Genesis 20:1-18, Is It Ever Right To Lie?

we're in the book of Genesis so would you be so kind as to turn to Genesis chapter 20 I can cuz I'm so excited that we're back in Genesis alright let's come before the Lord and let's pray okay where we come before you and just as a church we recognize that you're so good and intentional with the way you communicate to us through the word through the Saints through the fellowship of one another through worship and God we just want nothing more than to have a continuation of worship as we dig into the word Lord I thank you again for what you're going to do tonight and I praise you again for Calvary South Denver and those who call this their home church I pray that you would bless those who come into this facility and you would encourage them in Jesus name and all God's people said amen I wanted to do a recap because it's been literally like six weeks since we've been together in the book of Genesis but I decided to encourage you to listen to the sermons up to this point I will say Genesis chapter 19 was kind of a crazy chapter to end and say hey by the way we're gonna be back in six weeks after this it was that it was a chapter of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah it was kind of like this cliffhanger note like well let that resonate for six weeks and we'll be back together but if you want to catch up listen to the archives online you won't regret it Genesis chapter 20 is unique for numerous reasons because we're gonna see a similar issue arise in this chapter in the same way that we saw in the very in the third chapter of Genesis we see in the third chapter of Genesis like we see here the birth of a lie and the repercussions that followed as a result and it's interesting because the subject of lying or to lie to one another or to get into the habit of lying this is something we literally struggle with on a daily basis in fact I read a survey on the questions of lying and asking people how many times they've lied and in the subject of how many times you've lied and a list of questions whereas I thought were important to incorporate into the our Bible study one of the questions on the survey and this was conducted literally two years ago so I'm assuming that this is potentially higher than normal when asked the question true or false should you always tell the truth 56% of the people who took this poll said yes and a staggering 42% said no you should not always tell the truth and what's crazy about it is it gave the subject category of data that they collected as to justify catch up with me ready as to why White Lies are okay as a culture why it's needed as a culture I couldn't even believe it another question that was asked in the survey is have you ever preferred to be lied to 42% said yes 57% said no and again I can see why some people might say that especially pastors after they teach but another question is which are you most tempted to lie about 20% of the people said their past 13% said their salary 11% said their age they like to lie about 6% said their relationships 4% said their job 43% said nothing in relation to any of those things last one when asked to the question have you ever given out a fake number 31% said yes and I will every time 69% said no and the sad reality is I went to another survey and it said one-fourth of the people lie when conducting surveys when I read that and I was going through that and just seeing the inconsistencies as a culture of what we think when pertaining to the subject of lying and again the the subject on the justification of white lies I couldn't believe what I was reading in terms of the statistics of why culturally we need to embrace it more I just I was literally speechless we as a culture have adapted accepted Lyon as something normal it's something we just have to accept and we all know of course that the internet never lies about anything but you know what guys my hope is as we're going through this study as Christians that we don't adapt to these statistics but that we in fact infuse ourselves with a biblical understanding concern the subject but more importantly the warning of why we need to take this more seriously lying is a hard lesson to be learned it's something that I think everyone in the house will say amen to it never ends well and not only is it hurting the individual dispensing the lie but it actually affects every single person that comes into contact with when you lie it isn't just affect you it affects your family and those around you and potentially these lies ruin families and we're gonna see tonight that it doesn't necessarily ruin a family but it has some deep repercussions so with that said Genesis chapter 20 verse 1 beginning we're gonna make our way slowly it says an Abraham journeyed from there to the south he dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and stayed and Guerard first question because we're into the twentieth chapter why did Abraham decide to move do you think about it he's been given this promise from God I'm gonna give you the promised land I'm gonna give you everything that you see in Abraham remember in the previous studies in his generosity gave half of the land and he said hey lot choose a side you choose the left I'll go to the right you choose the right I'll go to the left maybe because remember the timeline Genesis 19 was the destruction of sodom and gomorrah and maybe in in Abraham's mind he has a hard time overlooking the very valley that his nephew was residing in that's now destroyed and gone maybe it was too hard but really in my opinion Abraham he was like the real spokesman to re I he was the guy that was always pitching his tent all about he was always moving about he could never sit still were a lot he settles in Sodom and Gomorrah and and and why is that well I think at least in between why lots settled but more specifically why Abraham was always moving about is because I leave Hebrews chapter 11 says it was it was by faith that was at least the basis he was looking for a city that had its foundations whose builder and maker was God either way he decided to dwell and sure and stay in the land where he was at by the way gara is right over the border if you're going south if you're looking at a map at least of Israel it's just over the border of the promised land it's not all the way down to Egypt Guerard was in the place where you're gonna find out as you read through biblical history it's where the Philistines are gonna settle it's where they're going to reside so continuing on to verse 2 Abraham asks the question it says this now Abraham said of Sarah his wife or this is more of a statement than a question she says she is my sister and Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah now before we talk about what just happened in what we read let's talk about Abimelech just briefly interestingly enough that name Abimelech it's a title it's like a pharaoh or a prime minister or Madonna or Cher their titles they're not necessarily the name given to them that last part was a joke of course but here's Abraham he decided to talk to the Abimelech and he tells her he announces hey Sarah over here is actually my sister and we're gonna find out here in a second in a second that statement is partially true but it's also partially a lie and we're gonna talk about again this thing that we've come into adapting into our culture as to partial eyes does it make a whole truth and it doesn't but before we talk about that the first thing I wanted to address pertaining to Abraham is the lie he tells himself in that he justifies that it's a good reason to leave to the promised land and I'm trying to figure out what was going through his mind at the time because it this was the very land that God promised him he promised he's gonna bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him and he's gonna he's gonna have a protection over Abraham and through him it's gonna come he's gonna be a father of many nations and for him to leave the Promised Land to a place that was honestly dangerous seems backwards but guys that's that that's the first issue of lies that's the first thing we need to address pertaining to this thing this it makes us when we lie it makes us take a step backwards towards seeing the truth that's in front of us because what happens when you lie well then you have to cover that lie and then a lie on top of the lie and then you find yourself you're forgetting the lies that you've already shared and you can't keep track of them and in Abraham he begins piling lies on top of lies and it's for this sole paralysing reason why I think he was doing it he was living in fear because we're gonna find out in a moment when Abimelech addresses to him hey I know by the way that Sarah is not your sister but your wife we're gonna read why he decided to share that but he was he was living in fear and Satan intentionally uses fear and we I think you guys can understand this he intentionally uses fear as a tactic to convince us that telling the truth is a bad idea and we listen to the lies isn't it interesting we listen sometimes we entertained the lies in fact listen to this John 8:44 look at the screen we have a little description concerning Satan Jesus describes him as he was a murderer from the beginning he does not stand in the truth because there's no truth in him when he speaks it's a lie and he speaks from his own resources why for he is a liar and a father of it so Satan the father of Lies convinces Abraham the father of many nations to leave the promised land that God gave to him and to dwell in Harar God did I read that I'm just thinking how many of us relate with that that Satan he does he will do whatever he can to make us forget the promises of God to forget the very thing we just said amen to a church that we read in her quiet time at home that we Auto so I needed that you have you ever read something I needed that we make those statements all the time but Satan is relentless in the way that he tries to make us forget the promises of God and you know why he does it so relentlessly because he knows the power and the guarantee of God's Word because he knows when God declares something it has to happen and God when he makes a promise to a guy named Abraham that through him is gonna come he's gonna be a father of many nations than men that's the tactic attack Abraham convinced him of the promises of God that are not something he should rely on - in Abraham guys he already forgot it he already forgot everything that God already promised him in the previous chapters Abraham you're gonna have a son guys how old is he guess what in the next chapter he's gonna have Isaac chapter 21 we're finally gonna read about that and he's going to be 100 years old by the time Isaac is born and his wife Sarah is 90 so in the back of his mind maybe he's like I think I think that's still gonna happen but he forgot he forgot about all of these things god I already promised and revealed himself to Abraham instead Abraham he succumbs to the belief of the lie rather than the promise of God and he repeats what he did in Chapter 12 he told his wife tell people you're my sister but then he gives the false information it's one thing for to ask Sarah to do it but now he does it well yeah actually she is my sister now thankfully Carolyn and I I've never been in this fearful state where I have to lie that Carolyn's my sister but I have to be honest with you when we were dating people literally all the time thought we were siblings all the time and it's kind of one like that's cute no but it is and it's kind of weird actually cuz we'd be like holding hands like the innard lock fingers hands thing you know they all you guys are brother and sister I was like where did you grow up like no no we're not and thankfully it's never been a point where it like I've had a lie about that it's just the reality of what happened when we were dating so here's Abraham in response to Abimelech her are living in the dwelling in the land of gerard she's my sister Abimelech alright then I'm gonna take her as my own but God intervenes look at verses three through five of Genesis 20 but God came to Abimelech in a dream by night he said to him indeed you are a dead man it's a great way to start a dream because of the woman whom you have taken for she is a man's wife notice carefully really quickly he doesn't address its Abraham's eyes she's a man's wife and look at his response in verse 4 but Abimelech and this is in the dream had not come near her and he said lord will you slay a righteous nation also did he not say to me she is my sister and she even she herself said he is my brother in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this this is an intense like an intense dream can you imagine God is speaking to you audibly through your dream and the first thing he says is not behold or you know take heed Abimelech you're a dead man first thing that comes out of his mouth indeed you're a dead man and the point has to be made to Abimelech and even though it Abimelech with confidence he hears his words and he's like listen in the integrity of my heart my hands are innocent and that I had no idea he told me that it's it's her sister it's a sister I mean how can I know that and we can't forget guys the severity of the stamen indeed you're gonna die you're a dead man had to be said because it's through the seed of Abraham that's gonna come Jesus Christ himself and if God had not intervened on behalf of Sarah and Abimelech to hook him took her as his wife then the two seeds would have come through her in this in this subject I mean two seeds would have been at the or of Sarah's womb and if that happened to this day an element of doubt would cling to the ancestry of Jesus it would but that's what's so cool about when you read the genealogies and some and and one of the God and the Gospels of where it came from from the early state all the way back to Jesus through Abraham is gonna come David through David is gonna come Mary and Joseph and so this is why it's imperative that God intervenes in this dream look at the Lord's response two of them like when he says like I'm innocent my integrity is shown and it's clear verse 6 of Genesis 20 and God said to him in the dream well yes I know that you did this in the Tegrity of your heart for I also withheld you from sinning against me therefore I did not let you touch her as always because we've decided to call our Genesis series the inception the starting point the first reference we're gonna see in our study tonight in Genesis chapter 20 and by the way I decided to call these little moments because we come through them a lot the inception mentioned in verse 5 and 6 the inception mention is the word integrity it's the first time it's ever shown in Scripture but more specifically the word integrity is found here from the lips of a Philistine a man of integrity it says and God even recognises it yeah you're right I actually agree with you that you are a man of integrity and in fact not only that but my knowledge of this is actually keeping you from furthering into this issue of the sinful lifestyle that's gonna come from it it couldn't help the guys by the way there are three Charles Spurgeon's quotes for tonight and this is the first one it totally made me think of it Charles Spurgeon once said serve and you can look at the screen serve God with integrity and if you achieve no success at least no sin will lie upon your conscience it's true though it's true especially how you determine and how you measure success here's another quote by our good friend Spurgeon on the screen he says you lose your strength Christian the moment you depart from your integrity isn't it true though in the moments of our weakness and the moments where we doubt in the moments where we're in constant fear that thing that subject of integrity comes up and here's the principle guys if you are a person of integrity of honesty you're not covering your tracks you've not created a habit where you cover your tracks you're not hiding anything that you are both publicly and privately the same person if that is the case and then you are a person of integrity then there is of wonderful at least what we see in Scripture of God keeping you from further plunging into more sinful activities because the concept is this that what you sow - you're gonna reap the things that you practice sin is gonna be shown in in the way that it's produced in your life and if you sow do things that are gonna be corruption to the flesh then that's gonna be shown but if you sow to the spirit but if you sow to the spirit the fruit of it is life integrity god protecting us watching over us drawing near to God he draws near to us helps us to escape the habits guys that start with a lie and potentially end with the destruction of your family but that's where it starts a lie because the reality again is what we so we're going to reap and if you are a person or you need to be honest you lack integrity you are on a dangerous road of going further into areas that not only is going to destroy everything you know and love there's a problem that comes from that it just becomes second nature just lying and there's something to be said about that guys the result of a culture that's so obsessed with lying is due to a lack of passion in integrity that's what it comes down to we're saturated with it we've accepted we've adopted it because of that lack of reference of the word of integrity if God sees me when I'm alone and he sees me when I'm in front of people and for some of you you might be like I lack integrity I am struggling with it and that's why I'm encouraged to tell you that you are loved by a perfect and holy God that a can never lie and his love for you can never change you need to hear that for some of you you coming into church slapped around you lack integrity and it's like I do well get out of here you lack integrity remember God loves you his love for you isn't gonna change and he doesn't want you to live in a constant state where you're miserable in your life of like this is just who I am this is what I do you can run to him right now and even if you are lacking godly integrity he will walk you through then he'll correct you and you'll either accept it or you'll deny it and my hope is that you've accepted and that you use the church and brothers and sisters to embrace that change the dream continues and God says to Abimelech in verse 7 look what it says now therefore restore the man's wife look what it says for he is a prophet so apparently the prophets even lie and he will pray for you and you shall live but if you do not restore her know that you surely you should you shall surely die you and all who are yours we have another Incept in sumption oh my gosh inception mention the word prophet hearest revealed for the very first time in the book of Genesis and in verse 7 and I want you to notice that it's used in relation to a very disobedient man prophet named Abraham thank God that he loves even the prophets who are disobedient and look at Jonah as a prime example know Jonah go to Nineveh cry up you know cry out against it it's sin has come up a 4-man jones like i'm gonna do the exact opposite of what you're saying and God in His relentless love for Jonah and his relentless love for Abraham he's gonna correct this he's gonna correct this so not only is he a prophet God says and by the way you need to restore his wife and he'll pray for you so that you can actually live remember the first thing that God told Abimelech was you're a dead man and that's again that's comforting I know but then he says my Prophet Abraham you need to restore his wife by the way he's gonna pray for you to live and the reason why that's so and that encourages the reason why that's so good is because even for us reading it we need to remember that that when ever we fail whenever we blow it well and we all do in our own thinking for some of you it's like I've ruined future ability to serve the Lord I blowed it I've messed up and you might say that you might say that on a weekly basis you know I made a bad mistake I can never be used by God again not only is that not true but it gives you a misunderstanding of who God is a number one the Bible says if any of you are overtaken by trespass you who are spiritual restore such a person you're given the task of doing it with gentleness and meekness you need to know that you need to know that your understanding of God might be a little backwards because the Bible says in the book of Joel that he wants to restore the years that the swarming locust have you eaten and for some of you you look back and you're like men the locusts have literally devoured everything and you might be running from God and in all of these years you feel not only empty on the inside but you are like I have wasted precious time but that's exactly why I'm excited to tell you that God's heart has been and always will be for restoration and reconciliation and that is the beauty of grace that is the beauty of mercy and for and forgiveness now there are people who take a really heavy toll on this subject of grace and and I get it because the Bible speaks loudly of it but the Bible also speaks loudly of this idea that for some of you you might be hearing that like yes unlimited grace hashtag I can do whatever I want there are people who think that way but Paul man remember guys Paul's the one says shall we continue to send that's so that grace can abound he says certainly not god forbid was the words of Paul the Apostle in the book of Romans so if that's your mindset if your mindset is unlimited grace means I can do whatever I want then you don't have a biblical understanding of both graces you are lacking something so fundamentally important number one you're lacking the entire time if that is your way of thinking life real life because you know what happens when people think that way they justify whatever is that doing grace is always available but they're empty on the inside they're still unsatisfied incomplete and it is it's a feeling of like I'm dying on the inside and Jesus offers this thing this well of living water that's not intended to leave us that feeling of like I'm dying on the inside and to have a mindset that grace is always available I can do it whatever I want brings more pain and more repercussions not only on you but everyone around you that's why growing up my dad whenever I would just be a knucklehead dad kid he would he would litter every single time it's still in the back but he says it today still the way of the transgressor is hard it's like dang it damn yeah I know but it's true it is true the way of the transgressor is hard the lifestyle of the transgressor leaves you in this unsatisfied state it's hard and the justification of the lie is only the beginning guys of the hardship and misery that follows here's the principle even though Abraham was in sin this is where it's wild he's still a prophet he's still a man of powerful prayer God reveals himself to a godless king and says he's gonna pray for you so that you can live so even though Abraham was in sin we're gonna see that khat still wants to use him not only that guy's got mercy did not leave Abraham God's mercy and you guys need to hear it maybe some of you need to hear me say that it's the same for us today that his mercies are new each and every day and he wants your mercy towards you to be refreshing new and every day it's humbling to see that he's still prophet of men even though he's not fully trusting God right now and perhaps some of you came into the church heavy you're discouraged you're feeling far from trusting God you'll admit it I have not been trusting God lately take hope to take hope because his love for you hasn't changed nor does he want you to live in this constant state of misery because of your lack of integrity because of your lack of trust he wants to refresh you guys he wants to pour his spirit upon you he wants to reveal himself to you through the word that and you don't even have to wait til after the Bible said it so I can't wait till after the Bible say that John gives me that chance no you can do it right now even in this moment you can ask God to it and restore that and change the way that you're thinking and thankfully that will happen with Abraham let's continue verse 8 through 10 so Abimelech rose early in the morning called all of his servants told all these things and they're hearing the men were very much afraid I don't know why verse 9 Abimelech called Abraham he said to him what have you done to us how have I offended you that you you've brought on me and my kingdom a great sin you have done deeds to me that ought not to be done then Abimelech said to abraham what did you what did you have in view that you have done this thing so now the Prophet is it rebuked by the Abimelech that's humbling guys I mean that in and of itself it's I mean he just lays it out on him which again prompted another Charles Spurgeon quote look at the screen God will not allow his children to sin successfully and you want to know why that's so painfully true because our sin finds us out and God loves us enough to not live in that state you know what he does he notice again God will not allow his children to sin successfully god loves Abraham too much to let him live in this state of mind and I want you to notice the wording of them Abimelech presents to Abraham what have you done to us not me what have you done to us it's an appropriate question which again reminded me of a scripture a proverb proverb 25 26 look on the screen at what it says a righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well the visual is so spot-on the illustration is perfect it is that when a man or a woman of God when a Christian stumbles makes mistake intentionally before a non-christian they are there like a murky spring there like a bad representation it's like you're trying to tell people like come and join the Christian faith it's amazing and they're looking at the water and they're like that looks disgusting I mean if someone ever offered you water and it's a clear glass and they give it to you and they're like there you go and you're looking and you see floaties and you're like I'm gonna pass on that thank you though it's it's true though it's so true with the Christian man or woman but the guys do you see why integrity and truth are so valuable it's such valuable currency because it's the very thing that's gonna prove you're either everything you say you are you're not integrity and truth are so important and Abraham does miss the mark here he lies his well brought 0 or a fresh mint it was it was contaminated it was polluted and guys that's what happens I hope you hear what I'm about to say it's always gonna happen when you stretch the truth it's always gonna happen when you stretch the truth and it's interesting to me because in that same chapter that we read that I just read from proverbs 25 it's in that same chapter also gives the contrast about telling the truth that a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and settings of silver so you got someone who speaks before people and they do it in such a way that flatters before the wicked and it's like murky water it's polluted oh but a word fitly spoken it's like apples of gold and settings of silver our truth is valuable I hope you guys remember that truth is always valuable AB in local calls to Abraham's out on that lie calls them out and look what it says Abraham's response in verse 11 and Abraham said well because because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place and they're gonna kill me on account of my wife so Abraham why did you lie three words I got him in trouble because I thought guys assumption is the worst form of communication and I'm now speaking directly to the guys I feel like this is an issue most guys struggle more with with their wives or just in general and I'm speaking to myself I'm not up here like Carolyn you know where Carolyn's down there like John's perfect in this area no I'm not I'm so far from it but we needed it remember be reminded of that that assumption is such a poor form of communication you know why we get in trouble when we assume things it's because it's our assumptions that make us draw false conclusions well the reason why I was doing this because I thought that you thought it's like just sense where it happens that there's those where you missed the mark because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place and they're gonna kill me on account of my wife now let's just assume that statements true let's just assume it's true here's the question does it give Abraham or even us the justification to lie seriously does it give us the justification to lie at the expense of saving your own hide this is a tough question this is not only a tough question but you're gonna get numerous different answers from Christians and even unbelievers don't forget guys we can't forget the very first sin that was birthed into the world involved alive - Eve and it's not the only time in Scripture we also see it in Acts chapter 5 you remember Ananias and Sapphira you know Peter did in that story it's insane in the early church Ananias Safire they give money to the church they donate money to the church as a whole but the problem is they lied about how much they gave in order to make themselves look great and Peter rebukes him he calls them out it was Stern look at the screen acts 5:3 it says Ananias why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit that's a stern judgment but God's what he says is even sterner because the couple died as a result of lying about what they gave to the church which is just insane and you read that you're like wow this is insane not only that but when God the Bible speaks of what really troubles God among many of these things are listed a lying tongue the very thing that comes out of our mouth not only that listen to this Colossians 3 9 on the screen it says do not lie to each other remember this is to the church colossi do not lie to each other why since you have taken off your old self with its practices guys lyin is a characteristic that is defined as it says in Colossians by our old nature it's who you were but it's not who you are now that's why Paul gives that amazing visual demonstration it's like a garment that you used to wear but you no longer have to put it on you take it off because the new you is clothed with a robe of righteousness that's what defines you now the mark of Jesus's blood that you recognize that you were a sinner but now you're saved by grace and you identify with the cross not only do you identify with a cross but you identify with the resurrection you wear a garment of righteousness that's why paul calls it out don't lie to each other don't do it because you've taken off your old self with its practices the neighbour hem right here he's called out by a Philistine king and he's in trouble and you think well maybe now is the time for Abe to start telling the truth like it's it's revealed like I know you lied look what it says in verse 12 it's like he's backpedaling even more verse 12 but well good indeed she truly is you know truly my sister she's the daughter of my father there but not the daughter of my mother and she became my wife again I'm just I'm just looking at Abraham's face as he's telling him this like maybe that convinces you but it doesn't because it raises the question can a half lie produce a whole truth no every single time it's parenting 101 it's what you teach your kids literally every single day that listen a half lie does not it's not gonna produce an entire whole truth in Abraham he said I mean here's tone in his voice indeed well she is truly my sister she's the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother and then she became my wife okay so technically that is true well yeah but again it's a half truth it is and here's the point that I'm trying to make guys he said it he made the comment with the intention to mislead Abimelech that's the truth and here's the problem with this half truth nonsense and I just got to call it out this is this is honesty that the way that that our culture has adapted into this issue of half truth nonsenses that if we start living with these little technicalities and verbal statements that aren't meant to fully disclose everything do you know what that's called it's called bearing false witness when certain individuals makes statements and they're purposely making certain statements to deceive the person to not know the full truth and if you live by that code well then you become a politician I don't know no we do have we do have politicians that were thankful for and we pray for but I mean I mean you know you know the statement that's like he's she's like a politician up there he's not answering the questionnaire he's given an a half truth and it's kind of a bad rap for politicians I get it but I guess that's my point is that Christians aren't called to live by that and here's another New Testament example of bearing false witness at the trial of Jesus right before he's crucified they can't find anything against him they can't in fact the Scriptures say they brought in false witnesses who said pointing to Jesus this man said that he would destroy the temple and in three days he would build it back up you guys remember that passage of Scripture now here's the question did Jesus say that well technically he did say that yes that is true but if you read ahead in John chapter 2 that when it says destroy this temple and in three days I'll build it up he was in the physical temple himself but what was he referring to oh snap we have the scriptures that tell us exactly what it was John - but he was speaking of the temple of his body not the temple in Jerusalem so yeah it's technically true what he said when he was before and his trial but he meant his body he was referring to his own body and to bear false witness is more than just giving information it's entirely centered on implication if you are meaning to deceive someone whether you want to label it to protect them or call it what you will because that's exactly what Abraham is doing he's bearing false witness that's exactly what it is every time and that's why that's why he's in trouble here guys and I love that the way God operates because the same thing happens with David David lies about the existence of what happened to Bathsheba's husband and what happens God speaks to Nathan the Prophet reveals his sin I mean it's just it I look at this and it makes me see the severity of this issue but it shows me the love and God has for us for chasing down renegades that love him I'm so glad you know what guys thank God for conviction and the spirit that he brings us to a place when we're in the wrong that he can call us out because if we didn't have conviction and we didn't have the spirit we would do whatever we want and we get in trouble more often Abraham is caught so look what happens in verse 13 we're given more information pertaining to the lie this is where it's insane and it came to pass when god caused me to wander this is Abraham speaking from my father's house that I said to her this is your kindness that you should do for me he's speaking to Sarah here well he's speaking to have been like but he's referring to what he told Sarah in the previous years before they got married he says in every place wherever we go say of me he is my brother I mean do you guys realize what we just read right here in terms of what Abraham is asking his wife to do whether you see it or not here's what's happened Abraham has created a pattern that didn't start in genesis chapter 20 it started years before this he planned this from the beginning in chapter 11 and 12 of Genesis we see you know and read about how when he was Abram and she was Sarai they leave of the Chaldeans they go into her on down to the promised land and and base off of what we're reading here right now in Genesis chapter 20 we now have a clear understanding that we didn't have in the previous chapters especially in chapter 13 that was since they were married before they were married part of the prenuptial agreement was for Sarah to lie that's what it that's why he said I said to her this is your kindness that you should go before me in every place where ever we go say of me he is my brother can you imagine the wedding vows will you have me as your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward for better for worse for richer or poorer in sickness and in health and also wherever we go if I'm in trouble will you lie and say that you're my sister and there Sarah you had me at lied of course I will she agrees to this guys she I mean we're reading that she agreed to this which is so interesting because it's unlike because remember he lied to the Pharaoh in the previous chapters and we're not giving this little snippet of information but she knew even going into that that that was what was gonna happen and like it or not she agrees to it verse 14 through 15 of Genesis chapter 20 then Abimelech took sheep oxen this is the crazy response you lied to me so that mmm life took sheep oxen and male female servants gave them to Abraham and he restored Sarah his wife to him and Abimelech said see my land is before you dwell where it pleases you now again reading that it's like this seams here not backwards why is he blessing him for the line if anything Abraham should be the one shower Abimelech with gifts hey I lied and your ID you called me out thank you and and just here you go why did a bit like bless Abraham who by the way has hundreds of trade servants remember we read that in the previous chapters who is a wealthy man who is well taken care of why is Abimelech blessing Abraham for his lies I'll give you two reasons I'll give you multiple reasons number one I think it was out of I think it Abimelech did it out of reverence for Abraham's God because it was God who woke Abimelech up or at least spoke to him in the middle of the night in a dream with this audible you know declaration of surely you're gonna die you're a dead man he's a prophet restore his wife back to himself he's gonna pray over you if you do this you won't die Abimelech was not impressed with Abraham but rather he was impressed with Abraham's God that's really what it comes down to Abimelech recognizes and knows that Abraham's God was connected to Abraham so he decides to bless him but look at this next part in verse 16 then to Sarah he said behold I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody thus she was rebuked and I just I read that again and I can just hear the tone of in a bin licks voice behold I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver and it's almost ironic there's an irony to that statement especially an Abimelech voice when he's referring to Sarah's husband as his brother you want me to call him your brother sure I'll call him your brother you know why because a husband would not have treated you the way that he treated you a husband would not have given you to me well because I thought this was an evil land and you were gonna kill me I mean I just look at it a bit like it's just he's a cross and his you know it's his armor he's putting his hands up in there like this doesn't make sense but okay I blessed your brother with a thousand pieces of silver it is what it is but the next thing I want you to notice at the end of verse 16 it says thus she was rebuked some of your translations might say reproved which actually I appreciate that translation more the ancient word for approved the idea means to set right so it's debatable if sara was set right by a Benelux rebuke or if she found to be you set right because of her humble submission on the occasion of listening to her husband I mean it's a crazy both can be true it is again what it is we're gonna look at the last two verses and then we're gonna close so Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech his wife his female servants they bore children verse 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah Abraham's wife okay there's a very hard lesson to be learned when it comes especially to verse 17 and this is something that I'm hoping is going to encourage most of you before we actually come to a close because here's the reality of Abraham's we'll call it ministry he is now able to pray on behalf and to and for Abimelech he can't preach to abemolik now he can't give him a message he can't say something like that God has a plan in a future for you even as a Philistine King God loves you has a plan for your life and although those things are true all of those things are true this is why integrity and reputation are so valuable because in this case right here Abraham has ruined his testimony before Abimelech he can't breach to him now for the sole reason of this because a bit Mallick is not gonna receive it he's not gonna hear it and if he just tries to hear it it's like I whatever man you can't ruin it man even you lied to me at the beginning you got to build trust again it's true for anyone in life so even though even though Abraham damned his own testimony he can't preach to Abimelech now you know what he can do he can pray for him you can't he can still pray for him because I wonder how many of us can relate in here of someone in your life maybe you've hurt maybe you've lied to maybe you've lost trust they don't trust you anymore and you ask that yourself the question what can I do from that how can I move forward some of you mean and here's the thing I don't know what it is I don't know what it was centered on whatever sin was committed but here's the reality you are in a time right now where you're not able to effectively preach to the individual that you hurt because they're not gonna listen call them on the phone they're gonna hang up you can send them a text message you can send them an email they're gonna delete it it's just the nature of how this works and I'm not and I'm speaking separate from grace and I'm speaking separate from what it says in Ephesians that if we you know that we show tender-hearted kindness loving forgiving one another as Christ forgave us I get the model behind that guys but there's a difference between losing someone's trust and rebuilding it and speaking with a red face you have to trust me now but they but they don't you can rebuild that trust and more importantly you can start praying for them that's where the power of prayer actually does come in you can actually secretly pray for them and some of you might be thinking well why would you want to pray for them and this might even be true for your enemies for people that you do not connect well with and I want to do that pray for them well number one because it's gonna free you from being bitter guys I've life is too short to be mad all the time to just be bitter all of the time it's gonna free you from that when you pray for them I'm speaking to myself right now there is freedom when you pray for your enemies pray for them intentionally ask God to bless them to speak to them and maybe they're bitter at you but at least you can be freed from the bitterness by praying for them when you put your have you ever even considered that to put your enemies on a prayer list like legitimately get on your knees on their behalf and pray for them it eliminates the grudge that you that you have I guarantee it it limits the grudge and I'm the first to say that do pastors hold grudges I've been hurt I'm a human it's my nature to be mad at someone who hurts me but again life is too short for pain you'd be mad all the time her to worry about that and I will say in an instance for me I've been hurt before in the past by someone who calls themself a believer it was almost this time where I was just so mad and I was dwelling on that it was almost fuelling my powers I thought again it was a lie it was a lie from Satan and then the truth was brought up and the Lord said pray for pray for that individual I gotta tell you guys the freedom and the weight that was taken off my chest when I prayed for my enemy was amazing it's amazing because it's between them and the Lord at that point when you pray for people it takes away the harbor disturbing of bitterness but more importantly you can pray that the Lord blesses them can you imagine that you might they may not see the fruit of it now but can you imagine the person who loves Jesus because let's be honest guys at the end of the day Christians hurt you we all have the same goal we're gonna be caught up in the sky if Jesus comes back one day or if we die and were to be absent from the body is to be present from the Lord at the end of the day we're all gonna be before the Lord those who profess Christ but can you imagine when you get to heaven you talk to the person and they see the fruit of your prayer ministry for them and they don't realize it here on the earth that they get to heaven and they're like wow you're effectual effective prayer toward me in my time and my room time of rebellion on the earth was for my benefit and I thank you it's powerful so much can happen from it and not only that it's gonna happen with a Bimala to neighbour him cuz chapter 20 is Abraham's relapse into a lack of faith it started with him agreeing with a white lie and next week we're gonna read about the famous chapter of Isaac's birth the promised heir Isaac whose name means he laughs he's gonna be born he's finally gonna come and God's plan didn't change it never changed guys his timing was purposely perfect especially with a disobedient prophet and I raised the same question at the end that I asked at the beginning is it ever ever okay or is there ever a time when lying is okay I'm just gonna be honest know at least what we see biblically in the way that God honors truth and that's the first step to experience true joy again and I think that becomes the first step to experience godly integrity when you start practicing telling the whole truth because God and every instance is going to honor truth before he hunters al I praise God for that let's pray God we come before you first to admit Lord that that I am fickle I am flawed I need desperately your spirit to correct me when I'm a knucklehead but more importantly God I know you challenge us as Christians to build one another up you challenge us in Colossians not to speak lies to put off the old man we see from Abraham's example that he meant well but he was wrong his assumption was a terrible form of communication the Lord I pray that we would read that and really take it to heart that we want to be men and women of integrity we don't want to just hear the Bible saying to leave we genuinely want to see a real life change in her day to day life where were the same privately and publicly because at the end of the day your love for us and your relentless pursuit to chase down renegades that are lying on a habitual manner you want to correct us and I want to pray for my brothers and sisters in here right now Lord that struggle with line they struggle with it I pray in this moment as they're hearing my voice that they was so to the Spirit they would so to the word they would begin to hide your word in their hearts that they won't sin against you that they would surround themselves with men and women that promote righteousness and they would surround themselves with men and women that promote grace that when they make a mistake they walk them through it Lord we need your help and I'm the first to say would you be oh so kind Lord to not hide your face from us that your spirit would be in this place and that you would speak to your saints in this last moment as we go into a response in the in the word we love you and it's in Jesus name and all God's people said amen let's worship [Music]

Channel: Calvary South Denver

Views: 2,908

Rating: 4.7222223 out of 5

Keywords: Calvary Chapel, Gino Geraci, Christianity, Bible Study, Book of Genesis, Abraham

Id: liKSBiO3KSo

Length: 54min 18sec (3258 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 15 2018