Roger's Postings

Saturday, September 29, 2012


Mark 9:38-50.             For or against God???                         30/9/12

 38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

 Here in this reading Jesus is dealing with the important issue of whether we are for or against God. He very strongly points out the seriousness that we need to give to this issue. Get it wrong and we will be sent into hell, where the fire never goes out. So this is a big deal! His comments then, about cutting off arms and legs and plucking out eyes indicates the seriousness of the situation.

 So we had best be careful in our dealings and judgements of others, for there is serious consequences for our harming of the faith of others; particularly the ‘little ones.’ We need to be very careful about thinking that we can just cruise along and not get too caught up in this Christian ‘stuff’. Thinking that God is a loving God and so it doesn’t matter too much what I do, think or believe. So what if I sin, God will still accept me; as long as I am not too bad.

 Now it all starts here in this reading with some of the disciples being critical of a person who was driving out demons in Jesus name.  He is not one of us, so we made him stop: Because after all he was not one of the chosen disciples. So there has to be a problem here and it must be squashed.

 But Jesus has a completely different understanding. What did he say? “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. The important thing to note is that he was doing what he was doing in Jesus’ name. He was saying that it was because of Jesus that he was doing what he was doing. It was Jesus power that was doing the work, not his. So even though he may not fully know all that there is to know about Jesus, he was believing and trusting that here God is at work. So don’t destroy the little faith that he has.

 Along with that Jesus says, even though someone only gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. So it is not just the giving of a cup of water, but it is giving a cup of water or some other small deed because you are a Christian that is the critical point. Jesus recognises that there is a spark of faith here that is to be nurtured, rather than squashed. Here the person is wanting to give something to this God who has come into our midst, by giving a cup of water to one of his followers.

Something for us here to think about carefully!
Particularly then when we consider what Jesus then goes on to say.
If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.

 So how serious is it if we cause someone to stumble in their faith? Here Jesus is not talking about the problem that it is for the ‘little one’, but for those of us who cause someone else to fall. He is trying to get us to be very careful in how we deal with our children and anyone one else who is still ‘little’ in their faith. Woe betide, any of us who does something that will lead to the loss of faith in any of these ‘little ones.’ The emphasis is on the consequences for us, for failing to do what we should be doing.

 So serious is it, that it would be better for us to die in the most horrible way, than to be responsible for the loss of a ‘little ones’ faith. Jesus then goes on to say that if there is anything in and about what we are doing or saying that is the cause of the problem we must get rid of it. Just as we would readily get rid of a hand, foot or eye if they were to be a major problem for our health and wellbeing; so we need to have the same attitude with regard anything that we might do or say that would cause a ‘little one’ to stumble.

 It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, or whatever ever else it is that causes others to fall, than to have two eyes or whatever, and be thrown into hell, where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ That is how serious the consequences are for us if we deliberately do the wrong thing. This is not something then that can treat lightly.

 Jesus then completes this section with some words about salt. He says; Everyone will be salted with fire. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”  Our first thoughts on hearing this, is what has this got to do with what he is just talking about. We are also tempted to think that this is another saying, like us being salt and light to the world around us. But this is not the case here.

 Here it is we who are being salted with the Good News of Jesus Christ and what he has come here to do. This Good News cleanses and renews through the assurance of forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Jesus Christ and his death on the cross are essential for the salvation of every one of us. In him and in him alone we all have the full assurance that we have been rescued from the fire of hell and given a place with our Lord in heaven.

 So this Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? When the message of Jesus Christ has been poisoned in a ‘little ones’ life because of something that we have said or done, this is disastrous. When the ‘little ones’ can no longer hear or are not being told of the importance of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross their salvation is at stake.

 I am sure we all know of situations where a person can no longer hear the Good News because they have been abused by someone in the name of Christianity: One example being, the sexual misconduct of a priest. But many times we hear comments along the line; ‘that if that is what it is to be a Christian, I don’t want any part of it.’ The actions and behaviour of some Christian is such that it obscures the goodness and importance of Jesus Christ and the importance of what God tells us in his Word.

 At the same time, how often is it happening that the message of Jesus Christ in not even being told to the ‘little ones’. Yes, there can be a lot of talk about ‘christian’ things, [we must be doing this and that; the gifts of the Spirit, outreach, and all kinds of things] but Jesus and his death on the cross is barely mentioned. As a result many of these ‘little people’ are hearing only that Christianity is about living good moral and decent lives. Sin and Jesus death on the cross for it are not being heard.

 Woe betide us, if we are the source of this kind of thing. Cut it off so that we are not sent to hell because we have caused the ‘little ones’ to stumble.

 No, let us have salt among ourselves, and be at peace with each other. Let us see to it that Jesus Christ and the importance of his death on the cross is at the centre of everything that we say and do. With that then, may this Good News be so important and central that it does not put anything in the way of the ‘little ones’ so that they stumble and fall.

In this way may it be seen that we are for Christ and all that he has done for us so that we can have forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Then through this central focus on this Good News instead of working against our Lord and causing others to miss out on their salvation, may our Lord use it to draw the ‘little ones’ closer to our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. For to him alone belongs all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

 Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Friday, September 21, 2012


James 3:13- 4:10.                                Double-minded???                              23/9/12

 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
41 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Our reading from James this morning and last week highlights a matter that is very important for us - particularly at the present time. Now more than ever before, there is the need for us to humble ourselves before the Lord and to submit ourselves to the will of God. And yes, to even grieve, mourn and wail. To be cleansed from our sin and failing to be the people that God wants us to be; and to purify our hearts.

 For too long now our nation, our own church and even ourselves, have been double-minded. We claim to be Christians - to know God and believe in him, but at the same time we think we can live as we please. More and more, we think of self first, last and only, even within the church context. We go to church only when it pleases us; try to change God’s Word to suit ourselves. We think we can go along with everything the world out there is doing and it doesn't matter: we murder our unborn babies; break our marriage vows; rip people off; we can quarrel, fight, covet and gossip as if it is the thing to do. And the list goes on and on.                  

 Even when we see the results of living this way: the worship service shifting its focus, the declining church attendance; then also the violence, murders, corruption, loneliness, suicide, and all the rest, growing daily – we still go on following blindly as if it is the only way to live.

 When is the penny going to drop? Do we have to lose everything first? Again recently I heard the comment from someone who should know better. He was complaining how God seemed to be giving us a hard time and how God was to blame for this and that: he looked at others out there and could see the seeming green grass over the fence. He complained about all kinds of things that were going on in the church and the world. Yet that same person has no qualms about missing Sunday after Sunday in Church. No thought or consideration for the next person; far less for the Lord and how he would have us live and act. But, he claims to be a Christian.

 Now before we become too judgmental toward him, we need to see that this same tendency is there in each one of us. We see all these things out there, but we seem to think that it does not apply us: or that we have a better handle on things: or that we are forgiven and so it doesn’t matter. We think we can say we are Lutheran but then not hold to our Lutheran teachings, and don’t really care. The reality however is that each one of us is all too blind to our own sin and have a higher opinion of our goodness than we should. We all know the old saying: ‘pride comes before a fall,’ yet we never seem to be able to apply this to ourselves.

 When are we going to wake up? Or do we want to be known in history as the greatest of fools? If we don't want to listen to what God has to say in the Bible, then have a look at history and see how we are fast repeating the great collapses of society in the past. Wake up before it is too late. Resist the devil and come near to God. Humble ourselves before him and submit ourselves to him and his Word before we really get ourselves into a complete mess and lose everything.

 Remember again that we cannot live without God. And we will have a hard time of life if we think that we merely can keep him right out at an arm’s length. So let us trust again that he can do a better job at running our lives than we can. That of course, means taking seriously what he has to say in his Word. It means holding to the Confessions of our church because they are a clear understanding of that Word. Let us follow his guidelines for living and acting. That means loving our neighbour as we love ourselves; and that is selfishness in reverse. It means forgiving others as we have been forgiven; knowing that in Jesus Christ we have all the security that we really need. It means that money and material assets are not seen as the ‘be all and end all.’

 We can have the confidence to know that God is true to his Word, even when it doesn’t fit into the thinking of our society around us. We can gather together Sunday after Sunday to receive from God what he wants to give us through Word and Sacrament, rather than simply looking for the experience of a spiritual high. We can daily look to, trust and live in accord with our Lord, instead of trying to do our own thing.

 No matter what the difficulties of life might be around us, we can accept that the Lord will give us what we need in order to be his people. We don't need run others down and get even - even if they are in the wrong; because God is in control - he will take care of things. We can set about being a positive influence on others; pointing them to what is important, because we know that God is there at work also. We can use our time as an opportunity to help and encourage others as well and know that we won't lose out in the other areas of life. Also through it God will give us greater sense of worth, peace, joy, feelings of belonging and much more; and I could go on and on.

 But we will not understand and experience this if we think we can be double-minded and get away with it. We can't have a leg on each side of a barbed-wire fence without doing ourselves great harm. To follow the world and its hollow promises is to invite disaster in the longer term. There is only one way:        submission to God: putting our whole life in his hands and following his way           - even if it seems a little silly and out of step with the rest of society: even if it means giving up a few selfish interests: even if it costs us dearly. There is no other way - no easy way out.

Jesus himself said -wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many entering through it. But small is the gate and narrow is road that leads to life and few thereon. He also says; take up your cross and follow me.

Here remember that we can do this - because not only has the Lord Jesus shown us the way, but he has also died and risen again for us: he has forgiven us and accepted us as his very own. He has promised to help us and has given us the Holy Spirit to guide, direct and encourage us. But we can not do it if we ignore him, push him away and keep him at a distance; or if we close our eyes and ears to his Word. The Holy Spirit is at work for us when we come into contact with the Word and the Sacraments. Yet we don't get fed, if we don't go to the kitchen and if we don't open our mouths to let any food enter. But God has made it all available to you and me. It is all there for us in and through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 So; Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.   AMEN

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Saturday, September 08, 2012


James 2:1-17.              Faith and deeds???                             9/9/12

 2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
2 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 Here today James raises an issue that is important for us to consider carefully; particularly, for us as Lutherans. Too often we are tempted to think that as long as we have faith in Jesus Christ that is all that matters. So what if we don’t always live according to God’s Word. The important thing is that we believe: that we have our faith; whatever that might mean.

 For many of us we justify this thinking because we do not want to fall into that other great danger in Christianity: thinking and believing that our salvation is dependent on our good works. This too is not a good thing; for if we trust that it is our obedience and good deeds that will enable us to earn our acceptance by God, there too we are in big trouble.

 Both of these views make our Christianity worthless: dead. Obedience and good deeds will not save us. On their own they are good for nothing; other than simply a good thing to do. But at the same time James here makes the point that faith without good deeds is equally good for nothing: a waste of time.

 Here in this reading he is addressing the situation where people were claiming to be Christians, but who gave little thought to how God would have them live and act. In fact it would seem that they were quite comfortable in discriminating against the poor and needy; and ignoring other clear commands of God. But at the same time considered themselves to be fine, upstanding Christians. They had their faith in Jesus and that surely ensured that they were saved and it didn’t really matter how they lived their lives. So he clearly tells them that their faith is worthless: it is dead.

 Now that should stop us all in our tracks, and challenge us to think carefully as to where we are at in our own lives. Would we want the accusation that our faith is dead to hang over us on Judgement Day? Particularly, since we are living at a time when it is so easy for us to ‘do what everyone else is doing.’ It is so easy for us to ignore what God has to say about regular Sunday worship; looking down on others who are not like us; being selfish in so many different ways; and more.

 We think it is no big deal that we do these things. Does it really matter if we do those things? After all, we have our faith. We believe that we are forgiven through Jesus’ death on the cross. So does it really matter?

 Well, God’s Word here clearly says that it does matter. It says: faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. A little earlier it said: If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. That surely is all very clear.

 So with that in mind we then need to understand the next point that is made here. It says: Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

 This gets to the heart of the matter. We are called to live, speak and act as people who are going to be judged: Judged by the living out of our faith: the law that gives freedom. What this means is, that because we know that God is merciful and thereby forgives us for Jesus sake, we will thankfully seek to do all that God would have us do each and every day of our life.

 Because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection for us and for our salvation we are set free from that slavery of sin that has beset each and every one of us. We are no longer living under the absolute compulsion to have to do everything that God says, with the threat of punishment hanging over our heads. The Law that God has given to us to live under is now no longer a burden and a drudgery that must be endured at all costs if we are to be acceptable to God. Jesus took our place and suffered the punishment that we deserve, so that we no longer have that threat hanging over us.

 So now we can, and surely will want to, freely and willingly do what our Lord says. We will do it because he has saved and redeemed us. We will do it; because by virtue of our baptism we are washed clean and now have God himself live within us. We have been given his Spirit so that we can and will desire to live this life that is so good for us. We will have his strength and help to go against our sinful desires, and instead now do what is good and right. He and what he would have for us is what will be important for us.

 This is what it is to be Christian. Our faith and our deeds will go hand in hand. They are very much a part of each other. There is no such thing as faith without the desire to live the life that God has for us. And our deeds are nothing unless they arise from a faith and trust that is grounded in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for our salvation.

 So the judgement that we face at the end will be determined by our faith that is evident by the deeds that we have done. So what a mistake then it is, to neglect and forget that faith and the love toward those around us are both very important. What a tragedy it is to then try to convince ourselves that as long as we have faith, then it doesn’t matter how we live. We can willingly ignore what God has told is good for us, because after all God will forgive us and accept us into heaven.

 Here we are reminded quite clearly that judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. If we willingly live without deeds we are clearly showing that we do not believe that our Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. We have made ourselves to be lord and judge of our life. Even though we claim to have faith we have set our views and judgements over what God himself has to say: and so can expect no mercy from him.

 So, with all of this in mind, let us look to and hold Jesus and his cross up firmly before our eyes all the time so that we can be ever so sure that he is our Lord and Saviour who has been merciful to us. Knowing that, we then will also be ever mindful that he is our Almighty and loving God who has ways and commands that are good for us. So we will be ever so vigilant in seeking to do what he would have us do. We will be merciful as he has been merciful to us.

 However, we will willingly and joyfully do this knowing that he has not only been merciful to us, but that he is ever wanting to help us and give us the strength and ability to do this.  He has forgiven us so that we can freely and joyfully do this with the life and strength that he has given us and continues to give us, week in week out. With his Word that he speaks to us here each Sunday and with his body and blood in the Lord’s Supper, he is assuring of his mercy and his presence and power to help us each and every day of our life.

 So yes, let us be ever so careful that we are not found to have a dead faith. But instead to live out our faith every day so that all glory and honour may go to him whom it belongs; our great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is surely Lord and Saviour of us all. Amen.

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Saturday, September 01, 2012


Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23          Having Heart Trouble??                      2/9/12

 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and {2} saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed. {3} (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. {4} When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) {5} So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?" {6} He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. {7} They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' {8} You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
{14} Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. {15} Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'"
 {21} For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, {22} greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. {23} All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"

We today are being confronted with an age old problem: how do we make individuals better; to do good, and to live the way that God would have us? What is the answer to crime and human depravity – more education; more laws; better prisons; capital punishment; higher incomes for the poor? What is the way that we need to go? Today an emphasis is placed on behaviour modification through drugs, rewards, positive thinking and the like. If outwardly we do the right things we will overcome our problems.

 Even within the church we are confronted with this same issue: how do we make people better Christians? How can we make our world and our lives better and more acceptable, and how do we have a greater impact in our mission to the people around about us? We need to be more righteous and holy; so we figure that we need more positive and upbeat worship; we need to be seen to be living in a particular way; we need more gifts of the Spirit and miracles: we must observe the traditions that have been passed on to us: we must do ...... any number of things, if we are to make the church the kinds of place that it should be.

 In this reading however, Jesus puts his finger on the cause and resolution of most of our major problems in both of these aspects of life; a bad heart. A good life calls for a good heart. Jesus knows full well that it is what comes from the heart that counts. He says; For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. They are all symptoms of a bad heart. Simply doing what outwardly seems right and saying what it is right; doesn’t make it right: it doesn’t make a person right. That as Jesus says, is only hypocrisy. The heart tells the real story.

 That being the case we can see that our country and ‘christianity’ is suffering from a serious case of heart trouble. We are in the process of having a serious heart attack; and unless it is dealt with promptly and in the right way we will die. Unless we deal with the cause of the problem, no amount of outward tampering and putting on a good face, will solve the problem.

 We know this very well, when it comes to our physical heart. We know that when the blood pressure is not right it affects the rest of the body. We know that when there are blockages of arteries, that it seriously affects the performance of the rest of the body. And we know that when we have severe chest pains that a major seizure is possible just around the corner. When these things occur we don’t run for the medicine cabinet and take a few panadol or some other potion that ‘might do the trick.’. We don’t race out and do a lot of exercise and eat some greens to quickly get fit and healthy. We don’t put a smile on our face and pretend that everything is going fine. No, we get to the doctor as quickly as we possibly can. We tell others to do the same when they are in trouble also.

 But how do we know that we have a serious heart problem when it comes to our spiritual lives? Here, what did Jesus say? For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. Yes, we all have a heart problem: A serious one at that.

These are all symptoms that that our heart is turned in the wrong direction. They are all symptoms of a heart that is selfish and wants simply what it wants. They are all pointers that our heart has a major and irreparable disease. By nature our heart is evil and is destined to bring our life crumbling down around us.

However, the temptation is to think that we can do something to help and improve our situation. The temptation is to do what the Pharisees of Jesus day did. In order to make sure that they were OK and acceptable, they detailed a whole host of things that they had to do or not do so that they could ensure that they could keep their ‘heart’ going. They were very concerned with the outward appearances; seeming to think that if they did them that would help. In this way they could avoid having to have major surgery: that is, face true repentance. Self surely had to play its part.

 Yet here again what did Jesus say; "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their hearts are turned away from God even though there were all the pretences of sincere religiosity. In their self-righteousness they thought that they could work their way out of their problems. Surely if we do the right thing and have the right attitude we will get through.

 As a result the heart attack is imminent. Death: eternal death is just around the corner. In their certainty that they were doing OK by themselves, they were ignorant of the disaster that was near at hand: like a time bomb ready to go off at any minute. Yet they did not want to recognise it or turn to the help that was there for them.

 You see, they and each one of us needs major surgery; we need a complete heart transplant. We need Jesus Christ to give us a new and clean heart; a heart that is turned away from self, to God: A heart that is the source of good living. That is why he constantly preached the need for repentance and belief in the Good News that he had come to bring. His death and resurrection makes possible this great heart transplant. There on the cross he dies our death and then rises again to establish new life.

 Then he gives us baptism whereby he performs this transplant in each one of us personally. There he drowns our old evil heart, putting it to death. In its place gives us his very own heart. A heart the will live for ever: A heart that will bring forth a good life; a life that lives in accord with how we are meant to live as God’s people. A heart the focuses and gives all glory to our great God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 In many ways, following the transplant theme, we need to continually go back to our great Physician, for our anti-rejection drugs. We still often feel weak and insecure, we still stumble and fall. But gradually bit by bit as this new heart works in our lives, we become stronger and evidence of this new good heart comes more and more to the fore. But we recognise that while we still live here on this earth, we will still struggle with the old nature as well. However now we can keep going back to our great Physician and receive his forgiveness and help, as well as the constant assurance that his new heart that he has placed in us will live forever.

 We need to keep looking to him and receiving from him his body and blood which he gives us in Holy Communion. We need to feed on his Word so that we can be strengthened in body and soul and led in the knowledge of what he wants so that we can live this new life that he has given us.

 So we can see again that the only way for us to overcome the troubles and death of this world, that has as the source of its problem a bad and evil heart, is for a complete change of heart. But then with the assurance that we have received a new and living heart at our baptism, we now can seek more and more to live this new life that has been given to us. All along though, we look to and seek the help of the great Physician so that this new heart gets all that it needs to sustain and keep it safe in the midst of the threats and dangers that it faces in this world.

 With this new heart then may each and every one of us give glory to whom it is due: to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for to him alone belongs all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN

 Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

 
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