Sunday 17 February 2024 – Being Christ’s Ambassadors – our credentials and example

Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:17- 6:2; Matthew 6: 1-6,16-21;

MESSAGE

We had a wonderful service to give thanks to God for the life of one of our church family on Thursday. She really did live a full life. It was an interesting service for me. At the beginning a neighbour’s cat came wandering in and meaowed as if to greet me. And when I got to speak, a dog came charging in and barked like crazy. All I could do is say “welcome” to the dog. There’s a first time for everything.

I’ve had interesting experiences at funerals. Some years ago I conducted the funeral of a retired ambassador. It was a dignified occasion and things were done appropriately well with care to the detals and some formality. There was only one typing mistake really in the funeral director’s brochure (In the days before I used to proofread them.) It had a rather formal statement of introduction on the inside page which was quite common in those days: “For as much as it has pleased Almighty God to take into his eternal care the soul of our dearly beloved brother John Brown…” and on it went basically saying we were there because he had died, and we were saying farewell. It was only one letter wrong, but it did create some looks. It read like this: “For as much as it has pleased Almighty God to take into his eternal cave the soul of our dearly beloved brother John Brown…” Fortunately I didn’t get the blame for that, however.

We are ambassadors for Christ, says Paul. We have a message of reconciliation to proclaim – that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself” (1 Cor 5:19).

In verse 20 we read: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God.”

Ambassadors are sent into another country with some authority as they represent and speak on behalf of the government or president of a country. They present their credentials at a formal acceptance ceremony and they are accorded status and respect.

Our credentials are a bit different, though. We do have the authority to speak in his name, But it’s not about us. Yes, we are a new creation, but not because of our abilities or status anything we have achieved on our own. The key verse is verse 21 – “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

And so to reflect on our lifestyles and example, we turn to Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 (Ash Wednesday’s’s reading) and Jesus’ teaching on spiritual disciplines. Jesus lists giving, fasting and praying in this gospel reading today as the things which when we do them, should never draw attention to ourselves. LENT in some branches of the Christian church involves fasting – giving up something as a spiritual discipline to help strengthen our faith. It is for many people a meaningful discipline.

The point is that fasting is not something you show off about. And in giving for that matter, whether to church, charity, or poverty-stricken families or countries, the left hand should not know what the right is doing. In other words, don’t make a show of it.

That includes works of service. It’s to God. It doesn’t matter about anyone else, whether you think they are giving or doing enough, it’s done unto the Lord and for God’s glory. (Paul makes this clear iin Colossians 3:23.)

Jesus had an issue with hypocrites who did things for show – like in a play taking on another persona or character while the real person underneath is quite different. He used a number of illustrations for this, including “whitewashed tombs” as description for religious people of the day like the teachers of the law. White and shining on the outside, but full of dead peoples’ bones on the inside. I this passage he warns his disciples not to be like the hypocrites of the day who made a show of things in all three disciplines of giving, fasting and praying.

That’s why when it comes to prayer, Jesus’ teaching matters most in my view – just because it makes sense. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen…” (Matt 6:6).

I’ve always wondered about getting into a closet – like a broom cupboard, a storeroom or a washroom (the word is tameion, a storage chamber, storeroom or closet). The point is that it had no doors or windows onto the street. It did not mean suffocate yourself in the process, just don’t advertise.

These spiritual disciplines may seem for us like credentials, but no, they are for our private spiritual journey, and no one but the Father needs to know. When we speak on his behalf – be reconciled to God – we have solid credentials anyway. They’re in the Corinthian passage, and one verse is the key:

2 Cor 5:21 – God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

That’s why we used to sing: “He is all my righteousness, I stand complete in Him and worship him.” It’s the great exchange. He takes our sin and we receive his righteousness.

The spiritual disciplines of giving, fasting and praying all stem from that basic point and truth – that “anyone in Christ is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come.”

Giving comes from our growing faith that the God who saves us provides and guides. They go hand in hand, give as you pray, pray as you give. Give in thanksgiving and gratitude and pray for the right recipient of your generosity.

Fasting helps you focus on God and God’s spirit guiding you through prayer and the reading of His word. Giving up food is symbolic of giving up our perceived needs and wants, and dependence on what feels good bring instant gratification. It teaches us to walk close to God in deprivation, and perhaps to make us more aware of the joyful lives that people of little means often have, while we who often have much too much or at least more than we need are often less satisfied. Depression and anxiety are much more prevalent in the wealthier parts of the world.

In the process we crucify the stuff that is a stumbling block all too often – what the bible calls “flesh” which is often translated as the sinful nature. Paul talks about putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

At the communion table today, we can surrender some of the stuff that hinders us, or that we hold on to too tightly. It could be some of our personal concerns, or our hopes and dreams, our work, our projects and hobbies we become a little too proud of, or even our children and grandchildren – any or all of these we can give over to the Father’s love and good purpose.

Or we may need to surrender our health if it’s a challenge. Whether that means seeking healing and wholeness from the broken physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual things we live with, or perhaps our need is to not be quite so adventurous and slow down a bit, learning to receive help and support and not only to give it.

What is certain is that there is nothing we can do to be loved more by God. What we can learn is to trust God more in the heaviness of the load as we hand things over to him, and perhaps trust God in the breadth of our human hurts and buried grief, sorrow, disappointment, fears, bitterness, or anger

This Lent season may be an opportunity for us to open ourselves up more to the reconciling and healing love of God shown in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Passion Sunday 13 April 2014 – A gracious self-abandonment

Readings: Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 27: 11-54

Sermon

We sang a hymn on Tuesday that is 1200 years old. We didn’t do a great job as the words on the computer were a little scrambled. But we got it right in the end.

The passage in Philippians 2 we heard today is even older.

And yes it is deemed to be one of the oldest hymns of the Christian church. We know that the early church sang hymns from the New Testament itself (as did Jesus – you may remember that they sang a hymn on the night Jesus was betrayed – before they went up the Mount of Olives?)

Mat 26:26  While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Mat 26:27  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. Mat 26:28  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Mat 26:29  I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Mat 26:30  When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

We also know from Roman documents – like Pliny:

Pliny the Younger as governor of Bithynia about half a century later (c. 110 CE) reported to his superior, the emperor Trajan, that he was investigating the group who called themselves Christians. Among other harmless things that they do, he reports, they assemble very early in the morning, before dawn, to “sing hymns to Christ as if to a god” (Pliny, Letters 10.96.7).

Good reason to come to the sunrise service on Easter Sunday at 6.30am!

The Philippian passage is this:

Php 2:5  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

Php 2:7  but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Php 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Php 2:9  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Php 2:10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Php 2:11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Paul uses this hymn in a teaching way – not as a statement of what we are to believe about Jesus.

The distinction between believing ABOUT Jesus and believing IN Jesus is really important. We can say the apostle’s creed because it clarifies what we believe ABOUT Jesus.

We put our trust in Him and in that way believe IN JESUS.

Paul is writing to Christians and telling them what will make him happy – or give him joy.

The answer? Being like Jesus as you follow him.

Paul talks about being “in Christ” – “if anyone is IN CHRIST he or she is a new creation”( 2 Cor 5:17).

We participate in his death and resurrection.

We enter into the fellowship of his body – where all the parts matter (we rejoice with those who rejoice and suffer with those who suffer – 1 Cor 12).

So Paul says here – not as an ethical or moral injunction (follow Jesus and imitate Him because he was a good guy) – that we should make him happy (complete his joy) by being like Jesus! It’s the natural consequence of belonging to Jesus! Living in Jesus! Dying with Jesus. Being raised to newness of life with Jesus. Having eternal life now – knowing God through Jesus! What did I say last week about this? You can’t remain unmoved – un-animate! You come to life.

This life is seen IN JESUS.

SO listen to the first verses – verses 1 to 4: 

Php 2:1  If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

Php 2:2  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Php 2:3  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Php 2:4  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

We began at verse 5 today:

Php 2:5  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus 

Verse 6 continues

Christ Jesus – who…. 

