Where is your focus when you ride a bike? Do you focus on what’s behind you? No. Do you focus on what’s to your right or left? Not unless you’re crossing an intersection, and even then you just glance to the sides before moving forward. So do you focus on the pavement directly in front of you? No, not even there because if you do, you won’t have time to avoid obstacles that will seemingly pop up out of nowhere. When you ride a bike, you focus on what’s down the road a ways so you can to pick the safest route forward.
We’ll see that’s also what Abraham did in this our last sermon of our “Journey of Faith” series. Abraham did not live in the past, nor did he get lost in the present. He lived for the future and focused on what was ahead. This forward-looking faith showed itself in the way that Abraham handled his wife’s funeral arrangements, and his son’s marriage. Let’s see what we can learn for our journey of faith.
Last week we heard about the test of faith God gave Abraham when he commanded him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham was about 115 years old then. When he turned 137, his wife Sarah died. After a period of mourning, Abraham went to the people in whose land he was living to ask for a place to bury Sarah. Abraham didn’t want to rent space in someone else’s burial cave, he wanted a place of his own. So he purchased the cave of Machpelah, in present-day Hebron, and placed Sarah in a tomb there.
What’s so noteworthy about that? Well, it was an expression of faith. You see, whenever Abraham set up his tent after making another move, he might have looked at the ground he was driving his tent peg into and said, “I have no deed to this property nor will I ever have one. But my descendants will own it. They will play a role in God’s plan to give everyone on earth the right to live in God’s permanent home in heaven.” So instead of returning to Haran 650 km to the north where his family still lived and placing Sarah in a family burial chamber there, Abraham helped his descendants stay on track with God’s plan of one day populating the Promised Land. (Robert Koester) He focused on what was ahead by purchasing a burial plot in Canaan.
This act was not lost on Abraham’s descendants. When Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, was about to die, he gave instructions about his burial place. At that time he was in Egypt where his son Joseph was that second most important official in the land. Jacob no doubt could have been buried in an elaborate tomb the Egyptians were good at building. But he chose the humble cave of Machpelah in Canaan (Genesis 49:29-32) because he knew Canaan was his real home (Robert Koester). And then when Jacob’s son Joseph was ready to die he told his relatives: “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place” (Genesis 50:25). 400 years later that’s exactly what Moses did. Even with the Egyptian army bearing down on him, he carried out the coffin containing Joseph’s bones (Exodus 13:19). It was hauled around the wilderness for 40 years until it was finally interned in Shechem, on land Joseph’s father had purchased before coming to Egypt (Joshua 24:32).
While we have no command from God about where to choose for our burial place, I would like to encourage you to follow Abraham’s example of making it clear how you want your funeral to be arranged. In the last twenty or thirty years, funeral homes have encouraged people to have a “celebration of life” when they die. Such a “celebration” is a look into the past, a time filled with pictures and memories of the person when they were still alive. Now there is nothing wrong with discussing a person’s past. It is a way to remember all the blessings God gave to us through that individual, but don’t let that overshadow the Christian funeral. Make it clear to your loved ones that you want God’s Word of comfort spoken at your funeral. The focus of the funeral should be Jesus and not you! The songs that you pick should encourage your family and friends in their walk with Jesus, not distract from it. And if you feel that a eulogy should be shared during the fellowship time after the service, pick someone you know will continue to give a Christian witness about the truth that you’re in heaven, not because you were a good person, but because you have a great savior! Help all those who come to your funeral to focus on what’s ahead, not close their eyes to it because they’re uncomfortable talking about death.
Three years after Sarah’s death, Abraham took care of another matter which showed he was focused ahead. He called in his head servant and made him swear that he would go to Haran where Abraham’s relatives still lived to find a wife for Isaac. But why not just find a girl from among the Canaanites? It could have been a savvy political move. If Abraham could have married Isaac into a prominent family in the area, he could have perhaps solidified his control on a large swath of land, and in that way help God fulfill his promise that Abraham’s descendants would one day own the land. Abraham didn’t do this however because he was more concerned about Isaac’s spiritual future. It seems that none of the local girls were interested in the God of Abraham and Isaac. So if Isaac married into such a family, how long would it be before he lost his faith?
And so Abraham’s servant set off on a month-long journey to the north. When he arrived in the town where Abraham’s relatives lived, he prayed. He asked God to bless his task and to direct him to the right girl for Isaac. What the servant said was that if any girl from the town offered to water his ten camels, and if she was from the right family, then he would know that he had found the one for Isaac.
Before he had even finished his prayer, Rebekah, a granddaughter of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out to the well. When the servant asked for a drink, she gave him one and then offered to water the ten camels—a task that would probably have involved about an hour of climbing up and down stairs to and from the well while carrying a heavy jar filled water! In other words, Rebekah was not only kind, she was also hardworking.
To make a long story short, the servant explained who he was and then went to Rebekah’s home to ask if he could take her to be Isaac’s wife. Rebekah and the family agreed, and the next day the two left to go back to Canaan. When they approached Abraham’s home, they found Isaac out in the fields where he had come to meditate. Rebekah and Isaac promptly married and we’re told that Isaac loved his new bride.
What can we learn about focusing on what’s ahead from Abraham’s example here? We can learn that parents can and should be involved when it comes to helping their children find a spouse. Get rid of this idea that your child must find this person on their own because only they know who their soulmate is. That’s Hollywood rubbish. Really anyone can become a soulmate if you are committed to loving that person as Isaac and Rebekah committed themselves to loving each other. Am I suggesting that we go back to the custom of arranged marriages? No, but you can at least help your children arrange in their mind what kind of person they should be looking to marry. A high priority should be placed on whether the potential partner is a Bible-believing Christian. That was important enough for Abraham to send his servant 650 km away to find a spouse for his son. As I mentioned in Bible class last week, you could do the same by sending your child to one of our Lutheran high schools. Or by encouraging your children to attend Martin Luther College. Another thing you could do is make a point of attending the joint events our area churches have from time to time. Let your children get to know the other kids in Alberta who share their faith. But let me also make it clear that it isn’t wrong to marry someone who doesn’t share your faith. You just need to know that you’ll be taking on additional challenges that you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Another thing we learn from this text is the importance of prayer. Abraham’s servant prayed for God to guide him. Parents are you praying that your children find a good spouse? It’s never too early to start praying for this. And if you yourself are looking for a spouse, keep praying for God to guide you. Pray that he leads you to someone who is not just outwardly attractive, but to someone who is kind, hardworking, and to someone who would be committed to raising your children in the church. And don’t just assume your potential lifelong partner has these qualities or shares your values. Talk openly about how you plan to handle the finances, and who is going to do the cooking, the laundry, and the childcare. Discuss these matters before you even become engaged. If you need help getting the conversation going, speak to me and I’d be happy to help.
But what if you have been praying for a spouse and still haven’t found one? Well, Isaac didn’t marry Rebekah until he was 40. And then there was the Apostle Paul who never married and saw this as a blessing, for he was able to throw himself into serving others even more wholeheartedly. So when you pray, ask also that God would give you contentment with whatever your situation.
Abraham would live for another 35 years after the marriage of Isaac before dying at the age of 175. And that brings us to an end of our 12-part sermon series. The New Testament book of Hebrews summarizes well Abraham’s journey of faith. “By faith [Abraham] made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:9, 10). Are you also focusing on what’s ahead as did Abraham? I hope so because God has prepared a permanent home for you. He did that by sending his Son to pay for all of your sins. And this same God continues to be with you on your journey of faith. Don’t get sidetracked. Focus ahead by focusing on Jesus. Amen.
SERMON NOTES
Fill in the blanks.
Abraham was ______ years old when his wife Sarah died.
He bought the cave of _______________ in the town of __________ for a burial site.
Abraham didn’t return to his family in Haran to bury Sarah. How was this an expression of faith?
(to do at home) Just as Abraham put some thought into his burial plans for Sarah (and for himself), we should put some thought into our funeral plans.
What hymns would you like sung?
What Bible passage(s) would you like the pastor to preach on?
How else can you give a Christian witness at your funeral?
Why did Abraham insist that his servant travel 650 km to find a wife for his son Isaac? Why not just find a local girl for a bride?
What did Abraham’s servant do to help find the right woman for Isaac? (2 things) Why do you want to remember these two things when looking for a spouse, or when helping your children look for a spouse?
Abraham never did own any land in Canaan except for his burial plot. He lived his life as a stranger in a foreign country. Why will we want to live with the same attitude, even if Canada is our birthplace?
