Today’s reading from Hebrews walks us through the story of Abraham, that great patriarch of the faith. Abraham is the common ancestor we share with our Jewish and Muslim siblings. We remember Abraham for the covenant God made with him, and for his great faith, but what, exactly, does that mean?
We often talk about faith as an achievement of some kind, possessed by those who believe the right thing, who are without doubts or questions, who perform all the correct actions.
But the faith Abraham displays isn’t the same as goodness, or perfection, or unquestioning obedience.
Instead, we see in this timeline not so much a list of Abraham’s actions, but rather a recounting of what God has done.
God provided for Abraham the promise of a land to possess and the security of an inheritance.
God led Abraham, who did not know where he was going, to the land he was to inhabit.
God made a way where there was no way, upholding the promise that from Abraham would come descendants, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” Even though Abraham and Sarah were old, even though they had not previously been able to have children, God blessed them with a child.
It’s easy to view all these things as transactional – Abraham performed the correct rituals, proved himself to be a good person, obeyed God, and so God blessed him with land to inhabit and a great name and innumerable descendants. But what we see in this story, and in all stories of God, is that God acts first. God calls, provides, forgives, promises, and then receives our response of thankfulness and joy. It’s not the case that if we do the right thing, then God will provide for us. Instead, because of God’s great love for us, therefore we are transformed for abundant life.
The faith that Abraham displays is trust in God’s faithfulness. Abraham knows that God is trustworthy. He knows that God keeps God’s promises. Abraham “considered faithful the one who had promised.”
We, too, share Abraham’s legacy. We are people called by God to journey to a foreign place where God will give us a place to live and an inheritance. In this foreign place – the kingdom of God – nothing is like what we’re used to. Instead of the wealthy and powerful claiming places of honor and privilege, in the kingdom of God, the poor and lowly are lifted up. Instead of servants waiting on their masters, in the kingdom of God the master welcomes the servants, ties up his belt, and kneels down to serve them. Instead of ruling by power, strength, and riches, the kingdom of God values the power of mercy, the strength of love, and the riches of grace.
We, too, share Abraham’s legacy. As good as dead in our sin, God makes us alive together with Christ. In the waters of baptism, God brings forth new life and makes us part of the family of God – a family whose members number as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. In the waters of baptism we are joined to God and joined to one another. In the waters of baptism, we receive forgiveness we could never earn. In the waters of baptism, we are given the Holy Spirit and the gift of faith.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith is not unquestioning obedience or perpetual happiness. Instead, faith looks like trusting that God has not forgotten us even when our hope is wearing thin. When we are full of fear, faith looks like clinging to the promise that God walks with us always, even when God is unseen.
When we look to the examples of our ancestors in the faith, we do not seek to emulate some kind of saintly behavior or untouchable goodness. Instead, we see them as recipients and examples of God’s faithfulness, love, and grace. We see how God’s promises were fulfilled in their lives, and see how God provided and cared for them, led and walked with them even into unknown lands. Seeing God’s faithfulness and dependability, we press forward together as we seek a homeland. Led by God, we journey toward the city God has prepared for us, the kingdom which is God’s good pleasure to give us.
We often talk about faith as an achievement of some kind, possessed by those who believe the right thing, who are without doubts or questions, who perform all the correct actions.
But the faith Abraham displays isn’t the same as goodness, or perfection, or unquestioning obedience.
Instead, we see in this timeline not so much a list of Abraham’s actions, but rather a recounting of what God has done.
God provided for Abraham the promise of a land to possess and the security of an inheritance.
God led Abraham, who did not know where he was going, to the land he was to inhabit.
God made a way where there was no way, upholding the promise that from Abraham would come descendants, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” Even though Abraham and Sarah were old, even though they had not previously been able to have children, God blessed them with a child.
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| Photo by Ricardo Rocha on Unsplash |
It’s easy to view all these things as transactional – Abraham performed the correct rituals, proved himself to be a good person, obeyed God, and so God blessed him with land to inhabit and a great name and innumerable descendants. But what we see in this story, and in all stories of God, is that God acts first. God calls, provides, forgives, promises, and then receives our response of thankfulness and joy. It’s not the case that if we do the right thing, then God will provide for us. Instead, because of God’s great love for us, therefore we are transformed for abundant life.
The faith that Abraham displays is trust in God’s faithfulness. Abraham knows that God is trustworthy. He knows that God keeps God’s promises. Abraham “considered faithful the one who had promised.”
We, too, share Abraham’s legacy. We are people called by God to journey to a foreign place where God will give us a place to live and an inheritance. In this foreign place – the kingdom of God – nothing is like what we’re used to. Instead of the wealthy and powerful claiming places of honor and privilege, in the kingdom of God, the poor and lowly are lifted up. Instead of servants waiting on their masters, in the kingdom of God the master welcomes the servants, ties up his belt, and kneels down to serve them. Instead of ruling by power, strength, and riches, the kingdom of God values the power of mercy, the strength of love, and the riches of grace.
We, too, share Abraham’s legacy. As good as dead in our sin, God makes us alive together with Christ. In the waters of baptism, God brings forth new life and makes us part of the family of God – a family whose members number as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. In the waters of baptism we are joined to God and joined to one another. In the waters of baptism, we receive forgiveness we could never earn. In the waters of baptism, we are given the Holy Spirit and the gift of faith.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith is not unquestioning obedience or perpetual happiness. Instead, faith looks like trusting that God has not forgotten us even when our hope is wearing thin. When we are full of fear, faith looks like clinging to the promise that God walks with us always, even when God is unseen.
When we look to the examples of our ancestors in the faith, we do not seek to emulate some kind of saintly behavior or untouchable goodness. Instead, we see them as recipients and examples of God’s faithfulness, love, and grace. We see how God’s promises were fulfilled in their lives, and see how God provided and cared for them, led and walked with them even into unknown lands. Seeing God’s faithfulness and dependability, we press forward together as we seek a homeland. Led by God, we journey toward the city God has prepared for us, the kingdom which is God’s good pleasure to give us.
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