IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD ?"
Genesis 18:14
Robert Wilson was one of the great professors at Princeton Theological Seminary. One of his students was once invited back to preach in the College twelve years after he had graduated. Old Dr. Wilson came in and sat down near the front. At the close of the service, the old professor came up to his former student, cocked his head to one side in his characteristic way, extended his hand and said, " If you come back again. I will not come back to hear you preach. I only come once. I am glad that you are big- Godder. When my boys come back, I come to see if they are big-Godders or little-Godders, and then I know what their ministry will be." His former student asked him to explain and he replied, " Well, some men have a little God and they are always in trouble with Him. He can't do anything. He can't take care of the inspiration and transmission of the Scriptures to us. He doesn't intervene on behalf of His people. They have a little God and I call them little Godders.
Then there are those who have a great God. He speaks and it is done. He commands and it stands fast. He knows how to show Himself strong on behalf of them that fear Him. " You have a great God and He will bless your ministry." My .... what kind of concept do you have of God ? Do you have a little God or a great God ? It was Theophilus of Antioch who in the second century said this about God. " In glory He is incomprehensible, in greatness unfathomable, in height inconceivable, in power incomparable, in wisdom unrivalled, in goodness inimitable, in kindness unutterable." My .... do you have that kind of concept about your God ? I want you to meet this .... The God who is Able! The God who can do anything He wants to do, even rejuvenate dead wombs and gave babies to couples in their nineties!
You see, here was Abraham and Sarah facing a crisis. God again promised Abraham a son this time in Sarah's hearing and she laughed to herself. (18:12)
"Wherefore did Sarah laugh? the Lord asked with convicting insight. Then he added, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" ( 18:14 ) And the answer to this most important question is found in (Jer 32:17) "There is nothing too hard for Thee." Its very interesting to notice how and when the Lord appeared to Abraham. Do you recall that when Stephen was making his defence and recalling the history of Israel he said this,
" The God of Glory appeared unto our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia .... " ( Acts 7:2 ) So He is the God of Glory. In ( Gen 12:7 ) " the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land." So He is the God of Promise.
Do you see ( Gen 17:1 ) The Hebrew name is " El Shaddai, the all powerful, all sufficient God who can do anything and meet any need."
I. NO PROMISE IS TOO HARD FOR GOD TO FULFIL Someone has said that there may be at least thirty thousand promises in the Bible. And God is able to make good every single promise. "God is not a man, that He should lie, neither the son of man, that He should repent, hath He said, and shall He not do it ? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Num 23:19) Here, God promised to gave Abraham a son.
A. THIS PROMISE IS STATED: Look at (18:10) The visitors here of course were two angels and the Lord Jesus Christ in one of His preincarnation appearances. The Lord had come all the way from heaven to give Abraham and Sarah an announcement. Sarah was going to give birth to the promised son. This promise had already been given to Abraham but now it is repeated. (15:4 17:16)
B. THIS PROMISE IS SCORNED: (18:12) "Therefore Sarah laughed within herself .... " My .... the news was so incredible that Sarah laughed and questioned whether such a thing could happen to two elderly people. Abraham's laughter had been born out of joyful faith ( 17:17 ) but Sarah's laughter was marked by unbelief, even though she tried to deny it.
She was laughing at the purpose and the power of God. Have you ever done that?
My .... does God keep His promises ? Does God have the power to do what He says He will do ? Yes. For what God promises He is well able to perform.
C. THIS PROMISE IS SEALED: (21:1) " And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said .... for Sarah conceived." The impossible became a reality (1) A dear old saint was dying. She had been talking about how sweet it was to trust the Lord, how precious were His promises. Someone said to her, " Suppose after you die you find it is all a mistake, that the promises of God were not true, that you are not really saved after all, and that you lose your soul." She replied, " I may lose my soul, but God would lose more." " What do you mean ? How would God lose anything ? How can that be ?" She said, " I may lose my soul, but God would lose more. God would lose his honour." How true that is ! My .... the very honour, character of God is at stake. (1)
II. NO PRAYER TOO HARD FOR GOD TO ANSWER- (vs.17-21) notice Abraham's prayer here? A. HIS SPIRIT WAS SINCERE:As he intercedes for this sinful city. "Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" (18:23) James reminds us that it is "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much." ( James 5:16 )
B. HIS PERSISTENCE WAS STRONG: Look at (18:27) Six times Abraham intercedes for the wicked cities. His heart is drawn out in pity and compassion, and he pleads again and again ! My .... are you persevering with God in prayer? Are you holding on? Are you praying through? "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (1) (2)
III. NO PROBLEM TOO HARD FOR GOD TO SOLVE Let me remind you that people who are GREATLY USED of GOD are always GREATLY TESTED of GOD. (Before God could make Abraham the Father of a Mighty Nation, He first had to make him a God-Fearing Man out of him!)
You see, any believer who attempts something for God comes to great crises in his life.
A. For ABRAHAM it was a PHYSICAL Problem: (17:17) He expressed it in the previous chapter, he said "Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old ? and shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear?"
Do some of you feel like Abraham and Sarah? Old, weak, done, with your life somewhat empty, useless, perhaps marred by faithlessness ? Will you take this word of encouragement. God can still take the aged Sarah and Abraham and work mightily through them ! For Sarah, the barren period is over.
B. For SARAH it was a SPIRITUAL Problem: (18:12) She didn’t believe God. To her this was an absolute impossibility. No way God could do this! I wonder is this how you feel about circumstances in your life? Do you serve a BIG GOD or LITTLE GOD?
I want you to know:
IV. NO PLACE TOO HARD FOR GOD TO REVIVE Is there anywhere too hard for the Lord? Is there a home that’s falling apart? a church that’s cold & dead? a town that’s too big? a city, too corrupt for God to cleanse? Do you REMEMBER Nineveh?
A. GOD REVIVED A PAGAN PLACE: the city was known for its cruelty, brutality, immorality, indecency, dishonesty and robbery. ( Jonah 1:2 )
B. GOD RELIED ON A PESSIMIST PREACHER: Jonah didn’t want to go! Yet after some persuading by God, Jonah walked through the streets of Nineveh preaching: "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown." (3:4 )
This One anointed servant of God was a tool that brought REVIVAL to a wicked city!
His message was short but it was POWERFUL.
ILL- In 1859, in a little town called Ulster, Northern Ireland, God used ONE little boy to stir a whole community. J. Edwin Orr tells of a school boy in Coleraine who was convicted of his sin and found Christ. He returned to his class to tell his teacher, "I am so happy I have the Lord Jesus in my heart." That simple testimony convicted children and staff alike and ministers of the gospel in Colerain were sent for to deal with seekers after Christ. One sentence anointed by the Spirit of God and Colerain was awakened.
"Is anything too hard .... Lord?"
V. NO PERSON TOO HARD FOR GOD TO SAVE page 4 Now we have known some hard sinners. Some of you may be saying, "Well I am living with one." But my .... there is nobody God cannot save.
Do you remember the MANIAC of Gadara? He was no match for Jesus!
Do you remember PETER the rough Fisherman? He was saved by Christ!
Do you remember PAUL the persecutor of the Church? He fell at Jesus feet calling him LORD.
What about our friends and loved ones?
"Is anything too hard for the Lord ?" Job steps forward and answers "I know that Thou canst do everything." (Job 42:2 )
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Jeremiah steps forward and says, "There is nothing too hard for thee." (Jer 32:17)
"Is anything too hard for the Lord ?" Paul steps forward and says "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Eph 3:20)
Conclusion:
My .... will you take it home with you this .... ? No matter what your circumstances are, " Is anything too hard for the Lord?"