All scripture King James Version. These notes are what I got from sermon, not necessarily what was preached. Sermons are available to view/listen to at Grace Church website for approximately 1 month from time sermon preached.
Grace Church
Pastor Bob Yandian
Feb 25, 2007
We all come from dysfunctional families. The first one happened in the Garden of Eden. Quit blaming the families, lean on God to change you. Society seems to glamorize single parents, movie starts on magazines seem to be passed off as so good for raising children alone.
Today we look at a woman that got to see the inside of a dysfunctional family. Abraham and Sarah. They went off to Egypt, brought back Hagar to a 'Christian' Family and introduced her to the Lord. She got to be on the inside of the promises that they were given. Sarah tries to figure out how God's word is going to happen. She turns to her own thinking. She turns to Hagar and says maybe God wants you to have the child. She could have said no but was pressured. Now all three are wrong. Ismael the result was the only one that was not wrong. Later Sarah has a child.
Gen 21:9-20 KJV
(9) And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
(10) Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
(11) And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
(12) And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
(13) And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
(14) And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
(15) And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
(16) And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
(17) And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
(18) Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
(19) And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
(20) And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
Though we use Hagar and Ismael as a type of the flesh in the New Testament, we look at it a different way. God does not create evil. He delights in using evil and turning it around for good. Some of the greatest advancements come form the evil that is sent into our lives. Do not blame God for not stopping the evil. Stand back, watch the deliverance and rejoice in the Lord. Did it catch God off guard when Joseph's brothers into the pit. Look for the way of escape that God has put there.
- Hagar is a type of God's compassion to us even when we sin.
- Our failure is never bigger than God's grace. God blesses failure. Turn it over to God and failure becomes fertilizer.
- Christians have flawed homes. Hagar was in one. She was not hired to be a surrogate mother, but she was put in the position to be one.
- Abraham was bonded to Hagar. You can not have sex without having a bond.
- Ishmael had to live with the bad choices of the parents.
- Sarah created a long term problem with a short term solution. Learn from that mistake.
There is enough blame here from people's mistakes. No matter what happens to you from people, God has a plan for your life. Sometimes the dreams that you have need to be shattered so that God can get you going in the right direction. You find happiness when you find God's will. Hagar's dreams made a mess.
- Abraham was a dead beat dad. He sent her off with a jug of water and a loaf of bread. He had enough to make her up comfortable. He could have sent her off with a least a camel for each of them. When she got to the end of her rope, she came to the God who supplies, and He will supply for you if you get in the same situation.
Hagar had her eyes on the situation not on the will of God. If you are in a similar situation He can do it for you also.
People can reject you. God will not reject you. You have to come to the end of yourself to happen though. Hagar had reason to blame everyone, but she cried out to God.
Gen 21:16-17 KJV
(16) And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
(17) And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
She cried out and God answered. Usually when you see the Angel of the Lord, it is Jesus. Notice though, It says that she cried out to God, but God heard the voice of the boy. Verse 17 points it out twice. If you have been abandoned by a parent, cry out to God so your other parent can be blessed to make a nation out of you.
Stop trying to do things in yourself. Turn it over to God so that you can live in the miracles He has for you.
