The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is now studying the heroes of faith found in the Bible. In Hebrews 11, we find a remarkable chapter that introduces us to a cloud of witnesses, individuals who exemplified extraordinary faith. However our study will go beyond Hebrews 11 and include the lives of others that are examples of the blessings of having faith in God. We will also talk about otherpeople that exhibited extraordinary faith, some of them are people we may know.
Throughout this Bible study, we will delve into the lives of these individuals, examining the specific trials they endured, the faith principles they embraced, and the lessons we can learn from their examples. Our goal is not merely to admire their accomplishments but to understand the underlying principles that fueled their faith and to apply those principles to our own lives.
As we explore the lives of these faith heroes, we will discover that faith is not merely a belief; it is a dynamic force that empowers us to overcome obstacles, persevere through difficulties, and live a life of purpose. This week we look at the life and faith of Sarah the wife of Abraham who we studied in Session One.
Hebrews 11:11-12 NLT 11] It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. [12] And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is often overlooked in the biblical narrative, yet she is a powerful figure of faith. Her story is intertwined with the Abrahamic covenant, a cornerstone of the Old Testament.
Introduction
Sarah's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of faith, obedience, and trust in God's promises. Her unwavering belief in God's plan make her a true hero of faith. By studying her life, we can be inspired to deepen our own relationship with God and to trust in His sovereignty.
Hebrews 11:11-12 NLT 11] It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. [12] And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is often overlooked in the biblical narrative, yet she is a powerful figure of faith. Her story is intertwined with the Abrahamic covenant, a cornerstone of the Old Testament.
Genesis 12:1-3 NIV [1] The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. [2] “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. [3] I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Yet, her story is a testament to unwavering faith and courage. Her life is a source of inspiration for believers today.
Sarah's name was not always Sarah. Her birth name was Sari and Abraham was Abram but God changed both their names to reflect His will and plan for their lives and their descendants' lives including Jesus.
Genesis 17:3-8, 15-16 NIV
[3] Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, [4] “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. [5] No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. [6] I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. [7] I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. [8] The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
[15] God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. [16] I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
Sarah's lineage and early life
Genesis 11:31 NIV [31] Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.
Sarah accompanied Abraham on their journey, leaving their homeland in obedience to God's command. She was willing to sacrifice her own comfort and security for the sake of God's plan.
Sarah's life took a dramatic turn when God called Abraham to leave his homeland and journey to a promised land. She was a woman of considerable age, likely past menopause, when she was asked to accompany her husband on this uncertain adventure.
Abraham was 75 years old when God first called him to leave his homeland and journey to a land that God would show him.
Genesis 12:4 NIV [4] So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.
Sarah's age at the time of the call is not explicitly stated in the Bible but we can figure it out.
However, we know that she was at least 90 years old when Isaac was born and Abraham was 100.
Genesis 17:17 NIV [17] Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
Despite the challenges ahead, Sarah obeyed God's command. Her willingness to follow God's leading demonstrates her faith and trust in His divine plan.
To avoid a famine in Canaan, Abraham and Sarah traveled to Egypt. However, fearing for their lives, Abraham told the Egyptians that Sarah was his sister rather than his wife. As a result, Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, took Sarah as his wife.
Genesis 12:10-20 NIV [10] Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. [11] As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. [12] When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. [13] Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” [14] When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. [15] And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. [16] He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. [17] But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. [18] So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? [19] Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” [20] Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
The consequences of this deception were severe:
God afflicted Pharaoh and his house with various diseases, likely as a punishment for taking Abraham's wife.
Pharaoh eventually realized that Sarah was married to Abraham and returned her to him. Before sending Sarah back, Pharaoh gave Abraham many gifts, including livestock, servants, and camels.
This experience in Egypt served as a significant test for Abraham and Sarah's faith. It revealed their willingness to sacrifice for each other and their trust in God's protection. Yet they remained faithful to God and were ultimately rewarded for their obedience.
Let's not forget the covenant. The promise of a son.
Genesis 15:1-6 NIV [1] After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” [2] But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” [3] And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” [4] Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” [5] He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” [6] Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 16:1-5, 11-12 NIV
[1] Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; [2] so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. [3] So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. [4] He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. [5] Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
[11] The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. [12] He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”
The Bible doesn't explicitly state whether Sarah's decision to give Hagar to Abraham was due to a lack of faith. However, it's important to consider the cultural context of the time. In ancient societies, it was common for barren women to offer their maidservants to their husbands for the purpose of having children. This was seen as a way to continue the family line and fulfill societal expectations.
While Sarah's decision may not be viewed as a lack of faith in modern terms, it's possible that she may have experienced moments of doubt or frustration. The biblical narrative, however, focuses on the eventual fulfillment of God's promise and the birth of Isaac, a child conceived through Sarah herself.
Genesis 17:1-8 NIV [1] When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. [2] Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” [3] Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, [4] “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. [5] No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. [6] I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. [7] I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. [8] The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants afer you; and I will be their God.”
Genesis 17:15-22 NIV [15] God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. [16] I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” [17] Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” [18] And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” [19] Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. [20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. [21] But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” [22] When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
Sarah's laughter
Genesis 18:9-15 NIV [9] “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he said. [10] Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. [11] Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. [12] So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” [13] Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ [14] Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” [15] Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
One of the most significant tests of Sarah's faith came when she and Abraham were unable to conceive a child. In their advanced age, the prospect of having a biological child seemed impossible. However, God promised them a son, Isaac. Sarah's response to this promise was a mixture of doubt and hope. She laughed at the idea, expressing disbelief that she could conceive a child at her age. Sarah's laughter in response to God's promise of a child was not disbelief but a joyful expression of her faith. Her laughter reflects the human experience of doubt and joy in the face of God's miraculous works.
Despite her initial skepticism, Sarah's faith eventually prevailed.
Her faith remained strong even when the promise seemed impossible.
Her experience highlights the importance of family and the blessings that come from following God's will.
Conclusion
Discussion Questions:
How did Sarah's faith in God change over time?
What challenges did Sarah face in her life, and how did she overcome them?
In what ways can we emulate Sarah's example of faith in our own lives?
How does Sarah's story relate to our understanding of God's promises?
God's promise to Sarah and Abraham was fulfilled when Isaac was born. Sarah's joy and gratitude must have been immense. Isaac became the progenitor of the nation of Israel, fulfilling God's covenant with Abraham. Sarah's faith in God's promises was instrumental in the birth of the chosen people.
Bible Study Audio
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