Sermon preview, week of July 5, 2023
Passing the Promise to the Next Generation
This Sunday’s order
- Sunday
- Reading
- Genesis 24:34-58
- Series
- Promise & Threat
- Preaching
- Kendall Ellis
This is a sermon preview for the fourth sermon in the “Promise & Threat” sermon series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website.
The readingGenesis 24:34-58
“And my master made me swear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’ “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ “He replied, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.’” –Genesis 24:34-58
Read Genesis 24:34-58
34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied. 35“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. 36My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns. 37My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell, 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’ 39Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ 40And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house. 41And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’ 42So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success! 43Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’ 44and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son. 45And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. 47Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.” 50Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter. 51Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.” 52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. 53Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother. 54Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.” 55But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.” 56But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.” 57So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.” 58They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”
“I will go,” she replied.
Berean Standard Bible, public domain
Amidst the BBQs, swimming, and fireworks, Independence Day is an interesting day of reflection. Perhaps more than any other American holiday, we gather to celebrate the unique freedoms we have in this country while also dreaming of how to keep these freedoms alive and well for the generations to come. This hope is even written into the Preamble of the U.S. constitution itself: “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union…and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”
This concern for the next generation isn’t new or unique to our American context. Abraham was worried about what would become of his son, Isaac. God had certainly been faithful to Abraham. God had certainly followed through on each promise so far. But Abraham is old and can’t be around forever. So what’s to be done? What can be done to pass on the promises of God to the next generation?
So Abraham does what any normal, concerned father would do: he makes a plan.
Abraham sends his servant back to his home clan to find a wife for Isaac. (The hope being that a wife would help secure Isaac’s future and provide the family with more heirs.) As you can read in Genesis 24, the servant's journey to find a wife for Isaac is long and filled with threats:
- How will nature treat him on the dangerous journey back to Abraham’s clan?
- How will he know that he’s selected a good match for Isaac?
- Will anyone even believe his story and trust him enough to send their daughter to be married to someone they don’t even know?
I would not want that servant’s job. Good luck with that!
Thankfully, the servant doesn’t need luck. In Genesis 24:34-58, the servant retells the story of his journey and how he chose Rebekah to be Isaac’s wife. But it’s not just a dull retelling of human events. The servant’s story is interesting because he retells the narrative as a testimony–as a story of how God has been working in the world.
As it turns out, Abraham didn’t need to secure Isaac’s future.
The servant didn’t have to stress about the oath he gave to find Isaac a wife.
God prepares the way and cares for each generation.
There are many things that rightfully should concern us about the current state of the world. There are many things that God is calling us to do to care for the world and for one another while we are still here.
But the story of Rebekah agreeing to be Isaac’s wife is a reminder that, ultimately, God is the one who gives the promises. And it is God who is faithful not only to an individual–but to the generations. We need only to place our trust that God cares for our young even more than we do–even unto death on a cross–and to help our young learn to see how God is already at work in their lives.
Now What?
- Reflect: What is something about the future that worries you for the next generation? How is God already at work in that area? How might God be calling you to join in that work as God prepares a way for the next generation?
- Pray: Who do you know that is in the generation below you? How can you specifically pray for them this week?
- Share: How do you already see God at work caring for the next generation? How can you help this younger generation learn and see the promises of God that are active in their lives? How can you encourage them to live faithfully in response to God’s grace?
