Cry of the innocent.

METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA

DIOCESE OF OSOGBO

TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, 21^ST JUNE, 2020.

GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

THEME: “Cry of the innocent.”

             “Ekun alaise.”

TEXT: Gen. 21:17

“And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.”

“Olorun si gbo ohun omode kunrin naa: Angeli Olorun sip e Hagari lati orun wa, o bi i pe, ki ni o se o, Hagari? Ma se beru; nitori ti Olorun ti gbo ohun omodekurin naa nibi ti o gbe wa.”

A Scottish Preacher, George Morrison, looking at Deuteronomy chapter 11 verse 11, came to a conclusion that “the Christian life is a land of hills and valleys” King Solomon expressed the same idea in Ecclesiastes 3:4, when he wrote that there is “A time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” It is a well noted fact that heaven is a place of unending joy, while hell remains a place of unending suffering and agony, but where we are on earth, every human being must expect both joy and sorrow, laughter and weeping, ups and downs. It is impossible for us to have hills without valleys here on earth. This is also true of every family in the world. Sweet today, bitterness tomorrow. The same members of ones’ family who bring happiness today can as well bring sadness tomorrow. Intimate and joyful relationship can become strained and then change overnight leaving people around to wonder what might have happened to a well-known and happy home or friends. Obviously, the birth of Isaac brought mixed feelings into Abraham’s family. His birth brought joy and sorrow to Abraham and Sarah, and untold hardship with weeping to Hagar and Ishmael her son. Our focus, today however, shall be the cry of Ismael, the innocent boy as recorded in Genesis 21:8-21. While verse 17 is singled out as our main text, the whole passage will be x-rayed.

The promise of God and faith of Abraham and Sarah, his wife, were re-emphasized in verses 1-7 of Genesis Chapter 21. One might wonder if what we do is really important to God. Yes, our deeds are important to God and his work on earth, if we are faithful enough to trust his word and do his will. Anytime we feel defeated and discouraged as human beings, let us remember Abraham and Sarah, and remind ourselves that faith and promise go together. And that God our Father keeps his promises and gives us the power we need to do his will. No matter how long we may need to cry and wait, we must not forget that God hears the cry of his children who put their trust in him and will surely accomplish his purposes in their lives.

Isaac and Ishmael were born of one father but their destiny was not the same (Gen. 21:8-11) The one (Ishmael) who was born of the flesh represents the believer’s first birth, while the other (Isaac) who was born of the Spirit represents the believer’s second birth. Let me remind you that Ishmael was born first just as the natural (the flesh) comes before the spiritual (1cor. 15:46). The first (Ishmael) was born by a slave, whereas the second (Isaac) was born free (Gal. 4:22). Freedom, of course is one of the key blessings in the Christian life (Gal. 4:31). Christian freedom, therefore, is to be and do all that God has for us in Jesus Christ. Philips Brooks affirmed this when he said; “No man in this world attains to freedom from any slavery except by entrance into some higher servitude, and that higher servitude is personal surrender to Jesus Christ.” Men and brethren, no one is more free than the child of God who delights in God and in his will. I mean someone who does the will of our Father in heaven from the depth of his/her heart. However, God does not take his face away from anyone who is free from sin no matter his status in life free or slave. The same was the case of Ishmael who was sent out with his mother by Abraham. Though it was grievous for Abraham (Gen. 21:11&12) to say goodbye to his son, but it was God’s command and he had to obey. It was indeed a bitter decision for Abraham to take, but all things work for the good of them who love God. Part of God’s promise to Abraham was established in the life of Ishmael his son. God provided for his need in the wilderness. He did not abandon Hagar and her son Ishmael, because Ishmael was also the son of Abraham, the friend of God (Gen. 21:13) The Lord re-affirmed his promise that Ishmael would become a great nation (Gen. 21:12-14) Although Hagar and Ishmael suffered and wandered in the wilderness, their water finished, they even gave up in despair (Gen. 21:15&16). They were both in the state of hopelessness, but God whose ears were not deaf listened to them and heard the cry of Ishmael (Gen. 21:17). Ishmael might have remembered all the promises which God made to him, and looking at his ordeal, cried for help. God heard his cry and rescued him and Hagar his mother for the sake of Abraham his father. Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in Christ, let me announce to you that before your cry is heard by God and special attention is giving to your prayer you need to be part of Abrahamic covenant. Hear this, you can only be part of Abrahamic promises and covenant today through your faith in Jesus Christ. If you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you will become an adopted son or daughter of Abraham (John 1:12), then you will no longer be in bondage, but you will have free access to God (John 8:32).

Do you know that Christians are so precious in the eyes of God? Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered” and that you and I are of more value than many sparrows (Matt. 10:31), thus he will not abandon us. In our text, God saw the condition of Hagar and Ishmael and knew their want. He miraculously provided for their needs. So often, in the time of trial like the one we are passing through at this time of COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have failed to see the divine provisions of God. We even forget the promises he made to us in the scriptures. Our hearts are so occupied with problems of life and we only open our hands to receive what we think we need instead of crying out to God to open our eyes to see what he had already provided as solution to our problems. I believe that answer to our present problems is not far from us, if we only have our spiritual eyes opened to see the solution to COVID-19 and other pandemics around us (John 6:1-13; 21:1&6) The case of Hagar and Ishmael is certainly a picture of the needy multitudes in the world today: wandering, weary, thirsty, hungry, sick, hopeless, blind, and giving up in despair. Let us not result to fate, rather let us raise our voices to God and ask him to come and help us. Let men and women of God tell the troubled world the good news that the water of life is available, and that the well of refreshing water is not far away (Gen. 21:19; John 4:10-14, 7:37-39). Our God is kind and gracious to all who cry unto him through Jesus Christ his Son.

Let us conclude this message with hymn (MHB 154) composed by Horatius Bonar (1808 - 1889):

I HEARD the voice of Jesus say:

Come unto Me and rest;

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down

Thy head upon My breast!

I came to Jesus as I was,

Weary, and worn, and sad;

I found in Him a resting place,

And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say:

Behold, I freely give

The living water; thirsty one,

Stoop down, and drink, and live!

I came to Jesus, and I drank

Of that life- giving stream;

My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,

And now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say:

I am this dark world’s Light;

Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,

And all thy day be bright!

I looked to Jesus, and I found

In Him my Star, my Sun;

And in that light of life I’ll walk,

Till travelling days are done.

Fellow Christians in your time of trials or when faced with life challenges always remember that the Bible says, “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles… The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Ps. 34:6&17). Let us pray.

Rt. Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.

Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.

OS-CAN Chairman.