Lent is often described as a journey, a departure from the familiar routines of our lives towards deeper reflection and spiritual growth. It’s a pilgrimage with God, ultimately leading us to the profound blessings found in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. Considering this Lenten theme, the Old Testament text from Genesis 12:1-4, detailing Abram’s journey, resonates deeply. Abram and his family are called away from their comfortable home to an unknown land, where God promises to bless them and, through them, all people. This blessing, however, isn’t about land ownership; it’s the spiritual blessing, the promise of salvation fulfilled in Christ for you and me.
The Genesis passage unfolds simply yet powerfully: an address from God (verse 1a), a divine command (verse 1b), a multifaceted promise (verses 2–3), and Abram’s faithful response (verse 4a). The central theme, and the heart of this passage for preaching, is the blessing God bestows upon Abram. This blessing is not just a historical event; it’s a pivotal point in God’s redemptive plan that culminates in the Gospel. The Hebrew text itself is rich with rhythm and repetition, emphasizing the significance of these words and foreshadowing God’s ultimate work in Christ. Effective Old Testament preaching requires “escalation,” meaning we must guide our congregation from Abram’s story to the central message of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. The challenge lies in connecting these narratives without diminishing the historical importance and reality of Abram’s journey.
To effectively preach this text, grounding ourselves in Abram’s actual journey is crucial. This connection to the historical narrative of faith provides a bridge to our listeners and, more importantly, to Christ. The selection of specific details from Abram’s story will shape how we connect with our audience and ultimately lead them to Christ. Not every detail needs exhaustive exploration; focus on elements that facilitate this “escalation” towards a full Gospel proclamation.
A thematic sermon structure, specifically the “Compare and Contrast” method, offers a powerful framework for preaching Christ typologically from this text. Lent, in its essence, mirrors a journey towards blessing. Abram embarked on a journey to receive God’s blessing, just as Christ undertook His earthly journey to bless humanity with salvation. By employing a Compare and Contrast structure, we can illuminate how Abram’s journey was a precursor, a journey only Christ could ultimately complete. Drawing parallels with Nicodemus from the Gospel of John (John 3), another figure on a journey of faith, moving away from the familiar, can further enrich the sermon. Nicodemus’s story serves as a relatable illustration for our congregations undertaking their own Lenten journeys, filled with hope for resurrection.
The Compare and Contrast structure, as a thematic approach, systematically examines relevant similarities and differences between two subjects to achieve a specific purpose for the listener. In this context, the purpose of comparison and contrast is paramount. While the saying goes “you can’t compare apples and oranges” (or Abram and Jesus), preaching demonstrates that you absolutely can, depending on your intended purpose. The sermon goes beyond simply informing the congregation about similarities or differences; it leverages this information to bring about a transformative purpose in their lives.1
When preaching from the Old Testament, escalation is the key to preaching Christ faithfully.
Within the Compare and Contrast structure, we can choose between a part-to-part or whole-to-whole approach. The whole-to-whole method is particularly effective here. This involves fully exploring all aspects of one topic before moving to a comprehensive examination of the second. In our case, we would first delve into Abram’s journey, then transition to Jesus’ journey, and potentially weave in Nicodemus (representing us) as a comparative element. The choice between whole-to-whole and part-to-part depends “upon the balance of information you have and what you desire your hearers to remember. Whole-to-whole encourages them to remember the topics (like Abram and Jesus); part-to-part encourages them to remember the items which compose the topics (for example, the stages of temptation found in both the fall of Eve and the fall of David into sin).”2 A sermon outline using the whole-to-whole approach might look like this:
Introduction: Lent is a journey away from the familiar world which surrounds us. It is a journey with God that leads to the blessings of Jesus’ cross and empty tomb.
Topic A: The Journey of Abram and His Family. Abram’s family is called away from the familiarity of their home to a land where God would bless them and all people through them.
- A1: Abram was called to leave his home and familiar surroundings.
- A2: Abram obeyed God’s call despite the uncertainty and potential difficulties.
- A3: He arrived in the promised land and “pitched his tent” (Genesis 12:8), signifying temporary dwelling and faith in God’s provision.
