February 17, 2008
Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 121:1-8
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17
The scriptures for this Sunday seem to have a strong, common theme. Faith. Trust.
Abram and Sarai have to go without knowing what is ahead.
Nicodemus can’t seem to let go of his logic-based mind to grasp what Jesus is saying. Belief in God isn’t something we can “do.” It is a spiritual gift or discipline which must be received and cultivated.
It seems that the trick with preaching on these passages is presenting greater faith as an opportunity, not a missed exit. How do you help people see that they can be like Abram and Sarai rather than feeling like they are destined to be Nicodemus?
Pastor Richard Fairchild writes this about trusting God:
“When we trust God for our daily bread, in the back of our minds we already know how God will feed us, we know that if we go to work we will be able to bring home a cheque, just as we know that if we ask God to help us forgive someone, that it will most likely come to pass if we call up that person and try to talk to them.
But food for Africa - we don't see how it is possible, just as the disciples couldn't see how it was possible to feed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish; nor can we see how war might cease between the nations, just as many of the Pharisees could not see how it was possible for God to love sinners, and so we do not ask God to do the impossible, or if we do, we do not really expect God to do it, instead we look for God to do those things and to bless those things which already lie within our comprehension.”
Richard Fairchild http://www.spirit-net.ca/sermons/b-le02se.php
Here is one of my favorite interpretations of God’s call, from Rabbi Marc Gellman.
Gellman, Rabbi Marc. Does God Have a Big Toe. Harper Collins, 1989, pages 47 – 51.
“Most people do not realize it, but God put in calls to other people before finally putting in a call to Abram.
First God called Eber and said, “Eber, leave your country and your neighbors and your family and go to a land I will show to you, and I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing; all who bless you will be blessed and all who curse you will be cursed and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”
And Eber said, “Who are you?” And God said, “God.” And Eber said, “The God of what?” And God said, “The God of everything.” And Eber said, “Don’t be ridiculous, there is no god of everything. There is a god of the night and a god of the day, a god of the mountains and a god of the valleys, a god of the forests and a god of the deserts. If you ask me, you are a little late. Everything already has a god, and there is no god of everything. Maybe if you look hard, you can find something that doesn’t already have a god. As a matter of fact, I think there is no god of frogs at the moment. Why don’t you go check that out and then we can talk, because there just is no god of everything.”
But Eber and God never talked again.
The next person God called was Peleg. God said, ““Peleg, leave your country and your neighbors and your family and go to a land I will show to you, and I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing; all who bless you will be blessed and all who curse you will be cursed and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”
And Peleg said, “Who are you?” And God said, “God.” And Peleg said, “Where are you?” And God said, “I am everywhere.” And Peleg said, “If you are everywhere where do they put your statue so that people can bow down to you?” And God said, “I am invisible and no one may make a statue of me.” Peleg rolled on the ground with laughter. “Now let me get this straight! You are the invisible god of everything with no state, and you want me to leave my home and follow you to a place you will show me? Do you think I am crazy? Now look, why don’t you go to a good idol maker and have a nice sculpture made of your image, and then we can find a nice place to put it down where people can bow to it, and then we can talk.”
But God and Peleg never talked again.
Then God went to Serug and said, “Serug, leave your country and your neighbors and your family and go to a land I will show to you, and I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing; all who bless you will be blessed and all who curse you will be cursed and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.
And Serug said, “Who are you?” And God said, “God.” And Serug said, “What will you give me?” And God said, “I just told you.” And Serug said, “You don’t understand. I am not interested in moving anywhere or doing anything just so that my great-great-great-grandchildren will be a great nation. I want to know what is in this deal for me right now. Maybe if you showered me with some of those blessing up front I might be convinced. How about given me all the money in the world and the kingship of the lands? What do you say?”
But God said nothing. Then Serug said, “All right, let’s be reasonable. I will go wherever you want for most of the money in the world and the kingship of the five largest countries. How about that?” But God said nothing.
That was the last time Serug ever heard from God.
By that time, God was not sure about finding the right man. But God went to Abram and said, “Abram, leave your country and your neighbors and your family and go to a land I will show to you, and I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing; all who bless you will be blessed and all who curse you will be cursed and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”
And Abram said, “I will go, but there is just one thing I want.” God asked what that one thing was, and Abram answered, “I want to take my family with me.” God asked him, “that’s it? You just want your family to come with you? Don’t you want to see me?” And Abram said, “no.” And God asked, “Don’t you want to bow to a statue of me?” And Abram said, “No.” And God asked, “Abram, don’t you want anything for yourself?” And Abram said, “No.”
Right then God decided not to ask any more questions, and God let Abram gather his family and pack their things for the journey to the place that God would show them. Right then God knew that the right man was going to the right place at the right time for the right reasons. God also knew that such things hardly ever happen.”
So. What are you thinking for this week?