Genesis 12:1-4a 2 Lent - Year A
John 3:1-17 St. George’s - 2005
A Journey of Faith
Most people think of Lent as a season for self-examination and repentance. A time to prepare for Christ’s passion and resurrection by getting our lives more in keeping with God’s purposes. And of course, Lent is such a time.
But there is another great tradition of the Lenten season – and that is to prepare candidates for baptism at the Great Vigil of Easter.
Now you may say, “What does that have to do with me? I was baptized years ago, and I don’t have any children who are going to be baptized.” As I look around, I’m sure that’s true for just about everybody here. However, I propose that all of us need to regularly renew our baptismal covenant. In fact, the Prayer Book calls us to do so at every baptism, especially at four specific times of the year. The Great Vigil of Easter is one of those. In the early church, it was the only time for baptism.
So this morning I invite you to get in your baptism renewal shoes. Better yet, try to get into the shoes of a 2nd or 3rd century baptismal candidate, when being a Christian was a dangerous thing to be; when being a Christian might mean being dragged before the authorities with the threat of persecution or death. When you wear “these” shoes, baptism is literally a matter of life and death. Thus, you can’t wear them lightly. You better be absolutely sure this is the right path to follow.
O.K. Do you have your 2nd century baptism shoes on? Let’s begin the journey. What kind of training do you need... Well, one thing is for sure, if you are going to get baptized, you need to know what it means to be a Christian? What does a Christian believe? How does a Christian behave? You’ve seen Christians being fed to the lions so you have some idea of the costs. But what are the promises?
Now I could give you a list of statements – like the Creed - except the Creed wasn’t worked out until the 4th century. Besides, a theological statement probably won’t be enough to risk your life for. A better way to tell you what it means to be a Christian is to tell you the family story. And that story begins with the great prototype of faith - Father Abraham. ....But wait a minute.... Abraham surely didn’t go it alone. Next to him was his partner in life, his partner in faith, his wife Sarah. So I am always going to include Sarah in the telling of the family story.
Well, as you heard from this morning’s lesson, Abraham and Sarah are great examples of people who came close to God; people who listened to God and did what God asked.
One night, probably when Abraham was out under the stars watching over his herds of sheep - he heard the voice of God.
“Abram, go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing... and through you all the families of the earth shall be blessed!”
Wow! Can you imagine having such a vision! Receiving such a promise! Was Abraham dreaming? Was he crazy? Was he a hopeless romantic? Who knows? Who knows what Abraham even thought about God. All we know is: “He went.” And Sarah and his nephew Lot went with him! They left behind all that they had ever known, the land, the people, EVERYTHING, and started out for some new and unknown place - without a map, without any details. All they had was God’s promise - a promise from a God they couldn’t see or touch.
The journey to their new home was by no means easy. It certainly wasn’t straightforward. Soon after they settled in Canaan, famine spread through their new land, so that they had to seek refuge in Egypt. Now one can’t just take your herds onto someone else’s land without repercussions. So Abraham tried to appease Pharaoh by passing Sarah off as his sister and letting her join Pharaoh’s household. It was a close scrape when Pharaoh wanted to marry her.
Later, back in Canaan, when the child of promise still hadn’t been conceived, and Abraham and Sarah were getting very old, they tried to take things into their own hands. They gave Hagar, one of Sarah’s slaves, to lay with Abraham. Let me tell you, that caused lots of issues down the road. And finally, after Isaac - the child of promise was born - Abraham still had to pass the test of faithfulness by being willing to offer him as a sacrifice.
For Abraham and Sarah, the journey to their new home, and the fulfillment of God’s promise did not come easily. Nevertheless, despite Abraham and Sarah taking some wrong turns, they ultimately trusted God, and that was all that was needed.
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Abraham and Sarah come at the beginning of our family story. They show us what it means to trust in God. What it means to step out in faith, making our way through the unknown, accepting the cost, but ultimately obtaining the promise. They are great examples for us to hold onto and emulate.
But wait, you say. I’m not Abraham or Sarah. I can’t trust like that. That’s too high a standard. If that’s what it takes to be a Christian, maybe I’m not cut out for it - no matter what the promise.
Well, let me tell you about somebody else who might fit you better. His name is Nicodemus.
Nicodemus was a good man, riding high on the pinnacle of success. He had “made it” in the religious world of 1st century Judaism. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, the most powerful and prestigious religious body. He was one of the cardinals. And yet, something inside him made him go out, under the cover of night, to check out Jesus. For whatever reason, he had to see if there was anything to this man from Nazareth.
His interaction with Jesus was unsettling. Nicodemus wanted Jesus to set it out plainly. “Just tell me what you are all about.” Jesus knew Nicodemus would never get it if he only used his head. So he kept pushing Nicodemus beyond the obvious. He tried to show him that the only way to really find out what he wanted to know was to let go and let God’s spirit take control. Well, Nicodemus wasn’t ready.
Nicodemus fades out of the story. But as you will hear on Good Friday, he never forgot his encounter with Jesus. The wind that Jesus had spoken of kept fanning the little fire in Nicodemus’ heart, until at Jesus’ trial, Nicodemus stepped out in Jesus’ defense. His colleagues responded in a denigrating way, “Are you from Galilee too?” Nicodemus’ life would never be the same. His influence was tarnished. He was beginning to understand the cost of discipleship.....
But he was also discovering the promise. Because guess whose heart took him to Calvary - in the light of day - to help take Jesus’ body from the cross....
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Abraham and Sarah: Prototypes of faith for Jews and Christians down through the ages. People whom we look to when we want to know how to live our lives as God’s people. People who listened for God’s voice. Who were not afraid to step into the unknown - even when they were old. Who allowed God to lead them to new places. Who trusted God to keep promises. Abraham and Sarah mark the beginning our family story. Their story helps shape our story. They help us keep to the path God sets out.
Nicodemus. Cautious and yet daring. A religious type who wanted clear answers about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. But who only became a disciple when he moved out of his head and into his heart. Finally he stopped weighing the cost so he could receive the promise.
As we go through the next weeks of Lent we will meet more of our biblical ancestors: people who show us what it means to be a person of God, what it means to be a Christian. Let us take them into our psyches and discover how we often travel the same roads they did. Let their stories inform and speak to our stories. Allow them to strengthen our courage and deepen our faith. Then, when the Easter Vigil comes around, we will be ready to renew our Baptismal Covenant, with all our heart and mind and soul and strength.