Lectionary 19C Pr 14
Grace Lutheran Church
Lakeland, FL
August 7, 2022
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 33:12-22
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Luke 12:32-40
Grace to you and peace from God and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Please pray with me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
Last week I ended our sermon with these words about “hope”:
People speak of hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing made of whispers and spider’s webs. It is not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, the grit of the cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as she rises for another go.
Can you see this in your mind’s eye? Can you imagine the emotions that may have been coursing through her being that would have prompted that response – dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, grit of cobblestones in her hair and she stands up because she is not defeated.
There is determination and persistence and courage, isn’t there. And what is the source of that determination and persistence and courage, indeed, that hope?
[PAUSE]
In our first reading today we heard some of the early story about Abram – whom we now call Father Abraham. He had a good life – wife, estate, successful business. Then God came and said – you will be a great nation – I will bless you and you will be great – SO THAT you may be a blessing. Now, pack up, hit the road and I’ll show you the way.
Amazingly, Abraham did. He traveled from the Land of Ur to the Negeb – modern day Iraq to the southern part of modern day Israel -- hundreds of miles. Describe the journey. Then when he got there, there was no small family dispute between Uncle Abraham and his nephew Lot who had traveled with him. That was solved. Then there was a time of waiting. When’s this gonna happen God? Where is this great nation? You did tell me to do this, and here I am. Where are you? Sarah’s not pregnant, no family heirs in sight? What’s going on here? God, are you still there???!!!
God said, “Do not be afraid Abraham. I am with you and your reward will be great.”
Then one of my favorite biblical images – the starry sky. Look at the sky and count the stars if you can – that’s how many your descendants will be, that’s how great your great nation will be.
And then the Scriptures tell us that Abraham had faith and God saw it as righteousness. And in the reading from Hebrews the writer spoke of Abraham’s faith 1500 years later and we 2000 years later continue to be inspired by Abraham and Sarah – our forebears in faith. Faith that is the source of hope that manifests itself in persistence and determination and courage.
“Don’t be afraid,” said Jesus. And that my friends is not law – it is Gospel. It is good news. Don’t be afraid. Or as the angel said to Mary and as the angels said to the shepherds, “Fear not.” Those are strong words when we hear them in light of all that we know to be true today – the military actions in the Pacific and in Ukraine, a world ablaze with fire and record-breaking temperatures, lowest levels of Lake Mead since 1937 when it was filled for the first time, life in the time of pandemic with an illness that does not seem to be going away. Not to mention the personal struggles that many face with finances, illness, grief, loneliness. It is almost too much to bear, isn’t it.
Yet, even today, Jesus’ words resonate within us – Don’t be afraid little flock. Think back to Father Abraham and the call that God placed on his life, think of the travels, the doubts and the questions, think about his growing relationship with God and in and through this we also see his growing faith. And God saw it as Abrahams’ righteousness. When you get home today, please open your Bibles up to Hebrews 11 – fondly referred to as the “Faith Chapter.” Pick up a pencil and underline each time you see another identified by their faithfulness.
Listen to this cast of characters in this faith-life that we share: by faith Abel, by faith Enoch, by faith Noah, by faith Abraham, by faith Moses, by faith the people passed through the Red Sea, and the writer goes on to note that time doesn’t permit him to list all the faithful ones, the prophets, each beloved by God. And, I would add Sarah and Hagar and Esther and Deborah and Hannah and Zipporah and Ruth and Naomi. All of these are among the shoulders on which we stand.
Then after you have done that, spend some time thinking about the people in your life, your forebears in faith. Some may be family members, others may be friends, pastors, Sunday School teachers, neighbors. My list includes my godmother, Auntie Mari who took me into her home during a difficult time in my parents’ lives. Mr. Trebelhorn was my fifth grade Sunday School teacher who had a vision for my life. Miss Ahl, my high school English teacher who demonstrated a love for teaching. Nancy and Diane and Judy, spiritual directors who helped me see God’s leadings in my life. Pastor Heintzen who was Earl’s and my pastor for over twenty years who encouraged me in this call on my life to ordained ministry. And I haven’t enough time to tell you of the others. All of those shoulders on which I stand. Who is in the family tree of your faith? Today, this week, remember them, name them and thank God for their faithfulness.
Each of these were people whose faith gave birth to wild hope, a hope that does not disappoint us, as St. Paul wrote to the Romans. Fear not – or as the First Nations Version says, “Do not fear for even though you are a small flock, it makes your Father’s heart glad to give you the good road!”
Of course, as we know this good road is not always an easy road, not always a straight road. But I want you to remember – always remember and never forget – we do not walk this road alone. We are together. We pray for one another, we encourage one another, we lend a hand to each other. Sometimes we simply walk in silence together. We are together because of the clean pure fresh water of our baptisms through which we are embraced by God and marked with the sign of the cross of Christ forever. And always remember and never forget that God is on this road with us. And because of this we as the faithful ones of God have hope even in the midst of all that the world throws at us, hope even when the way is difficult, hope.
People speak of hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing made of whispers and spider’s webs. It is not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, the grit of the cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as she rises for another go.
This hope is ours through faith –the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
