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Jun 21, 2026 | Tim Moore
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "The Pain of Betrayal"
Scripture | Genesis 21:8-21
Betrayal changes people. It reshapes relationships, trust, and the stories we carry.
Hagar’s story is one of pain, abandonment, and survival, yet even in the wilderness, God does not leave her unseen or unheard.
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore reflects on the pain of betrayal and how God continues to meet people in lives marked by loss and brokenness.
Hagar’s story is troubling on many levels. A slave girl to Sarah and Abraham who was chosen to bare a child for Sarah and give Abraham an heir. Was she given agency in this decision, or was it decided for her? She is the first surrogate mentioned in the Bible, a woman used for her uterus. Ishmael is 14 when Isaac is born and the family dynamics change dramatically.
Sarah decides that Hagar and Ishmael must be banished so that her son, Isaac, will become Abraham’s primary heir. Abraham tragically agrees. He sacrifices his son, Ishmael, sending him and his mother, Hagar, away—off in the desert with few provisions where they may die.
When has betrayal marked your life, this church’s life? How does God work in lives broken by betrayal?