Betraying Jesus - a Character Study of Judas (Luke 22:47-53)

Introduction

The point of this study is to understand what human factors might lead us or anyone to head down a path of betrayal. It seems to be possible that one who aligns themselves at one point in time to Jesus might find themselves later to be opposing Jesus. What might cause this? Given that Judas would have found something attractive about Jesus to begin with, what went wrong?

Question to Consider

We read this text from Luke (22:47-53) and its parallels in the other gospels, and ask the question: “HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED??” I have listed four possibilities – four basic problems that Judas could have had.

1. Background Matters

(a) We don’t know that much about Judas. He was listed as one of the original twelve disciples. Given that the gospels were written after the fact, Mark, Matthew & Luke include the name of Judas Iscariot with the additional remark – “who betrayed [Jesus]”. We gather from John’s gospel (12:4-6 & 13:29) that Judas had charge of the disciples’ collective finances (the “common purse”), but, unbeknown to the other disciples at the time, Judas would steal from those funds for his own purposes. So Judas had a weakness in the area of money, which certainly affected his judgment. We read in John that Judas criticised the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume for wasting money, at the same time as he himself stole money from his colleagues. This hypocrisy seems to be combined with an inability to accept the idea of lavish worship being offered to Jesus.

We are seeking to answer the question: ‘HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?’

* Was the problem that Judas had misplaced expectations!

Along with the other disciples, he may have thought Jesus had earthly rule in mind – overthrowing the Romans and taking charge. Judas may also have thought and hoped that there would be particular material and financial reward in following Jesus (the first evidence of a misplaced prosperity type doctrine). When it became clearly evident that this was not the case, Judas’ enthusiasm may have gone sour. When the penny started to drop that the way of Jesus was potentially the way of suffering and not comfort, this may have been too much to contemplate. So is this willingness to betray what happens when we don’t get our own way!?!

We should gain our expectations concerning Jesus from the Bible, especially the gospels (and not from a worldly framework). Jesus was first and foremost about spiritual change and reconciliation with God. The defeat of injustice and the possibility of earthly peace would come through an effective living out of the principles that he taught and that could become implanted in his disciples’ lives. Unfortunately Judas never got that far.

* So, was the problem that Judas had misplaced expectations!

(b) We also read that Judas was a bit of a pawn in the hands of the religious leadership who had deep personal reasons for destroying Jesus. They wished to preserve the status-quo and their powerful positions within it (against the threat of Jesus the change agent). When Judas approached them in his weakness, they offered him thirty pieces of silver to close the deal – which would be obviously attractive to Judas. Yet we have to realise that it was Judas who firstly approached the religious leaders and placed himself in this position (Mark 14:10, Luke 22:3). And also we read that far from being hesitant about this, Judas was “leading them” – he was guiding the group of people who would arrest Jesus (Lk 22:47). Was it that despite much opportunity – Judas hearing first hand the marvellous teaching of Jesus for three years, that Judas had not allowed this to sufficiently impact his character!

HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?

** Was the problem that Judas was really unwilling to change!

Just because we attend church or occasionally read the Bible or say the right words at times, doesn’t mean our character is really changing from the inside out … sufficient to know that we would never betray Jesus like his. We need to be actively seeking positive change in our lives. We need to understand and apply Jesus’ own teaching in this matter, e.g. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

This would suggest that those who do not hunger and thirst for righteousness (or right living) will remain empty (or at least be less filled than we should and could be). My father taught me that if you let your car get really low on petrol you draw the scunge from the bottom of your petrol tank into your engine and affect its long-term performance significantly – good analogy in life I think! To “hunger and thirst …” involves the human body’s most demanding urges for food and water, and signifies that we need to be desperate for change and progress in our lives.

** So, was the problem that Judas was really unwilling to change!

(c) There is then the theological complication here that Jesus was destined to die for our salvation, and that somebody or some people had to make it happen. We read of some level of inevitability about all this. In Matthew’s version, when Jesus was telling his disciples to put their swords away, Jesus says – “…how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?” (Mt 26:54; see also Acts 1:16). Yet could we ever believe that God or even Jesus could have deliberately set Judas up for such a failure and ultimate destruction. I think not!! God and Jesus continue to hold out great hope for all humans despite the serious deficiencies that appear. It was only inevitable that someone would fail and betray Jesus. In hindsight the gospel writers know that to have been Judas.

