The Challenge of Change

Well, the title of our second split sermon today is The Challenge of Change.

The Challenge of Change. In our scripture passage for this second split sermon this morning, it can be found in Genesis chapter 20 in verses 1 through 18. So, let's open our Bibles together, the Genesis chapter 20. We're going to read verses 1 through 18 to establish our study today.

Now, I will tell you that the account that we're about to read, in many ways, it's a difficult one. A difficult one, as it records what is a blatant failure of one whom we consider to be a spiritual giant. A blatant failure is the account of Abraham's failure to trust God in the face of changing circumstances. So, let's read this together to establish our study for this morning. Genesis chapter 20. We're going to read a good portion of this passage, but I think it will serve us well as it will help us in really getting into this moment of this failure of Abraham. Give us great insight. So, Genesis chapter 20, beginning in verse 1. It says, and Abraham journeyed from there south and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur and stayed in Jirar. Now Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, she is my sister, and Abimelech, king of Jirar, sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in that dream by night and said to him, indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife.

But Abimelech had not come near her and he said, Lord, will you slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me she is my sister? And she herself said he is my brother. In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands, I have done this. Verse 6. And God said to him in a dream, Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, for I also withheld you from sinning against me, therefore I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are with yours. So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all of his servants, told them of these things in their hearing, and the men were very much afraid. And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done. Then Abimelech said to Abraham, What did you have in view that you have done this thing? Verse 11. And Abraham said, Because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place, that they will kill me on the account of my wife. But indeed, she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. And it came to pass when God calls me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, This is your kindness that you should do for me. In every place, wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother.

Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, male, and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and he restored Sarah, his wife, to him. And Abimelech said, See, my land is before you. Dwell there where it pleases you. And then to Sarah, he said, Behold, I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Indeed, this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody. Thus, she was rebuked. So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children. For the Lord had closed up their wombs, the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. Well, let's stop there.

Well, whenever we fail in our walk with God, then we know we're not living as we would intend us to live in relationship to God's purposes in our life. And of course, we're not living as God wants us to live. Certainly is the case here in which we find Abraham here in this chapter, chapter 20, because although Abraham was faithful, and although he was a righteous man, Abraham failed in the face of change, and he fails in his walk with in his faith with God. And again, what we have here is a failure of a spiritual giant. In other words, Abraham wasn't a novice in his faith. Abraham wasn't a spiritual beginner. He wasn't at the very onset of his journey. No, here he had been on his walk with God for some time. Back in chapter 15, we know that it records that Abraham believed God, believed God's promises to him. He exercised faith. God credited it to him as righteousness. And as you go through these chapters, it's very clear that we're following a man who lived as a faithful to God, a very faithful individual. However, however, there also exists this inconsistency in his faith. This is what we're looking at. What about Abraham's inconsistencies? And we want to notice three points to help us make our way through this failure that is detailed for us in these 18 verses. And I think by doing so, it's going to give us just such valuable spiritual insight. So, let's get started.

Let's get started and notice three things to notice about Abraham's failure. The first thing to notice is this. Number one, change in circumstances often are effective in revealing the inconsistencies of our faith. I'll say that again. Change in circumstances are often effective in revealing inconsistencies in our faith. And so, that's why when change and change in circumstances come, we will also find that our faith is challenged. Challenges to our faith also come. It's clear that Abraham was used to moving around. And he has one such detailed move here in these verses. We're told in verse one here that he journeyed to this place. He dwelt south between Kadesh and Shira and stayed in Jarar. This was an ancient city south of Gaza. So, he found himself in this new location, new circumstances, new challenges, and the new territory which Abraham found himself in. There were many, many uncertainties that would have come with this. And on the basis of those uncertainties that he faced, he was challenged. His faith was challenged. And just know, the challenge he faces, and he faced here, often know the challenges we face. Because the challenge is this. The challenge is this. The very essence of his challenge is this. As I face a new circumstance in my life, will I continue to walk faithfully to God, or will I walk the path of fear and try to deal with it with my own devices? I'll state that again. As I face a new circumstance in my life, will I continue to walk faithfully with God, or will I walk the path of fear and try to deal with it on my own, or by my own devices? This is a reality, because change comes, and challenges to our faith will then come. We know this. What are some of the changes in circumstances that we face?

A new ache, or a new pain, in a trip to the doctor turns out to be bad news.

Suddenly, we're thrust into unemployment. Suddenly, our teenage child, who we thought was okay, he comes home to tell us that he's been struggling with a particular pressure in his life.

Suddenly, his spouse has changed in an unexplained way, and we find ourselves abandoned. Emotionally, maybe physically. Circumstances have changed. The page has turned. We have a new chapter in our life. How are you and I going to respond? Well, Abraham failed to remember something, and often, if we're not careful, we can fail to remember this as well. Abraham forgot that God knows about every change in our circumstance. He knows about all of our circumstances. All of our ups, all of our downs. He knows the beginning and the end. He knows when we sit down and when we rise up. In fact, the psalmist says, God's intimate knowledge of us is too high. It's too high to understand. The psalmist says, I can't attain it, but I can be sure that God knows about my changing circumstances in my life. So why is it, God, that when the circumstances change, I find there might be an incredible challenge to my faith? Abraam, you see, instead of looking at the changes in his circumstances in light of his personal relationship with God, rather, he placed his confidence in his fear, overtook him, and he places his confidence in an old tactic. He turns to his own devices. He placed his confidence in an old tactic that he had used many, many times before. We note one such incident here back in chapter 12. We're going to come back here to chapter 20, but go back in Genesis to chapter 12 for just a moment. See if you recognize this tactic that Abraham turned to. Again, we'll come right back to chapter 20, but Genesis 12. Let's read verses 11-13.

This is fascinating to see. Genesis 12, verses 11-13.

It says, And it came to pass when he was close to entering Egypt, and say, Abraham, Abram, that he said to Sarai his wife, Indeed, I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore, it will happen when the Egyptians see you that they will say, This is his wife, and they will kill me. But they will let you live. Please say that you're my sister, that it may be well for me for your sake, and that I may live because of you. Stop there. So you see then, when we fast forward to chapter 20, same old thing, same old tactic. Go back to chapter 20 again, if you will.

Verse 13 again. Chapter 20, verse 13, seemingly without any hesitation here. It goes right into it. Same old tactic. Chapter 20, verse 13, and it came to pass when God caused me to wander from my father's house that I said to her, this is to his wife, Sarah, This is your kindness that you should do for me. In every place, wherever we go, say of me, he is my brother. That has to be one of the most astonishing statements that has ever come from a spiritual giant, isn't it? Astonishing. Remarkable. He says to his wife, this is how you show your love to me, wife, by lying about our marriage relationship every time we move around. Why? Why would he resort to such a tactic? Why did he spend on such a lie?

Well, we know. What's the truth? Our number one point. Change brings challenge. Change will reveal inevitably if there's any inconsistencies in our faith. Despite his desire to walk with God, still he found himself moving from his walk of faith and responding to the fear that was before him. So he pretends Sarah is not his wife and his sister. It's a half-truth. It's a lie. It's a lie.

Now, if you're like me, you may find yourself, you know, sitting there or me standing here and you say, wow, that's pretty big. Abraham, huh? You know, old tactic. Abraham, I know, he made the portrait gallery of faith, didn't he? In Hebrews 11. We might start to judge Abraham. Imagine that, such a thing. You know, this couldn't be me. When I get on the walk of faith, you know, straight and narrow. That's me. No. Now, we know, we know, if we're honest with ourselves, how many times have we made a mistake and then made the same mistake once or twice or over and over again, resorting back to the same tactic, maybe. Despite all my desires to follow God, follow his way, when I look at Abraham, I see myself. That's for sure. So we know this. When change comes challenge, new environment, new stress, new circumstance reveals here the inconsistency in Abraham's heart. Spiritual giant. Change often shows who we are. So, are you on guard? Are you aware of this risk? Are you in change now?

Be honest. Are you scurrying around, maybe, to find an old tactic to deal with it? To deal with the fear, maybe, that's in your heart? This is not solely a challenge for Abraham. We actually see this not only in our own lives, but we see it throughout Scripture. But we'll look at just briefly one other example of this. A change in circumstance that brings forth and reveals an inconsistency. Let's turn to Mark 14, if you will. Maybe one of the most classic examples of this.

Failure. This failure potential. Mark 14 in verse 27. Let's turn there for just a moment, and we'll see the incredible effect that just a change of circumstance can have. And I often, so quickly here, Mark 14 in verse 27, we're going to be breaking into the words of Jesus Christ as He speaks to His disciples, and He's about to tell them of an incredible change that's about to occur in their lives. Look at this. Mark 14 verse 27, beginning in verse 27. Then Jesus said to them, All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee. So it's almost as if Jesus pauses just for a moment. Who's right there to make a comment? Right? You know, Christ takes a breath. Of course, it's Peter. Verse 29. Peter said to him, Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be. Change doesn't affect me. Jesus, verse 30, Jesus said to him, Surely I say to you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, he will deny me three times. That ought to be enough for Peter. Of course not. But he spoke even more vehemently. Verse 31. If I have to die with you, I will not deny you. Now notice this next phrase. Often we leave Peter out on his own, but the very next phrase. And they all said likewise. It's not just Peter. He gets the brunt of things. You know, if this is in your nature, if you have this type of personality, sometimes you long to be able to not speak up because it often brings... sometimes it brings accolades, sometimes it brings condemnation if you have this personality. But anyway, Peter was here to speak always what was on his mind. But then go forward. Notice just a few verses later. Let's go forward to verse 66 now. A change in circumstance. Christ is now gone. He's away. He's gone from Peter. Moving down to verse 66. New location. New circumstance. And Peter, Mr. I'll never deny you. Now has an inconsistency revealed. Verse 66, Mark 14. Now, as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priests came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, you also were with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied it, saying, I neither know nor understand what you're saying. And he went out on the porch and the rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him again and began to say to those who stood by, this is one of them. But he denied it again. A little later, those who stood by stood by said to Peter again, surely you're one of them. For you are a Galilean and your speech shows it. So here it is in verse 71. Previously, we were at verse 31. So here at verse 71, again, then he began to curse and swear, I do not know this man of whom you speak. The man, 40 verses earlier, shoulder to shoulder with Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives, said, I will never disown you, even if I have to die with you. I'll be with you always, Christ. I'm always with you.

Now we understand this, don't we? We understand it's comparatively easy to walk with God when all is good. But when circumstances change, when a page is turned in our life, a new chapter begins, new location, new uncertainties, inconsistencies in our hearts may be revealed.

So again, that's number one. Change in circumstances often is effective for revealing inconsistencies in our faith. Let's go back to Genesis 20, if you will. Genesis 20, as we now come to the second point, we want to track our way through this failure.

So that we can gain the insight, so we can help in our walk, and as we face new circumstances.

So as we come back to Genesis 20 here, we come to number two point here that we want to notice. So change does it solely, the number two point that we want to make sure and notice is that our failure in the face of change doesn't affect us solely. That's number two. Our failure in the face of change does not solely affect us. The incredible challenge of this chapter is this. It's the revelation that however we respond to these things, due to a new circumstance, however we respond, whether it be good or bad, we often will take someone or many with us.

We'll take them along with us. Whether we respond good or bad, we will either help or hinder others on their pathway to faith. This is most clearly seen, of course, this effect on others in the first sin recorded in the Bible, Adam and Eve, the fruit of the forbidden fruit, in that decision long ago, of course, drastic consequences today.

And if we choose to walk in darkness, often we bring others with us. Matthew 5 tells us that we're to be alight. We're to be alight in the house. We're to light up a whole house. So conversely, we could say when we're in darkness, we'll cast darkness into the whole house. And when you examine this passage, you discover that Abraham's failure in the face of change, it's like a, if you took a calm lake and you threw just one tiny pebble in it, what would you notice?

Oh, the ripple effect and the extent of how far it goes out. That's what we notice here in this passage. And we notice, first of all, his inconsistency affected his wife greatly. We noted here in chapter 20 that Abram put his wife in extreme danger as she was put into the household of Abimelech. And we discover that the only reason Abraham and Sarah's marriage intimacy, that commitment, the only reason it wasn't broken is because God prevented it from being broken, didn't he?

We see that in verse 4 through 6 here. Let's look at this again, verse 4 through 6. Verse 4, but Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, Lord, will you slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me that she is my sister? Has she even said herself, he is my brother? And the integrity of my heart and my innocence of my hands, I have done this.

And here it is. God said to him in a dream, yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, for I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore, I did not let you touch her. So God maintained Abram and Sarah's marriage integrity.

But the fact is, Abraham was prepared to jeopardize that, wasn't he? The marriage purity on the account that he was responding and reacting to fear. Fear. And again, this morning, when we look at this, we maybe tended to say, you know, I've never done anything as dramatic as that. But we know, we know that how we walk, it can affect our household. Husbands, husbands, just speak to you just for a moment, that the success or in success or failure in our spiritual walk with God, it will affect our wives for good or for ill, and it will affect the whole family, the whole household. If our walk diverts from God's purposes, it will absolutely affect our household.

Absolutely. So we cannot say, oh, these are just my little failures. You know, they're isolated to me. Inevitably, our wives will take on our failures and our children also. You see how Abram and the great effect that he had on Sarah. And the same is true for a single person this morning. If you're single, doesn't matter. Your inconsistency, your walk with God, will radically affect the nature of the relationships around you.

As we read on, we see this very thing, that the effect didn't remain solely or isolated to Sarah. Abram's failure affected the whole household of Abimelech, didn't it? That's verse 17 and 18. Let's look at this. Although Abimelech was saved from adultery by the hand of God, we see in verse 17 and 18 that there was a consequence here.

God closed up the wounds of the house of Abimelech on the account of the action of Abraham. And this interesting to note, verse 17 and 18. Look at this effect. So Abraham, verse 17, prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants.

Then they bore children. For the Lord had closed up all the wounds of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. In other words, in relation to these events, suddenly all of Abimelech's household is affected in this dramatic way.

No more babies. All their wounds are closed up. And the reason is that Abraham's failure, in the face of change, in the face of changing circumstances, brought this about. Because in light of what Abraham did, God reacted in this way to preserve the heritage that was to come through Abraham and Sarah in the life of Isaac. So, whatever might be said about Abimelech, it's certainly clear that he had no desire to take another man's wife here. We discovered in verse 8 him calling his servants together, telling them, verse 8, so Abimelech rose early in the morning, he called his servants, told them all these things in their hearing, and they were all very much afraid.

Verse 9 and 10, look at this again, and Abimelech called Abraham and said, What have you done to us? How have I offended you that you brought on me and all my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done. Verse 10, then Abimelech said to Abraham, What did you have in view that you've done this thing?

So, it's so interesting how much concern is here on the part of, we could say, the ungodly.

And how little concern conversely on the part of a godly man, a brahom. Abimelech calls Abraham and says, What have you done to us? You've wronged us with this great sin. You shouldn't have done this. He says, Abimelech did not share in Abraham's call to faith, did he? Abimelech, we can be certain, didn't share in Abraham's moral standards.

Abimelech didn't share in his personal relationship with God like a brahom. But Abimelech, standing back from it all, was able to see that a brahom had done wrong.

It's clearly true. And that will be seen in us. If we're inconsistent in our walk with faith, our colleagues, our friends, our families will stand back. They'll say, What? This is you're not walking to the faith that you profess. You're going to be able to see this.

It's certainly true. They're going to be observing whether we are holding up to the standards that we profess to live by. So we must avoid saying, This is just a little divergence against God. It's just a little thing that I'm dealing with. No, we're to be lights, bright lights. We're called not just to righteousness, but a higher righteousness. Very important. And the effect we have can have that ripple effect.

Paul wrote in Ephesians, and he highlights this to us. He says, You know, to those to whom God has called and bestowed His Spirit, he says, Once past tense you were in darkness, but now present tense you are light. Walk as children of light. Okay, that's number two. Our failures do not affect us solely. So number three, and finally, our third and final lesson from this passage from Abraham's failure. Number three point lesson to note is, in the challenge of change, our failures can be an indication that we love ourselves more than God. That's number three. In the challenge of change, our failures can be an indication that we love ourselves more than God. Now, notice the explanation that Abraham gave for his failure here. It's quite remarkable, his justification here. It's in verse 10. What was the reason he did this thing? Verse 10.

What did you have in view that you've done this thing? And then verse 11, he explains, Abraham said, Because I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will kill me on the account of my wife. So that's ironic for him to say. I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place. And that's ironic because Abimelech, in the end, really showed a greater fear of God than Abraham did. You see, ultimately, though, Abraham was guilty of selfishness. He wanted to spare his own life. At this moment, he loved himself more than he loved God. And if you break down our failures in the face of change, when we fail, when change comes, what is it ultimately revealing?

I believe it reveals ultimately that we are, at that moment, loving ourselves more than we love God. So that's the question. Do you love God above all else? When you break it down, that is the question. It's always the question in all failures. Do you love God more than yourself? Let's think about this for a moment. What was ultimately being revealed by God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son?

What was ultimately being revealed by God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son?

Well, what was being revealed is, Abraham, do you love me above all?

Take your son, something you love, Isaac, sacrifice him as a burnt offering. What's the question behind that? Do you love me more than all? Do you love me even more than this beloved son whom you love? It's always the question. In thinking back to Peter's three denials, at that moment, Peter loved himself more, didn't he? And so what did Christ ask Peter after the three denials? He made him breakfast on the shore. What was the question? Do you love me?

Three times. One to match each denial. In his denials, Peter loved himself more, loved himself more, loved himself more. Jesus Christ comes and says, do you love me? Yes. Do you love me? Lord, do you know I love you? Do you love me? Yes. Okay, go feed my sheep. That's the question you see. Do I love God more? So here's the summary of it all. When the challenge of change comes, remind yourself of why you love God more. When the challenge of change comes, stop. Ask yourself, why do I love God? Turn to your awareness of the fact that God has gone to the extent of giving his son, his life's son, as a gift to you, as an expression of his love to you. Turn to that. Hold on to that when the challenge of change comes.

In this physical life, there will be many changes, and the challenge in these changes will be upon us. How will you respond? Will you resort to an old tactic? Will you fool yourself into thinking that through failure, it will only affect you? Will you love God more? Will you respond in a way that shows that you fear God more than the fear that you have in the circumstance that's been presented to you? What do you fear more? Do you fear that new circumstance, that uncertainty that has now come into your life? Do you fear that more than you fear God? Ask yourself that. Do you love him, yes or no? When the challenge of change hits, and you're tempted to be inconsistent in your faith, and you're tempted to go back to old tactics, bring yourself to that question. Do I love him? And when change comes, love him enough. Love him enough so that you will stand firm and never, never let change and circumstances cause you to compromise your faith and your love for him. Maybe we all rise up to meet the challenge of change.