Welcome to “Campfire Stories,” our summer sermon series. I want to think together about the power…and the importance…of stories for just a moment. Stories are central to who we are. Stories teach us important lessons…the stories we remember…the stories we tell…they say something about who we are as a people…they say something about our hearts.
I have always loved stories. I remember my parents reading me stories as a kid. I remember my grandfather telling me stories about life on the farm when he was growing up. I remember Mrs. Ahrndt, my 4th grade teacher at Windom Elementary School in south Minneapolis…for 15 minutes after lunch every day she’d read stories to the class. I remember her reading “The Hobbit” to us, and it was like a whole different world opened up. Those 15 minutes became the thing I looked forward to every day.
Our faith is built on stories…old stories…ancient stories that teach us about God and how God connected with the people…and with us.
Dr. Michael Chan, from Concordia College in Moorhead, said, “Why are stories so important? To remember. Because forgetfulness endangers the world.” Forgetfulness endangers the world. Stories help us to remember our identity…our values…and our faith.
And so, for these six weeks, we are going to take a look at classic, important, and unforgettable tales that shape our faith and remind us who God is and who we are. Stories like Abraham stepping into the unknown, Joseph rising from betrayal, and Moses hearing God’s voice from a burning bush.
These are stories of faith, failure, grace, courage, and hope—stories that still light the path for us today.
Let’s start with a question: Have you ever gotten a phone call you weren’t expecting?
Maybe it was one of those spam calls, you know the ones: “We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty.” Or maybe it was a call that changed your life; a job offer, a diagnosis, a birth announcement, a piece of good news. There are some calls, you never forget.
The Bible is full of unexpected calls, but our story today is about one of the biggest. Genesis 12…God calls Abram, later known as Abraham. And God says to him: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.”
Now let’s pause there.
This is not a small ask. God doesn’t say, “Abram, how about a weekend trip?” or “Take a vacation and scope things out.” No, God says, “Leave everything. Pack up the U-Haul, and I’ll tell you where you’re going once you’re already on the road.”
Imagine explaining that to your spouse. “Hey honey, I’ve heard from God. We’re moving. No idea where, but trust me…God said it’ll be great.”
And remarkably, Abraham, and Sarah…they say yes.
Let’s be honest: God’s call usually comes at inconvenient times. It doesn’t wait for your calendar to open up.
I was at a children, youth and family ministry conference a few years ago, and I met a pastor named Mike. Mike had been an executive at Microsoft. He was successful…he was climbing the career ladder. He loved his job…he was married with kids…they had a nice house…they went to a great church…he had great stock options…the whole thing.
Mike went on a men’s retreat, and at some point, he was having a conversation with the pastor. And his pastor told him, “Mike…I’ve noticed…you’ve got a great gift for working with youth.” Mike laughed it off. Nothing more was said about it. But that little comment…it wormed its way into his heart. A year later, he quit his job at Micerosoft, and went to seminary. Now he’s a pastor in the Seattle area, focusing on faith formation with youth and families. And he’s happier than ever.
His salary? Well, it’s fair to say that it took a hit. It’s no longer “Microsoft executive level.” But his level of joy? It is off the chart.
God’s call is rarely convenient, but it is always transformational.
What does Mike’s story teach us?
Well first, if one of the other pastors, ever says to you “hey, we should talk sometime”…you should probably be afraid…very afraid.
But second and more importantly, God doesn’t always call the qualified…instead, God qualifies the called.
In Matthew, chapter 9, Jesus walks up to a tax collector, Matthew, and says, “Follow me.” And Matthew does it! He gets up and goes. Remember that tax collectors were seen as the worst of the worst; traitors and cheats. But Jesus doesn’t say, “Clean up your act…and then we’ll talk” Jesus simply says, “Let’s go.”
Jesus routinely breaks all the rules: he eats with sinners. He heals a bleeding woman. He raises a little girl from the dead.
Everywhere Jesus goes, he’s calling people, unexpected people, to follow, to be made whole, to live differently.
If you’ve ever thought, “God couldn’t possibly be calling me,” well guess what? You might be exactly who God’s looking for.
Not every call is as dramatic as a voice from the sky. Sometimes it’s a nudge. A stirring in your spirit. A door opening. A person who says something that echoes longer than it should.
Let’s go back to Abraham. God makes him a promise: “I will make of you a great nation…your descendents will be as numerous as the stars in the sky.” That’s a pretty big promise to a guy who’s 75 and doesn’t have any kids.
I imagine Abraham blinking and saying, “ ‘scuse me?”
God goes on: “Yep, you and Sarah. You’re going to start a family that will bless the world.”
Abraham: “You’re sure you didn’t mean the neighbors?”
But Abraham trusts. He believes. He goes. And God does exactly what God promised.
Sometimes responding to God’s call means taking a leap without all the details. It means trusting God more than your own plans. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Faith is trust. Abraham trusted. Sarah trusted. That woman who was bleeding trusted. That father of the girl who’d died…he trusted. And they were all blessed.
Here’s the thing about God’s call: it’s not just about you. God’s calls always have a purpose beyond ourselves. God says to Abraham, “I will bless you…so that you will be a blessing.” That’s the pattern: called, blessed, and then sent to bless others. Called…blessed…sent…
That’s exactly what we see in in our scripture stories today. That’s what we see in our lives as well.
When God calls us, whether it’s to a new place, a new role, or simply to act in kindness, we are never theend of the story. We are the means to the end. We are the conduit of God’s grace to the world.
So, what does this all mean? Well, maybe you’re hearing a call right now.
Maybe it’s a whisper to step into leadership, to mentor a younger person, to volunteer, to forgive someone, to change something in your life, or to just trust God in a new way.
Or maybe the call you hear feels even more internal….even more personal. Maybe it is to live with more intentionality…with more purpose. To see your daily life, your job, your parenting, your retirement, your friendships…as holy ground.
God’s call isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s as ordinary as saying “yes” to something that scares you just a little but pulls at your heart a lot.
Abraham didn’t know where he was going. Matthew didn’t know what he was getting into. The woman who was bleeding who touched the fringe of Jesus’ cloak didn’t know how he would respond. The leader from the synagogue wasn’t sure if Jesus would be would help his daughter.
- But they all trusted.
- They answered the call.
- They walked forward in faith.
And here we are, the descendants of Abraham, followers of Jesus, inheritors of the promise, still being called, still being blessed, still being sent…so that we can bless.
So, my friends. when the phone rings, spiritually speaking, pick it up. God might be on the other end.
And don’t worry if you don’t know all the steps yet. God usually gives directions just in time…so trust…trust and follow.
Thanks be to God!
Amen.
Test Driving Theology 