Acts 10:34-43.                    He is Risen, indeed!!!                                     27/3/16

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 

36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 

37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. 

39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 

40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 

41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 

42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 

43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Did you hear and understand what we have just said? Our Lord Jesus has risen from the dead! Yet, it would seem that we have heard this so often that it brushes over us without meaning much at all. After all what difference has it made to our everyday life? What difference does it make to our church that is seemingly, slowly dying? We all seem to have more important things to focus on.

Now this morning typifies this for many people. For many, the first thing this morning on the agenda is the Easter eggs. Here we have something that gives our Easter a buzz. There is excitement in the house. How many, and how much chocolate can we amass this year. How much of a ‘high’ will the kids and we ourselves have this year? How long will this chocolate last?

Yes, we have set up a whole industry and worked out ways that we can make this chocolate even more addictive and appealing. We have ensured great advertising happens around it so that we can get even more out of this little high that we have made for ourselves. It all helps the economy and helps make the world tick. And it something we can easily be involved in, without any real thought. It is something nice for us to focus on so the Easter can mean something for us.

So here we have something that focuses people’s minds and engages their thinking and talking about Easter so that they are in some way freed from the thinking and hassles of their everyday life. So Easter bunny and the chocolate becomes the buzz of the weekend, while the real meaning of Easter becomes just a ho hum part of what they have heard over and over again when it comes to Easter.

But as we are already hearing in the media with the over indulgence of chocolate comes hypo kids, weight gain and guilt, and very quickly the buzz is gone and we still have nothing to help us to face life in our troubled world. Frustration and depression quickly comes into our lives once more. There was only a very brief escape from the realities of life.

Sadly, even from within the churches the same kind of thing takes place. We hear nice messages of love and hope, self-giving sacrifice and example. Things that can lift our spirits but which fall short of actually dealing with the real issue of Easter. Love and justice, inclusivity, being loved and valued, our longings and hopes, were comments made by church leaders this Easter. And they are wonderful messages and surely are flow-ons from the real Easter message.

However, when they become the main focus then all too quickly we are left frustrated and depressed. No matter who we are or what we do, when the focus is on us and what we do or should be doing, thinking or feeling, we will all too quickly come up short. It is all nice and good but we and others around us will continually not measure up. Then we become frustrated and depressed or self-righteous and arrogant.

Yet surely, here again this weekend, our focus is drawn away from I, me and myself. These days we have planted before our very eyes that which shakes us to the core and glues us to that which is utterly mind blowing. That innocent man hanging on a cross to die surely touches as much the Brussels bombings. More so, when we realize that this was the Son of God willingly hanging there. And even more so when we hear this morning news that he is risen from the dead.

Peter here in this reading is absolutely focussed on God and what he has done through his Son Jesus Christ. For Peter it is all about Jesus and who he is and what he has done. He cannot stop talking about him and pointing others to him, for it is there alone that humanity can find and have that which is truly needful and helpful.

This Jesus is where it is at, not us. Only in him can we find love, justice, hope and all the rest. He alone is what is important and life giving. He alone enables us to have meaning and purpose and hope. He alone enables us to have life, here in this troubled world of ours, as well as in heaven for all eternity.

Listen to Peter:  “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. God is the determiner of who is acceptable and who is not. Not us and our reasoning and what we would like to think. It is not about what we have done or not done; but whether we are prepared to take him seriously as God and Lord over all.

He goes on to remind us that God himself tell us that Jesus Christ is all important. He says: You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. In him we have really good news for us. News that turns our life upside down. In him there is peace – true peace - lasting peace – even in the midst of terrorist bombings.

Why? How? Peter goes on: God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. Here, in Jesus walking this earth 2,00years ago in Israel, God was at work. Miraculous things, beyond human possibility. These are things that happened in history – in our world. This is no fairy story, or wishful thinking.

Peter and the disciples: “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They saw, heard and experienced things that could only be of God almighty himself. But even more, they testify that: They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 

This is absolutely amazing news. There is something super special about this person and what he is doing. Nobody dies in this fashion and then rises again. It just doesn’t happen in this world of ours. Except if it is God himself at work.

Peter goes on: He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 

So even when it comes to the message that is to be preached, it is Jesus who determines what that should be. That is that God has appointed Jesus to be the judge of all. He determines who goes to heaven or to hell. In this regard the Bible itself determines what that is.  All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

So those who look to Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins has the assurance that they have peace with God and eternal life in heaven. When we look to him and focus there we can be sure. However, when we turn to ourselves and what we do and how we are responding and all rest, we will doubt and despair. Focus on him and what he says and trust that he has it in hand, then we can go forward boldly and confidently.

If we take God at his word and look to Jesus alone and what he did over Easter, then we can know for sure that this is the greatest and most fantastic thing that could ever happen for our lives. With him front and centre we can be sure that all will be well for the rest of our lives. No matter what we face or have to go through, we know for sure that Jesus has taken care of it and that he now has the last word.

He is risen! He is risen indeed! The Lord Jesus who died on the cross three days before has been raised to life again: never more to die. All those then who believe and are connected to him receive forgiveness of sins through his name. They are joined to him and his death and resurrection and so are assured that they too will rise from their death and have eternal life in heaven.

To him be all glory and honour now and forever. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Luke 19:28-40.                   Blessed is the king who comes                   20/3/16

28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 

29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 

30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 

31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 

32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 

33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 

34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 

35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 

36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” 

Today we are reminded of the King, Jesus, coming to Jerusalem to do what is necessary for him to establish his kingdom for our benefit. Everything about this whole event looks odd and contrary to what we would expect. Yet it is the greatest and best think that could ever have happened. Without it we would be in very serious trouble; even today, and especially in the future. Without it there would be no hope and no life.

Also here we can readily see that God’s way of doing things are so different from how we think and act, even in the church today. Yet his ways actually work, compared to all of our glorious attempts which fail miserably and create even greater disasters in the long term.

Blessed is this king who comes – because without him we are destined to hell here on earth and even worse in eternity. Blessed –here has the idea that in the coming of Jesus into Jerusalem and his death and resurrection, God’s blessing rests on him. Here is the pinnacle of what he has come to do in order for God to save humanity and establish his kingdom amongst us. Here is the Messiah – the one God had promised that he would send to do what was necessary.

And he comes in the name of the Lord. He comes as God with all that he is and stands for. He is coming with all the authority and power of God, to do what has to be done to defeat the power of evil. Here we see that he defeats the devil not by power and force, but by disarming him of his power. This coming week we will again be reminded of just how he does this.

But here as Jesus comes into Jerusalem, we already see the approach that truly wins out, despite being at odds with humanity’s approach. Here we have the King – the Messiah coming to establish his kingdom. He comes together with humility and service – giving instead of receiving; and through it accomplishes that which is truly great. Through death he gives life, and more. All which goes against our worldly view of how things should be.

Just as we too look to be freed from the mess of our lives and be able to have a comfortable easy lifestyle, so also did the people of Jesus day. They were under the oppressive rule of the Romans as well as having of the normal health, wealth and happiness hassles that are common to us all. But even more significant was the fact that they saw themselves as God’s people and felt that God should see to it that they are free and have things go well for them.

So they were very much looking for God’s Messiah to come as promised and to establish his rule forever. But they were looking for it very much in earthly and outward terms. They were looking for another Moses type figure who would come with power and wonderful signs and the like. But at the same time they were not prepared to take God’s Word seriously. Throughout history Israel continued to sin greatly even though they had and saw God’s great power and might at work.

Likewise, many today think that Christians should have life easy and that all should go well for us. Providing we live a reasonably good life, then God should bless us in our everyday life. Power and glory should be how things operate and be our guide to life. At the same time, we seem to think that we can ignore or change God’s Word to suit our own thinking. We think we know better than God how things should be done.

But only a cursory look across history shows that this has not worked. Selfish humanity will never get it right; especially when it comes to power and glory. In every area of life, we get it wrong, because we have rebelled and turned God’s ways upside down. The results are evident, but we are not willing to change our thinking. Our pride and arrogance does not look beyond ourselves.

However, here Jesus comes to town to take up his reign as King and save his people from the mess they have made for themselves. But he comes on donkey instead of his fiery black or white steed. No sword and great army. No power and great might. Gentle and riding on a donkey – in fact, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The procession then proceeds down the Mount of Olives, to the praises and joy of his disciples. No great trumpet fanfare, but a joyful and loud procession, never the less. The spreading of the cloaks underfoot showing the disciples honour and submission to the Messiah at his coming to establish his kingdom.

Here comes the one they have seen perform many miracles; that only God can do. Here surely is the Messiah; the one whom the angels sang at his birth: “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Everything is lining up for the establishment of the Kingdom that God had promised throughout history.

So all are getting excited, for great things are about to happen: Even though there is no great army or a grand procession into town. We all can sing our praises and announce blessing on the king. “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

But from there on things did not go the way they and we would think. He is betrayed, arrested, falsely tried, suffers and dies. This is not what we expect or want God to act. This does not fit the human concept of winning and ruling. It is all upside down and inside out. It is all wrong to our way of thinking.

Yet the Scriptures are quite clear that it is right here and through these means, that God accomplishes salvation and life for all who are prepared to trust that this is the case. The Bible is quite clear that his death on the cross has defeated the devil and made forgiveness of sins, life and salvation available to all.

Of course, sadly, many do not want to believe this and so lose out. They want to look to the glorious things of life and trust their doing and thinking rather than what God has done through Jesus Christ.

So Jesus is no longer King in their lives. They may well talk about him and sing praises in his name, but they have made themselves once again king in their own lives and Jesus is subservient to their thinking. Disastrous!

However today we are reminded that Jesus is King. In fact, he is king of all kings and Lord of all lords. He is where it is all at, even if it may not look like it to our human way of thinking. This King is truly blessed in every way. In his humility, suffering and death he is there with all the power and glory of God bringing about good. There he overcomes sin, death and hell.

Now there is peace in heaven; for now, God can once be at peace with sinful humanity. Our sins are forgiven and all who are connected to Jesus through baptism and faith, have that certainty of being with God in heaven. Jesus, as a result of what he does here and on the cross is now given all glory in the highest. Jesus is held in the highest honour, and to whom every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth. To him be all glory and honour.

So all who are connected to this King, Jesus, they now understand that blessing comes together with humility and service – giving instead of receiving. Instead of following a theology of glory, they now seek to take seriously the theology of the cross.

Now then we can face this coming Holy Week with confidence and certainty and we can truly celebrate the coming of the King and his enthronement on the cross. His death and resurrection can be seen as that which is truly blessed and which brings life and salvation to us all.

 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

John 12:1-8.                        Remember the best!!!                                   13/3/16

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 

2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 

3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 

5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. ” 

6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 

8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” 

Easter is fast coming on us, and the question arising out of this reading is, are we focussing on that which important. Or are we allowing lesser things to take centre stage in our thinking. We all, too often, get caught up in thinking about our day to day life and what needs doing. We are focussed on life in our world around us. So we fail to consider the truly important things in life.

How many of us are pondering deeply over the fact that Jesus is going to die - for us? Do we really take seriously that here God is going to die because of our sinfulness? Do we understand that we are completely unacceptable to be in God’s presence without Jesus doing what he did on the cross? Is he truly all important in our thinking and our actions? Would we give him our very expensive perfume in honour and gratitude for who he is and what he has done for us? These, and many other similar questions, are important for us to think through as we approach Easter.

Now here in this reading Jesus and his disciples are on the outskirts of Jerusalem where Jesus is about to go, where he will be arrested and put to death. Jesus has told his friends a number of times already that this is what is about to happen. However, by in large they just don’t seem to get it.

They are too busy thinking of themselves and their place in the scheme of all of this. Judas is only interested in getting his hands on the money that could be gained from the sale of this perfume. They all seem to be too engrossed in themselves and what is happening in the here and now. The important things are not considered.

Only Mary has any real concept of what is at hand and what is needed at this point. She has heard what Jesus had been saying and taken it all to heart. She knew he was going to die. She here now knows that it is near at hand. The text makes it clear that as she had already known that this was going to happen. So she buys this expensive nard in preparation for his death. In fact, she spends a whole year’s wages on this purchase, for the very purpose of anointing his body.

She knew Jesus was all important. She knew that his death was important. It also would seem that she knew that he was going to be crucified and that she would not have the opportunity to anoint his body when the time came. So here she takes the opportunity to do what was necessary. She is going to do the very best she could for him who is the Messiah – the one sent by God to save and lead his people. She was anointing him to be enthroned as King on the cross.

So Mary is focussed here on Jesus’ impending death and the importance of what he is doing and is about. In Mathew’s Gospel reading on this event we have Jesus heaping praise on her for what she has done: She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

What a beautiful reminder we have here for us too as we look forward to Easter. In the midst of the many temptations and distractions that we have at this time, we surely are encouraged to never lose sight of that which is truly significant.

Just as the disciples struggled so much from this point on, because they failed to come to grips with Jesus and his talk of death and resurrection; so also do we. When we don’t hold Jesus and the cross ever before us it is so easy for us to be tempted by the long weekend away; the Easter eggs; and lattes in the café; whatever.

Then also our ‘christian life’ becomes focussed on the poor; and our doing; and feelings; and what fits the culture of the day. Jesus becomes our great example; or we look to him to be our miracle worker so that we can somehow know that we are loved and accepted. My reasoning determines what the Bibles says and means; and my attendance at worship is determined by my understanding, not what he says.

All this and more becomes our thinking when we lose sight of Christ and the absolute importance of his death on the cross. Then we wonder why life is such a struggle and is so frustrating and empty. We know something is missing, but we don’t know what it is. We look to what everyone else is thinking, saying and doing, rather than looking to this one who gives his life so that we can have life.

However, on the other hand, when Christ is ‘anointed’ and his death and resurrection hold critical sway in our lives, then all these other things find their rightful place. Even the poor find that they never suffer. When Easter, and Jesus’ death is looked to and believed and seen for what it really is, then life takes on a whole different perspective.

There on the cross God has come to establish his kingdom. There he ascends his throne and declares the devil powerless. For there he takes the sting out of our sin and death. The devil’s accusation of our guilt is now powerless, for the punishment has now been taken by Christ himself and the declaration of forgiveness for all of our sin now stands.

Then in his resurrection, three days later, he assures us that he has defeated death and the devil and has come through for us, victorious. All now who are connected to him in their baptisms have the assurance of life and salvation. Just as he was raised from the dead so also will we. All of this can be truly believed because they have happened here in our history. This is real. This is life changing.

Now then we can face the future with confidence and hope. No matter what we are facing in life – good or bad – they all now find meaning and hope in Christ and his death and resurrection. Now there is certainty in the midst of the uncertainties of this life.

Now we don’t have to strive to find life in and from ourselves. We don’t have to hang on to ourselves for dear life and hope against hope that it will somehow work out. Now we can acknowledge that we are far from what we should be or can ever achieve by our own efforts. For in connection with Christ and letting him lead and guide how we live, we can be certain that it will all work out for good. His Word is now our sure guide for living in a way that is good and helpful, even if it is at odds with our world around us.

Even in severe suffering and death we now can be sure that God is at work bringing about good into life for us and for others. For we are loved, forgiven and assured of eternal life by our King who died and rose again for us.

So now with this knowledge and assurance we too can anoint him with the best we have to offer. He and what he does for us is what we want to think about; live in light of; and give honour to. Even though we will get ridiculed for holding him and his death up as central to all that we are and do, we will do it because it is the only thing that is truly good, helpful and life saving.

Surely also we will listen to and follow carefully what he has to say to us in his Word. We will not be wanting to change and ignore parts of it to suit ourselves and our culture. For now we know that what he says there is true and is all for our good and the way that we are to live as his people. Because he is true to what he says with regard to his death and resurrection we will accept what he says as the truth and as to what is good.

So now in the lead up to Easter let us not be distracted from giving our very best to him because of all he has done for us. Like Mary let us also fully trust him and what he has to say with regard to the importance of his death. Then may we gather together over this weekend and give him all glory and honour for the greatness of who he is and what he has done.

I am nothing. He is everything. Let this be our thinking so that he too may acknowledge us and receive us into his kingdom so that we can give him all glory and honour for all time. AMEN

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish