How many of you have ever had trouble starting your lawnmower?  You pull on that cord - over and over again - and nothing happens.  Irritating.  Yes?

Does anyone know who this man is?  This is 56 year old Keith Walendowski of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Mr. Walendowski is facing an $11,000 fine and six years three months in prison.  It seems that Mr. Walendowski’s lawnmower wouldn’t start.  So, he shot it with a short-barreled shotgun.

Said Mr. Walendowski, “I can do that.  It’s my lawnmower and my yard so I can shoot if I want.” (1)

To some people this man would be a hero.

This morning we’re coming to Genesis 16 - verse 1.  If you haven’t already turned there - I invite you to turn with us there - and walk with me through this next chapter in Abraham’s life.  We’re going on in our series looking at Abraham and the lessons of faith that he learned as he lived life with God - lessons that we’re learning by looking at Abraham - the times he messed up in his faith and the times he didn’t.  This morning we’re going to talk about patience - by faith waiting for God to move.

We’re praying for a situation or a person - a need - and time goes by and `we wonder why doesn’t God do something.  Or, there are opportunities that open up to us and God just doesn’t move as quickly or in the way we think He should.  Have you ever been there? 

Genesis 16 - starting at verse 1:  Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children...

Let’s pause.  There are 5 “P’s” here in chapter 16 that are going to help us  to follow what’s going on.  The first “P” is here in the first part of verse 1.  The Problem.  Try that together.  “The problem.”

Back in Chapter 12 - God appears to Abram - way back up in Haran - God comes to Abram and offers Abram to give him and his descendants a land - a place to dwell with God in security - offers to make Abram into a great nation of great influence - to bless Abram - to satisfy the deep longings of Abram’s heart - and through Abram and his descendants to bless all the nations of the world - the greatest blessing being Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

The key that opens the door to all those descendants and blessing is what?  Children.  Or at least a child.  Its about 10 years after God made His promise to Abram and still there’s no child. 

Verse one is specific.  Sarai is Abram’s wife.  She’s the one who hasn’t borne Abram any children.

Its not hard to imagine that Sarai is feeling a tad pressured here.  She and Abram have been married since they left Ur.  That was a long time ago.  Looking at her culturally she’s suppose to produce children - especially male children.  And she hasn’t.  She’s failing at her task as a wife.

She’s probably aware of God’s promises to her husband.  Its not a stretch to imagine that her barrenness may have strained her relationship with Abram.  Even deeper - Sarai probably lived with a personal heartache of desiring children of her own - children to be a mother to - feeling incomplete as a woman.

Every day she wakes up to this reality - this expectation and failure.  Every day she feels her inadequacy as woman. 

That’s a problem:  Abram’s wife - Sarai - hasn’t born Abram - any children.

Verse 1:  Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Ebyptian maid whose name was Hagar.  So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.  Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.”

Pause there.  “P” number two:  The Proposal.  Try that together.  “The proposal.”

Sarai has a maid - Hagar.  Hagar may have been a servant that Pharaoh gave Abram back when Abram messed up in his faith - headed off to Egypt rather than trusting God to provide for him - bent the truth considerably while trying to pass off his wife - who’s his half-sister - but still his wife - tries to pass off his wife as his sister to save his neck - and Pharaoh and the Egyptians ended up getting nailed by God with plagues.  Remember all that?

Point being that Hagar is from Egypt.  Not from Abram’s family line like Sarai.  She’s definitely not his wife.  But in a twisted way of looking at things Hagar is part of God’s blessing to Abram.

We have to give Sarai credit.  Maybe she said something to herself like this:  “God made tremendous promises to Abram.  To do all that my husband needs descendants.  God has prevented me from having children.  This is a God thing.  But, God never said that the descendants would come from me.  Maybe Hagar is the means.”

Culturally the people of that day wouldn’t have seen anything immoral about Abram taking on Hagar as a wife and having children by her.  No one is going to look down on Sarai or Abram or Hagar.  This is a perfectly acceptable solution to Sarai’s barrenness. 

So Sarai does - what was culturally accepted - but must have been extremely difficult for her personally.  She proposes to give up her monogamous relationship with her husband in order that he might have a child by Hagar and thus move forward with fulfilling God’s promise.  

Grab this:  What Sarai proposes makes a whole lot of sense.  But has one simple - basic - flaw.  Its the Ben Franklin clause:  “God helps those who help themselves.”

