Gen. 23-24:
“The Death Of Sarah / A Bride Is Found For Isaac”
By
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study
we looked at chapters 21-22 of Genesis.
1.1.1. Having been through the pre-history chapters of
Genesis, we then are well into our study of the Jewish patriarchs, beginning
with Abraham.
1.1.2. In our last study, Isaac was finally born just as the
angels had told Abraham and Sarah it would be, one year after their last
appearance to them.
1.1.3. The day Isaac was weaned his half-brother Ishmael was
mocking him and Sarah told Abraham to cast Hagar out. At first Abraham was reluctant to do this, however
after the Lord spoke to him and told him to do this he sent away the lad and
his mother on the next morning.
1.1.4. Then, the Lord commanded Abraham to go to the
mountains of Moriah and offer up his son Isaac to the Lord. We looked at the testing of a man’s faith and
how that this story was meant by the Lord to be a type of the Lord lifting up
His Son to be sacrificed.
1.2.
In our study
today, we are going to look at chapters 23-24 of Genesis.
1.2.1. Sarah will pass away rather suddenly and Abraham must
purchase a tomb to lay her body in.
1.2.2. Then, it is determined by Abraham after the sadness of
the death of Isaac’s mother that a search should be made for a bride suitable
for Isaac. Abraham sends his servant
Eliezer back to Nahor and Abraham’s people to find a bride for Isaac.
1.2.3. Eliezer is made to swear to Abraham that he will not
find a pagan worshipping Canaanite bride for Isaac, and that he will not take
Isaac back with him.
1.2.4. Eliezer returns with Abraham’s niece Rebekkah as a
bride for Isaac.
1.2.5. We will look at this very moving and provocative story
as well as the many types of Jesus Christ which we see in it.
2.
VS 23:1-2 - “1 Now Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the
years of the life of Sarah. 2
Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is,
2.1.
The scripture
evidently bestows great honor upon Sarah for she is the only woman of God in
the Bible whose age at the time of her death is mentioned. In fact, very few of the women of God in the
Bible even have their death itself recorded.
2.2.
The New Testament
speaks of Sarah as one of the great women of faith in the scripture:
2.2.1. Sarah is honored in the “Hall of Faith” chapter
of the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 11:11, “1 By faith even Sarah herself
received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she
considered Him faithful who had promised.”
2.2.2. Sarah is looked at as an example of a godly woman in 1
Peter 3:6, “6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you
have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by
any fear.”
2.3.
Abraham had been
away from home and evidently Sarah died rather suddenly and unexpectedly, otherwise
if she had been ill a long time we assume that with the great love that Abraham
had for her that he would have been at her side at the time of her death.
2.4.
Joshua 14:15
tells us that this city called Kiriath-arba used to be the city of
3.
VS 23:3-20 - “3
Then Abraham rose from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth,
saying, 4 “I am a stranger and a
sojourner among you; give me a burial site among you that I may bury my dead
out of my sight.” 5 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 graves;
none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead.” 7 So Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the
land, the sons of Heth. 8 And he spoke with them,
saying, “If it is your wish for me to bury my dead out of my sight, hear
me, and approach Ephron the son of Zohar for me, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he
owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to
me in your presence for a burial site.” 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and
Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth; even
of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I
give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I
give it to you; bury your dead.” 12 And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. 13 He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of
the land, saying, “If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price
of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four
hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
16 Abraham listened to
Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the
hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial
standard. 17 So Ephron’s field, which
was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and cave which was in it, and
all the trees which were in the field, that were within all the confines of its
border, were deeded over 18 to Abraham for a
possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, 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 at Machpelah facing Mamre (that
is,
3.1.
It is interesting
to note that as rich and influential as Abraham must have been at this point in
time that he didn’t own a single piece of property and hadn’t even built his
family a house. In Hebrews 11:8-10 we
read that Abraham lived in the promised land but did so as an alien or
sojourner living in tents, and he did this because he was really looking for
the city whose architect and builder was God (that would be heaven), “8 By faith Abraham, when he
was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an
inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of
promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,
fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations,
whose architect and builder is God.”
3.1.1. Are you like Abraham?
Do you see your life as being just a tent camper here on this
terrestrial world?
3.2.
When you
initially read this account of how Abraham bought this piece of property, it
sounds as if the people of Heth are trying to give Abraham the property. However, what was happening was a certain
type of bartering that was done by the people in that day. When Ephron initially offers to give the tomb
property to Abraham, it would have been a cultural offense for Abraham to
accept his offer. Ephron was actually
saying this to try to get as much money out of Abraham as he could by
bartering, he wasn’t willing to give the property away. Ephron next offered what was too high of a
price for the land, 400 shekels, thinking that Abraham would counter with a
lower offer. Ephron thought that after
this bartering went back and forth for a while that the final price would be
agreed upon by he and Abraham. However, Abraham didn’t really want to play the
bartering game, so he just accepted Ephron’s high offer and the deal was
completed to buy this property.
3.3.
The word ‘Machpelah’
means “double or portion.”
3.4.
The Jewish
patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, along with their wives, ended up being
buried in this cave purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite:
3.4.1. Abraham: Gen.
25:9.
3.4.2. Sarah: Gen.
49:31-32.
3.4.3. Isaac and Rebekah:
Gen. 49:31-32.
3.4.4. Jacob: Gen.
50:13.
3.4.5. Jacob’s wife Leah:
Gen. 49:31-32 (In Gen. 35:19
Rachel died on the way to
4.
VS 24:1-9 - “1
Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his
household, who had charge of all that he owned, “Please place your hand under
my thigh, 3 and I will make you swear
by the Lord, the God of heaven and
the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters
of the Canaanites, among whom I live, 4 but you will go to my country and to my relatives,
and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to
this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?” 6 Then Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not
take my son back there! 7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me
from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and
who swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send
His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. 8 “But if the woman is not willing to follow you,
then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there.”
9 So the servant placed his
hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this
matter.” - Abraham
persuades his servant to make an oath concerning finding a wife for his son
Isaac, making him promise not to take a wife from the Canaanites but from
Abraham’s own people back in Mesopotamia, and, that he not take Isaac along
with him
4.1.
With all of the
promises that the Lord had given to Abraham concerning the seed that would come
from his body, and after all of the scores of years he and Sarah had waited for
this child, we would have assumed that Abraham and Sarah would have long before
sought for a wife for Isaac, for Isaac was at least 37 years old by now. Were they just consumed with enjoying a son
that they had sought for so many years that time passed them by, or were they
negligent in following God’s plans for their lives?
4.2.
We have seen the
Lord’s grace working in the lives of His people to this point in time in the
book of Genesis, and how through God’s grace and mercy He had worked in the lives
of his people in spite of their unworthiness.
This was seen for instance in Abraham twice telling Sarah to tell others
that she was his sister so that they wouldn’t try to kill him and take her for
a wife. Now, we will learn the story of
how this servant of Abraham’s, whose name is not given us here yet we can
discover, takes this charge by Abraham seriously and exercising his faith in
Yahweh he goes to the land where Abraham came from and finds a wife for
Isaac. We will look at this man’s
prayers of faith and how the Lord heard and honored them.
4.2.1. We must be people who are exercising our faith here
and now in the present. We must not be
people who are living in the past or in the future. We must also not be content just to have
knowledge of God, we must be people who are exercising our faith and let our
faith also affect everything that we do in our lives.
4.2.2. What are you doing for the
4.3.
This placing of
the hand under Abraham’s thigh was a very intimate type of oath which he placed
his servant under, one which Abraham is very intent upon his servant carrying
out.
4.4.
We see from other
verses that this servant is named Eliezer, and he is the man whom Abraham
originally might be the one in his house from whom the promised seed might
come. This man was considered as one of
the family and had such great respect for Abraham that he was faithful to carry
out this oath and find a wife in Rebekah for Isaac.
4.5.
It is interesting
here that the name “Eliezer” means “comforter” and since we know
that Isaac is a type of Christ in the book of Genesis, we can see in Eliezer a
type of the Holy Spirit in going and finding a bride in the church for God’s
Son.
4.6.
In the gospels
Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit does not glorify Himself but rather the Son,
and it has been suggested that the reason that the name of Abraham’s servant is
not given here is because of the type of the Holy Spirit which he fills.
4.7.
Notice here that
Abraham tells his servant that he must not find a wife among the Canaanites,
and he must not take Isaac with him, and, that if he cannot find a woman of
Abraham’s family to come with him and be a wife for Isaac that he will no
longer be bound under this oath to find Isaac a wife.
5.
VS 24:10-14 - “10
Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out
with a variety of good things of his master’s in his hand; and he arose and
went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by
the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 He said, “O Lord,
the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show
lovingkindness to my master Abraham. 13 “Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters
of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; 14 now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please
let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will
water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have
appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown
lovingkindness to my master.”” - Abraham’s
servant sets out with 10 camels loaded with a variety of ‘good things’
belonging to Abraham which he can give as gifts, and he goes to the city of
Nahor praying specifically as he goes that the Lord will give him success and
that he will know the woman who is to marry Isaac by her giving him a drink and
volunteering to give water to his camels
5.1.
Abraham’s servant
takes with him ‘ten camels’ loaded with gifts intended to impress
Abraham’s family of his success. Abraham
knew that he must impress them by giving them expensive gifts so that they
would be willing to depart with a daughter who would be worthy of marrying
Isaac.
5.2.
It is interesting
here to listen to the prayer prayed by Abraham’s servant. It is almost as if he has enough faith to
trust the Lord with the situation yet he feels that he has to tell the Lord
where is at and what is going on, as if the Lord didn’t know.
5.3.
Abraham’s servant
decided to pray that the Lord would reveal in an unmistakable way the woman
that He had chosen for Isaac to marry.
He prayed in faith that this woman would not only offer him a drink but
also offer to water his ten camels for him.
The great faith of this man shown by his prayer is revealed on an
internet web page about
5.3.1. We
as Christians have likewise been given a mission, its called The Great
Commission. We were not given by the
Lord a discipleship book or a book on how to establish missions. We were given a manual in the word of God,
but the Lord expects us to look to Him to establish plans for the carrying out
of reaching the world for Christ. Like
Eliezer we need to pray in faith and trust God to work mightily through us and
step out in faith trusting Him to use us.
If we will do this we will be blessed as was Eliezer on this day.
5.4.
Abraham’s servant probably knew that Isaac’s
life would not be an easy one and that he needed a strong servant-minded help meet
in a wife, and therefore he prayed in faith that the young woman whom the Lord
would lead to draw water and ultimately become Isaac’s wife would offer to draw
water for his 10 camels.
5.5.
Abraham’s servant
prays a prayer of intercession on behalf of Abraham, his master asking the Lord
to show his ‘lovingkindness’ (“kehsed” in the Hebrew) to Abraham.
6.
VS 24:15-21 - “15
Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel
the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar
on her shoulder. 16 The girl was very
beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down
to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said,
“Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord”; and she quickly
lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she
said, “I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough,
and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21 Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence,
to know whether the Lord had made
his journey successful or not.” - While Abraham’s
servant was praying his prayer for God’s guidance as he was at this well
belonging to Abraham’s family there in Nahor, Rebekah, Abraham’s niece came out
with her jar to draw water and when the servant asks her for a drink she not
only gives him a drink she volunteers to water his camels
6.1.
Here we see the
answer to the prayers of faith of Abraham’s servant. Rebekah, the woman whom the Lord had chosen
to be the wife of Isaac came immediately over to the well to draw water. Not only did she come out to draw water, but
she also let Abraham’s servant drink from her jar of water, and then even
offered to draw water for his 10 camels.
6.2.
Notice that
Abraham’s servant was watching this young woman closely to see if she actually
would be the answer to his prayers by offering him a drink and then watering
his camels. Now all Abraham’s servant
needed to know was the woman’s family and her willingness and her family’s
willingness to consent to a marriage to Isaac.
7.
VS 24:22-28 - “22
When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a
half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold, 23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me,
is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel,
the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both
straw and feed, and room to lodge in.” 26 Then the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 27 He said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His
lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the
house of my master’s brothers.” 28
Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.” - Abraham’s servant places a gold wring and two
gold bracelets on her wrists and then asks her whose daughter she is and if he
and those with him might be able to stay the night in her house, she tells him
her name and tells him that they also have plenty of room for all to stay at
her house
7.1.
When the camels
had finished drinking their water, Abraham’s servant immediately took advantage
of the situation to bring out and give to Rebekah some of the expensive gifts
he had brought for her. A gold ring and
two gold bracelets were given to Rebekah, and you can imagine how Rebekah’s
eyes must have widened at this point.
7.2.
When Rebekah
tells Abraham’s servant that she is the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s
brother, Abraham’s servant knows that the Lord has blessed him and heard his
prayer, and he bows low and worships the Lord.
7.3.
Abraham’s servant
rejoices for the favor that has been shown to Abraham, not thinking of himself
or what is best for himself. This again
is done in fulfillment of him as a type of the Holy Spirit.
7.4.
Rebekah was so
taken by what had happened she immediately ran home and told everyone at home
what had happened to her.
7.5.
Abraham’s servant
hasn’t yet mentioned his master or his mission.
8.
VS 24:29-32 - “29
Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to
the man at the spring. 30 When he saw the ring and
the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah
his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and
behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 And he said, “Come in, blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside since I
have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?” 32 So the man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded
the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his
feet and the feet of the men who were with him.” - Laban, Rebekah’s brother ran outside to meet
Abraham’s servant and then invited him into the house telling him he would take
care of his camels
8.1.
Here we meet this
man Laban for the first time. He will be
the man who will use trickery to get Jacob to marry both of his daughters and
work for 14 years to be able to have them as wives. Here we get a glimpse of his character for it
is when he sees the costly gold ring and bracelets he becomes very focused and
goes out to meet Abraham’s servant.
8.2.
Notice how Laban
also flatters Abraham’s servant when he sees him saying, “Come in, blessed
of the Lord.” Laban also then
unloads the man’s camels and fed them, and then got water to wash the feet of
Abraham’s servant and those with him.
8.2.1. Always beware of flattery for this is one of the tools
of Satan used to corrupt and stumble many of God’s people.
