While working on my Doctor of Ministry years ago, I discovered Kierkegaard's work "Fear and Trembling."
Although I did (do) not engage Kierkegaard's work in a deep, philosophical way, it gave (gives) me a way to approach the story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac that I greatly needed. After becoming a parent, the story repulsed me. In some ways, the sermon avoids that issue, but it is my way of trying to make sense out of this challenging story. In the "Time with Young Disciples," I told them that even when we do not understand the stories or are working through our own hard to imagine stories, two things are true: God is with us, and God calls us to follow in the midst of our stories. I hope this sermon reveals both those truths.
(Genesis 22:1-19)
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 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.” 3 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. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 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.” 6 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. 7 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?” 8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
9 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. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill[a] his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 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.” 13 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. 14 So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”;[b] as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”[c]
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.
“Here I Am?” July 16, 2017; Genesis 22: 1-19; Hebrews 11: 8-19; SAPC, Denton
Move 1: this is a test. At least we the readers know it is a test. God knows it is a test.
But Abraham does not know it is a test.
Sarah does not know it is a test.
Isaac does not know it is a test.
God has come to Abraham and urged him to take Isaac, Abraham’s son, Abraham’s son who was the one who confirms God’s promise for descendants.
In the Hebrew text the urgency of God’s demand is very unusual. God often commands, but seldom is this type of exhortation used. Apparently, a lot is at stake in what is to take palce.
Abraham knows something important is unfolding.
Important to his family because his son’s life is at stake.
Important to his family’s future because Ishmael, Abraham’s son with Hagar, has been sent packing along with his mother.
God’s covenant with Abraham for generations to come now rests on Isaac, so what happens to Isaac is of paramount importance to Abraham’s future.
What unfolds is important to Abraham’s relationship with God. Since God called Abraham him into a special, covenantal relationship, Abraham has been struggling to figure out how to be a faithful person in relationship with a gracious God. One stop forward. One step backward.
But the biggest step yet awaits - sacrificing his son.
As Abraham prepares to take this step, he understands the sacrificial system.
An animal is killed and offered as a sacrifice on the altar, a sacrifice given to God in the hope of God giving back a new lease on life.
God has named the sacrifice — Isaac. Now Abraham can only hope and wonder what a new lease on life will look like in this context.
“Here I am” - not an easy response to live out.
Move 2: off they go. Abraham begins the three and a half day journey to sacrifice Isaac.
Soren Kierkegaard, in his writing, “Fear and Trembling” describes Abraham as taking this journey with “sorrow before him and Isaac beside him” (Kierkegaard, 9). The question on Abraham’s mind - how will God be gracious when all that seems to await is pain.
How will God be gracious? the question we often ask as we struggle to answer God’s call.
Sarah watches from the tent fold as Abraham and Isaac ride off.
She silently endures as they disappear from sight.
She recalls the day when God told her she would bear a child and she laughed at God.
Today no laughter escapes her; only tears streaming down her face.
Sarah discovers the vulnerability of being married to one who must prove his faithfulness by sacrificing their son Isaac.
Isaac, whom she nursed as a baby and cared for as a child.
Isaac, whose presence was the sign of God’s covenant for generations to come. As numerous as the stars would be their descendants, or so God said.
Now, Isaac’s life is up for grabs. The covenant is up for grabs.
Sarah waits silently, unable to voice her defiance and pain in a patriarchal world that condemned her for barrenness and now threatens to take away her son.
the vulnerability of following God exposed.
Move 3: abraham rides on, mustering what courage and faith he can.
When God called him, Abraham immediately responded, “here I am.”
Abraham, ready to do whatever the Lord asks.
Abraham, who has discovered time and again that God rewards his faithfulness.
Abraham, willing to respond to God’s call, even when it is hard to hear.
Are you willing to answer God’s call?
Abraham and Isaac leave the servants behind.
Abraham reveals his hopefulness as he tells them, we will come back together.”
With no clear answer as to how, Abraham still wants to believe that God will work it out.
Abraham and Isaac reach the place of reckoning.
into the silence, Isaac calls out, Father.”
A lump in Abraham’s throat as he answers back, “Here I am.”
the same words he spoke to God now slip form his lips.
How differently they sound today.
Once, so full of hope and promise; now full of dread as he contemplates how caring for his son can fit with God’s call to sacrifice.
Isaac asks the question that hangs in the air: “We have the fire and wood, but where is the lamb?”
How does a father answer a son in those circumstances?
In that moment, Abraham returns to his hope: “God will provide.”
“God will provide” echoes in Abraham’s head as he makes preparations for the sacrifice. The repetition of the words provides strength to do the unimaginable. “God will provide…God will provide”
Can Abraham believe it.
Can you believe it?
Since the call to leave his homeland, God had in fact provided.
Even when Abraham was unfaithful, God had provided.
Now as Abraham strives to be faithful to God’s command, his only hope is in the God who had continually provided.
this story has to do with vision.
The verb translated as “provide” is the same word used in vs. 4 when we are told that Abraham see the far off place, and then again in vs. 13 when he sees the ram caught in the thicket.
God providing is literally God showing. Abraham trusts that God will provide by showing him what to do.
IN the beginning of the climb up the mountain, all Abraham could see was what God demanded of him.
Now Abraham can only see the altar. Each carefully placed piece of wood brings the dreaded task closer.
the altar is completed and Abraham gently binds Isaac and lays him on the altar.
Abraham lifts the knife, desperately wanting to find a way out, but committed to doing what God had commanded. he closes his eyes…and a voice pierces the moment: “Abraham! Abraham!” the voice of God.
“Here I am” Abraham replies.
“do not lay your hand on this 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 in that moment, Abraham’s eyes open and he sees more clearly.
A ram is caught in the thicket.
a ram, waiting to be sacrificed on the altar where Isaac lay.
Abraham sees more clearly.
He sees the graciousness of God.
He cannot know it that day, but the world will learn that the God who does not require the sacrifice of Abraham’s only son will later sacrifice his only son on the cross.
All Abraham sees in the moment is his hope become reality as God once again provides in Abraham’s time of need.
to live out “Here I am” demands the vision to see the God who is.
Move 4: The journey home is a quiet one. Isaac and Abraham caught up in their own thoughts.
Isaac, glad to be alive, but still struggling to make sense of what has taken place.
the feel of the ropes still tingle against his skin.
he still does not understand exactly what has taken place, but the saving voice of God is seared into his memory forever.
And he wonders what it will be like to say, “here I am” and follow this mysterious, life-giving God.
Abraham returns relieved and renewed, strengthened by the experience.
Joyful and grateful to be returning with Isaac.
Full of faith in his God who has provided for him once again.
To turn Kierkegaard’s phrase, Abraham returns with “hope before him and Isaac beside him.”
Sarah sees them coming in the distance.
She strains her eyes forward and rejoices at the sight.
Abraham and Isaac. Returning. together.
her prayers have been answered.
In truth, she has gone to her own mountaintop the past few days.
Searching to find God in her life.
Seeking a glimpse of what it mean to be faithful through the trauma of her waiting.
Just as she silently watched the depart, she silently waits for them to return.
But her silent has changed. the silence of unspoken fear has turned to the silence of unspoken joy.
Joy at Isaac’s return.
Joy at God’s graciousness. Joy that she has grown in her relationship with God.
Abraham. Isaac. Sarah. all changed by the words, “here I am.”
God is calling you. how do you answer?
No comments:
Post a Comment