Sermon notes January 11th, 2026
GENESIS 23
“DEATH OF SARAH”
There’s a fair amount of scripture that talks about Sarah and her good character; we’re going to look at some today. Sarah had been a good wife to Abraham and a good mother to Isaac. Yes, she had her faults, as we all do, but God called her a princess (the meaning of her name) and listed her with the heroes and heroines of faith (Hebrews. 11:11). The apostle Peter named her as a good example for Christian wives to follow (1 Peter 3:1–6), and Paul used her to illustrate the grace of God in the life of the believer (Galatians 4:28–31).
Hebrews 11:11 New King James Version
11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised
1 Peter 3:1-6 New King James Version
1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,
2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—
4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,
6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
- Sarah is cited as an example. She obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. This takes us back to Genesis 18:12 where we read that Sarah said this “within herself.” She did not go around and make a loud profession of submission to Abraham by publicly calling him lord. Rather, in her inward life, she recognized him as her head, and this recognition was displayed by her actions.
- Those women who follow Sarah’s example are her children. Jewish women are descendants of Sarah by natural birth. But to be her daughters in the best sense, they must imitate her personal character. Children should carry the family likeness.
- They should do good and let nothing terrify them. This means that a Christian wife should fill her God-appointed role as an obedient helpmate and not be terrified even if she must suffer the unreasonable conduct of an unbelieving husband, except, of course, when it becomes violent or life-threatening behavior.
Galatians 4:28-31 New King James Version
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
Genesis 23 New King James Version
1 Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
3 Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
4 “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
5 And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
6 “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”
7 Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.
GENESIS 23:8-14
8 And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah (mak-pay-lah) which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”
10 Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying,
11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you. Bury your dead!”
12 Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land;
13 and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.”
14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
GENESIS 23:15-16
15 “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”
- Based purely on the current market value of its silver content, 400 shekels of ancient silver are worth approximately $15,330 to $31,084 today, depending on the weight standard used
16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.
- I give you the field and the cave: This way of negotiating the price was typical of ancient and modern practices in that culture. As a gesture of kindness, the selling party may offer to give the property in question to the buyer, until the buyer insists on paying a price.
Ephron the Hittite followed the cultural customs of bargaining. First, the seller offered to give the item — confident that the buyer would refuse the ceremonial offer. When the buyer refused to receive it as a gift, the seller suggested a price, which he claimed was modest but was really very high. This was understood to be the starting point, and from there the bargaining began.
The Bible doesn't give direct "how-to" guides for modern negotiation but offers principles for fair, just, and loving interactions, emphasizing considering others' interests (Philippians 2:3-4), seeking peace (Romans 12:18), honesty (Proverbs 20:14), and wisdom, while also showing examples of conflict resolution and even bargaining with God (Abraham, Moses). Christians should negotiate with integrity, aiming for mutual benefit and avoiding deceit or greed, balancing self-interest with love for others, and seeking God's guidance
Philippians 2:3-4 New King James Version
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
- Abraham bowed himself down to the people of the land: Abraham showed how a follower of God should conduct business with the world: courteously, fairly, prudently. In not giving a counteroffer to the suggested price of four hundred shekels of silver, Abraham was remarkably generous in his dealings with Ephron.
- “They who, under the sanction of religion, trample underfoot the decent forms of civil respect, supposing that because they are religious, they have a right to be rude, totally mistake the spirit of Christianity.”
Proverbs 20:13-14 New King James Version
13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
- Don’t overindulge in sleep, lest you land in the poor house. Get up and go to work. You’ll earn money to pay your rent, buy your groceries, and give to the work of the Lord.
14 “It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
- This is an old buyer’s trick. As he looks over the used car, he squawks about its dents, its worn tires, its noisy engine, and its hideous color. “It is good for nothing.” The seller hadn’t realized it was such a junk-heap; he naively lowers the price. The buyer gives him the money, then he goes and boasts to his friends about his tremendous bargain.
GENESIS 23:17-20
17 So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded
- Mamre (Hebron area): The site where Abraham lived, built an altar, and where the divine visitation (angels/Angel of the Lord) informed him and Sarah about Isaac's conception (Genesis 18).
- Cave of Machpelah (Hebron): Where Sarah died, and Abraham purchased it from Ephron the Hittite as a burial plot, fulfilling God's promise to give Abraham land in Canaan (Genesis 23)
- It's the burial place for the patriarchs and matriarchs: Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebekah, and Jacob & Leah. (picture)
- It's a holy site for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, with the current building featuring Islamic and Crusader-era additions, divided between Jewish and Muslim sections
Genesis 23:18-20
18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
20 So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.