If you were to ask someone what they thought a saint is, how would they respond?
Many would probably say someone holy.
Someone who has done extraordinary things,
Someone considered special.
Someone who has done nothing or very little wrong.
The most well known and celebrated saint in Australia, is Saint Patrick.
On March 17 people around the world gather to celebrate St Patrick’s day.
Most of them don’t gather at a church.
But at a pub, some even drinking green beer.
And most of them have no idea what they are celebrating.
The celebration is about St Patrick converting most of Ireland to Christianity.
Now maybe next St Patrick’s day we should all go to our local pub and join in the celebrations.
Telling others isn’t it great that God used St Patrick to convert Irish to Christianity.
The popular view of saints is that saints are like St Patrick.
They are perfect and achieve spectacular things.
Yet the bible reveals somewhat of a different understanding.
The New Testament and the experience of the church highlights that
Saints are essential for the Christian faith.
God has chosen to work through saints.
Think about it without saints there would only be Jesus…
But no followers of Jesus.
Now I want you to clearly hear me.
I am not saying Jesus is not essential for the Christian faith.
Jesus is the foundation and the centre stage of our faith.
In fact a good way to recognise when your life is off track is when Jesus is no longer foundational for everything you do.
And when Jesus is no longer taking the credit for everything you do.
You don’t have to be an American rock star who says I thank God for this award.
But are you recognizing that God is foundational and responsible for everything you achieve?
When Jesus is both foundational and centre stage then not only does it highlight you are taking notice of God.
But it reminds you that God is being seen through you.
And this is the way God has chosen to grow His church.
For people to have been touched and affected by the love of God, through people like you.
People like you and me who have not just listened to God but also been doers of his word.
From James 1:22 we hear
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
A saint listens to God and does what God says.
And so it is no wonder that throughout the New Testament,
From the book of Acts through to Revelations
We see that followers of Jesus were referred to as saints on many occasions.
And these weren’t special followers of Jesus.
These were everyday Christians.
Christians like you.
And so in God’s eyes you are a saint.
But you say hold on a moment the person sitting next to me,
They can’t be called a saint!!
You should know about their sins.
In fact, how can I be called a saint, I sin?
Well every person here sins.
In fact every Christian has sinned
And in God’s eyes all sins are equal.
So if you have ever cheated on your taxation,
talked about someone in a bad way,
swore at someone.
God sees you as no better than the person who has committed adultery or committed murder.
Now that’s hard to take isn’t it?
But that is the fact,
because all sins separate us from God.
And being perfect isn’t a criteria to be classed as a saint.
You see many of the people referred to as saints in the bible had problems, they sinned.
And not just in small ways.
Instead lets get God’s perspective on what a saint is.
From Romans 1:7
To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Being a saint has nothing to do with what you do.
Let me say that another way
Being a saint does not start with what you do.
But it starts with God saying I love you.
And God saying I call you to live your life for me.
And when did you first experience this?
For many it was at your baptism!!!
For others it was when someone shared this with you.
And how do you experience it now?
When you read your bible.
When you worship.
When you share God’s word with others.
When someone comes and helps you.
When you love others, without grumbling and without conditions.
Being a saint relies on God and being exposed to His love.
So what do we do about sin?
Martin Luther after studying the scriptures recognised that every follower of Jesus is both a saint and a sinner, but there is one difference.
Saints are forgiven.
And all Christians are sinners and saints at the same time.
We are sinners because of what we do
And We are saints because of what God is doing.
Saints in other words recognise that they rely on Jesus death on the cross for the eternal future.
God not only makes us saints.
But he continues to help us grow and live as saints.
And God will help us distinguish when we are being saints and we are not.
So let’s explore a couple of passages that highlight what it means to be saints.
Revelation 7:9-11
Highlights that Saints come to worship God with others, irrespective of who the others are.
Saints come from all walks of life, all situations, all nations.
And they worship not for the sake of worshipping God,
But to acknowledge that their salvation can come only from God.
In 1 John 3:1-3
Saints are God’s children.
Do you treat your children differently than other children?
I do, I love my children.
And that is how God treats his saints, as someone who is His child.
However we also see that the world or other people won’t necessarily see us as saints, as anything worthwhile
As anything special.
And this is why saints are encouraged to place their confidence not in the things or people of this world,
But in Jesus, who guarantees to give us hope.
2 Corinthians 8:7
We also see that saints are encouraged to be generous cheerful givers
Of our time, money, material good and skills.
To give without complaining.
To give without demanding recognition.
Without expecting others to give.
When we do this we are in fact sharing God’s love.
So who around you needs God’s love?
And finally
Lets hear again Matthew 5:1-12
And hear what Jesus says saints are like:
As I read this I would encourage you to think who has been like this in your life?
And when have you been like this and when have you not?
Read Matthew 5:1-12.
Each of us have benefited from saints.
Because saints are people who point us to Jesus and what he has done for us.
Who has shared God’s love with you?
They are a saint.
And each of us are called to be saints.
Saints who are influenced by God.
Who has God placed around you that needs His love.
My prayer is that we continue to be God’s saints.
That we live as people who rely on Jesus.
And that we share his love generously.
As a priest once said to a small boy enquiring about what was in one of the church’s stain glass windows.
He said it was a saint.
And the boy replied ever so quickly, "so a saint is someone that the light shines through."
May God’s light continue to shine through the saints you know on you,
And may it also shine through you
Amen
