Matthew 16:13-20.          The true Church revealed!                           27/8/17

{13) When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" {14} They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." {15} "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" {16} Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." {17} Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. {18} And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. {19} I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." {20} Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Here today through this reading God confronts us with the heart of what it is that constitutes the true Christian Church; and thereby that which is central to each of our lives as Christians. This message clearly ‘flies in the face’ of much of the contemporary thinking around about us, through which the gates of Hades is seeking to overcome us. In this regard there is no doubt that the gates of Hades are making serious in-rounds into the churches around about us and perhaps even into our own lives.

Here the challenge is clearly laid before us as to where we stand and upon which we need to be built. It all is based around the question that Jesus asked his disciples: "Who do you say I am?"

Now before you start thinking that this doesn’t apply to you, for we know that it is Jesus that is what it is all about. Most ‘christian’ churches would say that Jesus is the centre of their beliefs. We all ‘believe’ in Jesus, so what is the big deal?

However, just as in Jesus day, so also today what is it that we believe about him? There are all kinds of false and misleading views being ‘peddled’ around today about this Jesus. Much of what is focussed on, is only one part of who he really is, and not that which is central, and which God himself has revealed as that which is the basis of the Church which he is building; and which opens up heaven for people.

It is not good enough to say that he was simply a great prophet or teacher or example. It is not adequate to look at him simply as a great miracle worker or leader of the church. He does not die on the cross to simply show us how we are to live sacrificial lives for others. He is not one who just shows us that God is a loving God who is accepting of all, irrespective of whether we take him seriously or not.

 Peter and the disciples state that this Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is on this statement that Jesus says his Church is built and which enables people to be truly blest. It is on this reality that the Church and people’s lives stand or fall: heaven is opened or closed. Here remember, this is what God himself has revealed. This is not something made up by Luther or someone else trying to be pedantic or difficult. This clear and precise statement of what is the basis of God’s Church is revealed by God for us to know and have clear in our minds.

So any other view that goes outside of this, comes from the views of human beings, not God. In fact, as Jesus says, it comes from Satan, instead of God. They might sound good and pious. They might very well appeal to the egos of itching ears and be able to draw the crowds.  But they are not that which is revealed by God Almighty himself. It is devilish and evil.

Now since that is the case, let us look a little closer at what is actually revealed to us, as that which is central to the Church. The clear statement given is that Jesus is: the Christ, the Son of the living God. That is, he is the Messiah: the one that God had continually promised throughout the Old Testament times as the Anointed One that God would send to save his people from their sins.

 So this is not just a prophet, teacher, miracle worker, example or any of those other things that are so often focussed on. Here is the promised Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world: whose death on the cross for us and for our salvation is absolutely central to what the Church is about. The statement of the keys of the kingdom of heaven fit right into that understanding.

Here we have that which humanity finds very difficult to come to terms with. We like the idea of Jesus as king and all of that, but as to his suffering and death, this surely cannot be. Even Peter could not come to terms with this, and Jesus has to say to him “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

You see, we don’t like hear about our sin and the need for repentance; that is a turning our focus away from our desire to do what we want to do, instead of taking God and his Word seriously. We don’t want hear that this rebellion results in death and eternal separation from God. We don’t want to think about the fact that this is the source of all the troubles and heartaches that we have in our world today.

But it is only through the Christ; the Messiah, and his death on the cross that we have any hope at all. Apart from him there is no forgiveness, life and salvation. There alone then we have that which is central to our lives as Christians and as a Church. There is no other way.

But here let us not forget the second half of that statement either. This Christ is; the Son of the living God. Here we have the very clear statement that this Jesus is The Almighty God’s very own Son come into our world to do that which was necessary for our salvation. Here in Jesus Christ is the Lord Almighty himself: the Lord over all heaven and earth: the Judge eternal; and much more.

Here then in not someone that we can ignore or take for granted. He is not one we can twist and manipulate to please ourselves. Nor can we presume upon him to allow him to let us do as we please, thinking that it doesn’t matter, because he is after all a loving and all accepting God. That certainly is not what he has to say.

But why would we want to anyway? This Jesus Christ; God’s very own Son came and died in our place; so that God’s wrath wouldn’t fall on us. He overcame sin, death and the devil, for us and for our salvation. Surely then he is and will be our Lord. He will be the One we ever look up to and trust each and every day of our life. He will be the one we seek to help and guide us in each and every aspect of our lives. He and his death on the cross will be that which forms the centre and basis of our church and our lives.

So this revelation that was given to Peter and the disciples that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is now that which forms the basis of our church and our lives. In that we will find that Rock that we need in order give our lives, and the life of our world, the solidity and safety that we sinful human beings need. This rock is not some big stone, but a huge, immovable rock mountain that stand sure and strong, in the midst of the battles of life that pound at us each and every day of our lives.

