Sermon
27th August 2017
Text
Matthew 16:13-20 – Jesus, Son of God – what does this mean?
Getting
into places is getting more difficult these days.
At
the footy you have to go through bag searches and body scans which takes such a
long time.
If
you drive there you have even more difficulty with all the bollards that have
been placed around areas to prevent the latest terrorist attacks of driving
vehicles into crowds.
Airports
are a security nightmare because of the concerns of terrorism also.
But
it’s not just the issue of terrorism causing entrance headaches.
We
have the incredible situation happening currently in our parliament with
ministers being removed or under investigation for being dual citizens.
It’s
a worry that if these earthly places are so difficult to enter, what about
heaven?
Do
you ever wonder about whether or not you’re going to be eligible to enter into
heaven?
What
is the eligibility?
Is
there a minimum ENTER score you have to achieve to get in?
Do
your good deeds have to outweigh your sins?
That
was a question that vexed Martin Luther as he struggled to find a loving God
who appreciated all the good things he was doing for him.
It
just seemed to Luther that the more he did, the harder he tried to assure
himself of entry into heaven the further away it seemed for him.
He
called God a tyrant and spoke about how he at times hated God for the way he
made him feel.
Jesus
today teaches about entry into heaven and he teaches that entry can be
understood quite easily.
He
explains that it is one’s relationship with him [Jesus] that is our assurance
of entry into heaven.
He
begins by asking his disciples what everyone else is believing about him – who
are they saying that I am?
Their
answers sound okay but they are so way off:
“Some
say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of
the prophets.”
Those
answers are of no help in getting into heaven.
Each
of them were themselves looking for the coming promise of God so it couldn’t be
them.
They
were looking and waiting for the Promised Messiah or Christ.
And
so he asks those who have been with him – those who are his dearest and closest
companions.
Who
do YOU say that I am?
Peter,
as spokesman for the disciples answers on their behalf:
You
are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
And
for that answer Jesus reveals the key to eternal life in heaven:
On
this rock – believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God - I will build my
church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. I will give you the
keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
The
keys of heaven have been given to the church and those keys are used by
forgiving the sin that had prevented entry into heaven.
Sin
is what prevents entry into heaven.
Luther
discovered that sin was not dealt with by balancing it away with good works but
by coming before God and receiving his forgiveness.
And
therefore there was no uncertainty over whether he had done enough good things
or not.
God
wiped away his sins by forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
So
what does that mean for us – as Luther would always ask when explaining
something about God?
He
would always ask: What does this mean?
Does
it mean that it makes no difference how we live our lives because at the end
God is simply going to forgive us?
Certainly
not!
That’s
NOT what it means.
Forgiveness
of our sins is not like paying off your credit card where you can simply fill
it up again and pay it off and the end of the week.
No,
it doesn’t mean that at all.
Jesus
asks us – who do YOU say that I am - it’s a personal question that asks for a
personal response.
St
Paul answers that question in our 2nd reading when he says:
“I
appeal to you by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
If
Jesus is our Lord – if we truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died
for MY sins - then we should be living our lives in such a way.
Sin
should be as abhorrent to us as it is to God because it is sin that prevented
our entry into heaven and necessitated Jesus’ suffering and death in our stead.
Forgiveness
is given by God because we are not perfect in living out our Christian lives
not so we can do whatever we want.
Not
at all – and again St Paul explains what that means for us:
He
says: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-- what is good and
acceptable and perfect”.
So
whereas entry into heaven might be easy it is not that easy to live the life
that God calls us to live.
Holy
and Perfect.
And
that’s where our concerns and doubts arise wondering whether we are good
enough.
And
that’s the same dilemma Luther faced and he realised he needed to look outside
of himself and to what God has given to him.
And
that’s where he discovered his Baptism was a great comfort to assure him that
despite his failings that he was still a child of God.
So
instead of referring to all the good things he had done he would reply “I am
Baptised”.
The
good works weren’t irrelevant except if we are using them to try and convince
God as to why we should enter heaven.
Our
baptism is given to us by God so that we can look outside of ourselves for
assurance of forgiveness and entry into heaven.
Sadly
many use baptism like a gym membership.
A
gym membership won’t get you fit and losing weight.
A
gym membership gives you access to the premises to help us.
Likewise
Baptism gives us access to God’s grace to help us in our weakness.
So
we call Baptism a means of grace.
The
same is said for Holy Communion.
Holy
Communion is a means of grace by which we receive Jesus’ body and blood that
gives and assures us of forgiveness.
And,
as Jesus says, whatever is forgiven on earth is without a doubt forgiven in heaven.
So
entry into heaven is not about what WE do – it is about what God HAS done.
What
God HAS done, not will do.
So
we can have that assurance now and not wait till the end of time wondering if
we will get into heaven.
St
Paul so beautifully puts it in his letter to the Philippians (3:20):
We
are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly
waiting for him to return as our Saviour.
We
ARE citizens of heaven and that is a citizenship that we do not want to
renounce.