I wrote this for the local newspaper (pity they edited out the last half!):
How much of your Christmas is about ‘making out’, you know, sustaining a level of ‘make-believe’?
I remember growing up, wondering if Father Christmas was real, and trying to catch my parents out. I always had my doubts. Is it all ‘make-believe’? One year they went to extraordinary levels to maintain the ‘make-believe’ by even staging an argument as we got into the car to go to a Christmas Eve worship service. One of them stormed back off into the house, while we sat quietly in the back seat (we sat quietly because we didn’t want to get into trouble with our parents already in a bad mood!). When we got back from church, the presents were ‘magically’ under the Christmas tree (put there when they had run into the house after the ‘argument’)!
In a similar way I remember gathering with extended family such as grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins, ‘making out’ we were all peaceful, happy, content and actually getting on well. Normally we got on well with each other (I have many fond memories of these times), but there were times we’d smile and laugh at each other, privately wishing we could be somewhere else.
The ‘making out’ of Christmas, and the façades of peace and joy and contentment don’t last long. There’s work to be done again soon. We can only be on our best behaviour for so long before our true self lets loose again. If we’re suffering in our health, we can only make out for so long everything’s ok. For many people there’s an empty seat at their Christmas celebration, which can’t be wished away by ‘make-believe’ – the reality of grief is too strong. The reality of families in conflict burst the bubbles of fantasy and well-wishes. Even the shiny Christmas wrappers and decorations will be packed away again. The ‘make-believe’ of Christmas doesn’t last.
When God came to earth as a child, he had no intention of ‘making out’. He came because of the reality – the reality that our relationship with him wasn’t right, the reality that we don’t always get along with each other, and the reality that death or the dying process scares us.
Jesus came into a real world – our world. He came to live among and save poor people, hurting people, sick people, wicked people, injured people, grieving people, and dying people. He could have come and said “Let’s pretend everything’s ok”, but he didn’t. The reality of our corrupted lives and broken relationships is too strong to ignore. He came to heal, restore, reconcile, forgive, and to give life and hope. The hope is real, not make-believe.
When the angels announced ‘peace on earth’, this wasn’t a ‘make-believe’ peace, but a real peace – a peace that leads to true contentment and joy; a peace that drives out fear. He reinforced the point when he announced many times during his life “Don’t be afraid” or “Peace be with you”. This is real peace, but you can’t talk about peace without talking about war. You can’t talk about forgiveness without talking about sin and wrong. You can’t talk about eternal life without talking about death. You can’t talk about the reality of faith without talking about the reality of no faith. We could make out death and sin and pain and suffering and war doesn’t exist, but it does. Make-believe doesn’t last forever.
You see, God came as a human in order to put things right. He came to forgive. Since all forgiveness comes at a cost, he paid the cost by his sacrifice for us. We did the crime, but he did the time. Despite the high cost, his forgiveness is a gift, better than any wrapped present we might receive this Christmas.
He fought the war against death so we might live. He rose again from death so that we know death is defeated. This is the hope we have through faith in Jesus – real eternal life where death doesn’t exist. The story of his life and suffering and death and resurrection isn’t made up. It’s real. We receive the benefits of his life and death and resurrection through trusting him – a real trust, not a make-believe one. Through trusting him, we receive peace and hope and forgiveness and life.
God came among a broken world in the real person of Jesus, born in Bethlehem; born to face our reality, born to give us real forgiveness, real hope, real peace, and real life. Really.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Hope
The other night I went to see '2012', one of the latest in the long line of disaster movies. I enjoyed it. The effects were mostly impressive, even though I actually laughed out loud at the preposterous escapes by some of the main characters.
Before I went, one of my girls asked me why they have disaster movies (and then proceeded to list some of the disaster movies that have come out in recent years). So, as I sat there watching the film, I was trying to answer her question.
The answer I came up with is: hope. We have a basic yearning to know that, even in the most disastrous of circumstances, we might have hope - hope of a future, hope of victory, hope of life.
I don't think we need to look very far in life to see disaster all around us. Sure, it may not always be on a national or global scale, but we still see personal disasters. Yet in these times, the one thing many look for is hope.
For Christians, we have hope, although not just a wishful thinking kind of hope, but firm assurance of hope. Through faith in Jesus Christ (and surely, faith is linked closely to hope), we have a future, we have a victory, and we have life.
Hope. A basic need, but too many look for hope in the wrong places.
Before I went, one of my girls asked me why they have disaster movies (and then proceeded to list some of the disaster movies that have come out in recent years). So, as I sat there watching the film, I was trying to answer her question.
The answer I came up with is: hope. We have a basic yearning to know that, even in the most disastrous of circumstances, we might have hope - hope of a future, hope of victory, hope of life.
I don't think we need to look very far in life to see disaster all around us. Sure, it may not always be on a national or global scale, but we still see personal disasters. Yet in these times, the one thing many look for is hope.
For Christians, we have hope, although not just a wishful thinking kind of hope, but firm assurance of hope. Through faith in Jesus Christ (and surely, faith is linked closely to hope), we have a future, we have a victory, and we have life.
Hope. A basic need, but too many look for hope in the wrong places.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The 'truth' of advertising
Bathurst has been run and won by Holden. While I was brought up in a family who supported Holdens (who usually found time to sit and watch the 'great race'), I've 'defected' and now like to see a Ford win. It wasn't their year (only one Ford in the top 10 finishers), but what most people won't hear about is another 'race' that was run earlier.
Before the 'big race', two cars went around the track for 161 laps within the signed speed limit of 60km/h. One was a Holden Commodore, the other a Ford Falcon. The 'race' was to see if their claimed fuel consumption figures would match a 'real world' situation (that's presuming a 'real world' situation is doing 161 laps of Bathurst!)
The Holden with their new 'frugal' engine (they're claiming it's the most fuel efficient 6 cylinder engine manufactured in Australia) claims a fuel consumption of 9.3l/100km, while the Falcon used is claimed to use 10.1l/100km. It doesn't seem a fair race.
The end result? After 1000km, the Falcon used 9.9l/100km, while the Commodore used 11.1l/100km. Bet you won't find Holden advertising that Bathurst race! 'Truth' just isn't what it used to be, is it?
Check out the full story at http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=66283&vf=2&IsPgd=0
Before the 'big race', two cars went around the track for 161 laps within the signed speed limit of 60km/h. One was a Holden Commodore, the other a Ford Falcon. The 'race' was to see if their claimed fuel consumption figures would match a 'real world' situation (that's presuming a 'real world' situation is doing 161 laps of Bathurst!)
The Holden with their new 'frugal' engine (they're claiming it's the most fuel efficient 6 cylinder engine manufactured in Australia) claims a fuel consumption of 9.3l/100km, while the Falcon used is claimed to use 10.1l/100km. It doesn't seem a fair race.
The end result? After 1000km, the Falcon used 9.9l/100km, while the Commodore used 11.1l/100km. Bet you won't find Holden advertising that Bathurst race! 'Truth' just isn't what it used to be, is it?
Check out the full story at http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=66283&vf=2&IsPgd=0
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Stand! (Ephesians 6:10-20)
I've so far been reluctant to post any of my sermons on this blog, but I suppose if my blog is called 'Things that Cross my life', the Word of God is one of the main 'things' that Cross my life!
I don't know if I'll do this every week, but I'll share last Sunday's sermon with you (not because I consider it any worse or better than any of my other sermons, but I thought I'd start somewhere).
I chose to preach on Ephesians 6:10-20, which was one of the readings set down for the day. I always liked this text when I was younger because it appealed to my boyhood dreams of being a champion (which was very far from reality!).
Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
When I was younger, I used to play with plastic soldiers.
I would gather up my troops and array them on various battlefields in my bedroom, lounge room, and even out in the garden. They would valiantly fight each other, making appropriate sounds when they urged each other on, when they shot their weapons, and especially when they died. Strangely, they all sounded like me.
Of course, some of my least favourites would often die first, but my favoured champions would win and win again through countless battles, only to be decorated with my grimy fingers, or an occasional, but very poorly placed, dab of paint or pen. Thankfully, made of plastic, even the defeated would rise again to battle every time I needed them.
Now, I have fond memories of my plastic soldiers, to the point that I still have some of them, packed away in some box I rarely open. Over the years I’ve occasionally come across them and looked at them fondly, thinking of all the scrapes we went through together. But, even though they helped me live out some of my heroic imaginings, it was all just make-believe.
War is never make-believe. Just ask those who have fought in wars to tell you about their experiences, and you’ll notice they often go silent, their eyes will glaze over, and the smile will melt from their face. The sounds, smells, and sights they experienced haunt them and terrorise them, driving many to drink, drugs, or despair. Even though many of us can’t possibly imagine what they went through, every year we thank God for those who sacrificed their blood and their lives so that we can live in freedom and peace.
Although wars often spill over to harm the innocent, in recent years terrorism has threatened to bring war to any street, even one of our own. A few years ago, we heard our Prime Minister call us to ‘be alert, but not alarmed’. Wars and fighting threatened to enter our daily lives, something that hasn’t happened for most of us before. Society, under the threat of terrorism, has changed to become more suspicious, more fearful, and less carefree.
But, who are we kidding? For the Christian, we’ve always been at war! We should always be on the alert! So, this is nothing new! Our faith has always been under attack, and St Paul urges all Christians to keep alert.
What’s often misunderstood is that St Paul doesn’t urge us to fight. He calls us to stand. We stand alert and ready for battle, knowing like all wars, the enemy will often strike at the easy targets. When our guard is down we become easy targets, so St Paul urges us to dress prepared for battle.
But we aren’t the ones called to win the battle. As Martin Luther says in the hymn ‘A Mighty Fortress’, “But for us fights the valiant one whom God himself elected”. Christ is the One who does the fighting. Where our society thanks those who sacrificed themselves in battle for our political freedom which only lasts until the next war, we thank God for Jesus who sacrificed himself for us on the battlefield of the cross so we may live in true freedom and peace that lasts for an eternity. But still, we often think its up to us to fight.
You know, when I was younger and when I once romanticised war (since my wars were in plastic and involved no blood or suffering), I used to look at the cross and think ‘if I just turn it upside down, I get a sword!’ But that’s part of the problem! The Cross turned upside down will always result in wars and fighting such as the Crusades, where so-called ‘Christians’ slaughtered men, women and children ‘in the name of God’. When the Gospel is turned into a weapon to wield and justify cruelty, bullying, and murder, it’s no longer the Gospel. The Gospel for us is that Christ does the fighting and puts his own body and life on the line for us. Therefore, as Christians, we don’t do the fighting, but we do the standing. We stand, armed for our own protection, as we witness our champion win the war for us.
We stand, knowing we are surrounded by powers of darkness and evil. We don’t just fight against our own flesh with its own addictions and passions for drink or drugs or sex or building empires of property, money, glory or gadgets, but we are attacked by the very powers of evil itself with all its craftiness, schemes and methods. Evil surrounds us.
While some may want to blame God for all the wars and cruelty in the world, it’s really the powers of evil that are behind every war, every pestilence, every act of cruelty, and every act of injustice. In our so-called peaceful land of Australia we often fool ourselves into thinking evil is far from us, but it’s not! Evil lurks even here in this place to break up families, to drive us to greed and selfishness, to harm, to abuse, and to kill. We’d be fooling ourselves into thinking we can ever escape evil, for evil even resides in us, but we can be prepared for it!
We are to stand prepared, wearing the whole armour of God, not just select parts. Every piece is important and vital for us, and each piece needs to be used properly.
You stand with a belt of truth around your waist. The image here is of a person with his or her belt done up tightly so that they’re ready for action. You could also argue you’re to ‘keep our pants on’. One of the temptations we often war with is the desires of our flesh – the passions for lust and sex. As beautiful and wonderful as God’s gift of sexual intercourse may be, it can also be used for evil. Wandering passions have broken up many families through adultery, and sexual abuse has destroyed many people’s lives. Keep the belt of truth around your waist. Remembering Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, it’s like you keep Christ guarding you with his truth, urging you not to live with lies, half-truth and deceptions, but to live and act with truth, honesty, and integrity.
You stand wearing a breastplate of righteousness, guarding your most sensitive and vital of organs – your heart. Since you can’t live the right way or even live our relationship with God the right way, you’re given this piece of armour by Christ himself. Only Christ lives in perfect obedience and submission to God the father, and he gives his righteousness to you. At your baptism, God placed an invisible piece of armour called Jesus Christ over your heart. Although your heart is often cruel and selfish, when God looks at your heart, he now only sees Jesus’ perfect blood covering you.
You stand with the Gospel of peace tied firmly to your feet. Your feet, which often walk the ways of evil, are instead to be led by the Gospel of peace, ready to proclaim the gospel to those around you. Since you are grounded firmly in Gospel of peace as forgiven and holy people of God, you readily proclaim the Gospel of undeserved forgiveness to those who have hurt others, but also the Gospel of wholeness and cleansing to those who have been hurt or abused by others. Be ready to let the Spirit lead your feet to the right place, to the right people, and at the right time, so that you may be able to defend others from evil by proclaiming the Gospel of peace to them. In this way, you’re not waging war, but waging peace!
You stand behind a shield of faith, guarding you from your eyes to your knees. Now you could argue this is your own faith or trust in God that guards and protects you from the devil’s darts of deception and lies, but you could also easily argue this is the faith handed to you to protect you. Since this shield isn’t attached to you, it’s not just an individual trust that usually wavers between faith and non-belief, but a corporate trust. When your faith is wavering, you might need the person next to you to remind you of the faith of the Church, clearly confessed in our Creeds. This is the reason Martin Luther recalled and was comforted by the Apostle’s Creed night and day. He shielded himself, not just with his own faith, but with the faith of the whole catholic and apostolic Church.
You stand wearing the helmet of salvation. You stand knowing you are saved by Christ. He is your Champion and your Saviour. Keeping this truth in mind, your thoughts are protected from straying from the truth and into despair. You know there is nothing you can do to earn God’s love and peace. Salvation is given to you as a free and undeserving gift. Know that everything won on the cross is given to you. Know that forgiveness is yours, peace is yours, and eternal life is yours.
You stand with a sword. Now, this appeals to my boyhood dreams of being a great champion, wielding a sword to defeat all enemies. But I’m disappointed. This isn’t a huge sword like the knights of old used to swing and parry, but a short stabbing sword, perhaps only a foot long – just a ruler length. You can’t fight with that! But that’s the point! We’re not to fight, but to stand. This stabbing sword was only used when the attacker was so close a sword would be ineffective and unwieldy. This short sword is the Word of God.
Remember when Jesus himself was being tempted by the devil in the wilderness? What was his weapon of choice against the wiles of the devil? The Word of God. Although the devil himself also used, or rather, misused, the Word of God, Jesus was able to defeat him with his own Word given through the prophets. As Luther sings in ‘A Mighty Fortress’, one little word can fell the devil. Just one Word of God is needed to send the devil scurrying for cover. Although many neglect the Word of God, you’re to read the Word of God, learn it, meditate on it, understand it, and even speak it. The Word of God is an essential piece in the armour of God, so don’t leave it gathering dust in your homes. This said, use it carefully, knowing it can cut and divide, but it can also make alive.
Standing while encased and guarded in the whole armour of God, you pray. Pray, not just for yourselves, but for each other. Pray for the person next to you. Pray for those under attack. Pray for pastors, for missionaries, and for teachers. Pray for governments, and for those in authority. Pray for your children and your grandchildren. Pray for those who are sick or dying. Pray for those drowning in despair or depression. Pray for those who have sinned, but also for those who have been sinned against. You pray patiently and persistently, never giving up or tiring.
Soldiers of the Cross, this is no plastic or make-believe battlefield, but a true spiritual battlefield. Therefore stand! Stand firm in faith, wrapped by the every piece of armour that God gives you in order to protect you and guard you from the attacks of evil. Stand and witness your Champion, Jesus Christ, as he fights for you, dies for you, and lives eternally for you. Then, wrapped in the armour of God, you look forward to standing with Jesus himself in heaven with all the other soldiers of the Cross who have endured the war. Until that time, may…
The peace and armour of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and minds and bodies in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Pastor Stuart Kleinig
South Western Queensland Lutheran Parish – Dalby Ministry Area
12th Sunday after Pentecost
23rd August 2009
I don't know if I'll do this every week, but I'll share last Sunday's sermon with you (not because I consider it any worse or better than any of my other sermons, but I thought I'd start somewhere).
I chose to preach on Ephesians 6:10-20, which was one of the readings set down for the day. I always liked this text when I was younger because it appealed to my boyhood dreams of being a champion (which was very far from reality!).
Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
When I was younger, I used to play with plastic soldiers.
I would gather up my troops and array them on various battlefields in my bedroom, lounge room, and even out in the garden. They would valiantly fight each other, making appropriate sounds when they urged each other on, when they shot their weapons, and especially when they died. Strangely, they all sounded like me.
Of course, some of my least favourites would often die first, but my favoured champions would win and win again through countless battles, only to be decorated with my grimy fingers, or an occasional, but very poorly placed, dab of paint or pen. Thankfully, made of plastic, even the defeated would rise again to battle every time I needed them.
Now, I have fond memories of my plastic soldiers, to the point that I still have some of them, packed away in some box I rarely open. Over the years I’ve occasionally come across them and looked at them fondly, thinking of all the scrapes we went through together. But, even though they helped me live out some of my heroic imaginings, it was all just make-believe.
War is never make-believe. Just ask those who have fought in wars to tell you about their experiences, and you’ll notice they often go silent, their eyes will glaze over, and the smile will melt from their face. The sounds, smells, and sights they experienced haunt them and terrorise them, driving many to drink, drugs, or despair. Even though many of us can’t possibly imagine what they went through, every year we thank God for those who sacrificed their blood and their lives so that we can live in freedom and peace.
Although wars often spill over to harm the innocent, in recent years terrorism has threatened to bring war to any street, even one of our own. A few years ago, we heard our Prime Minister call us to ‘be alert, but not alarmed’. Wars and fighting threatened to enter our daily lives, something that hasn’t happened for most of us before. Society, under the threat of terrorism, has changed to become more suspicious, more fearful, and less carefree.
But, who are we kidding? For the Christian, we’ve always been at war! We should always be on the alert! So, this is nothing new! Our faith has always been under attack, and St Paul urges all Christians to keep alert.
What’s often misunderstood is that St Paul doesn’t urge us to fight. He calls us to stand. We stand alert and ready for battle, knowing like all wars, the enemy will often strike at the easy targets. When our guard is down we become easy targets, so St Paul urges us to dress prepared for battle.
But we aren’t the ones called to win the battle. As Martin Luther says in the hymn ‘A Mighty Fortress’, “But for us fights the valiant one whom God himself elected”. Christ is the One who does the fighting. Where our society thanks those who sacrificed themselves in battle for our political freedom which only lasts until the next war, we thank God for Jesus who sacrificed himself for us on the battlefield of the cross so we may live in true freedom and peace that lasts for an eternity. But still, we often think its up to us to fight.
You know, when I was younger and when I once romanticised war (since my wars were in plastic and involved no blood or suffering), I used to look at the cross and think ‘if I just turn it upside down, I get a sword!’ But that’s part of the problem! The Cross turned upside down will always result in wars and fighting such as the Crusades, where so-called ‘Christians’ slaughtered men, women and children ‘in the name of God’. When the Gospel is turned into a weapon to wield and justify cruelty, bullying, and murder, it’s no longer the Gospel. The Gospel for us is that Christ does the fighting and puts his own body and life on the line for us. Therefore, as Christians, we don’t do the fighting, but we do the standing. We stand, armed for our own protection, as we witness our champion win the war for us.
We stand, knowing we are surrounded by powers of darkness and evil. We don’t just fight against our own flesh with its own addictions and passions for drink or drugs or sex or building empires of property, money, glory or gadgets, but we are attacked by the very powers of evil itself with all its craftiness, schemes and methods. Evil surrounds us.
While some may want to blame God for all the wars and cruelty in the world, it’s really the powers of evil that are behind every war, every pestilence, every act of cruelty, and every act of injustice. In our so-called peaceful land of Australia we often fool ourselves into thinking evil is far from us, but it’s not! Evil lurks even here in this place to break up families, to drive us to greed and selfishness, to harm, to abuse, and to kill. We’d be fooling ourselves into thinking we can ever escape evil, for evil even resides in us, but we can be prepared for it!
We are to stand prepared, wearing the whole armour of God, not just select parts. Every piece is important and vital for us, and each piece needs to be used properly.
You stand with a belt of truth around your waist. The image here is of a person with his or her belt done up tightly so that they’re ready for action. You could also argue you’re to ‘keep our pants on’. One of the temptations we often war with is the desires of our flesh – the passions for lust and sex. As beautiful and wonderful as God’s gift of sexual intercourse may be, it can also be used for evil. Wandering passions have broken up many families through adultery, and sexual abuse has destroyed many people’s lives. Keep the belt of truth around your waist. Remembering Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, it’s like you keep Christ guarding you with his truth, urging you not to live with lies, half-truth and deceptions, but to live and act with truth, honesty, and integrity.
You stand wearing a breastplate of righteousness, guarding your most sensitive and vital of organs – your heart. Since you can’t live the right way or even live our relationship with God the right way, you’re given this piece of armour by Christ himself. Only Christ lives in perfect obedience and submission to God the father, and he gives his righteousness to you. At your baptism, God placed an invisible piece of armour called Jesus Christ over your heart. Although your heart is often cruel and selfish, when God looks at your heart, he now only sees Jesus’ perfect blood covering you.
You stand with the Gospel of peace tied firmly to your feet. Your feet, which often walk the ways of evil, are instead to be led by the Gospel of peace, ready to proclaim the gospel to those around you. Since you are grounded firmly in Gospel of peace as forgiven and holy people of God, you readily proclaim the Gospel of undeserved forgiveness to those who have hurt others, but also the Gospel of wholeness and cleansing to those who have been hurt or abused by others. Be ready to let the Spirit lead your feet to the right place, to the right people, and at the right time, so that you may be able to defend others from evil by proclaiming the Gospel of peace to them. In this way, you’re not waging war, but waging peace!
You stand behind a shield of faith, guarding you from your eyes to your knees. Now you could argue this is your own faith or trust in God that guards and protects you from the devil’s darts of deception and lies, but you could also easily argue this is the faith handed to you to protect you. Since this shield isn’t attached to you, it’s not just an individual trust that usually wavers between faith and non-belief, but a corporate trust. When your faith is wavering, you might need the person next to you to remind you of the faith of the Church, clearly confessed in our Creeds. This is the reason Martin Luther recalled and was comforted by the Apostle’s Creed night and day. He shielded himself, not just with his own faith, but with the faith of the whole catholic and apostolic Church.
You stand wearing the helmet of salvation. You stand knowing you are saved by Christ. He is your Champion and your Saviour. Keeping this truth in mind, your thoughts are protected from straying from the truth and into despair. You know there is nothing you can do to earn God’s love and peace. Salvation is given to you as a free and undeserving gift. Know that everything won on the cross is given to you. Know that forgiveness is yours, peace is yours, and eternal life is yours.
You stand with a sword. Now, this appeals to my boyhood dreams of being a great champion, wielding a sword to defeat all enemies. But I’m disappointed. This isn’t a huge sword like the knights of old used to swing and parry, but a short stabbing sword, perhaps only a foot long – just a ruler length. You can’t fight with that! But that’s the point! We’re not to fight, but to stand. This stabbing sword was only used when the attacker was so close a sword would be ineffective and unwieldy. This short sword is the Word of God.
Remember when Jesus himself was being tempted by the devil in the wilderness? What was his weapon of choice against the wiles of the devil? The Word of God. Although the devil himself also used, or rather, misused, the Word of God, Jesus was able to defeat him with his own Word given through the prophets. As Luther sings in ‘A Mighty Fortress’, one little word can fell the devil. Just one Word of God is needed to send the devil scurrying for cover. Although many neglect the Word of God, you’re to read the Word of God, learn it, meditate on it, understand it, and even speak it. The Word of God is an essential piece in the armour of God, so don’t leave it gathering dust in your homes. This said, use it carefully, knowing it can cut and divide, but it can also make alive.
Standing while encased and guarded in the whole armour of God, you pray. Pray, not just for yourselves, but for each other. Pray for the person next to you. Pray for those under attack. Pray for pastors, for missionaries, and for teachers. Pray for governments, and for those in authority. Pray for your children and your grandchildren. Pray for those who are sick or dying. Pray for those drowning in despair or depression. Pray for those who have sinned, but also for those who have been sinned against. You pray patiently and persistently, never giving up or tiring.
Soldiers of the Cross, this is no plastic or make-believe battlefield, but a true spiritual battlefield. Therefore stand! Stand firm in faith, wrapped by the every piece of armour that God gives you in order to protect you and guard you from the attacks of evil. Stand and witness your Champion, Jesus Christ, as he fights for you, dies for you, and lives eternally for you. Then, wrapped in the armour of God, you look forward to standing with Jesus himself in heaven with all the other soldiers of the Cross who have endured the war. Until that time, may…
The peace and armour of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and minds and bodies in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Pastor Stuart Kleinig
South Western Queensland Lutheran Parish – Dalby Ministry Area
12th Sunday after Pentecost
23rd August 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
"Time-wasters"
Ok, I'm not sure all these things are a real 'waste' of time or not, but I thought I'd share some of the things I either do in my spare time, or that distract me from doing other 'more important' things.
Fantasy Games
As I mentioned a few months ago, I'm hooked on AFL Dream Team. So far this year I'm doing ok, but nowhere near as good as I hoped. As at round 14 of 22, I'm just outside the top 35,000 of over 283,000 players. As I said, it's ok, but I had hoped to be in the top 10,000 by now. Ahh, it's only a game after all!
Other games I'm trying is managing my own 'Tour de France' team (http://fantasytdf.sbs.com.au) - not enjoying that one (too complex and not user friendly), and selecting my own Ashes team (http://fantasy.cricket.com.au) - this one's easy - you only have to select 11 players from about 30. We've started the first test of 5, so it's early days. Thankfully it doesn't go for long and there's not too many variables to worry about, so it's not that distracting.
Movies
I've recently seen 'Transformers 2' and 'Terminator: Salvation'. The former was ok (a little too convoluted and concentrates on crude humour that's unnecessary), but I really enjoyed the latter (good story, good effects). I enjoy thinking about some of the themes that come up in them (although some movies are pretty mindless!). Take for example 'Terminator: Salvation'. Do some people deserve a 'second chance', no matter what they've done? Are we prepared to give people a second chance, even when we've already judged them? Forgiveness. Salvation. Good Christian themes (even if unintended).
Internet time-wasters
We've recently come across www.sporcle.com
If you're anything like me who stores so much useless information (instead of really important things), some of these trivia games are for you! Some of these can be infuriating because you know the answer, but it just won't come in time!
I've also come across a little game where I teach a penguin to fly. Ok, they can't fly, can they? But with your help they can! Check out http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/learn-to-fly-game-battle
Apparently there's all types of simple games that amuse people for hours. Ok, I did play this game twice.
Yes, there is always more important things to do in our lives, but I don't think it's too harmful to have a little fun. Of course, the danger is we can spend so much time on these little 'time-wasters' and not enough time on important things like spending time with God's Word, spending time with the people God placed in your life, and spending time to rest.
Don't feel guilty about your own little 'time-wasters', but don't let them manage your life either.
Hmmm, I must go 'waste' some time walking in the sunshine while it's here...
Fantasy Games
As I mentioned a few months ago, I'm hooked on AFL Dream Team. So far this year I'm doing ok, but nowhere near as good as I hoped. As at round 14 of 22, I'm just outside the top 35,000 of over 283,000 players. As I said, it's ok, but I had hoped to be in the top 10,000 by now. Ahh, it's only a game after all!
Other games I'm trying is managing my own 'Tour de France' team (http://fantasytdf.sbs.com.au) - not enjoying that one (too complex and not user friendly), and selecting my own Ashes team (http://fantasy.cricket.com.au) - this one's easy - you only have to select 11 players from about 30. We've started the first test of 5, so it's early days. Thankfully it doesn't go for long and there's not too many variables to worry about, so it's not that distracting.
Movies
I've recently seen 'Transformers 2' and 'Terminator: Salvation'. The former was ok (a little too convoluted and concentrates on crude humour that's unnecessary), but I really enjoyed the latter (good story, good effects). I enjoy thinking about some of the themes that come up in them (although some movies are pretty mindless!). Take for example 'Terminator: Salvation'. Do some people deserve a 'second chance', no matter what they've done? Are we prepared to give people a second chance, even when we've already judged them? Forgiveness. Salvation. Good Christian themes (even if unintended).
Internet time-wasters
We've recently come across www.sporcle.com
If you're anything like me who stores so much useless information (instead of really important things), some of these trivia games are for you! Some of these can be infuriating because you know the answer, but it just won't come in time!
I've also come across a little game where I teach a penguin to fly. Ok, they can't fly, can they? But with your help they can! Check out http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/learn-to-fly-game-battle
Apparently there's all types of simple games that amuse people for hours. Ok, I did play this game twice.
Yes, there is always more important things to do in our lives, but I don't think it's too harmful to have a little fun. Of course, the danger is we can spend so much time on these little 'time-wasters' and not enough time on important things like spending time with God's Word, spending time with the people God placed in your life, and spending time to rest.
Don't feel guilty about your own little 'time-wasters', but don't let them manage your life either.
Hmmm, I must go 'waste' some time walking in the sunshine while it's here...
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
"I know I'm a sinner, but I haven't done anything wrong!"
I've been a little quiet on the blog lately - I've been a little busy. This doesn't mean things haven't Crossed my life, it just means I haven't had much time to process the things around me and find time to actually write about them.
In one of the books I've been reading lately ('Confession and Forgiveness: Professing Faith as Ambassadors of Reconciliation' by Ted Kober), I came across the above quote: "I know I'm a sinner, but I haven't done anything wrong!". I almost laughed out loud when I read this! (By the way, it was spoken by a pastor!) Yet in another sense, it's deadly serious. How many Christians think they've done nothing wrong?
Many times I've heard one of two reactions to sermons where I sought to expose people's sin. One is "I wish so-and-so were hear to hear that!" To this I often wonder (and sometimes say), "But you were here. What did it say to you?" Don't we often want to point the finger at others but hate it when the finger points at us! This is more comfortable - just brush it aside and deflect the accusation to someone else.
This leads me to the second reaction: people think I'm picking on them when I expose their sin. Well, I admit I have felt moved to mention something in the sermon at times targeting a specific person, but most of the times I did this, they weren't at worship that day (or weren't listening at the time!). Instead someone else who I didn't even consider to be affected by this particular sin felt as if I picked on them. If anyone was picking on them, it was the Holy Spirit!
At times people have said to me I talk about sin too much. They argue it's off-putting to newcomers. They also argue "We all know we're sinners - you don't have to go on and on about it!" Hmmm, don't you think this is so much like the above quote?
Exposing our sin is uncomfortable. The Spirit probes through our conscience and jabs at our guilt, our shame and our brokenness. Yet like a doctor's scalpel, we need to get rid of the infection before we can experience true healing.
Sin breaks our relationships - our relationships with our families and friends, our work mates, and our sporting mates. Sin breaks the view of ourselves, leading to struggling self-worth. Sin breaks our relationship with God.
The reason sin needs to be exposed is so that the gospel will do it's saving effect. If we don't think we need a Saviour from our sin, what on earth do we need Jesus for? Jesus didn't come to be a miracle vending machine, but in order to save us from our sin.
Perhaps we mouth the words "I am a sinner" all too easily without realising the implications. Quite simply I have done wrong in God's sight. Full stop. No excuses. No attempts at self-justification. It is my own fault.
I go to worship, not always because I enjoy it (or even because I'm paid to), but because I need it. I am a sinner and I need a Saviour to save me from myself and my sin. Since I can't fix myself, I need God to come down and serve me. I need him to expose the sickness of my sin, my spiritual thirst, and my hunger for peace. I need him to announce his forgiveness so my joy and peace is restored.
Yes, I know I'm a sinner. I also know I've done plenty wrong. It takes effort for me to see that in myself and specify my sin, yet I can also lay those specific sins at the foot of the cross and receive the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
I am a sinner. Jesus is my Saviour.
In one of the books I've been reading lately ('Confession and Forgiveness: Professing Faith as Ambassadors of Reconciliation' by Ted Kober), I came across the above quote: "I know I'm a sinner, but I haven't done anything wrong!". I almost laughed out loud when I read this! (By the way, it was spoken by a pastor!) Yet in another sense, it's deadly serious. How many Christians think they've done nothing wrong?
Many times I've heard one of two reactions to sermons where I sought to expose people's sin. One is "I wish so-and-so were hear to hear that!" To this I often wonder (and sometimes say), "But you were here. What did it say to you?" Don't we often want to point the finger at others but hate it when the finger points at us! This is more comfortable - just brush it aside and deflect the accusation to someone else.
This leads me to the second reaction: people think I'm picking on them when I expose their sin. Well, I admit I have felt moved to mention something in the sermon at times targeting a specific person, but most of the times I did this, they weren't at worship that day (or weren't listening at the time!). Instead someone else who I didn't even consider to be affected by this particular sin felt as if I picked on them. If anyone was picking on them, it was the Holy Spirit!
At times people have said to me I talk about sin too much. They argue it's off-putting to newcomers. They also argue "We all know we're sinners - you don't have to go on and on about it!" Hmmm, don't you think this is so much like the above quote?
Exposing our sin is uncomfortable. The Spirit probes through our conscience and jabs at our guilt, our shame and our brokenness. Yet like a doctor's scalpel, we need to get rid of the infection before we can experience true healing.
Sin breaks our relationships - our relationships with our families and friends, our work mates, and our sporting mates. Sin breaks the view of ourselves, leading to struggling self-worth. Sin breaks our relationship with God.
The reason sin needs to be exposed is so that the gospel will do it's saving effect. If we don't think we need a Saviour from our sin, what on earth do we need Jesus for? Jesus didn't come to be a miracle vending machine, but in order to save us from our sin.
Perhaps we mouth the words "I am a sinner" all too easily without realising the implications. Quite simply I have done wrong in God's sight. Full stop. No excuses. No attempts at self-justification. It is my own fault.
I go to worship, not always because I enjoy it (or even because I'm paid to), but because I need it. I am a sinner and I need a Saviour to save me from myself and my sin. Since I can't fix myself, I need God to come down and serve me. I need him to expose the sickness of my sin, my spiritual thirst, and my hunger for peace. I need him to announce his forgiveness so my joy and peace is restored.
Yes, I know I'm a sinner. I also know I've done plenty wrong. It takes effort for me to see that in myself and specify my sin, yet I can also lay those specific sins at the foot of the cross and receive the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
I am a sinner. Jesus is my Saviour.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
What's happened to ANZAC Day?
I was at our local ANZAC day march this morning, camera in hand.
I wasn't there to photograph any of the service men and women who served our country at home or overseas. I was there to photograph our eldest daughter who, as vice-captain of the high school, was holding the school banner and led her school in the march.
Now it's good to see so many young people taking part in the march, honouring those who served and remembering those who gave their lives - either through their death or their living hell that continues to haunt them, but I was a little shaken as the march went by. I'll explain why.
First those who served marched by. I don't know them. They don't know me. I don't know what they've done, where they served, or who they're thinking of as they march by with shoulders pushed back.
Are they heroes? I don't know. Many simply did what they were told to. Others did what they had to in order to survive. Some served out of a sense of duty and honour, while others may have done what they did for other reasons. I honour their service. I honour those who sacrificed so much, whether they marched or not.
Next came the schools and community groups which far outnumbered the aging service men and women. I then noticed what the crowd was doing. Sure, they had stood and cheered or clapped or simply looked on in silence as the service men and women marched by, but now they were excited! They were rushing about, taking photos, waving at their kids or others they knew. This seemed to be what they had come for!
What shocked me is that I was one of them. Had I come to simply take photos or children who've done nothing in service to their country (yet), or had I come to honour and remember those who served and sacrificed so much? I'm a little ashamed to say I did the former.
Now don't get me wrong. I do know some who served and I respect and honour those who marched. My uncle served and I believe is still deeply affected by what he went through. I think of him every ANZAC day. I think of him with his mates having a drink or three, thinking about other mates who didn't come home, seeing scenes flash in their memories that they shouldn't have first witnessed. I honour his sacrifices and pray for him to cope with his anguishing experiences. Not just him, but all those who served. I have no idea what they went through. Maybe it's best I don't know.
But ANZAC day has changed. People want another holiday - not to honour those who served, but so they can serve themselves with another excuse to party, to holiday, to sleep in, and celebrate a freedom that they don't even give a second thought to. It's also become a bit of a spectacle for many. Let's clap and cheer the school kids and community groups!
I believe we need to continue to respect and honour the sacrifices of those who served in the past and who continue to serve today. I also think the young need to know something of what they did - not some of the legends that have somehow blown out of all proportion, but what it took to hand on peace and justice and freedom to us today. Let's be honest about the blood and guts and how right and wrong is often blurred in the heat of battle. Let's be honest about sacrifices of life and family and innocence. But I also believe we shouldn't make it into a spectacle or glorify war.
What's happened to ANZAC day - well, something's happened. It could just be me, but I don't think so. It would be good for us to reconsider what we're doing and how we do it.
As I walked home I also considered what's happened to ANZAC day has happened in worship too. Isn't there anything sacred anymore? In too many places the honour and respect for the freedom and peace won for us through the death of Jesus has been replaced by a spectacle of individual self-indulgence and gratification. Should we rethink what we're doing here and how we're doing it?
I wasn't there to photograph any of the service men and women who served our country at home or overseas. I was there to photograph our eldest daughter who, as vice-captain of the high school, was holding the school banner and led her school in the march.
Now it's good to see so many young people taking part in the march, honouring those who served and remembering those who gave their lives - either through their death or their living hell that continues to haunt them, but I was a little shaken as the march went by. I'll explain why.
First those who served marched by. I don't know them. They don't know me. I don't know what they've done, where they served, or who they're thinking of as they march by with shoulders pushed back.
Are they heroes? I don't know. Many simply did what they were told to. Others did what they had to in order to survive. Some served out of a sense of duty and honour, while others may have done what they did for other reasons. I honour their service. I honour those who sacrificed so much, whether they marched or not.
Next came the schools and community groups which far outnumbered the aging service men and women. I then noticed what the crowd was doing. Sure, they had stood and cheered or clapped or simply looked on in silence as the service men and women marched by, but now they were excited! They were rushing about, taking photos, waving at their kids or others they knew. This seemed to be what they had come for!
What shocked me is that I was one of them. Had I come to simply take photos or children who've done nothing in service to their country (yet), or had I come to honour and remember those who served and sacrificed so much? I'm a little ashamed to say I did the former.
Now don't get me wrong. I do know some who served and I respect and honour those who marched. My uncle served and I believe is still deeply affected by what he went through. I think of him every ANZAC day. I think of him with his mates having a drink or three, thinking about other mates who didn't come home, seeing scenes flash in their memories that they shouldn't have first witnessed. I honour his sacrifices and pray for him to cope with his anguishing experiences. Not just him, but all those who served. I have no idea what they went through. Maybe it's best I don't know.
But ANZAC day has changed. People want another holiday - not to honour those who served, but so they can serve themselves with another excuse to party, to holiday, to sleep in, and celebrate a freedom that they don't even give a second thought to. It's also become a bit of a spectacle for many. Let's clap and cheer the school kids and community groups!
I believe we need to continue to respect and honour the sacrifices of those who served in the past and who continue to serve today. I also think the young need to know something of what they did - not some of the legends that have somehow blown out of all proportion, but what it took to hand on peace and justice and freedom to us today. Let's be honest about the blood and guts and how right and wrong is often blurred in the heat of battle. Let's be honest about sacrifices of life and family and innocence. But I also believe we shouldn't make it into a spectacle or glorify war.
What's happened to ANZAC day - well, something's happened. It could just be me, but I don't think so. It would be good for us to reconsider what we're doing and how we do it.
As I walked home I also considered what's happened to ANZAC day has happened in worship too. Isn't there anything sacred anymore? In too many places the honour and respect for the freedom and peace won for us through the death of Jesus has been replaced by a spectacle of individual self-indulgence and gratification. Should we rethink what we're doing here and how we're doing it?
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