1. The church is the bride of Christ (Abraham is the Christ figure)
On the cross Jesus bought the world (the field) to rescue His wife, the church
As Christ was resurrected so will the church (Sarah) be

2. Abraham mourns his wife
Abraham, though he didn’t have to, pays a high price for his wife’s sake
He purchases a section of the promised land (cave, field and trees, east of Mamre, Hebron in Canaan)

3. Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah
Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites,[a] 4 “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God[b]among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead.”7 .
Genesis 23 (ESV) 3

4. Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land
Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.”
10 Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, 
Gods clothes are better – not leaves, skins. Prefers us to animals. Drink in wilderness Christ – he’s always supplying us. Trust Him. Knows – He invented the stuff! 4

5. 11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the sight of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” 12 Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 13 And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “But if you will, hear me: I give the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels[c] of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”16 Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, . 5

6. four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites. Thank God for His written word to us. . 6

7. The church is the bride of Christ (Abraham is the Christ figure)
On the cross Jesus bought the world (the field) to rescue His wife, the church
As Christ was resurrected so will the church (Sarah) be

8. His wife was precious and Abraham mourned
Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 
His wife was precious and Abraham mourned 8

9. His wife was precious and Abraham mourned
Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 
His wife was precious and Abraham mourned
In God’s rescue we start off here. 9

10. 4 “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you
 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God[b]among us.
"Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.“ Luke 9
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God.“ Mt 14
"You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16
“Truly this man was the Son of God!” Mk 15
Abraham left his country for another at God’s direction
Jesus left heaven for earth 10

11. The church is the bride of Christ (Abraham is the Christ figure)
On the cross Jesus bought the world (the field) to rescue His wife, the church
As Christ was resurrected so will the church (Sarah) be

12. 38 The field is the world Mt 13
‘give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.”
38 The field is the world Mt 13
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure
hidden in a field, which a man found and
covered up. Then in his joy he goes and
sells all that he has and buys that field.
Jesus tells several parables about fields and the field stands for the world, he says so directly when asked to explain the parable of the weeds. 12

13. 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels[c] of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”16 Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, .
Christ, seeing us dead in our sins, wants to pay full price on our behalf. Imagine your worst deed this past week, you may not want to, it may make you cringe. Then imagine your life time of misbehaviours stacked end to end. Then imagine mine thrown in, and everyone elses – Christ, symbolically in Abraham, intends to pay full price to put that to rest. Four hundred shekels is by some standards reckoned a robbery but it is the price that is named and what price can you put on what you have just imagined? Christ reckoned that all he had was worthwhile for the treasure in the field. Abraham listened and paid the high price in front of everyone so that there was no doubt. We know Jesus was crucified for our sakes, He paid the high proce asked in front of many people so that there could be no doubt the debt is paid and sins can be laid to rest. 13

15. he said, “It is finished / paid in full,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit…
41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid…  since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. John 19

16. The church is the bride of Christ (Abraham is the Christ figure)
On the cross Jesus bought the world (the field) to rescue His wife, the church
As Christ was resurrected so will the church (Sarah) be

17. 17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites. .
Not resurrection but everything else that proceeds it – so many good promises are at the end of the text now that the price is paid! 17

18. The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre Gen 18 NIV
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre… and all the trees that were in the field .
the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east
Gen 2 ESV
The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre Gen 18 NIV
we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Mat 2, KJV
The east is a hopeful direction. The garden of Eden was in the east. The lord appeared to Abraham at Mamre and promised his Son Isaac, which he delivered on. The Magi saw the sign of Jesus in the east from which came our salvation. Jesus tells us to keep looking east – He will return! There are more promises of God! The Sun rises in the east, we have an easter hope! Abraham saw promises fulfilled and entrusted his wifes body to the tomb knowing that God is faithful. We can see Christ resurrected and as surely as Abraham paid the 400 shekels, as surely as Christ died and has risen, so shall his church arise, so shall Sarah arise.
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Mt 24 NIV 18

19. From our perspective
From our perspective the sun and moon are equal in size but that is a trick and temporary. It may appear that the moon is the sun’s equal able to block out it’s light, it may appear that death has the final say, just as the moon can eclipse the sun casting the earth into shadow, but do not forget it is because we are so much closer to the moon.

20. Another
look
In reality the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, but being 400 times closer to the earth it appears the same size and can eclipse it. Being up close with shadows and death we are troubled and mourn. If the moon were to touch the sun it would melt away. For us when death came in contact with the Son of man it was defeated. He rose again! Look to the Son! His light, rising in the east is our hope. Look east to Easter! It is Sunday! His light is greater, 400 times bigger, the number of the cross, the payment for His people, His church. Don’t let your hope be eclipsed even though now the moon of death appears 400 times closer rivalling the Son. Your saviour parted the heavens and came down, he refuses to be simply mighty and big, our God is close!

21. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.[c] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more
Revelation 21 ESV

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From Amen to Action
May you know the peace of God
that transcends all understanding
and guards your hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus, Today and every day, for ever. Amen?
Amen!
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