I've entitled the message for
this evening, Will God Hear Me? Not does God hear me, will God
hear me? Many people presume on that,
that God does hear them. And that's a very foolish thing
to presume. You see, God is holy and I'm a sinner. I don't want to presume on this,
but I do want to know, does God hear me? Well, we know God heard Ishmael. And if he hears me, he will hear
me the same way he heard Ishmael. Ishmael means God will hear. Now, which of us haven't felt
sorry for Ishmael the way he got kicked out of the house? When I think of him mocking Isaac,
how many big brothers haven't mocked little brothers? I'd say
in every home that's taken place. And yet Sarah says, out the door. He's not going to have any inheritance
with my son. And we know that's given to teach
us something about getting rid of our works out the door. They're not going to have any
inheritance in the gracious acceptance we have in Christ. It has nothing
to do with our works. We're to cast out the bondwoman
and her son, but I've felt sorry for Ishmael. I mean, there he
goes, kicked out of the house. Now, it's clear from Galatians
4 that Hagar and Ishmael represent salvation by law, and no one
can be saved by law. What do you mean by that? If
God can't do something for you before you first do something
to enable him to do it, that's law. Take it as far as you want,
that's law. No one can be saved by law. And
we learned this with regard to Hagar and Ishmael, but it appears
to me that God saved both of these. While what they represent
is salvation by works, isn't God gracious in saving them? In Genesis chapter 16, he made
himself known to Hagar. He made himself known. She heard
his voice. And then it appears here in Genesis
21, that he made himself known to Ishmael. Um, I was glad Matthew
one was read. Look in verse 20 of this chapter
and God was with the lad. What more can be said? God was
with the land. Thou shalt call his name, Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is God with us. Not God against us,
God with us. God was with the lad that in
itself is very powerful. Isn't it? Don't you want the
Lord to be with you? Ishmael's name means God will. Doesn't say might hear, says
he will hear. And this is speaking of hearing
with the ear of divine favor, because God hears what everybody
says. That can't be said of all men
as far as being heard with divine favor. We read in Psalm 50 to
the wicked God saith, what has thou to do to declare my statutes
or that thou should take my covenant in thy mouth? He heard what they
said, didn't he? seeing thou hatest instruction
and castest my words behind me he heard he heard exactly what
they said but not with favor now who is this man or woman
that god hears remember my question is does god hear me who is this
man or this woman the living god the god of glory actually Well, Ishmael's gonna teach us,
and this story actually begins in chapter 16, if you'll turn
back there with me. Verse four, and he went into
Hagar, and she conceived, and when she saw that she had conceived,
her mistress was despised in her eyes. Oh, she looked down
at Sarah. I had the child, you didn't.
And Sarah said unto Abram, my wrong be upon thee. I might've
told you to do this, but you were wrong in doing it. I've heard that before. I've given my maid into thy bosom.
And when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in
her eyes. The Lord judge between me and
thee. But Abraham said unto Sarah, behold, thy maid is in thy hand,
do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarah dealt hardly with
her, she fled from her face. And the angel of the Lord, that's
the Lord Jesus Christ. And the angel of the Lord found
her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain
in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarah's maid,
whence camest thou? And whither wilt thou go? And
she said, I flee from the face of my mistress, Sarah. And the
angel of the Lord said unto her, return to thy mistress and submit
thyself into her hands. And the angel of the Lord said
unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly that it shall
not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the Lord said
unto her, behold, thou art with child and shall bear son and
thou shalt call his name Ishmael. Here's his beginning. Because
the Lord hath heard thy affliction. So Ishmael, his name is given
before he's even born and he's promised by God. That's where
his history begins. And that's where the history
of everybody God hears begins. God determined before they were
born that they would be heard by him. So the first issue in
this thing, will God hear me? If he sovereignly chooses to
hear me, he'll hear me. That's where we got to begin. God's determined to hear me now. We're not leaving it there, but
that's where we have to begin. The same way Ishmael begins.
Look in chapter 17, verse 15. And God said unto Abraham, as
for Sarah, thy wife, thou shalt not call her Sarah, but Sarah
shall her name be. And I'll bless her and give thee
a son also of her. Yea, I'll bless her and she shall
be a mother of nations. Kings of people shall be of her.
Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart,
shall a child be born unto him that's a hundred years old? And
shall Sarah that's 90 years old bear? And Abraham said unto God,
oh, that Ishmael might live before them. Now we've got him, what
you're talking about's impossible. He was laughing and that was
the life of unbelief. Somebody says that's a life of
joy. No, it wasn't. It was the life of unbelief at
this time. He didn't believe what God said. He didn't think
it would come to pass. And so he says, Ishmael's. Oh,
that Ishmael might live before thee. And God said, Sarah, thy
wife shall bear thee a son indeed. And thou shalt call his name,
Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting
covenant. And with his seat after him as
for Ishmael. I've heard thee. Behold, I have
blessed him. There's God blessing. And we'll
make him fruitful and we'll multiply him exceedingly. 12 princes shall
he beget and I will make him a great nation. So God once again
speaks of what he's going to do. for this man, Ishmael. Now Ishmael was heard first because
God purposed to hear him. And if me or you are heard, it'll
be because the God of glory purposed to hear us. But secondly, Ishmael
was heard because of his connection with somebody else. Look in verse
13 of chapter 21. And also of the son of the bondwoman
will I make a nation because he's thy seed. That's the reason. God will hear for Christ's sake
because of your connection with him, not because of any merit
on your part, not because of any, um, thing in you that would
cause God to hear. He hears for Christ's sake. That is why he heard Ishmael
for Christ's sake. Ishmael was heard because of
his connection with somebody else. And I couldn't help but
think of Mephibosheth. Is there any? of the house of
Saul that I can show the kindness of God to for Christ's sake. That's why God hears. And that
ought to give everybody in here some encouragement. God hears
for Christ's sake. You can't be too far off for
him to not hear for Christ's sake. No other reason is needed.
Let not conscience make you linger, nor fitness fondly dream. The only fitness he required
is to have a need of him. God hears for Christ's sake. Now look in verse nine. And Sarah
saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which he had born into Abraham,
mocking. And I'm sure that he was distraught
over the fact that he was no longer The heir? I understand
that. He'd gone all his life thinking
he would be the heir, and now all of a sudden he gets nothing.
And so he looks at his little brother, three or four years
old at the time, and he makes fun of him. Wherefore, she said unto Abraham,
cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman
shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac, And the thing
was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. He
thought, this is wicked. That's what grievous means. Doesn't
mean just it's making me sad. He thought, I'm married to a
wicked woman. That's what he was thinking at that time. I'm
married to a wicked woman. And he was upset. And I don't
think he would have done it. I think he would have said, I'm
not going to do that. until the Lord intervenes. And God said
unto Abraham, let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad
and because of thy bondwoman. In all that Sarah has said unto
thee, hearken unto her voice, for in Isaac shall thy seed be
called. Every one of us are called upon
to cast out the bondwoman and her son. No mercy. to any form of salvation
by works in any way, to any degree. Cast it out. But here's his promise
with regard to Ishmael. And also of the son of the bond
woman, I will make a nation because he is thy seed. Abraham rose up early. You know,
every time we read that in the life of Abraham, he was getting
ready to do something very difficult. You know, he rose up early to
take his son up the mountain. He rose up early and he saw Sodom
on fire and destroyed. And here he is rising up early
to do this very difficult thing. And Abraham rose up early in
the morning and took bread and a bottle of water and gave it
unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder and the child and sent
her away in obedience to God's command. And she departed and wandered
in the wilderness of Beersheba. Now that word Beersheba means
the well of the seven oaths. We're going to come across this
quite often in the Old Testament. Beersheba, the well of the seven
oaths. So there was a well already there,
wasn't there? And it says that she wondered. in the wilderness of Beersheba. And that word wondered is the
same word that is always translated, gone astray. She went astray in the wilderness
of Beersheba. You know something? Goats can't
go astray. Only sheep go astray. She went astray in the wilderness
of Beersheba, but even in her straying, she couldn't stray
outside of this glorious covenant, and God's people can't. In that
wilderness, she was straying. All we like sheep have gone astray. David said, seek, I've gone astray
like a lost sheep. Seek thy servant. She was a lost
sheep straying, but she wasn't straying outside of that covenant. Was she? She couldn't stray outside
of that covenant. Verse 15 and the water. was spent in the bottle. There was not even a drop left. I can see the last time she held
that bottle up, letting the last drop probably go into her son's
mouth. And all of a sudden, it was spent,
it was gone, there was nothing left. I couldn't help but think
of the prodigal when he'd spent all there arose a mighty famine
in the land. When the bottle was all spent
and they had nothing left, they now had no hope, as far as they
knew. Now they had hope because of
the covenant of Beersheba. But in their experience, they
had no hope. The water was spent. It was all
gone. And what did she do? And when
the water was spent in the bottle, she cast the child under one
of the shrubs, and she went and set her down over against him
a good way off as it were a bow shot. For she said, let me not
see the death of the child. And she said over against him
and lift up her voice. Don't miss that. She lift up
her voice and wept. Now she's going to hear from the
angel of God again. Some 17 years before the angel
of the Lord appeared to her and told her about Ishmael, but he's
going to come to her again. You see, God heard the voice
of the lad verse 17. God heard the voice of the lad. God heard. God heard. God heard the voice of the lad
and the angel of God called the Hager out of heaven. This is
the Lord Jesus Christ. And said into her, what a list? The Hager fear not for God has
heard the voice of the lad where he is. Oh, that's so important. Not where he ought to be. where he is. Now, this is the hearing of favor. And let me remind you, there's
only one reason why the Lord hears. No other reasons are needed. Wherefore he is able to save
them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them. You know, when Christ comes
to God, I do too, because I'm in Him. That's how I get into
His presence. Christ comes into His presence.
I come by Him. No man cometh to the Father,
but by Me. Now, He says, Fear not, God hath
heard the lad where he was. Cast off unto the shrub, ready
to die." He came to him where he was, very much like the Good
Samaritan. Remember when he came to the man who was half-dead?
Somebody says, how in the world can you be half-dead? Well, he
was spiritually dead. He was physically alive. He was
spiritually dead. So I reckon he was half-dead.
But he was plum-dead spiritually. But he came to him where he was. Not where he ought to be. Not
where he should be. Where he was. Now human religion has the sinner
first getting himself to the place where God can come to him. God will not come to you unless
you first fill in the blank, whatever it is. God will not
come to you unless you first, whatever it might be. If there's some prerequisite
that I must first meet before God will hear me or before God
will do something for me, I'm in trouble and you are too. There
will be no salvation for me or you, if that's the case. If there's
something I need to do to make myself savable, if there's something
I need to do to make him to hear me, I'm not going to be heard. Just as I am without one plea. but the shed blood of Calvary,
and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come. No prerequisites I have to first
meet, no sin I must first put away and overcome, and no good
thing I must become, no, he came to him where he was. And look what he said to her
in verse 18. Arise, lift up the land, and
hold him in thy hand. For I will make of him a great
nation. Arise. What do you think of when
you hear that word? the resurrection of Christ. And you know what? When she arose,
she lifted somebody else up. Isn't that what Christ did? When
he was raised from the dead, somebody else was. Everybody
he represented. Arise, lift up the lad and I
will make Salvation is what He does. I
will make of Him a great nation. Of Him are you in Christ Jesus?
That's the reason you're there. Somebody says, how do I get in
Christ? Well, He's got to put you there.
Of Him are you in Christ Jesus? Who of God is made unto us wisdom
and righteousness, sanctification and redemption. This great nation, Peter describes,
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him
that called you from darkness into his marvelous light. Now, rise up, lift up the lad
and hold him in my hand. For I will make him a great nation. Now God just talks about what
he's gonna do. I will make him a great nation. Look what verse
19 says. And God opened her eyes. You know what she saw? A well
of water. Now that well was already there
because we're introduced to this story Beersheba, the well of
seven oaths. That well was already there.
Now, I don't know if the Lord just kept her from looking in
that direction. I don't know if shrubs or something was covering
it, but it was already there and she didn't see it. But when the Lord opened her
eyes, she saw it. You know, we can't see. until he opens our eyes. Elisha said to the servant who
was so troubled before the Syrian army surrounding his house, he
said, fear not. All there was was Elisha and
his servant and a host of Syrians surrounding his house. And he
said, fear not, for they that be with us are more than they
that be within. And Elisha prayed and said, Lord,
I pray thee, open his eyes. And the Lord opened the eyes
of the young man and he saw and behold, the mountain was full
of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. You see, when the Lord opens
the eyes, he opens the heart. Remember Lydia, whose heart the
Lord opened. And when he opens the heart,
he opens the understanding. Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures. And what did she
do when her eyes were opened and she saw the well? Well, look
what it says. Verse 19, and God opened her
eyes And she saw a well of water and she went. She didn't just
think, well, there's a well of water. No, she went and filled the bottle with water
and gave the lad drink. The word filled means filled
to the brim, and it's actually translated satisfied. She filled to satisfaction. The Lord said, whosoever drinketh
of this water shall thirst again, but whoso drinketh of the water
that I shall give shall never thirst, but the water that I
give shall be a fountain of water springing up into everlasting
life. Now, have I drunk of that fountain? I can tell you if you have, and
I can tell me if I have. If I've drunk of that fountain,
I'm satisfied, and I'm not looking for anything else. I'm not saying
there must be something else. I'm not saying I must be missing
something. If I drink of that fountain, I am satisfied. I don't want anything else. Everything
God requires of me, I have. I'm not looking, am I missing
something? No, I'm satisfied. And I don't
want to be saved any way but by Him alone. Oh, the well of
satisfaction. God opened her eyes. She saw
a well of water and she went and filled the bottle with water
and gave the lad drink. Ishmael drank of that water because
God heard. He heard him where he was. Look what verse 20 says. And God was with the lad. Now, what more can anybody ask
for? God was with the lad. Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil, for thou art with
me. Fear not, I am with thee. I'm quoting scripture. Be not
dismayed, for I am thy God. I'll strengthen thee. Yea, I'll
help thee. Yea, I'll uphold thee with the
right hand of my righteousness. Now who's speaking? The Lord of glory. Who's he speaking
to in that same scripture? It says, but, but Israel, thou
art my servant, Jacob, whom I've chosen the seed of Abraham, my
friend, fear not thou worm Jacob. Hold on for just a moment. I
remember one time preaching. This has been years ago, John,
you'll remember this. I think we ended up singing a
lesson. Did my savior bleed? and did
my sovereign die, would he devote that sacred head for such a worm
as I? And there was a person visiting,
I don't remember what the connection was, his mother was with him,
and I was sitting here and watched her look at her son and said,
I'm not a worm. Remember that, John? Okay. Okay, but the promise is not
for you then. Fear not thou worm, Jacob. I'm not a worm, and the fear
not's not for you. Fear not thou worm, Jacob, for
I will help thee. Now, God was with the lad. You know, he was with me before
I was ever born. He was with me when he was conceived in his mother's
womb. He was with me as he worked out
this perfect righteousness that he did for 30 some years. Remember when he said to John
the Baptist, thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. He talked about every one of
his elect. He was with me. Maybe a better way to say it
would be I was with Him when He went to the cross and put
away my sin. He was with me when He opened
His eyes in the tomb. He was with me when He walked
out. He was with me or I was with Him as He was raised back
up to the Father. He was with me. I was with Him. He's with me right now. He'll always be with me. He said,
Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Who does God hear? Will God hear
me? Well, here's the elect. He hears
folks who have gone astray and have no water. And he hears us
where we are, not where we ought to be, but where we are. Now,
let me close with this thought. Whosoever. You hear that? Whosoever. What a precious word. I'm one
of them. Are you one of the elect? Hope
so. Are you a whosoever? I know so. I'm in that demographic. Whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord, he's gonna hear. They shall be saved. Now, it's
calling on the name of the Lord. It's not just calling up to some
false fictitious God you've made up. It's calling on Him who reveals
His name in His Word. His name is His attributes, His
sovereignty, His holiness, His justice, His grace, His love. When I call on His name, I'm
calling on every one of His attributes to save me. Lord, will my salvation
by Your sovereign will. Save me by Your justice in a
way that honors Your justice. Save me by Your mercy and Your
grace and Your, Whatever attribute you save me, whosoever shall
call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now, does the
Lord hear me or will the Lord hear me? If I call on his name. Yes. Yes. Let's pray. Lord, we are calling upon thy
name. Save us, hear us for Christ's
sake. Pass me not