Serving Promises Unseen

Following is a sermon that I delivered on August 12, 2012 at Pocatello First United Methodist Church.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

How many of you have been watching the Olympics?  Okay … I admit.  I get really excited when the United States does well, but what I find fascinating is how much I support the other athletes too.  Take a Bulgarian gymnast, Yourdan Youchev, 39 years old and at his sixth Olympics!  Who could help but root for the man, regardless of how he finished.  There was a diver who never expected to make the semi-finals. He was just happy to be there, thrilled to be a part of something bigger than himself, and the Olympics are filled with these stories.  Then, we, as we watch them from thousands of miles away, also become a part of this world wide experience.

In a way, this was what the audience of the book of Hebrews felt.  They were a part of a world changing movement, but … it wasn’t going as expected.  When Jesus ascended into heaven, they thought that he was going to return very soon. Paul in his earliest letters discourages people to marry because he thinks that the time would be so short (1 Cor 7:25-31).  But, there was a problem. The first generation of Christians were dying, and Jesus hadn’t returned yet. The author of Hebrews reminds them that our time is not God’s time.  He talks about their ancestors and how they were patient and had faith that God would fulfill his promises.

The word “faith” plays a prominent role in today’s Scripture passage. “By faith, Abraham obeyed … By faith, he lived … By faith, Sarah received …”

But Wait, There's More ...

The Lesson of Abraham:

Going Off into the Unknown

"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you ...' So Abram went, as the Lord had told him..." (Gen 12:1, 4 ESV)


I have always have been up for an adventure. Coming from an Army family, we moved quite a lot. My dad got orders. We packed up our stuff, and we went. At the time, the Army had a three year cycle. Routine as clockwork, after three years, we'd be moving again.

When I went out on my own, the pattern continued, but it was more of a five year cycle. It wasn't so much that I wanted to move, but after five years I found myself moving someplace new. The most dramatic was my move from Charleston, SC to Odessa, TX.

This one was a little different. I felt called to go to West Texas ... the desert. I felt a little like Abraham. Unlike with the Army, I had no guarantee of a job when I got there. In fact, the economy there was terrible at the time. But God was my general, and God said, "Go ..." and, like Abraham, I prospered.

With my move to Texas, I broke my moving cycle. I actually stayed there for over a decade, but just a few weeks ago, my General cut new orders. God said, "Go to Idaho." So, I got to explore a whole new section of the country in a U-Haul truck.

And now, I'm in a new land ... Idaho. Do I know what will happen? Will I prosper? Only time will tell. Abraham did not always prosper where he was told to go. Sometimes God had different work in mind for him. But I am here, and I am pleased to feel that I am where God wants me to be.

What has God been asking you to do?