"Don't Play With Sin" 9/23/25

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

Don't play around with sin. Remember when Abraham didn't believe the word of God and decided to 'help' God along by having a child with his wife's maid-servant. Eventually, Abraham was forced to reckon with the results of his self-reliance (rooted in unbelief).

We read what happened in Genesis 21:8-14. 

 And the child (Isaac) grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”  And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”  So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 

We are given only a glimpse of the troubled family dynamic developing between Ishmael and his younger half-brother. But one does not have to think hard to imagine the family dynamic if Ishmael had remained; the house of Abraham would have been divided. Understandably, Abraham did not want to send away his firstborn son. But he trusted God so he obeyed. Brothers & Sisters, let this be a reminder that the fruit of our unbelief must also be cast off. Do you still cling to something of your sin? Put it away that the child of the promise (the Christ child) may have all the devotion of your heart. We cannot serve two masters. 

Now, the obvious difference between Abraham's love for Ishmael and our love for the works of our flesh is that Abraham loved a person and God does not punish children for the sins of their parents (though they often experience the damaging effects of their parents sins). God  was gracious, promising to make Ishmael also into a great nation. Yet even so, God determined that Ishmael should be sent away so that he would not hinder the promise. How willing are you and I to do away with anything that might hinder Christ from having the first place in our life?

A Prayer

O Lord, like Abraham, we often love the works of our flesh, grant us today the grace to cling only to you and trust you more fully. Lead us in the way of truth and life, the way of your Beloved Son, who redeemed us by His blood, Amen.

Grace & Peace,

Matt