“The Faith of Abraham – 8” Genesis 17:15-27 11/15/2009 Dr. Dane Boyles

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” God makes a number of mind-boggling promises to Abraham. Abraham is then asked to reciprocate and ratify the covenant by undergoing circumcision as the sign of his fidelity. But before Abraham can respond to God’s demand, God speaks again.

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” God’s Word Regarding Sarai (17:15-18). God’s Promises to Sarah. 15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. (Gen. 17:15)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” (Gen. 17:16)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” Everything he has granted to Abraham, he now grants to her, making her an equal heir to the covenant. 7 honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life (1 Pet. 3:7).

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” Abraham’s Response: Laughter. 17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” (Gen. 17:17)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” (Gen. 17:18)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” He yearns for the unseen world, but he also prays for what he can see and has come to love. Now, unable “to see” beyond the horizon into the “ways” of God, he is content to ask God to bless what he can see.

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” All of us have dreams. The real gifts of God come by life out of death.

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” God’s Reaffirmation of Sarah (17:19-27). God’s Confirmation of the Promise (17:19-22).

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. (Gen. 17:19)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. (Gen. 17:20)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. (Gen. 17:21-22)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” Abraham must learn that God’s choice is irrevocable. There will be no negotiating. It will come through Isaac, whose birth will become the paradigm for how God imparts spiritual life to the human soul.

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” If Ishmael had been the promised seed, our theology would have been: “God helps those who help themselves.”

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” But through Isaac our theology becomes: “God helps those in whom there is no hope, and who have long since given up hope. Life comes to them. It is pure gift, and rings out with inexpressible laughter and joy.”

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. (Gen. 17:22)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” Abraham’s Response: Obedience (17:23-27). 23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day. (Gen. 17:24-26)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 27 And every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him. (Gen. 17:27)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” When God finishes speaking, Abraham circumcises his household. This is the day that the people of Israel were conceived, a people who were born,

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 13 not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13).

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” What Are Your Dreams? Many of us begin life dreaming. But sadly, life kills the dream for many and we quit dreaming. Have you quit dreaming? Have you lost all hope?

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” Laughter will come right out of the center of your pain. But the text reminds us that though these are good gifts, they still aren’t the real dreams. We are tempted not to stop dreaming, but to sell God short of the real dream.

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” 1 “Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. (Isa 54:1)

“The Faith of Abraham – 8” Genesis 17:15-27 11/15/2009 Dr. Dane Boyles