1. Believing God’s Good News: Growing Sarah’s faith (vs. 1-15)
 a) Hospitality to strangers (vs. 1-8):  “Lord appeared”- frames the chapter with information Abraham 
     wasn’t give up front. Abraham was resting in the heat of the day. “lifted up…”- suddenly appear. 
     Abraham responded in fitting eastern hospitality by humbly welcoming these 3 visitors & preparing a 
     banquet (Heb. 13:2). “My Lord/lord (vocalized 2 ways)” –singular. He stood by as a servant as they 
     ate (v8). 
 b). After dinner conversation (vs. 9-15, echoes the Lord/Adam/Eve in the garden): 
  -Only close friends inquired about someone’s wife. “Where is Sarah…?” evidence on omniscience. The 
    content is intended for her as much as him. In v10 the Lord takes over the conversation, “I will surely 
    return…Sarah…son.” He repeats what He shared with Abraham not long before (17:15,16,19,21). V11 
    informs us again of the impossibility of the situation since Sarah is old & beyond menopause.
  -Sarah laughed to herself in unbelief (17:17). The Lord further reveals His omniscience in asking why 
    Sarah laughed & spoke to herself the way she did. “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?” He is all-
    knowing and all-powerful. He repeated His promise about enabling Sarah to bear a son the following 
    year.
  -v15 Sarah lied, and the Lord counters. This encounter strengthened Abraham & Sarah’s faith for God 
    promise of a son. Sarah came out of her unbelief & trusted God’s faithfulness (Heb. 11:11).
 c) The Lord does not want us to secretly belief there are things too difficult for Him (what are we to do 
     with music/singing).
2. Seeking God concerning Bad News: Growing Abraham’s faith (vs. 16-33)
 a) The Lord’s musing (vs. 16-19): Abraham’s escorts the visitors toward Sodom. Tradition has it that 
     they walked several miles to a mountain view where they could look to Sodom in the valley. V17-19 
     The Lord talks out loud about His thoughts welcoming Abraham into the conversation. He doesn’t 
     hide things from His servants/prophets. Abraham will become a great, mighty nation through which all 
     nations would be blessed (12:2-3, 17:4-6). The Lord had chosen Abraham to command his children & 
     household to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness & justice. 
 b) The Lord comments on Sodom (vs. 20-21): “outcry”- likely the cry of helpless victims suffering at the 
     hands of this this wicked city. The Lord would go down as Judge to confirm this outcry. He knew, 
     from a human perspective, their condition would be revealed by their reaction to this visit.
 c) Abraham intercedes & the Lord responds (vs. 22-33): The two men turn away, but Abraham remained 
     standing before the Lord to intercede for Sodom (Gen. 14- Abraham rescued Sodom before). He was 
     concerned about the fate of the righteous people in Sodom (Lot & his family and possibly others). Six 
     times he interceded for the righteous people (50, 45, 40, 30, 20, 10). The first is the longest concerning 
     the Judge of the earth dealing justly & what is right in judgment. Although he was bold, he was also 
     humble (vs. 27b, 30a, 32a).
 d) Each time the Lord affirmed that He would not destroy the place if that number of righteous people 
     still reside in it: leaving open He would destroy it if it was less than 10. The Lord initiated this 
     conversation, pulling Abraham into it. Abraham fervently responded making sure there was not a 
     discrepancy in his understanding of God’s character & action of judgment. The Lord also controlled 
     the end of the conversation, and He departed.
 e) Be sensitive to when the Lord pulls you in to intercede for others (including the wicked) & come 
     humbly and boldly before Him.