Dress up in brand new festive clothes for 2015! - New Year's Eve

God paid the supreme, final price to bring us back to him. He gave his Son, to suffer the ultimate sacrifice of the cross, that we will be able to leave the foolish and destructive life within the kingdom of the world and start living in the Body of Christ – the Church and the Kingdom of God.  Jesus conquered the enemies who want to pull us back into darkness. The Lord wants to clothe us with festive Christ-like living that frees from the slavery of our weak human nature, our mistakes and our offences of the past.

This is Paul’s message in 2 Corinthians 5: 16 – 21:  "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Everything old has passed away. Everything has become new.”

It's never too late to make new beginnings. If anyone is in Christ, everything old has passed. Everything is new through the grace of God and by faith in Christ. The new beginning starts with believing that God has made us a new creation and it starts with the power of God through which we put into practice to be the new person that God calls us to be. It starts with a prayerful resolution to behave, to act, as God’s new creation.

Paul tells us about the new behaviours of anyone who is in Christ in Romans 13:13: "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

Putting on our festive clothes means to put on the risen Christ and celebrate his fresh grace, mercy and holiness every day as we enter through the open doors the Lord gives us in 2015.   And the Bible says that this is the rule of thumb: “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime!”

We are called to trust God for new beginnings in 2015, based on his sacrifice, victory, faithfulness, holiness and his loving promises for our lives.

I wish you a prosperous new year in the Lord, celebrated in truly festive clothes that only can be the Lord Jesus Christ.

Seven paintings of Christmas!

If I were an artist I would have painted a Christmas that captures more than the physical images we are so used to.

The first painting depicts a dove, the symbol for the Holy Spirit, superimposed upon the image of a young woman. The caption at the bottom says:  “Nothing is impossible with God”.

The second portrays an angel talking to a serious looking young man distraught about a pregnant girl-friend. The caption reads, "Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary."

The third painting would be one of a barn. Through the open door we see a man, a woman, an ox, a donkey, and a sheep or two. Then you would notice that all of these are not important at all, for painted in the middle of the picture is a Child in a manger and the caption reads, "Emmanuel – God with us!"

The fourth would be an illustration of an angel, in the heavens, reading an announcement from a scroll. The caption says, "Good news of great joy... for all the people."

The fifth painting would depict a cross and a grave. The cross is surrounded by darkness and stained with blood. The grave is surrounded by light and filled with glory. The caption says, "Today in the city of David, a Saviour has been born to you."

The sixth portrays Christ surrounded by a bright light, the blaze of many suns. The caption says, "Sun of righteousness." And, it says, "The Light of the world!"

The seventh and last painting would be of a throne, a crown, and a purple robe superimposed upon a Baby in a manger. The caption reads, "Christ the Lord."

Merry Christmas!

You can down load the Christmas Day Sermon on the Paintings of Christmas, in MP3 format on this page:  http://www.centurionwest.co.za/sermons.htm

Waiting for the Lord’s unfailing love...

Listen to the believers’ expectation that the Lord may come to them to be their consolation in Psalms 130:  5 – 8:  I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.   I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.  Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.  He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Those followers of Christ who are waiting, watching and praying for the Messiah's coming will be ready and able to recognize him, rejoice in him, believe in him and love him when he comes to be with us this Advent Season and Christmastide, and all of our days, and for all eternity.

It is true that the Lord's Christ has already come to our world when he was born in Bethlehem. But do we hear that he is knocking on the door of the Church and is ready to feast with us if we recognise and embrace him as he comes to us to bring us consolation and guide our lives day by day?

Do we live with eager anticipation and great expectation of what the Lord does when he comes to be with us?

How I pray that when Jesus comes to his church we will be ready and prepared like a bride for her groom. And that we will receive from him, as we so desperately need, his life, his faith and hope, his joy and his love. Are we waiting and praying for the comfort the Lord Jesus gives and are we ready to share in the unfailing love and full redemption he gives when he comes to his people - and to each one of us individually?

May our whole being wait on the Lord as watchmen wait for the morning, always ready to hold on to the joy and love that Jesus wants to give us!

O come Lord Jesus, come to wipe the tears from our eyes!

Liturgical Prayers for the Third Advent Sunday: Joy!

Background to the Third Advent Sunday, also known as “Gaudete”:

The celebration of the season of Advent originated as early as the fifth century as a fast of forty days in preparation for Christmas.

In the ninth century, the duration of Advent was reduced to four weeks, but Advent preserved most of the characteristics of a penitential season,  expecting the return of our Lord.

Yet the Third Advent or “Gaudete”, that means to rejoice, provides a break about midway through a season which is otherwise filled with penance as a result of the nearness of the Lord's coming.

The spirit of the Liturgy all through Advent is one of expectation and preparation for the feast of Christmas as well as for the second coming of Christ, yet the penitential atmosphere is suspended on Third Advent to remind us of the joy and gladness we will receive in the complete liberation of Christ’s return, so soon to come.

The deep purple Advent candles are replaced by a pink candle of joy and celebration on the Third Sunday of Advent.

Call to Worship:

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.

Philippians  4:4–6;

Glory to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – now and for forevermore. Amen.

Prayer of praise and the Confession of sins.

Merciful God, while we patiently wait for Christ’s coming again, may each of us rejoice in our salvation; and may that joy spread throughout all aspects of our lives and be freely shared with others. As we worship you today, grant us your joy.

O God, who through your Only Begotten Son have made us a new creation,

look kindly on us, we pray,

look with compassion and grace on us, your very own people,

and for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, for the sake of his sacrifice and his victory,

cleanse us from every stain of the old way of life,

fill us with your Spirit and grant us the true joy of being forgiven and restored as children of God!

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

Prayers of Intercession:

God of mercy and power, whose Son rules over all, grant us so to live in obedience to your holy will, that at the appearing of Christ we may be raised to eternal life and perfect joy!

Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger, John the Baptizer, to prepare your way before you: now grant that the ministers and all stewards of your Word and Sacraments may likewise prepare and make ready your way,

by turning the hostile hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,

by turning the despondency of the unfaithful into the joy of truthful and authentic disciples of Jesus;

by turning the mourning, the disappointed, the suffering and the depressed into victorious servants of the almighty Christ who are filled with the eternal exultation, with gladness and excitement because our Lord lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.

Rescue today all who are robbed of the true joy of the Lord by bringing to a fall those who inflict our world with cruelty, violence, criminality, envy, gossip, pride, falsehood, adultery and every other demonic and deceitful attitude and behaviour.  Rescue us from the evil ways of the wicked and restore in us the bliss sourced from the wonder of your love, kindness, grace and mercy in Jesus Christ!

Grant in your mercy, o God,

comfort to all who are sad and crying,

healing to all inflicted with illness and pain,

hope to the downhearted,

courage and liberation to your oppressed and persecuted Church,

faith to those who are in doubt,

love to the lonely, the insecure and all who are afraid and weak,

and faith through grace to the repentant who put their trust in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prepare us for the true joy of Christmas and the everlasting love when you return to your people; prepare us for the measureless joy of the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Father God, teach us through your Holy Word, renew our hearts and minds by your Holy Spirit and secure us in the everlasting arms of our Saviour.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.