Christ our Example in Faith and Obedience

(From the book “Onward Through the Fog!” by E. Morris – Pierce)

B: (The preacher) Today we are going to consider the example which Jesus set for us as a person of faith and obedience. To help us understand today’s scripture readings, I invited Abraham’s press agent to meet with us today.

Good Morning!

A: (Abraham’s Press agent – dressed like a stereotypical reporter, wearing hat with “press” written on a card and sticking out of the hatband for all to see)

Hey there! Glad to be here! In fact, it’s great! One can never get too much publicity, you know. If it weren’t for you preachers and Sunday School teachers, most people wouldn’t know about Abraham.

B: I suppose we could add another group to that list you just cited: Hebrew school students.

A: Oh, oh, you’re right. I should never omit them. After all Abraham was their ancestor!

B: That’s interesting, especially in light of what Paul wrote to the Roman Christians. He said: “Abraham is the father of us all. (Romans 4: 16b)

A: Well there must be some mistake! Abraham was the ancestor of the Hebrews.

B: And the Muslims, don’t forget.

A: Ahem. (clears throat and squirms a little) The Hebrews don’t like to be reminded of Abraham’s extra-curricular activities. They don’t like to remember how Ishmael was related to Abraham.

B: We Christians are related to Abraham too.

A: Nooo. Abraham was Hebrew

B: That’s where you are wrong. Abraham was not a Hebrew. His ancestry traces all the way back to Adam (Luke 3: 23-38). Since Adam was the first man, that means we are all descendants of Adam and Abraham.

A: If Abraham wasn’t a Hebrew, what was he, if you’re so smart?

B: He was a Babylonian!

A: (Groans) How could you!? Maybe Abraham did live in Ur at one time of his life. The important thing is, he moved out of that sin hole!

B: Ahhh, now you’re talking like a preacher instead of a press agent. You have brought us up to the very area of my concern.

A: I have?

B: You just admitted Abraham moved away from a city of sin. What kind of sin?

A: Hmmm… worshipping many gods?

B: Right. God wanted people to worship only the True God. But where to begin? He tried with Adam, but eventually Adam’s descendants drifted away to other lands and forgot about the true God. Some biblical scholars believe the family of Abraham still worshipped one God and not idols. Perhaps that is why God decided to start all over again, so to speak, by choosing Abraham to start a whole new line of people. And Abraham was obedient to God’s call.

A: Excuse me for interrupting, but didn’t Abraham start a whole new nation – not just a new people? He started the Hebrew nation!

B: We are in agreement there. But let’s move ahead two thousand years in history to the time of Jesus.

A: (Interrupting) Who also was a Jew!

B: Yes and the Son of God, as well as the son of Abraham. (gives A and exasperated look and continues) Well anyway, Jesus began his ministry by preaching good news to his people.

A: (Interrupting again) The Hebrew people (with a know-it-all look)

B: (Going on as if nothing happened) … and almost immediately Jesus became viewed as a threat to the religious leaders.

A: Why, if he was only preaching good news? Where’s the threat in that?

B: Because the people were following after Jesus instead of the leaders, and the leaders were jealous and felt threatened.

A: Oh boy! If only I could have been his press agent! Look what I did for Abraham. All the good stuff written about him – that was my doing!

B: If I remember correctly, a few things in Abraham’s record were not so favourable.

A: Well, you know how it is. You gotta keep readership interest up by adding a few spicey details. Hee, hee. (Chuckles and gleefully rubs hands together)

B: Maybe it’s a good thing that you weren’t Jesus’ press agent. Now, may I go on with my story?

A: Sure, go ahead!

B: Thank you. Because of the suspicion centred on Jesus, Nicodemus, one of those religious leaders I just mentioned, had a clandestine meeting with Jesus. He was interested in learning more about the teachings of Jesus, but he didn’t want any of the other Pharisees to catch him talking to Jesus.

A: I still don’t get it. Why would they have to meet secretly?

B: What you need to realize is that Jesus upset the neat money scam which was being operated at the temple. The ones who were hardest hit were the poor people. The scam was that no one could purchase a sacrificial animal with regular money, and of course, most poor people did not own animals for sacrificing. They had to purchase them at the temple.

A: (Acts astounded) You’re kidding!

B: No it’s true! All the people had to first go to a money changer so that their money could be exchanged for temple scrip. What it amounted to was the temple coffers were getting richer while the worshippers were getting cheated. After all, the leaders could set their own rate of exchange, and there was no one who could challenge them on it. They were a law unto themselves.

A: So what did Jesus do to upset the apple cart?

B: He did just that. He upset all the desks and tables of the money changers, spilling the money all over the place, and then he chased them out of the temple. After that he opened up the cages of the lambs and goats and doves and let them go free. He was really angry about the way the Pharisees were abusing God’s house.

A: Whew! What a headline that would make: “Evangelist exposes temple money cam.” Boy do I wish I had been Jesus’ press agent!

B: Apparently Jesus got enough publicity on his own. It forced Nicodemus to meet him secretly.

A: What was the result of that meeting, anyway?

B: I would say that Nick’s life was changed. According to the records he continued to be a secret disciple of Jesus until after Jesus was put to death. The he let people know his real beliefs.

A: Back up a minute! Jesus was put to death? For exposing that temple money scam?

B: That was part of it. But you need to concentrate a little more on what Jesus had to say to Nick that night.

A: Okay. Tell me.

B: Let’s focus in on the sixteenth verse of John 3: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

A: You weren’t kidding when you said Jesus was the Son of God were you?

B: No, I am in earnest. I see you picked up on a key phrase in that sentence – “God gave his only son,” God gave Jesus to the world – to everyone, as a sacrificial lamb.

A: You mean like the little lambs that were killed on the altar at the temple?

B: Precisely! Jesus was killed, but he laid his own life on the altar – for the sins of whoever would believe in him. He didn’t have to die; he was the son of God.

A: So why did he? Die, that is…

B: Because God loved the whole world – everybody – and he wanted more than one nation

A: (Interrupting) You mean the Hebrews

B: (Nods and continues right on) ... to serve him. He wanted all people to love him, not just the children of Abraham. So Jesus was obedient to his father’s will; “even unto death.”

A: So that’s how you Christians became heirs of Abraham – you did it through Jesus!

B: All those who have faith in God, who believe Jesus died for each one, and come to him for forgiveness, are forgiven of their sins.

A: That makes everyone a little bit like Abraham. We are all, each one of us, called to come away from our selfish lives and have faith to follow a “new way.”

B: Look who’s preaching now! Abraham is a great example of faith and obedience. He obeyed God and trusted God’s promise to make “of him a great nation.”

A: (Interrupting again) Even though he had no kids. Ooops! I mean children.

B: Thank you. You took the words out of my mouth. God eventually did give Abraham an heir, and from Isaac descended the great Hebrew nation…

A: But you are supposed to tell us about the example of Jesus in faith and obedience.

B: Do all press agents make it their business to be so disruptive? I’m leading up to that

On the other hand, Jesus was called out of heaven to fulfill a purpose on earth. In every way Jesus was faithful and obedient:

His faith and obedience to God was unswerving.

His faith in his followers continued, even when they forsook him at his trial. That faith eventually paid off.

And, he had faith in himself and his ultimate goal – to spread the good news of God’s love and to win the battle over sin and death.

A: You know you’d make a pretty decent press agent. I’m glad I met you. I only wish that I had met Jesus.

B: There’s no reason you can’t meet Jesus. All you need is faith to believe in him, and obedience to follow his way.

Let us pray: God of love and mercy, increase our faith in your and the redemptive act of Jesus. Help us to be faithful and obedience to your will for our lives. Amen.

Our gospel lesson this morning has Jesus telling Nicodemus about eternal life and our lesson in Romans tells of Abraham believing in God and being the father of us all

By faith amazing things happen

By faith we have a new orientation

Another way of explaining what happens is the pattern of Order, Disorder, Reorder.

Order is what we know

Disorder is the process that awakens us to the need to make a change

And reorder is the new order

This dynamic is recognized in planning and group dynamics projects

It is also the way grace works in our lives

What we know is order

We think of order as good

It is the opposite of confusion after all

Order is also simply that which is known

At one time orderly living meant such things as, the laws of Apartheid, laws that limited women’s ability to own property and be financially independent, or even the laws that allowed Japanese Canadians to be moved into internment camps

What we conceive of as order is not always good, but the pattern can be so firmly rooted in our way of thinking that we don’t even question it

It leads to systemic racism

It can have people caught up in systems that they didn’t create and maybe aren’t even fully aware of

There is an unconscious bias that favours those of European descent that goes back to the Middle Ages

The Pope declared that it was a good thing for European Nations to take possession of countries that were not ruled by Christians

Those who were not Christian were deemed to be savages who needs to be civilized

History has shown us that these so-called savages were civilized and practised good agricultural habits, good husbandry of creation and had health care methods in place

Hundreds of years later we are still dealing with the fall out of the doctrine of discovery.

Order needs to be examined so that we may give up ways of living that are not in keeping with God’s plan for life

We are now in the season of Lent, which is a time to allow us to come to know God better and to set aside the order that is not helpful

The next step, disorder, has a bad sound for us

Especially for Presbyterians who like to have things be decent and in good order

Disorder can come about when the spirit of God activates in our lives to stir us up to leave behind that which is not in keeping with God’s plan

Disorder lets us see how racism can thrive in society and invites us to speak out

Disorder makes us discontent with a system that allows the world’s resources to be unequally divided

Disorder makes us realize that we do not simply drift in our lives of faith, but we turn to God in faith so that we become more like God

Reorder is the plan to which God invites us and it can take on a shape that we never possibly imagined

Reorder is the way of grace

It is eternal life

It is being a child of Abraham

It is seeing the face of Christ in others

It is having faith to believe in Jesus and obedience to follow in his way.

Invitation to the Offering

Jesus challenged his followers to deny themselves in order to follow him. Our offerings express to God our willingness to give not just a little something, but to commit resources we could have used in other ways for God’s purposes instead. We are blessed to be able to give.

Prayer of Dedication

Lord Jesus, you challenge all your followers to give to God like you did, without counting the cost. Receive our gifts and bless them so that they may continue your ministry of healing in this hurting world. Bless us with your courage so our lives speak to others of our love for you and for them. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Loving God, we thank you for the vision you have for our lives,

the promises you have made to us,

and the journey you open before us.

Today we remember with gratitude:

The ways our lives are held secure in uncertain times by our trust in you;

(Hold a silence)

Moments in these months of pandemic that made us laugh or smile;

(Hold a silence)

Moments when we felt your gifts of courage and patience;

(Hold a silence)

Times when you helped us overcome temptation;

(Hold a silence)

The people who love us and give us encouragement;

(Hold a silence)

Gracious God, we are grateful for all these signs of your love in our lives.

Thank you for the hope they bring us. Show us how to share this hope and love with others who are struggling in these difficult days.

Faithful God, we pray for healing and restoration in the world that is our home.

Hear us as we name in silence the needs and concerns we carry today:

We pray for people, places and situations deeply in need of your grace,

especially as they face the fears and frustrations of coping with COVID-19;

(Hold a silence)

We pray for those who struggle to feed, clothe or house themselves and their families, and all those who worry about their economic future;

(Hold a silence)

We pray for those who are weak or vulnerable for any reason, and for all who lack dignity and respect in our community;

(Hold a silence)

We pray for the earth and its well-being, that areas and species under threat will be cared for;

(Hold a silence)

We pray for peace with justice in regions of the world facing turmoil (Here, you may name relevant places in recent news);

(Hold a silence)

And we pray for all those offering leadership and service in these times of hope and anxiety, for those planning how to offer vaccines in our community, and for those uncertain about vaccination;

(Hold a silence)

By the power of your Spirit, O God, work in us and through us. May we bring the light and love of your kingdom into our relationships and our community in all we do and say.

Receive our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord who taught us to pray in these words:

 

The Lord’s Prayer