By Faith

Back in Genesis 12, we heard the beginning of the story of Abraham: And God said, “Go from your land and I will give you a new land, many descendants, and make you a blessing to all the nations of the earth. Go.” And Abram went.

That is the essence of faith.

To hear a promise and to respond to the one who promises.

Faith is taking God at his word when he makes promises for the future.

Faith is an activity, a verb, a journey.

And Abraham went, trusting the promise, at least a little bit.

A person said to me, “Oh pastor, I have such a little bit of faith.”

“That's OK,” I responded, God begins where we are and leads us along.”

Sometimes we think that it was so easy for those larger-than-life Bible characters.

We think that it must have been so clear and straightforward for them.

Not so!

Abraham went against the traditions of his family on an uncharted journey in a relationship with a God newly revealed to him.

In our studies, we have a video that begins with the dramatic moment when Abraham takes the statues of the old household gods and puts them in their wooden box and slams the lid shut.

It is a shocked silence that falls over the family following this unexpected act.

And Abraham went, with only a promise ringing in his ear, and in the company of his family, servants, and small flock.

The Bible gives us stories of faith, but these are not the stories of heroes.

Heroes are witnesses to their own achievements, but the persons whom the writer of Hebrews names are some of those who live in faith, trusting God's future.

The Bible is realistic, for it also gives the harder side of things as well, the stories of doubts, when trust is hard to live.

Today we have in front of us the icon of the visit of the three messengers or angels to Abraham and Sarah.

Long years have passed since Abraham started out in his relationship with the Lord God.

The first promise was of land; Abraham is still a sojourner, a resident alien who owns no land at all.

The second promise was of many descendants; Abraham and Sarah remain childless, and they have set up the legal expedient of appointing a trusted slave in the household to be their heir.

The third promise was to become a blessing to the nations, and that does not seem to be any closer to happening than either of the other promises.

“Where's the proof?” Abraham must have been thinking often.

And Sarah laughed behind the tent flap when she overheard the conversation of the messengers with Abraham.

Where's the proof?

In our reading today from Genesis 15, we have yet another vision of Abraham.

In the middle of it, Abraham asks God again for results.

Notice that God does not respond to demands, but simply repeats the promise – “You will have a son as heir, and descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven.”

“Where's the proof?” Abraham asks.

“Listen again to the promise,” God replies.

Is it any wonder that Abraham has doubts, that Sarah laughs behind the tent flap, and that they arrange for other legal heirs...just in case...?

We want proof, and we get a promise.

That seems to be the way God works.

It is only much, much later, when Abraham and Sarah have given up trying to make it happen, when they know that they could accomplish nothing more on their own,...then, God chooses to act, and Isaac is born to Sarah and Abraham.

With our desire for instant gratification, we can hardly comprehend the wait of much of a lifetime for results.

Hardly has a “want” entered out mind until we're at the store.

Faith is that holding onto God's promise in spite of time, age, and difficult circumstances because the one who makes the promise is trustworthy.

To live in faith is to relax into a confidence that the promiser will deliver in his good time.

Each summer for many years, our family did the 1,200 mile drive to visit relatives in Minnesota.

We heard “Are we there yet?” countless times.

But it always amazed me when I could check the rear-view mirror and see the kids playing, reading, squabbling, and finally sleeping peacefully, with absolute trust that I knew where I was going and that I could get us there safely.

That journey took a long time, with plenty of twists and turns, stops, and detours.

There were meals along the way, and even a scenic view from a little mound in the middle of Wisconsin where we would stop to stretch our legs.

But through it all, the family trusted that it would turn out rightly.

That is the best image of which I can think to point to the life of faith, which is living in trust that God does know the way and the destination, and will guide us.

There are bumps and twists in our lives – health problems, employment problems, family problems, neighbor problems – just as there were with Abraham and Sarah and every person of faith since them.

There are disappointments and failures, and unsatisfactory jobs, illnesses, broken relationships, anxious new beginnings and all the rest.

But there are also high points along the way from which we can get a glimpse of our goal and make some guesses about God's plans.

There are regular meals and times of refreshment when we gather here at the Lord's table.

There are special times such as we have today to honor those who have been on the journey of faith for a long time.

They have suggested the hymns we sing today to encourage our faith-filled life together, and they will continue this in conversation and song in Fellowship Hall a bit later.

Faith is a journey, with a promise which is repeated again and again, as often as we need to hear its reassurance, with the risen Lord Jesus as the one making the promise. By faith we live.

In contrast to this invitation to faith, I read of a congregation which put out this advertisement:

Sleep a little later, throw on some jeans, have a cup of coffee, listen to some great music, and get together for some wonderful fellowship.

St. (whatever) Church invites you to join us for our service with no pressure, no commitment, and no hassle.

All we ask is 45 minutes of your Sunday.

Sounds nice! You get a little something, with no expectations afterward.

But it doesn't have much to do with the challenges of our lessons today.

God gives tremendous promises, and will make good on them in his good time.

Then he asks for the commitment of our entire lives.

And he gives faith, confidence, and endurance to step out on the journey.

By faith we live. Let all who know this say Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.