Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Well this is a special day. Last week I had the honor of being installed as your pastor. And today I have the privilege of proclaiming God’s Word to you for the very first time.
Now I’m not a mystic, I’m not always looking for signs everywhere. But I find it interesting, maybe even providential, that the epistle texts in our lectionary for the last few weeks have been from Hebrews chapters 11 and 12 and next week into 13.
The topic of these chapters in Hebrews is, wouldn’t you know it, faith. And it makes me wonder as we begin this new chapter of Faith’s journey together…. What does faith have to do with Faith?
I don’t know the whole story about the founding of this congregation. I think I remember hearing that it had something to do with the aerospace industry in this area and the desire by the families of those working in that industry to have a Lutheran church here. Maybe some of you could help fill in the historical gaps for me. That would be wonderful.
But however the story went, isn’t it interesting that the members of this congregation chose Faith as their name. That’s what they wanted to be known as. Faith. Perhaps that was what they wanted to be known for, as their chief attribute: Faith.
And in God’s providence, that’s what the readings in Hebrews have been about in theses weeks before and after my installation as your pastor.
So today and for the next few weeks , I want to explore these readings in the book of Hebrews with you. I want to investigate what this faith is that we embrace and celebrate as God’s people. What our namesake is as a congregation of Christians.
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Now, the author of Hebrews gives us a definition of faith in the first verse of chapter 11. He or she says (Yes, we don’t actually know who wrote the book of Hebrews)…He or she says, Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
What an interesting definition, what a profound way to understand what faith really is.
The assurance of what we hope for. The conviction of what we do not see.
For more than two years you hoped for a pastor. You knew that God would provide. But it took a long while for you to see it. And alongside that hope for a pastor you’ve faced struggles. Struggles that made you wonder and fear what the future would hold.
But faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Notice that in both of those phrases there is an idea that faith holds on to something…a promise…a Word from God…a call from God…and that promise, that Word, that call, is absolutely reliable, because God is absolutely reliable, and absolutely able to fulfill His Word.
God says it and so it is. No ifs, ands or buts. Period.
In fact, the author of Hebrews immediately makes an appeal to the creation. He says in verse 3, that the Word of God was the means by which God created the world. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God.
Why is this the first example of faith that we are given? Well perhaps because none of us were there to see the creation of the World. We only read about it, hear about it, in the book of Genesis. And yet we believe that it happened just as God said it did…we trust His Word.
And maybe there’s another reason. In the creation account we see the power of God’s Word. God simply speaks. And all creation is called forth by His Word. That’s how powerful His Word is. Everything, everything submits to it, to Him, when He speaks. And this is the foundation of faith. If God is able to call all things into being by speaking, then His Word is powerful, reliable, trustworthy. And so we should be assured that what He says is true.
And that’s enough. God makes a promise, and we are assured…we are certain that it will come to pass. God speaks to us through His Word, and we are convicted, absolutely convinced, that what He says is true and reliable.
That’s faith. The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
So then the author of Hebrews goes on to give us a litany of specific examples in the Scriptures of this kind of faith at work in the lives of God’s people. A few of these are found in our reading for today.
First is the example of Abraham, who trusts God’s Word, His promise…and by faith He leaves his home and goes to live in the promised land. Likewise, Abraham’s wife Sarah, and their son Isaac, and their grandson Jacob, all lived by faith. They heard the promise of God, and the believed it.
But… their faith wasn’t always perfect, was it? There were plenty of times when they, like you and like me, doubted God. Abraham and Sarah did. They were too old to have a baby. God, are you sure this is right? Are you sure you’re not confused? Let us help you out. Let us figure this out on our own, God.
And they tried that. Sarah suggested that Abraham could have a baby with her servant Hagar. And he did. And then, surprise surprise, it became a mess of jealousy and bitterness. When we take over and do things our way, rather than trusting in God and following His ways, we make a mess of things. Sin always makes a mess of things.
I wonder — how are you tempted to take matters into your own hands? How are you tempted to be the boss or maybe just to help God out, when you can’t see how His promise is ever going to work out for you or your family?
It could be in your finances…God, I know you say you’ll provide for all my needs and you call me to be generous toward others, but I just don’t see how this is going to work out. I’m going to have to take things into my own ahnds and cut that generosity out of my life…after all, God, I have to look out for myself and my family first, right? Right?
Or, it could be in your relationships with family and friends. God I know you call me to be a peacemaker in my family. But God it’s hard. There’s so much hurt and struggle. So I’m going to take things into my own hands and set my own rules and boundaries.
And I know I should confess my sins and failures and seek forgiveness, but that’s so embarrassing. I can’t do that.
And I know you call me to witness to my family, and to share Your love with them. But, God I just don’t feel comfortable doing that kind of thing. And I’m afraid that my family won’t want to hear what I have to say. So I’m going to do things my way until I feel more comfortable and confident.
And God, I know you call me to share my faith with my friends and neighbors and coworkers, but, God, that’s so risky. What will they say? What will they think of me? I just can’t. I won’t risk those relationships.
Or it could be in your study of God’s Word, on your own or in a Group here at Faith. God I know you call me to study your Word, to gladly hear and learn it and put it into practice in my life. But…but I’m so busy…there’s no time left in my day. I just can’t fit it in.
And for many, even the call to worship is often reject. God, I know you command me to Remember the Sabbath Day, but church and Bible Study are sooo early on Sunday morning, and I have to get some rest sometime…
…never mind that God tells us that true rest, Sabbath, is found in Jesus. Jesus is our rest. And when we gather together as His church, like we are today, and receive His Word and Sacrament that is true rest.
You see, it’s true that we are just like Abraham and Sarah; just like Isaac and Jacob. We hear God’s Word today and we believe it…but…we struggle. We struggle to truly trust Jesus. We struggle let go of control and rely on His mercy, His promise, His Word.
And yet, that’s what need most of all. Abraham needed to believe God’s Word because that is what led him and his family to the promised land. Abraham and Sarah needed to trust God’s Promise, because that promise brought them the peace and joy and laughter of a son, Isaac.
But notice that the promise came to them, even though their faith was imperfect. God didn’t refuse to give them a son because they doubted. No, he still gave them Isaac. But the pain and suffering that came as a result of their sinful unbelief…it wasn’t necessary…it could have been avoided…if they would truly have trusted God’s promise to begin with.
Again, I don’t know what difficult and doubt inducing circumstances you’re facing. But I know this: that no matter what you are facing, you have a Promise from God that cannot fail. So trust in it.
Trust in God when He assures you this day that your sins are forgiven. As far as the east is the west, so far have they been removed from you. Believe it! Because God says it and it is true.
And trust in God when He assures you that He is with you always and He will never leave you or forsake you. Oh, there will be dark days in your life. In all of our lives. There will be times when you can’t see God. But faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith is knowing and believing that no matter what circumstances of face, still, God is for you and not against you. And His Word is true and He has plan and a purpose for you, and for us, here at Faith Lutheran Church.
This week I noticed on Facebook that a friend of mine is wrestling with God over a terminal illness in her family. Her brother is nearing his last days of life in this broken world. He has cancer and it is killing Him. And he’ll leave behind his wife and young children.
So what can this family see? Pain, sorrow, loss, suffering, unspeakable grief. You see that’s what this broken world offers us again and again. Oh yes, there are lots of joys in this life, but the trajectory we’re all on is toward the grave. It looms large for each of us.
That’s what this family sees. But in the middle of that they gave this testimony:
They said: “Thanks for your continued prayers….We are not moved by what see… but only by what the Word of God says. We are standing on His PROMISES!”
That’s it. That’s faith. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It is believing that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. It’s believing that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. And that even though we die to this life, yet we live in the world to come — the paradise of His eternal kingdom. It’s trusting that even though we are struggling today with obstacles that seem insurmountable, yet God has us in His good and gracious hands. And He has for us a hope and a future.
That’s what the author of Hebrews says to…concerning all those who lived by faith and not by sight he says,
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Yes, we are strangers and exiles on the earth. And we long for a better country, the city of God, our heavenly home. And that makes us different from the rest of the world. It ought to. We don’t find our peace or joy in this world. No, we are honest. This is a broken world and each of us will see that and experience that brokenness throughout our lives.
But in the midst of this broken world, our eyes are fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Our hearts and minds are fixed on the Kingdom of God, which begins here in the Church, and which will come in fulness on the last day, when Christ returns.
And until that day we pray for and long for His life to be at work in us–day after day, week after week, year after year. So we read and study His Word. We gather in worship and embrace the gifts that He gives us by faith. We go out to love and serve our neighbors in the name of Christ. Until finally, we will go to be with Him, forever.
Dear people of God, this is our assurance. It is the promise of God, the Word of God, which endures forever. And this is our hope and our future. This is our peace and our joy. This is our life.
And this life is the life that I eagerly desire to lead and guide you in as your pastor. I won’t do it perfectly. I will mistakes, often.
But with the help of God, we will live together as strangers and exiles in this world. We will serve Christ and His church eagerly, we will warmly and eagerly invite new friends and families to our church and school. We will earnestly pray for one another and for our neighbors. And we won’t do all of this just here in this sanctuary, but we will also get out of this building and into our community to share God’s love. We will work hard at reconciling with one another and healing whatever conflicts and frustrations have been at work in our midst. We will cast our fears and anxieties on the Lord and we will trust that He does have a plan for us. With the help of God we will put an end to the debt that has held us in bondage for too long; and then we will generously manage the abundant resources God has given us as faithful stewards. We’ll support missionaries and mission work here in our community and around the world. We’ll do all this and much more, because we are the people of God; we are strangers and exiles in this world. And our life is found not in the things of this world, but in Jesus. Period.
Jesus who assures of His presence with us saying, I am with you always. Jesus who lavishes His love and forgiveness on us in the words of absolution when He says, I forgive you all of your sins. Jesus, who fives us hope and a future…because He is our life and He has called us to come and follow Him. Amen.
Let’s pray…
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The Peace of God, which surpasses understanding, guard your hearts and minds in the one true faith in Christ Jesus. Amen