Sermon Notes 9/4/2011

Sermon Title: He Did What?!

Sermon Text: Genesis 20:1-18

Scripture Reading: Genesis 20:1-18

Some scholars state that Genesis 12 and Genesis 20 are the same story.

“First of all, there are numerous differences in this story, in Genesis 20, and the story in Genesis 12, so that it is unlikely that this is a duplication of the same incident. In fact, there are at least ten differences between this story and the story of Genesis 12. Allow me to mention them very briefly. In Genesis 12 of course the story entails Egypt and Pharaoh. In Genesis 20 it’s Gerar and Abimelech. In Genesis 12 Pharaoh has to investigate the affliction in his house. In Genesis 20 God reveals it to Abimelech. In Genesis 12 the affliction is unspecified. In Genesis 20 God closes the wombs of the household of Abimelech. In Genesis 12 Pharaoh expels Abraham from the land after the story is over. In Genesis 20 Abimelech allows him to remain and offers him to settle wherever he wishes. In Genesis 12 Pharaoh gave Abraham gifts before it was discovered that Sarah was his wife. In Genesis 20 Abimelech gives Abraham gifts after it is discovered that Sarah is his wife. In Genesis 12 Pharaoh is told of the beauty of Sarah. In Genesis 20, interestingly, a number of years later, Abimelech is not told of the beauty of Sarah. In Genesis 12 Abraham’s reasons are not recorded in response to Pharaoh’s questions and charges. Here in Genesis 20 Abimelech makes a direct inquiry, and Abraham gives him explanations for why he did what he did. In Genesis 12 we are not told whether Sarah was violated. In Genesis 20 we are specifically told that she was protected. In Genesis 12 Pharaoh does not call his servants together to discuss the situation. In Genesis 20 Abimelech, after he wakes up from his night’s sleep, calls all the servants of the household together to explain to them the crisis which is ensued. And in Genesis 12 there is no mention of Abraham interceding for Egypt, whereas in Genesis 20 Abraham’s prayer is instrumental in lifting the curse. Needless to say, there are so many differences here it is hard to believe that this could possibly be an accidental description of the same incident” (Ligon Duncan).

READ GENESIS 12

From Genesis 12 to Genesis 20 about 20 years had passed. What has Abraham seen?

• God delivered Sarah from the Pharaoh in Genesis 12.
• God delivered a victory, great treasure, and had interaction through Melchizedek in Genesis 14.
• God had supernatural involvement with Abraham in reaffirming the Covenant in Genesis 12, 15, and 17.
• God appeared personally to Abraham in Genesis 18 and Abraham saw the awesome mercy and justice of God in Genesis 19 (Sodom).

READ GENESIS 20: He Did What!?

I love this from Pastor Scott Lindsay:

So, that is what happens in chapter 20 - a very close parallel to the events of chapter 12. Moreover, it brings us back to the question that was raised previously: What sort of man of God is this - who when he gets into the same situation he had been in earlier makes the same mistakes? What sort of man of God is this who - after twenty plus years of seeing God’s faithfulness – is still struggling with the same sins, still vulnerable to the same temptations, still capable of the same sort of faithlessness, still showing the same doubts? What sort of person does that?

Answer: A person like you. A person like me.

“No need in Christendom is more urgent than the need for a renewed awareness of what the grace of God really is” (J.I. Packer).

Paul Tripp:

Stand beside not above. Our service must not have an “I stand above you as one who has arrived” character. It flows out of a humble recognition that we share an identity with those we serve. God has not completed His work in me. I am not anyone’s guru. Change will not happen simply because someone is exposed to my wisdom and experience. We share identity, we share suffering, we share sin, and we are of the same family. The more we are honest about who we are, the more we are willing to stand alongside people and not above them, the more our lives will offer real hope (2 Corinthians 1:3-11).

Friendships and Relationships

The opposite of mercy is self-righteousness. When pointing out sins of others the self-righteous stand above and not beside. The sinner feels like he needs to jump up to meet the standards of the offended, rather than fall on grace. We relate to others as if we are incapable of the sins they commit. We should feel an “I’m beside you at the Cross” rather than “Get it straight and come back for another evaluation” environment.

Marriages 

Have you ever thought that passing along God’s mercy may be one of the main reasons you are married? Mercy takes people who are capable of open warfare over toothpaste tubes and toilet seats, and enlarges their vision to include a Savior (Dave Harvey in When Sinners Say I Do).

The following suggestions are from Dave Harvey in his book “When Sinners Say I Do.”

Read Titus 2:11-14 and Romans 2:1-4

• You spouse, parents, children, and friends are inclined to drift from grace to self-effort. “I just need to do more, work harder, give it more effort.” Self-effort may make us feel better on some level but it’s ultimately futile. When we live more aware of what we need to do than of what Christ has already done, we’re drifting.
• (Our posture towards ourselves and others who sin will determine if the sinner moves towards self-effort or reliance. Is your interaction with others driving them to the Savior or towards self-effort?) – Pastor Brian. “For one look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ” (Robert Murray M’Cheyne).

Harvey's Suggestions

• Preach the Gospel to yourself and to others.
• Read books like The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges and The Cross of Christ by John Stott.
• Celebrate what you can see, even if it is not directly related to the area of desired change (evidences of grace).
• Review the game plan for change.

Evidences of God’s Grace

1. Abraham: When we plot, scheme, and sin God sometimes rescues us from the full consequences of our sin and blesses us in spite of our sin. And we see here that God not only protects us by His grace, but God by His grace exposes our sin even while we are working hard to conceal it. Abimelech is here appointed by God as the messenger to deliver an exposing inquiry of Abraham. He asks three questions to Abraham in order to highlight the wrong that Abraham has done here. God uses Abimelech as an instrument to expose the sin of Abraham so that he will no longer be able to hide behind his explanations and excuses. Abraham’s three excuses in vv. 11-13.
2. Abimelech: When we are unknowingly walking into a snare, God intervenes and rescues us from our blindness.
3. Sarah: When those in authority over us place us in compromising positions God sometimes will preserve and rescue.

The truth of her “being his sister” is not the issue – the issue is the motive.

“In Lev. 4:3, the sin of the high priest brings guilt on the whole people, and in 2 Samuel 24 and frequently in 1-2 Kings, the sin of the kings brings judgment on the nation” (Wenham).

Abimelek’s response to God, quick obedience, voluntary restitution show that Abraham was wrong to allege that there was no fear of God in this place (v. 11). The money Abimelek gave to Abraham was an enormous sum of money.

• How do we do this with different denominations, countries, etc.

The typical Babylonian laborer received a wage of about half a shekel a month (Wenham).

“Human sin is stubborn, but not as stubborn as the grace of God and not half so persistent, not half so ready to suffer to win its way.” (Cornelius Plantinga)