January 31: The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. –Genesis 20:1-6
Here is another story of Abraham trying his old sinful tricks again, relying on his cleverness rather than God’s promise. It didn’t work the first time, and the second time is no different. Of the many striking things in this passage, perhaps one that surprises the most is Abimelech’s protest. God tells him he’s as good as dead for taking Sarah in. But Abimelech rebuts that he’s innocent because he didn’t know who Sarah was. He offers up the claim of his own righteousness in that he had not “approached her.” In other words, well, you get it.
So, Abimelech offers up his good work to support his salvation and God lets him know sharply, “Yes, I know…and it was I who kept you from sinning against me.”
The Lord gets the glory in forgiving our sin, but the Lord gets the glory even if we don’t sin! In the gospel, in worship, in our prayers, in every part of life, we must repent not only of our sinfulness, but repent also of our goodness. It is but filthy rags. Boast only of Christ’s righteousness in you. Assign to him the glory for anything good you do because he is the only one who is good, and the only one who can justly claim his own righteousness. He does that for us.
And that’s the gospel! Come hear it preached and enacted in the supper with Jesus this Sunday.
The related hymns we’ll sing are:
O Father, You Are Sovereign
Holy, Holy, Holy
Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners!
Sunday school for children (in Genesis) and adults (on a Bible book) is up and running! Coffee and other treats are served at 9:15, teaching begins at 9:30, and we break to get ready for worship at 10:15.
Visitors are always welcome!