This is clear because of the way Jesus spoke about the betrayer – “For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed” (Luke 22:22). Mark’s version (along with Matthew) has the additional – “It would have been better for that one not to have been born” (14:21). Darrell L Bock writes that, “It is a fearful thing to reject the One who gives his life to secure our forgiveness”. Yet, this is not so much a vindictive judgement from Jesus, but rather an expression of grief for the undoing that Judas has brought upon himself. In so many ways this is so regrettable!

HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?

*** Was the problem that Judas refused to take responsibility for his life decisions!

We cannot afford to be complacent about our decision-making just because we can claim forgiveness at the other end. This is because, although forgiveness is a reality, the repercussions of our bad decisions are out there for all to suffer. Sometimes the scrap bits and pieces in our lives finish up on the floors of our houses or cars, and whenever we feel like it (more often for some than others) we can get out the vacuum cleaner and suck them away. However, we cannot suck back into our vacuum cleaner those effects of our bad decision-making and behaviour.

The result was death for Judas, a tragic and grisly death (as described in Matthew 27:3-5 and Acts 1:18). There is the sense in Matthew 27 that Judas really regretted what he had done, threw the thirty pieces of silver back at the religious leaders (and may have even sought forgiveness from God); yet Judas felt that the guilt and shame was all too much and took his own life. What a tragedy! Judas had got past the point of no return in his own mind! Maybe Judas’ life could have been put back together just as the servant’s ear had been restored (Lk 22:51) if only he had been able to recognise this opportunity.

*** So, was the problem that Judas refused to take responsibility for his life decisions!

(d) Luke’s version of the Judas story (along with John), more so than the others, suggests Satan’s role in Judas’ actions – “Then Satan entered into Judas … [then] he went away and conferred with the chief priests … about how he might betray [Jesus] to them” (Luke 22:3-4; see also John 6:70-1 & 13:27). The passage we have read (Lk 22:53) concludes with the sense of evil, the “power of darkness”, over the whole scene. Of course God’s vindication and resurrection of Jesus defeated the worst of what evil can do, yet we see here evidence of the self-centredness and violence that we see in our society today.

HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?

**** Was the problem that Judas took his eyes off Jesus and became vulnerable to attack and bad influences!

Satan attacks our unaddressed weaknesses. If a bloke, for example has a weakness in the area of pornography, and doesn’t do anything about it, this will be where he will be vulnerable and attacked. If a woman has been hurt and has formed a certain bitterness toward another person, then this is an area where she can be attacked. If a young person has a self-image problem combined with a propensity to soften the pain with drugs, then this will be where he or she is vulnerable and attacked.

Judas clearly had some sort of character flaws which, as he did not yield these to Jesus, caused him to be demonically attacked. “For when Satan enters a life, he leads the person in sinister directions” (D L Bock). Yet, as we have already said, the responsibility remains with us to take the required action to get back on track (with of course prayer and the support of our brothers and sisters being crucial to any progress and healing). We have to remember than the one who is within us, that is Jesus, is greater and stronger than the one that is against us (1 John 4:4). We should claim that truth thoroughly!

**** So, was the problem that Judas took his eyes off Jesus and became vulnerable to attack and bad influences!

2. Relevance to Us – could this happen to us?

Well, Judas was there at the “last supper” – the institution of the communion remembrance that we have participated in. Judas was present there as disciple and friend of Jesus. There was trouble in his heart, which would not have barred him from being involved (for we all come to the table needing forgiveness) – the problem seems to be that he wasn’t seeking to set his heart right at all. He must have just been pretending at this point. Graphically making this clear, John’s gospel says: “After [Judas] received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him” (13:27).

Pretence and hypocrisy was building out of control. So much so, that Judas was willing to use the customary sign of (intimate) friendship, the kiss, through which to betray Jesus. So Jesus’ reply (in verse 48) could be understood as him really saying: ‘Do you pretend to be a (close) friend while you actually betray me (the one who is offering to put you back in touch with God)’! This I think is a significant warning to us. Every time Judas is mentioned as the betrayer we also read that he was “one of the twelve” (eg. Lk 22:47). Even more pointedly we read in Acts 1:17 Peter saying, “… [Judas] was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry”.

We have all been allotted our share in Jesus’ ministry. Let us take seriously our need to repent, our need to change in certain areas, our need to deal with our weaknesses, and our need to take our friendship with Jesus seriously and be real about it. Let us understand who Jesus was and is and truly follow in his way, knowing that the way of Jesus is the narrow and sacrificial way. When we metaphorically ‘kiss Jesus’ and thus worship him and commit to his cause, may this be with a purity of heart and total sincerity.

"Bringing God Glory" (John 13:31-38) Purpose Driven Series Sermon Seven

We were created to have a relationship with God; we were created to live with purpose; and we were created to bring God glory. This is not to say that we can in anyway add to God’s own glory, but rather that we should bring attention to God’s glory in the way in which we live our lives. When we pray that model prayer of Jesus – “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name” – we are praying precisely that God’s glory receives its due attention. Now, this is not going to happen just because we want it to!

This model prayer of Jesus was not meant to lead toward passivity where we simply hope that God’s name and nature will be miraculously more respected at the same time as we continue to do what we like. We have to give serious attention to how we will participate in bringing about a positive outcome for this prayer. In praying the ‘Lord’s prayer’ and specifically the words “hallowed [or honoured] be God’s name”, we are signing on to the responsibility of representing God’s good name and God’s glory on a daily basis. The hope, purpose, faith and love that we live out should cause people to believe in God’s existence and better understand God’s greatness.

What is the glory of God? Rick Warren answers this question as follows. The glory of God is who God is – the essence of God’s nature. The glory of God is the weight of God’s importance and the demonstration of God’s power. The glory of God is the radiance of God’s splendour and the atmosphere of God’s presence. The glory of God is the expression of God’s goodness and all of God’s other intrinsic eternal qualities. We were created to draw attention to all this, for the benefit of our own spiritual well-being, but also for the benefit of those who have had less chance of appreciating all this than we have had. We are to recognise and honour God’s glory. We are to praise and declare God’s glory. We are to reflect and live for God’s glory.

Oh dear! How far short I fall of all that!! Yet God continues to accept me; and accept all of us, and our worship and praise, as works in progress, as those on a journey, as those who are being transformed day by day into the image of Jesus through God’s Spirit. So even our weakest efforts, when done with the right heart, can bring glory to God – because it doesn’t so much depend on us, but on the one living through us. And the one living through us, that is Jesus, has in himself completely and utterly the glory of God.

So this is not so much about how good and clever we are (for we are still frail humans), but most about the extent to which we allow Jesus to live in and through us. In a vision of life in heaven, the book of Revelation (21:23) says: “And the city has no need of sun and moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (NLT).

As I said earlier, we cannot actually make God any greater than is already (as has always been) the case. Yet the way that we live out our new life in Jesus and become known as God’s person, can significantly enhance God’s reputation in the world. And, in a sense, the more people who come to know God, the greater God’s glory will be.

I just wanted to examine one of the areas in which we can bring glory to God. But I think this actually may be the real key to that endeavour. And for this we turn to John 13:31-38. This is where we read an interpretation of the ultimate meaning of Jesus’ coming to earth. God is love and Jesus has proven it! Now those who come to follow Jesus will have to prove it too!! And the disciple Peter wants to prove it, but still his human frailty gets in the way.

This text follows the famous foot-washing incident, where Jesus models the servant nature of leadership by washing his disciples’ feet. At this time Judas has been revealed as the one who will betray Jesus into the hands of the Roman authorities. The cross has become an inevitability, which, despite its injustice, will show the self-sacrificing nature of divine love. Jesus utter commitment to go to the cross, if that is what is needed to bring about reconciliation between people and God, brings glory to Jesus. Jesus is glorified by doing God’s work according to God’s will. This very act of obedience and sacrificial ministry in turns brings glory to God – the God who actually put in place this act of loving graceful mercy to humankind.

God is glorified because of the very obvious commitment of Jesus to God’s cause – in his sacrifice Jesus revealed the true nature of God. This, as we said earlier, didn’t make God any better (for this is not possible – God is already perfect), but rather drew strong attention to God’s greatness. To bring glory to God then, is to bring attention to who God is, his nature, his magnificence, his compassion, the fact that he has reached out to humanity with loving intent despite the repeated rejection that he has suffered. To bring glory to God is to see God honoured for all he is and all he has done. To bring glory to God is to make visible the presence and reality of God. Jesus absolutely did this – Jesus definitely brought honour to God’s name. And we can too!

The result of Jesus glorifying God, was not only an abiding knowledge of the greatness of God, but also that God wholely affirmed Jesus’ act of sacrifice and raised him from the dead, such that Jesus himself is honoured and revered. Verse 32 expresses the coming together of ultimate purpose – divine and human – where the events unfolding on earth bring attention to the glory of God. Those of us who may bring glory to God in life will too experience God’s affirmation. Even if this does not become apparent in the worldly environment, it certainly will in the eternal realm. God’s affirmation of us brings new life, spiritual awakening and kingdom purpose.

