Wait]

–         The Philistine’s were an ancient race of people who we read about in the Bible – traditionally thought of as enemies of Israel

–         David killed the Philistine giant, Goliath

–         These days though the word ‘Philistine’ has come to mean someone who is hostile toward culture and the arts – sort of like a bogan

–         Someone who is uncouth or ignorant, perhaps even dangerous

 

This may be quite an unfair prejudice

–         King Abimelech was a Philistine and yet (in Genesis 20) he behaved better than Abraham

–         I’m not saying Abimelech was perfect – after all, he already had a wife and some concubines and then decided he would have Sarah as well, like an all you can eat smorgasbord

–         (I’m not sure that women had a lot of choice in the matter in those days)

 

Despite his rapacious appetite king Abimelech still had a moral code

–         Contrary to Abraham’s prejudice Abimelech did fear God

–         He was probably what we might call a good pagan

 

A pagan (by definition) lives in fear of the gods

–         A pagan lives with the feeling of constant distress, that if they put a foot wrong the gods will punish them

–         While we are not pagan, it’s not difficult for us to understand the utter exhaustion of living with constant fear

–         Anxiety is very much a part of the fabric of our society – it is epidemic today

 

To people in the ancient world (whatever their religion) adultery was a heinous crime – it was one of the worst sins you could think of

–         If you committed adultery in the ancient world you could expect a severe punishment, if not from the community then from the gods

 

Abimelech’s fear that God might kill him if he did commit adultery was accurate and true

–         When God told him in a dream that Sarah was married to Abraham, Abimelech was quick to point out that he didn’t know and he hadn’t touched her yet – he wasted no time in repentance

–         Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham with livestock and silver, not because he was feeling guilty, but out of fear & respect for God Almighty

 

You see fear is a form of respect – we are subject to what we fear

–         When we react in fear of something we are saying (often unconsciously) that the thing we fear has power over us

–         To fear God then is to say (in a very deep way) God is more powerful than I am and therefore I am subject to him

–         Abimelech’s fear of God caused him to bend his knee in submission and obedience to God

 

Fear of God is quite close to faith in God

–         Proverbs talks about the fear of God being the beginning of wisdom

–         Or to use a metaphor – if faith in God is the butterfly, then fear of God is the caterpillar. Before we can fly we must first crawl

–         Before we can learn to trust God we must first fear him

–         That is, we must first submit to God in the realisation that he is more powerful than anyone or anything else

–         I wonder if the pandemic of anxiety in our society today is partly due to the fact we have lost our fear of God

–         We have made ourselves subject to so many things (that aren’t God) and consequently we are afraid of many things

 

What we notice in Genesis 20 is that Abraham believed (temporarily – in that moment) that God was not the most powerful one in the neighbourhood and as a result he put Sarah’s virtue and God’s promise at risk

–         This is all upside down and back to front – here we have Abraham, a hero of the faith, showing more fear of man than of God

–         While king Abimelech, the Philistine – the one we least expect, fears God more than Abraham does

The lesson is: both fear of God and faith in God can be found anywhere – sometimes those outside the church have a greater fear of God than we do

–         I think of the Roman Centurion who said to Jesus:

–         “Lord do not trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof… But say the word and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes and that one, ‘Come’, and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does it.”

–         When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and… said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” [1]

 

There is something of God’s image (something noble) in everyone, even those we may write off as Philistines – but we have to be humble to see it

–         Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

 

Grace:

Okay, so far we have talked about Abraham’s fear of man and Abimelech’s fear of God

The other main theme running through these verses is grace – in particular God’s grace for Sarah & Abraham, as well as the Lord’s grace for Abimelech and his household

–         Grace is a gift, something we haven’t earned – it is undeserved favour

–         Grace is different from fear

–         Fear is the stick – grace is the carrot

–         Fear is about punishment – grace is about freedom

–         Fear makes us a passenger – grace puts us in the driver’s seat

–         Fear is a feeling of distress – grace is a feeling of humility

 

Once there was a boy, who we’ll call Hunter

–         Hunter came from a dysfunctional family

–         Dad wasn’t around anymore & Mum was preoccupied

–         Hunter was left to fend for himself most of the time

On benefit day (which was a Tuesday) there was usually something in the pantry, some instant noodles or budget bread

–         But by Thursday there wasn’t much food left in the house so Hunter went to school without lunch three days a week

–         Although he was really hungry he didn’t steal from the other kids because he didn’t want to get in trouble

–         He had been taken away from his mum and put into foster care once before and he didn’t want to do anything to risk that happening again

–         Foster care is a bit of a lottery – Fear kept him in check

Hunter’s teacher saw what was going on and quietly snuck sandwiches, biscuits & fruit into Hunter’s bag on Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays

–         At first Hunter didn’t realise how the food got there, but it didn’t take him long to figure it out

