Sermon 28th July 2024 – 10th Sunday after Pentecost Text: John 6:1-21 – It doesn’t add up

 Sermon 28^th July 2024 – 10^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: John 6:1-21 – It doesn’t add up

There are two stories in our Gospel reading — the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water  In the story of the feeding of the 5,000, the multiplication formula doesn’t make sense: Five loaves of bread, two small fish = feeding 5000 with 12 baskets of leftovers. What is the difference? Jesus. The one who is in control,  “Jesus took the loaves”  We have the same conundrum as Christians. I piece of bread – one sip of wine – that’s the answer to life’s problems. It doesn’t add up. The difference? Jesus.  “On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread – took the cup”

Jesus can miraculously make much more than any of us can imagine as Paul says in our 2nd reading..  This happens when we have faith that Jesus is in control. In control – not controlling which can seem an oppressive behaviour. When the storms of life threaten us, we turn to the one who is stronger than we are and stronger than the storms themselves.  As the disciples discovered recently – who is this that even the wind and the waves must obey him. It didn’t add up. We can’t avoid the storms.  God doesn’t promise to eliminate storms from our lives.  But God does promise – I am with you always till the end of the age.

And that’s how the 2nd story connects. The disciples again find themselves at sea – in a storm. The difference this time is that Jesus is not in the boat with them. And interestingly they don’t cry out in fear. Maybe they learnt something from the previous occasion. The message of both stories is facing what appears to be an unsolvable problem until Jesus takes control.  “Where do we buy bread for all these people to eat?” A boy has five barley loaves and two fish.” But instead of looking at the meagre supplies – looking at what we have – it’s about faith. Who is in control?

By faith we can turn control of our lives over to God.  Let God be God. And we don’t have to wait until we realise that our strength is too weak to handle the storm we face and only then turn to Jesus. It’s a matter of allowing the Lord to guide our lives always. Sadly it’s often only when we realise our own strength is inadequate that we realise the need to turn control of our lives over to God.  But we fight that idea of trusting someone other than ourselves. Just look at David today. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and she becomes pregnant. He knew he did wrong. But instead of going to God for mercy he deals with the matter himself and makes a complete mess of it. Now, David is an adulterer AND a murderer. It gets worse when he remains in control. If only he had sought God’s mercy which he discovers later and writes Psalm 32:

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long

Like the boy and the apostles in our gospel reading, we have only small amounts of resources to meet big needs.  We have some water splashed on us in our Baptism – we have a wafer of bread – a sip of wine to meet all the storms in life. But as we see with he disciples who are battling a storm – Jesus comes to them – walking on the water and says - It is I; do not be afraid. Which in fact, literally, Jesus says – Don’t be afraid – I AM. I AM – the name given by God to Moses to face his battles against Pharoah and his army. The name given to us that is above all names. The name that not only the storms and wind and waves must obey but 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.

The five loaves and two small fish are small indeed.  But, as Jesus says, faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains – and feed 5000 and calm storms. Our resources are inadequate for many of the tasks we face today. Jesus can and does multiply our small resources. In spite of our lack of confidence in OUR resources, this story urges us to bring those resources to Jesus.  he can and does expand them.  It’s a matter of faith to use what God has given us.

God can and does work wonders with our insufficient resources, just like Jesus used the

boy and his lunch for great and glorious purposes — feeding 5,000 people.  And not only did Jesus feed 5,000 people but there were twelve baskets full of leftovers!  When we turn our gifts over to God, and trust that “my grace is all you need” we discover an abundance of gifts – as Paul discovered: Jesus is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,.

Our problem in life is that we think we need to stay in control, like David.  When the storms of life overwhelm us, we need to remember that when we are weak then we are strong because God takes control – as he did in both our stories today. And that can be frightening too – to let go and hand it over to God. The disciples were afraid of the rough waves and the violent wind.  But they were more afraid when they saw a shadowy figure coming toward them, walking on top of the water.  They were terrified.

Handing over control can also terrify us. Jesus is aware of what is going on in our lives too.  When we are caught in life’s storms Jesus may come to us in ways we don’t expect.  The story of Jesus walking on water is about Jesus coming to where we are. He comes with meagre supplies – water, bread, wine. That’s the real miracle.

He knows where we are and cares about what is happening. God is in control, not me. God acts in his way, not mine.  God is stronger than the storms of life and God cares about us as his children.  Faith means trusting, depending on Jesus, not ourselves. Jesus comes to us in the storms of life and sometimes, like the disciples, we don’t recognize him right away.

Sometimes it is only after an event or a tragedy or a storm that we can’t handle, we see that Jesus has come to where we are. Sometimes it is only later, when we really think about what happened that we realize God was there all the time, working his will even though we thought all was lost. Sometimes God’s timing is different than ours. Jesus didn’t get into the boat with his disciples as they left. After they had left, Jesus could see that his friends were in trouble.  They had rowed 3 or 4 miles by themselves. That’s not the timing they expected. But Jesus saves them when the storm came and he will save us.

He may  not save us when we want him to do so and he may not save us in the way we expect, but God answers the prayers of his people.  It is in waiting that we really get to know God.  Waiting is the test of real faith, because when we wait, we recognize that we are not in control. God is in control.  As Isaiah says, “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

When we wait for the Lord, renewal comes through faith. Waiting teaches us to know God which is difficult because we like to be in control. That’s why everything has remote controls: We hold the remote control for the TV, the garage, the gate, the CD player, or the DVD player, the car and we think, “I’m in control.”  Today’s Gospel reveals the secret that God is in control. And that with our limited human resources God can steer us through the storms of life  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will not be afraid for you are with me. Jesus comes to where you are, despite obstacles that we think would keep him away.

Sermon 21st July 2024 – 7th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 – Well earned rest

 Sermon 21^st July 2024 – 7^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 – Well earned rest

 

Everywhere Jesus went, people flocked to him.  They wanted what he was offering.  They wanted inspiration. They wanted healing. They wanted God.

 

 Mark’s gospel tells us that “so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat”  Even before Jesus got to a town, the mass of inquisitive people rushed ahead of him and waited for his arrival carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was”.

 

Sometimes our lives have similar chaotic times. Work deadlines – sporting commitments – church commitments – community commitments – family commitments. Nearing my retirement age I even hear from those who are retired that their lives have never been busier. And yet in the midst of this chaos Jesus said to his apostles, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.  Do you get time for this “rest”? Don’t we often keep working because we don’t have time to take a break?

 

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place”  Chaos came to Jesus because people were attracted to him. The needy and the sick came to him. The people who were waiting for their Messiah came to him. The people who wanted to hear the truth about life came to him. Jesus was a man people flocked to like a moth to a flame. Everyone wanted a piece of him. The poor and downtrodden wanted him to help them. The sick and suffering wanted healing from him. The lonely wanted fellowship with him. The ostracised wanted acceptance from him.And they got it.

 

Where do people go today for this help? With many of our churches mostly empty or on the verge of shutting down where are people going for this spiritual relief? Or maybe they’re not. Maybe they’re just dealing with it themselves which accounts for the high level of anxiety and depression. We are seeing a rise in use of alcohol and drugs – and with children vaping.

Surprisingly people were attracted to Jesus’ authority.  “No one speaks like this man,”  “He speaks with authority.”  And yet today there is such distrust in authority especially church authority.

 

Jesus held no office, no official position and yet he spoke as one having authority. The apostles, who followed him day and night, were constantly amazed by his commanding actions.  During a storm on the  Sea of Galilee “... they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this that even the wind and waves obey him?’ But Jesus’ authority was a message of love, hope, and compassion. He not only taught that we should love God above everything else and our neighbors as ourselves; Jesus lived what he taught. He loved the outcast Zacchaeus – he loved the woman caught in adultery. He showed compassion to the woman with an issue of blood and Jairus’ daughter and the 5,000 hungry people

You could see hope that he brought. Which explains the pain of the the 2 disciples going to Emmaus with downcast faces after his death – we had hoped. He gave hope to the hopeless: Healing the blind, the deaf, the mute, and even the demon possessed.

 

Where many others looked down at people, thinking themselves superior, Jesus always looked out for people, from their level – like the short statured Zacchaeus.  Even the children, who were diminished by the apostles, were treated as valuable people by Jesus. Children, as well as adults, flocked to Jesus because of the compassion they saw in him.

With a message of love, hope, and compassion, Jesus was so unique that multitudes wanted to be where he was. Can we, as church, recapture that hope for people?

 

Today people tend to abstain from a relationship with Jesus and his Church. Even though people reject Jesus, he never rejects anyone but has compassion on them like sheep without a shepherd. There is no doubt that there is chaos in the world we live today. The speed at which we live, the noise that surrounds our days, the pressures, the stress, the expectations people have for us today, the demands and the hectic pace of modern life all combine to the chaos of our world in which we live.

In our busy, chaotic, and hectic lives, we need to see the one who touched the minds, hearts, and lives of thousands of people and make time for him. That’s what Jesus provided for his apostles when he guided them to rest. That’s what God gave us with a Sabbath rest that so many ignore today. And yet the invitation goes out to all people – come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

 

Our hectic lives must be met by meeting God in a quiet place.  That’s why Jesus took his disciples to a deserted place, a place of solitude. We need time to refresh ourselves in the presence of God.  Daily devotions, Prayer, worship, reading our bibles – these are all gifts from God to keep our lives balanced. We will always find an excuse as to why we don’t have time to pray – to read – to come to church. But look at the example Jesus gave in his chaotic life still taking time to rest and pray to God.

 

But we also find something interesting about God in our Old Testament reading. The people misunderstood the relationship they had with God. They didn’t expect a God that would reach out to them. After receiving his rest from his enemies David wanted to build God a temple. A place where people  could go and honour God. But God was seemingly offended at this gesture: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”

 

In our busy chaotic lives it is easy to put God to one side. We’ll take him out when we need him. In difficult times we’ll eventually pray to him. Out of a sense of duty we’ll come to church on Sunday to pay our respect. But we discover in our Old Testament that God is a God who goes with his people wherever they go. As Jesus promised in our Baptism – I am with you always till the end of the age. Not sometimes – always. In Psalm 23 we read about God travelling with us. Even though I go through the valley of the shadow of death I will not be afraid – for you are with my. Your love and mercy follow me all the days of my life.

 

In busyness it’s easy to say I don’t have time for God. But God always makes time for us. When Jairus asked him to go with him – he did. When the woman on the way touched him – despite his rush to get to Jairus’s daughter – he stops and speaks with her. And maybe, as the children of God – as God’s holy temple, as Paul says we are – perhaps that is our challenge. To go to where the people are who need God To go to people go don’t go to God.

 

Our churches may be declining but Jesus says the harvest is plentiful. In fact, that is Paul’s challenge to us in our 2nd reading – as ones who have been brought near to God. He says: Remember that you were without Christ, being aliens and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; And now he sends us out, just as he sent the disciples out who come to him today to tell him all that they had done and taught

 

The harvest indeed is plentiful and it is ripe for a message of hope, but sadly the workers are getting fewer. So may God bless you as you go out to sow a seed of hope today.

Sermon 7th July 2024 – 7th Sunday after Pentecost Text 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 – Power in weakness

 Sermon 7^th July 2024 – 7^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 – Power in weakness

 

What answer was Paul expecting to his prayer – a prayer he prayed 3 times. A man of faith and not just any faith but faith in a risen Lord that he had spoken with from Heaven. A faith that had not just come from speaking with Jesus but actually having been taken into Heaven and shown what it was he was going to receive because of his faith in Jesus. The response to his prayer:  Jesus said, “My grace is all you need, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Is that a “NO”?

