Hagar and the God Who Sees All Things
Pastor Tan Thai · Jul 2, 2023
This sermon explores the story of Hagar in Genesis 16, a servant girl who was mistreated yet seen and cared for by God. Through this narrative, the sermon teaches that God is the One who sees all things, understands our suffering, and brings hope even in desperate circumstances. The sermon applies this message to contemporary life, encouraging the congregation to seek God's presence in difficult situations.
The opening presents the main theme through the story of Hagar, an Egyptian servant girl of Sarai. When Sarai could not bear children, she gave Hagar to her husband Abram to hope for offspring. However, when Hagar became pregnant, she despised her mistress, leading Sarai to mistreat her and force her to flee into the wilderness. This is a situation full of despair and suffering that many in the congregation can relate to.
The second section develops the theological theme of God's presence and care. When Hagar fled, the angel of the Lord found her at a well of water in the wilderness. The angel not only asked her where she came from but also guided her to return, bringing hope. God promised Hagar that her offspring would be as numerous as the dust, and commanded her to name her son Ishmael because "the Lord has heard your suffering." The critical point is that Hagar discovered something profound: El Roi—the God who sees. She named the well "Beer Lahai Roi," meaning "the well of the Living One who sees me," emphasizing that even when abandoned or mistreated, God sees us.
The third section applies this message to the congregation's practical life through the doctrine of justification and confession of sin. Just as Abraham believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), we must also believe in God's grace of salvation. Psalm 32:1-2 teaches that blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. The sermon emphasizes that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9). The final message is that heavenly Jerusalem is free (Galatians 4:26), bringing hope to all who believe in the Savior, whether they were once enslaved to sin or in difficult circumstances like Hagar.