8-30-26 “The God of Our Parents, Now Our God”
“The God of Our Parents, Now Our God”
I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site. At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs.
Later in the week, his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and she said, ‘Johnny, what is the matter?’ Little Johnny responded, “I have pain in my side. I think I’m going to have a wife.”
My beloved family in Jesus Christ, what a beautiful day to have an outdoor service! I especially appreciate Atlas UMC for hosting us for this beautiful service.
Last Sunday, we began the story of Moses. What do you remember from last Sunday’s sermon? Yes, baby Moses, the midwives, Miriam, and Pharoah’s daughter. We heard that Pharaoh was afraid of the Israelites because they were becoming numerous. So he ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill the baby boys. But they refused. Then Pharaoh ordered the baby boys to be thrown into the Nile River. What a terrible story!
But God was already at work. Moses’ mother placed him in a basket and put him among the reeds. His sister watched from a distance. Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the baby and had compassion on him. And through God’s providence, Moses’ own mother was able to care for him.
And now, many years have passed. Moses grew up in the palace of Pharaoh, but as he grew older, he became aware of his Hebrew identity and saw his people suffering under hard labor. One day, Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. In his anger, Moses killed the Egyptian. When Pharaoh heard about it, Moses was afraid and ran away to the land of Midian.
And today we find Moses in the wilderness. Moses is now tending the flock of his father-in-law. Think about that. This is the same Moses who was rescued from the Nile River. He grew up in Pharaoh’s household, and now became a shepherd in the wilderness. Perhaps, Moses disappointed for his life, but God had not forgotten Moses.
One day, Moses sees something unusual. A bush is burning, but the bush is not being consumed. Moses says, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight.” And when Moses turns aside, God calls him: “Moses! Moses!” And Moses answers, “Here I am.”
God says, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Moses is in the wilderness. There is no sanctuary. No church building. It is like here, at our outdoor service today. It may be a green pasture, like the green lawn we have here in the park. But God was there. And because God was there, the wilderness becomes holy ground.
Let’s take off our shoes for a moment, if you are comfortable doing so. How do you feel? Does it feel like holy ground? Does it feel like a sanctuary? Yes, we feel comfortable. Very comfortable. Why? Because God is here with us. Where we worship God is where is the holy place because God is there.
Then God says something very important: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Imagine if you heard God say to you, “I am the God of your mother. I am the God of your father.” Would that mean something to you?
For me, it would. I can trust God more deeply because I know my parents trusted God. I know that my mother and father prayed for me. Their faith became part of my faith.
What about you? For many of us, it is the same. When God says, “I am the God of your parents and grandparents,” we remember the people who taught us about God. We remember the people who prayed for us. We remember the people who brought us to church. We remember the people who showed us God’s love.
Moses knew about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. He had heard their stories. He had heard how God guided them. He had heard how God blessed them. And now, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph is speaking to Moses. This is not just history. This is a testimony of God’s faithfulness.
God says to Moses: “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cry.” God has not forgotten the Israelites. Hundreds of years have passed since God’s promise to Abraham. But God’s promise has not disappeared.
This is one of the beautiful messages running through Genesis and Exodus: God keeps God’s promises. Sometimes God’s people have to wait. Sometimes the answer does not come quickly. Sometimes the next generation has to wait for what God promised to the previous generation. But God’s faithfulness continues. And that is important for us today.
Today we are gathering for a special Blessing Service. We are blessing backpacks, teachers, children and even our pets. At first, these things may seem unrelated to the story of Moses. But I think they are deeply connected. Because today we are thinking about the next generation. Many of us received faith from our parents and grandparents.
The churches we attend and serve today were also attended and served by our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Through these churches, generation after generation has shared testimony of God’s grace and love. The God who loved your ancestors loves you.
The God who was faithful to your parents is still faithful to you. And the God who has been faithful to us will continue to be faithful to our children. The God who promised to your parents keeps His promise to bless you and your children. That is why we bless these backpacks.
And today, we also bless our teachers. Teachers carry something much heavier than a backpack. They carry responsibility. They carry concern for their students. But more than that, teachers carry the hopes of the next generation. So today, we pray for our teachers and parents.
And yes, today we are blessing our pets! Some people might wonder, “Why are we blessing animals at church?” But Scripture reminds us that all creation belongs to God. Our pets bring companionship, joy, comfort, and sometimes a little chaos into our lives! They remind us that God’s creation is full of life. And when we care for them, we practice something important: love, compassion, responsibility, and gratitude. So today we bless our pets, too.
Now, let’s go back to Moses. Moses asks God an important question. He says, “If they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say?” And God says: “I AM WHO I AM.”
What a powerful name. God is saying: I AM. God is the living God. God is our God today.
And God will be the God of the generations who come after us.
My beloved family in Christ, today, as we bless these backpacks, let us remember: God goes with our children into their classrooms. As we bless our teachers, let us remember:
God gives them strength to serve the next generation. As we bless our pets, let us remember:
God cares for all creation. So let us go forward with confidence. Let us trust God’s promises.
And the God who is with us will be with our children. Thanks be to God. Amen.