God Provided the Lamb

God Provides the Lamb

The Binding of Isaac: Genesis 21-22

September 15, 2013

Pastor Doug Holtz

A reading from the book of Genesis:

The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him.

A little backstory:

We’ve skipped 20 chapters of Genesis:

            Forbidden fruit, brother killing brother, massive flood, confusion of language, war.

Then we meet Abram

            Who gets the promise of a son.

            And waits. And waits. Doesn’t get one.

                        So Abram and Sarah force the issue (Abraham is 86)

                                    Ishmael is born… illegitimate, born of their servant

            Abraham turns 99 years. Happy Birthday!

                        Birthday present: circumcision.

            Sodom and Gomorrah

                        Don’t know it? Read it on your own. It’s weird.

Finally Isaac is born (Abraham is now 100)

            So if you thought Abraham was tested enough already, let's read what’s next:

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.”

Thanks be to God.

            You didn’t really want to say that.

                        And who can blame you.

What a test!

            The son, promised for SO LONG.

                        Is now to be sacrificed.

What if your best friend today was told this by God?

            Would you believe it was true?

                        Or advise it was a bad dream or hallucination?

                        Would you let him go to the mountain with his son?

What if YOU were told this by God?

            It’s a HORRIBLE situation.

                        A terrible story so far.

            Let’s see what Abraham does next.

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.

Need a good faith story?

            Abraham just does it. No questions.

            Of course he told nobody what was happening.

                        Anyone would have stopped him (and locked him up)

But there is more faith than meets the eye here.

            Abraham says, “We will worship, and then WE will come back to you.”

            “God will provide the lamb for a burnt offering.”

            He knew something. He trusted God.

                        Followed his will to even raising the knife.

                                    No hesitation. No bargaining. Just TRUST.

It’s a really good thing this isn’t the end of the story.

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

And God provided the lamb for Abraham.

            Sparing Isaac’s life.

God provided a lamb so that Isaac didn’t have to die.

John 1, verse 29 reads:

The next day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

And it’s no mistake that suddenly the story of Abraham and Isaac seems much more familiar.

God didn’t just keep his promise to Abraham, providing the lamb.

            He kept the promise to all of us, providing the lamb.

                        The true Paschal Lamb.

                                    Who is Christ Jesus.

Abraham believed that God would provide.

            And now we too can believe God provides.

                        In fact, we have the benefit of hindsight.

                                    God gave us the lamb, taking away our sin, giving us eternal life.

But we still struggle to believe this.

            And we’re not alone.

                        Even Thomas, one of the 12, had to see the hands and side

            And yet the promise remains.

                        We ask questions

                                    We doubt.

                                                We disobey.

And the Father loves us.

            So much he put Jesus on the line.

                        So much that he wants to spend forever with us.

Sounds like someone we should get to know.

            So look at the goldenrod inserts.

                        Leading you to hear God’s word daily.

                                    Leading you to share God’s blessing with each other.

            This week don’t just pitch these aside.

                        It’s an invitation

                                    To engage each other.

                                                To enjoy each other’s company

                                                            To learn a little of God together.

It’s hard to get started

            But after a while you can’t live without it.

Because why not get to know the one who sent the lamb to save Isaac?

            Why not get to know the one who sent the lamb to save you?

The good news: even if you choose to throw it away.

            The promise is still yours, the same promise Jesus gave to the criminal on the cross.

                        “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

                        A promise for all who believe.

                                    God is good… all the time.

                                                Thanks be to God.

                                               

Striving for Balance

Creation: Genesis 1:1-2:4

September 8, 2013

Pastor Doug Holtz

A theologian friend of mine translates the word “good” in the creation story to mean in balance.

When you think about it, that’s true

     We love our budgets to balance

     Checkbook

     Admire gymnasts with great balance

     Strive for work/family/self balance

God created in balance, which is good

Night / day

Water / land

Rotation/revolution/tilt of the earth

Just the right balance of gases

     Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen

          To sustain life

One thing God created out of balance

     He made us the pinnacle of creation

          A little lower than God’s own self

              Not just good, but VERY good.

As we are lifted up as the crown of creation.

     We affect balance

          Climate change on a micro level

               Heat islands in our cities

               Air conditioning/heating in our homes.

We invent, we create, we destroy, we modify

     Somehow the earth stays in balance

But when life gets out of balance, we suffer

Michael Hyatt gives us five consequences of living life out of balance

1.     Your health. No time for healthy lifestyle means no healthy lifestyle.

2.   Your family. Divorce rate around 50%. Children who often raise themselves.

3.   Your friends. No time for nurturing friendships means friends disappear

4.   Your effectiveness. We’re at our best when rested and relaxed. Energy drain means we have to work harder/longer for the same end product.

5.   Your example. If you are in any leadership position, even as a parent, you are leading with a bad example that people will follow.

It’s a painful reality. But God created us to be, at our best, living in balance.

Even God lives in balance as the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

John 1: “In the beginning was the Word (capital W), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God from the beginning.”

Genesis 1:2: The Spirit of God was brooding over the waters.

     Brooding as in mothering… caring for, guarding, watching

From the very beginning God exists in relationship. It’s that important

God created us to exist in relationship.

     In the image of God (who is in relationship)

          He created them (plural, all of us, in relationship)

     Be fruitful, multiply. Rule over the fish and birds, every living creature

              Speaking to the collective, not one individual

Doing it my way, on my own,

     Something to be desired

The rugged individualist has it all wrong

     No such thing as self-made person.

          Many influences along the way

     We are who we are because of relationship

It’s popular today to be “spiritual and not religious”

     How they are correct: no religion is perfect

          No denomination has it quite right

              Although many claim to

                   No single church, no one preacher

                        Has all the right answers

                             Romans 3: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

I understand why they don’t want to be part of a church community

     Except that they’re not living as God intended

          Because God exists in community

              Matthew 18: Wherever two or more are gathered, there I am also

                   Despite the disagreements

                        Despite the fear and frustration of change

                             God is doing something new

                                  And it only happens in community.

We can’t fully worship and serve without community.

          And no, we will never be quite right

              Never be perfect, always have differences

                   God blesses us, loves us, cherishes us.

So, if you’re looking for the perfect church, good luck.

     Humans are imperfect and the church is led and humans

          As much as we can mess things up,

              At least we have each other to keep ourselves on track

                   Those “going it alone” have little hope of finding peace

But the God who created us loves us so much

     That the Father sacrificed the Son who was with him from the very beginning

          To die for us, and then lived again

              That our faith might be perfected in our own death and resurrection

                   2 Cor. 5:17 Living each day a new creation in Christ

                        Living each day as an integral part of the community of faith

                             Working together--God’s hands doing God’s work in world

Not as perfect men and women;

Hebrews 12: but trusting in the founder and perfecter of our faith

     Living life in balance with one another.

          And God said it is good. Very good. Amen.

Who will you invite to the table?

Luke 14:1, 7-14

15th Sunday after Pentecost: September 1, 2013

Pastor Doug Holtz

In our gospel,

        Jesus takes on the status quo

               Who gets the place of honor?

                       Who even gets invited to dinner?

So I have some questions today for some of the most important people here

        These people define the church for me

               So students, here at the beginning of the school year

                       Some questions to consider:

                              Thinking about Jesus’ teaching today—

·What would it be like to invite a kid who seems always to be alone to sit with your group?

·What would it be like to reach out to someone who is very different from you?

·What would it be like to give up your seat on the bus to someone who got on late?

·What would it be like to stop someone from bullying someone else?

·What would it be like to post on Facebook something kind about someone who rarely gets noticed?

·What would it be like to invite someone that doesn’t often get invited to a party or outing?

·What would it be like to tweet a quotation -- maybe even verse 13 from this week’s reading: “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.”-- about looking out for others?

·And what would it be like, if someone asks you why you’re doing this, to say it’s because it’s what you think God wants?

Adults, any of these questions give you pause?

        Because it goes beyond the school years

               Into everyday life

                       Into our families. Just think of Crazy Uncle Louie

Because Jesus invites us all: young and old, rich and poor, popular and lonely into this conversation.

It’s not just a message for first-century hearers

        But 21^st Century hearers as well!

A message to live differently

        A call to break the rules of “what have you done for me lately”

To value others not because of what they can do for you

        But because of who they are

               Because of who we are

                       Named children of God

This past week we marked the 50^th anniversary of the march on Washington, D.C.

        Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech

Talk about defying social convention!

        “…When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’”

But what’s the price of this true freedom?

        Doing things that defy social convention

               Asking the outcast to join you at lunch

               Stopping someone from bullying another

               Invited the never invited to the party

        And it’s tough

               It might feel ridiculous

                       Meaning it may bring you ridicule

               It takes equal measures of faith and courage

                       Not just for students, but for all of us

So, students

        You’re in my prayers as school begins

               Prayers that you can be faithful

                       Do something ridiculous

                              Be a servant of God

And the rest

        That you can do the same

               In the gym

                       The grocery store

                       Your workplace

So you can truly use the tools we are about to bless

        For God’s purpose

            To enhance your learning

               To aid in your vocation (whatever it is)

I pray that we all find the courage and faith to do as Jesus commanded

        the one who gave his very life for us

            so that we don’t have to do what pleases God

               but that we can’t help but respond by doing what pleases God

And so now let’s lift up those backpacks, briefcases, cleaning supplies,

        Whatever you brought as a symbol of your vocation

            And bless them

               And more importantly

                       The ones who use these items to the glory of God.

