Sermon 3rd November 2024 – All Saints Day Text Revelation 21:1-6a

 

Sermon 3rd November 2024 – All Saints Day

Text Revelation 21:1-6a

Today we gather together to celebrate All Saints Day. A day set aside to remember the lives of the saints who have gone before us. Those who have fought the good fight – who have run the race and received the crown of glory. As Christians these are much more positive and appropriate terms to use as they reflect our reality. “Died” :death” seems so negative – so final and sterile. Even “passing away” a term used to try and make death feel a bit softer – doesn’t really reflect what we believe. Jesus and Paul even use the term “sleeping” which then suggests that we will one day awaken. The saints are our spiritual ancestors, our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone before us and have left us a legacy of faith and holiness.  The book of Hebrews refers to that legacy of faith when it says that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. They were ordinary people, just like you and me. They faced trials and tribulations, just as we do, and yet they remained faithful to God through it all.The saints remind us that holiness is the calling of every Christian. 

Each of us is called to be a saint in this lifetime, living a life of holiness and virtue, to imitate Christ in all we do. 

In fact St Paul when writing to the churches writes “to the saints” – these aren’t those who are in heaven but who remain alive on earth: For example, Ephesians begins - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 

As we commemorate the lives of the saints today, the book of Hebrews encourages us by their example and to strive to follow in their footsteps.  With examples like Abraham, Moses, Isaac, andJacob. Like the disciples who underwent great persecution – we are encouraged to look to them as examples of faith under great times of suffering because they knew the great reward waiting for them. And as we reflect we are reminded that whatever difficulties we are going through in this life that our true life is waiting and yet to be revealed. That’s what Paul says in Colossians 3 - 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.

It’s interesting that Paul talks about Christians having already died and that we are simply waiting to be called home to Heaven. Paul sees that death coming to us in our Baptism where our new life begins – Which is why Paul says in Romans 6: Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. And when we are called home to Heaven Paul says our glory will be revealed and understood. We have that glory now but it’s just that our present life with all its suffering and difficulty hides it because of sin. Which is why Paul says in Romans -  I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 

See with Paul, glory is not something waiting for us in Heaven but something we have now that is hidden and will be revealed. And what will that glory be? What do you think heaven will be like? Some think the main blessing of heaven will be the end of suffering and death. While that is certainly true and something to look forward to – as our bible reading said - there will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 

But there is something even more wonderful about what is waiting for us which John revealed – I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Being in the presence of God is what Heaven and glory is all about. It is what we lost when sin broke that relation. When Adam and Eve broke the command to not eat from the forbidden fruit their immediate reaction was to hide from God when he came to visit them. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and THEY hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Notice that comforting word from God – 

Adam and Eve removed themselves from God but God did not remove himself from them. Where are you.

God is always looking for us.

Our Baptism restores that separation as our old self is put to death and a new self arises. But because sin is still present that restoration is hidden until it is revealed when God calls us home to live with him forever. And Jesus assures us that God is with us now and continually looking for those who have drifted away – where are you? And that’s why Jesus made that solemn promise in our Baptism – I am with you ALWAYS till the end of the age. Notice Jesus doesn’t say I am with you always until you die – because death has been defeated. So for you who are grieving, let us grieve but not as those who have no hope. Our hope is in Jesus Christ our Lord who is the resurrection and life and whoever believes in him shall never die – because we have already died through our baptism, waiting to be called home.

So be encouraged that one day we join all the saints in the heavenly kingdom to dwell in the presence of God where we will be his people forever.

Sermon 27th October 2024 – The Reformation Text: John 8:31-36 – Set free

 Sermon 27th October 2024 – The Reformation

Text: John 8:31-36 – Set free

Today, we gather to reflect upon the great movement in the church known as the Reformation. The Reformation was a period of profound change and transformation within the Church, led by a courageous and visionary monk known as Martin Luther. Luther sought to cleanse the Church of what he called abuses in the church and restore it to its true biblical roots – the Gospel. Salvation by grace through faith for Christ’s sake. 

