September 1, 2026
Today's Reading: Galatians 3:15-22
Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:1-19; Ephesians 1:1-23
“If the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.” (Galatians 3:18)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Abraham is perhaps more like a Christian than an Israelite. Technically, there was no way Abraham could be an Israelite. Israelites were descendants of Jacob, who was later named ‘Israel.’ Jacob was Abraham’s grandson. So there was no possible way Abraham could ever be Jacob’s descendant. Abraham could never look back in his family history and find his grandson as his ancestor. So technically, Abraham was not an Israelite at all.
He is called a patriarch, one of the founding fathers of the Scripture and its teaching. In the New Testament, the Jewish teachers pointed to Abraham as the father of their religion of following the Law. These Jewish teachers who did not believe in Jesus as God’s Son, and therefore could not believe the Gospel, pointed to Abraham as their theological founder. It’s as if they said, “Look at Abraham who obeyed God, and thus God loved him. Therefore, you also need to obey God by following the Law completely, so that God might love you, too.”
Therefore, in many ways, Abraham stands as the father not of the Jewish religion, but of the Christian religion! Abraham is not the founder of any works-righteous religion, as Paul showed. Rather, Abraham stands as one of the best Old Testament examples of faith in Christ. God gave Abraham an inheritance —the land of Israel— by a promise. This land would belong to Abraham and to his offspring. And Abraham believed this promise God made. Abraham believed God when He promised that this old man would have a son through Sarah, and that in this promised son, all nations of the world would be blessed. And it was only by this faith that Abraham was right with God.
Who is this promised son of Abraham? It is not merely Isaac, though he was one, too. The real promised son of Abraham is Jesus (see Matthew 1:1). Jesus is the one Abraham believed in and was redeemed by. Trusting in Jesus makes one right with God, apart from one's works. Just as Abraham was right with God, not because of what he had done or how he had obeyed, but rather, simply by trusting God’s Word and promises. Now God’s promises of eternal life and salvation are centered on Jesus. Now Christ, who died for sinners and rose again, proclaims forgiveness for sinners. Be like Abraham. Believe those promises, and you are right with God.
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Heavenly Father, reassure me that I am right with you, not based on my inability to follow the Law, but simply because I trust your promises of forgiveness and salvation in Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.