–         That teacher had always looked out for him – like a guardian angel

–         It made him feel strangely warm and humble inside

One day the winter show came to town

–         We don’t have winter shows in Wellington – it’s more of a regional town thing, with Ferris wheels, hot dogs, side shows and candy floss

–         Hunter couldn’t afford the ticket price but that didn’t stop him, there was always a hole in the fence somewhere he could squeeze through for free

–         He didn’t have money to go on any of the rides or buy any food – he just enjoyed being there, the sights, the sounds and the smells

As he walked along he noticed a purse on the ground – small enough to fit in your pocket. It had $40 inside and a lipstick

–         He could really use the money

–         Finders keepers, he thought to himself – whoever she was she wouldn’t miss it anyway

As he stood in line waiting to buy some hot chips he noticed his teacher, in the distance on the merry go round, with her family

–         She saw him and smiled – he looked away, suddenly conscience stricken

–         How could he steal this money when she had been so good to him?

–         Realising he couldn’t enjoy the chips now, he handed the purse in to lost property (with the money intact) and slipped out the gate feeling hungry

On Monday at school the teacher called the roll and, as usual, went round the room giving the kids a chance to talk about what they did in their weekend

–         Lots of people talked about going to the winter show and, as usual, Hunter said nothing

When everyone had finished the teacher shared her own news, saying that she had gone to the show with her 11 year daughter who had lost her purse

–         Her daughter was upset because there was $40 in the purse which she had earned from doing various odd jobs

–         Fortunately someone handed the purse in and all was well

Realising he had done something good Hunter smiled to himself as he looked at the ground, feeling strangely warm and humble inside.

 

God’s grace is manifold – it’s not one dimensional

–         It’s layered, like a trifle or filo pastry

We see God’s grace in the way the Lord appears to Abimelech in a dream, warning him of the danger he is in

–         In Genesis 12 God communicated with Pharaoh through sickness and disease but in Genesis 20 the Lord has a conversation with Abimelech

–         Probably because Abimelech is more willing to listen than Pharaoh was

 

One thing we notice is that God’s grace comes to Abimelech in the form of truth – Abraham had lied to Abimelech but God speaks the truth

–         Grace & truth go together with God

–         The Spirit of Jesus is a Spirit of grace & truth

–         Being told that he is at risk of committing adultery with Sarah is not an easy truth for Abimelech to face but there is grace in the timing of it

–         In fact, verse 6 tells us that God has kept Abimelech from sinning by not letting him touch Sarah

–         God has a wonderful way of saving us from temptation and delivering us from evil – diverting us in the nick of time, sort of like Hunter was diverted by a smile from his teacher

 

God’s grace in preventing Abimelech from sleeping with Sarah is at the same time an act of grace for Sarah & Abraham

–         Despite Abraham’s faithless action on this occasion the Lord still intervenes to protect Sarah and save Abraham’s life

 

I’m impressed with the way Abimelech restores the relationship with Abraham

–         After learning from God that Sarah is actually Abraham’s wife Abimelech calls Abraham in and asks for an explanation

–         While this was probably an awkward moment for Abraham it actually enables the two men to clear the air and makes it possible for Abraham to remain in the land

–         Pharaoh gave Abraham no such hearing – he simply sent Abraham & Sarah packing

 

In spite of the way Abraham insults Abimelech (saying, I thought there would be no one here who fears God) the Philistine king gives Abraham livestock, servants, the pick of pastureland & 1000 pieces of silver to vindicate Sarah

–         This silver in some way undoes any shame or slur on Sarah’s reputation

–         It is an incredible amount of money – more than most people would earn in their life time at that point in history

–         As mentioned before Abimelech’s generosity is more out of respect for God, than anything else

 

Finally we see God’s grace in the way the Lord answers Abraham’s prayer to heal Abimelech and his household so they could have children

–         God had promised that Abraham would be a blessing to the nations and this prayer of intercession is one example of that blessing

–         God’s gift of children for the Philistine royal family surely sounds a note of hope for Sarah & Abraham

–         If God is willing to do that for Abimelech, who has been promised nothing, then the Lord will surely make good on his word to Abraham & Sarah

 

Conclusion:

Fear & grace are part of our experience too

–         Although fear & grace are different they both have the power to humble us before God, as Abraham & Abimelech were humbled

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/29-april-2018-fear-grace

 

Questions for discussion & reflection

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    What is fear?

–         How does (or has) fear affected your life?

3.)    How might we manage the thoughts which govern our fear (in a healthy way)?

4.)    What is the relationship between fear of God and faith in God?

–         How are they similar? How are they different?

–         How might fear of God make us less anxious?

5.)    What is grace?

–         How is grace different from fear?

6.)    In what ways can you see God’s grace in Genesis 20?

7.)    Can you think of times when God has diverted you from making a mistake in the nick of time? (e.g. as he prevented Abimelech from committing adultery with Sarah)

–         What other ways have you experienced God’s grace in your life?

8.)    Take some time this week to thank God for the noble Philistines you’ve known

 

 

[1] Luke 7:6-9