This morning, I would like to focus our attention on the reading from the Hebrews. About halfway through, we have the paragraph which begins "Therefore…" and a wise teacher challenged me to ask the question in such a case; "What is the therefore there for".

It is a linking word, implying that subsequent action is predicated on what has come before. So the word challenges us to look at what is the basis of action, and what action or attitude is to result from this. So let us begin with the basis for action.

A fundamental question in every religious system, not just Christianity, is the problem of failing to do good - perhaps to use the jargon, "dealing with Sin". Religion for the purpose of a blanket definition is about good and evil. In one way or another Good is defined by a religion and often in terms God, a god or gods. To the Hebrews, God's word to Moses gave them the solution for sin.

This solution was based on a complicated ritual sacrificial system, through which sin was dealt with by the shedding of blood. This was a ritual repeated by the High Priest daily at the temple and although it never took away the sins, but placated the anger of God against them. In a simple perspective - Sin angered God: Sacrifice placated him.

But the author now talks of a new scenario. What if the sin was disposed of? No sin, No angry God. No Sin, no need to sacrifice. Any sacrifice that successfully deals with sin means that subsequently the consequences of sin are no more. Jesus blood shed on the cross was such a sacrifice.

This is the meaning of Jesus death upon the cross. Sin is gone. Sacrifice is obsolete. And the door to heaven is open.

Perhaps I should pause here. Is this not the reason for our existence? The basis of our faith? Is this not exciting? Is this not mind blowing? Perhaps you and I are so familiar with this idea that we forget the uniqueness of it… the significance of it…

So therefore what should we do?

The writer gives us three corporate responses or lettuces. (They begin let us…) Let us…

• approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water

It would be easy to think of these as programmes to be implemented but the therefore indicates that they are responses to our understanding. We tend to look for a programme to do these things in our churches and so we have a tendency to produce programmed Christians. We program responses into the faithful and define this as spiritual maturity. But this produces pseudo-maturity.

True maturity comes from our engagement with God through his word and his people. As we develop a full understanding of this new regime brought in by Jesus work on the cross, then our natural response will be to draw closer to God, to strengthen our faith and hope and to build up the community of faith in this place.

As a priest my job is not to tell you how to live out your faith, but to continue to build up your relationship with God. Faith although expressed corporately is an individual journey, which we all make at our own pace and in our own unique and individual way. As our church, our job is not to tell the world how to live, but to challenge them with the quality of our faith so that they will be drawn to seek out a faith of their own.

And it is these three lettuces that are how we can do it.

Let us approach… This speaks of the response of drawing near of entering God's presence.

Yes, we do this week by week as we celebrate communion, but there is more too. Brother Lawrence spoke of practicing the presence of God in the ordinary and the every day. We have as God's people tried to lock him away in this building but he should be every where. We need to find him in the paddock and the shearing shed, the school and the pub, the kitchen and the lounge room. He is there as much as he is here, but we must learn to acknowledge him, to recognise his presence and live accordingly.

Think of the impact this would make on those around us…

And we are challenged to hold fast… To hold fast to our Christian faith and hope. To live with the certainty that God's word promises us. Are we living by faith, assured of the Fatherly love and protection of a generous God who would give for us the precious gift of his Son? Or are we leaving God out of the picture? Faith like most things grows as it is exercised. In the same way that Body Builders will work on the various muscles and muscle groups, as Christians we are called to develop our faith in order that it might grow. This is not everything all at once, but you and I can ask God to show us one area to strengthen and develop each month or each year so that when we look back, we can see a progression in our faith. And those who look own from outside will be challenged.

And our calling is to provoke each other… provoke each other to love and good deeds. In as much as there is the individual journey, we corporately make it and our calling is to urge one another on to higher things - greater love and more good deeds. Look around - these are people God has called you and I to provoke. It is these people who are our primary circle of ministry and together we are called to a ministry of encouragement. Think of what the world will see if it sees us working together and urging each other on. This is the true benefit of the working bees, catering and the social functions.

When it says do not neglect to meet together it is not about coming to church, but about living lives that intermix and interact. We can only complete that let us…, when this is happening. The powerful symbol of the gathering of God's people will touch the world around. We can have faith on our own, but Christianity is what we have when we are together.

So I am not looking for a programme of church growth or development. I am looking for people who believe the essence of the faith and live out their lives in response to it.

The world is watching us, let them have something to look at that will challenge them to believe. This is our calling and the purpose for which we are here. May God give us the assurance of faith that will change the world - starting here.