St Paul share his own struggles against sin. The flesh in conflict with the spirit. He is candid and revealing in ways we don’t expect saints and prominent figures in religion or anywhere to be. The leaders, even church leaders are mostly focused on sharing the teachings of Christ and pointing toward Jesus Christ.
We don’t usually hear about their own struggles.
But we do as St Paul exposes his own struggles to choose good over sin. And we saw it with Peter who denied Jesus three times. And even Thomas would not believe the resurrection until he saw for himself.
And the point is, we can’t do it alone. It is only with Jesus that we can say no to voices seducing us to sin, betray our faith, and even doubt Jesus died and rose again.
Jesus sends his Holy Spirit to us to guide us. To help us. To reveal the truth and love of God to us so we can live in the kingdom here and now.
Luke’s Gospel today has Jesus asking how smart people who see when clouds form, know rain comes, when a southern wind blows against us, heat is coming. But when we see events unfolding that point toward Jesus coming again, we fail to interpret and fail to prepare ourselves. The result will be failing to develop a relationship with God.
Just like the one heading to court it is best if we make arrangements to settle our accounts and infractions prior to facing the final judge.
We can’t do it on our own.
But we can do it if we trust in Jesus Christ and reconcile how we live and what we do with his Word and his instruction.
St Paul understood he would succeed in the end because he focused on Jesus.
St Peter, immediately regretting his three moments of betrayal turned to the love of Jesus to confess three times his love for Jesus.
And Thomas, our friend doubting Thomas, the pragmatic one who was probably alone by himself in his sorrow when Jesus was crucified. When he saw the disciples again after they had seen the resurrection Jesus in the upper room , his sorrow and heartache refused to believe for he probably didn’t want to be disappointed and have his heart broken again. He was afraid to believe it. out of sorrow for a Jesus’ death.
He was able to see Jesus face to face and his wounds.
These men knew Jesus as well as any disciple. They lived when Jesus lived.
But Jesus told Thomas. blessed are those who have not seen the wounds personally, but still believe.
If we come here today struggling with sin like Paul, welcome to the club.
If we come here today after having walked away from our faith like Peter, welcome home.
If we struggle to really believe in Christ, you are in good company.
But we have something they didn’t have at the time. We have the Gospel as our instruction guide. And we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. We are deeply loved by God, because we are his. We don’t deserve it, and no one has earned it. But we are loved.
If we struggle to understand how to live in our time, we need to study his Word more and pray more. To overcome sin and unbelief we have only to pray. And continue to pray. And the more we pray and the more we carve out moments in our day for prayer and time for Jesus, the more we will grow in faith and understanding. We will be able to profess like Peter did our love for the God who loved us first. We will be able to overcome temptations like Paul. And we will believe as firmly as Thomas.
Our world is dividing into two peoples right now. Those who are focused on Jesus Christ and those who are against his love and kingdom.
It’s time to see the events happening across our world and society and even media, so we can be ready and choose who we will put our trust and faith in.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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