Date: June 28, 2020

Bible Text: Romans 6:12-23, Genesis 22:1-18 |

Over the last few weeks while the world turned upside down, we have looked at passages from Paul's letter to the Romans and the Genesis story of Abraham and Sarah as they waited for God to give them a child. The Romans texts have assured us of God's grace manifested in the death and resurrection of Jesus, of our participation in that grace sealed in our baptism, and now this week of how that grace lays claim to our obedience to God's will. Meanwhile, in Genesis, the story unfolds to show how God's promise was enough for Abraham to be steadfastly faithful and patient, although Sarah seems to have had her doubts. The story reaches its dramatic conclusion, not with the birth of their son Isaac (last week's story), but with God testing Abraham to see where his ultimate loyalty lay (this week's story). So now, as our whole society is confronting questions of sin and righteousness and where our obedience and loyalties lie, these texts have much for us to ponder.

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