And then comes the hymn:

Php 2:6  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

Php 2:7  but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Php 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Php 2:9  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Php 2:10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Php 2:11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There are a number of links that we can make with other New Testament and Old Testament passages here. Remember that we don’t interpret the bible in the light of what we think – but in the light of the rest of the bible!

1. The suffering servant of Isaiah chapter 53. There are clear links to these verses about the one who “was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (53:3.) And in verse 12: he poured out his soul to death – like Phil 2:7  he emptied himself/made himself nothing. 

And the servant passages elsewhere in the gospels, like this pivotal passage:

Mar 10:43  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

Mar 10:44  and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

Mar 10:45  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

2. The first and second Adam of 1 Corinthians 15: 21-22, 45-49 and Romans 5:12-14. And of course Genesis 3 – the first Adam grasp at power – the second one relinquishes it.

3. Humility in other passages:

2Co 8:9  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

4. The call to obedience in Scripture and in post-biblical Judaism. There was an understanding that the righteous were called to suffer- especial between the testaments in the time of the Macabees where people were tortured and killed for their faith, but expected vindication in the next life from the Lord.

This is Jesus who empties himself – this is the incarnation that John describes in these verses:

Joh 1:14  And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Thus Jesus is exalted! Here’s the dangerous part for us:

Php 2:9  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Php 2:10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Php 2:11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

It’s the one place that Paul talks about Jesus at the head of the whole universe – as opposed to head of the church.

He has the name that is above every other name!

At his name every knee should bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord – to the glory of God the Father.

What is this confession?

A faith statement ABOUT HIM – “o yes Jesus is the one”

A believing statement IN HIM (Do you remember the song “he is Lord?” – we used to sing in the early days of personalised ascriptive singing: “You’re my Lord, you’re my Lord….” And it felt SO NICE!

Does it mean – what I think that many people believe it means – that one day they will all be forced to bow before Jesus (as we rub our hands together with glee feeling that we too will be vindicated?).

Paul uses this hymn – which is clearly a hymn about Jesus as Lord (remember Pliny’s letter about Christians who  “assemble very early in the morning, before dawn, to “sing hymns to Christ as if to a god”?)

Paul uses it to tell the Christians what will really make him happy! This is the heart of the Christian life – this will make my joy complete! Remember he says:

Php 2:2  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Php 2:3  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Php 2:4  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

And then verse 5:

Php 2:5  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

When you hear the long reading of the passion of Jesus – that’s what Paul’s talking about.

Not a triumphalism. But serving like Jesus – in humility – without selfish ambition and vain conceit. In unity – like minded and being one in spirit and purpose.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion… then do all this….

A commentator, Thomas A. Langford, has expressed this as clearly and as succinctly as is possible.

In Jesus we find embodied the self-giving of God to persons and the self-giving of a person to other persons. Jesus is the Lord who is servant, and Jesus is the servant who is Lord. As the Lord who is servant, Jesus identifies with human life so as to establish a redemptive relationship.

 As servant who is Lord, Jesus calls us to acknowledge his lordship through our servanthood. The grace of God in Jesus Christ calls us to a graciousness which is a self-abandonment to the love of God and the love of the neighbour.

 A graciousness

A self-abandonment.

So may it be with us.

Amen.

 

 

Sunday 1 September – Signs of the Kingdom

Readings: Psalm 112:1-9; Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-17; Luke 14: 1, 7-14

So about the Kingdom of God.

The one that we are told to strive for – to seek first?

Any vague memories from last week? There you go – it’s coming back to you! Well done!

It’s a bit like an upside down cake. What matters is not on the surface.

I mean think about a genuine upside-down cake.  (Not the recipes that have all the fruit slices on the top). I’m thinking of a normal iced cake. Flip it over – and the icing is at the bottom. Weird hey.

WHEN JESUS IS KING

When Jesus is King – your values and ethics change.

That does not mean that the Kingdom of God is purely about ethics – about doing good or being different. They are signs of the Kingdom – just as the church at worship is a sign of the Kingdom – so too changed lives are signs of the Kingdom.

When Jesus is King – we become different. Paul puts it like this in 2 Corinthians 3:

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  2Co 3:18  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

It’s not just our inner transformation – it’s a change in lifestyle. And one of the noticeable things is how we invest our time and money. How we treat people – especially the needy.

1.       Psalm 112 is an example from the readings set today. The interesting thing is that it is one of the coupled Psalms. You need to read Psalm 111 as part of it. The first part of the coupled Psalm is about the greatness of God and what God has done for us – the second, what we have as Psalm 112 – is about the consequences for people who fear this God. What will it be like for them:  listen to verses 4 and 5:

⁴ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

⁵ Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

One gets the feeling that these Godly people are nice to have around. That’s a key part of our witness as Christians. We are to conduct our affairs with justice – just like the people of God back in Psalm 112.

Tragically – many Christian businessmen don’t have good reputations. That is all. It’s true.

We on the other hand – because of the amazing grace which comes to us – are gracious to others – compassionate and generous. The kingdom works its way out in our daily lives. Or should do.

2.       The second reading is also rather lovely. Have a look at the Hebrews reading.

Are you like this? Let the Holy Spirit work in your life – lining you up with the Kingdom of God and the King who makes us his body and hands – his feet and voice in the world – and people will see this in you and me:

“Keeping on” loving one another. You don’t give up even when your brother is a pain in the brain. And elsewhere!

Hospitality. Man I keep coming back to this – because God is speaking about it and I need to tell you what he says! And here’s the wonderful thing about this word – and why it is such a Kingdom word.

The verse says: Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 

That puts us on our guard!  Here’s what it means:  It actually says – Don’t forget φιλοξενιας.  Philoxenia.  Remember xenophobia?  Fear of strangers? It‘s the opposite of this! It means loving strange people!

I love it! (Applause)!

We are to keep on loving each other and loving the strange too! Get it?

The writer to the Hebrews – after writing 12 chapters about what Jesus has done for us (a bit like Paul’s letter to the Romans) ends with these gems about theconsequences of the grace of God and the coming of the Kingdom in our lives;

• Keep on loving each other as brothers
• Love the strange! (We have a dear friend called Ken Strange! I must send him this sermon!)
• Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
• Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure (New Zealand!).
• Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have (because God is with you people!) IN fact it’s the best bit in the passage. It goes like this (in the rest of verse 5 and verse 6):

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

⁶ So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”

And then the writer goes on:

• Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith (challenging for us leaders!). Later he says obey your leaders! (v 17).  “Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”  Amen to that! I’d like my work to be a joy – and not the cause of burnout and stress!

The Kingdom of God has clear values! And when Jesus is King in your life – things are like this!

3.       The Gospel reading is the cherry on our upside down cake today.

If you want Kingdom values – watch Jesus interact with the people of his day who thought they had it all sorted. Listen to Jesus on these issues!

Man I’ve just been 15 000 kilometres to a wedding. And the issue of where people sit is a big deal!

So in my niece’s wedding they had a seating plan!

In my old job they had seating plans for special events and banquets – and they always put me with the people that no one else wanted around!  I love it! They actually got something right!

I landed up with people who had fallen on hard times and not made their millions like the rest.  The ones who were different and interesting!

In those days honour and disgrace were big issues! You needed to keep in with the right people – in any case you might have to negotiate to marry off one of your kids to that family!

Listen again:

⁷ When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all the other guests.

 ¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Here’s the meat in the Kingdom of God sandwich.

We don’t have to be the cream cheese in this world!

Wealth, beauty, importance and influence are not key Kingdom values.

Humility now! Honour later! We will judge the world with Jesus later! (1 Corinthians 6:2 – Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?)

Later matters. Listen to the investment we are called to make:  ¹² Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴ and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

How are you doing in investing in people who can’t pay you back!

Do it for the sake of what is right! Not for a return invitation!

This is probable what it means to be the salt of the earth!

We bring flavour to a tasteless society. People notice – and are drawn to that kind of generosity as they were drawn to Jesus! There were always people around him! And then he could speak into their lives – as can we – about the Kingdom of God!

Yay God! Amen!