LENT 5. "Eliezer - The Faithful Steward" (Communion)

Readings: Psalm 126, Philippians 3:4b-14, John 12:1-8, Genesis 24:1-67
Preached at Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, NY, on April 3, 2022

In previous services we took a look at two Old Testament characters, Abraham and Lot. Today, we take a look at a third, lesser-known character called Eliezer, who was Abraham's senior servant and commissioned by Abraham to carry out the important task of finding Abraham's beloved son, Isaac, a wife.

Eliezer first appears back in Genesis 15. It appears that if Isaac had not been born, Eliezer would have inherited Abraham's wealth for himself. He was something more than just a servant, he was virtually family. Abraham is getting older. Before he dies, he wants to ensure that Isaac has a wife from amongst his own people. He implicitly trusts Eliezer to carry out his wishes.

The whole story takes up 67 verses of Genesis 24, and there wasn't time in our service to read the whole account. But here is the headlines! Eliezer prays. God leads him to a spring. A beautiful young woman comes to the well. Eliezer has prayed that if she is the one then she will offer both himself and his camels’ water to drink. That's exactly what happens, and negotiations take place with her parents (who turn out to be amongst Abraham's wider family) to ensure she can be taken as a wife for Isaac. Mission accomplished.

What marks out Eliezer as person of God is that he exemplifies faithful stewardship. As Christian people, called to be faithful servants of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can learn from the life of Eliezer what faithful stewardship involves.

1.    Trustworthy
This is obviously a very personal matter. Eliezer is taken into his master’s confidence and entrusted with his affairs. There is a lot riding on Isaac's future. The choice of a wrong partner for him in marriage could have disastrous consequences. A nations future was at stake. Making a wrong choice at this juncture could negate the promises of God.

St Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church “Didn't God give you everything you have?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Eliezer was entrusted with a great task. God entrusts us with the task of building God's church in our own generation. He invests in our lives the future of the Kingdom. Are we to be trusted? Faithful stewards are marked by trustworthiness. Our lives are greatly blessed by God. Can we be trusted to faithfully respond to the trust God has placed in is?

2.    Teachable
As you observe the way Eliezer carries out his mission, it is clear he has spent time meditating, reflecting upon, and absorbing the spiritual values of his master, Abraham. He knew how to pray. He knew how to discern the voice of God. He knew that his life could be guided and directed by God in such a way as God's purposes were achieved.  He was a godly man who shared, along with his master Abraham, a sense of deep communion with his God.

Way back in 1677 an author called Thomas á Kempis wrote a book that became a spiritual classic called 'The Imitation of Christ'. In order to be an imitator, one has to have a teachable spirit. The book begins with this paragraph...

“He that followeth me, walkest not in darkness.” These are the words of Christ by which we are admonished how we ought to imitate His life and manner, if we are to be truly enlightened, and be delivered from blindness of heart. Let therefore our chiefest endeavor be, to meditate upon the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

A faithful steward is trustworthy. A faithful steward is teachable. Thirdly a faithful steward is;

3.    Tactical
Eliezer has a game plan. In verse 7 of Genesis 24 Eliezer is told that God will send an angel ahead of him to prepare the way for Isaac to find a wife. All well and good, but thankfully Eliezer does not interpret that as meaning he just had to sit back and wait for something to happen. On the contrary he must bring all his common sense and understanding to see that things work out.

He is tactical. Where would be a good place to find a young lady? It was a responsible daughter’s task to fetch water, so down by the well would be a good start. What time of day? Evening time was the usual, out of the heat of the sun. How could one quickly discern if a woman were of good character? Her generosity would be one indication, so he waits to see if she offers to assist himself and his camels.

I have heard people say, “I've asked God to help me do this or give up that.” You meet them a while later. They still have the same problem. “I'm still asking God to help me with this or that!” Sometimes one must ask, “What steps are you taking … apart from asking God to take care of everything?”

If you are going to pass that test you must do the homework. If you are going to live healthier you must take on the diet and do the exercise. If you are going to change your job, you must start applying for another and think through the financial, traveling, and lifestyle implications, for yourself and those around you. Why expect God to take care of things that God has already given us the resources to deal with?

Eliezer trusted implicitly that God would go ahead of him and open the right doors. But he also understood that he had to plan to create opportunities and use the resources God had placed at his disposal to make things happen. Only God could show him the right girl, but he could position himself to meet potential wives. When the right one came along, he would know, but he had to be there! A faithful steward is trustworthy. A faithful steward is teachable. A faithful steward is tactical. A faithful steward is;

4.    Timely
Eliezer has a sense of urgency regarding his master’s business. He gets the people together, gathers the resources and gets on with the job. There's no committee, followed by a sub-committee, followed by a statistical analysis which produces a report that is safely confined to a minute book whilst the members congratulate themselves on a job well done.

