Covenant with the Righteous One

Good morning, brothers and sisters. My name's Elizabeth, and I'm going to read the Bible now from Genesis chapter 18.

Genesis 18 · chapter mention

!

O Lord, if I have found favour in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourself under the tree while I bring 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 seers 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 cattle that had been prepared 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's in the tent.

The Lord 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 Lord 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 Lord?

At the appointed time, I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.

But Sarah denied it, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid.

And he said, No, but you did laugh.

Then the men set out from there, and they looked down towards Sodom.

And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.

The Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation,

and all the nations on earth shall be blessed in him?

For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him,

to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice,

so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.

Then the Lord said, Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great,

and their sin is very grave,

I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me,

and if not, I will know.

So the men turned from there and went down towards Sodom,

but Abraham stood before the Lord.

Then Abraham drew near and said,

Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city.

Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for fifty righteous who are in it?

Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked,

so that the righteous fare as the wicked.

Far be it from you.

Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just?

And the Lord said,

If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the city,

I will spare the whole place for their sake.

Abraham answered and said,

Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord,

I who am but dust and ashes.

Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking.

Will you destroy the whole city for the lack of five?

And he said,

I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.

Again he spoke to them and said,

Suppose forty are found there.

He answered,

For the sake of forty I will not do it.

Then he said,

O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak.

Suppose thirty are found there.

He answered,

I will not do it if I find thirty there.

He said,

Behold,

I have undertaken to speak to the Lord.

Suppose twenty are found there.

He answered,

For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.

Then he said,

O let not the Lord be angry.

I will speak again but this once.

Suppose ten are found there.

He answered,

For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.

And the Lord went on his way

when he had finished speaking to Abraham

and Abraham returned to his place.

This is the word of the Lord.

Good morning everyone.

Will you pray with me as we come to God's word?

Heavenly Father,

I pray for your help to understand your word.

Help us to see that every part of scripture is written for our benefit.

Help us to be engaged and show us more of your son.

May we,

at the end of this passage,

may our hearts be singing as we just sang.

Why should I gain from his reward?

I cannot give an answer.

But may we know with all our heart

that his wounds have paid our ransom.

So please speak to each one of us through your word

as we sit under it now.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well,

when a couple gets married,

I'm not the only one to observe this,

but often,

see if you agree with me,

but often,

at least one of them

struggles to let go

of thinking of themselves

as an independent individual.

It can take some time

and some people

seem to never learn.

They want the benefits

of companionship,

but they continue to think

individualistically.

Whether it's having separate bank accounts,

even though legally,

it's we.

It doesn't matter

if it's two accounts.

I'll check with John later.

I'm pretty sure that's right.

Feeling entitled

to go out with friends,

not making commitments together.

Not letting go

of career aspirations,

no matter what damage

it is that it's causing

to your family.

Speaking poorly

about their spouse

as if it's their own issue

and not yours.

Now,

in your relationship

with God,

are you struggling

to let go

of thinking

of yourself

independently,

individualistically,

with your walk

with God?

I think there's

some symptoms of this

is like your awareness

of being close

with God,

at peace with God,

goes up and down

on your performance.

your feelings,

whether they're

positive or negative,

your devotion

or your sin,

your hopes

and fears

for the future.

I need to make

this plural.

Our hopes,

I'm speaking

to myself too,

our hopes

and fears

for the future

rest on what

we can imagine

we can do.

Our ability

to be faithful

to God

as if

it rests

on our shoulders

to carry that out

on our own.

We can think

of prayer.

We can think,

oh yeah,

of course,

I can just waltz

into God Almighty

El Shaddai's presence

on my own.

really?

Or,

we think,

I'm too unworthy.

I don't know

how to pray.

Do you see

the Bible

as basically

a spiritual handbook

to help you

do what is right

and avoid

what is wrong?

I think these

are all symptoms.

We're struggling

to let go

that being

in a relationship

with God.

