Romans 4:13-25 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
16 For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 Therefore “it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 23 Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
An Iron Man triathlon is a race that includes a swim, bike ride, and run. The original and most well-know of these races is the one in Hawaii. In this race, a runner must complete a 2.2-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2 (marathon) run. The pros finish in about 8 hours for the men and 9 hours for the women. The maximum time allowed to complete the race for all competitors is 17 hours. Scenes of those finishing in the dark with the crowd still there to cheer them on are spread throughout the media. It is quite a a race.
Abraham was already 75 years old when God called him to travel to a land he did not know, a journey more strenuous than any triathlon. After arriving in what would become know as the Promised Land, he and his family along with all the animals he owned stayed for awhile until God led him to another land. There was a famine in the land Abraham had settled in, so he took his family and all he owned to Egypt for food.
Through his life journey to the point, we meet him in this passage from Genesis, Abraham saved his nephew, Lot, had his wife, Sarah, pretend to be his sister so he wouldn’t be killed, and heard God’s covenant that he would have more descendants that he could count. Since his wife was barren, he and Sarah decided to take matters into their own hands to ensure Abraham would have an heir. Sarah had her servant, Hagar, lie with Abraham resulting in a son, Ismael. Sarah was jealous, so had Hagar and her son sent away.
Abraham was now 99 years old when God visited again. God reaffirmed the covenant he had made. Abraham’s reaction was to lay down and laugh. But he listened to God and affirmed his side of the covenant by having himself and all the males in his household circumcised.
Sarah and Abraham had many character flaws that are evident in their story. These flaws didn’t hinder who he would become. As it turned out, Abraham lived to be 175 years old so had time to learn from God, apply these learnings, and to make mistakes. Throughout the 76 years, Abraham was able to live into his fullest self as God intended.
Abraham’s story reminds us that you are never too old to start over. Even if you think it isn’t worth it or that you can’t teach a dog new tricks, God’s message is that a fresh start is always possible. Trusting and following God is the key to living into your fullest self.
Note that God’s promises to Abraham are not dependent on his character or willingness to do what God asked of him. He didn’t earn God’s favor by his words or his deeds. Abraham was special in God’s eyes because he trusted God and in God’s promise. It was this faith, as Romans tells us, that made him righteous. Abraham was declared righteous before the circumcisions were conducted. He was declared righteous before God gave the Law to Moses, the Law that became the measuring stick for faithfulness. Abraham became the ancestor of all who follow his example by trusting in God who justifies the ungodly.
Trust in God is the key to Abraham’s story and to our story. Trust in who God is and in God’s promises makes us righteous as it did Abraham. God’s ultimate promise is the Messiah. The One who the prophets spoke of. The One who came into our world as Jesus Christ.
Even so, trust is hard. Our world is not set up for trust. Broken promises and promises made lightly – “just trust me” – are common. Skepticism is the norm. We have trouble believing that our faith is not the unwavering faith of Abraham, forgetting that he struggled with faith as well.
Yet, the seemingly impossibility of God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled. Abraham doubted and many times chose his own way, but God did what was promised. Abraham’s choices never deterred God. Rather, Abraham grew throughout the rest of his lifetime, becoming more like the man intended for him to be.
Reading Abraham’s story encourages us. Living by faith for a lifetime doesn’t mean we won’t have moments of doubt. God is faithful still. Living by faith doesn’t mean everything will go well for us. God is faithful still.
The passage from Mark tells of Jesus’ disciples. Their reaction when Jesus described what would happen to him was much like Abraham’s. No way that will happen. Peter even pulled Jesus aside to tell him not to speak of those things. Peter was focused on his own picture of the future, of his future, so he missed God’s promise.
The message to people of all ages is the message of God to Abraham. Leave the old behind and look ahead to what will become. It’s the message Peter, a Jew who knew the scriptures missed. It is a message that we don’t hear or want to hear. The past informs who we are. Our memories and experiences of life are the things that build us into who we are here and now. Leaving these behind is unthinkable. However, God doesn’t ask us to leave these behind. God asks us to leave behind the beliefs and habits that hold us back from become our fullest selves.
The way to become our fullest selves is through the cross. Carrying the cross ourselves is a hard and arduous journey. That cross is heavy.
A Good Friday practice in one of the churches I served was to gather with other churches to carry a heavy wood cross through the neighborhood. It took six or seven people to carry this cross. We would start at one church, have a reading and prayer, and then pick up the cross and walk to the next stop on the route, then do the same at each stop, continuing until we reached the church where the cross would be placed for the coming year. It was a very moving experience.
God asks us to put down our cross. God asks us to change our way of thinking, to trust in Jeus rather than ourselves. God asks us to shift our priorities, not once, but over and over again.
Whether it takes 8 hours, 17 hours, or a lifetime, trust God to lead you through to the cross and beyond.
Amen.
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