After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!”
“Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.”
He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah.
Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains that I’ll point out to you.”
Genesis 22:1-2
Sarcastic, cranky, aging, overly protective mother of one son, married to a man out of her league. While I thank you for your insistence that there are no similarities between Sarah and myself, there are many reasons why I find her relatable. Sadly, she isn’t always seen in the best light, like when she pushed Hagar onto Abraham rather than waiting for God, or when she snorted with laughter in the face of angels. There was also that time that she banished a young mother and her child to the desert for making fun of her son. Even so, Sarah must have been an easy-going person over-all. Her husband regularly heard from God and was guided to do rather crazy things like leave everything to head into a desert or cut off chunks of flesh from very delicate areas of his body. Early in their marriage he randomly pretended she was his sister for a while and married her off to another man. And then there’s this story.
Genesis records nothing of their conversation, the silence being one of the few in scripture I appreciate. While this story seems impossible to believe, the reality is child sacrifice was very common during this time. Most of the gods worshiped by neighboring peoples were believed to demand this and therefore it was practiced widely. When Abraham hears God make this request it wasn’t out of the norm. God’s saving Isaac, however, was very much so and highlighted to Abraham and all around that YWHW was different. Abraham’s God wasn’t savage and jealous but loving and wanting only the best. Abraham unbinds his son, offers the ram he finds and the two return home to Sarah’s darkened tent.
It’s not much of a surprise that the next story in Genesis is the death of Sarah. In addition to being old, she had been through a lot in her life; lots of blessing but also lots of stress. Abraham purchases a cave in Hebron to bury her. Later he joins her as does Isaac, his wife Rebekah, their son Jacob and his first wife Leah as Rachel had to be buried during travels. Sarah is the first woman listed in Hall of Faith seen in Hebrews 11. She is a reminder that God often grabs the least expected person and works through them in a way that doesn’t make their life easy but rather deep, beautiful and endlessly life giving.
Fun Fact: Muslims also trace their spiritual roots back to Abraham, however they believe it was Ishmael rather than Isaac who was almost sacrificed. This event is commemorated every year on one their holiest days, Eid al-Adha (September 1, 2017 and August 21 in 2018). While Abraham was prepared to make an ultimate sacrifice, God ultimately prevents it, additionally signifying that one should never sacrifice a human life, especially not in the name of God.
~ Upcoming Events ~
Sunday, November 5
Team 1 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Teaching: Antonio and Heather
Christmas Pageant Rehearsals
Following the Lesson | Sunday School Rooms
Youth Group
5-7 pm
Please contact Heather if you are interested in hosting
~
Sunday, November 12
Team 2 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Teaching: Shawna, Antonio and Heather
Christmas Pageant Rehearsals
Following the Lesson | Sunday School Classrooms
Harvest Craft Fair & Goat Yoga
Noon | The Close
Spanky and Pippen are two Nigerian dwarf goats
who want to come to St. Edmund’s!
Photo ops and petting zoo will be available after church,
followed by an hour long class starting at noon.
Please RSVP, class is $25 per person.
Spaces can be purchased online
While you wait for class to be begin, enjoy our harvest craft fair out on the Close with local artisans, food, face painting and games for the kids.
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Sunday, November 19
Team 3 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Teaching: Allison, Shawna, Antonio and Heather
Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
Following the Lesson | Sunday School Rooms
~
Sunday, November 26
Team 4 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Teaching: Antonio and Heather
Christmas Pageant Rehearsals
Following the Lesson | Sunday School Rooms
~
Sunday, December 3
Team 1 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Teaching: Antonio and Heather
Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
Following the Lesson | Sunday School Rooms
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Sunday, December 10
Team 2 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Teaching: Antonio and Heather
Christmas Pageant Rehearsals
Following the Lesson | Sunday School Rooms
Matinee to see “The Star”
Join us for lunch and a movie as we get ready for Christmas
~
Sunday, December 18
Christmas Pageant
10 am | Sanctuary
