Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands!

“Taking matters into our own hands!” Genesis 16

Announce engagement

Prayer for illumination:

Sermon introduction:

Taking matters into our own hands often results in disaster.

Listen to this story from the most recent issue of World Magazine (April 21, 12)- “A disgruntled former student opened fire in a Christian college in Oakland, Calif., March 2, killing seven and injuring three, police said. At 10:30 a.m. the suspect, 43 – year- old One Goh, allegedly sprayed the classroom with gunfire and continued firing shots as he ran out. Sources say Goh had ben involved in a dispute with campus officials and may have been kicked out of a class. Police captured the suspected gunman later that day in an Alameda grocery store five miles from Oikos University, where the shooting took place. He had allegedly walked to the customer service desk and said, “I just shot people.”

Suspect One Goh had a conflict with the school and instead of resolving things lawfully he took matters into his own hands and gunned down seven people.

In Genesis 16 Sarai grew inpatient with God and took matters into her own hands. She did not pick up a machine gun like One Goh but the consequences were far worse. In fact, 4000 years later her actions are still bearing bitter fruit.

But before we are too quick to look self righteously upon Sarai we need to realize that we sometimes grow inpatient with God leading us to take matters into our own hands which often leads to disaster.

So here is the main point of this passage- instead of impatiently taking matters into our own hands we need trust God!!!

To help us understand and apply this we are going to look at three things from Genesis 16-

The problem The solution The result

First, The problem What is the problem? Sarai is barren!

Genesis 16:1 (ESV) — 1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar.

This is not the first time Sarai’s barrenness is mentioned. In fact the first thing we learn about Sarai ten years earlier in Genesis 11:30 is that she is barren.

Barrenness seems to be what Sarai is known for which was especially painful in a culture where a women’s meaning and worth was measured by offspring. At this point in the story Sarai is about 75 years old and we are told later when she is 90 years old that she is well passed the age for having children (18:11).

Little time was left, if any. Meanwhile Sarai’s hope was drying up like a small puddle of water on black asphalt in the early August afternoon Sun.

Remember that ten years had passed since God promised to bless Abram and his barren wife with a child. Ten years!!! Where were you ten years ago? This is a long time.

We don’t know this for sure but I’m sure that every month, at Sarai’s time of the month, for the last ten years Abram asked Sarai if she was pregnant? Has God kept his promises? And every time she said no. That is 120 times… disappointed 120 times, tempted 120 times. I’m sure after a while Abram stopped asking because it was probably too painful for Sarai to say no again.

This was a major problem! You can see why Abram and Sarai had a hard time patiently waiting for God to fulfill his promise.

The author of Genesis wants us to feel the tension in the story. God promised Abram and Sarai a child and he has not arrived. Sarai’s biological clock is ticking; in fact, it has slowed way down and probably needs to be taken to the clock shop.

So what does Saria do? Sarai blames God in verse 2.

Genesis 16:2 (ESV) — 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children...

Sarai doubts God’s goodness, God faithfulness, and God’s power to do what he said he would do. She is on paper thin ice. Do you ever doubt God’s goodness when he is not acting on your timetable?

Illustration- going on vacation last week and getting sick the day before???

Maybe you think- Lord I thought I would have a spouse by now! Are you really good? Lord I thought I would be done with school by now! Are you really good? Lord I thought I would have enough in my retirement account by now! Lord I thought I would be done with these health issues by now! Lord I thought I would have a good job by now! Lord I thought I would have some savings by now! Lord I thought my kids would be under control by now! Lord I thought I would be done battling this specific sin by now!

We too have a hard time being patient with God and believing his promises.

First, the problem (Sarai is barren)

Second, The solution

The solution involved Sarai taking matters into her own hands

What do we see when Sarai takes matters into her own hands? Little faith! Look at verse 2. Genesis 16:2 (ESV) — 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

Sarai reasoned that God was not going to help her so she took matters into her own hands. According to the customs of Sarai’s day it was legitimate for a barren wife to give her maid to her husband as a wife and then claim the maid’s child as her own. All the husband had to do was claim that the son he produced by the maid was his rightful heir.

Side note- the Bible never promotes polygamy. In fact, everywhere we see polygamy we see massive Dysfunction. This is not “Big Love” this is big dysfunction.

We know that Sarai and Abram knew this was wrong because God’s plan for marriage in Genesis 1-2 was one man and one women becoming one flesh. Furthermore, we are specifically told twice in these verses that Sarai is the wife and not Hagar implying that Sarai was the one through whom the promise would be fulfilled. Finally, Abram knew that Hagar was from the line of Ham. This was not the line that God promised to bless.

Here is the bottom line- Sarai did not believe that God was good enough or powerful enough to make good on his promise. Or she may have believed these things but was not willing to wait patiently for God to do what he said he was going to do. As a result she took matters into her own hands.

How do we do this?

Divorce- God, my marriage is too difficult, and its been difficult for 20 years, and I know you have promised to help but I’m going to take matters into my own hands and get divorced.

Called to ministry- I feel called to ministry and I’m not willing to wait for the evaluation of the church leaders. I’m tired of waiting, I’m going to take matters into my own hands and go to Bible College or seminary.

Workaholic- I’m tired of just scraping by, I know my family needs me and I know I should go to small group, but I need money so I’m going to work 65 hours a week. I’m taking matters into my own hands.

Dating non Christians- I know I’m supposed to marry a Christian but I’m sick of being single and he is such a nice guy. I’m going to take matters into my own hands.

Compromising a smidge to get the promotion- I have worked here for years and God has not promoted me, I’m going to take matters into my own hands. I’m only going to make a few small compromises.

All of these responses reveal little faith in God’s goodness and God’s timing.

What do we see when Sarai tried to solve her problem by taking matters into her own hands? little faith.

What do we see when Abram let Sarai take matters into her own hands? Passivity! Genesis 16:2–4 (ESV) — 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. Genesis 16:6 (ESV) — 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

One commentator points out that “Abram is remarkably passive” in these verses.

In verse 3 we read that Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. The word for listen is a Hebrew idiom for obey. In other words, he obeyed his wife instead of leading his wife away from unbelief.

And then in verse 6 Abram says- sure fine, whatever you want, you deal with that slave women. In other words, I’m not going to take responsibility for my sinful actions. You deal with it.

Kent Hughes- “Moses wrote the account as a parallel to the fall in the garden. Sarai’s action was parallel to that of Eve. Here Abram listened to his wife (v.2), just as Adam listened to his (3:17). Here Sarai took Hager (v.3a), just as Eve took the fruit (3:6a). Here Sarai gave Hagar to her husband (v. 3ba), just as Eve gave the fruit to hers (3:6b). And in both cases the man willingly and knowingly partook.” (Hughes, 239)

This led to disaster in Genesis 3 and it leads to disaster in Genesis 16.

Here is the irony- in Genesis 14 Abram aggressively and valiantly pursues the four Eastern kings 120 miles with his soldiers to rescue lot. But notice this is outside the home. Inside the home he is remarkably passive. This describes the typical American Male.

Illustration- scene from The Incredibles!!! (chapter 5)

So what does male passivity look like today? We see it in the Parr family. Do you remember Bob and Helen Parr otherwise known is Mr. Incredible and Elasta girl?

In chapter 5 of the movie “The Incredibles” the Parr Family is sitting around the dinner table. Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) is totally engrossed in the newspaper while his wife is trying to engage the family in meaningful conversation.

Helen Parr shoots a nasty look at Bob and says “do you have to read at the table”. To which he mutters a barely audible yeh…

A few seconds later Helen asks Bob to help Dash cut his meat. Bob looks up from the paper very disgusted that he has been asked to do something as difficult as cut his sons meat.

While Bob is cutting the meat Helen says- “Dash got sent to the principals office again” Bob- “good, that’s good,…” nodding his head, but obviously in a different planet. Helen- “No Bob, that’s bad” Bob- “what” Helen- “Dash got sent to the office again, for putting a tack on the teachers chair during class” Dash- “no one saw me, you could barely see it on the tape” Bob- “they caught you on tape and you still got away with it, wow, you must have been bookin, how fast do you think you were going? Helen- “Bob, we are not encouraging this behavior?”

Clearly Helen is the one enforcing discipline while Bob is passively observing.

A little later Dash and Violet (the two older kids) are screaming at each other while Helen yells for her husband’s help who is now in the kitchen still engrossed in his newspaper. He yells back, kids, listen to your mother.

The fight gets worse and Bob is still off in newspaper land just a few feet away even though the kids are screaming.

Violet attacks her brother Dash and Helen yells to Bob- Bob, its time to engage, do something, don’t just stand there. I want you to intervene.

Bob- “you want me to intervene? Fine, I will intervene! He walks in picks up the table, and everyone else, in a rage and says “I’m intervening”.

Application-

I’m afraid this scene is typical for some of us men!

Are you aggressive in the market place yet passive at home? Do you sit back while your wife disciplines the kids, reads them the Bible, and enforces the house standards?

Here is the really good news! Is Abraham known as the man of Passivity? No!!!

He is known as the man of faith? How do we explain this? Like all of us he grew over time by the Grace and mercy of god. God took a passive faithless man, forgave him, and made him a faith filled leader.

There is hope for us too!!!

First, the problem- barrenness Second, the solution- taking matters into one’s own hands

Third, The result

The result of Sarai taking matters into her own hands was relational devastation!

Look with me at Genesis 16:4–6 (ESV) — 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. 5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!” 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

Hagar despises (some translations say cursed) Sarai her mistress. Sarai blames Abram for her problems Abram responds passively (she is your problem not mine) Sarai deals harshly with Hagar (the word harshly is the same word used to describe how the Egyptians slave masters beat the Hebrews years later).

Abram and Sarai are experiencing the relational pain taking matters into their own hands. Abram and Sarai should have waited patiently for the Lord.

Not only did taking matters into her own hands lead to relational devastation it led to long term pain.

Genesis 16:11–12 (ESV) — 11 And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”

Ishmael’s offspring became a major thorn in the side of God’s people in the OT and NT. Gallons and Gallons of blood would flow in this conflict. This is the result of failing to wait patiently for God.

Let the pain of this story be a warning to us! Yes God is full of Grace and Forgiveness but sometimes our bad decisions and our lack of faith lead to consequences that will not be undone in this life. We must fear God! Don’t take matters into your own hands, wait patiently for God to do what he said he would do.

We have looked at the problem, the solution, and the result…

This is where non-Christian stories end! Up to this point a Jew, Muslim, or Mormon would agree with all that I have said. But we must read the scriptures as Christians.

Fourth, the real Solution

What is the real solution to Sarai’s problem and our problems? The real solution is realizing that God hears and sees us when we are in distress. Lets look at the hearing and seeing God!

God hears us in our distress! Look at verses 7-11

Genesis 16:7–11 (ESV) — 7 The angel of the LORD (COMMENTATORS ARD DIVIDED ON WHO THIS IS???) found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction.

The Angel of the Lord tells Hagar that her son shall be named Ishmael. The name Ishmael means God hears or may God hear. God heard Hagar’s distress and he comes to rescue her. He is not deaf to our pain and misery. And the name Ishmael reminded her of this.

God often uses names to capture the significance of narratives

Jacobs name is changed to Israel. Rueben’s name meant the lord has looked on my affliction. Simeon’s name meant the lord has heard my cry. Later in this story God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah.

When the story ends Hagar goes back and reports to Abram and Sarai that God heard her when she was in distress, a gentle rebuke to their unbelieving hearts. Every time Ishmael was mentioned back at the camp it was a gentle reminder that God hears our distress.

Not only does God hear us…

God sees/provides for us in our distress!

Genesis 16:13–16 (ESV) — 13 So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. 15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Again the dialogue and the names are important for understanding this passage. The well’s name means “the well of the living one who sees” or “him who looks after me”

The well was a symbol of God seeing Hagar’s need and providing for her. God sees what we need and he provides for us. He heard Hagar’s cries and he provided for her.

What do we know about Hagar? She was not a member of God’s people (she was an Egyptian), She was a sinful women, She needed deliverance, She encountered God and found deliverance near a well. Does this sound familiar to our NT ears???

2000 years later Jesus met another sinful women at a well in John 4. This woman was running away from her problems. She went to the well when no one else would be there because she was ashamed of her sinful lifestyle. This woman was not a member of God’s chosen people. This women needed deliverance.

Jesus heard her cries and saw her needs and offered her forgiveness and life not just ordinary life but living water that would quench her souls deepest needs. Both women after encountering God went back and told others whom they had seen.

Abram, Sarai, Hagar, and all of us need to remember that God hears our cries and sees us in distress. Our greatest cries are for forgiveness, purpose, deliverance, companionship, and meaning. God heard these cries and he provided his son Jesus to meet these needs. Furthermore, Jesus life, death, and resurrection ensures that we will be forgiven when we fail to wait patiently for God and take matters into our own hands. Furthermore, if we have Jesus and nothing else we have all we need and we won’t be tempted to be inpatient with God’s provision and take matters into our own hands.

Jesus is more satisfying than the child, the promotion, the spouse, the respect, and the money that we were willing to take with our own hands. let’s pray…