Spirited Word
By God's Word proclaimed, the Holy Spirit works faith in God's grace in Jesus, when and where he pleases. Sermons by Pastor Adrian Kitson, Lutheran Church of Australia.
St Petri Lutheran Church, Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia.
www.stpetri.org.au
Spirited Word
Earthy Faith: Punishment or Patience
It is good that you have followed the Spirit’s call to be gathered with God’s people in the presence of Jesus in the grace of the Father. We are pondering living this earthy Christian life of faith in Christ which he has carved out for us by his cross. In the tragedy and injustice of life, people around Jesus ask him why life is like this and what he means in what we suffer.
These questions could be from any one of us when tragedy strikes, or injustice is metered out to us or others for whom we feel solidarity. Who do we blame? Is God involved? Is this punishment for some lost sin or some family curse? Good news is that tragedy and injustice are not punishment and pay back from a vindictive
unfeeling God. On the other hand, God is indeed God. He does have ‘the whole world in his hands’ and he can plant us and rip us up as he wills. Listen to the words about the gardener, landowner and fig tree today.
Praying that you will hear God speaking words of patience, not punishment, a hopeful future not instant death.
Pastor Adrian