SELLEST OSAST
What does it mean to leave everything behind on nothing but a promise?
This week Rolf Jacobson, Catherine Schifferdecker, and Cameron Howard turn to Genesis 12:1-9, the call of Abram, one of the most consequential moments in the entire Bible. After last week's flood story closed out the primeval history, the camera "zooms in" on one ordinary, childless couple from Mesopotamia, and the plot of the rest of the Old Testament begins.
In this episode:
* Why Abram, of all people? The hosts dig into the mystery the rabbis themselves wrestled with
* The three (or four) promises: land, descendants, blessing, and a great name
* What it meant in a kinship-based society to leave your country, your kindred, and your father's house
* Sarai's infertility, and a pastoral care note on the language we use to preach it
* The real danger and vulnerability behind Abram and Sarai's journey, read through the lens of migration
* How God's faithfulness, even more than Abram's, drives this story forward
Mentioned in this episode:
Celebrate Working Preacher's 19th anniversary!
This fall, Working Preacher is celebrating 19 years as a lectionary resource. Thank you for giving generously to ensure the site's future as a source for Narrative Lectionary resources, including this podcast.
