Author: admin

Looking for answers?

Text: John 3:5
Jesus answered (Nicodemus), “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.”  
 

There are some very confusing things in our world. For example,
Why is it that people say they “slept like a baby” when a baby wakes up every three or four hours?
If olive oil is made from olives, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride; he sticks his head out the window and enjoys the breeze?
 Nicodemus was a man looking for answers. He was a good man. He was an extremely good man. He was a Pharisee and Pharisees were very enthusiastic about being good. Nicodemus was a very religious man and spent a great deal of time trying to do the right thing.

Nicodemus was not only a good man but was also a confused man. He was confused about Jesus, who he was, how he could do miracles and why people like John the Baptist called him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”.So one night Nicodemus went to visit Jesus.
Why did he go to see Jesus at night? Remember there was no street lighting or bright lights shining from house windows. So when night fell it could be very, very dark and all kinds of things could happen to an elderly man in the dark.
Did he go at night because he couldn’t sleep? The questions he had about Jesus kept rolling around in his head and he couldn’t settle until he did something about them.
Was he afraid that his fellow Pharisees would not think highly of him for meeting with such a troublemaker as Jesus of Nazareth?
To be honest, we don’t know why he went at night?

Maybe there is some symbolism in the fact that he came in the dark. We could say that here is man who is caught up in the darkness and he comes to the one who is light in the darkness of this world. John the Baptist said this of Jesus just a couple of chapters before, “This was the real light – the light that comes into the world and shines on all people” (John 1:9) and the Gospel writer adds, “The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people” (John 1:4). The darkness of night might be seen as a symbol of the darkness that was in the heart of Nicodemus.

Nicodemus is fascinated in Jesus and begins his conversation with Jesus in this way, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God” and we know that “no one could perform the miracles you are doing unless God were with him.” You might not think much of us Pharisees but we aren’t stupid. “We know…” There is a smugness here. He and his Pharisee colleagues know all there is to know about God and how to live a godly life.
They go to Bible study everyday and worship every week.
They fast,
they give more than a tenth of their income to the church,
they spend hour after hour in prayer.

Before Nicodemus is able to say anything else, Jesus says, “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.”No mention of being good or religious. No one gets into the Kingdom of God by being a “good person”! Nicodemus had devoted his life to being good, committed to being faithful to God, devout in his worship and prayer. The Pharisees had something like 10,633 rules they had to keep to live a truly godly life. No doubt Nicodemus was a good Pharisee and a good man but Jesus blows a hole in this idea of goodness. No amount of goodness is good enough to establish a relationship with God or to get us into the kingdom of heaven!

Let’s look at it this way. Eight year old Peter went to Dreamworld with his two older brothers and mum and dad. He wanted to be able to ride all the rides that his older brothers could ride. But there’s only one problem: he’s too short. He is about 5 cm too short, only a mere 5 cm. At the entrance to the rides there is a sign with a line drawn across at a certain height from the ground indicating that only those so high or above could get on the ride.

Now Peter was tall for an 8-year-old, he was taller than 95% of all eight years olds, but he was still 5 cm too short to ride those rides. And no matter how he strained and tried to “act taller” he just couldn’t measure up!

He tried begging the ride operator. But he would not let Peter get on to that ride.
The operator didn’t say, “Well, because you are taller than 95% of all the other 8 year olds in your class at school, you can ride”.
He didn’t say, “You are almost tall enough, I’ll let you on to the ride.” The plain and simple truth is that if you don’t measure up, you don’t get on to the ride.

No matter how hard we stretch and act “good”, our goodness is never good enough to get into the Kingdom of God. That’s quite a blow. Like Nicodemus we’re good people!
We think of ourselves as upright, moral, decent kind of people.
We worship on Sundays, we pray, we give generously to the offering, we support the church’s programs.
We aren’t unfaithful to our spouse.
We treat our kids well.
We pay our taxes.
We don’t lie… very often.
We don’t steal from our employers… much.
We try to be kind, gentle and caring people … most of the time.
We try not to hurt people … as best as we can.

And all of that may be true – up to a point. But no matter how much we strain and try to “act taller” we just can’t measure up! As I said before – no amount of goodness is good enough to establish a relationship with God or to get us into the kingdom of heaven! The goodness that God is looking for is not just our best efforts, but perfection. When measured against God’s absolute perfect standard, not one of us measures up. We all fall short. And not just by a few centimetres, we fall short by miles and miles. And deep down we all know it. Paul gives this diagnosis of our human condition from God’s perspective:

“There is no one who is righteous. … No one does what is right, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12).   

Like the operator of the rides at Dreamworld there can be no compromising of the rules. No one can get to heaven by being good because no one can ever be good enough! You are going to have to go about it another way! And there is another way!

Jesus says that it’s not a matter of being “good”, it’s a matter of “being born anew”, or perhaps better “being born from above” (both meanings are possible). Jesus said that means “being born of water and the Spirit.” Just as Nicodemus contributed nothing to his own birth into the world, likewise he contributes nothing to his birth into the Kingdom of God. Life is a pure gift in each case! But the new birth into the kingdom of God is a gift by God’s power.

In other words, Jesus is saying, “You can’t do it, Nicodemus, but God can! He can transform you from the inside out and make you good enough!”

It’s as though you are lying on a hospital bed in the final stages of a terminal disease and Jesus walks into the room.
You look at him and say, “Jesus, am I good enough to make it out of here?”
And Jesus says, “No, you’re not good enough! But I will do something for you. I will take out of your body the disease that is killing you, and I will put it into my own body. I will make the swap at no cost to you but at great cost to me. The result will be: I will die… you will live!”

What a gift! Jesus, God of the universe, says to us, “I will give you my goodness as a gift and take your badness into myself. I’ll take your sin and in its place I’ll give you my righteousness. I’ll die on the cross and you will live forever.” At the end of today’s reading from John’s Gospel we heard, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Out of love for us, God gave us his Son. He is God’s gift to each of us. Forgiveness and eternal life are ours through his Son’s death and resurrection.

When a person is baptised we hear what is about to happen through those drops of water, and the Spirit working through that water,

“God washes us clean in the waters of baptism, and we are born again as his children. Through baptism our heavenly forgives us our sins and unites us with our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we share in his resurrection”
(From the baptismal service of the LCA). Or to use the words of Jesus, we have been “born again through the water and the Spirit”, “born from above” and made holy, fresh and clean.
Forgiveness for all sin,
promised a place in heaven,
made members of his church, given a fresh start.
He has promised to be our refuge and strength, our comforter and helper, our friend and saviour even when we are led astray into a far country (as in the Lost Son parable) fall into all kinds of evil and trouble, even when we feel as if life has taken us down a rough road, the covenant that God established with us at baptism assures us that Jesus’ love and forgiveness is certain and sure. We have been new and holy with another person’s holiness.   

Born again – born from above – new life in Christ – a new relationship with God and the people in our lives – this is the way the New Testament talks about what Christ has achieved for us through his death and resurrection. But the New Testament doesn’t stop there. We hear the apostle Paul say, “Get rid of your old self. … Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

We have been given a new life; making this new life a reality in our everyday interaction with other people is the challenge that is ahead of us. The New Testament often says, “You have been made new through Christ so then every day you must put off the old self and put on the new life in Christ”. This newness that you have received from God should impact on everything we do and say –
the way we love and serve others,
the way we put God and his will first in our lives.

This is not just about being religious – this is about a new life that arises out of our relationship with God – this is about reconciliation, in fact, daily reconciliation with God as we repent of the wrong we have done and ask God to forgive us, and then strive to live as God’s holy people who with the help of the Holy Spirit, want to be the light of Christ in the lives of the people around them..

Nicodemus was confused and asked, “How can this be?” Simply, this is God at his most mysterious and amazing best. This is grace! This is God’s gift to you through Jesus. Celebrate it and live it!
Amen.

Are youTempted?

Text: Matthew 4:1
Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the Devil.
A young man, who worked for a travel agent, was sent to a Pacific island. Even though it meant being separated from his girl friend, he accepted the job because it would enable him to earn enough to marry her.

As the lonely weeks went by, she began to have doubts that he was being true to her. After all, the holiday resort where he was working attracted beautiful women from all over the world. The young man declared that he was paying absolutely no attention to them. But he did write this in one of his letters, “I admit that sometimes I’m tempted. But I fight it. I am waiting for the day when I can be with you again.”

Not long after he had sent that letter, the young man received a parcel. Inside there was a note and a harmonica. The note said, “I’m sending this to you so you can have something to take your mind off those girls.” Dutifully the young man wrote back to his girl friend and told her that he was practising the harmonica every night and thinking only of her.

Eventually the young man’s work on the island finished and he flew home. His girl friend was waiting at the airport. As he rushed to embrace her, she held up her hand to stop him and said sternly, “Just hold on there a minute. First I want to hear you play that harmonica!”

Every year at the beginning of the Lenten season we hear the account of Jesus temptation in the wilderness. And again this year we are faced with the subject of temptation, Satan’s power and cunning lies and our response to temptation.

When we pause and look into our hearts, we are alarmed that we give in to temptation so often and so easily. We are disturbed by these temptations because we think of ourselves as good people, honest, hardworking, caring people with high morals – yet there – lurking inside some of us is anger, jealousy, envy, worry, pride, bitterness, sexual weakness or an addiction of some kind. There are desires of every sort within us that Satan will use against us and cause all kinds of havoc in our relationship with God and other people.

When this happens the Bible uses the word ‘sin’. It lives in us and is very much a part of us. It is Satan’s delight to awaken the evil that lies beneath the surface of our lives with temptation. He knows our weak spots and manipulates our sense of what is right and wrong. He uses those weaknesses to ignore God’s way and follow the path that leads to pain and broken relationships.

The Bible says he is prowling around seeking someone to devour. In our case, he doesn’t have to do too much prowling. We leave ourselves wide open to following his temptations again and again when we are led to believe that wrong is right.  Sometimes we don’t even realise what we have done until we see the devastation our wrong has caused in someone else’s life or someone points out to us how we have been led astray.

Today’s text tells us that even Jesus wasn’t exempt from temptation. He has just been baptised in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The voice of God spoke from heaven, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased.” And wham! The next thing you know, not only is the Son of God tempted, he is tempted three times. And when the Devil finally leaves he does so “for a while” or more accurately, “he departed from him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In other words, this wasn’t the end of Jesus’ temptations.

The point I’m making is this. Jesus is the most spiritually and morally perfect person that ever walked this earth, yet he experienced the power of the devil. Temptation will come to anyone regardless of how close they believe they are to God or how focussed they are on being God’s people in everything they do. We are powerless to stop temptation but it’s what we do when temptation comes that really matters.

But let’s be clear. Satan is very sneaky. He doesn’t tempt you with anything that is so way out that you can quite easily see that it’s wrong. Temptation often is very logical and appears to be good. It seems to be the most natural thing to do.

In the Garden of Eden Eve wasn’t tempted with something that was seemingly sinister and evil. She saw some fruit and it looked very inviting. Surely eating a piece of fruit can’t be all that bad. And besides that serpent had some pretty convincing arguments why satisfying her hunger was all right and how good it would be to have that special kind of wisdom that came with eating the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden.

Satan is so sneaky that we don’t even recognise them as temptations because they seem the most normal and natural things to do.
His temptations are so appealing. It might even be argued that he really does seem to have our best interests at heart. That is a lie! He didn’t really care about making life better for Adam or Eve or even Jesus. He just wanted them to abandon God.

He does that to us. Satan sidles up to someone whose marriage is floundering and he says, “You deserve more! You ought to be getting more attention, more affection, more spark in your life. And if your spouse isn’t going to give it to you, well, you’ll just have to find it elsewhere. So go for it!” It’s all so logical and attractive. But remember Satan is a deceiver. He is not interested in your happiness.

The temptations that Jesus experienced in the wilderness were quite logical. He had been without food and or drink for 40 days. Turning stones to bread was the most natural thing to do. Who would be hurt by this? After all, it would be ridiculous for God’s Son to starve when he could have food with a simple command. He had the power to do it, so why not?

Jesus is taken to the roof of the temple. Satan tempts Jesus to throw himself down onto the courtyard below. Things would be a lot easier if he dramatically landed in the courtyard below to the wonder of everyone crowded below. With such a spectacular display the crowd would flock to him. What better way to promote the kingdom of God? He could even avoid the whole Good Friday ordeal.

Then Jesus is shown all the kingdoms and countries of the world. He could have them all if he would bow down and worship Satan. Look at all the good he could do. There are so many who are sick and dying and with all wealth of the kingdoms set before him, this is his chance to do some good.
Think of the hospitals that could be built,
the research that could be funded to find a cure for cancer;
the starving that could be fed;
and the wars that could be halted.
Jesus was always compassionate and loving and Satan knew just how to use those good qualities to his advantage.

There is good logic behind each of these temptations. In themselves there is nothing sinister about them. There are some very good ideas here. They offer an easy way out for Jesus to calm his grumbling stomach, to win instant acclaim, and to do so much good and gain the whole world for his kingdom without any suffering and dying.

Temptation appeals to our natural instincts. Temptation is often not simply choosing between good and evil, but choosing what is easy and what is hard. And it is Satan who provides the simple and easy answers.

That’s why we find ourselves disheartened so often. We are tempted and we fall for it hook, line and sinker. And often it is only after when we are experiencing the consequences of our choice that we realise that once again we have obeyed Satan rather than God.

Satan doesn’t give up. We know all too well how we fall for the same temptation again and again.
What hope have we got? We know God doesn’t take sin lightly. Our failure to resist can bring severe consequences.

It is Satan’s joy and delight to see us turn against God’s ways, to fill us with guilt and step on our self esteem and in the end draws us away from God into damnation. When we become disheartened and upset because we fail, remember the cross of Jesus. It was there on the cross of Calvary that Satan’s power over us was defeated. His power to condemn us has been broken forever. Jesus died for us. He has won for us forgiveness for all of our failure to live as God’s children, for all the times when we have chosen one of Satan’s easy solutions. With Christ’s forgiveness and the Holy Spirit to point us back to God and his love, Satan has no power over us.

Finally, it’s worth noting how Jesus confronted the temptations that were put in front of him. Temptation involves making choices – following the ways of the world, Satan and our own desires or following the ways of God. It always seems that one choice is easier to follow than the other and inevitably it is Satan who presents the most attractive choices. How are we going to know what the right choices are?

If we want to make good choices – ones that are in keeping with our status as children of God – then we have to know what God wants us to do. The Bible is God’s Word for us to help us make the right choices. It’s true not every modern temptation and problem is mentioned specifically in the Bible, but you can bet the Bible has something to say about every choice that confronts us. For instance, the Bible may not mention drugs specifically but it does have a lot to say about the Creator who made us, gave us our bodies, saved us body and soul, and how he expects us to take good care of this special gift from God.

Too often we flounder when faced with choices because we don’t know our Bibles well enough. When we are at a crossroad and have to make a choice we are confused and easily led astray because we don’t know the directions that God gives us through the scriptures.

The Bible also tells us that when we do make bad choices our heavenly Father reaches out to us, he calls to us, he seeks to guide and help us and above all he is ready to forgives us and assure is that his love for us is as strong as ever.

Jesus knows what it’s like to be confronted with temptation. He knows that we give in too easily and make choices that are comfortable rather than make right choices. Even more importantly we know that Christ has already triumphed over Satan. He’s got no way to hurt us eternally. Thanks to Jesus, we’re forgiven, restored, and bound for heaven. Jesus has won the victory for us.
Amen

Super strength

The Transfiguration of our Lord

Text: Matthew 17:1-3
Jesus took with him Peter and the brothers James and John and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. As they looked on, a change came over Jesus: his face was shining like the sun, and his clothes were dazzling white. Then the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Super strength

 

 


Everyone here, I am sure, has heard of Superman. Maybe you don’t know too much about him and have never been a fan of this comic book character but you know that he has super human strength, is “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able leap tall buildings in a single bound” – to use the opening words of the old TV series. There are some very interesting facts behind this comic book character.

The character was first created in 1933 by a shy, spectacled Jewish teenager who fretted about his lack of popularity. Convinced that some miracle could transform him from a nerd to a hunk, he vented his frustration by writing comic strip scenarios. He showed them to his best friend, who drew characters and scenes to accompany the story line. The two boys, Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, created a superhuman extraterrestrial disguised as a clumsy reporter named Clark Kent. In June 1938 the first Superman comic book appeared.

Whether this was deliberate or not there are strong biblical overtones in the Superman story. Like the way Superman comes to earth from another planet as a baby, is rescued from the capsule that brought him here, is adopted by strangers and grows up to confront evil and rescue those in distress. That is so much like the stories of Moses we find in the Bible.

There are also messianic overtones. Kal-El (Superman’s real name), the only son of Jor-El, is sent to a world in need of salvation. (El is Hebrew word for God). Superman’s father says, “Even though you’ve been raised as a human being you’re not one of them. … They lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all … I have sent them you . . . my only son (From Superman Returns). He arrives on a farm in a star-shaped container. People tell him they don’t need a saviour, but he knows full well that they really do.

Superman is, of course, not real. He is an imaginary character but one that isn’t totally irrelevant to this day and age. Kids pretend to be able to fly like Superman and run around the house with hands above their heads making a whooshing sound. Even as adults we would all like to have the strength and courage of the Man of Steel for those times when things get out of control. When our problems are bigger than our ability to handle them, it would be great if we could have the strength and power to over come them.

What are some of the things that throw us off balance?
Disappointment, disagreement, discontent,
disillusionment, distress, disunity,
discouragement, discomfort, disenchantment,
disability, disgruntlement, disloyalty,
dissatisfaction, disapproval, disquiet,
disharmony, disobedience, discrimination,
disasters, disorientation, disputes,
dissent, distrust, distraction,
disingenuousness (there’s one to look up) and whatever other word that starts with “d” that describes what causes you to be “down in the dumps”.
What can be done when we are just worn out and tired from life’s hassles?
What can be done when the pressures and the worries get the better of us and there is no joy any more?

This week we will enter the Lenten season but before we head for Jerusalem for the events of Good Friday and Easter we travel with Jesus to the top of a mountain. Jesus withdraws from the noise and busyness of every day life before heading off into the events that would lead to his death.

Jesus knows that the days that lay ahead will be filled with every trial known to a human being. Put yourself in the same situation as Jesus, knowing full well what horrors are soon to happen. Knowing what terrible pain and suffering is to come would weaken the bravest heart. It is true Jesus is a special person; nevertheless he experienced all the emotions and misgivings that we experience.

And so Jesus goes to the top of a mountain to be with his heavenly Father. He spends the time in prayer. It is interesting to note that every time Jesus is confronted with a difficulty or personal struggle he first goes to God in prayer. And here again he goes to God for strength for his mission.

And while Jesus is there on the mountaintop, away from the noise and hubbub of the rest of the world, he meets with Moses and Elijah. This meeting has on its agenda what will happen to Jesus when he goes to Jerusalem. They talked of his dying and rising (Luke 9:31). They encourage Jesus, reminding him of God’s plan of salvation and how the events about to take place are a fulfilment of all that is spoken about in the Law and the Prophets. Maybe this was God’s way of keeping in perspective the suffering Jesus was about to endure – yes, it will be horrible but it will bring untold blessing to sinners all over the planet.

Then comes the cloud, a sign of God’s presence. And from the cloud a voice speaks, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen”. “This is my Son whom I love and whom I have sent to be the saviour of the world”. With this reassurance of love and the encouragement of Moses and Elijah, Jesus continues his journey to Jerusalem.

For Jesus, Jerusalem meant suffering.
Maybe you have your own personal “Jerusalem”. Those times when the events and upsets, the pressures and spiritual struggles that leave you wondering how you will ever cope.
Your Jerusalem might include a doctor’s comment, “There’s something I need to tell you about the results of your tests”.
Your Jerusalem might be that phone call that announces the sudden death of someone close.
Your Jerusalem might be a troubled relationship. You want things to be different between you and that other person but it just isn’t happening.
Your Jerusalem might be the disappointment you feel when your dreams and plans fall into a heap.
Your Jerusalem might be difficult people that you have to deal with. You do your best but in the end there is someone who finds fault and cuts away any confidence that you had.

Your own personal Jerusalem may be your discipleship. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him. This is a call by Jesus to be disciples who are willing to make sacrifices when it comes to
following Jesus or
reaching to help and get alongside of someone in need or
giving of our best in our workplace.

Sacrifice is not a popular concept these days. We are so used to asserting our rights and getting what we want that sacrifice is a really difficult thing?
We struggle to sacrifice just a little of our time to worship God with our fellow Christians or talk with him daily.
We know that God calls us to show love, patience, forgiveness and understanding but we find it hard to sacrifice our own needs and wants for the sake of the benefit of someone else.
We know that discipleship calls us to put Christ first in our lives and be committed to him just as he is committed to us but somehow we manage to get sidetracked by all kinds of trivia.
We want to be true disciples but we feel so inadequate. This is our Jerusalem.When it came to facing Jerusalem, what did Jesus do? He withdrew for a while into the presence of God and was reassured and strengthened for his mission. That’s where we will find forgiveness, strength and assurance – in the presence of God.
Maybe you have resisted getting close to God and kept him at an arm’s length.
Maybe you know about the death and resurrection of Jesus as interesting facts but never taken in that he did it for you and really trusted his love for you.
Maybe you have never really thought of God as right here, right now, available, ready to help, willing to strengthen and support you.
Maybe you have floundered under the weight of trouble but have never taken seriously the promises of God, promises like –
“Do not be afraid—I am with you! I am your God—let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you” (Isaiah 41:10). The almighty and all powerful God of the universe is making that promise to you personally. That’s fantastic!!

Our God is a God who stands by his people and gives them the strength to cope with whatever crops up along life’s journey.
Our God is a God who has demonstrated his love for us on the cross and he is not about to abandon us now or any time in the future. Jesus died a horrible death because of his love for each of us. That’s how much God cares for us. It is confidence in God’s love for us that led the psalmist to say,
“Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me” (Psalm 23:4).
And again, “I am surrounded by many troubles— too many to count! Your love and loyalty will always keep me safe” (Psalm 40:11,12).It’s amazing how positive the apostle Paul could be in the face of trouble. He explains it like this, “I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me” (Phil 4:12,13). We too know that come what may God’s presence and power enables us to rise above whatever it is that is getting us down.

When everything dictates that you “call it quits”, “give up” “throw in the towel” you are able to say with the psalmist, “I trust your love” (Psalm 13:4 CEV). The cross is a symbol of the love that God has for you.
From under the shadow of the cross you are certain that your sins are forgiven and death has been defeated. Even if the worst should happen, you are at peace certain of God’s loving hands that surround you.
In the shade of cross you receive life giving food and drink, the body and blood of Jesus that encourages and sustains you through every trial to the point where you are able to say, “With God on my side, what trouble can really hurt me? Nothing in all creation is able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:39).
In the shade of the cross you can take timeout and take to God what it is that is bugging you and be reassured and strengthened.
In the shade of the cross you go about your work and relationships ready to boldly share the love that Christ has shown to you in whatever way you can.

Superman is just make believe but you have super powers at your disposal. You are supermen and super women because you can say, “Christ gives me the strength to face anything” (Phil 4:13 CEV).
Amen

Looking worried

Epiphany 8

Matthew 6:24-34

“You look worried”, one man said to another. His friend answered, “I’m so worried that if anything happens to me today, it will be two weeks before I can worry about it!”

Dear friends in Christ,

Test your memory. Try to recall the things you worried about this day last week. Those who are habitual worriers have been called back-seat drivers. Worry has been likened to a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere. All the talk in our newspapers about the difficulty people are now having in making ends meet due to the rising cost of living is increasing the worry and anxiety of many folk in our community.

It has been estimated that 40% of things we worry about never happen, another 30% have to do with things we cannot change, and 12% of our worry has to do with needless health fears. Most of the time, the troubles of tomorrow are unexpected, rather than things we have already worried about. Many people worry because they have no invisible means of support. The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel are some of the most liberating words ever spoken. The freedom from anxiety our Lord speaks of comes like a welcome song from a lost paradise. To help us get our cares and concerns into perspective, Jesus adds a note of humour to his message.

Have you ever seen a bird drive a tractor and pulling a seeder? Or drive a harvester and then carry bags of wheat into a barn? Of course not. But it makes a humorous picture, doesn’t it? Then Jesus adds the picture of flowers spinning cloth to make garments. Our Lord isn’t opposing all planning for the future. Rather, he wants to liberate us from worries that so consume us that there’s no room left for joy and thanksgiving. Worry is due to an over-focussing on negative factors, and failing to factor God and his goodness into our thinking. We are so easily tempted to want more than we have. When we’ve got the more that we longed for, there are still more things we feel we’ve just got to have. “Life doesn’t consist in the abundance of what we possess”, Jesus reminds us. A proverb advises us, “If you want to make someone happy, don’t add to their possessions. Rather, diminish their desires.” Jesus wants any self-serving wishes and desires we have to leave us, and to make room for new desires of love, kindness and trust in God. He wants us to believe that God is at work in the economic affairs of our state and nation, and yet not only there.

Our gracious God is also at work in the regular and normal activities of daily life, in the rising of the sun, the falling of the rain, and the growth of flowers, plants and trees. Everything speaks to Jesus of the activity of his heavenly Father, from the tiny mustard seed to the blowing of the wind. We can view a sparrow’s death without questioning the goodness of God’s creation, because even such an insignificant creature doesn’t die unnoticed by its Maker. The things that happen in nature have a spiritual meaning as well as a natural one. Creation speaks to us of God’s unmerited goodness: “God makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).”

Rain and sunshine speak to us of God’s kindness to his enemies. Every bird we see and every flower growing on its own, uncultivated by human hands, is a sign from God telling us of his care for us and His provision for our needs. In today’s Gospel, our Lord displays an appreciation of the beauty of nature without parallel elsewhere in the Bible. No one led a fuller life than Jesus. Yet he took time to delight in and enjoy the beauty of “the flowers in the field.” They are more beautiful than the gold and jewel-studded robes of King Solomon.

Those things we consider of insignificant value, like wildflowers, are esteemed so highly by their Maker that he adorns them with an excessive profusion of colour and varied shape and style. God doesn’t begrudge the space they occupy. Flowers tell us how much God treasures us. Their beauty is of no less value because of their temporary nature. Instead they tell us a powerful message about God’s Word: “Flowers fade, but the Word of our God endures forever (Isaiah 40:8).” Jesus speaks of native flowers as someone who is very fond of them. They remind us not to fuss and fret over what we should wear. The famous inventor Thomas Edison avoided this hassle by wearing the same kinds of clothes everyday!

Perhaps there was a stork or swallow flying overhead as Jesus invited us to “look at the birds of the air.”

Martin Luther’s comments on our Lord’s words here are peerless: “He (Jesus) is making the birds our schoolmasters and teachers. It is a great and abiding disgrace to us that in the Gospel a helpless sparrow should become a theologian and a preacher to the wisest of people.” Luther prefers birds to be free and not kept in cages. “Their singing of Lauds and of Matins to their Lord early in the morning before they eat is more excellent and more pleasant.” The birds of the air continually challenge us to trust God for the needs of tomorrow.

Jesus tells us that we are much more than a body to be fed and clothed. He treasures us so much he did all he could so that we might live forever. Jesus says to each one of you, “You’re blessed because you’re already in My care.” To cure you of endless worry about yourself and your future, “cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).” Come to Jesus Christ when you’re weary and can’t sleep because of worry. Jesus said, “Come to Me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).” And especially bring your “trivial” cares and concerns to your Lord. Turn your cares into prayers then everything will look different, delightfully different.

Barry Chant and his wife’s business seemed to go all wrong. Their deli was low on stock. There were bills to pay. Then the deep freezer broke down and they lost a lot of frozen goods. A few other calamities happened as well. Barry went to bed miserable and woke up miserable. “I wonder what will go wrong today”, he’d think each morning. One night, however, he turned the whole situation over to God in prayer and left it in God’s hands. For the first time for weeks, Barry went to sleep peacefully and easily. Next day, he woke up happy and confident. Nothing had changed externally. The freezer still needed fixing. The shop’s stocks were still low. But he’d changed. Barry was a changed man. He went about his work that day singing. He and his wife had proven that you can really trust God in a time of stress, and it does make a difference!

Today’s text is full of encouragement to those whose faith is fragile and needs to grow. A fragile faith, a little faith that’s keen to grow, can do great things. Even Christians with a small amount of faith need not fear the future. Never underestimate what Christ can do for you. Instead, pray with the father of that mentally ill child in Mark 9, “I believe; help me where my faith falls short.” Prayer and the study of the Scriptures are more than spiritual resources. They influence how we feel and shape our values and our priorities. The more important Jesus Christ is to you, the more blessings you will receive from him.

Jesus invites you to do what needs to be done each day and leave the results in God’s hands. Accept each new day as fresh from God’s hands and let him worry about tomorrow. Trust his promises to you. Your prospects are as bright as the promises of God. Each breath, each heartbeat, each beautiful sight or sound is his gift to you. There’s no quicker slayer of worry than gratitude. In prison, Dietrich Bonhoeffer tells a friend, “Please don’t ever get anxious or worried about me….My past life is brimful of God’s goodness and my sins are covered by the forgiving love of Christ crucified. I’m most thankful for the people I have met.”

Thank God for all the folk who have enriched your life. It’s gratitude that makes life rich. The larger place gratitude has in your life, the less room there is for worry. Finally, Danish Lutheran philosopher Soren Kierkegaard recommends walking as a wonderful way of getting rid of worry. He got rid of his burdensome thoughts by walking.

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God (Philippians 4:6).”

Amen.

Who’s in charge of the rain.

Epiphany 7

Matthew 5:38–48

Imagine if we were put in charge of the rain and the sunshine in Australia this year!

Some Christians might suggest we send rain regularly for the Christian farmers who go to Church, but when they need it, not in the flood proportions we’ve seen this year – and no rain at all on the unbelievers! After some time farmers who had never been near a church might start going every week so they could get a good share in the rainfall. They’d be going to Church for what they could get, and not to praise God in response to his gifts of love.

I wonder do we sometimes worship God in the hope we might get some special goodies, or do we always come as a response to God’s generous love and care for us?

If we humans were in charge of the rain I think we would be tempted to use it as a weapon against our enemies. We might flood them out, and if they survived that tragedy we might frizzle them with sizzling sunshine.

Out of his generosity God sends the rain and the sunshine on the believers and the unbelievers. If there is a drought, the Christians share in it along with the unbelievers. We need to learn to live with what God gives us through nature. We worship God because of his generous love for us, and not for what we can get.

I notice that some of us came to Church today in cars. This was only possible because in this world God’s laws of physics are absolutely consistent for everyone. This is true of our car wheels turning on the axles, to the brakes working, to the controlled explosions in the engine that give it power to move along. Imagine the trouble we would be in if the laws of physics only worked sometimes – haphazardly – like in the steering wheel, and in the engine, for example. Think of the traffic on the highways in our cities if the rules of physics only worked now and then!

God’s laws in nature work absolutely consistently – for both the believers and the unbelievers. I think we tend to take them for granted. We also need to respect these laws of physics. God isn’t going to change the universal laws of physics so we won’t have an accident if we drive dangerously or carelessly on our way home today. If God were to jump a Christian’s car over another car to avoid an accident, how many times should God do this for the Christian? Would three times be fair? If we are involved in a serious accident, our bodies are subject to the same laws as for unbelievers, and we can be killed too.

We thank God today for the miracles of technology we enjoy in our time. All of the laws in nature – in our universe – are part of the genius of God’s creation. We humans never invent these laws of physics. We only discover them!

The danger with our discoveries is we humans use them in technology against our enemies. I think it is to our shame that much research goes into developing weapons to kill our fellow humans, and people starve to death.

Technology doesn’t make us better people. It doesn’t make us more loving people. For example, we don’t build better marriages in our day. We need to look elsewhere for help to become more loving and caring people. We look to the Spirit of God to touch our hearts and minds with God’s love.

We worship God in response to his love, and not for the things we can get for ourselves. We need the love of God to flow through us to the people God puts us next to.

It is to this world of rain and sunshine and laws of nature that Jesus comes. I wonder who would like to swap places with him? Laid in a manger, in the place for animals. He never got to buy a piece of land, let alone build a house to call his home. He relied on catching a fish with a coin in it to pay his taxes! He was tortured, crucified and died. The laws of nature are used against him. There is no favouritism for God’s son. Do we deserve better than Jesus? Jesus goes through it all out of loving care and concern for you and me. We come to Jesus, not for what we can get, but to say ‘Thank you’ above all for his generous love and care for us.

I think the wonder is that God provides food and clothing to the ungrateful, the selfish, and the wicked people, whether they thank him or not. He knows their needs, as well as he knows yours and mine. Isn’t God so much more generous than you or I? God uses the sunshine and the rain to bless his enemies. He is so generous, we might even take his blessings for granted. Or we might become obsessed with the gifts and have no time for thanks for the Giver.

God’s gifts are always gifts of love. He blesses the ungodly with his gifts, and his gifts are blessings to us too. God gives out of a generous heart of loving concern and care.

We need to become more like the loving God we have. A key to us growing in love, is to accept and treasure the love of Jesus for us. He paid the cost for our heartless love, so his love could flow on to others.

What we build up and make with God’s blessings can occupy much of our time. I can think of computers, cars, supermarkets, kitchens and workshops full of gadgets, vast mining projects, oil drilling plants out in the oceans as well as on land, tapping into resources God supplies.

What is far greater to God than all the gifts we might enjoy is for us to have a thankful heart. The gifts from God come in one direction – from God to us, and sometimes the line stops there. But when our hearts respond in thanksgiving to God, and our praises ascend to God, then the line goes full circle, and we are at one with God. We praise God for his delicate laws in nature. We stand in awe before God’s creation. For the rain and the sunshine. We see the gifts, and God sees the thanksgiving. He loves the trust in your heart that receives his gifts with joy.

God’s physical care for everyone is a miracle. Similarly his spiritual gifts are given in the same way. God’s eternal Word, like manna from heaven, continues to rain down on you and me. His Word brings the best gifts that God has for us. Forgiveness. A new start. Peace of heart and mind. The best gifts God has are for everyone.

Amen.

Real guidelines.

Epiphany 6

Matthew 5:21-37
We’re inclined to be very negative about the Pharisees, but we need to begin today by giving them some credit. They were totally committed to the law of God, which had been revealed to Moses on the mountain. You couldn’t accuse them of being slack. The Pharisee we heard from the other week in the temple was a pious man: ‘I fast twice a week and give a tenth of what I get.’

Jesus doesn’t criticise the Pharisees because they are interested in God’s law, but because they’ve gone about things the wrong way. They were interested in the outcome; God was interested in the attitude.

Jesus shows us that the Law of God, that is, his will for the way human beings should relate to another, is not something that we, as Christians,  can ignore. Jesus said: ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.’ Jesus wasn’t tearing down the precious gift of God’s law, which he had given to Moses all those centuries ago. Through his life, he showed us how the law of God should be lived. From the heart. It wasn’t just a matter of going through the motions, and making sure you didn’t get caught out on the big things. That’s why the Ten Commandments are still God’s guidelines for the way people should relate to one another, even today. Which is why they’re also an integral part of our Catechism.

The Pharisees tried hard to obey the letter of the law. And failed. If we try the same approach we are doomed too. It’s mission impossible. If you’re not convinced, what Jesus says today about life in the kingdom will convict you.

Following God’s law isn’t a matter of not getting caught on the big things and ignoring the little failures. Take, for example, the fifth commandment. ‘You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder.’’ It was said to Moses by no less than God himself. So it’s the authoritative word of God. ‘But I tell you’ Jesus says. ‘There is more to this commandment than you’ve been taught. It’s not just the act of murder that’s the problem, but the attitude that leads to it.’

You and I can sit here comfortably while Jesus talks about murder. But suddenly Jesus widens the net, and we’re caught. ‘Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement.’  Who hasn’t been angry? Who hasn’t cursed or muttered about someone else, someone here today in this church as well. What kind of impossible standard is Jesus laying down. It’s not so hard to evade the letter of the law, to make ourselves as small a target as possible. Murder is a big thing. But anger. Everyone gets angry.

Or what about the other commandment that Jesus focuses upon. ‘You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ Does that mean that if I haven’t committed the physical act, I’m safe. No, Jesus says. ‘I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’ It’s not just the act but also the attitude. You and I aren’t off the hook just because we haven’t done the deed in the flesh.

What is Jesus asking of us, by tightening up the law of God so much that we have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide? He’s pointing to the inherent dishonesty in our human nature, that makes us think that we can appease God by only committing little offences. God sees into the heart. He is showing us that our need for him and what he brings us is greater than we ever appreciated. We simply cannot obey God’s law as natural human beings.

What’s needed is a whole new approach, a change of attitude. Which is exactly what we, as kingdom people, have received from Jesus. A new heart and a new mind. The Holy Spirit to safeguard our thoughts and direct our actions. God’s law, as Jesus teaches us here, forces us to examine ourselves. Jesus asks us to be honest about out deception, our self justification, in which we excuse our anger, or our lust, because we can’t help it.

And even then, we still fail. We aren’t always people of integrity. We drag our old nature around. ‘Don’t hide your failures’, Jesus says. ‘Bring it out in the open, repent of it, and aim for kingdom values.’ ‘When you fail, remember that I died for you, so that your sinful failures would be forgiven. Remember my words at the Last Supper: ‘this is my blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’

The reality of forgiveness means that we can honestly confront our failures. Our anger at our spouse. Simmering disputes with people in this congregation. Threats and spiteful words against workmates. Lustful thoughts, even the act of adultery itself. The sad dissolution. breakdown of a marriage, which breaks the promise of a life-long union. All the things which Jesus today brings to our attention. We can let God’s word convict us and lead us to say, ‘I’m sorry.’ It’s then that we are freed from our failures, to begin fresh and energised.

Free to live in a loving, constant relationship with Jesus, who promises us; “I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ There’ll never be a time when we’re on our own. Free but guided and protected by a loving God, who asks that we call him Father, and who is always listening for our prayers.

This is the background against which we must place the words of Jesus today. Words which people have criticised for being unrealistic, harsh, impossible. Today Jesus gives some shape to his call that we are to be ‘the salt of the earth…and the light of the world’

What Jesus never meant to do in the Sermon on the Mount is to give us a complete handbook entitled ,’How to be a Christian in 3 easy lessons.’ Instead, he focuses on certain aspects of life and teaches us how kingdom values are to be lived out in that environment.

As kingdom people, Jesus urges us to let go of the mistakes and failures of the past and to aim to live like him. He specifically addresses our life in relationship with others and with a spouse. Don’t let anger rule. Let the fruits of the Holy Spirit be in evidence. Love. Peace. Joy. Patience. Self control, etc. Seek reconciliation with people who have wronged you. Why? Because that what God has done for you. He has sought you out and made peace through Jesus. God doesn’t nurse grudges. Nor should you. Try as hard as you can to live in peace with other people. Don’t let things deteriorate to the point where legal action is contemplated. Be aware of the temptations to adultery that you face. Work hard at growing you marriage relationship. Give it your all.

These are some of the ways that kingdom people live out their personal relationship with Jesus. This is just a tiny segment of the whole shape of kingdom life. Place yourself at God’s service, and let him fill in the whole picture of life under his guidance. Amen.

Shining light

Epiphany 5
Matthew 5:13-20

Whenever we wish to stress someone’s solid worth and usefulness, we may say of him or her that they’re “the salt of the earth”. I’ve never heard anyone called “the light of the world”, but that’s what Jesus says about everyone who belongs to him and follows him. We are, in fact, “the hope of the world”. That’s how great we are because we belong to the greatest King. We walk through the world as visitors. What a gracious greatness Christ Jesus gives us. To be called “the light of the world” is no mean title. It shows how much our Lord values us and counts on us.

We are amazed that he should exalt us so. And because he exalts us so, there can be no room for any Christian to have an inferiority complex. We are instead filled with immense gratitude and an eager desire to get on with the work our Lord calls us to do. Jesus says this about us to fill us with courage and confidence, because we believe that what we do for him will have results and be effective for all eternity. What a tremendous encouragement it is to know that the good works we do will have an impact on the world, so that the world will have to reckon with us.

Let’s look at what it means that we are “the salt of the earth”. The ancient world felt that there was nothing more useful than salt and light. Salt was seen as indispensable. A bag of salt was reckoned to be as precious as a person’s life. They believed that without salt, human life could not be sustained. The term “salt” is used for that which is permanent, that which lasts, and also to describe a person’s worth and wisdom.  Salt, however, is only of use if it gets out of the salt shaker and loses itself in the soup. Salt gives zest to food, making tasty that which tasted flat and stale.

A pinch of salt is effective out of all proportion to its amount. It has been said that it only takes 5% of active Christians to have an impact on society. Salt’s power lies in being different from its environment. We transform the world by being different from it. Only those who are not like the world can transform it. We are the salt God rubs into the wounds of the world. In the context of verse 12, Jesus is saying, “You are those through whose persecution the earth will be seasoned, purified and preserved.” With such a high role assigned to us, there can be no room for complacency about our calling. Salt is concerned with self-sacrifice, not self-preservation. Our words are to have an impact on the social thinking of our world. As long as we preserve our distinctive character, we will make the world a more palatable place to live. People aren’t impressed by a character a little better than theirs, but by lives directed and inspired by motives and principles that are unmistakably different.

We posses something essential, something non-Christians don’t have, so that we change the tone of daily life. Like salt, we act as a leavening influence in our world. We long to do ordinary things extraordinarily well, so that non-Christians are led to ask, “You’re so different! What makes you tick?” To not laugh at a cruel joke can season the atmosphere of a group. A healing factor enters in when we forgive someone who is difficult to pardon, whose actions seem unpardonable. Those to whom Jesus said these words were ordinary people, just like most of us. Jesus saw people in terms of their potential, in terms of what they could still become. When a person is united to Christ, he or she is no longer an ordinary person. That person no longer feels useless or worthless. When Christ affirms us, we become strong enough to withstand anything, to “take on the world”!

To be called “the light of the world” would have to be the greatest compliment ever paid to us. We’re light of the whole world, not just the light of the Church. Salt works quietly and internally, but light works visibly and externally. Christians stay in the world, touching even its questionable activities, in order to transform them. We don’t remain aloof from society, where we cannot affect it, but we become immersed in its life. Those who have the mind of Christ bring about a pervasive sweetening of life and of all human relationships.

Light is certain to be noticed. Something built on a hill will be seen. Christian character is a positive force for good in the world. Light enters into the darkness to dispel gloom and bring illumination and enlightenment. The darkness can never overcome it. We shine with the radiance that comes from Christ’s presence in our hearts. The radiance of a bride comes from the love she bears in her heart. We are light of the world, both by what we are and by what we do. The word Jesus uses for “good” here means that this is winsome, beautiful and attractive. What we do must not only be good; it must also be attractive. There needs to be a certain winsomeness in Christian goodness. This happens when all we do is done for God’s glory rather than for our own self-promotion.

Light makes growth possible. As light reveals beauty, so, too, we radiate with the joy of our salvation. As light was the first creation of God, so too we are the first fruits of his creation, who seek to brighten up life wherever we are with our acts of practical helpfulness. We cannot therefore hide ourselves in privacy or obscurity under the pretext of modesty. We exert influence just by being in a situation in prayer and love. We can be of good cheer because Christ has overcome the world. To confess Christ is like letting a lion out of a cage. Where we stand up for Jesus, life is refreshed as with a cool evening breeze. The gifts of Jesus are not just for personal enjoyment. We receive them to pass them on to others. Our value and worth is affirmed as we give of ourselves to others. The greatest contribution we will make to the conversion of others will be through the kind of lives we lead. We are more valuable to Christ than we could ever imagine. The glory of belonging to him is infinitely great.

Jesus’ Church here on earth isn’t some insignificant, unimportant organisation. It isn’t just another ingredient in the world, but it is the decisive one, because it is the one organisation that exists also for the sake of its non-members. So, let what God has done for you shine forth. The light itself is more important than the lamp. We let our light shine in this world in gratitude that God so loved this world that He gave us His only Son.

To those who are tempted to feel inferior to the high and mighty of this world, Jesus says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your heavenly Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” His Kingdom alone abides forever. You are the hope of the world. Hope sees the invisible, experiences the intangible and attempts the impossible. When everything looks hopeless, then hope becomes a virtue.

Dare to be different for Jesus’ sake. He’s counting on you. Go out into the world this week full of confidence and courage, sure of Christ’s blessing on all you do in his name. What a privilege it is to be “salt of the earth”, “light of the world” for your Lord.

Amen.

Happiness Is.

True happiness

Matthew 5: 3-10

No doubt, some of you have watched Survivor. This immensely popular TV real life game show is watched by millions of people around the world.

Imagine putting 16 people together from different backgrounds – trying to survive together and at the same time competing against one another for individual survival. After each round, the participants meet together to cast their votes to see who will be dismissed from the group. It can be for any number of reasons –
such as I think you’re not pulling your weight,
you cheated by having some kind of contraband,
or you are too old, too selfish, too uncooperative
or simply because I don’t like your face.

The ultimate goal is not to get voted out. And the way to survive is to make sure that there are people on your side – alliances are made – and broken – leaving behind a trail of betrayal and suspicion. This is real life played out in a game show. That’s perhaps the reason why Survivor has been so popular – it brings out the best and worst in people – more often the worst than the best. The winner is not the person who is kind and considerate, but who makes friends, uses them and then turns against them. The winner is not the person who is the better or the nicer but the one who is ruthless and hurtful, who has no feelings for the others.

One person who was asked about his view of the show nailed it on the head when he said, “It’s sorry that our society is this way, but the people who are conniving and back-stabbing are the ones who make it. Unlike the movies where the scriptwriter controls the plot and good triumphs over evil. In Survivor, no one controls the plot and how things eventually turn out. It is a sad commentary on the way the world is.”

As we think about what it means to be happy or blessed we might say —
Blessed are those who earn six figures.
Blessed are the famous.
Blessed are those who don’t have anything to worry about.
Blessed are the powerful.
Blessed are those who have the determination and ruthlessness to eliminate everything that hinders the fulfilment of their dreams.

Our view of happiness depends so much on our circumstances and environment. For a young woman true happiness might be to find the right man, to marry and have a family, only later to find herself thinking that true happiness would come if she could divorce her abusive husband.
For teenagers, true happiness is getting their first car, but its not too long before they realises that they would be truly happy if they could have a certain car that was sleeker and faster.

Happiness is a common desire. Yet, so few people seem to have true happiness that we put it in the same category as four-leaf clovers and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – the elusive, the unattainable, the impossible. Happiness is a goal that we all strive for, but when that goal is reached, we realise that there is always something else that would make us truly happy.

I’m sure you can think of things that you would like to see changed in your life so that you can be truly happy. So we go about suitably arranging – and re-arranging – our environment and circumstances – so that we will be happy. On this basis, people have assumed that, if they are unhappy, it is because of this wretched washing machine, this wretched heart, this wretched person I am living with… They believe that they will become happy by changing their lot in some way.

It becomes a never-ending quest. Happiness, we assume, must be fun and laughter and expressing our own personalities (“doing our own thing”) – free from suffering, sorrow and hardship. It’s no wonder that we can’t ever say that we have reached our goal – true happiness. There is nothing wrong with the desire to be happy, there is everything wrong with the way we often go seeking it.

And that’s exactly what Jesus is talking about today in the Sermon on the Mount when he talks about true happiness. He says,
Blessed are the poor in spirit.
(We would hardly regard ‘the poor in spirit’ as “happy” because they are aware of how much their sinfulness is out of control;
their faith often wavers;
they lack the spiritual resources to cope with the upsets in life and easily become depressed and miserable).

Blessed are those who mourn.
(They are the least likely to be called “happy” because they are upset by the injustices in our world;
they grieve for the starving, the homeless, refugees and those suffering wars;
they are distressed over their own stupidity and sinfulness;
they are sad because of what death has done).

Blessed are the humble,
(those whom world regards as the least likely to be “happy” because they are always busy doing things for others;
they are gentle in their dealings with others, refusing to do anything for their own personal gain at the expense of others;
they don’t push themselves forward and are satisfied helping others.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
(These people can hardly be called “happy” because of their deep sense of what is right; they are passionate about justice for the underdog and won’t rest until something is done.
They are unhappy about the treatment of refugees, unnecessary logging, the treatment of prisoners.
They are also those who are” unhappy” with their own lives and want to live more as God intended.)

Blessed are the persecuted. (Being persecuted can hardly be called a “happy” experience. Persecution is an unhappy event when you are suffering because you are a peacemaker, or because you have shown mercy and compassion on someone whom everyone else thinks doesn’t deserve it, or because you are pure in heart – you know what is the right thing to do but no one else sees it that way.)

Can you see that Jesus’ definition of what it means to be blessed doesn’t depend on us and what is happening around us? The “happy” sayings of Jesus – the Beatitudes – present us with a whole new idea of what it means to be happy. True happiness has to do with knowing God, belonging to God’s Kingdom, being a part of God’s family. You might say that this is hardly a popular view, especially when worldly happiness depends so much on money, a house, the right car, and being free from sickness, death and anything that upsets our “happiness”. But Jesus was one for making true statements. True happiness is to be found in God. The fact is that we don’t find happiness by seeking happiness. We find God, and discover a deep level of happiness.

Or perhaps it is better said that God finds us.
In the middle of all the difficulties we have living out our Christian faith in our daily lives;
when we are sad and upset;
when we are despondent and depressed;
when others reject us and ridicule us for our faith or for sticking up for what we believe is right;
when we are trying to show mercy and love or bring about peace and we are told to butt out;
God meets us, he strengthens us, he comforts, he helps us endure, he gives us the courage to move on.

A woman was the victim of abuse as a child. She understood what had happened – she didn’t like it – she had been angry but God had helped her through her anger and now she prayed for her father. She also helped her brother to come to terms with what had happened and to rebuild his relationship with his father. She had suffered a great deal and yet she would say that she was blessed. The inner and outer scars will always be there, but she was happy because God was with her. He had helped her though it all and now God was using her to be a peacemaker.

George Matheson was a great preacher and hymn writer who lost his sight at an early age. He thought of his blindness as his thorn in the flesh, as his personal cross. For several years, he prayed that his sight would be restored. Like most of us, I suppose, he believed that personal happiness would come to him only after the handicap was gone. But then, one day God sent him a new insight: The creative use of his handicap could actually become his personal means of achieving happiness!

So, Matheson went on to write: “My God, I have never thanked you for my thorn. I have thanked you for my roses, but not once for my thorn. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross, but I have never thought of the cross itself as a present glory. Teach me the glory of my cross. Teach me the value of my thorn.”

George Matheson had found God’s kind of happiness – the kind of happiness that is not only a future hope, but also a reality in the here and now.

That’s the kind of happiness that enabled the apostle Paul to write to the Philippians from his gaol cell, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (4:4).

That’s the secret of true happiness!
You may be suffering a great deal from sickness;
you may be persecuted for doing what you consider the right thing;
you may be upset about your own sinfulness or the weakness of your faith;
you may even be upset by those who have failed to show love toward you;
whatever the case, you can still “happy” in the knowledge that you are one of God’s precious children, that he sent his Son to die for you, and that when all is said and done, there is a place for you in heaven where there will be no more unhappiness.

This is the kind of “blessedness” or “happiness” that no circumstance or person can take away from us.
Amen.

Man fishing.

I will make you fishers of people.Sermon: 3rd Sunday after Epiphany.
Reading: Matthew 4:12-23

 

Jesus chose fishermen. Why? Any idea?

I don’t know, but as I have worked and meditated on this reading I have wondered if it was to make the point that it’s not what you know – your education or qualifications or abilities – that makes you an effective fisher of people, but who you know – in this case, the who being Jesus.

With this well known phrase from Matthew’s Gospel – “I will make you fishers of men” – we often grab first those distinctive words “fishers of men” as the key. But that is not the first thing Jesus calls these men to do. He says first of all, “Follow me”. It is through this following, this apprenticeship, that these men become fishers of people. They become Jesus’ disciples, his students.

And they do need to learn. Fishing requires patience and skill and commitment. Catching souls for Christ is like this too – we need to learn our skills and do our homework and build up our experience. We need to know Jesus and His Word and be able to express it. You can’t share what you don’t have yourself.

We all need to be students of the Bible. We need to grow in our relationship with Christ. These disciples after all had to spend three years with Jesus as their rabbi, their teacher. They needed to be taught and shown. They had to exercise the discipline of listening. They asked questions. Their values and ideas were challenged. And this is what Jesus calls us into as well.

Jesus says: I will make you. It has to do directly with what Jesus does with us – how he forms us as his fishermen.

But, you know, there’s another side to this too; a balancing truth. The fisherman has no ultimate control over the success of his fishing expedition. If you have ever fished much, you know that highly expert and experienced fishermen still can, and often do, come home with little to show for their efforts. The fisherman has to do his best, and then cast out his nets or bait his hook in faith – trusting to providence, not even knowing if the fish are there or if they are biting.

Fishers of people cast out their nets in faith too. Ultimately it will be Jesus who makes us fishers of people – in the sense also that it is he who brings the people to us, just as he brought the fish into Peter’s net in the story in Luke 5. It is Jesus who gives us the people and the right things to say and do to help them in their faith journey. It is Jesus who provides the catch.

“Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” These words apply not only to the disciples whom he calls here by the lakeside. It is clear from elsewhere in Scripture that these words also apply more broadly to all Jesus’ followers – pastors, lay people or whatever. These words apply to us, to you.

So are you fishing for people? This is where many of us feel that we fall down, or that we could never be involved in evangelism or outreach – the very mention of those words scares people to death.

Well, let me tell you something. Maybe you are fishing for souls without even realising it.

You don’t’ have to go door knocking or preaching in Flinders Street station. You may not have to even leave your home or go looking for the fish. They may be swimming right past your eyes already, and already you are reaching out to them.

I know many of our members witness to their children or their grandchildren, in a host of big and small ways. You are fishing for their souls.

Those of you who volunteer for the community meal are reaching out and serving in the name of Christ – those people who come know who we are, and why we do it. Our service to them is a living active statement of Christ’s love.

In Mary’s circle, the message of God’s grace in Christ is lived out and spoken about to all kinds of women from inside and outside the Knox church community.

Those of you who pray for others that they might come to faith or be renewed in their faith are fishers of souls.

And maybe there are some other untapped possibilities too – friendships where you can share your faith in small but powerful ways. I know a person who is a Christian today because when she was going through a really tough time somebody said to her at one point, “I am praying for you”. That was the hook.

It is interesting that the Christian who said those words was fishing in faith – they didn’t know what would happen, but they trusted in Jesus. And what does Jesus say? “I will make you fishers of people.” He will honour our faith in him, and do what he says, and send his Holy Spirit to work, even through us.

There are many ways and means and opportunities to fish for souls. And these words of Jesus remind us to make the most of them, to recognize that he has sent us with a purpose, on a mission – yes, each one of us individually and together as the church.

He calls us to continue being his students – learning, listening and growing in his truth and love – that we might get better at it. And these words assure us that it isn’t us who have to somehow save others. Jesus himself will provide the catch. “Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.”
Amen.

Rock Solid.

Epiphany 2 – John 1:35-42 “Rock Solid – Solid Rock.
Stone and rock; rocks and stones – are they good or are they bad? Are they useful or are they a hindrance? What comes into your mind when you hear of stones and rocks?

Today we focus on the rock, because this is the name Jesus gave to Simon. The name Cephas and Peter are the Aramaic and Greek variants of the word — rock. Hence many times in the bible we hear about the disciple Simon Peter — Simon the Rock.

It’s unusual that we should focus on Simon Peter in the season of Epiphany. Epiphany concerns itself more with the revelation of Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary, as Jesus the Christ, Son of the Father from eternity. However, we hear in the Gospel, while Jesus is being named the Lamb of God, Rabbi, and the Messiah (or the Christ), he names Simon — Peter — the rock.

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1:35-42)

So why does Jesus rename Simon — Peter. Why does he call this man — rock? And what is a rock anyway? Is a rock or a stone a good or bad thing?

Some might say rocks and stones are bad things, especially if one’s brother or sister or enemy is throwing stones or rocks at them. But then again, stones and rocks might be your best friend if you need to scare a ferocious animal.

If ascending a hill on foot or in a vehicle, stones and rocks can prove to be hazardous regardless of their size. Large rocks can make the climb impossible; small stone can act like marbles making the hill a slippery slope to scale. But once at the top if one slips back down, rocks and large stones, might be the very thing that stops the deathly descent to the bottom.

So if we see Simon Peter as the rock, designated by Jesus Christ, we might see him as a hazardous hindrance, or alternatively, a heavenly help. And in the bible Peter definitely fills the bill as both a help and a hazard in the ministry of the Gospel. So too stones and rocks prove to be objects causing one to stumble or fear, but also represent stability and strength as we hear God’s Word.

The bible is full of references to stones and rocks. In Genesis, Jacob used a stone as a crude pillow when he slept and saw the ladder descending from heaven at Bethel. Then in Revelation we hear of heaven in all its perfection, full of precious stones, such as jasper, sapphire, emerald, and topaz — to name a few.

In the Gospels we also hear of many different uses of stones. And Jesus makes many references to stones and rocks too. One that must be mentioned, because it sits with the Gospel reading, is from Matthew 16:18 where Jesus says again to Simon Peter, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

So what kind of rock was Peter? The church regards him as the leading Apostle; he is the foundation stone on which Christ places the church. Yet Peter acted more like a stone that crumbles and disintegrates under pressure. Perhaps he is more akin to what Jesus said in the parable of the sower, “A farmer went out to sow his seed… Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.” (Matthew 13:3b, 5, 6)

And Jesus’ explanation follows, “The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.” (Matthew 13:20-21)

Jesus’ description of rocky ground goes a long way in giving us a picture of Peter the night the roster crowed three times. Peter is the disciple who confessed to his Christ that he would never fall away, but stumbled at the moment he was asked if he was an associate of Jesus.

So on what kind of foundation was Jesus to build his church? It must have looked pretty dismal with Peter weeping bitterly having just disowned his Lord, who was on death row. It seemed that all was lost, the crucifixion being the stumbling block, the tomb in the rock and the large stone over its entrance an impassable foolish end to Simon being the rock, and the man from Nazareth being the Saviour — let alone the Son of God.

But where failure and faithlessness seem to have won out, it’s precisely here where the victory of all victories exists — hidden.

Paul tells the church at Corinth, a church failing in the weaknesses of heresy, dissention, disorder, and sexual chaos, that God will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9)

Furthermore in Isaiah 49 we hear, “This is what the LORD says — the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel — to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” (Isaiah 49:7)

So in Jesus Christ — in his weakness and death and in his resurrection and life — we find the true rock foundation of our faith and Peter’s faith too. Despite our weak and faithless nature, God’s faithfulness is real and victorious, through Christ at the Cross, and the Holy Spirit faithfully putting the cross and the Rock of our salvation back in front of us. And we see it by faith — trusting God’s faithfulness to us.

Therefore, Jesus tells us, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25)

Added to this we know Jesus also said of himself, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes? He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” (Matthew 21:42, 44)

Peter is the rock on which Christ built the church. Incidentally the name Simon or Simeon is derived from a Hebrew word meaning to hear or announce. We know Simon Peter was the hearing rock and was the rock that announced what he had witnessed. But it’s only because of God’s faithfulness to Peter that allowed Peter to hear, be built up in Jesus’ blood and righteousness, and to proclaim God’s faithfulness in Christ Jesus.

This is also God’s will for us too. We like Peter, flounder and fight against faithlessness and failures. And so our hope, our hearing and our witness to others, is built and stands on nothing less, than on Christ the Solid Rock. Amen.