Sports Chaplaincy Sunday message (Galatians 5:22-26)

Introduction

Last week, here, we looked at the idea of ‘freedom’, particularly ‘spiritual freedom’ … from the earlier verses in Galatians chapter 5. This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the various churches in the region of Galatia during the first century of the Christian church. This particular chapter concludes with nine virtues that have become known collectively as the ‘fruit of the Spirit’.

Whereas it’s possible to exhibit these in a natural way, their potential is maximised through the presence of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is that part of God that continues to bring the life of Jesus to this world. Good fruit demonstrates a healthy tree – good character demonstrates a healthy life. This is a simple metaphor. A good quality tree producing good tasting fruit, has likely been well watered and maintained appropriately.

Fruit of the Spirit as Community Values

We could equally see these nine listed attributes as good community values. We might easily agree that communities are better places when these attitudes are present. Certainly churches are better when we experience these character traits, as opposed to far more negative alternatives. We, in the church, need to keep clearly focussed on these areas. When it comes to sporting clubs, a fierce competitiveness on the field, or on the court, might mean we put a high priority on playing aggressively (within the rules) to gain a victory over another team. Yet, when we think about the club itself internally … as a group of people engaging socially with one another, these (listed) values would definitely seem to be appropriate. They sort of speak for themselves!

They are obviously broadly beneficial in all our social relationships!! So, whether in church, club, or community, let’s think of our impact on others. These words give practical application to the idea of loving ones’ neighbour. For all these words are relational words – they describe how we interact with others. And, they are good reminders, because we can so easily break relationship, by preferring our own agenda to the detriment of others, or by being selfish. For example, on the negative side, as described in verse 26, there are relationship breakers like conceit or arrogance, or pushing others down so we look better. We can compete for our position in the team or at work, but only through our own capacities and talents, not through putting others down.

Sometimes we feel we need to push ourselves up … because others look just so darn good – that’s called “envy”. But, each of us is unique, born with particular talents, potential and value, destined to be a great team contributor. Yet, sometimes we are so busy looking around at what others are doing, we miss our own opportunities (or our own moment to shine). We shouldn’t need to compare ourselves with others. We shouldn’t want to be like them – rather we should strive to be the best version of ourselves. We should discover for ourselves what we are good at, and pursue that. You may just find it there … within yourselves … to be the best you can be, and that’s how you best help the team!

For Christians, they normally take their lead from Jesus, who showed himself to be the best team player of all, especially when it came to taking one for the team – Jesus was the epitome of self-sacrifice. Jesus is the only one worth comparing ourselves to. And when we fall short of his greatness, we can access his forgiveness. Christians also rely on the Holy Spirit to help them nurture and develop the qualities that are listed here, especially when certain life challenges around illness, trauma and loss, make things more difficult. For all of us, this list challenges how we do life, and how we live in our environment!

Nine Worthy Character Traits

Love – we were created in love, and for love; this is where we acknowledge that we are part of a broad and diverse human community, where we need to be prepared to treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves, and where we are prepared to forgive people when they do wrong by us … for the sake of their future, and our future. 

Many of the ‘ideals’ to follow, flesh out what it means to live in love. For example,

Peace – this is to avoid hostility, this is to keep the lines of communication open with all our friends and those we associate with. Where relationships have already broken down, the bearer of peace will seek and aid reconciliation wherever possible. Good character is seen in the one who is the peace-maker … bringing harmony in the home and in the neighbourhood.

Patience – this is required when other people don’t learn, improve, perform or behave the way we think they should. Yet, we are all works in progress. We all have pressing issues in our life. We all have certain weaknesses. We have different personalities and backgrounds. Sometimes we are more patient with ourselves, than we are willing to be with others. Sometimes we see our own faults in others, and overstep in our judgment or criticism of them. We need to consider what others might be going through, and offer them due consideration – this is patience. It could be, utilising some empathy, that we can come alongside them, and give them a hand.

Kindness – this is stepping outside the normal, to do something special for somebody – going the extra mile to make someone’s day. This is the act of the ‘Good Samaritan’, who crosses the road to help the one that other people were ignoring.

Generosity – this is digging deeper, and giving away something of ourselves, that will mean a lot to someone else – it may even change their life. There is here an understanding of the neglect that some other people live in, or the tragedies of life that can so easily mean impoverishment. Generosity means a sharing of our lives and our various resources. Rather than being protective of what we have, we share it. This includes the networks and friendships that we have found helpful ourselves. Sometimes the most generous thing we can give … is a word of encouragement – this comes from our best place.

Faithfulness – this is about loyalty, reliability and honesty – being trustworthy and faithful to whoever we have committed ourselves to … in relationships, family, church, community, workplace and club; this is about being responsible and seeing through our commitments – if we say we’re going to do something, and the reason for doing so remains right, then we should fulfil this commitment. We no longer allow ourselves to be self-indulgent, but rather seek to consider the feelings of the others around us. In a society where people tend to decide, at any given moment, what suits them best … this idea of “faithfulness” may be the hardest one on the list; but one our society certainly needs to see more of!

Gentleness – this is NOT about being soft (far from it) – it is actually one of the greatest qualities of all … ‘controlled strength’ – to be able to express our strength of mind and heart in the most helpful of ways … in the course of all our dealings with others. This is about summoning all we have learnt in life’s journey, and expressing this to another in a way that they can learn and grow. We could call this ‘humility’. Gentleness overrides the critical spirit! We don’t hold power and control over anyone, but rather empower others … releasing them to be the best they can be. And we become teachable (and coachable) ourselves, having an ear open to that word of truth that might be hard to hear – for there is always something new we can learn and apply.

Self-control – this is to reject the notion of ‘anything goes’. Here we focus on doing those things that work well and work for good (for us and others), at the same time as avoiding those things that generally cause harm. This is the discipline of not letting anything awkward or dark or dangerous, that is happening inside of us, to affect badly anyone else. Exercising self-control means that we won’t abuse anyone else in any way! When anger builds within us, this can be a struggle; but we know well in this day and age, that rather than striking out, we need to exercise restraint, and we need to find someone to talk to [like a sports chaplain for instance, or a good pastor]. We often need to gain some new perspective, and we often need to gain some helpful tools through which to handle certain situations better.

And then, coming back to,

Joy – this is more than just occasional bouts of happiness – this is a completely positive attitude to life that is able to endure hardships, seeing the deeper meanings in life’s experiences, where there is a genuine pleasure in the success of others, and where we can openly celebrate with those who are celebrating. The possibility of joy will be destroyed … if we keep comparing what we have … with what others have. I know this every time I see that great looking Winnebago or motorhome driving past me! Joy is produced when we can be content with our lot, and can be pleased for others in what they have.

Conclusion

Life offers us the opportunity to rise to the best levels of human character. We can settle for less, which may unfortunately mean we have a tendency to hurt and hinder, more than help and encourage. But at the same time, we shouldn’t get down on ourselves too much, for we are all works in progress. Hopefully whatever team you’re in, that team can help you be the person you have the potential to be! And may God bless you all in your endeavours! Amen!