Dear God,

as we get ready to start another year in school,

and to enter with renewed energy into our workplaces

we ask your blessing on these backpacks and other tools of vocation

and especially on these people who will wear them and carry them.

As they do the very important work of being students, employees, and business leaders

bless them with:

        eagerness to learn, that their world may grow large;

        respect for teachers and students and all they encounter

that they may form healthy relationships;

        love for nature,

        that they may become caretakers of your creation;

        happiness when learning is easy

        and stick-to-it-iveness when it is hard;

        faith in Jesus as their best teacher and closest friend.

We ask that you would protect these, your own flock.

Watch over them and keep them safe

as they travel to and from schools and workplaces.

As they learn and grow in skill, help them also to discover

the different gifts that you have given each one of them

to be used in your work in the world.

As they hear the many voices that will fill their days,

help them to listen most carefully for your voice,

the one that tells them you will love them always,

no matter what.

We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Feed the Fire

Feed the Fire

Luke 12:49-56

August 18, 2013

Some time ago I was leading a Bible study and one of the participants made this observation:

“The more things change the more we humans stay the same.”

Pressed to explain her insight she continued:

“We are still sinners who need a Savior.”

And indeed, although the circumstances of human fear and stress might seem different

     In this age when we can insulate ourselves

      Do everything on line

     The underlying truth: We are still sinners who need a Savior.

Jesus said, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!”

What do you want to do as Jesus kindles his light in your life?

• -  Just smile politely when Jesus says those words.

• -  Try and put the fire out

• -  Listen and repent, coming to life fully aflame in the light of Christ, ready to carry His light into the whole world

Let’s look at the first option: smiling politely.

     This seems to most often be the “default” setting for the church in the U.S. today

     The popular preachers

      Prosperity gospel

          Luke 12:49-56 doesn’t fit

            Just believe in Jesus and the world will fall at your feet

              Cars, homes, money. No earthly worries.

              Relationships will be stress free.

                  I love Disney World, but real life isn’t that way.

                  Prosperity gospel: a fragile house of cards

                       Where do we go when the house falls

                        The job is lost, the marriage goes sour

     But it’s not just them. We all do this. I DO THIS!

      A one-week mission trip makes us feel awesome.

      And then more came after us.

      Except now, nobody is helping again.

     We save the world for a short span.

      And then go back to what was.

The Faith Five is coming around again for confirmation families

     Of course, no one ever claimed to miss it.

Taking God’s Story Home is making a return for the rest of us.

     When we were baptized, someone made promises for us.

     When we affirmed those promises at confirmation, we made the promises.

     And here they are:

      To live among God’s faithful people

      To hear the word of God and come to the holy supper

      To know the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments

      To have in our hands and hearts the holy scriptures

      To be active in faith and prayer

      To trust God

      To proclaim Christ in word and deed

      To care for others and the world God made

       To work for justice and peace.

And when these are brought back to our attention,

     We smile and nod.

      We agree for Sunday morning’s sake

         And then go back to whatever it was we were interrupted from.

     What if we read the Bible as fervently as we read the Packer Report?

      Who gets more of our time? Aaron Rodgers or Jesus Christ?

         Yup. Time to smile and nod.

Then there’s the second option: Try and put the fire out.

     I’ve done this one too.

      First hearing a call to work in ministry when I was in middle school.

         Finally went to seminary at age 37.

            I had good reasons.

     Anytime God calls us.

      We can find good reasons not to answer.

         “When I have more time”

         “When all else fails”

         “When I can’t do anything else”

And yet, people will still go hungry

     People are still lonely

     People are hurting

     People need the Lord.

      And our fear, stubbornness, pride

         Says “no”

But what if…

     What if we would consistently choose the third choice:

Listen and repent (which means turn around back to God),

coming to life fully aflame in the light of Christ

Ready to carry His light into the whole world

How alive would Christ the King Church, the PEOPLE, actually become?

     What difference could we make in the world?

      Living as though it’s important to us to let others know

         Christ died for us; Christ came back to life; Christ will come again to claim us.

And no it’s not easy!

     That’s the division Jesus talks about.

      Because the gospel is scandalous.

         It’s counter-cultural.

            People will make mock you for believing.

            Just like they mocked Christ on the cross.

     The true Gospel (not the garbage TV preachers spew)

      The true Gospel will not make you popular

         Or cool

            Or rich

But it will make you free.

Because even if we fall back to smiling and nodding (and we will!)

Even if we try to put the fire out (and we will!)

Eternal life is still ours through Christ who saves us.

     But why not 5 minutes a day with your family?

      Why not a few moments sprinkled liberally in prayer?

         Because these times open the rich and abundant life that God promises.

            Even more fulfilling than a Packers (or better yet, Bears!) victory on Sunday.

Eternal life is ours. Make sure you clothe yourself in Christ.

     There’s a battle out there. And God wins.

Amen.