tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56852818571117288142024-03-15T18:11:52.381-07:00Ringwood Knox Lutheran ChurchPeter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.comBlogger405125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-53234753945863837332024-03-07T21:02:00.000-08:002024-03-07T21:02:57.342-08:00 Sermon 17th March 2024 – 5th Sunday in Lent Text: John 12:20-33 – The voice on an angel<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Sermon 17</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> March 2024 – 5</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Sunday in Lent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: John 12:20-33 – The voice on an angel<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Some people like to watch the ABC for their news – others like to watch
Sky News. Some like to read The Age for their news – some prefer the Herald
Sun. It’s the same news but perhaps different commentary and even different
focus. Much like 2 people barracking at the football following different teams.
They watch a free kick being paid – if it’s for your team you believe the
umpiring is fair. If the free kick is against your team – the umpires are
biased favouring the opposition. It’s what we call perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You see the same thing – experience the same thing – but you process it
differently. We have an example of that in today’s Gospel reading. A voice came
from heaven. The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Different
perspectives understanding the same voice. To some the voice of an angel
(comforting) – to others the sound of thunder (frightening). But what was
different?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Perhaps we get an understanding of it from our Old Testament reading: The
days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I
made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the
Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it
on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This new covenant will be written not on stone like the Ten Commandments
but in our hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s probably why, when Jesus was asked, what is the greatest
commandment, he said – love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your
neighbour as yourself. These are commandments followed by the heart and not by
the letter of the law on stone. So when I look at the Old Covenant written in
stone and it says – you shall not murder, I feel vindicated because I haven’t
murdered anyone. But in his sermon on the mount Jesus says: “You have heard
that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who
murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry
with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This helps us to understand why some people can read the Bible and it’s
just words on paper – and not very enticing. But when read with the heart it is
the living word of God. But having our hearts imprinted with God’s new covenant
also helps us in our daily journey through life. So when I’m not sure which way
I should go or what action to take – I look to God’s covenant written in my
heart – am I loving God and my neighbour. How do I love God and my neighbour. So,
the heart covenant doesn’t just speak about what actions break the commandment
but it puts a conviction onto our hearts to not just not murder but to help our
neighbour in need.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As you read Luther’s explanation of the commandments this is what you
find. For example, his explanation of the 5th commandment – you shall not kill We
are to fear and love God so that: We do not hurt our neighbour in any way. But
help him in all his physical needs. So not hurting our neighbour is the letter
of the law – the law written in stone. But helping our neighbour is the law
written on our hearts. The heart covenant is where we hear God’s voice – his
Holy Spirit - and we listen to it as the voice of an angel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Our old covenant nature wants to resist it. Like the Priest and the
Levite on the road to Jericho who cross the road when they see a fellow
Israelite presumably dead. The old covenant didn’t allow for them to touch a
deceased body or it would disqualify them from temple duty. They heard God
speak to them as thunder – anyone who touches a dead or unclean body becomes
unclean and cannot serve in the temple. So they didn’t help their neighbour in
need. But a Samaritan follows his heart and not the old covenant that this man
is my enemy. The old covenant spoken with thunder - “You have heard that it was
said, ‘Love your neighbor[ and hate your enemy.’ The new covenant – the voice
of an angel: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to
rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We see Jesus frequently challenging the old covenant by eating sinners
and tax collectors – the unclean – breaking the Sabbath by healing on the
Sabbath asking them, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Which is lawful on
the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heart law of the new covenant or the old
covenant law written in stone. But they remained silent Freeing a woman who
should have been stoned because of her adultery under the old covenant of
Moses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And that’s why before his arrest and death Jesus says – a new
commandment I give to you. Love one another as I have loved you. This puts
enormous responsibility on us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To love
as Jesus loves us. When you look at yourself and see what Jesus loves – could
you love someone else with the same love? It means that the world will come to
know our God because of what they see in us. Love one another as I have loved
you and by this all will know that you are my disciples.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If our behavior is considered a reflection of the nature of God, what
are we saying about God when we don’t love. When we are no different to anyone
else? But it is a challenging environment to live out our Christian faith these
days. And it has to do with perspective like our gospel reading. To some, the
thought of Christianity is like thunder. It frightens them like it did in the
Old Testament when God appeared to the people in lightning on the mountain: When
the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the
mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said
to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak
to us or we will die.” But to others it is the voice of an angel. A voice they
have been needing. A voice that brings hope to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The difficult task for us to knowing when the right time is. But to
again refer to St Peter which I did last week: In your hearts revere Christ as
Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the
reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, So
our challenge – is our voice to others a voice of thunder with the old covenant
with the law written in stone. Or is our voice to our neighbour a voice of the
angel bringing healing and hope through the new covenant written in our hearts.
Jesus said – this is my body and blood of the new covenant. A covenant where he
gave his life for us – and says to us – go and do likewise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-86739944926279047622024-02-29T15:47:00.000-08:002024-02-29T15:47:00.820-08:00 Sermon 10th March 2024 – 4th Sunday in Lent Text: John 3:14-21 – the sting of sin.<p> <span style="font-size: 13pt;">Sermon 10</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> March
2024 – 4</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> Sunday in Lent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: John 3:14-21 – the sting
of sin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We have an interesting set of
readings today which are intimately linked but seemingly totally opposite in
understanding. In the Gospel reading we have what would be the most well known
and most quoted bible text – John 3:16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes
in him may not perish but may have eternal life. A verse of pure grace of God’s
love without anything required of us. Much like what St Paul says in the
Ephesians reading today: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and
this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God-- not the result of works, so
that no one may boast.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But, Jesus prefaces his
statement of God’s grace in the Gospel reading by referring to our Old
Testament reading: Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so
must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal
life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you’re not that familiar
with the Old Testament and not sure what Jesus is referring to - what a bizarre
story to link with God’s grace. The people of Israel were grumbling about God
and Moses that there was no water or food so the Lord sent poisonous snakes
among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. Wow,
not very gracious. But then, the people acknowledged their sin and asked Moses
to pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us. God commands Moses: Make
a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall
look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a
pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent
of bronze and live.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There doesn’t seem to be a lot
of grace in this situation either as the snakes still bit the people – the
bronze serpent just stopped the venom from killing them. Why didn’t God just
take away the serpents? I guess it’s because it’s a prophecy of what will
happen under Christ. Yes, Jesus will die for our sins and we will receive
healing through eternal life as John 3:16 promises. But the effects of sin will
remain and sting until Jesus returns and finally puts away sin, death and the
devil into the lake of fire as described in the Book of Revelation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We get a hint of that sting of
sin that remains from St Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 – known as the resurrection
chapter that while death has already been defeated the sting of sin remains. The
sting of the serpent’s bite – the serpent that lured Adam and Eve away from
God’s grace to the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. At
the end of that Chapter Paul writes: When the perishable has been clothed with
the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is
written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O
death, is your sting?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul says, the
sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God!
He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice Paul talks about
the victory, but victory is over death through Christ that we have NOW, but not
the removal sin’s sting. Listen again: Where, O death, is your victory? Where,
O death, is your sting?” But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ. He doesn’t mention the removal of the sting of sin but
acknowledges that the sting of death is sin that remains even though we have
victory over death through Jesus’ death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And so our readings today
focus on trying to walk away from sin which even though as Christians we know
that we are forgiven that sin can still cause its harm in our lives. It is very
easy to trivialize sin as if it’s not really that harmful. And rather than
avoiding sin we can often give in to sin feeling we can just come to God –
confess our sins, receive Holy Communion, and that’s about it. But Paul
particularly speaks about the very active force of sin that is constantly
working to undermine our faith and to undermine our relationship with God. He
says: You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived,
following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the
air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Paul certainly knows the
difficulties in life regarding sin even though he knew he was forgiven and
saved. Remember what he once said: I do not understand what I do. For what I
want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. He also knows that Satan attacks
where we are most vulnerable which Paul calls the passions of our flesh,
following the desires of flesh and senses. That’s where Satan strikes and
stings. Where even the most faithful and strongest loyal Christians have been
lured. And despite a lifetime of service to the Lord with that one indiscretion
have seen their lives ruined – relationship ruined in a moment of passion or
bad decision. And in these days of social media someone will snap a picture and
share it – record it without your knowledge and post it somewhere. And despite
the grace of God that comes through forgiveness – the sting of sin will remain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So as we continue our Lenten
journey let us remember why Jesus had to take this journey – because of our
sin. Let us never underestimate the damage sin can do to us and others as the
sting of death continues to bite at our heals as did the serpents in our Old
Testament. But let us remember the very first prophecy of grace in Genesis
chapter 3 where God says to the serpent: “Because you have done this, “Cursed
are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between
you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your
head, and you will strike his heel.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Satan works hard as he
continues to strike our heels but let us remember the victory that Jesus has
won for us as he has crushed the head of Satan. Let us remember that God loves
us so much that he sent Jesus to defeat sin, death and the devil and that
through Jesus: We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ
Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-16246730923296609402024-02-26T19:16:00.000-08:002024-02-26T19:16:36.424-08:00 Sermon 3rd March 2024 – 3rd Sunday in Lent Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 – foolish behaviour<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 3</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">rd</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> March 2024 – 3</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">rd</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Sunday in Lent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 – foolish behaviour<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Have you ever been called a fool for being a Christian? I have. Have you
ever felt like a fool in front of others when a discussion about Christianity
comes up? If so, then don’t be alarmed or fight it because that is exactly what
we are learning about ourselves according to the worldly understanding of
Christian faith. Which is what Paul says in today’s reading:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. The
message of the cross is about our salvation – the gift of eternal life in
Heaven. So those who reject God’s offer of salvation have no option but to
ridicule it because it doesn’t make sense. Paul follows that up with - but to
us who are being saved it is the power of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Maybe you’ve gotten embarrassed when you’re with a group of friends and
the topic of religion comes up and people are making fun of Christians, and you
remain silent. Or maybe one of your favourite TV shows or comedians starts to
make fun of the Bible or Christians. Do you stop watching – do you boycott –
maybe you’ve had a bit of a snigger at it. As much as it would be good if you
could argue back and convince them otherwise – sometimes that’s just not going
to happen and you could find yourself out of your depth because they are
raising some very challenging comments about the Christian faith that are hard
to defend and has everyone around them agreeing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If the Christian faith was easy to defend then we wouldn’t need faith to
believe it – just clever arguments. In fact that’s exactly what St Peter says
when he later talks about his account in the Transfiguration. And remember,
Jesus told him not to tell anyone about this until he had risen from the dead. He
said - For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the
powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We SAW his majestic splendor WITH OUR
OWN EYES. There are many arguments that people will confront us with that can
actually have a detrimental effect on our faith. Like – if Jesus rose from the
dead then why hasn’t he shown himself. That’s not a valid argument otherwise
when Jesus was challenged – come down from the cross and we’ll believe in you –
then he would have done so. Or remember the rich man and Lazarus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers –
they’ll believe if someone from the dead comes back. Abraham says they won’t
believe even if someone returns from the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So many times after performing a miracle Jesus would instruct the
recipient of the miracle to not tell anyone because they just won’t understand.
Which is what Jesus says at the end of our Gospel reading: After he was raised
from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they
believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. And we have the
example of Doubting Thomas after the resurrection who was not present when
Jesus showed himself to the other disciples. Unless I see the nail marks – I
won’t believe. On this occasion Jesus responds to that request because it was
important for the Apostles to have that eyewitness account. But he follows that
up with – blessed are those who believe without seeing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So Paul knows how our message is going to be received – as foolishness. But
he doesn’t want us to be dismayed about this but accept that this is how the
world will see our Christian faith. So Paul says that rather than become
defensive to work on your own faith and allow God to deal with those who try to
put us down. God says: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. (I, not you) Has
not GOD made foolish the wisdom of the world? In fact, God decided, through the
foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For God’s
foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than
human strength. So don’t be led astray and away from your faith. Even Jesus
faced the foolishness of his people who didn’t get him. Even his own family
thought he was mad: In Mark 3 he says – Jesus’ family went to take charge of
him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In today’s Gospel the Jews said: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
sign can you show us for doing this?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The
Jews tried to apply human logic and wisdom to his answer, “This temple has been
under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three
days?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Jesus was speaking of the
temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered
that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus
had spoken. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Much of the Christian faith is foolishness to the world: Born of a
Virgin. A king born in a barn in a feeding trough. A victory over death by
dying on a cross. The saviour of the world humiliated – spat upon – and mocked.
The mighty king riding into town on a donkey.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">St Peter gave his advice on how we approach this issue. He said to live
out your faith and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In your hearts revere
Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you
to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and
respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against
your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Notice – firstly be an example – live out your faith. Secondly – always
be prepared for the moment to share. Thirdly – gentleness and respect. Lastly –
keep a clear conscience. And in doing this we don’t need to attack. No, Peter
says by your good behaviour THEY will be ashamed of the way they treat you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Jesus said, before he died, love one another and everyone will know
you’re my disciples. And in the 10 commandments God has shown us how to live a
good life. Not in order to attain eternal life but to be a blessing to others. And
when Jesus was asked which of these was the most important – Love God with all
your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. And Jesus gave an example of
what this looked like when he told the parable of the Good Samaritan. Helping
everyone – even our enemies. Loving our enemies and praying for those who
persecute us. Again – foolishness to those who don’t understand what and why we
do these. But that’s because they don’t understand how much God loves them. That
God loves them so much that he sent his one and only Son to die for them. That
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">God made him who had no sin to become our sin so we could become God’s
righteous. Foolish behaviour by God – by the world’s standards. But for us it
is such Good News because it is the power and assurance of our salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-80535073762267062282024-02-19T15:24:00.000-08:002024-02-19T15:24:02.934-08:00 Sermon 25th February 2024 – 2nd Sunday in Lent Text: Romans 4:13-25 – Covenant not Law<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 25</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> February 2024 – 2</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Sunday in Lent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Romans 4:13-25 – Covenant not Law<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Most people tend to like rules. We know where we stand. Sometimes rules
inhibit us – like when we know the road is clear but they’ve either forgotten
to take down the Road Works 40kph sign or they’ve finished for the day. But you
know that you could face a serious fine if you disobey so you reluctantly
abide. But other times we find rules comforting because we know where we stand.
Sometimes we complain about the same rules when they are applied to us but
expect others to abide by them. A classic example would be at a sporting event.
You complain when your team is penalized for a rule infringement but the same
situation for the opposition is demanded or you get angry when it’s not
applied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rules are there for a purpose to protect and guide us. One of the first
things that God did for Israel when he released them from slavery in Egypt and
set them on a journey to their new land was to give them a set of rules – the
10 Commandments. God places himself under what WE might call laws – for example
to not flood the world ever again. But the word the Bible uses is Covenant. A
covenant is not a commandment but a promise. And where a promise to do
something can be seen as a legally binding statement, it actually isn’t. God is
not legally bound but acts through promise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If I promise to do something for you and I don’t do it then I’m not
legally bound. To be legally bound it would need to be a contract that becomes
enforceable. So, if I’m engaging a builder to build a house for me I enter into
a contract with them. They don’t promise to build me a house but contractually
agree to do so with penalties if it is not met. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In our reading from St Paul, he talks about the difference between a
contract (Law) and a covenant (promise) which God made with Abraham – and
subsequently with us. Paul says - the promise that Abraham would inherit the
world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through
the righteousness of faith – a promise. What’s the difference? The difference
is obligation. God actually works with us not by obligation but by love. And
that is much more powerful because God’s love is not constricted as it would be
if it was law. A law has strict boundaries (eg, .049 or .05 – is there a
difference in the person’s soberness yet legally I haven’t broken the law at
.049)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Paul uses the example of the birth of Abraham and Sarah’s child. The law
sets boundaries and conditions. But in grace God goes beyond boundaries –
beyond understanding. As Paul says – the peace of God that goes beyond all
understanding.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And so Paul says about God and Abraham: Abraham did not weaken even
though he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness
of Sarah’s womb. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laws of nature say that
Abraham is beyond child bearing age and his wife is barren, which is why she
laughed at the prospect. Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do
what he had promised. So, even though the law of biology or physics or whatever
was governing Abraham and his wife with their age and barrenness – God was able
to supersede by his promise. God promised and so it was. And that’s the
relationship that God has with you – a relationship of promise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">God loves you so much that he sent his one and only Son so that you can
believe without a shadow of doubt that you will <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>not perish but have eternal life. Even though
Romans 6 says “the wages of sin is death” – the promise of God is the gift of
eternal life.. And this speaks to our relationship with God. Is your
relationship a relationship based on Promise?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It can be challenging because God doesn’t play by the rules because when
your battle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms – Well the reality is that they don’t
play by the rules. So when Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of
Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief
priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again, Peter
didn’t understand the promise – after 3 days rise again. He did understand the
rules – death is death. And Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him –
that’s not how the game is played. You can’t die – you’ve promised you are the
Messiah. Much like the disciples going to Emmaus – we had hoped – but he died. And
that’s when Jesus rebukes, not Peter, but the powers of darkness that had put
that thought into his mind: He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!
For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So again we see this distinction between law and promise – law and
Gospel – human things and the divine things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which is why Paul urges us in Colossians 3 (which in case you haven’t
figured it out is one of my favourite verses) – set your minds on things above
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God – not on earthly things. Focus
your minds on the promise not on the law. It’s not easy because our mindset is
automatically focused on earthly things. And that’s why for Abram and Sarai
they needed a complete change including a change of name:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And Jesus knows this is not an easy path to follow: If any want to
become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and
follow me. But the path Jesus asks us to walk he has walked before us and he
will walk with us – “I am with you always till the end of the age” And so we
are reminded in the Book of Hebrews - For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted
in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. So, like Abraham and Sarah,
don’t lose heart – God has not and will never forget you.It took till Abraham
was 100 before he would see the promise fulfilled. He struggled and thought God
had forgotten him having a child, Ishmael, with Hagar. But he discovered that
God is a God of his word and will fulfil what he has promised.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As Paul also discovered about God’s love for his children Israel even
though they abandoned God, God would never abandon them: He says in Romans 11: As
far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as
election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s
gifts and his call are irrevocable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So may you be strengthened in your faith knowing that God will never
leave you or abandon you for that is his solemn promise to you. And God’s
promises are irrevocable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-662090293064214782024-02-14T13:33:00.000-08:002024-02-14T13:33:13.535-08:00 Sermon 18th February 2024 – 1st Sunday in Lent Text: Mark 1:9-15 – Wilderness blessings<p> <span style="font-size: 13pt;">Sermon 18</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> February 2024 – 1</span><sup>st</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> Sunday
in Lent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Text: Mark 1:9-15 – Wilderness blessings<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve always been intrigued by the sequences of events at the
beginning of Jesus’ ministry. It begins with his baptism, then sent into the
wilderness, tempted by the devil, among the wild beasts and then ministered to
by the angels. I’ve always thought of the wilderness as a time of testing for
Jesus with the devil using that time of testing to tempt him. But I’ve thought
about a different view of the desert wilderness. The wilderness has been a
special place where God’s people came to know God’s love, forgiveness, and
daily care during their 40 years in the desert. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There they were called out of Egypt as God’s
children and when they sinned they were reborn as God’s people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In their desert wanderings they met God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they were thirsty God gave them water
from the rock. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God could change a dry
arid place to a watering one. When they were hungry God fed them manna, just
one day at a time. They were not to go out and store food for themselves and
thereby feeling they had provided for themselves. This built up their faith in
God to provide the next day rather than provide for themselves. Just one day at
a time except for the Sabbath where the day before they would gather 2 days off
food so they could rest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What a thoughtful God concerned about their rest even though
they grumbled and chased other Gods. So we can actually learn from the
wilderness to trust God, day by day. So often we look at day 40 rather than day
one. How are we going to get through this rather than taking it one step at a
time with Jesus. Isn’t that what Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer – give us
today our daily bread? We don’t pray – ensure we have enough bread for the rest
of our life. One day at a time. Isn’t that what Jesus taught in the Sermon on
the mount – <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, do not
worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own. Or in Luke’s sermon the plain - Who of you by worrying can
add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why
do you worry about the rest?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Noah had no idea for how long it would rain. He had no idea
for how long it would take for the waters to recede. He simply listened to God
and had faith. I would think that Jesus didn’t know how long he would in in the
wilderness but simply trusted his Father who had just affirmed his love for him
in his Baptism. It’s not always easy when we face an uncertain future or if we
have determined what the future is going to be. The Old Testament is filled
with examples of God’s people sent into the wilderness. We have Abraham sent
from his hometown and family to a land that God would show him – he had no idea
at the time. We’ve had Jacob sent from his home to escape death from his
brother and along the way was blessed by God where he saw angels ascending and
descending. We see Israel journeying the wilderness 40 years – Elijah fleeing
Jezebel and feeling he was all alone – all the prophets – Jeremiah, Isaiah,
Ezekiel – all who lived shunned by the people they were sent to speak God’s
judgement against. We see God’s favoured King – the Shepherd David – fleeing
the murderous King Saul. And there are more – and in each case we see people
abundantly blessed by God. It’s almost like the wilderness is God’s secret plan
for us and it is Satan who doesn’t want us to enter it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But look at what happens to Noah at the end of his wilderness
experience. God makes a covenant with Noah and the entire world: I am
establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with
every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and
every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish
my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters
of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And
notice something incredible about this covenant: When the rainbow is in the
clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and
every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. There seems to be
something missing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God will see the rainbow and remember his everlasting
covenant – but there is no demand made on Noah or future generations. This is a
one-way covenant that God places upon himself. There is no “now you do this and
I will do that”. And likewise, in Peter’s letter, he speaks about the New
Covenant that God has made with us:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for
the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. There are no demands or
expectations on the unrighteous for the righteous. It’s similar to what we
heard on Ash Wednesday – God made him who had no sin to become sin for us so
that we might become the righteousness of God. The sweet exchange – well for
us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In times of wilderness we might feel like we are alone and
abandoned but as we see with Jesus he was ministered to by angels. Let us
remember that when we talk about angels that they were messengers – which is
what the word angels mean. So in times of wilderness we can take advantage of
feeling closer to God by God coming near to us. Like Paul did in 2nd
Corinthians – when I am weak then I am strong because the power of Christ rests
on me. God is the active force in all these covenant actions. We are the
recipients. But you don’t have to go seeking wilderness – the wilderness will
find you – as it did for Israel, for Noah, for Jesus. We just need to be open
to the experiences which we sometimes reject and look to avoid.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They can be times of suffering.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They can be times of frustrations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They can be times of loneliness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They can be times of grief.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They can be times of uncertainty.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They can be times of sensing betrayal from family and friends
– and maybe the church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The wilderness experience is different for each of us. and
often unexpected. So often we try to avoid or end times of wilderness
prematurely. It’s like when the doctor prescribes you with medication and
advise to keep taking it till it’s finished not when you’re feeling better. It
needs the full course.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So as we begin our Lenten journey perhaps reflect on those
times you’ve been in times of wilderness. Or maybe you feel you’re in one now. Instead
of fighting it perhaps listen to it – see if you can hear that small sound of
God speaking to you like he did with Elijah. The Lord passed by, and a great
and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before
the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake,
but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but
the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice, or in
some translations – the sound of sheer silence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So may God bless you on this 40 day journey and experience
again the one who suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, in order to bring you to God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-44590195254288426212024-02-08T14:20:00.000-08:002024-02-08T14:20:44.462-08:00 Sermon 14th February – Ash Wednesday Text: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 – God’s Valentine Love<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 14</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
February – Ash Wednesday</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
– God’s Valentine Love<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Around the world today many
people will be celebrating but most won’t be aware of the significance of what
today brings to Christians – Ash Wednesday. Today, being 14th February, many
people will be celebrating Valentines Day – the day when you express your love
for the significant person in your life. Today, for God, he too is doing
exactly that – expressing his love for the significant people in his life – you
and me – the children of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today begins again our Lenten
journey where for the next 40 days we walk with Jesus to Calvary where he will
give up his life because of his love for us – For God so loved the world that
he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him would perish but
receive eternal life. So God’s love is expressed for the purpose of
reconciliation. God created us because of his love and because of his love for
us God created us with a “free will”. A free will that enabled us to either
love God in return or to reject his love for us. But God wanted that love
returned to him freely. But because of sin that love was fractured. Not God’s
love for us – that never wavered. But our love was now challenged with
competing gods as Paul highlights in Romans chapter one: They exchanged the
truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than
the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But God’s love for us never
ceased as Paul points out in the verse prior to our reading where he says: That
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins
against them. And so our reading tonight begins with Paul pleading to us: We
entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him
to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of
God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So our Lenten journey is all
about a journey into reconciliation which begins with Ash Wednesday tonight and
ends on Easter Sunday when everything that has kept us apart from God is
defeated – namely sin, death and the devil. And as St Paul will state - I am
convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries
about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No
power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation
will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in
Christ Jesus our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ash Wednesday commences the
journey of a new beginning – the beginning of a journey that leads us to the
joy and victory of Easter Sunday. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
let us also remember that the ashes, are a reminder of our mortality as Adam is
reminded in Genesis 3 – Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful
toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce
thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the
sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since
from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But the ashes are also a
symbol of hope and redemption. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
a call to embrace the love of God, who offers us a fresh start, a chance to be
renewed in Him and to be reconciled. Paul urges us to keep the reality of our
mortality ever before us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We live in a generation where
people think they are invincible and don’t think about death. But Paul reminds
us of the reality of our mortality when he says: Now is the acceptable time;
now is the day of salvation! We don’t like to think about death – either our
own or our loved ones. But since the beginning of creation through disobedience
death is our reality. But thanks be to God who has given to us the victory over
death through Jesus’ death AND resurrection. And has given us the hope that he
is the resurrection and life and that whoever believes in him even though they
die they shall live.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So, as we leave and begin our
Lenten journey again this year, marked with the ashes in the sign of the cross
upon our foreheads, let us carry the hope of Ash Wednesday in our hearts. The
sign of the cross pointing us forward to the cross of Christ’s death for us and
also back to our Baptism where the sign of the cross was first made in the
waters of our baptism. May we be reminded daily of our mortality and the
urgency to live each day in the fullness of God's grace as TODAY is the day of
our salvation. May we be reminded of our reconciliation each day as we drown
our old self in the waters of baptism and rise renewed – reconciled in Christ. And
may the Lenten season be a time of reflection, repentance, and renewed
commitment to follow our Lord, Jesus Christ and be reconciled to God, who loved
us so much that He gave His son’s life for us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let us journey together
towards the resurrection, knowing that ultimately the ashes will lead us to
Easter Sunday, where we will rejoice in the victory of our risen Savior. Amen.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-44422866186862265502024-02-05T15:11:00.000-08:002024-02-05T15:11:08.745-08:00 Sermon 11st February 2024 – The Transfiguration Text: Mark 9:2-9 – preparing for the end<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 11st February 2024 – The Transfiguration</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Mark 9:2-9 – preparing for the end<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the beginning God said “Let there be light – and
there was light”. This is not the light that we associate with daylight from
the sun as the sun would only be created on day 4 of creation. This light is
different. This is the light of God’s presence to bring order out of chaos. Before
God spoke those famous first words we hear in Genesis One - the earth was
formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep. Likewise,
without God in our lives we too can feel formless, empty and dark. This light
is very different to the light that we experience during the daytime. It is the
light or brightness that Peter, James and John experience today in what is
known as The Transfiguration.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In this account Mark says that Jesus was transfigured
before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth
could bleach them. As in Genesis One, this is God’s Glory that is hidden
beneath the human flesh of Jesus which is Jesus’ way of assuring the disciples
that regardless of what is about to happen that God is still in control and his
Majesty is supreme.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And, as we know, they are going to need all the help
they can get in the coming days as Jesus continues his journey to Jerusalem,
where, as he has previously revealed to them – he will be handed over to the
authorities and put to death. But Jesus always concluded that prophesy with
‘and on the 3rd day rise again’. And that’s the hidden glory that Jesus wants
them to understand – that his death will not be the end.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For whatever reason it’s not yet time to have this
fully revealed as Jesus says to them – Tell no one about what they had seen,
until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. Because at this point
people’s understanding of death was that it was the final stage in a person’s
life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That’s why Jesus rejects Peter’s request to remain in
that glory now: the task in not yet complete until Jesus dies and rises from
death to defeat, sin, death and the devil. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is
good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for
Moses, and one for Elijah.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is a time when the glory will be fully revealed
but until then we have to trust in God’s timing and not lose heart. As the
voice from the cloud says to them, and to us: This is my Son, the Beloved;
listen to him!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And that’s also what St Paul says to us in Colossians
chapter 3: Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For
you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is
your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. That will be
our Transfiguration to eternal glory. The same glory Peter, James and John had
a brief glimpse of today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So this is what the transfiguration means to us. It is
easy to become disheartened in our faith and in our outlook in the world. There
is so much to suggest that God is not in control or that God doesn’t even
exist. That’s the verdict so many have come to which is what Paul speaks about
regarding the god of this world who has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,
to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It would have been easy for the disciples to come to
that conclusion at Jesus arrest and is death. In fact, some did. Judas was
lured with financial payment to give up Jesus. When Jesus was arrested they all
fled. When Peter was confronted he denied knowing Jesus 3 times. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After his death they locked themselves away fearing
for their lives. When Jesus appeared to the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus
there is voice of despondency: “we had hoped that he was the one who was going
to redeem Israel. We had hoped. Maybe you had hoped also. Maybe there have been
times you had hoped for more from God as you look at the state of the world or
perhaps even your own life. That’s why Paul says – focus on heavenly things not
earthly things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That’s why God said to Peter, James and John – this is
my Son whom I love – listen to him. When many disciples turned away from Jesus
because his teaching was too hard he asked his 12 disciples – do you want to
turn away too? Peter responds – Lord, to whom shall we go – YOU have the words
of eternal life. That’s why God said – listen to him – Jesus has the words of
eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The darkness can be quite intense as it was at the
beginning of creation when chaos reigned supreme – which is what it seems like
now. But Paul reminds us in today’s reading: For it is God who said, “Let light
shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And John’s Gospel
talks about that light of glory in the opening of his Gospel – which is John’s
retelling of the new creation by that same word that said “let there be light:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all
things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was
life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light that gives light
to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the
world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We are about to begin our Lenten journey for this year
on Wednesday with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday reminds us of our mortality –
ashes to ashes dust to dust – as God told Adam because of our disobedience: By
the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Transfiguration is a miracle, a revelation of
Christ’s glory. It is a glimpse behind the veil between heaven and earth that
is currently hidden. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as Peter
wanted to stay in that amazing experience it no sooner ends and they find
themselves walking back down the mountain. Away from the glory and back to
their daily life. But what is significant is that Jesus is walking with them. He
doesn’t send them down alone and neither does Jesus allow us to experience the
darkness of the world alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Soon we are going to experience a glimpse of Jesus
glory as we receive his Body and Blood in Holy Communion to prepare us to go
back to our daily life and give us hope and to be God’s presence to those with
a veiled hope. Let your light shine so others may see your good works and give
glory to God. Just as the Transfiguration affirms Jesus’ baptism – this is my
Son whom I love – so too it reminds us of our own Baptism where Jesus promised
– I am with you always till the end of the age.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-14831083500645790602024-01-29T20:54:00.000-08:002024-01-29T20:54:05.047-08:00 Sermon 4th February 2024 – 5th Sunday after Epiphany Text: Mark 1:29-39 – Blessed proclaiming the Gospel<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">Sermon 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">
February 2024 – 5</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;"> Sunday after Epiphany</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Mark 1:29-39 – Blessed
proclaiming the Gospel<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The first chapter of Mark is
an amazing chapter. Here we are about to end our Epiphany season and we are
still in chapter one. In this chapter we’ve had the story of John the Baptist
including his imprisonment; We’ve had the baptism of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We’ve had the temptation and
40 days of fasting by Jesus. We’ve had the exorcism of an evil spirit in the
synagogue. We’ve had the calling of the first disciples. And today we’ve had
the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law and the gathering of all the people
bringing Jesus their sick. And we have still got a fair bit to go yet. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark is trying to set the
scene of who Jesus is – that there is a lot to know about this special person
that has arrived on the scene for us to grasp. But it is all summed up in Jesus
words today to his disciples who have not yet connected with his mission to the
world. They think it’s to do all this miracle work in order to build up a
bigger and bigger following – As the crowds started building up looking for
this ‘miracle worker’ Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found
him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” They want Jesus to come
back and keep doing the miracles – the healings – if he wants people to follow
him. But that is not what Mark focuses on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The miracles were a means to
spreading the Gospel message. Jesus knows that he has come for a different
reason and responds: Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may
proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do. Sometimes
it’s easy to forget that this is our mission as church and as Christians – to
proclaim the Gospel – the Good News. Sometimes we get sidetracked on social
justice issues or ensuring theological integrity is our mission. Now, these are
important. In fact our reading begins with social justice – Jesus healing
Peter’s mother-in-law. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But look at how Paul sees
the importance of spreading the gospel is: If I proclaim the gospel, this gives
me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I
do not proclaim the gospel! Is that a message – a warning – to the church
today? Have we been sidetracked? Have we stopped proclaiming the Gospel as our
primary goal and replaced the mission of the church with something else? Paul
made great sacrifices as he went around telling the Jews and the Gentiles about
Jesus Christ: And he said: I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I
may share in its blessings. Isn’t that what we want? To share the blessings we
have received. Isn’t that our motivation to share the blessings of God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sadly our motivation has
often been on getting our churches bigger so we can balance our budget. I say
that because that has often been my motivation. This is an increasing difficult
and important task as we grow in a society that really has no idea about God or
about Jesus. And if they know something about God and Jesus then it’s probably
a misconception of the reality and most likely negative. This is not a new
challenge. In fact this was Paul’s great challenge where had to go to great
lengths in order to preach the gospel to the unbelievers. He said - For though
I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I
might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To
those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under
the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I
became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under
Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became
weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people,
that I might by all means save some.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Paul made all these great
sacrifices just so he might save “some”. If our motivation is to increase our
numbers rather than sharing the Gospel and our blessings then we will quickly
become disheartened when we don’t see results. Paul worked tirelessly to save
“some”. He knew the momentous task ahead of him but he also remained realistic
and trusting in God who seeks the one lost sinner. Maybe there is just one
person that God has sent to us. Remember – Jesus left 99 to go looking for the
one lost sheep. Jesus said there is more rejoicing in heaven over ONE person
who repents rather than 99 who need no repentance. Sometimes we feel like
giving up because it seems like we’re not making any headway but here Paul says
– it’s worth it, even if it’s just some and not all. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It even seems like Isaiah in
the Old Testament was needing to break things down to basics: Have you not
known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have
you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above
the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who
stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live
in;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There seemed to be a lack of
knowledge amongst the Israelites – God’s own children – who had lost their way.
It’s the same challenge we have today to a generation that doesn’t know God. Who
has lost their way. Have you not known?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Have you not heard? We have
an enormous challenge to let the world know about Jesus Christ. But let’s not
look a the big picture because that can be quite daunting. Let’s look at the
small picture – the one lost sheep who is in search of meaning. Not so we get
them into church – that would be great – but so we can share the blessings we
have experienced. As Paul says in Romans 10 The Lord is Lord of all and richly
blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.” But how can they call on the one they have not believed in? And
how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they
hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they
are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good
news!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How beautiful it is to bring
Good News that God loves us unconditionally and sent his son Jesus Christ to
us. The Gospel is the gift that keeps on giving for both the giver and the
receiver.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-88985775511498103422024-01-22T13:33:00.000-08:002024-01-22T13:33:34.028-08:00 Sermon 28th January 2024 – 4th Sunday after the Epiphany Text: Mark 1:21-28 – A new authority<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">Sermon
28</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;"> January 2024 – 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;"> Sunday after the Epiphany</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">Text:
Mark 1:21-28 – A new authority<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">Authority.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">It’s
a word that is supposed to bring us comfort and assurance. But in a world with
increasing insecurity, authority can seem to be an invasion of our privacy
which is what it’s actually supposed to be protecting us from. If you have any
sort of online account – bank account – mygov account – or even one of your
private interests – their attempt to protect you can cause major frustrations. You
logon to your account and you have to find your phone because of what they term
– 2 factor authorisation – and enter the code they sent you. A Password is no
longer enough authorisation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">Or
maybe you’ve been asked to update your password because it’s not considered
strong enough and you have to include at least 8 characters including a number,
a capital and lower case letter and a special character. And they are so hard
to remember. I face a similar issue when I wanted a particular password that I
can remember but the organisation says NO – you must do this – even though it’s
MY account. In fact I read a funny comment this week that most people can
remember their very first phone number from childhood but not the password they
created yesterday. The uneasiness comes when someone uses their authority to
keep us safe which seems to take away our rights. These were some of the
complaints during the pandemic. These are many of the issues we face after
terrorist attacks such as September 11 where our rights are removed for OUR
safety as authority takes over.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">And
I think this is what we are seeing in our Gospel reading today with a sense of
uneasiness when the people in the synagogue saw a new and different type of
teaching from Jesus<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were astounded at his teaching, for he
taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes and previous
teachers. What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the
unclean spirits, and they obey him – (disciples – who is this that the wind and
waves obey him?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">That
might sound like a good thing but it frightens them like the time Jesus removed
a legion of demons from the man in the tombs and they begged Jesus to leave. And
we know that down the track that this authority of Jesus will challenge them
and they will begin to reject him when it infringes on their lifestyles. They
challenge his right to have this authority. Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?
Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and
Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get this
authority?” Who does he think he is? And they took offense at him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">Sadly
the word authority is easily misused such as when James and John wanted the
place of honour next to Jesus over against their fellow disciples. Or when they
wanted to call down fire and brimstone on the Samaritans for having the
audacity to not recognise their authority. Jesus explains to them - “In this
world the kings and great men lord it over their people, but among you it will
be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank,
and the leader should be like a servant. Which is what Jesus did when he
emptied himself of his heavenly authority to become a servant: Who, being in
very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his
own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a
servant, being made in human likeness. And he humbled himself by becoming
obedient to death— even death on a cross!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">At
times the church has been seen to misuse its authority. Now, let’s understand –
the church DOES have authority.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">Before
his Ascension Jesus says to his disciples: “All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with
you always, to the very end of the age.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">The
authority Jesus speaks about is what we call The Gospel which Jesus explains in
several places;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">In
Matthew’s Gospel he says:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">In
Lukes Gospel he says: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">He
opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them,
repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">And
in John’s Gospel he says:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">Peace
be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he
breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s
sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not
forgiven.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">That’s
the authority Jesus has give to you – to Christians and to the Church – to
bring comfort and peace to people through the forgiveness of sins – through the
Gospel – to reconcile people with God. That’s it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">Yes,
in some instances we have to warn of unforgiveness where there is refusal to
repent. But still, that is encased in love as Jesus says in Matthew 18: If they
refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax
collector. “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. And let us
remember how Jesus treated pagans and tax collectors. He ate with them – he
walked among them and assured them of God’s love for which he was regularly
criticised by the supposedly righteous Pharisees.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">But
Paul warns Christians against using the authority we have to harm others. And
it’s in ways that we don’t always realise that we’re doing it. He uses the
example of food sacrificed to idols. His argument is that since we know an idol
is nothing we have freedom to eat whatever we wish without worry if the food
was sacrificed to an idol – which was a common practice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">But,
he says, there may be a fellow Christian who has a different view to us and
would be offended if they saw us eating food sacrificed to an idol. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">So
we have the situation that I could argue – I can eat whatever I want because of
my faith – so why can’t I? BUT – is that the only scenario. What if we offend
someone by our freedom? Paul sums it up by saying - if food is a cause of their
falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The principle of this goes to every aspect of
our faith – not just eating particular foods. We can extend this example to
anything that sets ourselves apart from others giving the impression that we
are superior to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">But
let us understand what this is not saying. It doesn’t mean we have to accept
matters that are against the Word of God so we don’t cause offence. Sadly that
is happening in the church today as it tries to fit in with the world rather
than the world fitting in with God. No, Moses makes that quite clear in our Old
Testament reading: But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who
presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to
speak—that prophet shall die.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">What
it does mean is that we love our neighbour in all situations – even when we are
in disagreement with them. As Jesus says – love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you. Our thought should be for our neighbours faith since we are
certain of our freedom in Christ. We are not to use our freedom and authority
to build ourselves up which is always the temptation. Paul says - Knowledge
puffs up, but love builds up. We have seen the damage that the church and
Christians can do when they lord it over people. When people feel harassed
rather than loved. Jesus exampled that servant approach to authority when he
washed his disciples’ feet – when he let a woman of ill-repute wash his feet –
when he ate with Zacchaeus – when he freed a woman caught in adultery but
warned her to flee from sin that had entrapped her.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif;">We
have an amazing Gospel that has freed us and we have been given authority by
Jesus to assure others of that same freedom. No one else has the keys to the
kingdom of heaven so let us use those keys to open the door to heaven so people
can experience what we have – the peace of God that goes beyond all
understanding.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-11026167812692428162023-12-25T14:14:00.000-08:002023-12-25T14:14:46.426-08:00 Sermon 31st December 2023 Text: Luke 2:22-40 – what’s in a name?<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">Sermon 31</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;"> December
2023</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Luke 2:22-40 – what’s
in a name?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As we journey through life
we gain many possessions. As children it might be things we collect – things
like coins, stamps or certain toys that are collectable. As we grow older the
possessions become more expensive and more permanent. Cars, houses, boats and
other possessions. But there is a possession that we attain from birth and
retain till death that is invaluable. In fact it goes beyond death. And that is
your name.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Your name is precious. When
someone mispronounces it or spells it incorrectly you can feel a little
offended and the need to correct them. People sue in court for slander because
their name has been defamed. When God sent Moses to free his children Israel
from slavery in Egypt he gave Moses his name as his defense. When Jacob was
wrestling with God at the Jabbok and neither could overpower the other Jacob
tried to get the upperhand by asking for is assailant’s name because the
understanding was that you had power over the other person if you had their
name. In the Old Testament God changed certain people’s names to reflect the
new relationship they had with him – Abram became Abraham – Sarai became Sarah
– and Jacob after his wrestling match became Israel – one who has strived with
God. Similarly in the New Testament we see Saul become Paul after his
conversion to Christianity. We see Simon, become Peter become the Rock and
Cephas. And when Jesus humbled himself in obedience to God even to death on a
cross, St Paul says he was given the name that is above all names – and that at
the name of Jesus every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Our relationship with God is
based on his name. When you were baptized you were baptized “in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. The same name in which we gather
in worship. The same name by which we receive the forgiveness of sins. God’s
name is his gift to you. And that’s so comforting because in the Old Testament
people feared using God’s name because of the 2nd Commandment – you shall not
take the name of the Lord your God in vain. And so Jewish people when referring
to God avoided using the name God gave to Moses – Yahweh – and used Adonai –
both meaning Lord in the Old Testament. But you’ll notice in the Old Testament
that whenever Yahweh is written it appears as LORD- all capitals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We also respect God’s name
but we also accept that God has given it to us as a gift to use. In the Small
Catechism Luther shows us the right way and the wrong ways to use God’s name
when he explains the 2nd Commandment: Luther’s explanation was: We are to fear
and love God so that we do not use his name superstitiously, or use it to
curse, swear, lie or deceive but call on him in prayer, praise and
thanksgiving. We hear so often God’s name being misused that we have become so
used to it that we don’t realise that others are doing it – or even ourselves. We
hear “Oh my God” or OMG used so frequently and even quite common in text
messaging. We hear Jesus or Jesus Christ used in damning or swearing –<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You may have heard someone
say something like – Christ it’s hot today. Or one that I saw recently in a
movie when someone was angry crying out – Jesus H Christ. Did you know that the
word Crikey – a word made famous by the late Steve ‘crocodile hunter’ Erwin was
an attempt to replace Christ as a swear word. As was Oh my Gosh.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whilst these my seem trivial
we don’t see the names of other religious deities used in such a way. In fact I
was watching a TV talkback show where regularly Jesus and Christ were used in
inappropriate ways but when the presenter referred to Muhammad he immediately
followed it with the phrase “peace be upon him” so he didn’t offend the
religion of Islam. Satan knows how precious the name of God, the name of Jesus
is and it’s no wonder that people who have no idea about Jesus seem to
instinctively misuse his name.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So this is the challenge for
us to reflect on how we use God’s name in our everyday practice. And the best
way to do that is to practice what Luther said in his small catechism of using
God’s name to call on him in prayer, praise and thanksgiving – but not just on
Sundays in church. By doing that we become more alert to when we are using
God’s name inappropriately.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As James writes in Chapter 3
of his letter: With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we
curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth
come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both
fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters,
can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring
produce fresh water. We might think it’s such a little thing – what harm can it
do. Well, Satan knows that it harms God, which is why God enshrined his name in
the 10 Commandments. And that’s because the name of God has power. It has power
to heal, to save and to bless. And that means it does actually have power to
harm and curse.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We see how precious the name
of God is in the early church who certain knew the power of God’s name: In Acts
chapter 3 we read: A man who was lame from birth was being carried to the
temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those
going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he
asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter
said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get
something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I
do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking him by the right hand, he helped him
up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We have a very special and
powerful gift that God has given to us. When God gave his name to Moses he
became vulnerable to it being misused. Treasure God’s name – treasure the name
of Jesus – use them to bless your children, your loved ones, your friends. At
the closing of our worship today, as we do every Sunday, I do so with what is
called the Aaronic blessing – the blessing God gave to Moses to give to Aaron. Listen
to the words but particularly now listen to the promise God makes in the book
of Numbers chapter 6 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is
how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep
you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn
his face toward you and give you peace. “So they will put my name on the
Israelites, and I will bless them.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Satan wants you to misuse
God’s name not only because it offends God but because it prevents God’s
blessing upon you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">God gave to Jesus the name
that is above every name, that 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, to the glory of God the Father.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And Jesus has promised – ask
for anything in my name and I will do it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Lord bless you and keep
you and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard and watch
over you now and always. Amen.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-19021047061486820762023-12-19T14:30:00.001-08:002023-12-19T14:30:43.626-08:00 Christmas Day Sermon – The first Christmas<p> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Christmas
Day Sermon – The first Christmas</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The story of
the very first Christmas is very different to today’s Christmas celebrations. To
me it seems so much more enjoyable as we listen to that first Christmas. Yes
there were some difficulties: Mary was heavily pregnant and about to give birth
in a place that was not where they normally lived.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because
there was a census being taken there were many visitors meaning that there was
no place for them to stay and so Jesus was born in a barn.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But that is
so much more different to today’s version of what goes on at Christmas time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Everything
is so frantic about Christmas that we barely get the chance to focus on what is
central to the occasion. In Jesus time there was just one central focus – the
birth of Jesus. The time came for Mary to deliver her child. And she gave birth
to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Then there were
shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. The
angels came and announced the good news of great joy for all people – today the
saviour of the world is born. They drop everything and rush off to see this
child for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today we
have so many diversions that can prevent us from enjoying the moment of what
Christmas is truly about.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But, as you
are here today, how great that like the Shepherds you’ve taken a moment out of
the busy Christmas preparations to come and celebrate our Lord’s birth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I mentioned
this yesterday in my Christmas Eve sermon that we sometimes think that the
greatest threat to Christmas is the secular world taking over. I’m sure you’ve
seen the complaints. Things like Christmas decorations going up in November –
Christmas carols being banned – Christmas greetings being replaced with happy
holidays and “make merry” – even Santa Claus becoming the focus for children. Actually
I don’t mind them because at least it is either creating a Christmas spirit or
getting people talking about and defending Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The greater
threat to Christmas is when we lose the joy of Christmas as we battle the
traffic, the car parking, deadlines of getting those Christmas cards out and
presents wrapped and preparing the food and drinks where you’re glad Christmas
only comes around once a year – and you start to resent it as you start seeing
that countdown – only 30 days to Christmas. At least we get an extra day before
next Christmas with next year being a leap year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The birth of
Jesus, as declared by the angels, was to bring good news of great joy to all
peoples. It is good news – it is great news – that God has confirmed to us how
much he loves us. He loves us so much that he sent his one and only son to live
with us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even with
all the wars and crimes and other catastrophes, God not only loves this world
but wants to live with us. And the name that he would be called by would be
Immanuel which means God is with us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christmas is
the most astonishing event in the whole history of time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact we determine time as before Christ and
in the year of the Lord – BC and AD. What is so extraordinary of this occasion?
On this night, God became human. And he did so in order that humankind might be
forever united with God in the most intimate of ways. And it was not just
extraordinary for us but also for God. That he was so proud and honoured in
what had happened that he didn’t send just one angel but a multitude of angels
to sing to the shepherds in the field.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A great
company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his
favour rests.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please don’t
ever lose the joy of this occasion – unto us a child is given – Jesus Christ
our Lord -the Son of God. And for 2000 years the joy of Christmas has continued
to sing out despite many attempts to silence it. People have been trying to
silence Christmas from the day Jesus was born with Herod issuing a decree to
have Jesus killed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One day
while Jesus was entering into one of the towns he was visiting the whole crowd
of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices echoing the angels’
song: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the
Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” Tell
them to be quiet! Jesus said “I tell you if they keep quiet, the stones will
cry out.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The world
will not and cannot silence the joy of Christmas. Only our hearts can silence
Christmas in our own hearts when the joy of Christmas is hardened. Don’t let
the busyness and franticness of Christmas do that to you. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Enjoy this
momentous occasion because it endorses God’s love for you and assures you that
not only does God want to live with you here on earth but God wants and assures
you that you will one day live with him in Heaven forever.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-89017942669310738332023-12-19T14:30:00.000-08:002023-12-19T14:30:18.840-08:00 Christmas Eve Sermon – Keeping our Christmas joy<p> <span style="font-size: 21pt;">Christmas Eve Sermon – Keeping our Christmas joy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No doubt as you’ve been going about your shopping or
other activities you’ve been hearing Christmas Carols being played. There are
some of the traditional ones like Away in a manger and Silent Night. There have
been some less religious based songs like Santa Claus is coming to town and
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. And perhaps you’ve even heard some pop music
songs about Christmas. One that I regularly hear on the radio this time of year
is John Lennon’s “So this is Christmas”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The lyrics are interesting and somewhat hopeful with
lines such as “War is over” – and wouldn’t that be great this Christmas? But it
begins with a question to us: “So this is Christmas – and what have you done? And
isn’t that what Christmas has become? What have you done?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Have you been to a Christmas breakup and been asked –
so, what are you doing for Christmas? Christmas has become so much about doing
that we have little time to really appreciate what Christmas means.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We have to get those Christmas cards out – get those
presents wrapped – get that Christmas tree decorated – get that food organized
– and you can probably add a multitude of other tasks to that especially if
you’re going away on holidays straight after Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But Christmas is not about what we are doing but about
what God has done for us. And in the midst of our busyness we can forget that
and sadly even begin to resent Christmas – with comments such as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t wait for it to be over” or “I’m not
looking forward to Christmas”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Christmas is about God showing his love for us and
should be the most joyous of all occasions. For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We need to put Christmas back where it belongs as a
joyous occasion not an occasion where we stress out trying to find that
carpark, joining mile long queues at the checkouts – worrying if we’ve got
enough food and drinks - worrying about what the credit card is going to look
like next month.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But sadly that’s what Christmas can become to so many
people. Many people complain about Christmas and how secular it has become with
decorations going up in November and catalogues filled with Christmas
advertising. And many are upset about some of the slogans this Christmas like
“Make Merry” and “Merry Everything”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Again, these are at least bringing Christmas to the
attention of people. I honestly don’t mind that – at least it’s bring Christmas
to people’s minds. I think the greater problem we have is when we lose the
Christmas spirit. Remember what the angels said to the Shepherds when Jesus was
born: I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today
in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the
Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly a great company of the
heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God
in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That’s the spirit we need to recapture – good news of
great joy for all people – the saviour has been born TO YOU.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Worse than Christmas being secularized is when
Christians lose their Christmas joy and spirit. Jesus’ birth was for no other
reason than to bring joy to the world – joy to you. In the midst of all the
turmoil going on in the world with wars and economic gloom – here God is
sending a message of hope to us to bring us great joy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The other danger of Christmas is that it just becomes
like a romantic fairytale that we bring out each year – get all emotional about
it and then when the New Year hits and the holidays are over we’re back to
normal with the same routine but a little bit poorer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Christmas is about Jesus entering into our lives – not
just a story and not just for one day. Don’t reduce the Christmas miracle to a
Christmas story which it sadly is to many people. Christmas is God’s love
wrapped in human flesh. Don’t treat that wrapping of love like we do to the
wrapping papers on our Christmas presents. They look so lovely under the tree
with their colourful paper and ribbons – but then as you tear it off it is then
placed in the bin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Treasure the gift because it is God’s sacrifice of
love for you. Take it with you wherever you go as God fulfils his promise that
his gift to us would be called Immanuel – God with us. Not just on Christmas
Eve or Christmas day but always – as Jesus also said – I am with you always
till the end of the age.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So may God bless your Christmas celebrations and may
they be truly blessed and joyful for there is no greater gift to us than the
gift from God himself – Jesus Christ our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Born for us.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-56352191006058462412023-12-12T18:18:00.000-08:002023-12-12T18:18:03.988-08:00 Sermon 17th December 2023 – 3rd Sunday in Advent Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24<p> <span style="font-size: 13pt;">Sermon 17</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> December 2023 – 3</span><sup>rd</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;">
Sunday in Advent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Every Sunday, and perhaps in your daily prayers, we
pray in the Lord’s Prayer – your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. What
is God’s will? When Jesus was on one of his teaching rounds his family came to
see him one day. A message was sent to Jesus: “Your mother and brothers are
standing outside, wanting to speak to you. Jesus replied: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are
my mother and my brothers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For whoever
does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the Garden of Gethsemane we hear the famous quote
by Jesus when he is struggling with the next stage of his life – being put to
death - saying Father, this cup is too much to bear please take it from me. But
he closes that prayer with the often quoted statement. Not my will be done but
your will be done.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So what is the will of God?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Many believe that the will of God is to keep all the
commandments – do all the right things – obey the law – thou shalt and thou
shalt not. The law is important – even Jesus said so. I have not come to
abolish the law but to fulfil it. But we also know that the law cannot save us.
As Paul says -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if we could be made right
with God through the law, Christ died for nothing!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So what does Paul see as the will of God? Well,
interestingly enough, he says in today’s reading what the will of God is – and
it might surprise many people. He says: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rejoice
always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for THIS is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So there were 3 things Paul highlights here:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rejoice always.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pray without ceasing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Give thanks in all circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And notice that these have a permanent place in our
lives – always, without ceasing, in all circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rejoice always.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The candle we lit today – the 3rd Candle – is often
known as the Joy candle or the Rejoice Candle. We often confuse joy with
happiness – and that’s where we can misunderstand what Paul is talking about
regarding the will of God. If Paul wanted to be “happy” he certainly chose the
wrong path: In his own words from 2 Corinthians: Flogged more severely, and
been exposed to death again and again. times I received from the Jews the forty
lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with
stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open
sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in
danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in
danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger
from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without
sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have
been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my
concern for all the churches.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And yet he says in Philippians 4: Rejoice in the Lord
always. I will say it again. Rejoice. So what is there to rejoice about? Well,
St Paul says, it’s about the victory that Jesus has won for us – that at the
end of all our days of suffering there is the joy of knowing we’ll be in heaven
where there will be no more suffering or death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And it’s the assurance that we have NOW of knowing
that we will be in heaven that brings the joy as he goes on to say in our bible
reading: May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your
spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So we don’t live our lives wondering if we will be in
heaven but assured that whenever that day is that God, our faithful God,
ensures that for us. But sometimes that’s easier said than done. It’s easy to
encourage others in those times but not so easy when we ourselves are the ones
going through the difficulties. And that’s why Paul encourages us to pray
without ceasing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pray without ceasing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But let us remember that praying doesn’t mean folding
our hands, bowing our heads and closing our eyes. That would be really hard to
do – especially while driving. But it means always knowing that God is with us
which is what he promised when the angel told Joseph that Mary’s child would be
called Immanuel – God with us. And also Jesus last words before he ascended to
heaven – I am with you always. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are times when we do make that quiet time for
prayer but it is so comforting to know that God is with us in those difficult
times. Which is what Psalm 23 reminds us – even though I walk through the
darkest valleys I will not be afraid because you are with me. And it’s only
when we understand that close relationship we have with God that we are able to
give thanks to him in spite of all that is happening in our lives and around
us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Give thanks always<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Remember all that Paul went through? And yet he was
still able to give thanks to God and in fact he says that he rejoices in this
sufferings as it showed him the need for God in his life. That he couldn’t do
it on his own.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whether we believe in God or not we cannot avoid
suffering. But when we know God in our lives we give thanks – not for the
suffering but for knowing that our suffering will end and we will rejoice in
Heaven for all eternity. And that’s why it’s God’s will that we rejoice always
– why we pray without ceasing and are able to give thanks in all circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And that all began and was made possible because of
Christmas where God loved the world so much that he sent his one and only Son
so those who believed in him would not perish but receive eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-16949412018668892122023-12-05T13:16:00.000-08:002023-12-05T13:16:16.097-08:00 Sermon 10th December 2023 – 2nd Sunday in Advent Text: Mark 1:1-8 – patience and humility in suffering<p> <span style="font-size: 13pt;">Sermon 10</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;">
December 2023 – 2</span><sup>nd</sup><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> Sunday in Advent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Mark 1:1-8 – patience and
humility in suffering<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today we are introduced, as we
always are on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, to John the Baptist.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">John is an interesting
character. Jesus says he is the fulfilment of prophesy that said Elijah would
return before the Messiah appeared. Jesus said: For all the Prophets and the
Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the
Elijah who was to come. Remember, Elijah was taken from the earth without dying
in a chariot of fire and Malachi prophesied that he would return before the day
of destruction:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“See, I will send the prophet
Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will
turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the
children to their parents;. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">John was a firebrand – a loose
canon you might say – calling the religious leaders a brood of vipers when they
came out to see what he was doing. John challenged Herod for taking his
brother’s wife – for which he would be imprisoned and later killed by being
beheaded as part of a promise by Herod in return for a dance to entertain his
guests. John feared no one. John had his own band of disciples. But something
else about John the Baptist that we see in our reading today – he knew his
place. He knew that he was not the Messiah and that he had been sent to prepare
the way for him and not get in his way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Jesus was the hope of the
world – not John the Baptist. And so, as the crowds grew and the temptation to
take over came, John proclaims to the crowds: The one who is more powerful than
I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his
sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit. Later he will add to that – I must decrease so that he can increase.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So John saw his life as a life
of humility accepting what God had predestined for him – including the
popularity, humility and suffering. Even Jesus must have tested John’s humility
when he said that even though there was none on earth greater than John, the
least person in Heaven is greater than John the Baptist. So John saw his life
as predestined by God; including the suffering and humility. That doesn’t mean
that John didn’t find it difficult at times – and who doesn’t during times of
suffering. When he was in prison John sent a delegation of his disciples to ask
Jesus – are you the one or should we expect someone else. And maybe you’ve felt
that way in times of suffering.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Is following Jesus all that
it’s cracked up to be? Times of suffering can be challenging to our faith. In
times of suffering one day of suffering can feel like a thousand years, as St
Peter says. In times of suffering we can ask – why is God doing this. I’ve
prayed for healing but nothing’s happened. In these days when there is so much
turmoil and unrest in the world we can also ask – why doesn’t God do something
about it. At least, why doesn’t he send Jesus now to bring about the end of the
world. It’s one of the great mysteries and St Peter also addresses this when he
says – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the Lord one day is like a
thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow
about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not
wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But Peter also says – the end
will come – and it will come at a time when we aren’t expecting it: And if we
think our earthly days are challenging - The day of the Lord will come like a
thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements
will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it
will be disclosed. In fact it sounds quite frightening - Since all these things
are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in
leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming
of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and
dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But it comes with really
really good and promising news – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where
righteousness is at home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Very similar to what John says
in Revelation 21 where he sees a new heaven and a new earth, where there will
be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things
has passed away. God will live with his people and he will be our God. So
whereas life can sometimes seem longsuffering, Peter is encouraging us to stay
strong in our faith. God hasn’t forgotten us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Peter was writing to a
persecuted Christian community who had to flee to encourage them that God had
not forgotten them. They are called the diaspora – the dispersed ones. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">God has a new life prepared
for us. We don’t always understand why suffering is allowed particularly when
we are so faithful to God as John the Baptist was – as the Christians Peter was
writing to were. Israel also wondered whether God had forgotten her when she
was sent into exile and was taunted by the Babylonians – “Where is your God”. But
God’s words to Israel are the same words spoken to us in the midst of our
suffering:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall
see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The grass withers, the
flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. And especially those
closing words of comfort: lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald
of good tidings, Lift it up, do not fear; “Here is your God!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, the Lord God comes with might, and his
arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He
will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and
carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So as we continue our Advent
journey remember that God comes to us in the most vulnerable of forms – an
infant baby. He will go on to experience all that we experience in life and
more. But one day, like a thief in the night, he will return and bring us home
to our new heaven and new earth. So until then, as difficult as the seeming
slowness of our Lord can be – his slowness is his patience wanting more to
enjoy the heavenly peace that awaits. And that patience includes our friends
and our family who do not yet know or understand how much God loves them. So he
calls on us to regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. Not for us – our
salvation is secured – but for the world, our friends and family that God is
reaching out to.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-11838097016575441252023-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:002023-11-29T19:18:35.567-08:00 Sermon 3rd December 2023 – 1st Sunday in Advent Text: Mark 13:24-37 – Be alert but not afraid<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 3</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">rd</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> December 2023 – 1</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Sunday in Advent</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Mark 13:24-37 – Be alert but not afraid<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“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?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-85938960275114370312023-11-22T13:15:00.000-08:002023-11-22T13:15:35.029-08:00 Sermon 26th November 2023 – Last Sunday of the Church Year Text: Matthew 25:31-46 – The Kingdom prepared for us.<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 26</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
November 2023 – Last Sunday of the Church Year</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Text: Matthew 25:31-46 –
The Kingdom prepared for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-18022601306855581182023-11-13T15:33:00.000-08:002023-11-13T15:33:41.274-08:00 Sermon 19th November 2023 – 25th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Matthew 25:14-30 – A trusting relationship<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 19</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
November 2023 – 25</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Sunday after Pentecost</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Matthew 25:14-30 – A trusting
relationship<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Although he didn’t invent the
saying, famous basketballer Michael Jordan made popular the saying: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The master
is about to leave town on a journey and he entrusts his wealth to three
servants. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each is given a different sum
of money. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After a long time, the master
returns and calls in his three servants. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet he reduced the possibility of profit so
that it, too, was zero. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t make.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The story does have unanswered
questions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How would the master have
responded to the first two servants if they had lost the money or not made a
profit? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other two servants, however, understand
grace when they see it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The master’s love
for them has generated love for their master – that he is more interested in
them than in gaining a profit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This relationship turns upside
down the standards of the world which sees profit as success. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We can learn from our
failures, and often it is failure that provides the most valuable lessons. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace is about our willingness to risk in
response to God’s invitation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“The Parable of the Talents”
is not about money or abilities. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a
story about trust, a story about risk. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Life is the same way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus has left us with the promise of his
return. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">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.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-39034511760280827212023-11-07T18:34:00.003-08:002023-11-07T18:34:46.316-08:00 Sermon 12th November 2023 – 24th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Matthew 25:1-13 – Patiently waiting<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Sermon 12</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">
November 2023 – 24</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Sunday after Pentecost</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Text: Matthew 25:1-13 –
Patiently waiting<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How are you at waiting?
It can be hard to wait. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you get
frustrated when you are put on hold and you hear: “Your call is important to
us. Please continue to hold.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem in the parable is
that only half of the bridesmaids were prepared as the bridegroom had been
delayed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other five weren’t. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s taking him so long? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a lot wrong with the world -- so much
suffering! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wars – the violence – the
natural disasters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We don’t like waiting,
but God promises us blessings even as we wait. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Waiting doesn’t mean inactivity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having oil at the ready, being prepared, comes
from living in trust. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t say forever, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But the good news is
that we’re still here. It is not too late. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But are our eyes and ears open to perceive his
presence? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We do not have to wait
for death to experience the kingdom of heaven. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus comes to us to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are a fast-moving
society. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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!’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-50891611671845681942023-10-31T17:01:00.003-07:002023-10-31T17:01:59.142-07:00 Sermon 5th November 2023 – All Saint Day Hidden glory<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 5</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> November
2023 – All Saint Day</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hidden glory<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">People often talk about the
Book of Revelation as if it’s a taboo book. You hear comments along the lines
of – it’s too freaky – I don’t understand it – it’s too frightening with all
that stuff about the dragon, the mark of the beast, Armageddon and all that end
of the world stuff. Others misuse it as if it’s some sort of timeline for
judgement day and trying to figure out where we are in the timeline of Jesus
returning. And when we see all the troubles around the world especially in the
Middle East doomsayers try to find where in Revelation it speaks about it. But
the book of Revelation is a book of hope. It is a book about Worship and our
relationship with God in Heaven which is not just a future event but a current
event.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was written by John who was
persecuted for his Christian faith and banished to the Island of Patmos as
punishment because he wouldn’t reject Christ and bow down to the emperor. There
on the Island of Patmos John has a vision where God reveals to him that despite
what his eyes see and his life experiences that God is in control of the
spiritual warfare battle against the powers of darkness. Here in today’s
reading we hear of great comfort as we read about the great multitude that no
one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before
the throne and before the Lamb. crying out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs
to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. This, as I mentioned
earlier, describes worship both of our future existence and also our current
experience. We hear that whenever we celebrate Holy Communion where we gather
and commune with the angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim and all the
company of Heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Even though our eyes don’t see
it, if God were to unveil our worldly flesh we would see ourselves among that
heavenly gathering standing before the Lamb crying out to the one seated on the
throne. As Hebrews say – we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses – the
heavenly saints gone before us. That’s what God did for John. He wasn’t taken
up into heaven away from his earthly existence but had the veil removed – which
is what the word Revelation means – which in its original language was called
the Book of the Apocalypse. Again, the word ‘apocalypse’ has changed in meaning
to create fear – a destruction. But, the origin of that word was far from that
meaning to uncover, reveal. Which is what John has had done to him. He has had
the veil covering his earthly eyes to have the heavenly realm revealed to him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">St Paul talks in very similar
ways in his letter to the Colossians – and remember St Paul was also taken into
Heaven but he wasn’t sure if it was in the body or out of the body. And in
Colossians 3 he writes about that uncovering or revelation: He says: Since you
have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly
things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ,
who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note Paul speaks of the future in present
terms – already but not yet – it’s often described as. You HAVE died. Your life
is hidden NOW. Paul says elsewhere – we ARE citizens of Heaven – not WILL BE
citizens. When Christ’s glory is revealed then your glory that you have NOW
will be revealed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So on this day that we
commemorate as All Saints Day our focus is on giving thanks to God for those of
our loved ones who have run the race and finished. They have received their
crown of glory. As Paul said to the Philippians - For to me, to live is Christ
and to die is gain. Paul was torn – he wanted to be with Christ in Heaven but
he also knew that while he remained here on earth he had opportunity to share
the Gospel with others. But until then we live in the hidden glory which Jesus
speaks about in our Gospel reading. Where he begins with the reality we live in
(that is, what our eyes see and our lives experience) and the revealed glory
hidden in Christ:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Blessed are the poor in
spirit, - the hidden glory - theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blessed are those who mourn, -
the hidden glory - they will be comforted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blessed are the meek, - the
hidden glory - they will inherit the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness, - the hidden glory - they will be filled.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blessed are the merciful, -
the hidden glory - they will be shown mercy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blessed are the pure in heart,
- the hidden glory - they will see God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blessed are the peacemakers, -
the hidden glory - they will be called children of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Blessed are those who are
persecuted because of righteousness, - the hidden glory- theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Blessed are you when people
insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because
of me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The hidden glory - Rejoice and
be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So, particularly on this
All-Saints Day as we grieve for our loved ones – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be
comforted. It is human nature to grieve. It is not a sign of lacking faith as
St Paul says – We do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in
death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. So
Paul confirms that grieving is a natural process when someone we love dies- or
as Paul calls it – who sleep in death. But, we grieve with Christian hope a
hope that means ‘blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted’. Comforted
by the reality that Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life and that
those who die believing in him shall live forever in Heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s not easy dealing with
death but how would one ever cope without our Christian faith. Death is death
without Christian faith. And so we hear Jesus words to his disciples as they
prepared for his death: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God;
trust also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; I am going there to prepare
a place for you? And I will come back and take you to be with me that you also
may be where I am. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So as we grieve, as we mourn,
we take comfort knowing that this is part of God’s true plan in Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To bring us all home to him
where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old
order of things has passed away.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So may God bring you the
comfort and peace that only God can give by him who is the resurrection and the
life and that whoever believes in him will not die but receive eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-31201011307151224582023-10-23T15:41:00.003-07:002023-10-23T15:41:34.171-07:00 Sermon 29th October 2023 – Reformation Sunday Text: John 8:31-36 – Truly set free<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 29</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> October 2023 – Reformation Sunday</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: John 8:31-36 – Truly set free<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Like a lot of people, maybe most people, perhaps all people, I don’t
like to admit I’m wrong or to have my errors pointed out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s very uncomfortable and we become very defensive. It’s a human
weakness that goes right back to the beginning of Creation. Adam and Eve sinned
and when God confronted them, they both pointed the finger away from
themselves. Adam even blaming God along with his wife Eve. “The woman YOU gave
me, she made me eat. Eve, in turn – don’t look at me – it was the snake, he
tricked me. I’m not suggesting things would have turned out differently but
what if Adam and Eve fell on their knees searching for God’s mercy and admitted
their error instead of hiding and denying their blame. It seems to be a natural
defense mode to deny responsibility and look for ways to justify our actions. It
can manifest itself in several ways.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We can deny any wrong doing – it wasn’t me. We can compare ourselves to
others – at least I’m not as bad as that person.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We can point the finger at other people and blame them: Children love
that one – well, he started it. We can even justify ourselves – everyone is
doing it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And it is this principle that is at the heart of the Reformation. The
Reformers had a term for it - Incurvatus in se – that we are curved in on
ourselves. And so Luther, when he was dealing with his sinfulness that drove
him to despair – looked within himself for relief. To balance his sin with good
deeds trying to prove to himself that he was worthy of God’s acceptance. But
the more he looked inside himself the more despair he discovered. Luther in
fact began to despise Jesus through this as a tyrant. It was said that the only
way to appease this vengeful Jesus, as taught by the church, was to seek the
kind and beneficent intercession of his mother Mary. Luther went to the 'Mother
of God', who, unlike her vindictive son, was full of tenderness and compassion.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary became the sole refuge for the
terrified monk. Until he discovered the glorious truth of salvation by grace
through faith. The message of the book of Romans.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Luther discovered what St Paul discovered in his writing to the Roman
Church - no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the
law; that the righteousness of God has been made known and that righteousness
is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Luther discovered
that comfort for our sin was not found in ourselves but rather outside of
ourselves. This is so counterculture because it’s not inbred in us by birth and
by society. To many it would seem like weakness to admit to a fault in
yourself. Jesus had this discussion with the Pharisees. They looked to
themselves for justification before God: We are Abraham’s descendants. But that
was not going to give them any true peace. Instead, Jesus said - “If you hold
to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and
the truth will set you free. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free
indeed”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Luther finally discovered<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>true
peace that came not by trying to meet an unobtainable standard before God. Not
by trying to justify himself before God as Adam and Eve tried to. Not by trying
to justify himself by comparing himself to others – in fact he discovered what
Paul said in Romans - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Not
by his credentials as if somehow they might balance in his favour as the
Pharisees did with their “we are children of Abraham” comment. But by
discovering God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ and the truth that all are
justified freely by his grace through Christ Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So, just all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God – so too,
Jesus Christ has justified us freely by his grace. And it was THAT truth that
set him free. That was the beginning of the Reformation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We live in a world where there are so many expectations placed on us. Whether
it be financially, socially, career, sporting achievement. There is the
expectation to succeed that is causing so much mental strain on children trying
to achieve expectations placed on them. Especially at this time with exams and
tertiary entrance scores to see if you’re accepted. But how freeing it is that
when it comes to God there are no expectations when it comes to accepting us as
his children.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Before God there are no distinctions as Paul said in Romans - There is
no difference between Jew and Gentile, or any other classification. All have
been created in God’s image. All have been saved by grace through Jesus. It is
only we who make those expectations, be they on ourselves or on other people. How
truly freeing it is knowing that we are loved by God so much.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sometimes that is hard to understand when we look in the mirror and
can’t even love ourselves and yet God, the creator of the universe actually
loves us. He loves us because he created us in order to love. That is something
we should never doubt because God is love. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Reformation was an historic event in the church. It began a new
movement of Protestant Churches. But more than that it reinstated in the minds
of the common person that God loved them unconditionally. That God would
remember our sins no more and neither should we. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians
– love keeps no record of wrongs. There is only one person who remembers sin –
and that is Satan – the accuser. He will have you believe that there is nothing
lovely in you – that there is nothing loveable in you when it comes to God. But
just as God said to Israel he says to us: The Lord did not set his heart on you
and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were
the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you. And
the Lord loves you and has given his Son for you so that you may live in Heaven
with him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Jesus is the way, the truth and the life – and his truth truly sets us
free.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-81540991570949124242023-10-18T14:42:00.002-07:002023-10-18T14:42:11.802-07:00Sermon 22nd October 2023 – 21st Sunday after Pentecost Text Matthew 22:15-22 – Image is everything<p>S<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">ermon 22</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> October 2023 – 21</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Sunday after
Pentecost</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text Matthew 22:15-22 – Image is everything<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Image seems to be everything these days. In social media you have to get
that profile picture just right so people will friend you, add you, follow you,
swipe you, like you – after that I’m not sure what’s next. If you’re a public
figure you have to make sure your public image is kept clean especially these
days with the ability to go back on the internet to find pictures or stories
about you that can come back to haunt you. And we know how many politicians and
celebrities have been brought down because of their public image being
tarnished from 20 or 30 years ago. We used to have a phenomenon called “Tall
Poppy Syndrome” where while it was exciting watching a person rise to the top
of their field – if they got too successful and too boastful we would look for
opportunities to bring them down – like a child who sees a tall poppy a feels
the need to kick it. More modern is the phenomenon called “Cancel Culture”
where we are not satisfied with just smearing a person’s image we have to make
sure they leave in disgrace. Image is important.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today Jesus’s image is inflated by the Pharisees: “Teacher, we know that
you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show
deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. You just
feel there’s a “BUT” coming soon. And sure enough we’re told that the Pharisees
intention was a plot to entrap Jesus. Tell us, what you think. Is it lawful to
pay taxes to the emperor, or not. They’re trying to get Jesus with one of those
– damned if you do and damned if you don’t scenarios. Much like Jesus caught
them out regarding John’s Baptism – was it of human origin or from God. Whatever
answer they gave they were doomed. If it was from God then why didn’t you
believe him. If it was from human origin they were afraid of a revolt. Likewise
if Jesus says it is right to pay taxes to Caesar he could lose followers who
were hoping that Jesus would lead a revolution against the Roman rule. If he
says it is not right he could face charges of treason against the Romans. Brilliant
as always, Jesus turns the tables on them. Whose image is printed on the coin. They
say – Caesar’s. So, Jesus says, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give
to God what belongs to God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So the question is – what belongs to God? Where is God’s image
imprinted? Well, we go back to the beginning of creation in Genesis chapter
one. God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness. So God
created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and
female he created them – in his own image. What belongs to God – we do. Where
is God’s image imprinted? In us. Our very lives. As St Paul also testifies in 1
Corinthians: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were
bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. And again, Therefore,
I urge you, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s interesting watching our grandson growing up. As he gets older and
more interactive you begin to observe similarities in looks and actions not
just with parents but also as grandparents. This includes both looks and
behaviors. They copy things you do but also some natural instinct behaviours
are noticed because they are family. And, in a sense, this is what Jesus is
referring to in the 2nd part of his answer. We render to Caesar what is
Caesar’s because the coin has his image on it. But we also offer to God what
has his image on it – ourselves – our very lives. This is what Jesus sums up as
the greatest commandment. Love the Lord your God with all your hearts, soul,
mind and strength. And, love your neighbour as yourself because your neighbour
also bears God’s image as you do. As John says – how can we love God whom we
have not seen if we cannot love our neighbour whom we can see.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And so the way we treat one another reflects on our love for God. That’s
why when Jesus asked, what is the greatest commandment – another attempt to
trap him – he again brilliantly answered this by saying – love God with all
your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. He didn’t have to choose one of
the 10 commandments above the other because LOVE for God and neighbour ensured
we kept all of them. The reason I don’t steal from my neighbour is not because
God’s commandment forbids me to do so or because I fear punishment if I’m
caught. No, I don’t steal from my neighbour because I love them and don’t want
to hurt them. And because they are created in God’s image I don’t want to hurt
God either. And every single commandment or law can be kept in such a manner. Even
if we’re not sure which commandment applies to a certain situation – or we’re
not even sure if it’s against God’s will then we can apply this measure – is it
hurting my neighbour? Is it going to reflect poorly on God’s image?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Did you know that it is an offence under the Crimes (Currency) Act 1981
to intentionally deface, disfigure, mutilate or destroy Australian banknotes or
coins? It incurs a hefty fine and up to 2 years imprisonment. God values human
life even more. Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. All life belongs
to God and God values life as he has imprinted his own image onto each and
every person. And we are called to respect that in ourselves and in every
person. Do not ever undervalue yourself. You were bought at a very hefty price
– not with silver or gold but with the life of God’s one and only Son.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do not ever undervalue your neighbour because they are your brother or
sister in Christ. Which is why God commands us to love our neighbour as ourself
– because we are one in Christ – in the image of God. Even though sin marred
our relationship with God we never lost God’s love for us. Sin put a barrier
between us an God that did not allow Moses to look at God’s face an live. But
at Jesus death, as the temple curtain was torn in two – Jesus opened up our
access to God. So much so that we don’t just look at God’s face but we receive
his Son’s body and blood into our hands. We are able to hold God’s Holy Word in
our hands and through that word and water become his children with full
inheritance restored. Even the angels see us as if they are staring into God’s
face as Jesus says in Matthew 18. See that you do not despise one of these
little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of
my Father in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So when you look around you – see what God sees in your neighbour. When
you look in the mirror – see what God sees.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As Paul says in 2 Corinthians: We reflect the glory of the Lord. And the
Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into
his glorious image. His own image – an image he loves so much that he
sacrificed his one and only son so he could have you in heaven with him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-11036750737874190092023-10-10T15:26:00.003-07:002023-10-10T15:26:38.167-07:00 Sermon 15th October 2023 – 20th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Matthew 22:1-14 – You are invited<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sermon 15</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> October 2023 – 20</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Sunday after
Pentecost</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Matthew 22:1-14 – You are invited<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Jesus has used quite a few parables in recent weeks to give us a picture
of what the Kingdom of Heaven is going to look like. He used examples of a fine
pearl, a great treasure, a mustard seed, a treasure found in the field, a net
cast into the sea to catch a load of fish. But here we have an imagery of what
life in the Kingdom of Heaven looks like. It looks like a wedding feast. And
what a beautiful image that is. If you’ve ever been to a wedding and a wedding
reception you know how much effort goes in for this to be perfect. This is the
bride’s special day – it has to be perfect. You can’t have a hair out of place.
You have wedding rehearsals to hopefully prevent any last minute uncertainty. The
hair and makeup is started at the crack of dawn. The photographer arrives early
to capture every preparation of the big day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One of the hardest parts however of a wedding is getting the invitation
list together. Weddings are expensive – a meal you might pay $30 to $50 in a
restaurant can end up around $200. So you refine the list – you have a back up
list so if someone can’t make it you can invite them because you would have
already paid for them. I remember with our son getting married that because of
Covid we were even ringing people the day before the wedding to invite them
because someone had come down with Covid.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In our bible reading we have a King giving a wedding banquet for his
son. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would say NO to a royal wedding - such an
elite invitation yet this is what we find. But not only did they say NO they
got angry at being invited: They made light of the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves,
mistreated them, and killed them. Not wanting the day to be ruined the King
extends the invitation to anyone who is prepared to come. It didn’t matter if
they were on the A list – anyone, good or evil was invited. Through this
parable we see that the King is a gracious King wanting nothing more than to
invite people to his celebration and for some unknown reason his invited guests
reject him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is a picture of our world condition. We have a God who loves the
world so much that he sacrificed his own Son for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We have a God whose desire is to have all of us live in heaven with him.
We have a God who wants to lavish on us all his love and abundance as John saw
in Revelation: A new Heaven and Earth, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Where
there will be no more suffering or death – where nothing evil will ever exist –
and not only do people say no but they become violent and hateful to anyone who
tries to share the Good News with them. Just like how they treated the King’s
messengers who only came to let them know the sumptuous feast was ready for
them: They seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. And yet this is
how we find more often than not the response to the Gospel in the world today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But we are not to give in but, like the King, continue to go out to the
highways and byways to invite people to experience the joy of heaven. It’s so
hard to understand what is so offensive about an invitation to experience
heaven without anything required and yet that is what Jesus experienced and
what the church continues to experience today. But God is a gracious God and
does not treat us as we deserve. As we see in our Old Testament reading. Despite
all that God has done for Israel at the first opportunity they replace God with
a golden calf. The people demand from Aaron:“Come, make gods for us, who shall
go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of
Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Aaron took the gold from them
and cast an image of a calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who
brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">God was furious – he disowned them - let me alone, so that my wrath may
burn hot against them and I may consume them; <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But Moses stood between God’s judgment and the rebellious people who had
rejected him. Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring
disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. And what did God
do?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on
his people. You see, God is not a vengeful God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So often we read, as we read in today’s Psalm, the qualities of God as,
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you realise both the power and the responsibility that you have –
that the church has – in standing between God’s anger at how the world treats
him and the world. That’s why as Christians and the Church we pray for the
world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Because, as we see in the parable of the wedding feast there is a time
of Judgment when those who reject Christ will face a judgment without the
covering of Christ’s forgiveness. When the king came in to see the guests, he
noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him,
‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was
speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and
throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s unthinkable to imagine but there will come a time when all must
face God’s judgment – when every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus
Christ as Lord. As we read in Hebrews 9: people are destined to die once, and
after that to face judgment. Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins
of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring
salvation to those who are waiting for him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So let us be like Moses. Yes there is so much antagonism and rejection
of the church but it’s not our place to call down fire and brimstone like James
and John wanted to do when the Samaritans rejected them: “Lord, do you want us
to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked
them. No, let us be like Moses, praying for them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let us listen to Paul who said: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rejoice
in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to
everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to
God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. We can all get passionate and emotional
at times and wonder why people can’t understand that God loves them and offers
them eternal life in heaven. Just like I can’t understand why anyone would have
rejected an invitation to a Royal Wedding. But that’s the reality of Satan
turning the hearts of people against God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But let us not be deterred from our faith that God can work miracles in
the hearts of hardened hearts. Let us keep valuing whatever is true, whatever
is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing,
whatever is commendable – and keep praying for the world and the God of peace
will be with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-45305474948556082932023-10-03T16:46:00.003-07:002023-10-03T16:46:28.650-07:00 Sermon 8th October 2023 – 19th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Philippians 3:4b-14 – True treasure in heaven<p> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sermon 8</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> October
2023 – 19</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Sunday after Pentecost</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Text: Philippians 3:4b-14 –
True treasure in heaven<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Two teams played off last week
to determine who was the Premiership Club in the AFL. A week earlier both clubs
were ecstatic to have made the achievement of playing in the Grand Final. But
there can only be one winner- the honour cannot be shared. I’ve always thought
that it actually feels better to have not made the Grand Final than to compete
in the Grand Final and lose. It’s like coming 2nd in the Olympics. You don’t
focus on the fact that you’re the 2nd best in the world in that sport or in the
competition but rather you feel that coming 2nd is losing. It’s interesting how
quickly success can turn into seeming failure. But that’s the fickle nature of
success – it doesn’t last and only lasts as long as your next defeat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That’s why Paul when he
reviews his life, despite all the accolades he received he regarded them all as
rubbish compared to what knowing Jesus has given to him. Paul is speaking to
his former colleagues who were perhaps trying to belittle Paul by revealing
what he had thrown away because of his insane idea of becoming a Christian. His
fellow Jews, particularly the Pharisees couldn’t understand why Paul would
throw away his future for this group of people who were spreading a rumour that
their leader, Jesus of Nazareth, rose from the dead. What a ludicrous idea to
throw away your life for. In fact, the Romans thought this of Paul also:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When Paul was giving his
defense before the Romans he said: Some Jews seized me in the temple courts and
tried to kill me. But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and
testify to small and great alike. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I am saying nothing beyond
what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Messiah would suffer
and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to
his own people and to the Gentiles.” At this point Festus, one of the Roman
leaders, interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he
shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Maybe some of your friends, or
even family, have thought that you’re crazy spending all this time, energy and
even money on this crazy idea of Jesus rising from the dead. Maybe you’ve had
the opportunity to stand up for your faith but was afraid of what people might
think. We all know what the media and general public think of Christianity. But
that should never deter us. And remember what Jesus once said – if they hate
you, remember they hated me first. In fact Jesus said that we are blessed if we
are persecuted because of our faith: Blessed are you when people insult you,
persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same
way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Which is what Jesus is
describing in his parable today:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A landowner sent his servants
to collect the harvest for him. But they beat and killed them. He sent more
servants – and they did the same. Then the landowner sent his own son believing
they would listen to him. But they didn’t and killed him also. We have here the
short history of Israel and God sending his prophets to urge them to return to
God. But they didn’t listen. Now this parable was specifically written for
Jesus’ time to explain God’s never give up attitude to saving humanity despite
what we did to his prophets and what we did to his own Son. And that never give
up love for humanity continues today. Despite the rejection of God’s church
-the mocking – the attempts to close down the church – God never gives up on
saving humankind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Remember, it was WHILE we were
yet sinners that Christ died for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And that is the understanding
that we need to have towards the salvation of humankind. Some religions will
issue threats and even death warrants if you dare disrespect their god and
prophets. But God calls on us to turn the other cheek – to love our enemies and
pray for those who persecute us. To go and do likewise as the Good Samaritan
who stopped to help him enemy who had been hurt, at his own time and expense,
rather than rejoice over his pain. Paul was even willing to give up his own
salvation if it meant salvation for his people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He says, in Romans 9 - With
Christ as my witness, I speak the truth. My conscience and the Holy Spirit
confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my
people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut
off from Christ!—if that would save them. Not only do successes only last a
brief moment but so does our hurts and rejections. They only last for this
lifetime and not in eternal life where nothing evil can exist. But sometimes we
allow them to keep affecting our lives and keep hurting us. That’s why Paul
says - forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I
press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ
Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yes Paul gave up a lot when he
became a Christian – but he gain immeasurably more. As Paul says - For I
consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us. The message Paul is trying to
convey is value what is truly valuable. Everything else is passing or as
Solomon says – he says everything is vanity - There is no remembrance of former
things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>among those who come after. But what will
not pass away is God who is eternal. And he has prepared a home in heaven for
us that no one can take away. It’s waiting there for us which is why Paul says
– to live is Christ, to die is gain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you come 2nd in life – or
even if you don’t even get picked for the team. If you never achieve the
accolades or possessions that others have. Remember what Paul says - I regard
everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my
Lord. Even if you are mocked or ridiculed because of your faith, remember –
great is your reward in heaven.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-81905135112025512622023-09-26T16:33:00.003-07:002023-09-26T16:33:30.934-07:00 Sermon 1st October 2023 – 18th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Exodus 17:1-7 – Is the Lord among us or not?<p> <span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Sermon 1</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">
October 2023 – 18</span><sup style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Sunday after Pentecost</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Text: Exodus 17:1-7 –
Is the Lord among us or not?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is the Lord among us or
not? Great question. Have you asked that question before? Is the Lord among us
or not?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What has made you ask
that question? What prompted that question by Israel. It was because God had
sent Moses to free Israel from slavery in Egypt and to lead them to a new land
– their own land – a land flowing with milk and honey – a land which will be
known as The Promised Land. But the journey was not what they expected from a
God who was supposed to be loving and caring for their needs. They are hungry
and thirsty so they reminisce back to the days in Egypt when even their horrid
and cruel slavedrivers at least made sure they had enough to eat and drink. They
were starting to think that their cruel slave drivers cared more for them than
God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When have you asked
that question of God – is the Lord with me or not. Have you thought that
perhaps the world has more concern for you than God? Maybe that’s why many
focus more energy on their careers, their sports and their leisure. It
sometimes seems that people much less faithful seem to get more breaks than I
do. It seems that even those who reject and mock God have easy comfortable
lives. How is it fair that God makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on
the good and the evil. What benefit is there to being a Christian? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The benefit is not in
the joy that earthly pleasures offer but the eternal blessings the world cannot
give. Earthly pleasures last for a moment compared to the eternal life that God
gives to us. Hunger and thirst soon return after a full stomach. Like the
Israelites sometimes we are led to believe God is unfair and that others would
have treated us much better. And so we ask - Is the Lord among us or not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Israel looked backwards
rather than to the promise of God – what did God promise – to lead them to the
promised land.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What has God promised
us? God promised that his Son whom he sent to us would be called “Immanuel”
which means God is with us. When Jesus had completed his earthly ministry after
his death and resurrection he ascended to Heaven with the same promise – I AM
WITH YOU ALWAYS TILL THE END OF THE AGE. So there is never any doubt whether
God is with us or not because God has promised to do so. The real question is
why, if God is with us, are our lives not perfect. A lot of the times it’s to
do with our lack of trust in God. That was Israel’s problem – they looked back
rather than trust what God had promised. There was no way that God was going to
let Israel die of thirst or starvation. But their expectation of what <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">they believe God should
be doing didn’t match how God was looking after them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There’s an interesting
passage in Deuteronomy 29 where Moses says to Irael. Your eyes have seen all
that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his
land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With your own eyes you saw those
great trials, those signs and great wonders. “During the forty years that I led
you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals
on your feet. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I
did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s really
interesting that God did not allow their clothes or shoes to wear out while
walking the wilderness for 40 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If God was able to do
that then wouldn’t God be able to suppress their hunger and thirst and not let
them die of hunger or thirst. Surely God was more concerned for them than their
clothes and shoes. But they were so used to filling their stomachs that they
looked back to their past in Egypt. Now compare that with what we read about
Jesus in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though Jesus was in the form of God, he did
not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in
human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even
death on a cross. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, Jesus did NOT look
back on his former glory but trusted in God even when he had not eaten for 40
days and was tempted by Satan to turn rocks into bread. And even though that
trust would lead to his humiliating suffering and death – he humbled himself
and trusted God. And as a result of that trust, God highly exalted him and gave
him the name that is above every name, so that 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. Paul
says - Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. God IS with you. In
your Baptism Jesus promised – I am with you always. In Holy Communion Jesus
promises – this IS my body – this IS my blood.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What we are to learn
from this for our own lives, is that God is with us even when we don’t feel it.
And the way we can be sure of that is not because of our prosperity, or lack
thereof, but because of God’s unchanging word of promise. God’s presence is not
about feelings but about promises. Our world is of great concern to so many
people. With cost of living, Covid, climate change, sickness, aging, death. While
these may weary us they are also opportunities to support and uphold each other
as Paul points out: Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the
interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you ever have any
doubts about whether God is with you or not then look to what God has done for
you and promised you. God sent Jesus to die for you. Paul really sums it up in
Romans chapter 8: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare
his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution
or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him who loved us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As Christians, the good
news is that these experiences are limited to this lifetime. In Heaven there
will be no more suffering or death, no more hunger or thirst. And so for
Israel, rather than looking to the past they should have been looking to God
who had promised to lead them to their promised land. And if God was taking
them there then surely he wouldn’t have let them die of hunger or thirst. Likewise,
we are being led on a journey to our Promised Land. And yes the journey can be
tough but the worst that the world can do to us is what they did to Jesus. And
remember what Paul said last week – to die is gain – because we achieve eternal
life and reach our eternal home, our Promised Land..<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685281857111728814.post-11300645520555614002023-09-19T22:19:00.001-07:002023-09-19T22:19:14.617-07:00Sermon 24th September 2023 - LCA Lay reading sermon - Matthew 20:8-10 - Our Gracious God<p> </p><div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">The LCA provides this sermon edited for lay-reading, with thanks to the
original author.</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoTitle"><span style="font-size: 34.0pt;">Sermon for Year A Proper 20<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1><span style="font-size: 22.0pt;">Text: Matthew 20:8-10<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 17.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; layout-grid-mode: line; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Apparently, it was the custom in Jesus’
time for those people who relied on work on farms or labouring jobs to go to
the town square early in the morning and wait for work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes there was an urgency to harvest
grapes and grain before bad weather rolled in and destroyed the lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A builder may have needed to get a house
built quickly. Of course these landowners, builders, or whatever, would pick
the youngest, fittest and strongest workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; layout-grid-mode: line; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Getting work
was important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a matter of
survival. Those who were given work first thing in the morning were certain
that at the end of the day to have a day’s wages to spend buying wholesome food
for their household and everyone would go to bed with full tummies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; layout-grid-mode: line; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">For those who were left standing in the
town square things were less certain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Waiting and hoping and praying for some work was nerve wracking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Landowners and others offering work would
come and go all day and each time those workers in the square would hope that
they would be picked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How frustrating it
must have been, knowing that the well-being of their families depended on a
stranger, a landowner, who may or may not choose them to do some work and who
didn’t know or care much about the consequences of not having work on their families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">It’s not that the workers in the town square were lazy, in
fact, they wanted to work. But i<span style="layout-grid-mode: line;">f they were
still in the town square when the sun went down at the end of the day they would
have to go home and say to their families that they had nothing to give them to
eat that night.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">In Jesus’ story just as the workers were about to give up
hope someone comes and hires them and tells them that they will receive
whatever pay is fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something is
better than nothing and a small amount might be just enough to get the family
through to the next day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">But then the landlord does something completely crazy,
completely unexpected, completely and totally generous, something beyond their
wildest dreams. He gives them a full day's wage even though they haven't earned
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gives them enough to live
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gives them enough to take home to
their families and if they are careful this will be enough for tomorrow as
well. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">We know that those who had worked all day were unhappy with
this kind of generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The landowner
explained they had no right to be unhappy because they were paid the agreed
wage and besides, what right did they have to question his generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">This kind of generosity flies in the face of everything that
we would consider good work practice. Both trade unions and employers’
associations would be up in arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
hardly fosters good relations among the workers and between workers and their
bosses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this isn’t a story about
what is fair, just and right. It’s a story about generosity that is unbelievable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">And Jesus says that is what the kingdom of heaven is like. This
is what the generosity of God is like.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus, beaten, whipped, mocked and nailed to a cross is
evidence of the generosity of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Son of God had come from heaven to earth, not because he was looking for a nice
place to have a break from heavenly chores, but because he was part of a divine
plan set in motion when the first man and woman disobeyed God in the Garden of
Eden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God became human, born in a
stable, laid in a manger, raised in an out-of- the way country town, Nazareth,
was misunderstood and rejected, falsely accused and wrongly sentenced to die on
a cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did God go to
such extremes? <b>Because of his extravagantly generous love for each one of
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">There is nothing fair about the way Jesus was treated. There
was nothing fair about his trial. There was nothing fair about the way this
totally innocent man was executed as a criminal. There is little doubt that the
man who could command the wind and waves to stop, walk on water and raise the
dead could have given his executors (and that includes us) what they truly
deserve but instead he is able to say with such generosity of spirit, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Father, forgive them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don't know what they are doing”.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">This generosity of God has confused people for centuries. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">In today’s Old Testament reading we find Jonah sitting on a
hill overlooking Nineveh. He is very unhappy, even angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is he so upset?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all the people of Nineveh had given up
their wicked ways and God had decided not to punish them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jonah thought this so unfair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He considered himself a God fearing man always doing his best to follow
God's ways and he slipped up just once. Just once he disobeyed God and ended up
in a storm, thrown overboard and then in the smelly belly of a big fish at the
bottom of the sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now here are the
Ninevites, wicked through and through and they get off scot free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where is the justice in that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">That day Jonah learnt some valuable things about God's
generous love not only for the Ninevites, but also for himself and for all his
creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ninevites might have been
some of the most perverse people on the face of earth but his love for them was
no less generous than his love for the often cranky and self-righteous Jonah.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Just before our Gospel reading Jesus is asked by Peter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning
against me, how many times do I have to forgive him?”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter suggests seven times but Jesus is far
more generous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His answer implies there
is no limit to the number of times that forgiveness is to be given.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">That sounds extremely unfair. By our human way of reckoning,
there must be a limit to the times we forgive another person. There must be a
time when we say, “That’s it. You’ve hurt me for the last time. Just watch me
give you back some of what you have dished up to me!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus totally shatters our human standards of
fairness and justice by giving each one of us his love and grace without us
having to work for it or deserve it. He sets a new standard for our
relationship with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">There’s more to forgiveness than counting how many times we
should forgive. Let’s not forget that God's generosity toward us is totally
undeserved and unconditional, so it follows that we extend the same kind of
generosity toward others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">This can be expressed in any number of ways.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">We can be generous in the way we give a person
encouragement and a kind word when they are feeling down even though that
person might not be one of our best buddies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">We can be generous in the way we give of our time to
help someone going through a rough patch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">When someone says something that offends us we can be
generous in our reaction and sympathise, understand and appreciate what has
made the person respond in the way they have rather than give back as good as
we had given to us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">When we have fallen out with someone or believe we
have been unfairly treated we can be generous in our willingness to reach out
and make amends and restore friendships.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">When someone really annoys us and gets under our skin
we can be generous with our patience and kindness and deal with that person in
a way that reflects the generous nature of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">This happens in reverse as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we are tired and worn down and depressed
and feeling alone I’m sure we would appreciate someone being generous toward us
and patiently taking the time to talk with us and help us see the brighter side
of things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">It’s nice to talk about generosity in this way and how our
lives ought to reflect the generosity of God, but we all know how hard it is to
do just this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the workers experienced
in the parable, the biggest barriers to generosity are envy and
selfishness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s that part of us that
wants to be first and foremost over and above everyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is just at that moment that we look to
the generosity of God to forgive us again, renew us once more and redirect our
attitudes to be more Christlike.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The generosity of God toward us is summed up in one word
‘grace’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what Jesus’ parable is
all about and that’s what Jonah experienced that day outside Nineveh—the grace
of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The workers who received a full day’s wages for only a
half-day’s work or less were surprised and no doubt appreciative of the
landowner’s generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This unexpected
gift was a source of hope for the workers that would bring happiness to their
families and hope for a better tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The generosity of God is what gives us hope when it seems that only gray
skies and dark clouds colour our days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is this hope that changes the grey into the bright colours that only
the grace of God can bring into our lives. Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">And the peace of God that surpasses all understand keep your
hearts and minds forever in Christ Jesus. Amen.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Peter Ghalayinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231740430585909479noreply@blogger.com0