We’ve all seen those drivers—the ones that keep changing lanes because they believe this will catapult them ahead of traffic so they arrive at their destination a whole two minutes faster! These lane weavers put others at risk because of their self-centered drive to get ahead. Not everyone drives like that though. Many even kindly let others merge in ahead of them when there is construction ahead. As we continue our sermon series on Abraham and trace his journey of faith we’ll rejoice to see how he was not intent on cutting others off to get ahead. Instead, Abraham set what we might call a peacemaker pace. Let’s find out what that is and why it’s God’s will for us too on our journey of faith.
So do you remember what happened to Abraham in our sermon last week? He hit a speed bump with that severe famine in Canaan. But instead of turning to God to find out how to handle it, Abraham went off to look for food in Egypt. That wasn’t wrong in and of itself, but by going to Egypt, Abraham put himself and his wife Sarah in danger. Because of her beauty he was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him to get to her. So Abraham had Sarah lie and say that she was his sister. Because of this the Egyptian pharaoh took Sarah to be his wife and lavished Abraham with wealth as if for a finder’s fee. Thankfully God intervened to reunite Abraham and Sarah.
When they returned to Canaan, Abraham made a beeline for Bethel where he had first built an altar. There he publicly rededicated himself to the God who had never left his side. Like Abraham we have a daily need to go back to the altar—but not to one we’ve made. No God designed this altar and placed his Son on top of it like a lid to extinguish the fires of hell. We have a need to daily return to the cross because, like Abraham, we often trust our own smarts rather than God’s promises. We also have put our comfort first not caring what happens to others. But every time we come back to this altar we are assured of forgiveness. That’s because God’s love doesn’t depend on our obedience. Look at Abraham’s case. He came out of Egypt a very wealthy man. It’s not what he deserved, but it’s what God gave him. That’s grace—getting the opposite of what you deserve. We might not possess the riches of Egypt, but we do have God’s lavish forgiveness which promises heaven.
Bolstered by this grace Abraham was now determined to live according to God’s Word. I’m happy to report that Abraham followed through with his resolve. We see it in the way he handled a different speed bump. This one came not as a result of a famine, but because of riches. By now Abraham and his nephew Lot, who was travelling with him, had so much livestock that there wasn’t enough grazing land to support both groups. Because of this, quarrelling broke out between Abraham’s herdsmen and Lot’s.
Now before I continue with what happened, let me just point out how this event reminds us that it’s not easy being rich. Sure, we all think that being rich would take away our problems. But little do we realize that with wealth comes its own set of challenges and responsibilities. Because Abraham and Lot had so much livestock, it was clear that they were going to have to move away from each other. Dear Christians, don’t think that more money or a bigger house and a nicer car would lessen your struggles. It might just increase them, as you would have more things to look after and more people wanting to take what you have. The Lord has given you just what you need right now. If you are lacking anything, he will provide it in his time. Don’t make it your life’s goal to become rich in possessions. Make it your goal to be rich in faith.
So how did Abraham handle the tension between his household and Lot’s. He could certainly have cut off Lot to get ahead by saying that since he was the elder and since he was the one God had promised to bless, Lot should get lost. Instead Abraham adopted a peacemaker pace and approached Lot with this proposition. “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left” (Genesis 13:8, 9).
Abraham did not want to strain his relationship with Lot over this matter. Nor did he want the inhabitants of the land to see these worshippers of Jehovah quarrelling. And so Abraham doesn’t dictate to Lot, but offers a solution that was generous and born from a heart of faith. Abraham said: “You choose where to take your flocks, and I’ll go the other way.” Abraham knew that he could afford to be generous. He knew that he didn’t have to claim the best part of the land for himself because no matter where he ended up, God would be there to care for him as he had been doing since the beginning!
What about you, dear friends, are you setting a peacemaker pace on your journey of faith? If I spoke to your classmates, your co-workers, and to your family would they say that you are a genuinely considerate and generous person who thinks only what is best for others? Or would they report that if something is a little out of place, you’re quick to complain about being inconvenienced? Would they also say that when you make the family schedule or decide what games to play at recess, you do so only with an eye for what’s best for you?
“But Pastor, Abraham had a divine guarantee that God had his back. Of course he could afford to be generous. I live in a different world—a dog eat dog world and so I need to stick up for myself and zoom ahead whenever I can. Otherwise I’m just going to be left behind.” When you feel that way, remind yourself of words like these from the Apostle Paul. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:12, 13). Like Abraham, you too are chosen! You too are dearly loved! Therefore like Abraham you can afford to be kind and generous and be the peacemaker rather than the malcontent who will cut others off to get ahead. Through Jesus you have the promise of a life that will never come to an end. A life in which you’ll never have a bad day or even a mediocre one. A life where you’ll never fight a cold again or worry about your loved ones. So what if you don’t get the promotion now. So what if you got cut from the team. So what if you’ve had to take out the garbage two days in a row. Will any of that matter when you’re basking in the glories of heaven? No. That’s why you can set a peacemaker pace now on your journey to heaven.
When Abraham approached Lot with his suggestion, Lot answered: “No, Uncle Abe! You choose first. You’re my elder and so I’ll go where you don’t want to go.” Unfortunately that wasn’t the response. Instead Lot saw a gap in traffic and sped ahead even if it meant cutting off his uncle. And so we read that “Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt… 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan” (Gen. 13:10, 11).
Lot’s choice made sense because it figured to make the most cents. Good pastureland would mean healthy livestock. Lot’s choice, however, wasn’t so great spiritually speaking. Do you remember what cities were down in that valley? The wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot would pay dearly for his choice to live near those cities as we’ll see in a subsequent sermon.
How about you dear friends? Are you so driven to succeed that you’re blind to spiritual dangers? Have you pitched your tent closer to Sodom than you ought to? What drives your scheduling choices? A closer walk with your Lord, or a better paycheck, and a better athletic record? Your faith might survive the danger, but what about the faith of your children or the faith of your spouse? Just like those who weave in and out of traffic are more apt to get into an accident, so when we play fast and loose with our faith we’re easier pickings for Satan. There’s a smarter way to live, as Abraham demonstrates with his peacemaker pace.
After Lot departed for the well-watered valley of the Jordan, Abraham may have turned around and sighed when he saw the sparse pastureland that was left for him. Had he been a fool to give Lot first choice? No. God made that abundantly clear when he appeared to Abraham and said: “Look around… All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever... 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you” (Genesis 13:14, 15, 17).
What I like about that encounter is that it’s so much like the encounters we have with the Lord. Notice how God did not slap Abraham on the back and say, “Way to go ol’ boy! You just passed a test. Now here are more riches for being faithful to me.” There were no added riches, only promises. “Look at the Land, Abraham,” God had said. “It’s all going to belong to your descendants one day. Go ahead, check it out!” And Abraham did as he delighted in God’s promises—promises which he was confident would translate into tangible blessings one day.
Isn’t that the same pattern you find when you come here for worship? I mean what do you get out of church? Money? Gift cards? Nope. You receive God’s promises through baptism, through Holy Communion, and through the spoken Word. It doesn’t look like much but these promises of love and forgiveness will translate into tangible blessings one day. Perhaps Martin Luther said it best when he wrote in his famous hymn: “And take they our wife, goods, fame, child and life, let these all be gone. They yet have nothing won. The Kingdom’s ours forever.” (A Mighty Fortress) Oh how true that was for Abraham. The Kingdom, not just a patch of grass in Canaan, but the Kingdom of Heaven was his! Of course he could afford to be a peacemaker…and so can you because the Kingdom of Heaven is also yours through faith in Jesus. Amen.
SERMON NOTES
Last week we learned how Abraham made a mess of things when he relied on himself for protection rather than on God’s promises. So when he returned to Canaan he went back to the altar he had made at Bethel. What did he do there? What altar do we need to return to daily? Why?
How does our text demonstrate that being rich isn’t as great as it might seem to be?
Abraham set a wonderful example for us in our text today when he set a “peacemaker pace” on his journey of faith. What does that mean?
What truths motivate and empower us to set a peacemaker pace?
Lot’s behavior was disappointing. What warning is there for us?
After Lot left, how did God encourage Abraham? How does he do the same thing for you today?
List at least two ways in which you will strive to maintain a peacemaker pace this week.
