My Favorite Movie is “It’s A Wonderful Life” [Most of Movie/as Life-Not so Wonderful]
But That Should Not Be a Surprise to Anyone…Isn’t That What the Bible Teaches?
Job 5:7 says, “Man is born into trouble, as the sparks fly upward”
Job 14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble”
Jesus said in Jn.16:33 that, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”
In my Text this A.M. we Read of a Woman Who Lived These Verses…Lived a Very Tough Life
READ TEXT: Question: Why is Hagar’s Pitiful Life’s Story in the Bible? {To Learn From]
This A.M. I Want to Note What God Wants Us to Learn From Hagar’s Story
1. God Wants Us to Learn About STRUGGLE From Hagar’s Story [She Certainly Did]
A. Egyptian Born-Yet A Slave [Sold/Given to Sarai as a Slave] Taken Away From Country-Home-Family
B. Sexually Abused by Sarah & Abram [Surrogate]
C. Treated Harshly By God’s Chosen Family
D. BUT EVERYBODY STRUGGLES IN LIFE {If U Don’t-U Will}Who Doesn’t?? [Better Prepare for It]
2. God Wants Us To Learn About SORROW From Hagar’s Story {She Had’em}
A. Maybe Hagar thot Things Couldn’t Get Any Worse…But They DID..Sarai Drove Her Away
1. Now She’s Homeless-Foodless-Countryless-Alone-and Pregnant in a Vast Wilderness
B. Whatever Plans-Dreams-Joys She Had in Life are GONE ! {She had a Life Full of Struggle and Sorrow]
3. God Wants Us To Learn About THE SAVIOR From Hagar’s Story [HE Cares}
A. THE angel of God..Not AN angel..THE Preincarnate JESUS Cared About Hagar & Came to Her
1. She was a Nobody With Nothing to Offer Anyone…But God Knew Her and Loved Her
B. God the Father Sent God the Son to Offer Hagar Something Just for Her [Deal of a Lifetime]
4. God Wants Us to Learn About SALVATION From Hagar’s Story [It is Available to Everyone]
A. If this Insignificant Slave Girl Gets a Visit From the Savior…EVERYONE DOES!
1..Bible Says Not God’s Will ANY Should Perish…This Proves It[Is One Reason this Story is in Bible]
B. Her Family Back in Egypt Got Visited-Her Offspring Would [You and All of Yours Will Be To]
5. God Wants Us to Learn About SUBMISSION From Hagar’s Story [Salvation Is Illustrated by Submission]
A. Hagar is to Go Back to Sara and Submit to Her Authority....PERIOD {Hard to Do But Part of DEAL]
1. Hagar’s Submission to Sara Pictures Her Submission 2 Jesus {Is Salvation’s Deal}
B. It is the Same Picture of Our Salvation Process
1. God’s Deal Was that We Had to Submit to Jesus
2. Hagar Had to Decide if Worth It—Just Like We Had to Decide If Worth It
6. God Wants Us to Learn About SERVANTHOOD From Hagar’s Story
A. Hagar Accepted the Deal from Jesus and Went Back to Her Life With Sarah
1. The Difference Is—She is Now Serving the Lord NOT Sarah
B. She is Now God’s Temporary {Now Working for God Serving Sarah! [Jesus Came as God’s Servant] WE R2
C. That is What Salvation Is: DYING to SELF and SUBMITTING to JESUS [Serving Him From then on]
7. God Wants Us to Learn About SACRIFICE From Hagar’s Story
A. Is Her Life Made Better---Not Necessarily—But Her OUTLOOK IS
B. Hagar is now Sacrificing and Suffering for the LORD-For her CHILD-And for HERSELF
C. Our Lives May Not Be Made Better-But Outlook Is
8. God Wants Us to Learn About SHEPHERDING From Hagar’s Story
A. The Lord has Become Her Shepherd and She Shall Not Want [He who has been watching over her always will]
B. Year’s Later When She is Driven Away With Ishmael the Lord Still Cares For [Still Shepherds]
9. Finally, God Wants Us to Learn About SCRIPTURE From Hagar’s Story
A. God Keeps His Word..Whether Spoken to Hagar or Written to Us--- He Always Keeps His Word
Invitation: Life Isn’t Always So Wonderful, But ALL Will Get Better Or Worse
