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When Etiquette Interrupts the Party
Text: Gen 21:8-12
8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and
Abraham made a great feast the same day that
Isaac was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,
which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out
this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this
bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even
with Isaac.

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11 And the thing was very grievous in
Abraham's sight because of his son.
12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be
grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and
because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah
hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for
in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
"It's best to leave the party while
everyone is still having fun."
This well-planned party has come to a
screeching halt with the misbehavior of one
attendee.
The problem was that of…

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I. Presumption
To Titus (2:9) Paul writes
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their
own masters, and to please them well in
all things; not answering again;
Peter echoes this saying (1Pet 5:5)
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves
unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject
one to another, and be clothed with
humility: for God resisteth the proud,
and giveth grace to the humble.

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In our text Abraham is having a party for
Isaac at the time of his…
A. Weaning- Gen 21:8
Gen 21:8
8And the child grew, and was weaned: and
Abraham made a great feast the same
day that Isaac was weaned.
He is no longer dependent on
someone else to feed him. I would say
more of a celebration for Sarah than
for Isaac; but none the less it is a
party.
Rom 12:15-16
15Rejoice with them that do rejoice,
and weep with them that weep.
16Be of the same mind one toward
another. Mind not high things, but

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condescend to men of low estate. Be
not wise in your own conceits.
Isaac is about 3yrs old (Ishmael
would be 16-17; 21:5, 16:16)
2Chr 31:16
16Beside their genealogy of males,
from three years old and upward,
even unto every one that entereth
into the house of the LORD, his daily
portion for their service in their
charges according to their courses;
Isa 28:9-10
9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and
whom shall he make to understand

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doctrine? them that are weaned from
the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10For precept must be upon precept,
precept upon precept; line upon line,
line upon line; here a little, and there a
little:
2Thess 3:10
10For even when we were with you, this
we commanded you, that if any would
not work, neither should he eat.
True to Gods prophecy about Ishmael
“his hand will be against every
man, and every man's hand
against him”
His party is not complete till he has
engaged in…

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B. Wounding- Gen 21:9
Gen 21:9
9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the
Egyptian, which she had born unto
Abraham, mocking.
Prov 20:11
Even a child is known by his doings,
whether his work be pure, and whether
it be right.
Luke 6:44
For every tree is known by his own
fruit. For of thorns men do not
gather figs, nor of a bramble bush
gather they grapes.

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Matt 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye
shall know them.
This is how God intends a man
to use discernment.
Judge the facts,
not imagine them.
1Cor 8:12-13
12But when ye sin so against the
brethren, and wound their weak
conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13Wherefore, if meat make my brother
to offend, I will eat no flesh while the
world standeth, lest I make my brother
to offend.

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Gal 4:28-29
28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are
the children of promise.
29But as then he that was born after the
flesh persecuted him that was born
after the Spirit, even so it is now.
God steps in to help both sides; for
Hagar and Ishmael he uses…
II. Correction
The lessons not learned at the table will
be made clear in the wilderness.

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A. Wandering- Gen 21:14
Gen 21:14
…and she departed, and wandered in the
wilderness of Beersheba.
She had made a wilderness trip five
chapters earlier only to learn
“submission”.
Gen 16:9
And the angel of the LORD said unto
her, Return to thy mistress, and
submit thyself under her hands.
Now Ishmael must learn the same
lesson.
His travel companion should have
informed him of her experiences.

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Eph 5:3-4
3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named
among you, as becometh saints;
4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking,
nor jesting, which are not convenient:
but rather giving of thanks.
Foolish talking, jesting (joking) is
sometimes called “sport” in the Bible.
Gen 26:8
…Abimelech king of the Philistines looked
out at a window, and saw, and, behold,
Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his
wife.

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Judg 16:25
…they said, Call for Samson, that he may
make us sport. And they called for
Samson out of the prison house; and he
made them sport: and they set him
between the pillars.
Eccl 10:13
The beginning of the words of his
mouth is foolishness: and the end of his
talk is mischievous madness.
Prov 10:23
It is as sport to a fool to do mischief:
but a man of understanding hath
wisdom.

