WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.240 Good evening everyone. Thanks to Alistair and the worship team for leading us so well in the first part of our service. 00:00:08.419 --> 00:00:12.660 Abraham was a great man, but he was a pretty lousy husband at times. 00:00:12.859 --> 00:00:21.800 Now he's not the only one who's that. A lot of politicians, businessmen, church leaders even, are highly respected in many ways. 00:00:22.240 --> 00:00:26.940 And yet when it comes to being effective heads of their home, they often fail. 00:00:26.940 --> 00:00:32.079 And I'm sure that is true of many of us, as well as looking further out. 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:36.100 But Abraham certainly did make a mess of things at times. 00:00:37.060 --> 00:00:41.359 Twice he presented his wife Sarah, and I probably will say Sarah is just a force of habit. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:48.100 Twice he presented his wife Sarah as being his sister, which was half true but wholly deceitful, 00:00:48.420 --> 00:00:53.240 and was only done to save his own skin with little thoughts of the consequences for her. 00:00:53.240 --> 00:01:00.740 And the chapter we're looking at this evening, it seems to me that Abraham totally wimps out of taking a lead 00:01:00.740 --> 00:01:05.740 and of making sure that things are done properly in a very difficult situation. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:12.780 He passes all the responsibility on to Sarah and does very little himself. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:16.379 He fails in his duty as a husband. 00:01:16.379 --> 00:01:22.299 So that was, for me, as a man, as a husband, was one of the key lessons, challenges from this chapter. 00:01:22.839 --> 00:01:24.619 But there's a great encouragement as well. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:29.199 Because if we come to the second part of the chapter, we see Abraham's mess, 00:01:29.619 --> 00:01:33.640 and we see God stepping in and resolving that mess. 00:01:34.179 --> 00:01:38.379 So despite Abraham having gone really badly wrong along with Sarah, 00:01:39.019 --> 00:01:44.939 God steps in and he shows his compassion to the one who's been so badly hurt, to Hagar, 00:01:44.939 --> 00:01:48.519 and he brings his purposes about through her. 00:01:49.259 --> 00:01:54.859 And it's a great reassurance that when I mess up, that God is still in control, 00:01:55.299 --> 00:01:57.679 God will still bring about his purposes. 00:01:58.620 --> 00:02:03.959 That if we are hurt by others and by their actions, God is still in control, 00:02:04.420 --> 00:02:11.379 and God can come and can resolve the situation and can speak to us as he did to Hagar. 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:14.939 So there's challenges, and not just for husbands, there are challenges, 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:18.639 and I think there are encouragements in Genesis 16. 00:02:19.359 --> 00:02:23.859 And the big difference between the two parts of the chapter is that in the first part, 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:28.519 in the family situation there, God is absent, or at least appears to be absent. 00:02:28.699 --> 00:02:32.840 There's no thought of Abraham coming to God or hearing from God. 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:38.519 In the second part of the chapter, God is very much present and is seen to be at work, 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:42.400 and that is when he is able to fulfil his purposes. 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:46.920 So we're going to look tonight in two sections at what happens when God is absent 00:02:46.920 --> 00:02:50.879 and what happens when God is present. 00:02:52.640 --> 00:02:57.100 So when God is absent, there is often faltering faith. 00:02:57.099 --> 00:03:05.919 If you read commentaries on Genesis, almost all of them are really hard on Abraham at this point. 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:11.719 That this was a huge crisis of faith for Abraham when he took things into his own hands 00:03:11.719 --> 00:03:15.959 rather than waiting for God's time and for God's provision. 00:03:17.219 --> 00:03:22.719 Now I have to say I have a lot of sympathy for Abraham in this particular part of the chapter. 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:28.960 When we first meet Abraham and Sarah, the first thing that's said about Sarah is that she was barren, 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:30.280 she was childless. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:38.159 So probably for quite a long time before then, Sarah hadn't been able to conceive a child. 00:03:39.079 --> 00:03:43.520 Ten years have gone past and still nothing has happened. 00:03:44.340 --> 00:03:48.479 Not terribly clear exactly the timescale between chapter 15 of Genesis, 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:54.780 when God repeats his promise to Abraham, his covenant that Abraham would become a great nation and so on. 00:03:55.259 --> 00:03:57.780 There's probably some time in Genesis 15 and 16, 00:03:58.139 --> 00:04:01.539 but there's ten years since God first called Abraham 00:04:01.539 --> 00:04:07.699 and probably a lot longer than that when Abraham and Sarah were married. 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:13.620 And all this time they've been longing for a child and it's never come. 00:04:14.079 --> 00:04:15.120 Now they do have God's promise. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:20.280 God has promised that he will make Abraham the father of the great nation. 00:04:20.899 --> 00:04:26.519 But you can understand why they are having a difficult time and wondering what is happening. 00:04:27.540 --> 00:04:33.480 I think there are a number of mitigating factors as we think about Abraham's faltering faith, 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.720 if that's what it is here. 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:40.600 First thing is that God had never promised Sarah a son. 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:44.819 He promised Abraham a son, promised Abraham to become the father of nations. 00:04:44.819 --> 00:04:48.000 He hadn't explicitly said it would be through Sarah. 00:04:48.099 --> 00:04:51.579 That comes in the next chapter, in chapter 17. 00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:54.860 So it may be that Abraham and Sarah got to the point, 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:56.839 and it appears that was the case, where they said, 00:04:56.899 --> 00:04:59.219 well, maybe Sarah isn't to be the mother. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:05.899 They then come up with what might seem to us a strange and almost repugnant solution. 00:05:05.899 --> 00:05:14.979 That instead of Sarah being the mother, her slave girl, Sagar, would take her place and would bear Abraham's child. 00:05:15.919 --> 00:05:20.500 Now I think we do have to look at that in the context and the culture of the time. 00:05:21.139 --> 00:05:25.799 This is something that would have been considered normal in those days. 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:30.780 In fact, it was sometimes built into marriage contracts, into the marriage vows, if you like, 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:37.759 that if the wife was unable to conceive, then the husband would have a child through a servant. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:40.240 And it wasn't considered the way we would. 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:43.759 Indeed, right through a large part of the Old Testament, 00:05:45.340 --> 00:05:48.220 monogamity was not necessarily the way, right up to David, 00:05:48.220 --> 00:05:51.460 it was not necessarily the way that people behaved 00:05:51.459 --> 00:05:55.560 and was not seen as being as wrong as we would now. 00:05:56.139 --> 00:05:59.519 So Abraham and Sarah were doing what they thought was right 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:04.359 and what they thought perhaps would produce the child. 00:06:05.459 --> 00:06:08.179 And they were trying to cling on to God's promise, 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:14.060 but at the same time to try and bring things about by themselves. 00:06:16.479 --> 00:06:20.199 But still, I don't think we can totally exonerate them. 00:06:21.459 --> 00:06:23.839 Because surely Abraham must have thought, 00:06:24.239 --> 00:06:27.239 God is not going to go for second best. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:31.739 The best thing would be if Sarah was able to bear me a son, 00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:34.799 why would God go for second best? 00:06:34.799 --> 00:06:36.699 Even if, as is probably the case, 00:06:36.979 --> 00:06:39.659 Sarah was well beyond the age when, in natural terms, 00:06:39.740 --> 00:06:42.519 she could have borne Abraham a son. 00:06:44.139 --> 00:06:46.959 I think also as we look at what Sarah says, 00:06:47.379 --> 00:06:50.599 it is very much about herself and her being childless 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.740 rather than about God's promise being fulfilled. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:56.879 And Abraham, as the husband perhaps at that point, 00:06:56.960 --> 00:06:59.320 should have stepped in and said, 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:00.520 let's take it to the Lord, 00:07:00.840 --> 00:07:04.300 let's see what God has to say about this. 00:07:05.060 --> 00:07:06.939 If we look at the thing that is probably closest 00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:09.860 to a New Testament commentary on this instance, 00:07:09.980 --> 00:07:11.160 the book of Galatians, 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:15.620 where Paul talks about Ishmael as the child of the flesh 00:07:15.620 --> 00:07:17.639 and Isaac as the child, 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:19.379 the son of promise. 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:22.019 Now that may be largely a reference to the miraculous 00:07:22.019 --> 00:07:24.340 and normal nature of their births. 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:26.220 Also perhaps, though, 00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:29.459 a reference to the fact that the way it came about, 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:32.399 it was the flesh that led to Abraham and Sarah 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:33.500 acting as they did, 00:07:33.819 --> 00:07:36.480 and God's promise was brought about through Isaac. 00:07:36.620 --> 00:07:38.079 So I'm trying to be kind to Abraham, 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:39.680 but I don't think there's any doubt 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:42.680 there is a bit of a faltering of faith here. 00:07:43.300 --> 00:07:44.860 But it is in circumstances 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:47.259 where in many ways it is understandable, 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:49.340 and as we look at ourselves, 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:50.400 perhaps we would think, 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:52.340 well, in that kind of circumstance, 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:55.460 would I have acted any different? 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:58.319 One of the things that really comes across to me 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:00.840 as we look at the beginning of this chapter 00:08:00.840 --> 00:08:03.720 is I think there's a lot of sympathy 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:05.699 in the way the passage is written 00:08:05.699 --> 00:08:09.099 for the predicament that Abraham and Sarah 00:08:09.099 --> 00:08:10.599 find themselves in. 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:12.979 This is not harsh and judgmental. 00:08:13.259 --> 00:08:15.259 It is recognizing a human problem, 00:08:15.699 --> 00:08:16.939 a human issue, 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:18.860 and rightly or wrongly, 00:08:19.099 --> 00:08:22.800 Abraham and Sarah try to address that issue. 00:08:23.599 --> 00:08:24.680 Now we can extend that. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:27.139 There are many people who go through 00:08:27.139 --> 00:08:29.019 very difficult circumstances 00:08:29.019 --> 00:08:30.719 in their Christian lives. 00:08:30.980 --> 00:08:32.799 Some of them similar to what we're thinking about, 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:34.939 people who month after month 00:08:34.940 --> 00:08:36.120 are hoping for children 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:38.700 and they never seem to come. 00:08:39.260 --> 00:08:41.360 But there are lots of others as well. 00:08:42.020 --> 00:08:43.620 There are people who have illnesses 00:08:43.620 --> 00:08:45.440 or have relatives who are very ill 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:48.220 and they're praying for an element of recovery 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:50.100 month after month after month. 00:08:50.400 --> 00:08:53.620 They pray and nothing seems to happen. 00:08:54.640 --> 00:08:56.800 Or there are people who have family situations 00:08:56.800 --> 00:08:58.460 which cause them great distress. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:01.240 Perhaps children who have wandered away 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:02.080 from the Lord Jesus, 00:09:02.220 --> 00:09:04.220 perhaps never come to have faith in him. 00:09:04.220 --> 00:09:06.519 And you pray and you pray and you pray 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:06.800 and you think, 00:09:06.899 --> 00:09:08.060 what must I do? 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:12.139 And it becomes really, really distressing for you. 00:09:12.460 --> 00:09:14.940 Or people who don't have a job 00:09:14.940 --> 00:09:17.279 and are looking and applying again and again. 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:18.960 It never seems to happen for them. 00:09:19.180 --> 00:09:19.860 And they're wondering, 00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:21.139 what is happening here? 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:22.660 What is God doing? 00:09:23.019 --> 00:09:24.580 What should I do? 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:26.639 Now these aren't hypothetical examples. 00:09:26.800 --> 00:09:27.800 The three I've just mentioned 00:09:27.800 --> 00:09:29.379 are very live for people 00:09:29.379 --> 00:09:32.419 in our church here at this point. 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:35.980 And a lot of us go through these kinds of heartaches 00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:37.600 that Abraham and Sarah went through 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:41.379 and it is a real test of our faith. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:43.279 And perhaps we're wondering, 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:44.460 what should I do? 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:46.799 What more can I do? 00:09:47.899 --> 00:09:49.720 Now Abraham and Sarah perhaps 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:52.639 took the absence of the child 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:54.320 as being guidance from God 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:56.820 that they should do something different. 00:09:57.640 --> 00:09:59.379 And very often that is one of the ways 00:09:59.379 --> 00:10:00.440 in which God guides us. 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:01.700 He guides us as we pray. 00:10:02.020 --> 00:10:03.300 He guides us through scripture. 00:10:03.820 --> 00:10:06.340 He also guides us through circumstances. 00:10:07.800 --> 00:10:08.960 But we need to be careful, 00:10:09.180 --> 00:10:11.000 as Abraham and Sarah should have been careful, 00:10:11.379 --> 00:10:12.860 as we look at circumstances 00:10:12.860 --> 00:10:13.260 to say, 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:16.480 well, what is it really that God is saying here? 