- A4: “The Canaanites were in the land” (Genesis 12:6), highlighting the challenges and unfamiliarity of the new environment.
- A5: Abram built altars near significant landmarks like a “great tree” (Genesis 12:6) and a “hill” (Genesis 12:8), marking places of worship and communion with God.
- A6: Abram was blessed by faith (Genesis 12:3), and God promised to make his name great (Genesis 12:2), connecting to the righteousness imputed through faith as seen in Genesis 15:6.
Transition: People often misunderstand Abram’s blessing, mistakenly focusing on ethnicity or land ownership. However, the true blessing of Abram is the promise of salvation, fulfilled in Christ for you. Have you considered the profound parallels between God’s call to Abram and the mission of Christ?
Topic B: The Journey of Christ to Save All Humanity. Christ, in perfect obedience to His Father, was sent to fulfill God’s promises to His people and complete the work Abram could only begin.
- B1: Christ left His heavenly home to come to the land where Abram journeyed, entering our world.
- B2: Christ perfectly obeyed His Father’s will, coming to earth for our salvation (John 6:38).
- B3: Christ “tabernacled/tented among us” (John 1:14), becoming fully human and living amongst us, yet remaining divine.
- B4: He lived amongst sinners and the marginalized (Matthew 9:10-17, Mark 2:15-22, Luke 5:29-39), even engaging with a Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28, demonstrating His mission to all people, regardless of background.
- B5: Jesus ascended the “hill” of Calvary and was lifted upon the “tree” of the Cross for the salvation of all, transforming places of suffering into sites of redemption.
- B6: While we may not yet see the fullness of the promised land of Heaven, we are blessed by faith in the great name of Jesus (Acts 3:16). Through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross and resurrection, we are saved by grace, a work we could never accomplish ourselves. Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness,” so too, “those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:6-9). Jesus Himself pronounces blessing upon this journey of faith, saying to Thomas after His resurrection, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Conclusion/Illustration: In our Gospel reading, we encounter Nicodemus, a figure on his own Lenten journey, a child of Abraham much like ourselves. He, too, experiences the challenge of leaving behind familiar comforts to follow Jesus through difficulty. His journey of faith, starting early in John’s Gospel, mirrors our Lenten journey, leading us toward the cross and the empty tomb.
Nicodemus serves as a compelling illustration. He appears three times in John’s Gospel, each instance revealing his progression as a fellow traveler in this Lenten season. We are invited to journey with him and learn more about Jesus.
Nicodemus’s first encounter with Jesus, under the cover of night (John 3:1-21), is driven by a desire to learn. Jesus teaches him about the new birth through Baptism. In your baptism, God calls you, like Abram, to follow Jesus into every aspect of life He directs. Through baptism, the Holy Spirit promises to accompany you throughout your life’s journey, until you reach the ultimate promised land of Heaven.
The second mention of Nicodemus is when he defends Jesus amidst opposition from the religious leaders. He challenges the Sanhedrin: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” Their dismissive reply, “Are you from Galilee too?” (John 7:50-52), highlights the growing tension and Nicodemus’s courageous, albeit subtle, defense of Jesus. This reminds us that, like Abraham (Genesis 20:1-16; 21:22-34; 12:8-13:2), our faith may lead to conflict with the world around us.
Finally, Nicodemus appears at the culmination of Lent and the fulfillment of the promise to Abram. We find him at the crucifixion, assisting Joseph of Arimathea in burying Jesus (John 19:39-42). This act of service and devotion, at a time of great risk, demonstrates Nicodemus’s transformed faith and commitment.
Therefore, commencing our Lenten journey with Abram and Nicodemus is profoundly fitting. They are valuable companions during this season of the church year and in our own lives. Yet, above all, we journey through Lent with Jesus, for He is our hope in the darkness (John 3:2) and the blessed salvation we desperately need (Genesis 12:1-4).
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching- Explore previous articles on Genesis 12:1-9 for further insights.
Concordia Theology– Access various resources from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, to aid in preaching Genesis 12:1-9.
Text Week– Discover a wealth of resources from diverse traditions to enrich your preaching on Genesis 12:1-9.
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1 https://concordiatheology.org/sermon-structs/thematic/comparisoncontrast/
2 Ibid.
