Tawa Baptist

Loss & Hope

Scripture: Genesis 23

Title: Loss & Hope

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Abraham mourns
  • Abraham buys land
  • Hope for exiles
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

“The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then went and sold all he had and bought that field.”  [1]

Today we continue our series on the life & faith of Abraham & Sarah

–         Last time we heard how God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham passed the test and Isaac’s life was spared

–         This morning our message focuses on Genesis 23

–         About 20 years have gone by and Isaac is a grown man – 37 years old

–         Sarah dies and Abraham finds hope in the face of death

–         Abraham is like the man who found the treasure and bought the field

–         From Genesis 23, in the NIV, we read…

 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her. Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.

He said, “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

The Hittites replied to Abraham, “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

Ephron answered Abraham, “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.

So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city. Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

Abraham mourns:

During a storm we might see some lightning and hear some thunder

–         The lightning & thunder happen at the same time but because light travels a lot faster than sound we don’t hear the thunder until seconds later

–         You can roughly calculate how far away the lightning strike was by counting the seconds that pass between the lightning and the thunder

–         Sound travels one kilometre every 3 seconds [2]

–         So, if we hear were to count 15 seconds between a lightning flash and the sound of thunder we know the lightning struck 5 kilometres away, because 15 seconds divided by 3 kilometres per second = 5 km’s

–         Or if we were to count 6 seconds between the lightning and the thunder we know the lightning was closer, only 2 kilometres away

Our emotions are a bit like thunder – our feelings travel at the speed of sound, slower than the speed of light

–         Consequently there is often a gap between something happening to us and us feeling it

–         The more detached from our soul we are the longer it takes us to feel it

–         While the more in touch with our soul we are the quicker we feel it

For example, we might have an accident or get some really bad news and at the time we feel relatively okay, better than we expected we would

–         But then the feeling hits us a couple of days or weeks later – maybe we start freaking out or we break down in tears or whatever

–         Lightning, then the thunder

 

In Genesis 23 lightning strikes (so to speak) when Sarah dies

–         Sarah & Abraham have been together for well over 100 years and they have been through all sorts of experiences (good & bad)

–         Sarah was loyal to Abraham through thick & thin – but she was not one to ride on the coat tails of her husband’s faith

–         Sarah had her own relationship with God

–         Her faith was hard won and tested in the disappointment of barrenness

–         Sarah went from hope to despair and beyond, then back again

In losing Sarah, Abraham lost a great deal

–         Verse 2 tells us that Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and weep over her

–         Abraham is in touch with his soul – he knows who he is and what is important to him. He is comfortable being himself and isn’t trying to be something different

–         Because Abraham is in touch with his soul he is able to face loss honestly, without denial. When lightning strikes he feels the thunder

 

To mourn is to show the sorrow you feel for the death of someone

–         People in the ancient world mourned or showed their sorrow in a number of ways including wearing sackcloth, sitting in solemn silence, putting ashes on their head, tearing their clothes and so on

–         These days we mourn in quite different ways

–         We don’t wear sack cloth but we might wear black clothes

–         We don’t throw ashes on our head but we might dress up for a funeral or hang out with friends & family to share stories

However we do it, mourning is a way of being in touch with our soul and showing others the thunder we are feeling on the inside

–         Mourning is the opposite of hiding our feelings

–         Mourning is refusing to pretend we are okay when we are not feeling ok

–         Mourning means expressing our grief rather than holding it in

–         Mourning is a way of spring cleaning our soul, as opposed to sweeping things under the carpet

–         Many of us in this congregation have done quite a bit of mourning lately

 

We’re not told specifically how Abraham mourned, except that he wept

–         This reminds us of Jesus who wept at the grave of his friend Lazarus

–         Weeping releases something in us – it sets us free is some small way

–         Tears are like oil in an engine – tears lubricate the inner workings of our soul so things don’t over heat or seize up

–         Tears reduce the friction caused by death

Of course, when anyone dies there are usually a lot of practical things to organise – so Abraham doesn’t wallow in his sorrow

–         He takes a positive step – he rises to buy some land in order to bury Sarah

 

Abraham buys land:

Victor Hugo, the writer of the book Les Miserables, has a quote…

–         Virtue has a veil, vice a mask

A bride wears a veil over her face as a sign of her modesty – her purity

–         A veil is both delicate and transparent

–         It allows people to see who you are without giving everything away

A mask, on the other hand, is something people hide behind

–         People who wear masks are pretending to be something they are not

–         Virtue has a veil, vice a mask

–         Abraham has a veil, the Hittites (it seems) are wearing a mask

 

Abraham approaches the Hittites in the gate of their city

–         The gate of ancient cities wasn’t just an entry point – it was more importantly a place where legal decisions were made

–         Most ancient cultures were oral cultures, as opposed to writing cultures

–         So if you wanted to make an agreement or settle a dispute you didn’t do this in writing – you did it by speaking publicly with the people involved in front of respected witnesses

–         Abraham goes to the gate because he wants to legally purchase land

Abraham approaches the Hittites in an attitude of humility & vulnerability, as one wearing a veil – modest and transparent

–         He doesn’t come in force, nor does he beg – he is gracious & true saying,

I am a foreigner and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.

Abraham is a ‘resident alien’ – he doesn’t have full citizenship rights so he can’t buy & sell land without permission from the locals

–         There is a certain irony here – Abraham is asking permission to buy the land that God has already promised to give him

–         Abraham doesn’t use God as an excuse to take the land by force – he doesn’t start a holy war with the Hittites to get what he wants, no

–         Abraham modestly puts himself somewhere near the bottom of the social ladder – he humbles himself before the people of the land

 

Again we see something of Jesus in Abraham – I’m reminded of Philippians 2 where the apostle Paul writes…

–         Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…

–         Abraham didn’t grasp the land – but humbled himself saying, I’m a foreigner and an stranger among you

But at the same time he is quite direct & straight up about what he wants

–         There’s no hidden agenda – everything is above board & transparent

–         He wants to own a permanent stake in the land

The Hittites replied to Abraham, “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

The Hebrew which is translated as ‘mighty prince’ there, literally means ‘a prince of God’ [3] (i.e. a prince of Elohim)

–         The Hittites recognise that Abraham has a special relationship with God

–         However, their politeness is somewhat of a mask – the truth is they are reluctant to sell any land to Abraham

–         Behind the mask they are saying, ‘you are welcome to use our land to bury your dead but we want to retain ownership’

Abraham is not so keen on that idea so he wisely requests that they ask Ephron (on his behalf) if he will sell his cave

–         That’s a smart move – Abraham isn’t getting the response he wants from the group so he gets more specific by asking an individual

–         This also shows that Abraham has done his homework – he knows the particular place he wants for a burial site and who owns that land

–         Ephron’s land is near Mamre, which is a sacred place for Abraham because God met Abraham at Mamre

Ephron happens to be there at the gate and says, ‘I’ll give you the field and the cave to bury your dead.’

