genealogy and back to the story

Good afternoon friends,
Today's reading is a little dry, let's just be upfront about that. We're doing begats. I want to point out two things about the genealogy: first, the author wants to draw a clear line from the family of Noah (Shem's father) to Abraham so we know the story is all in the family. Second, God earlier said that people wouldn't live past 120 years old anymore, but these folks keep living a long time. At the same time their lives are getting shorter as the genealogy progresses. Now once the story gets to Tarah, Abram's father, we're back on track to a story we connect with. The seeds of trouble are clear even in this beginning: a big part of the story is how generations move forward in God's story, but Sarai can't have children. English teachers would call that foreshadowing. Anyway, the story of Abram and Sarai will take center stage on Sunday as we listen to how God might be calling us too.

God bless,
Sam

Genesis 11:10-32

¹⁰These are the descendants of Shem. When Shem was one hundred years old, he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; ¹¹and Shem lived after the birth of Arpachshad five hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹²When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah; ¹³and Arpachshad lived after the birth of Shelah four hundred three years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber; ¹⁵and Shelah lived after the birth of Eber four hundred three years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁶When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg; ¹⁷and Eber lived after the birth of Peleg four hundred thirty years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁸When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu; ¹⁹and Peleg lived after the birth of Reu two hundred nine years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug; ²¹and Reu lived after the birth of Serug two hundred seven years, and had other sons and daughters. ²²When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor; ²³and Serug lived after the birth of Nahor two hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁴When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah; ²⁵and Nahor lived after the birth of Terah one hundred nineteen years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁶When Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

²⁷Now these are the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. ²⁸Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. ²⁹Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. ³⁰Now Sarai was barren; she had no child. ³¹Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. ³²The days of Terah were two hundred five years; and Terah died in Haran.

debts and immigrants

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Much of the Book of Exodus following the Ten Commandments contains other commandments and laws that flesh out the main ten. I've selected some of these sections in the days ahead based on teaching I think is illustrative of God's covenant with Israel or particularly relevant today. My selection is not unbiased, but I hope these readings shed light on God's priorities without bogging down in legal detail.

Today's selection deals with lending money, which in Israel was a method for relief of the poor, not a profit making opportunity. Notice the "pledge" or collateral for a loan to a poor person must be returned because the person will likely have to put up something they need to secure a loan. A good deal of concern in this covenant is given to making sure the vulnerable are protected. Immigrants are subject to similar protection, and Israel is reminded that they were once vulnerable and oppressed, so they particularly should not be oppressing those who seek refuge in their land.

Blessings on your week,
Sam

Exodus 22:21-28

21You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. 22You shall not abuse any widow or orphan. 23If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; 24my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans.



25If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them. 26If you take your neighbor’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; 27for it may be your neighbor’s only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbor cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate. 28You shall not revile God, or curse a leader of your people.

olive branches

Good morning friends,
Paul continues his argument that the purpose of Israel turning away from God is to give the gentiles a chance to come into the kingdom. At the right time, Israel will all be saved because God's promise is always sure. Paul points out that even though gentiles are coming to Christ, Israel is the original tree and we are transplants. Gentile Christians should have a sense of humility and gratitude not only towards God, but also towards Israel. After all, there faith in God goes back thousands of years. One day, God will bring all things together and redemption will be complete. We will recognize the God who seeks us out and we will recognize each other as sisters and brothers in God's house. May that day come soon.

God bless,
Sam

Romans 11:22-36

22Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23And even those of Israel, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.



25So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, “Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.” 27“And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”



28As regards the gospel they are enemies of God for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors; 29for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, 31so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. 32For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.



33O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35“Or who has given a gift to him, to receive a gift in return?” 36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

community dealing with difference

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Paul has been talking about dietary and other laws and how, while they no longer apply to Christians, we still need to be respectful of people who observe those laws. The main thrust of this argument has been to bring together Jewish and Gentile Christians. The main reason food regulations are so important to Jews at the time is that it helped them preserve their faith and some sense of autonomy in a world where many parts of their lives were controlled by gentiles. Judaism is in many ways very tied to God's covenant with the ancestors and the people of Israel. That covenant centered in a land of their own with laws to establish a faithful, national community. Dietary laws helped keep some of this sense of unity, autonomy and dedication to God alive when the people of Israel no longer controlled their own land or political destiny.

Christianity began as a Jewish movement, but quickly attracted people outside Judaism. That presented a great deal of controversy for many religious leaders, but Paul is convinced that God has called all people to be one in Christ. That means the old distinctions between Jew and Gentile no longer apply. In today's reading Paul lifts up scripture that foreshadows that the promise to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc) had always intended to bring in the gentiles. God hasn't abandoned his promises to Israel, but those promises overflow into love and community for all people.

Thanks be to God,
Sam

Romans 15:4-13

4For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.


7Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name"; 10and again he says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people"; 11and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him"; 12and again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope." 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.