You’d think Abram would be in a pretty secure place come the start of chapter 16, but, as we heard it really doesn’t go well. In fact whilst in the past we’ve seen Abram buckle into sin, here he really messes up. But as he and Sarai do, in the midst of the total mess they create, we see a moment of grace, as, for the first time in the Bible, someone names God, and it is the last person you’d expect.
As we live our lives, sometimes a national or international crisis can impact our lives. Governments changing, wars affecting food prices, even impacts of AI. Today we read of this happening to Abram. However the events that unfold become a vital part of the ongoing story of God’s working. In our reading from Genesis 14 we had a dramatic account of three battles. The first two concern attacks by 5 Eastern kings (Chedorlaomer of Elam plus) on 4 Western ones.
As Abram returns to the promised land we find him faced with a choice: to hold on tight to the riches of this world, or to let them go in trust to God.
We’re once again in a wonderfully rich part of Romans, if you’re familiar with the Bible and with Romans there will be quite a few bits you’ll perhaps recognise in this section. And once again there’s far too much to talk about in one sermon here, but we’re going to focus on the pinnacle of this reading, the pinnacle of not just the chapter but all of this letter ‘If God is for us, who can stand against us’.
Christian faith involves living a new way, turning from sin and going God’s way. So how are we to battle against sin in our lives? Is what is needed more effort, more knowledge or something else?
In our Gospel reading today Jesus gives us three challenges: who do you fear? Whose approval do you care about? And who are you ultimately loyal to? But in the midst of these challenges he also gives us the most wonderful assurance and comfort.
Our readings today are rather wonderful, they speak of the awe and majesty of God, the otherness of God, and they speak of the one who has made him known that we might make him known.
We’re following up directly on last weeks passage and as a reminder we’re in the middle of a big chunk in John’s Gospel referred to as the ‘farewell discourse’ this is a long conversation Jesus is having with his disciples at the Last Supper the night he was betrayed… And the question we are faced with in todays portion is this: how do we reveal our love for Jesus? What is it that shows we love Jesus?
Now if I asked you that question over tea and coffee later, without today’s Gospel reading, what do you think you’d say?
What do you make of Jesus? Who is he? What is he? A good teacher, giving wise advice, who helps us think about the bigger things of life? Certainly. A Saviour who dies to set his people free? Absolutely. But here Jesus takes on a different picture for himself. The shepherd. The fact that Jesus takes upon himself the title of shepherd, and indeed in the very next verse after our passage for today, the title of the good shepherd, is a rich picture. We’ll think about some of what he’s saying in a moment, but first it’s worth pausing to note the theological undertones here.
It is fitting that as we begin our journey towards Easter, the great feast of our Salvation, that we should start with where it all went wrong, with the Fall. We heard a few weeks ago, and reflected on, how God created everything. And now that he has finished, he places humanity at the centre of the garden, an earthly paradise, to care for it and to bring order to it.