Sharing in Jesus’ victory

_{Sunday 12th May 2024 | Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | Sharing in Jesus’ victory  | John 16:28-33; 1 John 5:1-5, 11-12 | TTG Worship Series: Walking in the Light of Jesus (1 John)}

Share a time when you experienced victory, or loss, as part of a team?

What feelings did you have before – and afterwards? 

Each week across Australia, thousands of sporting teams compete to win games – and ultimately the premiership.  Most teams gather weekly for training – to increase fitness, improve skills, and learn how to function as a team.  They say, “A championship team will always beat a team of champions.”  Top team performances require sacrifice and effort; guts and determination.  Yet on grand-final day, the winning team has no regrets.  Victory is always sweet!  Yes?

Today’s Bible readings talk of victory.  In our first reading, Jesus says: ‘I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33 NLT)  In our second reading, John writes: For every child of God defeats this evil world. (1 John 5:4 NLT)  That’s a huge win!   Not just beating another netball, cricket, soccer, or footy team.  John says we can have victory over this evil world! 

Now when John talks about “the world” or “this evil world”, he often means everything opposed to God.  This includes people who reject God because they’re under the influence of the prince of this world: the devil.  What are the consequences of rejecting God?  Being driven by our selfish desires, hurting others, death, and eternal despair.[1] 

Friends, let me ask:

• Would you like to have victory over death?  Unless Jesus returns first, one day you and I are going to die.  Beyond the cold chill of the grave, would you like to inherit eternal life with God – and be part of his “forever family”?

• Would you like to gain victory over the evil in your own life, the evil in the world, and the evil attempts of the devil to undermine you?

• Maybe you’d like to just win victory over a persistent habit, a runaway mouth, an addiction, or a grudge you’ve been carrying for years? 

Well, by the grace of God you can!  Unlike the grit and determination needed to win sporting contests, you don’t have to work for this victory.  It’s God’s gift to you in Jesus!

Friends, Jesus has already achieved victory over “this evil world”.  At Christmas, we celebrate that the Son of God came into this broken world to do life with us, and to save us.  Jesus lived a perfect live.  He loved his Father with total devotion.  He served others with perfect love.  Jesus gave up his perfect life for you, for me, and for everyone in this world.  That’s what Good Friday is all about. 

Jesus took all the evil the world could muster – including our apathy, indifference, and rebellion against God; as well as our pride and selfishness against others – and carried it in his body to the cross.[2]  

Jesus took our place of punishment under the hammer of God’s judgment.  He died for you and for me.  When they buried his body, Jesus seemed like world’s greatest loser.

But God raised him from the dead.  That’s what Resurrection Sunday is all about.  The risen Jesus was seen by more that 500 people over 40 days.  Jesus’ resurrection proves his victory over sin, death, and all powers of evil.[3]  

Victory is God’s gift for you because of what Jesus has done. 

Now friends, we can either reject the gift of Jesus’ victory; or we can receive it. 

Let me illustrate the difference.  Imagine you’re desperately looking for work.  You ring up for an advertised position at a nearby factory.  The person on the phone arranges an interview with you on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.  Wanting to make a good impression, you turn up at quarter to 10. Arriving at the factory, you find a huge wire fence around it.  There’s a big padlock on the gate and a sign that says: Open SATURDAY 10 a.m.

Now, there are three ways to proceed:

1. Do it myself.  You could try climbing the fence to get to the interview. You might get hurt or rip your clothes.  You might not even make it, but you could try.

2. Resignation. You could give up and go home.  After all, you turned up, and the gate was locked.

3. Trust.  You could trust what the person on the phone told you, and wait for someone to open the gate at 10 a.m. 

Friends, what would you do?  I think most of us would believe what the person told us, and what the sign on the gate confirms, and wait. 

John tells us:  For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. (That it trusting what Jesus has told us, and what his death and resurrection confirm.)  And who can win this battle against the world?  Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:4-5 NLT)

God offers us this victory as a gift because of what Jesus has done for us.  Those who believe Jesus is the Son of God, and do life with him, will share in his victory.

Now there are three things we can do with this offer from God:

1.  Do it myself.  Like the person trying to climb the fence.  We might think we’re good enough to make it through life and death on our own.

2.  Resignation. We might say, “I’m not interested.  There are too many things I don’t understand, too many things wrong with the Church.  I can’t be both­ered.”

3. Trust. Or we can believe the Good News, “Jesus Christ has won the victory over death for you.  Jesus has won the battle over evil for you.   Jesus has won life with God forever for you.”

Jesus has overcome the world.  By trusting Jesus, we receive his victory as our own. 

Through baptism, you were joined with Jesus – in both his death and his resurrection.[4] 

Each Sunday, we gather to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection victory.  The Lord’s Supper is not only a remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice, but a rehearsal for the victory banquet when we’re promoted to glory.[5]

Paul says that in all our hardships, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  (Romans 8:37 NIV)  Now we often talk about winners and losers.  But what does it mean to be “more than conquerors”?  It’s an odd phrase.

I think it means that nothing in the universe can undermine what Jesus has done for us… or what God has in store for us.  We get the benefits of Jesus’ victory without having to make the sacrifice or effort.[6]  By receiving Jesus, we become more than conquerors through him who loves us! 

Now friends, this doesn’t mean a trouble-free life.  We’re still living in a broken world.  We still make mistakes.  But that is temporary!  Jesus has wonderful things in store for us.

Jesus tells his disciples – including us: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT)  

No matter what happens to us in this world, our eternal destiny is secure. 

• Jesus is with us in our troubles.
• The Holy Spirit guides us through our troubles.
• And Jesus gives us peace with God – despite our troubles. 

Jesus has achieved victory for you, for me, and for all who trust and follow him. 

We believe his promise – and wait for him to keep it! 

In closing

The New Testament was written in Greek.  And the Greek word for victory is nike (pronounced “nik-ay”).[7]  The sportswear company Nike gets its name from this.  Many elite athletes wear Nike gear.  Perhaps you can name a few…  (Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lebron James, Tiger Woods, Naomi Osaka, Rapha Nadal).  The ads suggest that wearing Nike apparel will take you to victory. 

Well, I’m not convinced.  In fact I’m certain that wearing Nike sportswear won’t transform me into a world class athlete.  In any serious sporting contest, I’d end up a loser! 

Friends, that’s the difference with God. It’s precisely because we fail that God came down in Jesus to share his victory with us.   As John reminds us: The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:5 The Message)  May God grant this to us all!  Amen.   (c.1400)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] Paul describes our fallen condition in Ephesians 2:1-13 NLT: ‘Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.’      But God saved us! (Eph 2:4-10)

[2] ‘He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.’ (1 Peter 2:24 NLT)

[3] I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.  God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.  (Ephesians 1:19-22 NLT)

[4] Paul writes: ‘Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.’  (Romans 6:3-5 NLT)

[5] See Isaiah 25:6-9.

[6] An unlikely example from everyday life: Let’s say I trained hard for 5 years and won a worldwide squash championship at the masters’ games.  The prize is first class holiday around the world for 2 people.  As I hold the tickets up, my two daughters grab them out of my hands.  At that point they are more than conquerors because they get all the benefits of what I’ve done – without the sacrifice. 

[7] In Greek mythology, Nike (pronounced “nikay”) was the goddess of victory in any field including art, music, war, and athletics.  In Rome, Nike was called Victoria.

The ripple of love

_{Sunday 5th May 2024 | Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | The ripple of love | John 15:1-8; 1 John 4:7-21 | TTG Worship Series: Walking in the Light of Jesus (1 John)}.

Our human longing for love

Regardless of our gender, age, or status in life, we all need to be loved: by family, friends, or someone special.  Lots of pop songs are about love.  

• Like the Beatles’ hit from the 1960’s: All you need is love…da, da, da, da, dah. 
• In the 70’s, Freddie Mercury sang: ‘Can anybody find me Somebody to Love.’ 
• In the 80’s Foreigner: I want to know what love is. 
• In the 90’s, Whitney Housten: I will always love you. 
• In 2013, John Legend: All of me loves all of you.

Lots of movies and TV series highlight the tension of love. Script writers know it hooks us emotionally.  Whether it’s Home and Away, Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey, or Farmer wants a wife – we’re dying to see how the chemistry works out between the characters.       

But what IS love? 

• Is love just a feeling – or to quote Tina Turner, “just a second-hand emotion”? 
• Is love the butterflies in your stomach when you’re attracted to another person and can’t stop thinking about them? 
• Is love the spark of infatuation between two people?
• Are romantic words or deeds genuine acts of love, or attempts to gain attention or affection? 
• Is sexual intimacy prompted by love for the other, or a desire to satisfy self?   
• Is declaring: “I love you!” enough to sustain a relationship for a lifetime? 
• When someone says, “I love you,” but does nothing to show it – is that love? 

In his first letter, John writes, My children, our love should not just be words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action. (1 John 3:18 GN).  It’s an important verse for us.  As God’s children in Christ, we talk a lot about love.  But do we follow Jesus in putting love into action?

