Lessons In Life From You And God

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Lessons In Life From You And God

Genesis 20

Speaker: Pastor
Series:

Embracing God’s Grace: Lessons from Abraham’s Failures

Have you ever felt like your mistakes were too big for God to forgive? Or that your past failures disqualified you from being used by God? If so, you’re not alone. Even the great heroes of faith in the Bible struggled with sin and doubt. Today, let’s look at a surprising story from the life of Abraham that reveals powerful truths about our own weaknesses and God’s amazing grace.

The Repeated Sin of a Man of Faith

In Genesis chapter 20, we find Abraham, the friend of God and a man of great faith, repeating a sin he had committed years before. As he moved to a new place with his family and household, stress and fear led him to lie about his relationship with his wife, Sarah. 

“Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah” (Genesis 20:2).

This wasn’t a one-time slip-up. Abraham had done this before, and it was a pattern in his life. He even admitted to making it a habit: “When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother”‘” (Genesis 20:13).

What Sin Do You Struggle With?

Abraham’s story reminds us that we all struggle with sin. It’s not a question of if we sin, but with what sin do we struggle? The Bible is honest about the weaknesses of people of faith, and we can learn just as much from their failures as from their successes.

Just like Abraham, we often have sins that we repeat or struggle with for years. The habits of a lifetime are hard to break. But recognizing our struggles is the first step toward growth and change.

What Excuses Do You Make for Your Sin?

When confronted with his sin, Abraham made excuses. He blamed the people around him, saying, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place'” (Genesis 20:11). He even seemed to blame God, saying, “When God caused me to wander from my father’s house…” (Genesis 20:13).

How often do we make similar excuses for our own sins? We need to stop making decisions based on our own thoughts and instead base them on what God says. Until we acknowledge the true nature of our actions as sin, we can’t begin to find hope and healing through God’s faithfulness to His promises.

God’s Incredible Response

Now, here’s where the story takes an unexpected turn. Despite Abraham’s repeated failure, God still refers to him as a prophet and uses him to bring healing to others. 

“Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live” (Genesis 20:7).

God Keeps His Word

Even in the midst of human failure, God faithfulness to His promises remain. He protected Sarah and ensured that His plan for Abraham’s lineage would continue. This is incredibly good news for us: our foolishness cannot stop God’s will!

God Demonstrates Grace

Perhaps the most astounding part of this story is how God poured out blessings on Abraham, the one who was guilty, while Abimelech, the innocent party, faced potential judgment. Abraham received gifts of livestock, servants, and land – all undeserved.

This mirrors the gospel itself. Jesus, the innocent one, bore our judgment, while we, the guilty ones, receive blessings we don’t deserve. As F.B. Meyer beautifully put it, “So marvelous is the wonderwork power of the grace of God that he can graft his rare fruits on the wildest stocks.”

God Answers the Prayers of Imperfect People

Finally, we see that God used Abraham’s prayers to bring healing to Abimelech and his household. This teaches us that God can and will use us, even when we’ve failed, if we turn back to Him.

Putting It Into Practice

So, what can we learn from Abraham’s story and apply to our own lives?

  1. Be honest about your struggles with sin. Don’t try to hide them or make excuses.
  2. Remember that God’s grace is bigger than your failures. He can still use you powerfully.
  3. Turn to God in prayer, even when you feel unworthy. He hears and answers the prayers of imperfect people.
  4. Trust in God’s faithfulness to His promises, even when your own faith wavers.
  5. Be willing to intercede for others, knowing that God can work through you despite your flaws.

As we close, let’s remember the words from the hymn “Come Thou Fount”:

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.”

May we always be aware of our tendency to wander, but even more aware of God’s unfailing love and grace that always welcomes us back.

We hope you enjoyed the sermon and would love to see you in person. Plan your visit to Community Baptist Church in Spring Hill, Tennessee today!

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