Promises, Promises, Promises
sermon by Manfred Schreyer

When I was five years old, my father had been sick for a long time and was also hearing impaired. I felt often alone. My mom worked in a factory from sunset to sundown to make ends meat. So, I did not have much communications with either one of my parents during the daytime until my mom came home and she read me old German tales.

But I remember on one occasion my aunt promised me to come and pick me up early in the morning and she told me that we would take her car (I was so excited) and we would go and watch television (we did not have one) and also would go shopping.

When she promised all these things I felt overwhelmed with joy and happiness and I could not wait until the day would arrive.

That morning I would stare out of the window from the second floor to see if I could spot her. I waited the whole morning because she never gave me a specific time when she would arrive.

I still remember my dad when he walked slowly over to a hanging wall clock, he wound it up and I saw the little finger of the clock on the three. He looked at me and he said: "She must have forgotten" I yelled my reply at him so he was able to hear me: "She would not forget, she promised me." I was still standing at the window and after another two ½ hours I saw an employee from the bakery store on the opposite side of the road leaving the store. It was time for her to go home. It was then I then realized that my aunt did forget me and she failed to keep her promise.

I saw my aunt much later and I asked her with tear balls behind my eyes: "Why did you not pick me up, like you promised?" And her reply was with a loud laugh as only my aunt could: "I must have forgotten." I ran out of the room, because my tears came rolling down my young face and I sat on the back porch for a long time and I cried and cried, because I was so hurt and I felt that if she could forget me and break a promise then anyone could do the same. I believe it was the first time that my heart was broken and it remained broken for a long time.

I want you to know that this event influenced me deeply in my life. I often was unable to trust others who gave me a promise and what was worse I often thought about the possibility what would happen if any person who had given a promise to me would break his/her promise. Thoughts that should have never been in my mind . . . but which had always occupied me and often hurt my relationship with other people. I was guarding myself from disappointment . . . I was weak in giving out promises and I was testing others to pass the test of keeping their promise, though deep in my mind I knew most would fail the test.

Our whole concept of the world is influenced by understanding and keeping a promise.

 

I visited my dentist last week for a semiannual teeth cleaning. As I sat down, the lady who cleaned my teeth said that she was glad that I could make it and that four appointments did not show up today and six did not show up yesterday. And then she said the magic sentience: "They had all promised to come, because we call them a day before, just to make sure"

It was then when the "aunt story" triggered my mind.

We all live with promises in this world: We live on the promise that life will be good; that our families will always be together; that friends will not forsake us and we have the promise of peace between nations.

But for the majority of people in this world promises are broken every day.

We as humans live in this illusion that we can live by promises and hope based of this world. But hopes are shattered every day.

My mom at a very young age thought she would play the violin forever until the promise of peace was broken by Adolf Hitler. They left their home, never were able to return and my mom never played the violin again.

You see when promises are broken it does not only impact the ones who are in the promise, but those who follow that generation and those who are connected to us.

Often promises are misunderstood. I remember the story of Abraham, who was promised the promise land. But Abraham never saw the promised land. Instead he questioned God, he often did his own thing, he lied and tried to circumvent God.

Think of Judas, who had experienced the ministry of Christ; who understood the prophecy/promise of Isaiah (who held the promise of the Messiah), but Judas thought of his own way of fulfilling the promise. Poor Judas! I don’t even think that he meant bad at all. He wanted Jesus challenged so that Jesus would come out as the superior King for the Jews, who would stand up against the Roman occupation.

Think of Peter, who was asked by Jesus multiple times do you love me? And Peter’s reply was: "Yes, Master, yes, yes, yes . . . " In fact Peter got aggravated with the question by Jesus.

But then in the courtyard when Peter was asked three times if he was one of the people with Jesus, he said in the same aggravating voice as he answered Jesus: "No, I don’t know that man" You don’t know that man????

Did you not make a promise Peter? Did you not tell Jesus that you love him? Peter what is love? That you deny the one who loves you so much? Is it love when you walk away when things become difficult for you? Is it love when you lie for your own sake? Is it love? Is it love? Where is your promise?

To see promises broken hurts. I can only imagine how Jesus must have felt when he heard Peter. The Gospel of Luke tells us: Luke 22:61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.

It hurts when promises are broken.

Much later in my life did I come to the conclusion that justice and promise were included in this world by humankind in order to make this "world turn." Humankind instituted ‘law’ in a system of justice to make promises come true for us. But as time progresses we have more laws as we have more promises broken.

Then when I found Jesus Christ in my life I found two other components which must be molded into the category: Promise - Justice - Mercy - Forgiveness

As we have all broken promises toward those we love and we often love the most we often have one of the components missing.

What would happen if no promise would be broken anymore and then you could rely on someone’s promise?

What would happen if you knew that justice would be done and that you do not have to worry about promises.

What would happen if someone would show mercy for you who had broken a promise?

What would happen if you would find someone who would forgive you for braking that promise?

Well, I want to tell you that we have broken our promise to God. We ate the fruit in the garden of Eden and we did not follow through with our promise. God had promised us death. Not physical death, but spiritual death. Death . . . that is painful for eternity.

Our soul would have died. We are part of God and we separated ourselves from the One who loves us the most. And because God is a God of justice we had to die. However, God was unable in His love and mercy to see us suffer and die an eternal death in a place that is described as ‘Hades’ or hell.

Instead God gave his son as an atonement (as a substitute) for us. His name is Jesus! He as man and human being died for us, by His own free will, because our Father and God asked Him to follow His will.

And Jesus believed in the cause God laid out for all humankind. He died a horrible death and we were forgiven, if we believe His promise.

(Psa 32:8 NIV) I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

(Psa 132:15 NIV) I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food.

(Isa 41:10 NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

(Isa 41:10 NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

(Isa 49:15 NIV) "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

(Isa 66:13 NIV) As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

(Jer 31:34 NIV) No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

(Ezek 36:28 NIV) You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

(Ezek 36:27 NIV) And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

(John 14:21 NIV) Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

(John 14:3 NIV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

(Rev 2:10 NIV) Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

John 6:47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.