Jesus replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." (Matthew 16:2–3)
We live in confusing and confounding times so let us come humbly to seek the Lord:
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)
Come, let us return to the Lord and say:
Lord our God, in our sin we have avoided your call. Our love for you is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Have mercy on us; deliver us from judgement; bind up our wounds and revive us; in Jesus Christ our Lord. (cf. Hosea 6)
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn to him; have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Word of God
What is God doing in the world? There are many reasons to ask the question as we look around at the troubles around us and ask what God is doing in this. With all the many concerns in our world and in our hearts, we can lose sense of what is true. Can I trust God in this? Is his power really true and really for me?
Do you remember what it feels like to be lost in a new place? I might have a vague idea of where I’m trying to get to, but down in the detail on the ground I’m not sure which way to turn. Even with good directions it’s easy to get confused.
How much more so in life! Our first passage is from Isaiah, looking forward to God’s coming Christ. It explains what will happen as he brings in God’s kingdom. As you read it, notice how many times we’re pleaded with: “Look! See! Hear! Listen!”
Read Isaiah 51:1-6
Creed
We believe in Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:6-11 niv
Reflection: What is God doing in the world?
What is God doing in the world? Where do we look to orient ourselves? In our next reading from Matthew we meet the Pharisees and Tax collectors who demand a sign from Jesus.
In this section of Matthew’s gospel there is a growing clarity about who are Jesus’ people. What evidence do they look to? What do they see and hear and trust to orient them in life?
Read Matthew 16:1-20
The Pharisees wanted a sign. It was a manipulative request for Jesus to dance to their tune. But Jesus refuses to pander to their demands. The Pharisees refused to look at the evidence already given to them. “You cannot interpret the signs of the times.”
But what about us? I’m following Jesus but there is plenty to disturb and trouble me. The turmoil of our world can disorient us. It can be like being lost in a vast, unfamiliar city. Where is God in all this? Matthew offers us three signs. We are helped to orient ourselves with three great way-markers for understanding our times. Look at these three things:
1. Look at Jesus’ identity
Peter has been growing in understanding of who Jesus is. He’s been following him and living with him for perhaps months. He has heard Jesus’ teaching: powerful, authoritative, full of integrity. He has seen Jesus’ power: over disease, demons and death. He’s known Jesus’ character and wisdom: in dealing gently with those suffering, and in answering critics wisely. And he’s known Jesus’ claims: he doesn’t just speak for God but as God, he receives worship.
Who is this man? As a Jew, Peter knew that he must worship God alone and no other. Yet his only conclusion is that this Jesus is God’s promised Messiah, his promised conquering king. And more than that, he is divine: “the Son of the living God”
Whether you are just looking into the claims of Christ or have been a Christian for many years, we never move from this firm foundation. Who is Jesus? It might be a time of doubt — that’s not unusual — perhaps through a trial or suffering that leads you to want to check your foundations. It might be in sleeplessness when the terrors of the night prowl the corridors of our minds. Where do we turn?
We look to the identity of Jesus. We look to who he is. No mere human would have his power, no mere prophet would make such claims for himself. But Jesus is God’s promised Messiah, he is God, the Son come to rescue his people. He has come into the darkness of our world and the darkness of our lives, for us.
This helps me to be assured that I can trust Jesus in whatever I’m facing. He has all power and compassion and has come for my rescue.
2. Look at Jesus’ resurrection
We are also to remind ourselves of the triumph of Jesus’ resurrection. This is what is meant by the sign of Jonah (16:4). Jesus repeats this image a few times. Jonah was ‘as if dead’ three days in the depths of a fish, but returned by God’s power. Jesus would be “killed and on the third day be raised to life.” This is the ultimate ‘sign’. Our faith stands or falls on the fact of the resurrection, and I would love to speak more with you about this if you would like. “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God … If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Cor 15:14–19)
Christ has come, Christ is raised. He has true history-defining power by his resurrection from the dead, he has defeated death for me. Evil has lost the initiative. Christ has power sufficient for all my trials and temptations. Christ is risen.
3. Look at Jesus’ people
Finally, to understand the times we live in, consider Jesus’s people. Jesus is gathering a people to himself. He says to Peter, “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus is building his church.
Peter acknowledges that Jesus is "the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The apostles’ message is the foundation of the church and forms our New Testament. The church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20). It is not about Peter’s infallibility — after all, just a few verses later Peter is rebuked for speaking like Satan. But it is about Christ’s work in this era: from now until Jesus returns, he is in the business of building his church. It is not merely a human institution but a spiritual one. God’s people are not flawless and we make many mistakes. But as we speak, respond and live out Jesus’ gospel, there are effects in heaven, as individuals find Christ and trust in his resurrection.
I find this enormously helpful in how to live life. There are so many pressures and needs around me, but I know that God is building his church, gathering his people to himself. In the eyes of the world it not might look like much as you read this service at home, but Christ is building his church. This helps our orientation in life: now the things we do have eternal value. We can join in with God’s activity of building up his people.
We need help to not get lost in the confusion of life. What is God doing? Where do we find clarity and comfort in the confusion of the world?
· Look to Jesus’ identity: God’s rescuer has come, I can trust him.
· Look to Jesus’ resurrection: a sure bedrock of evidence for our faith. Nothing in life or death will overcome us.
· Look to his people: as Christ builds his church with eternal consequences. How wonderful that God is at work.
Song
Prayers
O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
You may like to continue with your own prayers and the Lord’s Prayer using the following pattern, filling in what you would ask for them:
Gracious Father, we pray for our families …
... for those who live near us …
… for school pupils, teachers and other staff …
… for our key workers, leaders and government …
… for those who are sick or grieving …
… for the persecuted, broken and hurting …
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Conclusion
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or conceive, by the power which is at work among us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all ages. Amen.