Welcome the Messengers
Scripture Reading: Genesis 18: 1 - 10 (NIV)
The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
“There, in the tent,” he said.
Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Message: Welcome the Messengers
How does God talk to us?
Have you ever heard a charismatic preacher say: “God has told me…?”
I have often thought that I am not holy enough for God to speak to me directly
There was a stage in my life where I wondered about this: What can I do to have a direct line to God?
The story of Moses always comes to mind…
Moses got to go up the mountain and he got to hear from God directly
And what about the prophets?
How often do we read the words “and the word of the Lord came to…” and then they did so and so…
I am thinking of the interaction between God and Elijah in the desert and on the mountain - where God helped him through his depression to a renewed life purpose
I am thinking about John and Revelation - how God showed him so many images that he had to record and share with the seven churches… and with us today… to bring comfort and encouragement (Rev 1: 10 - “On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice… ”)
I think aobut the visions God showed to Ezekiel - favourite one in Ezekiel 37 of dry bones - showing what God was going to do in their time of exile
And what about the calling of Abraham?
Let me read that again to you from Genesis 12:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went…
And Jesus told his disciples that He would return - and like in so many other instances, they misunderstood - they thought He would be back in their lifetime
Here we are 2000 years later - clearly they misunderstood!
But did they miss the part where Jesus said in Matthew 28 after giving the great commission: “'And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”'
It is clear that God speaks to His children, but often in very mysterious ways…
I know God comes to us and speaks to us - but I know that God does so in many ways - mysterious ways…
Sometimes I wish I can just get an email from God with clear instructions!
Wouldn’t that be nice?
Or… what would I do with such an email?
Will I take it seriously?
I guess it would depend on what it says…
Word and Spirit
In our protestant faith tradition, we believe God speaks through Word and Spirit
Both! Not one without the other!
Coupled with Word and Spirit, I believe God speaks to us in many ways
Nature
Circumstances - suffering
Discomfort and Anger
Dreams and visions
Family, Friends and important voices in our lives
Prayer and worship
Messengers
God is speaking to us all the time!
Abraham was sitting in his tent one day, and his three visitors came along…
Little did he know… but God came to speak to him…
He invited them in with admirable hospitality
Welcoming them into his tent and engaging with them
Listening to what they had to say… without knowing that it was God coming to speak to him…
What a difference openness and hospitality makes!
Welcome the messengers
I don’t know when God is going to come along next with a message in my life
But I know that God will come and speak to me
Chances are good that I am not going to land up on a mountain in direct conversation with God
Or being taken away and shown a profound revelation to write down for otherst to read
Perhaps it’s just enough to know that God will send His messengers
And when they come…
May we welcome the messengers!
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