Genesis 18.1-15 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
messenger dox
Call to worship:
OT:
pastor zachary mcguire
Psalm 87
NT:
pastor michael champoux
Heb 11.8-12
song:
Christ the lord is risen today
historical reading:
dr. brett eckel
apostles creed
song:
O Great God
Confession & Pardon:
pastor Andrew loginow
Tithes & offerings Prayer:
pastor shane sluka
song:
Christ the sure & steady anchor
Sermon:
dr. alex loginow
Genesis 18.1-15
Introduction
He was affectionately known as the cowboy theologian. Dr. Chad Brand was one of my most influential professors in college and seminary – academically, pastorally, and personally. He’s with Jesus now, but he remains a titan in my heart and mind. I can still picture him driving down I65 south in his old Ford Bronco smoking a cigar. Outside of the classroom we would often visit churches where he served as interim pastor to hear him preach. In 2011 I had him come to our little church in Fordsville, KY to give a lecture on the 400th anniversary of the KJV. I was his grader, or Garrett Fellow, for several years, which led to me lecturing in his master’s level systematic theology class (if you haven’t heard that story, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds, and it’s for another time).
I remember the first time I broke bread with Dr. Brand. I was a freshman and some upperclassmen friends invited him to lunch with us at Ci Ci’s. Man, I thought that was so cool! This brilliant man (and he was – I’d put him in my top 5 of smartest people I’ve ever been close to, along with my wife) was hanging out with us lowly theology undergrads. He treated us like friends. There was no question that he was in authority over us, and we looked up to him, but he hung out with us, he ate with us.
We all know the joy of eating with friends, don’t we? That’s what this Scripture passage is all about. On the heels of Genesis 17 where last week we witnessed God giving Abraham the covenant sign of circumcision, now we move forward in Abraham’s story to Gen 18-19. I mention these two chapters together because they really are a package deal. God’s fellowship with Abraham in ch18 stands in contrast to God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah in ch 19. But our pericope is quite comforting and beautiful, isn’t it? Here we see that Jesus is a friend to his people, and he loves to remind us of his good news.
Jesus is a friend to His people
Our story picks back up with these beautiful and profound words – and yhwh appeared to him. Just like we saw in Gen 16 this is called a Christophany – a preincarnate revelation or unveiling of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know from Gen 19 that these three visitors are two angels and yhwh Himself. We also know from the NT that Jesus Christ identifies himself with yhwh (John 8.58) – Jesus is yhwh. That means in Gen 18 Jesus condescends to sup, to dine with Father Abraham.
Let’s notice the good news in the significant theological typology before us. The text is clear that the three men are yhwh and two angels, but shame on us if over-imposed biblicism paralyzes us from acknowledging this magnificent shadow of the Holy Trinity – one Lord who appears to Abraham in three persons. The glorious doctrine of the Trinity is spelled out clearly in the NT, but in the Old, here and elsewhere, we see a shadow, a type of the identity of God.
I’ve mentioned this before, one of my favorite paintings is from the early 15th century by Russian artist Andre Rublev called Troista (Троица), Russian for “The Trinity.” It depicts three men sitting around a table. The work also goes by the name, “The Hospitality of Abraham.” Rublev was correct to make the connection that these three visitors of Father Abraham give us a glimpse into the glory of the one true and living God – 1 God in 3 persons.
We also must not be deaf to the sacramental echoes in the pericope. Abraham offers water for washing (vs 4) and bread for refreshing. The Hebrew of verse 5 literally says, “bread to sustain your hearts” (לֶ֜חֶם וְסַעֲד֤וּ לִבְּכֶם֙). Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! The Lord Jesus gave us the 2 sacraments – (1) holy baptism: in part, as a picture of our washing, cleansing from sin; and (2) the holy Eucharist: to sustain our hearts until he comes again. Do you see the continuity of the Scripture? These things were written for our encouragement.
Let’s also notice Abraham’s response to the grace of Jesus: Abraham’s hospitality. Hospitality is a major theme of Gen 18-19. The hospitality Father Abraham shows is common to eastern/Bedouin hospitality even today, yet there are clues that Abraham understands that these visitors are not just three neighbors.
Abraham bowed himself (שָׁחָה; προσκυνέω; adoro). This feels like more than a respectful greeting; the Greek and Latin translators take it to be akin to worship.
Abraham says, if I have found favor in your sight (חֵן; χάρις; gratia); this word for favor/grace is the same word from Gen 6 – Noah found favor in the eyes of yhwh.
Abe says he’s going to bring a little bread, but sets up royal feast, and then stood by them while they ate like a servant
Derek Kidner comments, “The reader can see how appropriate beyond all imagining this deference was; the New Testament goes on to show that there is more than coincidence here.” Hebrews 13.2 says, do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. And in Matthew 25.35 the Lord Jesus says, For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. These 2 passages are literally true of Father Abraham in Gen 18.
Hospitality was a major theme of the Lord Jesus’ ministry and an emphasis of the early church. Hebrews 13.2 uses Gen 18 as an illustration for the weight of the hospitality imperative. And so, we each must reflect for ourselves: are we hospitable? Is your home a warm and welcoming place? Not just your home, but also your disposition – do you make yourself approachable to others, or do you have resting Baptist face? I’m not talking about being an extrovert, but a constantly critical spirit is ungodly.
Are we a hospitable church? I believe we are. I think one of the greatest strengths of CCC is our hospitality. We have a warm organic family vibe and so many of you have commented on that; that when you first came to CCC, you could feel the love. Praise God for that, but we don’t want to lose it, church. Both individually and communally, hospitality is a discipline. Lord, please make us a hospitable people!
We do this because we’re following the hospitable one. Do you see the hospitality of Jesus Christ here? Jesus condescends to sup, to dine with Abraham. Jesus is a friend of those who trust in Him, and He treats us as such. How do we respond to His grace? Do we worship Him? Do we show hospitality to others as if unto Him?
And He loves to remind us of His good news
Not only is Jesus a friend to those who trust Him, but he also loves to remind us of the good news of his gospel. He loves to encourage us! He loves to strengthen us, to build us up. Notice that’s what he does with Sarah. We saw last week in Genesis 17 that the Lord gave Abraham the sign of circumcision to strengthen Abraham’s faith. The covenant sign was a reminder, a tangible sign and seal of God’s covenant promise.
But Sarah was not there in Genesis 17. But here Jesus comes, not specifically for Abraham, but for Sarah. In vs 9 Jesus asks where Sarah is. This would’ve been very uncommon in ANE culture – at a feast like this the men and women would’ve eaten separately, and it was considered very disrespectful to ask about another man’s wife and to use her name. But Jesus has never been fond of arbitrary customs, has he?
Jesus is here to strengthen Sarah’s faith in the promise and so he repeats the promise in her hearing. Sarah, being the busybody old betty that she is, was eavesdropping just inside the tent and then laughed to herself. In vs 11 Moses reminds us that 90-year-old Sarah was postmenopausal and so Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The Hebrew word pleasure (עֶדְנָה) means sexual delight (Vulgate: voluptās; Geneva Bible: lust). So, not only was she postmenopausal, but it seems like her and Abe hadn’t been very active, if you catch my drift, and so God’s promise seem ridiculous to Sarah, and she laughs to herself about it.
Is there a more vivid encapsulation of a lack of faith than laughing at God’s promise? The world laughs at God and His promises (virgin birth, resurrection, sexual ethic etc.). But how often do we laugh at God and His promises? That’s what our sin is, isn’t it? Mocking God, laughing in the face of our creator. But be warned Psalm 2.4-5 says that while the world rebels, he who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. He will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury. God will get the last laugh.
Notice the grace, though, in how Christ responds to Sarah – (1) he calls her out on it. Remember Sarah laughed to herself (vs 12). Christ heard Sarah’s thoughts because he’s omniscient. Prov 15.3 says, the eyes of yhwh are in every place. Sarah denies that she laughed, but again, the one who is the Truth confronts her with the truth – no, but you did laugh.
And (2) vs 14 asks the most important question any of us can ponder? Is anything too hard for yhwh? Is anything too wonderful for Jesus? Sarah’s womb akin to death – she’s a postmenopausal 90-year-old woman who has been sexually inactive. For her to get pregnant, to have a baby would be akin to resurrection from the dead.
But is anything too hard for Jesus? Is anything too wonderful for Jesus? For the one conceived by the Spirit in the virgin womb? For the one who wandered in the wilderness for 40 days with no bread, being tempted by the devil, yet without sin (Heb 4.15)? For the one who became sin for us (2 Cor 5.21) as He endured God’s wrath on the cross, and laid dead in the tomb for 3 days? Is anything too hard or wonderful for the one who was resurrected on the 3rd day victorious over sin and death for our justification?
Sarah was lying to those around her and Jesus confronted her. What are you lying about right now, maybe to yourself, maybe to those around you? What is the Word of the Lord confronting you about this morning? Because the good news is Jesus doesn’t confront you just to leave you in your shame and guilt. The Lord came to Sarah, not to condemn her in her guilt, but so that she might be sanctified by the good news.
The good news of Jesus is that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom 10.9-10,13). The good news of Jesus is that if you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1.9). The good news of Jesus is that God raised Him from the dead and if you repent and believe, God will raise you from the dead too on the last day and you will live forever in His perfect new creation.
Conclusion
The good news is that Jesus is a friend to his people and he loves to remind us of his good news. And just like he did with Father Abraham, Jesus condescends to sup with us, to dine with us, doesn’t he? Every week at this holy meal, the Lord’s Supper, the Lord Jesus has communion with us – His body broken for us; His blood shed for us. And we can’t help but say, “thank you” – Eucharist – as we remember and proclaim: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!