Finally...The Boy is Born

Turn with me in your Bible to Genesis chapter 21. Genesis chapter 21. It's been a long time since Abraham first received his promise from God.

But today, Genesis 21, 25 years later, the boy is born. Let's read it together in the first seven verses of Genesis 21.

Then the Lord took note of Sarah, as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah, as he had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son, who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. Then Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commended him. Now Abraham was 100 years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him. Sarah said, God has made laughter for me, everyone who hears will laugh with me.

And she said, who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born him a son in his old age. The birth of Isaac is one of the most significant and celebrated events in all of history. You need to be able to see exactly what God was doing. Oh, we're going to see Abraham and we're going to see Sarah, but the most important thing, as you well know, that when you read the Bible, that Jesus Christ must come to the front lines, because it's all about God. That's what the Bible is.

It's a revelation of who our Lord God really is. And so there are four things I want you to notice as we talk about these seven verses.

The first is the character of God. It was put on display. The second will be the compliance of Abraham.

It was clearly demonstrated. And then we're going to look at the carol of Sarah. It was extremely delightful. And then we're going to look at the comparisons with Isaac, because they are clearly discovered with our Savior's birth and the sinner's new birth.

First of all, the character of God was displayed. And three things, and I'm going to give you, not three, but four this morning, that I want you to see about God's character. There are three in your notes, but I want to give you one more. The first is the promise of God.

The promise of God. You will notice that three times in two verses, it says that God did exactly what He said He was going to do.

It says, then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said. And the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. Then in verse number two, God, or the time which God had spoken to Him.

God had spoken a word. God had made a promise. God had said something. Now God was going to fulfill that because God is faithful. God is true to His Word. If God ever ceased to fulfill His Word, the universe would disintegrate. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 1 that the Lord upholds the universe, the world, by the Word of His power. If God's Word ever failed, the universe would fail. But God's Word never fails. Four words you can always keep in mind, four words, God keeps His Word. God keeps His Word.

He doesn't tell us one thing and do another. He doesn't lead us on in order to let us down. God is veracity. God traffics in truthfulness, for God is truth. There might be times in which we haven't seen readily the hand of God. It doesn't mean that God's hand is not operative. God's Word is true. God is faithful. God keeps His Word. In Revelation 19, when Jesus Christ returns, He has written on Him the words, faithful and true. God made a promise. He said that He was going to return again and when He comes back, the words that are on Him are words that are easily read by all who see Him because it's almost like He says, I told you I was coming.

I told you to be ready for my coming and you weren't ready. Oh, some of you were, but a lot of you weren't. But I am faithful and I am true. If God has promised you something, He will do it. The Bible says, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God is faithful to His Word. If you call upon Him, you'll be saved. The Bible says in Philippians chapter 1, being confident of this very thing that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ.

If God saved you, He will complete that work in you so that you are ultimately glorified when you see Him. That's a promise that He has made. From the promise of God, I want you to see the power of God. This is so good because it talks about Abraham in his old age in verse number 2. It speaks in verse number 5 that Abraham was 100 years old. It says in verse number 7 that Abraham was in his old age. When Sarah conceived, Abraham was 99. Sarah was 89. An amazing thing took place in the life of Sarah and Abraham.

The power of God is put on display. The reason God can keep His Word is because God is powerful enough to do exactly what He says He's going to do. No one can stop Him. No one can keep Him from accomplishing His purposes. Over in Romans chapter 4, it speaks to the fact that Abraham and Sarah were both as good as dead. Sarah's womb was dead. Abraham himself was impotent. God waited until both of them were beyond childbearing years. God waited until both of them could not possibly think of any kind of conception because they were so old.

When things are at their worst, God is at His best. And God was going to demonstrate His wonderful working power. The third thing I want you to see about how the character of God was displayed is His patience.

Notice the text, or in the text it says in verse number 2, at the appointed time. At the appointed time. Back in chapter 17, verse number 21, it says this, My covenant I shall establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year. Then over in chapter 18, verse number 10, it says, And He said, I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And then down in verse number 14, Is there anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.

There was an appointed time. There was a set time. God moves at a deliberate pace. God does not work in our confines of clocks and calendars. God works outside the realm of time. And everything God does is the best time, is always at the right time, is always on time, because it is the appointed time, the predetermined time for Him to act. God wants you to experience His power, but it's predicated on His patience. But there's another thing you need to see. That's the providence of God. The providence of God.

God controls all things. Over in Isaiah chapter 46, it says these words, verse number 8, Remember this and be assured. Recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things long past, for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying my purpose will be established and I will accomplish all my good pleasure. God's got a plan. But the second thing I want you to see is the compliance of Abraham.

That was demonstrated. The compliance of Abraham in what he called his son and when he circumcised his son. What did he call his son? He called his son Isaac. Because God told him to call his son Isaac. And then you circumcised your son on the eighth day. The text says when he was eight days old as God had commended him. As God had told him to do it. You circumcised your son on the eighth day. Now let me ask you a question.

Did Abraham know anything about vitamin K? No. Did Abraham know that on the eighth day of the birth of your child that vitamin K is at its highest peak in your body in order for blood to coagulate so that when there is a cut or an incision made it heals quickly? Did Abraham know that? No. He didn't. Question. What has God commanded you to do? And are you obeying? You see it might not always be exciting to do what God says.

I'm sure Abraham wasn't jumping up and down for joy to be able to circumcise his son. You know I would have a hard time circumcising my boys. That would not be easy for me in spite of all the modern medical technology. But Abraham obeyed. Because God said this is a sign of the covenant between you and me Abraham. You do it. So he did. What has God told you to do that might be a little inconvenient, that might even be a little bit of pain in it? Are you doing it? God gives many commands. God said go into all the world and make disciples.

Are you discipling somebody? Are you growing somebody? That's the command. God said make disciples. Who are you discipling? Who are you growing? Who are you nurturing? God said that. Are you obedient to that command? God said husbands love your wives. Do you love your wife? Has Christ loved the church? That's a command given to God. To children he said children obey your parents. Do you obey your parents? God gives a command. Do you obey? Or do you kick your feet? Do you cry and bellyache? Because it's not the right time.

It's not the right person. It's not the right way. God gave a command to Abraham and he obeyed. The compliance of Abraham was demonstrated. The character of God was displayed. And the carol of Sarah, oh it was delightful. There's two things about our carol. Number one, it's tone.

And number two, it's testimony. It's testimony. First of all, it's tone. It says, in verse number six, God has made laughter for me. God has made laughter for me. God has caused there to be joy in my heart. Everything is changed from Genesis chapter 18. When she overheard the angel of the Lord, who is the Lord God himself, speaking to Abraham about Sarah having a child, she laughed to herself. And the Lord heard her laugh. The Lord knew that she laughed. The Lord knew. And she denied it. There was a laugh of skepticism.

You've got to be kidding me. I'm in my upper 80s. Have a child. You've got to be kidding me. That's not going to happen. But God said it will happen. And it did exactly as he said it would. And so what we see here is God now has made me laugh. God has given me joy. The whole tone of her life has changed. No longer is she a skeptic. But she truly believes in what God said he would do. But not only that, notice with me the testimony.

Not only has God caused laughter for me, but everyone who hears will laugh with me. Everyone else is going to laugh with me, not at her, but with her. Can't you see Isaac's out playing, you know, in the sand and with his friends. And they say, hey, Isaac, how old's your mom? Well, my mom, she's 93. 93? You've got to be kidding me. Does your mom play with you? How about your dad? What does he do? Does he give you piggyback rides at 90 or 100 years old? They laughed with him. Why? Because they would see the mighty power of God, and God would be put on display, and God would be honored.

Honored. Listen, when people observe your life, is there laughter over what God has done? Is there an expression of joy as to the work of God in your life? When's the last time somebody asked you about your testimony? When's the last time somebody asked you about your character? When was the last time somebody asked you anything at all about your life? Other than, hey, what time is it? Anybody can give them the time, but can you give them a testimony about the marvelous work of God in your life? The last thing I want you to see in these few verses is the comparison with Isaac are discovered.

Number one, with the Savior's birth, and number two, with the sinner's new birth. Listen, Isaac is the perfect type of Christ in the Old Testament. The perfect type. And when we come to Genesis chapter 22, just in a few short weeks, we are going to see that this boy was even offered on the same mount that Jesus Christ himself was crucified on, Mount Moriah. The exact same mount because he was the exact type of Christ in the Old Testament. He would portray what was about to happen through the ultimate seed, the Lord Jesus Christ who would be born.

Amazing, an amazing orchestration of events that God himself put together. Through the birth of this young man who would then demonstrate to the world the reality of who Jesus Christ is. Notice with me, first of all, the typology in the Savior's birth by looking first of all at the mother of the child, Mary and Sarah.

Both Mary and Sarah were in a situation in which it was physically impossible for them to have a child. Mary was a virgin. In Luke chapter 1, she said, How can this be? I have known no man. How could I ever have a child? Sarah said, How can this be? I am too old to have a child. And in the mother of the child, you see the typology. You see the perfect picture because you see both of them were physically unable to have the child concerning their circumstances. But God would override them and do a mighty work.

Both of them would receive a divine revelation before they conceived. Sarah would receive a divine revelation from the angel of the Lord and Mary would receive a divine revelation from the angel Gabriel that they would have a specific child. And both of them, both of them recognized the difficulties in their birth. And each was given the heavenly message. In Genesis 18 verse number 14, it was said by the Lord God, these words, Is anything too difficult for the Lord? And Mary in Luke chapter 1 would receive these words as a divine revelation in verse number 37 of Luke 1, For nothing will be impossible with God.

Not only the mother of the child, but the name of the child. Both of them were named before they were born. Both of the men, the husbands, knew of the name of the child before it was born. And both of them would realize that the name of that child would bring great joy and rejoicing to those who believed in what that child accomplished through the power of God. Not only that, there was a time of that child's birth. The text says that there was an appointed time for the birth of Isaac. The Bible says in Galatians chapter 4 verse number 4, that in the fullness of time, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, born under the law.

And then there was a circumcising of the child. Both of them were circumcised on the eighth day, emphasizing the obedience of the parents to fulfill the command of God. But not only is there a comparison with the Savior's birth, but there is the comparison with the sinner's new birth. There was a miracle that was performed here. Why? Because Abraham and Sarah could not produce Isaac in their own strength. Oh, they tried. And no matter how hard they tried, it could not happen. And for there to be a new birth, no matter how hard you try, it will not happen with you.

The Bible says in Romans chapter 5 verse number 6, that we are without strength, that all our righteousness according to Isaiah 64 is as filthy rags.

There is nothing in us that brings about the new birth. Why? Because the second thing you need to see is the deadness of Sarah and Abraham and the deadness of us.

They were so dead physically that they were unable to produce a child, just like the Bible says of you and me, that we are dead in our trespasses and sin.

The Bible says over in Ephesians chapter 2 verse number 5, when we were dead in sins, God hath quickened us, God has made us alive together with Christ.

We were dead and Christ made us alive. Abraham and Sarah were dead and God gave them life through Isaac. And then there's the comparison of the new creature. Ishmael wouldn't do. There had to be a new creation, a new creation that would come about because of the power of God. And no matter how hard we try on the outside spiritually, only God can take your life and create it new so that the old things are passed away. Behold, all things become new. And lastly, there's a comparison of the heritage, the heritage that Isaac could receive through being the son of his father Abraham, who was a rich man, who could pass down to him all the wonderful wealth that he had.

There is the heritage that we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord. The wonderful heritage of receiving all the promises that God himself gives to us because he owns the cattle on a thousand hills, as Psalm 50 tells us. Our God owns everything. And one day, everything that he owns is going to be ours. What a wonderful heritage. The birth of Isaac is a great comparison between the Savior's birth and his birth. Between his birth and the sinner's new birth. You're born again. It's just not adding something to your old way of life.

It's a complete transformation from the old life to the new life. That's what it's about. And so when you come to the book of Revelation and Christ returns, the Bible says that his reward is with him.

Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me. My inheritance that I'm going to bestow upon you is with me. That's why the Christian can't wait for the marriage supper of the Lamb. That's why the Christian can't wait to receive from his heavenly Father that which no earthly father can ever give him. Something beyond comparison. And for the life of me, for the life of me, I can't understand why Christians aren't excited about that. I can't understand why Christians don't well up with joy on the inside realizing the inheritance that their heavenly Father wants to give them and will one day bestow upon them because they're his children.

I think it's because we're so busy laying up treasures upon earth where moth and dust doth corrupt and where thieves break in and steal. And Christ says, don't do that.

Lay up your treasures in heaven where moth and dust will never corrupt and thieves can't break in and steal. That's where you lay your treasures up. I'm afraid there are many people who profess Christianity but are so busy laying up their treasures upon earth, they don't have time to anticipate the coming of Christ and receiving their inheritance. It's not important to them, but those of us who are children of God, who live for God, who seek to honor God, we can't wait for that day because we're not busy dealing with the events of this day.

You know, people get all upset, you know, about what's happened to stock market in the last couple of weeks. That doesn't bother me. It doesn't bother me a bit. It can crash as far as I'm concerned. You know why? Because there's going to come a man who has a solution. He's called the Antichrist. He's going to come, he's going to have a solution to it all. And the world will have an economic boom during the tribulation. So I'm not worried about people losing money or me losing money. I'm not worried about any of that stuff.

Because the quicker it crashes, the quicker it crashes, the quicker there's going to be a solution. And that solution, as the UN Council met in January of this year and came to this conclusion, there can only be one man who can remedy our situation. And they're right. He's called the Antichrist. And before he comes, Jesus is coming. And I'm looking for the return of Jesus Christ, my Lord. I can't wait until he comes. I hope it's now.

I hope he comes before I close my prayer. Because I receive my inheritance. Everything that I long for. He's going to give. The question is, will you receive that inheritance? Are you a child of the living God? Let's pray together.