After 25 years of waiting, longing, and anticipation, Abraham and Sarah finally see God’s promise of a baby fulfilled. Genesis 21 is filled with laughter and feasting and joy, and then the difficulty of family conflict and relational turmoil. In all of this, we see God’s sovereignty on display. At the very end of the chapter we read a new name for God, El Elyon, the Everlasting God. We will see that this characteristic is crucial to make sense of the three major stories – Isaac, Ishmael, and Abimelech – weaving them together under God’s sovereignty and work.
Two Sons
Genesis 21
November 12, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Genesis 21
More from
Abraham
End of the Road
December 17, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Genesis 25
As we close our series, Abraham: Journey of Faith, we come to Genesis 25:1-11, Abraham’s death. Like Sarah’s death, it feels kind of sudden after so much story and time together. There are some interesting details in the passage that we will look into. Most of our time, though, will be spent looking at Abraham’s life. We will look at his importance and place in Redemptive History, God’s plan for redeeming humanity and renewing and restoring all things. And we will see how Abraham points us to Advent, the longing, waiting, and anticipation of what God would ultimately accomplish in the coming of Christ.
Mission Impossible
December 10, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Genesis 24
This is a long chapter, but we’re going to cover it in one go. I encourage you to take the time to read it between now and Sunday so you can come in with some familiarity. After Sarah’s death, Abraham realized that it was time to find a wife for his son, Isaac. He sent his servant on a journey that led to an intriguing encounter at a well with a young girl name Rebekah. The chapter shows us something of God’s care and will for us. In Abraham’s Journey of Faith there have been a lot of ups and downs. He finally came to the point of complete surrender and God was faithful to provide exactly what was needed. Everyone else in the story shows steps of faith as well, showing us the beauty and freedom we can have in self-surrender.
Eulogy for Sarah
December 3, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Genesis 23
This chapter details the legal negotiations and contract for a piece of land containing a cave in Hebron. At first reading it might feel boring to most. With a closer look, though, we can come to realize that this is the first piece of the land God promised to Abraham that was secured as Abraham’s own, and at a high price. Our focus on Sunday, though, will be Sarah. The reason Abraham bought the land with the cave was to bury his wife, the Matriarch of the Promise, after her death. On Sunday we will take a look at Sarah’s life as a whole, and lessons we can learn from her, in a kind of Eulogy for Sarah.