WAITING FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: WAITING FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE
Main Scripture: Hebrews 11:11-12 (See other scriptures below)
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
Pastor Ryan covered week two of Abraham and Sarah’s example of faith. This portion of their journey covers the long-awaited promise of their son, Isaac. We learn in this sermon that the journey of faith in God is imperfect, that God refines our view of what is impossible, God strengthens our faith in the waiting season, and nothing is too hard for the Lord!
Notes:
The journey of faith for the impossible
We learned last week that God promised Abram that he would become a great nation and have many descendants. From the time God gave the promise to Abram to the time Isaac was born, it was 25 years. I can imagine with every year that passed Abram is wondering about the promise and when God was going to deliver on it. How did Abraham and Sarah handle this promise and journey of faith for the impossible? Let’s start today in Genesis 15…
Abram asks a fair question - Genesis 15:1-6
Abram thought his servant would be his heir but God said his heir would be his own son.
V. 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
An interesting point here: in chapter 13 God promised descendants as numerous as the dust, and here in verse 5 as numerous as the stars. The dust pictures those who are Jews by birth. The stars depict his spiritual seed, those who are justified by faith (through Christ-Gal. 3:7).
V. 6 A key teaching in the New Testament: And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith (V 5-6).
Abram and Sarai take matters into their own hands while they wait - Genesis 16:1-6
Abram and Sarai struggle in the waiting season.
There are consequences to playing God…The conflict in the household was brutal and the line of Ishmael would prove to be an ongoing battle for Isaac’s descendants.
https://www.gotquestions.org/descendants-of-Ishmael.html
God gives specifics and Abram his new name - Genesis 17:1-8
God isn’t speaking in generalities anymore, He is giving specifics.
God gives Abram his new name, Abraham, which means father of many nations.
God is preparing Abraham to inherit this blessing of a son and reassuring Abraham this promise is on the way.
17:5 cross reference Romans 4:17-21
God gives specifics and Sarai her new name - Genesis 17:15-22
Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah.
Abraham is in disbelief because he is 100 and Sarah is 90 years old.
Abraham assumed it was Ishmael but it wasn't.
God gives them the name of their son, Isaac.
The Lord gives a countdown to the birth of Isaac - Genesis 18:9-15
(Summarize v. 1-8) Abraham and Sarah are visited by three visitors, one being the Lord. For more on Jesus appearing in the old testament: https://answersingenesis.org/jesus/incarnation/theophanies-in-the-old-testament/
Promised this time next year they would have a child.
Sarah hears the news and laughs. Laughing in disbelief is to doubt or to think something is so absurd or impossible it’s laughable.
“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Was a correction to her thinking.
Sarah lies that she laughed but the Lord hears and sees all things.
God delivers on His promise. Sarah gives birth to Isaac. - Genesis 21:1-7
Sarah was 90, and Abraham was 100.
Abraham experiences the first impossible promise. Abraham had to wait even longer for the promise of descendants…Isaac was 40 years old when he got married, but Rebekah could not have children. Isaac prayed to the Lord for her and God answered his prayer. At age 60, Rebekah gave birth to twin boys, Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-34). So it took another 60 years of faith to see more of the promise fulfilled.
Hebrews 11:11-12
11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
I like what is said about Sarah: Sarah was commended because she: "considered him faithful who had made the promise" (NIV). "She believed that God would keep his promise" (NLT). That's faith. God is faithful to keep His Word and promises.
Application-How does this apply to us today?
This story applies to us but not all of it is necessary for today. This is an extraordinary miracle with a significant purpose to fulfill God’s redemption of mankind…This was a specific promise given to Abraham for a specific purpose. God was building the kingdom of God and bringing about the savior of the world so mankind could be saved and inherit the promise of eternal life. God doesn’t need to do that again because Jesus was enough. I don’t want us to get the wrong idea that we need to look out for or pray for couples to get pregnant at the age of 100 as part of God’s plan to save the world. But God is still working miracles and doing what is impossible to us. God is still opening barren wombs and helping couples have children that could not. God is still working miracles for many needs.
The Journey of Faith isn’t Perfect
While Abraham and Sarah had their doubts and downfalls, they kept believing and obeying.
I am thankful that God recorded and included these imperfect moments. It shows us how God is gracious and bears with our weaknesses. It shows that God still wants to work in the midst of our doubts, questioning, and shortcomings.
This story doesn’t give me an excuse to waver in my faith, rather, it teaches me that God is faithful and to keep my faith in Him for the impossible.
How should we view and handle the impossible?
We live by faith, not by sight. We can't think logically. The impossible is often illogical to our human thinking. Abraham thought logically and suggested it would be Ishmael, his son with Hagar. It wasn’t God’s plan.
Don’t dwell on the “how,” dwell on who God is and what He can do. I think it’s natural to question “how” when it’s such an impossible situation or so big you don’t get how God is going to make it happen. I think this is where much of our questioning comes from. We try to figure out “how” God will do the miracle. When it doesn’t make logical sense to us we begin to doubt He can or will do it all together. Add the time of waiting and it’s even harder.
If I don't believe God can do the impossible then I won't ask for the impossible. If I believe God can do the impossible I'm more likely to ask God for the impossible. I'll be completely transparent. I think I've stopped at “Dear Lord, I ask…” a few times in prayer because I questioned how God will do the impossible I'm asking of Him.
There's another element to this. Abraham and Sarah were given clear and specific promises. It may not be God's plan to do some of the things we are asking. This means we can believe God can do the impossible but we may need to be content with God's will or wait for His plan. (Example: healing now or in heaven.)
God doesn’t work the way we do. (Tornado story)
How should we handle the waiting season?
Abraham and Sarah struggled in the waiting season. Waiting is very difficult.
God tests our faith in the waiting season. The test is often meant to see if will we try to take the reigns and control or if will we learn to fully surrender and trust God.
God uses the waiting season to draw us closer to Him.
God uses the waiting season to develop and deepen our faith.
God uses the waiting season to develop us into the person that can properly receive and steward the blessing.
If your promise or situation you’re praying for involves someone else’s decision and submission to God, then you need to wait the right way. You can’t try to fix or change that person or situation. You’re going to need to surrender that person over to God, pray, and wait to see how God works the miracle. Finding peace in knowing God’s will is best in the end.
Nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Our faith can grow because we know this promise has been fulfilled. It's the line of Abraham that threads throughout the Old Testament leading us to the birth of Jesus Christ.
We celebrate two impossible miracles every year and we don’t think twice about it: the virgin birth of Christ and the resurrection of Christ.
If we believe God did these impossible things we can believe God for things that are not in the impossible bracket…things that we need to trust God with in our daily lives.
"God doesn't want to use me" Lie! If God has a plan for Sarah at her age and in her condition, God can and does want to work through you as well.
Is it impossible for God to heal someone of a severe illness or condition? With God, all things are possible.
Is the salvation of a friend or family member who you view as beyond saving impossible for God? No, with God, all things are possible.
Is it impossible for God to reconcile a broken relationship with a family member, spouse, a friend? No, with God, all things are possible.
Is it impossible for God to break an addiction or bad habit in your life? No, with God all things are possible!
Prayer moment
Lord, our faith has increased already through this series. Give us faith. Help us to recall and remember all that you have done for us so far. Give us faith that can see what you see and trust in your mighty power.
Discussion:
What made Abraham and Sarah’s journey imperfect?
How did God handle Abraham and Sarah’s imperfect faith journey?
Pastor Ryan said questioning “how” God is going to work the miracle is his struggle at times… Can you relate and how does trying to figure out how God will work the miracle affect our faith?
What is God trying to do in us while we wait for the answered prayer, miracle, or promise to be fulfilled?
What notes did you write down or what did you take away from this message?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, amen!
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Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!