Romans 15:4-13. Turn to Jesus in thankfulness 5/12/10
(5) May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, {6} so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. {7} Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. {8} For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs {9} so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name." {10} Again, it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." {11} And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples." {12} And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him." {13} May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This Sunday we are reminded that Advent is a time when God seeks to draw us to turn to him in thankfulness for what we are reminded he has done for us in the coming of Jesus into our world. Now surely, as we think of the wonderful event that we are about to celebrate, how can we be anything but thankful? This event has turned life upside down for us and given us every reason to be full of hope, peace and joy. Yet what do we hear and see?
Again and again, we and others complain about all kinds of things. Even though we have so much, we are not satisfied. We are given and have so much, and yet our only thought seems to be that we want more and more while being prepared to give less and less in order to have it. We feel that we have a right to have and expect all that we want for ourselves. Then with that as our attitude, there is little or only token thankfulness for what we have. Therefore, if we think about it, the only one we really want to thank and praise is ourselves. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we will recognise that sadly this is the attitude that is becoming more and more prevalent as time goes on, in many of our lives.
Perhaps we need to be put into the position of say the Sudanese refugees, or those who are being terrorised and have been driven from their homes and loved ones by bombings and war. Or perhaps in the place of many people in other parts of the world who are barely surviving through the lack of the basic necessities of life. Maybe, then we might learn to be more thankful. Thankful for the little we have, rather than ungrateful for the excess we now have. This however is only thinking of the material things of life, which anyway are only here today and gone tomorrow.
But with that being our attitude toward the things of this world, we need then to give serious consideration as to whether this is not also our attitude with regard to the spiritual aspect of our lives as well. Has thankfulness to God also slipped from our lives, and its place taken up by the praising of the achievements of mankind and ourselves in particular? I think so.
Sadly, this tendency has crept into our own Church and our own lives. So maybe we need to look again at what God has done for us and what the real situation would be for us without the Lord Jesus and what he has done for us. Then I am sure we would all be much more thankful in every aspect of our lives. Particularly thankful however to God for all he has done for us.
Now, there are many today who feel that they deserve God’s favour and goodness. If he has created us then surely he is responsible for our wellbeing. Since he made us in his image, and we are told that he is an all loving God, then he should surely bless us and keep us. Yes, these people would probably add, ‘of course we need to live a reasonably good life;’ as long we try; as long as we are sincere. Yes, as long as they do that, then if something tragic happens, well then, it has to be God’s fault. At the very least, he should have protected them.
For many today their lives are so centred on themselves, they really see no great need for God other than as someone to give them what they want and to accept them into heaven at end of life, or as someone to blame when things go wrong. In the meantime, they want to live by and for themselves: making their own rules – and even if they consider God’s laws, it is their living by them that counts. So underneath – if not obviously – they pat themselves on the back and are thankful to themselves for what they have and achieve.
Now in the face of that sort of thinking, we need to look to and take seriously what God has to say in his Word, and in so doing we will find that things are quite different and pride shattering. There, we truly find that what the Lord expects is perfection. He says, “Be holy as I the Lord your God are holy.’ It is there also, that we find, that it is our turning our backs on God and what he has to say, that is the cause of all that is wrong in this world. In other words, it is humanities fault that we face all that is bad and wrong in our lives, not his. It is there also that we find that it is because of our sin that we cannot stand in God’s presence; and in fact, that his holiness would burn us to nothing if we did. So we are unable to even come close to deserving to be in heaven or have him even look on us with any kindness. When we look to ourselves, we are in the biggest trouble of all – with no way out.
That then, is what makes Christmas so amazing; so special; so joyful. God comes to us – into our world – however not to destroy us – but to provide a way out for us, despite ourselves. His Son Jesus comes to us – so that God would punish him instead of us. His life, death and resurrection turns our whole situation in life around. Now when God looks at you and me he sees, not our imperfections, but Jesus and thereby accepts us as his very own. Now it is possible for us to be in God’s presence and to enjoy the very best of everything that God has in mind for us. Not because of anything in us – but because of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.
Now that surely is something that really is worth being thankful about. Surely we would be infinitely more thankful than the Sudanese refugee or the starving person would be if we gave them our luxurious living for the rest their days here on this earth. What joy surely is ours, to know that we will not be punished with eternal death because of all that we are and do; but instead be given the very best of everything for all eternity, because of Jesus! Surely, Jesus then is now seen as the very source and centre of our life, salvation and everything else. Surely!
Even when it comes to looking at what we have or do not have, or the difficulties we may be facing, or the life we are living, it is Jesus we look to now in order to understand and make sense of it. When we look to him and what he says we find that Jesus is seeking to use whatever the situation we are facing, to keep us close to him and mindful of what he has done for us. So, in the good things of life and especially even in the bad, we find our Lord with us and working in the midst of it all, for good. In this way, we then recognise that again it is by God’s grace alone that we are anything worthwhile and that we can do and have anything that is good and right. So our hope, peace and joy increases. As does our thankfulness to our God for all that he has and continues to do for us in Christ Jesus.
Here also let us remember that everyone who turns their backs on all this and thinks that they can go back to living and focussing on themselves and patting themselves on their backs, and think that it is somehow their work; their goodness and the like that makes them acceptable and so thank themselves instead of the Lord, look out! They will reap their own rewards. They will lose out entirely. God will punish them in Hell. A sobering thought for us today.
However, let us go from here now, mindful and focussed, not on ourselves, but on our Lord Jesus Christ. Being ever appreciative for what he has done for us and made available to us. And let us allow our thankfulness for this to be seen in all that we say and do: Singing our praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And may this God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
(5) May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, {6} so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. {7} Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. {8} For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs {9} so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name." {10} Again, it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." {11} And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples." {12} And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him." {13} May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This Sunday we are reminded that Advent is a time when God seeks to draw us to turn to him in thankfulness for what we are reminded he has done for us in the coming of Jesus into our world. Now surely, as we think of the wonderful event that we are about to celebrate, how can we be anything but thankful? This event has turned life upside down for us and given us every reason to be full of hope, peace and joy. Yet what do we hear and see?
Again and again, we and others complain about all kinds of things. Even though we have so much, we are not satisfied. We are given and have so much, and yet our only thought seems to be that we want more and more while being prepared to give less and less in order to have it. We feel that we have a right to have and expect all that we want for ourselves. Then with that as our attitude, there is little or only token thankfulness for what we have. Therefore, if we think about it, the only one we really want to thank and praise is ourselves. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we will recognise that sadly this is the attitude that is becoming more and more prevalent as time goes on, in many of our lives.
Perhaps we need to be put into the position of say the Sudanese refugees, or those who are being terrorised and have been driven from their homes and loved ones by bombings and war. Or perhaps in the place of many people in other parts of the world who are barely surviving through the lack of the basic necessities of life. Maybe, then we might learn to be more thankful. Thankful for the little we have, rather than ungrateful for the excess we now have. This however is only thinking of the material things of life, which anyway are only here today and gone tomorrow.
But with that being our attitude toward the things of this world, we need then to give serious consideration as to whether this is not also our attitude with regard to the spiritual aspect of our lives as well. Has thankfulness to God also slipped from our lives, and its place taken up by the praising of the achievements of mankind and ourselves in particular? I think so.
Sadly, this tendency has crept into our own Church and our own lives. So maybe we need to look again at what God has done for us and what the real situation would be for us without the Lord Jesus and what he has done for us. Then I am sure we would all be much more thankful in every aspect of our lives. Particularly thankful however to God for all he has done for us.
Now, there are many today who feel that they deserve God’s favour and goodness. If he has created us then surely he is responsible for our wellbeing. Since he made us in his image, and we are told that he is an all loving God, then he should surely bless us and keep us. Yes, these people would probably add, ‘of course we need to live a reasonably good life;’ as long we try; as long as we are sincere. Yes, as long as they do that, then if something tragic happens, well then, it has to be God’s fault. At the very least, he should have protected them.
For many today their lives are so centred on themselves, they really see no great need for God other than as someone to give them what they want and to accept them into heaven at end of life, or as someone to blame when things go wrong. In the meantime, they want to live by and for themselves: making their own rules – and even if they consider God’s laws, it is their living by them that counts. So underneath – if not obviously – they pat themselves on the back and are thankful to themselves for what they have and achieve.
Now in the face of that sort of thinking, we need to look to and take seriously what God has to say in his Word, and in so doing we will find that things are quite different and pride shattering. There, we truly find that what the Lord expects is perfection. He says, “Be holy as I the Lord your God are holy.’ It is there also, that we find, that it is our turning our backs on God and what he has to say, that is the cause of all that is wrong in this world. In other words, it is humanities fault that we face all that is bad and wrong in our lives, not his. It is there also that we find that it is because of our sin that we cannot stand in God’s presence; and in fact, that his holiness would burn us to nothing if we did. So we are unable to even come close to deserving to be in heaven or have him even look on us with any kindness. When we look to ourselves, we are in the biggest trouble of all – with no way out.
That then, is what makes Christmas so amazing; so special; so joyful. God comes to us – into our world – however not to destroy us – but to provide a way out for us, despite ourselves. His Son Jesus comes to us – so that God would punish him instead of us. His life, death and resurrection turns our whole situation in life around. Now when God looks at you and me he sees, not our imperfections, but Jesus and thereby accepts us as his very own. Now it is possible for us to be in God’s presence and to enjoy the very best of everything that God has in mind for us. Not because of anything in us – but because of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.
Now that surely is something that really is worth being thankful about. Surely we would be infinitely more thankful than the Sudanese refugee or the starving person would be if we gave them our luxurious living for the rest their days here on this earth. What joy surely is ours, to know that we will not be punished with eternal death because of all that we are and do; but instead be given the very best of everything for all eternity, because of Jesus! Surely, Jesus then is now seen as the very source and centre of our life, salvation and everything else. Surely!
Even when it comes to looking at what we have or do not have, or the difficulties we may be facing, or the life we are living, it is Jesus we look to now in order to understand and make sense of it. When we look to him and what he says we find that Jesus is seeking to use whatever the situation we are facing, to keep us close to him and mindful of what he has done for us. So, in the good things of life and especially even in the bad, we find our Lord with us and working in the midst of it all, for good. In this way, we then recognise that again it is by God’s grace alone that we are anything worthwhile and that we can do and have anything that is good and right. So our hope, peace and joy increases. As does our thankfulness to our God for all that he has and continues to do for us in Christ Jesus.
Here also let us remember that everyone who turns their backs on all this and thinks that they can go back to living and focussing on themselves and patting themselves on their backs, and think that it is somehow their work; their goodness and the like that makes them acceptable and so thank themselves instead of the Lord, look out! They will reap their own rewards. They will lose out entirely. God will punish them in Hell. A sobering thought for us today.
However, let us go from here now, mindful and focussed, not on ourselves, but on our Lord Jesus Christ. Being ever appreciative for what he has done for us and made available to us. And let us allow our thankfulness for this to be seen in all that we say and do: Singing our praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And may this God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
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