2nd Sunday of Lent
Scripture: Genesis
12:1-9
Across the season of Lent we retell accounts of salvation
history. In Genesis 3 we read of humanity’s fall into sin. From there Genesis
records the first murder, further rebellion against God, and the Flood, in
which God essentially started over. Today’s reading records the calling of
Abram and God’s promise to make him a blessing. The calling of Abram is the
first step in choosing Jesus’ family. Put differently, it would be through
Abram’s descendants that the savior would be born. His descendants would become
Israel, and they would carry the promise made to Adam and Eve in the Garden and
remember that God would save them.
Teaching
Sometimes people ask, “Why did God call Abram?” They are
asking why God chose this individual. Was there something about the man that
got God’s attention; something that made him more worthy or desirable than
others? By all accounts, no. Abram shows himself in the rest of Genesis to be
as fallen and sinful as any other person. So, this is really the wrong
question.
Why did God call Abram? To continue his work of saving his
sinful people. He will bless Abram and make his name great, so that Abram will
be a blessing. Indeed, God promised him, “in you all the families of the earth
shall be blessed.” That blessing came much later when Abram’s descendant,
Jesus, died to atone for the sins of the world and to make it possible for all
the families of the earth to be reconciled to God and to experience his love.
Life
“Why me?” This is a question we often ask when things go
wrong in our lives. As sinful people, however, it might be more honest to ask, “Why
not me?” when bad things happen. After all, don’t we confess in the liturgy
that we have, “justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment,” on
account of our sin?[1]
But, like the discussion of Abram above, this form of, “Why me?” is the wrong
question.
“Why me?” can also be asked in wonder, gratitude, and joy.
Why did God work in my life to give me saving faith in Jesus? Why did God
choose to give his Son to die for me? Why did Jesus redeem me at the cost of
his holy innocent suffering and death? It is because God has chosen to rescue
the whole world through Jesus. You are blessed to believe that, and you are
blessed to be a blessing – to share the hope that is in you because God called
you to faith.
Prayer
O God, you called Abram to follow you and promised to bless
all the families of the earth through him. Thank you for keeping that promise
in Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and his promise to come
again. Thank you for calling us to faith and for blessing us with the Gospel so
that we, too, might share it with other. Forgive us for the times we have
focused more on ourselves and our troubles than on you and your blessings. Help
us to see how blessed we are to have faith in you. Help us to rejoice in the
blessing Jesus has given us. Make us a blessing to others and use us to share
your salvation with others. Amen.
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