Here in connection with this Christ, the Son of the living God we find that we are blest with every spiritual blessing that we could ever want. There we have the sure hope of eternal life with our God and Saviour. As we live in the shelter of that rock we now have the protection that will ensure that the gates of Hades will not overcome us.

So that being the case we can now go forward boldly and confidently, knowing that we stand built on the rock; this central teaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. We do not need to fear that we are on the wrong track as a church or individuals. This Christ, the Son of the living God does not change, yesterday, today or forever.

Any church or message that does not focus on and stand secure in this reality is nothing but a fraud and a deception. Any church or individual that focuses on Peter and their own faith or works is a deception. Any church that wants the miracle-working Jesus and not the Jesus on the cross is a misleading and dangerous church. Anything that points to a Jesus other than the promised Messiah; the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world; the Son of the living God come into our world is to be avoided. These are all the tricks of Satan to leads us away from that which is all-important.

This is what God says is for real for his Church. This is what God would have as the confession of each one of us and as a church as a whole. For there alone do we find the blessings that God would have us receive. To him be all glory and honour now and always.

So now I conclude with Jesus’ question to each one of you: "Who do you say I am?" "Who do you say that Jesus is?”

Surely he is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

That being the case, go then and live in light of him, and may he be that rock that holds us safe and secure. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Romans 11:1-2a; 29-32.                 Mercy alone: for all are disobedient        20/8/17

                                                                                                               

(Rom 11:1-2)  I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. {2} God did not reject his people,

(Rom 11:29-32)  for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. {30} Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, {31} so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. {32} For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Today in this reading God addresses an issue that is often on our minds: who is out of God’s kingdom and who is in, and what is the criteria for this. Where does that person or that church stand in their relationship to God and his acceptance of them? Are we all going to be in heaven? These are fair questions and ones that needs to be on our minds from time to time. The interesting thing, here, is the answer that is given in response to this question. The last verse sums up the answer that he has built up over the last couple of chapters in the book of Romans: For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Did you hear that? For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. God has bound all of us; shut all of us up together in our common disobedience toward God. All of us stand under the same judgement. Not one of us can stand up and say, ‘We’re OK Jack. This doesn’t apply to me.’ Hear this loud and clear: all of us are disobedient and deserve nothing but the wrath of God.

That being the case let us not fall into the trap of many of the Jews, and of many people today. You see, many of the Jews had become so ‘high minded’ in their thinking that they were God’s people simply because they were Jews; and after all, they were doing very well in living according to the rules of the church of the day as well. They didn’t need Jesus. They had no need of God’s mercy. They were in; and everybody who was not with them was out.

So we find that God gives them over to their disobedience; and troubles and heartache abound. He then extends his mercy and the Good News of Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection, to the Gentiles; many of whom became Christians because they believed in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for the forgiveness of their disobedience. They believed that it was through Jesus alone that life and salvation had been won for them.

So God through Paul has these words to say to them and us: Did God reject his people? By no means! God did not reject his people,

…. for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.

Of course, we don’t go far down the track before we find that many of these Gentile people, like the Jews, soon fell back into trusting that they were God’s people because they could speak in tongues; or were pretty good at living the Christian life; or had some good experience; or some such thing. But their trust was no longer in God’s mercy but in themselves and what they were doing or experiencing.

Now is it any different today? Where, even do we stand, in this regard? Have we too come to the point where we trust in ourselves; our faith or knowledge; our experiences; our having our life under control; or in something other than Jesus Christ and the mercy that God has extended to us through him? Have we become so ‘high-minded’ that we are in control? We can change what God has said to suit ourselves and what we want.

Certainly our world and many parts of the ‘church’ have all kinds of ‘self help’ programs; promotion of positive thinking and meditation practices that can help us overcome all kinds of difficulties. They have entertainment and fun ways of ensuring that we can hide from the disciplines of life; and many other things that seek to help us to get and have our life under our own control. If and as we live by these things we will be OK, is the thinking.

Yet the reality is far from this. The more we think we have our life under control, the more our disobedience becomes evident and the more our world crumbles around us. The more we allow ourselves to be distracted from our focus on Christ and what he has done for us; and place it on what we do, the more we find that either our pride or our failures come to the fore and destroy our lives. Our disobedience thereby ensures that we find no hope in ourselves and what we do.

We can see this coming to the fore in this gay marriage debate. Having chosen to go against what God has to say in his Word, many then become so arrogant and bloody minded that they cannot even see that they are seeking to foist their view on everyone else, no matter what the cost or the damage that is done to society. We don’t want to believe in God, but instead trust that we can do life far better by ourselves, and are reaping the consequences.

As a result, we can come to no other conclusion than, not one of us is any better than any other: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Not one of us can be ‘high minded.’ Not one of us can condemn another or look down on another. Not one of us can make life for ourselves. We are all disobedient.

No matter how hard me might try to be good and loving and all the rest, the more it all unravels and the more that troubles and disobedience abounds in our lives. We just cannot make life for ourselves without reference to Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. It is only when he is taken seriously that we can find true hope and certainty.

At the same time, we are then called on to remember that God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. God does not reject his people and turn his back on them. His desire is for all to be saved. His call is still there for us all to repent and believe the Good News. The gift of his Holy Spirit is still there for all: it is irrevocable. That includes all today who are seeking to promote so much that is clearly contrary to God and his Word.

That means that he does not go back on his word and his promise. He does not change his mind in any way in this regard. His promise is sure. Even though we so often turn away from him and go back to disobedience, he remains unchanged in his thoughts with regard to us. He still holds his mercy out before us and to us. He wants us; and seeks to help us in every way, to turn back to him and his grace.

But at the same time he leaves us in no doubt that if we continue to be disobedient and no longer seek to avail ourselves of his mercy, then we can expect nothing but his wrath. If we continue to want to achieve life by and for ourselves then he will leave us to stand before him in our disobedience and therefore face an eternity in Hell.

However, we can be sure that as we avail ourselves of his mercy: God's gifts and his call; then we have every reason to go forward with confidence. Yes, daily recognising that we have been sinful and fallen back into disobedience, but then turning to our baptism and recognising that we there died with Christ and were raised to life with him. We have been forgiven, so can once again look to him, learn from him and seek his help and his gifts to continue to live in light of his mercy: Regularly spending time in his Word and weekly worship so that he can train us to look away from ourselves to him and his mercy.

As we in this way look to him and trust in all that he has done for us and has to say to us, then we not only can go forward confident in his grace; but we have the assurance that others will notice this goodness and mercy and want it for themselves as well. There we have the main mission strategy for our congregation; to live in God’s mercy to such a degree that it shows and that our families and others around us can see this great wonder of God and want to avail of it for themselves.

So does God reject some and favour others? No; all have sinned and live in disobedience. It is those who reject and no longer avail themselves of his mercy that are in trouble. However, these he gives over to even greater disobedience so that they might perhaps recognise their dire situation and once again avail themselves of God's gifts and his call which he has irrevocably made available to them.

For our part let us ever thank God for the mercy he has extended to us; and may our one great desire in life be to ever look to the source of this mercy and trust in his goodness toward us; and then to point others to him to whom all glory belongs; our great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To him be all praise and honour forever and ever. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

1 Kings 19:9-18                                  The Whisper of God                        13/8/17

{9} There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" {10} He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." {11} The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. {12} After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. {13} When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" {14} He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." {15} The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. {16} Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. {17} Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. {18} Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

For many people today, everyday life is a real struggle: there seems to be so many pressures and difficulties that they have to face.  The suggestion continually promoted by our society, is that we can have and be so much and so great; and yet the reality is far from what it promises. So often then these people feel as though they have to cope on their own, and that they are the only ones going through the hassles that they are going through, and that no-one else knows, understands or cares.

In fact, it often seems to these people that everyone is out to get them, with eyes watching for their every mistake, and looking for a chance to get them, and in doing so, they often imagine things to be so much worse than they actually are. So they run and hide in their own little shells; even though they may be living and working in the rush tear of life. They withdraw their 'real me' away from all who they feel are out to get them.

Meanwhile they cover their real selves with a false bravado and outward ‘she’ll be right mate’, but within feel scared, discouraged and disheartened; all alone in the busy, hostile world. Life is so tough for many people.

Even in relation to church (our own church too) and the spiritual side of life, there appears to be the same concerns. If we look around us we see many faces missing from our midst, and this surely is a real concern for all of us. To see week after week many people who claim to be Christians not here. Where are they?  Why aren't they here? Are these people too hiding themselves away in their own little shells, feeling weak and all alone? Are many of them discouraged and disheartened; running scared and trying to hide from God: thinking that he doesn't miss their attendance?

Or again because in the whole church scene we are confronted with all kinds of different thinking and practice, which is tugging us this way and that, and the focus has shifted from our God and what he has done and made available for us; to ourselves and what we are to do, we are left wondering what is it all about. Are we the only ones left who are faithful, and are we in danger of being overcome? Sometimes it seems as if we too are on the verge of dying; no longer is Christianity what it was meant to be, and so are left hassled and frustrated - lonely or fearful?

