on
Genesis 18, we're following along in our studies through Genesis.
Thank you, just waiting for a drink.
Thank you.
In the heat of the day, Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them, and he bowed low to the ground.
He said, if I found favour in your eyes, my Lord, do not pass your servant by.
Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.
Let me get you something to eat so you can be refreshed, and then go on your way, now that you have come to your servant.
Very well, they answered.
Do as you say.
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah.
Quick, he said.
Get sixteen kilograms of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice tender calf, gave it to his servant who hurried to prepare it.
He then brought some curds and milk and set these before them.
While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
Where is your wife, Sarah?
They asked him.
There, in the tent, he said.
Then one of them said, I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah, your wife, will have a son.
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent which was behind him.
Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought.
After I am worn out and my Lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?
Then the Lord said to Abraham, why did Sarah laugh and say, will I really have a child now that I am old?
Is anything too hard for the Lord?
I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, I didn't laugh.
But he said, yes, you did laugh.
Well, let's pray.
Father, we thank you for giving to us your words in our language that we can read,
and that by your Spirit's help we can understand.
We pray that from this short text, you would teach us about yourself,
and how we should live in response.
May not one of us leave this building without being changed and transformed by you today.
And we pray this for your glory and for our good.
Amen.
Well, Sunday mornings, well, usually Sunday mornings anyway, I know it's an afternoon,
can be a bit frantic, especially for me.
It usually ends with me sitting in the car, beeping the horn.
Eventually, Kirsty makes her way to the car, and the conversations begin.
What took you so long?
And it's only then that I realised, well, somebody had to unload and load the dishwasher.
Somebody had to get the sandwiches prepared for afternoon tea.
Someone had to bring my Bible, which I had left on the stairs yet again.
Just because Kirsty isn't running in a hurry, doesn't mean to say nothing is happening.
Well, it appears that God is not in a hurry.
And that doesn't mean that nothing is happening.
God had promised to Abraham that he was going to be a blessing to the world.
And God confirmed it by his covenant.
So by the time we turn to chapter 18,
we expect to find Abraham as a great nation, blessing the world.
We expect to see him on his world preaching tour,
entitled Five Steps to a Blessed Life,
filling the stadiums, signing books.
But that's not where we find Abraham.
We actually find him all by himself under a tree.
Look at verse 1.
The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre
while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
It seems that when it comes to God's promises,
God isn't in much of a hurry.
But that doesn't mean to say that nothing is happening.
So let's encourage ourselves that as we look at this text this afternoon,
not to rush.
Let's take our time,
slow down,
and see what God is teaching us.
The first thing that I want us to see is
the ordinary ways in which God's people serve.
The ordinary ways in which God's people serve.
God hasn't forgotten his plan of redemption.
In fact, it's through the ordinary, everyday acts of service
that God is doing his work.
Now, before we see this,
we need to get to grips with our three friends.
We're introduced to them at the beginning of verse 2.
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing by.
Now, this isn't the Trinity.
Some people say it is, but it's not.
As we read through the text,
it seems that one of them is the Lord,
while the other two are angels,
God's messengers.
And we can see this if you go to the very end of the chapter.
Chapter 18, verse 33.
We read that when the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham,
he left and Abraham returned home.
And then into chapter 19,
the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening.
So there we have our three visitors
who've been encountering and speaking
to Abraham the Lord
and two angels.
Now, while we at this stage know their identity,
it's not immediately clear to Abraham who they are.
But let's get back to the main point.
Abraham may be waiting at his tent,
sits shading from the sun,
waiting for God to fulfil his purpose.
But that doesn't mean he's just twiddling his thumbs,
doing nothing.
No, Abraham gets serving.
First, notice the attitude of Abraham.
Look at his attitude, verse 2.
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them,
he hurried from the entrance of his tent
to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Now, bowing low is a posture of humility.
It's bowing down as if to say,
at your service, your master.
How can I be of help?
Now, that's not always the way I respond
when my doorbell goes,
especially if I'm sitting down
treating myself to some me time.
For goodness sake,
will you go and ring somebody else's house?
Leave me alone.
No, the assumed heart attitude of God's people
should be one of humility.
At your service,
how can I be of help?
So that's his attitude.
But now look at his action.
Verse 3.
He said,
If I have found favour in your eyes, my Lord,
do not pass your servant by.
Let a little water be bought
and then you may all wash your feet
and rest under this tree.
Let me get you something to eat
so you can be fresh
and then go on your way
now that you have come to your servant.
All of a sudden,
there's a flurry of activity.
There's no Lidl's bakery,
no chicken van to go to.
Sarah, quick!
There's people for dinner.
Get the fire stoked up.