It is true that Jesus, even though spiritually present, will be physically separated from his disciples and the world for a time (verse 33). Yet Jesus’ disciples of all ages will represent Jesus through being his arms and feet, his eyes and ears, and his mouthpiece. Followers of Jesus bring glory to God through one specific mode of activity in life. As we see in verse 35, this one specific attitude and set of actions will demonstrate to the world at large who we have given our allegiance to, and thereby bring glory to God. A.M. Hunter describes this commitment to love as the “distinguishing badge” of being a Jesus follower.

To love others, as an expression of our love for God, is not only the greatest commandment (as it is expressed in the other gospels), but should be the very essence of who we are. It shouldn’t be a struggle as if we are trying to obey something that has become a rule of our faith, but something that simply comes naturally. Then why sometimes is it so hard to love??

To open ourselves to love like this brings risks – risks of rejection, hurt and manipulation. This, after all, is exactly what Jesus copped!! I’m sure the human Jesus experienced feelings of being used and abused. This was not how he should have been treated, but that’s what happens! And Jesus continued to get up each morning and continued to love. Jesus touched people with healing – physical, emotional and spiritual; Jesus shared with people the truths of eternal life; Jesus challenged the oppressors in society to change their ways in an attempt to unravel the powers of injustice; and Jesus loved his disciples with staggering consistency. I know all this, and I’m inspired by this, but still frustration grows in me that I just can’t emulate anything like this!!

But I’m not going to give up, because I know the power and effectiveness of the Holy Spirit can continue to do a work in me … as I am open to this! Each new opportunity, that next human interaction, is a fresh chance to embrace the new commandment to love. We can be like Peter, despite that he no doubt genuinely desired to hang in – when the going got too tough he ran and even denied knowing Jesus. Our well-intentioned commitment to Jesus often rests on the thin edge between success and failure. Yet Peter, as we well know, was later restored to ministry and empowered in faith to love people into the Kingdom of God, as he opened himself to the new life offered by the resurrected Jesus.

The concept of loving neighbour goes right back to Leviticus in ‘old testament’ times, so how can this be a “new” commandment? We know that Jesus claimed that to love God and neighbour summed up the complete intent of God’s law, so what’s “new”?? It may be the fact that humanity has failed so very very badly on a grand scale in this area! The ancient people of God in Israel, although they had their good moments, repeatedly failed. And the history of the world in general is littered with violence. The church at times has not faired much better. So of course this injunction to love remains a “new” concept for us to embrace – in each and every generation – and on each and every “new” day.

And of course this “new” orientation is directly shaped around the person and the self-giving example of Jesus. Whereas the “greatest” commandment seeks us to consider others as being just as important as we ourselves are – “love your neighbour as yourself”, this teaching in John seems to crank that up another notch, by suggesting that we should love as Jesus loved (in an unreserved and limitless way)! The fulfilling of this call will certainly bring much-needed “new” impact in our community. This attitude of love was of course modelled by Jesus himself: in the text just prior to this in the humble act of washing his disciples’ feet; and then ultimately by his sacrificial death on a cross.

This call to “love one another” is not so much a call to individual believers, but to us corporately, to act upon this together and mutually. We have each other’s strength, experience and faith to draw upon, and each other’s weakness, failure and doubt to support. We also need to be willing to receive love as a pathway to being better able to express love.

Does anyone have a story of love being expressed to share???

To love, as the most natural part of living, brings glory to God. May God be recognised, honoured and worshipped as we love one another in Jesus’ name! Amen!

"Citizens of a Heavenly Kingdom" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) Purpose Driven Series Sermon Six

1. God’s home is heaven

God’s home is heaven. This is from where God hears and answers our prayers. This is from where God seeks and receives our worship. This is from where God has sent his Son Jesus to earth to bring the gift of salvation. This is from where God sends his Holy Spirit into the lives of all believers, so that they can experience the intimate presence of God and some really discernible guidance on a daily basis. This is where God will take us home when our lives on earth are over. To be at home with God in heaven is to be in a state of eternal joy. And this is a journey we are already on.

Currently, although we are spiritual beings on a journey toward God, we are earthbound and subject to the ups and downs of human life lived in a fallen world. What does it mean then (to you) to still be described as a citizen of a heavenly kingdom??? Growing up I was taught about being “in the world” but not “of the world”. What does this really mean? What is meant by being a citizen of a heavenly kingdom??

(a) It says something about where our allegiances lie. If we are a citizen of Australia, our national allegiances are with the interests of Australia. So, if we are first and foremost a citizen of heaven, then our allegiance lies with the interests of that kingdom. While we live on earth, and are subject to the laws and environmental realities of the world, our focus lies on what functions above and beyond the earth (for the good of the earth and it peoples). The kingdom of heaven is where God’s will reigns – and reigns perfectly. It is the reign of God that we want to tap into and bring forth to this world. Our allegiance to the heavenly kingdom and the reign of God will thus set our focus and determine our priorities.

(b) It says something about our behaviour. Because we live above and beyond the mediocre standards we often experience, this will be reflected in our everyday actions, especially in terms of our interpersonal relationships and interactions. God’s character of love, compassion, mercy, peacemaking, forgiveness, faithfulness, patience and kindness should be reflected more and more in us. For the believer, our life-long pursuit is becoming more like our Saviour Jesus. If we want to apply some form of measurement to our progress we could turn to the beattitudes in Matthew 5 and consider our level of humility, repentance, teachableness, gentleness and courage.

(c) It says something about our purpose in life. This has nothing to do with success in the worldly sense. This even has nothing to do with happiness … whether we consider ourselves to be happy or not. Being happy is really quite difficult while in exile on the earth (we’ll come back to this point). Purpose is about undertaking the role or roles God has given us, and reaching our full potential to fulfil those roles. Such roles are part of the big-picture heavenly-kingdom scheme of things. And we will reach that potential, not through everything being rosy, but through working with the trials and tests that come across our path (and growing through them).

(d) It says something about our future. We will not just be reduced to decay or dust. Our spirits will rise into the presence of God in heaven. We will have a new dimension of being. We will spend eternity in perfect harmony with God and all the other inhabitants of heaven (which I personally think will resemble how God’s glorious creativity was once expressed in his creation of the universe and specifically earth but without the impact of the fall).

The power of sin over us has being completely done away with by the death and resurrection of Jesus and our positive and accepting response to this. As Edward Hastings wrote so beautifully long ago, “The longing soul that has followed its Lord on earth amid many failings and obstructions is there set free to run in the way of God’s commands, the path in which it has always wished to go”.

(e) It suggests something about living as an exile, an alien or a foreigner on earth. This means that sometimes we don’t feel like we fit in; but also that this is natural and expected and even right and proper! If we easily fit in, then this is when we would have to evaluate ourselves in terms of our spiritual growth and effective witness. This is not to say that we should ever be aloof or separated away from societal functioning, although there are clearly some things we should stay right away from. But rather this is to say that we should be the trendsetters and not the followers. We’re not meant to fit in – we’re meant to lead people back to God.

And we should not become too attached to anything that belongs only to the earth! God does not take away our sense of discontent or our feelings of unfairness about our life in the world, so that we can never become too comfortable or content in our current lives on earth. Pain and loss and the frustration of ambition and experiences of failure all lead us to look past the seen (and obvious and limited) to the unseen (and mysterious and infinite). There must be something beyond this! And yes there is!! And that is God!!! A good prayer for us is: ‘May the peace of Christ move to disturb us all’! This is so that we will not miss the very essence of life because we have become too transfixed on earthly attachments.

Here are some biblical texts to refer to on this matter:

1 Peter 2:11 > “Dear friends, I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners’ to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls” (NLT). Over attachment to something that is not of heaven (and is not of great worth) is not a neutral option, nor a safe alternative, for this will eat us up and destroy our spiritual well-being.

Philippians 3:18-20 > “For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour” (NLT).

2. Providing a Contrast

Being a ‘citizen of a heavenly kingdom’ is to be counter-cultural, is to stand out in a good way, and is to provide a bit of a contrast. In what ways should we stand out??? What do we have of value to offer??

(a) Countering negativity with hope

Despite what life on earth has done to us, we have a lot to be excited about. Just like Paul states it, we will never lose heart or hope! And this is not just about the destination, but also the journey along the way! We can offer hope to those suffering under feelings of hopelessness.

A lot of people are down on themselves, down on others, down on God, certainly down on the (institutional) church for a whole range of reasons. They have had bad experiences, have had their trust abused, or they have succumbed to the various addictions that are so well promoted to the vulnerable in our communities. Or some people truly suffer under loneliness, loss and disability. Some others have collapsed under strong feelings of failure.

Yet we have a Living Saviour who can transform our whole lives. (Yet) we know a God who answers our prayers according to ultimate wisdom. (Yet) we have a life filled with purpose and at least a degree of effectiveness (derived from God’s Spirit within us). And because of this we just wouldn’t lose heart! This should paint a very clear contrast and counter societal negativity with divine hope.

Whilst humanly speaking we are growing older, and for some of us, many of our parts aren’t working as well as they used to, each day that we continue to journey with God, we become more mature in a spiritual sense, also more competent in many ways, and more useful to others, more whole in our personhood, more focussed and more disciplined and more God-centred.

This all happens as we keep our mind and heart attuned to God, and as we consider those things that matter most. In reflecting on these words of the Apostle Paul, M J Harris suggested that Paul seemed to be saying that, the more he expended himself for the gospel’s sake, and the more he focussed on the sharing of the gospel, the greater his spiritual resilience became. It’s not just that we talk about ‘hope’ – it’s that we live ‘hope’!

(b) Countering selfishness with compassion

This is that whole Jesus self-sacrificing mercy based mission, in the face of a dog-eat-dog, looking after number one, if someone is down walk over them world. We understand the troubles people have got themselves into trying to live life without God. We know that such people are often left behind, ignored or further abused. Yet they too have been created in God’s image, so there must be in almost all cases some spark of God’s life in them that can be ignited.

G R Martin wrote that: “It is the Christian’s business to believe in others until they learn to believe in themselves”. This is because God sees in people, way beyond what we can see – even those people we might squirm about – way beyond their current deficiencies, to possibilities and potential and qualities way beyond where they are at now. For this is how God has viewed us and believed in us!

(c) Countering individualism (or its partner in crime isolationism) with community

People often want to suit themselves despite how this might affect others. Sometimes people want to build big fences around themselves or their family unit so they won’t be touched by the need outside of them, or hopefully won’t be asked to help. Many will look at need and say … ‘it’s not my problem’. Sometimes there are good reasons behind such isolationism, as interaction with society has brought hurt and suffering. For others, compassion fatigue may have set in.

We, collectively, in the church, have something of value to offer here – that is, evidence of good-functioning, mutually supportive, community. This is where everybody counts and everybody can make a contribution and be encouraged for it. This is where everybody can find a welcome and a place to sit and a kind word and reason to belong. We would be weaker without them, and stronger with them. We should live in the spirit of that open invitation to friendship!

(d) Countering self-interest with worship (of God)

Many people would see it as strange that we would gather here and worship the completely unseen God Sunday by Sunday. Many would only see all the other options they could be doing. One wonders what all the workers at the recent school working bee made of all this as some were confronted by song and message coming out of this room.

But worship is so valuable, because it affords us the opportunity to come out of ourselves and any of our self-interest, to consider the bigger picture of life and the Creator of all things, and come to terms with why we exist and where we are heading. We open the big book of wisdom and delve into the endless narratives that bring meaning to life on earth. We have direct access to the One who can bring such transformative change and healing.

Some would think it strange to sing all these worship songs to God and pray out into space, but we are preparing, and indeed more than just preparing, for we are already citizens of a heavenly kingdom in our hearts, and this should be the most natural thing for us to be doing. And if it’s not the most natural thing for us to be doing, then we probably need more practice. This is just like hitting the golf ball straight down the fairway becomes more natural the more we practice doing it.

Hope, the compassion of Jesus, welcoming church community and the worship of God is what we have to offer as a contrast … being as we are ‘citizens of a heavenly kingdom’.

3. Being an Ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20)

In the next chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul says, “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” (NLT)

An “ambassador” is one who represents the interests of their own country whilst living in a foreign country. We represent the interests of heaven as we live our lives on earth. This involves what the Bible calls a ‘ministry of reconciliation’.

An “ambassador” brings messengers from their own country to the country in which they serve. We bring the message of the gospel – the good news of Jesus – to the community we serve. This is vital and tremendous news!

An “ambassador” speaks as if it is the one who appointed them who is actually speaking. We speak to others as if God or Jesus is directly and personally offering them an invitation to salvation.

An “ambassador” must represent their country and convey their message in a way worthy of the one who commissions them. We represent a God who cannot be indifferent or careless, but a God who is earnestly concerned for the welfare and salvation of the peoples of the world.