The Extraordinarily Ordinary

Good Wednesday to you,

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the people you encounter in Scripture? You are not alone. However, we need to remember that these are not extraordinary people. They are ordinary people God used in extraordinary ways because of their faith. The first verse in Hebrews 11 states, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of we do not see.” That faith is not some “by and by – pie in the sky” faith. It is faith in God, who literally spoke creation into being; there was nothing and then there was something! This is our God who promises to never leave us or forsake us.

In the 11th chapter of Hebrews we encounter a list of people, ordinary people, who remained faithful even when things did not work out they why they hoped. Their faith did not depend on God removing difficulties in their lives. They persevered because they knew God had promised them something better! Their faith was more than just a set of beliefs; those beliefs translated into actions that changed how they lived. This faith was not a “blind leap,” but a faith grounded in the history of God’s faithfulness over time.

Thinking deeply about our faith is important. No doubt you have heard people say that Christians must “check their brain” at the door before they enter the sanctuary to worship. However, C.S. Lewis said that Christianity was the thinking person’s faith. Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Boyle, Newton, Pascal, Faraday and Pasteur were all scientists who believed that the God who gave us the Moral Law also must have given us “Natural Law” as well. Isaac Newton said that God give us two books – the book of the Bible and the “book of nature.” He believed the two to be complementary. (I suggest “What’s So Great About Christianity,” by Dinesh D’Souza as a great read, especially the chapters on science. I am told it is free as an audio book for those who have an Audible membership.)

Please take the time to review the extraordinarily ordinary people listed in the 11th chapter. Think about what they went through without ever seeing the fullness of God’s promises to them. Next Sunday, we will look at this “Great Crowd of Witnesses,” and what it means for us going forward. (Hebrews 12:1-17)

We are hopeful that this coming Sunday will be the last Sunday under State “reopening guidelines.” While masks will still be required this next Sunday for inside worship, let us be gracious to those who will remain masked for the foreseeable future. It will take a while before things return to normal. This is a great opportunity for us to exercise mercy and grace toward one another.

I hope to “see” you soon.

Grace and peace,
Pastor David

If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!