Salvogesis

Reading from Luke 13:1-5: 13  Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.   2  Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?   3  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.   4  Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?   5  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Were the people who suffered worse sinners than other people who did not suffer? Do bad things happen to good people or only to bad people? Were these Galileans worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? Were those 18 who died when the tower fell on them worse sinners than all others because they suffered this way? Were those who died ...

As I was working away the other evening trying to type out a sermon on the transfiguration, my computer interrupted what I was listening to, to pay tribute to Jerome Iginla. Jerome Iginla’s friends and colleagues were paying tribute to him in a ceremony where the Calgary Flames were retiring his number 12. He was certainly one of the greatest Calgary Flames players and they were talking about who he was, on and off the Ice. Our Scripture today pays tribute to Jesus. The Salvation Army doctrines give us a glimpse of who is Jesus. Doctrine 4 of The Salvation Army says, ‘We believe   that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.’ Luke 9:18 asks directly the question, who is Jesus? And Jesus is paid tribute here by God, Moses and Elijah in front of his closest friends and colleagues. Reading again from Luke 9:27-31: 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste...