3rd Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 4
Lectionary 9
Matthew 7:21-29
Firm Foundation
21 ¶ "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'
24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;
25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;
27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
29 for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. RSV
Grace and peace to you form our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
In December 2001, the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" was finally reopened to the public after having been closed for almost a dozen years. During that time, engineers completed a $25 million renovation project designed to stabilize the tower. They removed 110 tons of dirt, and reduced its famous lean by about sixteen inches. Why was this necessary? Because the tower has been tilting further and further away from vertical for hundreds of years, to the point that the top of the 185-foot tower was seventeen feet further south than the bottom, and Italian authorities were concerned that if nothing was done, it would soon collapse.
What was the problem? Bad design? Poor workmanship? An inferior grade of marble? No. The problem was what was underneath. The sandy soil on which the city of Pisa was built was just not stable enough to support a monument of this size. The tower had no firm foundation. (1)
The "Leaning Tower of Pisa" leaned because it's foundation was weak. A firm foundation is important when one is building something. I enjoy watching television shows that show something being built. They show the building of these structures from the beginning to the end. At the beginning they show the foundation of the building. Depending on how tall the building will be, they show how complicated the foundation needs to be. If it is a tall building, they show how pillars or cement is put deep into the ground for the building to rest upon. They show that the building needs a firm foundation so that it might last a long time.
Sometimes they show building or bridges that do not have the right kind of foundation and they collapse. They showed a bridge that was not built correctly so that the wind somehow got the road way of the bridge swaying so much that the bridge collapsed. The foundation of that bridge was not strong enough to support the road way in a high wind.
A firm foundation is important when building anything and as Jesus says in our gospel lesson this morning, a firm foundation is necessary when building a faith life.
As our text says:
24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;
25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
Jesus is telling us we need to build our house of faith on firm footing, on a rock and when we do our faith will last a long time.
Jesus is telling us that we need to build our house of faith on a rock solid footing and that footing is none other that Jesus himself.
We need to build our faith life on Jesus' teachings and his life ministry.
And that foundation is Jesus Christ and His word.
A story makes us wonder where our foundation is today.
Listen:
Many years ago, a visitor to America stood in the middle of Wall street and said to himself, "Here is the power and greatness of America."
Shortly afterwards, he traveled to Washington D.C.. and stood in the middle of the rotunda of the Capitol and beheld the statues of the country's greatest statesmen.
He said himself, "Ah, here is the greatness of America."
Later, he found himself in the heartland of Iowa. It was noon as he visited a family farm. The bell was rung on the back porch, the rest of the family, plus the hired man came in from the fields. He watched as they washed up by the pump, then they all gathered around the table piled high with food.
The visitor saw the farmer reach for the large family Bible. He read from Psalm 90, then everyone bowed their head. in prayer as the farmer prayed a simple prayer expressing his love to God his pledge of continuing service, and his gratitude for ail of his blessings.
"Now, II said the stranger to himself, "now, I have seen the true greatness of America."
He was reminded of a verse from his childhood from Deutronomy. where God said,
"You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house"
I wonder if a visitor came into the heartland of America today, if he would be able to say the same thing? Are we still rooted, grounded, and established upon the word of God, the power of redemption as shown through Christ as our forefathers were many years ago?
Are we built on that firm foundation of Jesus in our lives? Or do we build our lives on things that ore here one moment but gone the next. Do we build our lives on success, fame and fortune we can be as fleeting as the sand on a sea shore, here one minute, gone the next.
Do we look to Jesus to be that firm foundation in our lives.
Do we build our lives on the firm foundation of Jesus? Do we build our house on him and with good materials, or are we like the builder in the following:
A parable has been told of a carpenter, who on the verge of retirement, was coaxed into building one last home by a wealthy client. The carpenter was pressed by his own thoughts to put his working days behind him, so he made decisions to cut corners on the project. He used inferior materials and his workmanship was suspect, at best. Clearly his heart was not in the work. Eventually, the carpenter finished the home. It looked good from the outside, yet the carpenter felt guilty, as he knew the quality of the home was not up to his old standards.
On the day that the wealthy client was to take possession of the home, the carpenter received word from the client, saying, “I’m aware of your reputation as a builder. I know how hard you’ve worked for your clients throughout your career. So, I wanted to reward you at your retirement. I’m giving you the house you’ve just built.” The carpenter was shocked! If he had only known beforehand that this was to be his home, he would have built it with the finest materials and workmanship. But, now it was too late.
This parable reminds me that we all build our lives, much like a carpenter builds a house. Our home-building materials are “what” we build our lives with and include characteristics such as faith, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and kindness (or their opposites). And our workmanship looks at the “how” we build our lives. Are we living purposefully, pursuing excellence, working with all our hearts, in the name of Jesus and for his glory? Or, has shoddy workmanship been the story of our lives? My own confession: Too often I forget that I’m building my own house. How about you?
One day, the house-building project that is our life, will be completed. And, each of us will stand before the Lord and give an account for our workmanship. Don’t be like the carpenter in the parable. Be prepared. Build intentionally. Build it right. Our motivation ought to be to hear the Saviour say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”(2)
What kind of house are you building? One with good workmanship and good materials? Or one with poor workmanship and shoddy materials? Can you hear those words of Jesus saying to you at end of your time on this earth, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
have you built your house on a firm foundation and in the right location. Location is important when building something. If the location is wrong then people won't buy it. Or if you are selling your house and the house is in the wrong location, no one will buy it.
Jesus is telling the Jewish leaders of his day they were building their house on the wrong location. They were building their house on the Torah and the Law and not on the new foundation that that Jesus himself was building.
Pastor Hoefler in his book, "the Divine Trap" says on pages 10 and 11 about this text, he says, " Jesus says to the Jews with this parable, 'You are doing a good job of building, but your site and location are all wrong. you are building on the Torah and the Law. I have come to give you a new site, a new location to build your lives.'
He came presenting a new teaching. He came to establish a new covenant between man and God. And that new option, new teaching, new covenant was Himself and the message he brought. Jesus is saying, 'hear me and my words. Plant your feet firmly on my teachings and you will build a life that will endure."
Jesus says "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;
The Rock is Jesus Christ himself. There is no other.
Luther says in one of his sermons: "He is called a Christian because he clings with his heart to the this Saviour who has ascended to the Father, and he believes that for his sake and through Christ he has God's grace and everlasting salvation and life."
Have you built on the firm foundation and the right location which is Jesus Christ Himself.
Have you used the right building materials in building on the firm foundation?
Or have you built in the wrong place an on a shaky foundation? How secure is your faith house? How well built is your faith house?
Is your foundation secured upon the rock of Christ? Can you and do you read the bible, study God's word on your own? Do you pray on your own?
Do you have a firm foundation in Christ to with stand all the tumult of life?
Are you like the man in the following:
In a sermon at Northfield, D.L. Moody once said, "We want more Christians like the Irishman who, when II asked if he hadn't trembled during a recent severe storm when he was standing out upon a rocky eminence, said, "Yes, my legs sure trembled, but the rock didn't and because my feet were on the rock I felt safe."
I felt safe because my feet were on the rock? Were are your feet? Are they on the rock of Christ? Have you built in the right location?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale May 26, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1)(from Alan Perkins via ) from PreachingNow
(2) [Jim Liebelt posted in HomeWord Devotionals by www.homeword.com.au]
from The Daily Mail List 22 June 2007
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
2nd Sunday after Pentecost Sermon
2nd Sunday after Pentecost
Lectionary 8
Matthew 6: 24-34
Do not be anxious
24* “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25* “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26* Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27* And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
28* And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
29* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30* But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?
31* Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or’What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32* For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33* But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
34* “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
Grace and peace to your from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
I heard about a ninety-five year old woman at the nursing home who received a visit from one of her fellow church members. The visitor asked her, "How are you feeling?"
She said, "I'm worried sick!"
Her friend said, "What are you worried about? You look like you're in good health. They're taking good care of you, aren't they?"
She said, "Yes, they are taking very good care of me."
"Well, then, what are you worried about?"
The elderly lady leaned back in her rocking chair and said, "Every close friend I ever had has already died and gone on to heaven. I'm afraid they're all wondering where I went!"
We can laugh at the illustration, but isn't that the truth, we will all find something to worry about. But our gospel lesson this morning tells us not to worry as the text says: 25* “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26* Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27* And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
28* And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
29* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30* But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?
31* Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or’What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32* For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
If God takes care of the lilies of the field or the grass in the field won't he take good care of us, too. That means you can take care of today and not worry about tomorrow for it is in God's hand. Jesus is telling us to relax and place all our cares and everyday worries in his hands and he will take care of them for us.
Because we can relax and allow Jesus to take care of everything for us, we can then seek the kingdom of God in our in our lives. The first thing for us to do is to believe in the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ then all these things will be our. The text says: 33* But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
If we are in God's kingdom, then all the worries about what we shall eat, drink and wear will be taken care of for us. We need to first seek his righteous, then all these things will be taken care of for us.
Jesus to telling us not to worry about the future and fret over the past, but be in the moment of today, that is enough for us to take care of along with Jesus.
A poem says it well:
"Why Worry About Tomorrow?"
Why worry about tomorrow
And the rising of the sun,
Of anguish over past mistakes
That cannot be undone?
Why waste life's precious moments
On things that bruise the heart
When today is ours to fashion
Into a work of art?
Today comes but once, my friend,
It never can return--
So use it wisely while you can,
There's a lesson you may learn.
Let history record the past
And tomorrow come what may.
Be content to do your best
With what you have today!
Poet: Clay Harrison
We need to live in this moment allowing the past to be the past and the future to be the future. We need to live for today, be content with what God has provided for us today.
But that is difficult for us to live with contentment as seen by the business man in the following story:
One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.
"You aren't going to catch many fish that way," said the businessman to the fisherman, "you should be working rather than lying on the beach!"
The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, "And what will my reward be?" "Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!" was the businessman's answer.
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman, still smiling.
The businessman replied, "You will make money and you'll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!"
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman again. The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. "You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!" he said.
"And then what will my reward be?" repeated the fisherman. The businessman was getting angry. "Don't you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!"
Once again the fisherman asked, "And then what will my reward be?"
The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, "Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!"
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "And what do you think I'm doing right now?"
The fisherman knew what was important in life, to live in God's kingdom and everything else would be taken care of. The business man only wanted more and more never being content and never finding the kingdom of God through Christ Jesus.
We are to not worry about the future for that is in God's hands. We are to live for today because that is in God's hands also and he will provide for us as he sees fit. We are to live for today in the kingdom of righteousness.
As we live for today, it means that we must be good steward of what God has given us. We cannot just sit back and say that God will take care of me and so I don't have to do anything. I don't have to work, I don't have to take care of my family, I don't have to do anything because God will provide.
It doesn't mean that we don't have to be good stewards of today and just lay around waiting for God to take care of today and tomorrow for us. We do have a responsibility to be good stewards of what God has given us to control. We can just do nothing and then say it is not our fault that I am hungry or thirsty because God did not provide.
God provides for us through the natural order of things and that order tells us to be good stewards of what God has given us. If he has given us the talent to be a good teacher then we must be a good teacher. If God has given us the talent to be a farmer, then I must be the best farmer I can be. You get the point. God will provide, but we must do our part also. For God works through our talents to provide for us.
We must not be like the clock in the following, worrying about tomorrow so much that it could not take care of today.
Once there was a handsome clock that became preoccupied with worry about its future. It began thinking about the number of times it would have to tick: twice each second, 120 times per minute, 7,200 times an hour, 172,800 times a day, 63,072,000 times a year. When it realized that in the next ten years it would have to tick, 630,720,000 times, it had a nervous breakdown.
The clock went to a watchmaker for therapy. While under the watchmaker's care, the clock began to realize that all it needed to do was to tick one tick at a time. Soon it began to tick again, and it continued ticking, one tick at a time for one hundred years. And everyone loved that old grandfather clock.
One tick at a time. One moment at the time. One day at a time, One week, one month one year. We to are to live one tick at a time in the kingdom of God and not worry about tomorrow and let today rest in God's capable hands.
34* “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale May 19, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
Lectionary 8
Matthew 6: 24-34
Do not be anxious
24* “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25* “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26* Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27* And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
28* And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
29* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30* But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?
31* Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or’What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32* For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33* But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
34* “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
Grace and peace to your from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
I heard about a ninety-five year old woman at the nursing home who received a visit from one of her fellow church members. The visitor asked her, "How are you feeling?"
She said, "I'm worried sick!"
Her friend said, "What are you worried about? You look like you're in good health. They're taking good care of you, aren't they?"
She said, "Yes, they are taking very good care of me."
"Well, then, what are you worried about?"
The elderly lady leaned back in her rocking chair and said, "Every close friend I ever had has already died and gone on to heaven. I'm afraid they're all wondering where I went!"
We can laugh at the illustration, but isn't that the truth, we will all find something to worry about. But our gospel lesson this morning tells us not to worry as the text says: 25* “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26* Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27* And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
28* And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
29* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30* But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?
31* Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or’What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32* For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
If God takes care of the lilies of the field or the grass in the field won't he take good care of us, too. That means you can take care of today and not worry about tomorrow for it is in God's hand. Jesus is telling us to relax and place all our cares and everyday worries in his hands and he will take care of them for us.
Because we can relax and allow Jesus to take care of everything for us, we can then seek the kingdom of God in our in our lives. The first thing for us to do is to believe in the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ then all these things will be our. The text says: 33* But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
If we are in God's kingdom, then all the worries about what we shall eat, drink and wear will be taken care of for us. We need to first seek his righteous, then all these things will be taken care of for us.
Jesus to telling us not to worry about the future and fret over the past, but be in the moment of today, that is enough for us to take care of along with Jesus.
A poem says it well:
"Why Worry About Tomorrow?"
Why worry about tomorrow
And the rising of the sun,
Of anguish over past mistakes
That cannot be undone?
Why waste life's precious moments
On things that bruise the heart
When today is ours to fashion
Into a work of art?
Today comes but once, my friend,
It never can return--
So use it wisely while you can,
There's a lesson you may learn.
Let history record the past
And tomorrow come what may.
Be content to do your best
With what you have today!
Poet: Clay Harrison
We need to live in this moment allowing the past to be the past and the future to be the future. We need to live for today, be content with what God has provided for us today.
But that is difficult for us to live with contentment as seen by the business man in the following story:
One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.
"You aren't going to catch many fish that way," said the businessman to the fisherman, "you should be working rather than lying on the beach!"
The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, "And what will my reward be?" "Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!" was the businessman's answer.
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman, still smiling.
The businessman replied, "You will make money and you'll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!"
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman again. The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. "You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!" he said.
"And then what will my reward be?" repeated the fisherman. The businessman was getting angry. "Don't you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!"
Once again the fisherman asked, "And then what will my reward be?"
The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, "Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!"
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "And what do you think I'm doing right now?"
The fisherman knew what was important in life, to live in God's kingdom and everything else would be taken care of. The business man only wanted more and more never being content and never finding the kingdom of God through Christ Jesus.
We are to not worry about the future for that is in God's hands. We are to live for today because that is in God's hands also and he will provide for us as he sees fit. We are to live for today in the kingdom of righteousness.
As we live for today, it means that we must be good steward of what God has given us. We cannot just sit back and say that God will take care of me and so I don't have to do anything. I don't have to work, I don't have to take care of my family, I don't have to do anything because God will provide.
It doesn't mean that we don't have to be good stewards of today and just lay around waiting for God to take care of today and tomorrow for us. We do have a responsibility to be good stewards of what God has given us to control. We can just do nothing and then say it is not our fault that I am hungry or thirsty because God did not provide.
God provides for us through the natural order of things and that order tells us to be good stewards of what God has given us. If he has given us the talent to be a good teacher then we must be a good teacher. If God has given us the talent to be a farmer, then I must be the best farmer I can be. You get the point. God will provide, but we must do our part also. For God works through our talents to provide for us.
We must not be like the clock in the following, worrying about tomorrow so much that it could not take care of today.
Once there was a handsome clock that became preoccupied with worry about its future. It began thinking about the number of times it would have to tick: twice each second, 120 times per minute, 7,200 times an hour, 172,800 times a day, 63,072,000 times a year. When it realized that in the next ten years it would have to tick, 630,720,000 times, it had a nervous breakdown.
The clock went to a watchmaker for therapy. While under the watchmaker's care, the clock began to realize that all it needed to do was to tick one tick at a time. Soon it began to tick again, and it continued ticking, one tick at a time for one hundred years. And everyone loved that old grandfather clock.
One tick at a time. One moment at the time. One day at a time, One week, one month one year. We to are to live one tick at a time in the kingdom of God and not worry about tomorrow and let today rest in God's capable hands.
34* “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale May 19, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Holy Trinity Sermon
Holy Trinity Sunday
Matthew 28:16-20
"The Trinity"
16* ¶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
17* And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18* And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19* Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20* teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."RSV
As many of you know, I had my internship in Wisconsin at Chippewa Falls, near Eau Claire, we have returned there many times to visit with friends. As we travel through Minnesota, one of the towns we pass through has a court house in the middle of their square and on top of that building there is clock tower. On the tower is clock, the clock which has four faces, so no matter in which direction you are coming into that town and around that square, you can see the hands and the face of a clock, telling you what time it is. During one trip, I stopped to think whether there are four different clocks running each set of faces and hands, or whether there is one clock somehow running those four faces and hands. It is a mystery, how those faces and hands on that clock tower really work .
At the same time, a thought also popped into my mind, isn't that the same mystery we have concerning God as three persons, the Trinity. We have God, the father, creator, God, the son, the redeemer, God, the Spirit the comforter, the counselor, the one who makes us holy. We see the three faces of God, but we have only one God. Like that clock on the tower, God has three faces, but only one God. Each face of God tells us something about God. God, the father, creator tells us about the God of the universe, God who creates, God who is powerful. God, the son, Jesus, shows us the love of God, the saving, redeeming quality of God. Then we have God, the Spirit who shows us the God who is with us through all the circumstances of our lives. God the spirit ,who brings the Father and the Son into our very souls, hearts and minds.
Our gospel lesson this morning is the Great Commission. And I would like to look at just one part of those verses, actually the last part of the last verse which says: "and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age".
For it is that part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit which I would like to look at this morning. Because it is the Holy Spirit which brings Christ to us through out the ages.
The Holy Spirit is very much misunderstood in our time. Some like to claim it as their spirit which brings them special gifts, others like to ignore it, and others can take it or leave it.
But I would like to emphasis that it is that Spirit which brings Christ, the saviour into our lives. How, I don't know! But I do know that Christ's Spirit of love, mercy and redemption is in our lives.
But sometimes we take that power of the Spirit in our lives for granted. We think of it as some sort of magic. Well, I came to church today, so everything is ok, I took communion, so I am ok for now..and on and on we could go.
The following says it well.
A pastor tells about an event that occurred in his church in Brooklyn, N.Y. "I was doing duty in the narthex, keeping the sanctuary open for visitors and meditation when a man came in and asked if he could light a candle. Before I could respond aye or nay he quickly added, "By the way, what kind of church is this?"
":Lutheran," I replied, prepared to define it and candles a bit more precisely, when he smiled and said, ''Not that it makes any difference. I don't favor any particular kind of religion. Whenever I pass a church I like to light a candle and plug into the divine. Any God will do !!"
Plug into the Divine, like it is magic, a kind of pill that will keep us save and sound.
But being in the Spirit is more than magic, it takes commitment. Since Jesus was willing to give His life for us, doesn't He deserve more than our passing fancy with Him and the Spirit? Doesn't he deserve more than our being plugged in when it suits us or reassures us?
In John Brokhoff's book ,Jesus...Who on page 29 he says, "To have the Spirit is to have God in us, in our hearts, minds and persons. God is not to be found in nature, only evidence of his reality. God is not to be found in social events or historical acts. We I can see only evidence of God. You see, God is a Spirit and only a human can have the Spirit. A human is body and soul. The soul is within the body. Within the soul is the Spirit .The soul is like a container for the Spirit. In the person of the Spirit, God is truly with us and in us."
What Brokhoff is saying is that God can only be found in us, period. So we need to be committed to have the Spirit, to have God within us, to have the Spirit within us. Then we can fulfill that Great Commission to tell others about the Spirit who is within us.
The kind of relationship God wants from us can be demonstrated in the following story. "There was a little church in Scotland which years ago as the ushers were returning to the altar with the offering plates, a little boy sitting next to the aisle tugged at the sleeve of one of the men and whispered,"Please put the plate down on the floor."
Bewildered, the usher obeyed.
Then the boy preceded to step into the plate. This was his way of saying to Jesus "I I give my whole self to you, not only the money in my pocket, but my time, my strength, my whole life."
This boy was Robert Moffat, the great missionary to Africa and the father-in-law of David Livingstone."
Are you willing to step into the offering plate so to speak? To give us yourself so that the Spirit of God can rest in you and then you can proclaim that Spirit to the world?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale
Matthew 28:16-20
"The Trinity"
16* ¶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
17* And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18* And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19* Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20* teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."RSV
As many of you know, I had my internship in Wisconsin at Chippewa Falls, near Eau Claire, we have returned there many times to visit with friends. As we travel through Minnesota, one of the towns we pass through has a court house in the middle of their square and on top of that building there is clock tower. On the tower is clock, the clock which has four faces, so no matter in which direction you are coming into that town and around that square, you can see the hands and the face of a clock, telling you what time it is. During one trip, I stopped to think whether there are four different clocks running each set of faces and hands, or whether there is one clock somehow running those four faces and hands. It is a mystery, how those faces and hands on that clock tower really work .
At the same time, a thought also popped into my mind, isn't that the same mystery we have concerning God as three persons, the Trinity. We have God, the father, creator, God, the son, the redeemer, God, the Spirit the comforter, the counselor, the one who makes us holy. We see the three faces of God, but we have only one God. Like that clock on the tower, God has three faces, but only one God. Each face of God tells us something about God. God, the father, creator tells us about the God of the universe, God who creates, God who is powerful. God, the son, Jesus, shows us the love of God, the saving, redeeming quality of God. Then we have God, the Spirit who shows us the God who is with us through all the circumstances of our lives. God the spirit ,who brings the Father and the Son into our very souls, hearts and minds.
Our gospel lesson this morning is the Great Commission. And I would like to look at just one part of those verses, actually the last part of the last verse which says: "and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age".
For it is that part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit which I would like to look at this morning. Because it is the Holy Spirit which brings Christ to us through out the ages.
The Holy Spirit is very much misunderstood in our time. Some like to claim it as their spirit which brings them special gifts, others like to ignore it, and others can take it or leave it.
But I would like to emphasis that it is that Spirit which brings Christ, the saviour into our lives. How, I don't know! But I do know that Christ's Spirit of love, mercy and redemption is in our lives.
But sometimes we take that power of the Spirit in our lives for granted. We think of it as some sort of magic. Well, I came to church today, so everything is ok, I took communion, so I am ok for now..and on and on we could go.
The following says it well.
A pastor tells about an event that occurred in his church in Brooklyn, N.Y. "I was doing duty in the narthex, keeping the sanctuary open for visitors and meditation when a man came in and asked if he could light a candle. Before I could respond aye or nay he quickly added, "By the way, what kind of church is this?"
":Lutheran," I replied, prepared to define it and candles a bit more precisely, when he smiled and said, ''Not that it makes any difference. I don't favor any particular kind of religion. Whenever I pass a church I like to light a candle and plug into the divine. Any God will do !!"
Plug into the Divine, like it is magic, a kind of pill that will keep us save and sound.
But being in the Spirit is more than magic, it takes commitment. Since Jesus was willing to give His life for us, doesn't He deserve more than our passing fancy with Him and the Spirit? Doesn't he deserve more than our being plugged in when it suits us or reassures us?
In John Brokhoff's book ,Jesus...Who on page 29 he says, "To have the Spirit is to have God in us, in our hearts, minds and persons. God is not to be found in nature, only evidence of his reality. God is not to be found in social events or historical acts. We I can see only evidence of God. You see, God is a Spirit and only a human can have the Spirit. A human is body and soul. The soul is within the body. Within the soul is the Spirit .The soul is like a container for the Spirit. In the person of the Spirit, God is truly with us and in us."
What Brokhoff is saying is that God can only be found in us, period. So we need to be committed to have the Spirit, to have God within us, to have the Spirit within us. Then we can fulfill that Great Commission to tell others about the Spirit who is within us.
The kind of relationship God wants from us can be demonstrated in the following story. "There was a little church in Scotland which years ago as the ushers were returning to the altar with the offering plates, a little boy sitting next to the aisle tugged at the sleeve of one of the men and whispered,"Please put the plate down on the floor."
Bewildered, the usher obeyed.
Then the boy preceded to step into the plate. This was his way of saying to Jesus "I I give my whole self to you, not only the money in my pocket, but my time, my strength, my whole life."
This boy was Robert Moffat, the great missionary to Africa and the father-in-law of David Livingstone."
Are you willing to step into the offering plate so to speak? To give us yourself so that the Spirit of God can rest in you and then you can proclaim that Spirit to the world?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale
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