GOSPEL MESSAGE & RECORDING
Promises! We all make them. Sometimes we keep them; and sometimes we don’t. The reasons why we keep them or don’t are complex. Circumstances dictate when we make promises and to whom they are made. We will go more in detail about that later on. For now, let’s look at the definition of the word “promise.” It can either be a verb or a noun. For example, as a noun, we can say, “I made a promise.” As a verb, we can say, “I promised him I would give him something.” In this message I will speak of the word promise interchangeable, both as a noun and a verb.
God made promises too. It’s not only a human thing. In the Epistle to the Romans by St. Paul, he writes in chapter 4 a great deal about the promise that was given to “Abraham and his seed;” that it was not of the law, that is, for Jews only, but for the whole world. Jews and Gentiles were heirs to the promise of salvation. The Messiah was not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. He goes on to talk about how Abraham, although he was old and Sarah old and barren, did not lose faith, but kept on believing that God would keep his promise and that he would become the father of many nations. This was, by faith, and through faith, that Abraham believed and it was accounted to him as righteousness.
God made his promises known to his people, specifically to the Jews, but also to the whole world. His promises were made to specific people, like that of Abraham, a nation, like that of Israel, and for situations and circumstances that we experience in life, like anxiety, death and salvation. Let’s look at each area specifically.
Specific People: God gave promises to specific people. God's promise was specific to Abraham: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12: 2-3). God’s promises to specific people are not for the glory of that individual but for Him. It is for the purpose of the Kingdom of God. So, then, it applies to everyone. Even in God’s promise to Abraham, He states that the families of the earth shall be blessed. Therefore, a promise to an individual is ultimately for the benefit of everyone.
Nation: God made specific promises for the nation of Israel. Isaiah 43:1, “But now the Lord Who made you, O Jacob, and He Who made you, O Israel, says, “Do not be afraid. For I have bought you and made you free. I have called you by name. You are Mine!” God is talking about Jacob, whose name became Israel, which means, “contended or triumphant with God,” but it also refers to a nation, a land, that the descendants of Jacob would inhabit. The nation of Israel is personified and given life. Ultimately, the nation of Israel is a representation of Christ. Because through Israel, the Messiah would come into the world.
Experiences: In life we have many negative and positive experiences. God addresses that in His Word. He lets those who believe and trust in him know that if we trust in Him and submit to him, he will make our path straight. (Proverbs 3: 5-6) Jesus teaches us that God will provide for us (Mat. 7: 9) God lets us know that through His Son Jesus, he is there for us.
Through specific people, a nation and experiences in life, God made many promises. He fulfilled them all. And each and every promise was for the glory of His Son Jesus Christ.
Explicit
Have we made promises? Of course! All of us have. We have made promises in terms of our marriage and being a father, mother, a member of this parish. It might not seem that way for many of us because there was no explicit statement made, but implicitly, throughout actions, we have by taking part in the sacrament of marriage promised to love and be there for our spouse. By virtue of having children, we are promising to take care of our son or daughter. By becoming a member of St. Luke, we are promising to participate and contribute to the progress of the parish.
Implicit
There are promises that are implicit, that is, there are verbal promises that we will make regarding something for someone. If that is the case then we need to do our best to keep them. We need to keep our word as best as possible. If we say that we are going to do something then we should do it. If we have trouble keeping our word, then we need to be careful of trying to please others and/or trying to escape a situation that is uncomfortable. I know that I sometimes in the past have said yes to some things, but it wasn’t a firm “yes,” hoping that the problem would go away, or the issue would not come up later on. And each time I did that the issue came up and my “yes” was not a real “yes.”