Sunday, September 1, 2002 15^th Sunday after Pentecost

A Sermon by David Larlee (ordinand)

Readings:

Exodus 3:1 - 15

Romans 12:9 - 21

Matthew 16:21 - 28

In this season of Trinity, in this season of learning, better readings could not have been chosen. This morning I believe is a morning from which we can get a great perspective on the journey that every one of us travels - The Journey of Faith. Now, when I was preparing for this morning, I floated this idea with my parents and, well, the first response I received was that "David, that sounds like the most wishy washy thing I have ever heard." And so let me explain what I mean by this, as I did to my mother. We, as Christians are all called to serve the Lord our God despite our weaknesses.

This morning I am going to speak of our calling as Christians but with such a treasure chest of material in today's scriptures we can't discuss every possible element and so I will encourage you to go back to these readings on your own. My purpose today is really just to whet your appetite.

If you don't feel called at all, if you don't feel as if you have anything to give or if you feel that as a result of your age or your station in life that you are unable to serve the Lord, then you are being deceived.

We live in a world of deception. In our daily lives we are constantly faced with lies of every kind. Our media is saturated with filth, violence, sexual impropriety and false satisfaction. True satisfaction comes out of service to the one who died for our sins, Jesus Christ. So take every thought of discouragement and drive it from your mind and let us look at our calling as Christians from today's readings.

Now, when I say service I am not specifically referring to Ordained Ministry - that's the last thing we need. I mean serving based on the gifts that God has given you - using your interests, your aptitudes, and your skills to Glorify God. Some are called to be musicians, some are called into hospitality, some are called to be lay readers, some are called to teach, some are called to remind us of how to have fun and some are called to pray. All despite your weaknesses. In many ways our weaknesses are our strongest gifting because it only once we realise the full extent of our own limitations that we learn to turn to rely upon Jesus Christ through faith.

How are we to do this? Remember this - if you think for a moment that you just can't be like those other people that you can't really do much - don't listen to that thought that is just the enemy trying to keep you from doing God's work. If you are questioning your calling as a Christian and I think some of you are ask the question right now: What's troubling you? What's calling you to question?

As you ask these questions lets turn to Moses:

We have this morning in the first part of Exodus, Moses' first of five protests against God's commission. Imagine this: you hear the audible voice of God; you see THEE burning bush and he's still doubtful. Well perhaps it's a result of Moses spending a sobering forty years of reflection and development. The once prince of Egypt had become timid, doubtful of his own abilities and devoid of any self-assertiveness. He has been beat up by the world in which he lived. And so he questions. God reassures him that he will personally accompany him. And eventually comforted and assured, Moses goes to pharaoh. So if you are questioning be reassured, God through the sacrifice of his son on the cross, is and will continue to personally accompany you on the path and will guide you over the rough terrain ahead even if you don't know if he is there or not trust me is there and always will be.

We have a description of the rough terrain that covers the path we are to travel set out for us in this morning's Gospel reading. Peter has just been told what his calling will be. Jesus has just told him "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it". Unlike Moses he accepts it immediately. Who wouldn't accept such a calling? I know however that though I would have loved to be told the same thing by Jesus - I too would have misunderstood. The promise of such a legacy would have gone straight to my head. How would you have handled it? Well Peter's strong will and warm heart coupled with his ignorance to Jesus' plans produced a shocking bit of arrogance and blinded by this arrogance Peter was only able to see the earthly ramifications of Jesus' work on earth. Peter fell into the biggest trap that the enemy has in store for Christians: Arrogance & Pride. It took him Hook line and Sinker. And we will fall into the same trap if we too lose sight of what Christ did to save sinners. Jesus did not take the path of Arrogance, pride and power but that of humility and of suffering. Peter did not immediately grasp this but we must in order to succeed in this life. After making such a mistake Peter likely did not feel very confident about pursuing his call into service. After such an encounter the best of person would be discouraged beyond belief, yet Peter managed to pick himself up and continue to run the race. He was able to overcome the trap that he had fallen into thanks to the Love shown to him by Jesus.

Love is to be our guide. It is through the Love that God has for us that he sent his son to the world to save sinners. It is through that same love that we are to discern our call to service and it is thanks to that love that we can pick ourselves up after we've fallen, after we've made our mistakes. Love is the key to facing the world in which we live.

Paul emphasized Love and service so much in this chapter to the Romans because he had been alerted that after converts had experienced the initial glow and enthusiasm of the Christian life some of them slipped back into their old ways. The same thing happens in Corinth. And so to counter this he urges them to hold onto their spiritual enthusiasm and to serve the Lord with their best. Because such service arouses hope in us. Hope that is coloured with joy. The joy of seeing Jesus in his glory and of being united with him. This hope will sustain us as his servants and it will give us patience during those Low points in our lives. Paul does not just say that we are to rest on hope. But we are to rely on our greatest resource when we are under stress and strain: Prayer. Hope mixed with Prayer can move mountains.

You see until we leave this broken world and arrive to our final destination - heaven - we are caught in a world of deception. But we can escape it by focusing on the Love of Christ, by making that the focus of our lives we can and will escape the trappings of this life. If you haven't accepted the call on your life, if you are being kept back because of fear or worry or anything else - let love be your guide open yourself up to the lord and trust your heart and you will find the most satisfying service. If you've accepted your calling in life long ago - maybe as a lawyer or a teacher - and you are tired and your fatigue is making you question what you are doing well ask the Lord for refreshment, and for peace and he will give it to you. Remember your service will only be lauded in heaven no matter what anyone on earth thinks. Open the eyes of your heart, be comforted, be refreshed, be healed and more importantly be yourself.