–         Now, as generous as that sounds, Ephron is not offering to give the land to Abraham for nothing. It’s just a polite (masked) way of saying ‘let’s negotiate’. After all, Abraham didn’t ask for the field, just the cave

–         The fact that Ephron is now making the field part of the deal is a sign to Abraham that he is about to get more than he bargained for

Abraham is not interested in playing games – he gets to the point as quickly as he can and offers to pay Ephron

–         Ephron says the price is 400 shekels of silver – but what’s that between me and you?

–         Well, I can tell you 400 shekels is a lot – more than your average worker could expect to earn in a life time

–         But what can Abraham do? Ephron has him over a barrel

–         He needs to bury Sarah soon, before her body starts decomposing

–         Abraham agrees to Ephron’s terms without haggling with him – which is unusual in that culture. But it’s not about the money for Abraham

–         Clearly Abraham values his wife Sarah – he will gladly pay the price for the woman he loves

By paying what Ephron asked and not negotiating the price down, Abraham reduces the risk of the sale being contested in the future

–         No one can argue that Abraham ripped Ephron off with blankets & beads

–         Abraham is looking to the future – he is staking his claim in the land that God has promised him

–         You see, in that culture people had a strong desire to be buried with their ancestors in their native land. By purchasing a burial place in Canaan Abraham demonstrated his unswerving commitment to the Lord’s promise. [4] Canaan was his new homeland.

 

“The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

–         Like the man in Jesus’ parable, Abraham was prepared to pay whatever was necessary to gain the treasure (the hope) that field promised

 

Hope for exiles:

This story of Abraham buying land in Canaan is really a story of hope for the exiles

Many centuries later Abraham’s descendants (the nation of Israel) were under siege by the Babylonians and the city of Jerusalem was about to fall

–         The people were facing either death or exile to a foreign land

–         At the very point of facing defeat God tells his prophet, Jeremiah, to buy a field

–         In many ways it was a crazy financial decision – buying land just weeks before the Babylonians seized possession of it

–         But God asked Jeremiah to do this as a sign of hope in the face of death & exile

–         The Lord was saying to the people, ‘I will restore you and your land. One day you will again buy & sell property in Canaan and live in safety’

 

In some ways it was similar with Abraham

–         Abraham was facing death – he had just lost his dear wife Sarah and he was, by this stage, an old man himself, at 137

–         As a resident alien, a landless foreigner, Abraham was also a kind of exile

–         He had left the land of his birth to follow the call of God and now Canaan was his new homeland – but he wasn’t yet a full citizen so he was sort like an exile in his own country

–         Buying real estate was a courageous act of hope – It was a way of saying our present circumstance does not determine our future

–         Beyond death there is resurrection – life with abundance

–         Beyond exile there is restoration – belonging with peace

 

New Zealand has undergone rapid change in recent years. Some of those changes have been good but other changes have been detrimental to community

–         I heard someone say recently that, ‘Culturally speaking, the church in NZ is in exile at the moment.’ There is truth in that statement

–         To be a Christian in NZ is to be like a resident alien in your own country

–         It’s not quite as difficult for us as it was for Abraham – we can still buy & sell property for example

–         But to a large extent the way of Christ is a foreign concept to our society

–         Even the stories of the Bible are foreign to many people today

–         We are a minority and we are not in power

 

Conclusion:

So what are we to do? Well, we take a leaf out Abraham’s book

We stay in touch with our soul so that we can face loss honestly, without denial

–         When lightning strikes we feel the thunder

–         We don’t pretend it doesn’t hurt – we mourn, we weep

–         But we don’t wallow in our sorrow either

–         After our tears we rise and act positively, doing what needs to be done

 

When dealing with those who don’t share our faith we wear a veil, not a mask

–         We don’t give everything away but we don’t pretend to be something we are not either – we don’t fake it, nor compromise who we are

–         We humble ourselves, remaining modest & transparent

–         We don’t seize, by force, what God has promised – we pay our dues

–         We don’t wage a holy war against our neighbours – we seek the peace, the wholeness, the shalom of the city in which we live

 

Above all we face death & exile with a spirit of hope – a determined belief that God’s kingdom will come in our land one day

–         That doesn’t necessarily mean we go round buying up real estate

–         The field where our treasure is buried is not a literal patch of dirt

–         Jesus is the treasure – Jesus embodies the Kingdom of God in his person – so the field is wherever we find Jesus

Three places we are likely find Jesus…

–         In the Bible

–         In right relationship with other believers

–         And in our own experience of suffering

But the key to finding Jesus is the Holy Spirit

–         So when we read the Bible we ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate Christ in the Scriptures – to shine his light on what we are reading so we can see the heart of God

–         And when we are hanging out with other Christians we ask the Holy Spirit to connect us – so we are aware of the presence of Christ among us (Where two or three are gathered in his name, Jesus is with them)

–         And when we are going through a difficult time we ask the Holy Spirit to make us one with Christ in his suffering – for if we share in his suffering we will also share in his glory

 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    Can you think of a time in your life when lightning struck and then thunder followed a little later? What happened?

–         What does it mean to be in touch with your soul?

–         How in touch with your soul are you?

3.)    What does it mean to mourn?

–         How do you mourn?

–         Why is it important not to wallow in our sorrow?

4.)    Victor Hugo said, “Virtue has a veil, vice a mask”.

–         What do you think this means? How is a veil different from a mask?

–         In what sense did Abraham wear a veil in his dealings with the Hittites?

5.)    What is the significance of Abraham insisting on buying land to own in perpetuity, as opposed to borrowing a tomb to bury Sarah?

6.)    Discuss (or reflect on) the similarities and differences between Abraham’s and Jeremiah’s real estate purchases

–         How was the purchase of land an act of hope in the face of death & exile?

–         What acts of hope might we perform in the face of death & exile?

7.)    In what sense is the church in NZ in exile at the moment?

–         What can we do in a context of cultural exile?

8.)    Take some time this week to find the treasure of Jesus (with the help of the Holy Spirit)…

–         By reading the Bible

–         Spending time with other Christians

–         Or in some difficulty you are facing at present

 

 

[1] Jesus, quoted in Matthew 13:44.

[2] https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-the-Distance-from-Lightning

[3] Refer Bruce Waltke’s commentary on Genesis, page 318.

[4] Refer footnote to Genesis 23:19 in the NIV Study Bible, page 40.

Tawa Baptist

Fear & Grace

Scripture: Genesis 20

Title: Fear & Grace

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Fear
  • Grace
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

In the 1980’s the NZ band Split Enz released a song called History Never Repeats

–         The chorus says: “History never repeats, tell myself before I go to sleep”

–         I’m not sure what the band had in mind when they wrote the song but it has always carried a sense of irony for me: History often repeats, despite what we might tell ourselves

This morning we pick up our series on the life of Abraham, from Genesis chapter 20 – page 22 near the front of your pew Bibles

–         Abraham’s journey of faith could be described as two steps forward, one step back – with a few sideways steps thrown in for good measure

–         Genesis 20 seems to be describing a backward step for Abraham

–         This is one of those occasions when history repeats itself

–         In Genesis 12 Abraham led Pharaoh to believe that he wasn’t married to Sarah, so that Pharaoh would treat him kindly

–         Now in Genesis 20 Abraham does the same thing by misleading king Abimelech. From Genesis 20, verse 1 we read…

 Abraham moved from Mamre to the southern part of Canaan and lived between Kadesh and Shur. Later, while he was living in Gerar, 2 he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. 3 One night God appeared to him in a dream and said, “You are going to die, because you have taken this woman; she is already married.”

4 But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, “Lord, I am innocent! Would you destroy me and my people? 5 Abraham himself said that she was his sister, and she said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience, and I have done no wrong.”

6 God replied in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did it with a clear conscience; so I kept you from sinning against me and did not let you touch her. 7 But now, give the woman back to her husband. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will not die. But if you do not give her back, I warn you that you are going to die, you and all your people.”

8 Early the next morning Abimelech called all his officials and told them what had happened, and they were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? What wrong have I done to you to make you bring this disaster on me and my kingdom? No one should ever do what you have done to me. 10 Why did you do it?”

11 Abraham answered, “I thought that there would be no one here who has reverence for God and that they would kill me to get my wife. 12 She really is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not of my mother, and I married her. 13 So when God sent me from my father’s house into foreign lands, I said to her, ‘You can show how loyal you are to me by telling everyone that I am your brother.’”

14 Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and at the same time he gave him sheep, cattle, and slaves. 15 He said to Abraham, “Here is my whole land; live anywhere you like.” 16 He said to Sarah, “I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver as proof to all who are with you that you are innocent; everyone will know that you have done no wrong.”

17-18 Because of what had happened to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, the Lord had made it impossible for any woman in Abimelech’s palace to have children. So Abraham prayed for Abimelech, and God healed him. He also healed his wife and his slave women, so that they could have children.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

We notice two themes in Genesis 20, fear & grace. First let’s consider fear…

 Fear:

Basically, fear is a feeling of distress caused by impending danger

–         In some ways fear is sort of the opposite of hope

–         Hope is a feeling of joy caused by impending satisfaction

 

Fear (like hope) comes from what we think or imagine might happen

–         When what we think or imagine is accurate & true, then fear protects us

–         For example, I imagine (quite accurately) that if I try to monkey climb the steel ‘I’ beams in this auditorium I will probably fall and hurt myself

–         This thought creates a feeling of distress which prevents me from attempting to climb the blue beams

 

By the same token, when what we think or imagine is inaccurate & untrue, then fear becomes something which puts us at risk

–         For example, if I were to imagine (quite wrongly) that the floor was covered in snakes then the feeling of distress caused by that thought might cause me to climb the walls, which would inevitably lead to me falling and hurting myself

 

With these two examples we see that fear can act as both a brake and an accelerator

–         Sometimes fear stops us doing things

–         Other times fear moves us to do things, at speed

 

The really disconcerting thing is that we are subject to what we fear – which means we are not usually in the driver’s seat

–         When we are afraid we are not the ones with our foot on the brake or the accelerator – we are the passenger

 

Fear is taxing – it sucks the life out of us, kind of like an anti-energy

–         For example, we may be afraid of failure and that fear motivates us to work extra hard to succeed, but at the same time it also stresses us out and exhausts us

 

The other thing fear does is it makes us forget, at least temporarily

–         Fear has this way of locking out every other thought

–         In Genesis 20 Abraham appears to forget God’s promise to make him a father of nations

–         He also seems to forget what happened with Pharaoh in Egypt

–         Abraham’s fear of being killed overwhelms him and he manages the feeling of distress by deceiving Abimelech

–         In verse 11 Abraham says, “I thought that there would be no one here who fears God and that they would kill me to get my wife.”

–         Given that the people of Sodom & Gomorrah had no fear of God we can understand why Abraham might think Abimelech was similar

–         But in this situation at least, Abraham’s fear is based on a false assumption and when our fear is based on a lie it inevitably leads us to put ourselves or others at risk

 

When you hear the word ‘Philistine’, what do you think of? [Wait]

–         The Philistine’s were an ancient race of people who we read about in the Bible – traditionally thought of as enemies of Israel

–         David killed the Philistine giant, Goliath

–         These days though the word ‘Philistine’ has come to mean someone who is hostile toward culture and the arts – sort of like a bogan

–         Someone who is uncouth or ignorant, perhaps even dangerous

 

This may be quite an unfair prejudice

–         King Abimelech was a Philistine and yet (in Genesis 20) he behaved better than Abraham

–         I’m not saying Abimelech was perfect – after all, he already had a wife and some concubines and then decided he would have Sarah as well, like an all you can eat smorgasbord

–         (I’m not sure that women had a lot of choice in the matter in those days)

 

Despite his rapacious appetite king Abimelech still had a moral code

–         Contrary to Abraham’s prejudice Abimelech did fear God

–         He was probably what we might call a good pagan

 

A pagan (by definition) lives in fear of the gods

–         A pagan lives with the feeling of constant distress, that if they put a foot wrong the gods will punish them

–         While we are not pagan, it’s not difficult for us to understand the utter exhaustion of living with constant fear

–         Anxiety is very much a part of the fabric of our society – it is epidemic today

 

To people in the ancient world (whatever their religion) adultery was a heinous crime – it was one of the worst sins you could think of

–         If you committed adultery in the ancient world you could expect a severe punishment, if not from the community then from the gods

 

Abimelech’s fear that God might kill him if he did commit adultery was accurate and true

–         When God told him in a dream that Sarah was married to Abraham, Abimelech was quick to point out that he didn’t know and he hadn’t touched her yet – he wasted no time in repentance

–         Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham with livestock and silver, not because he was feeling guilty, but out of fear & respect for God Almighty

 

You see fear is a form of respect – we are subject to what we fear

–         When we react in fear of something we are saying (often unconsciously) that the thing we fear has power over us

–         To fear God then is to say (in a very deep way) God is more powerful than I am and therefore I am subject to him

–         Abimelech’s fear of God caused him to bend his knee in submission and obedience to God

 

