11th Sunday after Trinity – sermon 306

• 11^th Sunday after Trinity
• 6.30 pm Iona Service
• 1^st September 2019

Prayer to Start

May the words of my lips and the thoughts of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ.  AMEN

Introduction

A bride to be who was extremely nervous – went to see the vicar in order to find some re-assurance

She tried to calm her fears by telling her that there is only three things she needs to remember –

First – she said you need to remember the Aisle – because the service begins as you walk down it –

Then you need to remember the Altar as I shall lead you to it for your wedding prayers –

And thirdly you need to remember the Hymn – because during that we will go to sign the register

The girl was very relieved and went home feeling much happier –

But imagine how the bridegroom felt – on their wedding day – when he heard his bride coming towards him muttering under her breath –

‘Aisle’, Altar’, ‘Hymn’; ‘Aisle’, Altar’, ‘Hymn.’

At Weddings people are nervous – not just the Bride and Groom – its an important day for the couple – and for those involved – and many realise this and put a brave face on things – knowing that afterwards things are going to be very different afterwards –

Point 1        John the Baptist and Jesus

That’s the image that John the Baptist draws on when he speaks cheerfully to his followers about the success that Jesus and his disciples are having in baptizing people –

John’s followers seem to be assuming that he was jealous –

No one knew at this stage – of course – that John would soon be put in prison by Herod – and that he would lose his life not long after –

His followers – were expecting things to go on and on – and must have been concerned that someone who had been part of things – was now setting up an independent effort – and was now doing better than they were –

But John’s response was not only that it doesn’t matter – but that it has to be this way –

‘I am not the Messiah’ says John, ‘I have been sent as His forerunner’ – ‘It is the bridegroom who marries the bride’. 

The picture of the bridegroom and the bride – John uses to describe Jesus comes from an Old Testament tradition that YHWH – Israel’s God – would betroth Israel to himself – and the coming Messiah would be the one who would come and make Israel his bride –

Jesus – is the one who is carrying on God’s purposes – John has done what he had to do – and like the best man at the wedding – he has no intention of stealing the bride – at the last minute

 ‘The bridegroom’s friend, who stands by and listens to Him, is overjoyed at hearing the Bridegroom’s voice.  This is my joy and now it is complete.’

The coming of the Messiah is something that Israel has been promised and something the people of God have been waiting for, for hundreds if not thousands of years. 

As our OT reading from Isaiah reminds us – God promises to come near and deliver – there will be a future for the faithful – a future King of Zion – who will judge and save.  He will come in authority and power –

‘Your eyes will see a king in splendour and look on a land stretching into the distance’ – the land and the people will be transformed – the people will live in safety and security –

The joy that John the Baptist felt as the friend of the bridegroom was the joy in knowing Him and knowing that God’s promise of sending the Messiah has finally been fulfilled –

‘He who comes from above is above all others; he who is from the earth belongs to the earth and uses earthly speech. He who comes from heaven bears witness to what He has seen and heard, even though no one accepts His witness.”

John knew Jesus was divine.

We too – like John – can rejoice in the coming of the Bridegroom – the coming of the Kingdom of God – available to us through His only Son Jesus Christ – sent by God to show us His love and to bring us close to Him – to show us how to live –  

Through God’s gift of grace we are set free and like John can partake in the Joy of leaving all that weighs us down behind – our pride, our agendas, our need to control, our craving for attention. We too, like John, can rejoice in the coming of the God’s gift from heaven.

‘To accept His witness is to affirm that God speaks the truth – for He whom God sent utters the word of God; so measureless is God’s gift of the Spirit’ – ‘whoever puts His faith in the Son has eternal life.’

Point 2         ‘He must grow, I must become less’

‘He must grow, I must become less’

These words were to indicate to his followers that they too must find a place for Jesus in their hearts. 

What counts is not to compare ourselves with others – to see if our status is higher or lower than theirs – but simply to follow Jesus –

We all need to make a place in our Hearts for Jesus – ‘He must grow within us – we must become less’ –

We come before Jesus as sinners failing to live up to God’s standard – but Jesus can heal all that – if we let Him in –

Jesus came to live amongst us – to show us how to live a new life and freedom in Him –

He came to die on the cross – so that our sins can be forgiven – so that we can turn back to God and begin again –  Jesus defeated death – and through His resurrection to the Father  – enables us – to receive everlasting life with the Father too – His death and resurrection is all we need for salvation.  

Jesus was broken on the cross – and then raised and made whole again by God – we too must be broken – so that we can be made whole again – by God.

Its only when we see the brokenness within us – that we will come to the end of our self-sufficiency – and allow Jesus to truly come into our hearts and share His perfection with us –

God has given us a great example in Jesus Christ – 

And through Jesus – has built a kingdom – that cannot be shaken – because of Jesus – our future is secure – because of Jesus – our fears are taken away – we have a great – stability and security – that is only available through Him.

point 3        What does it mean for us?

Listen to this poem:

You may ask why I follow Jesus 
Why I love Him the way I do? 
When the world turns away from His teachings 
And the people who serve Him are few.

It’s not the rewards I’m after 
Or gifts that I hope to receive 
It’s the Presence that calls for commitment 
It’s the Spirit I trust and believe.

The Lord doesn’t shelter His faithful 
Or spare them all suffering and pain, 
Like everyone else I have burdens, 
And walk through my share of rain.

Yet He gives me a plan and a purpose, 
And that joy only Christians have known, 
I never know what comes tomorrow, 
But I do know I’m never alone.

His love is there when you need it; 
His words that redeem and inspire, 
The longing to ever be with Him 
That burns in my heart like a fire.

Ending

Jesus offers us love, peace, forgiveness and hope.  The only cost is faith, that we believe and trust and follow in His ways

He is everything for everybody everywhere

every time, and every way

We have no need to be nervous before Him – but full of thankfulness and Joy – and perhaps filled with wonder – that Jesus would love someone like us.

AMEN