Lent 3 (Luke 13.1-9)

         Some weeks are easier than others, isn't that the truth across all of humanity! In preacher-land, some weeks of the lectionary are easier than others. Some weeks you can read and pray and read and pray and really struggle to come up with anything; some weeks - like this week - there's a plethora of options.

         So I've chosen one area on which to focus. It won't be on food, physical or spiritual, like Isaiah is referencing. It won't be on the serpents in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. I'm even going to skip over the whole "sexual immorality" and "defiled blood sacrifices" sections. I think we'll all heave a sigh of relief there!

         No, this morning I'm going to focus my sermon on the parable of the fig tree. Yes, friends, today's sermon is about manure. Please note: I just said the topic is ABOUT manure, not that the sermon IS manure. So let's talk about the fig tree.

         Now, as with many fruit trees, they aren't necessarily going to produce fruit the first year - and even after a little time, the first fruit they do produce may be a bit - well, not the finest crop, shall we say. But they are worth it.

         Fruit trees take time. If you're looking for a quick easy fast-growing plant for your garden, a soft-fruit tree just isn't it. This is not the plant for instant gratification.

         Rather, a tree is a sign of patience and endurance. Martin Luther wrote "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." He wasn't being naive or unrealistic; he was encouraging people to look at the bigger picture. Tomorrow may be bad, but consider tomorrow's tomorrow - and next month - and 20 years from now. We plant trees to benefit the future generations.

         Trees are also a sign of hope and of trust. We expect that the future will not just enjoy but also need the shade of a tree, and the fruit of a tree, just like we do now. And we recognise that the benefits of trees that we enjoy are there because a number of years ago, somebody else has planted the trees for us.

         Yes, fruit trees can be great inter-generational experiences. Fig trees are no exception. Apparently they take a good 4-5 years of good growth before they start to bear fruit. And the gardener knows that - it's not by accident that he asks for 'just one more year' of patience on the part of the landowner.

         Figs take time. They take maintenance. They take attention. They need to be looked after, provided for, nourished along the way.

         And that brings us to the next point: the gardener. I don't think he's asking for patience just for the tree, but also for himself.

         It would seem, based on the brief passage that we have here, that the gardener has maybe been a little lax in his duties. He perhaps has not been providing the basic care for the tree that he really ought to have been - why else would he need - just now - to dig around the tree and put manure on it?

         If a tree is being properly cared for, it has regular care. It's aerated so the roots can deepen and really take hold. It's fertilised, nourished, and then can flourish. But when a tree is NOT properly cared for - well, it's just there, unproductive, taking up space and leeching the few nutrients from the sandy soil.

         While fruit trees tend to be low-maintenance, they aren't no-maintenance. Especially in their early years, they can't be ignored and 'hope for the best'. They do need the best soil, and the manure. It's work, to be sure, but it's essential. And - let's be honest - it's manure. Messy. Smelly. Unpleasant. If I could get out of working with it, like the gardener has done, I probably would too.

         Yet here it is - the landowner is there, the tree is unproductive, the gardener is not happy. Time to get his hands dirty.

         So why is Jesus talking about this? Why am I preaching on it? Well, Jesus wasn't really talking about a tree. He was using this example to get people to think about their own lives. And it's a mental exercise we're still challenged to undertake today.

         So: are we the fig trees? Or are we the gardeners? I think we're both.

         Let's talk about the tree first. Ourselves: our spiritual journeys, our ministries: they're kind of like trees. They take time to develop. They may not produce results immediately. It may take a few tries - or fruitings - before our lives and spiritual journeys and ministries start producing the good stuff that we want to share.

         Our ministries are a sign of patience - with ourselves and our efforts. We do them for the benefit of others, too, not just for ourselves.

         But - like the tree, we need to be nurtured. We need to be well-rooted in a good and suitable place. We need to be have the ground around us tended to, dug up to ensure we don't get so stuck that we feel our roots suffocating. Dug up to ensure we aren't getting drowned below the surface even if things look good on top. We need to have fresh nourishment provided for us, even if it may appear unappealing at first glance. We need to be given the fuel we need for survival and growth.

         Otherwise, our spiritual journey and our ministries will be as stagnant as the fig tree. Just there -existing, not living. Taking up space, not thriving. And let's be honest - none of us wants that.

         Now, admittedly, change and growth can be awkward and even painful. Sometimes it can be more attractive, in the short term, to just stay put. But if we really think about it, no one wants to have a stagnant spiritual life; no one wants their ministry to be stunted. We do want our lives to bear fruit - so a little digging and manure sometimes has to happen - and after it does, wow the blossoming we all see - for generations to come.

         Let's talk about the gardener now. I think sometimes we're that person, too. Satisfied with the status quo, putting the least amount of effort in that we have to, avoiding the messiness of our spiritual journey and ministry because - well, it's manure.

         Let's be the gardener as we meet him in the story, though. He's now in the moment where he needs to change his ways, and move away from the status quo. He can no longer ignore the tree that has been put in his care, or think that the bare minimum will suffice. So too we can choose to fully engage the ministry opportunities that are sitting right in front of us. We are encouraged to do the dirty work, the hard work, the beneficial work. We can look at our past and give thanks for what was, and we can embrace our future and commit to the possibilities, for our own benefit, and for the benefit of our children's children.

         And here's the last message I want for you to think about today. When thinking about your life, your journey, your ministries: remember that it's never too late. It's not too late to grow, it's not too late to flourish, it's not too late to nourish and support. It's a time of patience being expressed, but also of encouragement to do the work. If we never start the work, if we never engage in the ministry, if we defend the potential growth and get our hands dirty to start it, then the future can't possibly benefit. So we have the choice - as individuals, as community, as the whole church of God.

         Let us benefit from the patience that is extended to us, let us be willing to take the risk, let us do the work of nourishing growth and development. We're invited to participate in the tending of God's kingdom. A difficult task, but a worthy one.

Lent 2 and Baptism;

         Our readings today certainly give us something to think about, don't they! If we were to simply take them at face value, then we might miss the richness and the message - that common thread - that ties them together. And they do connect, in a positive, healthy, unexpected way.

         Let's first consider the reading from Genesis. First glance: Even Abram admits depression. Things aren't going his way. The plan for his family - well, as with most families, isn't exactly going as he wanted.

         Yet God intervenes, and reminds him that with trust and faith, there will be a family connection. The message of hope is in God's promise near the end of the section - all this land will go to your heirs!

         Well, if God is going to promise you family, you're going to have family. It may not be how you expect, but it will be there.
         And delightfully, we know how that one worked out for Abram - whom we still consider to be our common ancestor in the faith.

         The psalm does the same type of thing for us. No matter how bad it gets in this life, God is with us. No matter how isolated we may feel in this life, God is with us. No matter if our earthly family rejects and denies us - God is with us, and God has invited us to be a part of His family.

         Again, this is good news, once we can shift our shock at the earthly situation - which sounds bleak - onto the promises of being part of a larger and spiritual family.  Wait for the Lord!, the psalmist writes - it will be worth it. Indeed!

         Next we read from part of a letter from Paul. Paul's big on the family theme, continually reminding other Christ-followers that they are not just strangers, or neighbours, but that they are family. Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. Adopted into God's family; grafted into the heavenly grace that this life cannot even begin to imagine.

         And in the letter we read today, to the church at Philippi, Paul really focuses on the importance of the spiritual family, with the focus on ignoring the temptations of this earthly life.

         Our citizenship is in heaven! Paul tells the church. It's a bond that is stronger than any geopolitical boundaries. It's not like anyone can revoke our passports to the heavenly kingdom; once we're in the family, named and claimed through our baptism, we celebrate that. It's a great gift and there's also responsibility attached to it. As heaven's citizens, we're called to remember our baptismal vows, and to do our best to live them. Every day. Every. Single Day. of our lives.

         It's not easy, but that's why when we make those vows, and every time we renew those vows - like we get to do today with little xoxox!  - we do so not assured that we'll instantly get it all right, but that "With God's Help" - and with the help of our fellow brothers and sisters - we will keep trying.

         Then, of course, we have this beautiful reading from Luke's Gospel. Herod wants to kill you. The city where prophets are killed and visitors are stoned. The first perception is not really the GOOD NEWS we might be hoping for. Yet, the first glance is again of the earthly, the temporal, the negative. But if we're willing to re-consider, and look deeper, there is good news to be found. There is a message, a promise, of the heavenly, the timeless, the true JOY in Christ.

         Jesus refuses to stop doing good, his healings and teachings, even though the human laws would restrict him. He knows that these things are more important, that helping one another is always the right thing to do.

         He addresses the hardships of this world - the worst that humanity can do to one another - yet admits that despite those negative stories, he still wants to collect the children of this world to be part of his family - even when we resist - just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. Who wouldn't want to be cared for in such a manner?

         And this whole conversation starts with good news, with unexpected news - that help for God's people can come from the most unlikely places - in this case, the Pharisees (those strictly religious folks who, as a whole, were generally very negative towards Jesus) - it's some Pharisees that come to warn Jesus that his earthly life is being threatened. It's actually shocking that this all happens -

         Yet, there it is, our lesson for today:

Family matters - very much so - as we help one another in this earthly realm.

Family matters when we become part of the household of God, and delight in being part of a holy family that is bigger than we can ask or imagine.

Family matters - because it allows us to keep our focus on the opportunities of this life and the promises of the next.

         And so I invite us now to share in the joy and celebration as we formally welcome xoxox into the family of God.

Lent 1 Sermon; Luke 4.1-13

            This past Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, we acknowledged the beginning of Lent. The service reminds us that as we journey toward Easter, we speak of the “frailty and uncertainty” of our lives, and mark “the penitence of the community as a whole.” We are then invited to “observe a Holy Lent by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and by reading and meditating on the word of God.”

            The season of Lent is traditionally a time of giving something up – something that has unique and substantial meaning to us as individuals. For some people Lent is a time to focus on giving up bad habits, such as smoking or sweets, for others is it a time to focus on taking on new good habits, such as increased self-care or a new prayer routine. Whatever our Lenten journey is, it is a journey that will change us, ideally, to be more closely in tune with ourselves and with God. It is a time of test and temptation, a time where we recognise our own weaknesses, and lean on others, especially God, for support.

            And why do we need this support? To resist temptation. To deny ourselves that piece of cake, to avoid hitting the snooze button instead of getting up early for morning prayer. To do our humanly best to observe this season as holy. And yet we find ways to justify our actions when we succumb to temptation. We might justify that piece of cake if we went to the gym. We might skip prayer, believing that it’s more important for us to get those extra 10 minutes of sleep, or promising ourselves that we’ll do evening prayer tonight instead. It’s the temptation, especially when we’re at our spiritual weak point, that is our downfall.

            Temptation is defined as “a cause or enticement, often toward evil.” And what better example of this can we find but in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus is going through a time of self-denial. He’s alone in the wilderness, taking time away from the tasks of everyday life to focus on a spiritual journey of prayer, meditation, self-care. He’s fasting, so he is physically weak. And, right on cue, in walks temptation. In the physical form of the Devil. With fantastic promises.

            The devil knows that Jesus is hungry, so he tempts him to eat. He appeals to the basic physical need for food, challenging Jesus to turn a stone into a loaf of bread. He likely taunted him, saying things like: ‘It’s exactly what you want. No one is watching, no one will know you’ve done it. It will do your body good – you need the nourishment; it’s hot out here in the desert. Prove to me that you are the Son of God by performing this tiny, easy miracle.’ And yet Jesus refuses to do this simple task.

            And so the devil tries a different strategy, pitching temptation to the power agenda, promising the authority in all the kingdoms in the world. ‘Come on, Jesus, you know you want everyone to worship Your Father through you, I can make that happen with the authority you seek. I will give you the glory and authority of all those people – just one tiny detail, you have to worship me – then I will give you all of this, and more.’ And again Jesus refuses.

            So the devil tries a third strategy, this time using Scripture as a test, taking Jesus to a challenging location and taunting him to use his supernatural connections – God’s angels – to get him out of the place unharmed. ‘Okay then, Jesus, if you’re as amazing as you think you are, then use the assets given you by your Father and fulfill the Holy Writings. If you don’t, you’re just a guy that says some good stuff, and I am proving that I am better than you are.’ And Jesus again refuses.

            The Devil at this point realises that he has been beaten, and so he leaves Jesus for the time being. He recognises that Jesus is not just defying the challenges and refusing his ego, but that Jesus has the strength to follow the scriptures. Jesus uses the scriptures, the Holy Word of God, as the force which grants him authority over the Devil. He doesn’t get into a debate on semantics, he doesn’t engage with the devil about what he personally would prefer. He returns completely to the written word.

            He quotes: “One does not live by bread alone” thereby denying his own immediate hunger for the greater good of the whole world. He quotes “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him” and challenges the Devils claim to having authority over the nations. He quotes “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” to make sure that the Devil knows exactly who he is trying to tempt, and that Jesus will not fail.

            Jesus is also pointing out to the Devil that he knows that the promises made are, quite simply, too good to be true. The Devil has promised the world for the taking – physical needs, authority, and proof of Divinity – but Jesus knows deep down that even if he wanted to, the Devil could not deliver on these promises. The test of turning a stone to bread is a childish test to determine if Jesus can be easily led astray – and the Devil fails. The offer to give the authority of all the kingdoms is, realistically, false advertising. The Devil fails here because Jesus knows that he is lying, and does not believe such vile tricks. In challenging Jesus to prove his divinity at the threat of personal danger, the Devil fails because Jesus knows that he is a Spiritual Being having a Human experience, and that the soul is stronger than the flesh.

            Jesus knows that the Devil will use whatever means necessary to trick Him away from his spiritual journey, and he does not allow that to happen. As we are on our own spiritual journey this Lent, we too must recognise that we will be tempted as well. We will be tempted, at our weakest moments, to choose our personal preferences over the larger spiritual goal. We will be tempted by untruths that seem, on the surface, to be meeting our spiritual goals, but we will know deep down that the promise is too good to be true, and thus recognise that it isn’t true. We will be tempted to prefer physical comforts over spiritual growth. May we be as eloquent as Jesus when we rebuke the Devil and refuse these temptations.

            We know – as Jesus did – that the Devil will use whatever tools He can find to try and pull us away from our Lenten journey. Just as our Lenten fast is private and unique to each of us, so will the temptations we face be ‘tailor-made’ to challenge us the most. As the letter of James says, "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire."

            The Lenten fast is unique, as the temptation will be unique. So too, then, by observing a holy Lent, our victory, like that of Christ, will be when we remain firm to our faith and strong to our practices, and thus – like Jesus – cast aside the Devil and his pathetic attempts to separate us from the love and joy of God.

            As we enter the first full week of this journey, may our prayer again be for strength, perseverance and faith as we walk this path.

Transfiguration Sermon (Luke 9.28-36)

            I’m willing to bet that each of us has had at least one perfect moment, where we just knew that life could not get any better. These moments are so amazing, in fact that we can't even find the words to fully describe them. But we do try to hold on to those moments, because we know that this perfection is now so much a part of our lives, that it will have a positive impact on everything else we will ever do – because it is, for us, that moment when we feel closest to our creator, and as a result we have been changed.

            Throughout history, the world has shared a number of collectively 'perfect' moments. These “flashbulb” moments, for those of us who still remember flashbulbs! are those times when time seems to stand in awe. In our collective history, we've seen the first view of earth from space, the first moon landing, the mapping of the human genome, the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, - the list goes on.

            Individually, I invite you to take a few seconds to think about your own perfect moment or moments. Whatever it is that made your heart swell in the instant of being fully human - a wedding, a birth, a vestry meeting? – think about that moment of greatness, when everything all culminates in that high point. That second of perfection – and this is the time that we try to keep forever. This is why we have photographs and videos, mementos and souvenirs. We want to hold onto that moment, to relive it, to keep ourselves blanketed in that bliss forever.

