READ | SERMON NOTES
SUMMARY l One of the main themes of the Bible is the constant failure of man and God’s consistent grace and faithfulness towards us and creation. In the salvation plan, God blesses all the families of the earth through Abram.
Abram and Disregarded God
Sarai and Abram failed when they disregarded God. They were barren and had come up with their own plan to have an offspring to populate a nation. Instead of trusting in the Lord and acknowledging Him, they relied on human understanding and reason. They justified the marriage of Hagar to Abram as an acceptable practice. It was culturally acceptable and not illegal. They rationalised that ends of trying to fulfil the covenant, justified the means. But in Genesis 2, the biblical model is a monogamous marriage. It was only after the fall that bigamy and polygamy came into the picture.
The human mode takes over when we do not trust God. But something that is customary and legal may not always be the right or Christian thing to do. We have to weigh all this carefully, in the light of how God is guiding us and listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts.
There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death. (Prov 14:12; 16:25) When Abram and Sarai took the human option, it led to a disastrous end. Sarai subsequently abused Hagar, who ran away. The only possible chance of an offspring was gone.
God’s Grace: Submitted to God
God intervened and rescued the whole situation. The angel of God spoke to Hagar in the wilderness, at the well Beerlahairoi (which means the Living One who sees me). Hagar came to realise who is God in her life. She submitted to God and returned. (v9) She encountered the living God, who spoke words of instruction and encouragement into her life. The name Ishmael means God has heard me.
Man’s Failure and God’s Grace/Faithfulness
Despite Abram and Sarai’s lack of faith and failure, God’s plan and purpose was not messed up. God remained constantly faithful and forgave, for he cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 12:13).
Oftentimes we may be faithless, but God remains faithful. In our lives, we may inevitably be at fault and fail God on many occasions, but God will always be faithful as He has called us. As we think about Genesis 16, let us not disregard God in our lives. Let us continue to submit to the sovereign God.
The name Beerlahairoi is a testament to God, the Living One, who sees me. He is a God who is personal, all present and speaks encouragement into our lives. Ishmael reminds us that God has heard me. God does not despise the outsider. When we reach out to Him, God says here I am and He hears our cry.
(Sermon notes by Denis Koh)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Read Gen 16 and describe the challenges faced by each of the three persons in verses1-6 in similar contemporary life struggles/ situations.
- Share contemporary customs/practices that Christians may have engaged in that may ruin our testimony and dishonour God. How would you counsel them with Paul’s guidance from 1 Cor 6; 8; 10?
- Share an experience you had with the Lord that made you declare Him as “the Living One who sees me” and “God has heard me”.
- Who is in a possible situation where he/she is leaving God out of their plan/decision/dream?
