Author: admin

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 &

James 1:17-27

“The elephant in the room”

 
If today is Father’s day, what does that say of the other 364 days of the year? Not that I’m complaining, one day is good considering I’m still trying to work out this “being a Father thing”. In this confusion I went to the good old dictionary. A father is, or can be amongst other things:

– a male parent

– a respectful term of address for an old man

– a male who originates something e.g. the father of modern psychology

– the head of an organized crime family

And my old favourite: the father of a specified kind e.g. the father of a whipping

If you fall into any of those categories it’s your day and as Steve Irwin said to his young girl when she asked him “if she could have ice-cream for breakfast”, “yer, why not, treat yourself”.

Another definition is “fathers of the church” and in today’s Gospel we see some of the equivalent in Jesus day asking him why his disciples were not following in their tradition of washing their hands before eating. To which in reply Jesus starts with “you hypocrites..

With this in mind, each morning this week I’ve been going down to the public toilets, stepping over the people sleeping there and lambasting all the hypocritical “hand washers”. I think I’ve stumbled onto something that can initiate our “church growth”-the church for all the unclean-literally.

Like the Pharisees and scribes in today’s Gospel, I think I’ve missed the point because in my teaching as Pastor Steve the Father of filth, I would become as one with those to who Jesus is talking too and calling hypocrites for teaching “the doctrines and commandments of men” because of all the myriad of laws given to the Jews, this was not one of them, these were human made conditions and rules that excluded rather than included.

The saying the elephant in the room: where everyone is discussing what the problem may be by talking of insignificant or minimal diversions, when the problem-the elephant in the room is right before their eyes but they either are not game, or it’s too big a problem to address.

So Jesus addresses the elephant in the room-the problem is not what enters from outside defiles, but rather what lurks inside. This is not what they wanted to hear but it is hard for us as humans to judge them considering their upbringing within the traditions of the day up and against Jesus’ radical teachings.

Jesus teachings that are just as radical in our world today. Love your neighbour-what the one who is so rude to me, or those at work who lie to win the deal or to get in good with the boss. Be humble-see how far that will get you in the job interview. Be servants to others and look for the good in them-to not play the blame game but have a cold hard look at yourself first-do I have too?

It’s a bit like going to a party-you think all the others are strange, and all the others think you are strange-you might just be the strange one.

A legendary Richmond footballer said it well when as walking off the field after a bad loss and hearing two young players blaming the coach said “the coach is not the problem, you’re the problem, so you do something about it”.

Jesus says forget about washing your hands, the elephant in the room, “the problem is you, us, you’re the problem-so I’ve done something about it”.
I’ve done the work for you, and because of that you are now free of the curse of constructing human ways of self-redemption. (and) by the way, it’s best if you wash your hands so that you don’t catch the flu that’s going around.

And that’s the deal, given that gift of life, Jesus gift of not needing to weigh up our ledger of good and bad things, of not having the pressure of having to do works and deeds, we are then free to go for it. Where it’s not like good works, because it’s not work so to speak-in the freedom of being forgiven as we are, those good “works” don’t seem like work but just an extension of ourselves.

In the epistle today James says we are to be doers of the Word and he is right, but if we read that on its own It’s a bit daunting, but read after the Gospel of John-where John just cuts to the core of the Gospel-justified in faith in Christ alone-James words of do this change from hearing it in the response “if I don’t do this I’m stuffed” to “oh yer, thanks for the reminder”.

I reminder that those in need are loved by God-and that we should go to them, but also a reminder of God’s love to us-and how he comes to us.

Father’s Day, like life can be a day of happiness or a day of sadness. When my dad died, a friend of mine framed the words from Archie Roach’s song “There is a garden”.

“When all the trees have gone, and all the rivers dry.

Don’t despair when all the flowers have died.

For I have heard that there’s a garden somewhere.

When you hear the children cry, when you see them die.

And mother can’t sing a lullaby.

When everything is gone, and when you’ve lost all hope.

And you have come to the end of your rope.

I believe that the flowers will bloom again.

We are young, and we are old.

But what we have can’t be bought or sold.

What we have is Jesus, and he cannot be bought by our good works, and nor will he be sold by our sin, and in that garden where the flowers bloom we will all one day unite.

God tells us there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, and in Jesus, we have times to love and times to beloved, times to serve others and times to be served by others, because in Him, we are free to do so. Amen.

 

John 6:56-69

“I fought the law and the law won”

A policeman I know and his partner, by chance ran into a gang of particularly ruthless criminals they had been investigating. They knew who the criminals were and the criminals knew who they were. Surrounded and outnumbered in a suburban car park their fate seemed sealed. This was not a good situation to be in and in an act spontaneity one of the officers asked to speak to the leader of the gang in private. He said, “We have already called for backup, but they will not be here before you do to us what you’re going to do. You will win the fight against us two, but more will come,

and in need more. You may win a few battles, but they will keep coming, the law will eventually win-it has too.”

That song “I fought the law and the law won” in society, if you are guilty will generally be the case-it has too. So too when we fight spiritually against the law of God. It has too because judged against His law we are all guilty. Should we line up before the father without Christ, with our good vs.bad deeds, the scales of justice will ring soundly-guilty on all charges.

We see this in the Pharisees. Make no mistake these guys were committed to keeping the law. In general, the Pharisees strived to uphold the law and should be recognized for this.They taught the law but did not practice the most important parts of the law — justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

They obeyed the intricacies of the law such as tithing but not the real meat of the law. They exhibited themselves as righteous on account of being scrupulous keepers of the law, but were in fact not righteous: their mask of righteousness hid a secret inner world of ungodly thoughts and feelings. Jesus gave these guys a hard time, yet met with the most open and obvious sinners and didn’t condemn them. In fact he didn’t even lecture them, he seemed to just acknowledge and bring out into the open what they already knew, that they had sinned.

Like the Pharisees knew, the law is good. It keeps the world in order in striving to keep chaos from the door and promotes a healthy manner in which way to live. But they missed the essence of the law, to bring salvation.

To see the truth of their own guilt and sinfulness, and then to see God’s mercy in Christ.

These two types of people, Christ approached with the truth about themselves and about himself with Salvation open to both,but only one accepted it-the ones knowing they were sinners and who came to know who Jesus was. Likewise in today’s Gospel we see two sinners take to the stage, Judas and Peter. Judas, who in today’s Gospel is still one the twelve but would later betray Jesus for a bribe of thirty pieces of silver by identifying him to the arresting soldiers of the High Priest, who then turned Jesus over to Pontius Pilate’s soldiers.

And Peter, who in today’s Gospel after being asked along with the other disciples would they like to leave him answers (but) “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life”, yet who would later deny Jesus three times prior to his death on the cross. Two sinners, whom I might add that the bible tells us were both repentant sinners.

From Matthew 27 verses 3 to 4: “When Judas, the traitor, learnt that Jesus had been condemned, he repented and took back the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders and said I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death”.

And Peter, from Matthew 26:75 after his third denial, “Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly”.

Two regretful and remorseful repentant sinners, yet one-Judas would destroy himself in shame while the other, Peter, also in shame but would go onto to be one of Jesus greatest servants, how can this be? The Pharisees against open and obvious law breakers: sinners.

Two thieves on the cross, both sinners yet one is given the gift of eternal life and one is not, and here Judas and Peter.

This is the third week in a row that the Gospel has been that “Jesus is the bread of life, that those who believe have eternal life”. The Gospel that the Pharisees, one of the criminals on the cross and Judas did not get.

Most certainly Judas was repentant but like the Pharisees and one of the criminals, their responses were only in self-absorbed human ways. In the original Greek language the repentance of Judas is used as a change of mind such to produce regret and even remorse of sin, but not a change of heart. Peter too had such repentance. Peter too was conscious of his guilt and of his helplessness but he came to know the Gospel-Christ’s mercy. That although guilty, helpless and polluted and well aware of his sin, in that knowledge he came to know Christ and what he stood for-mercy, and most importantly-He accepted it.

Just like these groups of two’s I’ve mentioned, we also are tempted and coaxed by ungodly powers to take a side. The tactic of making us believe in our own holiness, of how we can become part of our salvation through our own goodness. Or Vice versa, the tactic of showing us our sin clearly and then the suggestion that we are beyond salvation, even in Christ. These thoughts are not from Christ-when they come dispel them-for they are lies. Lies designed to separate us from the truth-from the truth of our saviour.

So-Let us hear the saving truth of our lord and Saviour:

“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:9-10)

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“I am the living bread. Anyone who comes to me will never be hungry. And anyone who believes in me will never need anything important. Everyone that the Father gives to me will come to me. If anyone does come to me, I will never send that person away. I have not come from the sky to please myself. I have come to obey the one who sent me. He does not want to lose even one of the people that he has given to me. He wants me to raise them up on the last day. My Father has decided that anyone who listens to the Son and believes in him will have eternal life. And I will raise them up on the last day.” (John 6:35-40)

“I am speaking the truth. Anyone may hear my word and believe in the one who sent me. If they do believe, they have the real life that goes on for ever. I will not judge them for the wrong things that they have done. They have moved from death into life.”

Like Peter, we too most certainly know that there is no other that we can turn to, because we know that Jesus is the Holy One who has come from God, the one who has the Word’s of eternal life.

His Words of truth, that he simply ask we accept and receive eternal salvation. Amen.

 

John 6:51-58

“Wisdom in the Kingdom”

Trust, belief and wisdom.

The highlight of the Olympic Games for me was the conversation Usain Bolt had with a reporter after he had won the 100 metres. The reporter noted that prior to the games he seemed out of form, and indeed Usain himself had agreed that he was not at his best and with concern on his mind; he went and asked his coach if he too was worried. To which his coach responded “not at all”. He then explained to the reporter that “I trust my coach, so if he wasn’t worried, then nor was I so I just went out and ran”.

Trust and belief. But also the wisdom to act on that trust. The wisdom to override his own inner doubts and thoughts, because of his trust of another-from a trusted voice not from within himself, but a trusted voice from another.

(and) That’s the impact good coaches have on their players, they bring trust and belief and then wisdom. The wisdom that when at three quarter time, beaten and lagging-that when the coach says we’re in this, we can win it, we will win it, they truly do believe it.

Fos Williams, raised in a small country town over the hills from Port Augusta as a young man went to Adelaide in his job and to play football. Not long after he ended up as the playing coach of the Port Adelaide Magpies-the club of which has now born Port Power in the AFL. When he arrived they were a going nowhere. Magarey medallist Peter Woite gave the following insight to what then took place. He said “Fos would start an hour and a half before the game. Telling them that they were invincible. That they will win over and over again. Eventually the players came to believe it and went from accepting defeat to not accepting anything other than winning. They came to believe him, when they went out they believed they were invincible and that they would win. Belief that became so strong that when they were defeated, they were inconsolable. From outside of themselves, Fos had changed the way they played and their beliefs-and it became part of them, part of their substance and being.

Trust, belief and wisdom. Jesus says we are to have childlike faith, and I know where he’s coming from. When we were children, Jesus was so uncomplicated. He said I love you, bring you forgiveness and you’ll go to heaven. Jesus said it, so it was so; it was just in there inside us and onto doing kid’s stuff we would go.

Then for want of a better word we grow up. Learn to think logically and question things, question perceived truths. Get beaten around the head with life’s responsibilities, struggles and hardships. Given the gift of greater intelligence, to be able to think deeply of how things work, or how they should work and yet with all this knowledge, power and experiences-Jesus says we are to have child-like faith.

When young, if told that’s a chair, well it’s a chair-now I might first consider that it actually may be a stool.

Two weeks ago we heard the Jews ask Jesus: What is it that we must do, to do the work of God? And Jesus replies to believe in the one He has sent. Is that it, or did he mean something else-maybe it’s now a bean bag.

And in today’s Gospel Jesus tells us “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”.

You can see where this is heading. No wonder the Jews had trouble understanding and believing what Jesus said. The stuff Jesus said, the gospel is foreign to how we are cast. Logically, these statements of Jesus are illogical. A pastor/lecturer at the sem. told us, when in your Parish; don’t get down on yourself with all the empty seats-because it’s a miracle that any one believes at all.

And through logic, or how we think it should work, he’s right, and right there we see that what Jesus said has to be case, everyone that does believe, has childlike faith, because otherwise you could not believe.

Trust, belief and wisdom. To trust and believe in what Jesus says, and the wisdom to do so, even though from within us it would seem the opposite. When as a child, Jesus says-so no questions needed. As an adult-Jesus says-and we question how that possibly could be-but believe anyway. That’s childlike faith-to override what we would think with what we are told by Jesus.

When Mother Teresa died, some of the press gleefully reported that during her last years she once said that after all the time working in the slums and in the hardships-she could not see God there. And as you could imagine, her quote gave many the ammunition to say see, there you go even the great Mother Teresa didn’t believe. But they missed the point; she did not say that-what she said was, that what was before her eyes gave no logic of God being present. Is that a heresy? Absolutely not, in fact quite the opposite because even though it may have seemed so, she knew it was not the case.

I was baptised as an adult-did I feel any different afterwards-I don’t think so. Baptising our infants, do we literally see a hallo form-I haven’t yet. Studying at the sem. and being ordained, do I feel like some kind of saint-not likely-I think I did more so before I went in. And that is the Gospel.

It would be nice to self-reference our spirituality, of what’s going on in our hearts-of feeling our growth within ourselves. Indeed it would be very nice, but not so comforting the next day when we see our heart just as black again as the day before. And that is the Gospel. It is not how we feel-it’s what Christ promises and what he does.

In Holy Communion-Jesus says I give you my body and blood-for eternal life, yes, but also to work inside you-We believe that, even though in our inner selves we find it hard to see much progress, if any.

That is the Gospel. It is not from us, it’s from outside. The Word of God, Baptism and Holy Communion-Our Lord and Saviour brings them to us, just like God sent His Son to us. He didn’t just flick a magic switch to fix up our mess-he sent His Son down to us-to grow in us from outside in-transforming us.

In Christ, we are transformed into the holy and righteous. Do you feel very holy and righteous? Maybe not, and if not, welcome to being normal. But in faith, though our hearts and minds may be at times like black coal-that when all the logic and facts of our sinful selves are stacked against, when we know that we are beyond help within ourselves, that in ourselves we are lost-yet cling to Christ, not just as our only hope of acceptance by the Father, but take it as a fact that we are accepted by the Father-that’s faith, faith in the truth. Thank God for the trust and belief he has worked in us, and the wisdom he has brought to us of childlike saving faith. Amen.

 

John 6:35, 41-51

“Whether in the sprint or the marathon-it’s still a walk to the podium.”

I’ve mentioned before of the time I worked in a one roomed building with 2,000 people. That’s a lot of people and it was like its own community where people’s worth and standing was essentially understood and judged by what went on in that building. Which was interesting because from my previous experiences I knew people working there who had been business leaders, but now were considered well down the ladder, and to see the lack of respect for their abilities by others not knowing of their past was for want of another word “interesting”. (and) in all truth, due to the constant deadlines, looking below the surface of the person in front of you was somewhat a “luxury” and the same can so easily sneak into our daily lives from being too busy or just falling into the same old same old.

In my team within that organisation were too middle age ladies working on the base salary and answering to colleagues with much less life experience. But they never seemed for a moment indifferent to where they found themselves. They were always just there doing their work quietly, friendly and efficiently. Eventually, I got to talk with them. One I found was a qualified doctor in her home country, but being in Australia had to, and was undergoing further study to be recognised in that field-I wonder if her colleagues would have treated her differently if they had known just who they were working with.

The other lady, who upon receiving her resignation I came to find out was leaving because she had successfully completed her studies to become a psychiatrist. Surprised and a little embarrassed I mentioned that if I knew that, I would have led and acted a “little” more conventionally. To which she “graciously” thanked me for our time together as I had given her a great deal of material for her thesis.

Author’s say, based on our own life experiences everyone has one book in them and some of the most enlightening books I read are autobiography’s where quite often by the end I am stunned, saddened and inspired why what has taken place in that person’s life.

My father once can to know a younger man who was a loner, indifferent, always scruffy and without work. A person on the outer fringes of society with seemingly not a lot to offer. The type that can be seen lying on park benches and passed by without giving much consideration. The type of man that society judges harshly. This man, judged daily on all bar one. The day he walks with his fellow Vietnam veterans on Anzac day.

What we see is not always what we get but being misunderstood by others is only all too well known by God the Father and our Saviour Jesus. In today’s Gospel, the Saviour, Jesus reveals himself as the long awaited messiah, only to be disregarded because of their preconceived understandings:

“Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say I have come down from heaven?”

The Jews reject Jesus because they can only see him; judge him through human values and standards. Their reaction in the face of Jesus claim was to produce the fact that He was a carpenter’s son and they had seen him grow up in Nazareth. They were unable to understand he could possibly be a messenger from God and rejected Him by human assessments and by social values and worldly standards. Jesus came to bring them what they yearned for-a saviour-yet they rejected both him and his offer of God’s grace because he did not fit the “box” of what they had expected.

That Vietnam Vet who was prepared to die for the people of his country, but now discarded by society and sleeping on a park bench-what must he think? Disillusioned maybe an understatement.

Jesus, who did die for his people-but discarded by large parts of our society as of no use anymore-how in his love he must grieve the rejection of the peace he offers. Somewhere along the line society seems more interested with spirituality that is seen as more exciting and tangible. Where everything must be felt and if that “wow” factor is not there something must be wrong.

The Church too is not immune against falling into this mindset. Where worship has to be “awesome” all the time. Where our worship has to feel like a Usain Bolt moment in the Olympic 100 metres final with all the razzmatazz. Don’t get me wrong, any worship of our Lord is good worship and we should always look for ways to bring his message to his people and if you have a bolt of lightning moment here or during the week cherish it and thank the Lord. But we don’t always have to feel like we are flying in the clouds to know we have been lifted up on high. Often, and on most occasions we receive the Lord in more normal, seemingly unspectacular moments here and in life in general. Far from a Hussein Bolt moment but more like that an Ethiopian Gold medallist mentioned many years ago when talking their national tri-outs. Where he said often the most brilliant of your opponents are the ones that just turn up from out in the lands in their bare feet-they don’t look anything special, but then run like gazelles.

Our lives with Christ, whether we run in the sprint or the marathon-we all only walk to the podium.

The same can be in worship. Sometimes we miss the point of it all, when maybe disillusioned or still feeling a little empty because we feel like all we did was just turn up and leave.

Yes it is most certainly only fitting and right and is truly good, and proper in worship and our lives to give thanks to our loving Father, who through Jesus Christ our Lord, who laid down His life for us. But in our lives and in our worship today-the primary reason the Lord has drawn us here is to give to us. To hear His Word-His Word that works in us regardless of if we feel it working or not. To confess our sins and know in faith that we are forgiven-because he says they are. To place our prayers at our fathers’ feet and know that he hears them and will act on them in a manner that is beneficial to us and others-even if it does not seem so. And to receive the Body and Blood of our Saviour and be strengthened in faith and life.

These amazing things are taking place here in our quiet little church-today. Today, whether you may be having a “Hussein Bolt” moment or not-the heavenlies are. Saints past and present are joined with the angels in glorious song and praise of our Father for what is happening here today. Praising our Lord and saviour because they can see what we cannot.

To see what we know in faith. Our Lord standing before us-glowing in radiance and love and giving everything of himself too us, that we may live in him. In the strength of the bread of life during our trek through this worldly wilderness until we reach our eternal home. When we will stand before our loving God and our Saviour as they welcome us home in the realisation of the promise and gifts that they give to us here today. What a great day that will be, and what a great day is this. Praise be to Christ. Amen.

 

Sermon John 6:24-35

“Why the long face”

In this month’s Lutheran magazine there’s an article about a group that visited Martin Luther’s old stomping ground in Germany, Wittenberg and one of them noticed a quote supposedly from Luther: “He who drinks much beer sleeps well. And he who sleeps does not sin. And he who does not sin goes to heaven”.

What’s that got to do with this sermon? Not a lot, I just like the quote, and why isn’t Cathy here to hear it. But today our topic is the bread of life, and both bread and beer can be made with either barley or wheat. And beer, like bread-and here meaning food in general is had in times of celebration and joy, but also as a source to try and fill the void. When that hole in our stomach, in our being is not through physical hunger or thirst, but through a spiritual void, a spiritual hunger.

Like retail therapy, excessive materialism and so forth. They are short term stop gap solutions to a greater problem. Rene Rivkin, now deceased but a once very wealthy man when asked does wealth bring happiness replied “No, but it does bring a better class of misery”.

Is having a few drinks with friends over a lovely meal wrong, is working hard to afford such luxuries wrong-absolutely not. In fact hospitality is something we should both provide and receive with joy.

Where the line is crossed is when things encroach on the first commandment: “You shall have no other Gods”. That word commandment brings up connotations of law, as it should. But the law is good, just like getting a speeding ticket is-well that may be stretching things a little, but the commandments do keep society on a leash-without them, imagine the anarchy that would exist.

The first commandment, how do we know if we’re stepping over the line? The answer straight from the confirmation class work book (so all the participants will know this off by heart).

A God, your God is whatever a person looks to for all the good things, and runs to comfort and help in times of trouble”. And in that explanation, of the law we see the Gospel. The Gospel we have heard today from Jesus when he says: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty”.

Law and Gospel. The law: don’t have other Gods. The Gospel, because they don’t work. In fact these other Gods in all probability will bring a worse outcome than what you went to them for in the first place. God and Jesus are not party poopers, quite the opposite, they want joy and life for us here and joy and life with us when we meet them on that glorious day in paradise.

In Jesus saying “I am the bread of life” he is putting the horse back in front of the Kart, getting things back in order. What he is not saying is that we won’t face the same trials and tribulations. They will happen to Christian and non-Christian alike. He asks that we hand them over to him. Just like he took our condemning sin on himself, he wants to take our worries on himself-to bring us some peace amongst our storms.

(and) what does he ask in return? Verses 28 and 29: “Then they asked him, what must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus answered; the work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

If only I had known this earlier.

When leaving my previous job, as you could imagine some of my colleagues responses ranged from intrigue to openly suggesting my limited mental capacities had finally been extinguished. One such colleague who was a good friend, which in itself often had people shaking their heads because he was very driven to succeed in both promotion and prestige. In fact he would often joke about it-but we got on well because what each other saw was what they got. He did not have a hidden agenda-he was open and honest about his agenda.

(And) he asked me, why am I doing this. So I tried to explain the “call”, of God’s love to me, how I’ve come to see life through Christ and so on. I realised I wasn’t going so well when at the end he said “so what’s in it for you?” So, running out of solutions and knowing of his mindset I responded “I get to study for five years essentially without pay, and then work for half the money I’m on now”.

After that he said “Well good for you” and we went back to talking about the football”.

Now please don’t think I’m saying this for any other reason than for what I said it to him-just as a funny antidote. But ironically as Christians this does encompass us all.

Verses 28 and 29: “What must we do? The work of God is this, to believe in the one he has sent”.

Here we hear Jesus putting the horse clearly back in front of the kart. What is the purpose of life, of this world? That we believe that Jesus, the Son of God is the Messiah. The one who brings forgiveness and life.

So what of the other tangible works, of us individually and collectively? The works of the Church. Shall we befriend those against us, feed the poor, and give our time to helping in society. Absolutely, just like Jesus did when healing lepers and giving time to prostitutes and Pharisees alike. When someone’s down we don’t push them down further, we lift them up. Jesus did that and so should we.

Will it bring them to faith, maybe, maybe not-but it is to be done anyway-Because of what we know of Christ and his love for us, and for them-even if they won’t acknowledge him.

These works are good and they can bring comfort to those hurting, are these true works of a Christian Church-absolutely- but these acts in themselves are not the cure.

These acts are good, but they are the Kart that follows behind the one pulling it.

What must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus answered; the work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

What is the work of the Church? Ephesians 4 “He gave some to be prophets, evangelists and so on. So that God’s people will give works of service: so that the body of Christ may be built up”

So the body of Christ be built up, why? Because Jesus loves those lost and he knows that only in him is there the bread of life, that cures the emptiness of life without him.

Each of us here has been given gifts that we can use and do use to build the kingdom. Is our salvation reliant on it? Again, what works does God require? Jesus answered; the work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

And knowing that, that freedom-that there is not one ounce of pressure-knowing that Jesus actually does love us enough to not ask anything more, work in the field becomes a joy. A joy because even if we mess up or say the wrong thing, why worry because if it’s done for the right reasons-being of what Christ has already done for us, we know he’ll sought it out, just like he has for us.

What a joy that with all our imperfections-we can just be ourselves, have a laugh at our stuff ups and not take everything so seriously. That to serve God and his people we don’t have to be anything other than what we are, but just have a go and be yourself-and try and have some fun-even its at our own expense.

Maybe Luther’s comment at the start of this sermon was right. Not so much the beer-I think I’ve got that covered. But the essence of his words. Luther, the great Theologian. Did he take the Word of God, the Gospel seriously? Absolutely. So seriously he risked his life for it. Did he feel and weep for the hurting-absolutely. Was he himself, a larrikin and not take himself too seriously and could enjoy doing God’s work as himself-absolutely.

What a joy to serve such a loving and accepting God and Saviour-The only true bread of life. Amen.

 

John 6:1-21

Moments of Clarity

Martha wrote to one of those “Dear Dolly” type columns in the newspaper seeking assistance. “I was running late for work and did not have time to warm up my car, but I still left before my husband as normal, but about a kilometre up the road my car stalled so I walked home to get his help. When I walked in I was shocked when I found him sitting at the computer, still in his pyjamas and with a bottle of whisky next to him. I was shocked and we ended up arguing, and then crying when he eventually had told me that he had lost his job months ago and had been day trading on the share market trying to keep the money coming in, but had basically lost our savings and now has turned to the bottle. I don’t what to do; he’s lost our money, has no job and has lied to me?”

Dear Martha, assuming that everything is o.k. when your car is warmed up, the reason it stalls when the motor is cold may be due to the air/fuel mixture running to lean. The vehicle’s onboard computer is supposed to adjust the mixture based on temperature as well as load and acceleration. For some reason the computer is adjusting wrong. Let’s look at the possibilities why this might be………………………………”

Missing the point

It happens so easily, deadlines, timelines, pressures, what we want to see against what is actually happening and almost above all in our society, no time to simply stop and think. In one of my previous chapters of my work life I was a team leader of 30 people within a building of 2,000. One level, one room except separated every 400 to 500 people by rows of glass offices. It was literally a sea of computer terminals with everyone working to meet deadlines. Deadlines that if were missed threatened fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars per month from the company we were service provider for, and daily potentially hundreds to thousands of dollars compensation per missed individual transaction to the customer, never mind the negative goodwill. Often, I would arrive at say 7.30/8.00am to be hit like a tidal wave and not until 11.00 o’clock did it subside enough to even be able to turn on my computer never mind grab a coffee. Everyday was somewhere between craziness and an adrenaline rush, between despising it and loving it. And everyday succeeded, felt like playing in and winning a grand final.

Occasionally, retreating from the madding crowd to one of these glass offices in order to plan to achieve the unachievable, I would look out-from a step back-and think “what the……is this”.

Moments of clarity, where we see something more than just the moment.

This week’s gospel message describes two very familiar miracles of Jesus: The feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water. If we were there that day what would we have seen? We’re Jews, oppressed by the Romans who have occupied our land. We are desperately seeking the promised messiah but have been misled or let down by those previous that have announced to be him. Then we hear of a man named Jesus performing unbelievable miracles so we rush to him and see him healing people and feeding thousands from five loaves of bread and two fish-surely this is the messiah. We are in the boat with the other apostles and our teacher, Jesus calms the seas-surely this is the messiah. So we follow him into Jerusalem, this is the moment-waving our palm branches as the promised king, the messiah arrives. Side by side we will stand with our leader against those who have enslaved us. Then we see him powerless, arrested by the authorities, beaten and sent to death-and he cannot raise a finger to save himself.

With our fellow apostles, we remember the amazing teachings and miracles we’ve seen, nothing was impossible. We believed this man was the messiah, but now it’s over as he dies like just another common criminal and we ask ourselves “what was that all about”.

Then three days later, hiding in fear of reprisals he appears to us and we remember the things he had told us, the things that just made no sense at the time. Then we have a moment of clarity where we finally see more than just those individual moments and things that have taken place. We finally see and understand. Understand that everything beforehand, those times of wonder and rejoicing, and those times of confusion and doubt have led to this one ultimate understanding, that Truly Jesus is the Messiah, the promised one sent by God to bring freedom and life. The one who has taken us back to the Father through the forgiveness of sins.

Our lives are full of moments. Moments covering the whole spectrum of our understandings. Some that seem to make sense and some that don’t. Moments where we have a great idea-that seems to fail, yet then seemingly by chance through some insignificant moment, things fall into place.

We are that boy amongst the 5,000. We have five loaves of bread made from barley and two small fish the size of sardines, the type of bread and fish that only peasants ate. Surely this is only enough to feed ourselves for the next few days. Do we hide it and keep it for ourselves as it won’t be enough anyway for everyone and then we’ll just starve just like the rest. But against all logic, for some reason we hand it over-and the rest is history and we wonder “what was that” only to find out that our one small act would be used by the saviour, recorded in history as a testament to his power, a testament of his care for those in need while he was walking to his own death. His death that would bring the greatest miracle of all, the forgiveness of sins-for us in the crowd that fell away in his hour of need, for we the apostles who in fear for ourselves denied him in his hour of need, and for us the peasants who have seemingly nothing to offer. Peasants that without knowing and through none of our own design, our insignificant gesture which we only begrudgingly did in the first place have somehow has been used by Jesus on the road to his destiny. His destiny that brings salvation to all those that believe-on his road to the greatest miracle and gift we will ever receive-faith.

The road to faith. Johnny Cash’s brother, called to be a preacher dies very young in his teens. Johnny the musician, who broke most of the rules in the book on his way home, who in his later years would tour with the great preacher Billy Graham and open up his evangelist shows. One evening Billy said “I’m starting to think they are only coming to see you” to which John replied “Whatever gets them here Billy”.

The miracle of faith.

I worked with a physically handicapped girl who was always positive, friendly and helpful. Somehow it came up about the difficulties in our society for handicapped people to which she responded “we all have handicaps, the only difference is that mines on display for all to see”.

I talk of arguably the greatest Australian Rules Footballer player of the modern era. It is said to make it at the highest level you must excel in two of the three musts: speed, strength and ability. He had all three. His ability and speed would dumfound and his strength intimidate. A player, seemingly born of unnatural gifts. But a humble shy man who wrote in his book that he came to despise and hate the attention that his talent had brought him. So much so that at times, in despair he would find himself locked in the toilet before the game in tears. Moments that brought him some clarity and allowed to him to recognise a man of who he would later talk of and say: “that if it wasn’t for His Lord and Saviour Jesus, he would not be here today.”

The miracle of faith-through no power of our own, given to us, to sustain us.

Last week with Josh we were looking through DVD’s and he noticed me eyeing off the movie “Any given Sunday” and he instantly said “oh no, not again, not tonight”. (So we watched Fawlty Towers)-AGAIN. I’ve only watched it in full a couple of times-but there’s one scene I’ve watched countless times as it reminds me of everything that’s good about team “combat” sport.

In the scene Al Pacino is addressing an American football team that are losing at half time, and it goes like this: We are in hell at the moment. We either crumble as individuals or as a team we fight our way back into the light. In football the inches we need to win are everywhere. They are there in every break of the play and in every second of the game. In football as in life, we claw with our fingernails for those inches; we’ll die for those inches. Look into the eyes of the guy next to you and you will see a guy that will die and go the distance with you.

It’s a stirring speech that every time I hear it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and there’s a lot of truth to it: except in our salvation. The one clawing with his fingernails is Jesus. Joy and suffering are all around us, but Jesus died for us, and he does go the distance for and with us. Jesus searches and seeks out sinners to show the work of God in their lives, to bring them to faith.

Us here today, we did not welcome Christ and we did not deserve to be in his presence. But he came to us all the same, brought us forgiveness and has given us life here and life ever after.

A boy with five loaves of bread and two small fish amongst the hungry multitude. We too may be but peasants with only crumbs to offer, but crumbs we offer that when in our Lord’s hands bring his miracle of faith and salvation to those still lost in the multitude. Praise be to Christ. Amen.

 

 Get the message

Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56

The disciples had just returned from a missionary expedition. (&) We could assume they would be excited to tell Jesus of their successes and maybe even question him regarding their unsuccessful moments. Did we say the wrong thing? Should we have stayed longer? And so forth. We can almost hear Jesus saying, or at least thinking: “well done my good and faithful servants”, and with compassion, realising of their aching and hungry bodies, –saying first come with me and rest.

The meaning of the word disciple is messenger, and these messengers must have had much success in sharing the good news as it has spread quickly and Jesus is besieged with people.

Following verse 34 is the feeding of the 5,000 men. Men, add the rest of the family and what are we talking? 10,000, 15,000? Quite a crowd. It may not seem like a Foo Fighters concert at the SCG until we take in the logistics of the situation. The neighbouring towns of Capernaum and Bethsaida-goods sized towns in their day had populations of 2,000 to 3,000 each. So in today’s times, here in Dubbo, with no public transport or cars, say 220,000 people on foot converging on the shores of the river with no PA systems and no crowd control. In relative terms this is a huge crowd of people, all searching and looking for answers, and “Jesus had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd”, and heals people and teaches them: gives them his good news, the Gospel.

Compassion: The dictionary states it as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering”.

Jesus in compassion, teaches, heals and in the accompanying verses feeds them.

I asked a colleague of mine why he became a Pastor and he replied that he would do various acts of kindness supplying food to the needy and giving away money, but it always seemed he was like the boy that put his finger in the dyke, and during this he came to see that the long term answer to their pain was to hear of Christ.

Jesus in his compassion healed those who come to him because he felt their pain. How blessed were those who he touched and healed, yet this was not Jesus’ main reason for being. His healings were more like the boy with his finger in the dyke-see a problem, fix a problem. We know from Jesus’ recorded miracles that almost always he told the recipients not to tell anyone. Why? Because of his nature how could he say no to those coming to him, he couldn’t, so he healed people as they turned up. But his reason for being-the reason he walked our earth was to die for our sins-to bring the long term never ending miracle of spiritual healing. He came, to lead the lost home, to be their shepherd-on his way to the cross he healed people’s short term woes, but much more important he taught them-that they would know in him the love of the father-because he felt their pain, their need for the truth, their need for a shepherd and their need for a leader.

Leadership is so crucial, in all aspects of life.

We’ve all heard the term “it all stems from the top”. (and) generally it does. The leader sets an example, keeps it together when everyone else is confused, fearful and so forth. Yet ironically, the best and most effective leaders, while yes, “in them it does all stem from the top” do not talk down to those below them, they talk with them, are concerned for them, serve them-and that’s what alternatively leads into their leadership from the top.

I found this insightful quote on compassion: “Compassion is not a snob gone slumming. Anybody can salve their conscience by an occasional foray into knitting for the poor. Did you ever take a real trip down inside the broken heart of a friend? To feel the sob of the soul-the raw, red crucible of emotional agony? To have this become almost as much yours as that yours as that of your soul-crushed neighbour? Then, to sit down with them-and silently weep? This is the beginning of compassion.” (Jess Moody).

Our shepherd, our leader-Jesus, from him it all stems- from the top. But he did he sit in a ivory tower- he came down to our level. The bottom rung, the lost, to lead us home. To take our just deserved pain and sin on himself.

It always amazes me that when there’s a tragedy, quite often God gets the blame, or at the least said that he doesn’t seem to care. For a moment, even with our feeble human wisdom let’s think about this. We do know and understand what love is. Think of someone that no matter what they did, you love them so much-that when they are hurting, all you want to do is take away their pain. That even though they may error in their ways towards you, there is nothing that you would not forgive them for. That’s love.

Then we read in the bible that our love, the best of our love is small, miniscule to that of God’s. That God in His perfect love gave us His son, to be hungry, to feel physical pain, to be beaten, tortured and ultimately die a tragic death. We would forgive that loved one of ours of anything-unconditionally. Yet the powers of darkness sometimes succeed in making us wonder of our forgiveness before God. We feel the pain of that loved one of ours, yet the powers of darkness sometimes succeed in making us doubt that our Lord cares about us.

Can you see how ridiculous and utterly wrong that is? Our love to others doesn’t rate a mention to that of God’s or our Saviour Jesus. Yet even we know the hurt from seeing our loved ones suffer. Imagine the hurt that Christ feels in his perfect love when he sees us in pain, sees people hungry, dying and lost. If we just thinking rationally of this we can understand it when we are told that the whole of “heaven cheers in joyfulness when one sinner turns to Christ” and is saved.

Compassion. Why doesn’t God just cure all our ailments now, bring world peace and bring food to the starving? He has the power to do so, but God is not a puppet master. He lets us have a brain, free choice-he didn’t make robots that are just yes sir, no sir-he has given us the right to decide, to think for ourselves-even when that leads to doing things that are totally opposite to what’s good for us, or him. That’s love.

In the garden when we fell to sin, the earth became fractured and so did our perfect relationship with God the father. In our 50, 60, 100 years on this planet, due to sin we have times of suffering-God has had to live with our suffering for thousands of years. Every soldier on the battlefield, every one cold on the streets, and every person not full of hope who has believed the lies said against our Saviour: God, perfect in love has endured.

God perfect in love, calls people to be volunteers, nurses, doctors, all of us in our occupations to heal the sick, alleviate some of the pain, and to bring some joy and laughter to our human world. God perfect in love, saw his Son endure pain, the pain we brought to him.

We cannot imagine how hard that must have been for God-yet the world, we, are tempted to doubt what he says. Our Lord, who on the cross-in agonising pain says of those that put him there: “forgive them father they don’t know what they do”.

Our Lord who his way to the cross, when people came to him for physical cure, healed them because of his perfect love.

In our lives he brings health or at least some relief from the pain through those he calls in their vocations in life. In His perfect love he is not a puppet master. In His prefect love God lets us make our own mistakes. In His prefect love he gives us shelter, food and assistance in the hurt-through his children like us.

In His perfect love, he puts up with our doubts towards him, our anger toward him, the hurt we do to others and ourselves and asks no more than that we accept His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ-that in him we receive complete and utter forgiveness, life today and eternal-that we accept our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ so that amongst the pain we can feel his love to sustains us in faith, that we may follow His son Jesus back to him.

Compassion: On our way home, The Father, The Son and The Holy spirit will continue to endure in our pain, endure with our mistakes, vices, and anger towards Him. Continue to provide for us and all people-that we may know the truth-that in Christ-nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Even in our small portions of human wisdom and love-how could we think anything different? How could anyone think different?

Jesus said “Forgive them Father for they do not know what they do”

They don’t know: so he teaches.

Let’s pray we always hear and know that truth, let’s pray that those that still “don’t know what they do” hear and know the truth. Pray that we won’t be deceived by half-truths and lies, but hear and know the full truth, that in Christ, no matter what we are, where we’ve been or what we’ve done, that when in Christ, all are home: totally, absolutely and unconditionally forgiven. Amen.

 

Sermon Based on Amos 7:7-15, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29

“The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”

One of my previous pastors had a great talent in bringing to life, or of hitting the point of the weekly message within our lives. Two come to mind clearly, one a public sermon and one just for me. I’ll talk of the second first. It was the football season, and there’s only one way to play footy-hard. You’re not just playing with your team mates, you’re playing for them. You stick by them, through thick and thin-on and off the field. Due largely to this attitude, not consciously-but doing it all the same-I was rocking up to church a little too tired and dazed from what in country footy circles, would be considered the appropriate form of recovery the night before. On one such Sunday, upon being greeted by my pastor at the end of the service-with a big smile, his outreached hand and the other around my shoulders, he joyously said “It’s always great to see you on Sundays looking so good”. I knew what he meant, he knew that I knew what he meant-but how it was done, with tact, humour and in good natured love-strengthened our relationship.

The second was in a public sermon. I think there might have been some scobling within the ranks (or something but that is not the point). He went through the truth-the Gospel but then finished with “you know what you are doing that is wrong, so stop it, and stop it today”. It is an unusual end to a sermon and whether it hit his desired point I’m not sure-but it certainly did with me. That is not the recommended way of finishing a sermon, but he was right. He was not preaching to those who knew no better, he was preaching to the converted-we who should know better.

But as we also know, the truth can hurt, and the truth is what is in play in all three readings today.

In Amos, after the death of King Solomon the land of Israel was divided into two kingdoms, the south and the north-the north of which had gone off track. The prophet Amos is given a vision by God that shows this kingdom is totally out of line, both politically and religiously. So off Amos goes to tell the king this truth. Only to receive back biting, being caused of stirring trouble and so forth, and the response-if that’s the truth we don’t want it-so rack of, get out of here.

In the Gospel of Mark, again the truth gets in the way of things. John the Baptist, as outlined in Leviticus tells the King that he is committing adultery by being married to his own brother’s wife while his brother is still alive. This charge infuriated his wife Herodias and she nurtured a sustained against John and bided her time to silence him. Yet ironically, the King was at least on the right track so to speak as we hear in verse 19 and 20: “And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him; and she could not; for King Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him he was much perplexed, yet he heard him gladly.

We see some hope here for John. In fact he had only put John in jail to try and appease his wife. Essentially to protect him from a worse fate by imprisoning him. Is this not the same scene in which we see in Pontius Pilate with Jesus being put up for his death by the Jewish authorities-for his telling the truth?

(and) like Pilate, knowing the man is innocent, knowing it wrong-but not having the strength of his convictions, the king falls meekly to those offended by the truth, and lets them have their way.

Amos, John the Baptist and Jesus-scorned, convicted and punished for what? Because they brought before their societies the truth of God.

And we ask ourselves what has changed?

The church preaches the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That we bring our sins before him, we give them to him and he sets us free-forgiven. How could anyone not think that is good? Simply because of that word itself, sin. Because sin tells us we are doing something wrong, and that doesn’t quite fit into the “if it’s right by me, then its right” mentality.

We preach salvation in Jesus, we don’t preach damnation. We don’t preach God hates you, we preach he loves you. But in the “if it’s right by me, then its right” society it has become our right to sin-and if that’s the case there’s nothing to forgive and anyone that tells me otherwise is a bigoted judgemental fool. Well that part I’m not arguing with, because I am a sinner. I sin all the time-but that does not make it my right to sin, unfortunately its part of our human condition.

That’s why we need Jesus, because we sin. We do what’s not right. Like Paul said: “I don’t do what I want to do, and do what I don’t want to do”. That’s why we need Jesus, that’s why God gave his own son and why Jesus gave himself-that although what we are-in him we are saved.

There’s the truth. But the truth that unfortunately cannot be understood when the need for it cannot be seen.

One author whose name does not come to mind gave a scenario showing this plight:

“A man in in a burning house, but he doesn’t know it. So when the fireman turns up, he says he doesn’t need him. When he asks him to leave the house he resents it and resists. Eventually the fireman takes him kicking and screaming against his will from the building, which only after getting out-does he realise that the house was on fire and that he was in peril”.

So what to do? We hang in there. We don’t preach the law; we preach the truth by showing the need for Jesus the Saviour. We don’t interpret the truth of God according to society; we interpret society according to God.

We live in the world, but not of the world. We live with our own faults and those of others. We put our arm around those who ridicule us and allow Jesus to put his around us.

We are all care and no responsibility. We were not responsible for our own salvation-Christ brought that, and we are not for others-God will bring that as he sees fit.

Jesus, who as we heard in Ephesians “God has chosen for us to be holy and blameless before his sight by being adopted as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, that in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding, and made known to us”.

There’s the truth and we care by telling the truth-that like in Amos day, John the Baptists day and the when days Jesus walked on this earth-that now-today, we all need Jesus-Jesus who brings life-today and for evermore. Amen.

 

Mark 6:1-13

“An unlikely bunch”

Bruce Willis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Jobs of Apple, Gary Larsen-the Far Side Comic’s guy, Johann Sebastian Bach, John “Cougar” Mellencamp, Stormin Norman Schwartzkophn-Leader of the Allie forces in Desert Storm one, Ace Freley from Kiss, David Hassellhoff, Theodor Geisec-The Author of the Doctor Seuss books and Kris Kristofferson all have something in common. They are all Christians, and incidentally, Lutherans.

Actors, rock stars, extremely clever humourist, millionaires, Leader of the military, and the Hoff-“Babe watch” Aren’t Christians meant to be sought of like boring or goody two shoes’…well I’m not sure-but some of these “guys”-Christians, oh then I remembered myself. No they’re fine.

A lecturer at the sem. said it best. Half way through our first class, he looked around and stated “It never ceases to amaze me of just how ordinary (make that un-special) the people are that God calls to this place”. As usual, he was write-at least in my instance (if Greg, Harry or Jade are reading this).

It reminds me of some call meetings where you get the sense that they might not be happy to call Jesus himself. Obviously the good people of the Gilgandra-Dubbo parish aren’t so pious as seen in their recent Pastoral appointment.

But we might ask what’s changed. We heard that Jesus goes to his home town and they essentially ridicule him. Seriously, they’re hanging with the man and won’t listen to him. (and) what of the disciples, they see this-and then Jesus sends them out to preach and teach-sounds to me like a bad career move to me.

But they did, and had success. Were they better orators or had more charisma than Jesus? Hard to imagine. No the power, their power was that they were doing God’s work, preaching and teaching the truth-The Gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Incidentally, a study of effective leadership found that charisma is only a very, very minute part. It’s more to do with consistency, fairness, not just talking too-but listening and so on.

But we do know that many people listened to Jesus and came to faith-but also we know, many didn’t which we see with Jesus on the Cross. But why didn’t they listen, who knows, led by the devil, worried about their own status-we could go through all our human traits. But one thing for sure that confused them was Jesus himself. He seemed to come from back to front land. He’d have a crack at the up standing Pharisees and yet, seemed drawn to the outer fringe of society. He would openly declare that Roman guards-the opposition, the Samaritans-about as popular in those times as a New South Wales person in Brisbane at the State of Origin last Wednesday, that a thief, prostitutes and so forth-he would openly declare that their faith will see them living in one of the many rooms in heaven.

Look through the bible, some of God’s and Jesus’ “support staff” where frightenly a lot like us.

(and) right there we see the gospel. Certainly Jesus’ has workers in the field from the top shelf, but he also has plenty as well from the other end of the scale and all the way in between, so that HE can be heard, so that he can save Prime Ministers, farmers, small business owners, CEO’s, Bank workers, the homeless, the shamed and even pastors.

Likewise, Jesus speaks in Cathedrals and on death row. Amongst others, there are two worship services I’ve been too that I’ll never forget.

One, under the stars in one of the bush camps out of Alice Springs, with the Pastor reading by a gas lantern. The worshippers sitting in the dirt, and many with a VB in hand. (and) I’ll remember till I die when one of the VB guys started getting a bit too loud and his wife giving him a good old clobbering.

And two, in a small bush church-Not a Lutheran one as we couldn’t find one. But a town with a few houses and the church. There were about ten people there, the pastor had a strong stutter and was the only musician, and he certainly was no Darryl Reichelt, Janet Cheal, Jenny or any of our talented musicians.

But in those two services-it felt as if I could almost reach out and shake Jesus’ hand. Every Christian in the world owes our salvation to Jesus-we know that. But Jesus didn’t write it down, the only thing we hear of Jesus actually writing was only one time and that was with a stick in the dirt, and we don’t even know what he wrote. That actually intrigues me, I’ll have to ask him what we wrote when I meet him.

We owe everything to the Triune God-we know that: but how do we know that, because a group of unlikely gentleman called apostles and others that witnessed the life of Jesus. An unlikely bunch-that now sees us, a just as unlikely bunch-hearing for ourselves the Words of our Saviour-His Words direct to us.

His Word that is powerful, His Word that works, His Word that saves.

An unlikely bunch. A friend of mine several years ago had a good job, a loving wife and family and was liked, trusted and respected by most. But outward appearances can be very deceiving, as no one knew of his long inner fight in what he saw of himself. But one night, he found himself with no fight left. So after drinking in the shopping centre car park for a while-he realised it was just too much, so he drove thru the bottle shop to buy a few last drinks for the “trip”. As he was being served, a bedraggled homeless looking gentleman approached the attendant as he was walking over with my friend’s drinks, but remained by the car-which by now had alcohol bottles on the seat, cigarettes and money lying around.

But he did not ask for any of these things, but in an obviously NOT inebriated tone asked for a ride to the nearby suburb. My friend replied that he can’t as he’s not sure where he’s going. This bedraggled looking man, then clearly and with authority said “Jesus Christ knows who you are, and you are one of his” and walked off. My friend is now alive and well, and a committed Christian.

An unlikely bunch they were and an unlikely bunch we are, to hear his Word for ourselves-and live in that Word that others might just somehow find peace with their Lord and Saviour.

I’ll finish with a prayer.

Lord, we did not ask for you but you came to us anyway. We do not deserve your love and forgiveness but you give it to us anyway. Lord, as unworthy as we are-we thank you and ask that whether it be preaching in a Grand Cathedral, loving and serving our family and friends, befriending those who do not like or agree with us, or simply a smile to a stranger-that somehow, your Word will be heard-and they will find peace. Amen.

 

Mark 5: 25-34

“His-story repeats”

In Fridays paper there was an article about home ownership and the difficulties of getting into the market for the first time. Its point was that it is still possible, but in the old fashion way-of saving first. In this day and age that would seem rather an interesting concept as highlighted by the journalist’s summary line of “Generation right now is going to have to wait and save”.

Here we are talking about consumerism in our society and whether the author is talking specifically of Gen. x, y or z I’m not sure, but I would suggest “generation right now” is not confined by birth date. I’m not really sure whether I’m a baby boomer or generation something because I don’t really care as it all sounds very impersonal and like reading from a physiatrist instructor’s manual.

But in truth, “generation right now” sneaks up on us all, certainly in consumerism I can see the benefits-my “need” to have the latest released big screen LED smart TV that has just come on the market. I know my darling wife is not here today but I’ll keep a copy of this sermon for her. But in “generation right now”, if not in our desire for things-we surely would have been at some time in relation to others. Where we see a person or their actions at a given time and make a judgment call based on what we see and know there and then. Or put more rightly on what we think we know.

I was reminded of this several months ago when talking to a taxi driver he remarked of the incredible stories he hears from customers of their life experiences. Stories where he saw a different person at the end of the journey to the one he saw at the start.

In a quick reading of today’s Gospel lesson it seems quite straight forward as we see Jesus healing people simply because of their faith. And that is the message. Jesus doesn’t interrogate them first to see if they are theologically sound-he simply sees their faith.

(and) that picture of simple saving faith is one we must always rely on for us and for others, because that is not part of the Gospel, that is the Gospel. That no matter how bad or how good we’ve been has no bearing on our worthiness of salvation. Salvation is only based, is only given through Christ. That In Jesus Christ our Saviour alone we are justified by faith, that we have eternal life.

They say fact is stranger than fiction, and that may well seem so when we consider that we are saved in Jesus Christ alone through faith. That’s it-that’s the simple truth. Yet that simplicity of the Gospel, because of our fallen human characteristics can make the belief in that truth the hardest of all truths to come to know. In “generation right now” we might see and admire a person of great faith. To even wish it was us, to even covet that faith. But I wonder if we would wish to covet that person’s story behind how they came to know and rely of that simple truth of salvation in Christ alone.

We all have our own story and our own faith journey that is unique to us. Paul said “I have been all things to all people that they may be saved” and throughout our lives: The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit have talked to us in the way we need to hear them on our journey to faith.

Martin Luther like Paul seemed to have this gift. He could converse, discuss and argue theology with the most profound minds, yet he could also explain the truth in the earthiest of ways. A favourite of mine, (I cannot remember his exact words) but is the time where he speaks of saving faith where he meets God in his day of reckoning and as his life is laid out before him things are not going so well. So he turns to Jesus and asks or reminds him, hey I trusted in you as you said-what’s all this judgment business-to which Jesus cannot but get him off the hook. The truth is we are saved in faith now but that still is a great picture for when we fear for of the indiscretions of our lives.

In today’s Gospel we see a lady who within seven short verses, through faith is healed.

“For she said, If I touch his garments, I shall be made whole. And straight away Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power proceeding from him had gone forth, turned him about in the crowd, and said, Who touched my garments? And his disciples said to him, You see the multitude thronging and yet ask Who touched me? And he looked round to see her that had done this thing. But the women in fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you whole; go in peace, and be whole of your plague (or cured of your illness).”

This interaction, how long was it, a few minutes-half an hour maybe? How blessed to be this lady-this sounds like “generation right now” stuff. Until we see what’s really in play here. Certainly we see Jesus’ power and his compassion, but the central point is that somehow this lady has come to faith. Faith that sees her healed physically, but more importantly, by Jesus acknowledging her faith sees her knowing, being told that she receives his whole promise-eternal life.

We might covet her meeting with Jesus, in hearing those words until we ponder how she got there, of her journey to faith. Her story of haemorrhaging blood for twelve years. Twelve years of seeing doctors, spending all her money on various unsuccessful treatments, but all in vain as her condition grew worse. Her twelve years in which she could not attend worship because of her being deemed unclean. Twelve years that because of her “uncleanliness” was judged and shunned by people. Yet somehow in this hopeless situation, her wretched existence she has come to faith in Jesus.

We might not want to covet her journey to faith but we don’t need too-because we have our own. We might covert her interaction with Jesus, the wonderful experience of hearing his words to her of his blessing-but we don’t need to-for he has said the same to you individually and personally-in faith alone you are saved.

That simple but beautiful truth, so simple that it can take a lifetime to understand. Lifetime of our unique experiences to realise that our story is actually His story-Jesus. A lifetime of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit-working with our errors and hardships, our fears and our pain that in spirit, in Christ and His promises we are actually “Generation right now”. That today, in faith in Christ ALONE-you are saved. And that knowing that faith, you know that through “many toils and snares you have already come, Tis grace that has brought you safe thus far, and grace that will lead you home. Thanks be to God. Amen.