DAY 9

UNITY

Genesis 23 & 24 and Matthew 7

Today we have a rich story and the rich teachings of our Lord side-by-side.

Genesis 23 Before we get to the story we come across what might seem like a post-script. It provides however a seed to the future promise-land of God. Sarah, and later Abraham, will be buried there, but only after some classic negotiations! At this point we are 23 chapters into the story and no doubt getting use to flow of the narratives. I have to remind myself that the specifics provide a sense that I am reading about real people in real places…and these people know God.

Genesis 24 I first read when I was dating my wife. She asked me if I had ever read the love stories that were in the Bible. I had barely read the Bible at that point in my life and so I had to confess no. We read some of them together, starting with Genesis 24. It really is a love story. There is the intrigue of God doing some match-making through Abraham’s servant. Will he find a woman and will the woman come with him? The scene at the well, will she say yes? The scene at her home, will they let her go? She and her family agree. Rebekah on her journey to Isaac sees a man far off, and he turns out to be Isaac. I can just hear the music come up as they meet and the curtain falls. It sounds like something you could write a play or movie about.  

We will hear a bit more about Isaac, not too much though; most of what we will read about Isaac will have to do with his son, Jacob. For now what we have is a story about God being involved in the details of a person’s life. In about 295 days we will read “…for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you…” in Jeremiah 29:11. Do I believe the God cares about my individual life to the point that He has plans for me? This story would suggest yes.

Matthew 7 is the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Most of the time we don’t notice it goes past the Beatitudes. It contains a long list of short pithy teachings. Any one or two of them could be the subject of a blog.

What strikes me however is the unity, the unity of this list of short teachings with the longer Old Testament story. In the Genesis reading we have the rich weave of Rebekah and Isaac, and in the Matthew account we have a list of what someone observing Abraham’s servant might have distilled from his behavior.

Not every one of Jesus’ teaching match, but many do. Consider:

1.  Do not judge. I find no judgment in the servant. He carries out his master’s plan, and he treats those he meets with respect.

2.   Ask and it will be given. We read in verses 12 and 26 the servant asking God.

3. The Golden Rule. He clearly does not ask of others what he does not ask of himself.

4.  Build your house on the Rock. Here I see Abraham, he would not let his son be taken back. God had called him out of that land, and Abraham wanted his entire family to continue to be obedient to God.

I have heard people suggest that this Sermon by Jesus is a collection of his teachings. I can tell you that when I find I have had an effective sermon, I use it more than once. Additionally, these are Jesus’ teaching, the Author of the Word, giving us the Word. The Word has given us the path to right living. Who wouldn’t want to live this way? Who wouldn’t want others they come in contact with to live this way?

There is a unity to it all, no surprise really, it has the same Author.