What if I stumble ed. 8/6/14

^{John 20:19-23}

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight oh Lord our Rock and our redeemer. Amen.

I said it to myself quite a few times and I said it to a few other people. I responded to my own thoughts and to the queries, "That is why I am a Lutheran". I said it to myself when I felt the difficulty that I have living out the words of my confession. The difficulty I have in receiving God's good gifts and keeping the ten commandments in Spirit and truth.

We are followers of Jesus Christ, gathered to this place by God to receive his blessings of word and sacrament, and through that the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins. I know this, I dedicated five years to studying it and understanding it. But yet I still struggle to believe it and live it out in the holiness that I have attained.

Each Sunday I confess my sins along with you, I confess to my Heavenly Father that I have sinned against Him and against others and I confess and repent of those sins. Along with you, I truly confess and believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed us from all our sins and that I desire forgiveness in his name alone. With you I say that I intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God's presence and strive daily to lead a Holy life knowing that Christ has made us holy.

I actually don't at that point hear the comforting words of Christ proclaiming the forgiveness of sins and spoken through one of his ordained representatives, but the reality of my forgiven state is no less true. Regardless of whether we hear it spoken or not God is faithful and whenever we ask for forgiveness we receive it. We receive forgiveness whenever we seek it, though we do not always receive peace.

Peace comes alone from God, it is a fruit of the Spirit, which was breathed into us when we were baptised. Peace is a good thing, and God promises to give good things to those who ask.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11

In practice however, we don't, we don't ask God for the good things he promises and we don't receive the peace we seek in the way we expect it, Instead we often must learn patience through our suffering. And this is why I am a Lutheran. I believe the Lutheran understanding of the gospel is the true understanding. I believe that while we were still sinners Christ died for us and that we will constantly struggle with our old selves that have been drowned in the waters of baptism. I believe that Christ died on the cross in our stead so that we might have peace, and I know in my heart that I struggle to receive that peace.

Jesus came to his disciples when they were locked in their house for fear of the Jews; he came to them in their fear bringing peace, we know from the account in Luke that this peace was not received at first blessing. "Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ³⁷ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost."

Jesus himself spoke peace but it was not initially received.

You are Christians, people who have had the Holy Spirit breathed into you, through Word and sacrament. You have received Peace, yet no doubt you still worry, you have received forgiveness and the Holy Spirit so that you can live a holy life, and yet you sin. You have been set free from the burden and guilt of sin, and yet it weighs you down.

Luther lived this struggle, Paul lived this struggle, every Follower of Christ lives this struggle. To you, in your struggle, Jesus says Peace. "Peace be with you, I know your failures, I know your sins, and I am sending you." Jesus says "I am blessing you with the Holy Spirit, which will strengthen you in your moments of weakness, It will help you stay true to the path of righteousness and bring you back when you stray. The Holy Spirit, which you have received will give you peace."

Your failure to keep God's law even after being forgiven is not a failure of the Spirit, it shows you your constant need for Christ. Your lack of peace is not a lack of the Holy Spirit within you, but it reminds you to pray to God in all things and continually ask him for what you need to live.  The constant stumbling over the same sins is not a damnation but shows the love of God, that even though we are broken, God did not and does not reject us.

When we stumble, when we struggle to find peace, when we find it hard to love, that is when we know that we need Jesus. and those times when by God's mercy we are kept pure, when we do have heavenly peace and our love overflows, at those times we praise God, Praising him for bringing us into his family, loving and caring for us, and making the peace which we have by faith a tangible reality.

and the peace which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus amen.

Tripped twice but praise be to God ed. 1/6/14

Acts 1:6-14

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The other week one of my fellow Pastors asked me if I was doing anything special for ascension day, I showed my ignorance and made out as if I would be preaching a sermon, thinking that ascension day would fall on a Sunday. He clarified his position saying that his church wasn't doing anything and that we probably should, as a church, have a bigger emphasise on the ascension of our Lord.   

I used my simple maths and realised that 40 days after Easter Sunday could not possibly be another Sunday; but his words gave me my topic. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ promised his twelve disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. and then, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight.

Just as we say in the creed, and we say it in the creed because it is here in the bible, Jesus the son of God ascended into heaven and as we read later in acts (10:42) ascended to judge the living and the dead.

Jesus has ascended into heaven and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, but in a special way though he is in heaven he can be in all places at all times. He is no longer humbled to live as we live but has reclaimed his all powerful nature that he had set aside. Jesus has ascended into heaven but is with us always to the very end of the age. Now this is true and wonderful news, but it is not the main drive of the text today rather it is saying something that I had forgotten. I know that Jesus had ascended but I had forgotten that, Jesus is coming back.

Now I know that Jesus will return and I have confidence in his words, but in my daily life I have forgotten that Jesus will return to earth in the same way the disciples saw him leave. I had taken it for granted that it has been two thousand years since he promised to return and that surely it would be another few hundred more. I thought that surely I will die and be raised to eternal life before Jesus comes again.

How my life will change if I think on this more regularly I have no idea, But I do know that God's word is powerful and meditating on his word brings great joy and wisdom.

This life here is only temporary, there is a sense of urgency to our lives here on earth, this is our only chance to tell other people about the love that Jesus Christ has for them. Our life here on earth is our time to tell others about the wondrous forgiveness of sins that is ours through the washing of baptism and the body and blood of Christ.

This is our time, by our words and actions to live the Christian life in the presence of all people, living holy lives, and humbling ourselves, seeking forgiveness when we fail. Jesus Christ has ascended into heaven, but he is coming back.

It will be like a thief in the night, and God in his wisdom has kept the day and the time from us, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority." We do not know when Jesus will return but we know that he will.

Now this return is not something that we should be fearful of, we have been set free from sin and guilt, in our judgment we will not be standing on the works that we have done, but by what God has done in us. We are baptised, washed and made children of God, he has put his seal on us and forgiven all our sins. We do not rely on our own works but in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf. We have already been judged, judged guilty by our works and set free by Christ's. We do not fear this second coming of Jesus.

Jesus will return, and for us here who have called and are calling on his name, to all baptised Christians, Jesus will come back in grace and love. We have no idea when this will happen. and so as fellow Christians and for myself I urge you to live out your lives as godly sacrifices to God, waiting for the coming again of his son, not because you have to, but because you can.

Jesus is coming back, and at that time we will no longer be able to work, and while our works mean nothing for our salvation, they are still pleasing to God and beneficial for our lives and those around us. I urge you to have in the back of your mind, Jesus could come back this afternoon, and he would be happy to hear that I worked faithfully at my job today.

I urge you as forgiven Christians to ponder Christ's return and the eternal blessings that will become reality on that day. I urge you, with patience and wisdom, to live your lives as examples of Christ, so that people see the love you have for others and seek Christ because of his work in you. I urge you to love your family and your friends, enjoying God's good creation, knocking back a beverage as you watch the sunset over a hard day's work in the field, office or home. I urge you, when you are suffering to remember that this pain will end, Christ will return and put an end to pain and suffering. I urge you to enjoy God's blessings that come through hearing his word and receiving his sacraments enjoying also the peace that God gives and the rest that he calls us all to take for his glory and our benefit.

Jesus will return, and through baptism and his Holy meal, he has made you ready. He will return in glory to take all God's children, those living and those who have died, take us all back with him, to our final peaceful heavenly home.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus amen.

For you ed. 29/5/14

Psalm 66

For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net, you laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our leaders, we went through fire and water.

This is a praise psalm. There are other psalms called lament psalms, they are the ones where the psalmist asks God for help during a time of trial, but this is a praise psalm. a psalm giving thanks to God.

For you, O God, have tested us. The psalmist is thanking God for this. He is saying that it is a good thing to be tested, to be purified as silver is purified, to be cast into a net and have burdens placed on our backs. Apparently these are good things.

Now our knowledge of Sunday school stories clearly kicks into gear here, the things that we see as bad times, through God we can see them as good. Joseph is the classic example, thrown in a well and sold into slavery, but through him God saved his brothers, his family and all Egypt from a devastating drought. God can turn bad into good. Our psalmist knows this, he has experienced it and is on the good side of the bad.

Before our psalmist tells us the way the God has tested us he calls us to praise Him " Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard". Why? because "He has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip." In the times of trial God was with us, he is with us, He keeps us alive, and he keeps our Faith from slipping.  Now for those who have not come to faith, or have to our eyes have slipped and lost their faith I would preach another sermon, but to you baptised Christians right here and now God has kept your faith from slipping, He has kept you close to him and is with you always. For those of our family who we love, and would love to see back in church, we care for them love them and pray for them. Praying that God will change their hearts and bring them back to Him. We don't understand God's plan but we are hopeful in the promises given in the prodigal son, and the story of the workers in the vineyard, where no matter when in their life they came to know Jesus they all received the gift of eternal life. God calls people to his church, God has called you to his church and so I preach to you as baptised Christians who may be suffering a trial, or may have passed through one.

In your trial, whatever it is, whether it be bad financial years, broken relationships, ill health, or any of the many other trials that we experience here on earth. In your trial God is always with you, I won't say that God always causes the trial, because the bible doesn't, but God can always bring good out of bad.

As you are tested, as your earthly support systems break down, God is always there. As you lack money or time, or friends or good health, as these things fail or desert you in your time of trial God never does.

And as you rely on God you will find that he is worthy to be relied upon, the psalmist says, " Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried aloud to him, and he was praised with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the words of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. "

God is faithful in our times of trouble, He forgives us all our sin and cares for us giving us every good thing. God brings us out of the fire and water, set free from our heavy burdens, free to live a new holy life. Free to trust in God for all things and free to humble ourselves before God and before others.

God, the creator of the universe the one to who David an adulterer and murderer says, you alone have I sinned,. it is to God ultimately that we are judged by, and while we were guilty in God's sight, Jesus stood in our place taking our punishment and giving us his righteousness. If we can humble ourselves before God almighty, and ask for forgiveness.. Then surely we can also ask our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to forgive us.

This might be your trial, you might have sinned against someone you love. God knows all, he knows when you sin against him, and that makes it easier to confess to him, what is harder is confessing to someone you love, who might not actually know that you have sinned against them. In the freedom of the Gospel, we hear, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We have been promised and will receive eternal life, we need not fear any mortal punishment or rejection. The hope that our eternal Father has accepted us in baptism bolsters our faith in God and comforts us when we are rejected by people. It gives us strength not to fear other people and their rejection, but to be open and honest confessing our sins to one another.

Experiences in the last days have made me think that we Christians need a reminder of how we are to confess our sins one to another. Say someone wrongs you, you can ask your heavenly Father, from whom all love and forgiveness flow, and ask him to help you forgive them. If you can forgive them this way, praise God, though it is a good idea to go to them and tell them that you have been hurt by their actions and while you have forgiven them, you would prefer it if the sin wasn't committed again.

If you are the one who commit the sin, and hurt someone, you should go to them, admit your sin, tell them how you wringed them, so that they know that you understand what you did, and then ask for forgiveness. Hopefully you will receive it then and there, but there is no obligation to forgive someone when they repent, it is an act of grace.

There is more to it, but that is a small reminder. we live in a broken world, we hurt those we love and we damage relationships, but God does marvellous things and the greatest one is forgiving us.

In this life we will sin against those we love, we will hurt our relationships, and By God's grace we will receive forgiveness and give it. Ultimately we have received forgiveness, ultimately it is to God alone who we sin against, and by the death of His son that sin has been paid for. And finally at the end of our days we will praise God, we will say to God we went through fire and water, yet you have brought us out to a spacious place, a glorious place, Where we no longer sin, where we are completely Holy, and where we will live eternally in perfect harmony, with God our Father and with others. Amen

please forgive me ed. 18/05/14

John14:1-14

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Have you Seen God? The creator of the universe full of Glory and majesty, have you seen him? It's a bit of an odd question, a question where both "yes" and "no" are correct.

No, I have not seen God. To see God in his fullness is to be totally exposed to God's purifying holiness which would consume all my sin, and result in my death here on earth. The bible has several passages that tell us no one has seen God. John says it in the start of his Gospel and Jesus himself says it "Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father" Here Jesus says that he is the only one to have seen the Father, because he came from him. No one else has seen God.

But then again some people have seen God. God is said to appear to different people throughout the old testament, but sometimes in these accounts the statement "we have seen God' has immediately followed someone speaking to an angel. Moses, the great holy man of the old testament was said to speak to God face to face. but only a few short verses later when Moses asks to see God's glory we are told,

"The Lord said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live... you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

No mortal man could experience the fullness of God, the Father, and live, He is too powerful, too majestic, too Holy for our sinful eyes, And so Jesus came.

In Jesus is the fullness of God  he says himself " Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" "I am in the Father and the Father is in me"

At the start of John we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us," and further," No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known."

So what does this mean for us here today? Jesus the visible person of the trinity has ascended into heaven, and we have been given the invisible Holy Spirit to walk with us, teach us God's word and strengthen our faith. How do we as Christians who believe in Jesus without having seen him; see him. Well, we see God, Jesus, in a similar way to how the disciples saw the Father. Jesus Christ being one with God was a direct revelation of God's love for the world, for you. He knew God's will perfectly and lived it out, and by his actions, the disciples saw the Father. In the same way you who are baptised in the triune name, blessed with the Holy Spirit, by your actions you see God in other baptised Christians and they see God in you.

Amongst your friends and family, as a Christian, they see God in you. If others know that you are a follower of Christ, they will see you as God's representatives and your actions as God's actions. If you are Kind and loving, generous with your time and money they will see God shining through you. If on the other hand your attitude and actions are less than savoury you are not giving a good impression of the love that God has for all people. if when I sin against my family or friends refuse to repent, I am not giving a good picture of the Christian life. If when I am sinned against I withhold my forgiveness, I am being a poor representative of God's boundless mercy. Other people, other Christians when they see how we live our lives are either encouraged or disheartened.

Now we are not judged according to how others view us, by no means, Christ died for all our sins, and as long as we are still repenting of our sins, and looking to Jesus for forgiveness we are justified in God's sight. Whether people see it or not, as baptised Christians we are God's holy chosen people, set apart for service to him. If we live our lives closer to or further from the way of life God has set down for us, we are no more or less justified by Christ's atoning death.

The Holy Spirit dwells in us, the Holy Spirit works on our hard selfish hearts softening them and turning us back to Jesus. The Holy Spirit shows us where we have failed God, and have failed others, strengthening us and encouraging us to humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness.

As God's representatives and as people who God is seen in we have a hard task ahead in our lives, but the burden is not ours alone to bear and it is not a fearful task. "“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me." Jesus brings comfort to our troubled souls. it is in Jesus ultimately that God is seen. In the life he lived and the sacrifice he made. In Jesus is the way, the way to know God, to see him. In Jesus is the truth about God, and his overflowing love and forgiveness, and in Jesus is life, life now here on earth, and life eternal in Heaven, where finally and completely we will see God and live.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.