Sermon Notes (5.15.22)
Genesis 21:22-34
22 At that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. 23 Swear to me by God here and now, that you will not break an agreement with me or with my children and descendants. As I have been loyal to you, so you will be loyal to me and to the country where you are a resident alien.” 24 And Abraham said, “I swear it.”
25 But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well that Abimelech’s servants had seized. 26 Abimelech replied, “I don’t know who did this thing. You didn’t report anything to me, so I hadn’t heard about it until today.” 27 Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 Abraham separated seven ewe lambs from the flock. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “Why have you separated these seven ewe lambs?” 30 He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from me so that this act will serve as my witness that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba because it was there that the two of them swore an oath. 32 After they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham lived as an alien in the land of the Philistines for many days. (CSB)
How do we thrive as outsiders?
REMEMBER THE PRESENCE
Genesis 21:22-24
“God is with you in everything you do. Swear to me by God here and now, that you will not break an agreement with me or with my children and descendants…”
1 John 4:4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Colossians 1:27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Matthew 28:19-20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Do you believe this?
PURSUE THE PEACE
Genesis 21:25-32
Abraham Complained – “to determine what is right”
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Do you resemble your Father?
Proverbs 16:7 When a person’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
The peacemaker is one who is not always looking at everything in terms of the effect it has upon himself. Now is not that the whole trouble with us by nature? We look at everything as it affects us. `What is the reaction upon me? What is this going to mean to me?’ And the moment we think like that there is of necessity war, because everybody else is doing the same thing. That is the explanation of all the quarrelling and discord. Everybody looks at it from the self-centred point of view. `Is this fair to me? Am I having my rights and dues?’ They are not interested in the causes they should be serving, or the great thing that brings them all together, this Church, Society, or Organization. – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
PRIORITIZE PRAISE
Genesis 21:33-34
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
THE OUTSIDER WE NEED
Presence – Peace – Praise
Do you have the long-view in mind?
Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. 6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.
Romans 15:7-9 Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9 and so that Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written,
Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and I will sing praise to your name.
Behind the corporate worship in our local church, and behind the global worship of the nations, is our mediator, our Brother, the Perfect Worshipper, and our perfect Worship Leader. We are united to Christ, and in him all our worship is brought together into one global choir to the praise of the Father. – Tony Reinke
HOW CAN WE RESPOND?
Repent. Remember. Rejoice.
A Prayer for Salvation
“Heavenly Father, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever before believed, but through your Son Jesus I can be more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you that he lived the life I should have lived and paid the debt and punishment I owed. Receive me now for his sake. I turn from my sins and receive him as Savior. Amen.”