Roger's Postings

Saturday, October 27, 2012


Mark 10:46-52.                       Lord, have mercy on me!                    28/10/12

 {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.

 Many people today know they are in trouble, in one way or another, and cannot see a way out. They know that their life is far from what they believe deep down it is meant to be, but cannot see any way out. We like to have a whinge about our problems and call for mercy: for help. However, we are living at a time when we are discouraged from talking about this. Instead we are encouraged to not think about the negatives, but to think positively. So this reading here this morning is relevant to our situation today.

 Think about poor, blind, Bartimaeus, he has got nothing going for him: he does not even have a welfare system like what we have in this country of ours. So he is left to beg on the side of the road, in order to get enough scraps to survive on. So when he hears that this new guy, Jesus, is coming up the road he yells out for help, for mercy. The locals only give him a few scraps, so maybe this new guy might give him a bit more, so he has a good whinge. Just maybe he might give me a little more help; even if he doesn’t provide a miracle.

 But of course, he is told by the locals to just shut up. Nobody wants to hear someone putting a dampener on the situation and reminding them of the tough and negative things of life. No, we are here to find out about and focus on all of the good things of life. We want someone who can drive out the Romans and give us a good life. Then all will be well for us.

I would be fairly confident in saying that their attitude back then was little different from what it is today. None of us wants to be reminded of the bad stuff that is there in our lives: it is too depressing and negative. We don’t want to think about our faults and failures and the fact that we are constantly facing a messed up world. We would much rather pretend that it is, or at least should be, all good and rosy.

 However, in the end we have only two choices open to us. Either, we give up in despair or cry out like Bartimaeus; Lord, have mercy on me!

Many, have just given up. In light of the endless treadmill of life that promises much but doesn’t deliver they decided to just live for the moment. Get out of life now, what you can, while you can: To hang with tomorrow or with having to make tough decisions.

 Sadly, many have listened to those who say there is no God and those who say we are only descendants of monkeys, and as a result see no ultimate meaning and purpose to life. Others are seeking after important breakthroughs in human science, in the hope they we can make a better world for the future. The hustle and bustle of our ‘busy’ lives drowns out the still small voice of the reality of life and the fact that there is a God out there. The alcohol, drug and sex addictions, allows us, for a short time, to escape the hopelessness of it all.

The result of this is that we don’t want hear the sad woes of most of the people around us. We don’t want to ask the deep questions of why there is all of this trouble and hardship. And we don’t want to be out of step with the majority around us, and reflect on the reality of God, of sin, and of the one true help that there is for us.

But for Bartimaeus and those who recognise the depth of this world’s sin and that there is a God out there; these attempts to quieten the Christian voice and the cries for help, only compels them to cry out all the more: Lord, have mercy on us! He alone can give us what we need in order to get past the difficulties that we are facing. He alone can give us the good life that we know should be there for us: He alone can give us the eternal youth that we desperately yearn after.

‘Blind Freddy’ can see that because of our sinfulness, humanity cannot, and will never be able to give us the life that we know should be there for us. So we call on God for his mercy – his help. He alone can get us out of this mess that we have made for ourselves.
 
It is in the midst of this confusion of noise, thoughts and happenings the call of Jesus goes out to those who are longing for this mercy. Even today God voice and call go out to those who know they are in trouble. He hears and knows our situation and he longs to give us the help that we need.

In fact even before our cries start, he came to our aid. God himself comes into our world as a human being to overcome the stench of death that hangs over humanity because of its sin. He came and performed many miracles as a sign that, here in Jesus, God himself was present to do what was need for our salvation. Then he goes to the cross and takes the punishment that we deserve, on himself, so that we may be forgiven and given eternal life. Then he rises from the dead three days later so that we can be absolutely sure that this is all for real. He has had mercy on us.
 
That message and mercy goes out week after week as he calls us to come to him: to come into his house so that he can give us the help that we need. Through Word and Sacrament he reassures us of his greatest commitment and help, by reminding us in a very practical and personal way that he forgives us and accepts us as his very own. There he reminds us that he is with us even now as we go about our daily lives and as we live in the face of even our severest problems. He is here in our fellowship and support that we give to one another in very practical ways.

 In that personal relationship that he has with us, he also asks: "What do you want me to do for you?"  He seeks from us what we want in the face of the troubles we face; whatever they might be. He wants to do for us, what would enable us to see that which is important for us to see and know and be a part of. He does listen to our every cry and every concern, and is eager to do what is good for us.

 So the miracle that we look for may not necessarily be that which we have in mind. But it will be that which is beneficial for our long term good. Because he knows all things, he is able to do, and even allow for those things that we might in the short term see as bad, but which is best for us and for the spiritual welfare of others.

So the miracle might be to allow us to go through some suffering or difficulty so that we are able to witness of our faith in the Lord Jesus. Which in turn has enabled someone else to come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Or it might be the case that he allows us to die prematurely so that we do not have to go through even greater difficulty in which we or someone else loses their faith. Ultimately the greatest miracle is his taking us to be with himself in heaven.

So as we look to him and trust that he has what is good for us in mind, we hear his word: "your faith has healed you." In him we know that that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. As we look to him we know that miraculously we are a part of that which is good and eternal, whatever our current situation may be.

 With that we know that we have immediately received our sight. We are able to see through what is around us that which is truly good and eternal. We are able to see that in and with Jesus Christ it will all work out for good. Yes, we like him, may have to endure suffering along the road of this life, but we can now see that this is God’s way of working life and salvation in the midst of a sinful world.

 So now we too can follow Jesus along the road. We too can take up our crosses and follow where he leads and endure something of what he endured. But we know that we are a part of his work of bringing life and salvation to a broken hurting world. We also know that we will be following him through death to life in eternal glory.

 What a miracle! The Lord has had mercy on us. To him be all glory and honour, now and always. Amen.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

 

Saturday, October 20, 2012


Mark 10:35-45                        Suffering, servant hood????               21/10/12

 (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."

 The theme coming through in our readings this morning is the whole idea of suffering servant-hood. Yes, even my spell-checker on the computer has trouble accepting this concept. This thinking is so foreign and obnoxious to our present world’s thinking. Even we here, I am sure, do not like the idea that Jesus is trying to get across to us all when he says: whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. Servant hood and slavery are the furtherest we could think of from what we believe life is all about. Then to put suffering and the giving up of one’s life in the mix, that is surely the worst.

 Now, the temptation for us is to disengage: to switch of from thinking about this. Let us pretend that we didn’t hear this word this morning. Let us go and join another church that doesn’t talk about these things, but only that which is nice and easy to cope with. We want to hear the good stuff; the uplifting things; the things that make us feel good and which can make us look great in the eyes of the world around us. Yes we want the glory road.

However, we cannot and must not do this. Salvation and eternal life is at stake here. Jesus is very clear here and throughout that God’s view of life and salvation is completely opposite to the ways of our world’s thinking.

 I guess that is the whole point. We sinful human beings do not want to accept God’s ways and so we hold up the opposite view and try to persuade ourselves that this is the best way. In our rebellion against God we say that his ways are not good and ours are really what makes for life. Yet if we are truly honest about it, we have to recognise that our ways are absolutely disastrous for us; even from a worldly point of view.

 Just look at the world around us, and in just this one area of chasing after greatness and discarding servanthood, we can see quite clearly how this has throughout history brought untold misery on humanity. We see the friction, tension, and bloodshed this has had and still has, as a result of people seeking after greatness and authority over others. Just look at what is happening in politics in this country as we move further and further from the idea of service, to what is in it for me and how can we lord it over others.

 Think also as to what this shift in thinking has meant for our attitude to our work and even to our family relationships. Again and again we see the disastrous results of humanity seeking after authority and greatness in earthly terms. There are the immediate tensions in a relationship, just as there were amongst the disciples as James and John sought positions alongside Jesus. But that can then lead further and further down the path of disloyalty, friction, anarchy and bloodshed. This we are seeing over and over again on an increasing scale.

 Yet, despite the observance of these results, we continue as a society and as individuals to promote and seek after this self-promotion and self-aggrandisement. Our selfish, self-centred rebellion against God and his ways continues to push this thinking to the fore. As a result we are making life harder and harder for ourselves. Along with that it often seems to be that there is no way out for us: We are caught on a treadmill that we cannot get off of.

  However, Jesus reminds us of another way that is available to us. A way that draws people together, rather than drive them apart: a way that lifts and helps one another up, as well as ensuring us that we will be a part of true greatness. He says to us: whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

 Yes, that does not fit our thinking, but this is what God has in mind. And he knows what is good and beneficial. He surely knows what makes for true greatness. And he will have that ultimate say at the end, as to what is the correct view on these matters.

 So then, let us consider what Jesus has to say here: whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. So if we want to do something great and worthwhile then we need to be about serving one another: doing what is best for the other, rather than for self. Instead of putting ourselves over others, even if we are in leadership positions, we are to constantly be seeking to do what we can for the benefit of others. True greatness comes from this attitude of servant hood: True greatness comes giving our lives for the benefit of others. This we see as we look around us and note how the people who are truly lauded in our community are those who untiringly give their lives for the good of others. Here we think of people like Mother Teresa, or that eye doctor who went into those poor countries self-lessly doing all that good work. I am sure you can name others.

 Here Jesus does not just say to serve others, but he goes even further and says: whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. So here he go so far as to say that we are to put ourselves at the ‘beck and call’ of others. We see ourselves as last of all, and willingly to do what is need for the benefit others: willing to do what they want: willing to be their slave. Now there is a challenge to our thinking. Then in doing that he says we will be first. Then God looks at that as the very best of all.

 Now there is a radical call to our present day thinking. As much as we see glimpses of this in our world and the good that it really is, it is something we practically find very hard to come to terms with. Even though we can see how it could be so good, we struggle to do it because it goes against the grain of society and our sinful human condition.

This then is where that final sentence of Jesus’ is so critical for us. He said: 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. Think about that, God’s own Son came to earth to serve: To serve; not God, but us human beings. We who have rebelled and gone against God: we who all too often do not want do what he asks of us; including here, serving others. He came to serve us all, even those who have gone on and rejected him.

When he came to this earth he helped the poor, the sick and outcasts. He associated with the tax collectors and sinners. He did what was needed to be done for the demon-possessed, as well as for the self-righteous Pharisees. He came to serve us all.

And even more significantly, he gave his life as a ransom for many. He died for us all, voluntarily and willingly; all of us. He takes the punishment that we deserve on himself, so that we might be forgiven. Here I would encourage you to go home and read again the Old Testament reading that we had earlier from Isaiah 53:4-12. Hear again what Jesus would do for us all.
 
This same Jesus even now, comes to serve us; to help us now do what we are reluctant to do. In light of our baptisms, he now seeks to help us to do those things that are good and right for us to do. Through his Word and Holy Communion he is constantly seeking to encourage us to see that we can give of ourselves for the benefit of others: We will not go short ourselves, for we have already been given everything that we need for this life and the next. We will not go short of anything that is of true value.

So now we can go out and serve others; even being a slave to them and their real needs. We can go with Jesus Christ at our very side and do what he would have us do. We go with him who is the greatest and the first of all, to continue his work of serving those around about us. In so doing, may all glory and honour go to him whom it truly belongs; our great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Friday, October 12, 2012


Mark 10:17-27.                       Eternal Life - human impossibility!                14/10/12

 (17)  As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" {18} "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. {19} You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honour your father and mother.'" {20} "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." {21} Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." {22} At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. {23} Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" {24} The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! {25} It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." {26} The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" {27} Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

 If I were to ask you the question: If you were to die today, would you be sure that you would go to heaven and that God would let you in?
What would your answer be? Seriously, would you be sure that you would be there; and if so, Why?

There are many people today – and many in our own community here who assume so and who will say something like: ‘Yes, I suppose so. I am as good as the next bloke. I have done the best I can. I go to Church - even if it is only occasionally, and I try to do the right thing; most of the time anyway. I haven't been any worse than the next guy. So yes, I am sure I'll be right.

 Well look at this needle. You probably can't see it because it is so small. But those people with that attitude that I have just mentioned, have got as much chance of getting to heaven as they have of going through the eye of this needle, unless there is a major shift in their thinking. Many of the people with that kind of attitude are in for a huge surprise, and are on a one way trip to Hell. Even more sadly there are many so-called ‘Christian’ preachers who are encouraging just this kind of thinking. They like these others will also face the full wrath of God.
But what about you? Where do you stand?

We all need to ask the question that this rich man asked: "What must I do to receive eternal life?" But here we must hear Jesus' reply; and not short-circuit the issue. Jesus says to us all: If you want to get yourself to heaven, then go and keep all the commandments – perfectly. Do not commit murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not accuse anyone falsely. Do not cheat. Respect your father and mother. Do it all it without fail: With no slip-ups at all. Then on top of that, how about, loving the Lord your God above and beyond anything else; including your money, yourselves, your rights, or anything else. Not taking the Lord's name in vain. And keep Sundays as a day of rest and to the glory of God: Again without one mistake. Do all of that and eternal life is yours.

Like the rich man here, we often think that we are not too bad; and by the standards of this world, maybe we are not so bad. But by God's standards of perfection, we have failed miserably. The rich man even though he had done very well, we hear that he still lacked one thing: his treasure was in his wealth and not God. And because we are like him, we find it so hard to give up having and doing those things which are against God. So we also can often only hang our heads in shame.

 The long and short of it all is that if we want to gain eternal life by our own efforts, we are in trouble. Sadly we all place too much emphasis on what we have to do, and usually it is our perception of what and how good we think we are to be. Our focus is on the things of this world and what our world thinks is good with regard to our receiving eternal life. Too often we fail to measure ourselves by God's standards; and in so doing we desperately try to gain eternal life by squeezing ourselves through ‘the eye of a needle.’ It is an impossible task. Doomed to failure. Our wealth; keeping the commandments; our Christian knowledge; nothing we have and nothing we do, will get us to heaven. We just cannot do it by ourselves. It is an impossible task. We need to very clearly realize this and understand its full implications. When we look here, to ourselves, we find nothing but failure and eternal death: we have an impossible task in front of us.

 But thankfully that is where Jesus reminds us again, that what is impossible for us, is not impossible with God. With him everything is possible. We have failed to live perfectly as God would have us, so God sends his very own Son Jesus to live as a human being, with no more power and strength than what we have available to us. He sends him to live in our world and to go through everything we have to go through and more. Then he offers his perfect life as a sacrifice, to pay the penalty for our failure. There on the cross our perfect brother takes our sin on himself. He takes the full punishment of God, that should have been metered out to us, on himself. There, in place of our sin, he gives us his perfection and eternal life. Through what Christ has done, ‘the eye of a needle’ is no longer an impossibility. Heaven is offered to each and every one of us freely. Nothing now in all creation stands in our way.

 So what do we have to do to gain eternal life? Nothing! It is given to us freely, without us having to do anything. The impossible is now possible. It is a reality. All we are called to do is believe this Good News and then go on and live in light of it: that is seek to live as God would have us live.

 But sadly, the rich man forfeited what was given to him; and many today are doing exactly the same thing. They don't believe it and will not trust that this is the case for them. They would prefer instead, to carry on as usual; ignoring what is their's and thereby losing what is given freely to them. They are not wanting to trust Jesus more than their money, knowledge or something else.

 On top of that, they are often told in a round about ways, that we have to do this, that or the other in order to gain eternal life and they believe it, because it fits with what our sinful human pride wants to think. So these people go through life with their false delusions and inner sadness. Because they have lost sight of the reality of our true situation before God; they fail to come to terms with our imperfection and thereby try to downplay the wrath of God. Then also, what God has done for us through Jesus Christ is of no great consequence.

 There are others also who are forfeiting what God has made possible for them through Jesus Christ, or who are in great danger of doing so. These people seem to have this idea that: ‘Hey, I'm Christian. I have heard all this stuff about Jesus. I was baptized and so I am a part of the Church, even if I only go occasionally. So she'll be right.’ Then they think that they can go and live and do as they please. In so doing they are not trusting Jesus and what he has said and done for us. These people are in danger of merely using this as an excuse to justify themselves. They are trying to put a leg on each side of the fence and think that they can get away with it. But in reality they are in great danger; because again they have failed to see, or want to see, what our failure to live by God's commands really amounts to. There seems to be no comprehension of the pain and agony that the Lord Jesus went through for our salvation: or that it does matter if we fail to live the way God wants us to. So they are in many ways turning their backs on Jesus and failing to believe what God has to say to us.

 What we are reminded of, here again, is that God can and has done the impossible for us. He has gained eternal life for us: this same God has a better way for us to now live and act here on this earth. Trusting that he has gained eternal life for us, now means that we can trust that in midst this mess that we have made for ourselves, that he does have something to say that can make life easier for us. Now because we have gained eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we now need to seek to live by the Ten Commandments and everything else that God has taught us: Trusting that this is a better way for us. Who are we fooling if we think we can say yes, I believe in Jesus, but then live and act in complete denial of this truth. We are in danger of having the same attitude as the rich man, and so losing out on eternal life.

 So again I ask, where do you stand? If you were to die now, would you be going to heaven? Can you say with confidence that you will? Not because of anything within you, but because of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. I pray that this is your answer, so that we all will be joined with God in heaven. Let us not forget that eternal life is a human impossibility because of our sin. But also that through the Lord Jesus, God has done the impossible for us. With that knowledge we can now then live positively and confidently as he would have us, each and every day of our life here on earth. So to him again then, be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Thursday, October 04, 2012


Mark 10:2-9.               Divorce and marriage??                      7/10/12

 (2)  Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" {3} "What did Moses command you?" he replied. {4} They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." {5} "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. {6} "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' {7} 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, {8} and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. {9} Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Today we are confronted with Jesus’ views on a very important issue for our society; divorce and marriage. In this regard we are presented with a mathematical equation which defies our imagination; 1+1+1=1. That’s right 1+1+1=1. Many of you now are probably starting to think that I have finally cracked, or that I am trying to be funny. But no, I am deadly serious. This is the mathematical equation that we are called on to take seriously when it comes to marriage.

 Because today we so often can't come to grips with this thinking, we as a society are having big problems with marriage and the all too common divorces. Because we don't understand marriage and have wrong perceptions about it, it is then that we have the problems that we do with divorce. As a result, this has become a real threat to the whole fabric of our society. So here we are called on to give serious thought again to what marriage is all about from God’s perspective, and the importance that our Lord places on it: Along with that, we have Jesus answer to the questions; is divorce OK from a Christian perspective, and what is our understanding of marriage that allows it to happen?

 Today it is very appropriate that we look at these questions at this time; particularly in light of much of the thinking that is around about us these days. Of course, there are many today who are not interested in hearing what our Lord has to say on this matter; and who consider themselves too enlightened and mature. Others again, like to twist and turn what God has to say to suite themselves; or are like the Pharisees, and find loop holes and ways around it. Others again, simply couldn't be bothered think too deeply about marriage, but just hope that it will all work out and nothing will go wrong; or they are just out to get what pleasure they can for themselves while they can, to hang with the consequences, after all we can always get out of it.

 I believe that we all need to listen again to what our Lord has to say here. Too often our attitude to marriage and divorce is based on a faulty understanding of what marriage really is. We too go along with the modern education which tells us that 1+1+1=3. When it comes to marriage more particularly, 1+1=2 individuals. 1 male + 1 female =two people living together: However that now sadly can also be homosexual. But simply two people living together in a relationship and yet still considering themselves as individuals: and then they wonder why they have so many problems in marriage, and why divorce continues to wreck thousands upon thousands of lives; and why we also continue to find ways and means of condoning this terrible action.

 Here Jesus spells out quite clearly why marriage problems and divorce has become an option for so many: "it is because your hearts are hard" he says. Because you are stubborn and self-centred people; people who want to be your own person and do your own thing. Even in marriage you want to be an individual, and have your rights and privileges; your own expectations and your own desires. You want out of marriage what you want, and when you can't get it just get up and leave. This is how sick our modern idolatry of self has become.

No longer is adultery the primary motive for divorce: if ones partner annoys, embarrasses or doesn't give us what we want, even there it seems that we go looking elsewhere today. We consider ourselves individuals, with our own rights, feelings and wants; and so we very much have the equation, 1+1=2 individuals living together while it is convenient. Even when we bring God into our marriage, then it is still 1+1+1=3: and again it = disaster: it never works out as it should or is intended: there will always be problems.

So it is time again to look at using Jesus' equation for marriage; and as we do we will find a whole new attitude to marriage; and divorce will no longer need to be an option. Let us look again and work on God's original intention for humanity and marriage: 1+1+1=1.

 This understanding reminds us that first of all, our Lord has made us to live in unity with himself. He has created us to live in a close personal relationship with him: a oneness; God and us giving of ourselves for the benefit of each other: To be at one in our thinking with each other: To care about each other and do what is best for each other, and not for ourselves.

 In this regard our Lord has continually kept his side of the relationship, even when we have gone off and played the adulteress, he still continues to love us and has done all he can to win us back: he continues to do what is good for us: he continues to be there for us. In fact he went so far as to give up his own Son so that we might be restored to unity and oneness with himself: to forgive us and make a new way for us.

 As we take up the challenge to live in that personal relationship again with him, that oneness that is given, will grow. God through his Word and Sacraments will continue to draw us closer to himself; peace, security, contentment and joy will be had all round. No longer will we want to live by and for ourselves; we will want to do what pleases him rather than ourselves: we will listen to him and follow his ways. Then the Lord and us will be united in all things, and we will know the fulfilment associated with that, which is beyond understanding.

 Then as we contemplate marriage we find that the same unity and oneness is expressed and given. God created us male and female for the very purpose of being a unit: to be joined together as one inseparable relationship. Not two individuals living together, but one flesh - working together for the common good. Loving and caring for each other as a single entity: Using our God-given talents and gifts for the benefit of the marriage: giving of ourselves for the enrichment of the whole unit.

 Here each one carries out different roles; but for the one purpose, just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit do as one God. The Father as the creator; the Son as redeemer; and the Holy Spirit as counsellor and helper, each carrying out their roles all for the common good and as one God.

So also we see this same thinking being used between Christ and his Church. God’s Word talks about; husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the Church, giving himself to death to save her. Wives submitting to their husbands as Christ did to the will of his Father; as the Church does to its Lord.

Here then in our marriages we will also seek to spend as much time as we can with our spouse; and we will do what we can to please them rather than ourselves. Also we will listen to them and seek to do what we can for them. Here we will seek to talk in terms of ‘we’ rather than me. We will support each other in our decision making which is done for the good of the family.  We will ‘be patient and kind. We will not envy, or boast, or be proud. We will not be rude, or self-seeking, or easily angered, or keep a record of wrongs. We will not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. We will always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere. Then in our marriages, as we live this way in this oneness that is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ, we will therein find all that we really need and want. 1+1+1=1.

 So let us forget this self fulfilment and individualism rubbish in marriage that is so readily promoted be our society around us. Instead let us see again that marriage is meant to be not two people living together, but one unit made of two parts that are inseparable: one flesh - no longer two but one. Here understanding that this is what our God created us for, and knowing that God is ensuring that what He has joined together nothing separates. Through that he will not only bring great blessing to the couple and family, but also to our society as a whole.

 So let us go from here today and be prepared to work at this equation that our Lord has given us, recognising that it is worth working at – it is important. And where there is weakness and failure and individualism, let us look to our God for healing, help and strength to make it work. Seeking from him that love which removes all barriers and unites us into a oneness that is inseparable. For it is in him alone that find and can have that unity that we so desperately need; and it is in him that we find the answers and the help we need to restore marriage to what it is intended to be. So may God be with you and enrich your marriage, and marriage in our community, as we all seek to have and promote the equation, 1+1+1=1. AMEN.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish