What Only Jesus could Do. Fifth Sunday in Lent 3rd April 2022

 FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT   Year C    3^rd April 2022

• Isaiah 43:16-21  •   Psalm 126  •    Philippians 3:4b-14  •    John 12:1-8

What is your faith worth to you?

Do you consider yourself to be a practical person?  Do you balance your books and budget well?  Do you seldom allow yourself the luxury of physical delights?  Certainly, in the season of Lent we strive to exercise self-control and limit our luxuries.  Lent is a time of identifying with the poor and exercising self-control through some kind of abstinence.  A time of prayer and reflection.  In contrast we have a lavish act occurring in the telling of our Gospel story, of what seems to be pointless exuberant indulgence.

 

In fact, our first reading seems to be in contrast with the season of Lent.  There is a sense of joyful expectation of something great happening- a sense of victory.  In the end, we know that victory is coming to this Gospel story.  We know that Jesus rose from the grave, conquering death and sin, but at this point in our Lenten journey we are still looking grimly at the cross and at the suffering to come.

 

In our world, we are looking at inflated petrol prices.  Things seem grim. We feel pain for those in Ukraine, praying and wishing that the Russians would have mercy and cease their onslaught.  It seems like the whole world is in a season of poverty and hardship…. Much like our Lenten journey, a season of hardship.  Lent is the season that leads us to the cross…  - but the cross isn’t pointless…  it ends with victory and resurrection. 

In this life, more hardships are yet to come, there is no doubt.  Life on planet Earth is fraught with pain.  If we come down to personal levels, we find friends struggling with cancers, daughters with broken hearts because they can’t fall pregnant, financial hardships, natural disasters like the floods impacting such that any sense of home is lost – and it is probably about now that many of those are feeling the full impact of that loss.

 

We are on the road to the cross.  We are in a wilderness of grief and loss.  We are in a desert where the things that should come easily to refresh us are missing, and we still can’t plan a night out without considering if all of our invitees are double vaccinated.

 

In the midst of this we have a word from God through Isaiah declaring; “I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.”   In the midst of our hardship there is a way of refreshment – but it only comes from Jesus.

 

In Lent we take up some kind of abstinence.  We focus on our faith and we pray and we give.  Sometimes when we fast and pray we expect that because of these actions that God will act with blessing.  Almost like, “Hey God… if I do this, then you should do that for me.”  I doubt that we would put it in those words, but we all can, and do naturally tend towards thinking; “Hey I do what is right… why are these bad things happening to me?”  “Surely God knows how much I try to do good and should be rewarding me.”

 

In stark contrast to our very natural way of thinking, we need to reflect on the words of Saint Paul.  Saint Paul, was brought up to be a righteous man.  He studied diligently and was an A student.  He was brilliant.  He was also a particular personality type that was fastidious and particular.  He ensured that he did everything correctly according to God’s law.  He fasted and prayed and gave sacrifices and he didn’t stop there.  He was so zealous for the law of God that he set out to persecute the Christians.  He put his faith into action.  Surely, this was a man who was going to be welcomed by God. 

 

If one could be welcomed into the kingdom by their good works and adherence to their own form of Religion, God would surely have left Paul alone.

 

Paul believed that he was God’s right-hand man.  He was a person of position and influence.  It was Paul who gave the authority for the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr of the church.  Paul, then called Saul, believed he was acting righteously – how can we hold this against him?  You can believe in God and be zealous in your faith and still get it so wrong.

 

But Paul knows better than any of us, that our good intentions, if they are not done through Christ, are worthless.  Paul knows better than any of us that our righteous acts, if they are not done through Christ, are worthless.  Paul completely and thoroughly understood that there is no salvation apart from Christ and, most importantly, this is a salvation by faith in Jesus and HIS actions and God’s grace and NOT by anything that we do to earn that favour.   Jesus is the key!

 

Saint Paul declares that he strives to attain the heavenly goal by sharing in Christ’s suffering, but make no mistake, he is aware that his own salvation is nothing to do with his works, but by the grace of God, yet he presses on toward the goal.  Note his words; “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.” 

 

Compared to this gift of God, all else is incomparable.  How much is this gift of God worth?  Sharing in suffering for the Gospel message?  A whole jar of perfume? 

 

There are many Christians who don’t believe we should have anything but the bare essentials for our Churches….  Or would much rather be practical stewards by investing in programs or practicalities, than in beautifying a church.  For the most part, most would agree.  But Jesus accepts the expensive perfume (about a year’s wage worth), simply to wash his feet.  Can you imagine that?  A year’s wage!  Think of that in today’s terms, apparently about $66000, and understand what extravagance was given to wash those feet.

 

In the heart of Mary there was no doubt she was washing the feet of the Messiah.  Notice that neither her brother or sister stopped her from doing this.  They had all experienced the resurrection of Lazarus and this act was an act of love and worship and gratitude.  Yet Jesus shows us that it is more than that, it is a prophetic act.  Jesus is going to die and she has anointed him for his death.

 

Martha and Lazarus knew what the gift of God was worth….. and they approved of Mary’s giving.  Have we considered how much the gift of God is worth to us?  We are a practical people.  We give what we can, but I wonder what we would give if we had our eyes opened to the same vision of the gift of God, as Mary and of Saint Paul.

 

While many will condemn the riches of the churches in Rome, Michelangelo painted the masterpiece ceiling of the Sistine chapel as a commissioned art work, yet still as an expression of his own devotion and commissioned by the devotion of another.  In our devotion to God, we might give to the poor, perform acts of hospitality or other works.  We are all different and the painter will paint a master piece, the song writer writes a song, and the architect might design an intricate building.  None of these will win our way into heaven, but I hope that we are not like Judas, discouraging an act of extravagant worship.

 

Mary’s worship was extravagant but Jesus declared it right that she should use this for the day of his burial.  And suddenly the room becomes solemn with the realization that Jesus was on his way to the cross.

 

Jesus knew where he was going. 

 

From my own observation, when a person is dying with cancer, perspectives change.  Some things are really important and other things are not. 

 

Jesus knew he was on the journey to the cross.  Jesus knew the priorities of God the father and the gift that he was about to bring about for the world.  A gift that only he could pay for… a price too dear for us.  Only a person without sin could die to save us.  Us, in all our self-righteousness could never be so perfect so as to attain eternal life.  We could not die to save ourselves let alone the whole world.   We can not do it!  We, without Jesus, are separated from God… loved, but in our imperfection, separated.  If Saint Paul’s perfect living was not perfect enough then we can rest assured that there are none who are perfect enough…. Only Jesus and this is our Gospel message.  The Good news of the Gospel is that through Jesus, God see us as his perfect son.

 

Only Jesus could save us.  He was born the son of God, God incarnate.  He is the truth, the life and the way and none can come to the father, but through him.  Our Gospel message is vital, and it is vital that we understand it because without it there is no eternal life.  Life is only through Jesus.  How much is this worth to us?

 

We take it for granted and we complain about things that in the light of eternity are so insignificant.  But rest assured, he does care for us and all those little and big things that cause us grief.  But just for this week, as we journey with Jesus to the cross, reflect on the enormous consequence of this Gospel.   Jesus knowingly went to Jerusalem to die so that we might be saved for eternity.  In his dying he imparts the power of his eternal life to us all.

 

In this life there is pain, but remember the words of Isaiah who declares that God makes a way in the desert.  Rivers do sometimes flow in the desert, but it isn’t the normal thing.  God makes a way for us.  In the desert of our pain and grief and even confusion, God brings us the waters of eternal life through the gift that Jesus bought with his blood and his broken body.  Eternal life… what is it worth to you?  Jesus brings us into a renewed relationship with God the father.  What is that worth to you?  A year’s wage?  No…. it is worth our whole life.  Let us offer ourselves to God …...our whole self.

Walking in faith 2nd Sunday of Lent C 2022

 

Second Sunday of Lent Year C - March 13, 2022

• Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18  •   Psalm 27  •   Philippians 3:17-4:1  •   Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

On television this week, I saw Batman Begins.  Gotham was Batman’s town and it was wicked.  The man who trained Batman, claiming to have a higher purpose, infiltrated the corruption so as to completely destroy the town.  Batman intervenes.  He says, “there is still good here”, and “It can still be saved”.  These statements are echoes our scriptures and the hearts of the Prophets who have laid down their lives in an effort to bring the people back to God. 

 

Our Gospel reading shows the heart of Christ, similar to our Batman narrative, and his desire to save.  The words of Jesus are; “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, …. How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, …!”

 

We know that Christ, laid down his life, not just for the city of Jerusalem, but for the world.  As the followers of Christ, we are those who live in God and God lives in us.  Therefore there is an element in each of us, calling us to have this same heart for our community?

However, we are the “Me” generation.  Well maybe not you specifically – or even me specifically, but we live in the “Me” generation.  We live in a community which has more in common with Gotham and Jerusalem than we might like to admit.  The “Me” generation is a little like the yeast of the Pharisees…  beware of it because it can easily grow and increase in our lives without us even realizing.

 

In our Gospel story some Pharisees were actually trying to be helpful.  They warned Jesus to leave and save himself.  But Jesus was not infected by the “Me” generation.  And there we were thinking that the “Me” generation was something new.  It is not.  It has always been there.  It was there in the beginning when Adam and Eve wanted to be like God.  That was, counting themselves as the most important…. Afterall… surely it is a good thing to eat that fruit and better oneself!

 

The interesting thing about the warning of the Pharisees, is that they were warning Jesus to save himself and yet Jesus actual mission was to die.  Jesus states, “'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work”.  The work of Jesus was to bring forth the Kingdom of God.  In casting out demons and curing ills, he was declaring his authority, but “on the third day” is a symbolic reference to the completion of his ministry, inferring his death, which is exactly why he would return to Jerusalem.  Jesus’ ministry involved ultimately laying down his life for the world, in order to save us and to bring us into a right relationship with God.  We have a right relationship with God because of the sacrifice of Jesus, but Abraham was also declared to be righteous – in a right relationship with God. 

 

Our reading from Genesis holds that statement that is repeated in the letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament.  Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.  Therefore, this is an important account, which we need to understand.

 

There are many who say that they believe in God, but there is a difference in ”believing God”.  Many who believe in God, have little to do with him other than to state that they do.  Believing God, implies a relationship and consequent actions.   Do you see the difference?  I can believe in my Husband… Believe he exists and still have no relationship with him.  To say that I believe him, means that I have spoken with him and heard what he said and will act in accordance.  I have a one on one relationship with him.

 

Abraham had a relationship with God his whole life, but for some reason this action of belief rendered him righteous.  The message that Abraham believed was that he, with a barren and aging wife, was going to be the father of many.  God said it, Abram believed it.  I don’t understand it, except to say that it wasn’t anything that Abraham did, but God’s love and grace.  Abraham is considered the father of our faith because his righteousness is not based on something he did, but instead it is based on the action of, declaration by, and promise of God in response to Abraham believing God.

 

If you think that to be righteous you need to have complete faith and never doubt – read on – God told Abraham that his children would own a great amount of land, but Abraham wanted God to prove that this would happen – And so, God made a covenant with Abraham.  This covenant involved five animals, three of which were three years old.  Three of these animals were cut in half but not the birds.  What is going on here? 

 

The first animal is a heifer.  According to the research that I have done, a heifer was used as a sacrifice to purify people who had become unclean due to coming in contact with a dead body.  Figuratively, to be cleansed from our mortality – cleansed from the fact that we are finite and will die.  The next was a female goat, which signifies life giving.  Next was the ram, signifying Christ himself, the sacrifice for sin. Then the turtle dove and the pigeon signifying the love of God and peace.  Also three is the number signifying life.  Now, I’m not completely sure about all of this, but after a bit of research, this seemed to make the most sense.

 

Apparently common in the ancient world, a beast would be cut in half to signify “cutting a deal”… an agreement.  If two Kings met and even if they didn’t speak the same language, but they cut an animal and walked in between the halves, it was understood that this meant that there was a peace agreement, with the understanding, “May it be done to me as it is with this animal if I should break the agreement.”

 

The very interesting thing about the covenant with Abraham is that Abraham didn’t walk through the halves, but God did.  This meant that it was an unconditional covenant, dependant on the actions of God, regardless of any action on Abraham’s part.  It was a promise and it was solemnly sealed.  The saving grace of God, declared prophetically through the symbols of the animals of the covenant sacrifice, meant that Abraham was redeemed from death, given life, his transgressions atoned for and he had the love of God and Peace between him and God.  This is what we have also. 

 

The meaning behind those animals of the covenant tell the story of salvation to show that we have the promise of eternal life and abundant life, we are redeemed through the sacrifice of Jesus, which brings us into a relationship of love and peace with God.

 

The letter to the Philippians tells us, “He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.”  This is telling us about our eternal life. Eternal life – We have this promise.  Do we believe it? 

Just as Abraham couldn’t, in himself, do anything to bring about life from his barren wife, neither can we do anything, in ourselves, to bring about eternal life.  But can we believe God and agree that HE can?

 

What we believe forms our actions.  When we truly believe all that God tells us it shows in our actions.  Although it is through our believing, that we are completely saved by the Grace of God, there naturally must follow, an action. Knowing that we have eternal life gives us a different perspective.  Knowing that we have the life of God and that we are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus, also should change us.  Knowing that we are loved by God and have peace with God, should cultivate a different, more compassionate view of others.  Our behaviour should flow from our belief.  From our faith our behaviours, indeed we ourselves, are transformed.

 

Jesus was imparting healing and casting out demons, loving and caring for people, knowing all the while that he was going to lay down his life for them.  He knew that it was worth it.  His laying down his life would be the completion of his ministry and his final authority over sickness, evil and death.  And now we know why he cried out on the cross – IT IS FINISHED.

 

Life is filled with moments of resilience and pushing through pain.  In these times we push through the pain because there is a vision of a better future.  A “Me” generation only looks at the here and now, but with a vision of a better future we can all find the resilience to live more like Jesus.  Abraham died at 175 years old, but the promises that God made to him were for about 400 years.  Abraham didn’t see all the promises of God fulfilled, but he believed God and this belief formed his actions of complete trust in God – Even when asked to do things that were hard and testing.

 

Let me go back to the batman story; Batman’s love interest, Rachel, makes a judgment about Bruce Wayne when he tries to tell her that He is more underneath, then the visible playboy façade.  She replies to him, “It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you.”

 

Make no mistake.  We are given the gifts of God because of God’s love for us and not because of anything that we do, but our faith and our belief should be evident by what we do.

Without deserving or earning anything, through Christ we are gifted the promise of eternal life.  We are given the promise of abundant life, we are redeemed from transgressions and have the love of God and peace with him.

 Life is hard and that is a fact.  We have so many youths with depression and perhaps the reason is that they don’t expect life to be hard.  It is!  Our story of faith clearly shows that evil came into the world at the beginning of time and all life was subject to decay because of it – in other words, evil and sickness and disasters and hardship are all part of life on planet Earth.  But Christ has achieved complete authority over death – it is finished – it is accomplished -  and he brings us life.  Note that Jesus desired to embrace die for Jerusalem though there was wickedness there.  There is nothing you can do that will separate you from the love of God.

 

Knowing all that God has given us, can we follow in the footsteps of Abraham and walk in faith, rejoicing in the promise?  Can we walk in the footsteps of Jesus and live selflessly, laying down our lives for others?  The victory is already ours….  Jesus has achieved it.  This world of pain is similar to that of a woman giving birth – there is pain, but there is victory and life through Jesus who has authority over all that pain.  Let’s push through the pain and walk through this life in a way that shows our faith in God who loves us, and the promise that is ours through Christ.