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August 11, 2013

Keeping the Faith

• Hebrews 11:1-3
• J. C. Blankenbeker

One of my favorite movies, in the genre of romantic comedies, is a film titled Keeping the Faith.  Edward Norton, one of the lead actors and co-creators of the film describes the movie this way:  “Best friends since they were kids, Jake Schram and Brian Kilkenny Finn are single, successful, handsome, and confident young men living on New York's Upper West Side.

When Anna Reilly, once their childhood friend and now grown into a beautiful corporate executive, returns to the city, she reenters Jake and Brian's lives and hearts with a vengeance. Sparks fly and an unusual and complicated love triangle is created because well Brian happens to be a Roman Catholic priest and Jake (you may have guessed) is a rabbi.”[1]

Hmm…a priest and a rabbi and a girl…I think I’ve heard that one.  I’m sure we’ve all heard a joke or two about the interaction between these two honorable vocations and the movie makes use of the humor involved in such an interaction.  But ultimately the movie is not only about the humorous and ironic love triangle or the cheap laughs that can be had about a priest and rabbi who are best friends…the movie is ultimately about what the title states, it’s about keeping the faith.

The movie deals with the very real issue of what one is to do when faced with disillusionment; when deeply help convictions about the things one has been taught and believed are no longer so clear and certain…when doubt has begun to creep in and obscure the once clear guiding light, now hidden away by the waves and the mist of the ocean of our lives. 

Have you ever felt that way?  Have you ever felt disillusioned or discouraged about your faith, the Church, about other people, maybe even about God?  If given the opportunity, what would you say to encourage a group of people dealing with such discouragement?  What would give you hope if that were the case in your life?

These are some of the questions the author of the letter to the Hebrews had to wrestle with while writing this letter of encouragement.  In a sense the entire letter to the Hebrews is an attempt to offer hope to a disillusioned and discouraged group of Christians.

A well respected Presbyterian scholar, Rev. Dr. Tom Long[2], argues that the letter to the Hebrews should not even be thought of as a letter because it functions more like an early Christian sermon than it does as a letter. 

The preacher of Hebrews is preaching to a congregation of discouraged Christians.  And they have good reason for their discouragement.  Dr. Long observes that the problems in this first century church were “astonishingly contemporary” Dr. Long continues, “His congregation is exhausted.  They are tired—tired of serving the world, tired of worship, tired of Christian education, tired of being peculiar and whispered about in society, tired of the spiritual struggle, tired of trying to keep their prayer life going, and tired even of Jesus.”[3]

Another scholar, the Rev. Dr. Fred Craddock[4], points out that the author of Hebrews himself uses words like “persecution” (10:33), “hostility” (12:3), and even “torture” (13:3)[5] as some of the very real circumstances in the lives of some in this faith community.  There was a lot to be discouraged about…If these were the circumstance here, today, I don’t know about you, but I’d be tired too…and I would certainly be discouraged, I’m not sure I would even be here at all.

So how does this preacher begin to address this deep spiritual tiredness of his congregation?  Well, by preaching a sermon of course!  I guess preachers were no different in the first century than they are today.  I mean, the answer to almost all questions is to preach a good sermon, right?  I don’t know, maybe that’s just me. 

The preacher to the Hebrews begins his sermon with a definition of faith (11:1) and then he offers his thesis statement when he writes in 11:2, “Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.” 

Now, I’m not 100% certain if God, or the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, is Presbyterian or not but…the word translated “ancestor,” is the Greek word “presbyteroi” from which we get the word presbyter which literally means “elder”.  Presbyterian means we are a denomination governed by elders.

The preacher points to these elders (or ancestors) of the faith, found in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament, as the guiding light, or source of encouragement for his discouraged congregation.  He basically tells them to “keep the faith y’all…and you know what, let me tell you about some people we both know, who have kept the faith successfully, so you can be encouraged and do the same.”

Well now it begs the question, what exactly did these elders of the faith do that is so praiseworthy in the sight of this preacher?  Well the preacher tells us that Abraham followed God even when he did not know where he was going. And why is that praiseworthy any one of us can follow anyone and get lost…well verse 11 tells us that Abraham “considered him faithful who had made the promise.”  There’s a covenantal aspect here that Abraham picked up on and followed his whole life. 

Back in Genesis 17[6] God lays out the covenant to Abraham and Abraham knew that God would always remember His promise to him.  A covenant is simply a promise that both sides willingly agree to and, by faith, Abraham believed God would hold up God’s end of the bargain no matter what.  No matter if he wondered in the wilderness for his entire life, Abraham kept the faith and believed in God that God would come through and deliever.

The shrewd preacher to the Hebrews believed the same thing as Abraham, and he saw God’s covenant fulfillment of salvation, accomplished through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, as now being extended to the entire world Jew and gentile alike!  And he is exhorting his listeners to enter into this covenant…to this promise of salvation, like Abrahme, by faith.

      

The author uses the Greek word “Pistei” which is accurately translated “by faith,” 18 times in chapter eleven in verses 3-31.  18 times in 29 verses!  Do you think he’s trying to tell us something?  Remember, the preacher has already told us that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.” (11:1)

It is the preacher’s contention that hope comes “by faith” and that “by faith” our ancestors or elders trusted in God and God provided.  The preacher to the Hebrew wants to remind his listeners that God will continue to provide for people of faith…in God’s own time.

As I thought about the history of the faith community here at Northminster, I could not help but see some parallels to Abraham’s hearing God’s call, trusting by faith that God would provide, and persevering by keeping the faith… through the ups and downs that always come with trying to establish any new faith community.

Much like Abraham who obeyed “when (he was) called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance” (11:8)…the faithful elders of Northminster felt called by God to plant this church right here were you sit. 

This beautiful sanctuary and church building you see around you today, was not the home to the faithful ancestors of Northminster. In fact for the first few years (from 1945-47) the faithful of this church could be thought of, like Abraham…as “living in tents” (11:9) by initially worshiping at Meridian Heights Presbyterian Church and then at Millersville Masonic Lodge, which I pass everyday as I come to church.  The congregation at Northminster, by faith, trusted in God that they would one day have their own church home, and they got it!  But it didn’t happen right away…and I would bet that it wasn’t always easy.

In those early years, I’m sure there were plenty of circumstances that could have led to disillusionment and discouragement, that would make one want to give up and walk away, and, through the years some have walked away.  But some…persevered…some chose to keep the faith. 

In one of the culminating scenes of the movie I referenced earlier, Keeping the Faith, Brian, the Roman Catholic Priest, now heartbroken; seeks out his elder and mentor of the faith, Father Havel. 

Father Brian tells his elder: “I don't know. I'll tell you something.  If she had kissed me back...I don't think I'd be sitting here right now…I would have given it all up.  I mean, she didn't, but--I don't know. 

Father Havel responds, “The truth is...you can never tell yourself that there is only one thing you could be.  If you're a priest or if you marry a woman...it's the same challenge.  You cannot make a real commitment...unless you accept that it's a choice that you keep making again and again and again.”[7]

 

Friends, the life of faith…keeping the faith, is not easy!  It’s a life-long commitment that requires the daily choice to be committed to God in every aspect of our lives.  To trust in the promises of God and that God will indeed keep God’s end of the covenant, as found on the pages of scripture.

          Keeping the faith requires us to be open to conversations with God, A.K.A. prayer and Scripture reading, spending time with fellow believers, and being open to the new and different ways in which God is working in the world and in Christ’s church.

There will almost certainly be times in all of our lives where we feel tired and weary and we will wonder if we can ever keep the faith.  If that’s where you are today, if you’re feeling disillusioned or discouraged, take heart! 

I want to invite you to seek out the ancestors, the elders of your faith, both on the pages of scripture and even those who may be sitting next to you right now.  As you do that, may you be encouraged and strengthened in your faith so that you will be able to trust in God to sustain you through times of discouragement; and so that ultimately, with God’s help, you will be able to keep the faith again, and again, and again!

 

Thanks be To God…AMEN!!

 

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