MAN'S PLANS

amen, and amen Well at if you got your Bibles we're going to be in Genesis chapter 16 this morning continuing our study through the first book of the scriptures the book of beginnings of Book of Genesis, and we've been Journey now for the last several weeks with one of the key figures in the Book of Genesis this man Abraham and his wife Sarah. And they were called and chosen by God not because of anything they did not because of what they had not because they made a great name for themselves not because of their righteousness and or faithfulness Abram and Sarai didn't worship The God Who created the heavens they worship other gods and yet God came and called them out. God came in and called them to himself and when God called them he covenanted with them. He made promise to them that he would be their God he would give them blessing he would use them to be a blessing. Is that God says he was going to use them to be a blessing to all the peoples? on the Earth

in the call of God was profound and powerful and risky. And yet Abraham and his Sarah and the rest of his family they responded in faith. They followed him. They followed him as we seen already very imperfectly. I like that. I don't know any Perfect People.

If all we found in the scriptures was a record of religiously and morally perfect people. I don't think we would find any encouragement in that. I think it would fill us with despair this morning it as we dive into chapter 16. We once again see the imperfect of Abram. He makes and Sarah I makes what I think is a real classic mistake. When it comes to our relationship with God. They try to help him out. You've been there right then there it in your in your prayer. Pegada, I don't know if you've thought of this but I got a really good idea.

Hey got it. If you would just do this, it would be awesome. Sometimes we don't even bother to pray about it. We just step out and say I'm going to do this for you. You need to back me up.

There's there's something about our relationship with God which is a relationship of faith.

That makes us uncomfortable as human beings. We don't want to walk by faith. We want to walk by side. Don't don't you. Let's just be honest here this morning. There's nothing our flash like we we we want all the information. We want a detailed road map. We'd like a Chronicle timeline. We want got to lay it out for us. But when God says Hey, I want you to do this. I want you to trust me.

Becomes a real challenge for us to take him at his word. And allow him to work. at his pace

this morning. I want to talk about man's plans. now the old cliche man plans God laughs

Proverbs Chapter 19 Verse 21 says this many are the plans in the mind of a man. But it is the purpose of the lore. That will stand. Let me read that again. Just take that in many. Are the plans of a man?

Those of us who have been around for a while. We we know this. How many plans have you made?

That didn't pan out. How many times have you designed and orchestrated a 5 year strategic map? But you didn't anticipate 20/20 did you?

Man finds many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose. of the Lord That will stand. I think Genesis 16 is really an exposition of this beautiful truth that we find in Proverbs. So let's go ahead and get into the text starting in verse 1.

now Sarah Abraham's wife had borne him no children I talked a little bit about this last week. This is this is a problem on so many levels is a problem on the level of the Genesis chapter 1 blessing on Humanity. God bless them and said be fruitful and multiply.

But for Abraham and Sarah, it's a specially painful because God when he first called them out said I will make you into a great nation. I'm going to take care of you. Only got to take care of you. I'm going to bless you. You're going to have children. You're going to multiply. Great nation will come out of you when he promised this to them. They're already 75 years old.

and baron unable to conceive so imagine the heart of Abraham and Sarah.

probably at this point given up on the dream of ever biologically conceiving failure after failure after failure comes along . Comes along and says, I'm going to Covenant with you. I'm going to make your name great. I'm going to give you a nation. I'm going to bless you and you will have children imagine that first flicker of Hope in their heart.

And then imagine each month afterwards. Not this one. Not this one not this one not this one when we get into chapter 16 as we'll see in the text 10 years have now passed.

10 year month after month after month of heartbreak and disappointment month after month of barrenness emptiness and failure. Month after month where the promise of God is not happening.

chapter 15 last week

goes up the guidance is what what's going on with you? You promised me this but I'm happy. I'm going to have to pass on my legacy my inheritance to somebody that's not my child.