We're struggling

to let go

of thinking

individualistically

that our walk

depends on us.

Now,

in chapter 18,

you're just going

to have to trust me here,

I think that'll help us

as we come to chapter 18.

To help us see

what this heavenly visit

to Abraham

and Sarah

is about,

I want to start,

well,

please have your Bibles

open.

I want to start

in the obvious place,

not in verse 1,

but in verse 16.

Now,

again,

I'm hoping

this will be

a bit of a key

that unlocks

this chapter

for us.

Here in 16 to 19,

we have what seems

to be a bit

of a humorous

scene.

The Lord is talking

to himself

or to the other two.

I think it's like

in a play

where a character

steps forward

to the front of stage

and gives a monologue.

And like in a play,

when a character

does that,

we get a deeper

insight into their

character,

their inner thoughts.

Here we see

the inner resolve

and purposes

of God.

So,

verse 17 and 18.

The Lord said,

shall I hide

from Abraham

what I'm about to do

to Sodom?

We'll come to that

later.

Seeing that Abraham

shall surely

become a great

and mighty nation

and all the nations

of the earth

shall be blessed

in him.

He's totally

committed

to his covenant

with Abraham.

Surely,

he will

become a great nation.

He doesn't have

a son yet.

Surely,

he'll be the father

of many nations

as we saw last week.

He's going to be

the source of blessing

to the entire world

and so God

shares his plans

for the future

like with a friend.

I've chosen

him,

this one

out of all the earth,

I've chosen Abraham

to bless

the entire world.

There is no blessing,

there is no hope

for any of us

outside

of Abraham,

outside of this

covenant with him.

Genesis sets up

the whole Bible.

The Bible is not

a random collection

of spiritual insights,

it's a question,

how is God

going to restore

the whole world

like we see

in Eden?

The answer,

by keeping his covenant

with Abraham.

Abraham,

I have chosen

this one,

Abraham.

Verse 19,

I've chosen him

that he may command

his children

and his household

after him

to keep

the way

of the Lord

by doing

righteousness

and justice

so that the Lord

may bring

to Abraham

what he has

promised.

The covenant

depends on

Abraham

and his descendants

righteousness.

Doing righteousness,

living faithfully

before God,

doing justice,

not mistreating

others in any way.

Notice that

so that

the Lord,

for the Lord

to keep his promise,

Abraham

must be

righteous.

Righteous

we saw

this last week

at the start

of chapter 17

verse 1

with the covenant.

Walk

before me

and be

blameless.

Abraham

must

be righteous.

The hope

of the world

depends on it.

So in chapter

18

here's what

I believe

we're going

to see.

Verses 1

to 8

we see

the righteousness

of this

one.

He's one

who serves.

Then in

verses 9

to 15

all the

covenant

promises

of God

depend on

the son

of Abraham

but this

son is born

not by what

man can do

but by

promise.

Then

verse 20

to 33

we see

Abraham

blessing

the nations.

He's

interceding

with God

on behalf

of sinners.

So that's

where we're

headed.

So

verses 1

to 8

we have

what appeared

to Abraham

to be

three men

on their

journey.

Now

who are

these

three

men?

We're

told from

the outset

verse 1

that the

Lord

appeared

to

Abraham

but

he

sees

three

men.

Later

on

verse 27

these

men

continue

on

to

the

city

of

Sodom

and

Abraham

is

left

alone

with

the

Lord

and

then

by

19

verse 1

we've

got

the

two

angels

came

to

Sodom.

This

is

the

one

journey.

Now

throughout

history

some

commentators

have

latched

on to

three.

This

must be

the

triune

God.

I

think

that's

just

jumping

at the

number

three

a bit

too

quick.

The

language

between

angels

and the

Lord

can

be

interchangeable.

It goes

from plural

to singular

throughout

these

chapters.

Perhaps

it's best

to picture

two angels

appearing as

men

and the

Lord

appearing

as a

man.

Now

that raises

more

questions

than it

answers.

What is

the

Lord

doing

here

appearing

as

a

man?

I'll

leave

that

one

with

you.

Abraham

does

seem

to

sense

that

one

of

them

is

superior.

Verse

three

he

addresses

singular.

But

we've

got another

question.

When

was

Abraham

aware?

When

was he

aware he

was in

the

presence

of the

Lord?

Some

say

straight

away

like

verse

three

oh

Lord

that

that

Lord

could

be

just

a

title

of

respect.

I

don't

think

it's

absolutely

conclusive.

Some

see the

urgency

and

extravagance

that

Abraham

goes

to

as

he

knew

it

was

God.

But

when

I

was

at

Bible

college

I

lived

with a

Nepalese

couple

and a

Pakistani

couple

and

there

was a

cultural

difference

that

struck

me.

As

a

Westerner

I

would

try and

fit

five

things

or

six

things

into

my

day

and

then

have

someone

over

for

dinner.

They

would

spend

the

entire

day

and

waste

a

whole

day

preparing

for the

meal

at

night

just

to

put

various

dishes

on the

table.

I

was

thinking

what a

waste

of

time.

As a

teenager

we once

went to

Japan

and mum

got talking

to this

older

Japanese

man

and he

invited us

to his

home

and it

wasn't a

huge house.

I think he put

one of his

relatives in a

hotel so that

we could stay

there and then

they served us

meat which

has to be

imported in

Japan.

It wasn't

cheap.

Just met us

on the

plane.

What we

see here,

all I'm

trying to

say is it

doesn't

necessarily

mean he

knows God

himself has

turned up

for dinner.

His

care for

these

strangers is

a great

example of

what the

Bible means

by

hospitality.

Hospitality is

not just

have your

friends over

so that

they can

have you

over.

Everyone

does that.

hospitality is

you see

someone with

a need,

you go out

of your

way to

meet their

need,

to help

them on

their way

at great

cost to

yourself.

And does

Yahweh really

need Abraham

to refresh

him?

I don't

know.

You're

hearing where

I'm headed

but I don't

think it is

conclusive but

I'm persuaded

two other

things push

me towards

Abraham did

not know.

Until verse

nine.

The first

is Hebrews

13.2

which all

us believers

are urged to

practice

hospitality and

thereby some

have entertained

angels.

Now that's

bizarre.

Really?

If it's not

referring to

here and

Lot, I'm

not quite

sure.

I could be

forgetting

something

somewhere else

in Scripture.

You can tell

me later.

But I'm

guessing

Hebrews is

talking about

here.

And the

second reason

which I've

already tried

to set up

in the

sermon is

that the

covenant

depends on

Abraham

walking

blamelessly

and the

very next

story is

focused on

what Abraham

does.

Like we're

told a lot

of detail

here.

He's running

like he's

just sitting

in the heat

of the

day.

This is

inconvenient.

This is

inconvenient.

They show

up unannounced

in the

heat of the

day and

he doesn't

just slip

inside his

tent and

just hope

they pass

by.

He runs

out to

them.

He's eager

to serve.

Now they're

not beneath

him.

He's the

chosen one.

But no,

he's on

his face

respecting

them.

They're

only

passing

through.

They can't

return the

favour.

There's no

social,

financial gain

for him.

Instead,

he's going

to great

costs to

serve their

needs.

He's going

above and

beyond.

Three

seers of

flour,

it's way

too much

for the

number of

guests.

And he

chooses a

calf to

give meat,

which was a

delicacy.

He's giving

his best and

he doesn't

even eat it.

He's standing

there,

as a

waiter,

while they

eat.

But two

of these

same men

reach Sodom,

same

journey,

they reach

Sodom,

and their

visit,

we're told,

is a test

to see if

the senior

Sodom really

is as

great.

