A, The Fourth Sunday in Lent - Ephesians 5:10 "A God Pleasing Person"

And try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:10 ESV)

What is the will of God? How do we know what God wants?  Where do we go to find this out?  “God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven” Jesus teaches us to pray! (Matthew 6:10)  So we pray for his will to be done. But how do I know it’s being done?  Where do I look to check?  How do I know?  Is it a certain feeling or is that feeling just a bad case of spiritual indigestion — self-justification set to repeat on me?

How we discern, find out, work out, or prove something has moved folk throughout the ages into great explorations, expeditions, across oceans, deep into the unknown, to illuminate our human desire to know.

The desire for knowledge drives one to search.  Science searches the unknown in laboratories as well as in locations that have kept their existence covered in mystery.  Medical science searches to uncover the truth of the human body.  Humanity likes to uncover all sorts of things in its desire for knowledge.

From not long after we’re born, we want to learn.  We learn to walk, to talk, to read, to explore and discover.   But what’s the purpose of finding out?  Why do we study these things? 

Mostly the study of “unknown stuff” helps us gain knowledge to do certain things.  In our eyes we seek knowledge for our own good, or the good of others, or the “greater good”.  It’s been this way since Adam and Eve were tempted to know what God knew!  However, their discernment was not pleasing to the Lord!

Our search to prove, to understand, to fathom, to distinguish, to learn, also means we misunderstand, misread, mishear, misfit, mistake, misjudge and misuse when we want to know.  The end result is  that we often find our desire to know makes us miss the mark.  Our knowledge for good or the “greater good” ends up being practised in bad ways.  Why is this so?  Why do we have the desire to do good, but when it comes to doing it, it’s not all that good at all.

Human desire is geared for pleasure.  Originally that pleasure was intended to please God but now it misses the mark and is used to please ourselves.  As a result, the pleasures of the human heart are now clouded with darkness.  When Adam and Eve got up to mischief in the garden, their mischief was literally a bad head, turning from God their head to their own heads through the deception of Satan.

Jesus’ words from Matthew chapter fifteen tells us that, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” (Matthew 15:19 ESV)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in contemplation over these words of Jesus says, “It is the deep night that hovers over the sources of all human action, even over all noble and devout impulses.” (Life Together: 31)  

We see in our readings today how easy the desires of the human heart can lead a person astray. 

Samuel was brooding over God’s rejection of King Saul. 

How often do we find ourselves brooding and fretting over the way things have gone when the good, we’ve sought, usually for ourselves, has gone bad for us.  I imagine Samuel’s grief was caused by him being turned in on himself, seeing only his actions rather than the bigger picture of what was pleasing to the Lord.

Even though God regretted with a deep sigh over Saul, he calls Samuel out of his grief over Saul to do his work of anointing a new king.  

But on entering Bethlehem to anoint a new king, Samuel’s desires were misplaced as he looked on Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, to be the new king.  Yet we hear, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV)

Even as we walk as children of the light, there’s still within us a longing to slip back into the darkness of our human desires.  Samuel was there only by God’s will, and it pleased God to bring an unseen son to light for Samuel to anoint.  Samuel brooded in darkness, and in the darkness of his heart he could not see as God saw, until God brought the light of his will to light.

The disciples of Jesus could not see the truth of a man born blind from birth.  But then again, how could they see by their own desires?  So, they ask Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:1–5 ESV)

Human desire creates human blindness.  Ironically the gospel reading begins with a blind man, and the blind understanding of the disciples, and after the healing of the blind man Jesus announces, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” (John 9:39 ESV)

In other words, a person whose desires once stopped them from seeing what pleased God will be able to see and please God, and those who see what pleases God and don’t please him will become blind and remain in their guilt!

So, it’s important to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. But how does one do this without becoming blinded by our own darkness of sight? God’s will, God’s desire, God’s pleasure is done on earth and in heaven by Jesus Christ.  We can only please God through Jesus Christ! He is the true worshipper of God.  Jesus does his will and God the Father listens to him!

The blindness of the disciples was exposed during Jesus’ earthly ministry.  In Jesus’ death and resurrection, the disciples witnessed the fulfilment of God’s pleasure to forgive humanity.  In the wake of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit continues to fulfil the pleasure of our Father in heaven, as humans are led to lay down their arms through repentance and daily grow in understanding the costly price Christ made to please the Father.   And, the Holy Spirit continues to work within helping believers forgive as each of us have been forgiven.

This all centres on Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s work within.  When we turn in on ourselves we return to our desires clouded by darkness, and once again become blind.  This is like a blind man deliberately gouging out his own eyes after receiving his sight from Jesus.  Or, like after God chose to anoint David, Samuel decides, “No! I believe Eliab is the one” and anoints him instead.

In Paul’s encouragement to discern what pleases the Lord as a child of God he commands you, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17 ESV)

And the only way possible for this to occur within us and between us is to, “be filled with the Spirit… giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18b,20–21 ESV)

You and I are not the light of the world.  We shouldn’t expect to be able to please God through what we desire to do.  When we take it on ourselves to please God by thinking we can be our own rays of eternal light and life, the only light we emit is the deceptive light of Lucifer.

However, in submitting to Christ as the only Light of this world, we please God by allowing the Holy Spirit to work the daily death of self and resurrection in Jesus Christ through repentance and the forgiveness of sin and our forgiving of sin.

This reverence for Christ is not a fear that’s afraid of him or of what the world thinks when we confess, are forgiven, and forgive through repentance  No! It’s reverence and desire to please God and be in his holy presence knowing he’s invited us into fellowship with him, through the Light of Life, his Son Jesus Christ. 

