CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
April 23, 2023
Are We Like Sarah?
Genesis 12:2-3, 10-20
Genesis 17:15-22
Genesis 18:1-2, 9-15
This morning we are going to spend a little time looking at what
the Bible says about Sarah. She is the firs woman really talked
about in the Bible. Eve, of course, is actually the first woman
discussed in scripture but Sarah is a woman who for several
reasons has a very important part to play in God’s plans for His
people. We read several portions of scripture, some set the
stage for what will happen in the future for God’s people, some
show how Sarah dealt with things happening to her and around
her.
The first scripture we read doesn’t mention Sarah, however, we
will see she is in the middle of what is said in these verses. The
promise made to Abram has meaning long after his life is over.
The promise made to Abram one can easily say also applies to
Sarah, his wife, as well.
Verse 3 is such a powerful and important verse. “I will bless
those who bless you and whoever curses you, I will curse and
all people on earth will be blessed through you.” Abram and
Sarai seemed to always be on the move. Soon after they were
married, they left where they had lived. Sarah went with her
husband and his family to a new place.
In verse 10 of chapter 12, we see that a famine has occurred in
the land they were living so Abram pulled up stakes and took
his wife and their possessions to Egypt. Sarah faithfully went
with her husband to yet another new land. But there was a
concern that her husband had. Because his wife was so
beautiful, he was concerned the Pharoah would kill him if he
knew she was his wife so he told Sarah to tell them she was his
sister. Sarah faithfully did as her husband asked. God honored
Sarah’s faithfulness by bring a disease to the Pharoah’s people,
which led Paroah to realize Abram and Sarah’s God was
warning him not to take her as his wife. For the time they were
in Egypt God blessed Abram with livestock and servants. Once
Pharoah realized what was happening, he told Abram and
Sarah to leave but they could take everything they had gained
while in Egypt with them. So, in a way you could say God
blessed Sarah for her faithfulness and Abram got the benefit of
having such a faithful wife.
The verses we read in chapter 17 show how everything God
had promised to Abraham would happen. We did not read
what was said in the 11 th chapter, verse 30 but early on we are
told Sarah was unable to have children. As we look at the
promises made to Abraham and also Sarah it seems to be
impossible. Going back to what is said in chapter 17 God is
making it clear to Abraham his wife Sarah will be the mother of
nations and that kings will come from her.
Because of time we are skipping several things but Sarah and
Abraham did not believe God could do what he was promising
so they took matter into their own hands and Abraham had a
son through one of Sarah’s servants.
In chapter 17 God is making it clear Sarah will have a son. She
will be the mother of nations. In chapter 18 we see the Lord
appears to Abraham and clearly states that one year from
today I will visit you again and Sarah will have given birth to a
son. We read that Sarah heard what was said and one might
say sarcastically laughed that with Abrahm 100 and Sarah 90
finally she would have a son? The Lord questioned the laughter
of Sarah’s and said to them, “Is anything too hard for the
Lord?” Sarah claimed she had not laughed but, of course, she
had.
Let us move on to the last verses we read this morning in
Chapter 21. The first verse says, “Now the Lord was gracious to
Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had
promised.” Exactly when the Lord said it would happen, Sarah
gave birth to Isaac. In verse 6 Sarah says, “God has brought me
laughter and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.
She goes on to say, “Who would have aid to Abraham that
Sarah would nurse children yet I have borne him a son in his old
age.”
As we look at Sarah’s life, we see a woman who had reason to
be angry and frustrated with her husband and one might say
God as well. Her husband put her in difficult position after
difficult position but she stayed faithful to her husband when it
would have been easy to say, “Enough is enough!”
Even though she was wrong to do so, she even came up with a
plan to help Abraham see God’s promise would come true
about having a son when it seemed she would never have a
son. She did this out of love and devotion for her husband.
Actually, through much of this Abraham let his wife down as
well as showing a lack of faith in God. One could say Sarah was
a very conflicted but faithful woman. Someone who sought to
help her husband by doing things she should have never been
asked to do. But also was a “take charge” woman who sought
to make things happen when things did not seem possible on
their own.
As we looked at this special woman God used in a powerful way
how many of you women would have gone along with a
husband who asked so much of his wife? To the point of
compromising her values to do what she thought needed to be
done. To flip it to the men her today, Abraham clearly showed a
lack of faith in God despite the fact early on God promised
great things would happen through him. Are we men lacking in
faith too much of the time when we are faced with difficult
decisions. Despite the many ups and downs Abraham and Sarah
had they fulfilled what God had promised would happen
through them? Even though Sarah clearly doubted God could to
through her what had been promised, in her own way she
stayed faithful to God by staying true to her husband. Sarah has
become the mother of many nations. Sarah came to realize
what God had said to her was true. Is anything too hard for
God? Sarah had two sides that she wrestled with, the faithful
trusting side and the one full of doubt and a lack of self-esteem.
Which are you and I most like? Are we like Sarah feeling one
way one day and the other way the next.
God honored Sarah because when it was all said and done, she
showed she truly believe and trusted God. God wants us all to
take to heart those words we have read and said a couple of
times already today. Just as Sarah saw they were true, God
wants us to know it as well, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Sarah will always be one of the most important people in God’s
story. Sarah never backed away from a challenge. In spite of her
shortcomings God used Sarah in ways that still are impacting
God’s people and this world today.
Pastor Larry
Announcements:
Tuesdays 9:30 Bible Study
April 29 9:30 – 10:30 Food Distribution at Kirby Medical Clinic,
CG
May 1—deadline for submissions for the May newsletter
May 7 will be a hymn sing. Please offer suggestions on the list
on the east bulletin board.
Camp Emmanuel schedule is posted on the bulletin board. Most
camps are in June.
Offering plates are in the back of the sanctuary. Thank you for
your continued giving!
Donation Box: Camp Emmanuel
First Sundays: food donations for food banks
Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362
To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:
Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by
clicking link on left side of page.
District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link) and on facebook
Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon,
announcements, & calendar) and on facebook
Keep in Your Prayers
Tina Martina; Iva Traughber Brunner; Sue and Terry Grabb; Nora
Hanaver; Todd Henricks; Tate Sawyer; Jonah Martina; Jan
Bower; Larry Traxler; Michelle West; Michelle’s mom; Carolyn
Hirsch; Eli Brunner; Nancy Fansler; Joe Waltz; Doug Larrick;
Ron & Kathleen Petersen; Debbie Leibrock; Dorthea Wood;
Tina Wilhelm; Mindy Sawyer; Marlene Schultz; Carl and Wilma
Cable; Mike and Carol Seidenstricker; Adiline Young; Kim
Lehmann; Doug Fansler; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo &
Darlene Hanaver; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren;
Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; healthcare workers
and first responders; victims of disasters; victims of shootings;
shut-ins; the Nigerian church; Haitian Brethren; Ukraine; Hope
Welty Library; Florida; Puerto Rico; Turkey/Syria earthquake
Military and Other Services and their families
Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers
District Prayer Calendar: Pray for the Milledgeville congregation
and for the youth Christian Citizenship Seminar.
Church of the Brethren vision statement:
Together, as the Church of the Brethren, we will passionately live
and share the radical transformation and holistic peace of Jesus
Christ through relationship-based neighborhood engagement. To
move us forward, we will develop a culture of calling and
equipping disciples who are innovative, adaptable, and fearless.
Our Mission Statement:
Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost,
find peace.
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