Roger's Postings

Saturday, October 31, 2009

John 8:31-36. Hold to the Truth!! 1/11/09

(31) To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. {32} Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." {33} They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" {34} Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. {35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. {36} So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Today we are commemorating and remembering Reformation Day. But, what for? What is our purpose for doing so?
For some it is, or almost is, an embarrassment. We are living in an ecumenical age, where we are all Christians, so we must not highlight our Lutheran heritage and focus on those great differences we have with other churches. After all who is right; and we are all entitled to our beliefs, even if they may be different to the real truths of the Scriptures.
For others Reformation is merely a time when we look back and remember Martin Luther and how he stood up to the Church of the day, and brought about the beginnings of the Lutheran Church. It brings about feelings of pride that we are different and we are right – even though we don’t really know why and what the importance of it all is.
For many others – and perhaps most - in our church today; who cares. Who really cares about what Reformation is all about; just let them do their own thing and enjoy life, and ‘she’ll be right’.

Well let me suggest to you, that commemorating Reformation is of utmost importance to us. Especially to us living here today, in this day and age, and the present thinking in the church scene. Reformation does have a lot to say to a society and churches who promote the view that there are many saviours – many ways to God, and peace and happiness: that there are many ways to find and have happiness in our lives. It also has a lot to say to our church which is facing all sorts of changes in its thinking and practice with regard to worship, doctrine, and other important issues. It has a lot to say, when we are encouraged be more broad minded and tolerant of other denominations and other theologies. And it has a lot to say to those who like to think about their Christian lives in terms of how little they have to do and be involved in the Christian faith and still get to heaven – to the ‘me’-centred generation.

The Reformation and its thinking is most important for us and for the future of Christianity in this church of ours; in the wider church scene, as well as in our community and country. At a time when so many are seeking to run off in all kinds of directions, much of which has virtually no biblical foundation; we need to consider very carefully what it is that is important. Like the reformers of years gone by, we need to return to and stick by those basic principles of Christianity and the Bible, which God has given to us, or be prepared to suffer the consequences: and I mean suffer.

We too are people of the Reformation, and need to be in reformation. We can not merely stand still - or look back – or rest on our butts thinking all will be well. Each one us, and us as a church as a whole, are challenged, to see that Reformation needs to be a part of life for us today. It is as important for us as it was for Luther nearly 500 yrs ago. We too need to realize that reformation is an ongoing part of life for all Christians: It is an ongoing returning to the original - to what is important; and from there, a moving on in life.

Yes, we are continually facing change, where new thoughts and ideas, as well as decaying forms, are not appropriate. And yes we are being challenged in so many ways to go this way and that – to follow this ideology or another; to go with the flow - where the crowd goes – to mould our Christianity to the ways of the world; or on the other hand to dig our heels in and not budge an inch.

But in the face of it all, we must remember what Reformation is all about: Reformation at the time of Luther, and the reformation that needs to be happening each and every day in our lives and in our church. We too need to constantly go back to the basics, so that we know what it is that is important and what it is that we need to stick to, or return to. It is only from there that we are able to move on again, using those foundations to build a future that takes seriously what is happening around us. But also, which will enable us to discard and have nothing to do with that which is wrong and dangerous. We too need to wrestle with what is happening in our world and in Christian circles – but to look at them in light of that which is of basic importance and to shape our future with that in mind.

There are four key issues that where central for Luther, as they must be for us also. The first we will title ‘Justification by grace, through faith’. We
read in Ephesians 2:8; ‘It is by grace that you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God’. Our salvation rests in the Lord Jesus Christ alone: Through his life, death and resurrection alone we have been made right with God: Through him we have been given this as a free gift: So now God looks at me, a sinful person, and sees Jesus Christ and his perfection, and accepts me as his very own child. My works, good or bad - my ideas and knowledge - my paying money or good deeds - my thinking right thoughts - none of it counts. Instead, God looks at me through Jesus Christ and relates himself to me; so that I become one of his.

And I believe it - I trust that this is the case for me: and that is what is meant when we hear that we have been saved by grace through faith. And it is on this solid foundation of justification by grace through faith alone, that we must hold to at all cost, and which must be, and is, the basis of the Christian faith. To move away from that invites disaster – as we have seen from history and will continue to see.

Secondly, we need to take seriously the importance of the Word of God – the Holy Scriptures – the Bible. In Psalm 119:115 we read; "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path", and elsewhere we read that we shall not add to or take anything away from the Scriptures. Through the Reformation, the Bible has become an open book for God’s people, to be heard and read by us all. We need to remember this is the Word of God himself – his God's News - his communication with us: speaking to us to awaken faith and stir us to respond. Yet too often we take this book for granted - we talk about it – we make pious comments about what we think it says, but too often we leave it closed – unread.

God's gift to us - to us as individuals, and as a church in reformation, is an open Bible: That is, one which speaks to us and therefore wants to influence, direct, correct, reprove, and lead us. It is God’s Word, in its entirety, which speaks both his message of Law and Gospel so that we may know of sin and grace, death and life. It is from this source that we are being continually reformed – that is, taken back to what is important and sending us forward again to live as Christians. As we listen attentively to God's Word to us, he will continue reshaping our daily lives and keep us faithful and secure in his truth.

The third important feature of the Reformation is what is termed the ‘Universal Priesthood of Believers’. We read in 1 Peter 2:9; "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." We have been born anew - re-formed as our Lord's new people. Re-formed for a new life – a God-pleasing life; a life that is set apart for God, and as his witnesses and agents in the world around about us.

We are now his priests - his mediators between God and the people out there in our community: Called to pass on God’s message of Law and Gospel. So that others may come to know of the love, grace, and forgiveness that is and can be theirs through Jesus Christ our Lord. Each one of us is reminded that our life is a holy sacrifice: an on-going activity in the presence of our God; living in him, through him and for him.

Lastly there is the real importance of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. In Acts 2;38 we read; "Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". And in 1 Cor. 11:24-25; " Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body.' Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying; 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.' 'Do this in remembrance of me.'

These sacraments are simple actions, which Jesus instituted for his Church to practice, so that he might claim us and set us apart as his own, and to convey to us that which he has done for us through his life death, and resurrection. Justification by faith is applied to each one us individually in this way, and thereby we are born into our Lord's family and are nourished and nurtured as we are continually put right again through the forgiveness of sins. He gives these gifts to us so that we might be reassured of this over and over again; and is of central importance to our wellbeing as his people. So the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion are essential for our welfare as his re-formed and re-forming people. They must be held up as absolutely essential for our salvation and for our ongoing welfare as the people of God, because through them, along with the Word, God is active for us and for our good.

These four things are key issues for his Church in reformation, yesterday, today and in the years to come. We are to continually go back to these basic foundations, and build our lives and our future on these things. We need to hold all change and thinking, as well as all teachings, up against these and discard that which is contrary. These are the teachings and the truth that we are to hold to as of all importance, and it is in these truths that we find our freedom to live and be the people of God.

Yes, we are God's people in Reformation. We are people who have been made right with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore people who constantly return to these basic truths that he has given to us. We are to build our lives on them and from there go forward with every confidence in our Great Lord and Saviour. My prayer is that this reformation will take place in our own lives and in the life of the church today; and may our gracious God give us the help, strength and courage to do so. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Mark 10:46-52. Healthy Sickness?? 25/10.09

{46) Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. {47} When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" {48} Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" {49} Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." {50} Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. {51} "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." {52} "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Passages like this one are just not fair. In fact, the Gospels are full of accounts of Jesus healing the blind, lame, deaf and many other sicknesses. People would call, crawl and be carried to him and be healed. Time and time again, we hear and read of how Jesus helped all those people who came to him in their great suffering. To many of us today that just doesn’t seem to be fair. What about me? What about our loved ones? Sure, we mightn’t be blind or deaf, but we have our problems and difficulties; sicknesses and other issues. And as much as we call and crawl to Jesus, nothing happens.

I know this is a problem for many people living today. If Jesus healed all those people back then; why not now? Granted, he does heal today; both miraculously and through the doctors and our health facilities. But so often, there is not that healing, even for the good, strong Christian; and this is of concern to many. Now it is here, that we so often find ourselves getting tangled up in our thinking.

On the one hand we have so many whose faith seemed to have been destroyed by the fact they were not healed. In some cases, we are even told, that if we prayed a little harder and had a little more faith, then all would be well. God has promised to hear our prayers and act on them, but he hasn’t and so there is something wrong with us. So often, we are told, that if we are positive enough in our thinking and have enough faith it will happen; and so the implication again is that there is something wrong with our faith when we are not healed.

The other problem that we are confronted with in these situations is that maybe God doesn’t care. Maybe there is no God after all; and all these miracle accounts are just fairy stories. After all, we have called on him to help us out and it hasn’t happened, so obviously he is either not there or he doesn’t care about me.

These two was of thinking with regard to healing from sickness then, encourages us to approach our own sickness with the attitude that I just have to have enough faith and it will happen. But this reminds me of someone I knew who wouldn’t go and see the doctor because that would be an indication of a lack of faith. So even though he had a relatively minor complaint, the poor guy nearly died before going to hospital and being healed.

But there is also the other danger that we give little or no regard to God when it comes to our sicknesses. The only time we will call on him is when all else is failing and we see him as a last ditch effort; just in case. This is also a wrong approach to facing the issue that we are facing.

So what is a healthy way to approach this whole issue: Firstly, we need to recognise that Jesus’ primary concern is for the spiritual wellbeing of his people. This healing of blind Bartimaeus happened as Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to take care of our deepest need of all. In fact, all of Jesus’ miracles are to be viewed in light of his primary concern for people’s soul’s salvation. In John’s Gospel, all these miracles are called signs; which point people to Jesus as God Almighty come into our world to help us out with regard to our eternal welfare.

Along with that primary concern of Jesus for our soul’s salvation; that is of ours and others, as well; we are to also see that he wants us to follow him as well. We need to keep this in mind, because all too often we are tempted to think selfishly and this worldly. So often, we want only what makes life easy for us here and now, without regard for what is spiritually good for us and for others around us. Jesus however reminds us that he seeks to have us follow his ways and his means of reaching others with the Good News, which is so often through the cross and the difficulties of life. It is there that we recognise our need for our God and what he has to offer. We so often only look to and follow him when we know that we so desperately need him. But it is also only through our suffering that we are so often able to have an impact on the lives of others around us.

When we are conscious of ours, and others, spiritual sickness we begin to understand that our physical sickness is a result of sin. Not necessarily from some specific sin; but from that alienation from God and his goodness that has infected all of creation. So now God seeks to use our sickness and suffering for good: both ours and other peoples. So often, it is the only way that he can get us to stop and think: the only way that he can get us to think about our relationship with him. Paul himself made the statement that God had allowed his thorn in the flesh to remain so that he would not become conceited; and to continually remind him that God’s grace was sufficient to help him live with it. We also know of other instances where God used tragedy to bring others back into his loving presence. So God uses our sin to draw us and others closer to himself and to help us to learn to trust him and what he has to offer us.

So we should never allow ourselves to get caught up in the thinking that any sickness not healed is a sign of God punishing us; but of his desire to turn us, and others, to himself. Instead, we need to look for and certainly understand that God wants to use our problem for the good of his kingdom. He ultimately wants to draw us, and other, into a saving and reliant relationship with himself for all of eternity.

But at the same time, we must not lose sight of the fact that God can and may want to heal us in that situation as well. Like Bartimaeus, we can have a sure confidence that God can heal us here and now on the spot, if it is his will and for the good of his kingdom. He has the power to do the same today in each and every situation that we face, if it is for good. So we will on the one hand seek his healing, if he wills it, both miraculously and through the means he has provided for this purpose, and if it is his will not to, so that he may achieve some greater purpose, we pray for his strength and guidance, knowing that he will provide that.

Whichever way God should choose, we need to keep in mind that which is most important of all: which is brought out clearly for us in this account of the healing of Bartimaeus: Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. He went from one difficult situation to another; for the road in front would not be an easy one either: following Jesus on his road of suffering in order to bring salvation to humanity. But for him following Jesus was the only response to someone who had done such a great thing for him.

For us too, healing or no healing, the road ahead is one of following Jesus. We can not sit back and seek to take the easy road through life, full of comfort and ease; but instead constantly seek to do what our Lord and Saviour would have us do; seeking what is best for his kingdom. This always needs to be first and foremost in our minds, both in sickness and in health.

So Bartimaeus teaches us a wonderful lesson here. Blind though he was – he had great spiritual insight, which is a great lesson to us all. When we face sickness and disability, we need to have that same thinking – knowing and trusting in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to heal or to give us the strength to cope. Likewise, we need to be encouraged by his willingness to follow Jesus on our way through this life: the way of suffering which leads to salvation and of extending that salvation to the lives of others as well. So let each one of us have a healthy understanding of sickness and disability: an understanding which continues to keep our hearts, minds and lives focussed on the one who is all important – our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him alone be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN

Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Mark 10:35-45. Serve; not be served! 18/10/09

(35) Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." {36} "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. {37} They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." {38} "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" {39} "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, {40} but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." {41} When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. {42} Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. {43} Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, {44} and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. {45} For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Here today we have another example of just how out of touch Jesus and the Scriptures are with life in this world. Is it any wonder that people today have trouble coming to terms with the Christian message, and why so many are seeking to change God’s Word to suite peoples thinking. The thought of being a slave to anyone is abhorrent to our human thinking; and we are encouraged to be ambitious and to aim high in life; and if we don’t we will get nowhere and achieve nothing. We are to set our sights high and go and fulfil our dreams. To have any other view is just not on; and God had just better fit into that thinking.

Time and time again however, we find that our Lord turns upside down the thinking of this world. He reminds us that the ways of this world are not his ways: they are not what is good for us, and only lead us into trouble. Our ways are out of step with God’s ways.

Yes, how often even in the church and in our own lives, doesn’t our thinking follow that of James and John. ‘Lord we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’ ‘Look we are your followers; and we even want to be your right hand men and women: we want to be right there alongside of you, ruling over your kingdom: your church. Yes, we want to be recognised; we want to wield power on your behalf: we want a part of it all.’

That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But then again others of us would say,’ I am not one of those; I will leave those positions to those who think they are a bit of alright; but who really are only wanting to push their own barrows. If they want the limelight, they can have it: it is not for me. They can do what they like; but just don’t expect me to help. Meanwhile we will just sit in the background and criticize: we’ll knock the tall poppies into shape: we’ll sit back smug in our own little world.’

That also sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Yes, ‘Lord we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’ We want the world to revolve around ourselves and what we want. On top of that, we like James and John think that we can live up to what is involved in one way or another. Yet we also have no real idea as to what we are asking. James and John thought they could ‘drink the cup’ that Jesus was to drink and ‘be baptized with the baptism that Jesus was baptized with.’ Little did they know that he was referring to his suffering and death on the cross; and that they themselves would in due course undergo great suffering and martyrdom. Thankfully, God had not prepared them to die on the crosses on either side of Jesus like the two criminals. Thankfully, Jesus did not have the same attitudes and ambitions that we have.

Can you imagine for a minute if Jesus would have approached his life with our attitudes. ‘Look Father God, this idea you thought up of sending me into that sinful world to suffer and die on the cross is just not on. I as your Son am prince of this kingdom of yours, so I want a say in this matter. In fact I want to sit up here next to you and help you rule over this kingdom. So I’m not going down there mixing with those riff-raff; getting dirty and suffering in that pigsty they have made for themselves.’

‘And what, me, go and be punished for their sin: dying on a cross, and being totally forsaken by you, so that they can then be fellow princes with me, without them having to do a thing to earn it; come on that is just over the top. No way! Let them get what is coming to them; after all it is their own fault. Let them get what is coming to them; since they are the ones who want to be equal with you. They are the ones who don’t want to be obedient to you, or know your will. Look, I’ll sit up here with you and share your glory.’

Yes, thank God, that that was not his attitude. Thank the Lord that he was not like us. Mark makes it quite clear in this reading, that, ‘Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for all.’ Jesus himself made this quite clear, many, many times. His life, teachings, miracles and death, none of it was for his own ambitious glory. It was all for our benefit and in obedience to, and for the glory of, his Father.

Jesus came and lived here on earth, not to do his own will and thing, but the will of his Father. As an obedient servant, he allowed himself to be killed, for the benefit and well-being of all mankind and not for himself. Even when Jesus performed miracles, Mark tells us that he told the people not to tell anyone, because they were not done for his own glory. All of his miracles and everything else he did, was for our benefit and because of God’s love for us. He even suffered the total forsaking of his Father in his death on the cross, so that we can be freed to be children of God: brothers and sisters of Christ.

So here, Jesus turns upside down our whole way of thinking as to what is good and beneficial. In fact he says those who seek after greatness will only find it in being the servant of others. It is not found in positions of power and authority, but in those who are given in service to others. For Jesus and his followers, the way of greatness is the cross and suffering, not glory. He points out that the one who will be first in life will the one who is a slave for others: The one who serves, does so out of obedience to one higher than themselves and does it for their benefit and for the good of others.

Here a genuine slave is one who serves not to gain a thing for themselves, but for the praise and glory of his master. Even the wielding of power and authority for God is not to bring attention on ourselves, but the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the focal point of all action, thinking, praise and glory. He is the person to whom it all belongs, for he has totally given his life in obedience to his Father and for our benefit. Now life is found nowhere else and in no-one else, but in him who gave his life so that we may gain life.

When our focus is truly on Jesus and what he did for us on the cross we are left in no doubt as to our own unworthiness and sinfulness: and it puts us back on our knees and humbles any thoughts of greatness that may be there in our lives. There we realize with the utmost of gratitude and servitude, that he is the only one who truly is Lord of all: and that we are now his servants, for him to do with as he pleases. There to him we now look for our guidance as to how he would have us live and act as people who have been bought back with the greatest cost of all: the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. There we realize that our way too is the way of the cross: the way of service to others.

So yes, thanks be to God, that his Son, not only told us of the way of the cross, but above all went the way of the cross for us. That Jesus Christ came to serve his Father in total humility and obedience; so that we might be freed by his blood: so that we can now share with him in heavenly glory. Let us therefore humbly place ourselves before him, and allow him to do with us what he wills: ‘not my will but thy will be done.’ Here let us also remember that he leads us to follow his way of suffering servant-hood, and goes before us to guide and help us to do so, and gives us the assurance that it is not in vain. Through whatever he has in mind for us, may all thanks and praise go to him who is truly great: to the one who was the servant of all; our Lord Jesus Christ. To him alone be all praise and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Hebrews 4:12-16. Hold firmly to the faith 11/10/09

(12) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. {13} Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. {14} Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. {15} For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. {16} Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

As we live out our lives every day, we are well aware of a number of difficult issues that are facing us as individuals and as a church. We have all kinds of pressures and temptations coming to bear on us: Too numerous to mention, as each one of us faces different situations. However perhaps the greatest is that subtle, and not so subtle pressure to focus on ourselves and what we do, feel and want. Even in churchly things we are pressured these days to put the focus on ourselves and what we think, do and want. As a result, we are suffering in many ways.

More and more the pressure is put on us to perform, if we are to be happy, fulfilled and even saved. We have to do all the right things if our church is to survive, and must be up with the latest trends if we are to grow. Then also, we need to overlook the truth and be tolerant of all other beliefs so that we can all be one. And I could go on, but we know that there is so much that we face that is not quite right and good; and to stand up in the face of it means we come under pressure and face difficulties. At times it all seems too much; and in the thick of it all, we are tempted to look for a way out, an easy road; or we wonder if we should just give up.

However here in Hebrews we are reminded of a few things that we need to keep in mind, in the midst of all of this. Here I would first like to go back a few verses before this as there is an important point that we continually need to keep in mind.
(Heb 4:9-11) There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Here there is an answer for us in the face of unrest. There is rest from the hassles of life: and in fact, it is the very best – it is called, the Sabbath rest: complete rest – a joining with God in his rest, which he entered into after the six days of creation: A rest from the hard work of life and an enjoyment of God's creation. And yes, that is what we are looking for isn't it; here and in eternity. Don't we all long for this? To be freed from the grind of life and the hassles of living in a sinful, selfish world, so that we can enjoy life and creation: so that we can rest easy with our God. In many ways, that is our modern society down to a tee: we look for leisure and recreation, without the demands of work.

What God says to us here is that as we enter God's rest, we can rest from our work. In becoming a part of God's family, we also can have a rest from the grind of having to work our way to heaven; and from being stressed out by the problems and work that have here as his people. This is the freedom that we want, and is there for us at this time, as we make every effort to be a part of the enjoyment and peace that God has for us. But not by looking for the easy way out or taking the easy road. Instead, in the thick of life, with all the hassles associated with it, we make that extra effort to be a part of this rest that is mentioned here, knowing that we have the rest and peace that we long for. Now that sounds a bit odd; but it is for real: particularly as we look around at those who opt out and seek the easy road, or who try to be trendy. They have less rest and peace than those who get on with life and work at being a part of that rest that is there for us courtesy of our Lord Jesus.

So then, we need to look a bit further and deeper; and it is interesting that the writer goes immediately to something which seems to be quite different: he starts speaking about the Word of God. The Word of God, which divides and cuts to the core: the Word which uncovers the real us: which reveals the real us as we stand before the eyes of God, who sees what our attitudes and motivations really are.

So in our attempt to find peace and rest, we are directed toward the Bible – toward Divine Service - which firstly makes life even more uncomfortable for us as it lays down what God has to say and expects of us; and there leaves us without doubt as to what God has in mind for us; and how far short of its ideals we come. It tells us why we have the problems we have and why we are selfish, and where we really stand before God and what is truly needed.

This Word also helps us to see what God sees as important. It helps us to look at all the thinking, pressures and temptations that come our way, with an understanding of what God holds as important. This word penetrates and divides so that everything is uncovered and laid bare. That which is not in accord with his word will receive its due reward.

So in our attempt to find rest and an easy life we are helped to see that all we do, think and say, as important as it may be, and no matter who we may be, leaves us without rest when it is done for and by ourselves; without reference to our Lord. Even our sitting back and wanting to enjoy life, does not satisfy as we would like or need; and we are left longing for more: longing for real help: longing for acceptance, peace and rest with God, forever.

That then is where our reading goes on to remind us that we have only one solution: Jesus Christ. Here he is referred to as ‘the great high priest:’ one who could enter into God's presence in heaven and offer up the sacrifice necessary for all sin, once and for all. He gave himself for all of our failures and shortcomings, so that we can enter God's rest. Jesus doing what is necessary to take care of the failures of everyone by dying on the cross: so that now God can accept us all as his very own. He can guarantee this rest that we so desperately need. He has done that for everyone – for all people in this community and beyond. We have everything necessary for this life and the next; so we can have a sure rest for our souls as we live out our lives every day.

But sadly many do not know of this wonderful Good News, or who are deliberately or wantonly misled, or who have forgotten or turned their backs on what our gracious Lord has done for us; and so lose out on the greatness, peace and rest that he has for us. But that now is why our worship here: our theology: and all the rest is important. That is why these things have to be maintained. That is why God allows us to go through our struggles over these things: So that others can know what is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ. That is why we now don't sit back, trying to take the easy way through life simply for own benefit, letting others go their merry way to Hell.

Meanwhile knowing that through God's Word and our high priest Jesus Christ, we have the assurance of rest and peace, now even in the thick of life; we can give our all to do what God wants. We can take up the challenges and hardships that are before us, for the sake of others: even when it hurts; knowing in Christ that we have that rest which assures us that we are right with God, and that our sufferings and work which is no longer for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others; is not in vain. The Lord has promised to bless that work we do for him and others. So we can go forward and give our all - even if the going is tough.

So that being the case, let us hold firmly to this faith which we profess: Remembering that we have one on our side who understands. In fact, we are told, one who sympathises with us in our weaknesses and who is there at God's side now seeking to do what is necessary for our good and the good of others. Knowing that he has been here in our world as one of us and who was tempted in every way, without sinning; we now can and are encouraged to approach our Lord and seek his help, and find his undeserving love at work in our lives: particularly in these times when we face difficult situations.

Let us now have the confidence to hold firmly to this faith that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ; and to approach him for this help we need as we face the situations that we have before us. And may we receive the mercy and help that he promises and wants to give us at this time. There may we find again his grace: his undeserving love at work in our lives, enabling us to do what is needed for us to go forward as his people in this community. In so doing may we in some way make a difference, so that others can be helped to see and know the Good News that is ours in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is a great God - let us hold firmly to him, so that he can bless us and our community. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish