The Gospel according to Abraham: The story of Hagar: The LORD had seen me

Genesis 16:1-16 ESV

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.  And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!" But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai." The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your mistress and submit to her." The angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude." And the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen." So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "You are a God of seeing," for she said, "Truly here I have seen him who looks after me."  Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Rev. Dan Whang

Hagar finds incredible hope after much trial, hurt, and trouble. This story reads like a soap to me.

This is ten years after Abram received a promise from God. Sarai told her husband that God had prevented her from having children. She had given up on God keeping His promise. Abram puts up no resistance. He goes along with her leading.

Hagar was a servant of Sarai. Sarai gave her servant to Abram. When Hagar conceived, her status excelled Sarai. In this time, women were valued by their ability to bear children. So Hagar becomes greater. When Sarai experiences this, she takes it out on Abram. And in response, Abram takes a even more passive position. He lets Sarai have her way. Sarai takes out her frustration on Hagar, very likely in the form of physical abuse. So Hagar does the only thing she can, she runs away and gets away from this ugly situation.

When it's clear that God is causing us to wait, the best thing to do is to keep waiting.

Hagar had run away and was on her way back towards Egypt. This is when the Lord catches up with her. It was likely that this story was told to the Israelites while they were fleeing from the Egyptians after for hundred years of oppression. Some may have even thought that Hagar was getting her just desserts. So the rest of this story is much of a shock, God does not deal with her as they would have expected.

God brings Hagar back into the promise of Abram. It is a crazy situation there, but God casts her lot with Abram. Not only that, but God gives a promise of numerous descendants to Hagar as well. They are an echo of the promise given to Abram. God draws her attention from past pain to the hopeful future. It is not comforting, but rather a bracing promise. A foreign slave, an Egyptian receives the words of God.

The gospel according to Abraham: Faith and prosperity

Genesis 13:1-18 ESV

So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord . And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.  Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord , like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord  destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord . The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord .

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Abram retraces his steps after his failures. This symbolizes repentance. He is going back to where it all started. He is going back and seeking God's face.

Abram is a rich man. He had plenty of wealth on the form of livestock. So did Lot. So much so that they had to separate.

Prosperity can be both a test and temptation.

When things are tough, our character is tested. We are under pressure. And when that happens, our true character is revealed. The same happens in times of prosperity and easy going.  We can be tempted to forget God and walk away from Him.

Deuteronomy 6:10-12 ESV

"And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord , who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Proverbs 30:8-9 ESV

Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the Lord ?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Mark 10:25 ESV

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

We, as citizens of the US, are far richer than most of the people in the world. In this country, we are in a culture of materialism. We have things that people can only dream of. Or there is a time of success at work or at your studies, even this is a form of prosperity.  We are tempted to forget God.

We often hear for prayer when we go through tough times. Job layoffs, exam failures, and singleness are frequent prayer requests. But what about temptations of prosperity? We never hear of prayers for those who are doing well in life. But we should pray.

Lot chose to walk by sight and not faith.

Lot chose only by sight. It looks good, but it is close to wicked people. It looks like the garden of Eden, but with one significant difference. God is not there. Lot desires earthly, created things rather than the Creator.

We think that money gives us a sense of security and control. But it is a false promise. The security is fleeting. Whether we look for security in wealth, material possession, relationships, and created things, we can only find disappointment.

Real prosperity leads to radical generosity.

Abram failed the first prosperity test, but he passed the second one. He gives Lot first choice.  The younger cousin is allowed to choose first. It is counter cultural. Lot can only benefit. Abram gives this choice to Lot. Abram chooses to seek out Good rather than wealth.

Hebrews 11:9-10 ESV

By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Abram decides that material gain is not the ultimate. Seeking God is. The mark of true faith is one who lowers their standard of living... to raise their standard of giving. Giving up HD TV so they can give more. We cover the idolatry of material security with an excuse of wisdom or stewardship.

"I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.” - David Livingston

Partnership in the gospel

Philippians 1:1-11 ESV

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

What does it take to be a genuine and helpful partners in spreading the gospel?

Shared goals

There is a fondness between the missionary and their church. It wasn't just a personality. It wasn't just their caring for his financial needs. They were genuine partners in sharing the gospel with the world. Partnership is also translated as fellowship. Fellowship is not just a bunch of Christians hanging out together. It really means a commitment to one another with financial implications. It speaks of almost a business venture. If the mission goes awry, it is felt by both partners. Not only do they share in good things but also the bad. The church sent a person to Paul while he was in prison. The physical presence meant that the church was there for them. That we shared the same heart of sharing the gospel. We share in the drive to share the gospel and putting our lives in danger and or dreams sacrificed for the mission. It is a difference in missions context, nothing else. We are not just sending checks. We are on fire for the mission of the great commission. Just as the missionaries, only we stay here and they are over there.

Sharing of gifts

Paul writes a letter to the church to help shepherd the church and teach. The church was poor and yet they sent money and they sent someone to help Paul survive prison. They invest and build each other up.

Common american missions mistakes
(How to help without hurting)

Gospel-centered view of self and others
(We are all broken sinners in need of grace. We can only share our gifts with one another.)

Awareness of cultural idolatry
(Americans are very results and time driven.)

Focused on strengthening the long termers, ideally the local church.
(Short term missions must support the long term local church. Work with the long term missionaries, rather than for the short term teams good.)

Shared power

The work of the church is not the most important. Not even the work of the long term missionaries. But mutual dependence on the power of God to complete the good work.

Praise the LORD, O my soul!

Psalms 103:1-22 ESV

Bless the Lord , O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord , O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord , O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the Lord , all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the Lord , all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord , O my soul!

Rev. Charles Han

This psalm is the climax of the psalter. The trend of psalms starts in lament and ends in worship of God.

Praise the Lord

Vocal joy only completes the praise of something. We praise those things that we admire and delight in. The consummation of joy is praise. This is the purpose of the Christian life.

Praise the Lord, o my soul!

This statement implies that one is not naturally desiring the praise of God. He had to rouse himself to delight in God. It is not a spontaneous reaction. Praise is a discipline.

This is what we mean when we tell you to preach the gospel to ourselves. We are to bombard and saturate our souls with the gospel and what God has done for us.

We are called to behold what we have in Christ. This gospel promises us an overabundance that can never be lost or taken away. Grace for the enemies of God, an inheritance, a family, a purpose, and redemption.

Praise the Lord, all you creation!

After David tells himself to praise God, David calls others to praise God. He is not satisfied in just praising God. He calls others to praise God. Not only our neighbors, our city, the USA, but every person. And not only that, but even the stones and waters and creatures. That is the heart of praise... Mission.

Praying our troubles to trust

Psalms 3:1-8 ESV

O Lord , how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah But you, O Lord , are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord , and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord ! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord ; your blessing be on your people! Selah

Rev Charles Han

The psalms were during a time when David was on the run. His son had taken the throne and he was running for His life. Absalom was looking to kill him and had taken the throne.

Expect troubles

Large and small troubles are the norm, not the exception. We should not expect ease. We should find ourselves often uncomfortable and troubled. The overall feeling and sense of the psalms is one of attack, suffering, and need for divine intervention. We should not be surprised that our lives are troubled.

Maybe you feel deep down that you should be free from troubles. That we should be above the fray. But that is not biblical. We will often feel weak, overwhelmed, and troubled. That life on this side of eternity is one of struggle. If you are a Christian and you are up to your neck in trouble, you are in esteemed company.

"What can miserable Christians sing?" - Carl Trueman

Pray your troubles

Now that we are to expect troubles as the norm, what should we do then? Not only external troubles, but internal storms. David prays. He brings all these to God.

The most common command in the bible is do not fear. His commands this because fear can shackle us. It can affect us spiritually, physically, and emotionally. It makes us cowardly and keeps us from free righteous living. Low level anxiety to gripping intense fears are part and parcel of our hearts. But instead of fearing people, enemies, and circumstances, we should fear God. From that fear comes life and wisdom.

Is your instinct when fear comes to go to God? Or do you try to handle the burden on your own? When we meet God in fearful prayer, do we go to Him looming to become bold and strong in God?

Pray your troubles to trust

What is the way to go from fear to trust in prayer?

First, verses 1&2 tell us to come with our complaint(s).

Verses 3&4 confess faith in God. The fear in our lives can only be overcome by a greater fear. A reverential fear of God that casts out all our other fears. David does not confess general aspects of God. He gets specific. He speaks of God being his shield and his glory. The lifter of his head, the encourager of his heart, and the one who affirms him.

Verses 5&6 express confidence.

David says that he will not fear thousands of men seeking to kill and undo him.

Verse 7 is David's asking God to save.

We usually skip straight to this step. But there's a difference, he knows who he prays to.

Verse 8 is a celebration.

David was not saved yet. He was still in the same situation. But he celebrated salvation. The peace of God had taken over.

From doubt to delight

Psalms 73:1-28 ESV

Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. And they say, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?" Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed the generation of your children. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

This psalm is credited to Asaph. He is equivalent to the modem day worship leader.

The honesty of Asaph

Asaph speaks of a time of being tempted to walk away from God. He considered leaving the faith behind. He was being honest not just with friends and family, but also being brutally raw and honest to God. There is no pretense here. God calls us to come to Him not in formality. He calls us to meet Him without any pretenses or masks. As we are.

Not only that, but psalms were meant to be publicly shared. So, Asaph was sharing his troubles with everyone. His doubts of God. His struggles with faith.

The struggle of Asaph

Asaph was envious of unbelievers. He saw people who did not follow God. They were corrupt, happy, successful, and cocky. Following God has been painful. It seems in vain. Doubt is not only for the unbelievers, but also for the Christian, even pastors. Where is the justice?

The transformation of Asaph

Asaph goes to the sanctuary of God. And he is changed. So is that it? Just go to church? No, it is not just that. We are to pray together, praise together, take communion together... and somewhere in all that, God comes and meets us. When He does, we are changed. God confronts both Asaph's head and heart. Asaph experiences God and discovers that God is the ultimate treasure.

Acts 14:21-22 ESV

When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Suffering is not without reason. For the believer, it is expected. Because we follow Christ and no one is greater than their teacher.

The true prayer of repentance

Psalms 51:1-19 ESV

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Rev. Dan Whang

We are going thru the psalms because they are relevant to our lives. They were written in good times and bad. They show us how to pray in all sorts of situations.

This psalms focuses on repentance and struggle over sin. This is meant to drawn us home from places of helplessness and hopelessness in our sins.

A spiritually healthy Christian is one who is continually repenting. They are constantly repenting of sin in view of God's grace and mercy.

Victory over sin does not come from just changing our behavior, paying enough penance/sacrifice... It comes from repenting properly. Repenting in a way that changes us.

A sincere appeal to God's mercy and kindness

David asks for God's mercy. Not by trying to be very sincere or earnest, but throwing ourselves upon God's mercy and love. David appeals to God's faithful love for His people. David knew that he had failed, but God is still faithfully loving us.

An honest admission of our total depravity

David speaks of how he was born in sin and grew up in sin. Are we surprised when people point out our sin? Are we surprised by our bad habits and excuses for them? Do we blame our circumstances, other people, or say that it was an exception to our usual behavior? We should not. We need to admit that we are sinners and that is our character. We need to own up to it. No but's. It is when we see our darkness clearly that we can then receive the fullness of God's grace.

Wanting sin to be completely out of our lives

David then asks for God to completely blur this sin from his life. Not a halfway appeal for momentary forgiveness, but a complete cleansing and removal of sin from our lives. If we do not want the sin out of our lives, it is because we have not repented deeply enough. We are still entertaining thoughts of sin. We are not repenting fully, if we are only concerned with feeling relief from the burden of our sin.

We will know that we have gotten there when we sing of God's righteousness and speak of mercy. When we share of God's mercy to others. Repentant people are not dour. They are joyful because they are being constantly spiritually renewed.