Tawa Baptist

God is faithful

Scripture: Genesis 21:1-21

Title: God is faithful

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God’s faithfulness to Sarah & Abraham
  • God’s faithfulness to Hagar & Ishmael
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

On the wall here is a picture of the newly elected Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad

–         At the age of 92 he is the oldest elected Prime Minister of all time

–         He looks in pretty good nick for 92 I reckon

–         This morning we continue our series on Abraham & Sarah, picking up their story from Genesis 21

–         By this stage Abraham is 100 years old and Sarah is 90

It has been about 25 years since Abraham left Haran in obedience to God’s call

–         More than once during that time God promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation

–         Because Sarah was unable to have children they did, on one occasion, take matters into their own hands and Abraham had a son (Ishmael) through Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar

–         But God made it clear that the son who would inherit God’s promises would come from Sarah

–         From Genesis chapter 21, verse 1 (in the NIV) we read…

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.

4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

 

On the face of it Genesis 21 tells the story of two mothers in very different circumstances

–         We don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface though to see God’s faithfulness at work

–         God is faithful in keeping his promise to Sarah & Abraham

–         And he is faithful in taking care of Hagar & Ishmael

God’s faithfulness to Sarah & Abraham:

On the wall here is the picture of a Cabbage Tree – an iconic sight on the NZ landscape. Some facts about Cabbage trees… [1]

–         The trunk of the cabbage tree is so fire-resistant that early European settlers used it to make chimneys for their huts.

–         Conveniently, too, the leaves made fine kindling.

–         Cabbage trees have a strong root system which gives the tree stability and helps stop soil erosion on steep slopes and along river banks.

–         Māori used cabbage trees for food and medicine. The root, stem and top are all edible, a good source of starch and sugar, while the leaves can be made into tea to cure diarrhoea and dysentery

–         Cabbage trees generally live for a long time – there’s one in Golden Bay that is thought to be between 400 – 500 years old.

 

We have a cabbage tree along the boundary of our section

–         Just over a year ago I cut the trunk off about a metre from the ground because it was becoming a problem to my neighbour

–         Given I had pruned it so hard I thought it would die – but it didn’t

 

The root system is so strong it regenerated new leaves straight out of the trunk where I had cut it off.

–         This is a picture of the regrowth. The tree has resurrection properties

 

In some ways Sarah & Abraham remind me of the humble NZ cabbage tree

–         I don’t know if they had a cure for diarrhoea but they were hardy souls

–         They had longevity, a strong root system and a God given ability to regenerate when they had been cut off at the stump

 

At the age of 90, and after a lifetime of disappointment, Sarah becomes a mother for the first time

–         This is nothing short of a miracle of God

–         Although Sarah & Abraham were probably in pretty good condition for their age Sarah had been through menopause and shouldn’t have been able to conceive – yet God, in faithfulness to his promises, made it possible for her to give birth to a son

–         The miracle of Isaac’s birth is on a par with the virgin birth of Jesus and the miracle of his resurrection

 

The message here at the beginning of Genesis 21 is that God is faithful – he keeps his promises, and when promises are kept trust is strengthened

 

You may be wondering why God made Sarah & Abraham wait so long

–         Why wait until Sarah’s biological clock had stopped ticking?

–         That’s sort of like cutting her off at the trunk

–         Why not just give them a child when they were young and could handle the sleepless nights?

–         Well, I think God may have been developing their root system

–         The longer we have to wait for God the deeper the roots of our faith grow

–         If God fulfilled is promises to us too quickly the roots of our faith wouldn’t have the time they need to develop properly

–         When the roots of our faith grow deep the tree of our life (that is, our relationship with God) is stronger and more stable – better able to handle the pruning’s of life

 

Genesis 21 gives three reactions to Isaac’s birth

–         Praise, obedience and scorn

 

In verse 6 Sarah responds in joyful praise saying…

–         “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 …Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

 

Isaac’s name means ‘laughter’

–         A year earlier Sarah had laughed in disbelief when God predicted she would give birth to a son

–         Now, a year on, she laughs in gratitude and praise at the miracle God has performed – no one would’ve thought she would become a mother at 90

–         Notice how Sarah refers to herself nursing ‘children’ – not just a child

–         Isaac was Sarah’s first and only child – why then does she refer to herself as the mother of children (plural)?

