Joy is the Serious Business of Heaven

Genesis 20 and 21

1) Waiting for Joy

Three Saboteurs of

1)

Reveal Answer

Substitutes (Genesis 16)

2) Succumbing to

(Genesis 18)

3)

on Self-reliance (Genesis 20)

Genesis 12:10-20 and Genesis 20

Abraham goes to a foreign land, tells the king a half-truth about his wife, the king steals Sarah, God punishes the king, the king repents and returns Sarah, the punishment is lifted, and the reunited couple receives wealth from the king

God sometimes

us from ourselves

God

acts in just ways that will accomplish His purposes

God interceded

Abraham’s disobedience (not

Reveal Answer

of)

Hebrews 12:2-3

2) The Birth of Joy

Joy comes according to God’s

(v. 1-2)

Jeremiah 15:16, Matthew 13:44

Joy comes through the

(v. 5-7)

3) Life after Joy

Life after joy is

(v. 3-4)

Life after joy is

(v. 6-8)

Life after joy is

(v. 9-21)

Romans 5:8, Galatians 4:28-31

Life after joy is

God

His sovereignty
Romans 9:6-9

His faithful promises
Genesis 21:22-34

King Abimelek sees God’s blessing on Abraham and desires

God promised Abraham

things: land, people, worldwide blessing

“The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven to fully enjoy God is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or earthly friends, are but shadows, but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun.” Jonathan Edwards