Friends, let me ask you: When it comes to those tough acts of love, like:

• helping someone in a crisis,
• cleaning up a mess you didn’t make,
• breaking the ice with a stranger,
• walking with a person through grief, or
• apologis­ing, forgiving and resolving conflict,

who takes the initiative to do that in your world?

Is it you? Or do you sit back and wait for someone else to make the first move?

God’s love in action

Today’s Bible reading tells us God is love (1 John 4:8). Now this isn’t a definition of God – like ‘God is big’ or ‘God is eternal’ or ‘God is all-knowing’.  Rather, it affirms God’s desire for us to be in relationship with him, so we can receive his blessings!

God’s love for humanity didn’t stop when Adam and Eve, along with the rest of us, rejected God to do our own thing.  After we brought brokenness and death into this world, God didn’t just sit back on his heavenly throne feeling sorry for us from a distance.

In his compassion for us, God took the initiative and acted in history.  John tells us: God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  This is real love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10 NLT).

In Jesus, God lived with us – as one of us.  An actual child was born and grew up in a family.  A real man lived, taught and healed in Palestine.  A true flesh and blood person suffered, died and rose again – for us!

God took the initiative to save us.  God did not wait until we’d apologised, repented, or cleaned up our act.  While we were still ignoring God and doing our own thing, Jesus died for our sins; and then defeated death for us by rising again.

The cross is proof of Jesus’ unfailing love for you and me.  In effect, that’s where he said: “You can reject me and spit in my face.  You can beat me black and blue.  You can flog me to within an inch of my life.  You can crucify me, mock me and murder me.  But you’ll never ever stop me from loving you!”       

Even after rising from the dead, Jesus keeps taking the initiative.  He greets his disciples with the words: “Peace be with you!”  He helps them catch fish.  He cooks them breakfast.  He doesn’t blame them for abandoning him.  Instead, he assures them of his love. 

Likewise, Jesus assures us: “Because of my sacrifice, your sins are forgiven.  Because of my resurrection, you now have eternal life with God.  Because I now dwell in your hearts by the Holy Spirit, you can share my love with others.”

The ripple of love

When someone throws a stone into a pond, what happens?  The splash ripples across the whole pond.  God’s love is like that.  John tells us:

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.  We love each other because he loved us first. (1 John 4:12-12, 19 NLT).

That’s the ripple of love. God has taken the initiative to ‘splash down’ on planet earth and show his love to us.  His love ripples out to others through us.

One of my pastor mates describes how this ripple of love worked out in his family:

When I finished my seminary training, I took my wife and parents to a cafe for a meal. I wanted to say thanks for their financial help throughout my training: “Dad, I’ll be earning a salary soon. Would you like me to repay you the money you spent putting me through seminary?”  Expecting him to say “No”, his startling reply was: “Yes”.  After I’d recovered, he went onto say: “And the way I’d like you to repay me is by doing exactly the same for your children whenever they need it, just as my parents did for me.”  

That’s the ripple of love.  By its very nature, God’s love cannot be selfishly hoarded.  Love grows and stays alive only when it is extended to others.

Agape – the love that builds relationships

Jesus calls us to show HIS love – God’s love – to others.  The Greek word for this love is agape.[1]  It’s the ‘high octane’ love that builds relationships.

• Agape is not a love based on feelings or attraction, but a relentless commitment to the other person’s welfare.  
• Agape is not ‘self-centred’ but always ‘other centred’. 
• Agape always wants what’s best for the other person – according to their wishes and in line with God’s will.   
• Agape doesn’t manipulate, exploit, deceive, or try to control others; but gives people freedom to say “No!” 
• Agape is always a gift freely given – without strings attached or expecting paybacks.

Now friends, if two people were showing this love to one another, what would happen to the relationship over time?  It would grow, flourish, and be fruitful.

Paul prays for this agape love to be evident among his friends at Philippi:

So, this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush.

Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. (Philippians1:9-11 The Message).

Agape love doesn’t sit around waiting to be served, noticed, buttered up, or pampered.  Instead, it initiates acts of kindness.  Jesus tells us: “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” (Luke 6:31 NLT).  If you’d not sure if an act of kindness is appropriate or welcomed, then ask: “Would it be OK if I sort that out for you?”

Application: examples of agape

• Imagine you’ve had a clash with someone.  If you didn’t start the quarrel, you might think: “It’s not my fault.  The other person should make the first move and apologise to me!”  Yet the love of Jesus will make the first move: “Hey, I think we got off on the wrong foot before… and I’m sad about that.  Please, can we sort things out?”
• Crossing the room to talk with a person who is sitting or standing on their one. 
• Finding out where a person from another culture has come from and how they ended up in Australia… or in your neighbourhood.
• Asking a person from a different generation to share their story. 
• Offering to pray for someone who is struggling. 
• When making yourself a cuppa at work, asking others: “Can I get you a cuppa?”
• Helping someone clean up a mess, tidy up, or fix a few things. 
• Offering help to an elderly or vulnerable person who might be struggling. 
• A few words of appreciation or encouragement. 

Such acts take a few minutes – but can impact people for a lifetime.  If you think back to turning points in your life, chances are someone affirmed or encouraged you, helped you during a tough time, blessed or prayed for you.  That ripple of love touched you deeply!   We never forget those acts of kindness!   

Friends don’t let the ripple of God’s love stop with you or me.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s ripple of love has washed you whiter than snow and brought you into God’s forever family.  The Holy Spirit has connected you to the reservoir of God’s love. 

So, whenever your love tank is running dry, ask Father God to fill you with his love:

“Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus please fill me with your Holy Spirit, so I can be a ripple of your love to the people I encounter this week. Amen.” (c.1660)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] The Greek language has several words for love:

• Storge is the natural love that family members have for one another.
• Philia is the love that strong friends feel toward each other.
• Eros is physical love shared in sexual intimacy.
• Agape is the unconditional, sacrificial love of God that we receive through Jesus.

Testing for the truth

_{Sunday 28th April 2024 | Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | Testing for the truth | John 12:44-50 and 1 John 4:1-6 | Series: Walking in the light of Jesus (1 John)}

A tragedy that could have been avoided

Abe Cain was a mechanic in a small country village – with grain silos, a small shop and a few houses – one of those ‘blink and you miss it’ places. The Cain family ran the post office. When Abe wasn’t fixing things in his garage, or sorting mail, he drove tractors for a local farmer.

One day Abe was out on the farm.  He walked into the workshop – perhaps to get some tools, or a grease-gun; or it might have been knock off time.  On the bench he noticed a soft drink bottle that was half full.  Assuming his son had left it for him after popping in earlier, Abe picked up the bottle and took a schlook.

Instantly he coughed his guts up, spitting out the revolting contents.  As the vapors swirled around his nasal cavities, Abe realised the content in the bottle wasn’t soft drink – but a deadly chemical used to kill grass called Spray Seed.  He was rushed to the local hospital and then to an Adelaide hospital – but tragically it was too late.  Once even a few droplets of the active agent, paraquat, get into your system, it’s terminal.  Three weeks later, Abe died.

Putting things to the test

I wonder how many times Abe asked himself: “Why didn’t I sniff what was in the bottle before I drank it?” It’s important to test things, isn’t it?  As Abe found out, it can be the difference between life and death.

One of Jesus’ disciples, John, urges us to test the ‘spiritual water’ we’re drinking – to see whether it is clean and live-giving; or toxic and lethal.  He writes: “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. (1 John 4:1 NLT).

The region around Ephesus where John served was a hotch-potch of Greek, Roman, and pagan culture – with altars, idols, and temples dedicated to the worship of many gods and goddesses.  The temple of Artemis/Diana – one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world – was at Ephesus.  In that region, people could also participate in the emperor cult, mystery cults, fertility cults, witchcraft, magic and superstition (see Acts19:13-41).

Likewise, our culture offers a smorgasbord of religions, philosophies, mystical experiences, spiritual practices and world views.  Some teachings are like good clean water.  But others are like poison – swallow this and you will die.  That’s why John tells us to test the truth claims people make about God and his purpose for our lives.

So how do we test the spirit behind all the religious claims and experiences that people peddle as truth?  Simple.  We hold them up against the truth of God’s revelation to us in his Word – especially the Word made flesh in Jesus.

John says: This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.  But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. (1 John 4:2-3a NLT).  What people say about Jesus reveals whether they’re offering us life giving water – or poison.

False teachings about Jesus

In John’s Day, false teachers were denying that God had become a ‘flesh-and-blood-human-being’ in the person of Jesus.  In Greek thought, the soul or spirit was regarded as good; but the body and matter were regarded as evil.  The false teachers thought it was impossible for the Divine being to take on human flesh.  They claimed their knowledge (Greek: gnosis) could enable the human soul to make its way from the body to the Divine spirit after death.

An early gnostic named Cerinthus taught that Jesus was a normal human being; but God sent down a divine spark on Jesus at his baptism – and he became ‘the Messiah’. Cerinthus also taught that this spark of the divine left Jesus – just before his crucifixion.  So, Jesus died as a man – but not as the Son of God and Messiah.  According to Cerinthus, Jesus’ body remained dead – but will rise again on the last day.   

For some people, this was a perfect blend of Greek philosophy and ‘Christian religion’. But John emphatically declares: “NO! THIS IS POISON!”

John makes it clear that such teaching is NOT from the Holy Spirit.  Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. …Those people [the false teachers] belong to this world,[1] so they speak from the world’s viewpoint and the world listens to them. (1 John 4:3b,5 NLT).

How can John be so certain?

John was one of the 12 apostles, an eyewitness and a close friend of Jesus for several years.  John heard Jesus’ teaching, witnessed his miracles, listened to his claims and was present at his death (John 19:35).[2]  Along with others, John saw the risen Jesus multiple times and spent time with Jesus after his resurrection.[3]

John was among those who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost – and kept proclaiming Jesus for the rest of his life.[4]  John was absolutely convinced that Jesus is both true God and true man. Friends, this is the consistent witness and teaching of the Apostles – as recorded in the New Testament documents.

Versions of a ‘counterfeit Jesus’

Any teaching that disregards the New Testament witness will end up with a counterfeit Jesus.  For example:

• The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was God’s first creation, an angel, who became a man, who didn’t rise from the dead and is now a spirit creature.
• Islam acknowledges Jesus as an inspired prophet – but certainly not the Son of God.
• New Agers claim that you don’t even need Jesus or God, because the answer to all your problems lies in the ‘spark of the divine’ within yourself.[5]
• Many Australians reckon Jesus was a top bloke, a great example, or a good teacher; but not the Son of God who wants to bring them into a right relationship with God. 

When people make up a counterfeit Jesus, they end up distorting the Good News of God’s grace.  Their message will often be laced with the ‘poison’ of making yourself right with God by your own efforts. 

Paul warned his friends in Galatia about false teachers who insisted that circumcision was necessary to be saved.

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.  I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. (Galatians 1:6-9 NLT, see also Galatians 3:1-14).

Strong language. Warnings often need to be! 

The Good News is that God saves us through what Jesus has done for us – NOT by anything we do.

Friends, apart from Jesus, we humans were once destined for an eternity of despair, because we’d swallowed the lie that we’d be better off without God.  Question: When we reject God who is the source of our life, what’s the result?  Death and separation from God.

Yet in his love for us, God sent his Son, Jesus, to save us.  Jesus did this by living a perfect life – and then giving it up to take the blame for our rebellion and failures.  At the cross, Jesus took what we deserved: death and separation from God. 

In his resurrection, Jesus proves his victory over death – and that he has reconciled us with God.  Because of what Jesus has done, God offers us forgiveness and life with God forever as his gifts to us.  This is Good News for everyone.

Walking in the light and truth of Jesus

As we keep reading, reflecting and discussing the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit helps us walk in the light and truth of Jesus.  When you know the truth, you can spot a lie.  When you know what’s real and genuine, you can spot a counterfeit.  As Abe found out, not checking the difference can be deadly!

Jesus says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. (John 10:10 NIV).  Since the evil one is a master of deception, we need to be aware of his strategies to destroy us.  If we are to keep walking in the light and truth of Jesus, we need make sure the teaching we receive and believe is from the Holy Spirit – not an unclean spirit!   

6 questions to test for the truth:

1. Does this teaching tell of an eternal and personal Creator who has revealed himself to us in history – and ultimately in Jesus Christ?

2. Does this teaching hold that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human? (or in John’s language, “the Son of God … who has come in the flesh”)

3. Does this teaching declare that Jesus died for our sins – and rose to life again with a resurrection body?

4. Does this teaching confess that Jesus Christ is our only Saviour from sin, death, and the powers of evil?

5. Does this teaching say that we’re saved by what we do? (Our works).  Or does it proclaim salvation is God’s gift to us because of what Jesus has done? (God’s grace).

6. Does this teaching, or practice match up with what Jesus lived and taught?

Friends, keep testing the water you are drinking.  Keep drawing deeply from the pure lifegiving water that Jesus gives.  Jesus promises: “Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:14 NLT).[6] 

Amen. (c.1730)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] ‘this world’ refers to the fallen world under the influence of the devil and in revolt against God.

[2] John’s letter begins with these words: ‘We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. (1 John 1:1-2 NLT).

[3] John 20:19-21:24, Acts 1:1-8, 10:34-43.

[4] We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3 NLT).

[5] Like the early gnostics in John’s day.

[6] See also John 7:37-39 NLT: ‘On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said, “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)’

God’s cure for a guilty conscience

_{Sunday 21st April 2024 | Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | John 8:1-11; 1 John 3:18-24 | Series: Walking in the light of Jesus (1 John)}

When you’re driving, what’s your first reaction when you see a police car?

Hands up if you slow down.  Hmm.  I wonder why we do that.  Is it because we’re not sure how fast we’re going?  Or is it because we’re often going over the speed limit?  So, when we see ‘the law’, we experience guilt.

Pastors sometimes get a similar reaction when bumping into congregation members they haven’t seen for a while.  Reasons are often given – as if the Pastor is the ‘spiritual police’ who needs to be satisfied. 

Have you ever heard people say: “If I ever went to church, the roof would cave in!” (perhaps followed by a nervous laugh)?

Discuss: Why might people say this?  How might you respond to them?

Most people are aware they’ve fallen short of what God wants for them.  I assure them that since the roof hasn’t fallen on me, then it won’t cave in on them.  Besides, the church is not for perfect people, but for people who need God’s forgiveness, help and healing.  That’s what Jesus is all about!

Sadly, many don’t know the good news of God’s forgiveness – freely offered to all people through Jesus. Burdened by a guilty conscience, they assume God is angry with them.  That’s why they think the church roof will cave in on them!  So, like Adam and Eve, they’re keeping their distance from God.

Some might think they need to get their act together BEFORE they can turn to God: do a bunch of good stuff to get into God’s good books.  Others might subconsciously keep punishing themselves.

When our hearts condemn us

Friends, how is it with you?  When bad stuff happens in life, do you start thinking: “I must have done something wrong to offend God – and now God is punishing me!”? 

What’s the picture of God here?  An angry judge waiting to beat us up.  Hmm.  How does that picture compare with Jesus?  Friends, God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17 NLT).

Some church attenders who’ve ‘messed up’ remain troubled and in despair.  Instead of looking to Jesus for relief, they gaze into the darkness of their own hearts – and find little cause for comfort.

Friends, it’s the same with me.  After walking with Jesus for most of my life, I lament that I’m not further down the track.  I take God’s blessings for granted – and often forget to thank him.  I can be very self-centred and hard to live with.  I am quick to get cranky and vent my frustrations; and slow to show compassion and understanding to others.  When my words are sarcastic, critical, or colourful, I wonder about the state of my heart.  I often lose sight of God’s promises and find myself anxious and fearful.  After the terrible things I’ve done, why God would bother with someone like me!

Friends, maybe you sometimes wonder:

• “How can I know if I’m accepted by God when I’m still struggling with my selfishness, my apathy towards God, and my indifference towards others?
• “How can I be confident enough to come to God – just as I am… in the mess I’m in?”
• “Where can I turn when my guilt-ridden conscience condemns me?”

We all need God’s cure for a guilty conscience

Thank God that he didn’t wait for us to clean up our act – otherwise he’d still be waiting… and we’d still be stewing in our mess!  Instead, God took the initiative to deal with our guilt once and for all.  John points us to God’s love for us in Jesus:

…if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  …and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:9, 1:7b NLT).

…if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins – and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. (1 John 2:1b-2 NLT).

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. (1 John 3:16 NLT).

This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10 NLT).

Paul says the same thing: God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Roman 5:8 NIV).[1]

• While we were still sinners, God sent his Son to save us. 
• While we were still sinners, Jesus took our place of punishment – so we could be forgiven and reconciled to God. 
• While we were still sinners, Jesus took our sentence of death – so we could share in his eternal life. 

Friends, God loves us:

• not because we’ve cleaned up our act,
• not because we have earned his favour,
• not because we live respectable lives,
• not because we are ‘good Christians’,

– but because his heart aches for us to be his forever, regardless of what we’ve done! 

Getting into God’s good books does not depend on you!

It’s receiving what Jesus has done for you!

Whenever you’re burdened by guilt and shame, confess it to God.  Some find it helpful to do this with a pastor or trusted Christian friend.  Receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Jesus – shed for you at the cross.  Let Father God wrap his arms around you, draw you to his heart, and keep pouring his grace into your life.

As we walk in the light of Jesus, the Holy Spirit gets into our ‘wounded places’.  Healing happens.  Instead of feeling condemned about our past, we have peace with God.  Instead of being afraid of God, we trust he knows what’s best for us.  As his loved and forgiven children, we can ask Father God for the Holy Spirit to help us grow in the character of Jesus.  That’s a prayer God loves to answer!  Now maybe you’re thinking:

“But don’t we need to first clean up our act?”

Many burdened with guilt and shame ask this.  Friends, let me read you a story.  It’s set in America and told by a man who taught adult Sunday school in his local church:

One evening several years ago I was taking a friend out to dinner. We had eaten in a cafeteria when a good-looking young woman sauntered up to our table. I recognised the woman as a member of the large Sunday-school class I taught. We began to talk. After about 40 minutes she said almost wistfully,

‘I really believe you’ve found hope in your faith, and I would honestly like to make this beginning commitment of my life to Christ … but I can’t do it.’

‘Why not?’ I asked gently.

‘Because I’ve got a personal problem that I can’t seem to resolve.’  She was biting her lips and looking down at a paper napkin she had folded into a small bulky square.

‘But that’s why Christianity is called ‘good news’: I said, coming on strong. ‘We can’t solve our basic hang-ups and separations. I can’t promise to change anything. All I can do is to accept his love and grace.’

‘But’, and she hesitated. . . ‘I don’t feel acceptable until I whip this problem.’

‘Listen, Susan, the old song doesn’t say, “Just as I am when I whip my major problem”. It says, “Just as I am without one plea”, one problem, one guarantee.‘

She looked at me with the strangest dawning look of hope. ‘Do you really believe that?’ she said.

‘I’d bet my life on it.’

She looked down at her hands for several minutes. ‘All right’, she said, almost as a challenge, ‘I’m committing adultery every Thursday night with a man who has a wife and several young children. And I cannot quit. Now can I come into your Christian family?’

I just looked at her. I certainly had not expected that. My first conditioned reaction as a Christian churchman would have been to think she is not ready for Christ.

Suddenly, I realised how phoney we Christians are. Of course we would expect her to quit committing adultery. We don’t mean ‘Just as I am without one plea’. We actually mean, ‘Just as I am when I promise implicitly to straighten up and quit my major sins’. And this girl had nailed me with her honesty.  She knew she did not have the strength to quit her ‘sinning’.  And yet it was her weakness which had brought her toward Christ in the first place.

I thought about Jesus and what he would have done. Then I looked up at her, ‘Of course you can commit your life to Christ just as you are’, I smiled. ‘He knows you want to quit seeing this man, and I don’t know where else you can ever hope to find the security and strength to break up with him. So, if you commit your life to Christ right now, then Thursday night, if you find you can’t help meeting your friend, take Christ with you. Ask him to give you the strength to break off the relationship.’

And she stepped across the stream and became a Christian.[2]

In John 8, Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery, but saved her life.  His mercy called her into newness of life: “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11 NLT).

Friends, whenever our hearts condemn us, or others remind us of our past failures, or the devil accuses us, remember that God is greater than our hearts. (1 John 3:20 NIV).  His mercy triumphs over judgement! (James 2:13).

God’s cure for guilt and shame is Jesus and his forgiveness.  As we walk by faith in God’s grace, the Holy Spirit gives us the security and strength to change!  It happens as Jesus lives in us; and we abide in him! Amen.  (c.1690)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] Read Paul’s personal confession late in his life: ‘This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.  But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realise that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.’ (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NLT).  While he once persecuted Christians, Paul found mercy and comfort in Jesus! 

[2] Keith Miller, Habitation of Dragons, pp 71-73, abridged – quoted by: Friedemann Hebart, One in the Gospel – The Formula of Concord for Our Day, (Adelaide: Lutheran Publishing House, 1983), 33-34.

Children of God through Jesus

_{Sunday 14^th April 2024 | Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | Children of God through Jesus | John 1:1-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3 | Series: Walking in the light of Jesus (1 John)}

Discuss: When someone calls you by a nickname or label that you don’t like, how does it impact you?  How does it affect your relationship with that person?

The destructive power of reckless words

No one enjoys being put down or humiliated.  We avoid people who do that to us.  Help me finish this old saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones… but names will never hurt me.”  It was meant to help people develop resilience against verbal bullying. 

But we all know that it’s not true!  Truth is, verbal abuse damages and destroys people. 

As it says in Proverbs 12:18 (NIV): The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

If others keep labelling us as clumsy, ugly, useless, stupid, or worthless, we can end up believing it about ourselves.  Like the story of the little boy, Tommy, who was playing in the front of his house when the new postman rode by.  The postie asked: “What’s your name young fella?”  “I’m bad Tommy!” came the reply.

Some of us had parents, relatives, teachers, or others telling us things like this:

• “You’re always messing things up.”
• “You’re such a failure and disappointment to me.”
• “Why are you so useless?”
• “Can’t you do anything right?”
• “Why can’t you be more like your sister/brother?”
• “You’re just plain ugly!”
• “You’re just a waste of space!”

After enduring years of such verbal abuse, no wonder people have a lousy self-image, low self-esteem, and little confidence.

Perhaps you had a parent or boss you could never please.  No matter how hard you tried, they found fault with everything you did.  Over time, it just grinds you down.

I wonder:

• How do we gain a sense of identity, significance, and self-esteem beyond the opinions of others?  
• How do we break free from gauging our self-worth on our performance?
• Where can we discover an identity not based on how we look, the clothes we wear, the car we drive, the job we have, or our popularity on social media?

Our God-given identity…

Instead of basing our identity, significance, and self-esteem on what others think of us, John urges us to get these from God – revealed to us in Jesus.  Jesus is the light of the world.  He came into this world to show God’s favour, love, and acceptance for ALL people – including you and me!  We see this in:

Jesus’ compassion for hurting people

Jesus accepts and blesses people who were labelled and rejected by others.  E.g.,

• Jesus heals people who were blind, deaf, dumb, lame, and afflicted with leprosy. 
• He frees people from unclean spirits and restores them to community life.
• Jesus eats and drinks with despised tax collectors, and people labelled as “sinners”.
• He shows favour to foreigners who ask for his help.
• He gives time and attention to children.
• Jesus forgives people burdened with guilt and shame.
• He promises a place in paradise to a repentant criminal dying next to him.

Jesus shows hurting people and “little people” that they matter to God.  That God loves them.  That they are worth helping, worth healing, worth saving. Which brings us to:

Jesus’ compassion for us

For the joy of having you and me with him in eternity, Jesus was willing to give up his perfect life for us.  In his suffering, Jesus personally experiences our pain, our rejection, our guilt, and our shame.  At the cross, he takes all the blame for our rebellion and selfishness – so we could be forgiven, made right with God, and come into God’s forever family.

The cross is Father God’s public statement to each of us: “This is how much I love you!  You are worth as much to me as the life of my holy and beloved Son, Jesus.”

We are children of God through Jesus

No wonder, John writes to his congregations: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1 NIV).

When we realise the love of God in going to such lengths to rescue us and makes us his children, then each of us can say: “There’s no doubt about it.  God loves me!  Through Jesus I am a child of God!” (How about we all say this together?).

Friends, this is your new identity in Christ.  So those old labels no longer apply.  We bring them into the light of Jesus, forgive those who have hurt us with their reckless words, and renounce those labels in the name of Jesus.  Those labels no longer define who you are.  Through Jesus, you are a child of God!!  That’s who you are!

This new identity is God’s gift.  There’s no talk of earning God’s favour; or working our way into God’s family.  It’s God’s gift lavished on you through Jesus – and received by faith.

As John writes in his gospel: He (the Word, the light, Jesus) came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn — not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. (John 1:11-13 NLT).[1]

As our brother, Jesus brings us into his relationship with his Father.  His Father is now our Father.  All who believe and follow Jesus are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Together we, make up God’s forever family. That’s why we are to love one another.

As God’s children through Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us confidence to address God Almighty as “Dad”, “Abba, Father”, or “Papa”.[2]

Paul tells us: And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:6 NLT).[3]  “Abba” expresses an open, close, and trusting relationship between a child and a loving father – regardless of age.

Like Jesus, we can enjoy intimacy with our heavenly Father.  By taking refuge in his love, we have the confidence to tell him everything that’s on our hearts (the good, the bad, and the ugly) – knowing that Abba Father delights in us, welcomes our company, and wants to help us walk in the light of Jesus.

As God’s children we share in Jesus’ destiny

We have life forever with Jesus.  His resurrection is our guarantee.  According to the historical record, Jesus’ tomb was empty.  The risen Jesus appeared to more than 500 people[4] over 40 days.  They touched him.  They ate and drank with him.  The risen Jesus talked with them about the kingdom of God. He told them to wait for the Holy Spirit, so they could be his witnesses – to the ends of the earth.[5]  

The disciples kept telling others the Good News of Jesus. They knew that – no matter what labels others put on them, or what persecutions they faced – nothing in all creation could separate them God’s love for them in Jesus.[6]  They knew that in their union with Christ, they were God’s children FOREVER.

And the same is true for us.  As loved and forgiven children of God through Jesus, we are destined to share in his glory. John tells us: Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. (1 John 3:2-3 NLT).

We will be like him…like Jesus.  We will have resurrection bodies that are fit for eternity. These bodies will not wear out, get sick, or die.[7]  Imagine no doctors, specialist appointments, or hospitals.  No pain, grief, tears, or sorrows.  No more insults, put downs, or abuse!  Instead, we will share in the glory of God.

Remembering who and who we are

Friends, God has brought us into his restoration story for his world – and wants every one of us to be part of it – part of his forever family.  Friends, that’s why it’s important to remember daily who we are – and whose we are!

You might find it helpful reciting or reflecting on statements like these: (Let’s join in declaring them together).

“In baptism, God adopted me as his child, joined me to Jesus, and infused me with his Holy Spirit.” 

