Sermon 3rd December 2023 – 1st Sunday in Advent Text: Mark 13:24-37 – Be alert but not afraid

 Sermon 3^rd December 2023 – 1^st Sunday in Advent

Text: Mark 13:24-37 – Be alert but not afraid

 

As we look at the world around us it’s easy to feel that Jesus could return any day now if not today. In scripture Jesus prophesied about the signs we would see: In Matthew’s Gospel he says: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.  “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, Isn’t that what we are seeing today?

 

Paul always told Timothy about what to watch out for: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Isn’t that what we are seeing today?

 

And in today’s Gospel reading we hear of more signs of the end time: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. We can say that this one will probably the very last sign as Jesus returns.

 

But there is one final prophesy that must be fulfilled before that end comes: The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Now one could say that that last prophesy, along with all the others previously quoted, has been fulfilled. In this Post-Covid era with Live Streaming and Video Recordings of sermons along with the Internet, the Gospel has reached well beyond the 4 walls of churches and to the whole world.

 

So what does all this mean? What is this to motivate us to do? To fear? To go out and preach warning people of this impending doom? What would the result of that be? More fear? And what happens next? When Jesus doesn’t return and things start to turn around then people begin to drift away again and often become more cynical and perhaps we’ve lost them for good. Yeah, we fell for that last time – not again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

 

Just look at previous generations and what they have gone through where many truly believed they were in the end times. Those who lived through World War 1 and 2 and other wars prior to the ones we are currently living through, There are those who have been through recessions, extremely high interest rates and unemployment. We even had threats of an ice age before our current threat of global warning or recently referred to as global boiling. We’ve had massive bush fires – earthquakes – and who could forget the massive Tsunamis in Indonesia and Japan. So often people will use these as doomsday clocks to frighten people to convert before Jesus returns. Not sure if you’ve ever heard of the doomsday clock which began in 1947. In 2021 and 2022, because of Covid, it was set at 100 seconds to midnight.  In 2023, because of the war in the Ukraine, the Clock was moved to 90 seconds (1 minute, 30 seconds) before midnight, the closest it has ever been to midnight – representing the end of the world. Believing this is how close we are to the end of the world.

 

And those who believe in what is called a Rapture create even more fear saying that any day now Jesus will take all Christians out of this world and you don’t want to be Left Behind to face the Great Tribulation and Armageddon which many believe we are seeing the beginnings of in the fighting in the Middle East. Jesus says differently. He doesn’t say to fear that day but to remain alert and to live in hope. But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.

 

What does being alert mean? It means living in faith so when that day comes we’re ready to welcome it because we live in hope. Jesus says to use these signs like we use weather events to determine the seasons:

From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Red at night shepherds delight – red in the morning, shepherds warning – is how we often determine the signs in nature. So Jesus wants us to use the events in the world as a sign to keep alert and be prepared like those who might take an umbrella with them even though the sky is currently clear. So you live without fear if the rain should come tumbling down. So it’s not about using the events in the world to create fear but as a reminder that we are on a journey and the destination is not here but the Kingdom prepared by God since the foundation of the world. Whether Christ returns today, tomorrow or in a hundred years, today is and always remains the day of salvation. And we don’t fear because we live in hope – certain hope of Christ’ return and whenever that is we are assured that God is faithful and he will keep us blameless until that day.

 

As we look closely at the signs of the times, they point to the One who holds all the answers to all that causes problems in the world.  Christ’s mission to the church remains as clear today as when he first sent his disciples into the world. To remain watchful and alert and above all – live in hope that God is faithful. So whether Jesus returns today, tomorrow or in a hundred years, today is and remains the day of salvation. The signs of the times point to the One who holds all the answers to all that causes fear and doubt in the world. The one who holds us in his hand. So Christ’s mission for the church remains the same today and always. To faithfully proclaim hope through God’s love and hope for all creation until Jesus returns.

Sermon 26th November 2023 – Last Sunday of the Church Year Text: Matthew 25:31-46 – The Kingdom prepared for us.

 Sermon 26^th November 2023 – Last Sunday of the Church Year

Text: Matthew 25:31-46 – The Kingdom prepared for us.

 

Today brings about the end of another Church Year. A year that seems to go so quickly when we hope for a time of rest after a busy Easter. But those 25 weeks seem to go in an instant. Likewise life can seem to go in an instant as we grow another year older which means another year less before we reach our home in heaven. It’s something we don’t like to think about but the reality is that the life we live now is not the life God has prepared for us. In fact Jesus himself said that in our Gospel reading today. He talks about the great gathering and division where he gathers his sheep to the right and the goats to the left. The sheep, he says, he will usher into our eternal home with the words: Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; Now isn’t that interesting. Being brought into a kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Not an after thought. Not a place God built after we had fallen away because of our sin. No. A kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world.

 

What this helps us to understand is that despite how the world looks and how out of God’s control it might seem, God has a plan because God knew that this world was going to go pear-shape because of sin. And that plan is to have us live with him in a Kingdom that has been prepared before we were born – from the foundation of the world where nothing evil can enter.

Which does raise a question which I can’t answer – Why didn’t God take us straight there instead of here first. I don’t know.

And I don’t know why, when Satan rebelled against him, that he didn’t destroy him straight away but allowed him to fall to the earth and wait his judgment. And while he’s waiting his mission is to “kill, steal and destroy”.

 

It’s very easy to be discouraged about the state of the world but in our Gospel reading Jesus encourages us to overcome the things that discourage us and be part of the solution. He says: I was hungry and you gave me food – rather than asking why does God allow starvation. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, - rather than wonder why does God allow floods and droughts. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, rather than complain about shortage of housing. I was naked and you gave me clothing, rather than complaining that I haven’t got anything to wear even though my cupboard is overflowing. I was sick and you took care of me, rather than complaining about the cost of going to the doctor, the wait time or our crumbling health system. I was in prison and you visited me rather than complaining about them being a waste of taxpayer money or hope they rot in jail. This is not about doing things to earn our place in heaven or having God love us. No, our place in Heaven has been prepared since the foundation of the world – assured by Jesus’ death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. God loves us not because of the good things that we do – no – it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us – the assurance of God’s love For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son for us so that whoever believes in him will not perish but receive eternal life.

 

No, we don’t do things so God will love us but because God loves us. This is love, not that we loved God but that God first loved us. And it is because of that love that all these actions to love and care for our neighbour become an expression of gratitude for God’s love us. As Jesus says: Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. And as we see in this parable by Jesus, these actions – these responses to God’s love – were so natural that the people didn’t even know they were doing them. Wait a minute - when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?

 

As we recognize today as Christ the King Sunday we are reminded that Jesus is a very different type of King to that of the world. Worldly kings live in comfort and separate from the common person. Even though we might refer to a new King as “the people’s king” the reality is that they don’t experience what the common person experience. Jesus is different as we hear in our parable. Jesus is one who was hungry, thirsty, naked as they gambled for his clothes, imprisoned as he faced a mock trial and unfair execution. He is our great high priest who suffered all that we suffer but did not sin. And so he identifies with us because he was one of us. God’s Word made flesh who dwelt among us. The King who came to serve and not be served. The King who emptied himself of all his regal qualities to live as a servant among us.

 

And that’s why as we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, feed the naked and visit the sick and imprisoned we are doing to him and for him. To Jesus our King and our Saviour of all human kind.

Sermon 19th November 2023 – 25th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Matthew 25:14-30 – A trusting relationship

 Sermon 19^th November 2023 – 25^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Matthew 25:14-30 – A trusting relationship

 

Although he didn’t invent the saying, famous basketballer Michael Jordan made popular the saying:  “You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” In other words, if you have a shot and miss then at least you gave it a go. If you don’t have a shot then it doesn’t matter how good or experienced you are you will never make the shot.

 

As we read today’s Gospel reading, the parable speaks along similar lines. The message of the parable is that what God requires of us is not success, but faithfulness. The parable opens with an act of trust.  The master is about to leave town on a journey and he entrusts his wealth to three servants.  Each is given a different sum of money.  The master trusts each of his servants handing over the money without any instructions on what they have to do with it or what he expects when he returns. It’s simply trust.

 

After a long time, the master returns and calls in his three servants.  Two of them have doubled their money. The third has made nothing at all; he returns to his master exactly what he received. He thought he was doing his master a favour by simply looking after it by burying the money in the ground. He reveals the reason for his action: fear. Fear of the master. So while the first 2 servants had a relationship based on trust – the 3rd servant’s relationship was based on fear. And what a difference it makes both in how they deal with their master’s property and how they relate to the master. The trust of the 3rd servant in his master was zero, so he reduced his financial risk to zero.  Yet he reduced the possibility of profit so that it, too, was zero. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t make.

 

The story does have unanswered questions.  How would the master have responded to the first two servants if they had lost the money or not made a profit?  I think the master would have accepted them. Because as we look at the parable what he commends is not their profits, but their faithfulness. He says - Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Certainly the Master would have been experienced in some ventures not working. Even though the first servant earns more than the second, both receive the same commendation: “Well done, good and trustworthy servant.”  Both receive the same reward: “You have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” But in responding to the third servant, the master makes it clear that he would have accepted anything – even rock-bottom, savings-account interest – that was motivated by faith rather than fear.

