Sermon
1st October 2017
Text:
Matthew 21:23-32 – By what authority?
There
is not much doubt that the church has little to no authority in today’s modern
world.
In
Luther’s time the church was very powerful.
The
Pope was a person with great authority not only in the church but also in the
world.
Luther
actually challenged the worldly power of the church when he taught his doctrine
on the 2 kingdoms.
According
to Luther the world consists of 2 Kingdoms.
The
Kingdom of the Right and the Kingdom of the Left.
This
has nothing to do with the realms of politics with the Left and the Right
leanings.
Luther
believed that the entire world belonged to God but God ruled it by different
means when it came to Church and State.
He
believed that God has established worldly governments to rule the Kingdom of
the Left.
And
so we have Law and Order – police, judges, politicians and similar authorities
to keep the world in order.
But
it still belongs under God’s overall authority as Jesus reminds Pilate when he
says, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.
(John 19:11)
The
authorities of God’s Left Hand kingdom are doing his job.
And
that includes teachers, parents, anyone with authority, and we are called to
obey and respect them just as we are respecting God according to the 4th
Commandment of honouring our mother and father.
But
it’s the Kingdom of the Right Hand of God that causes confusion because it is
an authority that is not seen or understood outside of the church.
This
is a heavenly authority that has been given to the church as Jesus explained to
Peter when he said: I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not
overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you
bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18,19)
So
the authority that the church has is in regards to forgiving sins to assure
people of their home in heaven so when judgment day comes they will have no
fear but know that the sins they have had forgiven here on earth have been
forgiven in heaven.
Confusion
arises for the church when we don’t properly understand what our authority is.
And
when we mingle earthly authority and heavenly authority we end up losing both.
When
the church protests against worldly situations we are told that’s not our
business and that we have no right to interfere.
We
are seeing this at present in the marriage survey.
Those
in favour of Same Sex Marriage are criticising the church for holding back
society and that we have no right or authority to say who should be allowed to
marry.
It’s
interesting that the church is blamed considering only 52% identified as
Christian in the latest census – a good percentage of which would not go to
church – and of those who went to church not all disagree with Same Sex
Marriage.
Things
do get confusing when there is a crossover area.
In
matters of ethics it’s difficult because there’s a lot of crossover such as in
the marriage debate, the laws being introduced on euthanasia and abortion and
it makes it very difficult when laws are introduced in the world, the Left
Kingdom which we do not agree with in the Church, the Right Kingdom, but we are
impacted by them.
And
that’s where we need to use discernment.
St
Paul gives instructions to the church when it comes to the world and the
Kingdom of the Left:
He
says: I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that
we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour,
who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1
Timothy 2:1-4)
And
perhaps maybe that’s where we are failing as a church – in our prayer life for
the world.
It’s
so easy to move away from our position as God’s Holy People and join the fight.
Remember
when Peter couldn’t agree with Jesus when he said that he would go to Jerusalem
and be arrested and put to death.
Peter
said NO – this will never happen to you.
He
moved away from his post and Jesus put him back – get behind me Satan for you
have in mind the things of the world not the things of God.
Notice
Jesus’ distinction between the things of God and the things of the world.
Peter
had taken up arms in the world and neglected his place in the church.
Likewise,
when Jesus was arrested Peter pulls out his sword and cuts of Jesus’ attacker’s
ear.
Jesus
says to put it away.
Those
who live by the sword (the world) die by the sword (Matthew 26:52,53)
If
that were the way God wanted to fight against the world he could call 12
legions of angels.
God
has equipped the church with spiritual weapons.
Our
struggle, as St Paul says, is not against flesh and blood, but against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
God
has given us the keys to heaven to pronounce forgiveness of sins.
That’s
our authority.
We
may win a battle here and there in the world but something else will rear its
head and we’ll fight that one too and we’ll be taken away from what we have
been asked to do – to administer the Gospel.
Like
most people I get disheartened at the way the world is going.
I
have at times become outspoken, and I have gotten angry and then I realise,
that’s not what God wants me to do.
In
fact we can neglect our duty as the priesthood of God praying for the world as
we end up fighting against the world.
Our
desire, like God’s is that all people be saved and come to a knowledge of the
truth.
If
it were God’s desire to fight against the world then he would be doing that.
Sometimes
we may have to take a stand however.
We
may need to stand up for what we believe.
And
that may mean loss of some type.
And
when we become disheartened about what is happening in the world we need to
remember that the world and its leaders will need to give an account to God for
how they have lived their lives and exercised their God given authority.
As
Paul said in our 2nd reading: at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
What
we are to do is to pray for those who do not yet call Jesus Christ their Lord
and be there to forgive.
There
are times when we want to take action now –when we want God to take action now
– but it’s not about creating the perfect life now – it’s about ensuring people
are part of God’s perfect life in heaven.
And
that’s why Peter says; The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some
understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to
perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
The
leaders questioned Jesus’ authority in the same way that the world questions
our authority.
We
may not have the authority we once had in the world, but we have a much greater authority.
The
authority to forgive sins and assure salvation.
The
authority of the keys to heaven which the world cannot question or take away
from us.
Not
even the gates of hell will overcome it unless we step away from the authority
given to us.
It
can be disheartening at times when we look at the church’s decreasing authority
in the world but we need to remember that our authority is a hidden authority
that will be revealed when Jesus returns and all people will bow the knee and
confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
And
then, when Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with
him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
So
stay strong in the Lord and keep near to where Jesus has promised to be – in
his Word, in your Baptism and in his Body and Blood as neither the world nor
all the powers of hell can remove them and their authority.