Spurling Silver: Happy Birthday Laughter, Genesis 21:1-7

God is faithful, keeps every promise.

The empty tomb to the open womb, proves it.

From, It is finished, to, It’s just the beginning, in just a weekend, proves it.

From Sodom’s Smoke in Genesis 20, to a baby’s laughter in Genesis 21, proves it.

God is faithful, even when we’re not.

The Shepherd was crucified—the sheep scattered.

Sodom went up in smoke—Abe headed south, ditched Sarah and God’s Promise, again.

Nevertheless, God showed up. Opened the tomb and Sarah’s womb.

No matter what it looks like, God will always get the last laugh.

Genesis 21:1
And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken.

Who’s the active party? The Lord visited, the Lord did.

That is our Lord, our God, our Father, our example of how a Good Father should behave. Actively involved, showing up, coming down, watching close, speaking often. Never breaking a Promise.

This is not just for Sarah, but all who’ll listen.

The LORD visited and did, just as He had said, as He had spoken.

Words are Powerful. Especially God’s.

By the Word of God, the world was made. Heb. 11:3.

By the Word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth. Ps. 33:6.

See how the acts of God, follow the Word of God.

To know the will of God, the works of God, we must know the Word of God. (Know, as in intimate not just intellect; heart not just head).

It’s why Jesus said, “Wait, until endued with Power, filled with Holy Spirit. You need more than head knowledge, but heart Power. Acts 1:4,8.

His Words are Life giving, faith building, exceedingly great, and precious Promises. 2 Peter 1:4.

Not just for Sarah, but all who’ll listen.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the spoken, (rhema) Word of Christ. Romans 10:17.

By faith Sarah heard, believed, and conceived.

²For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Sarah was 90, Abe was 100…even in Florida, that’s kind of old, to be having a baby.

But, not in God.

You are never too old, (or young) to give birth to the Promise, the Seed, (Word) God has planted in you.

Hebrews 11:11; By faith Sarah conceived, even though she was barren, and beyond the age of child bearing, she believed God was faithful to His Promise, and believing His Words, she received His promise, in her body, her life, her womb.

True, not just for Sarah, but for all who’ll listen.

The key is believing and receiving HIS Promise, HIS Word, not our promise, our word, our will, our wish, our desire.

Jesus puts it like this: “Not My will but Thine.” Luke 22:42

Effective, prayer is not us moving God’s hand to our will, but our heart, to His.

By faith Sarah conceived; therefore, from one man, (Abraham) and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars in the sky, as innumerable as the sand of the seashore. Heb. 11:12.

God is faithful. The numbers don’t lie.

From the barren womb of a 90-year-old woman (Sarah), and a man, as good as dead (faithful Abraham), today we have 15.7 million Jews, and the nation of Israel.

God is faithful, even when we’re not.

Thus, we also have from unfaithful Abraham, 436 million Arabs, and their 22 nations.

Furthermore, the three major faiths claim Abraham as their father.

2.4 billion Christians.

2 billion muslims.

2 million orthodox Jews.

SIDE NOTE: Our text today is almost 2,000 years before Christ, about 4,000 years ago.

Then, about 2,600 years later, around 570 AD something happened. Over 500 years after Christ, lived, died, and was resurrected, long after the Bible had already been written, a guy by the name of Mohammad, a descendant Abraham, through Ishmael, wrote a book called the Koran, and thus began the religion of Islam.

In the Koran, the roles are reversed. Hagar is the chosen wife. Ishmael is the chosen son.

Now, read Gen. 21:1-3.

Notice how many times God repeats Sarah, in the first three verses. Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. Four times.

If God says something once, it’s important.

If God says something twice, scoot to the edge of your seat and pay attention, it’s real important.

If God says something three times, stand up, draw close, take notes, it’s vitally important.

God knew what was going to happen in the future. And He makes it abundantly clear, with absolutely no ambiguity that He chose Abraham’s wife Sarah, to bear Isaac, and be the son of the Promise, that would lead to Israel, and the Messiah; the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

There is no possible way to confuse the roles of the wives and sons; unless purposely trying to corrupt Scripture.

Nevertheless, God is Good, all the time. And as you can see, He blessed Ishmael and Hagar, even though, for the most part, they would reject Him, and hate His chosen people, resulting in the world’s largest, longest, bloodiest, family feud.

All this, all those, from Abraham, a man who was as good as dead.

God’s not dead! He’s surely alive. He did and still does, the impossible, the miraculous.

Recently, Robin was as good as dead. Her sugar spiked to 951. They said she’ll never come back from the diabetic coma; she’s as good as dead. The vultures were circling. She was as good as dead… and yet, here she sits.

God’s not dead, His hand is not shortened, He has not, will not, ever, lose His power. He remains to this day, and forever more, a Good Father, actively involved in the lives of His children.

³ And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.

That’s the name the LORD told Abraham to call him, Gen. 17:19.

Isaac means laughter. Names are important. Words are powerful. Whatever you call your kids, or anyone, make sure they encourage, build up. Cutting someone down, even in jest—is not joke. It’s a knife to their soul. Use words and names to edify, inspire, bring joy, cheer, laughter.

Ephesians 4:29; Let no corrupt communication proceed from your mouth, but only what is good for edification, imparting grace to the hearer.

Praise in public. Correct in private.

Notice Abraham, doesn’t just sire his son, he names him, he’s involved in the process.

⁴Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Abe’s really involved in the process.

Again, God has specific instructions for dad. Circumcise son on eighth day.

Why eighth day?

Our Father knows best.

Medicine eventually catches up with the Bible.

The eighth day, is the only day, in the entire life of a male, in which the blood clotting agents, vitamin K and prothrombin, are elevated over 100% of normal levels. If circumcised before the eighth day, the blood wouldn’t clot and the baby would bleed to death.

God knew that. Man didn’t.

Well, not until 1943 when science finally caught up with the Bible. A couple scientists discovered the special K formula and were given a Nobel prize in medicine for their efforts.

Today, male babies are given the blood clotting agents early, and are circumcised before the eighth day.

⁵ Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Just to be clear, the old codger with the big smile and his nose pressed up against the nursery glass—he’s a 100… and he’s not grandpa, he’s dad.

This is the time the Lord taps you on the shoulder and asks what He asked a few chapters back.

Is anything too hard for the Lord? Genesis 18:14.

Our trouble is, we remember the red lights, and forget the green ones.

Lord, help us forget not, all Thy benefits. Ps. 103:1-5.

I delivered you from famine, and Pharaoh, and fighting, and Abimelech, your own foolishness, and now Sarah’s barrenness.