The Plowman

Introduction:
I have to admit it – nothing surprises me anymore.  I’ve really become jaded.  I used to blush and be shocked – but just when I thought it couldn’t possibly get worse – it did.  Sometimes I get the feeling you and I are the only sane folks left on the planet – and some of you are suspect!  I don’t watch it, and I hope you don’t either, but do you see these commercials for The Jerry Springer Show?  “My best friend’s mom is my girl friend on the next Jerry Springer show!”  There are sure some warped, twisted folks out there.  Things are outrageous and extreme today but it has been heading that direction for some time now.  Do you remember the movie Ordinary People?  Hailed as a wonderful movie, a compelling drama – several academy award nominations.  The movie was about a “typical” family living in the suburbs of Chicago.  The film begins after the older of the two sons has been killed in a drowning accident caused by his own foolishness.  The younger son is racked with guilt, so much so, that as the movie progresses he increasingly is unable to cope with life.  The mother is domineering.  The dad is weak in character.  In the end the younger son attempts suicide and the father leaves home.  It’s just your typical family – just ordinary people.

It was depressing! Utter helplessness.  No hope.  Nothing made sense. “This is real life” we were told. This is what is happening in the “real world”. I really couldn’t identify.  It was pretty much Leave It to Beaver around my house! The bad things were – you messed up dad’s best shirt and your brother said, “gee dad’s gonna kill yeh!”

The buzzword today is “dysfunctional”. “Oh he’s that way because he comes from a dysfunctional family.” No one is responsible for anything anymore – it is someone else’s fault. I’ve got news for you – we all come from dysfunctional families – because we are all warped by sin!

It’s nothing new – dysfunctional families have been around since the beginning (remember Cain and Abel?).

And if there was ever a poster family for the dysfunctional it would have to be that of Isaac and Rebekah.  You talk about one mixed up family – that was it.  Twin boys.  Mom and dad each had their favorite and openly demonstrated it.  Plotting, lying, scheming, stealing, hating – you name it – it went on inside that home.  And yet God’s hand was on that family.  God, sovereignly, providentially, directed the history of that family.  It is an incredible story and this evening we’ll explore another chapter in the life of a highly dysfunctional and yet blessed family.

Text: Genesis 27:41-28:9

It is increasingly clear to me that the dominant note sounded throughout the Genesis account is that God is indeed sovereign.  He is in charge.  He is in control of history – it is His story.  God is moving the story along to His determined end and nothing is going to stop His sovereign purposes.  It is also clear to me that the only thing keeping Him from wiping the human family off the face of the earth is that He is indeed gracious and merciful.

At this point in the story Jacob, thanks to his mother’s scheming nature, has just “stolen” the blessing belonging to his brother Esau.

Don’t forget God had already declared that the older would serve the younger (25:23). Why was this so? Because it pleased God to do so (Romans 9:10-15). Isaac sought to defy the revealed will of God. Rebekah remembered God’s word but sought to achieve God’s purpose through trickery. Isaac trembled in fear when he realized what had happened. That’s where we pick up the story – think there’s a little tension in the family about now?

As we reflect on this passage we’ll learn some lessons from a dysfunctional family. There are three abiding principles I want us to leave here with.

1. God’s will ultimately prevails.
2. Deception produces a bitter crop.
3. There is a better way.

Introduction:
It has been suggested that living the Christian life is not difficult – it’s down right impossible! I’m inclined to agree with that. There is that sense in which we find ourselves in certain circumstances and we say, “I just don’t know how anyone makes it without the Lord.” There are those times of intense struggle in which the power and grace of God are so overwhelmingly present that we cannot help but sing his praises. There are those other times when we struggle with his commands and instructions and wonder how he could demand such a thing. What’s with this “turn the other cheek” business? “Love those that hate you” and “pray for those who persecute you?” What’s up with that? You can level with me – it’s just us – don’t you sometimes struggle with some of God’s commands? And yet we are to walk in humble obedience before him. How do we do that? How do we develop that ability? We can get some help from our old friend Abraham.

Text: Genesis 22:1-19

Thesis: Unconditional trust in God enables obedience at any price.

In this passage with just a few able strokes the inspired narrator paints a beautiful portrait of unconditional trust. There are three things I want us to note about such a trust. This is what each of us is called to.

1. Unconditional trust responds in determined obedience. (22:1-3)
2. Unconditional trust overcomes any obstacle. (22:4-12)
3. Unconditional trust brings the blessing of God. (22:13-18)

Introduction:
Have you ever been knocked down?  Have you ever had the wind knocked out of you emotionally or spiritually?  If you have, you are not alone.  And if you have then you also know that being God’s child did not make you immune!  The problem of the healthy, wealthy and wise theology of the prosperity Gospel is…well…it’s not true!  We live in a fallen world.  And because we do, rotten stuff happens.  Hurtful experiences come along.  God never promised us that we would not have trouble – he promised we would never be alone in the midst of our troubles.  He promises to deliver us.  Not from trouble but out of trouble.  We are told – “you will experience tribulation in this life.”  Such should not surprise us – however we are also assured that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.  Jesus said, “Fear not.  I have overcome the world.”  All of that is well and good but what are we to do when we find ourselves in the valley?  What do we do when trouble rears its ugly head?  What do I do when I’m “drowning” in tribulation?  For some answers let’s turn again to the Psalms.

Text: Psalm 34:1-22
This is another of David’s psalms. We do have a title for this one – “when David pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.” It sounds like a country and western tune! But this is in reference to an event recorded for us in 1 Samuel 21:10-15.

Thesis: The righteous must respond to tribulation with courageous faith.
Spurgeon described this psalm as a hymn and a sermon.  He said the first 10 verses consist of a hymn and verses 11-22 compose a sermon.  That is a fairly accurate description for the first half calls us to worship and provides a testimony while the second half calls us to action.

There are five principles of courageous faith that I want you to note from this text.

1. Courageous faith chooses to praise God in every situation.  (34:1-3)
2. Courageous faith remembers God’s goodness and grace.  (34:4-7)
3. Courageous faith is confident of the goodness of God.  (34:8-10)
4. Courageous faith demonstrates reverence through obedience.  (34:11-14)
5. Courageous faith puts its trust in God and God alone.  (34:15-22)

Introduction
Is it wrong to question?  Does the person who lives by faith walk in unquestioning obedience to God and never suffer from a twinge of doubt or confusion?  If you listen to modern day “faith teachers” to have even the slightest doubt is to be denied the blessing of God.  Is that a biblical view?  Is that reflected in the lives of the saints in Scripture?  In exploring the life of Abraham, the friend of God, I don’t find any support for such a position.

Abraham stumbled and struggled to believe.  He wasn’t, at every turn, the shining example of faith.  Yet at the end of the day he is remembered for his faith.  He is called the “father of faith.”  But most surprisingly he is called the “friend of God.”  The interesting thing is that there are only three such references in all the Scripture and none of them appear in the historical narrative of his life!

• 2 Chronicles 20:7
  The armies of Moab and Ammon had invaded Judah, Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of the people before the temple in Jerusalem and, based on his earlier promises to the nation’s fathers, asked God for deliverance: “O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?”
• James 2:23
  “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.”
• The most significant was Isaiah 41:8
  “But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend.”

God himself referred to Abraham as his friend! Did Abraham ever struggle to believe? Did Abraham ever doubt? The problem is not is the questioning – it is a matter of what you do with your questions.  It is a matter of how you handle your doubts.  In fact questions can serve as the basis for profound faith and that is the lesson we learn from Genesis chapter 18.

Text: Genesis 18:1-33

Thesis: Biblical answers to legitimate questions form a solid foundation for genuine faith.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  So how does such confidence and assurance arise from doubts, frustration and fears?  How is it that one moves from uncertainty to certainty?  That’s what we will observe from our text.

• Focus: 18:9-14.
  Question #1 – A question of divine ability – “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
• Focus: 18:16-19
  Question #2 – A question of divine grace – “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?”
• Focus: 18:20-25
  Question #3 – A Question of divine Justice – “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Now when these questions are answered what is your basis of faith? A God who is able to do the impossible. A gracious God who can and will be known. A God who can be trusted to always do what is right.

Now that  is a sure foundation!