Creation to Christ: Reading 10 - August 17, 2016 - Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-18, 25:19-34, 27:1-46, God Uses Flawed Servants

Today’s Readings

Context 

We jump around today to what may seem like unrelated passages, but they all tell a similar story - the great heroes of the Bible had feet of clay. Well, all but one. The Bible really only has one true hero and the rest were flawed people who made a lot of mistakes and did a lot of things wrong, but found the grace and power of God to accomplish great things.

The key to accomplishing great things in Scripture is not the talent, wisdom, popularity, wealth, or Andy other human resource of the human being, but the ability of the God who uses that flawed person. Yes, God requires obedience and faith, confession and repentance, but never forget that the power is God's and not man's. 

Devotional 

I remember reading biographies of missionaries and great Christian leaders in my youth. They tended to present that person as if he walked on water, as some kind of superhero saint - a c
ut above the rest of us. We could never be that way.

The Bible never does that. 

Leaving Jesus out of it, who are the five greatest men of the Bible? How about Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, and Paul? Of course, you can argue to put Noah or Elijah or John in there, but who are you going to drop? Think about the five I mentioned? What do they have in common? Each of these great men of the Bible has a significant story (or stories) told about them that makes them look bad. The Bible never glosses over the weaknesses of its heroes. Our readings today carry Abraham's lies and cowardice. Pulse, he lost faith and fathered a child who has caused trouble for the Israelites for 4 millennia. Moses' failure kept him out of the Promised Land. David? That one is pretty famous. Peter denied Jesus and had to be dragged kicking and screaming into including the Gentiles in the Great Commission. Paul described himself as "the worst of sinners" - at the end of his life.

In the stories we read today, Abram lies and tries to pass off his wife as his sister (technically, she was - I know, it's gross, but that was a different world!) to save his own skin. It was a selfish act that demeaned his wife.

Then we read about all of the scheming and betrayal between Jacob and Esau. Frankly, though Jacob was chosen by God to be the one through whom the Messiah's line would be carried, he was a real stinker. He lied. He manipulated. He was a double-dealer. He name meant "deceiver" and it described his character.

And these were the PATRIARCHS of the Jewish nation - the forefathers from whom the people descended. If someone told stories like that about the founders of our nation we'd call them communists and revoke their citizenship.

Two lessons should be derived from this. First, the Bible is about the greatness of God, not the goodness of mankind. It's not about human potential but divine power. It's now about what we can do but what HE has done for us.

I love the statement I first heard at the Gospel Project launch years ago.

The Bible is ONE story and Jesus is the hero. 

So what does that mean for you and me? A lot! I remember a lady in my first pastorate who told me, "I don't have any talents." What she meant was, "There's nothing I can do to serve God."

Balderdash.

Where did we get the idea that God was a talent scout seeking to assemble the best and the brightest for his "cool kids" club? Never! In fact, in 1 Corinthians 1, Paul tells us that God chose the foolish instead of the wise, the weak instead of the strong, and the nothing's instead of the influential because he wanted the glory to go to human!

God has all the power, creativity, wisdom and innovative ideas the church needs. He is simply looking for average people with all their flaws to give themselves to God and say, "Lord, use me as you see fit." You've got no talents? Who cares? Your talents may just get in the way. God simply wants to use YOU!

God calls ordinary people with flaws (just like you) and infuses them with his amazing grace to accomplish extraordinary things through them.

Are you just an ordinary person? Glory! You are the kind of person God's kingdom specializes in!

Father, thank you for loving ordinary folks like us and using us in your extraordinary ways.

Think and Pray

Do you use being average as an excuse? 

Commit your primary, flawed life to God to be used by his power. Remember that it is about his power, not your potential!