“Through Jesus:

• I am a precious child of God.
• I am totally loved by God. 
• I am fully forgiven by God.
• I am completely accepted by God.
• I am destined to share eternal life with God.”

“Today by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, I will seek to follow Jesus Christ as my Lord, and bring glory to my heavenly Father – who’s child I am.”

And the people of God said: Amen.  (c.1480)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] That’s why we have infant baptism in the Lutheran Church. The right to become children of God is not something we earn for ourselves, but God’s gift lavished on us through Jesus.

[2] Mark 14:36, Romans 8:14-17, Galatians 4:6.

[3] Paul expands on this same truth in Romans 8: ‘For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.  Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.’ (Romans 8:14-17 NLT).

[4] 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

[5] Acts 1:1-8, Acts 10:39-43.

[6] See Romans 8:35-39.

[7] “God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:3b-5 NLT).

The lie that kills – or the truth that heals?

_{Sunday 7^th April 2024 | Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | The lie that kills – or the truth that heals? | John 20:19-31; 1John:1-2:2 | Series: Walking in the light of Jesus}

Series intro: Walking in the light of Jesus

Friends, Jesus makes an amazing promise: “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12 NLT).[1]  I wonder how we are responding to Jesus’ promise?

Jesus has brought us out of darkness and death – and into the light and life of God’s love.  By revealing God’s love and truth to us, the Holy Spirit enables us to trust and follow Jesus.  By walking in the light of Jesus, we can help others experience Jesus.

Over six Sundays, we’ll be working through the first letter of John.  He is warning believers about false teachers who were leading people into darkness.  John exposes the errors of those false teachers; and urges his audience (including us) to keep walking in the light of Jesus. (Would you please pray with me for God’s blessing on this series…)

Today’s theme: The lie that kills – or the truth that heals?

Discuss: What we believe can be a matter of life or death. 

Agree/Disagree?  Why?

Let me tell you a story: Freddy was a fun-loving bloke who relished the great Aussie outdoors.  His family often went camping with other families, where they enjoyed bush walks, campfires, and days at the beach. Whether it was a backyard BBQ, the beach, or a picnic in the park, Freddy got everyone involved in outdoor activities.

Just after his 40th birthday, Freddy’s wife noticed a dark freckle on his face and suggested getting a doctor to check it out.  But Freddy fobbed her off: “It’s just a spot I’ve had since I was a kid.”  Over the next 6 months, the freckle morphed into a nasty mole.  Friends kept urging Freddy to visit the doctor.  But he remained in denial: “I’m OK!  It’s nothing to worry about!”  Sadly, that mole morphed into a melanoma that took his life.

If only ‘blind Freddy’ had faced the truth, his life could have been saved.  But he kept believing a lie. The lie that kills – or the truth that heals. Which option would you choose?

Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.  We’re bombarded with information and opinions – from families, friends and colleagues, places of education, social media, cultural values/trends, influencers, celebrities, religions, and philosophies. When all that is filling our head space, how can we know what’s true…and what’s a lie?

If you’ve ever been scammed, conned, or have deceived yourself – you look back wondering: “How could I have been so gullible, so foolish, so blind!”

Friends, I submit to you that when it comes to the life God wants for us, we need to listen to God’s word revealed to us in the Bible – especially the Word made flesh in Jesus.  There are serious consequences when we don’t. As we see in Genesis chapter 3, when:

Adam and Eve believed a lie instead of God’s truth

Sin came into the world when their desires moved them to grasp the serpent’s lie:

“Eating that fruit won’t hurt you.  It will make you like God!”

Believing this lie ended up killing them.

The second act of deception was hiding to avoid the consequences.   

   “Where are you, Adam?”

    “I’m afraid of you God, so I’m keeping my distance!”

    “Adam, why do you need to do that?  Have you eaten the forbidden fruit?”

Adam and Eve try to cover themselves with fig leaves, but no amount of outside dressing can eliminate the fear inside their hearts.

Adam sees a way out via another lie: the blame game.

    “But God, it’s not my fault.  This woman you put here with me – she gave it to me!”

Adam passes the buck to Eve… and blames God!

Eve passes the buck by blaming the snake.

And as they say, the snake didn’t have a leg to stand on! (boom boom)

Hmm, there’s something all too familiar about this story.  

From childhood until we’re old and grey, we often spin the same lines:

• “It’s not my fault.”  “I was just copying others.” (blaming peers)
• “It’s my genetic makeup.”  “It was my upbringing.” (blaming parents)
• “He provoked me.”  “She started it.” (blaming peers)
• “It was like a dream …like I wasn’t really doing it.” (blaming being in an altered state)
• “It just went pear shaped.”  “Things went belly up.” (blaming circumstances)
• “I couldn’t help myself.”  “The devil made me do it!” (blaming the devil)

When we’ve messed up, instead of ‘fessing up’, we try to pin the blame on others. 

Writer, Harold Senkbeil, describes it like this:

Left to ourselves, we make excuses for sin.  We tell ourselves we had no choice; others were to blame.  Sometimes we create a whole fictitious world of our own, rewriting the script of reality.  And in that script, we’re always the starring character.  In our view of reality, we’re always the hero.  The villain is the other guy.[2]

In other words: “I’m NOT responsible for my attitudes, desires, words, or actions.  It’s not my fault!”  Hmm.  If you are never wrong, how does that work out in relationships? Or in everyday life?

John warns his friends – and us – not to be seduced by lies

In his first letter, John is warning congregations about false teachers who were promoting lies.  These false teachers had led people away from the light, love and truth of Jesus.  They had formed a breakaway group who no longer believed the teachings of Jesus; or the eyewitness testimony of his apostles (1 John 2:19).

John is blunt in his assessment. These people are not followers of Jesus anymore.  He calls them ‘false prophets’ and ‘antichrists’.[3]  Their teachings can be deduced from sentences that begin: ‘If we claim…’, or: ‘If we say…’ or similar words.[4]

Three lies of the false teachers:

i. The false teachers claimed to have superior knowledge of God.[5]  It was an early form of ‘gnosticism’ (gnosis is the Greek word for “knowledge”).

In Greek thought, the soul or spirit was regarded as good; but the body and matter were regarded as evil.  With this background, the false teachers claimed that their secret knowledge would one day free the soul from the body – so it could be united with the Divine.  They claimed their knowledge could save them.  So, they didn’t need Jesus. 

ii. The false teachers denied that Jesus Christ was the divine Son of God, and that he was fully human. They rejected that Jesus was God who’d come in human flesh.  They also denied the redemptive power of Jesus’ death.[6]

iii. The false teachers boasted of unique spiritual experience that freed them from obedience to God’s instructions – and from living moral lives.[7]  With their emphasis on the soul, they claimed that what you did with your body didn’t matter.  So, you could treat people badly – use them or abuse them, indulge in bizarre sexual practices, gluttonize yourself in addiction …  and it didn’t affect your path to God.  Puffed up with pride, they claimed that they didn’t even sin.

John exposes the lies of the false teachers:

1. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. (1 John 1:6 NLT).

2. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. (1 John 1:8 NLT).

3. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. (1 John 1:10 NLT).

By swallowing the lie that we don’t sin, or that our actions don’t matter, John says we are only fooling ourselves.  We also make God out to be a liar.  How?  By assuming that we are smarter than God – and that we don’t need Jesus to save us!

Even today, people say things like:

• “I don’t sin!  I haven’t murdered anyone.  I don’t rob banks.  I pay my taxes.”
• “There’s no such thing as objective truth for everyone.  We each have our own truth.  You do what’s right for you, and I’ll do what’s right for me.”
• “It can’t be wrong when it feels so right.”
• “Guilt is just a hang-up from ‘fundamentalist Christians’ imposing their religious views onto others.”
• “If you’re feeling guilt or shame, just get over it … and get on with your life.”

But it’s not that simple, is it?  Guilt and shame are stains on the soul that we cannot make clean – no matter how hard we try.  As we carry that rubbish inside of us, it damages our identity, poisons our relationships, compromises our character, alienates us from God and messes up our lives.

Truth is:

We long to feel clean, whole, and right with God.

We long for an experience of God’s love.

We long for God to heal our brokenness.

We long for God to transform us into better versions of ourselves.

Sure, we can keep living in denial like ‘blind Freddy’.

Or we can receive the truth that heals.

John gives us the truth that heals

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9 NLT).

In other words: “Come clean with God… so God can make you clean.”

Friends, God wants to make us clean.  God wants to forgive us.  God wants to restore us to himself. That’s why he sent his Son, Jesus.  He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins — and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. (1 John 2:2 NLT).

God loves you and me so much, that he gave his Son into death on a cross – to deal with our sin, guilt, and shame – once and for all.  And having raised Jesus to life again, we can be certain that God’s forgiveness is real, that death is not the end, and that eternal life with God is our destiny.

John urges us to believe what Jesus has done for us – and to receive his forgiveness and leadership over our lives. …if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9 NLT).

Every time we confess our sins to God, it’s like putting out our garbage… so God can take it away.  Yes, it means admitting to God: “Father God, what I did was wrong… and I’m sorry.  For the sake of your Son Jesus, please forgive me!” 

Friends, here’s the Good News: “Since Jesus took the blame for all your guilt and shame at the cross, your sins are forgiven.  Go in peace!”  Amen. (c.1800)

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[1] John often uses the imagery of light and darkness to contrast Jesus with the fallen world in revolt against God. Light – 23x in the Gospel of John.  6x in 1 John chapters 1-2. Darkness 7x in the Gospel of John.  6x in 1 John chapters 1-2.

[2] Harold Senkbeil, Dying to Live: The Power of Forgiveness, 85, cited in Ted Kober: Confession and Forgiveness – Professing Faith as Ambassadors of Reconciliation, (Concordia Publishing House, 2002) 98.

[3] 1 John 2:18, 4:1-3. John G. Strelan, The Epistles of John, ChiRho Commentary Series, (Lutheran Publishing House, 1985), 9.

[4] Ibid

[5] 1 John 2:22, 4:2-3, 15; 5:5.

[6] 1 John 4:2, 2 John 7. JG Strelan, The Epistles of John, 9-10.

[7] 1 John 4:1-2; 2:3-4; 3:4,8; 4:5,20.  JG Strelan, The Epistles of John, 9.

Jesus brings us into his life

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_{[1]Sunday 31st March 2024 | Resurrection Sunday Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | Jesus brings us into his life | Mark 16:1-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11) | Series: What’s so amazing about Jesus?}

Share: If you could break a world record for anything, what would it be? 

Breaking through barriers

In 2005, a movie came out: The World’s Fastest Indian. Starring Anthony Hopkins, it was based on the story of a New Zealander, Burt Munro.  In 1967, Munro broke the world land speed record for a motorbike under 1000cc on his modified 1920 Indian motorcycle.  At the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, he “clocked” 190 miles per hour (c.306 km/hour).[2]  Not bad for a bloke aged 68 with a heart condition!

There’s something exciting about breaking through barriers and re-writing the record books.  Yet as clever as we are, none of us can break through the barrier of death.

In time each one of us will stop breathing … our heart will stop beating… and a doctor will declare us dead. Some are terrified about this. Others refuse to think or talk about it.

People have various ideas and theories about what happens next.  Some think we’re reincarnated.  Others think that once the body is buried or cremated, we cease to exist.  Others reckon that if they’ve done more good stuff than bad stuff, they might get a place in heaven.

It’s all a bit vague and fluffy.  When it comes to living with purpose, and dying with hope, our hearts and minds want something solid to hang onto.

Friends, if someone could break through the barrier of death, and come back to prove it, then it’d make sense to trust that person.  Yes?  The good news is Jesus has done that.  After dying and rising to life again, Jesus appeared to more than 500 people over 40 days.  He wants to bring us into his resurrection life.

Just so you know I’m not making this up, let’s look at the eyewitness testimony recorded in Mark’s account of Jesus.[3]

Jesus gives us pointers to his resurrection

i. Jesus’ miracles

In his ministry, Jesus restored sick and disabled people to health and wholeness.  He freed people from unclean spirits.  He calmed a storm be telling it: Quiet!  Be still!”  Twice, he fed thousands from just a few morsels.  People were amazed at his authority.

Jesus demonstrated his authority over death by raising the daughter of Jairus back to life again.

Holding her hand, Jesus said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!”  And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. (Mark 5:41-42 NLT).

For Jesus, raising a dead person back to life again is as easy as a parent waking a child from sleep.  The response?  People were totally amazed because they’d never seen anything like this before.

We have two more accounts of Jesus raising dead people back to life again:

1. Luke 7:11-17 – Jesus raises the widow of Nain’s son, turning a funeral into a festival.
2. John 11 – Jesus raises Lazarus back to life again – four days after he’d died.[4] 

ii) Jesus kept predicting his death and resurrection[5]

His most detailed prediction is in Mark 10: “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.” (Mark 10:33-34 NLT).

Jesus’ death happened exactly as he said it would.  But did the disciples expect Jesus to rise again?  No!  Otherwise they would have been waiting outside his tomb.  Shocked over Jesus’ death, they went into hiding.  His previous talk of rising again was in their “too hard basket” (see Mark 9:10). 

Did Jesus really die?

Few doubt that Jesus was crucified – it’s attested in other sources besides the New Testament documents.  But did Jesus really die?  Enter “the swoon theory”.  According to the swoon theory, Jesus didn’t really die on the cross – but passed into unconsciousness, and later revived in the cool of the tomb.[5] 

Friends, let’s look at the evidence to see if that’s plausible.

• At death, the victim on the cross could no longer push their body up to take another breath. As they slumped down, the diaphragm was pulled up into their rib cage, and they died due to lack of oxygen.  You can’t fake not breathing for long!
• Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the release of Jesus’ body.  Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet.  The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. (Mark 15:43-44 NLT). The Centurion was an expert in execution – and an eyewitness of Jesus’ death.  If he got it wrong, it could cost him his life!
• Joseph of Arimathea – and some helpers – took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped his body in linen cloth, and laid his body in a tomb. (Mark 15:46).

Friends, if there had been any symptoms of life (breath, warmth, pulse) what would they have done?  They would have taken Jesus home and nursed him back to health again!  But what did they do?  They rolled a stone across the tomb entrance and went home for Sabbath.

Friends, I’ve been in the presence of several people who’ve just died.  Within a few minutes the difference is obvious.  There’s no colour, no breath, no spirit, no life.  Just a body.

In ancient times, families prepared loved ones for burial all the time – so they knew if a person was dead or alive.  Yes, we can be certain that Jesus died![7] 

Did Jesus really rise to life again?

Why did the women go to Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning?  To anoint Jesus’ body with spices. (Mark 16:1). They thought he was dead.  What are they asking each other on the way?  “Who’ll move the stone from the tomb entrance?”

But on arriving they receive the biggest shock of all.

The tomb is wide open…and no Jesus!

The angel tells the women three things:

1. Right place.  “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.” (Mark 16:6a NLT).

2. Wrong day. “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.” (Mark 16:6b NLT).

3. Go and tell! “Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” (Mark 16:7 NLT, see also Mark 14:28).

The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened. (Mark 16:8 NLT).

Of course, they said nothing… at first!  They were awestruck.  It’s never happened before.  It’s shocking news – yet wonderful news at the same time: He is risen from the dead!… You will see him, just as he told you.”

Obviously, the women told his disciples.  And obviously, the disciples saw Jesus again – otherwise there’d be no good news to share!

It begs the question: Who is this amazing Man from Nazareth… who beats death and rises again?  He is Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God.

It’s one thing to die.  It’s another to conquer death.  Yet that’s what the first followers of Jesus witnessed.  They spent the rest of their lives telling others the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  And they were even prepared to die for it!

Jesus is good news for everyone!

Friends, Jesus has opened the way for everyone to come into his resurrection life.  He is good news for the world.  He is good news for every person you know and care about.  And he’s good news for you!

Jesus isn’t just a figure of ancient history, but a Person you can know, trust, and follow today.  Jesus wants you to receive his forgiveness, his love, and his direction for your life.  Jesus wants to bring you into his resurrection life.

Friends, you can have life forever with Jesus because he has broken through the barrier of death – and come back to share his destiny with you.  Amen.  (c.1370)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] Adapted from: RG Stahl, Jesus Crosses the Boundary of Death into Life Mark 16:1-8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.  8.4.2012

[2] Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Munro

[3] Scholars think that Mark was written c.60-65 AD – about thirty years after the actual events.  Mark might have witnessed some of the events himself (see Mark 14:51-52); and/or known some of the disciples personally (see Acts 12:12).  According to tradition, Mark gathered information from Peter.  We need to remember that in a culture that values oral tradition, people remember and recount stories with great accuracy.  The terms, “received” and “passed on”, are technical terms for passing on a fixed oral tradition – without altering it. We find these words in our reading from 1 Cor 15 – written about 55 AD. When Paul received that tradition – about Jesus’ death and the witnesses to his resurrection – could have been around the time of his conversation – c.35 AD.

[4] Note – If any of these accounts were not true, there would have been plenty of eyewitnesses around to discredit them!

[5] We have clear and unambiguous passion/resurrection predictions from Jesus. Mark: 8:31, 9:9, 9:31, 10:33-34, 10:45, 14:27-28.

[6] This theory has surfaced several times in the last 2,000 years.  As far as I know, it was most recently published in 1992 by a Sydney University professor, Dr Barbara Thiering (Jesus and the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls).

[7] John’s eyewitness testimony – John 19:31-37 – verifies Jesus’ death beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus died.  The soldier’s spear probably punctured Jesus’ lung and pierced the sack around the heart called the pericardium – and maybe the heart itself. The emission of blood clots and water from the wound suggest Jesus had been dead for some time.  And if by some remote chance Jesus were not yet dead, there is no way he could have survived this injury!

Jesus’ sacrificial love for us

_{Friday 29th March 2024 | Good Friday Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | Mark 15:15-47 (Isaiah 53:1-6) | Series: What’s so amazing about Jesus?}

Do you ever wonder why many churches feature a cross?  Or why some Christians wear a cross?  In the ancient world, the cross was an execution device.  If someone today wore a gold hangman’s noose, or a tiny silver replica of an electric chair as a necklace, we’d think it strange – perhaps even morbid.