Remember in Genesis 15 forgot such and behold the word of the Lord came to him. This man shall not be your are your very own son. Shall be your Heir. God reiterates. His promise. No Abram you're going to have a child. Going to be your son. It's going to happen.

but 10 years have gone by

asarai comes up with a plan. Sarah Abraham's wife had borne him. No children She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. If you remember there was that that moment and they're like 10 11 years before where there was a drought in the land. And so they went away from the land of promise to the land of Egypt. and when they were there Sarah I was she's a hottie. Let's be honest, right? She was beautiful and Abram didn't want to tell Pharaoh that she was his wife. And so he didn't win fair took her as his wife and it got ugly there plagues and all sorts of stopping and then finally fell realizes what's going on and kick some out of Egypt, but as he sent them out he gave them gold and silver and servants.

We don't know for sure but good possibility Hagar was one of those servants gifted from Pharaoh. She becomes a maid servant of Sarah High.

Sarah I said to Abram the whole the Lord has prevented me from burying children. Go into my servant. It may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarah right now. This is where the text just gets flat out weird for us. This is a huge cultural divide. We look at this and it almost doesn't make sense. I I don't I don't know a woman alive today in our culture that when faced with Berenice like that would say to her husband. Hey, why don't you just take this other woman and have a child with her for me? In order to understand this we got to remember the Bible is written for us but not to us, right. This is not written in our culture has written in the ancient near East culture and in the series culture, they had different understandings and different beliefs about pregnancy and how pregnancy works. Princeton think they didn't know anything that we know scientifically about sperm and eggs. I didn't know that it was an equal combination between the husband and the wife. In fact, they thought it was really all the husband and that women were just kind of and I'm sorry ladies now my culture. Alright, don't don't get mad at me women wear just the incubator. Right? So the man would plant a little tiny child within the woman and then she would just throw it. That's how they thought that's what they believe. Not with that belief.

It became very common in the ancient near East but if a woman was barren. The man would take another wife and use her as the incubator and it would be the child of the sun and it really didn't matter which woman that came from that was.

That seems incredibly strange. We have records from the ancient near East this was written into marriage contracts and Covenants. What does a very strong possibility that Abraham and Sarah would have had this kind of marriage contract and Covenant? She's asking him to fulfill. The stipulations of the contract we need an air. I noticed notice what she does hear the Lord has stopped me. from conceding

Right, here. We have this.

The sense that God is holding out on her. The God doesn't have the best of intentions for her but somehow.

It's up to her and it's up to Abram to make sure that they get the fullness of life that they deserve.

Does that remind you of anything that we've encountered in the Book of Genesis? If you've been paying attention and if you're listening for the echo. This takes us right back to the garden. Genesis 16 has dozens of Illusions back to the garden and the temptation of eat. The doubt that enters into Eaves heart that God is holding back from them something that would be fulfilling. Something that would be satisfying fake God is not a good father to be trusted and loved.

For the we must take control for our cell. To get what we want out of life on our own term. The author of Genesis Moses. I believe it's intentionally creating these Echoes of Genesis. This is in his mind another ball. Another move away from faith and obedience to The Sovereign and rightful rule. of our good father take control into our own hands so that we could get what we want when we want it.

she comes to Abram take him and Abram listen to the voice of Sarah. That's another intentional reference back to Genesis Adam. Listen to the voice of Eve and ate of the fruit. So after Abraham had lived 10 years in the land of Canaan Sarah Abraham's wife took Hagar the Egyptian her servant and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife.

How do you think that's going to turn out?

And he went into Hagar and she can see. Many of the ancient Jewish interpreters and study students of scripture believe that it was one time. One-time year after year month after month time after time trying to conceive with Sarah. Nothing. Nothing once with Hagar.

The passage doesn't condemn. Abram for his confession to Sarah Alright put the allusion to the garden. The allusion to this fall and which Lord condemns Adam for his complicity with his wife. Shows that Adam Abraham and Sarah are repeating Adam and Eve sin of doubting the word of the Lord.

nobody in the ancient world Would have batted an eye of this. This was normal. This was culturally and socially acceptable.

Strange to us absolutely strength, just the whole concept of polygamy for most of us.

My wife went whenever I talk to my wife she's over work in the nursery today so I can talk about her whenever you talk about polygamy with my wife. She physically shutters, but she just finds it. So repulsive and yet at the same time, she'll watch that Sister Wives show all the time.

There's something about it. That's weirdly fascinating and strangely it key.

but in that day it was socially

culturally morally acceptable

when she saw that she had conceived. She looked with contempt. on her mister Abram goes into Hagar. One time it was Barbra. She becomes pregnant. When she saw that she had conceived. How do you see that? Usually comes pretty obvious. Lil pump I know I might just look pregnant right now myself.

Begins to grow begins to grow begins to go that conception becomes obvious. She's carrying a child. She's growing large with child is a play on words here in the Hebrew that you can't see in the English, which he saw that she had fancy that she grew large. She looked with contempt. It literally means Sarah. I became small in her eye. As she grows large with child and Sarah has stomach stays flat and empty. She looks down on her. She becomes small in her eye.

Sarah I said to Abram met the wrong done to me Beyond you I'm not even get into the marriage counseling aspect of this here.

Is this not take you back to Genesis? The Lord finds them hiding in the bushes would have got out of the woman who gave me gave it to me.

Shame separation instead of unity and harmony for the love. acceptance there's Dowd and blaming accusation

1 minutes are the Lord's make me bear now. She comes up with this idea. It's her plan.

April met the wrong done to me Beyond you I gave my servant to your embrace.

Literally, I put her in your lap. It's a reference to the physical act of love me. I put my why I put my servants in your laugh. And when she saw that she had conceived she looked on me with contempt. May the lord judge between you and me.

But Abrams said to Sarah. Your servant is in your power. Literally your servant Hagar is in your hand. She's in your arm. She says am I put her in your lap and he says none of them. She's yours.

You see what's going on here. That's babe stepped out. Not in faith. the plan of their own device 4 year after year after year They've been Barren but they've been together.

the other thing the most common practice in the ancient near East for a woman that is Barren for the husband to get rid of her.

The divorce her and send her on her way and go find another woman that can give you an heir that would be by far and large the most common practice in the ancient near East. That's what almost everyone would have done but Abrams and do that. Libra love Sarah. He loved her fixed even though this Barren this was their big stayed together for now because they devised this plan because they stepped out on their own to try to force the hand of God. the try to wrest control from him They find themselves against each other accusing each other blaming one another.

The infertility couldn't drive them apart.

But their stuff out on their own.

Drive a wedge between us.

Behold your servant is in your hand in your power to her as you please. Literally as you please the phrases do to her. What is good in your eyes?

Do what is right?

We started this take responsibility. This isn't hegar's fault. She's in your hand due to her as you see is good.

That's not what she does is so Sarah dealt harshly with her. This is a phrase that used of torturing prisoners. Deep Affliction. It's it's a it's the same phrase that is used about how the Egyptians treated the Israelites when they were slaves in Egypt. She was harsh with her.

And she fled from her.

Flats Ranch actually Hagar most likely means to flee her name. Is exactly what she does she flees she runs. I don't understand. To flee and run as a pregnant woman by yourself into the Wilderness alone is probably to March into death.

First seen here ends. in total disaster

Is a total disaster? Hegar's lost her home. She's pregnant by herself out in the wilderness. Sarah's lost purrmaid Abrams lost his second wife and newborn child. Sarah are at each other's throats and separated from God because they're

rather than trusting God to be true and faithful to his word. They stepped out to try to make God. Do what they wanted him to do.

And it's a disaster.

And I don't think we should be surprised. The scripture say there is a way that seems right to a man.

But it's an is the way to death.

There's something about Fallen broken Humanity. That allows us to be deceived and to deceive ourselves. What is good is bad? And what is bad is good? What is righteous is evil? What is evil is righteous? we have the ability to convince ourselves to rationalize and justify our choices are behaviors and our actions in such a way that what we're doing is the right thing for the right reasons and And it's going to turn out so good.

But there's a way that seems so right.

No, man's woman. But in the end it's way is that this is the story of Adam Eve. This is the story of Abram and Sarai. This is the story of Jeremy. This is the story of each of us.

When we take God at his work. But we trust him to honor his commitment.

