Matthew 3:7-10: CSIS (September 09, 2018)

Presented to Harvest Community, 25 October 2026

The Sinner’s Prayer has always been important to me. I remember saying it as a child and confirming it more than once. I remember leading many people in this prayer. The Sinner’s Prayer is like a criminal record check.

Years ago I worked for a janitorial company. One place I worked was the RCMP/CSIS building. The security clearance process was quite something. I was a teenager and in my interview they asked what I did twenty years ago, I responded, ‘nothing, I’m only 18.’ I thought it was funny – they didn’t. They asked why I haven’t held a job for more than 5 years. I repeated ‘I am only 18.’ I laughed – they didn’t. This interview went on for a long time; they fingerprinted me and even interviewed two of my friends. I was beginning to have faith in our spy agency’s thoroughness and ability, especially when they reviewed this information for months before finally clearing me.

Just out of curiosity, I asked why it took so long to notify me of my clearance and they said it took so long because they – Canada’s spy agency - couldn’t find me. I pointed out that my address and phone number were on the form. I laughed; they didn’t. I assumed they were joking. They weren’t. I laughed; they didn’t. Shortly afterwards I worked a shift at the CSIS building and as I was emptying a garbage, an officer told me that if I looked at anything in it he’d have to kill me, I laughed – he didn’t. The next week, my boss told me to cover another shift at the CSIS building. I said no. She laughed – I didn’t. I was cleared to work there but I didn’t return.

It is quite the process and a security clearance is important but do you know how long one is really good for? About 5 minutes: in between receiving your security clearance and handing it in you could stop by the 7-11 and rob it. The paper may say that you have never committed (or at least been convicted of) a crime but as soon as you leave the police station it is no longer up-to-date. The Sinner’s Prayer, that is rightfully so important in many of our lives, is like a security clearance in this way.

The experience of salvation is more like a marriage. There is the initial event that starts off the marriage, the wedding: this is like the Sinner’s Prayer. The wedding is just the beginning of the marriage relationship. It is not its culmination – and hopefully not the best part of it! There is more to marriage than simply saying ‘I do’. If you never spend anytime with your spouse after that day, then you may have had a wedding but you do not have a marriage. Our proclamation of salvation, the Sinner’s Prayer, likewise is just the beginning of our salvation; it is not the totality of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for that!

Our questions for today: Is your relationship with Christ more like a security clearance and/or a long ago wedding ceremony than it is like an exciting marriage that grows stronger everyday? If so, what can we do to grow our relationship with the Lord?

More daily blogs at

https://salvogesis.blogspot.ca/

 

Matthew 3:7-10: Security Clearance (Luke 3:7-9)

Presented to TSA Swift Current Corps, 11 April 2010 

Presented to TSA Alberni Valley Ministries, 15 January 2022 

Presented to TSA Surrey Ministries, 25 October 2026 

by Major Michael Ramsay

This is the 2026 version.

 

To view the 2022 version, click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2023/01/matthew-37-10-security-clearance.html 

To view the 2010 version, click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/04/matthew-37-10-security-clearance.html 

I can remember when I was in my late teens: I was a janitor. I worked in a lot of high security buildings and so I needed a high security rating. One of the reasons I needed the extra special RCMP clearance was because one of the buildings I was asked to clean when regular janitor was away was the CSIS building

When I first had my RCMP clearance done, it was quite something. I was just a teenager and in my interview they asked me what I did twenty years ago, I responded ‘nothing’ – ‘I’m only 18. I thought it was funny – the police officer interviewing me didn’t. They asked me how come I haven’t held a job for 5 years or more – I reminded them that I am only 18 and I smiled – they didn’t. This interview went on for an hour or so and then they fingerprinted me and also interviewed two of my friends for character references, one by telephone and one in person. In speaking with them afterwards, it was really quite an in-depth interview and because of this I really began to have some faith in the RCMP and CSIS’s security measures and how seriously they take their jobs. I was beginning to have a lot of faith in the Canadian spy agency’s thoroughness and ability, especially as they reviewed this information they collected on me for up to six months before they finally got back to me with my security clearance.

Just out of curiosity, when I finally did get my clearance back, I asked why it took so long. They said it took so long to notify me because they – Canada’s spy agency - couldn’t find me. I pointed out that my address and phone number were on the application form and that I hadn’t moved during that time. I laughed; they didn’t. I assumed that they were joking when CSIS said they couldn’t find me. I was wrong. I laughed – they didn’t. Shortly afterwards I worked my first shift at the CSIS building and as I was emptying one garbage can at a desk, the person there told me that if I looked at anything in it he’d have to kill me, I laughed – he didn’t. The next week, my boss told me to cover another shift at the CSIS building because I was the only one with clearance. I said no. She laughed – I didn’t

John the Baptist, to some here in our story today, must seem about as humourless as the CSIS agent I encountered, Matthew 3:7-10:

7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

This is interesting because if we just read this pericope it can look like an uncalled-for attack on the religious leaders of the day. It could be like if a Salvation Army Officer or a priest or pastor or even the entire ministerial executive all go to a Christian concert in the park and the singer puts down his guitar mid-song and says to us, “you snakes…who told you about this event; you think you’re so good, well, you’re not! You say you have Christ as your Saviour, I tell you he can make followers out of this dirt here, if he wants to!”[1] You can see how that might not go over so well.

Biblical Scholar Eugene Boring draws our attention to the fact that, “in Matthew’s view they [the Pharisees and Sadducees] represent the Jewish opposition who come to inspect him rather than to be baptised by him” [3]. We just had an election in this province yesterday: It would be like if Conservatives showed up at an NDP convention or other event or vice versa. For the people present, their presence might have the same emotional effect as a venomous snake being spotted in the grass; or even a whole a brood of vipers being reported nearby. This latter phrase is the one Matthew reports John used. He called the religious authorities a ‘brood of vipers’ (cf. Mt 12:34, 24:33). Even more than this being an insult, John could very likely be comparing the religious leaders of his day to the snake in the Garden of Eden. The phrase ‘brood of vipers’ translated literally means ‘sons of snakes’ and could be interpreted to mean ‘sons of the deceiver’, whose teaching is like venomous poison (cf. Genesis 3; Jeremiah 46:22).[5]

So this is quite a greeting for the religious leaders. Verses 8 and 9, John then tells not just the religious leaders, but the whole crowd there to “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham” (Matthew 3:8,9).

Alongside John the Baptist, The Salvation Army in our ninth doctrine proclaims ‘that a continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.’ We can’t just say that we have Abraham as our father, Jesus as our Saviour; we need to bear fruit keeping with repentance.

John is telling the people that salvation isn’t dependent on who you are or who you claim to be, who your ancestors are, or anything like that. John is telling the crowds that our continuance in a state of salvation is evidenced by a continued obedient faith in God.[6] Produce fruit in keeping with repentance John says because If He wanted to, God could simply create, ‘sons of Abraham’, from rocks, or anything else nearby, I would presume, for that matter.

It is the same for us today, if we are saved we will produce fruit in keeping with repentance, a continuance in a state of salvation is evidenced by our continued obedient faith in Christ.[7] We weren’t chosen for a state salvation because we are Canadians or because we are from the lower mainland. God doesn’t need us; we need God. He can raise Salvationists from the plants over there if he wants to do so. He can raise Churchgoers from that chair over there and God can raise nice people from the cement floor if He wants to.  

We weren’t chosen to be raised to eternal life because we belong to group ‘x’ or group ‘y’. we were chosen because God loves us. God loves everyone in the world so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life (John 3:16).

Salvation isn’t so much a state that you can be born into, as it is a relationship we can continue in for now and forever.[8] The sinner’s prayer, that is rightfully so important in many of our lives, is like a police check, a security clearance. Do you know how long a police security clearance is good for? …about 5 minutes. In between getting your criminal record checked and handing in the piece of paper to your boss you could stop by the bank and rob it. The paper may say that you have never committed (or at least been convicted of) a crime but as soon as you leave the station it is no longer necessarily accurate. That is why people who work with vulnerable people are supposed to get criminal record checks done on a regular basis.

The experience of salvation is more like a marriage than a criminal record check. There is the initial event that starts the marriage –the wedding ceremony - this is much like the ‘sinner’s prayer’ in most evangelical churches (or baptism in some main-line churches). The wedding is just the beginning of the marriage relationship. It is not its culmination. There is a little bit more to marriage than simply standing at the altar and saying, ‘I do’. Our proclamation of salvation, similarly; our saying the ‘sinner’s prayer’ is just the beginning of our salvation; it is not the totality of our salvific relationship with Jesus Christ. And thank the Lord for that!

Some of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day in our text are being accused of relying on their position (religion, race) rather than on their relationship with God for salvation. They are accused of not producing fruit in keeping with repentance. This is akin to getting married and then going away, never doing anything with your spouse again: never seeing your spouse again, never talking to her again, never even calling her on the phone again from the time you say ‘I do’ until the time they lower you in the grave. In that case you will have been a part of a wedding ceremony once but you will have never experienced any blessings of the marriage and as long as you are estranged from your husband or wife, wearing that potentially important ring on your finger is pretty useless; and so is the Pharisees’ implied claim that they are sons of Abraham (Matthew 3:9; cf. Luke 3:8). It is an expired security clearance. This is, I think, what Matthew warns us about when he reminds us to produce fruit in keeping with repentance and when he later tells us to be perfect as Christ is perfect (Matthew 5:4).

“While trust in Christ’s salvation is a first requirement, it is not the last.”[9] As Paul reminds the Corinthians, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). That is the fruit that comes naturally from our relationship with Christ.

The eternal covenant with our Lord is the most wonderful thing in the entire world. Being tied together with Christ in a holy covenant means that whatever life throws our way, Christ can handle for us. We no longer need to rely on our own strength (1 Thessalonians 5:22-24). There is no other name under heaven through which we will be saved (Acts 4:12). So today, I invite us all to continue to turn to the Lord for, even more than the most loving and faithful spouse; Christ will always love us and be there for us. He will never leave us nor forsake us (Romans 3:3,4). And so, as long as we still have breath in our body, we still have the opportunity to turn and return to God and be saved for now and for eternity.

Let us pray

www.sheepspeak.com

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[1] Cf. Douglas R.A. Hare, Matthew (Interpretation: Louisville, Kentucky: John Know Press, 1993), 20.

[2] R. T. France : Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1985 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 1), CD-ROM Note on Matthew 3:7.

[3] M. Eugene Boring, Matthew (NIB 8: Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1995), 157,

[4] The Canadian Press “NDP wants names of Tories involved in taping of private caucus meeting” Reported by CBC. Last Updated: Sunday, January 4, 2009 7:13 PM ET. Available on-line at: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/01/04/ndp-caucustape.html#ixzz0kFwSb4w7

[5] M. Eugene Boring, 157. Cf. Also R. T. France : Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 1), CD ROM note on Matthew 3:7, where a parallel is drawn between this event Egypt’s being referred to as a snake by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 46:22)

[6] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, ‘Grace and Works: a Look at Doctrines 5-10 of The Salvation Army’. Available on-line at http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsay_Theology_TSA.htm#Works

[7] Cf. The General of the Salvation Army. Salvation Story: A Handbook of Salvationist Doctrine. (London, England: The Salvation Army International Headquarters, 1998),73-77.

[8] Cf. The General of the Salvation Army. ‘Salvation Story: A Handbook of Salvationist Doctrine’. (London, England: The Salvation Army International Headquarters, 1998), p. 59.

[9] Douglas R.A. Hare, Matthew (Interpretation: Louisville, Kentucky: John Knox Press, 1993), 20.

Thanksgiving: The Secret to Survival (Philippians 4:4-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Ephesians 5:19-20, Colossians 3:17)

Presented to The Salvation Army Alberni Valley Ministries, 12 October 2021 and Harvest Community, 11 October 2026 (Thanksgiving) by Captain (Major) Michael Ramsay 

 

This is the 2026 version, to view the 2021 version, click here:  https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2021/10/thanksgiving-secret-to-survival.html

  

Today is Thanksgiving Sunday. Thanksgiving in Canada is to a “day of general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.” [passed by parliament, 31 January 1957]. When we were on the prairies, this took on a whole new meaning to me. We came to know a little more what was meant by planting season and harvesting season and we could even tell you what kind of tractor you were driving based on the colour of the vehicle. Thanksgiving for the harvest was a real part of life. 

  

            Today, in the context of all that is going on in the world let’s spend a little bit of time chatting about the power of a spirit of thanksgiving, giving thanks in our lives. It really is something that God can use to get us through even the darkest times. This is what a spirit of thanksgiving looks like: 

  

Philippians 4:4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

Ephesians 5:19-20: Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

  

  There is a lot going on in the world: war, genocide, politics, disparity, poverty, turmoil, our own personal challenges as well.  

The previous few years have been tough on a lot of people. Orange shirt day was the other week too and that is very significant – an important remembrance (We marked the truth of a very real tragedy) and Remembrance Day is around the corner: the war to end all wars was fought over 100 years and probably 1000 wars ago now. 

  

Poverty is real in our country. The debt that our country acquired over the past decade is beyond what can be even understood in terms of trying to pay it back. We have generational debt for the first time ever in this country. 

  

Violence is terrible right now in word and in deed. Social media hate is everywhere. There are riots in France, Belgium, and elsewhere in Europe. There is always violence in the USA. 

  

The opioid crisis in BC is beyond comprehension. These are scary times. The question is, in these scary, difficult times, how can we get through it? How can we survive? This is the important question that we need to ask and we need to answer. 

  

In these scary times, God, through Scriptures, offers us some encouragement; some ways we can get through this. The Apostle Paul talks about a spirit of thanksgiving and rejoicing. He lets us know that thankfulness is something God uses to get us through tough times. Paul's letters have a Thanksgiving plan to help us survive the turmoil of this world. He says: 

Rejoice always,   

Pray continually, 

Let your gentleness be evident to all 

Give thanks in all circumstances. 

  

REJOICE ALWAYS 

One key to surviving difficult times, Paul writes to both the Philippians and the Thessalonians, is to rejoice always. If we can find something to rejoice in each day and if we can focus on that rather than on all the bad things pulling us down, our spirit will be uplifted, and we can get through it. Monty Python has a catchy tune about always looking on the bright side of life. They are obviously over the top, but I think that it is really key – we might have something to celebrate. If a hurricane destroys every house in town but one – celebrate the one home standing; celebrate lone survivors; recognize the blessings in the midst of suffering. There are always good things and bad things happening in this world and we do tend to notice what we are looking for – thus some people always appear miserable (even if they seem to have an ideal life) while others are always smiling (even if we wouldn’t want to be in their shoes). 

 

This I think is a big part of the comfort in being ‘saved’, being holy – the ability to see where God is working in the midst of suffering; and if we recognize, rejoice and celebrate the miracles in the midst of suffering, the suffering becomes much more manageable – and then when we see it, we will start to recognize the miraculous more and more everyday – and then we start to experience the miraculous more and more every day. 

  

PRAY CONTINUALLY 

Another vital key to survival is prayer. Paul mentions this in his letters to the Philippians, Thessalonians, Colossians, and Ephesians.  Paul writes this to the churches in each of these communities. Prayer is extremely important. I can’t tell you the number of people I have the chance to pray with on an ongoing basis. This week, a few friends of mine have been going through some real difficult times. I have been blessed to be able to pray for them. I thank all those who have been praying for me as well lately – that means a lot. Prayer is vital to survival. As we pray together, we are joined to God with one another in a bond as strength. Let us not stop praying with and for one another. 

  

BE GENTLE 

That brings us to another very important part of living with a spirit of thanksgiving that is key to surviving our struggles in community and even in the Church: be gentle with one another! This can be difficult. We are a divided world right now. Name your issue, people are polarized. People are upset. People are angry. People are afraid. Watch the different news channels; scroll through social media. Society is divided. The church is divided. Even clergy, Officers are divided. 

  

Even if we are upset or worried or busy or tired or hungry, we need to be gentle with one another; congregation members, we need to be gentle with one another; staff members, we need to be gentle with one another; family members, we need to be gentle with one another; friends and social media friends, we need to be gentle with one another if we hope to survive. We need to be gentle, and we need to be thankful for one another. We need to be thankful for what God is doing through each and every one of us. 

  

BE THANKFUL 

The spirit of thankfulness. This spirit of Thanksgiving is so important to our very survival. When everything around us seems to be crashing down and everyone seems to be unkind and violent in thought, word, and deed; it is imperative that we find what is right and thank God for that!  If we only focus on all the trials and tribulations around us, we will be swallowed up by them. If we just look at the storms of life, we will miss the lifeboat. Mark my words, my friends, the chaos of our world is a turbulent as a storm at sea. You or I may even have been tossed overboard and maybe we are gasping for air trying to survive. If we just focus on the waves of all that is going wrong that is all we will see. 

  

If we, however, quickly scan the horizon looking for the things God is sending us that can pull us through, we will be okay. Look around: see the miracles that are happening on a daily basis; see the people God is using for good in the world; notice how He is using you and others to help people; It is only when we look for and focus on the good things that God is providing for our salvation that we can grab a hold of them. This is what will create in us a thankful heart and a joyful spirit, this is what will make it so that we don’t need to be anxious in anything. 

  

On this Thanksgiving Day in Canada, I would like to encourage us to look around at the things for which we can be thankful, the ways God is seeing us through the storm and thank Him for them. For as we can thank the Lord for what He is doing even while the whole world seems to be in chaos, as we thank the Lord for the daily miracles that we see, as we thank the Lord for each other and what the Lord is doing through each and every one of us then we will get through even this - whatever the 'this' is – that we are each facing today 

  

Let us pray 

 

BENEDICTION: 

Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

2 Corinthians 5:17-19: Haalapi Hawit

Presented to TSA North Vancouver Corps and the Harvest Community, 04 October 2026 (based on the message Presented to TSA AV Ministries, 26 March 2023) by Major Michael Ramsay

To read the shorter 2023 version, click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2023/03/2-corinthians-511-21-reconciliation.html

2 Corinthians 5:17-19: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

Discussion questions: 

• What is the ministry of reconciliation?

• What role do you suppose forgiveness has in reconciliation? 

• How can we share the message of reconciliation?

This week was Truth and Reconciliation Day. On Wednesday I had the opportunity to join a walk in Vancouver. Susan and Heather and I went to events in New Westminster. I don’t know if there were events here in North Van? The Orange Shirt Day walk was always a very important event when we lived in Port Alberni. Alberni was home to one of the Residential Schools. Each TRC day we would either walk to or from that site as a community – all of us from Port Alberni, including mayor and members of council; the MLA and MP, The Salvation Army and many others. We would walk side-by-side with members of the local Nuu-Chah-Nulth nations: Tseshaht, Hupacasath, and others. We would do this as a sign of solidarity, of reconciliation.

Our scripture before us today, in part, vv.17-19, says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

A friend of mine, who was affected directly by residential schools, wrote this:

…the beatings I took when I was a little boy. I could never understand why Late Mom did this to me.  Reading about the Plint case, I began to learn and understand what happened to her in those institutions she was kidnapped and forced to attend. The Plint case, I think, was instrumental in helping her to come to terms with her own childhood; to help her begin the process of Healing... I said to Late Mom a few times, "Mom, it okay to remember the past, if only to learn from it how NOT to be - What is not okay is repeating it…. Each of us has the opportunity to halt the vicious cycle of abuse that the savages taught in them institutions."

    …My brother, Simon, remembers how I used to be tied up, when I was a little boy. I only have vague memories...

    I close this by commenting on my daughter's observations, when she was only four years of age. …[she spilled her juice] I'd grab a tablecloth to wipe it up, then explain to her it was why I put the glass in front of her. This happened three times. And, to keep this short, on the third time, she said to me, "Dad, you're not going to get mad at me, hey? " To which I would say to her, "No, daughter. I would never be mad at you (as in never belittle her or make her feel threatened and afraid). … "The vicious cycle ends with me."

2 Corinthians 5:17-19: “…if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes,” To walk the path of forgiveness is to recognize that your crimes harm you as they harm me. To walk the path of forgiveness is to recognize that my dignity is bound up in your dignity, and every wrongdoing hurts us all.” We are forgiven; to be reconciled we must forgive.

Reconciliation with others is important. Reconciliation with God is most important and reconciliation with God inevitably leads to reconciliation with others. 1 John 4:20: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

TRC Day was this week. I wore my orange shirt. In our previous appointment, we worked well with the local nations. We always had the chiefs at our events – Ken and Brandy are my friends - and we went to theirs. We were able to partner with them in many ways. 

This poster (on the screen) means very much to me. I used to have it on my office door in Alberni. I thought I lost it when we moved. It made me very sad. I found it, however, which caused me great joy and relief. It is now in my office in Burnaby. It was given to me by Remi Tom– he was a colleague at The Salvation Army Alberni Valley Ministries. He works with the Army there. His brother was an hereditary Tla-o-qui-aht Chief. Remi is an elected member of council. He taught me much about Nuu-Chah-Nulth culture, tradition, government, and some vocabulary; he is a friend!

 

On Shrove Tuesday 2023, one of the other Nuu-Chah-Nulth nations, the Tseshaht First Nation, released the preliminary findings about the residential school that was on their territory.  It is very sad. Every day after that, as before, as I entered my office and as I would sit at my desk, I see this print of a painting by Roy Henry Vickers with the words 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) written underneath. I kept that picture on my glass door. Whenever someone came to my office and the door was closed, they would see it. When I was in my office with the door open, it would be facing me. I would be facing 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator), as you are today.

Shrove Tuesday was the day the findings were released from the residential school on Tseshaht First Nation. Shrove Tuesday is the day before lent begins. Traditionally this is the day to get our lives in order for Lent. It is a time of confession and absolution. I think it is quite fitting that the preliminary findings from the residential school were released on a day that has already been set aside for confession and absolution. Our nation has certainly been coming to terms with the residential school systems and many other things over the past few years. Our politicians, church leaders and others have been publicly confessing the sins and errors of the past. True reconciliation is only possible with confession, forgiveness, absolution. As Demond Tutu said in the South African context, “there is no future without forgiveness”; for it is only in forgiving others that we are truly sets us free.

1 John 4:20: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” 

2 Corinthians 5:17-19: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

Lent, the season that begins after Shrove Tuesday, when the findings were released, starts on Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is a time for fasting and praying. Lent – the word itself – means ‘fortieth’ and it references the 40 days Jesus fasted (referencing as well Elijah’s and Moses’ fasts of that length) before commencing his public ministry. Lent ends on either Maundy Thursday or Low Saturday – the day between Good Friday and Easter: the day we commemorate Christ providing reconciliation for the whole world, all of Creation.

The symbolism of this picture is important to me. The crown of thorns on the 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator)’s head make it clear that this is a representation of Jesus. Jesus who died on the cross, Jesus is the Creator. John Chapter 1 reminds us that wasn’t just a man. He is God. He is creator of the whole world and more.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...

    ...9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

    14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...

    ...29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.

Doctrines 2 through 4 of The Salvation Army say this about 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator):

2. We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.

3. We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.

4. 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.

'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) not only created us but He also went to the cross for us. The tears in this picture remind me how sad He must be. Can you imagine the sadness of 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator)? He created all of us, everything, the whole world and more; and we killed Him. He loves us and we killed Him. Can you imagine if those whom you love deeply wanted to kill you and you watch them as they do? In our context today, imagine you are lying in a hospital bed and your loved one comes and puts the needle in that ends everything. Now imagine that they do this NOT out of love. Imagine. This I think can cause some tears. There is more than that though.

 

'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) went to the cross for us. The tears in this picture remind me how sad He must be for the way we have treated each other in residential schools, and wars, and poverty, and other things and everything and how sad He must be at the way we continue to treat each other today.

Hebrews 10:26ff says that if we continue to sin after Christ died for us, we trample the body of Christ underfoot. 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) let His creation kill Him so that we, His creation, can be free of Sin. See the tears on His cheek. Jesus died on the cross so that sin would no longer have a hold on us. He died on the cross so that we no longer need to fall prey to sin. Look at His tears – how sad it must make Him that we still sometimes fall prey to sin; how sad it must make Him that we still do bad things to each other; how sad it must make 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) to see those He created and He loves, harm others whom He created and He loves. Those of us who are parents or grandparents, think of how we feel when our children fight; think of how we feel when our children hurt one another, think of how we feel when they bully their sibling; think of how we feel when they harm their sibling. We want them to be reconciled. We want them to be friends again. We don’t want anything to come between them ever again, because we love them. And those of us who have or are difficult siblings can make an extra effort because we love our parents.

'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) died and rose again so that we could be reconciled to 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) and 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) died and rose again so that we could be reconciled to one another. This is what we hope for in Easter. As Advent, which is quickly approaching, is when we prepare to celebrate the incarnation of Christ, Lent is when we prepare to celebrate the reconciliation that Jesus provided for us all between the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus rose from the grave leaving sin and death behind Him so that we can all do the same. And even now we have the opportunity to begin to live out that salvation; even now we have to opportunity to begin to break free from those horrible sins that are trying to drag us down; even now we have that opportunity to live out that forgiveness and reconciliation with God – and with one another.

'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator), Jesus, died and rose again so that we could be reconciled to 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator), Jesus and to one another. As 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) Jesus has done this for us, it is my hope that indeed we will all work diligently and unceasingly toward that end of living a life reconciled both with 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator) and with one another. He loves us and He wants us to be reconciled with Him with each other just like any parent desires to have their children get along.

So today, if there is anything between you and another of God’s children, another of God’s creations, I encourage you to live free from the power of Sin and death and experience love and forgiveness instead. I encourage you, if there is anything between you and 'Haalapi Hawit' (Creator), that you confess it to Him now and receive His forgiveness, His Grace, His love, and His healing and reconciliation; and when we go from here in a moment or two let us all go from here in His power, and share His love and ministry of reconciliation with all whom we meet.

 

Let us pray.