2. And the L ORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree while I bring

3. a morsel of 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.” And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, a morsel of 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.” And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared,

4. and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” The L ORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying,

5. “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The L ORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the L ORD ? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.” Genesis 18:1-15 (ESV)

6. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled

7. When Abraham is called in Genesis 12. He is given a great promise.

8. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3 (ESV) Genesis 12:2-3 (ESV)

9. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled When Abraham is called in Genesis 12. He is given a great promise. That promise is reiterated in Genesis 15.

10. But Abram said, “O Lord G OD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the L ORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” Genesis 15:2-4 (ESV) Genesis 15:2-4 (ESV)

11. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled When Abraham is called in Genesis 12. He is given a great promise. That promise is reiterated in Genesis 15. In Genesis 16, Abraham and Sarah try to take matters into their own hands and arrange a surrogate with Hagar.

12. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled When Abraham is called in Genesis 12. He is given a great promise. That promise is reiterated in Genesis 15. In Genesis 16, Abraham and Sarah try to take matters into their own hands and arrange a surrogate with Hagar. In Genesis 17 God changes their names.

13. And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. Genesis 17:15-16 (ESV) Genesis 17:15-16 (ESV)

14. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled By the time we get to Genesis 18 we see that Abraham and Sarah had given up.

15. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled By the time we get to Genesis 18 we see that Abraham and Sarah had given up. In the early years Sarah had been barren.

16. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled By the time we get to Genesis 18 we see that Abraham and Sarah had given up. In the early years Sarah had been barren. Now she is past the age of childbearing.

17. The L ORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The L ORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the L ORD ?

19. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled Sarah had waited so long that she had given up. She now laughs at the promise of God.

20. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled Sarah had waited so long that she had given up. She now laughs at the promise of God. Abraham too had given up

21. The L ORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The L ORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the L ORD ?

22. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled God makes a promise.

23. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled God makes a promise. A period of waiting occurs. The waiting stretches into many years.

24. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled God makes a promise. A period of waiting occurs. The waiting stretches into many years. God’s people are tempted to either try to take matters into their own hands (Hagar) or disbelieve that it will ever happen.

25. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled God makes a promise. A period of waiting occurs. The waiting stretches into many years. God’s people are tempted to either try to take matters into their own hands (Hagar) or disbelieve that it will ever happen. Yet, even when God’s people fail, God remains true to his promise.

26. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled God does expect his people to live by faith.

27. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. Hebrews 11:11-12 (ESV) Hebrews 11:11-12 (ESV)

28. Waiting for a Promise to be Fulfilled God does expect his people to live by faith. We may not always be able to see the results of our faith.

29. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. Hebrews 11:13-14 (ESV) Hebrews 11:13-14 (ESV)

30. What are we called by faith to believe?

31. God has promised that Jesus will return and set up his kingdom.

32. “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11 (ESV) Acts 1:11 (ESV)

33. What are we called by faith to believe? God has promised that Jesus will return and set up his kingdom. God has promised that we will be saved and will participate in that kingdom.

34. If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (ESV) 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (ESV)