“And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham … And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.…” Genesis 24:12,15 (Read Genesis 24)

Though we know little of Abraham’s eldest servant (cf. Genesis 15:2 where he is mentioned by name, Eliezer, meaning “God is my help”), Genesis, chapter 24, gives us a glimpse of his faith in the LORD God, the God of Abraham.

Abraham, being old and wanting to provide a believing wife for his son Isaac – something very important for us to remember today – but also wanting to be sure that Isaac remained in the land of promise, asked his eldest servant, who was in charge of Abraham’s house, to go back to Mesopotamia and find a wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives.

When this servant arrived there, he stopped at the well outside the city and prayed that the LORD God would bless his efforts and direct him to the woman whom God had chosen for Isaac by letting that young woman, when he asked her for a drink, offer also to water his camels. While he was yet speaking this prayer, Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel, came out to the well with her pitcher upon her shoulder. When he asked her to let down her pitcher and give him a drink, not only did she give him a drink but watered all his camels as well.

When he learned that she was a relative of Abraham, he knew that the LORD had directed him to the young woman God had chosen for Isaac and he “bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD,” saying, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of His mercy and His truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren” (v. 26, 27).

After telling to Rebekah’s family the account of how he was sent of Abraham and how the LORD God directed him to find Rebekah, and after Rebekah’s brother Laban and her father Bethuel consented to send her with him to be the wife of Isaac, Abraham’s servant again “worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth” (v. 52).

Though but a servant, this man shared the faith of Abraham. Whether through the witness of Abraham or that of others, he too knew the LORD God and trusted in Him. As we read, he prayed in faith and was led and prospered by the LORD in his journey; and, he gave thanks and praise to the LORD God for His guidance and blessing.

Can we learn from Abraham’s servant? Most certainly! Though we know little of him, his faith is a shining example for us. Like this humble servant, we have the great privilege of praying to the LORD God of Abraham for his guidance and blessing upon our lives.

For the sake of Christ Jesus, the promised descendant of Abraham through Isaac and Rebekah who suffered and died for the sins of the world and rose again on the third day, God forgives us and accepts us as His own dear children. He gives us the great privilege of coming into His very presence with our prayers (cf. Hebrews 10:19-22; 1 John 5:14-15); and He promises, “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

God directs us, as His children through faith in Messiah Jesus, to commit our ways – our very lives – to Him and to trust Him; and He promises to bless us and make our journey through life prosperous – prosperous in His ways and in the accomplishing of His perfect will (cf. Psalm 37:3-7). And, like Abraham’s servant, we have every reason to bow before the LORD God and worship Him for His leading and guiding in our lives and in our tasks.

He, working through centuries of human history, sent His only-begotten Son to suffer and die upon the cross and redeem us and all mankind. He has sent His Spirit and caused us to hear His Word and trust in Him for forgiveness and life. He leads and guides us through the days of our lives and brings us safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him “be glory for ever and ever. Amen”! (2 Timothy 4:18).

O LORD God of Abraham, we worship and praise You for the gift of Christ Jesus, Your Son, and for the mercy and truth You have shown unto us for Jesus sake. We bow before You. To You be the glory for ever and ever! Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” Hebrews 11:17-19 (Read Genesis 22:1-19)

Why would God tell Abraham to take Isaac — his only son of promise, whom he loved — to a mountain in the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt sacrifice? How could God tell Abraham to give up his only-begotten Son of promise?

The first answer (and an often overlooked answer) is that sin demands it. The Bible tells us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). What Abraham deserved as a sinner, and what Isaac also deserved, was to die for his sin. It is also what we deserve for our sin.

Secondly, God’s test points ahead to what God would do for the sins of the world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). God sent His only-begotten Son, born of Mary and a descendant of Abraham, to be the perfect and holy sacrifice for the sins of the world (cf. John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18-20).

The Bible clearly tells us that none of us “can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) that he should still live for ever, and not see corruption” (Psalm 49:7-9). Therefore, God Himself had to provide the Lamb — a perfect and sinless Lamb, His only-begotten Son — to be sacrificed in our stead and to suffer and die upon the cross for our sins.

And it is certainly significant that God commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac on a specific mountain in the land of Moriah and there provided a substitute ram, caught in a thicket, to be offered up in the stead of Isaac.

First of all, the location is the later site of Jerusalem, where Christ Jesus was offered up for our sins. Consider 2 Chronicles 3:1: “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.”

And, as God provided a substitute ram to be offered up in the place of Isaac, so God provided a Substitute for you and for me – He gave His own Son to die in our stead and make atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world (cf. 1 John 2:1,2). “Jehovah-jireh … In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen” (Genesis 22:14).

In faith, Abraham took his son Isaac and was ready to offer him up as a sacrifice, trusting that God could indeed raise him up again and fulfill His promises to Abraham to bless all nations through the Seed of Abraham and Isaac (cf. Genesis 22:18). And, in a figure, Abraham received his son back again alive from the dead.

So also Christ Jesus, who suffered and died the just punishment for the sins of the world, was raised up again on the third day. As the Bible tells us, Jesus Christ “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). His resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrifice as full payment for the sins of the world, and through faith in Jesus we are justified and counted righteous and acceptable in God’s eyes. Because Jesus died for our sins, in our stead, and rose again, we who trust in Him have the assurance that our sins are paid for in full and forgiven and that we too will be raised up on the last day to life eternal!