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Prov 26:19
So is the man that deceiveth his
neighbour, and saith, Am not I in
sport?
Isa 57:4
Against whom do ye sport yourselves?
against whom make ye a wide mouth,
and draw out the tongue? are ye not
children of transgression, a seed of
falsehood,
2Pet 2:13
And shall receive the reward of
unrighteousness, as they that count it
pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots
they are and blemishes, sporting
themselves with their own deceivings
while they feast with you;

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This weary wandering gives the mind
time to reflect, and the desires of the
flesh to demand. We now see our
wandering nomads…
B. Wanting- Gen 21:15
Gen 21:15
And the water was spent in the bottle, and
she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
Gen 21:14
14And Abraham rose up early in the
morning, and took bread, and a bottle
of water, and gave it unto Hagar…
Abrahams’ provisions only last so
long; you need to be able to find your
own.

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Gen 16:10
10And the angel of the LORD said
unto her, I will multiply thy seed
exceedingly, that it shall not be
numbered for multitude.
Hagar must grow in faith
1Cor 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will
with the temptation also make a way
to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it.
Wanting what you do not have
usually exhibits itself in…

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C. Whining- Gen 21:16
Gen 21:16
16And she went, and sat her down over
against him a good way off, as it were a
bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the
death of the child. And she sat over
against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
Who is she talking to?
She must be talking to herself.
She has a fool for an adviser is this
is the case.
She has already decided he will die.
She has not considered she could die too.
God didn’t promise she would see the
descendants of Ishmael.

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She is worried about the wrong things.
Having received Correction Hagar and
Ishmael are now ready for…
III. Instruction
A. Why- Gen 21:17
Gen 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the
angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven,
and said unto her, What aileth thee,
Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the
voice of the lad where he is.

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She had emotions but no reason; she
had forgotten the God that saved her
from her own trouble.
Gen 16:13
And she called the name of the LORD
that spake unto her, Thou God seest me:
for she said, Have I also here looked
after him that seeth me?
2Cor 4:9
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down,
but not destroyed;
Eccl 12:1
Remember now thy Creator in the days
of thy youth, while the evil days come
not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou
shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

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1Sam 30:6
And David was greatly distressed; for
the people spake of stoning him,
because the soul of all the people
was grieved, every man for his sons
and for his daughters: but David
encouraged himself in the LORD his
God.
Ps 42:5
Why art thou cast down, O my
soul? and why art thou disquieted in
me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet
praise him for the help of his
countenance.
Ps 42:11
Why art thou cast down, O my
soul? and why art thou disquieted

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within me? hope thou in God: for I
shall yet praise him, who is the health
of my countenance, and my God.
Ps 43:5
Why art thou cast down, O my
soul? and why art thou disquieted
within me? hope in God: for I shall
yet praise him, who is the health of
my countenance, and my God.
Having ask, Why the whining, God now
draws her attention to…
B. Where- Gen 21:17
Gen 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the
angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven,
and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar?

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fear not; for God hath heard the voice of
the lad where he is.
No one can repent for you. You can
never earn the favor of God by the
reformation of the flesh. It is God who
lifts you out of the pit.
Ps 40:1-2
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
I waited patiently for the LORD; and he
inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2He brought me up also out of an
horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and
set my feet upon a rock, and established
my goings.

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Ps 66:18
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will
not hear me:
Gen 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the
angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven,
and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar?
fear not;
for God hath heard the voice of the lad
where he is.
God’s instruction applied is as
refreshing as…
C. Water- Gen 21:19
Gen 21:19

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And God opened her eyes, and she saw a
well of water; and she went, and filled the
bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
Gen 16:13
13And she called the name of the LORD
that spake unto her, Thou God seest
me: for she said, Have I also here looked
after him that seeth me?
Just sitting next to a well of water does
you no good till “God opens your eyes”.
Pride must go, and
God’s instructions must be heeded,
Then that well of water has a greater
value
to you, and like Abraham you will have
some to share with someone else.

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When Etiquette Interrupts the Party
TEXT: GEN 21:8-19
I. PRESUMPTION
A. WEANING- GEN 21:8
Rom 12:15-16
Isa 28:9-10
2Thess 3:10
B. WOUNDING- GEN 21:9
Prov 20:11
Luke 6:44
Matt 7:20
Matt 7:1
1Cor 8:12-13
Gal 4:28-29
II. CORRECTION
A. WANDERING- GEN 21:14
Gen 16:9

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Eph 5:3-4
Gen 26:8
B. WANTING- GEN 21:15
Gen 21:14
Gen 16:10
1Cor 10:13
C. WHINING- GEN 21:16
III.........................................INSTRUCTION
A. WHY- GEN 21:17
Gen 16:13
2Cor 4:9
Eccl 12:1
B. WHERE- GEN 21:17
Ps 40:1-2
Ps 66:18
Gen 21:17
C. WATER- GEN 21:19
Gen 16:13