Sticking to the Promised Plan

Message Title: Sticking to the Promised Plan
Theme: Made to Be
Season: Ordinary Time
Main Text: Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7); Isaac Promised
Scripture Reading: Matthew 9:35-10:8 Jesus’ compassion & Disciples’ ministry
RCL Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7); Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; Exodus 19:2-8a; Psalm 100; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
Focus: God promises Abraham a son named Isaac through Sarah.
Function:  To not decide the character of God by the action of humans.
Other Notes: FATHER’S DAY

Scripture Reading: Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23) Jesus’ compassion & Disciples’ ministry
35 Jesus traveled among all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 36 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The size of the harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers. 38 Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest.” He called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to throw them out and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee; and John his brother; 3 Philip; and Bartholomew; Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean; and Judas, who betrayed Jesus. 5 Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Don’t go among the Gentiles or into a Samaritan city. 6 Go instead to the lost sheep, the people of Israel. 7 As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment.

INTRODUCTION:

1. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: what role did you play in group projects in school? The leader, the worker bee, the freeloader?
   1. What were your general thoughts about doing group projects?
2. 8^th grade group project: Abby & the Japanese Internment camp project – I was clueless about the topic until Abby brought it up. Looking back now, I only vaguely remember my efforts in the project. Perhaps, because I was so overwhelmed about this revelation that I didn’t really know how to help. So thank you to Abby all those years ago for carrying us in that project!

TRANSITION: Today is our next installment of the Made to Be series; They had gone off script. We are in Genesis 18. God takes time to get Abram & Sarai, now Abraham and Sarah, back on the group project plans.

Reminder, we’re looking at this book not as a fact-finding mission but as a foundation of our identity.

Main Text: Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7); Isaac Promised– The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he sat at the entrance of his tent in the day’s heat. ² He looked up and suddenly saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from his tent entrance to greet them and bowed deeply. ³ He said, “Sirs, if you would be so kind, don’t just pass by your servant. ⁴ Let a little water be brought so you may wash your feet and refresh yourselves under the tree. ⁵ Let me offer you a little bread so you will feel stronger, and after that you may leave your servant and go on your way—since you have visited your servant.” They responded, “Fine. Do just as you have said.” ⁶ So Abraham hurried to Sarah at his tent and said, “Hurry! Knead three seahs of the finest flour and make some baked goods!” ⁷ Abraham ran to the cattle, took a healthy young calf, and gave it to a young servant, who prepared it quickly. ⁸ Then Abraham took butter, milk, and the calf that had been prepared, put the food in front of them, and stood under the tree near them as they ate. ⁹ They said to him, “Where’s your wife Sarah?” And he said, “Right here in the tent.” ¹⁰ Then one of the men said, “I will definitely return to you about this time next year. Then your wife Sarah will have a son!” Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were both very old. Sarah was no longer menstruating. ¹² So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, I’m no longer able to have children and my husband’s old. ¹³ The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Me give birth? At my age?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too difficult for the Lord? When I return to you about this time next year, Sarah will have a son.” ¹⁵ Sarah lied and said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was frightened. But he said, “No, you laughed.”

EXPLAINATION:

1. GENESIS CONTEXT: draw this out?
   1. Gen 12 God promised to make Abram a great nation and calls him to move to a new land at 75.
   1. Gen 15 Time passes, drama ensues for Lot, and God promised Abram would have a son.
   1. Gen 16 Abram and Sarai made a plan to fulfill God’s promise. Ishmael was born to Abram through the sexual exploitation of Hagar their servant at the age of 86.
      1. Hagar runs away and God speaks to her, blesses her and her son. Then Hagar names God. And returns to Abram and Sarai.
   1. Gen 17 God makes a covenant with Abram (100) that Sarah (90) would bare him a son named Isaac. God changed their names to Abraham and Sarah to commemorate this promise.
      1. God also blesses Ishmael (13) to be a great nation of 12 tribes.
      1. Abraham and Ishmael are circumcised as a sign of the promise.
2. TODAY: Gen 18
   1. “Lord visits” & “three men” – angelic messengers?
      1. Lavish hospitality of Abraham & Sarah – killing an animal, creating bread, butter, etc to provide for their guests.
      1. Promise of a son by next year
   1. Sarah laughs at the prospect of being old and having a son & lies about laughing.
   1. “Is there anything too difficult for the Lord?”
   1. Ch 18 drama ensures for lot at sodom
3. PS –Gen 21 – Isaac is born and Hagar & Ishmael are “evicted” but with a blessing

INTERPRETATION:

1. God has promised Abram a bunch of times that God would follow through on God’s plan.
   1. Abram and Sarai tried to fulfill “the plan” with their own design through the exploitation of another individual. Sure, Abram got a son out of the deal, but was that part of God’s plan?
   1. Did Abram not believe God? Did Abram grow impatient? I mean, it was 25+ years before the promise was finally fulfilled.
2. Let’s be honest: We’re not great at assessing God’s plans, especially when life gets hard.
   1. Someone dies “must have been God’s plan”
   1. Someone loses their job “God has a plan”
   1. Someone can’t get pregnant “not in God’s plan”
3. What kind of God do we worship if these are the plans God makes?
   1. (Making allowances for tragedies by blaming God)
   1. What kind of God did Abraham and Sarah think they were following that designed a plan for Abram to sexually exploit a person that was dependent on them for survival? How is that “blessed to be a blessing”? Was Hagar blessed by Abram & Sarai’s actions?
4. God reminded Abram MULTIPLE TIMES what the plan was. When Sarai and Abram went rogue, God reminded them that this wasn’t the plan. Again, they’re reminded and Sarah laughs: “Right God… a son…we’re still waiting 25 years later…”
   1. SCRIPTURE READING: In the middle of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus had compassion on the crowds and commissioned the disciples to join him in his work. They were not given authority to expand the Gospel at that time – stick to Israel. But eventually at the Great Commission their commission would include all the nations of the world.
      1. The disciples had to stick to Jesus’ plan.
5. God is experienced in humans not sticking to the plan & creation loves going rogue

APPLICATION: To not decide the character of God by the action of humans.

1. Father’s day – Plan vs Rogue
2. As we fulfill our role as commissioned humans (gen 1:28-29), Abraham’s children (gen 12:3), and Christ’s disciples (matt 28 & acts 1), we’re called to set our own ideas down to pick up God’s plan.
   1. The Southern Baptist Convention voted this week to expel churches from their denomination who ordain and endorse women in leadership. At the same time, they are not addressing the problems of sexual misconduct of male pastors in congregations. They are claiming exclusion and hierarchy & exploitation as part of God’s plan. They are living in Genesis 3, not Genesis 1. The Gospel is being limited because of their human made plans.

CONCLUSION: God’s plan doesn’t include exploitation or exclusion or favoritism. – Our commission as humans, as Abraham’s children, and Christ’s disciples will never include exploitation or exclusion. God’s plan from Genesis 1 to today was for all of creation. Get back to the plan

Note: I will be in Puerto Rico June 21-27^th for our denominational biennial as a delegate and a speaker.