June 28, 2020 ~ Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Sermon & Sermon Video Link

https://youtu.be/1LL6MDKYTDM

“Depending on God’s Provision”

Genesis 22: 1-14; Matthew 10: 40-42

Pearl: Depending on the goodness of others and of God.

Function: To promote tenderness toward those depending on the goodness of the listener because Jesus expected that his followers would have to do the same: to depend upon the goodness and charity of others and therefore of God.

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” Jesus said this to his disciples.

1. How often are you the one needing welcome? Are you often the one depending upon the goodness, the charity of others?
   1. Actually, most of us in this congregation are the ones who are in the position to give the welcome, not to be looking for it.
   1. A couple of weeks ago I preached on this theme promoting that Christ followers should provide charity and welcome to all others.
      1. It was based on how Abraham greeted and welcomed the three strangers who came to him and how in the New Testament book of Hebrews there is the admonition to be hospitable to strangers because who knows, they might be angels in our midst.
   1. But today the tables are turned and we consider when followers of Christ must depend on the goodness, the charity, the welcome of others.
2. Actually, it is highly likely that Jesus thought of his followers as usually being the ones needing and living off of the goodness of others.
   1. Recall how one time a scribe approached Jesus after a crowd had dispersed from around him and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” To this Jesus responded, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
   1. So, Jesus expected that his followers would be like him in depending on the goodness of others.

Today I urge you to embrace dependence on the goodness of others and therefore on the goodness of God.

Jesus knew that there was plenty of goodness in the world because he knew that God was good.

1. This story of Abraham who believed that the Lord instructed him to go up to a mountain of sacrifice and offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice to God is disturbing on so many levels.
   1. I don’t believe that God would ever test anyone in such a way. I do, however, believe that people might project this kind of a notion upon God.
   1. But in a strange way this story is really meant to convey the goodness of God.
      1. As noted throughout the Old Testament there were abominable practices of other peoples who would sacrifice children to other gods, especially the god Moloch.
      1. Greeks depicted their gods as capricious and fickle.
      1. The Norse depicted their gods as warlike.
      1. So, this story is meant to distinguish the God of Abraham as completely different from other gods.
         1. One thing that is certain from the testimony of the Old Testament is that the Lord does not condone or even consider such treatment of children.
2. God is completely different from any god who would demand such an abomination.
   1. This is because God is completely good.
3. Jesus, in declaring that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, said this. He said that God’s goodness was all around and it was accessible to people.
   1. He wanted his followers to live off of it and to depend upon it.
      1. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me and the one who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me” (Matt. 10: 40).

Depend upon the goodness of others and therefore of God.

God spreads his goodness all throughout the world to benefit all of his children.

1. Live off of God’s goodness.
   1. One time when Jesus sent his disciples out into ministry he told them to depend upon the charity and goodness of others to survive. He said, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town” (Matt. 10:14). He said it that way telling them to find goodness elsewhere, because find it they would!
2. Live off the provision of God that is all around. Jesus also said;
   1. “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not your life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (I have to admit sometimes I wake up in the morning and the first thing I say to Nancy is “What is for dinner tonight?” After all, during this pandemic dinner is a real highlight of the day!) Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
   1. Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
   1. God’s goodness and provision is all around and available for you, my friends! Live off of it!
      1. Jesus expected that his followers would need to do so.
         1. He expected you to live lightly, even simply.

Your spiritual ancestors were strangers and aliens who lived in dependence upon the goodness of others and therefore the goodness of God.

1. During the pandemic, especially early on, people horded things.
   1. Remember the time when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness?
      1. The Lord provided manna from heaven so that they could eat. It was a flaky, bread-like substance. It fell widely upon the ground, abundant for the picking. They were instructed to only take enough that they would need for their family to eat that day.
      1. Human nature being what it is, some, of course, took more than they needed for that day. It became infested with worms and was useless.
         1. Some weeks ago when local strawberries were coming available I was so excited that I bought two large containers rather than the usual one container. As you might imagine we never ate that second container of strawberries. They got moldy because I didn’t get to them in time. I hoarded. I had plenty enough in the one container.
2. Dependence on others and therefore dependence on God is in our spiritual DNA.
   1. It is why followers of Christ are generous in all things.
      1. It is how the goodness of God gets around. You receive it and you give it.
3. Living in this way takes faith. And that is the one great thing about Abraham.
   1. Abraham was seen as righteous by God because he trusted in the promises of God.
   1. Abraham trusted in the goodness of others and he trusted in the goodness of God.
      1. The only redeeming factor in this story of Abraham and young Isaac is that Abraham trusted that the Lord would provide an animal for the sacrifice in the place of his son Isaac.

God provides just what you need each and every day. Embrace your need to depend upon the goodness of others and to depend upon the goodness of God.

1. There is enough for today.
2. There will be enough for tomorrow.
3. You are expected to trust in God and to depend upon others for what you need, even for the good that you desire.
   1. Trust in the goodness of God which is all around.
   1. Extend that goodness of God because it gets around by your hands, by your prayers, by your thoughts, by your own goodwill. As Jesus said;
      1. “Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward” (Matt. 10:42).