Genesis Chapter 18 Verses 1 – 5

• The Lord (literally “Yehovah” in the Hebrew) appears to Abraham and notice Abraham’s response…99 years old, he springs up and he runs to Him…bows himself to Him and greets Him as, “My Lord!” And I love what Abraham says here, “Come in, let me wash your feet and refresh you!” What an awesome greeting! Literally this word “refresh” can be translated “strengthen.” Come in, let me cleanse you and strengthen you! Do you have people in your life that do this for you? (Just feel cleaned up and strengthened after being around them) Aren’t they just the best to be around!? Know what, if today you follow the Lord from a distance, or you don’t follow the Lord at all…the answer to that question is…, “No!”
• Why? Because truly, in the flesh, we don’t desire to be cleansed…we don’t have an appetite for strength…what the flesh wants is to be pampered, entreated, served and consoled. I know you’ve heard, “Misery loves company,” well that’s the flesh…but for the one that knows God, although it takes humility (we have to admit we are dirty and need it), our new heart’s desire is to be clean…and our spirit’s desire is to grow in strength!

• Let me tell you what takes strength…to admit that you’re wrong, to forgive, to love when you are not being loved, to choose to do right for the sake of others even when it causes you inconvenience or great cost. It takes strength to discipline yourself, to deny yourself, to allow correction…the flesh wants none of those things…but these new hearts, given to us by God that are like God…although our flesh screams NO, our hearts demand it…

• Do you cleanse and strengthen those around you? Oh yea, I’m a good friend! That’s not what I asked…The world’s definition of a good friend is jaded…I don’t want this to be the entire teaching but switch gears on this topic for one more thought. Are you cleansing and refreshing and strengthening your family, your people in the Lord? Man that’s ministry! And that is what your new heart is made to do…all of your own mess will find ground, tap-dead-center, will move out of the category of problem and move into the category of “I trust you, God” when you begin to function within the family of God. Where does it start? With a sermon? A knowledge nugget? Nope…a decision. For humility…just like it started with Abraham. He ran to them not to give them his thoughts, show them something, transact something, conversate or relate…he ran to them to bow himself and serve them…that’s where it starts and nowhere else…

Genesis Chapter 18 Verses 6 – 7a

• Abraham is running all over the place in front of these men…what is he crazy!? No, they are important to him. You know, you are always messaging to folks their importance to you and the thing is this…you can know that fact, eyes open to that fact and yet even though you say, “Man I better watch my messaging,” it won’t matter…watch all you want, people will still see that your love is for you if it is…that your comfort is your priority if it is…the only way to address your messaging is to address your heart. Gotta really give your heart to the Lord…that is the only way your messaging will be good to others…your flavor…your aftertaste…

• And Abraham runs into his tent and says to Sarah, “Stop what you’re doing and make some cakes!” HA! Sarah’s response? You ever show up at home with guests without giving your wife a heads up? Might as well go home with them! HA!!! But notice HER response. No response, other than immediate obedience. I wonder how many problems in the home would dissolve overnight if husbands simply did what was asked of them immediately and without delay or thought and wives did the same? I bet all of them…because there is much more than simple obedience going on here…

• Remember the kind of man Abraham was…he circumcised his 13 year old son without delay or objection…a man of parental authority. He circumcised all the men in his household without delay or objection…patriarchal and professional authority. Where did this authority come from…he circumcised his 99 year old self FIRST…

• He led 318 trained servants into victory against 4 kings because his nephew was in trouble…he built altars to God and was a man that was willing to give away all of his land as a possession to his younger foolish relative just for the sake of peace. He was a man of intense love, work ethic and character…and when there was something difficult to be done, he led in it…it’s amazing how folks ascribe value to character when there’s real proof that value is warranted…and then when asked to help or do something by that folk, no problem…

Genesis Chapter 18 Verses 7 – 13

• Wow! What a position for Abraham to be put in!? Uhhhhhh, I’m sorry?! HA! Sarah laughed within herself, no one heard it, but God sees what is within.

Genesis Chapter 18 Verse 14a

• No! There are many things that God cannot do! He cannot learn. He cannot lie. He cannot love you more than He does right now! But all those things, (and there are others), the reason why He can’t do them isn’t that they are too hard, it’s because they are not consistent with His character of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, patience, kindness and self-control!

• And this is so crazy cool! This word for “hard” in the Hebrew is pala which can also be translated “wonderful,” and we find it translated that way in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Child is given…and His name shall be called Wonderful…” Same word and I like that…His name shall be called HARD…because He will accomplish what every other man cannot…

Genesis Chapter 18 Verses 13 – 15

• This scene is kinda comical. Sarah is in the tent and she laughs within herself, and hears the Lord say, “Why did Sarah laugh?” And she calls out…, “No I didn’t!” HA! And the Lord calls back, “Yes you did!” HA! It’s comical but there is a lesson here…notice what causes her dishonesty…fear…Walking with the Lord will make you a courageously honest person. Why? Because 2 Timothy 1:7 says that God has taken away our spirit of fear and given us a spirit of love, power and a sound mind!

Genesis Chapter 18 Verses 16 – 18

• Now, I really like this…God here talks about telling Abraham what He is about to do and He gives the reason why He is telling Him. Because Abraham is going to be the father of many nations. The story to Abraham’s children should be a lesson of judgment and sin, not condemnation and rage…and so this is cool, God is intimately concerned about Abraham getting God’s character and reason for action right with his children…just as He is with you today…dad…mom…I believe if you seek the Lord with your whole heart…and who has your heart more than your kids? If you seek the Lord for the sake of training up your kids in the ways of righteousness, I believe God will immediately honor that…don’t miss out on that blessing…

Genesis Chapter 18 Verse 19

• “For I have known him,” the Lord says. It’s not Abraham’s circumcision, it’s not his sacrifice, it’s not his work ethic, it’s not his character…the fact that God reveals to and blesses Abraham is simply because God knows him…

Genesis Chapter 18 Verse 20 – 21

• Many stumble here. It’s not that God doesn’t see and know all, it’s that He goes Himself and reaches out the people, the city in sin personally before passing final judgment…

Genesis Chapter 18 Verses 22 – 26

• This is an ultra important interaction because remember, God does not change. In Him there is no variation or even a shadow of turning. If He says here that He would not destroy the righteous with the wicked then why do so many believe that is exactly what He will allow during the Great Tribulation?

Genesis Chapter 18 Verses 27 – 33

• You know, the sad thing is, the Lord didn’t even find 10 there in Sodom. He found only 4…so did He destroy the 4 with the wicked? No…they were removed from the city. But this whole interaction…seems tedious…Abraham should have gone for the 10 from the get-go…but the Lord is not frustrated with Abraham. Isn’t that wonderful…His desire is to know us…which means He is willing to lovingly deal with our finite finiteness…

• Perhaps he should have continued to 4 people…but surely he thought Lot would have brought at least a few people beyond his own family to God in his time…but Lot wasn’t living for the Lord…and so great tragedy…He loses his city, his wife…while Abraham, trusting the Lord, known by God…returned to his place and prepared to receive the fulfillment of the long awaited promise of God…