Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Genesis

Genesis 22:20-25:11 09/15/02

Intro: The ancient Greeks had a race in their Olympics that was unique. The winner was not the runner who crossed the finish line first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit.

     A former president of Moody Bible Institute once said 'It is important to start right, but it is imperative to end well.'

     When you became a Christian, God placed His Holy Spirit in you and guided your first step on the right path..your journey of faith. And you, like I have fallen from time to time. And we will fall again..we will sin. BUT when you fall, will you get back up, repent of your sin and continue on the journey of faith. If so, then you will finish well.

     Is it your desire, that on the day you see your Lord and Savior face to face in Glory, you will hear Him say 'well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.'? Then finish well.

    Our text this morning takes us to the end of the life of Abraham. I pray he and his journey of faith have been a good friend and teacher on your personal journey of faith. I pray you have learned from his failures in sin, and from his victories in faith.

     Abraham died at peace with God and with those around him. He finished his journey of faith and he finished well. What did he do to finish well? He put his house in order.  Abraham finished well with his torch of faith still lit.

Read: Genesis 23

A Burial Place for Sarah
     The text tells us Abraham grieved and wept over Sarah's death. This was an expression of his feelings, (yes, ladies, men do have feelings) his great love for his wife. And because he loved her so much when she was alive, he wanted to show her great respect in her death. How did he do that? By not  settling for just any old place to bury her.  Abraham wanted the best for Sarah and did whatever it took to get it for her. Husbands and wives, understand that I am not talking about material things, but spiritual things. Come, on, you are talking about buying property, that is material, not spiritual. Well, not really.

Read: Heb. 11:13-16

     Abraham's choice of a burial place for Sarah had eternal significance. He wanted the best for her spiritually and he showed this by burying her in the Land of Promise, the land God had promised to give to his descendants. Abraham paid an exorbitant price for the land. Most land of that type would have gone for much, much less. But Abraham would not bargain or cut corners with Sarah's spiritual well being.

     Husbands, do you love your wife like Abraham loved Sarah? Do you respect her as he respected his Sarah?
 Are you willing to do whatever it takes to provide for your wifes spiritual well being? Do you live with your wife in such as way as to show her that this world is not your home and that one day you will both live in a city built by God? Husbands, do you love you wife enough to sacrifice your time, treasure, and heart, so that at the end of her journey of faith, she can finish well?
Are you willing not to bargain, settle for second best or what is just OK when it comes to helping your wife stay on her journey of faith?

      Husbands, learn from Abraham. Get your house in order so that you may finish well.

Read: Genesis 22:20-24; 24:1-67
Finding a bride for Isaac

     Perhaps you noticed that we didn't begin this morning with the end of Ch. 22 but instead went directly to Ch. 23. Well, that is because the end of Ch. 22 is connected with Ch. 24. So I decided to change the order a bit so the truths contained in these texts would flow a bit easier.

     In Ch. 22:20-25 Abraham hears word that his brother has had children back in Ur. Why is this important? Because God had told Abraham to find a wife for Isaac and she was not to be a Canaanite. So where would she come from? From people he knew, his family. Remember in that day a marriage of close relatives was not a problem nor was it sinful.

     There are so many views, so many perspectives, so much we can learn that I could spend a month of Sundays on this chapter alone, but I won't. I will be brief and highlight that which is most important. Did you know this is the longest chapter in Genesis?  And what it is about? Finding a wife for Isaac. Since Isaac was heir to the promises of God, a suitable wife was very important to the future of God's plan. And Abraham is once again obedient to God and finds a suitable wife for Isaac. How does he do that?

 FIRST: He places his trust in God. He believed that God would guide his servant to the right woman to become Isaac's wife. Abraham trusted that God would prepare the heart of the right woman to be Isaac's wife. And he trusted that God would prepare Isaac's heart to be the right husband for the woman of God's choosing. If God desires you to be married, wait for His choice, you'll know it. God will provide, and guide you to the man/woman of His choosing. Trust God and be patient.

 SECOND: Seek parental blessing. Men, go to the womans parents and state your intentions. Women, speak to the man's parents. If you truly believe it is God's will to marry, tell them and then honor their decision. Be convincing, but honor their decision. Rebekah's parents after hearing from Abraham's servant how God had worked, saw that God was in this proposed marriage and gave their approval. If it is truly from God, your parents will know it too.

 THIRD: Seek a godly spouse. This is important, paramount to Christian dating and marriage. The servant was told not to take a wife for Isaac from among the pagans. Instead, take one from his own family. This one condition for Christian marriage is the one least likely to be obeyed among Christian singles. And when not obeyed, it will be the single greatest influence on the rest of their lives.

Deut. 7:3-4 'Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods and the Lord's anger will burn against you and quickly destroy you.'   Many single Christians don't like that verse.

1 Kg. 11:4 'As Solomon grew old his wives turned his heart after other gods and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God.'   They don't like that one either.

2 Cor. 6:14 'Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?' They really don't like that one.

     Many Christians do not believe it is important to 'marry in the Lord'. And the results are often devastating. Surveys have shown that most Christians who marry non Christians do not lead their spouses to the Lord. In fact, many Christians are lead from the Lord by their non-Christian spouses.

     And then there are the children. Remember, God wanted a godly wife for Isaac so that they would have godly children to inherit the promises of God. What happens to the children of a marriage that is unequally yoked? They are often confused about the importance of spiritual things. They are often encouraged by the Christian parent to go to church, read the Bible, and pray while at the same time told by the unbelieving parent, either by word of deed, that it is not necessary to any of that to have a good life.

     I am sorry that this is not a happy, feel good  kind of message. But Pastors and Christian counselors spend a great deal of time counseling families where there is an unbeliever married to a Christian.  The troubles are often severe..but were all unnecessary. If as a Christian they would have done one thing...been faithful to the Word of God and waited for God's best, instead of settling for something less.

     Now, I am not talking to those where both were unbelievers when they got married and one got saved later. I am talking about those Christians who refuse to listen to their Christian friends, who reject the counsel of their pastor and who defy their parents to marry an unbeliever. You will have to deal with the consequences of that decision for the rest of your life. But, that doesn't mean you can't end well.

     Through repentance, and a commitment to following God's Word you can re-enter your journey of faith and honor God in your marriage. When you do that, God will honor and bless you, He will bring forgiveness and grace so that you too can finish well.

 FOURTH: Like the servant in our text, you must commit the search for a spouse to prayer. What was Isaac was doing as the servant and Rebekah approached? He was meditating. Although the text doesn't say, I bet he was praying for his future wife.

     If you are a parent, pray for your single children and for the one who may one day become their spouse. Pray that God would prepare both their hearts to bring honor to Him through their marriage and that they will wait for God's best in a marriage partner. Single Christians, parents learn from Abraham and Isaac as they put their hose in order, and you will finish well.

Read: Genesis 25:1-11
Taking Care of the Family
 
    Abraham remarried after Sarah's death and had other children and I am sure he loved them all. And when his death approached, he gave financial gifts to all his children, but to Isaac alone, he gave his inheritance. Why? Because that was what God told him to do. He followed God's commands and died at a good old age.  Abraham was buried in the cave with Sarah in the Land of Promise. His house was in order, He finished well.

Conclusion
     In 2 Timothy 4:7-8 Paul declares 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.'
 
     Notice Paul didn't say 'I have coasted down the highway of faith.' It was a fight to stay on the journey...and it will be a fight you will engage in everyday if you want to finish well.

     In Hebrews 12:1-3 we are told:  'Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.'

     How can you finish well? By recognizing you don't go on the journey alone. There is a great crowd of witnesses, other Christians who will aid you on your journey.

     How can you finish well? By throwing off all that would hinder you in your journey of faith: self, self, self.

     How can you finish well?  By running until you reach the finish line..with your torch of faith burning bright.

     How can you finish well? By fixing your eyes on Jesus.

     Do you want to finish well? Do you want one day to hear Jesus say... 'Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.'?

     In Christ you have started out right.....I pray you will finish well.