The Reason for the Season-Part 2

Note: This is part 2 of a sermon that I was honored to give at Litton Springs United Methodist Church during the Lenten Season earlier this year. To read Part 1, go here.

Litton Springs United Methodist Church

Moving back to the Old Testament scripture, we see that God instructs Abram to get certain animals in verse 9. Abram responds to God like he always does: he obeys. He collects all of the specified animals and divides all of them in half, except the birds and places them apart from each other. Is this starting to remind you of the animal that was divided in the marriage ceremony?


At dusk, he is very afraid and goes to sleep. In his dream, he receives prophesy from God about his descendants and their captivity in Egypt and his subsequent rescue of them. But before that, Abram will die at a ripe old age.


In verse 17, a smoking pot descends. The smoke is a symbol of God. This will be apparent again in the Old Testament in Exodus Chapters 18 and 19, where the Lord appears to the Hebrews with fire and smoke. Then the smoking pot passes between the halves. This is symbolic for the promises of God to Abram. Remember, God is the greater party in this covenant, so he makes the offer and the terms and goes first in this exchange. The penalty that would be put on God for breaking his promises to Abram in this covenant is death to God.


If ever I have heard a theological conundrum, this is it. How does someone take the life of life itself?


In this covenant, here is what God promises:
1. To be Abram’s shield and exceeding great reward-verse 1
2. An heir and a number of descendents as many as there are stars-verses 4 &5
3. Land with specific borders-verse 7 and verses 18-21.


To find out the requirements of Abram in this covenant go to Chapter 17, verse 1:


And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect.


So now we see what Abram had to promise: to be perfect. And what would be his penalty for not keeping  his promise? Death. No wonder he was scared!


In addition to the smoking pot that I mentioned earlier, the text refers to a burning lamp passing between the two pieces. My bible says that the Hebrew says flaming torch.

All throughout the bible fire or flame is a symbol of God. So the flame moving from piece to piece is symbolic of this: God, in his infinite wisdom knew that Abram and his descendants could not be perfect, so this is what he was saying: “Abram, I know you can’t be perfect, so I’ve got your back on this. Rather than you dying for your imperfections or sins, I will give my life in your place.”


This begs the same question as before: How do you take the life of life itself?


Here is the answer: God comes to earth as a human-Emmanuel. He becomes God with us and he lays down his life for man to take. And that fulfills the penalty of man’s breaking this covenant, which God knew that Abram and his descendants would do. 

The whole idea of the death of Jesus as the “Lamb of God” was a secret between God and Jesus before the world was formed. Some scriptures that reference this holy mystery are: Titus 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Peter 1:19-20, and Rev. 13:8. They knew that man would fall, they knew that they would need to provide a solution for sin for reconciliation. And they knew that this was best kept secret so that Satan would not understand what was happening. They tricked Satan into thinking that he had won. But the plan was made before the formation of the world. Isn’t God amazing?!

John 10: 17-18 says
17 Therefore doth my father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh if from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.


Matthew 5:17 says, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.


Jesus died on the cross of his own agreement to fulfill the terms of this covenant.


John Chapter 19:30 says,
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said “ It is finished” and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.


At that point, the terms of this covenant were satisfied for all who had come before him and all who would come in the future who would take up his cross and follow him.


The birth,
The life,
The death and 
The resurrection of Jesus Christ ties every last letter of the entire bible into one story.


Here is the story in a nutshell:


For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, so that whosoever shall believeth on him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3: 16


In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…
Amen.

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Thanksgiving Challenge and Joy Dare:
Today, I am thankful for:


119. Good food.
120. Funny jokes.
121. Help from the Holy Spirit.


copyright 2012 by Kathy Robbins

Stress Relief Suggestion #32

Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion so you can concentrate on problem solving. (However, if the friend is the problem, refer to stress relief suggestion #28:)))
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Thanksgiving Challenge and Joy Dare:
 Today, I am thankful for:


93. A great afternoon with my son and the group from church at the Jumpoline park.
94. The ability to keep a friendship even in the face of confused communication.
95. Rose bushes, and cedar trees on sale.





copyright 2012 by Kathy Robbins

Stress Relief Suggestion #31

When the stress of having to get a job done gets in the way of getting the job done, diversion (a voluntary change in activity and/or environment) may be just what you need.

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Thanksgiving Challenge and Joy Dare


Today, I am thankful for :


84. Full moon of last week with cool winds.
85. A soaking rain over 3 or 4 days that I have only experienced just once since I have lived in Texas.
86. Small quaint churches.


copyright 2012 by Kathy Robbins

Foo-Foo

I don’t usually have a Valentine’s story. Things change. I began attending The Journey United Methodist Church in Buda, Texas, which sponsors an annual ladies’ Valentine’s brunch. Never having been to one, but loving fellowship with like-minded Christians, I registered to sponsor a table. Sponsoring involves decorating a table, providing scrumptious food and inviting seven ladies to attend. This event included food, fellowship, a inspirational message and silent auction on Saturday, February 11.


I had trouble keeping the invitation list reduced to only seven ladies. I wanted to invite 50, to bless people who had been a blessing to me. Domesticity is not my area of giftedness. I am more of a Mary than a Martha. I opted to pay for the food I needed rather than to cook. So, with the invitations and cooking taken care of, all I had left to do was to decorate. Easy, peasy, right? Wrong! For me, that is. 


The church has all of the table leaders to decorate their own tables. From table to table, there is a mismatch, but within each table is a beautiful opportunity for self-expression and creatively creating a masterpiece table setting. Except for me. As I mentioned before, this is not my gift. I was assured by the leadership that the tables are all different every year, running the gamut from tables with paper plates to tables with fine china and silver. I was assured that paper plates would be just fine. 

I arrived on Friday night empty handed to see what was being done in preparation before I went to get my supplies for decorating. I had received a text earlier in the day from a friend who offered to supply her grandmother’s dishes for the affair. I kept that in my mind as a possibility as I arrived to survey the scene. Much to my surprise, what I witnessed was some serious decorating. Ladies had fine china, with matching crystal, centerpieces of crystal vases full of an array of sweet-smelling, colorful flowers on tablecloths color-coordinated with the cloth napkins. Shocked at the beauty that I beheld, I uneasily left to do my paper plate shopping, and called my friend who had texted earlier. 


At first, I was rather shy about allowing her to help me. Then she explained. She said, “Kathy, I have attended these things every year, because I have always been invited by someone else. I was excited that you had invited me to sit at your table this year because I love coming to these brunches. Then, in the middle of the night, I awoke realizing that you may not have attended one of these events before and are not a ‘foo-foo’ person.” (Translation-we all know that this is not your gift.) “ I didn’t know if you had any idea how these people decorate these tables, so I want to offer to help. I have these dishes and vases and cups, and glasses. I would love to offer them, because I never get an occasion to use them.”


Now, I am thinking, this is a definite heaven-sent phone call. My friend was right. I am not a ‘foo-foo’ person to use her term. Not that there is anything wrong with people who are gifted in this area. This is just not my area. And not only did I know it, apparently everybody else did too. Lol! I am glad we got that out of the way.


She explained that she wasn’t available to decorate that evening, but would be there in the morning to rescue me. I went forward decorating with my paper plates and Styrofoam cups, just in case something fell through in the morning. I wish I would have taken a picture of my table when I was finished. She asked me which table was mine, and I assured her that she could walk around the room and would be able to know intuitively.

I arrived early in the morning to meet her, and she had already decorated my table. I was amazed at the transformation from the paper of the night before to the matching plates, saucers, coffee cups, water glasses, cloth napkins and water pitcher. She created a flower arrangement from an assortment of colors and flowers. They had a definite engaging scent. I was amazed at her gift. This was a natural for her. I had been blessed beyond measure by her. We discussed what a beautiful thing it is that we don’t all have the same gift. That enables us, through God’s grace to bless one another.


This was truly faith in action. She expressed her love for me through her actions, utilizing her phenomenal God-given gifts in an area that I needed help. Amazingly, I never had to go to her to ask; she knew the need was there and stepped up to meet the need. I, who had tried to invited her in order to bless her, received the blessing.


Approximately 150 women arrived on scene ready to enjoy the fellowship and food. One of the ladies at my table won a door prize. The same lady won the silent auction for a portrait package. We listened to an inspirational speaker who very creatively explained to us that The Holy Bible is a love letter to us from God. She said that the love story is still being written. 


Indeed it is. It is not only being written by God but by his saints who use their gifts to do his will.
Amen.


Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Thanksgiving Challenge and Joy Dare


Today, I am thankful for:


53. My friend, who rescued me from paper plates.
54. My friends who joined me at my table.
55. The wind blowing the smell of rain outside.
56. That God first loved us, so that we can extend this same love to others.


Linking up today with Laura and Jen, Jennifer Lee, and Ann :

copyright 2012 by Kathy Robbins