Thy Kingdom Come - My Kingdom Treasures (Proper 17)

The readings for the past few weeks (Matthew 13) have been teaching us about the Kingdom of God. In the Parable of the Sower Jesus focuses on how people respond to the Word of God. In the Parable of the Weeds Jesus teaches us how to deal with evil. In the three parables for today Jesus is teaching us that not everyone is included and how important it is to be included in the Kingdom. Those who are included should be able to bring out our treasures from our own experience of the Kingdom to share with others. Let me model this for you by bringing out three treasures from my study and experience of the Kingdom.

1. Let me share my treasure of knowing the Bible as True truth

Our Birthright Is Spiritual Life In-Christ (Proper 15)

A “birthright” is something you are entitled to because of who your parents are. Esau is the first-born son who foolishly gives up his birthright of inheriting his fathers’ land and spiritual blessings. Our birthright as “Christians, “born again” in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, is eternal spiritual life. The Romans reading explains that while we live physically in a mortal body, we have a new spiritual life because the Spirit of Jesus lives in us and guides our life. As we live more and more fully in this spiritual life as we depend on the Holy Spirit to help us understand and overcome the temptations of our ‘natural self’ which can cause us to lose our spiritual birthright. Esau is a warning.

1. We get our spiritual birthright from the seed of the Word

Why Were The Workers Few? (Proper 11)

This is a strange statement coming from Jesus in a country where religion was supposed to be central in everyone’s life. Something is terribly wrong. Something needs fixing. This is important to us now as we live in a similar time. We too are supposed to be Christians in a Christian Church - yet many people are sensing that something is very wrong. Do we to have lots of religion but little real Faith? We need to ask the same question as Jesus - why are the church workers few?”.

1. The workers are few because we have lost our mission

In Jesus time most people went to the synagogues and Temple - but for many, it was only an outward form. Their country was occupied by Roman soldiers. They were harassed and confused. They felt defeated. Instead of giving them hope, their ancient faith had not helped them against the Romans.

• It was a time like our own, when many people feel our own church is drifting without real spiritual direction or leadership.
• We feel like the people in the Gospel who were “...harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd...” (Matthew 9.36).

 2. Jesus had a clear mission of radical new teaching and healing

You Were Created To Be A Sign Of God’s Love In The World (Easter 6)

Many people have read Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life and reflected on the purpose of their lives. The readings for today begin with the Apostle Paul telling the people in Athens that the God he speaks of is the one who created the world. Paul goes on to explain that the purpose of creation is “...so that men would seek Him...”(Acts 17.27). In the very next verse he explains that God wants to live inside us and through us. This is how the spiritual dimension intervenes in the physical world as the Holy Spirit. It happens when we “...live and move and have our being in Him...”.

1. The God of Christians is behind creation

We do not want to get sidetracked into an argument of how God created the world. This would distract us from the key fact that creation cannot be random or an accident. There had to be something behind it, creating it. We believe this is the God that revealed Himself to the Hebrew people and us through revelations in history, and particularly in the form of Jesus.

• The readings also tell us God also created a spiritual dimension which seems to inhabit the same space.
• 1 Peter 3.22 adds to our understanding of creation by mentioning heaven, angels, principalities and powers
• Bad news is some of the angles, principalities and powers rebelled against God and have engaged in spiritual warfare for human souls since the time of creation.
• Paul warns us that creation is going somewhere. There will be a final judgement. Each individual will have to give an account of their response to God’s reaching out to them.
• Test will be how well you lived this life as a sign of God’s love.

2. Good news “... Christ died to bring you to God...”. (1 Peter 3.18)

Have You Met The Risen Jesus? (Easter)

The Easter story is about being sure of the Resurrection and meeting the risen Jesus. This is the point where Jesus becomes a real person to a believer. This is the point where each of us goes from being what we might call a “cultural Christian” to a 'serious believer'. Everyone who meets the risen Jesus is changed - even transformed. Their faith goes from being a philosophy of life to being a daily personal relationship with the risen Jesus. They go from a set of intellectual beliefs to “my Faith” and my hope for the future. For many people this is a dramatic encounter like that of Mary. For others it may be more gradual. The important thing is to personally meet the risen Jesus.

1. The Risen Jesus gives us resurrection life

Holy Spirit is the Water of Life (Lent 3)

The readings for today have a common theme of water and life. In the Exodus story the Hebrew people are ready to stone Moses because he can not find water and they are in a desert. The Apostle Paul describes the love of God being poured out into the hearts of believers like life-giving water. Finally Jesus has this amazing conversation with a Samaritan woman. It is the same conversation he had in the Reading for last week with Nicodemus. This is the model for how to do one on one personal evangelism:

• Ask a question to begin a conversation
• Give a reply to their response that turns the conversation into how to have a right relationship / spiritual life with God
• Give a reply to whatever is said that raises a spiritual question in their mind
• Respond to their next question with how to have spiritual life - be born again / receive the  living water of the Holy Spirit

 1. Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as like "a spring of water welling up to eternal life."(John 4.14)

Law Defines the Love of Holy People (Proper 7)

The Ten Commandments are spiritual laws that define holiness or wholeness in Christ. I am quite frankly tired of vague liberal sermons on love that seem to suggest that law is judgemental and unloving - and can sometimes be set aside for pastoral reasons. It was an Epiphany moment for me to realize that Law defines holy love. Not vague romantic or sexual love but holy love. The Readings help us understand the importance of holiness in our lives. As Men and Women "of Jesus" we have died to the unholy things of this world and been reborn into a new spiritual life of holy sacrificial love, joy and peace.

1. Holy Love Is Self-sacrificial

In the Gospel Reading (Mt. 6.38-48) Jesus is defining self-sacrificial holy love as the opposite of "getting even". This is the opposite of our human sense of justice as