Waiting for the City

On the Island of Pentecost, an Island frozen in time, is a tradition the many tourists pay large sums of money to watch. It is a ceremonial rite of passage that signifies acceptance into manhood. A young man scales a hundred-foot-tall tower made of saplings and branches tied together with vines. Stone-faced and still, he paused dramatically and drew in a deep breath. Then, with a look of determination, he launched himself into the air headfirst, his body stiff and straight as an arrow, his pupils dilated, his arm folded across his chest. The onlookers gasped as he plummeted downward as 60 miles an hour, headed for certain death, until a vine attached to his ankles went taut and stopped his descent with a jerk just as the top of his head grazed the ground. When he stopped swinging, he walked away from that tower as a new man who had just been born into the community.

Although we do not describe our faith relationship with God like this to a degree there is some correlation. The men who jump have their life dependent on the strength of the vines attached to their ankles. In our Christian walk we are called to leave our trust in this world looking forward to a city that is prepared for us. the big difference is that our faith is not determined by a dried out vine but rather in the call and self-revelation of God. Abraham is seen in scripture as one who lived by faith. Of all the stories in Scripture that depict faith it is interesting that Hebrews uses him as the example. There are many other stories like Noah, Moses, Daniel and his three friends, Esther, Elijah, David and countless others exhibited great faith. But what the story of Abraham in Genesis brings out becomes foundational in the development and understanding of faith in Scripture. Imbedded in the story of Abraham was that his faith was not a result of himself. pics up on this in that it identifies God as the one doing the calling. This means that my faith in God does not derive from me or something that I have achieved or learnt but that God is the initiator of my faith. It is the same as the covenant relationship that God wants with us, He is the one who initiates the relationship. , alludes to this, and Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. Although the word believe or faith is not found in these verses the fact that accept the skins that God provided for them indicates a trusting and faith relationship. But we see God as the initiator by providing them with what they needed. Further more Adam calls his wife Eve meaning mother of the living a name that indicated the hope they had in the promise of restoration that God had made. According to the SDA Bible Commentary a literal reading of “I have acquired a man, the Lord.” This would suggest that in this child the promise os would be realizes. Desire of Ages says, “when Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they looked for its speedy fulfillment. They joyfully welcomed their first-born son, hoping that he might be the Deliverer. But the fulfillment of the promise tarried. Those who first received it died without the sight.” pg 31 Moses wants the Israelites and us to see that our faith actually originates with God. He also wanted them and us to see that faith is not just about obeying and living for the now but looking forward to the hope of restoration with God. The hope that Adam and Eve had the hope that Abraham had.

Although we do not describe our faith relationship with God like this to a degree there is some correlation. The men who jump have their life dependent on the strength of the vines attached to their ankles. In our Christian walk we are called to leave our trust in this world looking forward to a city that is prepared for us. the big difference is that our faith is not determined by a dried-out vine but rather in the call and self-revelation of God. Abraham is seen in scripture as one who lived by faith. Of all the stories in Scripture that depict faith it is interesting that Hebrews uses him as the example. There are many other stories like Noah, Moses, Daniel and his three friends, Esther, Elijah, David and countless others exhibited great faith. But what the story of Abraham in Genesis brings out becomes foundational in the development and understanding of faith in Scripture. Imbedded in the story of Abraham was that his faith was not a result of himself. picks up on this in that it identifies God as the one doing the calling. This means that my faith in God does not derive from me or something that I have achieved or learnt but that God is the initiator of my faith. It is the same as the covenant relationship that God wants with us, He is the one who initiates the relationship. , alludes to this, and Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin and clothed them. Although the word believes, or faith is not found in these verses the fact that accept the skins that God provided for them indicates a trusting and faith relationship. But we see God as the initiator by providing them with what they needed. Furthermore, Adam calls his wife Eve meaning mother of the living a name that indicated the hope they had in the promise of restoration that God had made. According to the SDA Bible Commentary a literal reading of “I have acquired a man, the Lord.” This would suggest that in this child the promise os would be realizes. Desire of Ages says, “when Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they looked for its speedy fulfillment. They joyfully welcomed their first-born son, hoping that he might be the Deliverer. But the fulfillment of the promise tarried. Those who first received it died without the sight.” pg 31 Moses wants the Israelites and us to see that our faith actually originates with God. He also wanted them and us to see that faith is not just about obeying and living for the now but looking forward to the hope of restoration with God. The hope that Adam and Eve had the hope that Abraham had.

