Declaring the Word of the Lord - 5th Sunday in Lent 29th March 2020

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT   Year A   March 29, 2020

• Ezekiel 37:1-14  • Psalm 130  • Romans 8:6-11  • John 11:1-45

I’m very sad that I’m not at church this weekend, as I know I would be singing my favourite song….  “These are the days of Elijah”.  The song’s first words are, “These are the days of Elijah, declaring the word of the Lord.”  But it is the first words of the second verse which echo our readings for today; “These are the days of Ezekiel, The dry bones becoming as flesh”.

Who would have thought, as we finished the year 2019, that the hopes of some to once again see the roaring 20s would be dashed to see nothing more than a meow?  Or maybe the WHO, world health organisation might have.  As Australia finished its most devastating year of bush fires, this pandemic of Corona virus followed. 

Although many have died, I wonder what other deaths will follow.  Businesses are closed and more struggling to remain open, gradually close their doors also.  Those retail shops that aren’t food and basics find themselves over-stocked as fewer people go through their doors due to the governments plea to stay at home as much as possible.  People are being abused though they are trying to do the right thing.  I heard the story of a small gym boot camp group being abused.  They were in the open doors with large distance between them and doing the best they could to remain healthy and continue business, only to be abused by others as if they were flouting the law.

Will we soon be a valley of dry bones?

While the rules of who and what and how many, could be an exclusion to self-isolation, continued to confuse, the churches, big and small were told to shut.

So shut we did.

Will we soon be a valley of dry bones?

The church continues to strive to reach out.  There will be many streaming online and alternate forms of worship mostly via the internet, but there are many for whom church was their safe place and their place of belonging, their family, and these people are not as savvy with the internet.  These are the elderly….. already isolated in many ways, now even more so.

The homeless who live on the streets, but blend in feeling the comfort and companionship of the regular passers-by, now confused as to why the street are empty.

Currently we have a confused, angry, frightened community, with our businesses in decay.   Will we soon become a valley of dry bones?

The Psalm for today also echoes our waiting for this pandemic to end;  “Out of the depths I cry to you O LORD. …..If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?  But there is forgiveness with you…..  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. ….. with him is great power to redeem.”

I love the way the Psalms are often crying out to God from the depths and out of heart ache.  These are honest emotions offered to God…. Fears and desperation, brokenness and pain, all given to God and then acknowledging the goodness of God…. And waiting.

We are also waiting and crying to God from the depths.

From Ezekiel 37:2 “He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.”

Some things that have been said about these bones, they were very dry and so they were long dead and their hope was also far beyond revival.  There is also a sense of disgrace as we read this is the proud and chosen Israelite nation, hope cut off and bones exposes.  The scene for our prophet is a very intense nightmarish reality about the state of his nation.  But God asks him, “Can these bones live”…. God knows! 

One thing is for certain.  Each reading echoes the same truth.  This truth is spoken plainly in our reading to the Romans, 8:6 “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

I’ve heard people speak about the Bible and say that it is a like a road map through this life and it is a guide.   It is a whole lot more than that, because this life ends.  The Bible contains God’s word to people and people’s interactions and struggle to understand.  It is mostly about us trying to live this life and God trying to tell us that we are only seeing a tiny part of the picture that he knows.  And so he shows us dead bones and asks if they can live.  Any one other than the prophet would simply say NO.  But the important message for us today is not so much that they did live, but how it was that they were revived.

God told the prophet to prophesy…. To speak the word of God to the bones, to declare the word of the LORD. 

Now, here is a fine line.  I’ve heard people say that we need to pray and agree… such and such…  that is not the word of the Lord.  The word of the Lord needs to be according to God’s will.   In fact let’s now go to our Gospel reading for some clarification.

Our Gospel reading is the story of Lazarus.  Lazarus was the brother of the famous Biblical sisters, Martha and Mary.  Word had reached Jesus that Lazarus was sick, but Jesus delayed in going.  Jesus knew what was going to happen, but also knew that the Jews there were wanting to put him to death.  Timing was important.  By the time that Jesus set off and finally reached the home of Lazarus, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days.

Martha and Mary had many people consoling them and when Jesus arrived Martha acknowledged that if Jesus had been there Lazarus would not have died.  She also acknowledged her belief that Lazarus would rise again on the last day.  She had hope and faith.  And then Jesus tells her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

This is actually really hard to grasp for us all.  And there is one super important fact that we must grasp.  The dry bones lived because the prophet declared the word of the LORD.  Jesus IS the word of the LORD.

Right here and now today, we can be living our eternal life, but the only way we do that is through the living word of God – Jesus Christ.

Romans tells us, “But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.” 

Please understand that God is concerned with our mortal life here on earth, other-wise why did he weep?  When Jesus was with the sisters and surrounded by the mourners he wept. 

God desires to give us good things and desires for us to live well.  That was the plan from the beginning when it tells us he placed mankind in the Garden of Eden with every good thing.  Any discomfort was such a concern that God ensured that we were provided with all we desired. 

Jesus asked the mourners to remove the stone cover to the tomb of Lazarus.  The ladies were surprised.  They were not expecting dry bones, they were expecting the smell of death and decay.  But because they believed that Jesus was no ordinary man, and perhaps because they believed he was the resurrection and the life, they had the stone removed, the tomb opened. And so, the prophesy of Ezekiel is fulfilled because the those who know the writings of the prophets would have been familiar with this reading from Ezekiel 37:13 “And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people.  I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD.”

Lazarus was restored and the people were given every confirmation possible that Jesus was who he claimed to be – the Messiah.

But who is Jesus for us?  Has the story been told and our faith grown cold…. The fears of the season, clouding our reason and leaving us frozen in doubt and despair?

Have we become, or are we becoming a valley of dry bones, as we feel we are 4 days in the tomb of this time of pandemic.  What we need is … the word of God….

May the word of God dwell in us richly and His spirit give us life abundantly .

Here's to Mud in your eye ! Fourth Sunday in Lent March 22, 2020

Here's to mud in your eye......

1 Samuel 16:1-13  • Psalm 23  • Ephesians 5:8-14  • John 9:1-41

“I once was lost, but now am found…. Was blind but now I see”.

Throughout history, there have been many great stories of conversions.  One most famous is the person who wrote Amazing Grace, John Newton.  The story goes that as a young boy of 7, John’s mother died and his father brought him into a life upon the sea.  This life was a rough one and formed John into a reckless and self-centered individual who ended up in the company of a slave trader who treated him badly.  This was not the turning point for John.  After being rescued and resuming a career in slave trading, it was a storm at sea and the imminent sinking of his boat, that persuaded him to cry out to God for rescue.  Miraculously, the boat was saved because the cargo moved to fill the hole, from which the boat was sinking.   From that time, John began to read the Bible and pray, yet he still continued in the slave trade, and did not consider himself converted, but it was the start of a gradual and complete transformation.



Another person who God literally blinded so that he could truly see, was Saint Paul.  Saint Paul was zealous for God and yet persecuted the Christians.  It seems very fitting that our Letter to the Ephesians would have this theme of light and dark; “5:8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.”



Paul and John Newton both had an encounter with the Amazing Grace of God.  This grace will not reject a person because of the things they have done.  This grace goes to extraordinary lengths to show the unconditional love and acceptance of God.



Our Gospel story shows us God’s people, like Paul and John Newton prior to their conversion, living in darkness – It is a darkness that cannot understand God’s love and grace, and therefore doesn’t understand or know God at all. 



Our Gospel tells of a man born blind.  Some background information on this man; he was obviously cared for by his parents and not a poor beggar.  His parents were regulars at the synagogue, as we read that they avoided confrontation with the Jews because they wanted to retain their social position and freedom to attend the synagogue.   The man was well acquainted with the word of God as he was able to quote to the Jews, “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.   Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."



There are some other odd things about this story.  Firstly, there is no request for healing.  The disciples asked Jesus who sinned – this man or his parents.  This tells us about how the people perceived those with physical ailments.  It was common belief that physical ailments were a punishment of God.  Jesus makes it clear that sin had nothing to do with it, and goes one step further by announcing that this man is God’s chosen vessel to show the glory of God.   How appropriate that the Jews in confronting the man for the second time say, “give glory to God!”

Jesus made mud and put it on the man’s eyes.  Kohl was used on eyelids in ancient times as a remedy for eyes.  I don’t know if Jesus was making some connection with this when he made the mud, but it certainly irritated the Jews because, in so doing, he broke the Sabbath.



To the Jews, it looked like Jesus was breaking God’s law.  They were looking at out-side appearances and from what they saw they made a judgment and rejected Jesus.



In our Old Testament reading, Samuel was called to anoint a king.  Israel already had a King, Saul, but he didn’t fully obey God’s command.  Saul began to follow God’s command but then decided to do things his own way, and in so doing he re-interpreted God’s command to benefit himself.  This is much the same as the way that the Jews in our New Testament had re-interpreted the law of the Sabbath to benefit themselves.  Therefore Samuel was called to visit Jesse of Bethlehem.  Samuel was to anoint one of his sons as king.

The first of Jessie’s sons passed by Samuel and Samuel was impressed.  From what he could see, this man would make a fine king, but God had another plan and a lesson for Samuel that would be a lesson for us all.

One by one each of Jessie’s very fine sons passed by Samuel and none was chosen as king.  The youngest was all that was left.  David happened to be very good looking and have many great qualities, but the one quality that we read mentioned in other chapters that put him above the rest, was that he was described as being a man after God’s own heart.

A google search tells me;( https://www.quora.com/Why-did-God-call-David-a-man-after-His-own-heart)  “The Lord still called Him a man after His own heart. Because David longed and pursued justice and mercy for God's people. He longed to do works that were pleasing to God, even when his life was at risk. He showed many times that he loved and desired truth and integrity more than his own life.”  

My own belief is that David understood God’s heart and his own desires reflected God’s priorities (most of the time).  In other words, David’s heart and God’s heart were similar.  David had a unique understanding of God that reflected an intimate relationship with God.  David knew that he wasn’t always perfect, but he was quick to repent when he did wrong, and he knew and understood God’s redemption and unconditional love.



David was anointed as King, but he didn’t actually walk in that position until many years later.  His anointing was a promise of a position to come, and while he waited and throughout his time as King, the spirit of the LORD was upon him, as we read; “the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward.”

 as we read; “the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward.”



One of my favourite things about David is that he gave us some incredible Psalms.  In these we witness an honest out-pouring of the heart.  We read of his struggles, his doubts, his grief and his joy, but throughout all, we witness a faith that knows God’s love even when he doesn’t understand and even when it feels like he is in the valley of death.

Recently I attended a workshop where we were invited to reflect on the 23rd Psalm.   Looking at this Psalm with such familiarity we may forget that this was written by a very real person with some extreme circumstances and a very real understanding of suffering, betrayal and God’s love through it all.  One element of the Psalm that I think is really precious is that part about the walking through the valley of death.  Even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me.  Sounds like something we all need at the moment as the whole world is thrown into that dark valley of the Corona Virus.  We will be walking it for some time yet as the physical and economic effects may be manifold and drawn out over a long time.

It seems as though the whole of our world has been drawn together into a time of darkness and we are only just entering that valley.



David was a shepherd and he understood his relationship with the sheep in his fold.  He understood that God cares for us in the same way as a good shepherd cares for his sheep.  We, like sheep, are blind about where we are going.  We are blind when it comes to finding the right path.  Think about how the shepherd uses his rod and staff and lead the sheep on the right path.  I don’t know about you, but I tend to stress a fair bit over whether or not I’m going down the right way – the way God wants me to go, but according to this picture painted by David in the 23rd Psalm, I need not have any worry because God will make me go where the path is good….. even if it means passing through the valley of death.



Sheep and the blind both need someone to lead them.  The blind man in our story had a strong personality.  He was confident in speaking with the Jews and in his blindness I suspect he may have seen more than most as he most probably listened better than most.  He heard about Jesus, he heard what the Jews were saying and he had heard the scriptures.   Something else he heard – “who sinned, this man or his parents?”  How many times before do you think he heard this?



David was the youngest and least important in his family. He was deemed so inconsequential that his family didn’t think it appropriate for him to attend the feast with the prophet Samuel.
 
 He was not expecting to be taken from his sheep and anointed as king, chosen to show the glory of God.  The blind man, likewise, did not expect to be anointed with mud, healed and chosen to show the glory of God. 



It seems that God delights in choosing those that the world rejects, those the world has already condemned, and he anoints them, giving them a destiny, to show the glory of God.


As for the Jews in our Gospel story, these represented a whole nation chosen to show the glory of God, but they had fallen asleep in the light and become blind.  It is an easy thing to do.  They remind me of a song by Keith Green (the same person who co-wrote, There is a Redeemer).  He wrote a song called Asleep in the Light.  “"oh, bless me, lord! Bless me, lord!"  You know, it's all I ever hear!  No one aches, No one hurts, No one even sheds one tear But, he cries, He weeps, He bleeds, And he cares for your needs And you just lay back, And keep soaking it in

Oh, can't you see such sin?!  'cause he brings people to your door, And you turn them away, As you smile and say, "god bless you!  Be at peace!" And all heaven just weeps, 'cause Jesus came to your door, You left him out on the streets……..

Oh, can't you see such sin?! The world is sleeping in the dark, That the church just can't fight, 'cause it's asleep in the light! How can you be so dead?! When you've been so well fed?  Jesus rose from the grave, And you! You can't even get out of bed! Oh, Jesus rose from the dead!  Come on, get out of your bed!

As for us, at this time of great darkness, how can we respond to the world around us as it struggles in fear and chaos?  We are small and fragile.   Many of us are vulnerable, but we have been anointed at our baptism to show the glory of God.   We are chosen.   We were anointed and set apart for God’s own purpose, to show the Glory of God. 

And so, understanding that the origin of the common toast, here’s to mud in your eye, comes from this biblical passage, we figuratively raise our glass and proclaim it with new understanding and a prayer:  May there be mud on our eyes anointed by Jesus so our eyes may be opened to truly see the way that God has called us to be his light in this dark time, for we have been asleep – we have been blind, but now we see.   Anointed and chosen, we are destined to show the world the Glory of God.

Has the light gone out? Transfiguration 23rd Feb 2020

Transfiguration Sunday   Year A   February 23, 2020 

Exodus 24:12-18  •    Psalm 2 or Psalm 99  •    2 Peter 1:16-21  •    Matthew 17:1-9

Has the light gone out?

Many years ago, as a young idealistic teenager, I remember there being a rumour... an opinion, maybe… a belief that those outside the church could tell a Christian by the light in their eyes and some kind of a glow about them.

I haven’t heard this in a long time, which makes me ask the question; has the light gone out?  I also wondered if I was imagining this rumour, but after a quick google search I found this story about the conversion of a man, Bill Vasilakis.

https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/from-1960s-wild-child-to-born-again-believer/

Bill Vasilakis was a reluctant convert. As a teenager in Adelaide, he was self-described “spoilt Greek brat,” with long hair flowing halfway down his back, peace badges all over his chest and a notorious reputation.

He first got into trouble with the law at the age of 12 when he stole milk money from outside people’s houses. …..

A left-wing activist, he took part in anti-Vietnam War demonstrations.  Bill organised friends from high school to join thousands sitting in the middle of King William Street in Adelaide to block traffic. Bill was happy with the way he was living and, though he had heard the gospel as a child, he suppressed it because it didn’t fit with his wild lifestyle.  So, when his best friend turned up at school in year 12 looking transformed after receiving Christ as his saviour at a Christian camp, Bill didn’t know what to make of it.

In the words of Bill; “The week after Easter 1971 as he came to school, I’m looking at him crossing the asphalt and walking towards me and it looked like he was glowing,” Bill tells Eternity.  “I said, ‘Reinhart, what’s up with you?’ ‘Oh,’ he goes, ‘I’ve had a really amazing weekend.’

“I go, ‘You look different.’ He was shining; his eyes were shining. It was like what had happened on the inside was showing in his face.” As Reinhart told Bill that he knew God and had a personal relationship with Jesus, Bill had no idea what his friend was talking about. “But because he was a friend, he was intelligent and good-natured, he had credibility, so I listened. He says ‘Bill, you’ve just got to come and see.’ ”

Bill is now a Senior Church leader at the Christian Family Center, Seaton.

Our reading from Exodus tells us that the glory of God was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain and then a cloud covered it.  Moses was called up into that cloud for 40 days and nights while God gave him the commandments and laws. What we don’t read in this account is what happened ten chapters later when Moses came down off the mountain.  When he finally came back down he was not aware that his face was actually shining with the glory of God, but the people saw it and were afraid.

What do we make of this?  In fact when we read any of these stories where fantastic things happen, do we simply pass them off as tall tales? 

Our reading from Peter begins…. “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

The event to which Peter had been an eye witness was the event recorded in our Gospel reading, when Jesus was transfigured.

Throughout history there have been changes, but one thing that is constant is that there have always been those who refuse to believe, even when they are presented with miracles.  The Egyptian Pharaoh was like this when presented with the miracles of Moses, as he called his magicians to do likewise – thus giving an earthly explanation to the supernatural work of God and dismissing God’s power.

Over the years it isn’t just the atheists who dismiss the power of God.  Many initially well-meaning theology students have sort to find a logical explanations to the miracles of God.  Some of the things that I’ve heard are things like; the Israelites crossed the Red Sea at a spot that is only knee deep.  It seems like a great logical explanation, but they forget that the army that followed the Israelites were drowned in the Red Sea as they tried to follow.

Not only have these “how” theories flooded our society, but we’ve had books and films like “The DaVinci Code”.   A book that I tried to read but found it so full of glaring error that I couldn’t really get into it.  Many who don’t know any better however, have read it, and accepted the errors made with the poetic license that comes in works of fiction, as truth.

What a crazy world we live in where we happily believe in myths about how to attract wealth by expecting it, and thinking positively, yet we dismiss the stories of the miracles of God.

The purpose of the transfiguration was exactly for this purpose; that we might know the power and the reality of Christ. 

Do we KNOW the power and reality of Christ or has the light gone out?  Do we once again need to glimpse the miracle?

Our Gospel reading begins by saying, “after 6 days”.  This begs the question, what was happening six days ago that it was worth mentioning in this way?

Now, in our reading about Moses, it was after waiting six days that God called Moses into his presence – six days of being in a state of expectation and separated from the rest of the community.  A time of prayer and preparation perhaps.  Day one must have felt very exciting.  Day two, still excited but getting anxious, Day three – hmmm… will it be today?  Day four – maybe I’m not good enough. Day five – have I been rejected?   Day six – how much longer is it reasonable to wait..?  What is going on?  Did I get it wrong?  How will I face the community if I’m not called up?  He showed up before, surely he won’t let me down…. But maybe I’ve done something wrong???  On the 7^th day, God called Moses up.

Maybe the disciples were with Jesus in a special time of prayer and preparation for 6 days also…. I don’t know, but it is worth noting that the account just prior to our Gospel reading is the passage where Peter proclaims that Jesus is the messiah and Jesus confirms this and predicts his death.  It is like a story rollercoaster.  A highpoint with the declaration – you are the Christ… then a low point where Jesus speaks of his death… then even lower where Peter takes Jesus aside and tells him that this suffering and death should not happen.  At this point comes an all-time low with Jesus saying to Peter, “Get behind me Satan…”

It is a time of confusion.  Peter has been following Jesus.  I get the impression that he was a kind of act first and think later kind of guy – but I could be wrong, however it is clear that the kind of Messiah that the people were expecting was not one who would die before actually being victorious.  This is the reason for Peter trying to dissuade Jesus from the journey to the cross.  He genuinely believes in Jesus as the Messiah – but not that “suffering and dying” kind of Messiah!

Jesus and three disciples set off up the high mountain.  Remember that our story of Moses meant that he was called up on to the mountain also and this is where the glory of God covered him.

Still the disciples didn’t really understand.  They saw Jesus changed…. They saw Moses and Elijah… they still didn’t understand, and then the cloud enveloped them and the heard the voice of God.  Upon hearing that voice it didn’t matter that they didn’t understand – "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"   Trust and obey – there is no other way.

None of us really understands everything.  We get it right sometimes and though we have help from generations and thousands of years of people trying to figure it out, we still get it wrong and this is why we need to rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us – because we can’t properly comprehend the things of God and there comes a point for all of us where we simply need to realize the glory and power of God.  We need to glimpse the glory of God.

Moses waited on the mountain with Joshua for six days on the seventh day God called him up and Moses then entered the cloud.  Sometimes we cry out to God and it feels like we are also waiting for an eternity with all our doubts and clouding thoughts.

The light has not gone out.  There are 7 days in a week and for 6 of them these people waited for the glory of God to be revealed.  We must not give up while we wait for the glory of God.  The light will never go out. 

We live in interesting times where we desperately need that vision.  We need to climb the mountain of God and enter that cloud. 

But wait!  We are living in the New Testament time of privilege where we don’t have to wait – We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit  - God’s presence with us always….  It is a light that will not go out, but perhaps we need to use those days of preparation and prayer… the six days of waiting and deliberately take time to kindle the flame.

Moses had one companion on the mountain – Joshua.  Jesus had three companions.  We need each other in these times and this is one reason we meet together for church and prayer.  We need to support each other in the days when we feel that light is dim.  One little light makes a huge difference to the dark, but many lights together can do so much more.   May our prayer be that we, the church, be so transformed by being in the presence of God, that the glory of God is undeniably evident to those who look on.  Amen.

Australia day and 3rd sunday after epiphany - Is Christ divided?

January 26, 2020 Year A, THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

• Isaiah 9:1-4  • Psalm 27:1, 4-9  • 1 Corinthians 1:10-18  • Matthew 4:12-23

The culture of the people to whom Saint Paul proclaimed the message of the Gospel, brings to mind my holiday in September, when I visited the ruins of Pompeii.  Pompeii is near Naples in Italy.  The outlook is beautiful and the exploration took us back to a time when everywhere you turned there was a temple to another god.  This was a time when it was considered that humans were at the mercy of the gods.  In order to live in peace and preserve the goodness of life, there was a need to appease the gods.

It was into this culture that Saint Paul came with his message about Christ.  He proclaimed the Gospel… meaning Good News.  The message was in stark contrast from the belief that the gods needed appeasing, and instead St. Paul proclaimed that there was just one true God of gods, and that He had no need for sacrifice because peace had been achieved once and for all by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. 

Today we also have a variety of cultures and the message of the cross and the Good News about Jesus, is the same today; we have peace with God through the sacrifice of Jesus.  The difference seems to be that today’s people are quick to defend and proclaim their own goodness, denying that there exists any deity to appease.  There is very little perception of the need for a saviour with Good News about the Kingdom of God being near.  To them, our message is irrelevant, but is it?

However, even in the days of Saint Paul the message of the cross seemed mere foolishness, and they would scoff to think that a deity would willingly and mercifully die for His people.  Utter foolishness!

When Jesus began His earthly ministry His message was, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."  Both Paul and Jesus proclaimed the Good News about God’s love and forgiveness, but sometimes these words of Jesus can be misrepresented and leave people feeling like they need to yet appease God, and it is tied up in that word, “Repent”.   

Often the word, “repent” has connotations of sadness, guilt and shame, but the original Greek word is about being converted and more to do with our thinking and conscious choice of direction.

From https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Metanoeite

“Writing in ancient Greek the authors of the Christian New Testament translated this concept of spiritual transformation and return to God's ways as metanoia, a word which literally means "change of mind." These writers meant something more profound than what we would call a change of mind, however. Instead they were referring to a total transformation in outlook, affecting the heart, mind, and spirit. Thus in the New Testament the concept of repentance takes on a slightly different shape, one that places less emphasis on guilt and regret and more emphasis on breaking through to a new way of understanding God, oneself, and the world. In other words, the New Testament view of repentance equates it with conversion.”

Traditionally the church has called us to repentance and often-times it is really what we need…. To realize the errors of our ways, to say sorry and make amends…. But that is not actually the message of the Gospel.  Instead the message of the Gospel is to turn your heart, mind and spirit to God who IS our atonement.  Out of our experience of forgiveness and being acceptance by God – our joy of being loved by God, we do aim to make amends…. It is a subtle difference, but the atoning sacrifice of Jesus and accepting His love comes first.

When we understand this slight difference many things we might normally argue over become clearer and we might not fall into the error of the Corinthians.

As the Corinthian church developed they rejoiced in the salvation of their new understanding, but some divisions arose.  Divisions that are not so unlike what we experience today.

Have you ever pondered the power of culture?  I was speaking with a friend recently about how I feel there is tension in the way people perceive that life should work.  Really this is about culture. 

Let me explain in practical terms; my friend was brought up in another town and his way of doing things and sense of the “right” way of doing things was different to people in other towns.  I commented that he fitted in well in our town because there were many similarities between here and the town of his childhood.  But I also lamented that the culture of our town has changed since I was a child.  Oftentimes people from the larger cities come into the smaller towns as the boss of a company and impose their sense of “the right way”.  Due to their position of authority, new ways are adopted and culture changes.

St. Paul writes to the Corinthian church and addresses the cultural tension in that place.  Some were saying that they belonged to Paul, others to Apollos, Cephas or Christ.  What they were really saying is, “I do things the way I do because I belong to this leader and follow his way of doing things.  And my way is right!”

It is good to know why we see things a different way and conversation is helpful in understanding each other, but St. Paul is not addressing this kind of interaction.  He is addressing people who were at odds with each other and determined to assert their view.  There seems to be an element of pride in these interactions.

St. Paul inquires whether Christ is divided.  He might well ask the same question of us when we say, “I belong to the Anglican church”…. “I belong to the Mackay Christian family church”… “I belong to the Lutheran Church”.  The tension is real.  We’ve come so far, only to be right back at that place where St. Paul asks, “Is Christ divided?”

Each of our churches has a culture.  Which one is right?

You know, if we look to our towns and countries for an example we might find that two different cultures can be authentically correct but different.  Weather conditions for a start, might dictate the way we do things.  For example, if it was snowing we might have a structure for churches built with warmth in mind.  If it is hot our churches might look different because we incorporate cooling.  The problems come about when a particular culture imposes their ways on totally different culture.  I remember being taught at primary school about how the people who colonized Australia came with their women wearing layers of clothing, as was their custom and considered proper…. Only to faint in our Australian heat.  It was a lesson that stayed with me and I’m reminded of it when I see the Private school children attending functions in the middle of our summer, wearing their school jackets because it is considered the school uniform. (Many of them end up needing medical assistance). 

So many things can divide us…. Things we think are proper.  Things we think are the correct way…. The respectable way…. But are these sacred or just us following along with a perception of what is right?

Ways of functioning as church differ.  There are Mega churches, Churches with state of the art sound systems and even churches that operate more as a coffee club. We can fall into the trap of the people in the story of the Emperor’s New clothes, wanting to appear intelligent, we jump on board the latest hype.  Which just might end up being really great marketing, getting lots of attention, until finally someone points out that the Emperor is actually naked.  Hopefully you know the story J

Change is always fraught with grief and upset.  We will say, “I belong to the old way of doing things”…. “I belong to the new way”….  “I belong to the hymn singing tradition”…. “I belong to the chorus singing tradition”….  “I belong to the hard pew church”…. “I belong to the comfortable air-conditioned church”

Now, I have to tell you, I have my own really passionate beliefs about how church should be, but it isn’t my church.  Let me say that again and perhaps we all should say it slowly and quietly…. “It isn’t MY church.”

Is Christ divided?  We are the body of Christ and His spirit is with us…..  Let us repeat that slowly and quietly also…. WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST and HIS SPIRIT IS WITH US.   Is Christ divided?

We allow ourselves to be divided, yet we know that a kingdom divided can not stand.  How can we fix our divisions?

Paul asks rhetorical questions; “Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”   In times like these we need to turn our focus back to the fact that Christ was crucified for us … for you and for me and for all who have called on the name of the Lord.  This is what matters most and others things can be debated, but always with this fact in mind; God loves and died for each of us… that person you are arguing with is loved by God and God died for them… they are baptized, like us into Christ and they are, therefore, with us, the body of Christ and His Spirit is with them… and with us.  Do you think this realization… this understanding… this epiphany should change the way we treat each other? 

In our world today I feel there may be more divisions than ever.  We talk a lot about unity, but we are so divided in so many ways.  This, our world, is a world where it is becoming increasingly impolite to talk about sin and the fact that we might need a saviour…. How dare we insinuate that people are less than perfect!  But the truth is that we are less than perfect.  The truth is that we are divided.   The truth is that we do need a saviour.  Belief in Jesus as the Son of God, God incarnate, is at an all-time low, because we don’t want to admit we need a saviour.  Personally, I do. 

In all our worldly chaos and divisions, there is a truth.  Jesus was born and died and rose from the dead and he came to bring us the kingdom of God.  He died because He so loved that person out on the street… because He so loved that arrogant media personality…. Because He so loved…  If He so loved, we need to treat each other as those treasured by God and make love our priority too.

We are one… but we are many….  And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Advent 4 A Partridge in a Pear tree and the reason the Santa once made the Naughty list

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT  Year A  December 22, 2019

·         Isaiah 7:10-16   • Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19  •  Romans 1:1-7  •   Matthew 1:18-25

Before writing anything I decided that the title for today’s readings should be; “A partridge in a pear tree and the reason that Santa once made the Naughty list”.  Just what exactly do Santa and a partridge have in common?  Stay tuned…

We have arrived at the fourth week of advent and by this time we are probably well into our Christmas preparations.  The children will most likely be most of the way through their advent calendars, which is as it should be, as these calendars aim to remind us to prepare for Christmas.  But Christmas doesn’t stop on the 25^th of December.  Did you know that the song the 12 days of Christmas actually starts with the 25^th of December and goes through to the feast of the Epiphany on the 6^th of January?

The song, 12 days of Christmas may be a fun and non-sense kind of Christmas song, but in an era of history when it was widely understood what and when were the 12 days of Christmas, many symbols were used with double meanings and these were also widely understood.  We don’t use these today and so it is easier to assume the song is full of nonsense words with no deeper meaning, however let’s just look at the partridge in a pear tree.

The common held belief in the Christian symbol version of the song, is that the partridge is a bird that will give its life for its children, therefore the symbol refers to Christ.  Why, in a pear tree? In many ancient cultures the pear tree was a symbol of life.  Putting the two symbols together means we have Christ who gave his life for us and brought us eternal life.

In today’s readings we discover that God’s people were well acquainted with signs and symbols.  We find that a sign is given to King Ahaz; “the young woman is with child and will bear a son”.  This sign was given to King Ahaz who was not faithful to God, but never the less, he was a King of Judah, and at this time he was encouraged to trust in God for the salvation of the nation.  He refused to ask for a sign, but one was given regardless.  “the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”

Ahaz, though the King of God’s chosen people and of the Royal line of David, did not choose to trust in God.  When the prophet told him to ask God for a sign, Ahaz refused.  He used scripture as an excuse, as if he was being righteous in saying that he would not put God to the test, but in fact he is really refusing to ask for a sign because he had already decided to ignore the words of the prophet and trust in the help of the King of Assyria instead of God.

In both the first reading and the Gospel we find this prophecy about a child being born, but there is a different word used by Matthew as he deliberately uses the word “virgin”. 

In the Hebrew language of Isaiah, the word which translators have decided is “young woman”, has more meaning and is closer to, “young chaste girl”.

Oftentimes prophecies have a threefold meaning.  Firstly the prophecy is for fulfilment in the time particular to the prophecy being given, then secondly, to the time of the Messiah, thus the ambiguous word, from which our English translators troubled over – young woman or virgin – And thirdly prophecy has a fulfilment in the return of Christ.

We fast forward to our Gospel and find “The virgin is with child and shall bear a son”.  In this passage, the author, Saint Matthew, is referring to the prophecy in Isaiah, but the Greek language of the New Testament deliberately changes the original Hebrew word, “young girl”, to one that is unmistakeable and can only be translated as “Virgin”.  This is deliberate and important for our link to Santa Claus being found on the naughty list.

In our Gospel reading we find that Mary is with child and her fiancée is planning to divorce her quietly.  Why quietly?  Because it was a time in history when women could be stoned to death for adultery, but he was a good man who obviously cared about her and didn’t want her to face public disgrace. 

An angel interrupts the plans of Joseph and assures him that this child that Mary is carrying is conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Not only that, but the angel tells him that he is to call the baby, Jesus, a name which means, “God saves”.  It is significant that Joseph is to be the one who names the baby, as it means he is claiming the baby and assigning the baby to his family…. The family descended from the royal line of David.

Joseph was a son of David, and Ahaz was a son of David.  Both were given an opportunity to respond to trusting God in tenuous circumstances. Both were sent a message from God and a sign that what they were going through was in God’s hands.  With that opportunity, as with any of us, though God invites us to partner with him, we are free to decline.  Ahaz, son of David declined the invitation.   Joseph, son of David, accepted the invitation.

What follows in the story of Jesus’ life would show that Joseph and Mary really didn’t fully understand all that was happening, but they were two people swept up in a drama that we can only imagine.  They experienced the highs and lows of trusting God….  No room to stay in Bethlehem – How is that God’s provision?  But then the Angel warns them about Herod wanting to kill the baby and so they leave – they are saved – God’s provision. 

Do we ever realize how difficult it sometimes is to say YES to God and trust him?  He does know best, and with the hindsight of many years and the whole story of the Bible being accessible to us all in print, we can see the divine at work, but it sure doesn’t always seem like He is always opening doors – many that should be open seem slammed shut.  Free will is like that… we all have it and we can all say ‘no’… it is easy.  Saying ‘yes’ can be hard –

Saint Nicholas said ‘yes’.  Recently we had our school concert.  I wrote a story for the students to act out, and as we’ve had the theme this year of “Inspiration”, I decided that we should be inspired by Saint Nicholas.  This meant I did a fair bit of research.

Believe it or not, the story I wrote was crazy fiction involving time machines, school children and Santa Claus, as a young boy, being sent from the past to the present day and back again.  I tip-toed around the myth, and tried to present characteristics of Saint Nicholas which showed how the person became the legend.  There was much truth about “Saint Nicholas” that I couldn’t squeeze into the story, but it is no wonder he become such a legend and eventually Santa Claus.  Many Children didn’t realize that in other languages Saint is Santa and therefore where Santa Claus comes from.

One aspect about Saint Nicholas is what I want to tell you today, and that is the story about him, just once, being on the “Naughty” list.

Nicholas was a Bishop, when in 325AD Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea. There were over 300 bishops gathered to debate the nature of the Holy Trinity.  “Arias, from Egypt, taught that the Son Jesus was not equal to God the Father. This was the Arian controversy which shook Christianity’s very foundations. According to one account, when confronted by the unyielding Arias, Nicholas slapped him in the face. For such a breach of decorum, Nicholas was brought before Constantine, who stripped him of his office and had him thrown into prison.” (https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas/bishop-of-myra)

It wasn’t the first time that Nicholas had been thrown in prison, as during the time of Roman Emperor Diocletian, Christians were persecuted and thrown in prison.  (Diocletian’s reign ended in 305).  The story goes, that Nicholas was truly repentant that he lost his temper, and spent time praying and had a vision while in prison.  He was re-instated as Bishop, the doctrine of the Trinity was accepted, and Nicholas’ reputation for caring for the poor continued and his legendary reputation grew.

What this has to do with this week’s readings, is that the reason for Nicholas’ slapping Arias, was to do with the deity of Christ.

As I’ve said, the difference between the prophecy we read in Isaiah and the re-statement of that prophecy in Matthew, is that the word “young girl” is replaced by the word “Virgin”.   This is a deliberate change because the child conceived about which Matthew was writing was the Son of God, born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit.  

In all of our Christmas celebrations we have traditions, myths and legends, but are we aware of the history and truth at the very core?  Saint Paul declares this truth in his letter to the Romans when he states some facts; Paul declares himself to be set apart for the Good News of God which God promised beforehand through his prophets.  In this he is reminding his readers that this is not a new teaching, but the fulfilment of prophecy.  St. Paul also tells us that the Son, Jesus, was human and descended from King David, but declared to be the Son of God with power because he rose from the dead.

If we are to believe the stories, Saint Nicholas was thrown in prison for his overly zealous defence of the nature of Christ. In this final week to Christmas we are challenged to reflect on who it really was that came to be born in that stable.  Was it a baby who was conceived by the Holy Spirit?  Was it God incarnate, Jesus Lord at thy birth?  Son of God, God made flesh? 

Is it enough to know that those who knew Jesus in the flesh were willing to die for this truth?  Is it enough to know that history changed that day?  We don’t know the exact day, however the early Christians came up with a date and marked all of time as starting from then.  How many of us claim this year to be 2019…. Why?  What does it mean?  It means that 2019 years ago something happened so significant that we changed the way that we mark time and that event was the birth of Christ.

They called him Jesus, but when he told his apostles that he was going to the father and they said “show us the father”, his response in the Gospel of John (John 14:9)  was, “Don’t you know me, Phillip, even after I have been among you such a long time?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say “show us the Father?”

Our readings today beg the question for us each to answer personally.  Who is Jesus?  He is the partridge in a pear tree… the one who gave his life to bring us eternal life.  He ultimately brings PEACE because he covers all of our transgressions by his sacrifice on the cross and declares that we are forgiven and have no barrier between us and God.

We have a choice to make every day; will we be like Ahaz or Joseph?  Will we choose to align ourselves with God and His calling?  It can be tough going sometimes.  It will not always mean open doors and rich dwellings, but it will mean eternal salvation…. Peace with God and a deep sense of knowing that our soul is in His care.

Saint Nicholas was in prison more than once for his zealous stand for this truth.  Each time we see an image of Santa Claus I invite us all to ponder his choice and our own, and I pray that we can all have the courage to respond to God’s invitation, and like Joseph, Mary and Saint Nicholas, say “Yes” to God, and to His invitation to be partakers with Him in His plan of salvation.