"Freedom in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:1-21)

Introduction

“For freedom Christ has set us free” (verse 1). Freedom is a good word. Freedom is liberty and self-determination. We want freedom, especially as opposed to slavery. We want freedom from fear and worry. Sadly, many people don’t have freedom, as they live under oppression – either due to corrupt governments, or to criminal activity like human trafficking, or to racial prejudice, or to their own various addictions, or just to poverty. And we mourn this. Most of us here in Australia could only begin to imagine the extent of this in other countries; yet some of our friends from Burma would know much more about this. The ending of injustice around the world is a vital issue for all people of goodwill and good faith, and we would try … as certain causes come across our path … to help to bring justice (around the world).

Today, however, with the Apostle Paul, we are talking about a particular type of freedom – spiritual freedom. This is separate, but not unrelated to the wider areas of freedom (as we’ll see in a moment). So, today, we’re not talking about political freedom, or religious freedom, but rather … freedom of the spirit … the freedom in our soul that no one can take away. This is freedom from guilt and shame, and a freedom to live with joy and purpose. We can respond to this offer of freedom every single day, in how we develop and grow as people of the Holy Spirit. And, spiritual freedom operates in the context of whatever life throws up at us! And then, in simply being the people of God in community, our lives should stand in contrast to any incidence of injustice and slavery, bringing light into the darkness. And we may, in this way, do more good than we could actually imagine!

The Cross

It is of course Jesus who has paved the way for our freedom on the cross. There … he took all of our sin, brokenness, guilt and shame … upon himself … and died our death! Whatever it was that held people captive, this is what Jesus sought to deal with. With that all done with, we can rise again with Jesus into new life, and this is a life of freedom – where we are a very different person. Jesus has effectively liberated us from everything that would have held us back from experiencing life in its fullness; and we can now embrace the total potential created within us. We can now live at peace with ourselves, with others, with life in the world, and with God. With this level of acceptance and forgiveness, we can gain healing from the past – those things we regret, and also the hurtful things done to us. As we have been forgiven, we also forgive, and thus receive freedom from any hostility or bitterness.

Pentecost

Today is Pentecost Sunday, seven weeks on from Resurrection Sunday, where we celebrate the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the first community of disciples, and the birth of the church amongst them. This was certainly a day of spiritual freedom, as once frightened and unsure followers of Jesus became bold and courageous witnesses. This was the day when limitations around communication and cultural difference were stripped away, everyone present hearing the Gospel in ways and forms they could easily understand.

Oh, for an outpouring like that again! Well, why not! But it will take an openness and readiness, which often seems to allude us. Paul, in our Galatians 5 reading, tells us of one way in which the Gospel was hindered (which we will come to). We must continually think about how the Gospel is being hindered. We often have to look within ourselves – what do we possibly consider to be more important than the Gospel?

Following Pentecost (Acts 2), the disciples, having experienced the Holy Spirit, seemed to know intuitively what to do, how to live and what to teach. They naturally found their way into house churches, where they spontaneously shared what they had with each other and the poor, worshipped, prayed and had communion together – teaching one another (in Word and action) how to be better disciples. This was the dawn of a new spiritual freedom!

Spiritual Freedom

Spiritual freedom is aligned with the salvation we have received and are receiving. When we are trying to communicate (to others) what this salvation from sin is about, or what our liberation from guilt means, we can reflect on our journey out of slavery into freedom (and the specific ways this is happening for us). We once lived like this, but now we live differently! And this is because of, as the song goes, “what the Lord has done in me”!

Considering our level of freedom … also helps us to monitor our ongoing development as disciples, and guards us against regressing … going backwards … towards becoming once again enslaved to anything that has the potential of becoming destructive to us. “Stand firm”, Jesus says (v 1b), “and do NOT submit again to a yoke of slavery”.

We might here pause to consider those things that could possibly have enslaved us. They may still do – because we haven’t yet accepted Jesus’ gift of freedom, or enacted the Holy Spirit’s power to defeat them. Let me invite you then to do just that! If you ask Jesus for forgiveness, you will receive healing for your brokenness. If you then open yourself to God, the Holy Spirit will give you what you need to be rebuilt. You can have freedom today (as never before)!

These things can enslave us:

• the past – not being able to let go … unwilling to accept forgiveness, unwilling to give forgiveness, thus retaining guilt or retaining bitterness or both – where God through Jesus has provided a way through all this into a better future, at no cost to us – where “our weaknesses need not drag us down, [and] our past no longer cripples us” (L Richards);
• addictions – trying to soothe our pain out of a packet or a bottle, or with sex, or on the internet – where only God can fill the void in our lives;
• perfectionism – trying to gain approval by trying to be better than we need to be, or different than we really are (thus developing a ‘false identity’), or by working harder than anyone else; which tends to lead to ever-increasing self-condemnation (and also the condemning of others) – when God just values us anyway and is willing to accept us as we are;
• wanting control – we try to deal with the chaos around us by tightening the screws on others, manipulating situations, having black and white solutions to everything, preferring ‘law’ over ‘grace’, being autocratic and judgmental – where God wants to promote humility, honesty and harmony {this is the area Paul had to address in Galatia};
• possessions – where we try to acquire and keep all the things that we think will make us happy, until this search and these things actually own us – when God tells us that real meaning in life is discovered on the inside and within relationships.

So, spiritual freedom IS about leaving behind negative behaviour patterns and joining a new movement. Let us all embrace freedom!!

Let’s go over to verses 16 & 17. The negative and rebellious human impulses within us – Paul refers to as the “flesh”. We have at times indulged the “flesh” and followed more worldly patterns of living. The sort of behaviours listed in verses 19 – 21 have NO place in the Kingdom of God – these behaviours have to be strongly critiqued because they are so destructive, especially to relationships. Acts of the “flesh” are diametrically opposed to the Godly “Spirit”, and thus shouldn’t be allowed to co-habit within us. Trying to have a foot in each camp will always be uncomfortable and self-defeating!

“Those who do such things will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God” (v 21b). This is NOT a punishment, but rather the reality that comes out of this situation – the ones with behaviour patterns like this … have been exposed to the light! On the one hand, we shouldn’t be worried about the exclusion mentioned here, because all people have been offered a free ticket into a better future, complete with the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, we shouldn’t be pleased about this fate either, but rather take up the Gospel call for the lost to return – where they will be received with open arms.

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, coming into our lives … makes it possible to counteract the negative tendencies listed here nearly entirely. The Spirit is opposed to the “flesh”. Ideally, apart from the occasional lapse, being led by the Holy Spirit means you hardly have to think about right or wrong, because ‘right’ is always our objective (v 5, 18). It is through the Holy Spirit that we find ultimate freedom to live in the way in which God has created us to!

Spiritual freedom, IS, through our teaching and the fruit of our lives, also about lifting community standards – we no longer “bite and devour” one another (refer v 15), so we in effect promote a far more harmonious and collaborative way of living. This lifestyle may not always be appreciated, but it will always work for ultimate community good. As we shall see next, we also do NOT place undue burdens on others (v 8-12), thereby modelling open and welcoming access to God. In a nutshell, spiritual freedom IS about the joy and purpose of being led by the Holy Spirit.

The Issue in Paul’s Day (verses 2-12)

Gentile peoples were responding positively, in great numbers, to the Gospel and becoming followers of Jesus. However, originally, “The Way”, as Christianity was then known, was seen by many as an offshoot of Judaism. So many Christian Jews felt that these Gentile converts should adopt Jewish practices if they wanted to be accepted as a follower of Jesus, including dietary rules, but especially circumcision. Paul rightly believed this was unnecessary; and more than unnecessary – because this could deter people from accepting the Gospel; and even if they did, they could come to regard themselves as being somehow second-class.

Paul had already clearly stated the equality of all the believers within this new movement: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (3:28). Even though Jesus lived within culture, he reigns above culture. People were free to come to Jesus from whatever walk of life, and were NOT bound by any Jewish cultural norms, or any other prerequisites. Now (as this view promoting circumcision to Gentile converts persisted around the Galatian churches), Paul was strongly pressing the point, and directly challenging anyone who would put up barriers to people responding to the Gospel of Jesus (and thereby gaining faith) – refer verse 10b and particularly the sarcasm of verse 12 (that being an extreme circumcision).

If anyone unnecessarily regressed from their spiritual freedom to embrace circumcision, they were actually denying the grace of Christ in their life. This would be like us unnecessarily taking on side issues of (legalistic) religiosity and then giving them undue importance. In so doing, we would eventually lose our way. Legalistic ‘believers’ think they are free, but they are actually in the worst kind of bondage. As the Good News of Jesus is shared across the various cultures in the world, it should NOT be wrapped up in Western, or any other, culture, but rather presented simply with the mindset of extraordinary grace and spiritual freedom. We should hear Paul loud and clear (v 6b): “the only thing that counts is faith working through love”!! Whenever we bemoan the unbelief of others, we should be sure to consider what the barriers there might be … stopping them embracing faith.

The Attributes of Spiritual Freedom 

1. A new perspective – the simplicity of “faith working through love” (v 6). The Christian life can be complicated by a lot of things. Even church life can seem complicated and busy. But if we can just break it back to “faith working through love”, then this can give great perspective to many things, especially those things that seem onerous or repetitive. We are NOT so much fulfilling a roster, but rather bringing a ministry. We are NOT so much overburdened with responsibility, but rather blessed with giftedness. When we sense the high expectations of others, we know that we are serving Jesus the best way we can. Our gift is NOT lesser than another’s, but rather complimentary to the whole. We are NOT on our own (even when working alone), but part of a team. Freedom brings a different perspective!

2. Mutual service – ironically … becoming ‘slaves’ to one another (v 13). This ‘spiritual freedom’ is NOT about doing whatever we like; and spiritual freedom in NOT about thinking and acting as an individual. [No person’s freedom is greater than any other’s!] Spiritual freedom IS about leaving behind negative behaviour patterns and joining a new movement (which in other places Paul calls the ‘Body of Christ’ – Jesus’ ongoing physical body on earth). We are joined together and seek to address each other’s needs. Sometimes this becomes unbalanced (some with extra needs, some feeling overworked, others feeling left out); sometimes this is manipulated; and sometimes boundaries are needed; but we should hang in working with this principle of bearing one another’s burdens.

3. Loving our neighbour (v 14). Because we have become free from more self-focussed concerns, we have therefore been released to love our neighbours; even when they are very different from us, and even when they have offended us. We are no longer so focussed on our rights, but more so on our responsibilities. And we become more naturally aware of good opportunities through which to bring some level of service. In a way, in modern parlance, we get over ourselves; and, we accept that others may have had a tough journey (largely that we are unaware of), and we make the decision to show them grace. When we neglect to love our neighbour, this is where intolerance can creep in. Whether we look around the Old Testament … and in the New Testament – whether it’s Jesus, James or Paul, we read that the most central response to God’s love in God’s Word … is … “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”!

In Conclusion – Releasing our Freedom (v 1, 16)

And so we return to the first verse, and to verse 16, and ask how!? “For freedom Christ has set us free”! “Live by the Spirit”!! How?? In each of the group of verses that follow these verses, we read about taming the desires that are contrary to the Holy Spirit, lest we are trapped by them. For me, the best way of avoiding this trap is to fall in love with Jesus, and then fall in love with his mission in the world – then our attitudes, disciplines and priorities tend to head in the right direction. We release our freedom through our relationship with Jesus, and his empowering through the Holy Spirit.

So this is a matter of delving into God’s Word especially Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, and prayerfully considering, individually and in groups, what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through the life of Jesus. Just as the Holy Spirit opened up the paths of clear communication on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit also allows us to correctly and helpfully interpret God’s Word for our times right now!

In this knowledge, we are free to live our lives knowing that we are being transformed before the public gaze, and we can ably deal with all the challenges life throws up. So we can be active, more often doing the right thing than the wrong thing, being alert, expectant and observant … for the Spirit’s leading into new ventures and relationships. And we can help each other be the church that God so much desires to inhabit.

The commitment to full unity and cooperation among all the Lord's disciples is like a radiant light in a dark night (Pope Francis).

"Being Prayed For" (John 17:6-19)

Context

In John chapter 17, Jesus starts by praying for himself, quite understandable in the circumstances; and concludes by praying for those who will become new believers in the days to come. In the middle section of this prayer, Jesus prays for his disciples. We can certainly deduce from this, that Jesus would also be praying for us – as we, his modern-day disciples, seek to be obedient and share his love with others. So, today, I will zone in … on this middle section (of John 17). Another by-product of this part of Jesus’ prayer, would be learning how we can effectively pray for another.

Introduction

Many of the challenges we have as individuals, as families, and as churches … are quite complex and difficult. Not much comes easily in life. We can become daunted! On the other hand … if you find life easy, then you can’t be moving very far from comfort; and thereby are likely missing what God has for you to do, along with missing many opportunities of (personal) growth, and also probably missing out on Jesus praying for you! So we should embrace and expect these life challenges, and hang in while certain issues are being resolved.

Naturally, under duress, we would pray! We would pray for ourselves and the complex situations we find ourselves in, we would pray for others and their needs (that we have become aware of), and we would pray for the success of the mission of the church in reaching new people for Jesus. Yet, despite praying for ourselves, and others, and the church, we could still find ourselves giving in to the difficulty we find ourselves in, especially when we lack patience or faith, or when we don’t hear an answer that we can discern, or like, or when we can’t seem to find the right ways of living and working together with others.

In this space … this is when it is fantastic to know, that Jesus is likely praying for me, for us – SOMEONE (JESUS) who will never lack patience or faith, and never stop believing in those he has called! I reckon that it was Jesus praying for Peter, that meant, despite Peter’s very public failure, Peter was able to be quickly brought back into his ministry calling (following Jesus’ resurrection). Let us NEVER restrict the possibilities, when Jesus is praying for us! When you feel the pressure of being an ambassador for Jesus in the public place, know that Jesus is praying for you!!

As Rhett ably explained to us last week, we should never feel we are ‘too small’ to achieve. Even when we forget to pray, we can take comfort in knowing that Jesus is interceding for us (Rom 8:34, Heb 7:25). A 19^th Century Scottish minister, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, said, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies – yet the distance makes no difference; he is praying for me!” Would it give us more courage to know that Jesus is praying for us?!? Well, Jesus is praying for us!!

The Ways Jesus Prays for Us

1. (We have to hear that) Jesus prays not for the world, but rather for his disciples (v 9)

Rather than praying in a general way for a lost world, Jesus prays for his disciples. Why?? Because it will be Jesus’ disciples who will have the responsibility of taking God’s love into the cut and thrust of the world, and it will be they (us) who need prayer. Any great advancement in world affairs will be facilitated by Jesus’ disciples. Jesus’ disciples are the best equipped stewards of God’s creativity and grace (Gen 1:26). All creation awaits the revealing of the true children of God (Rom 8:19). We are God’s ambassadors, and Jesus is making his appeal through us (2 Cor 5:20).

So, like what happened for Peter, Jesus prays for his disciples – that they will be prepared to receive from God’s Spirit all they need to be effective disciples; and with all that in place, that they will influence other lives for good, with the Gospel; and that through this ministry, the world will become a better, more just, forgiving, peaceful, God-honouring environment. So the process works like this: we have responsibilities, Jesus prays for us, we are willing to change, we become reconciled to God, we start bringing a ministry of reconciliation, others change, the world is a better place, heaven comes to earth.

2. Jesus prays for our “protection” (v 11b, 15b) or “preservation”

Jesus actually prays for God to “protect them in Your (i.e. God’s own) name” (v 11b). As a “name” here refers to a person’s (or in this case God’s) identity and character, this refers to our connection to God as His children, being part of God’s community, where we come to be like Him. Our protection or preservation revolves around our ongoing and growing relationship with God.

But “protection” from what?? Not normal safeguarding; because we know that life is fragile and comes with few guarantees. Two particular areas of “protection” are mentioned:

1. Firstly, this is a prayer for “protection” against anything that would disrupt our … ‘oneness’! Why?? Because if we fail to be “one”, then our witness is diminished – and God can be said to be ineffective. The ‘oneness’ that we should be attaining to, is a ‘oneness’ based on the ‘oneness’ that the Father has with Son and that the Holy Spirit has with both the Father and the Son. Without being “one” (or expressing ‘unity’) we are potentially exposing ourselves to appearing hypocritical (and dishonouring God or de-glorifying God’s name).

No wonder Jesus prays for his disciples to be “one”! We shouldn’t have to force ‘unity’, but rather simply embrace being “one”. We are tied together as we are tied to God. We have a common love for Jesus, and in this common love we face all of our challenges. We collectively discern how God is moving by His Spirit. We should be working towards the same goal in perfectly complimentary ways.

But, what disrupts ‘oneness’?? Three (of many) possibilities: (i) Thinking and acting only as individuals (rather than as a member of a body). (ii) Treating our gifts as superior to others (when all gifts are actually designed to be complimentary). (iii) Distancing ourselves from others, and thereby inevitably retreating from the faith. Jesus is praying that this will NOT happen … that none of this will happen; praying that we will take our responsibility to collaborate in unity with one another seriously.

2. Secondly, this is also a prayer of protection from the “evil one”. Here, in the “evil one”, is the embodiment of all that is opposed to God’s ways; and this is very pertinent, because we are called to function as disciples in a world that is often antagonistic to us … at some risk. The world wants to pulls us into uniformity with its viewpoint and culture. This is a prayer for us to be protected from the negative impact of all that is corrupt.

We can also be susceptible … because God’s Word is often inconvenient to us; we hesitate to obey, because it demands something of us (that doesn’t often come naturally). Therefore we can be easily dissuaded and diverted from God’s will. Jesus’ hope and Jesus’ prayer … is that we will not yield to such temptation. Jesus himself knew the pressure of temptation. The ‘devil’ sought to divert Jesus from his mission, and did so by trying to twist and distort God’s Word.

So we can call upon Jesus’ example (early days – Matt 4:1-11) – Jesus said to ‘Satan’ … “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”; “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”; “Away with you Satan, for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him’”. And then when facing suffering and death – Jesus said … “Not my will, but yours” (Matt 26:39).

[Where Jesus, in the Lord’s prayer (Matt 6:13), teaches us to pray for deliverance from evil – here Jesus joins in with the complexity of our lives on earth, by himself praying that we would be protected from the “evil one”. What a friend, what a brother, what a king!]

May the Lord free us from all temptation that separates us from what is essential in our mission and help rediscover the beauty of faith (Pope Francis).

3. Jesus prays that we will have his joy complete in us (v 13b)

Jesus’ own joy is connected to his harmonious relationship with his Father within the Trinity (the Divine community). Jesus wants to draw us into this same harmonious relationship with God (that he enjoys), involving the full experience of forgiveness and salvation. Jesus wants us to feel safe and secure in the Rock of all ages! We have been accepted, valued, and we belong to Jesus. This means we would worship God with all of what we have … joyfully!

I sometimes feel unsettled that I am able to worship God enthusiastically when others are NOT in this position. This could be because life has led them down a track where God seems remote, or perhaps they are suffering under extreme persecution or injustice. Shouldn’t I wait until these ones are free to worship as well … before I sing and dance with joy?! Actually … NO – Jesus wants me to joyfully express worship now, and in so doing fully experience and appreciate the oneness of God’s community. In this I grow, and then I’m better attuned and able to help others toward also knowing such joy.

Of course for us, “joy” should be part of all of life’s adventures. “Joy” is about being within God’s will. As Jesus gained his joy from doing the will of his Father (John 4:34), we will maximise our joy by doing the will of Jesus (Acts 5:41). In prayer, and in hope, Jesus wants to know that we will remain loyal. And Jesus certainly does NOT want any of us to ever become lost again, like what happened to Judas (v 12). Nothing on earth can tear us away from God, including illness, hardship or suffering (Rom 8:38), unless we let it.

4. Jesus prays that we might be “sanctified” meaning ‘set apart’ or ‘holy’ (v 17, 19)

Jesus is praying for our fitness, but in this case – our spiritual fitness. This is NOT so we can be separate or exclusive – quite the opposite. This IS so that we can engage wholly in human community, but at the same time be different, i.e. shining a light, making a difference for good, redeeming what has been lost. This is how spiritual hunger is created – by effectively displaying alternative and much more preferable pictures of human interaction and Divine possibility. Again we follow the life example of Jesus, who was wholly and completely ‘set apart’ for God’s purposes, to the extent of the greatest sacrifice ever; yet at the same time, Jesus took up residence on earth to engage with and redeem people for God in person.

Jesus uses the phrase “sanctify them in the truth” – meaning that we are ‘set apart’ in the reality of who God is. There are certain truths (in God’s Word) about the character of God and how God seeks to express love and mercy to the world. Jesus prays that we would know all about this, but more importantly, that we would live lives that fully reflects such truth.

This truth is NOT a ‘weapon’ or a sledgehammer, but rather a sweet fragrance that people can easily come to appreciate (2 Cor 2:14-7). It will still offend some, who will reject it; but this will not deter us … from the many who will be open to the truth (that will make all the difference) – or so Jesus prays!! God is love, and as we live in this love, the world has a chance to experience God’s love … and believe!

There is a sense here that Jesus wants us to move forward with our faith … into a complete dedication to God’s cause, where the integrity of such a life … means that God can be recognised, appreciated and worshipped. In a sense, God can be recognised within kind actions and thoughtful decisions – especially in comparison to much of the way the world works. A person who is ‘set apart in truth’, becomes a trustworthy reliable ‘go to person’ for all those who are serious in their seeking.

Summary

1. Jesus prays not for the world, but rather for us. Why?? We are ambassadors, and we are stewards!

2. Jesus prays for our protection

1. That we will experience “oneness” – thus working together effectively and making a good impression
2. That we will be protected from the “evil one” – and therefore be able to flourish through living in God’s will

3. Jesus prays that his “joy” will be complete in us – and this will reflect in our worship and life activity

4. Jesus prays that we will be “set apart” – and this will make a big difference (for good) in our community.

Conclusion

What does it mean for us, that Jesus is (right now) praying for us (in these ways)??

1. We can be courageous. We can walk a little taller – in that, as we humbly empty ourselves of the worthless clutter, Jesus will fill us with fruit and effectiveness. We have purpose. We can walk together arm in arm. We are being shielded against defeat. Our lives mean something. People are being blessed. Jesus is walking beside us, and praying for us!

2. AND, these prayers of Jesus for us are being answered! And, answered in the affirmative!! About Jesus’ praying here, Larry Richards writes, “This prayer has been, is being, and will be … answered”! Such was Jesus 100% connection to God’s will, that these prayers will get a result!! It is up to us to know, understand and apply … that we ARE being prayed for, and ARE therefore being prepared, equipped, preserved, blessed and set apart.

3. We can experience “oneness” with Jesus and each other in the ‘Body of Christ’. In the face of evil, we can know we are on the victory side. We can experience the glory of God, as God becomes evident around us. Know this! We can live in the assurance of this prayer backing us up all the way. No need to fear. No need to place limits. No need to feel alone. No need to lack hope. No reason not to think big! There is plenty of good to invest in.

The Tower of Babel and Multiculturalism

Is cultural and language diversity a bad thing? No! Is multiculturalism, ie. the coming together of a variety of cultures, a bad thing? Despite the challenges this often brings to a community ... my answer is, "no"! Such challenges can actually grow the fabric of a community. Is migration a bad thing? No! Especially not in a world of such oppression, injustice and active prejudice against certain people groups. People movement is understandable and acceptable. This is not to in anyway condone the darkness that causes the need to flee. Maybe common sense, balance, adequate safeguards ... maybe. But never forget the Bible's major and central concern around the care of widows, orphans and foreigners (read refugees and asylum seekers). So then, to understand properly the somewhat problematical 'tower of Babel' passage in Genesis chapter 11, I think we need to start with two pieces of background info. Firstly, the Bible, that collection of Scriptures chosen to be included among our 66 books, is a book about mission, ie. God's mission to re-connect with and redeem the world - inclusive of all human beings particularly, and all creation generally. So, what does the 'tower of Babel' passage say about God's mission? There is here a refusal to do things God's way, namely, to fill the earth. Instead of going, they were staying - the opposite of mission. They resisted a 'scattering' (v 4). People thought they could do better, and thus usurped God's leadership. They egotistically believed in their own wisdom, rather than in God's will. This would never be any good for anyone. So rather than a voluntary scattering, there was a forced scattering - which actually endorses as being good ... the subsequent language and cultural diversity. Secondly, this record is likely written centuries later than its setting ... in hindsight, trying to explain the existing cultural diversity. Without cultural diversity there would have been a bland colourless world of similarity - this would have hardly represented the 'image' of such a multifaceted God who created planet earth with such seasonal diversity and broad landscape; resistance inevitably leading to a revolt through insular purposelessness. While explained as a punishment, in context, this would have been understood as an ultimate blessing, or at the very least, working in humankind's best interests; thus in effect ... redemptive love, because it redirected humanity to God's prior intentions. Cultural diversity and multicuturalism then, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, from the time of Pentecost, is the lifeblood of the 'Kingdom of God' and the 'Body of Christ', and also a foretaste of heaven. Such heaven on earth experiences are only available as we embrace and welcome different cultures into the life of our society.

"Would you like to be an Ambassador?" (2 Corinthians 5:17-6:10)

Context

In these chapters of 2^nd Corinthians, the apostle Paul was establishing beyond doubt, that despite his past, he was now a true “ambassador” for Jesus, and that his was a ministry wholly in line with the serving ministry already lived by Jesus. This then sets a pattern for the rest of us.

Introduction

Would you, too, like to be an ambassador for Jesus? An “ambassador” is a diplomat sent by one sovereign state to another state … with a mission of representing their interests in that other state or nation. So this idea, from Paul, in verse 20 (of 2 Corinthians 5) of being an “ambassador”, is a very appropriate concept, concerning how followers of Jesus interact with their society. We, who are primarily ‘citizens of heaven’, or the ‘Kingdom of God’, are called to represent Jesus, or the interests of God, in the world.

It is interesting that an “ambassador” is a public servant also described as a ‘diplomat’ – meaning that, in representing the interests of another, we have to be ‘diplomatic’ … we need to use tact, wisdom and common sense. We also read here that, “God is making his appeal through us” – now that is something NOT to be trifled with. God speaks to the world through our ‘diplomatic’ life – all of our actions and words. This is, as if, Jesus is speaking through us!!

Being an “Ambassador”

Would you like to be an Ambassador?

The question I’m asking is slightly incorrect, because, when we decide to believe in, follow and accept Jesus, we are by definition “ambassadors” anyway (for good, or for ill)! Paul says simply, “we are ambassadors for Christ”. It is NOT a question of take it or leave it. So, my question is really directed towards being the type of “ambassador” that our nation state – the ‘Kingdom of God’ – requires us to be! How does that become possible? It starts with being reconciled to God in all ways. That means receiving the forgiveness God offers, determining to live in the right way, and adopting God-like attitudes to what is happening around us. {Or, as John put it last week, deciding to love.}

It is interesting … that before Jesus asks us to be his ambassadors, he was our ambassador. Jesus fully represented our interests by coming to earth and engaging in human life, and dealing with some of the best … but also a lot of the worst … that human life brings. Jesus empathised completely with the situation that we have become burdened and trapped in sin; and though sinless himself, took the total weight of this upon himself to the cross. And Jesus’ work did NOT stop with this act of mercy – he rose again to lead us into an experience of resurrected and re-created life.

In his death Jesus represented us; so, in his physical absence, we now represent him. Read verse 21. We are appointed “ambassadors” as a result of receiving grace, and this appointment is activated as we are in the process of being “reconciled to God” in all the aspects of our lives. In short, being “reconciled” means being brought back into harmony with God. If we want to be a good “ambassador”, then we have to ask ourselves questions about our level of ongoing reconciliation to God. Are we changing into the image of Jesus?

Are we open to the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in our lives? No matter how old we are, or how young we are?!? No matter what stage of life we’re in!?! We need to have our heart fully changed, so that we can be an effective channel of God’s restoring work for others. Like, and in connection with, our salvation, ‘reconciliation’ is an ongoing process that we need to engage with – everything “old” passing away, everything “new” emerging … more so each day (v 17)!

We need to live in a way worthy of Jesus! This includes the way in which we live, work and interact with each other (in the church and in the community). With all this in mind, an ”ambassador” for the Gospel promotes: honouring the Creator, loving our neighbour, serving the community, standing up for what is good and just, and bearing hope for the future.

What is then, the particular purpose, that Paul raises, of us being “ambassadors”??

The answer ...

Reconciling the world (v 18-19)

This is a mission of grace … to all those we can come into relational contact with. Let us never grow tired of drawing from the well of God’s mercy, so that we can bring it [God’s mercy] to the world. This is NOT about (moral) correction or judgment. This IS about … “not counting their trespasses against them” (v 19), and leading them into an experience of forgiveness. This is so that the lost and broken can be brought back into relationship with their Creator. This is also so that the presumably happy, yet purposeless, can be redirected into a ministry that really counts for something.

To “NOT count trespasses against them” is to get through and past our own reaction to what we see (what might even repel us), and consider what such a person might be like if Jesus was in their life!! This is about looking beyond past failure and present turmoil … toward future redemption. This is about … NOT being an obstacle, or putting up barriers, or making the pathway harder, but RATHER being channels of transformation and hope. If God can forgive {including us}, we can forgive, and we can promote forgiveness. There are big significant matters at hand – whole life outcomes!! Sometimes (common sense wise) boundary lines need to be established, because we don’t exist in an ideal world; but even these should NOT prohibit us from finding ways of loving people … toward others experiencing the Kingdom of God for themselves.

Paul says in chapter 6 verses 3-4, “We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way …”. We would need to consider what possible “obstacles” {or “stumbling blocks”} there are, that we may put in the way of people experiencing Jesus, appreciating the Holy Spirit, and being reconciled to God. If we are the “ambassadors” of Jesus, then people could be choosing for or against Jesus on the basis of what they see in us! Take a deep breath on that thought!! People may make their judgments about Jesus by what they observe in us!

What could be “obstacles” to people finding faith?? Unfair and uninformed criticism, ridiculing the views of others, judgmentalism and a sense of superiority, being dogmatic and closed to dialogue or seeing things in different ways, and, of course, hypocrisy – saying one thing while living another. We should ask ourselves, “In this situation, are we being a true ambassador of the Gospel”? {Jesus, whom we represent, when he disagreed strongly with the Pharisees and the like, usually told stories, allowing his opponents to discover the truth for themselves.} Yes, we need to confront darkness, but mostly this needs to be de-personalised, and seen as external to the person (especially in terms of their potential for change).

It is often how we knee-jerk react to things that lets our witness down, especially when we are tired! In the verses that follow in chapter 6 (4-10), Paul reflects on the sort of character traits that properly promote the gospel. These are: resilience, pure motives, honesty, patience, joy, kindness and love; and these traits are recommended no matter what crosses our path – through the whole varied experience of life, through thick and thin, good days and bad. We follow one who suffered, and wholeheartedly served all humanity … without prejudice. As Paul lived this way too, as a true representative of Jesus, he brought credit onto his ministry.

Challenges of Being an “Ambassador”

1. Balancing Grace and Truth. We need to stand firm with what we believe to be true about God. But we also need to be prepared to grow in our understandings, and appreciate where other people are coming from. People believe and live different to us for a reason – which is connected to their particular journey in life. We should never ridicule anyone. It’s actually possible to ‘stand firm’, but influence nothing or nobody for good. At the same time, there is the possibility of loving expansively, but never seeing sin dealt with. In all this, Jesus provided the perfect balance and the perfect example.

Basically, if you want to know how to be an authentic “ambassador” for Jesus … read about Jesus in the four Gospels. In John chapter 1 we read, “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. From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known (V 14, 16-18).

The ‘law’ of ‘Old Testament’ times concerning right living was a blunt instrument. Also, if people only see a religious institution, they will not be able to see the person of God. Jesus, on the other hand, as the perfect representative or “ambassador” of God, lived out his righteousness in relationship with others – balancing perfectly grace and truth, with “grace” always central and first.

I’m definitely NOT saying that we shouldn’t speak the truth, I’m saying that we need to speak the truth in a way that encourages someone towards a relationship with Jesus and NOT away from that! And anyway, we reveal 'truth' more through how we live (than what we say)!! And too, if our roots are deep into God, we can ably and graciously deal with conversations with people very different from ourselves. 

2. Being Seeker-friendly and Spirit-filled (at the same time). Sometimes, in an attempt to attract more people, the church has dumbed itself down to the extent that you could hardly recognise what it stood for. On the other hand, the church sometimes seems so strange (or irrelevant) as to be inaccessible to the honest spiritual-seeker. The only way to properly balance being seeker-friendly and Spirit-filled (at the same time), is for everyone to be totally honest as to where they are at – all … works in progress … worshipping a great God. In this way there will be relevant entry points of connection for most people, as they see faults being admitted and lives being transformed. It is being real – where our lives, our attitudes, our way of going through life … all become a concrete sign of the fact that God is truly close to us … redeeming us.

3. Engaging Culture to Create Spiritual Hunger. This is probably the more sophisticated way to say 'in the world but not of the world'. This involves being a normal person, involved in a variety of community activities, with authentic care for our neighbours, that at the same time causes people to wonder about their own lives and where they are going. If people actually see a true picture of God, especially in terms of the availability of forgiveness, then they would want this God! [God's love in us ... completely alters the way we treat people who are different to us.] 

David Fitch relates this incident:

I once heard Charles Galbreath, a pastor of Clarendon Road Church in Brooklyn, tell the story of a black man gunned down by police in his neighbourhood. Anger seethed in the neighbourhood. Frustration from years of racial oppression was about to erupt in violence. Many people lined up to march down the main street while police gathered, expecting violence. Charles and a group of pastors rushed to the gathering place and found themselves caught in the middle between the police and the people. Tensions were rising. Insults were being hurled across the divide. One side picked up rocks, the other side clutched their guns. The pastors feared for their lives; bullets could fly at any moment. Galbreath said that some of the pastors spontaneously walked into the middle of the street between the two warring parties, bowed their heads, and started to pray. They implored God to visit this place. As Charles tells it, slowly the tension died down, the people put down the rocks, and the police took their hands off their holsters. Those who cared stayed. And without a shot fired or rock thrown, conversations began and God's presence appeared that night in that community. It was the beginning of something new God was doing to bring justice and reconciliation to a street corner.

Living as ambassadors for Jesus!!

Conclusion

The first two verses of chapter six are remarkable! They excite me!! Four points to make:

1. We can work together with Jesus (verse 1a). While we are his “ambassador”, he goes before us, with us, and behind us. As we will discuss in two weeks time, Jesus also prays for us. This is a partnership we are invited into. We are being absorbed into the Holy Community of God … as an earthly representative of a heavenly reality. We also work together in partnership with each other – cooperating together in unity and oneness.

2. Our cry of need has been heard, and we are receiving the salvation our souls require (verse 2a). The beginning of Psalm 32 reads: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! (v 1-2, NLT).

3. This is the “day of salvation” for many people (verse 2b). We don’t want them to miss out. God is working – we need to get on board. Sometimes we will need to make, and repeat, a definitive (sometimes public) statement; something like: “I want to collaborate with God’s creative and redemptive work in the world” (from Mark Scandrette).

4. We should NOT accept the grace of God in vain (verse 1b). What does that mean? It means that we respond to God’s mercy for ourselves personally, but then do nothing with it, either in terms of discipleship – really following Jesus, and in terms of sharing it … indeed NOT sharing the good news of Jesus. God’s grace should bring visible change and obvious purpose. God’s grace is also given to us so that we can join in with bigger things – the ‘Kingdom of God’ and the ‘Body of Christ’.

So, would you like to be an ambassador? It’s NOT easy, but it is our calling! People are depending upon us. God is establishing us. Opportunities exist in great number. We should pray!

Why Pray?

Introduction

Prayer is much more than a shopping list full of requests, no matter how well intentioned. Prayer is an engagement with God – our Creator and Redeemer. Rather than being confined by our limited vision and perspectives, prayer enables us to move towards God’s big panoramic view of life in the world. We know that, sadly, because of poor human decision-making, and downright evil intent, the world is NOT the place it should be and could be. We understand the damage caused through the abuse of freewill and unrepentant behaviours.

So, we sense the need to pray, if we are to have the wisdom to go forward in God’s will. More than this! If a church is to be effective in its ministry to the community, it must commit to a strategy of prayer, that will prepare the hearts of people to receive and positively respond to the gospel message; as well as impact the spiritual soil of a whole town, thus creating an environment of new and renewed openness. Also, as churches bow to pray with integrity, and express a true heart for God and people, much of our lost credibility will likely be regained.

Reasons to Pray

1. (To) Develop our faith

It is through talking, sometimes out loud, to God, that we continually remind ourselves of God’s existence, immense love, close presence, and that God always has our best interests at heart. If we stop praying, we can easily forget about God’s place in our lives. Not only that, we start to rely more on ourselves (in an unhealthy way), forgetting about God’s willingness and capacity to guide us and strengthen us. Then, usually, more things than normal start to go wrong! And we tend to wonder what God has against us, rather than reflecting on how we have left God completely out of things.

As we share time with God, we can become more hopeful, even confident, that the broken and lost will come (or return) to Jesus. We pray for people we know, and we pray for openings of blessing and healing for them. We pray that such people will be able to look at life events a bit differently, with a new perspective – being more open to spiritual solutions. We pray for the removal of obstacles … that the blinds will come up; and in prayer we start to imagine how this will become a reality, and build confidence in how God can bring change.

Thus, prayer plays a critical role in preparing our heart for the future. In being totally focussed on the capacity of God to answer our prayers according to best possible case-scenarios, we are released to trust God completely – without fear, and without the need to over-react or over-reach, or to take things back into our own hands. We can therefore rebuke the enemy, acknowledging that the one who opposes us, has been well and truly defeated. The victory will come in God’s time, and in God’s way; and the faithful will quickly recognise when it happens.

2. (To) Deepen our relationship

It is only as we spend time with someone, and talk with them, and listen to them, that we grow in relationship together. It is the same with our relationship with God. We share all our confessions, joys, concerns, hopes and dreams, with a view to knowing God better. Prayer is two-way communication. Prayer is a conversation, in which there are no right words – just honest sincere words. Sometimes only heartfelt groans, that the Spirit interprets. And where this level of prayer happens in a group setting, there can be a multi-dimensional dynamic that staggers the room with new insight.

Sometimes we will hear God’s voice through the prayers of another person. Sometimes we will hear God’s voice coming out of our own mouth, with words never before thought of, nor prepared earlier. Sometimes there comes a deep conviction about the presence of God’s Spirit, such that everything that is said and heard has deep significance – as if it could just change everything. But to experience this, we have to be listening, truly engaging with God and others. I have come out of prayer meetings exhausted (yet inspired) having tried to hear everything that the Spirit is saying. If we don’t listen – we won’t hear!

Prayer is opening the space for God to speak. Prayer is engaging with what God wants to give us. In honest prayer we are being formed by God’s Spirit into the likeness of Jesus. We are learning about God’s mercy and developing a servant heart. We are becoming disciples who live authentic lives, representing Jesus in our town, workplaces, schools and places of recreation. We are bringing hope where hope is lacking, and peace to where peace has gone missing, and healing to where lives are broken. We become disciple-makers and change agents.

It is in the place of prayer that we become positive encouragers, leaving negative and critical spirits behind. In prayer we start to appreciate our spiritual gifts, and how these might be applied toward the common good. As we deeply engage with God in prayer, we come to weep over the things that God weeps over – just like Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem … that had moved their focus so far from God. And, as we deeply engage with God, we come to celebrate the things that God celebrates … and we know what all those heavenly parties are for – people coming (or returning) into relationship with Jesus.

3. (To) Discover God’s plans

It’s as we pray concerning the state of things, and the opportunities that may be present … while, at the same time, we consider how deeply God loves the world, and longs to be reconciled with all people, that we start to get inklings about how we should proceed. We go to prayer with our eyes, ears and senses attuned to the needs of others around us. The ultimate words here, come from Jesus himself: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done – on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6). We want people to experience the best, and the best surrounds uninhibited relationship with the Divine Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit.

For God’s Kingdom to come, means that the perfect future God has in store becomes evident, in certain ways, now! There are spaces and places in which we can experience the best of heaven now. This especially surrounds the quality of our relationships with God, others, and the rest of creation. For the sake of our friends, family and neighbours, we want to pray for that ‘Kingdom’ to be seen here. We want to worship like we mean it! When Jesus came, the Kingdom came with him. And, as we accept and follow the ways of Jesus, we become part of his Kingdom reign, and this renewed reality can become visible to others.

Although living in the world still means we suffer from illness, all sorts of trauma, and the consequences of sin – as part of Jesus’ reign, we are able to cope (and rise above) in knowing that ‘God is with us’! We can faithfully pray “according to God’s will” … acknowledging that only God knows what is ‘best’. We learn to accept God’s answers. Yet this best (of the ‘Kingdom’) always involves the freedom for us to grow; and also to see that any oppression or injustice that impedes life is always alien to God’s Kingdom (and needs to be defeated).

So, part of discovering God’s plans involves knowing what runs contrary to God’s plans. Once we have some level of understanding of God’s plans, and the problems to be addressed, we should adopt the attitude of being involved in the solution. Where are the open doors? Enable us, our God, to enter new fields of ministry, to embrace different people groups, to take on new adventures. Help us, loving God, to think bigger and broader … way beyond ourselves, to partner in growing the Kingdom of God.

So it is, that prayer aligns the hearts of people with the purposes of God. And the ultimate purpose of God is expressed in the ‘great commission’, again expressed by Jesus, in short: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising and teaching them” (Matt 28). If we love God, and sense how people are lost and broken, then this is what we will want to do. And we find our pathways to addressing this … in the place of prayer. Part of this will be discerning the (often hidden) hindrances that get in people’s way, understanding what to do about them, and ultimately turning defeats into victories.

4. (To) Dedicate our efforts

As we minister and work together, completely out of the resources that God has gifted to each of us (for the community good), we recognise that we need God’s blessing over all that we do! We are quite powerless in ourselves, but can be hugely effective with God working through us. We pray to ensure that what we do … will be clearly seen as the serving ministry of God to others, using us as channels (of this blessing). It is the Jesus in us recognising the Jesus in others, and providing the spiritual care that only God can bring.

We prayerfully share our life stories and testimonies of faith, in the hope that God’s Spirit will touch another individual at their point of need. We live out our life under the glare of the cameras (so to speak), praying that it triggers hope in another person. We want others to recognise how following Jesus works for us. We want to be released in our worship of God, exposing God’s presence and reality – that despite our weakness and vulnerability, we know SOMEONE who makes sense of life, gives us peace, and a reason to live well. We want to point to the primacy of the God who saves. This all starts with prayer.

Conclusion

It is in praying this way, that we will see untold breakthroughs. We have already seen many such breakthroughs – which if we analyse them carefully, would have had their origin in someone’s prayers (or in group prayer somewhere). It’s NOT that God depends on our prayers, it’s that God desires us to engage in prayer, and partner in the redemptive and transformative outcomes that God wants to bring.

If we pray like this, then we will no doubt fill the new worship centre, for there will be untold breakthroughs – with the opposition, the blockages, and the reservations all stripped away. As God's church is more faithful in prayer, then God's own stunning presence will be more observable and recognisable; and we will see transformation everywhere – in individual lives, and across whole communities.

Easter Sunday message (John 20:1-18)

Mary Magdalene was very dedicated to Jesus. She had seen in Jesus someone who was kind, honest; and when Jesus taught … life seemed to make more sense. Jesus had generally uplifted the status of women through the time in which he lived, sought to release them from cultural constraints, and taught that they should be treated with respect. Women like Mary Magdalene, and many others recorded in the Gospels, loved Jesus for the acceptance, friendship and freedom he brought to their lives. However, to their horror, Jesus had been crucified on a cross and was now dead.

These women who had been so devoted to Jesus … thought he was gone forever. In deep grief over their loss, women followers of Jesus had wrapped his body with spices within linen cloths (as was the burial custom). Jesus had talked about dying for his cause, dying for the salvation of all humankind, dying to bring in the Kingdom of God, dying to change the world – but this didn’t yet make any sense to them … how could anyone kill such a good man?!

Now, on Sunday, Mary Magdalene had returned to the tomb. This was at some personal risk and showed courage, because she was attending the grave of a condemned criminal. She would have been confused and upset enough already, but such feelings were intensified when she saw that the stone from the front of the tomb had been removed … who knows how!

Jesus had died because his message was rejected by some very powerful people. A religious elite, combined with Roman authoritarianism, rejected this Jesus … who was upsetting their little apple-cart, and putting their particular agendas under the microscope. Even though the poor were remaining poor, and the sick were remaining sick, these powerful gate-keepers did not appreciate the way Jesus taught and the change that he was championing. Humility and compassion were NOT words they easily responded to! They preferred to keep the peace; but peace is not really peace, if it is guarded by an iron hand!

So Jesus was executed on a Roman cross; yet Jesus didn’t resist – because something big was being achieved by all this. God decreed … that this was a sacrificial act of a ‘divine’ and perfect servant, bringing forgiveness for sin for anyone who accepted this act of mercy as something done for them. Many people here today have stood at the foot of the cross and accepted Jesus as their Saviour, for he has lifted the burden of sin off them and taken it upon himself. This cost Jesus his life. But this was also a perfect sacrifice, and we know that God would have the last word about all this. Jesus himself had said that death could NOT defeat God, and that he would rise again!

So, with this in mind, we should NOT be surprised that Mary, and the other women, and disciples like Peter and John, found themselves looking at an empty tomb! Whereas they found it hard to work all this out … at the time, as this was all new to them – over the 20 centuries that have followed … we have come to understand how this makes sense. The innocent One rose again! And how important is this for us right now! When things seem to hit rock bottom, where our disappointment in life is palpable, when we are hurting to the depths of our soul – things can turn dramatically around.

In our lives today, our hurts and fears can be relieved through new friendships, acts of kindness and encouraging community. Back then, what happened for Jesus’ followers was revolutionary. The One who they had seen die on a cross, and buried in a tomb … was alive! Yet, Mary Magdalene didn’t know what to make of this empty tomb – she was first worried that Jesus’ body had been moved (or perhaps stolen); and this turn of events was all too much for her – she just stood there weeping.

And then when a man appeared to her, Mary thought that this must be the gardener … tending to the various grave-sites. She didn’t recognise Jesus … perhaps simply because she wasn’t expecting this, possibly because of the tears engulfing her eyes, or maybe just because of the dim dawn light. We can sometimes miss the obvious because we’re just not ready for it! The reality of the best thing ever … has been dimmed to our view!! Mary thought this gardener may be able to explain where the body of Jesus had been taken, so therefore she made her enquiries.

And then, not a gardener, but Jesus himself, said to her, “Mary”. Wow! Firstly, this man knew her name; and not only did he know her name, but also, of great impact … was the way Jesus said her name – “Mary”! Mary not only recognised Jesus’ voice, but also the recent memories of their friendship came flooding back – their relationship was immediately recaptured. Mary was overjoyed, her hurts began to be healed, and even though she couldn’t understand everything of what was going on, she instinctively replied, in full recognition, “Teacher”! Jesus was re-established in her life.

One senses that in this (one-word) response from Mary to Jesus, there is deep joy, worship and fresh commitment. When all seemed completely lost, things turned around to the good after all! All Mary’s unanswered questions were overwhelmed by this personal relationship … seemingly lost forever … being re-established! We have to admit, that life is often full of difficulties and deep challenges to our spirit. Sometimes the hurt we have suffered has even made us walk away from what we have treasured in the past. When Jesus had died, many of Jesus’ disciples had felt their lives were done and dusted!

However, the reality of Jesus’ resurrection means that nothing is too far gone – there remains hope for the future. All seemed lost; but all of a sudden – God turns up! And that future could be well and truly better than any recent or past trauma would suggest. Jesus was dead, but now he is alive! All the garments of death and burial that Jesus had worn … the linen wrappings and head covering … were now thrown aside and left behind (unneeded anymore); and Jesus had walked out of the tomb to reconnect with his disciples (before he re-joined God in heaven)!

Weeping now gave way to joy, and joy will facilitate peace – God’s promises have been fulfilled!! Here is an invitation to see if the resurrected Jesus could make a difference in your life – how you think, how you feel (about yourself and others), how you relate, how you live – Jesus can bring a completely new perspective on life. Even if you have walked away from God (for whatever reason), here is an invitation to explore what a resurrected Jesus might mean for you … in whatever space your life is currently in. Mary was lost, but now she is found!

Billy Graham said that, “The entire plan for the future has its key in the resurrection [of Jesus]”. So Resurrection Sunday may be an opportunity to put past reservations aside, and allow new possibilities to emerge. We can let old habits die, and be raised into new spiritual endeavours. We can look beyond our hurts and engage with God afresh. We can reject the voice of negativity, and replace this with a voice of hope. The more we let ourselves be enveloped by the love of God, the more our lives are renewed.

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration, of worship and of commitment. In this beautiful setting, we can easily see how God wants to transform all of us into being part of His new creation. And, where things are not as they should be, we can participate in the re-making of this world. This is where we all encourage one another, together in community, toward the full potential and purpose God has created each of us to experience and appreciate. Let us celebrate, let us worship, and let us commit ourselves to the risen Jesus!