The scriptures talk about "faith" in many different ways. One of my favorites is the letter to the Hebrews (11:1) where "faith" is described as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." A similar notion of "faith" is utilized by Saint Paul in today's second reading from Romans (4:18). Paul calls it "hoping against hope." Or as I would like to paraphrase it, "in spite of evidence to the contrary."

Paul draws on the ancient story of Abraham and Sarah to illustrate what this kind of faith is. You know the story. Aged Abraham and Sarah, long past the time of child bearing, both aged, gnarled, and withered, were devastated. Not to have children to carry on the family was a terrible fate to suffer in that world. Worse yet, to have no male heir would put the meaning of your life into question. God had promised Abraham a son and many descendants in addition to a land to call his own (Genesis 12:1-3). But that was a long time ago and in his waning years the promise was still unfulfilled. But God repeated that promise and, even though it seemed that time had run out, even though this promise seemed like wishful thinking, Abraham, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, believed the promise. As Paul reminds us, "his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness." It was as if Abraham already had received that long-awaited son. Through faith it was as if Abraham had already received what had been promised. He was "righteous." He was fulfilled. He no longer had to be ashamed of his plight. He could stand up "right" and tall, be proud and confident, in spite of evidence to the contrary.

That same kind of faith reflected in the unfolding life and ministry of Jesus. In several key texts, we see how Jesus himself had this kind of faith, where he believed a promise, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary.

Jesus' public life begins with the story of his baptism. Jesus, that ordinary carpenter's son from Nazareth in Galilee, comes to John the Baptist and is baptized in the Jordan River. The heavens are torn open, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended, and Jesus hears a most incredible word, a word that announces "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, "This is my beloved Son!"

The promise of Jesus' baptism is immediately attacked and undermined by none other than the devil himself. Mark has a sparse account of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Matthew and Luke have more extensive accounts that take us deeper into the nature of Jesus' temptation. You remember the story. Three times the devil attacks Jesus' trust in the promise of his baptism. First, after Jesus had been starving for forty days in the desert, the devil shows him some rocks. "Jesus, if you are the Son of God, which I don't believe you are, because if you were, why would God let you starve like this in the desert. So prove it to me. Prove it to yourself. Turn these stones into bread. Flex your muscles. Show off your power. Prove to all that the voice you heard at your baptism was no lie."

And Jesus, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, hung on to that promise and resisted the devil's temptation. He would not need to prove himself like this.

Next the devil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple. "Jesus, if you are the Son of God, which I don't believe you are, then jump off this pinnacle. Surely the angels will rescue you, if you are who you say you are. Exercise your power. Be a winner. Show to all, especially to yourself, that you are indeed the beloved Son of God." Again Jesus, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, refused to succumb to such a lie. He continued to cling to the promise of his baptism and resisted the temptation of the devil.

Finally, the devil takes him to a high mountain and shows him the kingdoms of the world. "Jesus, just look at the daily newspaper, the evening news broadcast, and the latest best seller. See how people treat one another. See how it is that the folks with the guns and the bucks run the world. See ... how the world is in my hands. See how it belongs to me. I look more like the Son of God than you do. But, tell you what. I will make a deal with you. I will give you these kingdoms. I will let you be what you were promised in your baptism, the Son of God, if you only bow down and worship me." But again Jesus, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, once again overcame the insidious temptation of the devil.

The devil, Satan, is not done with Jesus. He will continue to attack Jesus' faith in the promise of his baptism. One of the most memorable attacks comes on the heels of Peter's memorable confession at Caesarea Philippi. There Jesus had questioned his disciples about the results of the latest Gallup poll. "Who do the people say that I am?" The disciples reported back the most recent poll results. Some said Jesus was Elijah or a prophet or John the Baptist come back from the dead. Jesus wanted to know what the disciples thought about him. So, the impetuous Peter responded, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," and Jesus complimented Peter for getting it right.

Then Jesus explains what it means to be the Messiah. He must go to Jerusalem and suffer great things, be rejected, be killed, and after three days rise again. Peter didn't want to hear about this. This is not what he had mind when he thought of Jesus as the Messiah. Messiahs don't go and do dumb things like this and get themselves killed. Messiahs do smart things like triumphing over their enemies and not getting themselves killed. So, Peter "rebukes" Jesus. Jesus, in turn, "rebukes" Peter and says one of the most startling things in the entire New Testament. He accuses Peter, the leader of his disciples, of being the voice of the evil one. "Get behind me, Satan. You have set your mind not on divine things but on human things."

Jesus is right back there again in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. Once again the promise of his baptism is being attacked. It is as if Peter, like the devil, is once again saying, "Jesus, you can't trust those crazy words you heard that day in the Jordan River. You can't possibly be the Son of God and go to Jerusalem and die." But again, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, Jesus clings to that amazing promise. He defies temptation and goes to Jerusalem.

Later Jesus is getting ready to go to Jerusalem and suffer a most gruesome fate. It would test that promise he received at his baptism. He goes up on a high mountain with his inner circle of disciples to prepare himself. While there, he is miraculously "transfigured" and glows with a most amazing light. He converses with Moses and Elijah, and as he faces his deadly and dangerous fate the promise of his baptism is repeated. A voice speaks from a bright cloud, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." "Hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, Jesus can trust that his Father is with him and that his dark fate in Jerusalem will not be the end of him.

Just like Abraham and Sarah before him, Jesus, repeatedly in the face of the lies and innuendoes of the devil, haunted by his own doubts and questions, nevertheless, in spite of evidence to the contrary, trusts the promise. The creator of the universe is indeed his loving Father. Even though there are bucket loads of evidence to the contrary, he is indeed the beloved Son of God. Jesus goes through his life declaring, teaching, and demonstrating that all can believe that same thing about God and themselves, even those who have no good reason to do so, especially sinners and outcasts. Finally, he must pay for believing that with his own blood on the cross, but he never gives up that faith. "Hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, he never gives up his conviction that God is his "daddy." When God raises him "after three days," God vindicates Jesus' faith. God vindicates Jesus' claim. God is indeed, in spite of evidence to the contrary, in spite of bucket loads of evidence to the contrary, our loving Father and we are his beloved sons and daughters.

It is the mission of this congregation to offer this amazing promise to the world. As water is poured at the font, as bread and wine are broken and poured out at the table, as prayers are offered and hugs are given, as tuna casseroles and other such kindnesses are delivered, we offer Jesus' fate and destiny to those who believe they have no other fate and destiny other than to end up six feet under in dust and ashes, forever forgotten. We give people the opportunity to believe, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, that they, like Jesus before them, are the beloved sons and daughters of God.

Every day of our life, the promise of God is challenged, attacked, and undermined. Continually we are assaulted with the accusation that we are "nobody." Continually the evidence is piled up before us that our lives are worthless and insignificant. We have to continually fight off the haunting fear that when all is said and done, our lives have amounted to nothing. But in the face of such a temptation, because of Christ and what he did "for us and our salvation," because of the irrevocable, once-and-for-all promise we received at our baptism, we can defiantly confess, "I am somebody! I am the beloved son/daughter of God!"

There is hardly a place more brutal than the school lunch room. It is an inflexible caste system of the "in people" and the "out people." God forbid that you end up sitting at a table where you don't belong, where you don't measure up, or where you have not earned your place. There are the tables of "the beautiful people," "the jocks," "the geeks," "the preps," and "the goths." And if you don't fit in, you are nobody. You don't count. You might as well not exist. Nevertheless, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, Jesus says you are somebody! And that is all that matters.

      If you don't have the right house in the right neighborhood, if you don't drive the right car, send your kids to the right kind of schools, if you don't go on the right vacations and have the right clothes (how often is this not the mantra of our town?), you are nobody. You don't count. You might as well not exist. Nevertheless, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, Jesus says you are somebody! And that is all that matters.

You are aging. Your body is starting to gray and sag. The wrinkles and bulges are more difficult to conceal. You just can't do the things you used to. In a culture that worships youth and vitality, you are slowly becoming nobody. Soon you won't count. You are no longer the center of attention. Nevertheless, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, Jesus says you are somebody! And that is all the matters.

Your career has been one big disappointment. You have been passed up time after time for the promotion you were convinced you deserved. You are stuck in a meaningless job, treading water, spending your days clock watching until the time you can go home. Nevertheless, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, Jesus says you are somebody! And that is all that matters.

You are haunted by the skeletons you have carefully hidden in your closet. You thought that no one would ever see them. But now they have been exposed for all to see. You are ashamed. You want to hide in the back of the room. You cower and hide hoping that no one would see you. Nevertheless, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, you are righteous. You can stand tall, upright, and proud, because Jesus says you can. Jesus says you are righteous and you believe that. And that is all that matters.

Believing such a promise changes everything. Now those odd words in the second half of today's gospel begin to make sense. At first they sounded so threatening, so disturbing, so dangerous: denying ourselves, taking up our cross, losing our lives and yet saving them. Now they are not threats but invitations. Now we understand that life comes not from fear and self-preservation like Peter thought it did when he tried to talk Jesus out of going to Jerusalem. No, on the contrary, because of Jesus and what he did, life comes from sacrifice, from loving others, from breaking open and pouring out your life for those in need.

Like Abraham and Sarah, we are tempted to focus only on what we can see, measure, and calculate with our eyes instead of believing the promise we hear with our ears and trust with our heart. When we do that, we will be tempted like them to either despair or engage in all kinds of faithless and destructive behavior. Abraham, fearful for his future, ended up lying several times about his wife, Sarah, passing her off to others as his sister. He became so impatient with God that he could no longer wait for the birth of a son. So he took his slave girl, Hagar, and through her had a son, Ishmael. Sarah, impatient with her plight, abused Hagar. Sarah treated Hagar poorly and forced her to flee for her life with her son. When Sarah heard those three messengers at the oaks of Mamre announce that she would give birth the following spring, she could only laugh with disgust and disbelief.

We also are tempted to despair, to be discouraged, to just throw up our hands and shout, "No way! We can't do this!" It is then that we need to remember the words of Paul. "Hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, we can trust God and the future he has given us. Remember, the mission is his. God is the one who has called us together and given us a mission to carry out. Because it is his idea, he has promised to give us whatever we will need to carry it out, beginning with the faith to believe that whatever the future holds, all in is in his hands. Therefore, there is nothing to fear.

Perhaps it is something like this. You are at one of those wonderful inland lakes in Indiana on a beautiful summer day. You are standing on a pier watching a family in their small boat taking in the beautiful day a hundred feet or so off shore. Suddenly the boat capsizes. The children are screaming for help. You want to be able to help them. All you can see is the deep water, that it is cold, that a strong wind is blowing, that there are tall waves ... and you can't swim! That is the bad news. But the good news is that standing there next to you is a lifeguard. He has a life jacket for you to put on. He invites you to join him in performing the rescue of your life. He invites you to believe, "hoping against hope," in spite of evidence to the contrary, that together with his help you can do it.

Jesus is standing at our side. He has given us his promise. We cannot fail. There is nothing in this universe that can separate us from his love and his commitment to us. Given that reality, now is the time to jump in the water! Amen.