Jesus Creator, Lord, Saviour, King: Jesus, Friend of Abraham Genesis 18

 

Jesus Creator, Lord, Saviour, King: Jesus, Friend of Abraham
Genesis 18

Introduction: My Grandmother Buna George and my Mom Suzane Minefee had a favorite tract that contained the poem, “If Jesus Came To Your House” by Lois Blanchard Eades. I don’t ever remember picking up one of their bibles and not seeing that poem in between the covers.

 If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two -

If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you'd do.

Oh, I know you'd give your nicest room to such an honored Guest,

And all the food you'd serve to Him would be the very best,

And you would keep assuring Him you're glad to have him there -

That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.

 

But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door

With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor?

Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?

Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been?

Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn't heard?

And wish you hadn't uttered that last, loud, hasty word?

Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?

Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?

And I wonder - if the Savior spent a day or two with you,

Would you go right on doing the things you always do?

Would you go right on saying the things you always say?

Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?

 

Would your family conversation keep up it's usual pace?

And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?

Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books your read,

And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?

Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you'd planned to go?

Or would you, maybe, change your plans for just a day or so?

 

Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends?

Or would you hope they'd stay away until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?

Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know the things that you would do

If Jesus Christ in person came to spend some time with you.

 

Now if that old poem seems a little quaint or funny, like it could never happen, just remember that in Genesis 18, it did happen. Jesus actually came to Abraham’s house, or tent in this case. So let’s all turn there and look at Jesus the Friend of Abraham and the Friend man.

Jesus, The Friend Of Man - Genesis 18:2-8

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 and said, ‘My Lord, (Abraham recognizes the Lord and addresses Him) if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are you come to your servant’. And they said, ‘So do, as thou hast said’. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth’. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Jesus Friend of Abraham

I know that this is a familiar story and its familiarity perhaps has caused us to lose our wonder of what it happening here. Stop for a moment and consider this. Here is a story, a true story, about a day in the life of Abraham when the Lord and a couple of his angels drop by for a visit.

That should stun us, God the Son, the creator of the universe, just casually drops by for meal with Abraham. No vision, no dream, no voice from heaven, just the Lord stopping by to say, “Hello, Abraham. Just thought I’d stop by on my way to rain down fire and brimstone and wanted to see how you and Sarah were getting along.”  Now I realize there is much more to this than just a visit but the seeming normality of what is taking place here is mind blowing to me.

Let’s begin with, why we know this is Jesus and not just three angels. Jesus often appears in the Old Testament, but He is not named Jesus or Yeshua until he is born in the flesh, incarnate, to in the OT He is in His preincarnate state. Jesus before he was born on earth, had the role within the Godhead of being the mediator, the go-between, the messenger or Angel (with a capital A) of God and that is what is happening here as He visits His friend Abraham.

Thiessan Systematic Theology - Although the second person of the trinity often appears in the Old Testament, he is never referred to as Christ. Instead, we have the names Son, Jehovah, and the angel of Jehovah. His appearances in the Old Testament as the angel of the Lord are significant. As the angel of the Lord, he appeared to Hagar and told her to return and submit herself to Sarah, adding that he would multiply her posterity (Gen. 16:7–14). As such, he appeared to Abraham and stayed his hand when he was about to slay his son Isaac (Gen. 22:11–18). As the angel of God, he told Jacob that he would prosper him in the face of Laban’s unfair dealings with him (Gen. 31:11–13). To Moses the angel of the Lord appeared in a flame of fire out of the bush and asked him not to draw near, for the ground was holy (Exod. 3:2–5). Then we read that the angel of God went before Israel when they left Egypt (Exod. 14:19; cf. 23:20; 32:34). Paul says that the rock that followed them was Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). When Balaam came to curse Israel, the angel of the Lord intercepted him and instructed him to say only such things as he would speak to him (Num. 22:22–35). Further, the angel of the Lord came to Gideon when he was secretly threshing wheat to hide it from the Midianites and told him to go and deliver Israel (Judg. 6:11–24). To Manoah this angel appeared and promised him a son, whom his wife called Samson (Judg. 13:2–24). When David sinned in numbering the people, God sent the angel with a pestilence (1 Chron. 21:1–27). When Elijah fled before Jezebel, the angel of the Lord came and refreshed him under the juniper tree (1 Kings 19:5–7). No doubt it was the same person that spoke to him at Mt. Horeb (vss. 9–18). In the days when Sennacherib invaded Judah, the angel of the Lord came to the rescue of the distressed Jews and smote 185,000 Assyrians in one night (2 Kings 19:35). In Zech. 1:11 the angel of the Lord stands among the myrtle trees and receives the reports of various messengers. And in Zech. 3:1 Joshua the high priest is represented as standing before this same angel. From all these Scriptures, we learn that Christ had a distinct personal existence during the Old Testament period and that he had definite and repeated dealings with the Israelites. – Thiessan

Jesus as the Angel of the Lord watched over and protected God’s people, Israel and in some case like Genesis 18, He appears as a man and just drops by for a visit.

Abraham obviously realizes that one of these men is the Lord, for he addresses him that way in  Genesis 18:3-5 My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant.

Abraham has walked and talked with the Lord before and he recognizes Him here and then in full middle eastern custom treats Him as an honored guest.

Genesis 18:6-8 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetch a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

The meal is made Sarah and Ishmael serve and the Lord visits with his Abraham as if it was just two friends getting together for coffee and conversation.

That mediatorial role that Jesus serves within the Godhead has not changed. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. And we should be so overjoyed that Jesus circle of friends is not a small one. There is no universal church, but there is universal friendship and family though Jesus.

Listen to what Jesus said to His apostles just before He was taken to the cross, this was one of the vital things He wanted them to know and remember, that He was their friend.

Jesus Our Friend

John 15:12-15 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (this is what Jeus did for us) 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

The word friend here is φίλος philos; it means dear one, a friend; someone you are actively fond of and have affection for. The word which we still use in words like philosophy, the love of wisdom or Philadelphia the city of brotherly love. In its basic form it is found in AV (29) and is always translated as friend.

And in John 15 Jesus himself declares that the apostle were his friends, not servants but friends and it is on the same basis that Abraham’s friendship was built upon. Abraham obeyed the Lord and the Lord revealed His plans for the future not only for Sodom and Gomorrah but also for the redemption and salvation of mankind.

 Genesis 18:17-19 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

The Bible has much to say about the value and preciousness of friendship because friendship is important to God. He does not take it lightly and he never gives up on a friend.

Job 6:14 to him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 18:24  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Those are beautiful verses and wonderful truths about the great gift from God called friendship, but we must remember and I pray that each of us knows that the highest ideal of friendship as well as the greatest friend any of us can have is Jesus.

Illustration: I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him;
And round my heart still closely twine
Those ties which naught can sever,
For I am His, and He is mine,
Forever and forever.

3 I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!
So kind and true and tender,
So wise a counsellor and guide,
So mighty a defender!
From Him who loves me now so well,
What power my soul shall sever?
Shall life or death, shall earth or hell?
No! I am His forever.

Now the Lord gets to the heart of His visit with Abraham. There are two reasons He come this day, the first is to give hope to Abraham and Sarah for their hope was almost gone. Look at vs. 9

Jesus The Hope Giving Friend – Genesis 18:9-15

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he (The Leader, The Lord) said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure (joy), my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

Jesus The Giver Of Renewed Joy

Isn’t it just like Jesus to accept a small gift of food and hospitality from Abraham, but then to give back much more? In the present, He takes a little refreshment from Abraham and Sarah but He gives back hope and joy for the future.

Sarah hears the promise of a child, her hope now for 70 years or more and she laughs in hopeless, bitterness. She is too old and so is Abraham. She has run out of hope and faith and perhaps even love. I think this is the man reason Jesus showed up when he did. He always shows up when our hope, faith and love is running dry.

He tells them that Sarah, “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.” It’s the promise of a miracle birth announced at the time of life. This phrase means when the seasons returns to life and it mean within a year.

We know of course that Sarah had a baby boy named Isaac and if we have studied the Bible and been in church a while we know that Isaac’s name means laughter. An appropriate name because her laughter for hopelessness had turned to the laughter of joy.

Jesus My Friend of Hope

And that is what Jesus does every time. He takes so little from us and gives back so much. He takes from us our rebellion, sin and bitterness and gives us back eternal life and a home in Heaven. He takes from us our small faith, as a mustard seed and gives us back a mountain of happiness. And then He comes to us at times of our greatest struggles and failures and gives us back the joy of renewed hope.

Romans 8:18-24 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope…

Saved by the hope given to us time and time and time again from the friend who will never fail us.

Two more quick points about this chapter and Jesus as friend. First Jesus friendship is in keeping with his character and his role as the mediator between God and man. Another part of the character is in the next few verses. Jesus is a friend but He is always a righteous and holy friend. Look at verse 16

 Jesus, The Righteous Friend - Genesis 18:16-22

 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;  Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

Jesus The Giver of Judgment

Jesus came for two reasons that day, and for two visits. The first to his friend Abraham for fellowship and to bring hope, the second visit was to the twin cities of sin, Sodom and Gomorrah to bring judgment, a terrible, terrible judgement upon their terrible, terrible sin.

If as the Lord says, Genesis 18:20-21 …the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see” and He acted to destroy their sin, I shudder to think what the Lord’s judgment will be like on some of the cities of our day and generation. And one day, that judgment will not just the consequences of a city or nation’s turn from morality, right and God’s word but will be the direct judgment of the almighty God we read about in the Book of Revelation. No one will compare the fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, riots and anarchy of today’s world with what will happen when the Lord takes away His people and unleashes His full fury upon the sin of this world.

Jesus The Friend And The Line of Separation

I won’t spend much more time on this point except to say this, Jesus is the most loving, kind and forgiving friend anyone can ever know, but He is also the most holy, righteous and implacable judge of sin that the world can ever know.

And you can only know Him as one or the other, there is no middle ground. There is only a sharp line of demarcation drawn with a two-edged sword. One edge of that sword is his eternal friendship and you step across the line by repentance and faith but the other edge of the sword draws a that same line and we are separated and marked for judgment by our own disbelief and refusal of God grace and mercy.

2 Peter 3:9-13 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

This brings us to the last element of Jesus’ friendship in this chapter, the element of mercy. And what a tragic picture of “almost and could have been or simply if only” we see in vss. 23-33

Jesus The Merciful Friend - Genesis 18:23-33

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Jesus the Giver of Mercy

The other two heavenly visitors go on but Abraham stands before the Lord to have only last word, to enjoy one more moment of his company. Then after hearing the righteous pronouncement of doom on the cities of sin, Abraham pleads for mercy and the Lord, also true to His character of holiness and love, is willing to grant mercy even where it is not deserved.

Abraham pleads for a whole city, filled with the most debaucherous, filthy, reprobate sinners to be spared if only a faithful remnant can be found there as well.

He pleads for 50, 45, 40, 30, 20 and then finally Abraham’s great heart pleads, “Please, Lord don’t be angry but let me speak just once more. If ten righteous can be found among the wicked?” And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

That is mercy, both Abraham’s pleading but especially the Lord’s willingness to overlook the sin of an entire city if just ten people, a holy remnant, were faithful. This exchange between the Lord and Abraham is deserving of a sermon all by itself. I’ll let the others preach that or if the Lord is willing come back to it one day myself.

But here is the takeaway the main truths that you and I should take from here.

Jesus’ Mercy Is Always Present but Faithful People are Needed

 Jesus was willing but He required that there be a faithful remnant to be in place. The Lord’s mercy is always willing to forgive. God’s grace has an endless supply, but the Lord requires that that truth of that mercy be shared by us.

Isn’t that exactly what Romans 10:13-17 says? For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The message of God’s mercy must be shared by those who have experienced that mercy. In this day and age the responsibility for that task is us, the Lord’s church. I like the way Mark wrote in in Mark 16:15 Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. “All the world and all creation.” If we every have a colony on Mars you better believe there will be Christians who will go there to carry out the Lord’s command.

One more thing before we leave Genesis 18 and that is the powerful truth of a faithful remnant. If only ten had been found God’s wrath would not have fallen that day. When Elijah questioned God about why the sin of Jezebel and King Ahab was not being punished, the Lord in a sense replied, “I have you and 7000 others who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” It was that remnant that God was honoring and that remnant that was protecting Israel. One of the reasons that the church must be raptured before the wrath of God falls in judgment is because of the faithful remnant of the true church and true believers that is here. Just as Lot and his family had to be removed from Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord’s faithful remnant must also be removed.

Never underestimate the power, peace and protection of the Lord’s faithful remnant. Remember if there had only been 10, many would have been spared. And no matter how small our own remnant may seem in this day and age of Sodom and Gomorrah times infinity, it is the potential of the Lord’s always present mercy implemented by the preaching of the Lord’s persistently faithful remnant, that hold back the implacable wrath of God.

Be that faithful remnant and preach the good news of God’s grace.

Conclusion: The Story of “In The Garden”

To me the hymn, “In The Garden” has always captured the sense of being a friend with Jesus, walking and talking with Him along a garden path. Let me tell you the story of how the song came to be. It was written by C. Austin Myles a pharmacist who have up his trade in order to write hymns. He was also an amateur photographer when photography was still very new. He tells the story, “ One day in March, 1912, I was seated in the dark-room, where I kept my photographic equipment and organ. I drew my Bible toward me; it opened at my favorite chapter, John XX—whether by chance or inspiration let each reader decide. That meeting of Jesus and Mary had lost none of its power to charm. As I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene. I became a silent witness to that dramatic moment in Mary’s life, when she knelt before her Lord, and cried, “Rabboni!”

My hands were resting on the Bible while I stared at the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches. A woman in white, with head bowed, hand clasping her throat, as if to choke back her sobs, walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. As she came to the tomb, upon which she placed her hand, she bent over to look in, and hurried away.

John, in flowing robe, appeared, looking at the tomb; then came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed slowly by John. As they departed, Mary reappeared, leaning her head upon her arm at the tomb, she wept. Turning herself, she saw Jesus standing, so did I. I knew it was He. She knelt before Him, with arms outstretched and looking into His face cried, “Rabboni!”

I awakened in full light, gripping the Bible, with muscles tense and nerves vibrating. Under the inspiration of this vision I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the poem exactly as it has since appeared. That same evening, I wrote the music.

Let’s close with this hymn this morning and let me ask you if you like the author understand what Mary felt that day in the Garden. Is Jesus truly your friend this morning.