C, Post-Pentecost 8, Proper 13 - Luke 12:13-21 & Colossians 3:1-11 "Good, Guilt, & God"

Luke 12:13–21 (ESV) Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Existing with unrepentant guilt is not good for one’s existence.  Guilt though however, is an essential part of our created being through which we can learn about ourselves and our relationships with others.

Think about how you feel when guilt comes over you.  How do you react?  What do you do?  What do you think?  What do you try to hide?  Perhaps you’re defending a treasured idea or object! Reflecting on our guilt, despite the discomfort, helps us to identify what is broken within ourselves.  And once recognising what our guilt uncovers, it’s a powerful tool to rebuild what’s busted.

Jesus tells parables, to teach the truths of God the Father to those who have ears to hear.  He does this by exposing our emotions in the stories or parables he teaches.  In them he uncovers the emotional truths hidden within the hearer.  The parables can be painful because he gets to the core of our being where our human hidden reality bubbles and boils like lava deep within the earth.

Jesus tells parables to expose fault in our humanity.  So, in exploring the guilt and its cause, faults can be found, and our humanity can have the holy healing it needs. 

However, no one can fix their own guilt.  Trying only makes the fault line worse, because the internal tectonic plates of our emotions grind against each other only increasing guilt all the more.  Yes, one may be able to fool others with a calm external persona.  But in reality, we only fool ourselves, as the pressure builds before the emotions erupt and one emits the sulphuric state of their true being.

Instead, Jesus tells the parables, we hear his Word, so the Holy Spirit can expose guilt and guide us from it to the goodness of God.  As we’re reminded by the Psalmist in Psalm 107, to “give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” (Psalm 107:1,9 ESV)

On the other hand, what we think is good, seems good, until good gives way to guilt.  In the parable of the rich fool, Jesus touches your heart to reveal guilt, so the Holy Spirit can teach you about your guilt, and the products of fear and anxiety that come from it.

That’s why just prior to this parable Jesus teaches and warns us about hindering the Holy Spirit saying, “…everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:10–12 ESV)

In fact, it’s here Jesus gives us the answer in the Holy Spirit, even before any questions can be thought of, or asked.  Any question only comes from our guilt being provoked by hearing this parable of the rich fool. 

This is the question: What is the good treasure that makes me rich in and towards God?  The Answer: It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to make me holy, through the workings of God’s goodness in Jesus Christ. Alternatively, one could ask: What are the treasures I lay up for myself that diminish richness towards God? The answer: Anything that leads me to put God in second place, cheapen the pricelessness of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and hinders the Holy Spirit from delivering us to Jesus’ forgiveness.

Therefore, Jesus begins the parable by warning the hearer to, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15 ESV)

The rich man covets his goods, and he believes this to be good.  His land is full of life given by God, and it produces plentifully.  But he doesn’t treasure the coming of God’s kingdom nor God for giving him good things.  Instead, idolatry takes a hold of him as he builds his kingdom of pleasures by tearing down and building bigger barns to house his grain and goods. 

The idol of pleasure is his treasure.  This seductive shortsighted “good” is ingrained in him.  Eating, drinking and being merry, appears to be a good thing for many years to come.  But the idol he has built and worked so hard to protect as a result of the productive land will be left to someone else.   He built his barn but didn’t fear or trust that God had built him.  Therefore, his kingdom of coveting collapsed when God demanded back the very life God had given him.

What goods are ingrained in your pursuit of pleasure?  What blasphemous barn are you building to cover your coveting?

The call to not covet is the last of the commandments, but coveting begins down deep in the seat of the emotions and boils up through a person, leading us to fail in some, or all, of the other commandments. 

When one covets, one desires what one thinks is good.  Coveting makes one feel good!  When we get what we covet, chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin are released in the brain giving a hit of immediate pleasure that quickly fades.  No one ever covets something that will make them feel bad.  Feeling bad comes after the apple is eaten; after our knowledge of good proves not to be good in the way we’ve imagined and idolised.  After this comes guilt and its various reactions.

Jesus doesn’t tell us about the reactions of the rich fool after God says to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Luke 12:20 ESV) The reaction is never heard from the rich fool, but instead the heart of the hearer is provoked by Jesus’ parable because of the goods coveted and treasured instead of God.

In Colossians 3 Paul calls all who are raised with Christ and wish to appear with him in glory to, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2 ESV) And to, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”  (Colossians 3:5 ESV) This earthliness is that which is ground into your being.  It’s the dirt of Adam ingrained and deeply rooted in you.  This is the dirt of sin deep within one's mortality from where idols are cast from molten emotions deep within the earthliness of one’s humanity.

The human goodness ingrained in us does not like having its guilt revealed.  But those in Christ, we whose earthliness is revealed by the dirt of our deeds, know although it’s painful having our guilt revealed now, it’s a blessing from God.  It gives opportunity for the Holy Spirit to move us in the goodness of God who has sent the Holy Spirit, to give you faith.  Firstly, belief you are human. That is, earthly vessels or sinners who will perish.  But also, it’s belief that the death and resurrection of God the Son, Jesus Christ, saves from eternal death.

God the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father and God the Son to bring us to the Father through the Son.  The Holy Spirit brings us to Jesus with life-giving faith.  Faith is a good gift from God through the Holy Spirit.  When the guilt of our ingrained greed is shown within, the Spirit wills you to run in repentance to Jesus Christ knowing that these trials test, “the genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  (1 Peter 1:7 ESV)

Through repentance, the Holy Spirit puts to death guilt within, and covers forgiven sinners with the blood of Jesus.  We allow the Spirit to put to death what is earthly within because, “On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” (Colossians 3:6 ESV)

Existing with unrepentant guilt is not good, but learning from one’s guilt, by the power of the Holy Spirit, reveals the eternal goodness of God in his Son, Jesus Christ.

When you allow the Spirit to teach you to treasure this, you are reassured, “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4 ESV)  Because, “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV)   Amen.

B, Post Pentecost 13 Proper 15 - Ephesians 5:15–17, 21 John 6:51-58 "Flesh Vs Flesh"

Ephesians 5:15–17, 21 (ESV)  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. …submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wisdom verses wisdom.  Understanding verses understanding. Feelings verses feelings.  Passions verses passions.  Human flesh verses the flesh of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ, the Son of humanity, the Son of God, came to bridge the divide between the fallen flesh that dies and our Father in heaven who is the light and life of all creation together with his Son and the Holy Spirit.

John’s gospel begins with words written to remind us of Genesis chapter one. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1–5,14 ESV)

The flesh of God meets the fallen flesh of humanity at the feeding of the five thousand.  In the wake of this extraordinary meal, the Word of God made flesh, engages with the flesh of humanity, the understanding, the feelings, and the passions of humanity.

A Lutheran pastor on moving to a town was targeted by the local Jehovah’s Witness, who lobbed on the manse doorstep not long after the minister was installed into the congregation.  After the Witnesses gave their usual testimony of heresies and half-truths, the Lutheran pastor spoke about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Holy Baptism, and the body and blood of Jesus, that we’ve heard Jesus say, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.”  (John 6:53–55 ESV)

Once the pastor said this truth to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, they erupted with scorn and contempt, at the implications of eating and drinking Jesus’ body and blood.  The Jehovah’s Witness don’t believe in blood transfusions, and these Witnesses construed the consumption of Jesus’ body and blood as cannibalism.

As Jesus taught this to those in the tabernacle at Capernaum, it’s understandable how the Jews and the disciples would have heard a similar message to that of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.  After all, sense would have only been made of Jesus’ words in John six, after the resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  As well as through the lived experience of the early church as they were called, gathered, enlightened and made holy by the Holy Spirit in the Word of God.

Similarly, we who have been baptised into Jesus’ death and resurrection have been drowned in his body and blood in the waters of Holy Baptism, fed on his Holy Word of life, and given his body and blood in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.  In all three of these holy elements, we continually receive the Holy Spirit who gives, sustains, and builds faith in those who do not reject the holy three — Word, Water, and Wine — of Jesus’ bread of life!  

Now that you and I have the Holy Spirit in the Holy three, faith is generated within, lighting up the darkness that needs lighting up with the fires of the Spirit within.  The battle that ensues within all of us is now the battle of… human wisdom verses Jesus’ wisdom…  human understanding verses Jesus’ understanding… our feelings verses God’s feelings…  our passions and desires verse the passion of Jesus Christ. 

The human flesh and spirit of our old Adam and its works is confronted by the Holy Spirit’s work to daily enflesh us in the body and blood of Jesus Christ, for forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation!

But the human will is strong!  The old Adam seeks a resurrection of its own.  Our human spirit, in seeking a knowledge of good and evil from within the self, works within to push out the Holy Spirit, together with the knowledge of Jesus Christ. This battle wears on each of us and makes one tired.  Eventually this battle leads to the breakdown of the self — mind, body, and soul — resulting in death. 

But the will of God is such, that even despite death this does not have to end in eternal death, and the separation from God, that the devil, the world, and the old Adam seeks!

What the devil wants the old Adam to hear in the world is a message of confusion.  That muddled message is loud and strong today!  It’s a deceptive message of unity while our way of living is one of disunited individualism.  We’re being taught to fight for the longings of identity, equality, and rights of the individual’s understanding and feelings over everything else.

Saint Paul reminds the Ephesians not to be driven by feelings.  He calls them not to be foolish!  Not to be moved by the will of what is within.  This is literally to not be driven by gut instinct!  To exchange faith in Christ with the desires of the self in one’s own knowledge of what one thinks is good and evil.

Paul’s command is just as important for the internal confusion of your learnt individualism, and the disorder in today’s creation!  Just as much as it was for the troubled church in Ephesus, existing between pagan female cultic worship and the witness of Judaism rejecting Jesus Christ.

Paul warns, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 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 5:15–21 ESV)

Paul speaks to the Ephesians concerning the powers and principalities at Ephesus (Ephesians 1:21, 2:2, 3:10, 6:12). Jesus confronts the powers and principles within each of us in his call to consume his flesh and blood when he spoke at the synagogue in Capernaum.  You are warned to look within, to oust worldly wisdom, and make way for the Holy Spirit who brings wisdom in the will of God. 

We are warned that the days are evil, contrary to what the world is telling us!  We’re to understand in what we’re taught in the Word of God that the unity with the nations that Israel sought was contrary to the will of God.  The church today is still being tempted into a unity with the nations against God’s will rather than God’s call for the church to make disciples of all nations.

In Paul’s warning there’s a caution for us to guard ourselves against consuming a worldly wisdom, of feeble flesh, fleeting feelings, and chaotic misunderstanding of what is good and evil.

When you heed this warning, you allow a repentance of the heart, to turn back to God.  You turn from being conservative and progressive.  That is turning back to Jesus Christ from conserving or progressing your sinful self-directed powers and principles, as well as conserving or progressing the world’s powers and principalities. 

Having been turned, we feed not on our understanding, feelings, wisdom, faith or flesh.  But like Jesus who said to our Father in heaven, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”  (Mark 14:36 ESV) We too, allow the cup of salvation to come upon us as we allow the Holy Spirit to do the will of God within us.  To sacrifice our wisdom, understanding, feelings and faith in ourselves as we carry our cross too.

The Holy Spirit enables us to take up the faith with reverence for Jesus Christ and carry the cross we’re called to bear, rather than burden ourselves with a faith in ourselves.  Just as Jesus submitted to the cross for your forgiveness, the Spirit empowers you to submit to others out of reverence for the work Jesus Christ did to save you from confusion, chaos and death.

The light shines in your darkness, and your darkness has not overcome it.  So let the wisdom and understanding, the feelings and faithfulness, the power and passion, of Jesus’ Word made flesh, shine in your darkness.  The Holy Spirit seeks to reflect the glory of Jesus Christ from you into the places where God wills you to be.  Amen.

And the peace of God which surpasses all understand, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

A, Palm/Passion- Isaiah 50:4–9a "That Sinking Feeling"

We’ve all experienced that terrible sinking feeling somewhere and at some time in our lives. 

It may have been only for the briefest of moments.  It may have lasted for a considerable amount of time.  That terrible sinking feeling may have occurred in public before many people; it could have happened when you were alone or with one other person.  You might be feeling it right now!  In any situation, this feeling gives a sense of ugliness, feeling dis-easy, your skin and mood descends into clamminess and coldness.

Impending doom, loss of control, something gone horribly wrong gives one this feeling.  The moment before impact, the moment after the doctor gives the diagnosis, so much pain you think you’re going to die, so much pain you worry you’re not going to die, watching someone suffering.  Am I God forsaken?  Are we forsaken!  That sinking feeling.

The pain of grief and loss, tears so bitter they hurt.  The loneliness after the loss, that sinking feeling.

Being caught out, publicly humiliated, guilty facing your accuser, that sinking feeling.

The calm suddenly becomes chaos, conflict with others, anger, confrontation, harsh words spoken, accusations flying, going past the point of no return, regret, that terrible sinking feeling.

The injustice of the situation, falsely accused, no one believes the truth, helplessly unable to stop the inevitable, depression, anxiety, despair, hopelessness, that sinking feeling.

Promises broken, expectations shattered, the height of joyful excitement stopped with fright and fear, desire unfulfilled, frustration, that sinking feeling.

We’ve all experienced that terrible sinking feeling somewhere and at some time in our lives.  All these contributors, from whatever it was, that’s caused that terrible sinking feeling, is a sense of death that causes the fight or flight instinct to kick in. 

When that sinking feeling occurs, do you run to God or run away from him?  Do you struggle with God, or do you give up on him?  Do you seek a knowledge of good and evil, or a knowledge of Jesus Christ, trusting in yourself, or trusting in what Jesus promises in his Word?  When that terrible sinking feeling of death touches you, how do you respond?

Feelings were running high when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  But the tone changed, the crowd turned, victorious excitement turned into vicious incitement.  Sunday saw Jesus ride into Jerusalem in majesty, not to overthrow the Romans as expected, but to overturn the tables of the traders in the temple. 

The Jewish leaders felt fury when Jesus taught crowds, while confronting, confounding, and silencing them with the very words in which they sought to trap him.

The feelings of the disciples were sorely tested, when Jesus told them the temple would be torn down, and the coming of the kingdom of heaven will be proceeded by chaos and tribulation.  Judas feeling his way as he betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, feelings running so deep one of the captor’s ears is cut off.

That sinking feeling was present everywhere, in so many ways!  The disciples scatter, Judas regrets what he does, he changes his mind, he loses his mind, he hangs himself.  Peter too promises much, but three times fails, outside he wept so bitterly. That sinking feeling was everywhere!

The rage of the chief priests and the elders,  Pilate’s wife sends word, “have nothing to do with this man”, the crowd cries, “crucify him”, Pilate feels trapped, that sinking feeling.  He washes his hands, injustice, and Barabbas is released.  The women of Galilee watch on from a distance, they see the unfairness, they see the wrong.  O can anyone stop that sinking feeling?

See him nailed to the cross.  Six hours of suffering till he cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  He breathes his last, he hangs his head, it is finished!

Much happened in Holy Week!  High emotion, feelings flying to-and-fro!  Just like us when we have those negative sinking feelings, so too did those in Jerusalem.

These feelings led folk to fight or flee.  Even once Jesus was dead and the graves opened, and the dead came out of their tombs, and when the soldier realised Jesus was the Son of God.  That sinking feeling! 

When the temple curtain tore from top to bottom, and the Jews suspected Jesus would be stolen from the tomb, placing a guard to protect their image, rather than protect the glory of God.  That sinking feeling.

These sinking feelings are all feelings of death.  Everyone was feeling a sense of death.  People scrambling left, right, and centre, to preserve their position, their ideals, their futures, their advantage from death.  When that sinking feeling of death approached, everyone sought to protect their knowledge of good and evil!

What was Jesus feeling during Holy Week when the crowds joyously welcomed him on a donkey?  When he taught and tested in the temple?  What was Jesus feeling when he celebrated his last supper, sharing his bread with Judas Iscariot, who would betray him, and not be around to see his resurrection, believe and receive forgiveness?  With Peter, who was promising so much but would deny him, not just once, but three times?

Of Jesus we hear in Isaiah, “The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.  The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.  I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.  But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.  He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.  Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty?”  (Isaiah 50:4–9a ESV)

Jesus was sent into this sinking world with our sinking feelings of death.  The stink of death was constantly before him.  Unlike us, he never put it aside, tried to forget about it, while secretly worrying about it.  He never fought or fled from the situation before him, even when everyone else did. 

Jesus felt that sinking feeling.  He wept over death, he lamented over Jerusalem, he suffered under sin.  He became estranged from his Father, abandoned on the cross.  Yes, Jesus felt that sinking feeling, your sinking feeling that gives you a taste of death, and died for you.  Your sinking feeling led him to sink into death, for you to feel forgiveness, receive forgiveness, hear, and taste forgiveness, so you  believe his forgiveness!

When you were baptised into Jesus’ death and resurrection, he was baptised into your terrible sinking feelings of death!  Jesus was baptised into your guilt, your conflict with your work colleagues, your estranged family, your shame and embarrassment, your failures, the unfairness you bear, the prejudices you produce, the injustice you induce. All that causes that sinking feeling in you, Jesus was born into, was baptised into, die for, and has risen over.

When he was incarnated in Mary, he saw your mess.  When he rode into Jerusalem, he carried all your cares.  When he healed, he took on your illnesses.  When he confronted the proud and arrogant, he called out your vanity and selfish ways.  When tempted by the devil with sinking feelings, know he overcame your temptation before the devil.  Know, when the Holy Spirit allows a sense of death, in that sinking feeling, he is leading you from death to life in Jesus Christ!

Whatever it is, causing that sinking feeling of death, fall into the arms of Jesus.  Let Jesus carry you to the cross.  He is the only one who can carry us through death and into life as it should be. 

When that sinking feeling is forced upon you, at the moment you realise your good and evil is incapacitated by death, let Jesus Christ love you with his flint-like face!  Let his good over evil be your only good!  Let your death be his death!  Let his victory be your victory! Amen.

C, Christmas Day - The Birth of our Lord - Isaiah 9:2-7 "The Paradox of God"

Isaiah 9:2–7 (ESV) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.  For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

A paradox is a contradiction that is true.  A paradox may seem absurd or silly but beneath the contradiction of terms, a paradox is real and very functional.  Because of the inconsistency, a paradox is cloaked in mystery and it either captures one’s intrigue or it is outrightly rejected as nonsense.

Biblical examples of paradox are —

FINDING and LOSING – Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  (Matthew 10:39 ESV)

LIVING and DYING – Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  (John 12:24 ESV)

GAINING and LOSING – But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ… (Philippians 3:7–8 ESV)

FREEDOM and SLAVERY – …and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.  (Romans 6:18 ESV)

RECEIVING and GIVING – …remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”(Acts 20:35b ESV)

STRENGTH and WEAKNESS – For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV)

EXALTATION and HUMILITY – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.  (James 4:10 ESV)

On the other hand, our generation is teaching the next generation three things that seem good and wholesome but are actually very damaging to our ability to cope and survive in the world.

First, instead of being taught, “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.  What is being taught is, “damage is permanent, and it doesn’t make one stronger”.  By wrapping ourselves and those we love in cotton wool, we are becoming less resilient and durable, mentally, physically, and socially. 

The cliché, “if you don’t use it, you lose it” is especially true of our bones and muscles, and if your immune system is not bashed around and tested it becomes less protected.  That is why getting sick or being immunised against sickness with a safely treated dose of the sickness are two ways of becoming immune against the sickness.

The second damaging truth we are taught is to trust our feelings.  When we do this, we end up trusting our perception of the world and not the reality of the world.  This happens on two levels.  Either, humanly, as a psychological reality, or spiritually, as God sees the world and us.  The more humanity trusts its feelings the more depressed it becomes!  The doctrine to trust one’s feelings is damaging us, and mental health illnesses are skyrocketing, for Christians and non-Christians alike!

The third thing we are taught as truth that isn’t, is there are good people and bad people.  Psychologists, and Christians living under the theology of the cross, agree this is wrong, but for different reasons.  Unbelieving psychologists say we evolved as tribal people to compete for survival, and in a positive way we are drawn to competition in things like sport and fun activities, but negatively humanity seeks to dominate and exterminate those they deem inferior, or unevolved and sub-human.

Unfortunately, the church has been very damaging on furthering “the good people, bad people” myth too.  Either we are indoctrinated with the absurdity that I am good, and they are bad.  Or, I am bad, and they are good.  Or even a third unreality that we are all good. 

The problem here is, “who decides on what the benchmark is for what is good and what is bad?”  The reality of God is he created humanity for holiness, but we all have chosen evil instead.  At the heart of the matter, this evil occurs when we dictate what is good and what is bad, instead of God!

Jesus was born into our “good people, bad people, strength and feelings obsessed” so-called reality!  He gave up his divinity and became enfleshed in the mess of human confusion and chaos.  Jesus Christ is the Paradox of God sent to show what humanity trusts, what you and I trust, to be far from healthy.  He is the goodness and holiness of God born to mop up the mess of our badness and evil that causes death.

Jesus was sent by God to be the way, the truth, and the life for humanity.  For Jesus’ birth and life to make any sense in our lives, his life must be held together with his death, so we can have hope, peace, joy, and to know and receive love, in our life and death. The paradox of God takes death and through Jesus’ death gives believers life.

The church and those who hold onto the teaching of the cross, hold onto the Paradox of God. 

The weakness of the manger used to hold a baby who is God Almighty and the prince of peace. 

The Author of Life is born as the written Word of God in flesh. 

In the darkness of night and before the impossibility of the Shepherds to have an audience with God, God’s heavenly choir sings glory to God in the highest on earth peace amongst those with whom he is please.  And the Shepherds witness the Lamb of God, who would take away the sin of the world, and rise to be the Shepherd of Humanity.

Jesus is the Paradox of God!  And he is the paradoxical God who was born for you!  He was born for those whose way has been twisted by the ways of the world.  His truth is the only truth that’s victorious over the reality of death.  And his life of perfection, is the life of holiness in which you are called to clothe yourself, to cover your sinful nature and the sinful things you do.   

In Isaiah chapter nine we hear, “For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.”  (Isaiah 9:4 ESV)  And yet the yoke of burden was broken by him bearing the yoke of the cross.  Our yoke of burden was broken by him taking our yoke upon himself.

Even the reference to Midian is a reference to paradox.  Gideon who saw himself as weak but through the Lord was a great judge of Israel.  He was a man of doubt testing God not just once but twice through putting out a fleece for God to cover with due when there was not due on the ground and then the next evening to keep it dry when the night air was thick with due.  And Gideon was the Judge who overcame Midian, when God reduced the power of his army to three hundred men who overcame them with trumpets and smashing clay jars.

The throne of David has long ended, the temple in Jerusalem was torn down in 70 AD.  But in this child God is with us, the whole divinity of God dwells and temples in us.  God wins through the Christ child! 

Hear Isaiah’s “victory of God” prophecy, in this child who is Mighty God, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”  (Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV)

Let Jesus Christ, of the manger and the cross, continue winning for you, making you his holy saints, confessing sinners, forgiven humans, being covered with the robes of Jesus righteousness, in his eternal winning kingdom forevermore. 

Let the zeal of God do this for you!  Amen.