 

What answers are you expecting to your prayers? Haven’t you been a good Christians. Didn’t Jesus say – ask anything in my name and I will give it to you? Paul asked for relief from his suffering which on the surface might look as if he was ignored. But in fact Paul was given the answer to suffering:Power made perfect, not in strength, but in weakness, says Jesus in response. And Paul’s new insight -  “Whenever I am weak, then I am strong,”

 

And it’s not as if God is expecting Paul to accept something that he would not be prepared to accept himself. God chose to enter human life not as an earthly recognised king or a conqueror, but in weakness as a baby.  Not born in a powerful family – but to the wife of a carpenter. Not in a palace but in a barn. And isn’t this what is thrown in Jesus face when he tries to exert the power he has? “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

 

Jesus wasn’t welcomed by the paparazzi that follow the mighty and elite around. Rather- it was the heavenly realm that saw through this earthly need for power. The heavenly host of angels that sang at his birth:  “Peace to God’s people on earth,”

God’s love took on flesh and dwelt among us as a baby—vulnerable, utterly dependent, weak – and he’s going to save Israel from the Romans – he’s going to save the world – even if it didn’t look like that.

 

This is God’s example and clue to us that he would use weakness to show strength. God was doing that long before Jesus was born.  A couple weeks ago we saw the example of God looking past worldly examples of power with the anointing of David.  Samuel is sent to the house of Jesse to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be king over Israel.  When the first of Jesse’s sons is brought before Samuel, Samuel takes one look at him and thinks, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed. He will make a great king.”  But God says, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” David, the lowly one who was sent to look after the sheep - stands before Samuel and the Lord says, “He’s the one” How ironic that the angels also seek out Shepherds to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ birth – the new born King.

 

In human weakness, God’s strength is shown. Paul doesn’t describe what his “thorn in the flesh” is. Some have thought it might have been his eyes – perhaps after witnessing the bright light on the road to Damascus where he met Jesus and was blinded. In his letter to the Galatians – in chapter 4 – he says - I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Paul’s letters were written by an assistant – Tertius – who writes in Romans 16:22 –  I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.. Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonians by saying: I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. And Galatians - See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand – perhaps indicating his need to write big so he could see it.

 

The reason I’m pondering this is that sometimes the cross we have to bear hits us close to home. Like Jesus – rejected in his hometown to the extent that he could do no deed of power there and he was amazed at their unbelief. Imagine how much Paul thought he could have achieved if only he didn’t have this impediment. Don’t we somethings think like that? Imagine how much more good we could do in the community if we had more money – if we had younger members to take over leadership – if we had more modern premises that we could have a coffee shop like other bigger more successful churches have.

But hold on – isn’t that going against what Jesus said to Paul – my power is made perfect in weakness. Not just – don’t worry how small you are you can still do some good. NO! My power is made PERFECT in weakness.

 

Maybe you’ve wondered why God has given you some weakness that if you didn’t have it you could do much much more. But, remember what Paul said in First Corinthians: Think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are - WHY, so that no one may boast before him. And there it is again – boasting. Not over how many people we had in church today. But in our weakness. And if we are to boast about anything – Paul says – boast about your salvation. As Paul says in Ephesians 2 –  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

“God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength,”

 

Paul says it is God’s love that makes us who we are – not worldly success “In all things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8).

 

So back to our text where Paul says: When I am weak then I am strong. How? Because when we are weak, we rely on the strength of God to get us through. As Pauls says to the Philippians (Chapter 4) I can do all things through him who gives me strength. We may not get the answer to our prayers as we hope to get. Paul prays three times that whatever it was he was suffering with might be taken away from him.  God told him to trust in God’s grace. My grace is all you need.

 

In times of weakness we place ourselves in the mercy, love, forgiveness, grace, and strength of God. Who, like a mother hen, stretches out his arms to gather us in and protect us. Don’t let your perceived limitations restrict you from the strength God gives you to accomplish what he has prepared for you long ago – even before you were even born. Ponder that for a moment. As Jeremiah discovered when he thought God had chosen him by mistake – I’m too young – I don’t know how to speak. To which God says: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; The only impediment we have to achieving God’s mission is when we look to our own strength instead of God’s strength. And to see God’s strength we need to see and understand our own weakness and that God’s grace is all we need. And that we are God’s masterpieces – created in Christ Jesus to do the good works God had planned for us long ago.

Sermon 30th June 2024 – 6th Sunday after Pentecost Text Mark 5:21-43 – Holy disruptions

 Sermon 30^th June 2024 – 6^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text Mark 5:21-43 – Holy disruptions

 

A couple years ago while I was driving home from Pastors’ Conference in Adelaide, I hit a pot hole that took out my front wheel and tyre. In the pouring rain on the Western Highway I dodged cars and B-Double trucks trying to change with the spare after having to remove all my luggage from the boot. Finally I got it on and it was one of those smaller wheels so I had to drive slower which I didn’t mind being pouring rain outside. At least I was mobile. Until I hit another pot hole 10 minutes later that took out the spare and the rear wheel. I was now stranded 5 kms from the nearest town. I drove on the rims and waited 4 hours for the RACV to get me home. I contemplated “why”? I had left the conference early to get a head start and get home early.

 

I pondered and thought to myself that perhaps God had made this detour for a reason. Did I perhaps avoid a more tragic accident. I’ll never know. But sometimes God interrupts our plans with detours. And we’ll never know why or what may have happened if that distraction had not happened. Have you tried to make sense of a disruption in your life? Maybe disruptions should be part of our thanksgiving for who knows what work God has done through them.

 

In our Gospel reading today there are 2 disruptions to Jesus’ plans. After having his sleep disrupted by a storm that was bashing against he boat he was in he finally gets to the other side and returns. And no sooner has he got out of the boat when he is confronted by Jairus – his first disruption. When Jairus saw Jesus he fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.”  So Jesus went with him. On his way he is disrupted again. This time by a woman who has had a bleeding condition for 12 years. But she knows Jesus is busy so she sneaks up on him not wanting to disrupt him. She thought to herself – I don’t need to interrupt this busy man. If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well. And she did – and her bleeding stopped.

 

But, just as she felt the power of Jesus enter her – he felt the power leave him. So, despite his busyness and urgency to save Jairus’s daughter – he stops. He wants to find out why this disruption happened. I can imagine Jairus standing there thinking – come on Jesus. She’s been waiting 12 years – what’s another day. Come and heal my daughter before it’s too late. And that’s exactly what happens. While Jesus was speaking to the woman some people came from Jairus’s house to say, It’s too late -  “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further? What good came out of this disruption?

Jairus’s daughter died. However, despite the grief and sadness, Jesus sees this disruption as an opportunity to show the power and authority that he has – not just over the wind and the waves – but over life and death. A power and authority that will be fully revealed at his own death through resurrection.

 

Paul also sees that hidden behind disruptions and adversity is thanksgiving to God. He says: For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. As Paul says in Philippians – Christ emptied himself. The disciples would become perplexed – forlorn – despondent when they witness the heinous brutality against Jesus. Like the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus – faces downcast – “we had hoped”. But, by Jesus’ poverty we have become rich beyond measure. By his death we have received eternal life. The disciples didn’t understand this disruption. They thought Jesus was on a different sort of mission. Peter objected when he heard of death disrupting his mission – NEVER Lord – this will NEVER happen to you.

 

It is easy to become despondent at the way life journeys take us. It is easy to feel that there is nothing to be thankful for when things don’t work out our way. But here we see that sometimes disruptions will come for a couple reasons. First – to redirect us where we are needed. Jesus original plans were interrupted by Jairus. But his daughter needed healing. And while Jesus was on the way there he experiences another disruption with the bleeding woman. Had Jesus not been disrupted by Jairus would the bleeding woman have come across him? We don’t know. Was she the intended target of Jesus’ healing? We’ll never know but it doesn’t matter.

 

But, secondly, sometimes a disruption may be a guardian angel in disguise. Like my flat tyres that kept me off the road for almost 5 hours. Did that keep me from something that I’ll never know about? Likewise, had the bleeding woman not have disrupted Jesus would he have gotten to Jairus’s daughter in time and performed just another healing miracle that the people had witnessed before? But because of the bleeding woman, Jesus’ delay meant Jairus’s daughter died. While on the surface no one could possible see any good out of this – BUT – through this disruption and subsequent death – Jesus is able to show his power and authority over life AND death.

 

Very similar to Lazarus. Jesus there creates his own disruption to Mary and Martha’s plans to have Jesus come immediately – but he delays. So the message for us is – there are many things for us to give thanks for – even if we don’t see them. Even if on the surface we feel, not only is there nothing to give thanks for – but we have grievance with God – we need to trust God in what we call – his providence. Providence is probably not a word we use too often. Providence means the guardianship and care provided by God.  And sometimes that care is hidden and we don’t understand it. We don’t always understand God’s ways but we know that he is our loving heavenly Father who is always looking out for us.

 

God doesn’t always create interruptions but God can certainly always use them to bring about good – as Joseph discovered. Joseph understood that it was not God’s intention for his brothers to sell him as a slave to Egypt but through those evil actions of his brothers he was able to save the world from starvation and bring his family to a rich land. As he says to his brothers - Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. It is easy to feel that there is nothing to be thankful for – especially when disruptions to our lives come. Disruptions that inconvenience us. It is easy then to become like the Israelites – who despite all that God has done for them forget his love and mercy the first time a disruption comes. There’s no water – there’s no food –  They miss God’s blessings – we hate this detestable manna.

 

But God’s blessings are always there. We need to trust God that sometimes he disrupts our lives for a reason. Or if there’s something outside of God that disrupts our lives, like Joseph, that God will use it for your good. So gives thanks to the Lord always for his love for you endures forever.

Sermon 23rd June 2024 – 5th Sunday after Pentecost Text: 1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 – Facing our Goliaths

 Sermon 23^rd June 2024 – 5^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: 1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 – Facing our Goliaths

 

The story of David and Goliath is a story that has given hope to people facing massive challenges in life.

Against all the odds this young shepherd boy with no military experience takes on a giant – a literal giant – just short of 10 feet tall. He refuses to take with him the armour of war – shields, swords, spears. Instead he relies on the armour of God:

Goliath said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.” But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down.

 

And so the story of David and Goliath is one of - where do we go when we are faced with problems that are too big for us to handle. King Saul didn’t understand about God fighting for him. He and his men were petrified as they looked at the size of this giant. When David arrived on the scene Saul looks at Goliath and he looks at David: “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth. David explains the fights he has had with bears and lions protecting his sheep. He says to Saul: The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine. So David didn’t look at the massive challenge ahead of him but kept his faith in God.

 

But it’s easy to let fear take control. Like when Peter, walking on the water, took his eyes of Jesus and focused on the storm ahead of him and began to sink. Or like the disciples today in a very similar situation. They are in a boat. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. They cry out in fear: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?

 

Like David, Jesus wasn’t concerned about the challenge confronting him. The same wind and waves that were beating against the boat causing the disciples to fear that they were going to die - couldn’t even wake Jesus from his sleep.

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. He gets up and like David doesn’t worry about the size of his challenger but looks directly at the wind and waves and says –  “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. Every day we have the possibility of a challenging situation confronting us and we wonder how am I going to get through this

Things might start off well, like the disciples getting into a boat to sail across the sea. Something they have done many times before especially for those who were fishermen. Even David had no idea how his day would turn out. David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took provisions, and went to see his brothers as his father Jesse had commanded him to.

 

But then something happens and our natural instinct is to panic. How am I going to handle this. Our lives are not guaranteed to be spared stress and storm as our lives are tossed about by the waves of economic uncertainty and change, war, family issues, sickness, and death. Hardly a week goes by that we do not face the fearsome realities of these events, either impacting us personally or our neighbors or our friends in the church, and nightly the troublesome images of television news intrude into our homes from the larger world. Maybe we have prayed that night like the disciples “Lord, do you not care that we are perishing?

 

I look at all the reports on the rising levels of depression and anxiety that are hitting our young people who feel the world is on a collision course with destruction. It’s interesting that amount of fear that has gripped our world. Why is that? Perhaps the answer is seen in Jesus’ response to the disciples: “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” Our Gospel reading shows the link between faith and fear. Is there a connection between church decline and fear increase? The opposite of faith is not doubt or unbelief;  No, the opposite of faith seems to be fear. That’s the difference between King Saul and the soon to be King David. Saul feared because he didn’t have faith in God. David had faith in God so he didn’t have any fear.

 

We fear when we are not in control. The book of Hebrews says - faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Without faith, the things that we do not see frighten us. The unknown frightens us. But with Jesus by our side there is nothing that need frighten us. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will not be afraid for you are with me.

 

And that’s the surprising thing about the disciples’ fear. Jesus was with them. They mistook his sleep as lack of care when in fact his sleep meant his lack of fear. The worst that the storm could dish up - A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped – couldn’t even wake Jesus up. Do you see the irony? Do you see the sarcasm of Jesus against the worst the world could dish up. And that’s the same for us. What is the worst the world can do to you? Even if it takes away your life we have eternal life in heaven – as Paul reminds us: See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! On that very first resurrection day the disciples were still living in fear. Their fear had locked the doors to the outside world. But Jesus came in despite the locked doors and spoke those same words he spoke to the wind and the waves. Peace be with you. Jesus peace can drive out all our fear.

 

And Paul lists some of the fears confronting him: Afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; And Jesus’ peace replaced them with: Purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God. Not by his own strength but with the same strength David discovered against Goliath: With the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute.

 

So each day, be intentional in putting on the armour of God: With the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace with the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Because remember, as Paul said when speaking about the armour of God:

For our struggle 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. But with the full armor of God, you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. And it’s why Jesus can with confidence say - “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

Sermon 16th June 2024 – 4th Sunday after Pentecost Text: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 – looks can be deceiving

 Sermon 16^th June 2024 – 4^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 – looks can be deceiving

 

Most of us would be aware of the saying – don’t judge a book by its cover. The meaning of this being that sometimes the true beauty of something is hidden from plain sight. And yet this is something that does not come naturally to us. We don’t really have the ability to see inside something so our initial thoughts on something is what we can see. We judge people by what we see on the outside. We judge by the clothes they are wearing. We judge by the way they keep themselves – their hair, their smell, their grooming. One of the first questions we might ask is – what work do you do.

 

St James warns against that in the church when he says: My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Whether it’s a car, a house, clothes, hygiene, or any item – first appearances create immediate impressions. How many people have bought a 2nd hand car because it looked great on the outside – great paint job – not dents or scratches, low mileage – only to find out it’s a lemon. But it’s our natural instinct.

 

It was also the instinct that Samuel was tempted with today when he was told by God that he was going to replace King Saul with a new King. He would be one of the sons of Jesse. So he goes to the house of Jesse and, as was custom, the first born was presented before Samuel. And Samuel was mesmerised:

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” And that’s when we hear the nature of God revealed: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. We don’t know what God saw in the heart of Eliab but we do know is that God sees through all the surface things that we might look at when we are making judgments.

 

All of Jesse’s sons were presented and none were chosen by God. Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?”  Well, there is the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep. It’s easy to fall into the same error as Samuel – to look at the outer and miss the true inner beauty of things and people. It makes you wonder just how much of God’s amazing creation we miss because we look so shallow. The sacraments are a perfect example.

 

We look at a few splashes of water and wonder what difference that can make against all the evil and violence in the world that we see. But it is as Paul said in our 2nd reading about the comfort that comes from being a Child of God: We are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight. So even though, as Paul said, we are “away from the Lord”, the Lord Jesus is not away from us. He made that promise in our Baptism – I am with you always. What we SEE brings us despair, fear, a sense of hopelessness. But what our faith brings us is HOPE – and hope never disappoints us.

 

The same comfort comes in Holy Communion. What do we see? A piece of bread? A sip of wine?

What are these compared to all the things being thrown at me – the climate crisis, the economic crisis, the war crisis, my health crisis drugs crisis, crime crisis, pandemic crisis. Well, again, the comfort is hidden behind the surface – the body and blood of Christ, in, with and under the bread and wine – to again give us assurance that while we are away from the Lord, the Lord is not away from us: This IS my body – this IS my blood.

 

That’s why Luther, when explaining the sacraments said: How can water do such great things? It is not the water that does these things, but the Word of God which is in and with the water, and faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. And the same with Holy Communion: How can eating and drinking do such great things? It is not just eating and drinking that do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.”

 

So, we don’t judge a book by its cover. And we don’t judge God’s beautiful creation by what we see but by what God has promised. And perhaps when you look in the mirror you don’t see what God sees. Maybe you don’t see a person loved by God. A person worthy of God’s love and forgiveness. Israel were reminded of this when Moses pondered why God would choose them out of all the mighty nations in the world he could have chosen. This stiff neck people who grumbled every time things didn’t go their way – who kept wanting to go back to Egypt – who replaced God at first opportunity with a Golden Calf.

Moses tells Israel as they are about to enter the promised land: The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you.

 

God knows exactly what he chose when he chose you –  As St Paul says in Romans 5 –  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God always surprises us by his grace. It is only we who put conditions on God’s love on us and others. God surprises us, as Jesus says in today’s parable: The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.

 

So if you undervalue yourself or others then you are undervaluing God. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! And, as St Paul says in Ephesians 2 - we are God’s masterpiece created anew in Christ Jesus to do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Sermon 9th June 2024 – 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Text: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 – Freedom of speech

 Sermon 9^th June 2024 – 3^rd Sunday after Pentecost

Text: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 – Freedom of speech

Freedom of speech is a topic that has been greatly debated in recent times especially with all the conflict going on around the world. People are being harassed and even stopped by police for supporting their beliefs if it goes against the popular opinion. On Australia Day we have seen people stopped by police because they are holding Australian flags because it might cause incitement against those who are gathering to protest against it. We’ve seen the same with recent conflicts of the Israel/Palestinian conflicts and the Russian and Ukraine conflicts. And so the question often arises about what if my Christian values go against the popular opinion. Should I keep my views to myself?

It’s a difficult situation because we should not purposely say things publicly to incite argument but we should be able to defend our beliefs if they come under attack. We’ve seen it in sport where some Muslim and Christian footballers refuse to wear sporting gear during Pride games. Some are criticized for their stance – others are praised for standing up for their beliefs. And once you make your beliefs public you can make yourself vulnerable. We’ve seen examples of shop fronts, politicians’ offices and places of worship vandalized and smothered with graffiti because of their public stand on an issue.

There may come a time when you are in a situation where people are mocking Jesus – mocking the church – maybe even mocking you. To defend your faith may in fact make you vulnerable. St Paul had that same risk when he converted to Christianity. He was of a sect that despised Christians. He was, in fact, appointed to go to Damascus and arrest anyone who proclaimed to be a Christians. And on the way he is met by Jesus from Heaven. He falls to his knees and is converted. He is baptized and then sent to be a missionary for Jesus. But that meant he was now going to be at odds with the sect he had previously belonged to. What should he do?

Well he says in our reading today: Just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke” —we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence.

Paul said - I believed, and so I spoke. Yes it meant he was now vulnerable but he saw the importance of sharing the good news greater than the consequence. He said - everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. And even though he faced enormous persecution for his witness he realized that he had to keep going. He said - So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

And so elsewhere he said –

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. And again, elsewhere, Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

Even Jesus found rejection by his own people and family as we heard in our Gospel reading: When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind. Maybe some of your friends and family feel “you’re out of your mind” for believing what many believe is a lie or fairy tale. And sometimes we may even lose family and friends over it as Jesus pointed out today:

They came and said to Jesus: Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

But, Jesus says elsewhere, there are blessings for those who suffer for their faith – Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.

So Jesus recognizes that persecution may indeed come our way – but along with that eternal life, as Paul also said today: For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Speaking up is not easy as it makes you vulnerable. Some people find it easy but having said that we also need to be mindful that our first call as Christians is to example the Christian faith through love as Jesus says – love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Our calling is not to attack and retaliate. In fact James say our call is to stand firm on our faith when he says: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. And Peter says the same when he says: But in your hearts set apart 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 if you’ve missed an opportunity to stand up for your faith, don’t worry, there’ll be other opportunities. And when the time is right you’ll know it, which is what Jesus also said elsewhere: They will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

In fact Jesus said that this may even be to those closest to us, like in today’s Gospel: You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.

So, as Paul says – don’t lose heart.  The Christian faith is witnessed often just by the way we live. As the saying goes – actions speak louder than words.

Remember what Jesus said – love one another as I have loved you and by this everyone will know that you are my disciples. And even if you are rejected, remember what Paul said: We know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.