But Luther couldn’t find that comfort from what his church was teaching. Much like St Paul in Romans 7 where he says - I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! That is THE GOSPEL - Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

And so the Reformation was born out of Luther’s deep desire for spiritual renewal and a return to the authority of Scripture. That would also deliver his body of death through Jesus Christ his Lord.  Luther challenged the practices and teachings of the Church of his day, calling for a more personal relationship with God with Christ at the centre. That salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The cry of the Reformation was sola scriptura – Scripture alone for all faith and doctrine. The reformers believed that the Word of God was the ultimate authority in matters of teaching, doctrine and practice. The Reformers encouraged Christians to read and study the Bible for themselves as Christians had become quite illiterate regarding what the Bible actually said. They relied on their priests and authorities coming from the Pope who exploited the people through fear to give money in exchange for what were known as Indulgences – certificates assuring the fearful people of forgiveness and time out of purgatory – a place that had no biblical teaching. Purgatory was a place where people’s sins were purged after death before entering eternal life in Heaven.

The Reformation also removed many of the unnecessary rituals in worship emphasising in the worship service the importance of preaching the Word and the right administration of the sacraments. Getting back to what was central to salvation and comfort of the soul. But the Reformation was not just a historical event but a continual reflection that continues to shape the Church today as the church easily falls back into error – which is where the Latin term originates - Ecclesia semper reformanda est (Latin for "the Church must always be reformed". It reminds us of the importance of remaining faithful to the truth of God’s Word, and of standing up against false teachings and practices.  It challenges us to be constantly reforming and renewing our faith, seeking to grow closer to God and more fully live out our Christian calling.

Reforming the church doesn’t mean changing the church or modernising the church but returning the church back to the true Gospel – saved by grace through faith for Christ’s sake.

The Reformation is about returning to the Truth and allowing the Truth to set us free. And, as Jesus reminds us, he is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through him. And that’s what the Reformation focused on – coming to God only through Jesus Christ. The church had lost its way like the Jews that Jesus had spoken to.

Their way was “We are descendants of Abraham” which was the way back to slavery even though they felt they had never been slaves to anyone. Likewise, we don’t realise how much of a slave to sin we are until we have tasted the sweet Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The way of the Jews was not the road to freedom. Jesus was - if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. Jesus is the only way because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; But the good news is that we are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, That’s the Good News – that the Reformation focus.

As we reflect on the Reformation, let us be inspired by the courage and conviction of the reformers through the centuries and be reminded of the power of God’s Word to transform lives and bring about renewal and revival of faith through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

And let us commit ourselves to continue the work of reformation in our own faith, our churches, and our communities by returning to God’s Word and what it teaches about God’s grace. May we be faithful stewards of the rich legacy of the Reformation, and be bold and uncompromising in our witness to the truth of the gospel.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.

Sermon 20th October 2024 – 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Text: Mark 10:35-45 – Trusting in God

 Sermon 20^th October 2024 – 22^nd Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Mark 10:35-45 – Trusting in God

 

I don’t know about you but I get annoyed when I’m asked an open question like – what are you doing tomorrow? Or, are you free on Friday? The problem is, yes I might be free on Friday but I might not want to commit to something you’re going to ask me to do. Yes, I’m free on Friday – “Good, can you drive me to the airport”. It’s hard to say NO if I’ve said I’m free on Friday. It would be better to lead with your request – “Could you drive me to the airport on Friday” which then gives me an opportunity to consider the request.

 

I wonder if Jesus felt that pressure when James and John come up to him and say: Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. What’s Jesus supposed to say? If it were me I would respond by saying – ‘well, it depends on what you ask”. But Jesus, ever confident of his ability to read the hearts and minds of people isn’t afraid to reply - What is it you want me to do for you? And then their request comes. They want positions of power in Jesus’ kingdom. We want to sit – one on your left and one on your right when you come into your glory. Jesus is so much more patient that I am but I guess that’s what St Paul discovered in 1 Corinthians 13 – love is patient and kind.

 

It was not that long ago when Jesus caught them arguing amongst themselves who was going to be the greatest. On that occasion Jesus instructs them - “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all. And now he has to go through it all again - whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. And this was the problem of the rich young man last week who came up to Jesus with concerns about his salvation and asks: What must I do to inherit eternal life. I’ve tried everything – I’ve kept the commandments since my youth. But notice which commandments he had been keeping:  ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother. These are what we call the 2nd Table of the Commandments. The commandments on how I love my neighbour.

