God came to visit them. In two of our Scripture readings for this Sunday two pairs of believers hosted God in their homes (well, to be exact one was a tent). Abraham and Sarah welcomed the LORD God who took on a human body to be able to visit them on a personal level. They heard God’s promises and his plans for them. And they served a meal for God to eat. Mary and Martha also welcomed God into their home when they hosted a meal for Jesus and some of his followers. They too heard God’s Word and promises. And they too served him a meal.
Although we regularly come here to “God’s house,” I want you to imagine that God is coming to your home this week. How are you going to prepare? And what would you plan to do when he visits? I imagine that most of us would do our best to clean our home or our apartment. We would get rid of as much clutter as we could. Perhaps we would mow the lawn and plant some flowers. After all, God is coming for a visit. And what would you serve for a meal with God? Don’t worry, he doesn’t have any allergies. And there is no food that he dislikes. You would probably make something special, or “order in” something special if cooking isn’t your thing. And what would you expect from God when he came to visit you? Since his love for you is overflowing you could expect that he will remind you of how much he loves you. His ears will be open to your needs, your struggles, and your doubts. He loves to spend time with you. Will he mention your sins? I suppose only if those sins are separating you from him and pushing him away. But that’s not going to be the focus of his visit. He knows that his holy awesomeness will already be heavy on our hearts and move us to repent of our sins without his prompting. And the look of love on his face will invite us to lay our sins at the foot of Jesus’ cross. If he senses we need it he will reassure us that we are forgiven and declared not guilty in his sight because he has taken away our sins.
In keeping with the theme of our service this morning, Abraham and Sarah, and Martha and Mary received the one thing they needed—God’s presence in their lives through his Word. Let’s ask God the Holy Spirit to do the same thing for us today and every day. Yes, when we spend time in the one thing needed—God’s Word we are invited to:
“MAKE THE MOST OF OUR VISITS WITH GOD”
I. Receive God’s love by faith
II. Respond to God’s love in faith
This visit by God in our Old Testament lesson wasn’t the first time that the LORD had appeared to Abraham. The first recorded appearance of God to Abram, later named Abraham, occurs when God calls him to leave his country, his people, and his father's household to go to a land that He would show him. God promised to make Abram into a great nation, to bless him, and to make his name great. We find that in Genesis 12. Later in Genesis 15 God spoke to Abram in a vision. You may remember he promised to give him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. The LORD challenged Abraham to count them if he could! God then confirmed his covenant with Abraham through a ceremony involving the cutting of animals, symbolizing the seriousness and binding nature of the covenant. Then, in Genesis 17 we are told that God appeared to Abraham and repeated the promises he had made in the vision many years earlier. Shortly after that the LORD came for an in-person visit. He again strengthened Abraham’s faith and shared the news that his wife Sarah would finally have a son even though she was well beyond the age of bearing children. As we read about this particular visit it becomes obvious that it accomplished two things. It allowed Abraham to both receive God’s love by faith and to respond to God’s love in faith.
God wants to do the same for us when he visits us through his Word. Yes, it’s true that God’s visits to us may not be in the same manner as His visits to Abraham and Sarah, and Mary and Martha, but he still comes to us with his love. And our response to God’s love may not take the same form as theirs but we still show our love for God by what we do.
I.
Let’s return to our First Reading for today. “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.” That one verse says so much about the LORD, God, doesn’t it? God came in person to visit Abraham. Although He is the creator of the universe, he loved to visit with the creatures he formed out of the dust of the ground. The One who made the sun was willing to let it beat down on him so that he could appear in person to Abraham. In spite of the fact that God is present everywhere he was willing to confine himself to time and space to spend time with Abraham. Even though God doesn’t need food to live he was willing to sit on the ground in Abraham’s tent and eat and drink whatever was served. Friends, I pray that we don’t miss the grace of God that we are shown in that one verse.
The simple fact that the LORD appeared to Abraham and ate the food Abraham provided is a powerful testimony of his love. But what He came to say is even greater evidence of His love. Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Of course, the gift of this child was evidence of God’s love but there was more to this promise. This son would continue the family tree from which the Savior would be born. In that way all people in the world would be blessed through Abraham. His sinless descendent would provide the father of believers with the righteousness that he received by faith.
When we are considering the fact that Abraham received God’s love by faith, we need to keep in mind that he was ninety-nine years old at the time God visited him. What God was promising must have seemed impossible! But father Abraham had learned to trust God. That is the essence of faith. That is what makes him a model for all believers.
So, does God still visit people? Does he come into our lives just because he wants to spend time with us? He may not literally knock on our door and appear to us in the same way that he appeared to Abraham. But he still wants to visit with us. The greatest proof of that is the fact that God spent over 30 years in a human body. He put up with all the things we encounter in our lives. Then he suffered a horrific death as the payment for our sins. Now He offers us the opportunity to visit with Him anytime and even spend eternity with Him. Jesus said in John 14:23, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Jesus also said in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
In addition to the simple fact that God showed us that he wants to enter our lives and be a part of our existence what he has to say to us is even greater proof of his love. When God comes to us he doesn’t come to talk about the weather or sports. There is no idle chitchat when God visits us. Just as he did with Abraham, he comes to us to calm our fears, strengthen our faith, and repeat his promises.
For a few minutes let’s put ourselves in Abraham’s ancient sandals. Let’s envision how God comes to visit us. We’re not sitting at the entrance to our tent, but we are taking a break in a comfortable chair in our home. We have had a rough day at work or school. As we reflect on our life it seems to be a disappointment. Perhaps things haven’t worked out as we had hoped. We may wonder if our life has any real meaning. It seems so ordinary and mundane. Perhaps we turn on the evening news and begin shaking our heads at how awful this world can be. After a half hour of depressing images and stories we pick up our copy of the Meditations or we open the Scriptures. God reminds us that we do matter. He assures us that nothing happens that is outside of his control. When we like Abraham sink into doubts about God’s plan for us God comes and visits. Through his Word he strengthens our faith in his many promises. And when we like Abraham disregard God’s plan and sin against Him, he comes and assures us that we have a powerful Savior.
Although God doesn’t give us the exact promises that he made to Abraham many of them are similar. The LORD said to Abraham, “2 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. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Think of how similar those promises are to the ones God makes to us. He has joined us to the great nation of believers. He has made us to be a blessing to the world as its salt and light.
This account of the LORD appearing to Abraham has another element to it that we shouldn’t miss. “2 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.” In a minute we’ll take up the discussion as to whether or not Abraham knew it was the LORD visiting him or not. But for now, let’s assume Abraham knew it was the LORD standing in front of him. Abraham welcomed this visit from the LORD. He could have let the opportunity pass and slip away. He could have said, “Lord you have spoken to me a number of times you don’t have to repeat your promises for me. I’m doing fine. I know that you will do what you have said.” We would say that would have been a foolish thing for Abraham to do. But how often don’t we pass on a visit from God? We have heard his promises many times. So why take the time to attend worship and Bible class or Sunday school? We know what the Bible says. Do we have to hear it again and again? That way of thinking is foolishness. If we did that it would be like Abraham not inviting God to come into his tent for visit. Or Martha forbidding Jesus from entering her home in Bethany.
In light of the theme we are considering in our service this morning, let’s give our “undivided attention to the one thing needed.” When God comes to visit us through the Means of Grace so that he can spend time with us we welcome him and listen to what he has to say. We make the most of our visits with God and received is promises by faith.
II.
Earlier in our sermon together we noted that when God came to visit Abraham and Sarah and Mary and Martha, they served God a meal. Of course, it was more than just a meal. As God’s children they were responding to God’s love for them. They received God’s love by faith, and they responded to God’s love in faith.
Listen again to how Abraham responded to God’s love in faith. He said to the three visitors, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 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.” Although there is nothing in these verses that tells us that Abraham knew it was the LORD and two angels visiting him, there is also nothing here that tells us he didn’t know it. Either way we see a believer’s faith in action. “‘Very well,’ they answered, ‘do as you say.’ 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. ‘Quick,’ he said, ‘get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.’ 7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 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.” Abraham set a feast before his guests and stood by to act as their waiter if they needed anything else.
Some have pointed to Abraham’s generosity as proof that he knew it was the LORD visiting him. He had Sarah make enough bread to feed a small army! He cooked up some tender steaks and also brought cheese and milk to the men. On the other hand, a child of God who has been blessed by God is often generous when he or she sees someone in need.
Perhaps it is a good thing that we can’t prove one way or the other whether or not Abraham knew at first that it was the LORD who had stopped by for a visit. A child of God does everything for God directly or indirectly. If Abraham thought the three men were just travelers in need of rest then he was letting his love for God, and his faith in God, be seen. On the other hand, if he knew all along that LORD himself had come to visit him, he was showing his faith by loving God and serving him lavishly.
I think we can safely assume that Martha and Mary were equally generous with Jesus and his disciples. Their home was his home. They offered their lives and all that they had back to God in a response of faith.
I am sure anyone of us would be equally generous if God stopped by our place. But does our faith motivate us to be equally generous with others? And yes, we would certainly wait on God hand and foot if He came to our house for a visit. But are we ready to show this kind of humble service to our fellow Christians or even to strangers? That kind of faith comes from God as a reflection of his love. As Jesus said, “What you have done for the least of these brothers of mine you have done for me.” And as the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.”
They were called, “Little Visits with God.” This collection of devotions has served as a devotional resource for families with children for over 50 years. Each devotion clearly articulates the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and offers practical examples of God's action on our lives today. Each includes a Bible verse, short reading, activity suggestion, and prayer starter. What a great description of what God wants for us as often as we make time for him. Little visits throughout our week and even throughout our day are times he will strengthen our faith and renew our response to his love in our lives.
A few years ago, as I was driving over to Moncks Corner on a Sunday morning I was listening to a Christian radio station. The preacher was talking about all the folks that had come to worship that day that need to “take Jesus home with then.” He said, “It seems like too many of ya’ll come to church to talk to Jesus just on Sundays. You seem to walk into the building and say, “How are you doing, Jesus? Good to see you! Okay, see you next Sunday!” And then you go home without him! You need to take Jesus home with you!” True enough! Take that thought with you today. Take Jesus home with you.
Yes, God came to visit them. And like Abraham and Sarah, and like Martha and Mary, God wants to visit with us. Whenever we receive the “one thing needed” the Gospel in Word and Sacrament God comes into our hearts and lives. And then he enables us to make the most of our visits with God. He invites us to receive his love by faith and respond to his love in faith. Amen.
