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okay you can turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 18 Genesis chapter 18 I'll begin reading in verse 1 then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day so he lifted his eyes and looked and behold three men were standing by him and when he saw them he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the ground and said my lord if I have now found favor in your sight do not pass on by your servant please let a little water be brought and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree and I will bring a morsel of bread that you may refresh your hearts after that you may pass by in as much as you have come to your servant they said do as you have said so Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said quickly make ready three measures of fine meal knead it and make cakes and Abraham ran to the herd took a tender and good calf gave it to a young man and he hastened to prepare it so he took butter and milk in the calf which he had prepared and set it before them and he stood by them under the tree as they ate then they said to him where is Sarah your wife so he said here in the tent and he said I will certainly return to you according to the time of life and behold Sarah your son shall have a son Sarah your wife shall have a son Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him now Abraham and Sarah were old well advanced in age and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing therefore Sarah laughed within herself saying after I have grown old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also and the Lord said to Abraham why did Sarah laugh saying shall I surely bear a child since I am old is anything too hard for the Lord at the appointed time I will return to you according to the time of life and Sarah shall have a son but Sarah denied it saying I did not laugh for is fear afraid afraid and he said no but she did laughs then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom and Abraham went with them to send them on the way and the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him for I have known him in order that he may command his children and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has spoken to him and the Lord said because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very grave I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to me and if not I will know then the men turned away from there and went towards Sodom but Abraham still stood before the Lord and Abraham came near and said would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked suppose there were fifty righteous within the city would you also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it far be it from you to do such a thing as this to slay the righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be as the wicked far be it from you shall not the judge of all the earth do right so the Lord said if I find in Sodom 50 righteous within the city then I will spare all the places for their sakes then Abraham answered and said indeed now I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous would you destroy all of the city for lack of five so he said if I find there forty five I will not destroy it he spoke to him yet again and said suppose there should be forty found it there so he said I will not do it for the sake of forty then he said let not the Lord be angry and I will speak suppose thirty should be found there so he said I will not do it if I find thirty there and he said indeed now I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord suppose twenty should be found there so he said I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty then he said let not the Lord be angry and I will speak but once more suppose ten it should be found there and he said I will not destroy it for the sake of ten so the Lord went his way as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham and Abraham returned to his place Amen well the larger section begins in chapter 18 at verse one and continues to chapter 19 and verse 38 it's the overthrow of sodom and gomorrah and gordon Wenham makes this observation he says no other 24-hour period in Abraham's life is related more fully than that described in Genesis 18 and 19 a midday lunch with three angels that ended with the destruction of sodom and gomorrah early next morning so that's precisely the flow in this particular context we're only going to take up the first half of chapter 18 essentially what we have here is the Lord appears to Abraham again and gives him this promise concerning Isaac the specific focus is on Sarah God's already made the promise in Genesis 15 he's furthered it or extended it by covenant in Genesis 17 and sold Abraham specifically and now it comes again to Abraham but it's for the purpose of instructing Sarah who is behind the Lord in the tenth and over here is that so the Lord appears to Abraham and gives him the promise concerning Isaac here in verses 1 to 15 the Lord been revealed his plan to destroy Sodom in verses 16 to 21 and then as I just read we see Abraham intercedes on behalf of the righteous in Sodom in verses 22 to 33 so we'll take off God willing the latter half of the chapter next week and then chapter 19 subsequent to that is the actual overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness and rebellion against God Almighty well there's three things we ought to observe with reference to this promise concerning Isaac first the three men at Mamre in verses 1 and 2 secondly the hospitality of Abraham in verses 3 to aid and then finally the promise of Isaac's birth in verses 9 to 10 to 15 but if you notice these men at Mamre their identity verses 1 & 2 are very intriguing notice in verse 1 of chapter 18 it says then the Lord then Yahweh appeared to him now if you go back for just a moment this isn't the first time in the life of Abraham if you go back to Genesis chapter 12 in verse 7 there you see then the Lord or Yahweh appeared to Abram and said and then as recently as Genesis 17 verse 1 when Abram was 99 years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him so this is an appearance of God to Abraham the tenth or the terebinth trees of Mamre now notice verse one says the Lord appeared to him and then in verse two we see that Abram Abraham lifts his eyes and looked and behold there are three men standing by ax and some have seen in this passage the doctrine of the Christian or the Christian doctrine of the Trinity you have the appearance of the Lord in verse 1 and then three men in verse 2 the verbs and pronouns in verse 3 are all singular masculine and then in verses 4 to 9 the forms are a plural masculine as well than the divine knowledge possessed by these visitors as indicated in the section where God makes the promise concerning Isaac notice in verse 9 these visitors know the name of Abraham's wife as well in verse 10 he promises a son only something that God can do Yahweh speaks to Abraham according to verse 13 and he knows that Sarah laughed to herself according to verses 13 to 15 so it is an appearance by God Almighty but it is in the form of three men as I said some have argued the doctrine of the Trinity from this particular passage I think it's better to assume that what we are dealing with our angels probably the angel of the Lord which is the Lord Himself and then two attendant angels if you notice at chapter 19 in verse 119 one says now the two angels came to in the evenings at least two of these three men are angels and then in Hebrews chapter 13 fact you can turn to Hebrews chapter 13 where the Apostle exhorts the people of God on how to engage in brotherly love he gives concrete expression to that general overarching theme in verses 2 and following notice in chapter 13 of Hebrews verse 1 says let brotherly love continue now the concrete application of that according to verse 2 is do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels so that hospitality to strangers is an exemplification of this brotherly love and then in verse 3 remember the prisoners as if chained with them who are those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also this is the way the Brethren the people of God manifests Christian love they demonstrate hospitality and as well they remember the prisoners but specifically they're in verse 2 most commentators see this as a reference probably not only to Abraham but also to lot and there is a bit of a contrast going on in Genesis 18 and Genesis 19 both men greet the visitors both men are quick to extend hospitality to these visitors but both men at least initially do not recognize that they are in fact angels so when we go back to these three men of Genesis chapter 18 it's probably best to understand them as two angels and one as the angel of the Lord who is in fact the Lord John Gill defines it this way he says the truth of the matter after he sort of deals with this idea that it was a revelation of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity John lightfoot held this particular position I know Girt Gordon Clark certainly alludes to it in his book on the Trinity but Gill surveys the data not Gordon Clark because he came after John Gill but certainly Lightfoot and he says the truth of the matter seems to be this that one of them was the Son of God in a human form that chiefly converse with Abraham rained from heaven brimstone on Sodom and the other two were angels in the light form that accompanied him in that expedition I think that's the way that we ought to appreciate it while the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is in fact true this is not particularly approved text as these press at least two of these men are indicated to be angels according to 19 1 and then Hebrews 13:2 Matthew pool makes this comment three men as they seem to be though indeed they were angels in man's shape and then he says he directs his speech to one who by the majesty of his countenance and the respect which the other two showed him seemed to be the chief of them so it's the angel of the Lord who is in fact the Lord and then two angels attendant with him on this particular expedition in terms of revealing the promise to Abraham and then engaging with reference to Sodom and Gomorrah now notice the location verse 1 of chapter 18 it says then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre you can turn back to Hebrews chapter I'm sorry Genesis chapter 13 for just a moment again there is a bit of contrast in chapters 18 and 19 concerning Abraham and lot remember back in Genesis chapter 13 at verse 18 this is where Abram settles verse 18 been Abram moved his tent and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre which are in Hebron and built an altar there to the Lord now prior to that we see that lot dwell in Sodom in verse 12 of chapter 13 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan and lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom and even there were four shadowing or thereit's foreshadowed the wickedness of Sodom in verse 13 but the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord so all the way back in Genesis chapter 13 there is this indicator of things that are not well in terms of where Abraham settles and in terms of where Lots and so the judgment of God is now coming to bear upon wicked wicked Sodom and law is a resident of that particular city that walki makes the observation with reference to chapter 18 verse 1 with the contrast to chapter 19 verse 1 look at chapter 19 verse 1 now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening and lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom walki says that Abraham sits in the shade of a sojourners tent a welcoming place to travelers lot will sit at the gate of an evil city hazardous to strangers who enter that is exactly what happens when those angels enter into that city it is not a good place it is an ungodly and an unholy place so just by way of a practical application not choosing for himself at least what looked the best in terms of physicality turned out to be spiritually detrimental to his own soul was not a wise choice it was not a good choice it was not the righteous choice rather Abraham dwelling in hedron specifically at the terebinth trees of Mamre chose that place that was much better and much more excellent in terms of God's favor now in terms of the mission of these three men it's very clear first to reiterate the promise concerning Isaac and again it's primarily to Sara in this instance it's not like we have repetition for repetition sake we have the promise of the Sun given in Genesis 15 the Covenant with reference to the Sun in Genesis 17 and now this information is given to Sarah who is the one that's going to actually bear or bore forth this young boy Isaac and then another part of the mission of these men is to announce the Lord's judgment on Sodom in verses 16 to 33 and then to actually execute the judgment of God upon Sodom in Genesis chapter 19 so again its intrinsic or important that we understand that 18 and 19 go together not just in terms of numerical chronology but in terms of theme and what these angels are doing in terms of their particular mission so we have these three men at mamrie verses one and two now notice the hospitality of Abraham in verses 3 to 8 now it's not moralistic to say we ought to be like Abraham because that's precisely what the Apostle says in Hebrews 13:2 what a lot brotherly love continue in the way that we let brotherly love continue is by showing hospitality and by not forgetting those in chains not forgetting the prisoners but his example here is most excellent in terms of the way that he conducts himself note his humility in verse 3 he said my lord if I have now found favor in your sight do not pass on by your servant now Abraham is well-to-do man Abraham has a lot of servants Abraham has a lot of possessions Abraham has a lot of money and yet Abraham exemplifies humility in verse 3 again we know that Yahweh appeared to him at this particular juncture he does not know that he is not convinced at these three men one is the angel of the Lord that is the Lord to the other two are angels he doesn't know that just like in Genesis chapter 22 the very first verse says that God tested Abraham Abraham didn't know that that's for our benefit that's to give us sort of a bird's-eye view that is the divine commentary on what's happening in the narrative when God tells Abraham in Genesis chapter 22 to take his son his only son the son who he loved up to Mount Moriah and to execute him as far as Abraham knows this is God telling him to offer up human sacrifice we're told that he is testing him we're told that Yahweh appeared to him by the terrible trees of Mamre rather or what he sees rather is or are these three men standing by him when he saw them he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the ground most of the commentators say most likely he was taken of Siesta under the you know during the summer heat he got his work done during the day and in the hottest part of the day he goes under the trees going to take a nap and then he sees these three men and he humbles himself under them dresses the one that seems to have the notoriety among the three in verse three my lord if if I have now found favor in your sight do not pass by your servant he then gives courtesy common courtesy according to verse 4 water for their thirst I mean if you were in that sunlight and in that hot day you would want water for your thirst you'd want water for your feet and you'd want to place under the terebinth trees at Memory so you could get out from under the Sun this is courtesy extended by Abraham to these particular men and then the kindness of Abraham and it's very humble very neat very lowly what he says in verse 5 notice and I will bring a morsel of bread he is planning a feast fit for a key what he actually does in terms of the practice of hospitality is most wondrous it isn't simply a morsel of bread he is just saying this again as a sign or as an emblem of his humility before his guests and perhaps to make sure that they stay with that he says I'm going to kill a calf I'm gonna you know make butter I'm gonna you know do all the things involved in providing this feast that could be is you know several hours and they might just peace out and leave but he doesn't do that he says I'm gonna make you a morsel of bread that you may refresh your hearts after that you may pass by in as much as you have come to your servant now notice the practice of hospitality in verses 6 to 8 he does prepare a feast they say do as you have said so Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said quickly make ready three measures of fine meal knead it and make cakes and Abraham ran to the herd took a tender and good calf gave it to a young man and he hastened to prepare it now when we read these narratives in the book of Genesis we need to realize that Moses wrote the book of Genesis and he wrote Exodus Leviticus numbers and Deuteronomy and there's a cohesiveness or a coherence to all of the books and there's some things in the book of Genesis that really do foreshadow later sort of things that will be found in the Pentateuch and here specifically one commentator makes the observation Gordon Wenham he says as far as Abraham was concerned his warm-hearted hospitality was just the proper way to entertain visitors but is the reader who knows who they are verse one also meant to reflect on how appropriate these offerings are think about what he's doing here he's taking the best fine flour he's taking this wonderful calf and he is offering it up to the one who is identified in verse one as Yahweh can that sort of foreshadows what later revelation will tell us in terms of what Israel was required to bring before the Lord so that later Israelites would have not only the revelation of God's law say in the Book of Leviticus but they would have the activity or the practice of Abraham even prior to that time where Abraham's engaged in that kind of conduct really is a beautiful way to appreciate the cohesiveness of it all he goes on to say elsewhere in the Pentateuch best wheat flour is only used in cereal offerings and for making the bread of the presence love it ACCA's 24 and the regulations about the sacrifice constantly insist on the necessity of offering only top-quality animals the narrative may be hinting that he is behaving more wisely than he realized what he's doing here in a sense is offering up sacrifice to Yahweh again he doesn't know the full ramifications he doesn't have verse 1 he has these three men he exercises humility before them he demonstrates the common courtesies of the day but then he goes over and above in terms of kindness offering them a morsel of bread but preparing a feast fit for a king and that is precisely what he renders to these men verse 8 says so he took butter and milk or yogurt and milk and the calf which he had prepared and said it before them and he stood by them under the tree as they ate now some struggle here with the Angels eating because angels but Gil I think again has a good observation though as they assumed bodies so animated as to be capable of talking and walking why not of eating and drinking so I think that's a good approach to that and then interestingly to look at exodus 20:4 for just a moment Exodus chapter 24 is a covenant ratification ceremony it is the ratification of the old covenant remember God gave them his law chapter 20 specifically the Ten Commandments chapters 21 to 23 the application of those Commandments for the body politic as they dwell in the land of Canaan and here in Genesis chapter I'm sorry Exodus chapter 24 they assume their responsibility notice in verse 3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice and said all the words which the Lord has said we will do now we know that didn't work out very well that doesn't work out well at all that's the nature of the Covenant of works we may swear fidelity we may swear fealty to God we may subscribe to his law and say oh I'm in it for the long haul I'll do everything that he calls me to they get to chapter 32 and they're dancing around a calf you see the nature of a covenant of works is abysmal failure for those persons under that covenant of works because in Adam all die we don't have the requisite power or ability to perfectly perpetually exactly and personally keep God's law that's what is demanded when we say I'm in this for a covenant of works we're swearing for absolute positive perfection that's why anybody who opts for a covenant of work really needs to understand what it is they're signing up for this is Paul's point in the book of Galatians those of you who pursue circumcision as a means of commendation before God you are debtors to keep the whole law and the way that God calls upon man to keep the law is exemplified in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in other words God's covenant of works isn't give it your best shot do the best that you can try a little harder it must be perpetual obedience it must be exact obedience it must be entire obedience and it must be personal obedience that's what's involved in this covenant of work and so this is what is real sweat stew dropping down to verse 7 then he took the book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people and they said all that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient and Moses took the blood sprinkle it on the people and said this is the blood of the Covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words now notice in verse 9 then Moses went up also Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy the seventy of the elders of Israel how did it work out for nade a band a by who this covenant of works not so good we get to Leviticus chapter 10 and they'd a bit of I will offer up strange fire before the Lord and God kills that so just all that to point out that if you want the Old Covenant system you want the Covenant of works you need to realize what's involved in that so back to verse 10 it says and they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone and it was like the very heavens in its clarity but on the nobles of the children of Israel he did not lay his hand so they saw God and notice they ate and drank I don't think that means God ate and drank with them but there was this meal in the context of covenant when we get to first Corinthians chapter 11 and the church has given a meal in connection with covenant we ought not to be surprised because that has a long pedigree in biblical history there's oftentimes eating and drinking in terms of the ratification of covenant so there might be some of that going on in this particular Genesis 18 context as well because in Genesis 17 we have the giving of the covenant of circumcision and here they're eating together now back to Genesis 18 the promise of Isaac's birth in verses 9 to 15 now notice there is first an announcement in verses 9 and 10 verse 9 then they said to him where is Sara your wife now we need to understand that this is probably like the question that God poses in the garden he's not asking for information God knows where she is God is saying it for their benefit God is saying it to alert them that she needs to pay attention to what is about to be set so it's not a quest for info but rather it is to highlight that she needs to be involved in what he is about to say then they said to him where is Sara your wife so he said here in the tent now verse 10 and he said I will certainly return to you according to the time of life and behold Sara your wife shall have a son so with reference to the declaration concerning the birth of Isaac here in chapter 18 verse 10 it's already been promised it's already been covenant 'add and now it is getting close the particular time is given now in terms of the time it's probably the time of life references the birth of Isaac look back to chapter 17 verse 21 but my covenant I will establish with Isaac whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year so probably the same sort of thing now notice at verse 10 it says Annie said I will certainly return to you according to the time of life that's not a promise of another sort of personal appearance by Yahweh it is rather when Isaac is born when the promise of God is fulfilled that will be as it were as if the Lord had returned to them it is God's gracious intervention that kind of language is used elsewhere in Scripture so the tax does not demand another appearance by Yahweh but rather to simply say that when this boy is born I will have returned to you through the promise through the fulfillment of that particular promise now notice in 10 B Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him so Sarah did hear Sarah did listen Sarah is involved and that's the direction now that God is going to pursue notice the the problem is reiterated to us in verse 11 now Abraham and Sarah were old well advanced in age and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing so he was 99 and she was ninety so the old age of Abraham certainly a problem with reference to childbearing the old age of Sarah ninety years old a problem with reference to childbearing but it's underscored by the physical impossibility there at the end of verse eleven she had passed the age of childbearing she was post menopausal she could no longer have babies she understood this he understood this so this promise of God that she would have a baby boy named Isaac was a tough one for her to get her mind wrapped around it's easy for us to kind of Monday Morning Quarterback and say I can't believe she laughs at the very promise of God she's postmenopausal brethren she understands that these things just don't work anymore she understands the physical impossibility involved I'm not justifying her uh her wavering and unbelief or her doubt or her lack of faith but we lack faith and we doubt and we waver with a whole lot less challenges to our faith than what Abraham and Sarah are facing in this particular instance so this information highlights the severity of the problem it's not just old to age but it's a physical impossibility again I'm not a biologist or whatever you know but I know this much that postmenopausal women don't have babies I think we can oh that you know I get any men on that we all agree that's what she's facing that's what she's up against that's why she responds the way that she does now notice her response in verse 12 and 13 B says therefore Sarah laughed within herself now remember Isaac means laughter abraham laughed according to Genesis 17 when God said you a Sarah are gonna have a baby boy and you're gonna call him Isaac Abraham laughed now here Sarah laughs so that when Isaac is born I mean that's just the best and most fitting name for him see Isaac's just laughs that's kind of what they do there's a pun involved and they really get excited about that sort of thing and so that's what happens with reference to Isaac with Sarah she laughs with reference to this promise but again notice it is within herself later on she denies it saying I did not laugh verse 15 now that might be a technicality we know that she did laugh but she didn't laugh out loud this is evidence that the lord has appeared to Abraham at the terebinth trees of Mamre that the Lord is communicating to Sarah because she's not within earshot she's keeping this or rather within herself and yet nevertheless the Lord knows what's happening in her in her in her in her inner man so notice Sarah laughs verse 12 within herself saying after I have grown old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also that's the language of first Peter chapter 3 and verse 6 y'all familiar with that passage in fact you can turn there because Peter didn't make this up notice that she refers to her husband Abraham as her Lord and in 1st Peter chapter 3 the Apostle uses this to encourage Christian women to treat with respect and to submit unto their own husbands he gives the specific parameters by way the specific incidents things they're supposed to adopt in verses 1 to 5 1 to 4 and then in verse 5 he says for in this manner in former times the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves being submissive to their own husbands as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror now the way that Peter treats this would indicate that Sara meant it she didn't just call him Lord but she actually submitted to his rule to his headship and to his leadership in their family so back to Genesis 18 12 she says there she laughs within herself saying after I have grown old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also and then notice at verse 13 be the Lord said to Abraham why did Sarah laugh saying shall I surely bear a child since I am old the emphasis falls on her later on abraham is gonna father more children later on in Genesis chapter 25 after Sarah dies Abraham is going to marry again and her name is katoa and he is going to have more babies that's just the reality she has passed the point now obviously from you know the physiology of it he doesn't look like the spring chicken either and does it look like he's able to engage in this sort of activity but it's different for a man and obviously that's the case visa vie Genesis 25 the emphasis in verse 13 is upon her shall I surely bear a child since I am old and she knows what's happened in terms of her body she knows what's happened in terms of her inability with reference to bearing children so all of this to her is a laughing matter it would be akin to somebody telling you I want you to run down the street at a speed that you know the fastest runner in the world run you'd say there's no way I've got a bad hip I got a hang like you know I got a bum knee there's no way I can run that fast it's just not gonna happen you'd be inclined to laugh at the person if they said I I think you can do it in fact I know you can do it you'd say no I I don't think I can do it not at all not not for a moment or I want you to you know do this there's high jump over you know however tall this thing is nice look at that sir there's just no way that's kind of what's happening in this particular situation now note the rebuke from God in verses 13 to 15 the first thing we ought to appreciate is that he knows what is going on he knows what she has done in her heart she knows the salute he knows the soliloquy she's not talking out loud she hasn't anybody else in the tent with her she is saying this to herself it's again to the gospel narratives when men are musing within their own hearts and Jesus answers them specifically concerning that issue or in John chapter 20 remember that Jesus appears to the disciples without Thomas and then a week later they tell Thomas we have seen the Lord and Thomas lays down the gauntlet and says unless I see unless I touch I will certainly not believe well Jesus wasn't present when he says that but then Jesus comes and then he says specifically to Thomas reach your hand he answers the very demand that Thomas had made how does he do that because he's God he's omniscient he knows and that is what's happening here Yahweh says to Abraham why did Sarah laugh saying shall I surely bear a child since I am old now notice he underscores that the real nature of Sarah's problem and by implication Abraham's problem as well in verse 14 is anything too hard for the Lord you see whenever we doubt God we are implicitly suggesting that there are those things that are that are too hard for him you see if I tell you run down the street as fast as you can and you'll do it like an Olympic runner I don't have the power to enable compliance with that particular command but when God the Lord tells us to do something he has the power to enable compliance to that particular command we could stand at the graveside of Lazarus and say Lazarus come forth until the cows come home and Lazarus isn't going to budge but the one who issues the command in John chapter 11 has the power to enable the compliance of the corpse and so when God says this he underscores the particularity of the problem in view is anything too hard for the Lord cannot God bring from even a post menopausal woman a child of promise in accordance with the Covenant well yes he most certainly can can God produce from a hundred year old and a 90 year old a son of promise in whom all the nations of the earth are going to be blessed of course so this is the hinge of the focal point in terms of the issue is anything too hard for the Lord God has absolute power the Prophet Jeremiah Jeremiah 32 17 and 27 speaks concerning this power in Jeremiah 32 17 which is a wonderfully covenantal sort of passage of Scripture the giving of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31 and then in Jeremiah chapter 32 Jeremiah stole to buy you know a piece of property there in Jerusalem now if you know the context in Jeremiah Jeremiah at that particular time the last thing you would want to do is to buy property in Jerusalem because Jeremiah is prophesying at the time of the Babylonian captivity of Judah so to buy property in Jerusalem plus was basically to throw money away but when God tells the Prophet to buy this parcel of property it is a foreshadowing of the reality that the Judah Heights will eventually return from Babylon back to their land so Jeremiah 32 along with 31 is full with with New Covenant reality and later in Jeremiah 32 he says I will I will plant them in the land with all my heart and with all my soul I will put my fear in their heart so that they will not depart from it so rich and wonderful continental passage but in verses 17 and 27 in Jeremiah 32 we get this demonstration of the power of God he says our Lord God behold you have made the heavens in the earth by your great power and outstretched arm there is nothing too hard for you Jeremiah 32 27 behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there anything too hard for me it's a rhetorical question the obvious answer is no you are the living in the true God you are the God of all flesh there is nothing too hard for you and he uses this polemic with Abraham and Sarah is that there is anything too hard for the Lord John Calvin says we now see what was the sin of Sarah namely that she did wrong to God by not acknowledging the greatness of his power and truly we also attempt to rob God of his power whenever we distrust his word see that's the fundamental underlying principle in Genesis 18 yes it has case specific application with reference to Abraham into Sarah and the birth of Isaac but in terms of a practical observation or application for us we need to understand the omnipotence of God the supreme power and majesty of God the ability the competency of God and that ought to feed our faith so that we don't want a waver in unbelief so that when God tells us for instance pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord when God tells us for instance to deal with the various things that we're called to deal with to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts these are not things that God cannot enable us to comply with God gives the command and he fills us with the spirit and he gives us a love for his law such that we may in fact comply our more often than not is that we have not only a defective understanding of who God is but a practical a practical sort of disconnect with reference to who God is and our lives we may even have proper theology I think there's a lot of Calvinists or a lot of reformed people people that know the five points of Calvinism people that understand absolute comprehensive sovereignty that are anxious the Canon that are fretful that are paralyzed by fear and trepidation and all sorts of things now I'm not saying that without fail everybody's always going to be perfect David said why art thou disquieted oh my soul hoped thou and God Psalms 42 and 43 the the many instances the people of God are told by God not to fear would indicate that this is a remaining problem Matthew chapter six that our Lord Jesus has to caution his disciples against a needless worry would indicate that these are things that will paralyze or plague rather the people of God but that the remedy the corrective to that is to one know who God is and to seek by grace to live in light of who God is so know your theology proper and live according to that theology proper now notice God then highlights reiterates to them in connection with this statement is anything too hard for the Lord he says at the appointed time I will return to you according to the time of life and Sarah shall have a sign the beautiful thing isn't it I mean he reiterates or highlights the the ability that he has the the the Omni competence to carry out whatever it is he is purposed and planned and in conjunction with that he reiterates the promise that according to the time of life Sarah shall have a son now notice in verse 15 she denies this sir denied it saying I did not laugh now again it might have been a technicality in terms of I didn't laugh out loud you know we do that sometimes don't we we know you'll get any puzzled come on we like to - those technicai I didn't take - cookies yeah but you took one okay yeah you don't mean that there's always this sort of you know letter of the law type thing and then the spirit of the law we like to try to find the letter of the law when it suits our I didn't laugh out loud but I laugh like a madman inside so so maybe there's something of that going on but notice what the narrator tells us sir denied it saying I did not laugh for she was afraid and he said no but you did laugh and I think it's important there God rebukes her but it is gentle isn't it he tried sir but he doesn't destroy her he doesn't say that's it it's over for you know sana promise go ahead and live out your postmenopausal days until you die no he doesn't do that so he chides her but it's still the gentleness that we've come to expect and know from our great God he said no but you did laugh now two thoughts and then we close first the faith of Sara there were certainly challenges to her faith if we don't appreciate that we're not paying attention because there were some big challenges big obstacles huge obstacles not only the fact that she was old but the fact that she was beyond the point of physically conceiving and having a child Lenna again this commentator Gordon Wenham I think pound for pound one of the best commentaries at least I have on on Genesis he says these remarks verse 12 specifically when Sarah laughs after I have grown old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also he says these remarks of Sarah's show us the basis of her doubts she laughed not out of cocky arrogance but because a life of long disappointment had taught her not to clutch at straws see again I'm not justifying what she's done and not justify laughing at the promises of God but I think when I'm fleshes out in this quotation that the human element and the dynamic remember that she was bearing Burness in this culture was not a good thing you know we live in a culture that is crazy with murdering babies for some reason that's just not the culture that was that obtained at this particular juncture it was a blessing it was a boon it was a benefit to be a woman pregnant and to be a woman with a large brood to have lots of babies so she had gone 90 years without ever having her own child okay so he goes on to say she left not out of cocky arrogance but because a life of long disappointment disappointment had taught her not to clutch at straws hopeless let hopelessness not pride underlay her unbelief her self-restraint and not openly expressing her doubts and the sadness behind them go far to explain notice the gentleness of the divine rebuke so God knows this - it's why he doesn't say that's it it's over you're done I can't believe you'd ever laugh at me he tried her but he doesn't cut her off and that human dimension or that element is probably the explanation of the rationale he knows what it's like for Sarah he knows what it's like for his children he knows our frame according to Psalm 103 he knows were but dust and he pities us and it's not just with Sarah but it's with Abraham it's not just with Abraham and Sarah but I mentioned earlier Thomas in John chapter 20 Thomas says unless I see and touch I will not believe Jesus comes along and says blood reach out touch see he chides in be not unbelieving but believing he chides him but all in all it's very gentle and very gracious again that's the nature of our God yes he's a consuming fire yes he's going to rain hell from heaven on to Sodom and Gomorrah but for his people he's gracious for his people he's kind yes here approves us yes he chides us yes he chastens us but even then there are remedial purposes in play first Corinthians chapter 11 the Apostle talks about sanctions attached to that covenant meal of the Lord's Supper if you partake in an unworthy manner there are ramifications for this reason summer some are sick some are asleep and then he goes on to say we are chastened by the Lord so that we will not be condemned with the world other words God may take you out for improperly participating in the supper so that you don't ultimately end up judged with the world so even in that chastening God has his remedial purposes in view now in terms of the faith to Sara we ought to appreciate the gracious commentary concerning Sara remember it last time in Genesis 17 when Abraham laughed we looked at romans chapter 4 in verses 18 to 22 it speaks of the faith of Abraham excuse me and it speaks glowingly of the faith of Abraham in Romans chapter 4 18 to 22 Paul doesn't feel it necessary to say you know there was this time that Abraham laughed there's time that Abraham lied there was this time that Abraham you know he faltered an unbelief that he doesn't do that the overarching trajectory of Abraham's life was one of faith just like the kings the good kings of Judah that are given to us in 1st and 2nd Kings I mean they may not have been perfect men but they did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh and and some of them didn't even take down the high places some of them didn't stop some of the abuses among the people of Israel but but the overarching trajectory of their life was faithfulness to the Lord well that same sort of thing obtains with reference to Sarah in Hebrews 11:11 we read by faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child when she was past the age because she judged him faithful who had promised that characterises Sarah doesn't it that's what we're supposed to remember and I think if we get that sort of perspective with reference to Scripture it will hopefully temper our or our dealings with one another when when when persons don't perform perfectly all the time we we ought to realize that nevertheless the overarching tenor of their life is one of faith full mass or we ought to be more like God in the way that we assess the people around us not only now but in terms of their having departed from us as well if the overarching trajectory is one of faithfulness even though there were some shortcomings and even though there were some faltering and even though there were some wavering --zz in the midst if God the Lord can inspire Paul to write what he does concerning Abraham and Sarah we ought to be the kind of people that appreciate faithfulness on the part of God's people and then in terms of some practicality for us the doubts we entertain are typically a denial of the word of God I mean that's just dad it's us failing to appropriate with confidence what God's Word says John Calvin again says we do not pay him his due honor except we regard every obstacle which presents itself in heaven and earth as placed under subjection to his word the words God is able to do what he has purpose to do as well the doubts we entertain are often associated with a failure to reckon with specifically the power of God as it relates to all things verse 14 is fundamental in this whole in this host passage is anything too hard for the Lord of course it's not as a result the Lord should get our unwavering confidence and faith and then we ought to appreciate the grace of God as it's manifested even in the lives of weak brethren she laughed she said to herself there's no weight this isn't gonna happen and the Lord God comes to her doesn't cut her off chides her acknowledges that she did do what she said she didn't do but nevertheless she's in the Hall of faith she has the child a promise and ultimately it's through that line that Messiah comes well let's close Ana word of Prayer our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for this time to gather together and do pray that you would increase our faith we know in the gospel record when the Apostles asked about forgiveness they said Lord increase our faith and we pray the same thing not only with reference to forgiveness but with reference to life we know that you are a trustworthy God we know that you are a God who is able to do all his holy will help us to understand your power your omnipotence your glory your majesty and your trustworthiness and may you indeed fill us with your spirit caused us to be a faithful people caused us not to waver with unbelief or with doubt go with us now we pray and we ask in Jesus Holy Name Amen