Scripture: Genesis 11-23; 1 Peter 3:1-7; Hebrews 11:11-16
Genesis Origins sermon series: https://dunkirkbaptist.org/sermon-series/genesis-origins/
Sarai – My Princess
Her given name, Sarai, means “my princess.” She was known as an extremely beautiful woman and maybe something of a pampered prima donna. And she could be impatient, temperamental, conniving, cantankerous, cruel, flighty, pouty, jealous, erratic, unreasonable, a whiner and complainer, and even a nag. Happy Mother’s Day Sarai! These are not the things you want written in your greeting card.
Sarah – God’s Princess
In Gen. 17, God reconfirmed his covenant with Abram who was now ninety-nine and gave him a new name – Abraham – the father of a multitude of nations. God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah which means princess without the possessive “my”. She was no longer Abraham’s princess, she was God’s princeess.
Hope in God
The New Testament gives us more insight into Sarah’s character and faith with the Holy Spirit’s benefit of insight into the soul.
In 1 Peter 3:6, Sarah is celebrated as the spiritual matriarch of God’s people and lifted up as an example of a godly wife, in spite of her short-comings.
READ Hebrews 11:11-16
Sarah had faith and hope in God keeping His promises. God gave her the power to conceive in her old age when she was past normal physical ability to have children. She believed God and her faith saved her. She was not only looking forward to having a son but she had faith in the promised descendent who would bless all the world. That was the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Take Aways
First to the women here, whether you are single, married, with children or not – is your focus on your inner beauty or your outer beauty? Do you spend as much time in God’s Word and prayer working on your heart as you do working on your physical appearance? Is your desire for children greater than your desire to glorify God in everything else?
If you are married, do you submit to your husband with a gentle and quiet spirit?
If you are a mother or grandmother – do you teach and model God’s Word for your family all throughout the day – when you rise up, when you sit down, when you are out and about? Deuteronomy 6 calls us to share our faith with the next generations.
Kids – do you obey and honor your mother like God commands you to? God promises that your life will go better and you will live longer if you do. Some mother love gifts flowers and crafts that you make, but all of them would prefer your love, honor and obedience more than anything else.
Husbands – do you honor your wife? Do you provide for her and protect her above yourself? Do you speak well of her in front of your children and others? Do you encourage her in her faith and lead your family spiritually?
Anyone else – now that the Messiah has come, God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins through his death on the cross and offer us eternal life as he overcame the grave. If you have never confessed your sin and placed your faith in Jesus alone to save you – I invite you to do that today.