9.
VS 24:33-49 - “33
But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat
until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.” 34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 “The Lord
has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him
flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and
donkeys. 36 “Now Sarah my master’s
wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he
has. 37 “My master made me swear,
saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the
Canaanites, in whose land I live; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my
relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 “I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not
follow me.’ 40 “He said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will
send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a
wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house; 41 then you will be free from my oath, when you come
to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my
oath.’ 42 “So I came today to the
spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God
of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful;
43 behold, I am standing by
the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I
say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; 44 and she will say to me, “You drink, and I will
draw for your camels also”; let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I had finished
speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder,
and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
46 “She quickly lowered her
jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels
also’; so I drank, and she watered the camels also. 47 “Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are
you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to
him’; and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 “And I bowed low and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who
had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for
his son. 49 “So now if you are going
to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that
I may turn to the right hand or the left.”” - Abraham’s servant insists on telling
Rebekah’s family the reason for his trip and the fact that he believes that the
Lord has led him to this house and to Rebekah to be a wife for Abraham’s son,
Isaac
9.1.
Abraham’s servant
is careful to state his business immediately and not get distracted by other
things. He knows that it will not be
easy for this family to be willing to allow their daughter to leave with a man
they have never known before in order to go to a land far away and be given as
a wife to a man they have never met. He
knows that the longer they wait to make this decision that the harder it will
be for them to part with Rebekah.
9.2.
Abraham’s servant
tells the whole story about Isaac and how that Abraham had made him promise to
go to his family and bring a daughter from his family back for a wife for
Isaac. Abraham’s servant is also careful
to mention how that it was the Lord who had gone before him and answered this
very specific prayer which he had prayed.
He wants them to know that his meeting of Rebekah was no coincidence.
9.3.
Abraham’s servant
presses the family to make a commitment right now one way or another concerning
sending Rebekah back with him.
10.
VS 24:50-53 - “50
Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The matter comes from the Lord; so we cannot speak to you
bad or good. 51 “Here is Rebekah before
you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as
the Lord has spoken.” 52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed
himself to the ground before the Lord.
53 The servant brought out
articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to
Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.” - Laban and Bethuel determine that the matter
of which Abraham’s servant has spoken must be of God and so they agree to let
Rebekah go with Abraham’s servant to be a wife for Isaac
10.1. Brothers Laban and Bethuel concur that it must be
something that the Lord has orchestrated to send Rebekah back with Abraham’s
servant to become Isaac’s wife, and they don’t want to find themselves in God’s
way by refusing to allow their sister to leave with Abraham’s servant.
10.2. I wonder if Laban and Bethuel had calculated that if
they were to agree to give their sister to Isaac as a wife that Abraham’s
servant had a dowry of expensive gifts to give to them? In any case, after they agree to allow their
sister to leave they are given incredible gifts by Abraham’s servant.
11.
VS 24:54-61 - “54
Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night.
When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl
stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.” 56 He said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away
that I may go to my master.” 57
And they said, “We will call the girl and consult her wishes.” 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will
you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59 Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her
nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 They blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you,
our sister, Become thousands of ten thousands, And may your descendants possess
The gate of those who hate them.” 61 Then Rebekah arose with her maids, and they mounted the
camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.” - Abraham’s servant obtains permission to leave
with Rebekah first thing in the morning and they all head immediately back to
the
11.1. Notice again the focus of Abraham’s servant. He wants to take Rebekah and hit the road
first thing when he wakes up because he doesn’t want to give Rebekah or her
brothers the chance to have second thoughts about her leaving. He knows the longer he stays the harder it
will be for them to part with their sister.
11.2. Rebekah’s brothers bless her, recounting the blessings
given to Abraham and his descendants, and then they send her away with Abraham’s
servant.
12.
VS 24:62-67 - “62
Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the
12.1. Here we get a glimpse of the inner life of Isaac. He is a man who gets alone with God and
meditates.
12.2. We can imagine the thoughts and emotions that must have
been running through both Isaac’s and Rebekah’s minds and hearts as they are
preparing to meet someone they have never known, knowing that they will spend
the rest of their life with them.
12.3. Rebekah covers herself with a veil as was the custom
with brides prior to their wedding ceremony.
12.4. Isaac’s marriage ceremony was simply to meet his wife
and then enter with her into Isaac’s mother’s tent.
12.5. Notice here that Isaac truly ‘loved´ Rebekah,
and also that he ‘was comforted after his mother’s death.’
13.
CONCLUSIONS:
13.1. Like Eliezer, are you living in the present and
exercising your faith here and now in the present?
13.2. Are you stepping out in faith and building the
13.3. Are you each day looking for and taking advantage of
opportunities to share the gospel?
13.4. Are you focused upon completing the mission your
Master has charged you with?