Intro: The depths to which God's own people can sink are amazing. Abram, a man who believes in God, is here. He has left his family and homeland due to his faith in God. He has believed God through fights and preliminaries that would have made numerous men pivot in shame and get back. However, Abram is still a human despite his faith and his acts of kindness. He is as yet made of corrupt tissue and there is still inside him a draw towards the world and every one of its allurements.
We are all aware of the topic of this passage. Sarai and Abram attempt to assist God with giving them a child by having Abram accept Sarai's maidservant Hagar as his better half. Although, as with us, this was never God's intention for their lives, they plunged headfirst into it anyway. Their decision had far-reaching repercussions for them and the world today. As we have time tonight, we should put shortly in this entry. I need to teach for some time on the possibility That Issue With Hagar.
I. V. 1-4a THE REASONS FOR THE TROUBLE (Ill. Although there are far too many reasons for this mess to list, there are three that should be mentioned this evening.)
A. The Acceptance They Desired In that culture, having no children was regarded as an embarrassment. In our day, many couples pick that way of life for them and that is not a problem. Others have that decision constrained on them by actual reasons. In Abram's day, no matter what the purposes for it, in the event that a couple had no youngsters, they were taunted, peered down on and generally were not acknowledged in the public eye.
This was a general public that likewise barely cared about numerous relationships. No one in their immediate vicinity would give a damn if a man like Abram took Hagar as a second wife or concubine. Assuming that that courtesan were to bear a kid, it would be viewed as the offspring of the first, or essential, spouse. Along these lines, Sarai could get the youngster she wanted and be acknowledged locally. ( Note: God's kids are frequently at real fault for settling for what is most convenient option to those of the local area around them to fit in better. To please God and be rejected by men is preferable to pleasing God and being rejected by men! 2 Cor. says that the Lord's people and the world around them must be clearly separated. 6:17.) ( Note: This evening, many churches are falling into that trap!
B. The Stuff They Were Hauling - The Book of scriptures lets us know that Hagar was an Egyptian. She is one of the things Abram brought back from his sinful journey into Egypt, as recorded in Genesis 12:10–20. Had he never excursion to that country, there would have been no Hagar to wed! He is still enjoying the fruits of his labor in Egypt! You never go into transgression and tell the truth! Everywhere you look, there's a sign that you were there! Gal.'s Law of Sowing and Harvesting states that 6:7-8.)
C. The Promises They Were Doubting: The great promise that God made to Abram is described in Genesis 15:1–6. Abram responded with faith when the promise was made, but as time has passed, he has begun to question it. Together with Sarai, he decides that God requires assistance to fulfill His promise. In the end, all God said was that Abram would have a son; He didn't say by whom he would father that child! ( Note: Doubt regarding God's Word and promises is, in my opinion, more to blame for our difficulties than anything else. We can peruse what He has guaranteed us, however when the commitment isn't satisfied right away, we start to uncertainty and attempt to track down method for getting it going ourselves. At the point when will we at any point discover that: A. God generally stays true to His Promise, Heb. 6:18; Rom. 4:21; Psa. 119:89; B. God is a Lord of request and that He doesn't run on our timetable, (Sick. Jesus - Men required a Rescuer for a long time before He came, however God sent Him "in the fulness of time", Lady. 4:4.); what's more, C. God needn't bother with our assistance to achieve His will, Psa. 50:12.)
II. V. 4b-9 THE Responses TO THE Difficulty
(Sick. Each of the three of the members in this disaster responded distinctively to the circumstance. While each of them behaved differently, it is important to note that they all behaved badly. By the way, the majority of the people in this room will respond to sin and its problems, or any problem from any source, in one of the three ways I'm about to share with you.)
A. V. 6 Abram Responded By Being Untouchable - He attempted to imagine that there was no issue and that assuming there was an issue, it was Sarai's to manage. He completely overlooked his obligation in the entire circumstance. ( Note: Many individuals attempt to manage their concerns by basically overlooking them. This won't ever work! Small issues quickly escalate into larger ones if we remain settled. Sick. 2 Sam. 13:1-39: Absalom took matters into his own hands and killed his brother as a result of David's neglect of Amnon and Tamar. Note: Consequently, whether it be an issue in the home, at work, locally, at school or in the congregation, it should be faced and managed or it will go crazy. Simply ask Abram!)
