Another Lie is Part 32 of From the Start: A Genesis Series, a verse-by-verse look at Genesis 20:1-18. The message explores what happens when Abraham and Sarah move to Gerar shortly after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham once again introduces his wife as his sister. Even after decades of seeing God's faithfulness, including the rescue of Lot, the encounter with Melchizedek, and the visit of the Lord to his tent, Abraham acts out of fear of man rather than fear of God.
The passage raises questions many people ask about this story. Why would Abraham repeat a lie that already failed in Egypt? How could a pagan king like Abimelech show more integrity than God's prophet? What does it mean that God kept Abimelech from touching Sarah, and why was the barrenness of his household healed only after Abraham prayed? The message answers these by looking at the ancient Near Eastern background, the meaning of integrity in the Old Testament, and the way God protected His promise that Sarah would bear a son.
The message closes with practical application for anyone who has failed God more than once. When we sin, the call is to repent, confess, accept His forgiveness, stop striving in our own strength, and walk in integrity with the help of the Holy Spirit. Our performance is lackluster, but God's grace is amazingly brilliant.
