May 11, 2025
A Joyful Family
Gen 17:15-20
Gen 18:1-10
Gen 21:1-6
Introduction
We have some interesting passages that we are going to look at tonight, but in the end, we will see, it is a Joyful family! A joyful family consists of a family that is trusting in, and following God! You can only find joy through Jesus!
I. Abraham Laughs! (Gen 17:15-20)
A. Announcements (15-16)
1. God is conversing with Abraham! (Gen 17:1-3)
2. This was not the first time!
Gen. 12:1 ¶ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
B. Amazement (17)
1. Abraham KNOWS he is talking with God!
Romans 4:19 “^19\ ^And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:”
2. Abraham’s laughter is of joy, and delight!
C. Answer (18) - Ishmael
D. Annotation (19-22)
1. “Sarah thy wife”
2. “Son indeed”
II. Sarah Laughs (disbelief) (Gen 18:1-15)(9-15)
A. Discussion (9)
B. Declaration (10)
C. Disbelief (11-12)
1. She restrained - laughed “within herself”
2. She was reprimanded (13-14)
3. She is re-assured (14)
4. She reproved (15)
III. Sarah Laughs with Joy (Gen 21:1-8)
A. Devoted God (1)
1. God is longsuffering
2. Sarah did have faith!
Heb. 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
B. Delivery (2)
1. Final day
2. Special – 91 years old
C. Designation (3)
D. Delightful time (6)
Psa. 127:3-5, 3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.