Roger's Postings

Friday, March 29, 2013


Luke 24:1-11   Looking for the living among the dead!!              31/3/13

 {1)  On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. {2} They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, {3} but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. {4} While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. {5} In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? {6} He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: {7} 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" {8} Then they remembered his words. {9} When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. {10} It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. {11} But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

 He is risen! He is risen indeed! The Lord Jesus has risen from the dead. The one who died on the cross for our salvation has now risen from the dead so that we can be sure that we have a living Lord and saviour. This is truly fantastic, life-changing news. This surely gives us the impetus to go forward in life with renewed zeal and a new attitude to life.

But does it? I wonder how many of us today are still back with those women on that first Easter morning, still going to look among the dead for the one who is living. Going through the motions of life: doing what we have to do in order to maintain an appearance of having it all together; but inwardly are mourning, lonely and without hope. Still looking for that something that will put life into our life and give us some sort of certainty and enthusiasm for the future. Sadly our world is full of people still looking for the answers to life; pinning their hopes one thing after the other, only to be let down again and again.

 Others are like the disciples hiding away in fear and loneliness, not wanting to believe because it goes against the grain of our commonly held views. Nobody dies like that and comes alive again: that is simply a yarn that somebody wants us to believe. It has to be a story that someone has made up to try to drum up business, we think.

 Even in the church there are those who want to keep Jesus at an arms distance, almost of if they don’t want a living and active Lord in their lives – except to give them what they want. But while he is out there at a distance there is no real need to change our lives or our commitment. We can pretty much live as we please. We can stay scared, lonely and self-centred. In this way we keep on looking for the dead rather than the living.

 While other again want to be like Mary Magdalene and hang on to Jesus for dear life. They want their own personal experiences and their own fulfilments, without thought of sharing what they have seen and know, with others around them. Their only thought is for themselves and their own happiness and peace of mind.

 Yes, I know full well, that we often see and experience deadness within the church and it’s life. But so often the problem again lies with us: we want to look for and find that which is dead. We want the services, sermons and the people to be less than perfect so that we ourselves can sit back and only be involved on our own terms. When we see pain, suffering and death; or failure, poor health and unhappiness, we can sit back and say the church and God is dead and useless.

 When we are looking at the church and the people within it, of course we will find evidence of death. In a tomb you will often find either a corpse or emptiness. The church is made up of sinful, selfish human beings, so how can it not have its failings and shortcomings. The question there is, are they looking to Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection for their help or forgiveness or not.

 But it is here today that I would like to remind you all of the angels message to the women in the empty tomb. "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"

 Even though not one single person on earth sought Jesus’ living presence on the first Easter morning, he still rose from the dead. Just as on Good Friday he died for all, even though not one of us deserved it. So too is Jesus alive and active today even though not many seek him or want him: even though most do not want to believe or accept this fact.

 Here though, let us be sure, that he was raised from the dead, and he is alive. This is not just some fanciful story. Let us remember that Jesus said time and time again that he would die and three days later be raised to life again. But even more telling is the fact that their are many passages in the Old Testament, that we know were written hundreds of years before this, on many different occasions, that speak of the Messiah having to die for the sin of humanity and that he would rise again, and that he would continue to be active throughout the ages. Then since his death and resurrection there has again been account after account of people testifying to the fact that this Jesus did die and rise again three days later. So just as it is written: he is not dead, but has risen – Jesus is alive and active, yesterday, today and forever.

Here let us remember that he is here with us today as he promised that he would be. He is here in, with and under the ordinary things of life. He promises that he is with us every time his Word is read and spoken: through the Bible readings, the sermon, or an encouraging word from a fellow believer. He is here in the bread and wine of Holy Communion. He is here in the waters of baptism. He is here in every loving action of his people. He is alive today and active in our world in the ordinary everyday things of life. In all those things that connect us back to his death on the cross there is Jesus Christ himself.

 WE here also need to remember that wherever Jesus and his Spirit goes today, he brings his word of forgiveness. He extends the same love to us all that he showed on the cross, and the extent he is prepared to go in order that we might all be a part of his family. He wants us all to know that he died for us all, so that forgiveness of sins, life and salvation might be ours. Life here and in heaven is now assured for all who are simply willing to trust what he has to offer.

 Then knowing that we do have God’s love and forgiveness – and that salvation and eternal life is ours, he also reassures us that he is with us and does care for us, as we go about our daily lives. He does offer us the power to achieve what we think we cannot achieve on our own. He enables us to love as he has loved us. Through his word of love and forgiveness in the ordinary situations of life, new life begins in a fantastic way for others. Throughout as we live as his people we have the assurance that no matter what, we have Jesus and his forgiveness, life and salvation with us: and no one and nothing can take that away from us.

So believe you, me: Jesus is not dead, but has been raised from the dead. He is risen! He is risen indeed. He is risen so that we can be sure that his death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, was for real. He truly is our Lord and Saviour.

 Now we know that we are loved; we are saved, and we do belong. The Lord is with us always, as he promises us. Now we can live in the midst of the troubles and heartaches of this world with a real sense of peace and underlying joy and commitment. We can love; giving our all for the benefit of others. All because our Lord Jesus has died for us and has now risen from the dead.

 This is Good News. This is amazing news. Too good to keep to ourselves. So like those women who went to the tomb, let us now go out from here knowing that Jesus is alive and with us; and let us share this good news with others. For He is risen. He is risen indeed!  AMEN

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013


Luke 19:28-40             Your King has come??                                                24/4/13

(28)  After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. {29} As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, {30} "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. {31} If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.'" {32} Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. {33} As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" {34} They replied, "The Lord needs it." {35} They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. {36} As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. {37} When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: {38} "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" {39} Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" {40} "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

Tell the world her King has come! The King has come to save his people! Even if you keep quiet, the stones will cry out." And two thousand years ago the world rushes to and fro in an attempt to jump on the bandwagon. Back then they were desperately looking for a way out of the mess they were in. They knew things were not the way they should be or the way they were meant to be. So they were looking for a leader who would get them out trouble; who would provide them with miracle after miracle; and who would drive out the Romans and set up their own nation once again.

So at the first cry that a saviour has come they all rush out to shout their accolades to the one they think might be able to help them. Here hopefully, is a glimmer of hope: Thinking of course, primarily in the short term, of personal gain and a reduction of hardship and pain: Hoping for a better and easier future ahead: Looking for powerful leadership, without too much commitment, difficulty and service on their part.

Today, are things any different? People are still looking for an easy way through life; for quick-fixes; and for any sort of saviour that might get them out of the mess of life. And our saviours that we have heralded in recent times are technology, the environmentalists, and the economists. And in the churches it is the church growth gurus and the proponents of ten easy steps to whatever in our Christian life, all of which focuses on me and what I want and feel, and must do. And people all over the place have been jumping on the bandwagon; shouting the importance of this new thinking: Desperately hoping that this will now ensure us a long, happy, and easy life, and maybe a better future ahead.

Now if we go back a few years, nuclear power was heralded as the way ahead, and at another time and place communism was held up as being the saviour of the human race. Throughout the years mankind has looked for its heralded saviours, and have too often only been disappointed when that one they looked to fails to produce the desired hope and results, and so they soon lose interest and start looking for another way out, or they give up altogether.

Sadly, too often, the same thing has happened in Christian circles. People have given up on their churches, because they have failed to deliver. But here it is not God and the Gospel that has failed, but too often, it is either that the truths of the Scriptures that have not been presented correctly or that people have chosen not to believe that message; that Good News. People have or are given the wrong idea as to what the world and the church needs.

But in that regard, very little has changed over the years. In this reading, when we look to the one who was and is the true saviour of mankind; to the one who truly had power to bring about a new and better world, we see peoples attitudes are little different. The people had heard and saw how Jesus healed the sick, gave food to thousands by a miracle, and how he even raised Lazarus from the dead. Suddenly there is a rising surge of feelings. Here we have one who would be really good to have as our king. He could take care of all our earthly problems, by giving food, and taking care of any physical ailments. And surely he could even drive out the Romans.

Then there would be no more hassles of having to work hard for a living. No more fear and worry of sickness and death, and hopefully just lot of pleasure, leisure, and an easy way through life. So when they hear that this Jesus is coming to town, the multitude rush out with great expectations, and a growing swell start to sing the praises of this one they would like to make their king. And the chant is taken up long before they even catch a glimpse of their great hope. A huge fanfare arises to greet him.

Then their king comes riding in. Humble, gentle and riding on a donkey. No grand heroic figure. No mighty conqueror, mounted on his fiery steed. No strong, imposing, charismatic figure. Humble and riding on a donkey. Here was a man who was not full of his own self importance, but knowing very well what he is on about. A gentle man, who was not wanting to hurt anyone, even when the crowds turn against him. When he was confronted by the Roman governor, even there he didn’t defend himself. He was single minded in his priority to make things right with God for us, and was prepared to give his life in order to achieve it.

So here was a man not interested in himself and his own welfare. His kingdom was not of this world. He had more important things on his mind than food for the stomach and a free Israel. He wanted to give life to people beyond the three score and ten years or so that we have here on earth. He wanted us be a part God’s family forever, and he knew that the only way he could help in this regard was to give his life, so that we could have life.

But of course this was not what the people wanted. It may have been what they needed, but it was not what they wanted. So the praises of Palm Sunday soon turned to cries of,  crucify him’, ‘crucify him’. When he doesn’t produce what they had in mind they soon rejected him and went looking elsewhere to find that which would make them feel good.

So also today, many reject Jesus as King because he doesn’t fit what they want from him. He doesn’t fit the sort of saviour they think he should be, and they fail to accept that this is God’s way for us. The only way! And they also reject that the truths of the Bible are relevant for their lives. So they change things to suit themselves and the ways of the world: Trying to be popular, and hoping to find a saviour and king there. But it doesn’t work!

However, here we need to remember that Jesus is still King. He is still the King of kings and Lord of lords, even though most people around us might not acknowledge him as such. He is still God’s only Son who has come to us to give us what we need. He is still the only real saviour who can help us out in the important areas of life. And all who believe in him; who receive him as the Son of God, and their Saviour and King, are assured that he does give them what is essential for us, both for this life and the next. That he has, and does, make a difference to the lives of people who look to him in faith and accept his ways and Words as the truth.

So let us first and foremost, continue to acknowledge Jesus as the only true King and Lord. Let us not impose our desires and wants onto our saviour and King, but humbly accept what he has to give and to say to us about himself and his kingdom. Let us also encourage others to see Jesus as the only true saviour. The only one who can really help them in the important areas of life, even if it may not look that way on the surface.

 His entry into Jerusalem and subsequent death on the cross is crucial for us all and for our salvation. His offering of forgiveness is power for life. His Word and the Sacraments; the ordinary things of life, do offer reassurance, strength, life and hope. And there we have the real important things for our life and our future. So let us focus on him and these wonderful gifts he offers to us, and let us continue to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and King. ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest.  AMEN.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

 

Friday, March 15, 2013


Philippians 3:4-14.      Jesus Christ the most valuable                        17/3/13

 If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: {5} circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; {6} as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. {7} But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. {8} What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ {9} and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. {10} I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, {11} and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. {12} Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. {13} Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, {14} I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

In my time as pastor I have been told many things. Some of it has gone along similar lines to this: that was a good sermon pastor: you work so hard – you have helped me in …..you this, that, or the other. And yes thankfully most it has been good.

 Well here I would like to join Paul and say what a load of rubbish! ‘The good that I do’– what a load of garbage. Yes sure I like to hear it all. It does the ego good, but it is a load of rubbish. In fact it is harmful and dangerous. What I have done is nothing. It is nothing in comparison to our Lord Jesus and what he has done for us - for you and me. He and what he has done is what is all important. He is the one who has saved us and is at work in our lives every day in a big way. He is the one who has given us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.

 But this, of course, is not what our world likes hear today. At the present time all the emphasis goes on us and what we do. The focus is on me. The church scene is full of this rubbish today, where we are pandering to the same lies that Satan gave to Adam and Eve; ‘If you do – you will be like God.” Now also, we are tempted to put all the emphasis on what we do: We need a good pastor who will do this, that and the other: or, I have made my decision for Christ; or I have my faith so I don’t need to come to church all the time: or, we need to have the latest ‘up beat’ music, and orders of service if we are to grow the church: and I could go on and on.

 Time and time again these days, I hear that to be a Christian is to live a good life – it is about having good morals and the like. Many a person today claims be a Christian, and yet rarely sets foot in a church, or even acknowledges Jesus, but claim that they live by the ten commandments and are basically good people – and this is what makes them Christian. And that is what they have been told by the so-called Christian church today. So what I see and hear is, I – we – me – my, and Jesus has to take second place once again, and in many cases he becomes non-essential for us and our faith. Our trust has turned in on ourselves, or placed on the Holy Spirit or something else other than Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.

 That being the case, we really have faith in ourselves and what we have done and are to do, instead of in our Lord and Saviour. So we are no longer Christian at all – yes we still like to use the word, Christian: we still like to claim that we are one. But in fact we are the opposite – we are anti-Christian. For that which leads us to take our focus off of Christ is nothing but evil. And sadly therefore, there are many, many people who fall into this category.

 So this focus on self, and what we do, is a load of rubbish - it is garbage. Even when our works are good, and are done in good faith and from a Christian point of view, we need to be like Paul and consider them as rubbish from own perspective, so that we do not lose sight of what Jesus has done for us. And that is so easily done when the focus is on what we do. We only need to look at the wider church scene to see that: with the emphasis on what we must do, we are playing with danger – a danger that has eternal consequences.

 That being the case we need to be like Paul here in this reading, who placed knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as the most important thing in life. Let us hear again what he says. “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has done so much for us – the only hope that we have that is certain – the only one who has and can save us, forgive us, and assure us of eternal life in heaven. And we know how much it cost him – his awful death on the cross - being totally forsaken by his Father in heaven: all just for us and for our salvation. It is he alone who has rescued us from sin and an eternity in Hell, and made it possible for us to share eternity with himself. It is he alone who rose from death so as to break its power over us, and gives us that assurance of life beyond death as a guarantee.

 So surely, for these reasons alone, we can now see the reality of the fact that he is central to the whole of life: he is the one who is all important. Without him we are sunk – we are in big trouble. He alone has and is everything that is of any importance in life. So surely he alone will be central in our thinking and our living.

 So when it comes to my sermons or anything that I do, surely it is not me who is important; it is the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives the words; the power; the good that is there in every sermon. His Spirit is there helping me to speak it and you to hear it. When it is less than what it should be – that then is me and my fault; not God’s – so any focus on me is rubbish. The same goes for my living; my work; my whatever: It is he who produces the good: his Spirit leading and guiding to do that which is right.

 So also when it comes to our decision for Jesus and our acceptance of him into our hearts. Surely it not my decision that is important: he has decided he is for me: he died for me: he forgives my sins: he accepts me as his very own – not because of anything good in me, but simply because of Jesus Christ and his love for me. In my baptism he has personally signed over his acceptance, and all I simply do is trust that he knows what he is doing. Any decision on my part can only be done by him at work in me and with his help: motivated by what he has done for me and in me. If it is from me, I could never be sure and I am in danger of placing my trust in me and what I have done, or of despairing because I am not sure of my decision.

 Again for me to be so arrogant as to suggest that I have faith, therefore, I don’t need to be regular in my church attendance and all the rest, is just that, pure arrogance. My life is nothing without Jesus Christ and his help: I daily need his forgiveness, help and guidance: and I trust that when he says regular worship and all the rest is important, I listen and are guided by him; Because I know that he has all the answers and knows what is good for me - not myself. I need him and his help, instead of trust in my own faith, knowledge or whatever.

 So yes, in all things the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who is all important. Every other focus for confidence and hope is rubbish – pure garbage as Paul says. Sure we now need to live the good life and follow the Lord Jesus, and do many things; but it is always from and by his Spirit and done in thankful praise and as a loving response to him who is all important: it is motivated by him and it is focussed on him. It is for his benefit; for he alone is our Lord and Saviour – the God of all gods and the Lord of all lords.

 So let us here, consider that what the world around us looks to as important and profitable, as loss, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Let us not look where the world out there looks because it takes our focus off of the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. For to him alone belongs all glory and honour now and always.   AMEN.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Saturday, March 09, 2013


2 Corinthians 5:14-17.            You are a new person/creation??                    10/3/13

 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 'Christ love compels us because we are convinced that Jesus died for all'. A very interesting statement, that is worthy of much thought and meditation. Now for Paul, there was no choice therefore, with regard to the implications for his life. The love that Jesus had for him was so great that he just had to live and speak of nothing else but Jesus Christ and what he has done for us.

 For Paul the 'old life’ has gone, and the new has come. Because of Jesus' life saving death he has no choice now but to push aside his old way of living. Now he is compelled to live and be this new person that God has made him in Jesus Christ. No ifs - no buts. He is under the compulsion of Christ's love for him and all people.

 However, that was Paul - what about us here today? Does Christ's love compel us to live to the fullest the new life that has been given to us? Do we really want to be this new person; this new creation that we now are in Jesus? Or do we think that the ways of this world are where living is really at? Do we really believe that Jesus died for us in order that we should no longer live for self - but for the Lord? Are we his ambassadors? Serious questions, with far reaching implications.

I think we all would have to agree that we fall a long way short of even grasping what these questions mean us - far less living them out. For many of us we even find it difficult just to make church regularly, far less to live out this new life every day. We have trouble understanding the relationship between what God has done for us through Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection and that new life that we are now called to live.

 We either seem to fall into the trap of thinking that we are saved therefore we can now live as we please - without regard for God's Word; or we think that the way we live our lives is going determine whether we are acceptable or not. We seem to want to hang on to so much of that old lifestyle that is not Christian. We want to feel as though we are in charge of our own lives. We want to be involved and do the things that we want do, even though we so often get it wrong and mess things up for ourselves and for others. So it is a real struggle to try to live and be this new person – this new creation.

 Even for me it is a struggle. I too fail and get distracted. I am not the pastor that I should be. Many times I would like to run and hide - to bury myself in farming or something else. But I can't - Christ's love for me and the people of this area compels me to go forward and do what has to be done - despite my weaknesses and failings. I have to live and be that which by nature I am not. This new creation of God's is pushed forward to do some of what is needed to be done for him and for his kingdom.

 We have been made right with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. We have been brought back into God's family and have been given this message to now go and give to others: to go and live and be the person that God wants us to be. He even promises to be with us and help us to do this.

However it is struggle, because we too often fail to look to Jesus Christ, and instead look to ourselves and our own abilities: distracted by the things around us and by our own failings. We like Paul seem to get pulled this way and that.  The good that I would want to do, I don’t do and the things that I know that I should not do, I find myself doing. But too often we don’t even try: We just live for the moment and what we feel like doing.

 The reason that we have this problem is that we fail to come to grips with the depth and extent of Christ's love for us. Here we need to firstly think of the reality of who we really are as we stand before the Lord. We need to understand how utterly hopeless and helpless we are without God and how totally undeserving we are of his help because of our sin.

 There is absolutely nothing in us that makes us acceptable to him. All we deserve is the full extent of God's punishment. We deserve to be cut off from God and anything good forever. We deserve to die - both physically and spiritually.

 However, God's love would not allow that to happen. Despite who we are, he cares too much for us, so he sent his Son Jesus into our world to die the death that should have been ours. Though he had done absolutely nothing wrong, he was punished for every single misdeed, sin and failing in our life. He died so that we no longer need to live with and for ourselves and destroy ourselves in the process. He died so that we no longer need to live with fear, loneliness and alienation.

 So no longer does our whole life have to revolve around the things that are so important to others in our society and which drags us down. Instead we can live with and for this one who has loved us so much and who has a much better way for us live. In connection with Christ we have died to all that sin, wickedness and selfishness that hangs on to us and threatens to make life so difficult for us. All that side of life has been taken care of – removed – it hangs there on the cross.

 That self-centred approach to life is surely now in the past and we no longer need to be bound by it. We don't have to live as though God is some distant ogre out to get us and makes life difficult for us. Nor do we need to live for money, power and prestige that are so important to the rest of the society around us. We don't have to be sporting heroes or the woman who has made it to the top or whatever, so as to be acceptable and valuable.

 We no longer have to live in fear - fear of failure - fear of others – and fear of God. That side of life has died with Christ - it hangs there on the cross. Now we are free to live and be the people that God created us to be. Free to live for Christ and others. Free to love with the love that he has for us, which is focussed on the other instead of self.

 Yes we are now a new creation – a creation of love, joy, peace, patience and all those other great gifts of God. The old has gone, and the new has come.

 So we can see that God has and continues to do great things for us in Jesus Christ. He is even with us now, guiding and empowering us to live as his people: strengthening and encouraging us all the way; assuring us over and over again that we are forgiven and that we are free to be better people. That he has the power to enable us live and be new people – a new creation every day

 That is the love that Christ has for us - despite our miserable past. And that love now compels us to go forward and do the best that we can for our Lord. His love for us here and for all the others out there leaves us with no choice but to live for Christ and for others. To help them to see the greatness of what our God has done for us all.

So like Paul, let us go from here as new people; motivated by the love of Christ; and totally convinced that Jesus and his death and resurrection was and is all important for our changed life. Let us no longer live so selfishly simply for our own benefit, but seek with God's help to live for Christ, and for Christ alone. Let us set about working harder at bringing this message of Christ love to all those who so desperately need it. All the while continually keeping Jesus Christ as our main focus and source of inspiration for our lives: because after all he is our all – our everything.   To him be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Friday, March 01, 2013


Isaiah 55:1-9.              Come and be satisfied!!                                  3/3/13

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendour.”
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.


 Our reading again here this morning throws the cat among the pigeons, so to speak, for us and for our country. It challenges the very philosophy which rules our nation at this time. And sadly even us who are Christians have come under its influence. We too have been taken in by the same subtle – but destructive, idea that has permeated our whole society: money and what it gains is the be all and end all of life.

Today money is all important for our survival, security and happiness. It dictates what we do and what we must not do:       what our ethics and morals are; as well as what and who is or is not important. And I could go on. But the almighty dollar is what has become basis and centre of life.

 However, for all of that – are we satisfied, happy and at peace with life and those around us? Has it given us what we really need in life? No – sadly far from it. Sadly it seems the more that we have focused our attention in this area the more we are finding ourselves under pressure and struggling; and the more we find emptiness and dissatisfaction within.

Let me relate to you the story of a farmer that I knew of some years ago – $1 Million – not happy

 Sadly it would seem that our whole country and the western world seems to be going down that same track; and the results are becoming more and more evident: Morality is declining; peace of mind, harmony, sense of community and all the rest are fast disappearing. To make matters even worse, as all these things disappear we continue all the harder to seek to have more and more money and are becoming more selfish and self-centred. So the process continues and gets even worse. And the things that we so desperately need like love, friendship, happiness, peace of mind, security, hope and meaning to life disappears even more.

 Now that should not surprise us. Here again in our text today we are reminded that the truly necessary things of life cannot be bought. The things that are  important in life and which truly satisfy cannot be bought with money or selfishness. As much as that is a bitter pill for our modern human race that is the fact of the matter.

We cannot obtain those things that are truly worthwhile through our own means alone; our knowledge, technology and all of that. That is the reality of the situation – whether we like it or not - whether we want to submit to God or not.

 We can keep on going down the track we have taken in recent years – struggle, sweat, cheat and ignore God most of the time. But if we do we need to remember that we will keep going further and further down the track of emptiness, futility and bitterness.

 On the other hand, we can heed what our Lord is saying here again this morning and so find answers that are truly remarkable. This message here puts a whole different slant on all of this; and it is a real encouragement to us who are seeking satisfaction from life. Because here there is no having a certain amount money,     enough knowledge, or being good enough, or anything else – in order to be able to have that which we really need. Here there are no strings attached:         no catches: no just a bit more. All our Lord says is to come and receive: to come and have all you need and a bit more. Come and have all the security in life that we could ever hope for: security that ensures peace of mind throughout this life and into eternity as well. Come and have all the love, friendship and happiness that will fill your every day – in every way.

 The Lord has it all for us. Everything that is important and fulfilling for us. He promises to satisfy those ever so important needs that we have and that is the great thing in all of this for us – if only we would wake up. Our God has come to us and not only made promises of all this, but has bound himself in a contract to do just that: he made a covenant that he will never break. Through Jesus and his life, death and resurrection that contract was permanently etched into history – signed with his blood so that no-one can honestly dispute it.

 This has all been made available to every single human being here on earth. Through Jesus Christ we now have available to us the very best that God has to offer as an absolute guarantee. He will never leave us or forsake us.

 Remember at our baptism he signed that contact with us, and gives that assurance to us every time we come to the Lord’s Table. There he gives us his very body and blood which he shed on the cross so that we can be sure that he loves us, forgives us, and has eternal life for us. So we can go from here and know that in and with our Lord there is true life, prosperity, love, peace and ever so much more: Enough in fact to satisfy us to the full and to share with those around us.

 So then we can go forward every day knowing that he goes with us; that he cares and that he has the very best in mind for us and or others. Even when things are at their very worst from an earthly point of view, we know that he is there with us, that he cares and that he is using this situation for good. But most of all we still can be absolutely sure that he has won eternal life for us with himself in heaven.

 As we daily listen to his guidance and direction we find that he leads us down paths that may be very interesting – even difficult - but always paths that end in true satisfaction and joy. As we live each moment of our life knowing that our God is there with us and for us – bringing blessing to us and through us to others – we will not be left feeling empty – searching for more.

Take it from me, with God in control, life is anything but boring, empty and meaningless. In fact he gives more than enough to fill each day. Sure some of the situations we will face and the world we live in will not always be easy, never-the-less we have that assurance that he is there with us. And it never ceases to amaze me how in the thick of it all he gives that peace, security and hope that we will never find anywhere else. Yes even in the midst of my failures and weaknesses he brings forward results and blessings that are way beyond what we could do on own or that we would think are possible. Our Lord does make a difference – a big difference.

So let us not listen to the lies of our modern society, that are sending us down a road that we don’t really want to go and which finally leads to futility, unhappiness, dis-satisfaction, emptiness and much more. Our Lord has what is needed to bring our own lives and country back to what it should be and needs to be. With God there with us and we listening to and following him, every moment of every day, things will change. They will change dramatically. That is his promise to us here today.

 So as we take him seriously all the time; and not just now and again, we will begin to once again see the greatness of what he is all promising to us here. He will satisfy our many real needs.

 So to conclude, listen again to what our Lord says here in our text.

Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, ………  Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendour.” Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

To him then be all glory and honour, now and always. Amen.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish