Pastor Sherry’s message for July 2, 2023

Scriptures: Gen 22:1-14; Ps 13; Rom 6:11-23; Matt 10:40-42

Human beings appear to be programmed to love narrative—i.e., stories. It’s how our God has made us. As an experienced teacher, I know that people often remember a story before they will remember the point, theme, doctrine, concept, or theory. For instance, when I taught U.S. History in high school, I told the kids that when Grover Cleveland was running for president, the press learned he had had a child out of wedlock. The newspapers read, “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?” in an attempt to embarrass him. His supporters then printed, “Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha!” To this day, even I don’t remember much about President Grover Cleveland other than this story.

I once had a recovering addict at a residential treatment center ask me why I taught them psychological principles of recovery by using so many story illustrations. He was impatient with this approach and just wanted me to get to the point. He was saying in effect, “Please just lay out the concept,” or “Just the facts, Ma’m.” I patiently explained that my goal was to have him remember the concepts I was presenting once he went back into his home environment—and he was more likely to do so if these concepts were wrapped in examples from other people’s lives.

This is why the Bible contains story after story of the people of God. Our God knew their stories would help us to remember many of the important biblical principles. This is also why Jesus taught in parables, memorable stories with often surprising twists.

Today our passages offer 2 readings comprised of doctrine and two with stories that illustrate those doctrines:

A. Paul is masterful at setting forth Christian doctrine. In Romans 6:11-23, Paul wants us to understand that if we are joined to Christ (through baptism, through our profession of faith), we are now dead to sin. Does it mean we never sin again? Oh, if only! What it means is that we probably will sin again but we can overcome our sinfulness through (1) our faith in Jesus and (2) with the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul personifies sin as a master. He asserts that whatever we do, we serve someone or something—perhaps even making ourselves king of our life. He says we can serve sin or we can serve Jesus—those are our only two choices. Christians should not attempt to do both. First, it makes us hypocrites; second, it leads us back into the enslavement we escaped through Jesus’ rescue. He says (1) we start with faith in Christ. Then (2) we have to refuse to let sin reign in our lives; and, finally, (3) we present ourselves to God. These are each three acts of the will, decisions we make with our mind. He wants us to recognize that—on our own–we cannot live out the Christian life. We have to allow God to live it through us. So, overcoming sin is an act of faith. As Bishop N.T. Wright rewords Paul, “Our limbs and organs, and for that matter our mind, memory, imagination, emotions and will, are to be put at the disposal not of sin, but of God.” (Paul for Everyone, Romans: Part One, Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.109.)

Incidentally, this is where AA has come up with its 12 steps. I believe the anonymous founders of AA were a Catholic and a Lutheran, both of whom seemed to know Scripture. AA asserts that we have to have faith in a higher power, God, who is able to free us from our sin patterns/our addictions. We must also realize we cannot be overcomers on our own—we are only overcomers by the blood of the Lamb. AA adds making amends (asking forgiveness and being reconciled, if possible) to anyone we have harmed. Then we serve God and others, as “servants of Christ.” In the 12th step, we agree to become a sponsor to help others, as we have been helped, on their journey out of addiction.

B. This doctrinal position is demonstrated in our Old Testament story of the obedient behavior of Abraham (Genesis 22:1-14). In this 7th and last appearance of God to Abraham, this pillar of faith is put to an extreme test: God tells him to prepare to sacrifice his long-awaited “Child of Promise,” Isaac. We tend to think of Isaac still as a child at this point, but Biblical scholars now believe he was much older, perhaps even as old as 33 (Jesus’ age when He went to the cross).

Listen to God’s instructions in verse 2 Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about. Again, scholars believe this mountain would later be named the temple mount in Jerusalem, also known as Mt. Zion.

Verse 3 Early the next morning Abraham go up and saddled his donkey. Notice, Abraham’s obedience to God was immediate. He cut wood for the burnt offering; then he, Isaac, and 2 male servants set out. They traveled for 3 days before they saw the mountain God had directed him to in the distance. What was Abraham thinking during that journey? Did he even sleep the night before? He certainly had sufficient faith in God to even begin the trip. How many of us would have said, “No thanks, Lord. I believe I have a better idea”? How many of us would have felt justified in disobeying God? But Abraham was not going to rebel against God. The writer to the Hebrews later states (Hebrews 11:19) Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the dead. No, instead of rebelling, Abraham trusted in God to care for Isaac, the descendants of whom were to form a mighty nation. He obediently complied, offering himself and his son to the Lord. This is pretty amazing, isn’t it?!

Notice too that Isaac questioned what was happening (vv.7-8) Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and the wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. Isaac questioned, but he continued onward. He trusted his father and he trusted God. No wonder he is repeatedly included among the patriarchs of our faith, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! He was a man of deep faith in God. In this sense, Isaac is also a Christ-like figure (he foreshadows Jesus):

(1) Just as Jesus carried His wooden cross on His shoulders, Isaac carried the wood for the impending sacrifice on his.

(2) Abraham was prepared to offer his only and beloved son—just as Father God later did with Jesus—but at the last minute God provided a ram, a male sheep. A full grown sheep took Isaac’s place for the sin offering; while Jesus, the Lamb of God, became our sin offering.

(3) Finally, we see that Abraham renames that place (v.14) So Abraham called that place, “The Lord will provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (One of the names of God is Jehovah Jirah, which means God, our provider.) Later in the Biblical narrative, Jesus did become the substitutionary replacement for all of us on that same mountain. A road and a wall would have been erected between Golgotha and the Temple by then, but the mountain ridge is Mt. Moriah. Again, the Lord will provide Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

C. Jesus provides the doctrine in our Gospel lesson (Matthew 10:40-42). It’s a very brief passage which marks the conclusion of Jesus’ instructions to the 12 before they go out on their first mission-trip. He is warning them that though they will heal people, raise others from the dead, preach the Good News, and cast out demons, they need to expect also to be rejected. But He reassures them if anyone rejects them, they are actually rejecting Jesus, the One Who sent them. This work of bringing people to Jesus is of the utmost importance and they will be rewarded. But they are to remember that they represent Jesus and that they should not allow anything—not even fear—to come between them and Him.

D. This realization—this trust—is true of King David in Psalm 13

This psalm is a fervent prayer for rescue. David, though anointed king, is being pursued by the jealous King Saul. Saul and his troops sought to kill David for around 14-15 years. David knows his life is at risk. He’s weary and downcast. But, nevertheless, He looks to God in prayer (v.13) But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. Like Abraham, David put all his faith in God, despite His negative circumstances.

These are our godly examples: Abraham, Isaac, and David. Their obedience to God proves their trust in Him. We too need to trust in our God, in His goodness and loving kindness towards us. We too need to focus on obeying the Lord, remembering that this side of heaven, we will not be able to be sinless, but—that when we sin—we can ask God’s forgiveness, and we ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to avoid these same sins in the future.

Their stories help us to see how to live out our faith. They help us to remember Biblical principles/points of doctrine. They help us remember to put God first in our lives. These stories help remind us that when we do put Him first, our God will provide for us. Thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

©️2023 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams