Good morning.
Certainly, there are stories in the Old Testament that prove God’s compassion and grace. And, there’s a few times in the Old Testament when God interacted with human beings as a person. This makes a case for Jesus who appeared on earth as both Man and God in the New Testament. For most of his recorded time here on earth he was the self-proclaimed “Son of Man.”
One of the occasions when the Lord himself appeared as a person is in Genesis when he visited Abraham and Sarah in the wilderness.
The writer of Genesis records the event in this way:
The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree (Gen. 18:1-8).
Did the three visitors have halos? Well, the writer seems to indicate that they are just like you and me. God who is spirit showed up as a person, and apparently he can eat and drink just as we do. Abraham is just all over it, jumping on the opportunity to bless God on the earth. And that would have been enough, but the story unfolds into an amazing outcome which is as follows:
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
“There, in the tent,” he said.
Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
But he said, “Yes, you did laugh” (Gen. 18:9-15).
It’s been said that the Christian life is a test, a trust, and a temporary assignment.
Sarah told a quick lie, and failed the test miserably. You’d think God (just like the soup Nazi) would have said, “Sarah. No soup for you!”
Or, that her husband Abraham would have ex-communicated her from the local church.
It really is such an interesting story because Sarah mis-speaks to God’s face, and she still receives God’s promise – a child.
Friend, aren’t you glad that Jesus is a friend of sinners?
In the Christian life you will get many tests. And, you will not pass all of them. So, be encouraged today that God is faithful when you can’t be.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness” (Lam 3:22-23).
I’m excited that Frank and the team will facilitate our worship on Sunday and then Doug Wicks will be sharing in The With-God Life sermon series. Hope to see you there!
Grace and peace,
Seth
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