And what

is the

test?

Strangers

coming.

They don't

even give

them a

cup of

water.

They are

in danger.

They want

to take

from these

strangers,

not give.

And they're

going to

take it

violently.

I think

the contrast

between

Abraham and

Sodom is

stark.

I think

we're seeing

here his

righteousness.

this.

So what

should we

today learn

from

Abraham's

costly

service?

Let's

not be

too quick

to draw a

straight line

from Abraham

to us.

I think

when I was

preparing this

section of

the sermon,

I was

grumbling

about

doing

something for

someone else

that was

just

inconvenient,

but it

took me

ten minutes

and I

was

whinging

about it.

And it

took me a

while to

realise the

irony of

what I

was writing.

I don't

think this

is just a

lesson on

hospitality.

Out of

all the

people of

the earth,

God

Almighty

has chosen

him and

entered into

covenant and

you might

expect a

man like

that who

has been

elevated so

high to

stand on

his greatness.

Others

serve him,

demand

respect.

I think

we see his

greatness and

his righteousness

in that he's

lowering his

face to the

dirt.

He's serving

others at

great cost to

himself.

God's

It's a

beautiful

picture.

I wonder

how your

life would

change if

that's your

picture of

greatness.

The son of

Abraham,

many years

later, his

disciples were

grumbling

amongst

themselves,

who's the

greatest?

greatest.

And I

wonder if

Jesus had

this story

in mind

when he

replies in

Luke 22.

Who is the

greater?

One who

reclines at

table or

the one who

serves, who's

standing by and

serving the one

eating at table?

It is not the

one who reclines

at table,

but I am

among you as

the one who

serves.

He's come to

be a waiter.

I think here

Abraham is

pointing to

Christ.

Not to be

waited upon but

goes to great

personal cost and

here's his

promise, so

that you may

eat and

drink at my

table in my

kingdom.

You get to

eat and

drink and

Jesus is

serving you.

That's the

gospel.

I think we

see his

righteousness and

he's pointing

to the truly

righteous son.

So Abraham

is righteous.

In verse

9, I

think Abraham

would know for

sure these

are no ordinary

men he's

hosting.

These visitors

know his

wife's name,

Sarah.

It's a name

recalling the

covenant promise

and not much

time has elapsed.

It's very

similar timing to

chapter 17.

The promise

in chapter 17,

Isaac, whom

Sarah shall

bear to you at

this time next

year.

Now we're

told Sarah is

90 years old.

We're told the

way of women

has ceased.

I think that's

saying she's way

past menopause.

Her language

may even reveal a

negative view of

herself.

I'm worn out.

Can you

imagine how

many disappointments

Sarah has

had in her

90 years?

Longing every

single month to

finally have the

pleasure of just

one child.

that's a lot of

disappointment.

They tried to

take matters into

their own hands

with Hagar and

that just resulted

in more misery.

I think she

dare not raise

her hopes again.

And she

laughs,

probably in

self-protection,

but it's,

she's laughing,

she's chuckling,

it's just absurd.

It is impossible,

God's promise.

She's heard this

promise through

Abraham and the

Lord visits her to

reaffirm this

promise in her

hearing and she

laughs in God's

face.

If God showed

her up to you and

promised you what

your heart has been

longing for your

whole life, and she

laughs in disbelief.

We can

sympathise with her,

can't we?

It is absurd.

When waves of

disappointment hit

you relentlessly,

we can resonate

with Sarah.

God's promises

seem so far

removed from

reality, don't

they?

I think we

see here the

reassurance of

being in covenant

relationship with

Yahweh.

I think it's a

little odd here

that the Lord

doesn't speak

directly to Sarah,

not until the

very end.

It's through

Abraham.

Abraham.

I wonder if

that's more

than just

ancient culture.

I wonder if

that's to remind

us that all the

blessings are

through Abraham.

Whatever the

case, the Lord

doesn't punish

her.

He doesn't have

a go at her

for her

unbelief.

He doesn't let

her forget.

She lies to

cover up her

unbelief.

But her

unbelief,

laughing in

God's face,

doesn't slow

down or

sidetrack God's

covenant promises

one bit.

He reaffirms the

promise with

stronger language.

As far as I'm

concerned, Sarah,

it's scheduled in

my diary.

At the appointed

time next year,

I'm coming back

and there will be

a son.

He takes her

eyes off herself.

Is anything too

wonderful?

Too hard?

Too extraordinary

for the Lord?

He's reassuring

her.

Now Sarah and

Abraham, they

would have had

such a more

beautiful night

sky to look at

than we did.

They could look

and see the wonder

of what God

could do.

In all our

light pollution,

we just get

these few little

they must have

seen a beautiful

night sky.

But how much

more can we

answer that

question looking

at the word

of God in

our time in

history?

Is anything

too wonderful

for the Lord?

God?

The delay in

Isaac being

born only

serves to

answer that

question.

No, nothing.

Nothing is

too wonderful

for the Lord.

The delay in

the Messiah

coming, it

takes a long

time for him

to be born.

That serves

to answer this

question.

Nothing is

too impossible.

And Sarah

will laugh

again in

chapter 21.

Abraham was

100 years

old when

his son

Isaac was

born to

him and

Sarah said,

God has

made laughter

for me.

Everyone who

hears will

laugh over

me.

Her

laughter is

transformed.

Bitter,

cynical,

self-protecting,

can't believe,

to a laughter

of wonder.

Wonder is

filling her

heart.

She laughs

with joy.

She laughs

with such

joy that she

doesn't care

that others

will laugh

seeing a

90-year-old

breastfeeding.

I don't

care.

I'm full

of wonder.

But wasn't

the strength

of Sarah's

faith,

please see

that,

she laughed

in God's

face.

It was all

because the

Lord has

made a

covenant with

Abraham and

he keeps

his covenant.

Nothing is

too wonderful.

many years

later,

another young,

not another,

a young

woman was

told she

would have

a son.

This woman

asked,

how is

that

possible?

Sarah was

impossible with

her age.

That's tricky,

that's hard,

that's impossible.

She doesn't

even have a

husband.

And the

angel replies,

nothing will

be impossible

with God.

The point

for us

today is

that we

can be

caught up

in Abraham's

story.

Who'd have

thought that

all God's

covenant

promises are

yes in

his son,

simply by

faith alone.

Our life,

our story,

can feel

ordinary,

dull,

or overshadowed

by darkness,

but if we're

caught up

in this,

in Jesus'

story,

our life is

filled with

wonder.

All God's

promises are

yours.

You can

laugh.

not bitter

laugh,

but whatever

you're going

through,

wonder can

fill your

heart.

Your future

is bound

up in

this son.

Verse,

verse 20.

we come

to Abraham

praying to

the Lord,

and many

take this

passage as

an example,

a lesson

on prayer.

And yes,

okay,

learn from

this about

prayer,

but it's so

much more

than that.

We really

need to see

that.

Here we see

Abraham as

the source

of blessing

to the

nations.

nations.

It depends

on him

blessing the

nations.

The central

theme here

is justice.

Abraham's

bold question

to God,

shall not

the judge

of all

the earth

be just?

Do what

is just.

have you

talked to

God like

that lately?

This is a

bold prayer.

Are you

going to be

just,

God?

Are you

going to do

what is

right?

Now,

Abraham,

I don't think

he's claiming

to know more

about justice

than the Lord,

as lots of

people claim.

Abraham,

I am dust

and ashes.

He is

humble here,

at the same

time as

being bold.

But Abraham,

because of

his unique

covenant

intimacy with

the judge

of all the

earth,

he's acting

as a

priest.

And the

Lord is

inviting him

to.

He didn't

need Abraham's

permission to

go to

Sodom,

but he's

inviting,

you're my

chosen one,

come,

be a

friend,

be my

confidant.

Verse 17,

I don't know

if I should

tell Abraham

this,

really when

you say

that to

someone,

you've

already

decided,

should I

tell you

this?

You've

already

decided,

I trust

you enough.

And then

verse 21,

he says,

I'm not

fully decided

yet.

He's

inviting

Abraham in.

The angels

walk off and

the Lord is

alone,

he's giving

an opportunity,

come.

Verse 23,

despite already

standing before

the Lord,

he seems to

approach like a

defense lawyer.

He's like

Moses,

interceding for

sinful people.

Now,

many have a

problem with a

God of

judgment,

fire and

brimstone.

We're going to

see fire next

week.

that Abraham

is getting

reassured that

God will act

justly,

him coming

down to

check,

I don't

think coming

down to

see if the

sin is as

great as

he's heard.

I don't

think that's

saying anything

about his

knowledge.

I think it's

just human

language to

say he's

going to

experience this

evidence

first hand.

He won't

act off

hearsay.

He's a

righteous judge

and by the

end of this

intercession,

we know

God will

act justly.

But notice

what Abraham

is praying.

He's not

saying,

God, I

thought you

could be

merciful to

anyone,

no matter

what they've

done.

It's your

job to

forgive.

He's not

saying that.

God hears

the great

outcry in

Sodom.

Whatever

prayers have

gone up,

maybe it's

just Lot

praying.

I doubt

any of the

others are

praying.

Maybe it's

strangers who

have come

through that

city who

have been

praying.

He sees

and he

hears the

violence and

the cruelty

trampling

the poor and

needy,

Ezekiel says

about Sodom,

using people

regardless of

the harm done

to them,

a merciful

God who

hears those

cries,

if he

doesn't judge,

he's not

merciful.

If you

have a

God who

doesn't

judge in

the end

when he

hears the

cries,

it could

be the

blood like

Abel's

crying out,

it could

be the

screams.

You

don't have

a merciful

God.

God's

The wrath

of God

is coming

one day,

we're told,

and the

cries throughout

history are

great.

Now,

Abraham

isn't trying

to twist

God's arm

to do

what's

right.

He's

appealing

to God's

character.

father,

far be

it from

you to

do such

a thing.

Do what?

He's not

just concerned

about Lot

and his

immediate

family,

just take

my family

out and

then just

blow the

rest to

smithereen.

He's not

saying that.

He's saying

don't let

there be

collateral

damage.

Don't let

the righteous

few

be judged

and taken

out because

of the

sin of

many.

But he's

actually going

a step

further than

that.

He doesn't

ask,

let the

50 righteous

escape and

then go

for it.

He's,

some people

call this,

he's going,

this is a

theological

exploration,

he's going

into the

character of

God here.

What kind

of God

are you?

He's

pleading not

just for

his family,

he's not

pleading just

for the

righteous,

he's actually

pleading for

all of

Sodom and

Gomorrah.

Look at

verse 24,

he's asking

for the

entire place

to be

spared.

Suppose

there are

50 righteous

within the

city,

will you

then sweep

away the

place?

and not

spare the

place for

the 50

who are

in it.

This is a

bold prayer.

Yes,

the evil

is great,

are you

the kind

of God

who would

much prefer,

much rather

save the

many sinners

because of

the 50

righteous?

Yes,

the

yes,

I am.

It's the

righteousness

of the

50 would

save the

whole city.

I'm that

kind of

God.

Now,

it may seem

like humorous

bargaining here,

50,

45,

but this

is deep.

He's daring

to go deeper

and deeper.

how much

do you

value the

righteous

of the

few,

that it

could save

the many?

Is it

45?

Yes.

Is it

40?

Yeah,

even just

40?

I would

spare the

whole place.

Is it

30?

Yes.

Is it

20?