Saturday Healing Service Meditation Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old-- and Sarah herself was barren-- because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."
All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
Mediation by the Rev. Carole Horton-Howe
The epistle today gives a chance to think about how we use the words “belief” and “faith” – two terms that are often used interchangeably, but there's an important difference.
Belief is an intellectual acceptance of something as true. Each Sunday we reconfirm our beliefs when we say the Nicene Creed – “We believe in God the Father, we believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, and we believe in the Holy Spirit.” These expressions of belief were intellectually discerned long ago by our spiritual ancestors. And as we recall and repeat them now, they come from our mind much more than from our heart.
Faith is a heart function. Faith builds on belief adding trust and a willingness to act often in the face of uncertainty. You can't have faith in something you don't believe exists or is true. Faith is a deep commitment that involves trust, reliance of the teachings of Jesus and the promises of God. It involves action, even in the absence of proof. We believe in God. We have faith when they pray, seek guidance, and live their life according to their understanding of God's will. It is by God’s grace, through faith, that we receive salvation.
There was a popular saying years ago “Keep the Faith” to encourage us through difficult times. Faith in God - the goodness of God and the love of God for us - is what keeps us going in the face of life’s challenges.
Does that resonate with you? Does that make sense?
Here’s a little bit of seminary Greek for you. The Greek word for faith is pistis (PEES-tees.) Paul frequently uses the word pistis in his writings – 25 times in Romans alone. Pistis had a checkered past in the culture of the early church. In Greek mythology, pistis was one of the spirits who escaped Pandora’s Box.
Do you remember the story of Pandora’s Box? Pandora was the first woman created by the gods. Zeus gave her a sealed container as a gift, warning her never to open it. Pandora, though, just couldn’t help herself. She was so curious, she opened the container releasing all sort of things into the world. The good things, like faith - pistis, fled back to heaven while the evils were turned loose humanity. Though Pandora quickly closed the box, only hope remained trapped inside. The story was meant to encourage obedience and suppress curiosity. But also to reinforce hope.
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus wonders “will the Son of Man find faith on earth?” He’s speaking into the Hellenistic culture that believed the spirit of pistis had already departed.
The book of Hebrews was written in part to combat such despair and to encourage new Christians who were having trouble holding onto hope when Jesus did not return soon after his ascension. Along comes the author of Hebrews to give us a valuable definition of faith: “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
So many times we receive the things that in faith we ask God to grant us: the baby is born, we get the job, the treatment works. Sometimes things take longer and like the folks in Hebrews waiting for Christ to return, our people are still waiting for and longing for an answer from God.
But it’s a complicated sort of “dance”: In faith we are assured that God has our best interest at heart, knows what we hope for and holds our future. It’s not easy to follow God when we’re not sure about that, when we can’t see where God is leading us, when we do not see in action that hard evidence that we crave. We might begin to wonder whether God is watching over us. We hope that God is watching. We see loved ones grow ill and pray, in faith, that God will hold their future. Then every once in a while, something happens - something special – that strengthens our hearts and reminds us why we believe. We need these moments, given by God’s grace, to renew our faith.
The wonderful theologian, Frederick Beuchner, points out that faith is better understood as a verb than a noun, as a process rather than a possession. It is “on-again-off-again” rather than “once and for all.” Faith is not being sure of where you’re going but going anyway.
I think what gives our faith real strength is the belief that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and like a good friend, a best friend, is looking out for us both as individuals and as a community.
And isn’t that the blessing of our community of faith – that in the “on again off again” of our lives, we can rest in faith, knowing we have each other to go on the journey, knowing that by grace God watches over us and in love Jesus walks with us no matter what.
Amen.