 

Jesus, again, knowing the hearts and minds of those who come to him knew that he had missed the greatest of  commandments- to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, This young man had loved his wealth because it was what he relied on to give him comfort and assurance. And, as Luther explained in the Large Catechism on the First Commandment: Anything you set your heart on and rely on is really your god. As a result the rich young man could find no comfort and assurance when it came to eternal life because it is a gift of God that is received. That’s why his question was wrong – what must I do.

 

But what does trust in God and reliance on him look like? What does “loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength” look like? It looks like Job and his suffering which we have in first reading. Job is a sad story. Job is a person who loves God with all his heart but Satan is convinced that Job only does so because God is good to him. God says to Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”  Satan replied.  “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” When Job loses everything he still loves God with all his heart - Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” So Satan makes it personal - “Skin for skin!”  Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” Job is afflicted with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

His wife even tells him to curse God and die. To which he replies - You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?

 

That’s what it means to trust and rely on God – in the good times and in the difficult times – in times of comfort and times of suffering. Job’s friends try to get to the bottom of his suffering telling him to dig deeper and deeper – surely bad things don’t happen to good people.

And after all their ponderings God answers with today’s reading: Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

 

Trust and relying on God is knowing that God is our creator and that he loves and cares for us. We need never doubt God’s love for us even in times of great suffering, like Job. And that’s because we remember that God’s greatest expression of love has come to us when he sent Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Who came to die for us to remove any doubt of our assurance of eternal life.So there is nothing we DO to inherit eternal life – we receive as children of God. And so it doesn’t matter whether we are sitting at Jesus’ left or right – because God’s love for us is complete in Jesus wherever we are. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

 

And as we heard last week in our Hebrews reading, Jesus is our great High Priest who empathises with our suffering because he has gone through all that we have but without sin. And as we hear today, it was through his suffering that he learned obedience and by that he received the greatest of honours.  The name above all names at which everyone must confess him as Lord and bow the knee. And that’s what we need to trust – that when we love God with all our heart that we trust him with everything that goes on – even if we don’t understand it. And being a Christian means that we have to drink the cup of suffering which is not easy – even Jesus acknowledged that in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” It will mean being baptised with the Baptism Jesus underwent who was then thrown into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan. But, as Hebrews reminds us – he was tempted but did not sin which means we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

 

Whatever your time of need is there is comfort available to you not through what the world might deem as success and achievement but by placing yourself under Christ and trusting him. Peter couldn’t accept that path of suffering and was rebuked by Jesus – get behind me Satan. In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

And Jesus continues to offer up prayers and petitions for you. So keep trusting in him whatever your time of need is and know that you are always under his care.

Sermon 13th October 2024 Text Hebrews 4:12-16 – Holding to our confession

 Sermon 13th October 2024

Text Hebrews 4:12-16 – Holding to our confession

Last Saturday was not an easy day for our church. For many on both sides of the question of ordination it felt like a “double edged sword” split us apart. It feels like that sword of Solomon has come down and divided that living baby we know as the LCA and created 2 dead halves. We wonder why? Why can’t the other person accept my position on this issue?

We heard many arguments for inclusion, diversity, acceptance – and none of them were dismissed because they were that person’s confession and conviction. So why did this cause division?

We’ve changed other things in church. Some churches have sold their buildings and moved to new locations. Some churches have had to enter into parish arrangements which sees their pastor’s time divided. Some churches have voted to close. We’ve sold the Australian Lutheran College – and as much as that has caused anger and hurt it did not threaten to divide our church.

But on this one issue which we have been debating for decades – which we have voted on 6 times at Synods – this one decision has to potential to cut our church in two.

Those who were at the Synod worship last Sunday or who watched online would have heard the President of the Canadian Lutheran Church – Timothy Teuscher – a guest of Synod along with the President of the Lutheran Church of PNG, who was asked to bring a word of greeting from his church – a church in which we have been in altar and pulpit fellowship for a very long time – 30 years.

What he said left many, including Bishops with their mouths gaping as he declared that that 2 edged sword had come down and severed a long standing relationship between the LCA and LCC which are now no longer in fellowship because of this decision. Why? Why this one decision?

Because, as we hear the writer to the Hebrews exhort us today – “let us hold fast to our confession”.

So those who are upset, on both sides of the debate, are upset – not because they didn’t get their way – or because they can’t understand why they can’t see our hurts over this – but because they, we, believe that this matter goes to the heart of our confession of faith.

Confession is what forms our beliefs.

That’s why we refer to our articles of faith in the Augsburg Confession and the Book of Concord as “The Lutheran Confessions”. The confession of ordination are for many people of our church no different to our confession on Baptism, or Holy Communion or The Trinity – Confessions we would NEVER consider debating or changing. In the Roman Catholic Church ordination is one of their 7 sacraments.

Confessions of faith are not rules like sport or businesses. People complain about the AFL always changing the rules and umpires being inconsistent in applying the rules of the game. This is our confession of faith and when the confession of your faith is challenged then it challenges the very fabric of what you believe which is why the debate has been so robust.

Our confession of faith is not a tradition but a confession of faith in which we receive the comfort and assurance of our salvation. And that is why for many – this is an article of salvation – on both sides of the debate.

We have heard people say that this is NOT a central article of salvation but for many it is. Why? Because it goes to what they confess as their faith.

When St Paul was explaining to the Corinthians about their understanding of Holy Communion, he didn’t give them his opinion but what the Lord Jesus had taught him. For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread – from this we receive the teaching of The Lord’s Supper directly from Jesus himself.

From this we gain our liturgy for Holy Communion and consecration. Words taken directly from St Paul who received them from Jesus. Which is why we take reception of Holy Communion so serious. Paul says - whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

When explaining salvation he also teaches only what Christ taught him: For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

So, who can consecrate and preach the Gospel is central to salvation – for both sides of the debate on ordination. And that’s why this has been such a divisive issue.

So where do we go from here?

What we don’t do is “judge”. Because if we judge another person’s position on this then we judge their faith – and no one has the right to do that. No, as Hebrews says – we hold on to OUR confession. But likewise we need to understand that some are going to find this extremely difficult and we may not see them again. We might see people come to worship but refuse to receive Holy Communion. Why? Because as St Paul says in First Corinthians - Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. People see that Holy Communion states that we have a communion of confession.

Some people might leave altogether as many have already done because of the result of the previous 5 voting decisions. We should not judge them but find ways to uphold and support them. Some were critical of the new body – LM-A – Lutheran Mission Australia especially because they did it before Synod. But we must not judge them because they are doing this not like the new gym that just opened up in Ringwood – next to an existing gym to be competition. No, they formed because rather than people leaving and losing communion that they have somewhere to go for comfort and hope. So we should not judge.

So what do we do in this time of hurt – this time of upheaval – this time of discerning? We listen to the writer of Hebrews:

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Dear friends, this is a time of need – a time of upheaval where our only hope is in Jesus, the Son of God. It has affected me personally as I relinquish many of my roles other than serving you as your shepherd – so I can serve you as Shepherd.  You are my first love so I have had to let go of anything that might make me question that including my District appointments. I’m not doing that because I’m spitting the dummy or taking my bat and ball and going home – but because of my love for the sheep of which God has made me overseer – which is my ordination and installation vow which includes my vow to uphold the teaching and practice of the church. I take my vows seriously. I made a vow when I married Sharon 38 years ago. A vow I/we have returned to many times when facing difficulty. And my  ordination and installation vow I will uphold until you or the Bishop tells me I can no longer do so.

But while I am serving you with Word and Sacrament you can be assured that you are approaching the throne of grace with boldness, so that you/we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. I hope you can understand the hurt of many people in our Lutheran Church of Australia just as we/they have understood the hurt in the past decisions of Synod as we remain faithful to and uphold our confession of faith.

It may feel like a two edged sword has divided us but like a surgeon’s scalpel cuts in order to bring healing so too we can find healing as we come to the great physician, our Lord Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest.