This lesson is compatible with the "Abraham & Isaac" Flash-A-Cards from Abeka Books.
Scripture References: Genesis 21:1-7
“Sarah, it’s time for the nurse to come stay in your tent. You are getting too big to bend over and pick things up if you drop them. You can’t even get out of your seat without help! You need help with you all the time. I’ll feel better when I’m out supervising the servants and herds.”
Abraham was watching his wife as she slowly walked outside to sit under the shade tree. It was hot, and she was trying to cool off. Her tummy was so big now!
Abraham was remembering another hot day about one year ago. He had been sitting in his tent door trying to cool off from the heat, too. He was interrupted by three visitors. Do you remember who they were?
(God and two angels!) After Abraham fixed dinner for his guests, God told him that in one year he was going to give them a baby! Sarah overheard this and laughed to herself in disbelief. [Visual 2.2] She was FAR TOO OLD to have a baby. In fact, she was so old that it was now impossible to have a baby. Her body just didn’t work like that anymore.
God knew she laughed in disbelief and told her so. Did she come clean with God and admit to laughing and disbelieving? No! She lied!
But God kept his promise, and one year later, a baby was born! GOD KEPT HIS PROMISE! After all of the waiting and doubting. After all of the mistakes both Abraham and Sarah had made! And they made even more mistakes, and failed God even more than we have mentioned in class. God didn’t say “Well, I don’t feel like keeping my promise now. Neither Sarah and Abraham deserve my blessings. They don’t deserve to have a baby. I just can’t use them…they aren’t good enough.”
I’m so glad God didn’t say this! It was true that they weren’t good enough. It was true that they didn’t deserve God’s blessings. None of us do! But God ALWAYS keeps His promises! I am SO SO SO SO glad! Because God kept His promise to Abraham, all the world has been blessed! How? Jesus would one day leave his nice, comfortable, perfect home in heaven to come to earth as a baby. He would put on skin and bones of a human man, and live and die to pay for the sins of the whole world! Even Abraham and Sarah’s sins! And he would come as a part of Abraham’s family! How cool is that?!
Sarah was old, but when the baby had grown to just the right size in the safety of her tummy, it was time for him to be born. It was painful for Sarah to have a baby. And perhaps even more painful than it was for most young women to have a baby. But the baby was born, and everyone was healthy and happy!
As Abraham looked on in pride at his new son, Sarah began to laugh. This time, it wasn’t in disbelief. It was out of joy! She was so happy that she just couldn’t help herself! I am a mom!
Abraham heard Sarah laugh and was reminded that he, too, laughed when God told him he would have a son with Sarah.
Maybe that is why Abraham and Sarah decided to name the baby Isaac. It means “He will laugh”. Sarah said “God has made ME to laugh with joy, and everyone who hears our story will laugh with joy!” [Visual 3.1]
Abraham and Sarah had learned an important lesson. If God would keep His promise to give a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman a baby of their own, He could do anything! And He was a God who keeps His word! They thought about the other promises God made. He would bless the WHOLE world through them! How? God himself would take the punishment for sin! They still didn’t know exactly how it would happen, because it wouldn’t be until OVER 1700 YEARS LATER that Jesus would come to earth as a baby! But they believed it would happen. They believed God. I’m sure they told everyone who came near them about their baby. They wanted people to hear how God did a miracle to give old people a son. But I’m sure they also wanted to tell people that someday the world would be blessed. Someday God would pay for sin.
Do you believe God? Do you believe His promises are true? Do you believe Jesus is the only way to heaven? I sure hope so! If you have any questions, talk to me after class. I will be happy to help you!
As Abraham and Sarah were spending their days holding the new baby, laughing at the funny faces he made, and rocking him to sleep at night, there were other people in the family not so happy.
We will hear more about it next week.
Let’s thank God for keeping his promises now.