SARAH'S "SHORT" SOJOURN

GENESIS 23

Pastor Rick Jackson

By our standards Sarah lived a long time. In light of eternity however her life was like "a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." If the Lord tarries all of us will travel this same path. May we do so as well as she did.

I. EARTHLY LEGACY [v. 1]

Sarah is the only woman in the Bible whose age at the time of her death is given to us.

1. She left a legacy of faith. [Hebrews 11:11]

Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

2. She felt a legacy of faithfulness. [Hebrews 11:13]

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

3. She left a legacy to follow. [I Peter. 3:1-7]

II. EARTHLY REALITY [v. 2]

1. The reality of sin. [Rm. 6:23a]

"The wages of sin is death..."

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

Ezekiel 18:20a The soul that sinneth, it shall die...

2. The reality of sorrow. [I Th. 4:13-18]

3. The reality of salvation. [Rm. 6:23b] but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

III. EARTHLY ACTIVITY [v. 3-20]

1. It should be activity with grace. [v. 3-9]

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

2. It should be activity without arrogance. [v. 10-16]

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

3. It should be activity with assurance. [v. 17-20]

Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.