When you allow the Holy Spirit to make Jesus Christ the “Light of your world!”  Know you are his child invited by Jesus to “come and follow me!” ­— to repent and forgive as he has forgiven, is forgiving, and will forgive you! 

Jesus promises us, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 ESV)

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13 ESV)

Let the Spirit lead you from yourself to Jesus!  God the Father will reveal the mystery of doing and being a God pleasing person.  Amen. 

C, Post-Pentecost 10 Proper 15 - Luke 12:49-59 Hebrews 12:1-2 "Discerning the Division"

Luke 12:49–59 (ESV) “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!  I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!  Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.  For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.  They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”  He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens.  And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens.  You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?  “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?  As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.  I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

The word of God creates fire.  Fire consumes, but it also purifies what is burnt.  Jesus came to cast fire on the earth, saying, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!  I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!  Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.”  (Luke 12:49–51 ESV)

With these words he says a little later to both the crowd and the disciples, “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?  And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?” (Luke 12:56–57 ESV)

Many years have past since Jesus roamed the Middle East, enduring life in the flesh of humanity from his baptism in the waters of the Jordan to his baptism of blood at the cross, resurrection, and ascension to his rightful place in victory over sin and death.  He now intercedes for us sinners before God the Father, and together they both send the Holy Spirit, to bring us in daily repentance to the cross through our baptism into his death. 

In the present time his call to judge for ourselves what is right, is still relevant, as is his question, why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?  Interpreting the present time with considerable time having passed since Jesus’ has returned to the right hand of the Father, is made challenging, to say the least, with the divisions we need to navigate on the way to our eternal Judge.

Divisions and splits have been occurring since just after the dawn of time.  As we’re faced with deciding what to do, who to follow, who to overlook, who to ignore, distress and disillusionment works on us.   Our society is probably more cynical than any society before us, and this cynicism puts pressure on faith in God.

It’s no surprise when cynicism overwhelms humanity, we shelter within the safety of ourselves, seeking to align ourselves with those with whom we feel safe, those who share the same views as us, and those who don’t seek to stop us from doing what we want.  And in doing so, we only add to the fostering of further divisions and distress.

Fear today is real.  Financial collapse, disillusionment with democracy, instability from political polarisation within world powers leading to weaponization and wariness, unhealthy health systems, social pleasures that produce increased social pain, and the paradoxical fear of climate change verses the fear of not wanting to give up our machines, all lead to further division and fear.

However, these things that cause divisions are distractions that lead to deception, and we’re not immune to these deceptions within the church either!

In recent times there have been divisions over whether to be vaccinated or not to be vaccinated.  Churches have become divided over musical styles, in what have become known as worship wars.  In the LCA division is threatening over the ongoing debate on women’s ordination. 

On both sides of these debates, folk waist the present time, critical time, vilifying the other side as evil.  But I suspect in God’s eyes, both sides of these divisions are on the opposite side to that of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ comes to bring fire on the earth, yet we end up kindling fires of our own that have little to nothing to do with the righteousness of God, instead have everything to do with our own division from the one true faith.

Here Jesus Christ rightly stands as our accuser while we fail to judge what is right.  Jesus warns, “As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.  I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.” (Luke 12:58–59 ESV)

So, what is it that Jesus accuses us of?  Sin of course!

As we walk on the way to the Judge Eternal, how are we to settle with Jesus who accuses us of sin?  If we point the finger, we justify his accusation and we will surely never be able to pay neither the first nor the last penny.

God the Father delights in the truth in your inward being.  In fact, he teaches wisdom in the secret heart.  What is the truth taught within and how is it taught?

King David tells us exactly what it is in Psalm fifty-one, saying, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”  (Psalm 51:1–5 ESV)

The secret wisdom is that we are sinners, what Jesus rightfully accuses us of!

But how is this wisdom taught in the secret place within?  Again, David tells us as he craves for it in his confession, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”  (Psalm 51:10–12 ESV)

A clean heart comes from a right spirit.  A right spirit exists within, while the Holy Spirit remains.  And when the Holy Spirit remains, he is the Willing Spirit within us.

What does he will us to do?  He wills us to walk with Jesus to the Magistrate and Judge, God the Father.

This is where the right discernment of the division occurs.  We see ourselves as one with those whom we have divisions, we confess our sin, we forgive each other.  The Holy Spirit generates faith, to will and work within us as individuals and as a faith community.  We are rightly distressed because of our sin and the divisions we have practised.  We allow the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to whom it is that accuses.

We realise he who walks with us through this life accusing us, causing fire within, does not want to divide us from God the Father, but wants to bring us to the Father, the Eternal Judge, to put us right and divide sin from us.  Our Heavenly Father is also the Magistrate, who seeks to pronounce a sentence of forgiveness and eternal life on us too.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, we realise our rightful Accuser is actually our Saviour, having  paid the last penny and freed us from the eternal prison of hell.

On realisation of this, we no longer are dragged to the Judge by the Accuser.  No!  Rather we run to him by the power of the Holy Spirit, confessing, forgiving, each other.  We praise God having been put right with him, and those from whom we were divided and with whom we were disillusioned.  The Judge now hands us over to the Officer, not to put us in prison, but to keep us in protective custody.  Who is God’s Officer?  He is the Holy Spirit!

On discerning the division, we see those from whom we were once divided and whom we waisted time fighting, actually on the same side forgiven, as we too are forgiven; running and encouraging each other to run toward Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV)

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, let us interpret the present time correctly and judge what is right.  Send your Holy Spirit to fire in us faith, turning sin to ash, and purifying us with forgiveness in the founder and perfecter of our faith, our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.