Can you hear Sarai?  Maybe you’ve said this yourself?  “God has shown me what He wants.  He’s shown me what the goal is.  Now it depends on me to figure out how to accomplish it.  Nothing’s impossible with God.  So I’m going to move forward praying and trusting that God will bless my efforts and accomplish His will.”

In Acts 1:8 - we hear Jesus saying, “You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  We hear Jesus say that and we start mapping out strategies - forming committees - raising money - sending missionaries.

Even here in Merced - what from Jerusalem is the remotest part of the earth - we’re going to fulfill the great commission - “Go into all the world…” (Mark 16:15)  We’re going to reach the greater Merced metroplex with the Gospel.  And we know how to do that.  Right?  Might even be somewhat successful at it.

But do we ever find out how God wants us to be His witnesses?  Wait for God to connect the dots and lead us forward in His way - according to His timing?  The first part of Acts 1:8 - the wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon you - part.  The Acts 1:7 part that focuses on the sovereignty of God.

We’re reading books and going to seminars and listening to great teaching  - getting the advice of friends and family - all those great ideas on how to save our marriages - to raise our kids - to be more Godly men and women - to do the stuff of life.  We’re trying so hard to be the people that God has created us to be.  Sincerely trying to live as God desires us to live.

Maybe there is some fruit - some success.  But, we continually fall short of what we desire.  Ultimately we fall short of what God desires.

There’s a problem.  Sarai comes up with a proposal - her solution.  Third is The Pain of Impatience.  Try that together.  “The pain of impatience.”

Going on in verse 2:  And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.  Underline that - And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.  We’ll come back to it.  But notice that it all goes down hill from here. 

Verse 3 - because Abram listened to his wife Sarai - After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan - 10 years of learning these lessons of faith - Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian - who took Hagar?  Sarai - took Hagar the Ebyptian, her maid - who’s maid?  Sarai’s maid - took her - and gave her - who gave her?  Sarai gave her - to her husband Abram as his wife - which is a basic statement of function - she gave her to him so that Hagar could perform the wifely function of having children.  Hang on to who’s giving who and who’s going along with it.  We’ll come back to that.

Verse 4:  He - Abram - went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.

Verse 5:  And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done me be upon you.  I gave my maid - who gave?  Sarai - gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight.  May the Lord judge between you and me.  But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.”  So Sarai treated her harshly, and she - Hagar - fled from her - Sarai’s - presence.”

Take a look at this cartoon.  (cartoon)

Its amazing how men and women react differently to that cartoon.

We need to be clear that Abram’s failure in all this was not that he heard what his wife said.  Husbands, you cannot go home today and say, “The pastor said that Abram sinned by listening to his wife.  So only talk to me in short sentences during the commercials.”

Be careful here.  As Sarai’s husband - being the Godly head of the home - exercising sacrificial leadership - loving his wife and caring about her needs - Abram had better have listened to his wife.  Done everything he could - hung in there no matter how many words she used to express herself - to hear the concerns of her heart - to understand her proposal.  Disengage from the remote and hear the heart of your wife.  Amen?

The issue here is not that Sarai is the wife - the little women.  She is God’s anointed partner - help meet - for Abram.  A Godly women who’s seeking to do God’s will.  God does speak to us through our wives.  And that’s a huge blessing for us as husbands.  Amen? 

Hear this:  Where Abram got himself into trouble was that he listened to the voice of Sarai without listening to the voice of God.  At the very least he should have said, “Sarai.  I hear what you’re saying.  But first, let’s take your proposal to God Most High and together we’ll seek His guidance on what we should do.”

Same failure back in Genesis.  Adam and Eve out in the Garden.  The serpent’s talking to Eve - words of deception.  “If you eat the fruit you won’t die.  But you’ll be like God - wise like He is - knowing good and evil.  Isn’t that something God desires for you?  To know what’s right and wrong so you’ll be able obey Him?  Eat the fruit.”  (Genesis 3:1-7)

Adam is standing right next to Eve when she eats the fruit - follows Eve’s leading - in a sense listens to her voice - as she offers him the fruit - and he eats the fruit.  Imagine the difference if Adam - as the Godly head of the home - if Adam had stepped in and said,  “Eve.  I hear what’s being said.  But first, let’s take the serpents proposal to God Most High and together seek His guidance on what we should do.”

The fall of humanity into sin - thousands of years of human suffering - the pain of impatience - of taking matters into our own hands without seeking God first.

This is a hard thing to think about.  How many times have we messed up because we were impatient.  Had to painfully work through consequences of our sin.  Learn painful lessons.  People have been hurt because we acted based on what we longed for before seeking out God’s will.  All that’s painful to think about.  But, are we together?

