SHAP.

Christ the King – November 26^th, 2023

St Michael’s Vaucluse.

Erasmus of Rotterdam the famous Dutch Renaissance scholar of the early 16^th century, once told a classic fictional story – that was designed to emphasize the priority of engaging in Jesus’ ministry with zeal, focus, and determination. 

In the story, in this work of fiction, the risen Christ, our Lord and King, returns to Heaven after his time on earth. 

The angels gather around him to learn of all that happened during his days on earth. 

Jesus tells them of the miracles, his teachings, his humiliation and suffering, his sin-bearing death on the cross, his resurrection, and his ascension to his Father’s side as Lord and Sovereign.

When he finishes, Michael the Archangel asks Jesus, “But Lord, what happens now?”.

Jesus answers – according to Erasmus’ fictional story, “Well, I have left behind eleven disciples, and a handful of women and men who have faithfully followed me; they will declare my message, and they will express my love. It is these faithful people who will build my church.” 

“But Lord” responds Michael, “what if these people fail? What then is your other plan?” 

And Jesus answers, “…I have no other plan!”

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And that, dear friends, brings us to our Epistle reading set down for today – just one long sentence in the original Greek text – Ephesians 1:15-23…where St. Paul speaks to Jesus’ ‘plan’ (as it were), as it unfolded in the lives of people living in first century Asia Minor – Ephesus, in modern Turkey.

From the text, I want to suggest three reasons why ‘failure’ has been mitigated – and why the church of God continues to thrive and grow.

The first is prayer.

St. Paul tells his friends in Ephesus that he has not stopped giving thanks to God, in prayer, for their faith in Jesus and for their love of God’s people. 

And rightly so. 

A miracle has taken place, you see. 

Jesus himself told St. Paul (in Acts 26:18) that through his (St. Paul’s) preaching, Jesus would (and I quote), ‘open people’s eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are made holy (sanctified) by faith in him (in Jesus)’ – end quote.

That is why Paul is caught up in praise-filled prayer.

He is overflowing with gratitude for God’s mercy and grace.

This Jesus can be trusted.

You’ll recall Jesus’ promise to his friends regarding prayer,

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks.⁹ “- Matthew 7:7-8.

So, Paul then prays that God-in-Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – verse 17) will deepen, and broaden, and mature their understanding of God’s character; that their relationship with him will flourish (v. 17), and that they will know (verse 18) the hope of final salvation, and the glory of the eternity which is theirs as God’s holy people (verse 18).

Thanksgiving and petition is what is on view here.

Paul thanks the Lord for these precious people – and asks God to grow them in their knowledge of his bounty and love.

And as my time as rector in this place comes to an end, I do want to commend you, dear friends, for your prayers and petitions for one another and for the wider church – by way of in-service liturgy and public intercessions ; the Tuesday Zoom prayer meeting; the pew sheet with its daily prayer notes that many of you take home and use; the texts and written prayers via email that you send one another; your prayers over the telephone; your participation in the Prayer for Healing service; your using the BCA, CMS, MAF, prayer notes; your sharing in Taize prayer; praying together in Bible studies and small groups; your response to parish-wide calls to prayer; and of course your own personal devotions. 

Well done. 

And in his mercy and grace – through your prayers and petitions, God is advancing his purposes through this local community of faith.

Hallelujah!

The second reason the church of God prevails in Ephesus and in South Head is that we are powerfully sustained and upheld.

Now, I’m not sure how politically correct this confession and illustration is, (but I’m leaving soon so here it is):

You probably do not know this, but I do love old Holden cars – especially FC Holdens. 

They first appeared, did ‘FC’s’, around the time I was born.

And I have a penchant for customised FC’s.

The original 6-cylinder motor produced a modest 72 hp.

David Graham’s customised FC caught my eye recently. 

Whilst it looks relatively standard from the outside (like any other FC), Mr Graham, from Victoria, has fitted his FC with a small block ‘Chevy’ V8 engine that produces over 700 horsepower.

That is ten times the original, for the mathematically challenged. 😊

Here is my point – whilst believers may look just like any other person on the planet…and we sure do come in all shapes and sizes, we are, unlike the rest of humanity, beneficiaries of a massive infusion of power.

Indeed, Mr Graham’s V8 FC pales in comparison.

Look at Ephesians 1:19.

Christ followers, we learn, are, infused with God’s ‘incomparably great power; that power is the same as the mighty strength God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms’ – Ephesians 1:19-20.

Did you get that?

The power that raised Jesus from the dead, and facilitated his ascent into heaven, and established his reign in heaven, that same power is at work in the people of God.

In you!

Do you believe that?

Paul came at it from a slightly different angle when he said this to his friends in Rome.

This is Romans 8:11 – “The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you; he who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you!’

Why does the church of God prevail? 

Why do the people of God persevere?

Because God himself indwells and empowers his people.

The very Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead brings us to new birth (John 3:3) and enables us to live for him.

Francis Xavier was a missionary who first preached the gospel in Hirado, Japan in 1550.

Thousands gave their lives to Christ and then the persecution started in earnest.

Within the space of one hundred years authorities were quite confident that Christianity had been eradicated.

Three hundred years later – when tolerance levels lifted slightly – though conversion to Christianity was a capital offence, and speaking to a missionary was illegal, French evangelist Bernard Petitjean, arrived in Nagasaki and he erected a church building and dedicated it to the martyrs of Japan.

The year was 1865.

No locals attended the opening of Bernards church though slowly, that afternoon, people began to trickle in, and Petitjean then learned the remarkable story of Japan’s ‘hidden Christians’.

Thousands of them!

For over three hundred years without the aid of clergy or professionals – as they’d all been expelled, people led their friends and neighbours to Christ, and discipled them as best they knew how.

In the face of great adversity and trial, God was powerfully upholding and sustaining his people.

Yes, the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead was actively working in and through his church in Japan – unbeknownst to the outside world.

We do well to recall Jesus’ promise from Matthew 16:18 – “…I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it”.

The third reason why the church of God will prevail and advance, is that the Lord of the universe, is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22) 

Yes – the church has become an institution or an organisation, but it is in fact an organism – the ‘body of Christ’.

In Romans 12:5 and Colossians 1:18 Paul uses that wonderful image of a body with its various parts working together for the good of all, in accord with and in response to the Head – our Lord Jesus.

Not only is he Head of the church – God has placed all things (verse 22) under his feet.

Christ our King is sovereign over all things in this universe.

Indeed, his authority knows no bounds.

Of Jesus St Paul wrote in Colossians 1:16ff – “…all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together. And, he is the head of the body, the church’.

And what is more, and we learn this from our gospel reading (Matthew 25) this great King, the Lord of the church is returning – for his own.

On that day – to those who have been found faithful – St. Paul and the church of God in Ephesus, Francis Xavier, Bernard Petitjean, the precious martyrs and faithful believers in Japan, his dear children at South Head Anglican Parish – these words will be spoken, “Come then you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”

In the name of Christ.

Amen.