You should have gotten a copy of February’s Sermon Series Booklet when you came in this morning, if you are joining us online and need a copy please let the Church Office know. These booklets are for the whole month and include each week’s outlines as well as a way to dig deeper and go further in your understanding of each week’s sermon.

Join us in 2022 as we read through the following plan "The One Year Chronological Bible" together and highlight evidence of GOD's "PATIENCE" in silver. Silver Highlighters/Pencils and Reading Plan Booklets are available at the Welcome Center.

Abraham’s Deceit
(Genesis 20:1-18)
Yearly Theme: “Patience is…”
Series Title: “Divine Patience (Part 2)”
February 13th, 2022

Something to think about:

Deceit can only last for so long. Truth always finds a way through the tangled web of deceitfulness.

We come to a passage today that explains the very damaging results of deceit.

Just before his son, Isaac’s, birth, Abraham and Sarah find their way to a city known as Gerar, where a king by the name of Abimilech ruled. Fearing that Abimilech would kill him and take his wife Sarah, Abraham devised a cunning plan to protect himself from harm. Let’s take a closer look…ing there. What is GOD’s response? Let’s take a look…

Here’s the takeaway this morning:


Key Point: “When fear overtakes us, GOD’s patience in the face of our lack of trust is incomprehensible.”

What can we learn about deceit from this passage today?...

· __________ is rooted in ________.

Genesis 20:11-13 (NLT), 11 Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ 12 And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. 13 When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’”

· ____________ is destructive to ______________________.

Genesis 20:2, 9-10 (NLT), 2 Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace…
…9 Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done! 10 Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”

· ____________ has a negative ripple effect on ____________ .

Genesis 20:17-18 (NLT), 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children. 18 For the LORD had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah.

Something to take home:

Abraham, through fear and desperation, deceitfully worked to save his own hide by claiming that his wife was his sister. And though this was somewhat true, the reality is, Sarah was his wife. The fear which led to deceit also led to broken relationships, hardships, and significant fallout for others connected with this story.

When we allow fear to overrule our trust in GOD, we have stepped precariously into a make-believe world constructed by tissue paper. One spark of truth will ultimately set ablaze the lies we make all the while complicating matters all the more. And where is GOD in all this mess? GOD is holding the reigns of righteousness, patiently contending for us while we make a mess of things. Oh, that we would do the hard work of telling the truth all the time, and trusting GOD for the outcomes!

Key Point: “When fear overtakes us, GOD’s patience in the face of our lack of trust is incomprehensible.”

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