Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Get Attention:

Titles - ?The Lord's Specialty in Impossibility: Bringing Life Out of Death; or Sarah's Social Faux Pas ?

Social Faux Pas ...an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation.

The noon encounter in this chapter and the night scene at Sodom in the next are in every sense a contrast of light and darkness.

The former, quietly intimate and full of promise, is crowned by the intercession in which Abraham’s faith and love show a new breadth of concern.

The second scene is all confusion and ruin, moral and physical, ending in a loveless squalor which is even uglier than the great overthrow of the cities.

In verses 1–15 nothing is added to the promise of 17:15ff.

What is new is its setting, and the challenge to Sarah’s faith—for she must be brought into believing participation.

How necessary the challenge was, can be seen in verses 12–15; how successful, in Hebrews 11:11.

Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 1, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1967), 142.

Raise Need:

We need to see in Sarah 3 fingers pointed back at us, and ask in what ways we may be doubting what our Creator's capabilities are.

Orient Theme:

Like Mary and Martha, when Jesus had waited too long in their minds (as Jehovah had tarried too long for Sarah), we may have all the theology that knows the Lord will bring life out of death at the resurrection; but have we failed to believe that He wants to bring eternal life to our spiritually dead neighbor, co-worker, classmate, friend, relative, brother, sister, father, mother, son, daughter?

State Purpose:

My purpose in this exposition is to get you to think about where God is challenging your faith, and then move you from faith to faith, believing that He can, and will do the impossible, not through someone else, but through YOU!

Main Thought

As Jehovah promised to accomplish the impossible through the bride of Abraham (to bring life out of death, and to ultimately bring the Messiah to the world through the Seed of the Woman), so also has Jesus promised (to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think) to do the impossible through His Bride (to bring eternal life to souls through the preaching of the Cross by His Church).

Sub-Introduction

The Son of God is the central figure here.

He loves the homes of men.

It has ever been his wont to visit the homes and hearts of those who love him.

See Prov.

8:31.

Abraham knew well that the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, had come to dwell with him.

F. B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 26.

“If we are beset by an unseen foe,” wrote Vance Havner, “we are also befriended by an Unseen Friend.

Great is our adversary but greater is our Ally.”

Friendship involves ministry; and in this chapter you will find Abraham ministering in three different areas: to the Lord (18:1–8), to his home (18:9–15), and to a lost world (18:16–33).

Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1991), 72–74.

I. Abraham Receives Jehovah (Gen.

18:1-5)

A. Jehovah's Appearance & Abraham's Response (Gen.

18:1-2).

1.

The Place:

Plains of Mamre

Tent Door

2. The Timing:

The Heat of the Day

3. The Men:

Three men

Stood by (they stand by him here, he stands by them in v. 8)

4. The Welcome:

He Saw

He Ran

He Bowed

He Prayed - spend time with me and let me serve You!

The experience of Abraham and the experience of Christ with His disciples tells us that God wants a closer friendship with us.

God wants us to open our hearts and lives so that He can draw closer to us and us to Him.

God wants us to develop a deep affection and respect for Him, to develop the most intimate friendship possible with Him.

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 Jn. 1:3).

“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Ps.

16:8).

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Ps.

34:18).

“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Ps.

145:18).

“I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways” (Ps.

119:15).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Re.

3:20).

Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Genesis (Chapters 12–50), vol.

II, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996), 89.

B. Abraham's Invitation & Jehovah's Acceptance (Gen.

18:3-5).

1.

His Humility (Gen.

18:3):

He called him "Lord" - adonai

He called himself "servant"

He recognized the privilege of the Lord's presence - "pass not away from..."

The point is this: meditation and prayer are the way to draw closer to God, the way to become a close, intimate friend with God.

(1) Meditation draws us closer to God.

“But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.

Selah” (Ps.

4:3–4).

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Ps.

19:14).

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” (1 Ti. 4:15).

(2) Prayer draws us closer to God.

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (Jn.

15:7).

“Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually” (1 Chr.

16:11).

“He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him” (Ps.

91:15).

“Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.

If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity” (Is.

58:9).

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Je.

29:13).

Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 90.

2. His Hospitality (Gen.

18:4-5):

Refreshing with water - Rest

Reviving with bread - Comfort

3. Jehovah Honors (v.

5b):

"So do as thou hast said"

Abraham is a dynamic example in serving others.

He was a humble, ministry-minded person.

Remember how he offered Lot the first choice of land (Ge.

13:8–9); how he rescued the people of Canaan, including Lot, from the invading army; how he accepted Hagar back after she had run away with their son, Ishmael (Ge.

16:1–16).

Abraham was always serving and helping others.

And he was, no doubt, very busy managing his large holdings.

Again, he is a strong example for us in serving others.

We should always be looking to help people in need.

When we spot people in need, we should run to meet them, be courteous, and seek to help meet their needs.

We should follow the very steps that Abraham took in meeting the needs of these three men.

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]?

or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me” (Mt.

25:34–40).

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?