August 11, 2013
Fr. Philip Eberhart
Just this week someone said to me, " I keep on coming back, because every week, I hear something about faith."
Well here it is again - that verse!
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
The old versions of this verse read >faith is the substance of things hoped for<
I've
spoken of this verse earlier this year, and the word here for
substance, is also translated conviction, some have said confidence and
others, courageous assurance. In the Amplified, which expands some of
the words for meaning, the use of the word in business at the time is
reflected in calling it "the title-deed."
It is most basically, that which stands under - the foundation of what we are building our lives on! So listen again.
Faith itself is the substance, conviction, confident and courageous assurance - the title-deed - even the foundation of the
all that we hope for.
Faith
is not hope, but it partakes of hope. Like hope, faith waits for what
has yet not become "manifest." What we, as yet, cannot see! That comes
out in the second part of the sentence - of the definition:
> Faith is the evidence of things not seen. <
We,
according to the bible, "live by faith, not by sight." The contrast is
clear and unambiguous. Faith waits, it clings to a reality yet
unrealized. It won't let go of the promise. No matter how distant the
promise appears to be, Faith waits. It is like standing in the shadow
of a building and seeing the sunlight at the corner - because you see
the sunlight you know that the sun is shining - you can tell the
weather, is it overcast or clear? It's clear, if we can see the
sunshine on the sidewalk. We do not have to run into the direct light
to see that the light is there.
Here
in our readings today we have the example of Abraham, once again
wavering in his faith and talking with God about the promised son. How
can God accomplish this outlandish promise through me? Yet, God spoke:
"So shall your descendants be." Abraham lived to see his son, but not until after he "helped God out, by trying to accomplish God's will His way."
And
isn't that the greatest temptation when we are asked to take something
by Faith? We get impatient! We don't see the way that this promise is
going to come to pass, and so we begin to devise ways ourselves! What
God starts, in the Spirit, we finish (or so we think) in the flesh! And
it ends up in unmitigated disaster! Things usually go from bad to
worse!
The
problem with living by faith, is that we, by definition, don't get to
see the fulfillment of what God has promised. Sight is sight - faith is
faith.
And
Paul goes on to call what we go through here on earth as we wait for
the promise a "light and momentary affliction." Of course, he has just
spent half a chapter in 2 Cor 4, telling of his own hardships:
Using words like "troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down" Paul describes their life of service, through which "we faint not, though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day." And his final admonition:
For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they
produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last
forever!
So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our
gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon
be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
Why is it that holding on to the promise with our faith is so important to God?
Back to Heb 11, in a verse not in our reading but very important: v.6:
For without faith it is impossible to please God, for those who come
to Him must believe that He exists and that He is the rewarder of those
who diligently seek Him.
Peter tells us that our faith is something that God holds precious.
1Pe
1:7 NLT - These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is
being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far
more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through
many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the
day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
The irony of the "Hall of Faith" - our reading this morning is that it ends with these words:
All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them.
You
see, faith does not waiver in the face of not receiving the promise -
Abraham believed God, right then, years and years before the birth of
Isaac - and it was reckoned to him as righteousness! Righteousness was
"credited" to his account, because of his faith in God.
Paul later
tells us, in the letter to Romans, that Abraham here was the father of
those who come to God by faith, not by the letter or the works of the
Law!
I want to turn also, for just a moment to words from our Gospel this morning:
Jesus is
talking here about the readiness that comes in us as a result of the
faith we have been talking about this morning. Faith is not a passive
thing - simply believing in God. Faith moves us toward actions that are
based on our faith - our belief that something is coming - in our case,
some ONE is coming!
Jesus urges his followers to live on that expectant edge of life - without fear, but in anticipation of the reality that "it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom!"
What an incredible statement for us to grasp in the midst of this
present darkness. But Jesus doesn't let us remain there. He urges us
on, through generosity and giving, to prepare for ourselves "purses
that don't wear out - an unfailing treasure in heaven - where thief and
moth cannot come. FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE
ALSO.
Jesus
urges us to be ready - dressed for action - lamps lit. We await the
bridegroom - our bridegroom - and we do not know when, but we do know he
is near by.
Friends, I am
thoroughly convinced that we are in a time when this Word from Jesus is
of utmost import. We need to be ready - ready to serve, ready to tell
others, ready to give. We do not know what the days and months ahead
hold, but we can see the sunlight from around the corner! The time is
near. Be vigilant about your own life and your household - if the
owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would
have not let his house be broken into. So be ready, for the Son of
Man, Jesus, is coming at a time you do not expect."
I
believe that is an urgent statement, especially for us in these days, if
for no other reason than we are 2000+ years further down the timeline!
It is not time for rest. And the signs of our times are saying - are
shouting - Be READY.
So we continue to live by faith, not sight - but it is time for us to lift up our eyes - for our redemption is drawing nigh!
Amen and Amen.
Please may we pray...
Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
Indeed, our heart rejoices in Him, for in his holy Name we put our trust.
Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in You.
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgement, and light rises up in darkness
for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what
You would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices,
and that in Your light we may see light, and in Your straight path may not stumble:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (BCP, P. 832)
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