This Life Is a Training Game (Proper 28)

(Proper 28 2024 Fr. John)

 

We are nearing the end of the season of Pentecost which is about the work of the Holy Spirit guiding us in our lives. Jesus is dealing with the question of “what must I do to inherit eternal life”. Jesus tells him to obey the commandments. He has – but one thing he lacks. He has not really died to his old way of life by giving up his great wealth. He is not “all in”. Not totally dependent on God. The readings help us understand spiritual testing and divine judgement.

 

1.     This Life is a Training Game

A training game is designed to teach us how to survive, win or be successful:

·      Star Trek example where the officer cadets are always defeated on a dangerous simulated space mission. 

·      A test of character, not skill – do you die well or poorly?

·      Like them we all fail and die in this life  - Test is will we have the faith and humility to face our weaknesses and sins and ask Jesus or forgiveness?

·      We give thanks we have a Savour who loves us, knows us, empathizes with us and has already paid for our sins

 

2.     The Adam and Eve Story Explains Spiritual Warfare

Satan and spiritual evil are one of the 7 lost spiritual truths I discovered in writing my book:

·      Some churches became intellectualized and liberalized by bishops who had not experienced the supernatural.

·      Loss of belief in Satan and spiritual evil blinded and weakened  Christians in many churches.

·      Dis-empowered the church and made it less relevant and important in peoples’ lives.

·      Satan deceived Eve with a half-truth – she will not die if she disobeys God and eats the apple.

·      She will not die physically and immediately.

·      But her spiritual relationship with God will die and she will be put out of God’s Garden and suffer danger and pain and physical death.

·      The wealthy young man was deceived into thinking he could follow Jesus AND keep his material security.

·      We all struggle with the temptations of our human weakness, Satan and spiritual evil as opposed to the guidance of Holy Spirit, the Bible and the Commandments to love God and our neighbour self-sacrificially:

·      Pride, Lust, Envy, Greed, Sloth, Wrath and gluttony

 

3.     Hebrews (4:12-16) explains Divine Judgement

The “word of God is alive and active” not just information. We experience the word both in our minds intellectually and intuitively in our heart or soul and spirit. Judged spiritually.

·      Our spirit / intuitive mind is tempted & polluted by sinful thoughts

o   Purified by Bible study, prayer, praise, sacrificial acts of love, confession and absolution

·      Our Body is tempted by physical desires and Satan

·      Our Soul is our mind, will, conscience 

o   Arbitrates between desires of body and spirit

o   Polluted by sinful thoughts and acts of rebellion

o   Purified by Bible study, prayer, praise, acts of self-sacrificial love, confession and absolution.

·      Thanks Be to God for the Grace, love, forgiveness and healing of Jesus.