Fear of God is quite close to faith in God

–         Proverbs talks about the fear of God being the beginning of wisdom

–         Or to use a metaphor – if faith in God is the butterfly, then fear of God is the caterpillar. Before we can fly we must first crawl

–         Before we can learn to trust God we must first fear him

–         That is, we must first submit to God in the realisation that he is more powerful than anyone or anything else

–         I wonder if the pandemic of anxiety in our society today is partly due to the fact we have lost our fear of God

–         We have made ourselves subject to so many things (that aren’t God) and consequently we are afraid of many things

 

What we notice in Genesis 20 is that Abraham believed (temporarily – in that moment) that God was not the most powerful one in the neighbourhood and as a result he put Sarah’s virtue and God’s promise at risk

–         This is all upside down and back to front – here we have Abraham, a hero of the faith, showing more fear of man than of God

–         While king Abimelech, the Philistine – the one we least expect, fears God more than Abraham does

The lesson is: both fear of God and faith in God can be found anywhere – sometimes those outside the church have a greater fear of God than we do

–         I think of the Roman Centurion who said to Jesus:

–         “Lord do not trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof… But say the word and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes and that one, ‘Come’, and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does it.”

–         When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and… said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” [1]

 

There is something of God’s image (something noble) in everyone, even those we may write off as Philistines – but we have to be humble to see it

–         Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

 

Grace:

Okay, so far we have talked about Abraham’s fear of man and Abimelech’s fear of God

The other main theme running through these verses is grace – in particular God’s grace for Sarah & Abraham, as well as the Lord’s grace for Abimelech and his household

–         Grace is a gift, something we haven’t earned – it is undeserved favour

–         Grace is different from fear

–         Fear is the stick – grace is the carrot

–         Fear is about punishment – grace is about freedom

–         Fear makes us a passenger – grace puts us in the driver’s seat

–         Fear is a feeling of distress – grace is a feeling of humility

 

Once there was a boy, who we’ll call Hunter

–         Hunter came from a dysfunctional family

–         Dad wasn’t around anymore & Mum was preoccupied

–         Hunter was left to fend for himself most of the time

On benefit day (which was a Tuesday) there was usually something in the pantry, some instant noodles or budget bread

–         But by Thursday there wasn’t much food left in the house so Hunter went to school without lunch three days a week

–         Although he was really hungry he didn’t steal from the other kids because he didn’t want to get in trouble

–         He had been taken away from his mum and put into foster care once before and he didn’t want to do anything to risk that happening again

–         Foster care is a bit of a lottery – Fear kept him in check

Hunter’s teacher saw what was going on and quietly snuck sandwiches, biscuits & fruit into Hunter’s bag on Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays

–         At first Hunter didn’t realise how the food got there, but it didn’t take him long to figure it out

–         That teacher had always looked out for him – like a guardian angel

–         It made him feel strangely warm and humble inside

One day the winter show came to town

–         We don’t have winter shows in Wellington – it’s more of a regional town thing, with Ferris wheels, hot dogs, side shows and candy floss

–         Hunter couldn’t afford the ticket price but that didn’t stop him, there was always a hole in the fence somewhere he could squeeze through for free

–         He didn’t have money to go on any of the rides or buy any food – he just enjoyed being there, the sights, the sounds and the smells

As he walked along he noticed a purse on the ground – small enough to fit in your pocket. It had $40 inside and a lipstick

–         He could really use the money

–         Finders keepers, he thought to himself – whoever she was she wouldn’t miss it anyway

As he stood in line waiting to buy some hot chips he noticed his teacher, in the distance on the merry go round, with her family

–         She saw him and smiled – he looked away, suddenly conscience stricken

–         How could he steal this money when she had been so good to him?

–         Realising he couldn’t enjoy the chips now, he handed the purse in to lost property (with the money intact) and slipped out the gate feeling hungry

On Monday at school the teacher called the roll and, as usual, went round the room giving the kids a chance to talk about what they did in their weekend

–         Lots of people talked about going to the winter show and, as usual, Hunter said nothing

When everyone had finished the teacher shared her own news, saying that she had gone to the show with her 11 year daughter who had lost her purse

–         Her daughter was upset because there was $40 in the purse which she had earned from doing various odd jobs

–         Fortunately someone handed the purse in and all was well

Realising he had done something good Hunter smiled to himself as he looked at the ground, feeling strangely warm and humble inside.

 

God’s grace is manifold – it’s not one dimensional

–         It’s layered, like a trifle or filo pastry

We see God’s grace in the way the Lord appears to Abimelech in a dream, warning him of the danger he is in

–         In Genesis 12 God communicated with Pharaoh through sickness and disease but in Genesis 20 the Lord has a conversation with Abimelech

–         Probably because Abimelech is more willing to listen than Pharaoh was

 

One thing we notice is that God’s grace comes to Abimelech in the form of truth – Abraham had lied to Abimelech but God speaks the truth

–         Grace & truth go together with God

–         The Spirit of Jesus is a Spirit of grace & truth

–         Being told that he is at risk of committing adultery with Sarah is not an easy truth for Abimelech to face but there is grace in the timing of it

–         In fact, verse 6 tells us that God has kept Abimelech from sinning by not letting him touch Sarah

–         God has a wonderful way of saving us from temptation and delivering us from evil – diverting us in the nick of time, sort of like Hunter was diverted by a smile from his teacher

 

God’s grace in preventing Abimelech from sleeping with Sarah is at the same time an act of grace for Sarah & Abraham

–         Despite Abraham’s faithless action on this occasion the Lord still intervenes to protect Sarah and save Abraham’s life

 

I’m impressed with the way Abimelech restores the relationship with Abraham

–         After learning from God that Sarah is actually Abraham’s wife Abimelech calls Abraham in and asks for an explanation

–         While this was probably an awkward moment for Abraham it actually enables the two men to clear the air and makes it possible for Abraham to remain in the land

–         Pharaoh gave Abraham no such hearing – he simply sent Abraham & Sarah packing

 

In spite of the way Abraham insults Abimelech (saying, I thought there would be no one here who fears God) the Philistine king gives Abraham livestock, servants, the pick of pastureland & 1000 pieces of silver to vindicate Sarah

–         This silver in some way undoes any shame or slur on Sarah’s reputation

–         It is an incredible amount of money – more than most people would earn in their life time at that point in history

–         As mentioned before Abimelech’s generosity is more out of respect for God, than anything else

 

Finally we see God’s grace in the way the Lord answers Abraham’s prayer to heal Abimelech and his household so they could have children

–         God had promised that Abraham would be a blessing to the nations and this prayer of intercession is one example of that blessing

–         God’s gift of children for the Philistine royal family surely sounds a note of hope for Sarah & Abraham

–         If God is willing to do that for Abimelech, who has been promised nothing, then the Lord will surely make good on his word to Abraham & Sarah

 

Conclusion:

Fear & grace are part of our experience too

–         Although fear & grace are different they both have the power to humble us before God, as Abraham & Abimelech were humbled

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/29-april-2018-fear-grace

 

Questions for discussion & reflection

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    What is fear?

–         How does (or has) fear affected your life?

3.)    How might we manage the thoughts which govern our fear (in a healthy way)?

4.)    What is the relationship between fear of God and faith in God?

–         How are they similar? How are they different?

–         How might fear of God make us less anxious?

5.)    What is grace?

–         How is grace different from fear?

6.)    In what ways can you see God’s grace in Genesis 20?

7.)    Can you think of times when God has diverted you from making a mistake in the nick of time? (e.g. as he prevented Abimelech from committing adultery with Sarah)

–         What other ways have you experienced God’s grace in your life?

8.)    Take some time this week to thank God for the noble Philistines you’ve known

 

 

[1] Luke 7:6-9

Tawa Baptist

Being Present

Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15

Title: Being Present

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Abraham is present
  • Sarah is afraid
  • God is free
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Last year we began a series on the life of Abraham, pausing for a few weeks during Advent

–         This morning we pick up Abraham’s journey of faith from Genesis 18, where we left off

Abraham’s journey of faith is characterised as two steps forward, one step back

–         Abraham & Sarah didn’t start with perfectly formed faith – it took time and testing for their faith to grow and develop

–         From Genesis 18, verse 1, we continue Abraham & Sarah’s story…

The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. He said, “If I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.”7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.  He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he said.

Then the Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading

There are three main characters in this episode: Abraham, Sarah & God

  • – Abraham is present – fully present to serve his guests
  • – Sarah is afraid – she is hiding in the tent
  • – And God is free – nothing is too hard for the Lord
  • – First let’s consider how Abraham is present

 Abraham is present:

A couple of weeks ago Robyn and I were fortunate enough to take a trip to Kapiti Island

  • – Kapiti Island is a special conservation reserve – it’s a place set apart for native bird life
  • – You can’t just travel over any old time and land your boat on the island, you need a permit
  • – So Robyn made the arrangements, we had our bags checked to make sure we weren’t bringing anything to the island that we shouldn’t and then took a boat ride over – we spent most of the day there

 

There’s really only one thing to do on Kapiti: walk around and look at the bird life

  • – Some people might find that boring but Robyn & I really enjoyed it
  • – You see, when you have only one thing to do you are able to be fully present to that one thing
  • – I’ve walked through native bush many times but usually it was to get from point A to point B – I was on a mission
  • – Kapiti was different. There was no mission, no goal to achieve – all I had to do was be present and enjoy
  • – The forest and birds filled up my senses so I could be fully present to just one thing – it was freeing

 

There’s a line in John Denver’s “Annie’s Song”, which says…

  • – You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest, like a sleepy blue ocean, like a storm in the desert, like a walk in the rain …
  • – ‘You fill up my senses’ means I am fully present to you, you are so beautiful, so captivating that I’m not distracted by anything else, you have my full and undivided attention

 

In Genesis 18 Abraham is fully present to God

  • – The Lord appears to Abraham in the form of a man
  • – The Bible shows us that manifestations of God’s presence are rare – they don’t happen often and when they do happen it’s usually different each time (unexpected)
  • – For example, the Lord appeared to Job as a storm in the desert and he appeared to Moses in the burning bush and to the people of Israel in a pillar of cloud & fire
  • – But on this occasion the Lord appears to Abraham as a human being
  • – Imagine that, God physically turning up and knocking on your door

 

Now obviously in appearing to Abraham as a man, God is holding back his full glory – it was like God was making himself smaller so He could meet Abraham where he is at

  • – Abraham does not go to God – God comes to Abraham in a form that Abraham can relate to
  • – The Lord is incredibly considerate of us human beings

 

God is accompanied by two heavenly associates, most likely angels also in the form of men

  • – They come during the heat of the day – which in Abraham’s culture wasn’t altogether convenient, it was siesta time (time for rest)
  • – But Abraham does not let that bother him – as soon as he notices them Abraham hurries out to greet them, inviting the men to stay and enjoy his hospitality for a little while – the Lord accepts

 

Abraham is fully present to their every comfort

  • – He offers water to wash their feet, rest under a shady tree and a full meal with the best food he has to offer

 

Abraham moves quickly to prepare the meal – he respects his guests’ time

  • – And he provides generously for them – more than they can eat
  • – He tells Sarah to bake some bread using three seahs of fine flour
  • – Three seahs is about 22 litres of flour – that makes a lot of bread [1]
  • – He also has one of his servants prepare a tender calf – a whole beast between three men, plus curds and milk (curds is probably a bit like yogurt) – only the best for his guests

 

Once the meal is served Abraham stands near them waiting and listening

  • – This is a sign of respect – he won’t eat until they have finished
  • – Abraham is taking the role of a servant, making himself fully present, fully available for whatever his guests may want
  • – Apparently the Lord and his heavenly companions have filled up Abraham’s senses

 

We live busy lives don’t we – we are pulled in so many different directions, distracted by so many competing voices, juggling to keep all the balls in the air

  • – Being on Kapiti Island, letting the forest fill up my senses, put me touch with the creator of that forest, with the Lord God – it was prayerful

 

At its best prayer is about opening ourselves up to God so that he fills our senses and we are able to be fully present to him, ready to do whatever he asks

 

What is the one thing that fills up your senses?

  • – What is the one thing that sets you free to be fully present?

 

Sarah is afraid:

During the meal the three men ask Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah?”

  • – This question tells us two things:
  • – Firstly, even though Abraham has never seen these men before, they seem to know Sarah’s name – how do they know this

 

The second thing it tells us is that Sarah is not present – she is hiding

  • – This seems a bit strange to me – we would expect Sarah to be coming in and out of the tent helping Abraham serve, but the guests haven’t seen her
  • – Why is Sarah hiding?

 

Abraham answers honestly, “She’s there in the tent”

  • – By being honest and not holding anything back Abraham is trusting God

 

Then the Lord said…

  • – “I will surely return to you about this time next year and Sarah your wife will have a son”

 

Sarah, who is still in the tent, overhears this and laughs to herself

  • – But it’s not a happy laugh – it’s more a laugh of disbelief, she can’t (or won’t) believe this word because she is past the age of child bearing
  • – The original Hebrew basically says she has finished having her monthly cycle – so she is on the wrong side of menopause for having children
  • – For Sarah to get pregnant would be a miracle on par with raising someone from the dead – resurrection, it’s the biggest miracle you can think of

 

Sarah’s faithless response is understandable

  • – For years she has hoped for a child and every month of waiting and hoping she has had to deal with the disappointment
  • – Now, from a natural (human) point of view, she is beyond hope

 

Hope is a dangerous thing

  • – If we put our hope in the wrong things, the disappointment can destroy us
  • – I wonder if Sarah has suffered so much disappointment in her life that she is not able to risk hoping anymore
  • – She is (understandably) afraid to believe the Lord’s promise of resurrection

 

When we were on Kapiti Island we met a couple from the UK, from Yorkshire in fact, who were having a holiday here in NZ

  • – They had hopes of seeing a kiwi in the wild
  • – Kapiti Island has kiwis but they don’t come out during the day – you can only see them at night

 

This couple, who looked about the same age as Robyn & I, were on the track ahead of us

  • – When we caught up with them they motioned for us to be quiet
  • – As we drew closer they whispered that they had seen a kiwi come out of the bush and walk across the track in front of them
  • – I thought that was unlikely but I didn’t say anything
  • – Then, out of the undergrowth, a brown bird looking much like a kiwi emerged onto the track

 

I could tell straight away that it was a Weka, not a Kiwi (Weka are far more common than Kiwi)

  • – Seeing the excitement on their faces I didn’t have the heart to correct them, so I smiled and said nothing
  • – I figured, what harm would it do if they went back to the UK thinking they had seen a Kiwi in the wild

 

Later on we met up with them again at the homestead for lunch

  • – By that stage I was thinking to myself, ‘I wish I had the courage to be honest with them on the track. Now it’s going to be more awkward if I have to burst their bubble’
  • – Fortunately on the way back they saw another Weka and realised their mistake and, because they were good sorts who didn’t take themselves too seriously, they admitted to us they had it wrong and that cleared the air for everyone – the truth sets you free

 

Returning to Genesis 18, when Sarah laughed in disbelief at the Lord’s promise of a son, the Lord responded by saying…

  • – Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child now that I am old?’
  • – Sarah was afraid so she lied and said “I did not laugh”
  • – But the Lord has the last word saying, “Yes, you did laugh”

 

The Spirit of God is a Spirit of grace & truth

  • – Grace & truth go together with God – you can’t separate them
  • – God can forgive us (that’s grace) but God’s forgiveness comes with truth
  • – We must be honest with ourselves and confess what is true because it’s the truth that sets us free and clears the air
  • – It is when we name things for what they are that they lose their power over us

 

I respect the couple from the UK

  • – Obviously they hadn’t done anything morally wrong in confusing the Weka for a Kiwi (that’s a harmless mistake), but they had the courage to be honest with themselves and with us, while I fumbled with the socially awkward truth, albeit to save them embarrassment

 

I don’t think God was trying to humiliate or embarrass Sarah by calling her out for laughing in disbelief – God is not like that

  • – I believe the Lord understood Sarah better than she understood herself
  • – He was simply inviting Sarah into a conversation so that Sarah could speak her truth (because it’s the truth that sets us free)

 

Had Sarah found the courage to be honest with herself and with God the conversation may have continued with Sarah saying something like

“Yes Lord, I did laugh in disbelief. All these years I’ve waited for you to fulfil your promise of a child and you have disappointed me time and time again. You’ve let me down and now it’s too late. Now I can’t have children anymore. I have become cynical and untrusting because it’s safer than getting my hopes up and risking more disappointment.”

I don’t really know what Sarah might have said if she was being honest with God – I’m just guessing

  • – Whatever was on her heart God knew it already and I believe He was giving Sarah the chance to clear the air and find release

 

Abraham is present and Sarah is afraid, but God is free

God is free:

In responding to Sarah’s fear & doubt God says of Himself…

  • – “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
  • – That’s a key question which keeps coming up in the Bible
  • – It’s a question all believers must face at some time or other
  • – Israel faced this question in the wilderness when they wondered how God would provide for them
  • – They faced it again centuries later during their exile in Babylonia

 

Jesus’ disciples faced it too, asking our Lord, “How then can anyone be saved?”

  • – To which Jesus responded, “…all things are possible with God.” [2]
  • – Jesus himself faced the question in the Garden of Gethsemane when he prayed: “Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” [3]
  • – As we know, God did not remove the cup (of suffering) from Jesus

 

The point is, while all things are possible with God, it doesn’t automatically follow that we will always get what we want

  • – All things are possible with God but not all things are promised
  • – God is free to do the impossible
  • – But he is also free to say ‘no’ to us
  • – Whether God is promising us the impossible or saying ‘no’ to what we want, our best option is to trust Him, as difficult as that might be

 

God promised Abraham & Sarah a son but up until Genesis 18 he didn’t put a timeframe on it

  • – God made Sarah & Abraham wait until their situation seemed hopeless from a human perspective
  • – I expect this wasn’t what Sarah or Abraham wanted but there is no glory without suffering
  • – Just as truth & grace go together, so too suffering & glory go together
  • – It was possible for God to remove the cup of suffering from Jesus, but not without diminishing Christ’s glory
  • – It was possible for God to give Abraham a son through Sarah while they were still young but not without diminishing their faith

 

The fact that Sarah lied showed that she didn’t trust the Lord, but God in his grace did not hold it against Sarah

  • – While I believe God would have preferred Sarah to trust Him, the fulfilment of His promise of a son did not depend on her trust
  • – God was still able to do what he said even though Sarah did not believe
  • – If God’s purpose could be thwarted by Sarah’s doubt & denial then he wouldn’t really be God

Conclusion:

Genesis 18 presents Abraham & Sarah as polar opposites

  • – Abraham is fully present to the Lord, ready & willing to serve
  • – While Sarah is hiding, too afraid to admit her disbelief
  • – But God is free – nothing is too hard for the Lord
  • – The Lord is able to work out his purpose through Abraham’s faith & service as well as Sarah’s fear & doubt.

 

Questions for reflection or discussion

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    In Genesis 18 God manifests His presence in human form. Can you think of other ways in the Bible (or your own experience) that God makes His presence real?

3.)    What does it mean to be fully present?

–         How was Abraham fully present to God in Genesis 18?

–         What helps you to be fully present?

–         What gets in the way of you being fully present?

4.)    Why do you think Sarah was hiding in Genesis 18?

–         Why do you think Sarah laughs in disbelief at the Lord’s promise that she will have a son within a year?

5.)    In what sense is hope a dangerous thing?

–         Have you ever felt disappointed by God?

–         How can we handle our disappointment?

6.)    How did the Lord respond to Sarah’s laugh of disbelief?

7.)    What does it mean that ‘God is free’?

8.)    Make some time this week to be present to the Lord

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/28-jan-2018-being-present

[1] Refer the NIV Study Bible, page 32 – in the footnotes

[2] Mark 10:17-27

[3] Mark 14:36

Tawa Baptist

Confirming the covenant

Scripture: Genesis 17

 

Title: Confirming the Covenant

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Confirming the covenant (1-16)

o   Naming

o   Committing

o   Circumcising

  • Abraham’s response (17-27)
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

This morning we continue our series on Abram by looking at Genesis 17

–         Last week, in chapter 16, we heard how Abram had a son (Ishmael) through Sarai’s maid servant Hagar

–         By the beginning of Genesis 17 it has been 13 years since Ishmael was born even longer since God first cut a covenant with Abram in chapter 15

–         Now, in chapter 17, God confirms his covenant

–         With the covenant encounter in Genesis 15 Abram wasn’t required to do anything, but in Genesis 17 God does require a response from Abraham

 

Genesis 17 is relatively long so I’m going to handle it in two parts

–         First we’ll read verses 1-16 which deal with confirming the covenant

–         And then we’ll read the rest of the chapter later which describes Abraham’s response. From verses 1-16 of Genesis 17 we read…

 

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”

9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.

13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

 

Confirming the covenant:

In this reading God confirms his covenant with Abram and this confirmation involves three things: naming, committing and circumcising

–         First let us consider naming…

 

Naming:

In the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India, there is an indigenous mission organisation called India Rural Evangelical Fellowship

–         It was begun in 1947 when Prasada Rao began training evangelists to go out into rural villages to preach the gospel

–         Prasada also took orphans into his home to show them the love of Christ

–         By the late 1990’s there were over 120 itinerant evangelists reaching 360 villages bringing many to Christ and planting churches

–         When these Indian believers were baptised they were often also given a new name – a Christian name

–         Many of the given names in India have a history that link the individual to the gods of their culture

–         So adopting a new name is a way of severing ties to the old life [1]

–         It’s a way of saying you are a new creation, on a new path with a new future

 

In verse 5 God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and in verse 15 the Lord changes Sarai’s name to Sarah

–         ‘Abram’ means ‘exalted father’ and ‘Abraham’ means ‘father of many nations’

–         ‘Sarai’ and ‘Sarah’ mean the same thing: ‘princess’

–         Perhaps the name Sarai looks back at her royal ancestry, while Sarah looks forward to her royal descendants – kings will come from her [2]

–         But the meaning of Sarah’s name isn’t as important as the fact that she is now included in the covenant – previously her role was unknown

 

God is renaming Sarah & Abraham because he is bringing about a new creation through them and (you will remember from Genesis 1 that) naming is one of the things God does in the act of creating

–         Their new names then are a reminder that God has severed the ties of past barrenness and given them a new future that is fruitful and blessed

 

Committing:

Naming is one aspect of confirming the covenant

–         Articulating the commitment is another aspect

 

In medieval times soldiers were sworn to allegiance by being dubbed a knight [3]

–         So becoming a knight wasn’t just a reward for service rendered it was a way of confirming loyal commitment to the king

–         The knight would get down on bended knee as a sign of his submission to the monarch

–         There were certain perks or privileges to being a knight I suppose – like enjoying a higher social status

–         But there were also responsibilities – like being obedient to your king

 

When God appears to Abram, in chapter 17, he begins by saying…

–         “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless…”

–         ‘God Almighty’ means ‘God above all else’ or ‘God of nations’ (as our national anthem affirms)

–         Von Rad says the Hebrew word translated as ‘blameless’ here signifies wholeness of relationship and integrity rather than no sin [4]

–         I guess it’s another way of saying, “Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God”

–         ‘To walk before God…’ means to orient one’s entire life toward God

–         Like when we sing ‘Jesus, be the centre…’ we are really saying we want our lives to revolve around Christ

–         God is commanding Abraham to live his life in such a way that every single step is made with reference to God

–         It’s sort of like God (the King of kings) is dubbing Abraham a loyal knight of his realm

–         And Abraham’s response is to fall facedown as a sign of his submission

 

For his part God commits to giving Abraham the land of Canaan and many descendants but that is more of a reiteration of things God has said on other occasions

–         At the heart of the covenant is the Lord’s commitment: I will be your God

 

If we think of God’s covenant like a set of Russian dolls, then the inner most doll is the Lord’s commitment to be Abraham’s God

–         I will be your God speaks of loyal relationship

–         Some of the other inner dolls include God’s promise of blessing, land and descendants but at its core God’s covenant is a relationship…

–         By saying, I will be your God the Lord is offering Himself to Abraham

–         Sort of like when a couple adopt a child – they aren’t just offering to feed and house the child, they are offering themselves to that child

–         ‘I will be your father’ – ‘I will be your mother’

–         Or when a man & woman get married – they aren’t just offering a ring or a house or an income, they are offering themselves to each other

–         ‘I will be your husband’, or ‘I will be your wife’

–         I feel sad when I hear people in de-facto relationships say, ‘Oh we’re waiting until we can afford to buy a house before we get married’

–         As if financial security is an adequate foundation for marriage

–         Somewhere along the line our society has lost the idea that marriage is about giving yourself, not getting stuff

 

At its heart then God’s covenant is a relationship in which God offers Himself

–         God offers Himself to us most clearly in giving His Son Jesus

–         For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life 

–         You see, we don’t put our faith in Jesus just so we can avoid hell and get into heaven – Heaven is a perk, it’s a privilege, but it’s not the main point

–         We put our trust in Jesus so we can receive God Himself as our Father

–         Without the inner most doll of being in a loyal loving relationship with God, heaven becomes a kind of hell anyway

–         (Like being married to someone you don’t love for financial reasons)

 

 So confirming God’s covenant involves naming, committing & circumcising  

–         Naming – that’s about a new identity

–         Committing – that’s about loyal relationship

–         And circumcising – that’s about initiation and therefore belonging

 

Now we’re only talking about male circumcision here

–         Israel didn’t practice female circumcision (thankfully)

–         Male circumcision is when the foreskin of the penis is cut off

–         I don’t believe it is as harmful as female circumcision

 

Returning to our Russian dolls…

–         If being in relationship with God is the core of the covenant (the inner most doll), then circumcision is the sign of the covenant (the outer doll)

–         As a sign of the covenant it points to what’s inside

 

We might also compare circumcision to a passport

–         A passport identifies you personally and is a sign of your citizenship, it verifies where you come (or where you belong) and it gets you places

–         Without a passport you can’t get into another country

–         Without circumcision Abraham and his descendants couldn’t participate in God’s covenant

 

Circumcision wasn’t invented by God – it was already common practice in the ancient near east when God asked Abraham to do it

–         There were two main occasions why men might be circumcised

–         Perhaps when they got married, as a sign of entry into a new family

–         Or at puberty, as a rite of passage in becoming man

–         Both those occasions represented initiation or belonging to a new group

–         God borrowed the practice of circumcision and transformed it – giving it theological significance for Abraham and Israel so that circumcision became the sign of initiation (or entry) into God’s covenant [5]

–         Circumcision is how Israelites ‘opt-in’ to God’s covenant, in other words

 

God stipulated that males in Abraham’s household should be circumcised at 8 days old

–         Again we see a connection with the account of creation in Genesis 1

–         If the first seven days represent the creation of the cosmos then day eight represents the first day of a new week of creation – the creation of Israel

–         So circumcision was a ‘let there be light’ moment

 

The other thing we notice here is that circumcision involves cutting

–         You may remember from a couple of weeks ago, when we looked at Genesis 15, that a covenant is cut – it involves the shedding of blood

–         And in this case it is the most vulnerable part of a man that is cut

–         Having children, reproducing the next generation, has been such a big deal to Abraham and now God wants a piece of his reproductive organ

–         Wow – the symbolism is rich

 

As Christians we don’t need to participate in God’s covenant with Abraham

–         So guys, if you’re still in one piece down there, don’t panic – you don’t need to go cutting anything off

 

Jesus came to establish a new covenant for all people

–         And the sign of initiation into the new covenant is baptism (being immersed in water)

–         So our equivalent of circumcision is baptism [6]

–         Baptism is like a passport into God’s kingdom

–         In being baptised we transfer our citizenship as it were – we become aliens in this world and citizens of heaven

–         We break from the past and take on a new identity

 

When you are baptised as a conscious believer (or, if you come from an infant baptism tradition, when you confirm your baptism) you are essentially saying…

–         ‘Jesus I submit to you as King. No longer am I going to live my life to suit myself. I’m going to live my life to suit you.’

–         Being baptised or confirmed as a Christian is like being made a loyal knight (or dame) of Christ

 

Now here’s the thing…

–         These external signs of the covenant (whether it’s circumcision or baptism or confirmation) they don’t mean a thing if there’s no inner doll (no loyal relationship with God)

–         Baptism is an external ritual that is supposed to reflect an internal reality

–         If we’re only getting baptised out of conformity (because that’s what people do) then the sign is meaningless

–         Or if we get baptised just for what we can get out of it, with no intention of changing our life to suit Christ, then the passport is counterfeit

–         Whether we’ve been baptised as a baby or later in life as a believer the thing that makes our baptism effective and meaningful is having a committed loyal relationship with God (with Jesus), on the inside

 

To recap what we’ve covered so far, confirming God’s covenant involves naming, committing & circumcising  

–         Naming is about a new identity

–         Committing is about loyal relationship (the inner doll)

–         And circumcising – is a sign of initiation & belonging (like a passport)

 

Abraham’s response:

How then did Abraham respond to what God said?

–         Well, we pick up the story from verse 17 of Genesis 17…

 

17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.

He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. 23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen;

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

 

One of the wonderful things about the Bible is its honesty

–         The Bible doesn’t paint an unrealistic picture of humanity

–         It tells it how it is, revealing human beings in all our complexity and imperfection

 

When we ask the question: how did Abraham respond to God? Genesis 17 gives us a wonderfully honest answer

–         Abraham’s response was a bit of a mixed bag

–         First he threw himself face-down in submission to God, a good start

–         But then he laughed in disbelief and suggested Ishmael as an alternative to what God had planned (not such a good follow up)

 

We have to remember that for the past 13 years Abraham probably thought that his son Ishmael (born to Hagar) would inherit God’s promise

–         If that’s the case it must have been a bit of shock for Abraham to hear that his hope had been misplaced all this time

 

Our human imperfection draws out the beauty of God’s grace

–         God doesn’t rebuke Abraham – he doesn’t withdraw his covenant because Abraham laughed in a moment of doubt

 

Instead God says a son will be born to Sarah and you will name him Isaac

–         The name ‘Isaac’ means ‘laughter’ – Isaac will be a source of joy to Abraham & Sarah

–         But God won’t forget Ishmael – Ishmael will be blessed too and will be fruitful, only he won’t inherit God’s covenant promises as Isaac will

–         God did in fact greatly increase Ishmael’s numbers – millions of Arabs today are descended from Ishmael

 

Despite an initial flicker of doubt Abraham finishes strongly, not wasting any time in obeying God

–         Abraham performs the rite of circumcision that very day on every male in his household, just as the Lord had told him

–         God is big enough to handle our doubts – what counts in the end is obedience

 

Conclusion:

We’ve heard today how God confirmed his covenant with Abraham and how Abraham responded to what God said

–         Confirming the covenant involves naming, committing and circumcising

–         Naming is about identity

–         Committing is about loyal relationship

–         And circumcising is about initiation, or opting into the covenant

 

Through Jesus, God has established a new covenant, not limited to ethnic Israel but available to anyone who is willing to receive Christ by faith

–         We opt in to this new covenant, not through circumcision, but through baptism

 

To those who have been baptised the question remains:

–         Is a loyal relationship with Jesus still at the centre of your life?

 

And to those who are yet to be baptised…

–         Are you willing to submit and commit to Jesus?

 

Questions for reflection or discussion:

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    What is the significance of God renaming Abraham & Sarah?

–         What does your name mean?

3.)    What did God mean when he said to Abram, “I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless.”?

4.)    At the core of the covenant is God’s commitment, “I will be your God.” What does this mean? What is God offering in saying this?

–         How does God offer Himself to us today?

5.)    In what sense is circumcision (for Israel) and baptism (for us), like a passport?

6.)    What might be the symbolic significance for Israel in circumcising boys at 8 days old?

7.)    What gives circumcision (for Israel) and baptism (for us) it’s meaning?

–         What sorts of things empty circumcision and baptism of meaning?

8.)    How did Abraham respond to what God said? (vv. 17-27)

–         How does God handle Abraham’s moment of doubt?

9.)    Have you been baptised?

–         If you have, is a loyal relationship with Jesus at the centre of your life?

–         If you haven’t, are you willing to submit and commit to Christ?

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/26-nov-2017-confirming-the-covenant

[1] This illustration was found in John Walton’s NIVAC Genesis, page 468

[2] Bruce Waltke, Genesis, page 262

[3] This illustration was also found in John Walton’s NIVAC Genesis, page 468

[4] Bruce Waltke, Genesis, page 259.

[5] Incidentally, keeping the Sabbath was a sign to show continued allegiance to the covenant. So you can see why the Pharisees got a bit touchy when Jesus challenged their rules around the Sabbath. From their perspective it may have seemed like Jesus was being disloyal to the covenant, when in fact Jesus had come to establish a new covenant

 

[6] And our equivalent of keeping the Sabbath (refer above footnote) is sharing communion