laughing at god

Sarah laughed when God said what He had planned for her & Abraham.

In Gen 18:9-15, we learn a great deal about God.

God Has a Plan

Genesis 18:9-10

Three men came to visit Abraham.

They are visible representations of God.

“Then the LORD appeared to [Abraham] by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day” (v 1).

I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son” (v 10).

The Lord had promised Abraham a child--Gen 15:4-5.

Here, we see the Lord’s carrying out His promise.

God had a goal when He spoke to Abraham.

God was going to give Abraham a son!

God has a goal today--He desires to bring all things under Christ’s lordship.

God has “made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him” (Eph 1:9-10).

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11).

“It pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:19-20).

What do these texts say about God’s goal?

The goal will be fulfilled when Christ returns.

The goal is inseparably linked with Christ.

What is the goal of God?

The goal is that all mankind come under the authority of Christ.

The goal is that all things be reconciled through the cross.

How will all things be reconciled to God?

“Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life” (Gen 3:17).

The curse will be removed when Jesus returns—the earth will be destroyed.

God Has a Plan in Spite of Man

Genesis 18:11-15

God fulfilled His plan in spite of Sarah.

Sarah was old.

“Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing” (v 11).

Sarah laughed.

“Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’” (v 12).

Sarah lied.

“Sarah denied it, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’ for she was afraid” (v 15).

Aren’t we sometimes just like Sarah?

God will carry out His final plan

whether or not we cooperate.

God will reconcile all things to Himself.

Do you need to be reconciled to God?