Abraham’s and Sarah’s Laughter

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Genesis 17:17, 18:12, 21:6
Psalters: 86, 389, 309, 264
Preparatory to the Lord's Supper
  1. Unbelieving laughter.
    1. Abraham (17:17) and Sarah (18:12) both laughed sinfully.
      1. They laughed in unbelief at God’s Word, and therefore at God for saying they would have a son at 90 and 100.
      2. Additionally, Abraham laughed because he did not see another son necessary when he already had Ishmael.
    2. All unbelief is a laughing at God and His Word.
      1. Unbelief cannot conceive of God’s ways (calls them foolish and stupid) and refuses to believe what it cannot understand.
      2. Also believers can think in an unbelieving way.
  2. God responded to Abraham and Sarah individually.
    1. God responded to Abraham by repeating Himself: Sarah would give Abraham a son.
      1. First, God gave the son a name (Isaac), and second, declared that the covenant would go through Isaac, not Ishmael.
      2. God added that this does not mean that Ishmael would be cut out of all the blessings of salvation.
    2. God responded to Sarah for her unbelieving laughter (18:13-15).
      1. God very gently rebukes her, “Nay; but thou didst laugh” (15b).
      2. While we might understand her unbelieving laughter and lying, it is inexcusable.
  3. El Shaddai is most certainly able and sufficient to turn the laughter of unbelief into the laughter of faith and trust.
    1. He, to whom nothing is impossible, will turn their mourning into joy and their sadness into laughter.
    2. When they receive the promised child, he is named “Isaac” (to laugh) (21:3) in obedience to God’s Word (17:19).
    3. What do we learn.