Faith then is 1 believing in the Word of God. The Word of God does not say that we will be spared from the troubles on this earth. But we can be assured that God is with us says, be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” This was the promise Moses was giving Israel as they departed from Egypt, this was the promise that Adam and Eve had and that Abraham had. The faith that God gave them enabled them to know that He was with them as they journeyed to a destination, a land that they did not know how to get to. As we then have faith in God it is a faith that He give and He initiates as we journey to a land that we can not get to unless we accept Him.

Faith then is 1 believing in the Word of God. The Word of God does not say that we will be spared from the troubles on this earth. But we can be assured that God is with us says, be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” This was the promise Moses was giving Israel as they departed from Egypt, this was the promise that Adam and Eve had, and that Abraham had. The faith that God gave them enabled them to know that He was with them as they journeyed to a destination, a land that they did not know how to get to. As we then have faith in God it is a faith that He gives, and He initiates, as we journey to a land that we cannot get to unless we accept Him.

And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

When Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they looked for its speedy fulfillment. They joyfully welcomed their first-born son, hoping that he might be the Deliverer. But the fulfillment of the promise tarried. Those who first received it died without the sight.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

An integral part of faith is obedience. Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses and others had to choose whether they were going to obey God or not. Can you image if Adam and Eve took the garments provided by God and then soon after leaving the garden thought to themselves, we do not need this. If Abraham had to say, “ok thanks God I will go to this land you are promising and then set out on the journey but then decided later on to go his own direction. Or if Noah all of a sudden decided to build the ark to his own specification. None of them would have survived. Part of having faith is to obey. But, just like the faith is not ours it is given to us by God, so obedience is not ours it is Christ’s. Paul in the book of Romans points this out that salvation does not come through the will and work of man. Rather it comes through the work of God in Christ. The work of God is accessed through faith and confession. Ellen White writs in Faith and Works page 49 He has suffered, He has sacrificed as none of us can, that He might bring salvation within our reach. We need not be discouraged. Jesus came to our world to bring divine power to man, that through His grace, we might be transformed into His likeness. When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this is position and effort as man’s best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit. Did you get that? She says that Jesus give power, He give salvation and it is through His grace that we are transformed. Faith in God brings all this. Then on top of all that she says that as we fail, He makes up. Stern words of warning follow. But He will not accept those who claim to have faith in Him and yet are disloyal to His Father’s commandment. We hear a great deal about faith, but we need to hear a great deal more about works. Many are deceiving their own souls by living an easy-going, accommodating, crossless religion.

When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man’s best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit. But He will not accept those who claim to have faith in Him and yet are disloyal to His Father’s commandment. We hear a great deal about faith, but we need to hear a great deal more about works. Many are deceiving their own souls by living an easy-going, accommodating, crossless religion.1

Christ sacrificed so much for us and Christianity says that there needs to be little sacrifice. As God gives us the faith we need to bear in mind that it is His and therefore it carries His terms and conditions not our. This is a challenging concept for todays world because we live in a time where everyone has a voice and all peoples positions need to be tolerated. God however says My Word is Truth and I will not change it or water it down. We can say that we have faith in God but do our lives testify of that? While faith in Christ is the only means of Salvation, works for and by Christ are the only true evidence of salvation.

1 Ellen Gould White, Faith and Works (Southern Publishing Association, 1979), 49–50.

says this about Abraham, and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. He was God’s friend because he believe in a Person. It is belief in this Person Jesus, a friendship in Him that saves us. Abraham looked forward to a city whose builder is God. How could he look forward to that? He could look forward to that because he had faith in his Friend.

21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

Christ sacrificed so much for us and Christianity says that there needs to be little sacrifice. As God gives us the faith, we need to bear in mind that it is His and therefore it carries His terms and conditions not ours. This is a challenging concept for today’s world because we live in a time where everyone has a voice and all peoples positions need to be tolerated. God however says My Word is Truth and I will not change it or water it down. We can say that we have faith in God but do our lives testify of that? While faith in Christ is the only means of Salvation, works for and by Christ are the only true evidence of salvation.

God want to be your friend why not let Him into your life that all of us here today can look forward to inhabiting that city who’s builder is God.

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God

says this about Abraham, and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. He was God’s friend because he believed in a Person. It is belief in this Person Jesus, a friendship in Him that saves us. Abraham looked forward to a city whose builder is God. How could he look forward to that? He could look forward to that because he had faith in his Friend.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

Amen

God want to be your friend why not let Him into your life that all of us here today can look forward to inhabiting that city whose builder is God.

Amen