 

The parable is not about money or ability so much as it is about trust. The master trusts his servants and hopes for their trust in return.  Two of the servants return the favor by living out of trust rather than fear. Interestingly, the 3rd servant is not judged on what he didn’t make but he his judged on his own words in his relationship with the Master: Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? What this servant gets is exactly the rejection he fears.  The other two servants, however, understand grace when they see it.  Here is a man who’s generous, who takes a risk, who accepts them, even honors them. They feel empowered, and are willing to take risks of their own. They have watched their master and learned from him. The love their master has shown them overcomes their fear of failure.  The master’s love for them has generated love for their master – that he is more interested in them than in gaining a profit.

 

This relationship turns upside down the standards of the world which sees profit as success.  This parable rejects the notion of a God who is unmerciful and judgmental. The 3rd servant was not judged by the master’s standards but by his own words and relationship with the Master. Likewise God does not banish people to hell but honours their relationship with himself. As Jesus says - Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. The 3rd servant has judged himself. The parable assures us that failing is not a sin. The worst thing is living in fear of God. In the eyes of God, the fear that keeps a treasure in the ground is a lack of trust and belief in God.

 

The freedom we live with puts that treasure of God at risk – and may even result in its loss – that is an act of faith. The same faith shown by God in creating us with free-will. A free will that could return his love or reject him. A free will that saw his own son put to death. And that is why we have forgiveness.

 

We can learn from our failures, and often it is failure that provides the most valuable lessons.  But fear teaches us nothing and earns nothing. So many times in the Gospels the disciples are rebuked by Jesus not for lack of faith but for fear. And we see many examples of how fear creates selfishness and self-preservation rather than generosity. The same traits in our 3rd servant who thought of his own preservation.  Like the elder brother who refuses to welcome home the prodigal son. The all-day workers who demand that late arrivals receive less than the daily wage. The Pharisee who tries to talk God into accepting him because he’s kept the rules, unlike that tax collector over there – and yet it was the tax collector who went home justified before God. The criticism of Jesus for letting “that woman” touch him and waste expensive perfume on him. All these and more live in a fearful world, where grace is absent and selfishness abounds.

 

But we, too, are often given to burying our talent out of fear. We live in what is called ‘maintenance ministry’ rather than mission ministry. Checking if we can afford to do something rather than trusting that God will provide. The Good News of Jesus gives new meaning to success and security.  Grace is about our willingness to risk in response to God’s invitation.  Security is found in a God who trusts us and who takes a risk in us, and asks that we risk also. God doesn’t need our money – he needs our faith and trust in him. Like the poor widow who gave 2 small copper coins – all she had – whom Jesus said gave more than all the riches given to the treasury. The only thing that concerns God and all he seeks is that “I desire mercy not sacrifice”.

 

“The Parable of the Talents” is not about money or abilities.  It’s a story about trust, a story about risk.

Life is the same way.  What turns out to be important is not our money or abilities in themselves, but using what God has given us in ways that show our willingness to risk and to trust.  Jesus has left us with the promise of his return.  While we wait, he has given us gifts to use for the benefit of the community. Using these gifts can be risky; we may face persecution, rejection, ridicule. Sometimes it’s easier to bury our faith and just wait. We’re right. We have assurance of our salvation. But what about everyone else. We cannot “play it safe” like the third servant, fearing negative possibilities, letting those gifts be unused, or underused.

God took a risk with us and asks us to trust him as Jesus says in John 14 – you trust in God, trust also in me.

So let us live lives of trust and not fear as we wait to here those words - Well done, good and trustworthy servant; enter into the joy of your master.

Sermon 12th November 2023 – 24th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Matthew 25:1-13 – Patiently waiting

 Sermon 12^th November 2023 – 24^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Matthew 25:1-13 – Patiently waiting

 

How are you at waiting? It can be hard to wait.  Don’t you get frustrated when you are put on hold and you hear: “Your call is important to us. Please continue to hold.”  Do you feel like hanging up? “Take a number and have a seat until you are called” is not too bad. At least you know where in line you are. I recently had to have a blood test and it’s one of those ‘take a number’ when you arrive. You can’t make an appointment. So I arrived 30 minutes early so I could be first. Unfortunately someone else had the same idea so I was 2nd. Or when “your results will be in two weeks” and it’s now 15 days and you haven’t heard anything. And no doubt many of you have experienced the shortage of specialist appointments especially since Covid and “The next available appointment is in six months.”

 

Waiting is hard because we are not in control. The parable Jesus tells is about a wedding feast and waiting. When the feast was set to begin, the groom would come get his bride, and together they would walk to the wedding banquet with the bridesmaids holding lamps to light the way for them to walk to the feast. There are no streetlights, there is no electricity, no headlights so their job was to light the way.  The problem in the parable is that only half of the bridesmaids were prepared as the bridegroom had been delayed.  The other five weren’t.  All of them had fallen asleep. So, when the bridegroom comes, 5 are not ready. The 5 who brought extra oil don’t have enough to share. So the unwise bridesmaids go off in a panic trying to get a refill for their lamps.  Eventually, they do, but by the time they arrive, it’s too late, the door has been locked, and for those five bridesmaids, they are locked out. Despite their pleas and now being ready, the bridegroom is not ready for them: Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’.

 

This is an interesting story but sadly it’s also an example of eternal life and the reality that some miss out because they were not prepared for the day when Jesus returns or when Jesus calls them home. The bridegroom’s arrival is a symbol of the Second Coming of Christ, when he will bring the faithful to the heavenly banquet, a great feast for eternity. This Parable actually explains the challenge that the church faces today. The 5 bridesmaids were not evil according to the parable. They were unwise. They thought they had plenty of time so why bother with extra oil for their lamps. We’re still waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom.  2000 years ago Jesus promised to return and our biggest challenge has been complacency and the temptation to give up. But it’s not just those who have lapsed from their faith or church attendance.

 

Even we can fall into the situation of the 5 unwise bridesmaids. We believe in Jesus but we might also believe that he’s not going to return today so I’ll worry about it tomorrow. It’s easy to become disheartened about the delay which can cause doubts. Why doesn’t Jesus come and set things right?  What’s taking him so long?  There’s a lot wrong with the world -- so much suffering!  The wars – the violence – the natural disasters.  The parable urges us to remain vigilant in preparedness and watchfulness; especially in the face of such tragedies. One day Jesus will return like a thief in the night and will we be ready. Whether we’re waiting for the Second Coming of Jesus or waiting to meet our Lord when we die, as Paul describes in our 2nd reading; We are still waiting and it’s been 2000 years since Jesus said he would return. How are you at waiting?        

 

We don’t like waiting, but God promises us blessings even as we wait.  Waiting is not doing nothing, and having to wait for the Lord doesn’t mean God is doing nothing. God is always at work, doing “far more than we can ask or imagine,” according to Ephesians 3:20.  Waiting doesn’t mean inactivity.  Having oil at the ready, being prepared, comes from living in trust.

Trust in our Baptism where we were made children of God – and that is what we are, as we heard from John last week. Trust in Holy Communion where we proclaim our Lord’s death until he comes. There are ways to strengthen that trust. Prayer, reading the Scriptures, fellowship and worship with other Christians, caring for people.  We are only on earth for a short time when you compare it to spending an eternity in Heaven. God wants us to appreciate the world he’s given as a gift. But there are some not nice things happening around us and that’s another thing we can do as we wait for Christ to return. We can pray for the world where it needs healing. Whether it’s the wars around the world – the floods, the fires, the droughts, the diseases. We can pray that through these adversities that they will see the need for God in their life now – not tomorrow for tomorrow may be too late. Today is the day of salvation.

 

Paul warns that one day the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven and as John prophesies in Revelation chapter one the people will cry out: “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” And “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” And then at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and  every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, But sadly some will be on the wrong side of the shut door as Jesus says – away from me I never knew you. They will be the saddest words ever spoken and ever heard. But they are words no one needs to hear or fear. There is always hope as everyone who calls on the name of the Lord WILL be saved. And yes, as much as we don’t like to think about it, time does run out.  You can’t say forever,  “Someday I’ll think about my relationship with Jesus”. No Jesus ask you and everyone today – who do you say that I am. Today is the day of Salvation.

 

But the good news is that we’re still here. It is not too late.  Jesus is preparing a great feast for us - the great banquet feast of heaven and we don’t want to miss it. And it’s not just about being ready to welcome the Lord only at death. The kingdom of heaven begins here and now. Christ comes into our life every day, in many ways.  But are our eyes and ears open to perceive his presence?  Are we alert to welcome him and to respond to his invitation today of “Follow me”? As we pray in the Lord’s Prayer – your Kingdom come.

 

We do not have to wait for death to experience the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus comes to us to  lead us to the full life which has been made possible by his death and resurrection. As he said in John 10:10 - I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Not I WILL come that they WILL have abundant life. Jesus is delayed, but that does not mean that he will not come. In fact St Peter says in his letter that his delay is part of God’s grace: 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.

 

We are a fast-moving society.  We don’t like delays. Even if it’s less than a minute at a red light. There’s no need to fear the delay as God has given us life to enjoy until his return. There is no need to fear God saying “I never knew you” because in your Baptism God affirmed – this is my son this is my daughter whom I love. He has given you his Son’s body and blood to receive until he returns and says Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share your master’s happiness!’