–         Well, since God fulfilled his promise to Sarah her eyes have been opened, in faith, to see a nation being born through Isaac

 

Sarah responds in joyful praise and Abraham responds in obedience

–         Abraham named his son Isaac and circumcised him at 8 days old as God commanded him

–         Circumcision, we remember, is the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham – obedience follows faith

 

Sarah’s praise & Abraham’s obedience are fitting and appropriate but Ishmael, Isaac’s older half-brother, mocks Isaac (he treats him with scorn)

–         Ishmael (who incidentally isn’t named at all in this passage) laughs at Isaac but not in a good way

–         To give you some context Isaac is about 2 or 3 years old at this stage and Ishmael is about 16 or 17 – so it’s not a good look for Ishmael

 

When Sarah sees this she tells Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael packing

–         This may seem like an over-reaction on Sarah’s part but we need to remember that 16 or 17 years earlier Hagar had treated Sarah with similar contempt when Hagar had a son and Sarah couldn’t

–         So this touches on an old wound for Sarah and old wounds are often the most sensitive

–         It seems to Sarah that Ishmael is following in his mother, Hagar’s, footsteps – Sarah doesn’t want her son bullied

 

This puts Abraham in a difficult position – he is the meat in the sandwich between two people he loves – between Ishmael and Sarah

–         Whatever choice he makes he loses

 

But God tells Abraham to listen to Sarah because Isaac is the one to inherit the covenant

–         God, in his grace, makes it easier for Abraham by reassuring him that he will take care of Ishmael

 

Sending Hagar & Ishmael away like this might seem a bit harsh to us (through our super sensitive, over anxious, 21st Century lens) but we need to look at God’s action practically & theologically

 

Practically, it’s not really going to work for Hagar & Ishmael to stay – it’s already problematic and (as Sarah can see) it’s only going to get worse

 

Theologically, by separating Isaac & Ishmael God is performing an act of creation

–         You remember in Genesis 1 God created by separating things: light from darkness, earth from sky, land from water

–         Separating Isaac & Ishmael was necessary for the creation of Israel

 

The other theological point not to be missed here is that God is asking Abraham to trust him – God is testing Abraham’s faith

–         In a sense God is asking Abraham to sacrifice Ishmael

–         Later in Genesis 22 God will ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac

–         Will the roots of Abraham’s faith run deep enough to obey God?

–         On this occasion Abraham passes the test – first thing the next morning he sends Hagar & their teenage son, Ishmael, away with some food & water

 

God’s faithfulness to Hagar & Ishmael:

In 1980 the pop band Abba released a song called “The winner takes it all”

–         It’s one of their sad songs

–         Bjorn wrote it after separating from his wife and fellow band member, Agnetha

–         It’s about a divorce where one person doesn’t want to separate and clings desperately to the marriage

–         Bjorn said: “I had this image of a man walking through an empty house with all the furniture removed for the last time as the symbol of divorce and just describing what I see.”

–         The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall…

–         To the one who doesn’t want the marriage to end it feels like they are the loser and the other partner (the winner) takes it all

–         It is a feeling of powerlessness, of hopelessness

–         Having said that, Bjorn insisted the song wasn’t about him & Agnetha, it was more of a fictional imagining

–         In reality there are no winners in divorce

 

Hagar wasn’t officially married to Abraham but she may as well have been – she couldn’t marry anyone else and yet was forced to separate from him

–         We don’t know if she loved him but we can be pretty sure that, as a single woman at that time in history, she was vulnerable on her own, without a husband to protect her or a welfare system to provide for her

–         I imagine, that to Hagar, it must have felt like Sarah was the winner who took it all and she was the loser who took the fall

 

Now at this point we may feel some sympathy for Hagar & Ishmael

–         While they weren’t perfect they do seem to get a raw deal

–         It’s not like Abraham was paying child support or maintenance – he just sent her off with food & water to last a couple of days (good bye & good luck)

 

We might also be looking at God sideways because he seems to condone Hagar & Ishmael being sent away

–         Well, I don’t think we can blame God for this situation

–         Through the history of their relationship together Sarah & Abraham, along with Hagar & Ishmael have all made some poor choices which have resulted in a less than ideal situation for everyone

–         God is now in the position of having to work with the choices other people have made – God is having to make the best of a bad situation

 

Interestingly, God does not come to Hagar & Ishmael’s rescue immediately

–         God waits until both the boy and his mother are at the end of their rope and crying out in despair. What was it Jesus said?

–         Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

–         Hagar & Ishmael are poor in spirit and they know it

–         I think God waits for us come to the end of our own resources, before stepping in to help, so that we will learn the vital lesson that our life depends on him – that we can’t save ourselves  

–         You see it’s an awareness of our need that brings us to God

 

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

 

This is the second time the angel of the Lord has called to Hagar – the first time was in Genesis 16

–         Hagar is a foreigner, an outsider and a servant – she is literally down & out, but God is attentive to her and to Ishmael

–         More than simply being attentive though, God is faithful and provides

 

The angel of the Lord says five things to Hagar…

 

What’s the matter Hagar?

–         God knows Hagar’s name and calls her by name

–         In the ancient world, to know someone’s name was to know their character, to know what they are like on the inside.

–         God knows your name too – he gets you, he understands

 

Do not be afraid

–         Do not let your thoughts run wild. Do not anticipate the worst. Be calm

 

God has heard the boy as he lies there

–         In other words, God is listening. He understands your situation and your concerns for your son – you both have his attention

 

Lift up the boy and take him by the hand

–         God gives Hagar something to do – he basically says, ‘You’ve got an important role to play in your son’s life. Don’t abandon your son. Your job is to lift your child up’

–         I love that. Whether you are a single parent or parenting with someone else, your job is to lift your children up and take them by the hand

 

‘Lift your child up’ could mean speaking words that build them up, that encourage them, words that help them to see a perspective beyond the little piece of dirt they are sitting on at this present moment

–         ‘Lift your child up’ might also mean helping them practically with things until they get the hang of it themselves, setting them up to succeed

 

‘Take them by the hand’ means leading them gently in the way they should go.

–         We shouldn’t drive our kids with threats or pressure

–         Take them by the hand. Walk with them.

–         We don’t need to be hovering over them all the time, but it is helpful to listen and be present when they need us

 

…for I will make him into a great nation.

–         In saying this God is giving Hagar hope – the future is bright

–         From our perspective in history we see the fulfilment of this – the Arab nations claim descent from Ishmael

 

God then opens Hagar’s eyes to see the next step (that was always there) – a well from which she can draw water

–         Interesting that God doesn’t give a detailed plan in advance

–         He doesn’t spell out to Hagar how she and Ishmael will go from utter despair to being a great nation – God simply shows her the next little step

–         Refill your water skin and give your son a drink

 

Conclusion:

Genesis 21 tells the story of two mothers in very different circumstances.

–         In this respect it reflects our experience too…

For some (like Sarah) mothers’ day is a happy time of laughter and family gathering.

–         If you find yourself in Sarah’s position then you need be free to praise God and to celebrate, without feeling bad about that

–         There is no sin in showing gratitude

 

For others (like Hagar) mothers’ day only highlights what is lost or perhaps never was.

–         If you find yourself in Hagar’s position, a solo parent, feeling alone and overwhelmed by your problems, in a place of dryness and utter despair

–         God knows you by name – he understands

–         Don’t try and solve everything at once, just take little steps

–         First cry out to God – he is big enough to handle your heartbreak

–         Then open your eyes – look around

–         Find the well (the source of refreshment) God has provided – it might be right in front of you

–         Drink your fill, refresh your child, lift up those in your care.

 

And then there are those (like Abraham) who feel torn and in an impossible situation – the meat in the sandwich, perhaps caring deeply for two parents who no longer care for each other

–         If you are a daughter or a son and you find yourself in that situation then I want to say to you, ‘Unlike Abraham, you don’t have to choose’

–         It doesn’t always have to be either / or, it can be both / and

–         What transpires between your parents is their problem to solve, not yours

–         You need to be free to love, honour & forgive both your mum & your dad

 

We are so accustomed to thinking of God as a Father because that is the way the Bible usually presents God to us

–         But the Bible does at times shine a light on the motherly nature of God

–         In Isaiah 49, verse 15 we read:

–         “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.”

–         In this verse God is saying to his people in exile, I love you like a mother (to the moon and back)

–         Whatever feelings mothers’ day touches for you, God is faithful, even more faithful than your mother.

 

Questions for discussion & reflection

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

2.)    In what ways was God faithful to Sarah & Abraham?

–          In what ways has God been faithful to you over the years?

3.)    Discuss the three reactions to Isaac’s birth (i.e. praise, obedience & scorn/mocking)

–         How can we respond to God’s faithfulness to us?

4.)    Why do you think God agrees with Sarah in telling Abraham to send Hagar & Ishmael away? (e.g. theological & practical reasons)

5.)    In what ways is God faithful to Hagar & Ishmael?

6.)    What does it mean to ‘lift up your child and take them by the hand’?

(Think of some practical examples)

7.)     What feelings does mothers’ day touch for you?

–         Who do you identify with most in this story and why?

8.)    Take some time this week to reflect on Isaiah 49:15 and the motherly aspects of God’s character

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/13-may-2018-god-is-faithful

[1] https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/cabbage-tree-ti-kouka/

Tawa Baptist

Hagar & Sarai

Scripture: Genesis 16

 

Title: Sarai & Hagar

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Hagar and Sarai
  • Hagar and the angel
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

Over the past few weeks we have been working our way through the story of Abram, in Genesis

–         Near the beginning of this series I talked about Abram’s journey of faith (and ours) being characterised as two steps forward, one step back

–         Our journey of faith isn’t always linear or straight forward – sometimes we get side tracked or go in circles

–         Other times we seem to be making good progress in the right direction only to become stalled in our faith or even to regress

–         Faith is a journey – two steps forward, one step back

 

When Abram followed God’s call to leave his homeland and trust the Lord with an unknown future that was a step forward

–         Then when Abram faced famine in the land he took a step back by going to Egypt and deceiving Pharaoh

–         Since returning from Egypt Abram has been moving forward in his faith, with his amicable separation from Lot and then his rescue of Lot

–         Last week we heard how God made a covenant with Abram – another positive step

–         Today though Abram & Sarai take a step backward as they try to provide a son and heir in their own strength

–         From Genesis 16 the story of Abram’s journey of faith continues…

 

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maid servant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maid servant; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”

6 “Your servant is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

11 The angel of the Lord also said to her:

“You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son.

You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

13 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

 

Today’s chapter focuses largely on Hagar. It falls naturally into two parts:

–         Verses 1-6, which deal with Hagar & Sarai’s relationship, and

–         Verses 7-14, which describe Hagar’s encounter with the angel of the Lord

–         First let us consider Hagar’s relationship with Sarai, in verses 1-6

 

Hagar & Sarai:

The famous mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal once said…

–         “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

 

This quote is a bit tongue in cheek, but there is truth in it

–         It is our inability to sit still that gets us into trouble – we interfere where we should stay out of it, as countless land wars in Asia have proven

–         Sadly, Sarai interferes where she shouldn’t and the consequences for hostility are far reaching

 

Let me tell you a story…

 

Once there was a boy whose father died when he was 12

–         The boy had a brother and a sister, both younger than him

–         As the eldest child he was inclined to feel the weight of responsibility more heavily than most

 

His mum was pretty distraught for a number of years after his dad’s passing (she kind of checked out for a while) and so the boy took charge

–         Strangely he didn’t cry at the funeral or even in private afterwards

–         Everyone else was a mess so he had to be strong

–         Naturally, as the eldest son, he tried to fill his dad’s shoes, mowing the lawns, putting out the rubbish, washing the car, locking the house up at night and being a sort of surrogate father to his younger siblings

–         Finances were tight but they got by – he worked part time after school to supplement the family’s income

–         And as soon as he was old enough to leave school he found a fulltime job – after all, supporting a teenage family isn’t cheap

 

The years went by and the 12 year old boy was soon 19

–         All the adults around him thought he was wonderful the way he helped his mum

–         They wished their sons could be more like him and wanted their daughters to go out with him

–         But the way things appear on the outside is not always how they are on the inside

–         You see, in his rush to take care of everyone else the boy had forgotten to take care of himself

 

Grief is a debt that must be paid – the longer you leave it the more the interest accumulates

–         Sadly, in the 7 years since his father had died, the boy had ignored his grief and now the repo man was calling

–         The wound in his soul had grown hard, like a boil ready to burst

–         He had become so sensitive that no one could get near him

–         He was anxious all the time and couldn’t relax, couldn’t sit still in a room by himself – busy-ness was his sanctuary, rescuing others his comfort

 

While it appeared to everyone else like he was pure in heart, helping his family selflessly, his virtue was really a cry for someone to save him

 

Everything came to a head one day when his sister, the youngest of the three, broke curfew

–         It was a Saturday night and his little sister (who was now 14) had gone to the movies with her friends – or at least that’s what she had told him

–         They had an agreement that she would be home by 11pm – the movie finished at 10

–         It was now after midnight and the boy’s sister still hadn’t come home

 

It’s funny how it’s the little things that undo us in the end

–         An off-hand remark here or there

–         The hint of contempt in someone’s eyes

–         Not getting a reply to the email we sent two weeks ago

–         Not being acknowledged by someone in the supermarket

–         Being defriended on Facebook

–         Or, as was the case with the boy, not getting a single reply to any of the 15 text messages he’d sent his sister since 11pm

 

In hindsight he should have remained calm and simply trusted his sister but when you are in as much pain as he was, you can’t sit quietly in your room

–         The sense that he was personally responsible for the decisions his sister made was as overwhelming as it was irrational

–         As soon as she walked through the front door he started yelling at her

–         His ranting about how much trouble she was in and how ungrateful she was for all he had done for her, lasted a full 30 minutes

–         Not once did he stop to listen to her – it was a monologue of judgment and condemnation (hostility conceived in his pain)

 

At the time he felt totally justified in his tirade – after all, he had sacrificed so much for her (for them all really) – but his righteous indignation was short lived

–         Like many teenagers his sister was both sensitive and obstinate at the same time

–         Normally she would have given back as good as she got but this time her response was to run away

 

The responsible older brother was a complete wreck

–         His already high level of anxiety went into overdrive and after 36 hours with no sleep, not knowing where she was, he finally broke down

–         The boil in his soul burst and seven years of pent up grief came flooding out – the tears kept coming and he was powerless to stop them

 

The difficult truth he now faced was that all this time he thought he had been helping his family when in reality he was simply avoiding his pain and his grief

–         Worse than that, his pain was hurting those closest to him

 

Sarai was sort of like the boy in the story except her wound was not being able to have children

–         There are no words that can do justice to the pain of not being able to have kids when that’s the only thing in the world you want

–         On top of her personal grief Sarai also had to deal with the public shame that barren women suffered in her culture

–         In our culture it is not a shameful thing if you can’t have children

–         It might be a sad thing but no one blames the infertile couple – it’s just considered bad luck

–         But in the ancient near east people did apportion blame

–         In Sarai’s culture not being able to have children made people wonder what you had done wrong to offend the gods

–         This sort of prejudice only rubbed salt in Sarai’s wound and created a feeling of alienation and loneliness for Sarai

 

Not able to sit quietly in her room Sarai conceives a solution herself, out of her own hurt

–         Sarai tells her husband, Abram, to take her maid-servant, Hagar, as a second wife (or a concubine) and try to have children through her

–         God had promised Abram a son from his own body but he hadn’t, as yet, said whether that son will come through Sarai or someone else

 

Sarai’s solution probably seems wrong to us, on a number of levels

–         Obviously there’s the polygamy aspect but there’s also the question of whether Hagar had any choice in the matter (the text doesn’t say)

–         But 4000 years ago, in the ancient world, this was acceptable practice

–         In fact, one could argue that Sarai would have been considered by many, in her culture, to be doing the right & noble thing by Abram

–         She can’t give Abram children herself so she provides another woman who can. Abram passively goes along with it

 

Now just because people in ancient times did something it doesn’t automatically follow that it’s a good idea and we should do it too

–         Genesis 16 is not a license for polygamy

–         Nor is it making an ethical judgement on surrogacy arrangements

–         Much of the Bible is simply description, not all of it is prescription

–         Genesis 16 doesn’t make an explicit statement about the right or wrong of Sarai’s solution – the text simply presents the story and leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions

–         This is what they did and this was the consequence

–         Abram agreed to Sarai’s suggestion, he slept with Hagar and hostility was born

 

As soon as Hagar knew she was pregnant she despised Sarai

–         Funny how it’s the little things that undo us in the end

–         An off-hand remark here or there

–         The hint of contempt in Hagar’s eyes

–         Pretending not to hear when Sarai called her

–         Rubbing her belly in front of Sarai

–         It all gets too much for Sarai – her dream has become a nightmare

–         She blames Abram for this as many a wife is inclined to do

 

And Abram abdicates responsibility, as many a husband is inclined to do, saying, “Do with her whatever you think best.’

–         Previously Abram had stepped in when he should have stayed well clear of Hagar – now he stays well clear when he should have stepped in

–         The result is that Sarai (who is in a great deal of pain), mistreats Hagar and Hagar runs away, with the hoped for son in utero

 

Based on Sarai & Hagar’s experience we would have to conclude that polygamy is not a good idea and surrogacy comes with a pretty big emotional cost

 

In Genesis 12, Abram chose the fertility of Egypt because of the barrenness (or famine) in the land of Canaan

–         Now here in Genesis 16, Abram chooses the fertility of the Egyptian maid-servant because of the barrenness of Sarai

–         This is one step back for Abram

–         God’s promised son will come through divine miracle, not human engineering

 

Okay, so that’s verses 1-6, Hagar & Sarai’s very difficult relationship

–         Now let’s consider Hagar’s encounter with the angel of the Lord

–         How does God handle Hagar?

 

Hagar and the angel:

Well, before we get into that, let me finish the story I was telling you before, of the boy and his sister – the one who ran away

 

As you’ve probably worked out the girl was 7 when her dad died

–         At seven she idealised her father and this ideal was forever preserved with his passing

–         No man could ever live up to the photo shopped memory of him in her mind – not even her older brother

–         While her brother had an over developed sense of responsibility she was the opposite – dreamy and care free

–         Always leaving things lying around the house, never on time, always losing things

–         She just couldn’t understand why her brother was so intense all the time

 

After he had yelled at her that night she snuck out of the house and went to hide at a friend’s place

–         No way was she going to spend another minute under the same roof as her stupid family – they just didn’t understand her, they didn’t get her

–         She felt like the only one who understood was her dad and he was dead

 

Hiding at her friend’s house was never going to be a long term solution

–         After a couple of days she bought a bus ticket and headed for Auckland

–         It was a long drive from Wellington and, as she was sitting at the front of the bus, she got talking to the driver

–         Although she didn’t mean to she ended up telling him her life’s story

–         Funny how you can say things to a complete stranger that you would never say to your family

 

As the driver listened to the girl he guessed she was running away, although she didn’t say as much

 

The bus stopped in Taihape to give people a chance to stretch their legs and get something to eat

–         The driver shouted the girl some lunch since she had used all her money on the bus ticket. Then he told her straight…

–         ‘You’re a bright kid and you’ve got spunk, I can see that. It’s a tough deal losing your dad so young. But I wonder what he would think about you breaking up the family by running away like you are.’

–         The girl blushed a little – how did he know she was running away?

–         ‘This guy understands me’, she thought to herself

 

‘If you ask me’, the driver said, ‘you’re better off back at home with your family, even if your brother is a bit intense.

–         Family isn’t perfect, life isn’t perfect, and kid, you might not want to hear this but I bet your dad wasn’t perfect either.

–         Now I can take you all the way to Auckland if you like but there’s another bus heading for Wellington – it’s due to stop here in about 10 minutes. If you want I can talk to the driver and you can get on board that one, no extra charge. You decide.’

 

The girl thought for a moment

–         The driver’s words were strong but the truth of what he was saying resonated with her – she knew he was right

–         It wasn’t what she wanted to hear but it was what she needed to hear

–         He wasn’t giving her a sales pitch and he wasn’t tip toeing around her feelings either – he was showing her the respect of being honest and trusting her decision, something her brother never did

–         ‘Okay’, she said, ‘I’ll catch the next bus back to Wellington’

–         ‘Smart move kid, smart move. You have a bright future. No sense in throwing it away over wounded pride’

 

Later that evening, when she walked into the living room at home, she found her brother curled up on the couch

–         It had been 3 days since their argument – he looked terrible

–         She could see he had been crying – he never cried

–         There was no reprisal this time, no accusation, no emotional blackmail.

–         He simply said, ‘I’m pleased you’re home. Sorry for yelling at you. I can get a bit intense sometimes’

–         She smiled and said, ‘Yea, you can. But no one’s perfect. I’m sorry too.’

 

Things were different after that – better than they had been

 

When Hagar ran away, she didn’t get on a bus – she probably made her way on foot

–         If Abram’s camp was still in Hebron then Hagar had travelled about 70 miles through inhospitable territory by the time she encountered the angel

–         This means she had been on the road for at least a week [1]

 

When the angel finds Hagar he asks two open ended questions:

–         Where have you come from and where are you going?

–         By doing this the angel is giving Hagar the opportunity talk about her past and her future – like the bus driver the angel starts by listening

–         Hagar gives an honest answer to where she has come from but can’t say where she is going – she doesn’t see a future for herself

 

Then the angel of the Lord gives it to Hagar straight…

–         “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”

–         Submitting to Sarai is the opposite of despising her

–         This isn’t what Hagar wanted to hear but it is what she needed to hear

–         The angel wasn’t giving her a sales pitch and he wasn’t tip toeing around her feelings either – he was showing her the respect of being honest and trusting her decision. Hagar knew he was right

 

The angel then goes on to say he will increase Hagar’s descendants so that they will be too numerous to count

–         This is essentially the same as what God said to Abram in chapter 15

 

The angel tells Hagar to name her son ‘Ishmael’

–         Ishmael means ‘God hears’ – so every time she calls her son by name Hagar will be reminded of how the Lord heard her misery and put her back on the right track, like the good shepherd restoring the lost sheep

 

When the angel had finished Hagar gave the Lord the name…

–         “You are the God who sees me.”

–         To be seen by God means to be understood and valued by the Lord

–         Not only had God seen Hagar’s misery, he had also seen a future for her and her son

 

That God would even notice her, let alone go out of his way to restore her hope (by revealing her future) was a profound realisation for Hagar of her worth

–         Everyone, including Hagar, would have thought that God would send his angel to comfort and encourage Sarai – after all, Sarai is the first wife of Abram and she is clearly in a lot of pain because she can’t have kids

–         But the Lord plans to speak to Sarai later – on this occasion God attends to Hagar, the outsider

 

All this takes place by a well

–         In this way the angel of the Lord reminds us of Jesus who, 2000 years later, would talk to another outsider by a well, the Samaritan woman [2]

–         That woman would also come away from her conversation with Jesus knowing that God had seen her misery – that she was understood and valued by the Lord

 

Conclusion:

Who is it that you identify with most in this story?

 

Are you in pain like Sarai (unable to sit quietly in a room alone), unwittingly hurting others, even as you try to solve the problem in your own strength?

 

Or are you like Abram, abdicating your responsibility when you should be manning up and giving your family Godly leadership?

 

Or are you like Hagar, despising those in authority and running away when the going gets tough?

 

Or are you like the angel of the Lord, listening to the runaways and putting them back on the right path with words of truth & hope?

 

Questions for discussion / reflection:

 

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

 

2.)    Discuss Blaise Pascal’s statement…

–         “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

–         What do you think Pascal meant?

–         Why was Sarai unable to sit quietly in a room?

 

3.)    What ‘little things’ threaten to undo you (or at least irritate you the most)?

 

4.)    What does Abram, Sarai & Hagar’s experience, in Genesis 16, show us about polygamy and surrogacy?

 

5.)    How did the angel of the Lord approach Hagar initially?

–         What difference does listening first make?

 

6.)    In what sense does God “see” Hagar?

–         (What does it mean to be seen by God?)

 

7.)    How does the angel of the Lord remind us of Jesus?

 

8.)    Who do you identify with most?

–         Sarai (in pain)

–         Abram (who abdicates)

–         Hagar (who runs)

–         The angel (who listens and guides)

 

 

[1] John Walton, NIVAC Genesis, page 448.

[2] John 4