O Gracious and merciful God, we thank You for giving up Your only-begotten Son to suffer and die in our stead that we might have forgiveness and life eternal through faith in His name. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

The precious truth expressed in this passage of God’s Word was for centuries clouded and hidden from the people. Even today many think that salvation depends upon human works rather than upon the grace and favor of God toward sinful man. But salvation from the eternal torments of hell which we all deserve on account of our sinfulness is by God’s grace alone and through faith alone in Jesus Christ!

We cannot by our own works and lives contribute anything toward our salvation. God is gracious to us sinners and offers to us forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven only because Jesus Christ, His own dear Son in human flesh, lived a sinless life in our stead and then suffered and died upon the cross for our sins, rising again on the third day.

For Christ’s sake, God graciously chose us to be His own and, in time, brought us to trust in Him to forgive our sins and accept us as His own dear children for the sake of the redemption accomplished by His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ (cf. Ephesians 1:3ff.; 2:1ff.). He raised us up from spiritual darkness and death by the Spirit’s working through the Gospel, bringing us to know our sinfulness and to trust in Christ and His blood, shed upon the cross for our sins.

From start to finish, our salvation is of God’s grace; we have nothing of which to boast. Even the works we do as a result of God’s gracious gift of salvation are His working in us for Jesus’ sake. To God be the glory forever and ever!

Dear LORD God, we thank Thee for Thy grace and mercy toward us for Jesus’ sake; and we pray Thee to keep us trusting in Christ alone for our salvation. Grant also that we, as Thy forgiven children, may live our lives for Thee doing those works which Thou hast created us to do. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.” Hebrews 11:11-12 (Read Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7)

Do you have faith like Sarah? Do you question God’s promises and have doubts but are then moved to believe?

Certainly, Sarah doubted God’s promise at the first and even laughed at the thought. After all, how could she, when she was 90 years old and past her child-bearing years, give birth to a son in her old age? And how could Abraham, 99 years old, have a son by her? But, “is any thing too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14).

But God’s promise moved her to trust. And, she gave birth to Isaac (which means laughter) when Abraham was 100 years old and she about 90. And, through Isaac, God’s promises were fulfilled to make Abraham’s descendants as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. And through Isaac God fulfilled His promise to make Abraham a blessing to all the people of the world, to send the promised Seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent and undo the work of Satan (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4-5).

Sarah’s faith reminds us of the faith of another woman in another promise – related to this promise but also impossible according to human understanding and natural law – Mary, a virgin, would conceive in her womb and bring forth a Son who would redeem His people Israel from their sins and be the Savior of the world (cf. Luke 1:26ff.; Matthew 1:18ff.).

Mary questioned the angel, saying, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34). The angel answered her: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God … For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:35,37). And Mary’s doubts were overcome by faith in God’s promise. She responded: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). And, of course, God fulfilled His promise to send His Son to be our Savior (Luke 2:1ff.).

God also promises to us what is by nature’s laws impossible – redemption by Christ’s death and resurrection, forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ Jesus, our resurrection and eternal life in heaven for Jesus’ sake. We question how this can be, but the Holy Spirit uses God’s promises to work in us faith to believe His words to us are true: that Christ died for our sins and rose again on the third day (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4); that God justifies and forgives us sinners, counting us righteous in His sight, when we simply trust in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world (cf. Romans 3:21-26; John 3:14-15; 1 John 1:5 – 2:2); that Christ washes away our sins and gives us His Holy Spirit in the waters of baptism (cf. Acts 22:16; Titus 3:4-7; Colossians 2:11-15); that Christ gives to us in His Supper to partake of His body and blood given and shed for us for the remission of all our sins (cf. Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23ff.); that Christ will raise up our bodies from the dust on the Last Day and give to us and all believers eternal life with Him in heaven (cf. Job 19:25-27; Psalm 17:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13ff.; 1 Corinthians 15:51ff.;). “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

O gracious and merciful God, pardon our unbelief when Your promises seem impossible to us, and strengthen our faith to believe Your Word and to live our lives trusting in all that You offer and promise to us in Christ Jesus. Grant this to us for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

While most churches of a Reformed (usually Arminian) background, as well as a growing number of “Lutheran” churches, seek to make their services entertaining and emotionally moving – probably connected to their emphasis on free will and personal decision – Lutheran worship is replete with the Means of Grace and centered around Christ and His redeeming work.

We begin with confession and absolution (John 20:21-23; James 5:16); worship with psalms and hymns which tell of God’s grace and mercy in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:16); read the Holy Scriptures which are able to make us “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” and are “given by inspiration of God, and … profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:14-17); hear the Word of God preached and applied to us in accord with the Apostle Paul’s directive to Timothy and Christ’s great commission to “Preach the Word” and teach all things Christ has commanded (2 Tim. 4:1ff.; Matt. 28:18-20); are reminded of our baptism (Titus 3:4-7); and receive the body and blood of Christ given and shed for us for the remission of sins (1 Cor. 11:23ff.).

Lutheran worship is centered around Christ and His Word and Sacraments, the means by which God comes to us sinners and creates and sustains faith in Christ Jesus in our hearts.

Lutheran worship may not always be entertaining or even emotionally moving, but it ministers to the greatest needs of our hearts and souls and makes it possible for us to respond to God’s grace and mercy in Christ Jesus!