In verses 3 to 6 there are at least three consequences of not waiting on God.

First there’s the conflict between Sarai and Hagar.

Hagar conceives.  Which means that the problem of getting pregnant is obvious for everyone to see - the problem is with Sarai not Abram.  Hagar - when she discovers she’s pregnant - despises Sarai.  The word “despise” in Hebrew has the idea of “mocking” - making fun of someone.  Hagar made Sarai the punch line of the jokes going around the tent.  Put her down every chance she had.

Sarai treats Hagar harshly.  The word “harshly” in Hebrew has the idea of “humiliation” - abusing someone to the point of debasing them - cutting them down.  One can only imagine the cruelty that must have been involved.  Sarai so humiliates Hagar that Hagar flees the household.

The second consequence is the conflict between Sarai and Abram.

Sarai blames Abram because of Hagar’s attitude.  “May the wrong done me be upon you.”  It’s your fault.  You did this to me.  And she’s right.  Which makes this even more painful to hear.  If Abram had taken them to God first - this pain could have been avoided.

This phrase:  “May the Lord judge between you and me”  Is the  same thing Laban said to Jacob when they - in anger - went their separate ways.  It has the idea of, “May God watch you so that you won’t stab me in the back and I won’t stick a knife in yours.”  (Genesis 31:51-53).  In other words, “May God watch your back and mine - protect us from each other.”  I feel the love.

Abram responds by throwing Hagar - the pregnant servant - back in Sarai’s face - sticks “the other woman” between himself and his wife.  “She’s your servant.  I was only doing what you asked me to do.  You deal with her.”  That’s harsh.

The third consequence is the conflict in the household. 

There’s jealousy, anger, selfishness, pettiness, contempt, unreasonableness, harshness, rebellion, desperation - ugly emotions.  Not one of them is taking responsibility for their own actions.  Not one of them is facing the sin in their own hearts.  Remember verse 3 - who gave who to who?  They all went along with this - willingly. 

Now Hagar’s blaming Sarai.  Sarai blaming Abram - and God.  Abram’s blaming Sarai.  Abram caves in twice - initially by failing to go to God - second by abdicating responsibility for his actions by letting Sarai choose what to do with Hagar.  Attitudes and actions that demonstrate that they’re focused on themselves - moving farther and farther away from God.

This is not a happy household.  There’s chaos and pandemonium.  These three go on living painful lives - maybe 13 more years of this pain.  Not until chapter 17 is there a hint of healing.

Families are extremely difficult places to live Godly lives.  Family is reality TV coming from your own home - a day to day experience of decisions and situations that come at us without warning.  And yet - in the midst of what’s thrown against us we need to lovingly - with great understanding - with sensitivity - respond in our roles as mothers and fathers - wives and husbands. 

We know that God desires for our families to be places of spiritual retreat and nurture which glorify Him.  We need to learn to wait on God.  The consequences are very painful - ongoing disaster - if we don’t.  If we know God’s will we need to learn God’s way.  

The fourth “P” comes in verse 7.  The Provision of God’s Grace.  Try that with me, “The provision of God’s grace.”

Verse 7:  Now the angel of the Lord found her by the spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.

If you look at the map - you’ll see that Abram is up in the Oaks of Mamre.  Hagar is heading south on the most direct route back to Egypt - back to her people - through this area known as the Wilderness of Shur.  Probably she’s stopped off at an oasis between Kadesh and Bered - which we’ll see that in verse fourteen Hagar calls Beer-lahai-roi - which looks something like this today.

Notice also this title:  “the angel - or messenger - of the Lord.”  That title is significant.  Its important for us to understand Who that title is given to.

This is the first time in Scripture that we see this title.  Comparing how its used elsewhere it refers specifically to the preincarnate Jesus - who comes to speak God’s message to Hagar.  If we jump ahead a few verses that understanding - even to Hagar - that understanding is made clearer.

In verse 10, the Lord speaks to Hagar in the first person as God.  Giving to Hagar a promise that can only be fulfilled by God.  And in verse 13 - Hagar calls Him - the Lord - God.  A title that the Lord does not deny.  Does what no “angel” would do.  That is claim to be God.

Grab this:  Here - at the oasis in the midst of the Wilderness of Shur - as Hagar is fleeing Abram’s household - Jesus - God - comes to Hagar. 

Verse 8:  He - Jesus - said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?”  And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

Question number one points out Hagar’s precarious position.  She’s pregnant - alone - in the middle of a wilderness - on the run.  Based on her answer - she’s not really sure where she’s going.  She’s just running.  Jesus’ question is a reality check for Hagar.  To keep going the way she’s going is going to lead to disaster - Hagar’s death - the death of the unborn child.

Verse 9:  Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.”

Returning and submitting - which she should have done in the first place rather than despising and - because she got pregnant - trying to make herself into Abram’s favored wife.  Hagar should have submitted to Sarai in the first place.  Now - given the love fest at home - submission is a huge step of trust in God - that He’ll work things out. 

Verse 10:  Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, “I - notice the first person speaking as God - I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.”  The angel of the Lord said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.”

With God’s command comes God’s promise of blessing.  Innumerable descendants.  The promise of a son - Ishmael - meaning “God has heard.”

“God has given heed to your affliction”   The Hebrew word for “heed” is “shaw-mah” which has the idea of paying very - very - careful attention  to what’s being said.  God is personally dialed in to Hagar’s humiliation.  He personally tracking with where’s she’s at.

That’s God’s provision of grace - reassurance to Hagar.  God personally will be there when she goes back.  Her child - her son - will be okay.  She’s going to be the mother of innumerable descendants - a rich blessing of heritage.

Verse 12 - Jesus goes on - He - Ishmael - will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; and he will live to the east of all his brothers.”

Verse 12 is actually a fourth consequence of impatience.  God - here - is prophetically describing what these innumerable descendants would be like.  The image of a wild donkey has the idea of someone roaming the deserts.  They’ll live in the east - which is desert.  They’ll be continually in conflict with their brothers - Abram’s other innumerable descendants through Sarai - Ishmael verses Isaac - people’s we know today as the Arabs and the Jews.

God nails this prophecy right on.  A consequence of 4,000 years of conflict - pain - misery - distrust - animosity - that we all are caught up in today.  4,000 years of suffering that might have been avoided if Abram had waited on God.  

But even here - with consequence number 4 - God is gracious.  God could have let Hagar and the unborn child continue on to die in the wilderness.  But He didn’t.  Does God love the Arabs?  Yes.  Does God love the Muslims?  Yes.  Jesus - speaking to Hagar - dying on the cross - offers salvation to all who will trust in Him as their savior.

Verse 13:  Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”  Therefore - because of the provision of God’s grace - personally responding to her affliction and not destroying her - therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi - which literally means “the well of the one who sees me and who lives” - behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

“Kadesh” means “Holiness.”  “Bered” means “judgment.”  The provision of God’s grace between holiness and judgment.  Which is like God isn’t it?  While we’re on the way to judgment - God graciously calls us back to submission to His will - to live in holiness before Him.

The last “P” comes in verse 15.  The Patriarch.  Try that together.  “The Patriarch.”

Verse 15:  So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishamel.  Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.

Hagar must have returned to the household - submitted herself to Sarai - and Abram.  She must have told Abram what God had said.  It was Abram’s responsibility - as the head of the household - as the father - to name Hagar’s son.  Abram names the boy Ishmael - according to God’s prophetic word.

Everything we’ve seen comes back to Abram.  He’s the responsible party.  The head of the home.  The man God speaks to.  The man God makes promises to.  The patriarch who needs to learn from this huge painful mistake.  To himself return and submit - to come back to the holiness of God.  

In every circumstance of our lives we have a choice between two opportunities - Sarai and Hagar.  Radically trust God for what He will do - what may even seem inconceivable - given our inadequacies - our failures.  Doggedly choosing to trust God whatever the circumstances or God’s timing.

Or, we can take matters into our own hands - telling God that we know how to achieve His will quicker - easier - better.  Or, as Ray Stedman puts it:  “The folly of being committed to the will of God without being committed to His way.” (2)

In the last hours of His life, Jesus was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane - bloody sweat pouring from Him - agonizing in the crucible of the spiritual battle.  A few short hours earlier, in the Upper Room - Jesus had spoken of His confidence that God would win the victory.  That confidence never changed because of the circumstances.  He never went out looking for His own solution to the cross.  Never gave up on the Father.  He kept coming back to God’s will - trusting in God.  And, God did bring the victory.  (Luke 22:39-46)

That’s the type of commitment - of faith - that we’re called to.  Trust - regardless of circumstances or intervals of time.

Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5b)  That’s how we need to live.  With each opportunity to choose - choosing utter dependence on God.  Learning to wait on Him.

_______________

1. CNN.com, 2008
2. Ray Stedman sermon on Genesis 16:1-16 “It All Depends On Me”