Lessons from Genesis 18

1. Hospitality (vv. 1-8; cf., Heb 13:2).

2. Hermeneutics: READ FURTHER (vv. 13-14; 17:17).

3. Omnipotence of God (v. 14).

4. Fatherhood (v. 19).

5. Omniscience of God (v. 19).

6. Justice of God (v. 25).


Hospitality offers a great opportunity for Christians to extend their influence upon the lost. We can develop a relationship, gain trust, and help them see their need for salvation in Christ.

In addition, through hospitality, we can promote unity and togetherness in the church by inviting brethren into our homes.

Hebrews 13:2... Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.This text is NOT telling us to offer hospitality in hopes of being rewarded by angels coming into our homes!

Rather, it is to say that we never know what value might be derived from such.

Romans 12:13

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Titus 1:8

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Luke 5:27-29And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 28And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

Luke 9:51-54And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

Gen 17:17

Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

The text says that Abraham LAUGHED! It is somewhat difficult to understand WHAT KIND OF LAUGHTER from just the reading

of Gen 17:17. BUT… when we read FURTHER, we

can see that there is an obvious difference between the laughter that

Abraham laughed and the laughter Sarah laughed. How? Sarah was REBUKED for her laughter, whereas

Abraham was NOT!

Gen 18:13-14And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

It is quite often the case in our Bible study that questions we have can easily be answered by just reading along a little further.

Keeping in mind the IMMEDIATE CONTEXT in our study of the Bible will always be a great help to us in understanding!

Gen 18:14

Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?

• Is anything so secret as to escape His knowledge?

NOT Sarah’s laughing, eventhough it was within herself (v. 12).

• Is anything so difficult so as to exceed His power?

NOT giving Sarah a child in her old age (21:1-2)

Gen 21:1-2

And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Gen 18:19

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

…he will command his children and his household after him…

• A wonderful statement of the Lord’s confidence in Abraham as a Father.

• There is great need for such fathers today.

• Todays fathers are severely challenged by the society in which we live.

An

d th

ey shall keep

the w

ay of th

e Lo

rd

Fatherhood is Complicated by the IMMORAL Climate of our Day…Top 7 Problems in

School in the 1940sTop 7 Problems in School in 2000s

1. Talking in Class 1. Drug Abuse

2. Chewing Gum 2. Alcohol Abuse

3. Making Noise 3. Pregnancy

4. Running in Halls 4. Suicide

5. Cutting in Line 5. Rape

6. Dress Code 6. Robbery

7. Littering 7. Assault

“There is a sense in which our children are the only possessions we can take to heaven. Therefore, we must be as diligent as Abraham in making sure that we command them to know the Lord.”

Fathers certainly need to arise to the task and carry out their responsibilities in the home!

For I know him… (v. 19)

• God is fully aware of our thoughts and attitudes (Gen 6:5; Ps 139:2-3; Acts 1:24; Isa 66:18; Lk 5:22; 6:8; 9:47; Mt 9:4). Includes every malicious and hateful thought.

• God knows what we say (Jer 7:4, 8; 2. 7:16; Mt 12:35-37). God hears & knows—we MUST avoid filthy, profane, & vulgar speech!

• God sees what we do (Prov 15:3; Gen 3:9). The EVIL and the GOOD!

• God knows of our sufferings (Ps 103:13-14).

6. Justice of God (v. 25)

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

God will do right in holding all account-able people amenable to His law.

1. Sodom & Gomorrah broke the moral law (18:20-21).

2. All men living today are under the Law of Christ and are amenable to it (Mt 28:18-20).

3. Ignorance will not alleviate one’s responsibility to obey (Acts 17:30)!


God will do right by providentially caring for His faithful children.

1. Lot’s righteousness in a wicked environment prompted God to spare him (2 Pet 2:6-9).

2. WE are to live in the world among wicked men, but we are not to participate in their sins (Jn 17:15-16; 1 Cor 5:9-10).


God shall do right in demanding STRICT ADHERENCE to His law.

1. Lot’s family was told to escape and NOT LOOK BACK, but Lot’s wife did not strictly adhere (19:17, 23-26).

2. MANY have forgotten Lot’s wife (Lk 17:32) and have deviated from God’s Word.


God shall do right in executing His wrath upon every impenitent sinner (19:4-7, 9-11; Jude 7; Rom 2:5-6).

1. Many are working under the opinion that God will not punish any of His creatures with hellfire, yet HE DID (2 Pet 2:6).

2. Many sins that God rendered judgment upon, man now describes as ALTERNATE LIFESTYLE.






6. Justice of God (v. 25).

Lessons from Genesis 18

Education

Transcript of Lessons from Genesis 18