2024
The Rev’d Chris Ketch
St. Michael’s Youth Conference has many traditions and practices that give shape to our six days of shared life together. But these traditions and practices are built around a vital core that we hope each of us has come holding already; but is important enough for us to revisit at any time. At the heart of St. Michael’s Youth Conference, alive and beating strong, is Jesus Christ and the gospel: that is the good news of God’s love and forgiveness; and the new life we are offered in the kingdom of heaven; all because of him.
Jesus is alive. Though he died on a cross for the sins of the whole world, he rose again on the third day, conquering death. And he promised that he would be with us always. He reigns from heaven but also abides with us and in us by the Holy Spirit, and his presence with us is renewed every time we come to the Lord’s Table. Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.” Holy Communion is this real food and real drink - it is a means of God’s grace for us - in a real, tangible, and visible way we are able to abide in Christ and he in us through this simple ritual of grace, with its simple elements. The little wafer and few drops of wine we receive this morning will never fill our stomach; but I pray it will nevertheless, by the grace of God, through our faith in Jesus, fill our souls.
Jesus is alive. And we are loved by God. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less. That said, the relationship between humankind and God has been broken. And this broken relationship with God has impacted every other relationship in our lives. The good news is that even though we turned away from God, he did not cease to care for us. Rather, God, taking responsibility for what he has made, and loving us more than we could ever imagine, emptied himself, entered into the human experience; he came to rescue us, to set us free, to make things right, to restore the relationship that was broken and seemingly lost.
Many of us are familiar with John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” But sometimes we forget what Jesus says about eternal life in this same gospel. In John 17:3 Jesus says, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
Eternal life is about having a relationship with the Lord, not just knowing facts about him. This relationship is made possible through the forgiveness offered in Christ. Jesus is alive. We are loved by God. If we trust in Jesus, and turn to him, we will be forgiven. Repent and believe this good news.
There is no longer any reason for anything to come between us and God. With faith and forgiveness firmly in place, having been forgiven our sins we have each become a suitable place for God to dwell. And with that relationship restored, with the Lord walking close by our side, many other things fall into place too. I am not saying that suddenly our life circumstances change - what changes is our ability to live life to the fullest. Jesus said that he came that we might have life and have it to the fullest measure. And even on those days when it seems like it is all too much, remember what Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The yoke of Jesus, that is, his way of carrying life’s loads, his way of living in the world, is easy; and his burden, what he demands of us, is light. Jesus wants us to come to him; and to return to him over and over again. He wants us to come with the trust of child, to come like little children.
Jesus is alive. We are loved by God. We have been forgiven so there is no longer any separation between us and the Lord. And all this tells me something about the kingdom of heaven. On this day when we celebrate St. Michael and All Angels; when our minds and hearts, our imagination, are drawn into the throne room of God; as we think of the place to where Christ has ascended, and the heavenly host sings “Holy Holy Holy” let us not forget that the kingdom of heaven is not some distant place that we can’t get to. Rather, this kingdom of heaven is breaking into our world.
We are called to new life in the kingdom of heaven. That’s what it is all about, really. “The time has come,” Jesus said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” The ultimate reality and reign of God is emerging in our midst. The throne room of God, in a very real sense, is this room. It is any room where saints gather to proclaim the glory of God. By the grace of God, through faith, through trusting in Jesus our risen Lord and Saviour, we get to be a part of this emerging kingdom. We get to have our eyes opened to see the ways that God is already at work in the world, and in the power of the Spirit we get to participate in what God is doing.
One final thought as move towards the Lord’s Table. As we depart St. Michael’s Youth Conference, it is my hope and prayer that what has been at the heart of our time together will remain at the centre of our every day lives. If we find yourselves feeling a little confused about how that might look, let us remember the things we have learned and participated in this week. May we also stay connected and get connected. Let us stay connected with one another even as we reconnect with our family and friends back home. And if anyone has not done so already, get connected with a church. The Christian life is not sustainable in our own strength; it requires the grace and strength of God, and the help and encouragement of brothers and sisters in Christ, and the protection of St. Michael and All Angels.
Let us pray.
Lord, we pray, help us to triumph over the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and the testimony of our brothers and sisters. Help us to know and embrace that Jesus is alive; that we are loved by you; that we are rescued and forgiven; and that we have new life in us. Help us to embrace and embody this good news as we live out this new life in your kingdom, in the power of Spirit. Amen.
