9th Sunday after Trinity – Sermon 303
- 9th Sunday after Trinity
- 6.30 pm CW
- 18th August 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
“Almighty God who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church,
Open our Hearts to the riches of your Grace,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace,
through Jesus Christ your Son or Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen”
Words from our Collect for today, which you will hear again a little later.
A prayer asking us to respond to God in such a way that brings forth the fruits of the Spirit in ourselves and in others
But listening and responding to God’s Word can be challenging.
In our readings this evening we have two different situations two different responses – and outcomes – to a request to respond to God’s Grace.
Point1 Isaiah and the people of Israel
Isaiah had been sent – by God to prophesy to Israel – and to tell them of their sins and their disobedience towards Him – Isaiah’s mission was to encourage them to change their ways –
They had become intoxicated – not only with alcohol but with wealth and power
He had already told them – of God’s plan to send a Saviour – who will deliver them out of the hands of their enemies
But the priests and prophets wouldn’t listen to him – and believed that they were being treated as if they were ‘babes newly weaned’ – from milk.
Instead of trusting in God’s way forward – they boasted of a treaty they had made – (which was thought to be with the Egyptians)– and which they believed would save them – from destruction –
Isaiah however described it as a covenant with death.
They rejected God’s message – and both the kingdoms of ‘Ephraim’ and ‘Judah’ received strong pronouncements of woe from Isaiah –
The leaders had placed their trust in their own rescue plan – rather than the rescue plan prepared by God –
Isaiah warned Israel that God will punish them – if they disobeyed Him – that He will bring a strong and mighty agent – the Assyrian army – to invade and pilfer the land – and sweep away their lies and deceit –
And because they wouldn’t listen – the remnant of Israel – would be sent into captivity – and this invasion – by a foreign Army – will become a sign of God’s judgement upon them – and as we know from our Bibles – that’s exactly what happened.
We all have a choice – and a challenge – when we consider our own response to God’s Word. Do we listen to His voice or shut our ears to His leading and guidance? Do we go to the One Who says ‘come to Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest? – or do we choose to go our own way”.
In Isaiah’s time Israel chose their own way – and they suffered significant hardships and isolation – as a result –
Fast forward now to Paul’s time where we have a much different response –
Point 2 The Macedonian Church Generosity
Paul had been travelling through Macedonia and was on his way to Jerusalem –
Having just met Titus who gave him the good news about the progress of the Corinthian Church – he sent these words in order to encourage them further.
The Jerusalem Church had gone through bitter persecution and was now destitute – and in desperate need of assistance and what
Paul was trying to do was make sure that by the time he arrives in Corinth – the Church will have put side – the full amount of money they were going to contribute to the Jerusalem Church –
Paul was ‘walking on egg shells’ – because he wanted the Corinthian Church to share in the great project he has in hand: to demonstrate to the Gentile Churches that they are part of the same family as the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem – and to convince the Jewish Christians that these uncircumcised Gentiles who have come to believe in Jesus Christ – are also fellow members in God’s renewed Church – and should be welcomed –
Paul tells the Corinthian Church what has happened in Macedonia – and what God is doing in the life of the Church and congregation there –
How His grace has transformed their approach to things – that ‘their giving surpassed expectations’ –that – they gave up to – and beyond their ability’ –
Paul says they didn’t do just what we hoped – but more than that – ‘for first of all they gave themselves – to the Lord – and under God – to us’
Paul phrases their giving in terms of ‘Grace’.
Often when we talk of ‘Grace’ we think about the undeserved love and power that God showers on us – in bringing us and others to faith – enabling us to live and grow as Christians –
But here Paul uses the word in a different way – not just what God wants to do for us – but what God wants to do through us – in other words – Paul says that God has made this high level of giving happen through the Grace He has instilled in the Macedonian Church –
Because of the Grace given to them by God – they have given to others with almost unbelievable generosity –
Paul knew that most of the people weren’t well off – that they had suffered serious persecution – and were desperately poor – that the amount of money coming in was way beyond what most of them could afford –
And so he says to the Corinthian Church – don’t you want this grace as well? – don’t you want to receive from God – what the Churches in Macedonia have received?
The Corinthian Church was proud of what it had achieved so far – of its accomplishments in expanding and proclaiming the word of God – but Paul says to them – why not have this as well? Why not allow God’s work of grace to fulfil in you what He fulfilled in the Macedonian Church – why not allow God to work through you – to show others what His Grace can achieve – to show others what His Grace is all about – God’s Grace and love can achieve so much more if we allow it to take first place – and become the driving force in our lives –
Point 3 What it means for us
The Grace of giving is something wonderful – spontaneous – genuine and sincere – especially when it comes from God and when others receive that same Grace through us –
To be effective disciples and to grow in faith we need to recognize that our security lies with Jesus and use our resources – in the service of Christ – rather than for ourselves –
Jesus suffered and died a terrible death on the cross – for our sakes –
He made Himself poor – by becoming human – and a servant for all – so that we became rich – rich in His love and peace
So when we follow Him and put our resources at His disposal – we – the Church and the world will benefit – not in terms of the money – but because Jesus’ pattern of dying and rising – of riches to poverty to riches is acted out – again and again – in people – in life – and the power of the Gospel is let loose in the world – afresh yielding amazing results –
God provides the manna the bread from heaven – for us to eat – there is enough for everyone – we are encouraged to be generous both on the grace of the Lord Jesus and the purpose and love of God – to ensure that all His people do not go hungry – on their journey home to Him –
Ending
Our special prayer for today and our readings are therefore a reminder that God and His love can make a real difference in our lives and the lives of those around us – we just have to trust Him and put His love and Grace into practice above everything else.
There can be no greater prayer that we can offer for ourselves and for others than that.
Closing prayer
AMEN