Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
You are invited today. You are invited to come and see what God is about to do. Last week we heard about Abraham and Sarah having guests. The Lord God had stopped by their tent and had promised them the seemingly impossible: a son after a life lived in bareness. Today we hear that because of this promise, the promise to become the ancestor of many nations, God shows Abraham what He is about to do next. God is about to go to Sodom and Gomorrah. But this time He will not bestow blessings and promises but He will punish the wicked, the evil, the bad.
Does this not sound wonderful?
God hears the cries for help and justice. People are suffering and God is about to change that.
We could leave the story here, go home and enjoy this beautiful summer day and rest in the knowledge that finally the right thing has been done and that the world has become a better place – without Sodom and Gomorrah.
But wait!
Before we go let us listen to Abraham. Let us see what he is seeing. Abraham is not happy. Truth told he is shocked. He cares for those about to be punished. And so he begins what is even more shocking: he starts to bargain with God.
“You wouldn’t destroy a city if it had 50 righteous, would you?”
“How about 45?”
“Or thirty? Twenty? Ten?”
And God agrees: find me ten righteous people and I will NOT destroy the cities.
What Abraham is doing here is making a bargain for us. For me – and for you. Because you and I we live in Sodom and Gomorrah. It is because of us that people cry out for justice. And it is our punishment God talks about. The punishment the law has in store for us. And like Abraham we will fail to save the cities and us: because we are NOT righteous. We are just like the rest of those people in Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact: we ARE the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
This is what Paul writes about in his letter to the people in Colossos. We are guilty before God and the law. We cannot save ourselves. All that WE can do ourselves is to bring punishment upon us. But God so loved the world that He gave His only son for us. For our sins. For yours – and for mine.
When Jesus died – our sins, our transgressions and our evil deeds died with Him. And when Jesus rose from the dead, we were raised with Him. We have become free. Free from sin and its punishment. We have died to the law – to be raised to the grace of God.
What does this mean to you? What does it mean to you to know that there is nothing WE can DO to be forgiven?
What does it mean to you to know that God is not going to wipe out your life because of what you have done or left undone?
And if God is not going to punish us then He is also not going to punish others. Floods, earthquakes or storms are the not punishments from God but natural disasters and are then part of natural life.
But what about the OTHERS? some might ask. What about those of different denominations, different faiths or no faith at all? Surely those are not forgiven. Surely those are not exempt by grace from the punishment.
But think about it for a minute.
Does it make sense that the creator of the whole universe would be known in only one religious tradition? (Which conveniently is our own?) And if one must be a Christian in order to experience God’s Grace and in order to be in the right relationship with God, then that is a requirement. But grace is given without requirements. We don’t have to DO anything. God’s grace comes without requirements. God gives His grace freely – to all.
So why are we here today? It is summer and I am sure we all could do something else today.
Why are you here today - when we don’t even get merit points for doing so?
Why are you here - when all people are loved by God – inside and outside of this building?
We cannot do anything to be forgiven. We cannot do anything to stop or hinder God’s punishment.
But there is something we can do: we can hear and answer God’s call in out life.
We don’t have to wait for the perfect time or the new life after death. We can go and share our love and care with our neighbors TODAY. We can go and share with those in need today. We can go and share with the children of this congregation in becoming helpers for the Vacation Bible School. We can go and help with the Kitchen Cupboard and hand out food for the hungry. We can go and help wherever God calls us to. Not because we are afraid of God’s punishment but because we want to share the joy and love God has planted into our lives.
God came as a guest to Abraham and invited him to come and see what God was about to do. He invited Abraham to come and communicate with Him, an invitation to come, listen and talk with God.
With Abraham we are invited to come and talk and listen with and to God. And like the disciples we don’t know how to do JUST that.
How does one speak to God?
Jesus gives us the answer. He shows us how to pray. It is not important how nicely those words are spoken. I don’t have to be Shakespeare to be able to talk meaningfully with God. God is our father. And as our father we can address Him and talk to Him. We can come and bring it all: our hopes and fears, our dreams, thoughts and needs. Like children we can come to God’s kitchen table and share what is on our mind. And like a parent He will listen and respond.
Ask God, Jesus says, and it will be given to you.
Doesn’t that sound great? Ask and it will be given.
So why, one might ask, do I never get what I ask for?
I don’t know the answer to that question.
But how often do we really ASK? How often do we really knock on the door and beg for God’s will to be done?
How often do we demand instead? Trying to force God into OUR will instead of asking for God’s will to be done? How often do we try to persuade God and us to believe that our will is also what God wants?
God becomes a vending-machine. I put in some words and out comes what I want to have.
But this is NOT what God invites us to do. This is NOT what Jesus calls “Ask and it will be given.”. This is I do – and you God better follow.
So what IS praying then? What is praying/communicating with God under His loving grace?
Jesus gives his disciples and us the answer. “Pray to God the father. Boldly ask for His kingdom to come. Ask for daily nourishment and an end to hunger. Ask for forgiveness for your sins. Ask for God’s grace in your life so that you can extend God’s love, grace and forgiveness to your neighbors. And finally ask for the power to resist evil.”
Can you imagine a world in which all this happens? That would indeed be God’s kingdom among us. “Ask and it will be given”. Ask for God’s kingdom and it will be given. Given through God’s grace. We are the workers of God’s kingdom. He calls us to share His kingdom and His vision with all. He calls us to share forgiveness, love and peace with all. He calls us to love our neighbors.
You are invited today to come and see what God is about to do. You are invited today to come and share what God has done for you. You are invited today to come and share what God has given you.
You are invited to come to God’s kingdom.
Today and every day.
Amen.
May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Annette
/ Website
(28.7.07 09:40)
Sehr gut! Vielen Dank, dass du deine Predigt hier gepostet hast!
Sie hat mich sehr bewegt und mich wieder an das ein oder andere erinnert.
Klaus ist beeindruckt und freut sich, dass Du die Predigt für uns hier zugänglich gemacht hast.
Ich frag mich, wie Du das so hinkriegst. Gibt's dafür ein backbone, den Du dann mit Deinen Worten anpasst?.
Werden wohl die entsprechenden readings in der Bibel sein.
Immerhin,
Besten Dank.
Klaus
Bea