Sermon by Herman Kauffman
Union Center Church of the Brethren
April 2, 2000

BLAMELESS BEFORE GOD

Genesis 17:1

On his first assignment as an auto-body trainee, Stan began work on a car needing a new fender and some door repairs. He spent hours doing a perfect job, but when the owner came to pick it up, he was not pleased. Baffled, Stan asked, "What's wrong?" Pointing to the side of the car, the man complained about the paint not matching, uneven gaps between panels, and a host of other problems. He demanded an explanation and refused to pay. "Well I don't know what to say," Stan replied, "except that the repairs I made were to the other side of the car!"

Have you ever been blamed for something that was not your fault? (Pause) I believe I see some heads nodding out there ... and its too early in the sermon for you to be sleeping ... so I'll take that to mean that Yes, we are sometimes blamed for that which is not our fault.

Well, have you ever refused to accept the blame when it is your fault? Have you ever heard statements like these (or maybe you've even said them yourself):

• Don't blame me ... it's not my fault!
• Don't blame me ... she started it!
• Don't blame me ... the devil made me do it!

I'm sure we all know persons who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions. It is never their fault when they mess up - they always find someone else to blame.

And so it is that this first verse of the 17^th chapter of Genesis caught my attention:

...the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him,

"I AM God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless ...

Reflect with me for a moment on Abram:

• 24 years earlier God appeared to Abram at the age of 75 - told him to leave his home, his family and begin life anew in a new and unknown place
  
• Not only that but at the age of 75, God promises the childless Abram that he will become the Father of a New Nation - mind you, not only a son or a daughter, but a Nation!

• Abram hears the Voice of God and obeys - he takes his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his possessions and sets out for the unknown

• On the Journey to God-Knows-Where, God reminds Abram of the Promise: "To your offspring I will give this Land." - bu year follows year and no child is born to Abram and Sarai

• There is a famine in the Land, causing Abram to head for Egypt. While in Egypt, Abram (afraid for his life) passes Sarai off as his sister to spare his own life - It's not my fault!

• More time passes, Abram accumulates riches in livestock, silver and gold; but still no child is born to Abram and Sarai. Nephew Lot goes his own way, and again God renews the promise: "All the Land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring..."

• Life is good for Abram but there is conflict in the Land. Abram is afraid but again God renews the Promise: "Do not be afraid Abram, I AM your shield; your reward shall be very great."

• And Abram says to God: "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is my servant Eliezer! ... You have given me no children...! It's not my fault, God!

• Look Abram, says God, "Look toward the heavens and count the stars ... so shall be your descendents."

• 10 years have now passed since Abram left home to Obey God's Voice - still no children. Wife suggests to husband that since she cannot give him a child - but it's not her fault - "The Lord has prevented me from bearing children." ... So maybe ... Abram should have a child with her servant Hagar (It's God's fault so let's take control of this situation and do it our way!)

• And Ishmael is born to Abram and Hager.

Now at the age of 99 - and the father of a teenage son - Abram again hears the Voice of God:

"I AM God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless."

What does it mean to be Blameless Before God?

Have you ever sought to Obey God's Voice - but nothing went right?

The good life you expected in return for your obedience never fully materializes ... your life continues to be filled with heartache and conflict, and, the promises always seem to be just beyond your reach.

You are reminded that God is still with you and will be faithful - but you would like to see some measureable evidence of that; you become impatient and are tempted to do things your way?

I AM God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous."

Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him,

"As for me, this is my covenant with you:

You shall be the ancestor of

a multitude of nations.

No longer shall your name be Abram,

but your name shall be Abraham..."

Promises ... Promises ...

God said to Abraham,

"As for Sarah your wife, you shall not call her sarai

but Sarah shall be her name.

I will bless her, and moreover

I will give you a son by her ..."

But this time the promise is too much for Abraham - he falls on his face and laughed....

Abraham laughed at God...

... and if we were to "fast forward" the Story, we find that Sarah also laughs!

Abraham fell on his face and laughed ...

"Can a child be born to a man who is 100 years old?

Can Sarah, who is 90 years old, bear a child?"

Interesting question isn't it, Florence?

And Abraham makes this suggestion to God: "Let Ishmael be the child of promise."

But God says NO:

"No, your wife Sarah shall bear you a son

and you shall name him Isaac (meaning laughter).

I will establish my covenant with him

as an everlasting covenant

for his offspring after him.

And as the Story unfolds ... a son is born to Abraham and Sarah and they name him Isaac -

a name which means, literally, "He laughs" and indeed the last laugh was on Abraham for God is always faithful.

But return with me one more time to these words God spoke to Abram (and speaks to us):

"Walk before me, and be blameless."

How do we walk blameless before God?

I don't know about you ... but I am not blameless -

I am a sinner and though I may deny my blame ...

I know when I have failed to be obedient to the Voice of God.

Like Adam - in the earlier Genesis Story - I disobey and look to pass off the blame to someone else ... or to find an excuse: The devil made me do it!

How do I, how do we, walk blameless before God?

• First, I have to admit my guilt.

"God, I have sinned ... I am no longer worthy to be called your child."

• And then, perhaps even harder, I must accept God's grace.

God does not give up on me. God does not give up on us, even when we have given up on God.

The Good News in the Abraham Story does not come from Abraham's goodness. Abraham failed time and time again.

The Good News is that God was faithful. God's grace was extended to Abraham, even after Abraham laughed at God, even when Abraham has given up on God.

And the Good News for you and I this day is that God will not give up on us - God's grace is sufficient to make us blameless before God.

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthian Church, says it this way:

I give thanks to my God always for you

because of the grace of God that has been given you

in Christ Jesus,

for in every way you have been enriched in him,

in speech and knowledge of every kind -

just as the testimony of Christ has been

strengthened among you -

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift

as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will also strengthen you to the end,

so that you may be blameless

on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen