Holy Promises

Read: Genesis 15:1-18

 

Second Sunday of Lent - February 24, 2013

The Rev. Kenneth R. Elkin

 

Of the making of promises there is no end.

But in the keeping of promises, we have great difficulties.

 

“I'll call you soon,” we say, and don't.

“If you need anything just let me know,” and they never do.

 

Promises.

We deal with each other through these arrangements all the time, sometimes regarding them more seriously than at other times.

Frankly, we cannot manage without them.

We must covenant with each other about how many different things should be happening:

– which side of the road on which we will agree to drive,

– what various signs mean and how their message should be followed,

– taking turns at play, at home, at work,

– reciting the pledge of allegiance,

– offering national service, and many more things.

 

But even before it is our concern, this category of “promise” is a key way to understand how the Lord God has decided to relate with us.

God pushes back chaos to make a place for us to live.

And what a delicate spot it is: the scientists tell us that a little closer the sun or a little further away from the sun and life as we know it would be impossible.

Even when the first generations disobey, kill, or hate, God does not completely destroy, but puts his mark of protection on Cain, and puts his rainbow above Noah, as visible signs of his promises.

God continues this when he points out the numberless stars of heaven, and sends the flaming torch and smoking fire-pot through the sacrifices of Abraham.

They are the visible signs of the promise that God intends to keep, the covenant he makes with Abraham and his descendants.

We've often talked about this covenant, and especially about its nature as a gift, or to use one of our favorite church-words, grace.

This is before there are commandments and other expectations. 

This is free gift of God to Abraham, given not because of any special worthiness on the part of Abraham, just because God chose him out of all of the other possible candidates available in that time and place.

God saw something in Abraham with which he could work, upon which he could build, and he does.

 

We know that there are two kinds of covenants, ones that are between equal partners, in which there is mutuality; and ones that are given by a greater to a lesser, without negotiations.

There is no bargaining with God over this covenant; Abraham is simply selected and the promise is given, and Abraham can either accept it with joy, or reject it and try to run away from it.

Paul reminds us that Abraham believed God, trusted the promise, and it was “reckoned to him as righteousness” [Romans 4:3].

 

We know the three parts of that covenant which God gave: a place to live, descendants, and to be a blessing to all the nations of the world.

The first two of those are very straightforward, but it is the third part that has always been the difficult one to understand, to appreciate, and to see in action.

How is it that  the people of promise are being a blessing to all the nations of the world?

We'll let that question hang out there for a bit.

Holy Baptism is one of those covenants just given, before we can deserve anything.

That is one of the key reasons we continue to baptize persons of any age including the very young, before they can do anything but messy diapers.

God promises to hold onto the person baptized, to chase after them when they go astray, to comfort them when distressed, and to use them to reach still others.

And parts of that chasing and comforting and using he assigns to us, the brothers and sisters of the newly baptized person.

We all have lots to do.

 

But think about Abraham as the long years go by and the promise seems to go unfulfilled.

We're into instant gratification; if we think it, we want it, and right now.

And the advertizing writers and producers are counting on it: the latest, the fastest, the shiniest..... I must have it!

Abraham and Sarah are well past the child-bearing years when we hear of Abraham in today's lesson.

It would be natural for them to have doubts, and perhaps doubts drifting over toward despair.

It has been a lifetime of waiting...and nothing.

And there is this promise and its visible signs.

All of us, too, do not completely understand what God is doing with us, how God intends to use us, what tomorrow might bring.

Still, God calls people even those like us who do not fully understand, people like us with questions and doubts.

That is Good News.

Sometimes it is OK to say I don't know.

Last Sunday evening, the catechetical students and mentors in working through Luke came to one of the difficult passages and asked for explanation.

I could have dragged out the commentaries and listed the interpretations by thinkers puzzling over this passage, but right then it seemed like the better thing to admit that this is a hard one and go on to others that we can understand a little more easily.

Maybe later, with more time and experience, we can work on that one.

 

Other times it is someone fretting about one or more phrases in the Creed.

“I'm not sure that I believe this or that phrase,” a person will say.

Then I remember the advice of an old Orthodox priest when he was confronted with this situation, who said very calmly, ”Say it anyway.

 It's not your creed; it belongs to the whole church of all times and places.

The phrase that bothers you was around long before you came on the scene and will be there long after you've left.

Keep using it and with years of your study and experience, maybe your heart and mind will be opened to understand and appreciate it.”

 

Oh, we think, Oh, if I had been there at the resurrection, then everything would have been so clear and I wouldn't have these nagging doubts.

But isn't it interesting that at the end of Matthew's gospel we read: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.  When they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. [Mt.28:16-17]

But Jesus does not give up on the disciples, even the doubting ones.

He directs them to get on with the next proper task anyway, making disciples, by baptizing and teaching.

To be a blessing to all the world, aren't we?

And then Jesus concludes: “And remember I am with you always to the end of the age.”

Oh, there is another of those promises!

Amen.