Coming home.

Genesis 15: 1-6. This section provides the proof text to St. Paul that Grace preceded law in God’s economy of salvation because Abraham predates Moses (and the ten commandments) by several centuries. Abram believed God “and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness” (verse 6). That Abram continually doubted and questioned God though should encourage us. Faith is no easy option.

Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-16. The Genesis reading is a good accompaniment to this reading from Hebrews which lauds the faith of Abraham among others. Without knowing that Abraham often doubted though, we could end up having a false view of faith as necessarily being full assurance all the time, which is unrealistic. We are human and subject to human frailty. But at our best, the vision of everlasting life in a new heaven and a new earth should spur us on to become the person God always wanted us to be.

Luke 12: 32-40. Jesus says to his disciples. First of all get your priorities right. The “treasure” that should be motivating us is of the Kingdom of God. This will have economic repercussions on our earthly treasure but the kingdom is all that really counts in the end. We are told then to keep awake, as a slave should keep awake for the return of his master in the early hours – so a warning against Christian complacency.

That we are saved by faith in God’s grace and not by following the law was absolutely fundamental to St. Paul and in his great treatise on the subject in his letter to the Romans, the incident we heard read to us from Genesis was pivotal.

Abraham had “righteousness” – that is declared right before God simply because he believed God’s promise, well before he was circumcised and certainly well before the written law which wasn’t delivered to Moses until many centuries later.

Being declared righteous includes being accepted and forgiven – a spiritual healing of the soul we call Salvation – the divine healing.

The author of the book of Hebrews also looks back to the example of Abraham amongst others as an example of great faith and verse one defines faith like this;

“The assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen.”

But if you are anything like me, that description of faith could be daunting because in reality faith oscillates and is stronger on some days than on others.

But a simple reading of the story of Abraham and Sarah reveals that while  their faith was often strong, the doubts and scepticism were constant companions as well. Which is good news for all of us that despite the doubt and scepticism along the way, God declared Abraham right with Him.

Jesus spoke some comforting words to his disciples, many of whom doubted Jesus even after the resurrection according to Matthew’s gospel and the words we heard today are ones we all need to hear,

“Do not be afraid little flock, for it the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”

Having the kingdom – God’s Spirit working with your Spirit to bear fruit for you and the world is the only real treasure worth having because the kingdom is eternal. Our money and possessions stay here when we move on. “You can’t take it with you” as they say,

But the kingdom is an eternal transcendent possession. Fruit grown here will serve you for ever in your purse which is your soul. 

But living a virtuous, good life here is often hard. It is not glamourous or cool and life can grind us down, but the advice is not to lose patience. Keep faith and don’t tire of being and doing good or worshipping God. In the poetic language of the parable,

“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit”.

For the promises of God contained within the Bible are that which inform our faith. And the person making those promises is important.

It is often reported that Jesus spoke, not as the scribes and Pharisees, but as one who had authority.

We are much more inclined to believe someone who is manifestly upright and wise and true and speaks with authority.

The promises of God in the mouth of Jesus have divine authority. He is a person to be believed and followed in full confidence.

That future that we cannot see, or even well understand, is described in Hebrews as a homeland. Finding God and his kingdom is a “homecoming” and discovering that God was there all the time, waiting for you is a description of salvation we recognise from the parable of the good Samaritan.  

And we all thrive best when we have a secure homelife. Finding God and his Kingdom is coming home.