(Apologies for the late upload, this sermon was previously posted the week of the 24th but didn't process correctly the first time)
The calling of Abraham next to the calling of Matthew. I've done this before - this time we come at it from a very different angle. Change for us human beings is difficult. It's less of a point I'm making, and more of a way for us to feel something as we enter into the stories.
First let's look at the story of Abraham and Sarah's initial calling. Here we have another foundational story. And in it, faith seems to be defined as people responding to the voice of God calling them into change and uncertainty. This is interesting - since for the past 100 or so years faith has been defined as being certain about different ideas about God, Jesus, the Spirit, humanity, the Bible - etc. But here, at the beginning of the Bible, we have a story defining faith as a journey into the uncertain.
This is where the story of Matthew comes into play. He leaves his tax booth and follows Jesus. During the beginning of his journey he comes into contact with unclean people - marginalized people (ironically, he's one of those marginalized, too). And in coming into close proximity with them as he follows Jesus (loving people), I wonder if his thinking about them is changed, too.
Maybe faith is less about being certain about a set of ideas and beliefs about God or anything, really - and it's more about going, leaving, moving into the uncertain future trusting that God will be with you and that blessing is coming.
Speaker: Aaron Vis
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9; Matthew 9:9-13
http://bible.com/events/49482587