            This is exactly what’s happening with the disciples in this morning’s gospel. Peter and John and James are going out with Jesus to pray. This is not unusual. But today's passage does start almost in the middle of the story. The gospel starts with “Now about eight days after these sayings…” Reading back a bit, Jesus has just foretold his death and resurrection. The disciples were probably thinking that they had no idea what to expect from Jesus. Their friend, teacher, companion – has told them that he will die, and come back to life; this means that he is not merely A teacher, or A prophet, but the Messiah. Weird. Unheard of. Impossible. I imagine the disciples are thinking Jesus is longer overdue for some time away for prayerful R&R! Maybe he’s embellishing his gifts and skills. Maybe there's another logical explanation. But to die and come back to life? What crazy talk!

            So for a few days, nothing abnormal happens; things seem to be calming down again. The disciples must be feeling a bit better about how things are going; no more random talk of death and new life, just teachings and healings and now some quiet prayer time. How lovely – just the way things used to be.

            And then – suddenly and unexpectedly – the disciples see Jesus in a new way – during his prayer, Jesus' face is glowing, and his clothes a dazzling white! As though the very presence of light was coming from within him. Miraculous. Overwhelmingly so! Perhaps the disciples are looking at each other as if to say "Are YOU seeking this TOO?!" And then, even more shocking, Jesus is with two other people, who are also unnaturally glowing and glorious.

            It doesn’t take too long for Peter to recognise these men as Moses and Elijah; they were the heroes of the day. Great people of history and story, main characters when people shared examples of God's love and favour, of how their lives were changed because of their great faith, and of the wondrous things that were accomplished by them, and how they prove the greatness of God active in the world. Moses and Elijah! Standing there, with Jesus! What a perfect moment.

            So, naturally, all Peter wants is to keep that moment alive – to hold it firm, to maintain it. This may be one of the perfect moments of his life. And so, trying to offer hospitality and act appropriately, he suggests that three dwellings be made. These cultural and historical heroes need a roof over their heads! Peter is excited, he is overcome with emotion, and he is savouring the moment. So blurts out the idea, with the best of intentions, though not really knowing what he said.

            Obviously, the moment cannot last, as no 'perfect moment' can last. Reflecting on it, building homes for Moses and Elijah is not really going to work, as they are not of this world; and Jesus will soon be dead and raised, so a house is not the most important thing he needs. Peter must have known that at some deep level. So I hear God’s response to Peter not as a rebuke but a gentle reminder of what is really important in this scenario – Jesus’ words. God speaks to Peter with infinite patience, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” And then - ah-ha, flashbulb - Peter understands.

            And we too are invited to understand. God’s message is to live in the here and the now. We must not get caught up trying to hold too tightly to the past, or we will miss the opportunities of the right now and of the future. If we get tied down to how things used to be, then we can become stagnant, stuck, incapable of moving forward.

            Jesus’ transfiguration was a perfect moment, but it was not his only moment. It was the moment when the disciples saw him in a very different way – and that influenced their actions for the rest of His – and their - lives. It offered them a new perspective on how to be present in the present.

            While Jesus’ transfiguration changed his physical appearance for a short time, but the entirety of the disciples’ lives and ministries was changed. They took that perfect moment, remembered it, and had their entire lives changed as a result.

            The disciples come down the mountaintop with a new wisdom; a new way to embrace the world having been changed by that perfect moment with God. So I invite you again to consider your own perfect moment: the joy, the bliss, the sense of wanting to stay in the moment forever. I encourage you to carry with you into the present and future the joy of that moment, and to always be aware of how your perspectives, your lives, your ministries have been changed as a result. God gave you that perfect moment, that miracle, so that you too could see your personal closeness to God, and to use that closeness to be a gift to the world around you.

            So be astounded at the greatness of God in your life. Take the blessing of that moment and celebrate it in this moment. See it as the dazzling light of Christ, ever-present, just waiting to be seen. Live life constantly loopking for those moments of perfect love and bliss that ARE being with God, knowing (as Peter did) that it is always good to be here.