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Recap of the September 7, 2008 sermon:
1. Abraham lapses into a 25 year old sin when he once again passes off Sarah as his sister, instead of as his wife. In doing so he, humanly speaking, puts in jeopardy God’s promise of a son, the son of promise through Sarah (Gen 17:19).
2. These incidents seem to be the basis for Peter’s praise of Sarah as an example of a woman of faith who, despite her husband’s unwise actions, trusts God with her fear. (1 Peter 3:1-6).
3. As with Abraham, who earlier interceded for the righteous in Sodom (Gen 18:23), Abimelech (king of Gerar) intercedes for his innocent people. Only in this instance, Abraham is the wicked one and Abimelech and his people are the innocents. This is a rebuke from God to Abraham for his actions. As a writer said: “He certainly stumbled in his walk of faith and caused God’s judgment to come on Abimelech.”
4. Abraham who was to be a blessing to the nations, instead in this instance he is having a negative impact. Instead of upholding righteousness, he is holding God up to ridicule.
5. Based on Gen 20 we must: deal decisively with sin in our lives (especially with the world watching); deal with fear; affect the world positively, not just negatively.