Get the bread on.
I'll go and get the steaks.
A couple of hours later,
our three friends are smiling, aren't they?
What a meal!
Verse 8.
He then brought them some curds,
that's some cheese and milk,
and a calf that had been prepared,
and set these before them.
And while they ate,
he stood near them under a tree.
You see,
the attitude of humility
leads to an action of service.
Abraham assumes the role of a servant
because when we're waiting for God,
that's what God's people do.
Now, serving isn't particularly glamorous.
It has the habit of interrupting me time
and family schedules
and weekend plans.
But yet, this is what God's people do.
We get on with serving.
That's our daily diet.
Of course, humble hospitality
may only be one way to serve,
but it's a great way to serve.
God has given you a home.
It's not yours, by the way,
and neither is mine.
It's a gift from God,
and he has filled your house,
no doubt,
with frying pans and pots
and all sorts of cooking utensils.
So start using them.
Open up our homes
for the sake of the kingdom
to serve those around us
who need encouragement and support.
When you say,
I'm not a very good baker.
Well, I get that.
But that doesn't hinder
what we can do.
Turn with me, please,
to 1 Peter chapter 4
in the New Testament.
1 Peter chapter 4.
If you've got a page number,
help me out, please.
1, 2, 2, 0.
1 Peter chapter 4.
He's actually just spoken about
hospitality.
But then he reminds us,
starting in verse 10,
1 Peter chapter 4,
verse 10.
Each of you,
doesn't matter who we are,
should use whatever gift
you have received,
we all have gifts,
to serve others
as faithful stewards
of God's grace
in its various forms
or its multicoloured form.
So we become conduits
of grace
to one another
as we serve.
If anyone speaks,
they should do so
as one who speaks
the very words of God.
as we have our tea
and sandwiches later,
what a great opportunity
to speak
words of encouragement
to each other.
If anyone serves,
they should do it
with the strength
God provides,
so that in all things
God may be praised
through Jesus Christ.
To him
be the glory
and the power
forever and ever.
Amen.
Let's go back
to Genesis.
You see,
the ordinary slog
of serving others
mightn't get you
any awards,
but it does lead
to the praise
and glory of God
through our very simple
acts of speaking
and serving.
So God mightn't be
in a hurry
as far as we're concerned,
but he will fulfil
his plan of redemption.
In the meantime,
as we wait for God
to do his work,
we get serving.
It's what God's people
do.
So,
the way in which
God's people serve.
Second,
the ordinary people
that God uses
in his purposes.
The ordinary people
God uses
in his purposes.
Our three friends
may be licking
their lips
after steak
and milk
and cheese,
but it seems
that they're much
more than just
hungry travellers.
They know more
about Abraham
and Sarah
than they first
let on.
Look at verse 9.
Where is your wife
Sarah?
They asked him.
There in the tent,
he said.
Then one of them
said,
I will surely
return to you
about this time
next year
and Sarah,
your wife,
will have a son.
Now,
through our studies
in Genesis,
promises of children
to Abraham and Sarah
are not new.
But it seems
God wants to
remind them again
that his plan
of redemption
is still on track.
In fact,
God is going
to use
a struggling
servant
like Sarah.
first of all,
notice
the weakness
of Sarah.
Notice her weakness.
Look at the rest
of verse 10.
Now,
Sarah was listening
at the entrance
to the tent
which was behind him.
Abraham and Sarah
were already
very old
and Sarah
was past the age
of childbearing.
Sarah's biological
clock,
we could say,
has already
talked.
The promise
seems misplaced.
Surely,
he doesn't
really mean
what he's saying.
Why is it
that God
insists
that old
Sarah
is going
to have
a son?
Well,
because God
wants us
to see
that redemption
comes through
weakness.
Sarah may be
done in
and worn
out,
but she
is going
to have
a son.
You see,
weakness
is not
a barrier
to God.
They're the
kind of people
God uses
in his plans
and in his
purposes.
It's the way
in which
God
works.
But it's
not just
her weakness.
Notice
the doubting
of Sarah.
The doubting
of Sarah,
verse 11.
Abraham
and Sarah
were already
very old
and Sarah
was past
the age
of childbearing.
So Sarah
laughed to
herself as
she thought,
after I'm
worn out
and my
Lord is
old,
will I
now have
this pleasure?
You see,
we wouldn't
describe Sarah
as a woman
of confident
faith.
We wouldn't
invite Sarah
to come and
speak at a
conference on
faith-building
exercises.
Me?
Have a
son?
You've
got to be
joking.
I have
as much
chance of
getting pregnant
as a dead
camel winning
a race.
Me?
It can't
happen.
It possibly
couldn't
happen.
Well,
the year
will pass
and as we'll
see in
chapter 21,
Sarah does
have a
son.
You see,
it seems
that God
is not
restricted
by weak,
doubting
servants.
God never
writes people
off and
neither should
we.
Older women
like Sarah
have a
vital role
in God's
work and
in God's
purposes.
Essel and
Vera were
two old
sisters.
Essel was
never married.
Vera was
married but
she didn't
ever have
children.
They were
both timid.
They were
shy.
They were
quite reserved.
Yet for
25 years
they faithfully
prayed and
supported my
dad while he
was a pastor
in Waterford.
They held
no title
or any
particular
special role
but yet
they attended
every meeting
as they were
able.
They prayed
for his
children.
rags like
me.
Encouraged
my mum
and gave
when there
were needs.
To the
world they
were just
weak and
frail.
They were
nothing and
nobodies.
Yet in the
hands of
God they
were the
backbone you
might say
of a local
church.
You see
the church
always needs
people like
Ethel and
Vera.
He needs
people like
us.
Of course
it's not
just older
women that
God uses.
When it
comes to
God's work
and God's
purposes,
age,
whether you're
young or
old,
gender,
male or
female,
whatever your
ability,
whether you
feel strong
or struggling,
it's not an
issue for
God.
In fact
God uses
the weak
and doubting,
the suffering,
the sinful,
the broken.
Why is it
that God
insists in
doing his
work like
this?
Well to
show us
that his
plan of
redemption
will not
be accomplished
by my
strength or
your strength,
not our
faith but
his faithfulness.
It's like
he delights
in gathering
nobodies and
nothings and
using us so
that we might
wonder,
at God's
amazing grace
that he
would work
through me.
The ordinary
servant of
God may be
nothing in
the eyes of
the world
but yet God
uses weak
servants to
accomplish his
purposes.
So God
might be much
of a hurry
but he will
fulfil his
plan of
redemption.
In the
meantime we
get on
serving and
we marvel at
the fact
that God
by his
grace can
use people
like us.
So the
ordinary ways
in which
God's people
serve,
the ordinary
people God
uses in his
purposes and
then third,
the extraordinary
ways in which
God works.
God
will
be able to
build a
nation and
a people
who in
turn are
going to
be a
blessing to
the world
seems to
be too
big to
be true.
And when we
factor into
all of it
that the
very foundation
of it all
starts with
an old
Abraham and
a worn
out Sarah,
it just
seems utterly
impossible,
doesn't it?
yet look
how God
responds to
our
questioning
doubts.
Verse 13,
Then the
Lord said
to Abraham,
Why did
Sarah laugh
and say,
Will I
really have
a child
now that
I'm old?
Is
anything
too hard
for the
Lord?
Well,
the answer
should be
a resounding
no.
Nothing
is too
hard
for the
Lord.
You see,
we're dealing
here with
God
Almighty,
the one
who spoke
the universe
into existence.
Out of
nothing,
he brought
this world
into being.
And if
God is
that all
powerful
life-giving
source,
then he
can give
life to
all as
he pleases.
End of
verse 14,
I will
return to
you at
the appointed
time next
year,
and Sarah
will have
a son.
Sarah
was afraid,
so she
lied and
said,
no,
I didn't
laugh.
But he
said,
yes,
you did
laugh.
Now,
like Sarah,
we too
might laugh
at the
impossibility
of it
all.
When we
think of
God's
promises
to us,
how could
this ever
happen?
man?
Well,
don't
laugh at
what God
promises to
do.
First,
notice with
me the
plan of
redemption
in this
story,
the plan
of redemption.
God's plan
of redemption
is going to
come through
the family
of Abraham,
and as we
follow the
storyline of
the Bible,
God's promise
is fulfilled
in the
most
extraordinary
of ways.
Go with
me,
please,
to Luke's
Gospel,
chapter 1.
Luke's
Gospel,
chapter 1.
And
verse 31.
An angel
has appeared
to Mary,
a young
teenage girl,
and this
is what the
angel said,
verse 31.
You will
conceive and
give birth to
a son,
and you
are to
call him
Jesus,
the
Saviour,
the
Messiah.
Well,
look at
Mary's
response,
verse 34.
How will
this be?
Mary asked
the angel,
since I
am a
virgin.
That's
impossible.
These
things don't
happen.
Mary understood
her biology.
Virgins
can't be
pregnant.
Verse 35.
The angel
answered,
the Holy
Spirit will
come on
you,
and the
power of
the Most
High will
overshadow
you,
and the
Holy One
born will
be called
the Son
of God.
verse 37.
For no
word from
God
will ever
fail.
Mary,
nothing
is too
hard for
God.
Nothing.
You see,
God takes
and uses
a weak
teenage
virgin
from the
back end
of nowhere,
and says,
you're going
to have a
son,
and by the
way,
the child
that you
bear is
going to
be God's
promised
Messiah,
the one
who is
going to
bring the
blessing of
redemption
to the
world.
Why does
God make
seemingly
impossible
promises
and fulfill
them through
weak,
humble
servants?
Because God
wants us to
see that his
plan of
redemption
is a work
of God.
It's not
something we
do by
ourselves,
it's
something
that God
does,
and it's
not too
hard for
him either.
Verse 37,
for no
word from
God will
ever fail.
What God
says he
will do,
he will
do.
Now this
is how God
continues to
work out his
redemption in
the lives of
people like
you and me.
Jump forward
with me,
please,
to chapter
18 of
Luke's
Gospel,
chapter 18,
and see
here the
possibility
of
redemption.
Luke
chapter 18.
In this
account,
a wealthy
man comes
to Jesus
wanting to
know what
he has to
do to
earn God's
redemption.
salvation.
And it
soon becomes
very clear
to him that
there is
nothing he
can do
to earn
his salvation.
Look at
what Jesus
says to
this wealthy
man.
Luke 18,
verse 24.
Jesus
looked at him
and said,
how hard
it is for
the rich
to enter
the kingdom
of God.
Indeed,
it is easier
for a camel
to go through
the eye of
a needle
than for
someone who
is rich
to enter
the kingdom
of God.
The point
is simple
and clear.
Just as it's
impossible for
a camel
to fit through
the eye of
a needle,
so it's
impossible for
us by our
own efforts
to enter
into the
kingdom of
God.
it can't
happen.
It's just
not possible.
It's like
old women
having children
or virgins
getting pregnant.
That sort
of thing
can't happen.
Verse 26.
Those who
heard this
asked,
well then
who can
be saved?
What can
God do
in the lives
of people
to save
them?
Verse 27.
Jesus
replied,
what is
impossible
with man
is possible
with God.
What is
impossible
with man
is possible
with God.
You see,
we can never
save ourselves
and we can
never save
anybody else.
But what's
impossible for
us is what
God does.
This is what
he delights
sin doing.
How is
it possible?
Because God,
in his
redemption
plan,
sent his
son,
Jesus,
who came
to us
in humility
and weakness,
who bowed
before us
to say,
I am at
your service.
And he
served us
in the most
humbling of
ways,
by giving
his life
for us,
by dying
on a cross,
taking all
our failures
on himself,
so that
he might
secure
our
redemption
forever.
Now you
might be
thinking,
well,
my life
is a
mess.
I've
failed
too many
times.
I've
broken
too many
promises.
There's
no way
that God
can save
me.
Or maybe
you're
thinking,
I've got
a friend,
I've got
a family
member,
maybe
it's
your
mother
or your
father,
your
son,
or your
daughter,
and you're
thinking,
no way,
it's
impossible,
God
can't
save
them.
Well,
don't
laugh at
what God
can do.
Is
anything
too hard
for the
Lord?
What is
impossible
for man
is possible
with God.
redemption
might not
happen
according to
our
timing,
but that
doesn't
mean we
sit back
and do
nothing
and twiddle
our
thumbs.
We get
on with
the
ordinary,
everyday,
humble
acts of
service.
We
faithfully
pray.
We
obediently
share the
gospel.
We open
up our
homes and
invite people
in.
We get
alongside
people who
are struggling.
We use
the gifts
that God
has given
us to
be conduits
of his
amazing
grace.
God's
not in
a hurry,
but that
doesn't mean
nothing is
happening.
Don't
limit
and don't
laugh
at what
God can
do through
humble,
weak
servants
like you
and I.
God is
fulfilling
his purpose
and his
plan.
And God
will do
it.
And he
uses people
like us
as we
step out
in service
for him.
Let's
pray.
Father, we
confess that
we are
such a
rushing,
busy
people,
going from
one thing
to another,
never
slowing
down.
Father,
help us
that we
would slow
down and
see the
ways in
which we
can serve,
the things
that we
can do
to show
your grace
to others.
Father,
thank you
for your
plan of
redemption.
Thank you
for your
son, the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
Thank you
that nothing
when it
comes to
salvation is
impossible for
you, that
you have
accomplished
it all, and
you are
continuing your
work through
people like
us.
Thank you
for that.
So help
us to go
encouraged and
blessed today.
In Jesus'
name.
Amen.
we're going
to sing
together.
I will
glory in
my
Redeemer
as we
think about
the one
who came
to serve
us and
give his
life
for us.
We'll
stand
together
as we
sing.
Amen.