The Gospel According to Genesis
Written by Ed Allen
Sunday, 09 October 2005 08:57
Sermon Notes
Tennis ball ? throw it out and ask someone to catch it...
In just this way, God works for our good. He gathers up our future and our good into His strong competent hands (like I gathered the tennis ball) and guides it ? by His initiative and because of His mercy and love ? He guides it in our direction. All we have to do is choose to receive it. We have all the tools we need to receive. But we must receive it. We cannot fight it, or try to work a different plan, or refuse to pay attention to Him. This is what Genesis 15 is all about.
ABRAM BACKGROUND
- Genesis 12 ? the call
- Genesis 14 ? the war and Lot is taken captive
- Abram is childless so all is not well
- Genesis 15 ? covenant ceremony
- Genesis 16 Abram pursues Plan B
- Genesis 17 renews the covenant ? Abram still childless
COVENANT BACKGROUND
Word for covenant = berith. This word literally means ?cut?. Genesis 17 is an ancient near eastern covenant cutting ceremony.
Two examples of this practice referred to:
- Jeremiah 34:18 ?The men who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.?
- Ashurnirari V of Assyria and Mati?ilu of Arpad
?If Mati?ilu sins against this treaty made under oath by the gods, then, just as this spring lamb, brought from its fold, will not return to its fold, ? alas Mati?ilu ? will not return to his country.?
Covenants were often agreements between a greater king and a lesser king commemorated by a cutting ceremony.
This is the kind of ceremony described in Genesis 15. God is the ?greater king? and Abraham is the ?lesser king?.
Explain the details of ceremony. (After the cutting ? the animal sacrifice ? the lesser king would walk between the cut pieces to signify his understanding of and obedience to the covenant.)
Through this ceremony and this kind of relationship God offered himself to Abraham and he offered himself in a way that Abraham understood. He took a picture from Abraham?s world (ancient near eastern treaty practice) and made it a picture of their relationship. ?I am the Great King Abraham and I am offering myself in covenant with you! Obey me and I will protect you and be your shield and your reward.?
HUMAN BACKGROUND
As for us, just like Abraham, we are adrift, cut off from intimate contact with God for which we were made.
God initiates a relationship with us. He bridges the gap. He throws us the ball. And when He does so, He accommodates Himself to our understanding. He offers Himself in ways and through means that we can understand. This happened in a perfect way in Jesus. God offered himself to us in a form which we could not mistake if we were really looking. He offers to work on our behalf. He wants our good and He promises to deliver it. We have to accept. We have to catch the ball. And this means we have to do life differently ? we have to live in dependence on Him. We have to trust; we have to look to Him.
ONE MORE THING TO NOTICE. (THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE IT GIVES US A QUICK GLIMPSE AT THE GRACE THAT GOD WOULD FULLY UNVEIL IN THE LIFE OF JESUS.) GOD IS SO INTERESTED IN OFFERING HIS LOVE TO US THAT HE HAS FULFILLED BOTH SIDES OF THE COVENANT.
Here?s what I mean. Notice that in the description in Genesis 15 includes a metaphor for God. The smoking pot and blazing torch are images of God Himself. And notice, further that these pass between the pieces of the cut animal. Remember that it was the lesser king who would pass through the animal to signify his understanding of the covenant and obedience to it. God takes on the role of the lesser King as well as being the greater king.
God really makes this covenant with himself. He promises here to fulfill both halves of His covenant. And he finally does so in Jesus? death.
Verse 1 ? ?I am your shield, your very great reward.?
Our reward is not the good that God secures for us, it is not His blessings, it is God Himself.
This week:
1. Have a Thanksgiving ceremony.
- If you have a family, do it as a family ceremony.
Prayer of Thanks
Thank offering ? give up something to Katrina victims or fast from something - If you?re single, get somewhere significant, set up an altar and offer prayer of thanks. Also think of giving up something as a sacrifice of thanks.
2. Examine your life for Plan B.
- Psalm 139 ? meditate
- Have paper and pencil and write down thoughts that come to your mind
Specifically ask God to show you where you are pursuing Plan B.