Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We will be continuing in our sermon series through Genesis this coming Sunday. And we will be looking at a couple of events during the beginning of Abram’s (Abraham’s) story. But we are skipping over Abram and Sarai head to Egypt.
I’m not trying to skip tricky parts of Scripture. So, let’s talk about what happened in this story. Traditional interpretations indicates that Abram lied about his wife to protect his life, but God bailed him out. Interpreters point out that Abram had fears and foibles, just like we do, but God is faithful.
And while this view makes sense, given our cultural perspective, it doesn’t make much sense in Abram’s day. Consider that in Genesis 12:10-20 Abram does not experience negative consequences, Pharoah does. Also consider the details of the story.
1. Sarai is beautiful – she’s an attractive marriage partner. If Abram is her husband, just get rid of the husband to gain the inheritance.
2. Sarai means “Princess” – She seems to have royal ties; so wouldn’t it be advantageous for Pharaoh to align himself with Abram through a marriage to Abram’s sister?
3. Abram is wealthy – over 300 men are in his camp – and he even had camels (an uncommon, but useful domesticated animal). Pharoah is looking to ally himself with Abram.
4. Sarah is taken into Pharoah’s home – Abram doesn’t give her up to save himself. She is forcibly taken into Pharoah’s home.
5. Pharoah admits that he took Sarai for a wife. He seems to indicate that Abram did the wrong thing by deceiving him. But Abram is never impugned by God. As my professor in Seminary said: “What Pharaoh did was unthinkable to anyone with an Ancient Near Eastern Ethic.”
6. Pharoah is the one punished, not Abram – God afflicted Pharoah and Pharoah’s household because of Sarai. (12:17)
7. Abram is trying to stay alive in Egypt so he can continue to care for Sarai – “That my life would be spared for your benefit.”
8. Moreover, Abram wasn’t lying about Sarai (Gen. 20:12) – She really was his sister.
9. And, Abram uses this tactic again in Gerar (cf. Gen. 20:1-18), and Abimelech is found to be in the wrong – God punishes him.
It seems to me that Abram was trying to care for his wife, by preserving his life through telling the truth about Sarai. If he had told Pharoah that he was her husband, they would’ve have just killed Abram and taken Sarai and all that had come with her and Abram. What do you think about this? Who was in the wrong?
Please continue to pray for the nations of Israel and Ukraine. Pray that the wars would end. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. And https://worldrelief.org/blog-prayer-for-israel-and-gaza/ Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.
This Week (May 3-9, 2024):
1. Tonight, May 3, 2024, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to study about Confident Faith. You can read Luke 12:22-34 to prepare in advance. Join in person in Room A-218 or online via the following link at 7:30 pm:
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. The Living Stones Sunday School and Grace Ambassadors Sunday School are meeting this Sunday. The Grace Ambassadors will be learning how to do better personal study of the Bible. The Living Stones will be studying an Overview of the NT in the Koinonia Room (A-216). They will use the following link for those who wish to join online this Sunday:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
3. This Sunday, May 3, 2024, at 11:25 am, our CrossPoint Community Worship Service will start and Pastor Nathan Willems will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship (including communion) at CBCGL!
Text: Genesis 12:1-7; 13:10-18
Title: The Beginning of Faith
Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this week (May 8) at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We will not grow in Christ without growing in our dependence on God through prayer. In May, we’re making time for corporate confession. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab in the bulletin)! You can provide support for COCM (in England), for James Liang (at UConn), or pray for Tim and Judy Shine – who are reaching out to international students in Pittsburgh. They have seen some come to faith and have other activities to share the gospel across cultural lines! Pray that they would get the support they need to continue the work.
2. Sunday Lunch Service is available at CBCGL with $5 lunches that are first-come, first-served. We’ll work at ending our service on time so that you can get lunch!
3. May 19 – CPC is tasked with cleaning the cafeteria. Let’s roll up our sleeves and make the cafeteria spic and span. (This will be a great warm up for…)
4. May 19 – @ 2 pm – via the Heart Pond Trail – Youth 5k for 5k – Fundraiser for Short Term Missions. Pay the $20 entry fee (or more – since it is a fundraiser) and go for a great walk with brothers and sisters from church on the Sunday afternoon of May 19. For more information, sign-up with Elder Charles Wang or Deacon Rick He.
5. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin).
For Prayer:
From Bishop J.C. Ryle – “To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction…It will always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.” Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
We’d be glad to pray for you. If you need prayer, you can submit your prayer request via the following link: https://www.cbcgl.org/pray/
In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Rev. Dr. Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL