1 Corinthians 13:1-13.                     These three remain!!!                                   31/1/16

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 

10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 

12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The last few weeks we have been focussing on the gifts of the Spirit and their use and importance in the life of the Church. We have been reminded very clearly that they are first and foremost gifts of the Holy Spirit: God is the giver. Secondly that they are for the common good: the good of the Church and not the individual that has them.  Thirdly they are all to work together as a body.

Here today we are reminded of that which is good, lasting and important about these gifts and their use. In the end only three of those gifts will remain: faith, hope and love. These are the things that will endure throughout this life and into the next. These are the gifts that are all important for each and every one of us. These then are the gifts we should earnestly desire.

All the other gifts have their place in this life, as the Spirit gives them, and as they are used for the common good of building faith, hope and love. This text today reminds us that all these others gifts need to be undergirded by the gift of love.

This point needs to be taken to heart today, as much as it was in the day that it was written. Today, all too often, we also talk, think and reason like children. So we use our gifts in childish ways that are often destructive for others, instead of building up the body. All too often we are not patient and kind: we envy, boast and are proud: we can be rude, self-seeking and easily angered: we also keep our records of others wrongs. So our use of the gifts of the Spirit are not undergirded by love and are thereby harmful instead of good.

Instead of God’s Holy Spirit directing the gifts for the common good they are used selfishly and become destructive. Sadly all too often in our churches this happens. Now of course this should not surprise us for we all still have our sinful human nature. The point is to recognise this and then do all we can, with God’s help, to lessen this tendency and let his Spirit lead us to approach this in a way that is good and helpful.

We need to ensure that we are reminded over and over again of what is important: who is important: Instead of we trying to control things, we are to let The Spirit lead us to use our gifts appropriately.

For this to happen we need to recognise that we are sinners through and through, and that nothing good comes from us, because by nature we are turned in on ourselves. All too often we like to think that we know what is good and right, even if it goes against what the Bible says. We think that we are basically good and so if we work at it we can improve the situation. On our own we are in trouble and we will never get it right. However when we recognise that we are no good in this regard, it leads us to look to God and the help that he gives.

But thankfully Jesus Christ has come into our world and died on the cross so that forgiveness can be extended to us all. He has thereby enabled us to become members of his family and receive the help that we need in order to be able to live as we should. It is only with the faith that the Holy Spirit gives that we can in any way be moved by this wondrous thing that God has done for us, and so to make a difference.

This faith that the Spirit gives is a total trust in God and what he has and is doing for us in and through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. Faith is looking to him and what he says as to that which is all important for not just our salvation but also to our lives each and every day. Faith is letting his Spirit guide in our use of his gifts with love: that is with the welfare of God and the other person as being paramount.

Here also the second gift of the Spirit that remains is also important: hope. Hope is the sure confidence that God has good in mind for us and that the final outcome of our life is certain. As the Spirit helps us to keep our focus on Jesus and the cross we are able to go forward with this sure hope. We can be certain that in connection with Jesus Christ nothing can separate us from the love of God. In the midst of the rough and tumble of life we can have that sure hope that God is using it all for good: our good and the good of his kingdom.

These two gifts of the Spirit then mean that we can love others; doing what is best for them, even though in earthly terms we might think we are losing out. Now we know that we have good in this life and the next, so we can give our all for the benefit of others: we can put them first. We can now look to God to work in our lives all that is good and helpful. Faith and hope enables us to love as God would have us understand love.

This love is quite different from the way the word love is used in our world today. This love is not something we can manufacture and do ourselves. This love is God: for God is love. God and this love are inseparable. This God and his love are totally committed to the welfare of the other. God’s willingness to sacrifice his Son for our salvation shows just how great this love is and how different it is to the loves that we speak of.

So to have and be a part of this love that God speaks of in the Bible we need God in our lives: we need Jesus Christ and his forgiveness. We need the Holy Spirit and his help in order to have this kind of love that he speaks of here in this reading. He needs to work this love in and through our lives so that these gifts are used effectively in our communities.

As was just mentioned a few moments ago, we can have the certainty and confidence that this is there in our lives because of Jesus Christ. Our baptisms joined us to him and all that he has won for us. There the Spirit was given into our lives so that this faith, hope and love can be there for us and at work in our lives.

So with these three gifts of the Spirit we then are enabled to use our other gifts for the common good. The gifts we have then will be seen as gifts from God, rather than something I possess and use as I see fit or to draw attention to myself. They will be used only on the leading of the Spirit and for the benefit of the other person and the whole group. Then these gifts will be beneficial rather than destructive.

So may God’s Spirit enable us to see and understand this whole area of the gifts of the Spirit in this way.  Then we all may be built up and helped, rather than to be divided, hurt and frustrated. Too much today we want to focus on me and what I do, rather than allow the Spirit to lead, guide and use us. We want to focus on what I have or don’t have rather than let God lead us. We think about what I am feeling rather than what the other is. All too often we get in the way of the Spirit and we do not allow him to do the work that he so desperately wants done in and through us.

However as the Holy Spirit gives us faith in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin; and the hope of eternal life with him in heaven, he gives us the love that is needed in order for us to focus our gifts on the welfare of the other and for the body as a whole.

Our love then will be such that it is patient, it is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

 Love never fails.

 Now then we are able to put childish ways behind us and get on with being the people that God would have us be. In an age where we are becoming more selfish and childish the Spirit of God is seeking to lead us down a different path: a path that is more mature and which is helpful for this congregation; the church; the body of Christ.

So let us look to him and seek him and his help to be at work so that his gifts may be beneficial amongst us. Let us first seek faith hope and love from him, so that he then can bring true blessing through the gifts that we share with one another. To him be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Deuteronomy 26:1-11.                                  Thanksgiving????                                                             17/1/16

1 When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 

2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 

3 and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our forefathers to give us." 

4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God. 

5 Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 

6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labour. 

7 Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 

8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. 

9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 

10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me." Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. 

11 And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.

Today we are celebrating Harvest Thanksgiving. A time for us to reflect on and give thanks for all the good things that we have so that we can live and enjoy our lives. Up front here we have a display representing some of this, with the recognition that we do have so much here in this life: Especially when you see images of severely malnourished children in Syria, for instance. We here have so much to be thankful for.

But the question needs to be asked who are we thanking and for what? In our world today we very much see that we have achieved much of this good with our intelligence and hard work. Our money and technology has made it possible for us to have such a wide variety of good things. We eat well, have an extra grand roof over our head and plenty of opportunities for leisure and pleasure which we have created for ourselves. So who do we thank for this?

Then we here also have the view that if we don’t have the finances or the ability to work for these things then we are entitled to receive it through government handouts and the like. It is our right to have what we see as necessary for us to live above the poverty line. And we expect to receive it. Try explaining that to the malnourished child in Syria or Africa. But again who do we thank, and are we even, thankful for this?

Again our world around us all too often leaves God out of the picture, and we are then left to take on board the views of the media and humanist academics as to what life and the good things that we have is all about. So I, me and myself continues to be highlighted as to the source and importance of these things. So thanks go to ourselves and our human ingenuity for much of what we have.

So surrounded by these ideas, and because of our sinful human nature, we too can get caught up in this kind of thinking with regard to our own lives and Harvest Thanksgiving as well. We too can give token recognition and thanks to God but by in large are just plain thankful that we as intelligent human beings have been able to achieve so much for ourselves.

Certainly we all take for granted too much the many good things that we have available to us. What we have in front of us here this morning is only a token of the abundance that we have available to us. But as we look around us in our society and compare what we have to what most in our world have, it is almost shocking: Particularly when we expect it as a right and a given that we should have it all; with little thanks and appreciation.

In this context it is important that we take note of what God has to say to us here in this reading. We need to constantly be reminded that in fact it is God who is the giver of everything that we have. Everything! Whether that be the land, the water, the ability to work, our intelligence or lack of it, and the list could go on and on. Every single thing that is good in our lives is only there because God has made it possible. This we need to always remember.

Here in this reading he tells us to do something that is to be a constant reminder to us of this important reality. In many ways our yearly Harvest Thanksgiving Service is a continuation of this practice. However what God says here with regard to why and what our thinking should be needs to be thought through by us all. As we do we will be helped to keep everything in its proper perspective. So let us explore these important perspectives.

Firstly he says: When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it. Now we are in our land and settled in it, but we are told here that it is God who has given this to us. He has given it to us as an inheritance. He has given us what he owns for us to use. Already note the language. He is the owner; he is the giver; he has enabled it to be ours: Therefore he is the important one and the focus of our being and life. Our focus is on him, instead of ourselves.

So being settled in our place we are then to take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Here the key word is firstfruits. So here we are called to bring to God some of the first and best of our produce in recognition that he is the giver of it all. This is not the leftovers or simply a token of what we have, in order to ‘grudgingly’ give it because we must. In thankfulness we bring the firstfruits acknowledging our dependence on him and his goodness to us.

This is brought out quite clearly when he tells us what we are to say to the priest when we offer these gifts in God’s house. "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous.  But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labour.  Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression.  So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders.  He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;  and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me."

In this there is the clear statement made that they understood that there was nothing within themselves that made them acceptable to be recipients of these good gifts. In that there is the understanding that we accept the fact that we are sinners, undeserving of anything good. Because we have gone against God and his Word we have brought all kinds of troubles and heartaches on ourselves and our world. God has every right to withdraw all that is good from our lives.

However God in his graciousness has made it possible for us to be rescued from this dire situation. With outstretched arms his Son did what was necessary for us to be made acceptable to God once more. Through Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection, we now have forgiveness of sins and the assurance of God’s acceptance of us.

As a result we have the assurance also now of eternal life with God in heaven where we will have everything that is good and perfect. But even now as we live in this sinful world, God is able to look favourably on us and give us the good that we have in our lives. To sustain us through this life he gives us what we need so that we can be his people witnessing to the grace and love of God to the people around us: so that we all can give honour and glory to our God.

In this context and with thankfulness for all of this then we can: Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. Because of Jesus Christ we now truly can thank him not just for his salvation, but also for his goodness that has enabled us to have and enjoy all that we have. We can readily give to him the first fruits of all that he has given us, recognising that he has good in mind for us.

So now we are truly thankful for our body and mind, water, produce of the land, tools of trade; for learning and for recreation; for the arts; money; family and friends; society and government; and much more. Everything good is now there for us by the grace of God. We place every aspect of lives before him in thankfulness and with the endeavour to ensure that he will use those things in our lives for the good of him and his kingdom.

Then God concludes with this comment: And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household. When we appreciate and bring before God all that he has given us, then we all will rejoice and be glad: then our world around will begin to see and understand the greatness of who God is and what he has done for us; and then also be able to live in greater peace and harmony.

So with all of this in mind let us now be truly thankful this Harvest Thanksgiving Day. And through this may God truly be with us every day of our life as we are continually being kept mindful of the fact that he is the giver of all the good that we have in our lives. In this way may he then move us to be ever thankful in all circumstances. And to him then be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Isaiah 60:1-6.                      The Light goes on!!                                                         10/1/16

1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 

3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 

4 "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. 

5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. 

6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. 

Here again we are reminded that Christmas goes on and on. The Light that was spoken of at Christmas time we are reminded here goes on and continues to impact on our lives and our world. This Light draws the crowd that in the end will truly rejoice and be glad.

Now light is good and important: basic to our existence. Without it we would cease to exist. We know that in the physical sense and also psychological and spiritual sense as well. We talk about the light at the end of the tunnel. You light up my life. Or he is in a dark space at this time. And in many other ways which indicate the importance of having life, light, and hope, meaning and purpose, and more.

So as we think of light in this second sense we can see something of what God is saying to us in this reading when he says: See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples. For many today life is dark: Outwardly they are portraying happiness and success. Yet often this masks deep loneliness, hurt and despair. To cover this they turn to drugs, alcohol, sex and other addictions. Or in their futility they commit suicide. Deep darkness covers their lives.

To add further to this we are trying to convince ourselves that we are simply products of a random evolutionary process. We are descendants of monkeys that have evolved a little further up the chain, but in the end are destined for death and nothing. Survival of the fittest and strongest, living for here and now and little more; but in the end going nowhere until this world turns again to nothing. Thick darkness is over the peoples.

To add further insult to this we are peddling the idea that life is all about I, me and myself and my wants and desires, with the idea that there we will find happiness and fulfilment. The more we are living in a global village with this emphasis on me the lonelier we become. The less we live as community where we look out for one another the worse this becomes. The darkness gets even darker.

Then most serious of all, we take God out of the picture and there is no meaning and purpose and no good directions for living: we are left to our individual ideas and whims. Or when we do talk of God we seek to make him a figment of what we want him to be, and then wonder why he is no longer relevant to our lives, so darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples.

However, thankfully God does not leave us in this mess that we have made for ourselves. He sends light into our darkness. Through Jesus and his life, death and resurrection a light now shines in our darkened world. In and through him there is life and hope, meaning and purpose. In connection with him there is no loneliness and futility.

This light is no light at the end of the tunnel: a glimmer of light in the far distance of our lives. It is right here in the midst of our lives. This is no 100watt globe in the middle of the vast expanse of the Adelaide oval. Here is a light that shine bright, for all the world to see. And it is a light that will never go out.

Through this reading here God tells us that people the world over will come to this light and their lives will be changed forever. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy.

On looking at this reading in preparation for this address, the image came to mind of moths around a light on a pleasant summer’s night. Camped out in the country with a camp light in a dark night; It not unusual to see moths and insects coming from all directions. Great swarms of them are drawn to the light for whatever reason. This is amazing to see, even if it is real nuisance to the campers.

But in the city this image is not so readily seen, for there is so much artificial light shining all over the place and it does not have the same affect. The distraction are aplenty. In this there are some great lessons for us with regard to the Light of Christ.

Now the world over, people are being drawn to the light of Jesus Christ in the droves. In other nations people are flocking to Christ in the millions. During the week I read an article that was saying that Muslims in Europe are being led by God to the faith in the hundreds, despite many church leaders not wanting their churches to seek to convert them. In dreams God was leading them to specific Churches that were strong on the truth of God’s Word and the centrality of Christ crucified.

Unfortunately in countries like our own we have by and large lost this strong focus on the truth and Christ on the cross. So we are not seeing the same attraction to Christianity. There are too many distractions that are making it hard for people to see that which can help them in their darkness. The light of Christ and him crucified is not being held up high. At same time other aspects of the faith are held up as important and focussed on, to the detriment of the Faith. Many therefore see Christianity as simply being about living as ‘good’ people.

At the same time many in the darkness, are not wanting to come to the light, because it exposes their selfish idolatries which they are not prepared to give up. They would much rather continue living in their darkness than having to take God and his truths seriously.

Nevertheless the light is there and again it is drawing people to its light. This prophecy was given way back in the Old Testament times and pointed people to the light that was coming into the world, Jesus Christ.  The captives in Babylon were longing to return to Jerusalem where they could again establish themselves as God’s people through whom the Messiah would come to save and establish God’s Kingdom.

The later part of this reading speaks of people coming from afar on camels to worship the coming of this light into our world. In the Gospel reading we were reminded of the wise men coming from the east to worship Jesus in Bethlehem.  God used the star to draw these people to come to see this one who was to be the light of the world.

This Jesus came from God, grew up here on earth for the express purpose of dying on the cross so that forgiveness of sins might be extended to each and every one of us. He did this so that each and every one of us can know for sure that we are loved and accepted by God himself. Jesus took the punishment that we deserve on himself, so that we would be accepted by God himself.

Then he rose again from the dead so that we can be sure that he is for real and that God is for real. He there wants to assure us that not only was his death important for us and our future but that in connection with him we now can have the certainty of eternal life in heaven with the very best of everything.

In this we are reminded then that life is not just a matter of evolutionary chance, but that it is a creation of God, intended for his and our wellbeing and good. In that we then find that there is meaning and a purpose to our lives; both here, while we are on earth and in heaven as well. In him and his Word we also find directions for living that are good and helpful for all. Here we are called to love others as Christ has loved us. We are called to and will want to give glory to him who has created us, and saved from the mess we have made for ourselves, and who is now ever seeking to do what is good for us and for our eternal wellbeing.

Because he has saved us, and given us a sure hope of life eternal with God we can go forward boldly and confidently. The LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. No matter whether we have much or little, a comfortable life or much trouble and heartache, God is there with us. He is with to use whatever is happening for good, even if it may not seem so at the time. Look at Jesus on the cross and there see how God uses something tragic for good. Above all we can hold on to his assurance that in connection with him, nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God.

So to us here, "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Sure in this country we cannot see the swarms of people being drawn to Christ, but it is happening in our world even today. God is true to his Word, and all who do come to him will be truly blest.

With that assurance we too will look and be radiant, our heart will throb and swell with joy. The Light has come, and given a sure, certain and true light for us to see our way through this life, and into the next. In him we have something we can rely on in the midst of the darkness of our world around us. So Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. To him be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish  

Ephesians 1:3-14.                             In Christ – a great inheritance!!                                 3/1/16

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 

10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

Again the blessings of Christmas go on! The greatness of Christmas in reality impacts so much of life for us. Here we are reminded that we have been chosen to receive an inheritance that is truly remarkable. God has a plan for us, that enables us to have and enjoy the very best that God has. Christmas brings that plan right into our lives. Now we can know for sure that heaven is there for us all. And that then impacts on our whole life here and now.

But is it really that big a deal? Certainly as I look all around me, and all too often, even in my own life, it would seem as though that this is not all that important. We have got better things to think of and do and be a part of; so it would seem that we think. Yet surely, this is by far the biggest and most significant thing that could ever happen in our lives.

WE had better believe that this is a big deal. Here we are talking heaven or hell: being with God forever, or ending up with nothing good all. And because we have turned our backs on God and decided that we are going to do life by our own thinking and reasoning we have set ourselves on a path of destruction; in this life and the next. We may like to think that this is not all that big a deal, but it is.

Here we need to take seriously what God himself says in this regard, and not just what we would like to think. God is very clear in his instruction that if we disobey God then we will surely die. If we go against his commands we will bring troubles, disasters and death on ourselves. Now we don’t need to look very hard at all to see the truth of this. Yet we keep trying to kid ourselves that it is not that bad.

God’s holiness and Justice has to be served. He has to be true to his Word. So disobedience and sin must be punished. Sin cannot be tolerated or overlooked. Unbelief and rejection in the end will receive its just desserts. Just because we like to think in the end we all will be ‘going up there somewhere’, this is clearly not what God himself says. So we had better not fool ourselves into thinking that this is no big deal.

Now here can I use an illustration that may help us in this regard. Now a thief and murderer is in court before the judge and he is found guilty. Now then the judge acknowledges the guilt and then declares that he will take the punishment for it on himself, and in place give him an inheritance in his own extensive wealth and family. Ridiculous we would say.

Now what does the person do? Does he walk out of court, kick up his heels and goes back to his old way of living, or does it change his life? Does this gracious act turn him to now respond positively to this kindness? The benefits and greatness of the judge and the inheritance turns his life around completely. However if the judge finds out that he wilfully rejects the judge and simply wants the inheritance and that is all, he loses out completely.

Now we too have been forgiven and given a new and better inheritance through the coming of Jesus into our world and through his life, death and resurrection. The question for us and for our world today is; Do we still want to live life our way and by our own rules and then expect that we can be in heaven at the end? Do we want this inheritance but not the God who has made it possible? Is he Lord of our life or are we still the centre of our own existence?

Serious questions indeed! For many are called but few are chosen. God wants all to be saved, but many have turned their backs and have let go of that which is of utmost importance. We cannot have it both ways. The inheritance is there for us, the choice to reject it is ours.

So let us reflect again on the greatness of the inheritance that has been won for us. In so doing surely we cannot help but be moved to respond positively to this wonderful gift.

Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit begins by saying: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Surely we cannot but praise our great God because he has spiritually given us everything necessary for us to be able to be with him in heaven.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Think about that: he has chosen you and me to be people who will seek to do that which is good and right in God’s sight. He wants us to be people who will do what is helpful, positive and uplifting: people who love others as God loves us: People who are a pleasure to be with: People who are guided by him and what he has to say to us.

Now we have messed up big time in this regard, but to rectify the situation: In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. His Son, Jesus Christ’s coming into our world  and his death and resurrection made it possible for us to be forgiven and then through baptism adopted back into God very own family.

 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 

Absolutely amazing! That he should do that for us is beyond human comprehension.  There can only be one response to this wonderful goodness that he has extended to us. It is completely absurd that so many should choose to turn their backs on; reject; or take for granted, this most amazing gift that has been extended to us.

 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,  in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

What God has chosen to do for us is just so amazing that we can but stand in awe and amazement at who he is and what he has done for us. We too will surely give him praise and glory for the grace that he has extended to us. The rest of our lives will be focussed on him for what he has done for us. Jesus Christ will be our head; our guide, director, source of what is good and right, and how we should live and act. He alone will be our Lord and Master.

This coming year will then surely be filled with gratitude for what he has done for us. We will want to know and speak of him who is so great and awesome. We will want to do what he would have us do, and not what we want to do. We will heed what his Word says instead of trying to twist and change it to suit our me-centred culture.

When we fail, it will grieve us to the point that we quickly repent; that is turn back to God with sorrow and contrition and seek his forgiveness and help to do better in the future. We will regularly gather together in his house week by week because he wants us to, so that he can give us what we need in order to stay strong and focussed on him, and the good that he has in mind for us. Instead of trusting ourselves and the thinking of our world around us we will seek to rely on him and what he has clearly given to us.

In everything we will seek to live our lives in praise and thanks to him who has done such a wonderful thing for us. We will ever be mindful of the hell that he has saved us from and the greatness of the inheritance that he has bestowed on us. The blessings of Christmas, truly do with into each and every day of the rest of our lives. Yes, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Let us go forward to give him all glory and honour now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish