Genesis 18. 

“ Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

The story of the Good Samaritan. ( Luke 10) 

This is a remarkable story about our Remarkable God. It tells of a visit by the Lord soon after the covenant has been confirmed, the circumcisions have taken place and Abraham has God’s sure word that he and Sarah will have a child.  

The first verse of this chapter permits us the readers to know this is the Lord appearing in human form and as we will see later He is accompanied by two angels in disguise also.  

18:1- “ The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he(Abraham) was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.”  Noon in this part of the country means temperatures over 100 degrees. I do not believe Abraham recognizes him yet as the Lord.  

Let’s consider some other scriptures before we get into this story fully.

Hebrews 13: 2-“ Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”  

Matthew 18: 20- “ For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”  

Matthew 25: 35- “ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…” 

Revelation 3:20: “ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with Me.”  

There is a parable by theologian, Soren  Kierkegaard, entitled –“ The King and the Maiden.” 

Let me paraphrase it so you get the meaning:  A powerful king fell in love with a simple maiden. If he declared his love for her as king and brought her to his palace and crowned her with jewels and royal robes – she first of all would not be able to resist the king’s orders to be his wife. And certainly she would be impressed with his wealth and power and grandeur. But- would she love him for who he really was? So he devised a plan that instead of riding to her forest cottage in his royal carriage with an armed escort and royal banners flying- he would disguise himself as a beggar and went alone into the woods to knock on her door and win her heart.  

In a movie called Sweet Home Alabama we see a similar story line. A young couple who wed in their teens separate and she goes to NYC to become a famous designer and fall in love with a wealthy, handsome young man. He proposes to her and she accepts his proposal- but knows she must first divorce her first husband, her high school boyfriend. Who was in her opinion a good ole boy- but a ne’er do well. What she did not know, is he also had become successful and wealthy. But he did not reveal that to her- for he wanted her to love him- not his wealth.   

Is this not what the Lord Jesus did?  Is this not the greatest love story ever told?  He could have come in all His glory from  heaven with a host of angels in fiery chariots- who would not have bowed down to Him. But He wanted us to love Him because He first loved us- not because of what He could do for us.  

God does not want us to seek Him for the rewards He can give us- He wants us to seek Him because He first loved us. Remember the miracle of the five loaves of bread and the two fish the young boy had that Jesus used to feed the thousands. The crowd came looking for Jesus the next day and asked Him- ‘what miraculous sign will you give that we may see it and believe you?’ In fact at the outset of His ministry we are told –“ Now while at Jerusalem at the Passover, many people saw the miraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name. But Jesus would not entrust Himself to them for he knew what was in the hearts of men.” ( John 2)  

  So He came in disguise the first time- disguised  in human flesh- a baby born in a stable, his earthly parents were nobodies. So as a young boy, God in the flesh, grew up in the house of a poor but honest carpenter where He spent his first 30 years.  

Jeremiah 24:7 reveals His plan:  “ I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people and I will be their God ( their King) for they will return to me with all their hearts.”  

Now keep in mind as we continue this story that Abraham does not know this is the Lord  initially. Abraham is a man who has undergone the circumcision of the flesh- but has his heart of hearts been circumcised?  You see- it is obvious from the Scriptures I quoted earlier- we do not always recognize the Lord when He appears in our midst- in our daily walk, in our circumstances both good and not so good/

You do realize don’t you- that every thing that comes into your life as His child, He has permitted. There is nothing you can do apart from Him- if you think you can- then go get your own dirt! 

Have we passed Him by as the priest and the Levite did in the story of the Good Samaritan. Did we step over his body as he lay in the gutter?  Did we refuse to give him food or water or take him in?   

The Lord will test us- as He tests Abraham in a test as simple as how we treat strangers or those different from us.  

Let’s continue with the story to see how Abraham did on this test. Let’s put ourselves in his place- it is the middle of the day- it is 100 degrees. Abraham is nearly 100 years old. He has a lot of servants who can take care of these inconvenient visitors. Watch how Abraham, a man like us, responds.  

Verse 2&3:  “Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bow low to the ground. He (Abraham) said, ‘ if I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.”  There is no indication from this greeting that Abraham recognizes the Lord. In the NIV, the word lord is not capitalized for it is simply the common language of courtesy in Abraham’s day and time. Abraham is being a courteous, thoughtful host in welcoming these strangers.  

From these verses I conclude the Lord may test us in the ordinary day-to-day activities and circumstances. Are we ready to take the time to meet the needs of a neighbor, a stranger in need, or do we sometimes choose not to answer the phone when we recognize the name on caller ID and don’t want to miss the end of our television show?  

Yet Paul encourages us to ‘ present our bodies a living sacrifice.’ He didn’t say present your bodies as living sacrifices when it was convenient or when we felt like it or were not too busy.  Did you notice that Abraham, who was probably one of the richest and most powerful men in the area- addressed the stranger as lord and referred to himself as ‘ your servant’.  What an attitude – what humility. Think of the Lord Jesus washing the dirty feet of  His disciples.  

Let’s see how Abraham does on his test. So far so good- he hurried to greet the visitors. Now Abraham has many servants upon which he can call to tend to these visitors- but notice he does this himself.  

He hurries- obedience in doing the will of God is to be done promptly- not reluctantly or partially.  

He hurries into tell Sarah to prepare three measure of fine flour and bake some bread.

Then Abraham ran to the herd to select a choice, tender calf. ( You might say this is the first Outback Steak House). He gives to a servant who has instructions to hurry and prepare it.  

Abraham then prepares some refreshments of curds and milk ( appetizers) while the steak is being prepared and bread is being baked…you can almost smell this sweet aroma can’t you? That is what our service to the Lord is- it is a form of worship that comes up to Him as a sweet smelling aroma.   Remember this is the Lord incarnate and two angels in disguise- but Abraham does not yet recognize them. To them they are three strangers he has made welcome in his home  

Jesus said I was a stranger and you invited me in ..( Matthew 25)  I wonder was the Lord thinking of that hot day in Mamre when Abraham who was 100 years old invited Him in and fed him a delicious meal.  

In fact Jesus tells us whatever you did to the least of these brothers of mine- you did for me.   

This is a practical outworking of our faith. These are the good works that God has prepared for us to walk in. In doing so we are doing what He would have us to do- minster to others.  

You see the test here?  If the Lord appeared as the Lord of Glory in brilliant light- He would get our complete attention wouldn’t He? Abraham does not know who he is dealing with. As far as Abraham is concerned this could be three nomads who have no money or influence he will never see again. But Abraham treats them royally. He treats them as if they were the Lord.  

Is this not Christianity in its simplest form? James says: “ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.? ( James 1:27)  

When Jesus Christ came into our lives, He did not come into our lives to just give us good times and blessings- He came to fulfill His most heart-felt desire to seek and save the lost. We, the believers, are His body and He wants to minister through us.  

How ?Feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty. That is both physically and spiritually. There are people in our lives who we come in contact with who hunger and thirst for righteousness- while we talk about the weather, sports, and politics. Invite the stranger in- reach out to the lonely. Clothe those who need clothes- both physically but also to show them how to be clothed in righteousness.  Visit the sick; both the physically sick and sin-sick. And visit those in prison- like Jay and Linda Benthal do- but also visit those held captive by their sins.  

What motivated Abraham to do what he did? Abraham had a truly circumcised heart. He is not doing this to impress anyone or receive credit or recognition.  

Abraham did this because he had a heart for God. A heart that was really in New Testament language- Christ’s heart. Let this mind be in you that is in Christ Jesus.  

This simple test revealed his heart motives. For man looks on the outside- but the Lord looks in our heart.  Your reputation is what you do when everyone is looking, while your character is what you do when no one sees.  

We see Abraham running to serve. What do you do when the tests of the heart come in the everyday events of life- where we come across so many opportunities to do good- to help and thus minister the life of Christ? Do you run to serve or do you run and hide?   

After all it was the priest who went over to the other side of the road away from the victim in the story of the Good Samaritan- it was the Levite, a religious man who passed by on the other side.  

Notice while the Lord and the two angels in disguise enjoy this fresh, tender steak, curds, milk and homemade fresh bread, Abraham stands nearby ready to serve.  

Verse 9 is a turning point in our story today. “ Where is your wife Sarah?” Her name has not been mentioned in the narrative- especially her new name Sarah, which she had just received.   Abraham replies : ‘ there in the tent.”  

What follows next leads us to believe Sarah had problems believing she would bear a child by Abraham due to their age in spite of what Abraham had told her God had promised. She was weak in her faith. But faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Hebrews 11:11 records this moment in history for us: “ Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive  seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.”  

This verse is about this very occurrence in Genesis 18.  

Abraham knew at the moment the Lord referred to Sarah who he was talking to. The Lord tells Abraham : “ I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”  

Sarah overhears, as the Lord intended her to overhear and laughs within herself and thought – ‘ after I am worn out and my master is old will now have this pleasure?’ She laughed a cynical laugh to herself and thought  this is impossible.  

Reading her thoughts..the Lord surprises Sarah by asking why she laughed and said will I have a child now that I am old?   

Here is one of the greatest statements in the bible: ‘ IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD!?’ 

I believe it was at that moment Sarah judged Him faithful who promised. And through faith – that comes from hearing the word of the Lord she received strength to conceive.  

Do you see what happens when we serve the Lord in the ordinary, circumstances of everyday life?  People get saved- people’s lives get changed.  

Let me ask you the same question the Lord posed to Sarah: Is anything too hard for the Lord?  Now let me give you the answer Jesus gave in Matthew 19- Nothing is impossible for the Lord.  The one who created the laws of nature and enacted the laws of nature can change laws of nature if He wills.

He is Almighty God who created everything- including the laws of nature which He established and enacted but can also change.  

What is amazing is  God has not called upon us to do anything He did not do. We are told to have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus. ( Phil 2)  

We serve Servant King who puts His subjects before His very own self.