But followers of Jesus don’t regard the cross that way. Why not?  Because the cross reminds us of Jesus sacrificial love for us.  We believe that Jesus’ death and resurrection has changed things forever.  Let’s recount the events of Good Friday.

Early that morning, the Jewish Council formerly condemned Jesus to death.  But since they couldn’t carry out the death penalty, they handed Jesus over to the Roman governor: Pontius Pilate.  Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent – and that the leading priests were acting out of self-interest (Mark 15:10).  But when the crowd kept shouting, “Crucify him!”, Pilate handed Jesus over to be flogged and crucified (Mark 15:13-15).

At 9am the Roman soldiers crucified Jesus (Mark 15:25).  Driving spikes through his wrists and ankles, they nailed Jesus to the cross – and lifted him up in a public place for all to see.

Many mocked Jesus (Mark 15:27-31).  They still do.  Why?  Because they don’t understand who Jesus is – or the significance of his death.  Mark tells us four important things:

1. The darkness

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. (Mark 15:33 NLT). This eerie darkness fulfilled one of the ancient prophecies from Amos: “In that day,” says the Sovereign Lord, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth while it is still day. (Amos 8:9 NLT). 

This is not a solar eclipse – when the moon blocks out the sun.  Passover happens at full moon, making this impossible![1]  So what’s with the darkness?  Darkness is a sign of judgment.^[2]   One of the 10 plagues God sent against Egypt was darkness – but there was light where the Israelites lived.  The darkness was God’s curse on Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23).   

Just as light and life go hand in hand, so do darkness and death.  To be cut off from the light and life of God is to be in darkness.[3]  Jesus enters the darkness of God’s judgment on our sin… he bears the curse in our place.  From the darkness emerges:

2. Jesus’ cry of abandonment

Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34 NLT).  Mark records Jesus’ cry in his native language – and translates for his audience.  The words are from an ancient prayer: Psalm 22:1.

Friends, try to imagine the depth of Jesus’ anguish.  As the Son of God, Jesus has been in perfect fellowship with his Father from eternity.  How does it feel when Jesus finds himself utterly cut off from his Father.  Some regard this isolation as “hell”.

I submit to you that this was even worse than the physical pain.[4]  Jesus experiences the utter absence of God.  He is in the place of sinners who reject God… shut outside the kingdom of God… in the darkness… where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Jesus endures this isolation, so we can avoid it.

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”  These words reveal the mystery of the crucifixion.  Someone once put it like this:

“God has entered the utter depths of our human misery.  In this life, there is no despair so deep, or evil so overwhelming, or place so far from God, that Jesus cannot meet us – and from there, bring us home.”

Friends, when we feel God-forsaken, and cry out to God in pain, we realise that Jesus knows exactly how that feels.  But here’s the difference: Jesus is now with us to comfort and strengthen us.^[5]

3. The tearing of the temple curtain

Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last.  And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. (Mark 15:37-38 NLT).

Jesus’ last words weren’t a whimper, but a shout of triumph.  According to John, Jesus shouted: tetelestai = “it is finished” (John 19:30).  It means “mission accomplish”; or “paid in full”.  Tetelestai was what a vender wrote across a bill when paid.  Tetelestai is what a jailer wrote across the charge sheet once the prisoner had done their time.

What time did Jesus die?  3pm.  Daily, at 9am and 3 pm, a perfect lamb was sacrificed on the temple altar.  A horn was sounded to indicate that a lamb had been sacrificed for the sin of the people.  On Good Friday, Jesus was the Lamb who took away the sin of the world.[6]

After Jesus died as our sin offering, God tore the temple curtain in two – from top to bottom.[7]  This heavy curtain shrouded the Holy of Holies – the symbol of God’s presence on earth.  This room was so holy that the High Priest could only enter it once a year – to sprinkle blood on the lid of the covenant box,[8] and atone for the sin of the nation.[9]  Now that the perfect sacrifice had been made, God opened the way for all people to be reconciled with him.

What does the torn curtain mean for us? 

1. Through Jesus’ death, we can come boldly into God’s presence.

The writer of Hebrews tells us: And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place (God’s presence in heaven) because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. (Hebrews 10:19-20 NLT).[10]  Through Jesus, we have free access to God.  We can come into his light and life.

Likewise, Paul says: Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. (Ephesians 3:12 NLT).[11]

2. We can ask God’s help – for ourselves and others. 

The writer of Hebrews urges: So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrew 4:16 NLT).

We can share everything on our hearts with Father God, knowing that he delights in us and wants to help us.[12]

3. We have no fear in the face of death.

Knowing Jesus has opened the way for us to stand in God’s holy and awesome presence, we can live in peace – and die with hope.

4. The confession of the Roman centurion

When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39 NLT).

When you’re under extreme pressure, others see who you really are!  This Centurion – who’d possibly attended hundreds of crucifixions – recognised that Jesus’ death was different from every death he’d ever witnessed.  Jesus doesn’t cuss or curse his persecutors.  He doesn’t protest his innocence or blame others.

Instead, Jesus keeps absorbing the pain, the hatred, the mocking, and the humiliation.  He even forgives his tormentors!  The Roman officer is so amazed that he utters: “This man truly was the Son of God!”

In Mark’s account, the irony is that the first person to confess that Jesus is the Son of God is not an Israelite – but a foreigner, an outsider, a Roman centurion … who simply watches Jesus die.

What is Mark telling us about God?

God makes himself known in the suffering and death of his Son, Jesus.  We cannot find God apart from the cross of Christ. There we discover that God will do whatever it takes to deal with our mistakes, clean us up, and make us his children forever.

When you realise that Jesus did this out of love for you, your life can never be the same again.  In the words of an old hymn: Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.[13]  Amen.  (c.1320)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] A solar eclipse only happens during a new moon.  https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/  Furthermore, an eclipse only lasts a few minutes.

^[2] Darkness had signified judgment in the past (Ex 10:21–23) and would in the future (Is 13:10; Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:2, 10, 31; 3:15; Amos 5:18; 8:9; Zech 14:6). Keener, Craig S., IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, (Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press) 1997.

[3] In Matthew, Jesus’ teaching on judgment often uses the imagery of darkness for those shut outside the kingdom Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30.

[4] The holy and innocent One becomes the unclean and accursed one – in our place (Galatians 3:10-13). 

^[5] Kaiser, Walter C., et. al., Hard Sayings of the Bible, (Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press) 1997.

[6] See John 1:29, 1:36.

[7] At Jesus’ baptism, heaven was torn open – and God revealed himself to us on earth in the person of Jesus.  The same Greek word (skizdo) is used in both Mark 1:10 and Mark 15:38. In both cases, God does the tearing.  In the first case, the tearing is about God coming to earth.  In the second, it’s about God bringing earthlings “into heaven”.

[8] In the tabernacle and later the temple, this was the ark of the covenant.  In this Jesus’s day, this was would have been a replica.

[9] See Leviticus 16.

[10] For more on this imagery, see: Hebrews 4:14-16, 6:19, Hebrews chapters 8-10.

[11] ‘Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.’ (Ephesians 2:18 NLT).

[12] According to Romans 8:14-17, the Holy Spirit affirms that we are God’s children, so we can address God as Abba (= “Daddy”, or “Papa”). 

[13] Isaac Watts, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, LH 54.

Jesus prays for another way

_{Thursday 28th March 2024 | Maundy Thursday Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | Mark 14:32-42 | Series: What’s so amazing about Jesus?}

Friends, every one of us will face trials that devastate us – and leave us asking: “What on earth is God is up to?!”  Some of you might be in that fog of despair right now.  Overwhelmed, perhaps you’re wondering: “How on earth am I going to get through this?”  “Is there some way out of this mess?”

Come for a moment to perhaps the darkest night in history.  The scene is simple.  An orchard of gnarled olive trees, surrounded by a stone wall, and entered through a wooden gate.  The place is named “Gethsemane” which means “oil press”.  Perhaps there was one in this garden. 

After the annual Jewish Passover meal, a group have gathered in this olive grove.  Four have left the rest of the group – and gone on a bit further.  Of the four, one leaves the others to pray.

Can you see that lone figure in the shadows?  What’s he doing?  He’s lying face-down on the ground.  Eyes wide with fear.  Hair matted.  An anguished sweat of terror mixed with blood streaming down his face (Luke 22:44).  That’s Jesus.  Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.

Maybe you’ve seen a quite different portrait of Jesus in the garden: where he’s kneeling in the moonlight with his hands folded on a rock.  Halo over his head.  Snow white robe.  A look of serenity on his face as he gazes up to heaven – as if Jesus is preparing for a Sunday School picnic – not the horror that lay before him.

For some time, Jesus has known it was coming to this.  Earlier that evening, Jesus made it clear to his disciples that he was about to give up his body … and shed his blood for many.  But now, that terror is about to unfold.

Jesus shares his anguish with Peter, James, and John: “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.” (Mark 14:34 NLT).  In other words, “I’m so sad I could die!”  The dread and despair are crushing the life out of him.

Jesus asks his three friends to stay awake and support him in prayer.

What do they do?  They keep falling asleep.

When Jesus needs friends to be with him like never before, he is all alone. We want to shake the disciples: “How can you guys sleep at a time like this?”

Jesus wrestles with his desire to live – and his desire to please the Father. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by.  “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you.  Please take this cup of suffering away from me.  Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Mark 14:35-36 NLT).  And then again, the same thing.

Drinking this cup means Jesus will suffer betrayal, rejection, beatings, flogging, and one of most brutal means of execution ever invented.  Drinking this cup, Jesus will take the blame for our guilt and shame.

As the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, Jesus will drink the cup of death and separation from God.  As the Son of God, Jesus has never experienced that before!

As a human being like us, Jesus must trust that his Father will raise him to life again – even though it has never happened before!  Pr Rick Strelan comments:

“His faith, his courage, his willingness to place his future in the hands of his faithful Father are just as much a risk for him as for us.  He, like us, has to place his trust in his Father’s faithfulness and in his promises.”[1]

Despite his sorrow, Jesus prays: “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  It’s exactly how he taught us to pray: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10).

Self-preservation is healthy and normal.  Yet Jesus is ready to lay it aside – for you, for me, for everyone. In obedience to his Father’s will, and for the joy of having you and me together with him in eternity, Jesus takes the path of self-sacrifice (see Hebrews 12:2). It is the most humbling act of love the world has ever seen.

The picture of Jesus in Gethsemane is one who knows our sorrows (Isaiah 54:3). Jesus is not clothed in a snow-white cloak, but in our broken humanity.

My dear friends:

• Next time you are wandering through the fog of despair – and think that no one understands what you are going through – remember Jesus in the garden.

• Next time your self-pity shouts to you “No one cares!” pay a visit to Gethsemane.

• Next time you wonder if God really knows about our pain on this broken planet, listen to him pleading among the olive trees… and follow him from the garden to the cross.

Friends, God doesn’t stand back and watch us from a distance.  His love moves him to not only get tangled up in our skin – but to enter our pain, our misery, our suffering, our death. ‘God was never nearer to us than when HE hurt.’[2]

Max Lucado writes:

“If it is true that in suffering God is most like humanity, then maybe in our suffering we can see God like never before.  The next time you are called to suffer, pay attention… Watch closely.  It could very well be that the hand that extends itself to lead you out of the fog is a pierced one.”[3]   

Friends, that pierced hand that reaches out to us also brings us into his resurrection. Amen!  (c.920)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg

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[1] Rick Strelan, Crossing the Boundaries- A Commentary on Mark, (Lutheran Publishing House, 1991). 197.

[2] Max Lucado, “The Fog of the Broken Heart”, in No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, 133.

[3] Ibid.

Jesus’ grand entry into Jerusalem

_{Sunday 24^th March 2024 | Message by Pastor Rolly Stahl | Jesus’ grand entry into Jerusalem | Mark 11:1-11 | Series: What’s so amazing about Jesus?}

Share time: I invite you to recall and share your experience of a parade, procession, march, or pageant you attended – or watched on TV.  What was the occasion?  What do you remember about it?  How did you feel afterwards?

The world loves celebrities and parades.  Think of the coronation ceremonies of Queen Elizabeth or King Charles. Think of the royal weddings – or funerals.  Think of the victory parades at the ending of wars, the ANZAC marches, or the celebrations of sporting teams that win grand finals.  Think of how we honour medal winners from the Olympic Games.

When the Beatles visited Adelaide on June 12th, 1964, an estimated 250,000 lined their route from Adelaide Airport to the city – just to catch a glimpse of them.  I wonder: Were any of you in the crowd that day?

Today, Palm Sunday, we recall Jesus’ grand entry into Jerusalem.  It’s recorded in all four Gospel accounts.  Today we look at Mark’s account, in chapter 11. But first, let’s set the scene.

In Mark chapter 10, Jesus and his followers are on their way from Galilee to Jerusalem for Passover.  Crowds of Jewish pilgrims are heading in the same direction.  Many had witnessed Jesus’ miracles, listened to his teaching – or heard stories about him.

As they pass through Jericho (a day’s walk to Jerusalem), Jesus hears the cry of a blind beggar: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  The crowd try to shut him down.  But Jesus calls him over and heals him in front of the crowd.  Can you remember his name?  Bartimaeus.  The last verse in Mark 10 says: “He followed Jesus down the road.” (Mark 10:52 NLT).  Then in Mark chapter 11, Jesus prepares and enters Jerusalem.

A King’s welcome

As Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, he was given a king’s welcome.  In the eyes of the crowd, Jesus’ authority and charisma made him a messianic candidate.  They’re excited. They’re taking off their jackets and coats and laying them on the road in front of him.  They’re laying down leafy branches and shouting:[1]

   “Praise God!  (Hosanna)
    Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
    Praise God (Hosanna) in highest heaven!” (Mark 11:9b-10 NLT).

The crowd is quoting from Psalm 118:25-26 – a song of thanksgiving to the Lord for deliverance from their enemies.  At Passover, they sang it in anticipation of their Messiah.

One title for the Messiah was “the one who is coming”.  When John the Baptist was in prison, he sent word to Jesus: ‘Are you the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’[2]  Another title was “the Son of David” – as Bartimaeus cried to get Jesus’ attention.[3]  The crowd are applying these titles to Jesus.

In their words and actions, the crowd is embracing Jesus as their promised Messiah.  They’re hoping Jesus will fulfill God’s promise to build an everlasting kingdom through one of King David’s descendants. (2 Samuel 7:8-16).

About 1,000 years earlier, King David commanded that his son Solomon be anointed by the priest and ride his mule into Jerusalem.  He added: “Blow the ram’s horn and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” (1 Kings 1:33-35 NLT).

By choosing to enter Jerusalem the same way, Jesus was publicly presenting himself as the promised Messiah.  The people of Israel could either receive Jesus as their King – or reject him as their King.  True to the fickle nature of crowds, they do both.  On this day they embrace Jesus.  Five days later they reject him. Friends, I marvel at:

Jesus’ courage and passion for us

Jesus has known for some time what will happen to him in Jerusalem.  He’s been telling his disciples that the religious leaders will reject him, the Romans will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.[4]  But none of them get it.  They don’t want to know about it!

On Palm Sunday, the disciples get caught up with the excitement of the crowd.  They’re thinking: “Finally, he’s making it clear that he’s the Messiah.  At last, the people of Israel are embracing him as their King.  It won’t be long now till all our dreams come true!”

What are they expecting?  They’re expecting Jesus to reveal his power and might against the corruption of the religious leaders, and the brutality of the Romans.  They’re expecting Jesus to restore Israel’s political independence. They’re expecting Jesus to establish Jerusalem’s glory over the nations.  They’re expecting Jesus to give them positions of honour in his kingdom.

They’re certainly not expecting his suffering and death!

Yet in his suffering and death, Jesus reveals the glory of his love for you and me – and for all people.  The expectations of his disciples and the adulation of the crowd did not distract Jesus from giving up his life as a ransom for many.

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day, I wonder what was going through his heart and mind.   

• He knows the Pharisees have been plotting to kill him. (Mark 3:6).
• He knows that when he exposes the corruption in the temple, the chief priests and teachers of the law will conspire to have him killed. (Mark 11:11 – 12:40).
• He knows they will hand him over to Pontius Pilate for execution.
• He knows the crowd will turn against him… that their shouts of “Hosanna” will give way to shouts of hostility.

Yet because of his relentless passion for you and me, Jesus keeps marching forward… step by step… until he ends up nailed to a cross.

• He chooses to be nailed in your place and mine.
• He chooses to shed his innocent blood to take the blame for all our mistakes.
• He chooses to give up his perfect life – to gain your life with him in eternity.
• He chooses to forgive those who rejected and killed him.

It’s the greatest act of love the world has ever seen.

John writes: We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. (1 John 3:16 NLT).

And: This is real love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10 NLT).

Peter reminds us: Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. (1 Peter 3:18 NLT).

Paul makes it clear that Jesus’ act of love was for those in revolt against God – like he had once been: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT).

The good news of Jesus is for all

The Good News is that even while we were still rebelling against God, Jesus died for us – to clean us up and bring us into a right relationship with God, so we can have life with him forever.  His resurrection is our guarantee!

Friends, Jesus didn’t come to conquer us with brute force, but to win our hearts through his sacrificial love.  He offers us his forgiveness and leadership over our lives.  He invites us to trust, follow, and serve him as our King.

Jesus wants to extend his love to others through us, so they too can be part of God’s forever family – so they too can be part of that great procession “when the saints go marching in.”  In his mercy, may the Lord grant this to us all.  Amen.  (c.1280)

An audio version of this message is available on St John’s Lutheran Church Tea Tree Gully YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@stjohnslutheranttg                                                                                            

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[1] It wasn’t unusual for crowds of pilgrims to sing on their way to Jerusalem. Psalms 120-134 all have a heading: A Song of Ascents. These were sung as people ascended the mountain to the temple for their religious festivals.

[2] Luke 7:20 NIV.  See also Mark 1:7-8, John 4:25, Mark 14:62.

[3] Mark 10:47 NIV.

[4] Mark 8:31, 9:9, 9:31, 10:33-34, 10:45, 14:27-28.