Sarah lived to be 127 years old. She died at Kiriath Arba, that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
And Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.
Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.
He said, I am a foreigner and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so that I can bury my dead.
The Hittites replied to Abraham, Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs.
None of us will refuse his tomb for burying your dead.
Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
He said to them, If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron, son of Zohar, on my behalf,
so that he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field.
Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.
Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites
who had come to the gate of his city.
No, my lord, he said, listen to me.
I give or I sell you the field and I sell you the cave that is in it.
I sell it to you in the presence of my people.
Bury your dead.
Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land and he said to Ephron in his hearing,
Listen to me, if you will, I will pay the price of the field.
Accept it from me so that I can bury my dead there.
Ephron answered Abraham, Listen to me, my lord.
The land is worth 400 shekels of silver.
But what is that between you and me?
Bury your dead.
Abraham agreed to Ephron's terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites,
400 shekels of silver according to the weight current among the merchants.
So Ephron's field in Machpelah near Mamre, both the field and the cave in it,
and all the trees within the borders of the field,
was legally made over to Abraham as his property in the presence of the Hittites
who would come to the gate of the city.
Afterwards Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah near Mamre,
which is at Hebron in the land of Canaan.
So the field and the cave in it were legally made over to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.
Interesting account.
Let's pray.
Father, we trust that every word written in Scripture is your word to us.
None of it is wasted.
All of it important.
And so we pray and ask that by your Holy Spirit's power
you would help us to concentrate
and to hear your voice to us afresh,
strengthening us
and blessing us today.
In Jesus' name we pray this.
Amen.
Well, it's a reality for us all, isn't it?
Look at verse 1.
Sarah lived to be 127 years old.
She died at Curious Arbor.
Sarah lived
and Sarah died.
It's the story of us all.
Our day, or one day, our names will appear in RIP.ie.
We mightn't live to be 127 years old,
but the same words will tell the same story.
Johnny lived
and Johnny died.
So the big question we all need to ask
and what I want us to think about this morning
is this.
Am I ready
to die?
Am I ready?
Is everything prepared
for your funeral?
You see, chapter 23
seems to be all about Abraham
looking for a grave
to bury
his wife Sarah.
And not from being from these parts,
he didn't have a family grave.
There was no plot
for him to go to.
So Abraham has to go through
the whole business
of asking the local town council
if he could buy some land.
And he's very respectful about it.
Look at verse 7.
Abraham rose and bowed down
before the people of the land.
Verse 12.
Again, Abraham bowed down
before the people of the land.
And finally,
after a bit of wheeling and dealing,
a place has been identified,
the cave of Machpelah.
And the price has been agreed,
400 shekels of silver.
Handshakes all round.
Abraham gets his grave
and Ephron gets his money.
And so,
verse 19,
afterwards,
Abraham buried his wife Sarah
in the cave of the field
of Machpelah.
Well, not much of a story, you say.
There's nothing really here
to hold our interest,
just the sale
of a piece of land.
Why don't we move on
to chapter 24,
to the love story
of Isaac and Rebecca?
Well, before we do this,
I think the whole story
teaches us
how we are to prepare
for our own funeral.
Not how we can go about
buying a grave
or how we can get
the best price
for our coffin,
but how we are to live
our life as we wait
for that inevitable day.
So, let's look at the text
together and see
how we can prepare
for our own death.
First,
in preparation,
live as strangers
in the world.
Live as strangers
in the world.
Abraham may have come
from out of town,
but he's been living
in these parts
for at least 80 years.
He's hardly a blow-in.
Yet, look how he sees himself.
Verse 4.
I am a foreigner
and a stranger
among you.
Now, a foreigner
was somebody
who didn't have
any rights.
He didn't carry
a passport.
And a stranger
meant that you had
no land.
He was at the mercy
of the landlord.
Now, we might think
Abraham is a bit extreme
in describing himself
as a foreigner
and a stranger.
Even the locals
saw him
as somebody
with greater honour.
Look at verse 6.
Sir, listen to us.
You are a mighty prince
among us.
Abraham,
you're one of us now.
You're one of the family.
No, Abraham understands
his status.
Verse 4.
I am a foreigner
and a stranger
among you.
He lives his life
like a refugee
or a displaced person.
Now, why would he do that?
Well, I think there's
two reasons.
Here's the first.
Because he sees
that life
is temporary.
For Abraham,
this is how
he viewed life.
He saw life
on this earth
as a temporary
dwelling place.
He was just
passing through.
You see,
Abraham and Sarah
knew that they only
had a fixed
number of years
to live.
They understood
that life was temporary
and Sarah's death
was a reminder
of that.
You see,
most of us
live
as if we're going
to be here
forever.
We plan our life
as if we're never
going to die.
And if we do
think about
the future,
we think about
all that we're
going to do
in our retirement.
No,
this account
reminds us
that we are
temporary
beings.
We live
and we die.
One day
our names
will appear
in R.I.P.
second reason
is that
Abraham knew
this was not
his home.
Being a foreigner
and a stranger,
this earth
was not
home for him.
In fact,
that is the
status and position
of all
of God's people.
Peter,
who was
a disciple
or apostle
of Jesus,
wrote a letter
to a bunch
of Christians
who were going
through a hard
time.
They were
finding it
difficult.
And this is
how he wrote,
this is how he
addressed them.
To God's
elect,
strangers
in the world,
scattered.
heard.
And as the
letter goes
on,
he encouraged
them to
live out
their lives
as foreigners
and strangers
here on
earth.
This is how
God's people
are to think
of themselves.
Now,
I'm not
suggesting that
it's wrong
to buy a
house or
that we
should sell
up all
our goods
and go
and live
off grid.
No,
it's about
an attitude
of our
heart.
One
writer put
it like
this.
Christians,
that is
followers of
Jesus,
are like
immigrants,
foreigners,
temporary
residents,
refugees.
We do
not belong.
We are
outsiders.
The death
of Sarah
was hard
for Abraham.
Look at
the end
of verse
two.
Abraham
went to
mourn
for Sarah
and to
weep over
her.
Of course
he would
miss
Sarah.
They had
been married
for years.
Yet in
the sorrow
he knew
this was
not the
end.
They were
strangers
on earth,
temporary
residents,
longing
for their
eternal
home.
So let's
ask ourselves
the question
how do
you live
your life?
If you
see this
world as
your only
home,
then life
will be
lived as
one big
bucket list.
We live
our life
focused on
what I
want and
doing
everything
that I
please,
planning our
life all
around the
things I
want to
do.
But if
life is
temporary,
and if
we understand
that this
earth is
not our
true home,
then we
will be
outward
focused.
Instead of
serving self,
we will be
serving others.
We will be
a generous
and a kind
person.
Why?
Because we
know that
everything that
we have on
this earth
we're not
going to
take with
us.
It is all
temporary.
It will
vanish in a
puff of
smoke.
We are
looking
forward to
our eternal
home.
So how
do you
prepare for
your funeral?
Well,
first,
live as a
stranger here
on earth.
Second,
in preparation,
live by
faith in
God's
promises.
live by
faith.
Our first
reading,
chapter 23,
seems to be
all about
Abraham just
buying a
grave.
A plot
has been
identified,
negotiations
take place,
the price
is agreed,
but finding
a grave in
the right
place is
all
important.
not because
of the
view,
but because
of the
promises
that have
been made.
Remember
God's
promises?
Let's go
back to
chapter 12
to remind
ourselves just
what God
had promised.
Chapter 12,
there were
three main
promises that
God made.
chapter 12,
verse 2,
there was
the promise
of a
people.
God was
going to
bring about
a people
for himself
through the
family of
Abraham.
Verse 2,
I will make
you into a
great nation
and I will
bless you.
Then there
was the
promise of
the people
being blessed,
end of
verse 3,
and all
peoples on
earth will
be blessed
through you.
There would
be a
son coming
from the
line of
Abraham who
would bring
blessing to
all the
nations.
And then
third,
there was
the promise
of a
place to
live.
Let's pick
it up in
verse 5.
Abraham
took his
wife Sarai
and his
nephew Lot
and all the
possessions
they had
accumulated
and the
people they
had acquired
in Haran
and they
set out
for the
land of
Canaan.
Now
underline
that.
Canaan.
And they
arrived there.
Verse 7,
The Lord
appeared to
Abraham and
said,
To your
offspring I
will give
this land.
So God's
people will
be in
God's
place and
they will
be blessed.
Now it's
important to
understand that
this promise
was crucial
and Abraham
needed reminded
of it.
So look at
chapter 17
verse 8.
God reminds
him again of
this promise.
Chapter 17
verse 8.
The whole
land of
Canaan
where you
now reside
as a
foreigner
I will
give as
an everlasting
possession to
you and to
your descendants
after you
and I will
be their
God.
Back to
chapter 23.
So there we
have it.
God's
great promises
that he
will have a
people who
will have a
place to
live in
and they
will be
blessed.
Yet despite
all of these
promises
Abraham still
has no
land.
He doesn't
own anything.
In fact he's
having to
negotiate with
the locals
to try and
buy a
small field.
Now just
because Abraham
has no
land doesn't
mean that God
has forgotten.
What God
says God
does.
What God
promises God
will fulfil.
It mightn't
be according
to our
timing and
it mightn't
be in the
way that we
expect but
God will
fulfil his
promises.
So armed
with that
promise Abraham
now claims
the promise.
Remember the
land that God
had promised to
Abraham was
the land
of Canaan.
Now look
where Sarah
dies in
verse 2.
She died
at Kirias
Arba,
that is
Hebron,
in the land
of Canaan.
And where
is she
buried?
Well look
at verse 19.
Afterwards
Abraham buried
his wife Sarah
in the cave
in the field
of Machpelah
near Mamre
which is at
Hebron
in the land
of Canaan.
You see
Abraham is
looking forward
in faith
to what God
had promised.
And as a sign
of his faith
in God's
promise
he buys up
a piece of
land.
He buys a
burial site
in Canaan.
It's not a lot
of land,
it's just a field
with a cave
at the end,
a few rocks.
But it is
a piece
of the land
that God
had promised.
You wouldn't
call it
prime real estate
but it is
a foretaste
of what will
one day
be received
and one day
enjoyed.
You see
Abraham
was investing
in his
promised
inheritance.
Verse 14.
Ephron
answered
Abraham,
Listen to me
my lord,
the land
is worth
400 shekels
of silver.
That's over
a year's
wages.
That's a lot
of money.
But what is
that between
you and me?
Come on,
let's do the
deal and you
can bury
your debt.
So Abraham
agreed to
Ephron's
terms and
weighed out
for him
the price
he had
named in
the hearing
of the
Hittites
400 shekels
of silver
according to
the weight
current among
the merchants.
In other
words,
the scales
were tipped
in favour
of the
seller.
Seems
crazy money,
doesn't it?
Surely Abraham
could have
negotiated a bit
better and got
a better price.
He could have
even gone
across the border
and found
something a
little bit
cheaper.
No, it may
seem a lot
of dosh,
a lot of
money to
spend on a
burial site,
but this was
an investment
in something
to come and
you couldn't
put a price
on that.
For Abraham,
this burial
site pointed
to something
greater and
far more
eternal.
come with
me,
please,
to Hebrews
chapter 11.
Hebrews
chapter 11,
as we've
seen over
the weeks,
is crucial
to our
understanding
the life
of Abraham.
Hebrews
chapter 11.
Hebrews
chapter 11.
Hebrews
chapter 11.
Hebrews
chapter 11.
Here the
writer helps
us understand
Abraham's
faith and
all that he
was looking
forward to.
We'll pick
it up in
verse 8.
By faith,
Abraham,
when called
to go to
a place
he would
later receive
as his
inheritance,
obedience,
obeyed and
went,
even though
he didn't
know where
he was
going.
By faith,
he made
his home
in the
promised land,
like a
stranger and
in a
foreign
country.
He lived
in tents,
as did
his children,
Isaac and
grandchildren,
Jacob,
who were
heirs with
him of the
same promise.
life.
Why would
he live
like that?
Because for
Abraham,
life was
temporary.
This was
not his
home.
Why?
Verse 10.
For he
was looking
forward to
the city
with foundations,
whose architect
and builder
is God.
God.
Look,
when Abraham
acquired the
piece of
land,
he was
claiming his
inheritance by
faith in
what God
had promised
him.
You see,
the physical
land of
Canaan pointed
to a better
and more
eternal land,
a city built
by God,
the land of
the new
heavens and
the new
earth,
the world
that God
will one
day put
right,
the world
where there
will be no
more suffering
or struggles
and no
more death.
This is
what God
has promised
to all
of God's
people.
We have
a glorious
inheritance,
God's
people in
God's
place in
a land,
an eternal
land full
of blessing
and you
can't put
a value
on that.
This is
an inheritance
that no
money can
buy.
In fact,
if we
want to
be part
of it,
we can
claim that
inheritance
by faith
in God's
promise.
This is
something God
delights in
giving freely
to all who
will trust
him.
Isn't
this
something
worth
investing
in with
all of
your life,
whatever
may come,
so that
you may
gain
eternity
and a
home
forever.
So how
do we
prepare for
our funeral?
Well,
we live
as strangers
and we
live by
faith in
the promise
of God.
And
continuing in
preparation,
we live
with the
hope of
the resurrection.
We live
with hope.
Let's go
back to
chapter 23
of Genesis.
Abraham
claimed the
promise.
He
bought his
burial
site,
a cave
at the
end of
a field.
As far
as Ephron
was concerned,
this land
wasn't worth
keeping,
not much
value.
Yet to
Abraham,
this burial
tomb
filled him
with hope.
You see,
hope in the
Bible is not
wishful
thinking.
It's
absolute
confidence
and complete
assurance.
It's
100%
guaranteed.
And that's
what the
burial
site for
Abraham
represented.
Sure
and certain
hope.
Look at
verse 17.
So Ephron's
field in
Machpelah
near Mamre,
both the
field and
the cave
in it,
and all
the trees
within the
borders of
that field
was legally
made over
to Abraham
as his
property
in the
presence of
all the
Hittites
who had
come to
the gate
of the
city.
Verse 20.
So the
field and
the cave
in it
were legally
made over
to Abraham
by the
Hittites
as a
burial
site.
The legal
documents
were signed
and sealed.
The deal
has been
done.
It can't
be undone
or rewritten.
It's legally
binding.
This plot
of land,
this burial
site,
belongs to
him now
and forever.
He now
has a stake
in the
promised land.
You see,
for Abraham,
this grave
was a source
of a
strange
kind of
comfort.
Yes,
he buried
and grieved
for his
wife,
but this
grave also
filled him
with hope.
It was a
reminder of
his glorious
and eternal
inheritance,
an inheritance
that belonged
to him and
it was secured
forever by
God's
promises.
Nothing and
no one could
undo what
God promises.
Nothing can
take away
with what
God will
fulfil.
Isn't it
strange
how a
burial
tomb
can fill
a person
with such
great
hope?
Well,
for us,
there is a
greater hope
to be found
in another
burial
tomb,
but this
one
is empty.
The
promise that
Abraham looked
forward to
becomes a
reality
through the
death and
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ.
You see,
Jesus,
the promised
son of
Abraham,
the God
man,
came into
the world
to live as
a foreigner
and a
stranger
amongst us.
He had
no rights.
God
He had no
home.
He came to
this world
with an
outward
focus,
not to be
served,
but to
serve.
And to
serve by
giving his
life as a
ransom.
He died
our death,
taking the
blame for the
wrong things
we have done.
and he
was placed
in a
cave,
a burial
tomb.
There
Jesus
was buried.
But this
was only a
temporary
tomb,
because three
days later,
Jesus Christ
physically and
bodily walked
out of that
tomb.
He crushed
death,
he destroyed
the grave,
and he secured
for us our
eternal
inheritance.
Who would
have ever
thought that
you could
find such
hope in a
burial site?
You see,
faith in
Jesus Christ
gives us
absolute
confidence and
complete assurance
that our
eternal destiny
is secure.
What Jesus
has done on
the cross and
through his
resurrection seals
the deal.
it can't be
undone.
It can't be
rewritten.
It's secure
forever.
Sarah lived
and Sarah
died.
Johnny lives
and one day
Johnny will
die.
But that's
not the end
of the story,
is it?
We have
hope,
absolute
confidence,
and complete
assurance.
So are you
ready to die?
Have you
made preparations
for your
funeral?
people?
Well, to
prepare for
that inevitable
day, we
are to live
as strangers.
We are to
live in
faith and
we live
with hope.
As we
close, I'd
like us to
turn, please,
to 1
Peter.
1 Peter
chapter 1.
This is the
letter where
all God's
people are
referred to
as foreigners
and strangers.
We live our
life here
temporarily.
This world
is not our
home.
We are
longing for
something better
and greater.
And here
is a
promise
that is
worth
investing
your life
in.
Giving
your all
for
something
to
something
that you
can never
ever lose.
Let's
read 1
Peter
chapter 1
verses
3 to
5
as we
reflect and
meditate
on God's
great
promise.
Praise be
to the
God and
Father of
our Lord
Jesus
Christ.
In his
great
mercy,
he has
given us
new birth,
a new
beginning,
a new
life,
into a
living hope
through the
resurrection of
Jesus Christ
from the
dead,
and into
an inheritance
that can
never perish,
spoil,
or fade.
This
inheritance
is kept
in heaven
for you
who through
faith are
shielded by
God's power
until the
coming of
the salvation
that is
ready to be
revealed
in the
last time.
God
grew,
and
render
its
God's power
tiens.
and
we
praise you,
Lord God Almighty
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
for the life that we have received
by faith
for the promises that are now ours
because of Christ's resurrection from the dead
help us to live our life
as strangers
living our life temporarily
longing for our eternal home
walking each day
by faith in the sure and certain promises of God
looking forward
and longing for our eternal home
that will never perish
spoil or fade
thank you that heaven is kept for us
and that we are kept for heaven
help us to prepare
for our funeral
for our good
and for your glory
Amen
Well I'm sure there's many songs that we could sing in response
to what we've just thought about
but here's one that fits well
what is our hope
in life and death
if this is where your faith is
then you will want to sing
and answer
Christ alone
I encourage you if you're able to stand and sing
and to sing to one another
to encourage us
as we live our lives
here on this earth
God bless you
I need you
to bring you