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:18.879 And make sure we don't misinterpret. 00:10:19.620 --> 00:10:21.820 And one thing that is often helpful to do 00:10:21.820 --> 00:10:23.880 is to find a mature Christian, 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:25.059 someone we respect 00:10:25.059 --> 00:10:27.100 and someone who's judgment we trust 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:30.700 and to talk to them about our situation. 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:34.299 So if tonight you're facing a heartache of any kind 00:10:34.299 --> 00:10:35.779 and it may be similar to Abraham and Sarah, 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:36.639 it may not be, 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:39.759 and then look to God for his help. 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:41.120 Keep trusting in him 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:43.379 that he will bring his purposes about. 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:45.320 But also look for his guidance. 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:47.419 I think what is it God might want me to do? 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:50.840 Is his will for me that I should wait 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:54.360 and wait for him to bring about the fulfillment? 00:10:54.820 --> 00:10:56.800 Or is he calling me to do something? 00:10:57.180 --> 00:10:58.300 And if we're unsure, 00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:00.120 good to talk to someone else 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:02.540 and to pray through it with them. 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:04.899 When faith is faltering, 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:07.700 we've got to hang on to the fact 00:11:07.700 --> 00:11:08.920 that we have a good God 00:11:08.920 --> 00:11:10.340 who cares for us 00:11:10.340 --> 00:11:12.980 and who will bring out the best for us 00:11:12.980 --> 00:11:16.379 and look to him for our guidance. 00:11:17.560 --> 00:11:18.940 Now, it's slightly kind, I think, to Abraham 00:11:18.940 --> 00:11:21.820 in that part of this passage. 00:11:22.020 --> 00:11:23.500 I'm not going to be as kind to him 00:11:23.500 --> 00:11:24.720 in the next section. 00:11:24.780 --> 00:11:27.020 I've called it fragile families. 00:11:27.640 --> 00:11:28.540 So you have the situation. 00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:30.640 Sarah has suggested to Abraham 00:11:30.640 --> 00:11:32.440 that he could have the child through Hagar. 00:11:34.280 --> 00:11:35.320 Abraham goes in, 00:11:35.580 --> 00:11:36.620 she becomes pregnant, 00:11:37.420 --> 00:11:39.220 and then perhaps not surprisingly, 00:11:39.900 --> 00:11:42.800 Hagar begins to look down on Sarah. 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:45.600 Being able to have a child 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:47.100 was such a big thing 00:11:47.100 --> 00:11:48.659 for women in those days, 00:11:49.060 --> 00:11:50.860 that if you weren't able to conceive, 00:11:51.259 --> 00:11:52.800 it was seen as a great shame 00:11:52.800 --> 00:11:54.879 and something which in some way 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:55.960 would make you seem lesser 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:59.139 and perhaps not deserving of God's favor. 00:11:59.779 --> 00:12:02.300 So Hagar looks down on Sarah 00:12:02.300 --> 00:12:05.100 and probably quite disrespectful 00:12:05.100 --> 00:12:06.759 in the way that she deals with her, 00:12:07.159 --> 00:12:09.159 and Sarah comes to Abraham. 00:12:10.220 --> 00:12:11.700 Now, she begins by blaming Abraham 00:12:11.700 --> 00:12:12.440 for the situation, 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:13.440 which is a little unfair, 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:14.279 when she was the one 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:15.519 who had instigated it, 00:12:15.579 --> 00:12:18.500 but he should have taken responsibility too. 00:12:19.819 --> 00:12:20.579 But he says, 00:12:20.659 --> 00:12:21.519 may the Lord judge, 00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:21.939 she says, 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:23.740 may the Lord judge between you and me. 00:12:24.319 --> 00:12:26.399 And Abraham then has the opportunity 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:27.299 as the husband, 00:12:27.740 --> 00:12:28.839 as the one who's supposed to be 00:12:28.839 --> 00:12:29.879 a leader in the family, 00:12:30.339 --> 00:12:31.659 to look at the situation, 00:12:31.819 --> 00:12:33.620 possibly to bring the two women together, 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:35.819 and to try with God's help 00:12:35.819 --> 00:12:37.500 to seek a resolution. 00:12:38.319 --> 00:12:39.220 And what does he do? 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:40.240 He says to Sarah, 00:12:40.339 --> 00:12:40.959 okay dear, 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:42.379 you do whatever you want, 00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:45.019 I'm not getting involved in this. 00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:47.879 He totally absolves himself 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:50.720 of his responsibility for it. 00:12:51.620 --> 00:12:53.879 He avoids getting in the situation 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:55.320 of conflict. 00:12:56.680 --> 00:12:57.600 Now, conflict's difficult. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.780 When I was in secular employment, 00:13:01.340 --> 00:13:02.740 we used to fairly regularly 00:13:02.740 --> 00:13:04.580 be asked to do psychometric tests. 00:13:04.920 --> 00:13:07.400 So you ask lots of questions, 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:09.400 and depending on how you answered them, 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:10.959 they'd tell you how good you were, 00:13:11.059 --> 00:13:12.860 how bad you were in leadership. 00:13:13.939 --> 00:13:15.459 One I particularly remember 00:13:15.459 --> 00:13:18.379 was one where they were comparing us 00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:21.659 against a benchmarking group of leaders. 00:13:22.199 --> 00:13:24.079 Now, my results were so bad, 00:13:24.139 --> 00:13:25.279 I managed to convince myself 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:26.399 that they were trying to compare 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.600 middle managers against chief executive, 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:30.379 and I thought that was quite unfair. 00:13:31.220 --> 00:13:32.879 But the one result I particularly remember 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:35.699 from that was they had one of the sections 00:13:35.699 --> 00:13:37.899 about avoiding conflict. 00:13:37.899 --> 00:13:40.379 And I was off the scale with it, 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:42.220 that I would totally avoid 00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:43.340 all kinds of conflict. 00:13:43.439 --> 00:13:44.500 Now, those who know me well 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:46.340 will testify that it's probably 00:13:46.340 --> 00:13:47.340 got a grain of truth 00:13:47.340 --> 00:13:48.779 and it perhaps exaggerated slightly. 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:50.559 I'm someone who doesn't 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:52.279 readily take to conflict 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:54.519 and doesn't certainly seek it. 00:13:55.459 --> 00:13:56.620 Now, other people have different 00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:57.819 ways of dealing with conflict. 00:13:57.939 --> 00:13:59.919 Some people seem to quite enjoy it 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:01.019 and it invigorates them, 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:03.360 and in a strange kind of way, 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:04.579 they welcome it. 00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:06.860 Other people take it very personally 00:14:06.860 --> 00:14:09.160 and feel there is any kind of conflict. 00:14:09.300 --> 00:14:10.639 There's a personal slur on them 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:12.720 and they get very offended by it. 00:14:12.780 --> 00:14:14.960 And all three of these are bad ways 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:16.400 of dealing with it. 00:14:16.920 --> 00:14:17.980 But in our lives, 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:19.780 if we're in leadership situations, 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:20.759 or even if we're not, 00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:22.120 there are going to be times 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:23.520 when we're faced with conflict 00:14:23.520 --> 00:14:26.180 and we need to be able to resolve it 00:14:26.180 --> 00:14:27.540 and to resolve it well. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:28.560 And it's very difficult, 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:30.259 it needs an awful lot of grace, 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:33.080 it needs a lot of dependence on the Lord, 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:35.960 but we need to be able to deal with conflict 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:38.840 and to produce good outcomes from it. 00:14:39.420 --> 00:14:42.759 And that's what Abraham totally fails to do. 00:14:43.300 --> 00:14:46.660 He totally fails in his duties as a husband. 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.400 Now, at this point, 00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:48.920 Abraham is a husband to two wives. 00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:50.060 We mustn't forget that, 00:14:50.139 --> 00:14:51.800 Sarah and Hagar. 00:14:52.400 --> 00:14:54.820 Hagar clearly, he fails 00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:57.920 as she is bullied by Sarah 00:14:57.920 --> 00:15:00.280 and then has to run away. 00:15:00.940 --> 00:15:02.120 Sarah, he fails too 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:03.240 because he doesn't provide 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:04.240 the kind of leadership 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:05.820 she might reasonably have expected 00:15:05.820 --> 00:15:07.460 in a very emotional situation. 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:09.480 He should have been the one who was calm 00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:12.759 and was able to take control of things. 00:15:13.899 --> 00:15:15.480 Now, being a husband in these kind of situations, 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:16.519 particularly with two wives, 00:15:16.580 --> 00:15:17.759 fortunately, none of us have to do that, 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:20.100 but being a husband can at times be difficult 00:15:20.100 --> 00:15:22.039 as we would seek to take the lead 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:24.879 and perhaps be very difficult for us. 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:27.120 Fortunately, the Bible has told us 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:29.919 how we should act as husbands. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:31.799 And it's put quite simply, 00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:33.639 we should love our wives 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.740 as Christ loved the church 00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:38.219 and gave himself up for her. 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:41.740 Now, Abraham significantly fails to do that with Hagar. 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:43.879 He doesn't love her enough 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:45.459 to even be able to keep her 00:15:45.459 --> 00:15:46.959 as part of the family. 00:15:47.459 --> 00:15:49.059 He also fails in it with Sarah 00:15:49.059 --> 00:15:51.379 because he doesn't show real love 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:52.679 in being able to help her 00:15:52.679 --> 00:15:56.039 to work through the difficulties that she has. 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:59.219 Interesting, the passage in Ephesians 5, 00:15:59.299 --> 00:16:00.759 we usually kind of stop in our thinking, 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:01.860 well, I've stopped there. 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:04.719 But the following verse is about Christ 00:16:04.719 --> 00:16:06.219 being able to present the church 00:16:06.219 --> 00:16:09.500 as pure and blameless to himself. 00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:11.819 That is achieved ultimately 00:16:11.819 --> 00:16:13.219 through the cross at Calvary, 00:16:13.439 --> 00:16:16.279 but also, I think, as part of an ongoing process 00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:19.019 as Christ would work with the church 00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:22.360 and would help us to grow more like him. 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:25.539 If we look at the literature of churches in Revelation, 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:27.460 where the Lord Jesus is directly addressing 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:28.500 a number of churches, 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.340 he doesn't shy away 00:16:30.340 --> 00:16:32.320 from the difficult conversations there. 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:35.100 He can tell them they've lost their first love 00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:37.120 or that they need to wake up 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:38.779 or that they're lukewarm 00:16:38.779 --> 00:16:42.159 and they're only fed to be spewed out of his mouth. 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:44.980 Hard words, but necessary words 00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:48.720 and showing real love and concern for them. 00:16:50.139 --> 00:16:51.800 So if you're a husband like me, 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:54.299 if you're a leader in any kind of situation, 00:16:54.899 --> 00:16:56.859 or just if you're in a situation 00:16:56.859 --> 00:16:58.659 and you can see the things are going wrong 00:16:58.659 --> 00:17:00.899 and there's something you can do about it, 00:17:01.359 --> 00:17:03.139 don't shy away from conflict. 00:17:03.819 --> 00:17:06.440 Just go into it in a prayerful attitude 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:09.319 and with a desire that God's will may be done 00:17:09.319 --> 00:17:11.279 and that there may be a real love 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:13.259 for all those who are involved in it 00:17:13.259 --> 00:17:17.720 and that they may benefit from God's presence 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:20.839 and God's guidance in the situation. 00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:26.259 So faltering faith, fragile families. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:30.120 That's what happens when God is absent. 00:17:31.620 --> 00:17:34.440 What then happens when God is present? 00:17:35.259 --> 00:17:36.960 Now God is very much present 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:39.079 in the second half of this chapter. 00:17:40.019 --> 00:17:41.720 He is present through someone 00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:44.220 who's called the angel of the Lord. 00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:46.880 And many people, as they look at descriptions 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.600 of the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament, 00:17:50.100 --> 00:17:51.319 they look at it and they see 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:54.579 that is a pre-incarnation appearance 00:17:54.579 --> 00:17:56.259 of the Lord Jesus, 00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:57.980 what's called a Christophany. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.460 So it's the Lord Jesus himself 00:18:00.460 --> 00:18:02.240 coming into a situation 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:04.360 and dealing with it. 00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:07.039 Now the argument from Genesis 16, 00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:08.299 I say there are lots of other passages. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.600 Genesis 16, clearly at the end of the passage, 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:14.519 Hagar believes that she has seen God. 00:18:14.939 --> 00:18:17.439 I have seen the one who sees me. 00:18:18.439 --> 00:18:20.679 Now God the Father never appears in human form. 00:18:21.379 --> 00:18:24.099 God the Spirit never appears in human form. 00:18:24.459 --> 00:18:25.859 The only member of the Trinity 00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:29.779 who comes in human form is the Lord Jesus. 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:31.679 And so many people believe 00:18:31.679 --> 00:18:33.259 that this was the Lord Jesus 00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:35.819 coming to appear to Hagar. 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:38.159 There is a different view 00:18:38.159 --> 00:18:40.379 which says that very often in that time 00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:41.520 that you sent an emissary, 00:18:41.660 --> 00:18:43.600 someone to give a message to someone, 00:18:43.840 --> 00:18:45.700 then they spoke as if they were you 00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:48.200 and they received the same kind of respect 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:50.140 that you would receive. 00:18:50.660 --> 00:18:52.640 So they would say the angel of the Lord 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:55.320 isn't necessarily an appearance 00:18:55.320 --> 00:18:57.020 of the Lord Jesus. 00:18:58.120 --> 00:19:01.140 I find the description that Alec Mottier gave 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:02.920 was quite helpful. 00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:06.580 He said that this is a chief preview, 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:08.720 a chief Old Testament preview 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:11.700 of the second person of the Trinity. 00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:15.799 Whether we believe it is the Lord Jesus himself there, 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:19.019 it is certainly God coming down to men 00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:22.700 and dealing with their issues and their problems. 00:19:22.860 --> 00:19:24.539 So God is very much present 00:19:24.539 --> 00:19:27.079 in this part of the passage. 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:28.900 And God does three things. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:30.759 Now we're sort of dealing in the reverse order 00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:32.059 of what we might think was logical, 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:33.900 but we're dealing with them in the order 00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:35.640 that they're in the passage. 00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:39.060 And the first thing is that God sends. 00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:41.020 So angel of the Lord comes 00:19:41.020 --> 00:19:44.680 and he finds Hagar near a spring in the desert. 00:19:45.320 --> 00:19:46.100 And he asks her, 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:47.980 where are you come from and where are you going? 00:19:48.060 --> 00:19:50.640 Hagar doesn't really answer the where are you going. 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:52.360 It appears very likely 00:19:52.360 --> 00:19:54.240 she was trying to head back to Egypt. 00:19:54.380 --> 00:19:55.440 She was going that direction, 00:19:55.560 --> 00:19:56.780 likely to head back to Egypt 00:19:56.780 --> 00:19:58.520 where she came from. 00:19:59.280 --> 00:20:00.759 Now she was a pregnant woman, 00:20:00.840 --> 00:20:02.360 alone going through the desert. 00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:05.279 So the prospects for getting to Egypt 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:07.919 were never very good if God hadn't intervened, 00:20:07.979 --> 00:20:10.019 but that was probably the situation. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:12.279 And the angel says, 00:20:12.919 --> 00:20:16.879 go back, return to your mistress 00:20:16.879 --> 00:20:18.919 and submit to her. 00:20:19.919 --> 00:20:21.479 Now to really understand this, 00:20:21.699 --> 00:20:23.639 you need to understand that in verse nine, 00:20:24.019 --> 00:20:27.479 when the angel talks about Hagar submitting to Sarah, 00:20:27.979 --> 00:20:31.119 he uses the same verb that's used in verse six 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:34.500 when it talks about Sarah ill-treating Hagar. 00:20:34.679 --> 00:20:36.339 One is truly active 00:20:36.339 --> 00:20:37.779 and one is passive tense of the verb, 00:20:37.859 --> 00:20:39.159 but it is the same word. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.319 So the angel is effectively saying to Hagar, 00:20:42.859 --> 00:20:46.259 go back and allow Sarah to keep ill-treating you. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:47.419 Now hopefully that didn't happen, 00:20:47.719 --> 00:20:49.339 but that is the thrust of what he's saying. 00:20:49.419 --> 00:20:50.899 Go back and submit to Sarah. 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:52.839 Whatever she does to you, 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:55.239 you need to accept. 00:20:56.419 --> 00:20:57.679 That must sound quite harsh 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.539 and we'll look at the moment 00:20:58.539 --> 00:21:01.200 in a moment at what the angel says further 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:03.080 to reassure her. 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:06.320 But he's not promising that Hagar will go back 00:21:06.320 --> 00:21:08.120 and everything will be fine 00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:10.340 and she'll be fully accepted 00:21:10.340 --> 00:21:13.060 and there will be no future problems. 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:16.279 His command to her is to go back 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:17.900 and to submit to Sarah 00:21:17.900 --> 00:21:22.380 even if she continues to be ill-treated by her. 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:24.420 I think for us, 00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:27.320 the lesson is God doesn't promise 00:21:27.320 --> 00:21:28.960 that our lives will be easy 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:31.860 when he sends us out to serve him. 00:21:32.580 --> 00:21:33.660 He doesn't promise 00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:35.160 that everything will be roses 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:36.720 and that people will accept us 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:40.360 and that we'll be positively received by others 00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:42.519 and there will be no problems. 00:21:43.360 --> 00:21:44.320 On the contrary, 00:21:44.840 --> 00:21:46.600 the Lord Jesus tells his disciples, 00:21:47.380 --> 00:21:50.300 in this world you will have problems. 00:21:50.299 --> 00:21:52.539 But then he says, 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:53.659 take heart 00:21:53.659 --> 00:21:57.139 because I have overcome the world. 00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:59.659 I think that's the difference with Hagar. 00:22:00.379 --> 00:22:01.680 When she was alone 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:03.359 with Abraham and Sarah 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:05.039 and was being ill-treated, 00:22:05.639 --> 00:22:07.240 she felt the best thing she could do 00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:09.440 was to get out of that situation. 00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:11.899 As she goes back now, 00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:13.740 she knows she's going back 00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:15.379 with God's instruction 00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:17.379 and that God will be with her 00:22:17.380 --> 00:22:19.920 and that he will give her the ability to cope 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.580 with whatever may face her 00:22:21.580 --> 00:22:23.400 when she returns. 00:22:24.080 --> 00:22:26.320 And we must take that kind of assurance too 00:22:26.320 --> 00:22:29.220 that when we go into the difficult situations 00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:31.020 where people might be opposed to us, 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:34.340 if we go knowing that we're going in God's will 00:22:34.340 --> 00:22:36.580 and that he has called us to that, 00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:38.940 then we know that he will go with us 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:42.240 and he will allow us to be able to take 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:44.140 whatever the world may throw at us 00:22:44.140 --> 00:22:45.740 and to emerge victorious 00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:49.000 and to emerge with a real peace in him. 00:22:49.520 --> 00:22:50.580 God sends her back, 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:52.280 but he doesn't send her back alone. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:53.720 He sends her back 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:57.080 with his reassurance of his presence. 00:22:59.520 --> 00:23:02.640 Second thing that happens is that God speaks. 00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:04.759 Now, like Alistair, 00:23:04.820 --> 00:23:05.759 I've got a bit of Hebrew 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:07.740 and I suspect I know even less Hebrew 00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:08.500 than Alistair does, 00:23:08.580 --> 00:23:11.900 but I've got translations up there from others. 00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:15.440 So the angel sends Hagar back 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:18.800 and he sends her back with a promise 00:23:18.800 --> 00:23:20.800 that she's going to have a son 00:23:20.800 --> 00:23:23.340 and that he is going to be 00:23:23.340 --> 00:23:25.560 giving her descendants 00:23:25.560 --> 00:23:27.980 that are too numerous to count. 00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:30.120 Now, interesting, 00:23:30.380 --> 00:23:31.540 that very much reflects 00:23:31.540 --> 00:23:33.980 what God has already said to Abraham, 00:23:34.680 --> 00:23:35.880 that Abraham's descendants 00:23:35.880 --> 00:23:37.519 would be greater than the stars in the sky 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:39.720 and the sands in the seashore and so on. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:41.120 There's a real echo of that, 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:42.979 even though ultimately Ishmael 00:23:42.979 --> 00:23:44.099 isn't the child of promise, 00:23:44.439 --> 00:23:47.519 there's an echo of what God said to Abraham. 00:23:48.479 --> 00:23:49.199 And I was especially, 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:51.079 I think when you read in chapter 17, 00:23:51.219 --> 00:23:52.339 it's probably confirmed 00:23:52.339 --> 00:23:54.419 that when Hagar went back, 00:23:54.899 --> 00:23:56.179 Abraham took the words 00:23:56.179 --> 00:23:57.539 the angel had said to her 00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:59.479 as confirmation that Ishmael 00:23:59.479 --> 00:24:01.919 would be the child of promise. 00:24:02.419 --> 00:24:04.119 That's why he was so surprised 00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:05.179 in chapter 17 00:24:05.179 --> 00:24:06.819 when God says it would be Sarah 00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:08.859 and Abraham laughs at the thought 00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:11.980 that Sarah could possibly have a son. 00:24:12.939 --> 00:24:16.599 God makes this great promise to Hagar 00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:18.980 that the son she's going to bear, 00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:21.039 he's going to be the father 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:23.899 of many, many descendants. 00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:26.240 And he will be the one 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:27.819 who forever will be testimony 00:24:27.819 --> 00:24:31.319 that God has heard her in her distress 00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:34.220 and God has acted on it. 00:24:34.819 --> 00:24:36.059 Now he then makes some prophecies 00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:37.339 about Ishmael, 00:24:37.399 --> 00:24:38.480 so we won't go into great detail, 00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:40.000 which are not so positive, 00:24:40.519 --> 00:24:42.359 as someone who's a bit of a loner, 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:44.099 who is against others, 00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:46.220 and who will have, 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.000 in many ways, 00:24:47.059 --> 00:24:48.339 quite a difficult life. 00:24:48.779 --> 00:24:49.399 And of course, 00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:50.179 that prophecy continues 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.599 down to Ishmael's descendants. 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:55.159 And the conflicts in the Middle East 00:24:55.159 --> 00:24:56.519 between Jews and Arabs 00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:57.759 are in many ways 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:59.299 between the descendants of Isaac 00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:02.179 and the descendants of Ishmael. 00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:04.000 But I think from the point of view 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:05.639 of what we might take from it 00:25:05.639 --> 00:25:06.199 this evening, 00:25:06.679 --> 00:25:09.199 it is that God has heard Hagar. 00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:11.539 And as he sends her back, 00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:13.619 he gives her his promise 00:25:13.619 --> 00:25:16.259 and his commitment for the future 00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.699 that the son she is bearing 00:25:17.699 --> 00:25:21.679 will be the father of many people. 00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:24.240 And then finally, 00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:26.159 God sees. 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:29.779 And we have this El Roy, 00:25:29.939 --> 00:25:31.539 in appreciation may not be right, 00:25:31.659 --> 00:25:34.379 but the name that Hagar gives to God 00:25:34.379 --> 00:25:37.319 is the God who sees me. 00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:41.359 I have now seen the one who sees me, 00:25:41.399 --> 00:25:41.799 she said. 00:25:42.199 --> 00:25:43.839 And I believe a slightly better translation 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.839 is the God of sight, 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:47.179 so it refers both to Hagar, 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:49.219 sight of God and of God, 00:25:49.219 --> 00:25:52.119 seeing Hagar in her situation. 00:25:52.599 --> 00:25:54.659 But the assurance here for Hagar 00:25:54.659 --> 00:25:56.899 is that all she's been through, 00:25:57.319 --> 00:25:59.619 all the difficulties she's experienced, 00:25:59.959 --> 00:26:02.240 they've not been hidden from God. 00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:04.399 She knows that God has seen 00:26:04.399 --> 00:26:06.119 and God has come 00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:09.939 and God has acted in that situation. 00:26:10.939 --> 00:26:12.679 And that must have been the thing 00:26:12.679 --> 00:26:15.579 that really comforted and reassured her 00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:16.980 and gave her a faith 00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:18.980 and a trust to go back 00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:21.599 to Abraham and to Sarah. 00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:23.180 That her situation, 00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:24.700 for once she felt abandoned 00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:26.120 and alone 00:26:26.120 --> 00:26:28.980 and that no one was on her side. 00:26:29.700 --> 00:26:30.860 Yet God was there 00:26:30.860 --> 00:26:32.839 and God had seen everything 00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:33.640 that had happened. 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:36.160 And God, having seen what had happened, 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:37.259 he had acted 00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:39.259 and he had worked things 00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:40.799 for her good. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:42.619 The one who was oppressed 00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:45.440 was not invisible to God. 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:46.680 He saw her 00:26:46.680 --> 00:26:49.399 and he came to her. 00:26:50.579 --> 00:26:52.159 And that's the God we have. 00:26:52.839 --> 00:26:54.399 A God who sees 00:26:54.399 --> 00:26:55.740 those who are in distress, 00:26:56.419 --> 00:26:58.079 those who have been unfairly treated, 00:26:58.680 --> 00:26:59.460 those who are going through 00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:00.980 the most difficult times 00:27:00.980 --> 00:27:02.919 and is able to come 00:27:02.919 --> 00:27:04.639 and to reassure 00:27:04.639 --> 00:27:06.559 and to help them. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:08.299 And we know that, of course, 00:27:08.599 --> 00:27:09.740 because we have a God 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:11.839 who saw us in our sin 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:13.639 and who came to us 00:27:13.639 --> 00:27:14.740 in his son 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:17.599 to pay the penalty for our sin 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:21.519 and to bring us back to God. 00:27:22.099 --> 00:27:23.200 There's the old hymn, isn't there? 00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:23.519 It says, 00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:26.019 He saw me ruined in the fall, 00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:29.240 yet loved me notwithstanding all. 00:27:29.659 --> 00:27:31.879 He saved me from my lost estate, 00:27:31.879 --> 00:27:33.819 his loving kindness. 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:36.019 Oh, how great. 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:37.359 We have a God 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:38.759 who has seen us 00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:40.599 and has seen our fallen condition 00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:41.879 and has given us 00:27:41.879 --> 00:27:42.740 the opportunity 00:27:42.740 --> 00:27:44.200 through the Lord Jesus 00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:46.059 to be restored to him 00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:48.200 and to have our sins forgiven. 00:27:49.059 --> 00:27:50.539 We have a God, too, 00:27:50.919 --> 00:27:51.720 who sees us 00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:53.819 in all our situations in life, 00:27:54.399 --> 00:27:55.539 in all the distress 00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:56.399 that we suffer, 00:27:56.819 --> 00:27:58.599 in all the circumstances 00:27:58.599 --> 00:27:59.460 that we find 00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:01.119 really, really difficult. 00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:03.200 And as he sees us, 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:04.899 he is there to help us 00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:06.340 and to bring about 00:28:06.340 --> 00:28:08.060 his purposes. 00:28:10.300 --> 00:28:11.620 As Paul said, 00:28:12.040 --> 00:28:14.540 he didn't spare his only son 00:28:14.540 --> 00:28:16.240 but gave him up for us. 00:28:16.280 --> 00:28:17.560 And how much more 00:28:17.560 --> 00:28:18.160 will he not, 00:28:18.620 --> 00:28:19.460 along with him, 00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:21.160 freely give us 00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:22.800 all things? 00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:24.680 God sees us. 00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:27.019 God cares about the situations 00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:27.820 in our life. 00:28:28.360 --> 00:28:29.460 And God acts. 00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:30.600 And he brings about 00:28:30.600 --> 00:28:31.360 his purposes. 00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:32.299 And as we seek 00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:33.299 his help 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:35.019 and his guidance, 00:28:35.259 --> 00:28:36.360 we can be confident 00:28:36.360 --> 00:28:37.180 that he knows 00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:38.360 what is best for us 00:28:38.360 --> 00:28:39.740 and that he will bring 00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:40.400 that about 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:42.319 in our lives. 00:28:43.079 --> 00:28:44.140 So as I said at the start, 00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:45.259 it's a chapter 00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.900 which has challenged me 00:28:46.900 --> 00:28:48.779 and it's also greatly 00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:50.039 encouraged me. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:52.039 The challenge is there 00:28:52.039 --> 00:28:53.500 about our faith 00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:55.480 and about our willingness 00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:58.360 to deal with situations 00:28:58.360 --> 00:28:59.059 that arise 00:28:59.059 --> 00:29:00.440 and to deal with them 00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.400 in God's way 00:29:01.400 --> 00:29:03.319 rather than our own. 00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.720 As a husband 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:05.599 or as a leader 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.220 or as someone 00:29:06.220 --> 00:29:07.740 with responsibilities 00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:08.759 to take on 00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.860 these responsibilities 00:29:09.860 --> 00:29:11.599 and in love 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.200 and in care for others 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:13.980 to be willing 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:15.099 to take 00:29:15.099 --> 00:29:16.240 the responsibility 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:17.720 God gives to us 00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:18.720 at where necessary 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:20.160 to deal with situations 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:20.799 of conflict 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:21.400 in a loving 00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:23.220 and gracious way. 00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:25.120 when we are 00:29:25.120 --> 00:29:26.799 struggling to see 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.400 God's will 00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:28.360 and struggling to see 00:29:28.360 --> 00:29:29.059 how the thing 00:29:29.059 --> 00:29:29.460 that has been 00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:30.620 such a problem for us 00:29:30.620 --> 00:29:31.400 for so long 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:32.819 could ever be resolved, 00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:34.000 God asks us 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:35.380 to keep trusting in him 00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.819 and to keep 00:29:36.819 --> 00:29:38.539 our faith strong 00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:40.360 and not to falter. 00:29:41.539 --> 00:29:42.380 And we have the assurance 00:29:42.380 --> 00:29:44.039 that God is with us. 00:29:44.100 --> 00:29:44.640 He is with us 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:45.940 particularly in our day 00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:47.039 through his Holy Spirit 00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:48.279 who is with us 00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:49.019 as our guide, 00:29:49.339 --> 00:29:50.279 as our comforter, 00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:51.319 as our counsellor. 00:29:51.319 --> 00:29:53.799 and God sees 00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:54.899 our situation. 00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:57.259 God can speak to us 00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.439 through his word, 00:29:59.139 --> 00:30:00.099 through prayer 00:30:00.099 --> 00:30:01.240 as we are aware 00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:02.059 of his voice 00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:03.179 speaking to us, 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:04.139 through others 00:30:04.139 --> 00:30:05.740 as we seek their help. 00:30:06.179 --> 00:30:06.879 And sometimes 00:30:06.879 --> 00:30:08.419 God sends us out 00:30:08.419 --> 00:30:09.799 and he says 00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:11.279 this is what I want you to do 00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:12.139 and whatever happens, 00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:13.159 whatever circumstance 00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:13.759 you face, 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:15.099 I'll be with you 00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:17.079 and I will protect you. 00:30:18.339 --> 00:30:19.399 Let's take the God 00:30:19.399 --> 00:30:20.220 who sees, 00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:21.740 the God who speaks, 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:23.559 the God who sends 00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:24.660 and let's go out 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:25.120 this week 00:30:25.120 --> 00:30:25.900 with a confidence 00:30:25.900 --> 00:30:26.539 in him 00:30:26.539 --> 00:30:27.559 and a desire 00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:28.799 to really serve him 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:30.259 and to live lives 00:30:30.259 --> 00:30:31.680 that are pleasing to him. 00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:32.920 Let's pray together. 00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:35.940 Our Father, 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:36.339 we thank you 00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:36.920 for your word 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:38.900 and we thank you 00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:39.620 that your word 00:30:39.620 --> 00:30:40.180 challenges 00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:41.640 as well as encourages us. 00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:43.160 We pray that you 00:30:43.160 --> 00:30:43.839 will help us 00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:44.539 to be people 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:45.940 who have a real love 00:30:45.940 --> 00:30:46.900 for one another 00:30:46.900 --> 00:30:48.440 and that that love 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:49.360 won't just be 00:30:49.360 --> 00:30:50.440 warm feelings 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:52.620 or plight handshakes 00:30:52.620 --> 00:30:53.500 but it will be 00:30:53.500 --> 00:30:54.420 a real concern 00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:56.060 and a real willingness 00:30:56.060 --> 00:30:57.019 to help each other 00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:58.880 through the difficult situations 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:01.320 and to tackle issues 00:31:01.320 --> 00:31:02.860 as they might arise. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:05.019 We thank you too 00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:05.820 that you are a God 00:31:05.820 --> 00:31:06.600 who sees us 00:31:06.600 --> 00:31:07.400 in our distress 00:31:07.400 --> 00:31:08.740 and in our difficulty 00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:10.400 and who is able 00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:10.940 and willing 00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:12.460 to be there for us. 00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:13.620 And we do pray 00:31:13.620 --> 00:31:15.440 for a very large number 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:15.940 of people 00:31:15.940 --> 00:31:17.440 in our church fellowship 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:17.940 here 00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:19.180 who are going through 00:31:19.180 --> 00:31:21.000 very difficult situations 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:21.660 where they may 00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.460 be finding it 00:31:22.460 --> 00:31:23.100 very difficult 00:31:23.100 --> 00:31:24.500 to see your will 00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:25.500 or how good 00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:26.500 can come out of it. 00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:27.380 And we too pray 00:31:27.380 --> 00:31:27.940 that you will 00:31:27.940 --> 00:31:29.079 help them 00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:30.100 to retain 00:31:30.100 --> 00:31:31.480 a strong faith in you 00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:32.940 to have a dependence 00:31:32.940 --> 00:31:33.440 on you 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:34.059 and a knowledge 00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:35.039 that you do 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:35.720 work things 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:36.860 for our best 00:31:36.860 --> 00:31:38.500 and that you do care 00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:40.059 about every situation 00:31:40.059 --> 00:31:41.340 in our lives. 00:31:41.339 --> 00:31:42.339 We thank you 00:31:42.339 --> 00:31:43.099 for our time together 00:31:43.099 --> 00:31:43.720 this evening. 00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:44.859 We thank you 00:31:44.859 --> 00:31:45.480 for your word. 00:31:45.579 --> 00:31:45.980 We thank you 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:46.599 for our worship 00:31:46.599 --> 00:31:47.099 we were able 00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:48.000 to bring you earlier 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:49.240 and we commit ourselves 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:49.879 to you now 00:31:49.879 --> 00:31:50.639 in the name 00:31:50.639 --> 00:31:51.399 of the Lord Jesus. 00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:52.559 Amen.