B. V. 5: Sarai Reacted Unreasonably Sarai was depressed due to Hagar's arrogance and pride, so she tried to make everyone else around her depressed as well. She attempted to attribute the issue to Abram. She attempted to attribute the issue to Hagar. She even involved God in the issue. She elaborated on the proverb: In the event that mother ain't blissful, ain't no one cheerful!" ( Note: There are numerous who approach the issues of existence with a comparative demeanor. In the event that they are miserable, they need every other person around them to be despondent also. In this way, they get testy, dastardly, irritable and become hard to coexist with. Ill. Gal. reminds us that this is not a Christ-like response to difficulties. 5:22-23; 1 Cor. 13:4-8! He would have us figure out how to deal with the issues of existence without joining others or endeavoring to make them however hopeless as we may be!)
C. V. 6b-9 Hagar Reacted by Not Being Available Hagar decided that flight was the solution to her problems. To get away from the issue, she simply packed up and left. Note: This is the most well-known reaction of all! Don't look for a solution when problems arise at church; instead, look for a new church. At the point when issues emerge at work, don't fix it, get another line of work. At the point when issues crop up in the marriage, don't figure out it, simply get yourself another mate. Ill. Israel's children and the giants of Canaan. They ran from the them first time, Numbers 13-14; However, they needed to be confronted and defeated before their heirs could claim the land, Deut. 9:1-2.)
(Note: I just wanted to bring to your attention that in 16:9, God brought Hagar back to the family. The fact that God intended to use this circumstance to assist each of these three people in learning to face their problems in God's way is one of the many reasons why he did this. Abram needed to confront it. It was up to Sarai to deal with. Hagar needed to live in it. God doesn't care about making you happy. He needs to make you sacred! Compelling you to deal with your concerns is one approach to achieving that end!)
III. "Good understanding giveth favor:" Proverbs 13:15 says, "The results of the trouble (Ill.) However, transgressors' path is difficult. "...be sure your sin will find you out," says Numbers 32:23. The sad reality that sin brings difficulties and trials is brought to our attention in these and other verses. This evening's circumstance is no exception!)
A. V. 11-12 A Troublesome Child Was Conceived - Ishmael is known as a crazy man. ( Note: Through a lack of standards and discipline in the home, many parents appear determined to raise their own "wild men"!) He would be difficult to manage and hostile toward other people. Ishmael addresses the challenges that emerge when sin is permitted to redirect us from God's way for our lives. Keep in mind, sin presents to it's own club. Ishmael is an image of that reality. What could your wrongdoing bring forth in your life? Keep in mind, Gal. 6:7-8!
B. 21:9–11: A Burden of a Dysfunctional Family - As Ishmael grew, so did the tensions around him. To put it another way, despite the passage of many years, Abram and Sarai's sin continued to cause trouble and heartache in the home. Note: I would simply advise you that your transgressions, regardless of how little and unimportant you might believe them to be, consistently influence you and everyone around you! They hinder your relationship with God, sabotage your family, and poison your spirit. Numerous families are troubled tonight by the purported secret sins of those in that family! Pro, the solution to sin is to bring it into the light. 28:13. John 3:19–21 states that when sin enters the marvelous light of God's glory, it ceases to exist.)
C. V. 10-12 A Heavenly Arrangement Was Reinforced - Despite the fact that this wrongdoing was achieved by the desire of men, it would have been utilized for the magnificence of God. Participants were unable to anticipate how events would unfold in our time. However, Abram's sin against Hagar is the root cause of a significant portion of the problems that the world is facing this evening, particularly in the Arab world. The Arabs will play a significant role in God's plan for the events of the end times. Note: You see, God doesn't get caught off guard by anything, not even our sins. He can take the most terrible of our disappointments and use them for His brilliance. That isn't a reason for evil, yet motivation to get moving on after we fall. Accordingly, when sin is committed in your life, don't run from it. Instead, go to the Lord and take advantage of the cleansing and forgiveness He provides through grace (1 John 1:9).)
Conc: This message has addressed so many aspects of our lives that I would be surprised if anyone in this room has not been directly addressed this evening. There will be sins while we are here on earth, and there will be times when we react badly to challenges and difficulties. However, my friends, those wrongdoings and negative outcomes need not define our lives! We can go to the altar to get the assistance, forgiveness, and restoration we so desperately require. If this passage has impacted your life this evening, please confess it to the Lord and allow Him to direct your path in life!