Are we step out on our own? And try to make our own way. It must have seemed so good to them.

until it did

Stories full of grace The story is full of faithfulness. Not the faithfulness of Abraham and Sarah. I put the faithfulness of God to his word. The faithfulness of God to his creation the faithfulness of God to victims and marginalized people. God shows up not to Abram or Sarah. I think their own way right now. Dog shows up to Hagar. Amazing the angel of the Lord found her by Spring of water. This is the first time that phrase the angel of the Lord is a very specific phrase first time. It shows up in Genesis. It's used throughout the Old Testament in a week or two. I'm going to do an entire Sermon Just on this the appearance of the Angel of the Lord because this is not an an ordinary Angel. This is a theophany an appearance of God. I'm going to just ask you this morning to take my word on that and I'm going to unpack it later for you. But God shows up Hagar the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness the spring on the way to sure. So, let me just tell you where she's going.

Go back to Egypt. She's trying to go back home. She's on the road towards Egypt on the way to sure. She stops by this spring of water and the angel of the Lord found her and he said Hagar. servant of Sarah the God himself. She is the servant of Sarah. Where have you come from? And where are you going?

Didn't take us back to Genesis. Glory common Walk In the Garden in the cool of the breeze. Where's Adam? Where is he? Where are you?

Who told you what's going on? Who told you you were naked?

That's not asking for information because he doesn't know the answer. Got drawing her into a conversation.

Where have you come from? And where are you going? She said I am fleeing my mistress Sarah. running the angel of the Lord said to her return to your mistress.

I'm going to work in this Mega. I want you to flee. Want you to trust me return. The angel of Lord also said to her. I will surely multiply your offspring. So that they cannot be number for multitude. They very similar type language as as was given to Abram not exactly the same.

Haggar, trust me. Go on back. I'm going to give you a legacy. Once again God is promising. This God is guaranteeing. This will happen. I will multiply your Offspring so that they cannot be number for multitude and the angel of the Lord said to her behold you are pregnant and you shall bear a son.

We're in December that would probably ring a little bit differently to you. an angel appearing to another young woman the whole should be pregnant in Bear son. You shall call his name is Ishmael.

Literally means god here. You should call his name is Ishmael because God hears. God knows

because the Lord has listened. To your Affliction can't imagine. Hey guard skipping down the road to eat you.

She's playing. She's hiding. She's scared. She's desperate. She's praying to anything help me alone. Is there any one that's for me?

I got answer I'm with you I hear you.

name him Ishmael God hears

You should be a wild donkey of a man.

He's going to be he's going to be stubborn. He's going to be outrageous. He's going to be impossible to control going to be a wild donkey of a man his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against temp not going to be easy Hagar.

He's going to be his Own Worst Enemy. You don't know some people like this, right? You see him in the mirror every once in awhile.

You should dwell. Over against all his Kinsmen. It's going to be rough.

It's not going to be good.

Once again, I think there's Echoes back to Adam and Eve. After they're removed from the garden she gets pregnant.

hostility towards one's brother Characterizes the non chosen line in Genesis starting with pain continues with Esau just like Ishmael.

So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her.

Elroy You are the god of seeing she names got. She names him in this moment the God who sees. And it's a play on words in the Hebrew. It's I've seen you she's seen the angel of the Lord. She seen God, you've seen me. And I can't believe I'm still alive after all this see that's what's going on. You are you are the god of seeing URL Roy?

She says truly here. I have seen him. Who looks after me?

They're the well, she's at she's at the spring of water. The well was called the era of the high Roi of the living one who sees me. It lies between Kadesh. and breath

The Well of the living one who sees me So she returns and Hagar bore Abraham a son and a broom called the name of his son whom Hagar bore Ishmael shears.

Abraham was 86 years old when Hagar for Ishmael. the April

A fascinating right?

up to this point in the story and I know many of you you've read, you know where the story goes from here, but imagine for a moment that you don't at this moment They think their plans worked.

Yeah, we got bumpy. It got ugly. But look what we got. We've got Ishmael. Abrams got his son Ishmael. God hears got scenes hegar's back. We're all just one happy family.

That's what my will get there next week. But the people leave at this point that they had created.

the filming of God's word the date brought God's word.

And we'll see next week for 13 years. They thought Ishmael was the child from the 13 years. He grows up. God hears your the promised one. You're the son of the Covenant for 13 years. They thought their plan had worked.

Still got showed up and pulled the rug out from every.

God I hope this isn't new information to you, but God. Doesn't need your help.

He doesn't need your help. What kind of God would he be? If you needed your help in the ancient world, that's how they thought of the Gods. The gods needed humans to provide for them. The humans offered sacrifices and worship they gave offerings unto the gods to take care of the gods that strengthen the power of a God was directly related to the faithfulness and worship of its people. That's how the world envisioned that is not the god of scripture is not the god that is creator of all he has no needs. Human Sans cannot serve him as if he had needs now. Listen, very carefully though. God wants us to participate with him. But he doesn't want us to participate for us in those prepositions. Is a world of difference between joining with God and doing something for God.

One is humble and obedient submissive to the rightful rule of God. The other is willful and autonomous for Pride. Look at me. Look at what I'm doing for God's look at how I'm going to pull this off.

Far too much Ministry in the church today.

It's done for God. rather than with God

It's far too much of the sin of Sarah and Abraham's of doubting God's faithfulness. And God's ability to do what he said he will do. And resting control away from him into our hands for the we can make it happen the way we like the wind we like it.

We haven't learned.

Are the reason big part of the reason why Genesis was written and recorded by Moses for the Israelites and for us today? It's what we can understand a little bit more of who God is. and Who We Are you think back over the last 16 chapters of Genesis that we've been through how has God acted has God ever said he would do something and not done it has God ever been faithless has got ever

been untrustworthy

think about every human being in the fifth last 16 chapters. Has any one of them.

truly righteous truly Facebook

got the grass.

We are made. Not to be self-sufficient but to worship we all worship. The only question is never do I worship the question is always what do I worship?

What will I trust what will I look to what will I lean on?

The world in which we live today the culture in which we find ourselves answers that question unanimously. We will trust in our self. We will trust in our ability our scientific discovery emotional understanding of life. We will trust in our desires our whims our plans. We will make our own destiny culture. Today is the culture of Sarah and Abraham take my servant Hagar. Let's make it happen on our phone. We don't need to wait for God. We don't need to trust God. We will make it happen for ourselves.

Call Trevor scripture on the other hand.

His to take out at his word.

the trust him a wise and generous and loving father.

Who will in his time? Do exactly what he says. He does not give up. He does not fail. He cannot be thwarted. He cannot be stopped. God is faithful.

I love the character of Hagar in the store. Egyptian servant She's not. apart of the Covenant people She's a marginalized person in her culture and Society little impact little import and yet God sees her. God hears her God meets her God blesses her.

God is faithful.

And he's faithful to Abe. Spaceball Sarah

we'll see next week in the next chapter. even in spite of their fault. They're their Rebellion against God their desire to take it into their own hands and they happen God is faithful.

I'd love to stand here this morning and tell you that I am always faithful.

My wife's not in the room. Maybe I could get away with it.

You and believe me for a second. I'm a man. The believes. Oh Lord. Help me in my unbelief.

We are people. Who believe oh Lord, help us in our unbelief challenge for Abraham. And Sarah is a challenge for every single one of us today. Will we trust God?

Will we trust God to be a better God? Then we could make him out today. What we trust the heart of God as the heart of a father who really does want what is good for us?

But who sees things from a bigger Longer perspective? Then we could ever hope to imagine. Will we trust him? Even when we are faithless the sounding answer of scripture is Pakistan he is trustworthy when we are faithful. He is trustworthy when we are faithless. She is. trustworthiness 2nd Timothy 2:13

We are faithless. He remains faithful. for he cannot deny himself

We live in uncertain times.

We have many fears many challenges many frustration. the temptation to blame God very real the temptation to wrest control from God to plan to make our own way to force. God pan to be the god that we want. rather than the God, who is is a very real temptation

and many of us are worth far down the path. of our own making

I want you to hear this morning no matter where you are. No matter what you've done. No matter your faithfulness or your faithlessness our God.

Is a God who hears your affliction?

I got to the God who sees.

and our God is a God of Amazing Grace

a God who does not treat us as our sins deserve.

A guy who does not leave us or forsake us a God who will never cast us away. A smoldering Wick he will not put out. A bruised Reed he will not break.

Because even when we are faithless.

is faithful This is the God we worship. This is the God we can trust and this is the God we can do life with. Not for a man.