Sermon 4th December 2022 – 2nd Sunday in Advent Text: Matthew 3:1-12 – Be prepared

 Sermon 4^th December 2022 – 2^nd Sunday in Advent

Text: Matthew 3:1-12 – Be prepared

 

There is a lot of evidence that Christmas is upon us. Shops are starting to put up decorations. Christmas catalogues and specials are hitting our mailboxes. Christmas breakups seem to be happening every couple of days. Maybe the Christmas cards have started to arrive. There’s a lot of joy about.

 

Christmas is a special time of year in the Church as we prepare to celebrate the true occasion of the origin of Christmas – the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. So it might be surprising that when we come to church during Advent, the preparation for Christmas, that the readings don’t really reflect an air of joy and celebration. We are introduced to an interesting character by the name of John the Baptist. He doesn’t seem to live a life of joy - John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. He doesn’t really exude much rejoicing. He addresses those who had come out to hear him as a “Brood of Vipers” He doesn’t speak to them about a “gentle Jesus, meek and mild”.

 

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

 

And, yet, John is the messenger of Advent. Advent is the preparation for Christmas – the coming of baby Jesus. John is the advent of God to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus also. He is - “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” He is preparing the people for the coming of the promised one of God: “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

 

As much as Christmas is a joyous occasion as we celebrate with friends and family – giving gifts, eating drinking and celebrating – the true message of Christmas is not the celebration but what we are celebrating. And please don’t misunderstand me. The celebrations are fantastic. I too look forward to it. But as Christians we know that there is a reason for celebrating. And when we forget that we often hear people’s comments of how they “hate Christmas” because of all the work and cleaning up – the parking – the crowds. Because that’s all it is. But as Christians we celebrate that God is entering into our existence – entering as a fully human being.

 

This is true reason for celebrating as Paul calls upon us: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people"; and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him"; God didn’t have to do this, as John warned the people. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” God knows we need more than just a Merry Christmas filled with tinsel and decorations.  We need more than receiving the perfect Christmas item, or latest hi-tech gadget.  John spells it out quite clearly what we need for Christmas.  We need a renewed Spirit that will make us more attentive to God in our daily lives.  We need the Holy Spirit to move our faith beyond the routine of daily life.   We need a purging fire that will make the love and presence of God more real, tangible and intense so it will enlarge our love of God and neighbor. That’s what John tells us God wants to give us, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand...”

 

I don’t know about you – and I might be wrong – but I sense that there is more excitement this year about Christmas than we’ve seen for some time. Usually about now we see a lot of objections to Christmas. We can’t have Christmas carols because it might offend some people.

We must say “Happy Holidays” to be inclusive. Councils not putting up decorations. I’m finding that there is more acceptance and perhaps that’s because for the past couple of years we have been in the wilderness celebrating Christmas because of Covid. Maybe John’s voice is the voice we need to hear despite its harshness – to make a path for Jesus as we celebrate this year.

 

But what is the path that Isaiah is talking about that John was sent to prepare? It was the path of repentance.

To repent doesn’t mean to simply be sorry. To repent means to begin seeing differently, to begin thinking differently, both of which lead to acting and living differently. Our English word repent comes from the Greek word – metanoia

 

Meta meaning to change – like metamorphosis – metaphysics. Noia – means knowledge

 

So repentance is not just feeling sorry for having done the wrong thing but a change of mind – a change of being. To repent is to change - to live differently, because as we enter a new mindset or as we develop a new way of seeing, we become aware that our actions are out of step with God’s will for all creation. And I think that is what Covid has done – as hard and devastating as it was on our lives it has changed our outlook on life to value things we devalued or undervalued or took for granted. Just think of the hunger for gathering together – the hunger for Holy Communion as we lived in the wilderness. Our relationships – our gatherings – our celebrations.

 

Sometimes it takes a time in the wilderness to see what we truly value. Israel had been in the wilderness for 400 years since their last prophet and John the Baptist and they were ready to accept John as their Messiah.

But he said – no. God has something much better planned for you. There is one coming after me – don’t settle for less. In fact, John will later say – I must decrease so he may increase. So the message of John today is to examine what it is in our lives that we sometimes accept as 2nd best.

 

What obstacles do we put on the path for Christ to bring true joy into our lives. We know some of the cliché answers- money, possessions, careers, sports and the like. But it’s much deeper than this and our wilderness experience during our lockdowns and curfews have helped to reveal them. Maybe we took our faith for granted – our freedom of religious worship for granted. We shouldn’t be afraid of the wilderness. Noah journeyed the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights before reaching dry land Israel journeyed the wilderness for 40 years before reaching their Promised Land. Jesus journeyed the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights while being tempted by Satan but during that time he was ministered to by the angels.

 

And now our wilderness experience, which for many people is still continuing, has hopefully opened our eyes to God’s presence with us during that time, as he was with Noah, Israel, Jesus and others, and is now preparing us to celebrate with joy the coming of Jesus at Christmas and as we wait for him to return in all his glory. Sometimes in the wilderness we can’t see our way out but we know God will never abandon us.

Even when there seems lifelessness, like a dead stump, out of the stump of Jesse God brought a new shoot to give hope. So may the voice of John calling from wilderness give you hope with whatever wilderness experience you may be going through to bring you joy through hope.

 

And may this time of Advent prepare you for whatever Christmas brings to you this year as you celebrate God’s precious gift in a manger – Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sermon 27th November 2022 – 1st Sunday in Advent Text: Matthew 24:36-44 – End Times Complacency

 Sermon 27^th November 2022 – 1^st Sunday in Advent

Text: Matthew 24:36-44 – End Times Complacency

 

As we prepare for Advent the weeks leading up to Advent and also today speak about the end times. Usually when we think of “end times” we think of quite horrific and scary events. We heard a few of those just recently – Wars and rumours of war.

Nations fighting against nations. Earthquakes, famines, pestilences. Many people like to turn to the Book of Revelation to read about end times with frightening scenes of beasts, dragons, antichrists, lakes of fire.

 

In our Gospel reading today Jesus again speaks about the end of the world but there is nothing frightening at all in the events leading up to Judgment Day. In fact it’s quite the opposite. Jesus said: Just as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. It will literally be normal living rather than cataclysmic events according to Jesus.

So when we start looking at the state of the world and thinking we must be in the last days because of all the turmoil in the world, that’s not Jesus warning.

 

Jesus’ warning was about complacency, like the days of Noah. It does say that the world was corrupt and violent but it seems that it was so common that it was everyday life. And that’s the danger we face, like the days of Noah, no one was ready for the flood that would wipe out all the earth. They couldn’t see the violence and decay because it had become so commonplace.  So part of ordinary everyday life. But what we shouldn’t be confused about is that living our everyday lives is not complacency. Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage was not the problem. The problem was in the last part of that statement by Jesus - they knew nothing until the flood came and then it was too late.

 

And that’s the difference. We may not live very different lives to our neighbour who is not a Christian but we are in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ as our Saviour. And that’s the difference – our relationship with Jesus. We may look no different to the person next to us and that is often the criticism of Christians as we live out our daily lives – eating and drinking. In fact Jesus faced that criticism at one stage – John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘He is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. We don’t have to live “holier than thou” lives. But we must be ready for whenever Christ returns or he calls us home. And that’s why Jesus says – on that day – Two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. There was no difference between the 2 other than one was in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ their Lord and one was not. There was nothing that distinguished them other than their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

 

So it’s a question of, if there is no difference then how will people come to know about Jesus in their lives through us. As St Peter says – always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that you have. But how will they know you have hope? We need to remember that life is a gift from God. Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean we have to live a life where we can’t enjoy the finer things of life – given to us by God to enjoy. But Paul reminds us that not all of life is beneficial to us nor a good witness. A good example of that in Paul’s life is his explanation of eating meat.  Paul believed he was free to eat meat, even meat that had been sacrificed to idols.  But if his eating meat harmed another person’s faith then he said he would never eat meat again, even though he was free to do so.

 

And that’s the challenge for us. Some people can enjoy a drink while for others one sip could destroy their lives and the lives of their family. Some people can enjoy a flutter on the pokies or the Melbourne Cup but for others they have lost homes and livelihoods through addiction. So it’s a personal challenge for us to examine our own lives and what behaviours could harm our relationships – with God and others. So Paul says: Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, debauchery, licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Anything that harms our faith or is a bad witness to God should be avoided.

 

Even though we have the forgiveness of sins – there are behaviours that affect our faith which we need to become aware of. As Paul says - “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.

So we need to identify those things in OUR lives that affect our faith. And it’s different for everyone. So it’s not about judging others but reflecting on and examining our own lives. It’s about identifying those impulsive desires that affect our lives and the lives of people around us: The desire for revenge, the desire for wealth, the desire to prove others wrong, the desire to be seen as important by others can affect our love for God and our neighbour.

 

Paul says make no provision to gratify any of these but instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ. And the best way to get rid of negative impulses in our lives is to build up our positive impulses. What we are called to do is to live our lives ready for Jesus to return. It’s living our lives, not as if Jesus is coming tomorrow but today. It’s about living our lives not as if Jesus is returning later in the day but now. It’s about living our lives not as if Jesus is coming but is already here. And that’s why Jesus says - Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But that’s not about living in fear – what if Jesus comes if I’m doing something wrong. But it’s about living in hope and readiness – and people will see that. And it is God who has made us ready – through our Baptism where we were sealed with the cross of Christ to live as his baptized child. We are kept ready by the body and blood of Jesus that cleanses us from the disobedience that kept the people of Noah’s day from knowing the truth. We don’t accept disobedience because everyone’s doing it these days – or I’ve tried but I just can’t break the habit.

 

Paul also struggled in that area – the good I want to do I do not do. The evil I should not do, this keep on doing. Who will save me from this body of death? Thanks be to God. New Years are always good for New Year resolutions. As we begin this new Church Year maybe it’s a good time to make some New Year Christians Resolutions. To begin the day with Prayer. To read your bible everyday. To ring one of our members you haven’t spoken to or seen for a while to see how they are or even to introduce yourself. There are so many positive things we can do each day and it’s these positive things that are the best way to put aside the negative things – the things of the flesh – the things of darkness.

 

Remember, our entry into heaven is one day less that it was yesterday, as Paul said: You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. So may God bless you as you get ready for that great day when Jesus returns to brings us all home to his Kingdom.

Sermon 20th November 2022 – Christ the King Text: Luke 23:33-43 -The crucified King

 Sermon 20^th November 2022 – Christ the King

Text: Luke 23:33-43  -The crucified King

 

When you think of a king what image immediately comes to mind?  We have recently had the coronation of a King – King Charles the third and there were lots of images of what we call “pomp and ceremony” associated with that occasion. The image that usually comes to mind is that of a person wearing a crown and royal clothing, living in a royal palace, with lots of servants.

 

Now think of Jesus and the image that we see of him as King. He wore no royal clothes and when he did it was to mock him. They mocked him, spat on him, whipped him and put him to death in the most cruel fashion. He didn’t wear a golden crown but a crown of thorns. He wasn’t born in a royal palace but in a barn – in a feeding trough for the animals. It’s no wonder that his own people didn’t accept him and called for his death.

 

The Jews of Jesus’ time were longing for the day that their new King would come - a messiah to deliver them from their enemy and restore the fortunes of Israel.  They had heard of their glory days under King Saul and then King David when the mere thought of Israel would bring fear to the nations around them. And then came their King – Jesus – born of Mary and Joseph with rumours abounding of an unfaithful mother. From a town not known for royalty – Nazareth – can anything good come from Nazareth?

 

The people of Jesus time had unfortunately misunderstood the prophecies of Isaiah and the other prophets of the new King that was coming. They focused on the dreams of a military style victory over their enemies. The news of a newborn king brought fear into King Herod to the point where he was prepared to kill all infant boys in the hope of it including the new “King of the Jews” threatening his position as King. Jesus, a carpenter from a small town with questionable parentage, could hardly be confused with being a king. Yet, for a brief moment, his followers dared to dream that he may indeed have been the long-awaited messiah – blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

 

There was nothing Kingly about him to the naked eye.  Even his followers were from the lowest classes of society – fishermen – tax collectors.  He attracted Samaritans, lepers, people with unclean spirits, tax collectors, women of ill repute, the poor, and those put down by the ruling class of religious leaders. Everything about Jesus did not suggest royalty.

And, likewise, his death - Jesus was condemned to death by crucifixion, a form of punishment reserved for the lowest classes of criminals and traitors. There was no royal casket paraded around town with royal servants by his side.

In fact, his own followers all fled the scene and left him to die alone. The sign on the cross - “This is the King of the Jews” was not to honour him but to mock him as were the royal clothes and bowing down to him Jesus hung with criminals on the outskirts of Jerusalem - a pitiful sight to signal a warning to the Jewish population if they tried this stunt again.

 

To the naked eye, Jesus was no king. But through eyes of faith, Jesus’ journey to kingship begins on the Cross. And the first of his royal pronouncements, an exoneration – ‘forgive them father for they know not what they are doing. And he ushers in the first of his royal subjects – again to the most unlikely – a thief crucified by his side – "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

 

So what does this mean to us today from this event that happened 2000 years ago. It means exactly the same that it meant then. That to the naked eye Jesus looks nothing like a King. The church, his body, looks nothing like a Kingdom. Christians, you and me, look nothing like royalty. But to the eyes of faith we read a different story. Paul talks about that in Philippians Chapter 2 –That by his death on a cross, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him 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. Every knee and every tongue must submit to Jesus Christ as King and Lord of all whether they recognise him or not.

 

Today the derision of Jesus continues. The derision that we saw as he hung helpless on the cross –  He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

Even in his dying breath the other thief hanging on the cross mocked Jesus - "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" The world laughs at any attempt to suggest God can make a difference in a person’s life. If he’s God why doesn’t he stop the wars – stop the floods – stop all the suffering. Fix the world and we’ll believe in you. That’s the life of the church.

That’s the life of a Christian. To be mocked and I’m sure I don’t need to convince you of that. But that’s where our strength comes from.

 

Remember that Jesus said this would happen – the world will hate you because of me but remember it hated me first. This is how God works. Paul says in First Corinthians – 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. We see an example of that when we worship. The foolish things – a piece of bread and a sip of wine where we hear those same words from Jesus – Forgive them Father. A few splashes of water and we believe that it makes a difference. The weak things of the world – a church that seems to be crumbling with age and relevancy. But a church that Jesus says not even the gates of hell can overcome – where 2 or 3 are gathered I am  there in the midst along with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. The despised things – just think of the hatred our mere presence can bring – think of the Essendon CEO recently who was sacked because he belonged to a church – and he is not alone.

 

Listen again to the words of St Paul today to remind yourself of the Kingdom you belong to – May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;  In him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible,  In him all things hold together. In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

 

That sounds like a King even if he doesn’t look like a King to the world. And that’s what faith is all about. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

 

As we prepare for Christmas this year with Advent starting next week, let us remember that there are reasons God chose this way to be our King. He is a King who identifies with the ordinary person. He is a King who was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He is a King who experienced true life including suffering, rejection and death. He is as King who invites us into his presence – into his family – to touch him, like doubting Thomas – as we reach out to receive his body and blood. But he is also a King who is, as Paul said, the first born from the dead. And he assures us that he will also raise us to eternal life with the assurance that whoever believes and is baptised will be saved.

 

Not every knee bows now. Not every tongue confesses now. But there will be a day coming when everyone will shout “Look, he is coming with the clouds, And “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him” And when he appears - then you also will appear with him in glory.

 

So until then may you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father.

Sermon 13th November 2022 – 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Text; Luke 21:5-19 – Testifying to hope

 Sermon 13^th November 2022 – 23^rd Sunday after Pentecost

Text; Luke 21:5-19 – Testifying to hope

"When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

It could almost be a quote from our newspapers if it weren’t from our Bible Reading today. How does it make you feel? Frightened? Concerned? Let’s look at it in a different light.

If the Bible is correct in its assessment of the world then surely it is also correct throughout when it comes to our response to the world situation. If you were wanting to promote a religion for people to follow wouldn’t you be more inclined to push a more positive spin on the world to look forward to? Wouldn’t you want to offer something that leads to a better life outcome?

Prior to becoming a Pastor I attended dozens of self help seminars through my employer that all focused on how I could become a better person and lead a better life through positive thinking and behaviour. But Jesus seems to speak things opposite to that. In fact, Jesus said in our reading - You will be hated by all because of my name. And think back to last week’s Gospel reading if you were here. Jesus said - Blessed are you WHEN people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. It matches what he said elsewhere when he said - “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.

So what is all this about? It’s not very “positive thinking”, is it? Why does Jesus promote something that seemingly is not very attractive or inviting? As we head to an election in the next couple of weeks could you imagine if our candidates took this approach?  Would you vote for the candidate that was offering a negative outcome if you voted for them?

To start – let’s look at the context. The disciples were trying to put their hope and security in physical things – Our Gospel reading says they were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, So what is the purpose of Jesus telling us this? Interestingly it is about mission. Jesus says that as we face these cataclysmic events, this will give you an opportunity to testify. And I know that when we go through these things it’s often hard to find the right words. When someone is going through a time of suffering or grief we find that it’s easy to say the wrong thing to them. We try to put a positive spin on their situation – trust God – God knows what you’re going through – God works good in all things to those who love him. But we find that these don’t often work and quite often leaves the person upset and hurt with this God who allows suffering – or sometimes we may even suggest that God sends suffering for a purpose.

But look what Jesus says: Make up your minds NOT to prepare your defence in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. When the world around us is falling apart, as many believe it is now, we may feel like putting our heads in the sand or building our bunkers to keeper ourselves safe. But Jesus calls us to do just the opposite: Speak up! Tell the truth! Proclaim Christ crucified and risen!

Amidst all the end time language we hear in today’s Gospel, Jesus is teaching us something essential about what it means to be Christians. When things get hard; when the census results say that Christianity is failing; when the National Church Life Survey paints a bleak future for ageing and dwindling congregations, when people try to silence and ridicule the church, keep on speaking! Keep on telling the world about Jesus! Keep on telling the truth!

This is the essential mission of the Church: to stand tall in the chaos and confusion of the world and keep being an example of faith: This is who we are. This is what we have been called to do and be. God is faithful even when everything around us is falling apart.

Our mission is to keep telling that truth—to keep living that truth—because when all is said and done, it’s the only truth that matters in our world today. What we need to remember is that this is nothing new. A decaying world has been a part of human existence from the beginning of time.

What we are going through in our present age is nothing new, no matter what the media tells us – there are no glory days to look back to or forward to. In fact we have been through far worse. Just ask those who remember the Great Depression of the 1930s or the horrors of the World Wars and the Holocaust. There is no age and no place on earth that is immune from the consequences of a sinful world. It is all part and parcel of our fallen nature as God explained to Adam - “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.

Throughout the Old Testament we see wars, famines, earthquakes, droughts, floods. These are signs, not of human contribution but of human sin. They cannot be undone or reversed by what we do. We cannot point to a better worldly future but a better heavenly future where there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth as the old order of things passes away and Christ makes all things new. So Jesus says to you - do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.

The world’s narrative is we can make this a better place if we all just do our bit. The end will come and I know we want it soon but remember what St Peter says –

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Friends, use these times to bring a message of hope. These are indeed worrying times for many but Jesus assures us to not worry but to keep pointing people to the one whom the wind and the waves must obey. Don’t let these times frighten you but remind you that there is a New Heaven and a New Earth on its way where we will live with God and never again experience what we experience here so that we don’t lose heart until that day.

Until that day may the peace of God that surpasses understanding keep your hearts and minds forever in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Sermon 6th November 2022 – All Saints Day Text: Ephesians 1:11-23 – a glorious inheritance

 Sermon 6^th November 2022 – All Saints Day

Text: Ephesians 1:11-23 – a glorious inheritance

 

The Herald Sun recently reported that – there is going to be a massive transfer of intergenerational wealth among Australians. It is estimated that a staggering $3.5 trillion of assets will be handed over by parents and grandparents over the next two decades to their children through inheritance. But what this is predicted to do is create a massive amount of disputes and legal challenges by family members who believe that the share of inheritance they receive is unfair with what they believe they deserve. And unfortunately, when that happens, the ones who end up getting a large proportion of that wealth are the lawyers engaged in the dispute.

 

It’s not a new thing for disputes to occur over inheritances. Even in the Bible – both Old and New Testaments – there have been disputes over inheritances. We have Abraham in Genesis 15 complaining about his inheritance: “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

Abraham didn’t think it was fair that a servant rather than family would benefit from all his hard work. Which is a complaint also by Solomon in Ecclesiastes. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. And then there were the daughters of Zelophehad. They complained because the rules of inheritance didn’t allow for an inheritance to women and there were no brothers in their family so the family property would be lost. God himself stood up for them - What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.

 

And in the New Testament we have the Parable of the Prodigal Son and his demand for his inheritance NOW before his father had even died. And even Jesus was asked to settle a dispute over inheritance: Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

 

Part of the problem with inheritance and why they cause disputes is because they are only enacted after a person has died. So people will argue about their entitlement but the true owner can’t be asked about their intention. People will argue that the owner was forced into writing their will – that the owner had verbally promised something that’s not in the will – that there was a later or previous will that had something different.

 

In our 2nd reading today St Paul refers to our salvation – our eternal life in heaven – as an inheritance.

He says - In Christ we have obtained an inheritance … marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

But the difference here is that God is not dead but alive. And whereas the inheritance, as earthly inheritances are, it was enacted at Jesus’ death. But there is a big difference in that Jesus was raised from the dead to live eternally. So there can be no disputes because Christ is alive for us to refer to. As we hear Jesus say in Revelation chapter one - I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!

 

As we celebrate All Saints Day today we take comfort in this as we grieve for our loved ones because we know without any doubts or disputes that just as Jesus was raised from the dead we too shall be raised to eternal life. And that’s why, in death, St Paul says – we grieve but not like those who have no hope. That’s why Jesus was able to bring comfort to Mary and Martha at the death of their brother Lazarus  “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though they may die, they shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

Our grief is comforted by the assurance of the inheritance which St Paul refers to as our Christian hope when he says: That, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.

 

And so, when Jesus says in the beatitudes – Matthew Chapter 5 - Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted, what comfort can there be for a person who is grieving other than to receive back the loved one who has died. And that’s what faith in Jesus offers – comfort in the midst of mourning the death of a loved one. In heaven, where we are raised to eternal life, we are assured that God will wipe every tear from our eyes and that there will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Death is the old order of things, as Jesus says that he has come to make all things new. And that begins by dealing with the most difficult thing that human beings have to deal with which is death. And so, Paul says - with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which God has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. And God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

 

So as you grieve, do not forget the hope to which Jesus Christ has called you. The hope that in Christ we have the assurance of our inheritance to eternal life. An inheritance, which like the prodigal son we can ask to enjoy now as we grieve but not as those who have no hope. Our hope is that in Jesus he has made all things new and that death has lost its victory and that we claim that victory now through our faith in the one who is the resurrection and the life believing that those who die believing in Jesus shall never truly die but simply sleep waiting for the day we join together in heaven.

 

“Where, O death, is your victory? Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Sermon 30th October 2022 – Reformation Sunday The 5 Solas

 Sermon 30^th October 2022 – Reformation Sunday

The 5 Solas

 

Today we celebrate the Reformation of the church. An event that began just over 500 years ago with an Augustinian Monk by the name of Martin Luther nailing his infamous 95 Thesis to the Wittenberg Castle Door. The objective of those thesis was not to change the church but to bring the church back to the pure teaching of Christ which had been mingled with so much human error that salvation to eternal life was no longer experienced by the people. Instead, the grace of God was replaced by human efforts be that through paying with money or paying by good deeds – neither of which gave any comfort at all.

 

The hallmark of the Reformation is summed up in what are known as the 5 solas –

Sola being Latin for “alone”  The 5 solas being: That Christians are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. For my sermon today I want to explain why these were of vital importance for the Reformation:

 

SOLA GRATIA by "Grace Alone"

First of all we should explain – salvation from what? Salvation from the judgment and condemnation of God that every human being deserves (because we are sinners). As Paul reveals in his letter to the Romans: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.  Salvation is being saved from what we deserve because of our sin and receiving what we do not deserve. Again, as Paul says in Romans: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace alone means that eternal life in heaven is a gift of grace from God.

It has nothing to do with human merit. 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.

 

Luther discovered it in his days as a monk when he tried to buy comfort through his good deeds. Luther came to the place where he admitted that he hated God for his holy requirement of perfection from us. “This word is too high and too hard that anyone should fulfill it,” he wrote. But that’s how Luther’s life began.

Fearing for his life in a thunderstorm he prayed to St Anne to save him and he would become a monk He bargained with God. Isn’t that how many people feel about God today? If God will do this for me, I will do that for God. Or vice versa – If I do this for God then I expect God to do this for me. And that’s how we then try to get comfort from God – like the Pharisee: God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income. And still he went home NOT right with God.

 

As Luther discovered – assurance of salvation cannot come from ourselves no matter how much we have done for God – salvation is by “Grace Alone. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Which leads us into our next “sola” - through faith alone. 

 

It’s important to understand that we are saved “through” faith – and not by faith.

It is not by the believer's works or efforts but by Christ's work on the cross that a person is saved. Paul reminds us in Romans 5:8-9 that God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  God did all the work for our salvation BEFORE we could do anything. Faith is not how we are saved but how we receive God’s grace. As the writer in Hebrews 11 says, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. We simply believe that God has done all the work for us. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians – God made him who had no sin to become our sin so that we could BECOME the righteousness of God.

Remember last week’s Gospel – the tax collector went home “made right with God”. He did not believe he was worthy of being saved but by that unbelief he was saved by God’s grace through faith.

 

in Christ alone - SOLUS CHRISTUS

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Salvation is found in Christ alone. No human being can forgive sins. It is Christ alone who saves. Even the crowd acknowledged that when the friends of the paralytic lowered him down through the roof of a house to have Jesus heal him. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers thought to themselves, “Who is this Man Who speaks as if He is God? Who can forgive sins but God only?”

Likewise in Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. This is a difficult thing to proclaim in a world where Christianity is mocked and rejected. In a world where the one who called himself the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him – when truth is your own personal truth. But as Jesus said in today’s Gospel that through him we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free.

 

By Scripture alone - SOLA SCRIPTURA

As much as many would like a more modern reference book - the 66-books of the Bible – the Old and the New Testament is the sole authority for Christians in faith, doctrine, and practice. Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone - acknowledges the facts that the Bible is the Word of God, without error, all sufficient and the source of all truth. As much as it is debated that it is merely a book written by human beings, Paul, in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, declares that all Scripture is breathed out by God for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the people of God may be complete and equipped for every good work.

 

The word of God is then enacted in our lives as Luther points out when explaining God’s grace: How can eating and drinking in Holy Communion do such great things – it is not in the eating and drinking but in hearing and believing God’s word – given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. In Baptism, how can water do such great things?  It is not in water alone but water used together with God’s word. And in our forgiveness of sins – Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven.

 

God’s word of authority is not found anywhere else other than in the Scriptures we call the Holy Bible. In fact John declares that in his Holy Gospel: Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

 

And finally – all this is to the glory of God alone. SOLI DEO GLORIA

Salvation is wholly a work of God for His glory.  We contribute nothing to our salvation.  As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. As Luther says in explaining the Article of God’s Creation:

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, family, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this I surely ought to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

 

As we pray when praying the Lord’s Prayer. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours – forever and ever. Amen.  Like our Baptism, the Reformation was not an historical event but a call for the church to constantly check itself against the 5 Solas. Is our teaching and practice on salvation by grace alone – is it through faith in Christ alone, is it through God’s Word in Scripture alone and is everything that we do and say to the glory of God alone. For there is no other name by which we are saved.

Sermon 23rd October 2022 – 20th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Luke 18:9-14 – Made righteous

 Sermon 23^rd October 2022 – 20^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Luke 18:9-14 – Made righteous

A couple weeks ago I spoke about heroes and villains and how we often make villains out of good people. Like the Pharisees who are often portrayed as the evil doers in the New Testament when in fact they were the ones who policed bad behaviour. Hence their criticism of Jesus in that he ate with sinners.  Today we have another such situation in the Parable that Jesus told of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The upshot of it is that we make the Pharisee out to be bad and the Tax Collector good. When in fact their opinion of themselves is the opposite of that:

A pharisee and a tax collector went to the Temple to pray.  The Pharisee proceeded to thank God that he was unlike other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, and sinners like the disgraceful tax collector over there.  He went on to praise himself for fasting twice a week and giving his tithes – all good things – all things that were commanded by God in the Old Testament law of Moses. The tax collector, on the other hand, bowed his head, beat his breast, and prayed: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus said, between the Pharisee and the tax collector, it was the tax collector that was made right with God.

Notice the difference. The tax collector was MADE right with God. Jesus didn’t say the tax collector was a good man but was made right with God. And so we begin to understand that being right before God is not about good or bad behaviour but being MADE right by God.

So often people feel inadequate in their relationship with God. I’m not good enough. I’m not really a good Christian. In fact we might be rather embarrassed if people knew what we were really like. If people could see behind our pretend exterior would they see that everything is fine. We don’t like to let people know the “real me” because it makes me vulnerable. So we become like the Pharisee and point out other people’s faults in order to hide ours. Thank you Lord that I’m not like other people. I come to church every Sunday. I signed up to REG so just in case I can’t make it one Sunday I’ll still give my offering and I’ll watch the service online. I’m serving on that committee that I was asked to join. And thank you that I’m not like other people especially that guy over there – just look at him.

It really doesn’t make sense. Aren’t we drilled with the view – God’s hates sinners – God loves people who do good. Aren’t we drilled with the view – good people go to heaven – bad people go to hell. How can Jesus say that this person who did everything right – went home not right with God.  

 

The Pharisees were extremely religious leaders. They represent the best of the Jews: morally upright, knowing the Law, observing the rituals and everything their religion requires, and teaching the Law so that everyone could be as righteous as they are.

The tax collector was the lowest human being in the eyes of many; they were not only dishonest and greedy extortioners but worse, they were considered to be traitors for working for the Jewish enemy, the Romans. Collecting taxes from their fellow Jews and giving it to the enemy Romans (plus a little for themselves

Everything seems topsy turvy – calling bad good and good bad. But Jesus is not praising bad behaviour – nor is he condemning good behaviour. It was about their relationship with God. A relationship with God that is not made by US, but by God. The Pharisee was praising himself to God. Really? A human being telling God how good he was. Has he forgotten just who God is.

He needs to go back and read Psalm 8 – When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Or Psalm 51 - Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. On the other hand, the tax collector was not trying to justify himself to God but simply recognizing his unworthiness before the almighty God. He couldn’t even muster the dignity of looking up to God. But again, God doesn’t want to crush our spirits but to give us hope.

Do you see yourself unworthy of God’s love? Do you see yourself as never measuring up to God’s expectations? Do you see yourself constant fall short and even embarrassed about your Christian life before God or your fellow Christians? Do you sometimes compare yourself to other Christians and feel inadequate? Then you have given God something to work with as we remember it was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. As St Paul says in Galatians - if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

That’s not a license to sin but a recognition of how we can be assured of God’s favour with us as Paul says – God made him who had no sin to become our sin so that we could become the righteousness of God – BECOME the righteousness of God – not achieve the righteousness of God.

Paul knew all about struggling with is relationship with God even though he knew he was saved – I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

Does that sound familiar?

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! If you’re anything like me you feel an alliance with both the tax collector and the pharisee. The danger is that when we feel like the tax collector – unworthy of even looking up to heaven – the danger is that we start to become like the Pharisee to comfort ourselves. I come to church – I give regularly to the church and other charities – I do my best to live a Christian life. But that’s we making ourselves right before God when it is Christ who has made us right before God. And this is the difference between what we call a justified life and a sanctified life. We are justified by grace to live a sanctified life. In other words – God has saved us so we have no doubts about going to heaven which means we are freed to live a life that loves our neighbour.

So if you ever have any doubts about your salvation – come to Jesus Christ and receive his grace. Remember you are a Baptised child of God who has had your sins washed away. Remember that Jesus Body and Blood cleanses you from all unrighteousness. There is nothing you can do to make yourself right before God because it is God who has made you right through Jesus Christ our Lord.