Well yes, life is a struggle in a sinful broken world - even for a Christian – even within the church. So my heart goes out to those who are not here for this reason. But let us all get some comfort and strength from out text here today. Elijah too knew what it was to feel weak and all alone: Elijah who not long before this, experienced God's spectacular power at work at Mt Carmel. He'd seen God burn up his sacrifice which he'd doused with water, in front of all the idol worshippers and false prophets, who couldn’t do the same with their sacrifice.

And now, a short time later he is running scared. He had known and seen God's power and yet now he was running for fear of his own life. Now he felt as though he was the only one of God's people left, and that nothing was going his way: so he runs and hides in some distant cave: hiding from the threat and danger that he perceived was there. Where was God's power now when he needed it most of all? It seemed as though God had deserted him and left him all alone: forgotten him - left him to be torn apart and destroyed.

Hide as he might try though, he can't hide from God. God speaks to him and asks what he is doing there hiding away. To which he replies: why God? Why have you allowed all of this to happen? Evil has taken control! To this God says - 'Go out to the mouth of the cave and I will show you how I mostly operate and how I make my presence known to the people.’

So Elijah goes near the entrance and mighty wind comes along and tears the mountain apart: shattering rocks and all of that. Surely this is God at work, again showing me his power. This is the way I like to see and know God; as long as he is for me and not against me. But NO - God was not in wind! The same thing happened with the earthquake and the fire - but no God. Poor Elijah - by now he would have been quite perturbed.

But then instinctively he knew the presence of God was at hand. He heard it - the whisper of God - the still small voice of God. No earth shattering revelation; no spectacular miracle: but the sound of gentle quietness, and it is there that God made his presence and will, known to Elijah: there God let him know that He was in control, and it was there that Elijah knew that he was not all alone.

 It was there then that the whisper of God said, ‘go back and do the work I am giving you to do.’ The still small voice said, ‘go back - even though life will not be easy. Go back, and through you I will do what needs doing in righting this nation. Go back and you will find that you are not the only one of my people left; there many others as well: Seven thousand in fact.’

Now this must surely make us today stop and think also, because we too, often, look for God to make his presence known in a spectacular way. We often feel alone and discouraged - not trusting God and his word and the sacraments, and we'd like to see him come through and tear the town apart; performing some mighty act or miracle, not only to make us sure of his presence but also to give us a sense of importance; of being a part of the action.

And when we are attacked or feel let down by the Church or God; when we are unsure whether the whole church bit really has any value; or when we see our membership declining and we are wondering what is going on or feel that we have failed God. At those times, we too often want to run and hide – to give it all away: particularly when we don't see God stepping into the situation in some spectacular and powerful way.

So we too need to remember that by and large God reveals himself in a very down to earth, quiet and gentle way, not in the mighty and spectacular. Most often it is the still small voice of God that breaks into our lives and makes God and his will known in our lives. Often it is the whisper of God that lets us know that God is still in control.

In the Bible - his Word – he tells us of his love and forgiveness, and what is good for us. In Baptism and Holy Communion, he further, in a quiet and simple way reminds us of the forgiveness, life and salvation that is ours through Christ's life, death and resurrection. And it is through these means of grace that he assures us that we are not on our own; but that we are joined to Christ and Christians of all times and places. Most of the time it is in quiet ways that God comes to us and speaks to us and reassures us.

So rather than running off and hiding in our busyness and involvement in all kinds of things, we often need to get quiet and listen; allowing God's still small voice to be heard: quietly reading his Word, meditating and praying, taking time to be with him in worship and at the Lord’s Table. Because it is there that he will come and make himself known to us, and remind us that we are not on our own.

There also he quietly tells us, to go back out into our everyday world and be the people he wants us to be: sharing his love and Good News to those around us; encouraging one another, and thereby allowing God to have an impact in our community. There he whispers, ‘go out and be my people, for I am with you always.’

And with his gentle voice comes power: The power to step out and do what God has in mind: power to do what we can't do on our own. Remember Peter in the Gospel reading, at Jesus’ command he steps out of the boat and walks on water; no problems, until once again he focuses on his own frailties and weaknesses, and it is then that he starts to sink. But even then, God's hand is there to lift him up once again. However, it was Jesus’ quiet command that enabled him to walk on water and to go on and do the Lord's bidding.

This morning again the gentle voice of Jesus says to us and to our community; ‘Come. Come, one and all - for I am here with you. I love you and forgive you, and I have the best of everything to offer you. Come - no more need you feel discouraged and all alone. Come and be my people - I will bless you and keep you, now and always.   AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish