Message: What Have You Done To Me?
I.
Introduction
a.
Our goal this
year is to see you get more rooted in Christ as we grow together
b.
One way we are
doing this rooting is through sermons about questions found in the Bible.
II.
Body
a.
How many of
you have ever been hurt by a choice that someone else made? Some of you have been hurt by a parent who
chose to abuse you, some of you have been hurt by someone considered a friend
lied to you. Your life changed because
someone else did something.
b.
Illus: Add Food
Coloring to Water, Add Water to Water
c.
Tonight’s
story has everything to do with that, so let’s read it:
d.
Genesis 20:1-18 – “Now Abraham moved on from
there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a
while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She
is my sister.” Then Abimelech king of
Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. But
God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as
dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he
said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and
didn’t she say, ‘He is my brother’? I
have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I
know you did this with a clear conscience and so I have kept you from sinning
against me. That is why I did not let
you touch her. Now return the man’s
wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure
that you and all yours will die.” Early
the next morning Abimelech summoned all his officials, and when he told them
all that had happened, they were very much afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said, “What
have you done to us? How have I wronged
you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be
done. And Abimelech asked Abraham, “What
was your reason for doing this?” Abraham
replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and
they will kill me because of my wife.’
Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father through not
of my mother; and she became my wife.
And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her,
‘This is how you can show your love for me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is
my brother.”’” Then Abimelech brought
sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he
returned Sarah his wife to him. And
Abimelech said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.” To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a
thousand shekels of silver. This is to
cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely
vindicated.” Then Abraham prayed to God,
and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have
children again, for the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech’s household
because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.”
e.
The question of
the night is: What have you done to us?
a.
The answer isn’t
all that important on this one, but rather the principle it teaches us is: Our
sins hurt others, not just ourselves
f.
Sin’s Solution
a.
Just briefly I
wanted to make sure I made this statement.
Our sin separates us from a close relationship with God and can only
ultimately be solved when we admit our sin to God and ask him for forgiveness.
b.
This forgiveness
is only possible because Jesus died, taking our sins upon himself and giving us
grace (something good we don’t deserve) in this case forgiveness.
c.
Until you have
dealt with the sin you have committed between you and God, you won’t make any
headway finding healing in your life or your relationships with those you have
hurt with your sin.
g.
Our Sin Hurts
Others, Not Just Ourselves
a.
In the story,
Abraham and Sarah lie: saying they were just brother and sister…but leaving out
they were only half-siblings and married, is a lie of omission.
b.
That sin did two
things, and our sin does the same two things to others:
i.
Can lead others
to sin (Abimelech almost committed adultery)
a.
If others see you
doing it they can be drawn into doing it, you are making it normal for
them. Think about yourself, when you
hear about something over and over again, it seems like it is the normal thing,
so you start doing it as well. Cussing
works this way.
ii.
Hurts other’s
lives (Abimelech almost dies, the women of the kingdom are not allowed to have
children, Abimelech must pay off to assure people that he didn’t touch her)
a.
If you sin, it
isn’t a private moment that only effects you, it makes an impact on those
around you and even those you might not know about being effected. It is like the opening video, one thing hits
another, hits another, until paint is finally sprayed all over someone.
III.
Conclusion
a.
So what do we do
when we sin and it hurts someone else?
a.
Admit: To
yourself, to God, and to them. Tell the
truth, don’t make excuses.
b.
Ask: For
forgiveness, you were the one who made the choice, even if you feel like you
were “justified, pushed into, etc…” You
still made the choice
c.
Atone: Make
amends for what you have done, if you stole something repay it, ask them what
you can do to pay them back, to make things right.
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