This weekend in worship we turn our attention to Genesis 25 and the story of Isaac’s family. Isaac’s family had some interesting dynamics, of course given Isaac’s family of origin—his father almost killed him—the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. As is the case in any family, how Mom and Dad relate to their children affects the way siblings  relate to each other. Isaac favored Esau over Jacob, because Esau was a hunter a provided well for Isaac’s appetite. (cont.) However Rebekah favored Jacob; you could say he was a “Momma’s boy.” Though their sibling rivalry began in the womb, this dynamic of favoritism left Jacob and Esau fighting with each other through most of their lives. In our text for Sunday, Jacob dupes Esau out of the family birthright, leading Esau to “despise his birthright,” or in today’s terms, hate his family.

The families of the Bible are fascinating. It all starts with Adam and Eve.  You’ll remember they can’t take responsibility for their own actions.  Sure enough, their son Cain ends up taking out his frustrations with God on his brother Abel, murdering him in cold blood. No one remembers Seth, the third child from whom everyone else in the Bible descends. We’ve heard a bit of Abraham and Sarah’s story in the past months. With Abraham passing his wife off as his sister, having a baby with the maid, banishing that mother and son into the desert, and almost sacrificing his other son, I don’t think he would win any “Family Man of the Year” awards.  Isaac and Rebekah’s family dynamics are consistent with sibling rivalries many know today.  The stories don’t get much better moving from generation to generation.

Put quite simply, the Bible is filled with dysfunctional families. Theologians might call that “sin.”  It’s amazing to me the Hebrews shared these stories about their most revered ancestors, yet I’m so thankful they did.  I’m so thankful for their honest accounts of their family tree.  In the first place, it makes me feel much better about my own family of origin. In comparison, I feel like I came from the Cleavers! 

More importantly, it gives me a great sense of grace and hope, because God chooses these dysfunctional families to redeem the world.  Given that reality, I believe God continues to work through us and our families of origin, even through our church family, the PC(USA), as dysfunctional as we are. 

This week has been a witness to the redeeming work of God in the world happening through our congregation.  Last Saturday night, our mission team returned safely from Juarez.  In the face of a drug war, these saints of God brought hope in word and deed to families living in poverty beyond our imagination.  Wednesday night, we served our 100,000^th meal at the Bridge. That’s 100,000 meals since supper on May 20. That’s incredible! Our staff and an army of over 2,000 volunteers have overcome tremendous challenges to step up to the plate—literally. All week, we’ve hosted our Vacation Church School. Over 100 children’s lives have been touched by God’s love through the love of their teachers. They joined the 150+ children from City Park Elementary and Family Gateway we welcome everyday at Summer Day Camp. 

Thanks be to God for grace that chooses us, in spite of our dysfunction, to be a part of changing the world!  Hope to see you Sunday.

In Christ,

Joe