Imagine being told at 99 years old that you'll father a child with your 90-year-old wife. you'd likely break out in laughter.
Well, that's exactly how Abraham responded to God's impossible promise. Yet this same outlandish situation became the ultimate example of faith that Scripture celebrates. Today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindahl explores the beautiful irony at the heart of Christianity. We're called to trust completely in what we cannot see, to receive what seems too good to be true. eternal life?
perfect righteousness, and God's unfailing love. Yeah. In our study of the letter to the Romans, we find ourselves in the latter half of the fourth chapter. where our holy God again communicates His truth for us. I invite you to turn to chapter four of Romans at verse 16, we'll begin the reading.
For this reason, it is by faith in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the law. But also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. Who is the father of us all? As it is written, a father of many nations. Have I made you?
In the presence of him whom he believed, even God. who gives life to the dead. and calls into being that which does not exist. Still referring to Abraham, Paul continues, in hope against hope he believed.
So that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, so shall your descendants be. Without becoming weak in faith, he contemplated his own body now. as good as dead. since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief.
but grew strong in faith. giving glory to God. And being fully assured that what God had promised. he was able also to perform. Therefore It was also credited to him as righteousness.
Now, not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also. to whom it will be credited. As those who believe in him, who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He who was delivered over because of our transgressions. and was raised.
because of our justification. You're listening to Insight for Living. To dig deeper into the book of Romans on your own, be sure to purchase our Searching the Scriptures Bible Study workbook by going to insight.org/slash offer. Chuck titled today's message, The Man Who Hoped Against Hope.
Sometimes it's fun just to read a book. to relax and enjoy it. I mean, not everything has to be so serious all the time, and on occasion, you're on the lookout for that kind of book.
Well, I've got one to offer you: the Guinness Book of World Records. You will not believe some stuff you read in the Guinness Book of World Records. If you like playing trivia pursuit, it'll get you an edge on everybody else in the game. If you remember some of those facts, the most remarkable and amazing and sometimes stupid things appear in this Guinness Book of World Records. For example, the heaviest man who ever lived, you have any idea how much he weighed?
The book tells us, 1,069 pounds, not 100,000, 1,069 pounds, when he died, he was placed in a coffin the size of a piano. How else would you know that if you didn't read it in that book? The tallest man on record, 13 feet. Two and a half inches. Medically attested, in the past 100 years, the tallest man, eight feet eleven inches.
Shoe size thirty seven double A. That's not shoes, that's skis. Had to go outside to cross his legs. Uh the woman who had the most children. Was a Russian peasant.
Are you ready, ladies? She had 69 children. Among them, sixteen sets of twins. Seven sets of triplets. Four quads.
We're talking litter here, friends, not family.
Now, one amazing fact I came across was not true. Not often you get to find a mistake in it. Maybe it's been corrected in later editions, but in the one I looked at, says the oldest mother on record She gave birth to a baby girl in October of 1956 in Glendale, California. She was 57 years old.
Now, when I read that, I thought Nope. I know of one that beat that by 33 years. And you knew who I was thinking about, don't you? Turn back to Genesis chapter 17. Not in the Guinness book, but in the God's book.
And let's look at. An example of what I'm talking about. Genesis chapter 17, beginning at verse 1. This is the father. He soon will be.
When Abram was 99 years old, Isn't that a great thought? Just stop right there. Abram is 99 years old. The Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.
Verse 3, Abram fell on his face and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.
So he really meant that. He really promised him that. What was Abraham's response? Verse 17, same chapter. Then Abraham Fell on his face.
Okay. And did just what you would have done, man, if you would have been 99 years old. He yitzcocked. The Hebrew says the word is Isaac. That's why they named him that.
It was to be a reminder the rest of his life that when his parents were told of his conception and birth, the parents laughed at it. Not only did Abraham laugh, in fact, look here at the verse. He said in his heart, Will a child be born to a man 100 years old? And will Sarah, who is 90 years old, bear a child? Chapter 18, verse 1, the Lord appeared to Abram again.
This time he brought he came in the form of three men. These apparently were angels who came in human form. Presence angels, perhaps, that had been dispatched from the throne of God to Abram. And as he looked at them, they just looked like ordinary men who came as visitors. They were strangers.
Verse 9 of chapter 18 tells us: They said to him, Where is Sarah your wife?
Now, since they were strangers, how else would they know that his wife's name was Sarah if they had not been sent from God?
So they know her name. And Abram No doubt pointing over, says she's there in the tent. He said, I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, Sarah, your wife, will have a son. Watch closely. Sarah was listening at the tent door.
Can't you see her? Listening to what they were saying. Sarah was past childbearing. I hope to shout. Verse 12.
Sarah laughed at herself. She's listening on the other side of the tent flap. She hears these guys say she's going to have a baby. Yeah, right. Sure.
After I have become old, shall I have pleasure in my Lord? Being old also? The Hebrew is a Little reel here. I'll go ahead and risk it. It says literally, Sarah laughed.
to herself, saying, I have become worn out. Have I enjoyed pleasure? The idea of sexual delight. And my Lord too is old. The whole idea is it isn't going to happen.
It was sort of a laugh of incredulity. This is not going to happen. H. C. Lupole gets the thought of what she says.
The old German scholar writes: the matter is not put very delicately by Sarah. When you're 90 years old and told you're pregnant, you don't worry about being too delicate about anything.
Now, look at this, verse 13. The Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh? Please notice it's now the Lord speaking through these angels in human form. The Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I indeed bear a child when I am old? And look at the next question.
Is anything too difficult? For the Lord. You see, the issue really isn't Sarah, it really isn't a baby, it really isn't being 90, it really isn't Abraham. It's all about God. It's all about who you are.
Who God is. I loved it when Billy Graham was asked by some critic. Who was interviewing him? I mean, do you really believe that Jonah was swallowed by a great fish? Without hesitation, Graham responded.
I not only believe that, I'd believe it if the Bible says. Jonah swallowed the great fish himself. There's no problem. Why? Because God is big.
Because nothing is impossible with a God. Who can pull off something like that? Not even.
Something as simple as conception. to God. Age has nothing to do with God's power. Look at chapter 21. It happens.
We move a year later as we move a few chapters. The Lord took note of Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. I love the way that reads. There's a meter in it. As he had said, as he had promised.
So Sarah conceived. Isn't that great? Can you believe the moment she said? To Abram, hey Abram. I've got news for you.
She bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. Abram called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him. Yes, Clark. Which means he laughed.
So the boy's name was Laughter. Isn't that a great name? As days passed and years built up. Can you imagine kids? Can laughter come out to play today?
Ishmael even taunted Isaac with his name. Laughter. Yeah, what a name. But by now, It's a laughter of praise. Look at verse 5.
Abram was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said God has made laughter. For me. Isn't that great? This is a laughter of praise.
God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old? I love the thought of that.
Maybe carriage. Sarah. Abraham with a walker. Taking a stroll. You have any idea how much this boy was loved for 37 years?
Sarah dies when she's 127. You have any idea? the affection she had for that child. Her only born. Child.
The promise of God. She held in her hands. What does that have to do with Romans 4? Everything. If you were a Jew, you would want to know of an example of what Paul is getting at when he says that one is.
Born again by grace through faith, not of works. In fact, that's radical information. Your rabbi never taught you that.
So when Paul writes in Romans chapter 3 verse 28, we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from the works of the law, that would make any Jew suck in his breath. What does he mean that we're going to be justified by faith? When all our lives we've been taught to keep the law and live in righteousness, and someday you will find your way to God. Paul says that's heresy. One fine New Testament student said that man is incurably addicted to earning his way to heaven.
Many of you, before you came to Christ, thought in order for you to become a child of God, you needed to clean up your life. You needed to start doing good work. You needed to live a life of integrity. You needed to stop doing this and start doing that. Vast majority of people you interview on the streets will tell you that.
How do you get to heaven?
Well, I'll tell you what, I'm working on it. Don't work on it. Christ finished the work at the cross. And the moment I receive the gift of eternal life, I am. declared righteous in God's side.
Think of it this way: the arms that reach down out of heaven are marked with the words grace. Grace. Love that reaches up is adoration. Love that reaches out is affection. Love that stoops is grace.
And he stoops to us in grace, reaching for us. The arms that reach back to take his hands and take him. For his word are marked by faith. For by grace are you saved. Through faith.
Not as a result of works, lest anyone should boast.
Now, the question. Why must it be like that? It's a question that I would call a reasoning question. Why must it be by faith? Verse 16 begins the answer of chapter 4.
For this reason, it is by faith. In order that it may be in accordance with grace, to uphold the grace message from God. The only thing we have to offer is our faith. The it, see it there, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, that's the justification. The sovereign act of God whereby He declares righteous the believing sinner while we are still in a sinning state.
God sovereignly declares us righteous when we come to the cross and acknowledge that Jesus Christ paid the complete penalty for our sins. And there's nothing more that needs to be done or paid or earned. Nothing. It's called his finished work. And when I believe it, when I receive it, that grace of God is enacted.
in the moment of my justification. By grace we have been saved through faith. See how he puts it?
So that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the law, but also, that would be the Jews, but also who are of the faith of Abraham. who is the father of us all. As it is written, A Father of many nations have I made you. Because of the promise of God. God made a promise to his Friend, his child, Abraham, and he said, I will give you a son.
Abraham, in order to accept that promise, needed to set aside human logic. Human opinion. All the medical research that may have gone into this, the age of his wife, his own age, and he trusted God to keep his word. That kind of faith is applied in this case. By grace through faith.
Julia Johnston, in the last stanza of her song that she wrote way back when, which we've sung since 1910. Concludes it with marvelous, infinite, matchless grace. freely bestowed on all who believe. Listen to those words. Marvelous, infinite, matchless.
Free. That's grace. That's grace. Donald Barnhouse has said it probably better than anyone. If anyone is to be saved by any system of works, he is never going to have any assurance of salvation.
And never will he have any security before God. All of his time will be spent in anxiety. Assurance and security are possible only on the basis of the grace of God. If anyone wants to do his part, or attempt to do any part, he will never know whether he has done his part or has reached the measure of the percentage that would be necessary to get him over the line. Out of the field of the condemned, and into the group of those who were saved.
Doesn't that make great sense? If you have to earn your way, you never know when you've earned enough. He continues: Faith in the grace of God does not turn its attention to anything that we have done. or to anything we could do. Faith has but one object for its gaze, and that is the promise which God has made in His grace to do everything for the sinner.
to reconcend to the account of the Saviour. And to credit the righteousness of God. to the account of the believer. As soon as we realize that the work of the Savior is a finished work, then there is nothing left for the sinner to do. But believe.
That's why that statement becomes so powerful in Abraham's testimony. Watch closely now as the passage unfolds. The one who illustrates this the best would be Abraham. He's identified in the he of verse 18. In hope against hope.
What does that mean? Any hope of his wife ever conceiving. any hope of his being able. to enable that to happen. In hope against hope, Abraham believed.
So that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, so shall your descendants be.
Now, I love this part in the process. There was a period of time of waiting, a number of years actually, between when God told him first he was going to make him a father of many nations and when he actually had the child.
So there was a period of waiting. A period when there was no pregnancy. A period when there wasn't the fulfillment of what God had promised.
So We read without becoming weak in faith. Abraham contemplated his own body.
Now as good as dead. Meaning sexually did. Impotent. He contemplated his own body, his own physical condition, since he was already about 100 years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He looked at the facts.
He saw the man, he saw himself, he saw his wife realizing it's physically impossible for this to happen. And so he wasn't weak in faith, but on the other hand, verse 20, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver. in unbelief. I love that word waiver. It's the word to be divided in one's mind.
I love the picture of it. A part of us at times will say, Yeah, I'm sure that's going to happen. And then when we get a little low and we're down, it's I hope it does, but I'm not as sure. And then, you know, it's near payday. Yeah, we can do it.
We can make that. And then the money runs out. And I'm not sure. You are divided in your mind. In this case, it's about having the child.
And he didn't waver. He wasn't divided. As a matter of fact, we read he grew strong in faith. The word means to empower. His trust in God was empowered over the passing of time, being fully assured that what God had promised, he was able also to perform.
I want to stick with this word waiver for a moment and show you a passage of Scripture where it's illustrated. Look at James 1. Go back to James 1, toward the end of your Bible, just after Hebrews. The little Five chapter Letter of James. Look at verse 5 of James 1.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
So what's a Command to pray if you need wisdom. But Here are the conditions. He must ask in faith. Without any There's the term again. Dividing in the mind without any division in the mind.
For he who divides in his thinking, he who is high and low, and high and low is like the, really not surf, but the word is surge. Is like the surge of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. Think about the word surge. We've seen the surf, most of us have.
Having been at the shoreline of a great ocean and the waves pound that surf or that shoreline, we call that the surf. or surfing when we ride those waves. It's out in the middle of the sea you see the surge. It's in the depth of the ocean. And we often called him swells.
where the currents, the wind, the weather. Have a way of mixing together and putting a boat that's out there in a trough down low. looking at the surge above.
So it is in the mind. The mind will surge between strength of faith. and the weakness of doubt. Abraham didn't go there. Back to Romans 4.
He did not waver in unbelief. but grew stronger in faith. Being fully persuaded, fully assured. That what God had promised, he was able Two performer. Um His age impossible.
Her age, impossible. The passing of time made it even more doubtful. The people's words, their counsel, the whole idea of logic and whatever. Forget it. But he never wavered.
Imagine Abraham at ninety-nine years old. Still clinging to God's impossible promise of a son. What sustained his remarkable faith? Juxwindahl tackled this question in today's message titled The Man Who Hoped Against Hope. Abraham's story reveals a powerful truth that we all need to discover.
Here at Insight for Living, listeners consistently tell us how Chuck's biographical studies fuel their passion for Bible stories. Chuck's deep love for God's Word and countless hours of study allow him to bring biblical heroes to life. And today we're excited to offer you a deeper dive into Abraham's remarkable journey. Not through Romans 4, but through Genesis, where we first encounter this extraordinary man. Chuck wrote a compelling biography of Abraham, and we've selected a powerful chapter to share with you.
It's the chapter that describes how Abraham received the title Friend of God and cultivated an unshakable relationship with his Creator. We'd love to send you this deeply personal chapter about developing a friendship with God. It'll come as a downloadable PDF so you can read it on your mobile device or print out a personal copy. In the chapter titled, Can We Talk?, Chuck wrote these words. God, like a good friend, remains interested and available.
ready to hear you express your most private thoughts and ready to offer help for today. Like Abraham, you can maintain your respect for the Almighty while turning to him as a friend. This exclusive offer is available to our current monthly companions and to anyone who joins today. Monthly Companions provide automated monthly donations at whatever amount works for your budget. Your partnership enables millions of people to access Chuck's teaching across the radio, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Instagram.
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Frisco, Texas, 75034. I'm Bill Meyer. Join us as Chuck Swindahl continues to describe the remarkable impact when we fully place our faith in God. That's tomorrow on Insight for Living. The preceding message, The Man Who Hoped Against Hope, was copyrighted in 2007, 2010, and 2025, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2025 by Charles R.
Swindahl, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide. duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
