Promises

 

Life is full of agreements and promises. From a promise to someone else to a promise to God - our lives are full of promises.

There was once a little boy who was in trouble with his teacher. The teacher said, ‘Didn’t you promise to behave.’ ‘Yes’, said the little boy. ‘Well,’ said the teacher, ‘What did I promise to do if you misbehaved.’ ‘ you promised to punish me’ said the little boy. The teacher said, ‘ Well then you know what to expect.’ The little boy replied, ‘ well, as I broke my promise I don’t expect you to keep yours.’ 

Promises are great particularly when they are kept. In our readings this morning we have heard about promises and we have also heard about what happens when we don’t trust someone to keep their promise.

In the Old Testament reading (Gen. 15:1-12,17,18) we heard of the great promise from God to Abraham, a promise that God kept of Abraham having a huge number of descendants. 

It is often quite interesting to read about Abraham. He was a man who trusted God but like us, he still had questions. He wasn't convinced that he would have children although God had promised him. God had promised him a wonderful home, but he still wasn't convinced that he would be able to find it.

God had promised Abraham that not only would He protect himk but he would have a great reward and rather than saying thank you - Abraham asked what the reward was. Can you imagine it? A great man of faith was actually a bit cheeky!! 

Perhaps rather than seeing Abraham as cheeky we should see him as someone who can provide us with comfort. After all,  I am sure that even though we follow God and trust Him, there are times when we naturally question Him and try to find out what is going on.

It’s not a lack of trusting God and His promises, it is more to do with wanting those promises to be fulfilled straight away.

After the comfort that it is natural to question God and His promises, we were reminded of the protection that God gives us. We can trust God and His promises because He never lets us down. In the Psalm we were reminded that because God is our light and our salvation and we have no – one to fear. 

That is the same promise that God made to Abraham, he had the protection of God and we do as well. It doesn't mean that bad things won't happen to us, but it does mean that with God as our light and our protection we know that He is always there for us and we can turn to Him, knowing His love for us.

In the epistle reading (Phil. 3:17-4:1) we heard more about promises as we heard of the change that God can make in our lives. Paul the writer of the epistle was bemoaning the people who did not trust God’s promises. That is the people who didn’t turn to God. The people who wanted to rely on small things as a way to experience a better way of life. How many times have we seen people put their trust in things expecting them to be the best thing ever and then for those things  to collapse around them?

Paul in the epistle was pointing out that there is only one thing that we all need. There is only one promise, there is only one offer that will never fail and that offer is the transformation that Jesus brings.  Those who follow Jesus are able to enjoy glory and not humiliation. We have a promise of a life where we can enjoy the glory and love of God both now and in eternity. 

In the gospel reading (Luke 13:31-35) we heard the harsh words of Jesus calling Herod a fox. This is not very nice and not what we would expect from Jesus, however Herod like the Pharisees questioned the mission and work of Jesus and tried to prevent Him from the work He needed to do. That work was to go to Jerusalem and be crucified for us. Jesus had the ultimate promise to fulfil and that promise was for our salvation. In this passage Jesus grieved. You can hear the pain as He talks of Herod being like a fox trying to take His children away from Him. 

Jesus pictures Himself as being like a mother hen protecting her brood. Jesus was protecting people by doing the incredible for them. That incredible was to die for them and for us. This passage comes after a sentence that we only get in the gospel of Luke. This sentence is that Jesus had set His face towards Jerusalem. He knew what was going to happen and nothing was going to deter Him. 

The determination of that sentence is perhaps one of the most humbling sentences we can ever hear. Jesus set His face to Jerusalem and He did it for us.

Regardless of the ways that people turned away from God, regardless of the fact that people didn’t trust the promises of God there was a plan. That plan was to bring us back to God.

In the same way that God had determined to keep His promise to Abraham, as the psalmist saw that God was his light and salvation  so He keeps Hs promises to us. God never leaves us.

Paul saw that we were able to be transformed by the glory of Jesus both now and in eternity.

In our readings we can see the promises God makes to us, promises that always become true. 

God has made a promise to us and that promise is not just that God cares and understands our need for help, but it is also that God wants us to turn to Him like a chick to a mother hen. What a beautiful image.

God loves us and wants to protect us, He is our light, He is our salvation and we do not need to be afraid. How will we show our gratitude? Will we be like those in the epistle who had sought after other things, or will be those who are ready and waiting for the transformation that only God can bring? May we be ready to be transformed as we trust in God’s promises. AMEN