Genesis 18:1-15 (21:1-7)
18:1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of
his tent in the heat of the day.
18:2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from
the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground.
18:3 He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant.
18:4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the
tree.
18:5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you
may pass on--since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have
said."
18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly
three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes."
18:7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the
servant, who hastened to prepare it.
18:8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before
them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
18:9 They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There,
in the tent."
18:10 Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife
Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.
18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah
after the manner of women.
18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have grown old, and my husband
is old, shall I have pleasure?"
18:13 The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, and say, 'Shall I indeed
bear a child, now that I am old?'
18:14 Is anything too wonderful for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, in
due season, and Sarah shall have a son."
18:15 But Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. He
said, "Oh yes, you did laugh."
21:1 The LORD dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as he had
promised.
21:2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God
had spoken to him.
21:3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him.
21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had
commanded him.
21:5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
21:6 Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will
laugh with me."
21:7 And she said, "Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse
children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
Some of the excellent comments in the previous discussion of this passage have led me to preach on the theme of "possibility, purpose, and promise" this week. I'm working with the idea that, while nothing is impossible for God, God works to fulfill God's purpose, and that is the promise that we trust. The birth of Isaac was the fulfillment of God's purpose -- not just a demonstration of a barren woman bearing a child in her old age.
My thought is to address the difference between the "magical thinking" that leads us to pray and hope for our own purposes to be fulfilled and the faithful living that leads us to expect God's promise to be kept. Your thoughts are welcome.
RevEv in Kansas
I read "The Red Tent" this spring, which tells the story of Genesis from Dinah's perspective. While it did not deal with this portion of Genesis, it opened my eyes to a very real possibility. Prior to God calling Abram to the promised land, Abram had no formal knowledge of God. Perhaps the only knowledge of God that Abram possessed is what God revealed to Abram and whatever Abram could deduce to that point. Further, given the culture, it is not likely that Abraham would share much of his relationship with God with his wife. No wonder Sarah laughed. She had no knowledge of this God, and probably (as this book hypothesises) lived in a world of idols. My intersection with this text is this: I don't blame Sarah for laughing, she had no way of knowing what is possible through God, but we who profess faith in this incredible God ought to know better and yet we continue to laugh when God calls us to do the impossible. Just some early ramblings, but it makes me think...JRinBigD
I am planning to preach on this passage. I've chosen "Now, that's Funny!" as my sermon title. I plan to focus on the importance of humor in our lives and the need to laugh -- that we need to "let go" of those things that drag us down and "let God" carry them for us -- for with God all things are possbile.
RevLo in IL
In studying for this passage, I noticed that in Genesis 17, it was Abraham that laughed at the idea first! Then he tried to bargain with God. And God said, "No." Sarah heard the news and she laughed. God told them to name the child of promise, Isaac, which means, "he laughs." Why? Perhaps everytime his parents called him, or thought about him, they would remember laughing. What did they laugh at? The thought that God would promise something they knew to be impossible! Lessons? We do the possible. God does the impossible. We cannot manipulate God into being our personal spiritual concierge.
Some of my musings this week.
Pastor David in Diamond, OH, at the Palmyra UMC
21:6 Sarah said,"God has brought laughter FOR me; everyone who hears will laugh WITH me." Her first laugh was derisive, cynical, scornful. "Yeah, sure, har-de-har!" Perhaps she thought other women, younger, fruitful, laughed AT her. But now that there was laughter FOR her, she could laugh WITH others, truly laugh with joy every time she called his name. "Come here, laughter!"
Our first daughter was named Joyce. At VBS we always sang "This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." She loved the "re-Joyce" part and always beamed when she sang it. She thought we were singing about her. Now when we do, we are. Though she went on to permanent rejoicing at age three, she is still with us as Joy and Laughter every time we sing "re-Joyce". Happy Father's Day all, tom in TN(USA)
Laughter is "The Right Stuff" to deal with the challenges that God offers us - and new parenthood at their ages would have definitely been a challenge!
Parenthood, especially fatherhood in light of FAther's day, produces suffering which produces endurance, etc which is the Romans text for this week. Somehow that is working for me tonight, maybe it will for tomorrow as well!
Grace and peace from the Arkansas wilderness!
The little preacher lady!
Where is everyone this week???? I sure was hoping for some good food for thought when I got home from the Lake - a RARE family outing! That is what my husband wanted to do - I work on Fahter's day so we celebrate on Saturday!
Laughter is "The Right Stuff" to deal with the challenges that God offers us - and new parenthood at their ages would have definitely been a challenge!
Parenthood, especially fatherhood in light of FAther's day, produces suffering which produces endurance, etc which is the Romans text for this week. Somehow that is working for me tonight, maybe it will for tomorrow as well!
Grace and peace from the Arkansas wilderness!
The little preacher lady!
Just a few thoughts on this scripture.
1. God has a sense of humor and patience to see the joke through. And when we think we are in charge of our fate the joke is on us.
2. The righteousness of Abraham was that even though he laughed at the idea, he acted on faith by "going into the tent with Sarah" until the promise was realized. They laughed, but they still acted on the promises of God.
3. We need to be open to the plan of God for our lives and open to those God sends into our daily path. We should treat strangers well because we might be dealing with angels unawares. It is overwhelming to think of the time and effort Sarah and Abraham went to for the strangers. It wasn't like they had a refrigerator or convenience store nearby. When was the last time we went to that trouble for a stranger?
B Rock in HI
