SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 20 February 27, 2005

Hagar Sent Away
Theme: A Journey with Abraham
Theme Verse: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 NIV
Readings: Genesis 21:7-21
Memory Verse: "In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." Psalm 18:6

      Walking with Abraham can be a roller-coaster ride, right? In four verses' time we go from the joy of Isaac's birth to the sending away of Hagar and Ishmael. Why? Not only was there a memory of Hagar's despising of Sarah (16:4) when Hagar was pregnant and Sarah wasn't, but notice that Ishmael was mocking, making sport of, either baby Isaac or Sarah. (One translation says "playing" but that doesn't give the real sense.) A Bible footnote says that babies were weaned at 2 or3, (See 1Samuel 1:24) so Abraham would have been 102 or 103 and Ishmael 16 or 17. Abram was 86 when Ishmael was born. Ishmael was Abraham's first born son and he cared deeply for him.

      This is a hard and painful story. At this point this is a very dysfunctional family but God manages to work in a redeeming way in a bad situation caused by human sin. (And God can work in our families too, when we turn to him.) God's ways are not our ways. God loves both sons of Abraham and he has a plan for each of them. His covenant and promise are through Isaac but God also loved and cared for Abraham's other son, and promises to make a great nation of him for Abraham's sake.

      Sarah's bitterness and anger put Abraham squarely in the middle. Everybody is upset! Abraham is greatly distressed because of his oldest son. Sarah is upset by Ishmael's attitude and the idea of both boys sharing the inheritance. Hagar and Ishmael are distraught by being sent out in the desert--they are sure it is to die. Try to picture all the emotions (crying, shouting) crashing around here! God's ways are NOT our ways. God comforts Abraham and says he will take care of them, but that Abraham is to do what Sarah wants--a very hard thing, but Abraham obeys and trusts God in this appalling situation. So Hagar goes wandering out into the desert with some food, water and no destination. Word received: You may not see My provision at first but when you obey. I AM faithful.

      We see the mystery of God here. It is hard to understand but we can see God cares for both boys and has a plan for each one. In this time of world tension we need to remember that God loves the Arabs too, and not just the Christian ones. God's plan is to bless all nations through Abraham and Isaac. God knew ahead of time of the hostility that often exists even today between the descendents of both boys. What can we learn from this? When we don't understand and are distressed, we should follow Abraham's example and trust God and obey him. "Do not be so distressed" (vs.12). Word received: Listen. I will instruct you for what you need to know and what you need to do. We have to trust God even when we don't understand the "whys" but only what God is asking us to do. We have to trust God even when his ways are culturally offensive. We have to change our perspective and not expect/demand that God change--(which is what is going on in our culture today.) We have to learn to distinguish between God's ways and our culture.

      Hagar wandered around till all the water was gone and then puts the boy down under a bush and leaves him (!) so she won't see him die and starts crying. BUT GOD HEARS THE BOY CRY!!! Hagar had learned the first time around that God sees (Genesis 16:13) and now learns again that God hears. She had given up but God still heard and acted. We need to reassure our children and each other that God hears our cries, their cries, even in extreme circumstances. Ishmael means "God hears". God hears us when we cry out to him. Word received: I want you to cry out! Word received: When you cry out to Me I will always hear you. I heard Hagar the first time she cried to Me and I heard her son also. We see in verses 19-21 how God provided for Hagar and Ishmael. "And God heard the voice of the lad and the angel called out to Hagar." (vs.17) Word received: I hear the cry of the children where they are. I want the children to know that I hear their cry to Me.

      Reread the Memory Verse. Prayer:Thank you Lord, thank you. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for hearing me in my distress. Thank you for hearing my cry to you.

      We see the same picture of God in Jesus. He rebuked his disciples who were trying to keep little children from bothering him (Matthew 19:14). Jesus says that whoever welcomes a little child in his name, welcomes him (Matthew 18:5). He tells his disciples that the angels of the little ones always behold the face of his Father in heaven (Matthew 18:10). "Not a sparrow falls without the Father knowing it (Matthew 10:29) and "are you not of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29, 31).

      God had and has love and blessings for those who are not a part of the original covenant promise. God heard. He helped them. God is in charge. What about most of us who are not descendents of either Isaac or Ishmael? Paul tells us in Romans 4:4-12,16-17 that when we trust God(faith) as Abraham did, he becomes our spiritual father, and we, of the same faith as Abraham, are his spiritual offspring/children. Paul says the same thing in Galatians 3:6-9, "those who believe are children of Abraham." By faith, by grace (unmerited favor) we have a share in the covenant and the promises.

Teaching Ideas for Lesson 20

      Please read the Study Guide first.

      Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.

      Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.

      Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.

Basic points of the lesson for little ones.
      1. God loves us and hears us when we cry to Him. He wants us to cry out to Him.
      2. We can trust God because He hears and cares about us.
      3. God loves all people including those who don't know Him, including even our enemies.
4. God is our provision.