Eliezer is a man on a mission. When he gets to the city of Nahor, he begins his search at once. After he has been received into Rebecca's home, they offer him food, but he says, “I will not eat till I have said what I have to say”. When Rebecca's mother and brother try and delay his departure by 10 days, he pleads with them, 'Don't make us stay. The Lord has made my journey a success; let me go back to my master.”

Rebecca, conscious of God's part in the whole thing, is equally diligent and urgent. She is going to be Isaac's wife, as soon as possible. There is no, “Well, I'll to think about it... I've got a hair appointment Tuesday, shopping Thursday, coffee at Leah's Friday, and whose going to fetch the water if I go 'now, I’ve got to work on finding a replacement.” . She, like Eliezer, walks with God and trusts God. She senses God is at work and simply says 'Yes!'

I understand that there are times when we need to think things through and consider the options. But then there are those other times when we need to say 'This is the will of God. Let's go for it!” As churches we are gifted procrastinators. We sometimes think that because we have talked about doing something that somehow the job has done.  “Go!” said Jesus “Take my message to the world!”
 
A faithful steward is trustworthy. A faithful steward is teachable. A faithful steward is tactical. A faithful steward does things in a timely manner. Fifthly a faithful steward is;

5.    True-Hearted.
Eliezer's deepest concern is to honor his master. He understands how much trust his master has invested in his life. He does not treat his duties lightly or flippantly. He has no desire for personal glory, but his heartfelt passion is to see that the masters will is accomplished. He is true-hearted.

If only we were as true hearted in our service of Jesus Christ. If only we could realize that all we have, all that we are and all we shall ever be is a gift of grace God has freely bestowed upon us. Such would cause a revolution to take place in our attitude towards stewardship.  An attitude for gratitude is always a mark of a faithful steward.

A faithful steward is trustworthy. A faithful steward is teachable. A faithful steward is tactical. A faithful steward does things in a timely manner. Fifthly a faithful steward is true-hearted. Finally, a faithful steward is;

6.    Tenacious
Eliezer doesn't give up. He sees things through to the end. He prays. He plans. He follows through. He negotiates. He gives thanks. He worships. And it all works out. As they are returning to Abraham, Rebekah spots a handsome young guy some way ahead. 'Who's that?” she asks. “Eliezer replies, 'Why that's Isaac!” So she takes a veil and covers herself.

Chapter 24 finishes, verses 66-67 “Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.  Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.”

From the first moment of commission to the joyful conclusion, Eliezer sticks to the task in hand and thanks God for the outcome. Faithful stewards often have the joy of seeing their plans come to fruition. They experience moments of joy and thankfulness that those who never see things through to the end never get to witness.

As we near the end of our Lenten season and meet around the communion table, take a moment to consider the marks of a faithful steward, exemplified by Abraham's servant Eliezer.

•    We see that he is Trustworthy. He's taken into his master’s confidence and trusted with his affairs. Our Lord Jesus Christ entrusts to us the mission of his Kingdom.
•    We see that he is Teachable. Eliezer learns from his master’s faith. So, we are called to be imitators of Christ.
•    We see how he is Tactical. He balances faith with common sense and planning. Our lives require a similar equilibrium.
•    We observe how he acts in a Timely manner. There needs to be a sense of urgency to our mission if it is to have a cutting edge.
•    We see how he is True-hearted. He gives glory to his Master.
•    We see that he is Tenacious. He never gives up. He sees things through.

Such are the marks of a faithful steward that we do well to take note of... to the glory of God!

The Reverend Adrian J. Pratt B.D.

LENT 4. "Dreamers, Starters and Finishers" (Confirmation Address)

 Confirmation Service

Readings: Psalm 32, Joshua 5:9-12, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 14:27-35
Preached at Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, NY, March 27, 2022

Luke 14 verses 29 and 30
“This man began to build and cannot finish the job”
“And all who see what happened will laugh at him”

It has been said that in life there are three groups of people. Dreamers, Starters and Finishers.

First off, there are DREAMERS.

Dreams can be good. Martin Luther King Jr. preached one of the most famous sermons ever preached with the words 'I have a dream...” The musical 'South Pacific' has a song with the refrain; 'You gotta have a dream, Cos if you don't have a dream, How you ever gonna make your dreams come true'

Scripture is full of dreamers. In the Old Testament Joseph (known for his technicolor dreamcoat) has a whole life defined by dreams.

We all have dreams. We all have aspirations. We all have things we want to be or see. There's nothing wrong in being a dreamer. Many, many years ago somebody dreamed that there could be a Church here in Bridgehampton. Now here are some of you desiring to be members of it... buying into the dream.

God has a lot of time for dreamers. So, dream on!

I was watching a movie the other day. An oldie now. Sister Act 2  'If you wanna go somewhere, and you want to be someone, you gotta wake up and pay attention'. There's more to life than just being a dreamer.

We also need to be STARTERS.

I'll let you in on a secret. When I was young, I didn't dream of being a preacher. I didn't even dream about being confirmed or joining the church. I had a far more compelling dream. I wanted to be a racing driver. 

Just like Dale Earnhardt. Well... no not really like either him or his son., I'm not talking Nascar, I'm talking Formula One, Grand Prix racing, the fastest, most exotic racers in the world. Monaco,  Red Bull and Merecedes and Ferrari.

I cherished this dream. In school I learned all about how to be a driver you had to know the insides as well as the outsides of a car, so you should train as a mechanic. Despite my lack of mechanical skills, even this did not curb my enthusiasm!

My dream faded when I became old enough to drive on the local Go-Kart track. I'd watched the movies, I'd sat on my bed and practiced,  VROOM - VROOM, I was excellent on my slot car racing track, making those little cars go round and around. But first time I got behind the wheel of a Go-Kart... well... call me Mr Tortoise! 

It didn't take me long to realize that I did not have the natural skills of a racing driver. To be honest I discovered speed, far from being exhilarating, was a little scary. Particularly the stopping bit... but that's another story!

I had purchased a book about Motor Racing. In it, it said, 'Some people are 'thinkers' and some people are 'Doers'. The reason why 'thinkers' don't become 'doers' is that they just don't know what is involved”

Remember our Bible story. A story about a man who didn't consider what was involved. Luke 14 verses 29 and 30 “This man began to build and cannot finish the job” “And all who see what happened will laugh at him”

I'm glad that those of you who are being confirmed have moved from being dreamers to starters. I hope you'll also make the move from being 'thinkers' to 'doers'. You see there is a cost involved. There always is. We only get out of life, what we put into life.

In Luke13:44 Jesus tells His disciples 'None of you can be my disciple unless he gives up everything he has.”  To put that in a different way, He is telling us that we can't go around saying He is Lord of our lives when we are really living only for ourselves. That the most important thing we can do with our lives is figure out how they can be lived for the glory of God.

God wants to have that conversation with us because otherwise, our words are just a bad joke. Other wise our confirmation and church membership are about as useful as the house the man began to build but couldn't finish. Just a laughing matter.

Confirmation does not mean you have arrived. It means that some time in your life somebody had a dream that you would become a disciple of Jesus Christ. They sprinkled you with the waters of baptism. Confirmation is about you claiming that dream for yourself. It's about starting.

And you know that starting isn't enough! The man who started to build became a joke because he never reached the most important thing. Finishing. There are dreamers, there are starters and there are;

FINISHERS

When the Olympic games were held in Mexico City the Gold medal for the 26-mile marathon was won by Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia. Also running in the race was John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania. Akhwari cramped up due to the high altitude of the city. 

He had not trained at such an altitude back in his home country. Halfway through the race, there was jockeying for position between some runners, and he was hit. He fell badly, dislocating his knee and hurting his shoulder on the pavement. He however continued running.

By the time he reached the stadium people were leaving. The medal ceremony for the winners had already taken place. The sun had set. When word was received that there was one more runner about to finish, people started to file back into the stadium. 

Even the TV cameras returned to watch John Akhwari hobble over the line. It is said that the crowd greeted him with more enthusiasm, urging him onward, then they had done for any of the medal winners.

After the race, they asked him, why, when he was so far behind, he didn't give up? He replied, "My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race."

For the first time in 24 years Jamaica had another bob sled team in the winter Olympics. If you have ever watched the movie “Cool Runnings” you’ll know a similar tale. It’s finishing that counts.

The Christian calling in not just to be dreamers and starters, but to be finishers. Hebrews 12: verses 1 and 2 instruct us;  “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
 
Friends of all ages do not allow your faith to be a laughing matter. 'This man' said Jesus, 'Started to build but could not finish, and all who see it will laugh at him.”

Carry on dreaming. 'You gotta have a dream'.

You have made a great start in your faith journey. You were baptized.
Now you come to claim the baptismal promises for yourself. You are a starter.

But now it's up to you to be a finisher. To 'Fix your eyes upon Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith'.

And if you openly and honest come before God, seeking His leading and guiding, laying your life before God, and pledging to be a Kingdom person, you will not be disappointed. God loves us more than we can ever fully realize. God's promises are true. As we place our trust in God, amazing things can happen in our lives.

May God help us all to run with perseverance the race of faith that is laid before us. AMEN!
 
The Reverend Adrian J. Pratt B.D.

LENT 3. "Lot, The Road Away From God"

 

Readings: Psalm 63:1-8, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9, Genesis 13:1-13
Preached at Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, NY, on March 20 2022

Abraham was a man of faith. He had a nephew called Lot. Lot also was greatly blessed by God. So blessed where they that the land could not contain them both. Too many herds of cattle and sheep. Too much stuff, not enough room. It was causing a lot of conflict. Abraham suggests to his nephew Lot that they should divide up the land. And Abraham gives Lot first pick of where to go.

We read in Genesis 13:10 “Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)”

After a time of journeying, away from Abraham, and away from his spiritual roots, Lot ends up living in the city of Sodom, which as the closing section of our verse told us, was not a good place to be as it became destroyed by its wickedness. Abraham was a man who walked with God. Lot traveled a road away from God. Along Lot's road were signposts that we do well to take note of.

I'm calling the first signpost 'Just Looking.'

Our verses begin; “Lot looked around ...” and he really liked what he saw. A whole vast, fertile plain of possibilities. The fact that it included the unfriendly, rather dangerous, area of Egypt, wasn't a problem. After all he was 'Just looking”.

When Moses gave Israel the 10 commandments, they included one that said, “You shalt not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his man-servant or maid-servant, or his ox or donkey, (or his Ferrari or his boat) or anything else that belongs to your neighbor'.

To covet something meant to have an over-eager desire for something that wasn't yours.  'Just looking' could lead to all sorts of problems. Over-eager desire distorted clear thinking. To always want more inevitably led to dissatisfaction with what you already had and destroyed any attitude for gratitude.  The grass isn't greener on the other side – you just think it is.

Lot looks at the well-watered plains of Jordan and is struck by the thoughts that, firstly it looked like the Garden of Eden, and secondly, it reminded him of the glory days of Egypt. You could not really find two more glaring opposites. The Garden of Eden was the place where the most intimate experience of God could be found, whilst Egypt was a place known for its rebellion against God!

It's as though Lot is saying 'I want the best of both worlds; I want the best God can give me and the best the world can give me. I want it all!'

A second signpost appears. 'Taste and See'

Desire leads to action. Scripture simply says, “Lot chose for himself the whole plain of Jordan and set out towards the East”. Reading between the lines, Lot has said to himself, 'Not only do I want it all, I want it now!” He's not worried that entering this territory could have serious consequences both for his personal spiritual journey and his future relationship with Uncle Abraham.

There are many things in life that invite us to 'Taste and See'. There are tremendous pressures on our youth to try it all... be it in realm of alcohol, drugs, sex, petty crime... or just to have a good time and forget about the consequences. As we go through life there are always temptations.  The dodgy business deal. The short cut that we are not sure is completely honest. Choices that we make based entirely on personal benefit without considering their effect on others.

At this point in Lot's life, you kind of hope some angel will come by and say, “Hey, what about those altars you made to God, what about those commitments you made with your words, what about the nurture and leadership you received from your uncle?” It seems that when we choose to no longer be influenced by the one, true God, then lesser gods exert such an influence upon us that we forget about all our previous commitments, no matter how sincerely they were made at the time.

Throughout the years of my ministry, I have lost count of the people at funerals, weddings, or just community events, that will say “I used to be a member of such and such a church.” “What happened? “There’s usually a tale of gradual disengagement and of other commitments taking their attention. They give the impression of being liberated, and free. They do not need the mindless ramblings of a minister and the company of those hypocrites that make up the church.  They are doing their own thing now. Which leads us to our next signpost.

One Way Street
We read in Genesis 13, 11 of Abraham and Lot, “The two men parted company”.  When folk decide to pursue their own path there will be separation.  For Lot it meant separation from his places of worship, his wider family, and the godly influence of his uncle Abraham. Abraham only sought to put a distance between himself and Lot so that their herds could have room to graze. He had not wanted to drive his nephew away! Lot does not see it that way. Lot sees their separation as an opportunity to free himself from the narrow confines of his uncle’s world and embrace something new, and exciting.

It's sad when people separate themselves from you because they think they can do better.  I can think of people I knew when I was growing up and we were good friends. Some have gone on, in their own eyes, 'to make something of themselves'. They have got no time for church... and because of what I do, little time for me. I am no longer able to be of service to their ambitions.  

Separation can be such a one-way street! As Lot went further and further away from Abraham's influence he moved further and further towards making his home in a place that was notorious for its ungodliness, the city of Sodom.  The further he moved from godly influence, the more accommodating he became towards the ways of ungodliness, and the colder his heart became towards the things that had once blessed his life. And as he drew near to Sodom, he found another sign.

NO U-TURNS
If you are on a one-way street, you must keep going. You cannot do a U-turn.  Lot did not go from the blessings of Bethel to the sins of Sodom in a day. Step by step Lot moved away from godly influences and God's altars and towards sin, idolatry, and ungodliness. His 'Just Looking', turned to 'Taste and See” which set him on a 'One Way street' upon which there could be no 'U-Turns'. Verse 12 tells us 'He pitched his tents near Sodom.” Having pitched his tents nearby it was not long before he took up residence. He never intended his life to go that way. When he was just looking, it all seemed so innocent.

Every alcoholic had their first drink too many. Every drug addict had their first fix. The man who sits alone, separated from wife and children, never intended that brief fling with another partner to lead to the breakdown of his marriage. The lady with debts on their credit card that led to the repossession of her home says, 'I couldn't help it. Things just got out of hand.'

There comes a point on the road where there can be no U-turns. You make your bed, and you must lie in it. According to Peter's Second letter, Lot hated it in Sodom. He knew he was in a terrible situation. 2 Peter 2: 8 tells us of Lot, “That as a righteous man, living among them day after day, Lot was tormented in his soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard”. The final sign in Lot's journey away from God came as he reached...

DEAD-END
Lot could go no deeper into misery. The only way to get off a one-way street is to find another road.  The only hope he had was that by some act of grace on the part of God he may be delivered from the mess he had created for himself.

The positive side to this story, is that Lot is plucked out of Sodom in the nick of time. In Genesis 19 we are given the story of Lot's redemption. Without going into detail, let us just say it didn't come easy. He escapes the destruction of Sodom not with great riches but with only the shirt on his back.

His wife is not so fortunate. Even as they are fleeing the destruction of the city she looks back and is lost. He ends up, through the treachery of his daughters, fathering children    who become the head of two nations, the Moabites and the Ammonites, who later become two of Israel's most feared enemies. Not exactly a happy ending! But if you head down a road that leads away from God – where do you think it is going to lead?

There are lessons to be learned from this cautionary tale.  Lot's story reveals signposts that are along the road away from God.

• We see him 'Just Looking'. But in his heart, he'd already gone further.
• We watch him 'Taste and See'. He likes what he tastes, and he's hooked.
• We see how his road turns out to be 'One Way Street.' It leads to separation from the people and values he once counted as all important.
• He discovers that there are 'No-U-Turns' on a one-way street.
• Finally, he reaches a 'Dead End.'

In response to such an account I can only say that there but for the grace of God go us all! 

It makes me even more thankful for the love that we find in Jesus Christ. It makes sense to call Him the Savior. He can save us from having dead end lives. And though God's love can certainly redeem the most desperate of situations, we do well to listen to the promptings of His Holy Spirit that prevent us from falling into those situations in the first place.

The simple disciplines of regular worship and involvement with our church community, of heeding the advice of godly family and friends, of being thankful for what we have and treating others in a way we ourselves would like to be treated, of not throwing away what we have in pursuit of lesser gods, greener pastures or imagined fertile plains... these simple things can keep us on the right road.

Though in our increasingly self-serving, materialistic, spiritually shallow society, throwing ourselves heart and soul into pursing a kingdom lifestyle may not be an option that the majority favor, one of the images of spiritual journeying that Jesus gave to us is that pursuing His Kingdom is like walking on a narrow road. That though there were other roads that appeared to offer a more appealing destination, only His way led to true blessings.

Let us then learn from Lot to pay attention to signs that lead away from God! And by the Grace of God may we choose to follow paths that lead us in the right direction, the way of Christ, the road illuminated by signs of His Spirit's presence. And to God's name be the glory. Amen.
 
The Reverend Adrian J. Pratt B.D.

LENT 2 "Foxes, Hens and Chickens"

Scripture Readings: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17-4:1, Psalm 27, Luke 13:31-35
Presented by Bridgehampton Presbyterian Confirmation Class, NY, March 13, 2022

 Over the last few months our confirmands, Avery McCleland, Lucas Centalonza, and Paul Rosel
 have been meeting with their peers in Southampton Presbyterian Church and have learnt about some basics of the Christian faith

Then, this year, have been involved in a couple of mission projects, visiting the local Food pantry and Thrift store, as well as preparing to lead this worship service.

We have been looking together at the passage set by the Lectionary for this Sunday, Luke 13:31-35. We decided to present it to you in three ways... firstly a short drama imagining a reporter asking an onlooker about the events of that day, secondly an interview with a theologian about some of the implications of the words Jesus spoke, and thirdly a reflection on each of the three creatures that the passage references, Foxes, Hens and Chickens.

 I'll conclude with a few words of my own.

So now… over to our reporters in Jerusalem.

Skit 1 – presented by Lucas Centalonza,, and Paul Rosel
(A review of the days events.)

Thank you for that report. But what does it all mean?
Avery is asking an eminent theologian some questions.

Skit 2 - presented by Avery McCleland and Rev Adrian Pratt
(The theological questions raised by Jesus' words. What did he mean when he talked about a third day? Why Jerusalem? Why did he compare God to a mother Hen?)

Thanks for that wonderful insight.
I mean it’s all very well knowing what happened in the past.
But are there lessons we can learn from this passage for our lives today?

Don’t Be a Fox like Herod. (Paul Rosel)

Foxes can be quite cute creatures. They can be loyal, protecting of their young and highly sociable.  Unless you happen to be their prey. So, if you are a hen or a chicken… they are not so cute.

Herod was a King who was fearful for his position. And when people are afraid, they can become aggressive. The only reason he was King in the first place was because he had sold out his nation to the Roman oppressors. The only way he had stayed King was through intimidation and violence, even towards his own family. If you didn’t get with his program, you were a threat.

So, when Jesus calls Herod a Fox he was accusing him of having become a person who was compromised, sly, untrustworthy, and self-centered.

He’s also warning people that to side with Herod meant being on the wrong side! The religious leaders, who like Herod were fearful for their position in society, didn’t have a problem with Herod. As long as he was in power, they kept their power. So, they didn’t mind accepting Herod’s invitation to confront Jesus. They didn’t like Him either. He was a threat to their power.

But Jesus wasn’t afraid of Pharisees. And Jesus wasn’t afraid of Herod. Called him a fox.
And not in a good way.

So don’t ever be like Herod. Living in fear. Ready to compromise what you believe , to get what you want. Treating people like pieces in a chess game… easily disposable and only useful when they serve your purposes.

Jesus came to set people free. And to teach us how to love and serve each other.

Do be like a Hen (Avery McCleland)

Jesus uses a mother hen as a picture of how we should act towards to each other. We should care for each other, like a hen cares for her chickens. Ever watched a hen with chickens? First, she nurtures them. From the egg onwards. They follow her around the farmyard, watching everything she does.

She teaches them how to feed themselves. They learn about life’s pecking order! They learn how to follow. When they fall, she gently nudges them in the right direction. And when they are threatened, she will put her own life at risk to protect them. If a fox appears on the scene, she will wrap her wings around them and shelter them from harm.

“Greater love has no person” said Jesus, “Then laying down their life for their friends.”

And Jesus teaches us to be people who care, nurture, and help each other. Who lift each other up when one of us falls down. Who protect the most vulnerable and value the lives of those committed to our care. In fact, Jesus uses the mother hen as a picture of God.

Jesus suggests that God would love to wrap God’s loving wings around us. That God wants to shelter us, protect us, and love us. But then he adds that we are like the people of Jerusalem.
We just don’t seem to want God’s help. We reject God’s offer of assistance and go our own way.

Learn from the Chickens  (Lucas Centalonza)

In this biblical passage the group we are most like are the chickens. Of course… nobody likes to be called ‘chicken.’ It has become a phrase associated with cowardice and weakness. Jesus doesn’t want us to be afraid and running scared.

But God does invite us to open our lives to the influence of God’s love. And that means being prepared to be vulnerable. Being opened to being led. To allow our selves to be cared for. To admit that there are times when we can’t help ourselves. To apply our selves to learning God’s ways.

That is never easy. We tend to want to be foxes rather than chickens. We like our independence.
We like to think we are experts in our own destiny. Every young chicken has the capacity to grow into an amazing nurturing hen or proud rooster! Just as long as they allow themselves to be nurtured and follow the right directions. Every person has the capacity to become the wonderful human being God designed them to be.

God has given us the example of Jesus to follow. God has given us the Scriptures to guide us.
God has given us the Church as a place to nurture our faith. God promises us the living presence of Jesus to walk with us through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Nothing wrong in being a chicken. So long as you allow God, like a mother hen, to gather you under those wings of love.

Conclusions (Rev. Adrian Pratt)

I think we are getting the picture.
God is a God who longs to surround our lives with the love we find in Jesus.
A God who wants us to know, even in these crazy times, that God is still in control.
A God who wants the best for us and really loves us.

My prayer for our confirmands and for all of us is that we will walk together this road of discipleship… not just in lent, not just as we approach confirmation, but every day of our lives.

To God be all glory. Amen.

Thanks to our confirmation class of 2022:
Avery McCleland, Lucas Centalonza, and Paul Rosel
Their Service of confirmation takes place Sunday, March 27, 2022.

LENT 1 "Abraham, Man of Faith"

 Readings: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16,  Luke 4:1-13, Genesis 12:1-9, Hebrews 11:1-10
Preached at Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, NY, March 6, 2022
Communion Service

Hebrews 11:8  “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Abraham was a man of faith. In his life, his faith is linked to action. It was not some dry, academic belief in a theory. Faith for Abraham was a living principle. Abraham’s faith answered three questions that we all encounter if we seek to be disciples.

1.    Where am I going? His faith enabled him to see his life as a mission.
2.    What can I do when I make a mess of things? His faith enabled him to overcome his failures.
3.    How do I get through the hard times? His faith gave him courage to face the darkest situations.

Abraham's faith enabled him to see his life as a mission. It answered the question 'Where am I going?'

Although such times are well in my history, I still remember the excitement when a school dance took place. Back then the question would not be, 'Are you going?' (because if you didn't go you might as well not exist), the question was 'Who are you thinking of going with?' The preoccupation was not with destination, but with the company one may keep.

Our text from Hebrews tells us that Abraham obeyed God's direction  “Even though he did not know where he was going.” For Abraham  faith sprang from relationship, his relationship with God. His faith was not based on having a clear sense of where life may be leading him. Relationships are important. We knew that back in school when we thought about who we should go to a dance with. We know it as we seek companionship for our lives. We know both the pain of bad relationships and the joy of good relationships.

Faith for Abraham meant that he was going on a journey with God. The destination was not significant, the company he kept was everything. Because of his relationship with God, he saw life as a mission.

A sense of mission is a feature of faithful people throughout the ages, exemplified most clearly by Jesus Himself. At the age of 12 we discover Him sitting in the temple and explaining to those searching for Him, 'This is my Father's house'. In situation after situation in the gospels we hear Him explaining His actions in terms of 'The Father sent me' or of  'Doing His Father's will'. His life was not defined by geographical location but by faithful obedience to His Father. A life of faith is not so much defined by 'Where are we going?' as it is by 'Who are we going with?'

If we allow our life to be defined by our relationship with God, then we can find a new sense of purpose in everything that we do. I overheard somebody complaining the other day; 'Life around here is just so daily!' Many folks seem to drag along in a kind of treadmill existence, bored to tears with the whole thing.

The faith of Abraham challenges to consider that it doesn't matter where we are going, just as long as we can see that life is meant to be a journey, a pilgrimage, a walk with God. That though, through faith in Christ, we can know our ultimate destination is to be with Him, we don't need to know what twists and turns the journey will bring us. Abraham went out 'Even though he did not know where he was going.'

Abraham's faith enabled him to overcome his failures. It answered the question, 'What do I do when I mess up?'

 Genesis 17:1 'The LORD appeared to (Abraham) and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” '  

Be blameless? Abraham was blameless? He had to reach perfection, and only then would God bless him? Abraham, like most of us, had his good days. He also had his bad days!

A couple of times in his life he pretended his wife was his sister in order to get himself out of a tricky situation. The first time was when he sought help from the Pharaoh  in Egypt. There was a famine in Canaan, and Abraham went to seek help. But he was afraid that when  the folk in Egypt saw how pretty his wife was, they'd kill him and steal her. 'Right' he thinks 'I'll say she's my sister'. He saves his own skin, but his wife ends up in the harem.

Then all sorts of bad things started happening to the Pharaoh. He discovers that Sarah was actually Abraham's wife and he's mad at Abraham. 'What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? I've gone and angered your God...  please take her and get out of here.' It's a sad picture. The man of God being rebuked by a pagan ruler. When you consider some of the stupid things we do, as individuals and as church communities, the world around us is often right to rebuke us.

It's not as though we are quick learners! A whilst later Abraham gets into a confrontation with another ruler, King Abimelech of Gerar. Again, he does the same thing. He tells the King his wife is his sister. The King takes her. Bad things start happening to the King. He finds out Sarah is Abraham's wife, and... again... Abraham is rebuked by a pagan ruler. Abraham … perfect, blameless, and faithful? Hmm.

And then there's the whole business of Abraham having a child by his slave girl Hagar, because he simply didn't believe God when God told him that his wife Sarah would have a child. Things didn't turn out well! Often in Scripture great characters of faith have some appalling falls from grace. Saints often turn out to be less than perfect!

The thing that marks them out though is this. They get knocked down, but they get up again. They understand that to fail is human. They are not defined by their failure, but by their recovery. They are not great people because of their capacity for perfection, but because they allow themselves to be transformed by grace.

When Jesus died upon the Cross. He prayed, 'Father, forgive them because they don't know what they are doing'. Before God we must be honest and declare; 'God, You are right.' We can be so clueless. Sometimes we are just dancing in the dark.

The Cross stands as a central symbol of the Christian faith because time after time, we blow it. But if we look to the Cross, we find there a love that tells us 'Rise up and walk. You are free. You are forgiven. Not because of what you have done, but because of what I, Jesus Christ, have done for you!'

Abraham's faith enabled him to overcome his failures. It answered the question, 'What do I do when I mess up?' What we do? We confess our sins. We accept the grace God offers and we move on down the road. That is faith.

Abraham's faith gave him courage to face the darkest situations. It answered the question 'How do I get through the hard times?'

The supreme test of Abraham's faith was the day he felt that God was telling him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, on a mountain top. It's one of those difficult bible stories that make you wonder, 'What kind of God would ask anybody to do that?'

One can only imagine the conflict in Abraham's soul. Maybe there have been times in our own lives when we have really questioned if we are doing the right thing. Times when our actions seem capable of doing far more harm than good. But amid that darkness Abraham carries on trusting. The altar is laid. Isaac is placed upon it. The knife is raised, but before it falls God intervenes and Isaac is saved. Part of me says, this is going too far. This isn't heroic. It's foolish. It's cruel. It's abusive. It is not right to ask anyone to do as Abraham did. To sacrifice their only son.

Then I think of another only son. The One we call the 'Lamb of God.' The One we declare was sacrificed for our sins. The Son of John 3:16. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whomsoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The One we celebrate in our communion service as we break bread and share wine.

Tradition has it that the temple in Jerusalem was built on the site where Abraham had been led to sacrifice Isaac. This was the temple where Jesus challenged those who opposed Him with the words;  “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." (John 8:56 NIV). Abraham saw Christ's day on the mountain with Isaac, the day his faith went beyond what should be asked of anybody. The day when amid unthinkable darkness, he held on and witnessed God's salvation.

Great faith may bring moments of great peace, assurance, and joy, but it travels through great doubt, disillusionment, and despair. Faith involves victories, but also defeats. There is no crown without a Cross, no resurrection without their firstly being a death. How do we get through the hard times? I'm not exactly sure. But we do! I'm convinced it's got a whole lot to do with grace.

So, I offer you today three faith lessons to learn from Abraham.

1.    Relationship is more significant than destination. If we know that we walk with God, then where it leads us is not as significant as with whom we are walking. Walk with God, through faith in Jesus Christ and we will know the guidance of God's Holy Spirit.
2.    Our lives are not defined by our failures, but by our recoveries. We all mess up. We find in Jesus One to be our Savior. Who prays “Father forgive them they don't know what they are doing”? We are saved by grace through faith.
3.    Sometimes all we can do is trust God for the next word! Life lays before us unthinkable challenges. Faith can be defined by struggle and doubt as much as by peace and joy. Yet even amid the darkest situations love can break through with unexpected, transforming power.

Abraham – A great man of faith. Hebrews 11:8 (Message Bible)  “By an act of faith, Abraham said 'yes' to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left, he had no idea where he was going.”

As we travel the Lenten Road, we do not know what coming days may bring. But if we put our trust, today, in Jesus Christ, we can know the assurance that we don't have to take one single step of our spiritual journey alone. We can share the truth of the Psalmist who has said, 'The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.'  

To God's name be all glory. Amen.

 The Reverend Adrian J. Pratt B.D.