Our relational God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Holy Trinity Sunday is observed on the First Sunday after Pentecost.  After following all the gospel events over the last 7 months, beginning with Christmas in December, we concluded this journey on Trinity Sunday with the question:  Who is the God that so graciously saved and sanctified us?

Contemplating the impact our confession of the Trinity has on our faith and worship, is not about asking the mathematical questions about how 3 can be one and one can be 3. No, the Holy Trinity has been revealed to show us the essence of the character of God and when we see this, it should bring us to worship, to being in awe and reverence!  And at the centre of God’s character is that he is a relational God. The essence of God is that he, from all eternity, exists as God in the relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God – the one and only true God. And the three ways of God’s being are in perfect harmony, at peace with one another.  The best known Hebrew word is “Shalom” and means “the peace of God”.   When we wish each other “shalom” it means that we pray that the peaceful relationship that God has as the very essence of his being, will extend to us, to you! That, as God is in perfect harmony with himself, he will be in harmony with us as well.

Holy Trinity, meaning in essence God-in-relationship, desires us to share in his peace and harmony. The Father created us for this purpose and the Son came to create for us this harmony, by giving his life to take away the sin that stands between us and God. The Holy Spirit was sent to live in us to grant us faith and power in order to have a relationship with the Father through our relationship with the Son.
 

God calls us to be one with him and to, in obedience to him, be commissioned by him and sent into the world to share his peace with all who still live outside a relationship with him.

Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! As it was in the beginning it is now, and will forever be!

For Trinity Sunday, 3 June 2012, a prayer of John Knox in contemporary English.

For Trinity Sunday, a prayer of John Knox in contemporary English.

We give honour and praise to you, LORD God Almighty, most dear Father in heaven, for all your mercies and loving-kindness showed to us, in that it has pleased you in your gracious goodness to choose us to be saved before the beginning of the world.

We thank you LORD for creating us, for redeeming us with the precious blood of your Son, when we were lost; and making us holy through the work of your Holy Spirit as we grow in the knowledge of your Word. We thank you for helping and strengthening us in all our needs,  for saving us from all dangers of body and soul; for comforting us in all our tribulations and for sparing us so long, and granting us so much time of repentance.

And now we pray, for the sake of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant us always your Holy Spirit. May we through your Spirit continually grow in gratefulness towards you, be led into all truth, and be comforted in all our hardships.

Holy Trinity, today we pray for….

O LORD, strengthen our faith; that it will grow in passion and love towards you, our LORD, and our neighbours.  Let us not, heavenly Father,  receive your Word in vain; but grant us always the assistance of your grace and of the Holy Spirit, that in heart, word, and deed, we may bless your Name and worship you, the one and only true God.

Help us to increase and enhance your kingdom; that wherever you send, we may be content with your will. Let us not lack the ability— O Father! — without which we cannot serve you; but bless all the works of our hands, that we may be able to honour you and be helpful to others.

Let your mighty hand and outstretched arm, O LORD, be our defence; let your mercy and kindness in Jesus Christ, your Son, be our salvation. Let your grace and Holy Spirit be our comfort and consolation, unto the end and in the end.

O LORD, grow our faith, teach us your Word and grant us your peace.  

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Pentecost Devotion (Part 2)

After the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples of Jesus on the Jewish festival of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter preached a sermon to help the amazed bystanders to understand what has happened on the day. His message came from the Book of the prophet Joel:

‘In the last days,’ God says,  ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants–men and women alike–and they will prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18; Joel 2:28-29)

Peter explained that the Holy Spirit would be given to every person who turned from their sin and turned to Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38: ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise(of the Spirit)  is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.’

God began to do what he had promised through prophet Joel, namely to empower a variety of different people to serve him, in the power of the Holy Spirit.   In Old Testament times a special anointing of the Spirit was reserved for prophets, priests and kings. But now, in the new dispensation where Christ is King in heaven, the Spirit would work through all God’s people  – sons and daughters, young men and women, old people, yes, men and women alike.  Every follower of Christ is equipped to minister for God, irrespective of their gender, age, race, class or any other “classification” we humans place on each other.

The church of Jesus Christ is the place where every single person matters. We are God’s instrument to save the lost, change the world and proclaim that God’s dominion has come.

What are the implications of this truth for each one of us?

Every believer needs to ask him or herself, ‘am I serving God through the power of the Spirit?’

‘Do I use the gift that the Holy Spirit gave me in the Church and in the world?’

During the Pentecost season, and every other time in the Church year, we ask God personally and individually to anoint us by his Spirit, that we too may join all his people in the work of Christ – with passion and power given by the Spirit, in service of the living Christ.

This is a time to renew our commitment to God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  To worship, to serve and to proclaim God’s Kingdom with all our hearts, souls, minds and the strength we received through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church.

And may the Lord bless and keep you, listen to your prayers and grant you peace!

Sermon Outlines

http://www.centurionwest.co.za/sermons.htm

Click to read a couple of sermon outlines!

Called to be witnesses - Pentecost 2012

John 16: 8 - 11:  And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹of sin, because they do not believe in Me;¹⁰of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;¹¹of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

We are not called to be the judge, the prosecutor, or even the defense attorney! "You will be my WITNESSES"   - Rick Warren.

Note three important words. The first word is "convict." The Spirit "will convict the world" (Jn 16:8). "Convict" is a legal word that means "to bring to light, to expose, to convince."

Then the word "sin". We are told that the Spirit convicts the world of guilt in three areas: sin, righteousness, and judgment. Thirdly Jesus calls the Spirit: "the Counselor." In the original language this word is used for legal assistants who plead a cause or persecute a case. An advocate.

It is legal language, as is used in a court of law:  Believers are the witnesses, the Holy Spirit is the prosecuting advocate, and the unsaved are the accused. But, the purpose of the conviction is not to condemn, but to rehabilitate – to save.

Firstly, the Spirit through the witness of the church convicts the world of a specific sin: (Jn 16:9) The sin of not believing in Jesus. 

Secondly, the Spirit through the witness of the church,  (Jn 16:10) convicts the world of sin by showing us Christ's righteousness. The Resurrection and the Ascension, are saying about Jesus, that God has received him whom the world would not receive. God's exaltation of Jesus shows that he is the perfectly righteous Lamb of God.

Thirdly, the Spirit, through the witness of the church, (Jn 16:11) convicts the world of judgment, because the prince of this world (the devil) now stands condemned. The victory belongs to our Saviour.

On the first Pentecost Sunday the Spirit, though the witness of the Church, convicted the world of guilt with regards to sin and righteousness and judgment. Three thousand new converts were on the day convicted of their sin of unbelief in Jesus, they were convicted of the righteousness of Christ, and they were convicted of the judgment of the devil.

 So, the Spirit grew the church by convicting and converting lost souls, but the apostles were not bystanders.  

The job of the Spirit is to convict, to bring to light, to convert.

The job of the apostles, and now of the church, is to witness. 

Prayer for Pentecost Sunday

Prayer for Pentecost Sunday,

inspired by very old, classic prayers for Pentecost, but simplified.

Almighty and eternal God, who promised to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and has given us forgiveness of all our sins, now fulfil your pledge to send to us from heaven your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of guidance and resilience, the Spirit of knowledge and godliness, and fill us with faithful reverence, that we may learn to always fear, serve and love you, o God, our only refuge.

Come, O blessed Spirit of worship, penetrate my heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God, before me always, help me to turn away from all things that offend you; and make me worthy to appear before your pure eyes, our divine King in heaven, where you live and reign in the unity of the most holy Trinity, our eternal God.

Come, O blessed Spirit of godliness, possess my heart.  Enthuse in me such a love for God that I may find satisfaction only in your service, and for your sake lovingly submit to all good and holy authority.

Come, O blessed Spirit of strength, uphold my soul in time of trouble and difficulty, sustain my labours to be holy, strengthen my weak heart,  give me courage against all the assaults of your and my enemies, that I may never be overcome and be separated from you,  my God and my Redeemer.

Come, O blessed Spirit of knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the emptiness of earthly things, that I may realize their arrogance and I may use them only for your glory and for my salvation, looking ever beyond this world to you and your eternal reward.

Come, O Spirit of understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may at last see the eternal light in your Light; and, in the light of your glory, have a vision of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Come, O Spirit of guidance, help and direct me in all my ways, that I may always do your holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of your commandments to live the eternal life I earnestly desire.

Come, O Spirit of wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of the heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power, and beauty. Teach me to love the heavenly treasures beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to receive your heavenly mysteries and possess them forever.

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill my heart and my life with the heavenly fruit, your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that I may never become downhearted in the service of God, but, by continued faithful submission to your inspiration, may be united eternally with you, O Spirit of Christ, in the love of the Father and of the Son.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Devotion for Pentecost (Part 1)

Pentecost Sunday, 27 May 2012.  We observe another holy day of the Church on Sunday. Perhaps not so well known as Christmas or Easter, but it represents a watershed day in the early history of the Church. 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus, and 10 days after his ascension, God poured out his Spirit upon the Church. 120 followers of Jesus were filled with the Spirit and they represented all of God’s Church, including us. 

Pentecost Sunday remembers and celebrates that Jesus kept his promise that we will not be left alone after his ascension, but that God would send his Spirit to teach, guide and strengthen us, as we follow Christ and obey his command to spread his Word and Gospel across the globe.

Devotion for Pentecost (Part 1)

The English word “Pentecost” is a translation of a Greek word pentekostos, which means “fifty or fiftieth.”  It was not Christians who invented this name for our feast. They received it from Greek-speaking Jews who used this word to refer to a Jewish holy day, known as  Shavuot in Hebrew. It originates from Leviticus 23:16, which instructs believers to count “fifty days” from the end of Passover to the beginning of the next holy day, the Shavuot.

Shavuot was the second most important feast in Israel’s yearly series of holy days. It was a harvest festival (Exod 23:16), and later also included a celebration to remember the giving of the law on Mount Sinai.

This day became especially significant for Christians.  50 days after the resurrection of Jesus, who was crucified during the Jewish Passover feast, during the next Jewish holy day, Shavuot/Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon Christ’s first followers. The Spirit enabled and empowered them for their mission and constituted them as the Church of Christ.

What actually happened on that first Pentecost Sunday?

This event is recorded in The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2: “And when the day of Pentecost had come, [the first followers of Jesus] were all together in one place” (Acts2:1). All of a sudden, they heard a sound like a strong wind, filling the house. And something like tongues of fire rested on their heads. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak” (2:4).

The languages spoken miraculously on that day by the early Christians were known languages spoken by Jewish worshipers who came from many provinces, cities and nationalities, to celebrate the Jewish Shavuot.  They all could hear the Gospel in their mother tongue and were amazed by the Good News about Jesus, his sacrifice and his resurrection.  3000 new followers of Jesus came to Christ that day and were baptized into his Church.

But the promise that the Holy Spirit will fill God’s people and the Church of the Lord was not only for that generation. It was for all generations of believers. It was also for us.

We do not have to try to bring about God’s dominion and build the Church of the Lord in our own strength. The powerful “Wind”, the Spirit, and the cleansing passionate “Flame”, the same Spirit, will fill us anew and we too will be able to bring the Gospel to all – in his strength and through his wisdom.

Pray for the power, for being filled with the Holy Spirit, as we seek to do the Lord’s work and build up his Church amongst us.

May the Lord bless, keep and sustain you and grant you a blessed and empowering Pentecost!

Pentecost: United Prayers for 20 - 27 May 2012.

Between Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday, on 27 May, may we all join the worldwide Church in prayer, that we in our generation will receive the promise of Christ anew, that we will work and minister in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Acts 1: 12 – 14:

¹² Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.¹³ When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying... ¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Joint Prayers for Pentecost week 2012:  (You are invited to join us in your Church, using these prayer suggestions.)

Sunday (20 May): Lord Jesus Christ, during this Pentecost Season, we come before your throne of grace to ask that you fill our lives, and anoint your worldwide Church, anew with your Holy Spirit and so fulfil your promise again in our generation.  Without your Spirit we can do nothing.

Monday: Lord Jesus Christ, we humble ourselves before you.  You sent your Spirit to fill us with power so that we can be a living testimony to your salvation, forgiveness and deliverance.  We repent of our dead works done in our own strength, of selfish ambitions and worldliness, of allowing the world to dictate and intimidate our witness.  We submit to the work of your Spirit in our lives.

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you call us to be holy as you are holy. You are the God who sanctifies us.  Sanctify us in the truth of your Word.  We pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our generation.

Tuesday: Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life! We confess that our generation has lost its way because the Church has in many ways compromised the truth of your word because of fear, ignorance and deception. Forgive us! Lead us into all truth by your Spirit of truth. Restore to your Church the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We pray that your kindness will touch the hearts of unbelievers through our lives. We confess that instead of loving and accepting sinners, we have judged and scorned them.  We turn from our wicked ways to reach out to them with a heart of compassion.

Wednesday:  Lord, we pray for our brothers and sisters in the faith who are persecuted because of their faith.  Fill their hearts with unspeakable joy even in the face of death.  Strengthen their faith, comfort them in their sorrows and encourage them to stay faithful and to continue to speak the Word boldly.

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we join with the prayer of Jesus when he prayed for the unity of the Body of Christ, your Church on earth. Help us to reconcile with one another in such a way as to honour and glorify your Name.

Thursday: Father, Thank you for the outpouring of your Holy Spirit to empower and equip us to take this message of deliverance and forgiveness to every human being alive on earth today.

May the Church in our generation be transformed by the Holy Spirit into a dwelling place for the fullness of God.

Friday: Heavenly Father, we pray that the prophecy of Jesus will be fulfilled in our generation: that the whole world will hear the gospel.  We pray that the Church will respond to the call for workers to reap the harvest.  We pray for the release of resources given to your people, to meet every need of those working for you.  

Saturday:  Lord Jesus Christ, we pray for a powerful Pentecost Sunday that will bring all your children to worship, change your worldwide Church according to your will and desire and bring glory to your Name through our testimony!

Through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Amen.

Ascension Day Devotion (part 2)

The Ascension of Jesus celebrates both the forgiveness through and the victory of Christ.

Caiaphas, the high priest, king Herod and the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate thought of themselves as very important and powerful people.  But these religious and political leaders are now only remembered because they arrogantly denied and persecuted Christ Jesus.  Little did they know that they were condemning to death the Creator, the Giver of life and the eternal Judge before whom each one of us must stand.  How could Caesar Augustus, who issued the decree that a census should be taken when Jesus was born, have realised at the time that a Baby born to lowly subjects in far away Judea, would one day judge him as King of all.

Ps 110: 1 reads: “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’”

The Ascension proclaims the ultimate victory of Christ. Jesus is the King of kings, the Lord of lords and the Head of the Church.  Whoever refuses to bow before Christ as only Saviour today, while grace and forgiveness are still freely available, will one day have to bow before Christ as the eternal Judge, and without his forgiveness, will be lost forever!

The prophecy in Ps 110 verses 5 and 6 proclaims: “He will crush kings on the Day of his wrath. He will judge the nations....”

The Ascension of Jesus Christ comforts all believers amidst their struggles and especially those who suffer persecution. But the Bible says, “Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone through the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the Faith we profess.” Hebrews 4:14.

We have an Advocate in Heaven. He hears our prayers. He intercedes for us. He will come again. He will defeat every authority that refused to bow before him and obey him.  We will not fear governments, despots or financial tyrants.  We will not bow before idols and never compromise the essential truth of our Faith.  We will not deny and not betray Jesus.

Through the work of his Holy Spirit, Jesus is with us always.  “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” 1 Corinthians 15:25.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the Name that is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”  Philippians 2:9-11.

May the Lord bless, keep and sustain you and grant you a blessed Ascension Day and empowering Pentecost!

Ascension Day Devotion (part 1)

On Ascension Day we proclaim that Jesus is our Lord. That he died for our sins and is risen from the dead. He is alive forever, and ascended into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the Father on the eternal throne of God and has all authority in heaven and on earth.

We have an advocate in heaven.

He hears our prayers.

He will crush all his enemies.

He will come again.

Therefore, we must go and make disciples of all nations

and serve him with love, obedience, reverence and in worship till our lives end

But, you may say, how can we observe Ascension Day as a holy day when the official calendar of our country does not recognise it as a public holiday?

People of different religions often observe their own holy days and maintain their cultural identity in spite of the fact that these days are not public holidays. The Jewish and Muslim faiths observe many feast days and fast days and holy days different to ours. They make personal sacrifices and use their own leave days to celebrate and attest to what they believe. 

We should with even more passion and courage testify to our belief, and to our faithfulness to Jesus, and the gospel truth and organise and structure our lives, work and worship around what is important to our one holy, universal and Christian Faith.

We observe amongst others as holy days, Ascension Day (17 May) and Pentecost Sunday (27 May). When Ascension Day was a public holiday in South Africa, perhaps too few of us appreciated its significance.  So, now, it is to us much more than a day that we do not have to go to work.  It is a day to celebrate our firm conviction that Christ is our King, enthroned in heaven to rule, reign and lead his people unto eternal victory!

The Ascension of Christ proclaims his authority over all.

1 Peter 3:22 says that Christ “has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him”  And Jesus said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”.   Matthew 28:18-20.

Ascension Day proclaims the Lordship of Christ in every area of life. Jesus has all authority. Jesus is Lord over the world of business, sports, entertainment and government. Jesus Christ is Lord over the Church, schools, shops, entertainment, manufacturing, public service, justice, parliament and law enforcement.  There is no area of life that is outside of the authority of Christ. Every professional, worker, manager, teacher, policeman, politician, business person, mother, father, and every person in authority is individually accountable to God and will one day give account of their lives before the almighty Christ, Lord, King and Judge who reigns in heaven and has dominion over all.

Ascension Day is a glorious celebration of and holy reminder and assurance that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

Ascension Day proclaims Christ’s glorious triumph and his complete future dominion over all.  It insists that we live as people who follow the Son of God, the eternal Messiah, and serve him only, in everything we do.  It reminds us that we profess (in the words of the Declaration of the Faith for the Church in Southern Africa) -   that:

We believe in Jesus Christ the Son,

who became human and lived

and died and rose in triumph

to reconcile both the individual and the world to God,

to break down every separating barrier

of race, culture or class,

and to unite all God's people into one body.

He is exalted as Lord over all,

the only Lord over every area of life.

He summons both the individual and society,

both the Church and the State,

to seek justice and freedom for all

and reconciliation and unity between all.

And in the Holy Spirit,

the pledge of God's coming reign,

who gives the Church power

to proclaim the good news to all the world,

to love and serve all people,

to strive for justice and peace,

to warn both the individual and the nation of God's judgement

and to summon them both to repent

and trust and obey Jesus Christ as

the King who will come in glory.

And may his blessings surround you each day!

The almighty Christ can set you free!

Mark 5:1-20  - the demoniac of Decapolis.

Jesus came to the other side of the sea of Galilee, into the country of the Gerasenes. As he and his disciples stepped from the boat onto the shore, they met a man who was demon-possessed.  His life was literally controlled by them, and he was in anguish. He called himself Legion, because he was oppressed and tortured by a legion of demons.

He was so tormented that he couldn’t even live around people anymore.  So lived alone in the cemetery. Confused and full of suffering, he would cry out, night and day as he wounded himself with stones, seeking to find some relief for his emotional  pain through causing himself physical pain..

This story of the deliverance of Legion shows a person so inwardly bound that he suffers intense inner pain and confusion. He is unable to control what is going on in his mind and emotions.  The inner pain is so severe that he does himself harm to try to find relief, yet it provides no solution or peace. It only brings more self destruction.

Inner bondage leads to desperation, which can lead to deliverance.  Legion became so desperate that he came and fell at the feet of Jesus. We see that at last, he had come to the right place. Jesus delivered him from his inward bondage. He set this man free and he came to his senses and was a completely new person. The inner struggle was gone. His need to engage in destructive behaviour was no longer there. He sat at the feet of Jesus, with a teachable spirit, listening to every word Jesus said.

Jesus Christ delivers from inward bondage, emotional pain, desperation and self destruction.  When we become desperate enough to cry for help, and we reach out to Jesus, we will find the help we need.

“Dear Lord Jesus, by your cross and resurrection and by your Spirit – set me free to live in a relationship with you where I am safe from the harm that evil can cause in my life! Amen.”

Do you think the Good Shepherd forsakes you?

Do you think the Good Shepherd forsakes you?
Even doubt that he really exists?
You may know that Lord Jesus invites you,
that his Spirit to love him, insists!
Jesus said he will come, to reveal what he has done.
Heaven’s drums begin to roll: Jesus comes to make us whole!

Do you think the Good Shepherd forsakes you?

Even doubt that he really exists?

You may know that Lord Jesus invites you,

that his Spirit to love him, insists!

Through his Word do we know he is coming,

to our world, everything that exists!
What is broken Lord Jesus has mended,
that he saves now, his Spirit, insists!
There’s a Breeze blowing now, telling where and telling how.
It’s his Spirit that blows, until everybody knows!

Do you think the Good Shepherd forsakes  you?

Even doubt that he really exists?

You may know that Lord Jesus invites you,

that his Spirit to love him, insists!

That Jesus lives, is important for today!

Resurrection is important – for today!

We usually talk about the resurrection as important, because it conquers our mortality and defeats our enemies:  sin and death. And it is true. But never forget that the risen Lord promised to be with us always.  He is with us in all circumstances and amongst all challenges.  Risen and almighty, he promised to never leave, or forsake us.

Because the Jesus who rose from the dead was the very same Jesus who healed a leper, gave sight to the blind and fed the multitude.

The same Jesus who rose from the dead, to ascend to heaven as King and Lord of all, worked as a carpenter and provided for his mother and siblings, ministered to many from town to town and was willing to give his life and become our Passover Lamb. 

He, who shared our daily experiences on earth, and his suffering till death, assures us of his help and understanding, whatever difficulty may challenge us.   

And his resurrection and ascension assure us that he is able to help us, and that nothing is impossible with him,  so near to us always.   

Jesus wants to help us and be with us in every circumstance, good and bad, joyful and terrifying. 

Have you seen people with resurrection faith tackle their problems? They know that God loves them.  They act in faith. And faith keeps them going and gives them hope. They know that God will lead them - through life and even through the valley of the shadow of death.   

Have you seen people without faith tackle their difficulties?  At best they are without joy or hope, and at worst they are despondent and desperate. “What will be, will be” may rationalise their dilemma’s, but it does not heal wounds or inspire meaning and strength! 

Next week (17 May) we will celebrate the ascension of Christ, his enthronement in heaven as King and Lord of all.  Easter tells us that our heavenly King is the same Jesus who ministered, died and has risen.  It is he, Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Son of God, who takes care of us, every day! 

Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Our help comes from the Lord who came to us as a man, a Saviour and the Redeemer!  He will never leave us, or forsake us! And he has all power in heaven and earth.

Why are you so timid? Why do you have no faith? Jesus lives!

Mark 4:35-41: And on that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." And leaving the multitude, they took him along with them, just as he was, in the boat; and other boats were with him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. And Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they awoke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

And being aroused, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And he said to them, "Why are you so timid? Why do you have no faith?" And they became very afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

There are two key sentences in the story about Jesus calming the wind and the storm.

The first is the question of the anxious disciples: "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

And the second is the question of our almighty Lord:  "Why are you so timid? Why do you have no faith?

Jesus and the disciples went by boat to cross the lake. Unexpectedly the boat began to be rocked by the waves driven by a gale force wind.  The waves began to break across the boat. And the disciples were terrified. They thought that they were going to die.

Through all of this, Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat. He was not concerned about the wind and the storm.  The boat was not going to sink, because Jesus still had much to do, and because he put his trust in his Father.

1. The disciples, trembling with fear, put a harsh question to Jesus:  "Teacher, do you not care?  (v. 38b) Their cry to Jesus was, "Do something! Don’t you care that we are in danger – and afraid."

Jesus got up from his peaceful rest and spoke to the wind and the waves. "Hush, be still!" Jesus said, and the wind died down, and it became perfectly calm.

2. Then Jesus turned to his followers to ask them a question too - “Why are you so timid? Why do you have no faith?" (v. 40)  It seems as if Jesus never intended to calm the wind and the storm.  It seems that he expected his followers to have faith, to trust him and to know that he is in control of the wind and the waves, even though he did not intervene!   Jesus expected faith and not fear.

3. The disciples thought that Jesus didn’t care about their situation. That he was not concerned about their fear and the danger they encountered.  So he stilled the storm.  Yet, he rather wanted them to be secure in the storm and in spite of the storm, because they had faith. 

4. Sometimes Jesus will still the storm that makes us afraid!  He has the authority to do so. That is the first lesson of this passage. Jesus has the authority over everything and the power to calm every storm. Sometimes he intervenes, because he can - and because we are afraid and do not have the faith to be calm amidst the stroom.   He has the power to do it. He is able to do it. And sometimes, he will do it.

5. But the second lesson of the passage is that he sometimes will let the storms rage. Because of his plan for us, and for what we still have to learn and because of the strength we need to grow, Jesus will allow us to go through storms. Then it is a test of our faith.   It is good for us to able to sit through the storm, because we have faith!

6. If the disciples had faith, they could have been as peaceful and resting as Jesus was, who felt no need for the storm to be stilled.  We, like the disciples ask, “Jesus, don’t you care?” And sometimes Jesus answers, “Do you have no faith?”

The Lord cares for us.  We need no more than the cross and the open grave as a sign of his love and that he cares!  Because we believe in his resurrection, he does not need to calm the storm to convince us that he cares.  What we need to have is faith.  Even in the storm.  And even when he does not calm the storm, although he can!

7. Dear Lord, let me grow to be able to say with Psalm 23 - "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me."  This is a word of faith and this is where the Lord wants us to be.

Let the storms bellow! Let the winds blow and the waves toss us around. 

In Jesus we have peace and we are protected. The storms will refine our faith. The storms will help us to become more like Jesus! Filled with peace, and resting, like Jesus.

How to Please God

Hebrews 13: 1 - 6

How to Please God

Keep on loving one another as Christians. Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. There were some who did that and welcomed angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering, as though you were suffering as they are.

Marriage is to be honored by all, and husbands and wives must be faithful to each other. God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

I will never leave you; I will never abandon you. Let us be bold, then, and say,

The Lord is my helper,

I will not be afraid

What can anyone do to me?

The Parable of the Growing Seed

The Parable of the Growing Seed: Mark 4: 26 – 29:

Jesus also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The seed is the word of God. God’s Word is the agent of growth in the Kingdom of God in our lives, our communities and the Church. The Kingdom will grow as the seed, God’s Word, is planted and as the seed matures. God’s Word has life in itself, and we must sow that seed in order to see the Kingdom grow.

The parable teaches that

1) There must be a deliberate sowing of God’s Word – “A man scatters seed on the ground.”

2) To let the seed of God’s Word grow in our lives and in those lives where we are sowing , is not within our ability or responsibility. God lets the seed grow - “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.”

3.) We have to be patient – it takes time for the seed to mature to a grown plant. We need to expect and accept God’s time frames for the effect of the sowing of God’s Word. “All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.”

4.) We need to be ready to harvest, to act, when in God’s time the fruit appears in our lives and in our church. We need a proper harvesting of the fruit of the seed of God’s Word that was sown. “As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

As we sow the Word of God, the seed will grow. The message of God to us is to keep sowing - wherever you go, whatever you do. Keep on scattering seeds. When you are with friends, plant a seed. When you are in the office, or playing, or talking with your neighbor across the fence, plant the seed.

As you do, God will begin to cause those seeds to germinate. He will give a great increase. We have to keep on sowing! God employs our efforts as we are faithful to plant those seeds and give ourselves to the work.

So cultivate the soil, plant the seed, water it and stand back and watch God at work. Harvest time is near.

The message of a stone rolled away

Had we been there on the resurrection day, we would have experienced an awfully sad day. Hopes were shattered. Jesus Christ was killed. And as his followers, we would have been full of despair, bewilderment, and confusion. We would not have been able to understand what was going on.

But look! A couple of faithful ladies who had ministered to Jesus during his time on earth and who received ministry from him, came to do a last service for him! And as they arrived, they saw what they did not expect. The stone was rolled away. What did it say to them and what did it mean?

There is a powerful message in the stone rolled away. This stone pronounced the great message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the simplest possible way spoke about its implications. The resurrection of Christ was more than an extraordinary event in history. The stone gave to them, and us, a great challenge. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is both the most significant event in history, and the most powerful challenge to everyone, whether we are his followers, or not.

The message of the stone challenges you too. You, too, have to answer to what the stone rolled away, is saying. It says that…

The stone rolled to the mouth of the tomb says that Jesus died a real death. On the cross on Golgotha Jesus was executed. He gave his life for us that day. He died in our place in payment for our sins. Because of his great love, he went to the cross in order to reach out to people who did not care, or even hated him.

The stone rolled to the mouth of the tomb says, in the words of the angel, "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." The stone says that Jesus Christ lived, died, was buried, and rose again from the dead.

And the stone rolled to the mouth of the tomb says to us today, Christian, and non-Christian and antichristian alike, not from the cross, for he is not there. Not from the grave, for he is not there.
It says he is at the right hand of the throne of the one and only Almighty God, from where, one day, he will come to finally complete his dominion, also on earth!
And he is coming back to ask us how we answered to the message of the stone rolled away!

Resurrection is always Good News!

Good News! Easter is the Good News. It is the Gospel of our Lord. It is the best news ever: Christ has risen. He has risen indeed.

Death and the grave could not hold Jesus! Good Friday was not the end. Darkness, suffering and death did not have the last word.

Resurrections are great news, because they happen rarely. Because it is something rare, something that we don't really expect, the resurrection of Jesus is the greatest event in history.

Over 2000 years of the story of God dealing with his people, the Bible only records 10 resurrection miracles. Resurrection is rare, unusual and simply amazing. What makes the resurrection of Jesus ultimately unique, is that he never died again. In the other 9 stories of resurrection the people grew older, and eventually died again. But Jesus never dies! Jesus is alive!

The resurrection of Jesus was totally unexpected by his followers. We are told that the women who came to the tomb "bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body" (Mk 16:1). They expected to find Jesus the same way as he was when they buried him - dead! Resurrections are amazing news, because death and loss are no longer what we fear it to be! It no longer is darkness and decay. The women watched Jesus die from a distance. (Mk 15:40). We all hesitate to come too close to death.

We are all horrified when we see death - especially a violent, painful death such as the crucifixion was. We also try to keep as much distance as possible from our own deaths. We try to be healthy, be fit, eat responsibly, take our medicine, go for checkups. We try our very best to keep death at a distance.

But at Easter's resurrection the sting of death was removed. Death was finally and completely overcome! This is the reason why the angel at the grave told the women to pass on the good news:
(Mk 16:7) “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” This is why we meet Sunday after Sunday – to tell the good news, that death has been conquered.
Jesus has risen! Once fearful and despondent disciples, became powerful witnesses and excited believers - because Jesus has risen!

May the living Lord bless you with abundant life.

Sunday’s children, people of hope and worship!

We are not Saturday’s children anymore! We are Sunday’s children. We are people of hope and worship!

Friday’s agony gave way to Saturday’s despair. But thank God, Saturday’s despair gives way to Sunday’s hope. It is summed up in the opening sentence of Mark 16, "And when the Sabbath was over...." Friday’s agony had come, but it had passed. Saturday’s despair had come as well, but it was now over as well. A new day had come. Sunday had come. And with Sunday, hope had come too.

Early on that Resurrection Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to the tomb where they thought they would anoint Jesus’ body. They were concerned as to who would roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb. But it had already been rolled away. They entered the tomb, and saw an angel of God. In verse 6 it says, "And he said to them, ‘Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He is risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid him.’" This was the most incredible experience of their lives. They could hardly believe their eyes, yet, there was no doubt this was the tomb. And Jesus was not there. He had risen.

When this amazing truth got through to them, Mark 16 says in verse 8, "And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them..." After experiencing Friday’s agony and Saturday’s despair, what a revitalizing experience this must have been. It has sharpened every sense they had. So they were both thrilled and afraid, both terrified and elated.

This is what the resurrection of Jesus Christ is all about. It reveals that the Lord is in charge, because the Lord is alive! The dark night of our soul has passed and, even in the circumstances which we cannot control, there is hope for a day of resurrection-power for us. There is hope because God is in charge.

Do you have hope? Things may look depressing today. You may be experiencing a dark night. You may feel overwhelmed by circumstances. It may even feel out of control. But God is in control. There is hope for tomorrow.

The resurrection of Jesus teaches us that life can come out of death. Friday’s agony brought Jesus’ death. Saturday’s despair was symbolized by Jesus in the tomb.
But we are not Friday’s children and do not have to live as Saturdays children!
We belong to Sunday: to hope and celebration and praise and worship of the living Lord.
Sunday brought hope, because Jesus came alive. And he who came alive on that first Easter Sunday is still alive, and he lives today to bring life to us too.

The life he gives is both eternal life and life we need for today. It is both hope for eternity and hope for tomorrow. Because of the life of Jesus, we can experience a new day. We can be brought from Saturday’s despair into Sunday’s victory, because God is in control.
Because Christ is risen, indeed!

Easter: On Resurrection Sunday, look for Jesus among the living...

Read: Luke 23:55-24:12

Is there a household somewhere that is not looking for things? As a dad and adult son living in the same house, my shirts forever seems to be “lost”, but I know where to look for them – in my son’s cupboard! Now it would be very foolish to look for it in the pantry, or the kitchen cupboard, wouldn’t it? The chance of it being misplaced in my son’s cupboard is just too big for me not to look there first!!

When it comes to Jesus, I’m afraid, we far too often look in the wrong place for the risen Christ, for his conquering power and his saving grace! Here we see Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James searching for Jesus, but they are looking in the wrong place, and in hindsight, a very foolish place.

The wrong place to look for Jesus
On Good Friday, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women "stood at a distance" on Golgotha Hill, watching the crucifixion and death of Christ (Lk 23:49; cf 24:10). Later they followed Joseph, from the Judean town of Arimathea, an influential man, and saw how Christ's body was laid in Joseph’s tomb, by him. (Lk 23:55). "They went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment" (Lk 23:56).

These women loved Jesus so much. Jesus had taught them everything they thought they knew about God and his Kingdom. He had shown them the love of the Father. He had opened to them the meaning of the Scriptures. He had healed them and their loved ones. Many times he displayed his divine power. Because of love, they wanted to honour and respect him, by providing a proper burial for him.

Then it is daybreak on Sunday. On the way they were talking to each other. According to St Mark's Gospel, they asked, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb?" (Mk 16:3).And just as they were starting to become concerned about this, they arrived at the tomb and found "the stone rolled away" (Lk 24:2). They entered and to their immense surprise, the tomb was empty! The body of Jesus was not there!

Then there was a bright light and two angels in gleaming white robes standing before them. (Lk 24:4). The women trembled in fear and bowed to the ground (Lk 24:5). Then the angels, the messengers of God, asked them: "Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

You can hear the reproach in the question: Why are you doing something so pointless? "Why do you look for the living among the dead?" Do you not remember how he taught you that on the third day he would rise again form the dead?

If Jesus was dead, it made sense to look for him in the tomb where Joseph laid his body to rest. But the grave could not keep him. He is alive. He has risen. "He is not here," said the angels. "He has risen! Remember how he told you ..." (Lk 24:6).
But when the Easter gospel was preached to them by the angels, they remembered. They really should have known! Jesus had told them what was going to happen, didn't he? How could they have forgotten? How could they be so foolish? Why did they look for the living among the dead?

The women were mortified by the angels! They should have known better! They were ashamed because they were looking for Jesus in a place where they should have known he could not be. They were looking for Jesus in the wrong place, in a tomb – and he is alive! He is risen!!

Even today too many Christians look for Jesus in the wrong place. Not a place where his resurrection power is known, experienced and his true Kingdom is expected. Lets not be foolish! We have to look for Jesus in the right place!

The right place to look for Jesus
Jesus is not dead. He is alive. This means the women must have looked for Jesus in the place of the living: in Jerusalem, or in Galilee, or where his disciples were, but certainly not in a tomb.

Where must we look for the living Jesus Christ? We can start with his church. It is within the church, with the people of God, that we can find the Lord Jesus. His power, his life, his Spirit, his love, his care and concern, his grace, his holiness, his forgiveness - is to be found in us, his followers. People should be able to look at the Church and be able to find the living Jesus here.

We are to see the living Jesus in the church at worship: a church singing, praying, praising, and testifying brings the living Jesus into view. We find the living Jesus when, like the women, we spread the glad tidings that he has risen (Lk 24:9,10).

We also see the living Jesus when Christians live as brothers and sisters in God's family. When believers are "like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose," (Phil 2:2). When believers "do nothing out of selfish conceit, but in humility consider others better than themselves," you see and can meet the living Christ (Phil 2:3). When Christians wash each other's feet, serving each other, you see the living Jesus. When God's children use their material and spiritual gifts for the service and enrichment of others, there too you see the living Jesus.

Jesus is in places where people — in his name — give cups of cold water to the thirsty, feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, look after the sick, visit the prisoner, and look not only to their own interests but also to the interests of others (Mt 25:34ff; Phil 2:4).

If the living Christ is present in the church, then she looks for ways and means to love people. Much broader than our own community! When we believe Jesus is alive, we should show everyone that nothing is impossible with God! People are in need of compassion, companionship, and human contact. In showing this love we, and they, again see the living Jesus, present amongst us. We can find him, and so can others through our witness and service!

But we should also look for Jesus — the living Jesus — in our heart. If we only believe, then Jesus lives in us, making and shaping and moulding us to be like him. It is in a personal relationship with Jesus, that we finally and conclusively find the living Christ. We find him through the gracious work of his Spirit in our heart! We find him in our hearts when we are willing to glorify God, the Father.

Through our personal relationship with Jesus, we certainly also find him in heaven, seated at the right hand of God. And we, since we have been raised with Christ, set our hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. We set our minds on things above, not on earthly things (Col 3:1,2).

Conclusion
Our doubt and unbelief disappear only when we take God at his Word. Our questions may remain, but they will remain within the context of faith, hope and love.
Do not look for the living among the dead! Jesus has risen!

On Maundy Thursday we follow the Tenebrae order of worship...

During the Tenebrae liturgy on Maundy Thursday,  we are asked to meditate on the fact that it was on the Thursday evening before Good Friday that Jesus and his disciples were together for the last time, when he and they stood in the shadow of the cross, when he washed their feet and instituted the Holy Supper.

Tenebrae is the Latin word for darkness. The gradual extinguishing of the lights will be symbolic of the advancing darkness that came over Jesus during the night of his arrest, the anguish of Gethsemane, the flight of the disciples, the bitter hate of his enemies, the looming shadow of the cross, the God forsakenness. The moments of total darkness will recall the time when he was in the tomb.

Devotion:
TENEBRAE - why dwell on the anguish of Christ?

We know many fears, troubles and distress: Financial, social scandal, terminal illness, violence and crime, war and terrorism, abuse, to be the object of aggression. These fears are real for many people – even children - and are all terrible.

The Bible knows a feeling of horror, anguish and fear that is more distressing than any of these that we hear about or encounter: It is the anguish of being a lost sinner, standing before the throne of judgment. True horror is to come before a holy God and his resentment for sin and those consciously choosing impurity, hatred and disobedience, rather than love, faith, hope, and obedience.

The greatest fear is of those who are before the throne of God, realising the consequences of not accepting the Lords invitation to receive his grace, mercy and redemption. The greatest fear, distress and horror is the distress of the lost on the judgment day.

This is the sorrow, the fear and the distress that Jesus experienced, from the garden of Gethsemane, to the utter darkness on the cross when he cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus knew that the judgment of God for all the sins of the world would be upon him! Not because he ever sinned, or disobeyed or transgressed, but because of the sins of the whole world.

We read about this fear in the gospels. In (KJ) Mk 14:34 Jesus says: My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death. And the NIV puts it like this: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”

“Overwhelmed with sorrow” means a lot more than these few words can capture. We do not have enough words to recall the experience Jesus had when he carried our judgment. But these words may help us: Fear, terror, horror, sorrow, grief, distress, anguish, troubled, disturbed, pain, suffering, death.

But what is the cause of this overwhelming sorrow? Jesus was not overwhelmed, because he feared death; it was not Judas, or the chief priests or Pontius Pilate that brought about his anguish. It was not even the horrors of the cruel death on the cross that caused him this distress.
It was the fear of God’s judgment that brought the Saviour to the point of the raw terror of hell itself.

But why dwell on this darkness? Why observe Tenebrae? What are we supposed to learn from it? What is the reason that this dark night is so clearly recorded?

In the darkness of Christ’s anguish we discover who we really are, without the grace of God and the redeeming work of Jesus, without the cross and the salvation and the forgiveness of God.

And we see the depth of the love and the mercy of Christ for sinners, for me and for you. We see, how much he really loves us.

It is not without reason that the Bible records that in Gethsemane Jesus asked his closest friends, Peter, James and John, to keep watch with him while he prayed. It was not because any human could help him in this hour of overwhelming distress. Yet he asked them, and asks us - to keep watch with him! To do this in remembrance of him. To never forget his suffering. What difference can it make? Because, like the first disciples, we have a responsibility towards the Lord who loves us so much!

Moved by the overwhelming sorrow of Christ and by the reality of what we are saved from, and the cost of it all, we are called to keep watch and pray to not fall into temptation again.
And to keep watch with Christ, for the sake of the salvation of the world. Shall we not keep watch and pray with Jesus when we understand the predicament of those who die without forgiveness?

After we saw what Jesus did for us, how can we not remember his commission?
Keep watch with me, and pray.
Go, he said, even to the ends of the earth, and proclaim the good news of salvation, make disciples of al. After we saw his love and felt some of his sorrow and his distress at Tenbrae, how can we not go!

Something new for Good Friday!

You sometimes find something new, by doing something old again.
The old tradition is to preach on the seven words on the cross on Good Friday.
What is new, is to create a response by the congregation singing one verse after each short devotion on the message of that specific word on the cross.
I wrote these lyrics for that purpose and you are welcome to use it, or some of it, if you want to.
It is based on the well known and much loved hymn – When I survey....
I know it came out as a sort of ballad, but don’t hold that against me...

Sermon – readings, devotions and response in song: Seven words on the Cross:
First Reading and devotion on Luke 23: 34: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
Congregation sings:
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

Second Reading and devotion: Luke 23:43: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Congregation sings:
I’ll cherish the cross, where I am saved,
his love displayed as thorny crown,
his life for me he freely gave -
my sin I at his cross laid down.

Third Reading and devotion: John 19:26-27; "Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, this is your son". Then he said to the disciple: "This is your mother."
Congregation sings:
God’s church commenced there at the cross,
his life he gave to set us free;
all else I count as fruitless loss -
now live for Christ and Christ’s family.

Fourth Reading and devotion: Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34; "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Congregation sings:
Yes, Jesus called, in agony:
“Oh, why my God, did you forsake me?”
There where he suffered hell’s torment,
God turned on him at Calvary.

Fifth Reading and devotion; John 19:28; "I thirst"
Congregation sings:
My Jesus thirsted on the cross,
He quenched my need that darkened day,
He who gives water, suffered loss;
as on the alter all he laid.

Sixth Reading and devotion: John 19:30; When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished";
Congregation sings:
All of his work, our Jesus did,
His work he finished, all he had done.
Completed our salvation that day,
redeemed me there, God’s gracious Son.

Seventh Reading and devotion: Luke 23:46; Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit":
Congregation sings:
My Saviour died on that old cross,
he breathed his last breath on that day.
In our dear Father’s hand he was then,
as on the altar, all he laid.

This is the Word of God.
Thanks be to God.

What is Holy Week

What is “Holy Week”?
The majority of Christians across the globe refer to the week that begins with Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday, as “Holy Week”. We follow Jesus from his triumphal entry, to his cross, death and resurrection.
During Holy Week we observe the Tenebrae Service on Maundy Thursday and our Good Friday services.
The high light is the festive celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on Resurrection (Easter) Sunday.

Because “holy” means that something is set apart for God, Holy Week belongs to the celebration of God and his Christ by remembering the central truth of the gospel that only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, saves us from our sins by his atoning death and victorious resurrection.

What is Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday always falls on the Sunday before Easter Sunday. It remembers the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the last Sunday before his Passion.

What is Maundy Thursday and the Tenebrae service? “Maundy” describes the sad darkness of this day. It was on this Thursday night that Jesus instituted his holy Supper, washed the feet of his disciples, experienced the anguish and fear of Gethsemane and was arrested and tried by the Jewish religious leaders. It was the night that he was betrayed by Judas and denied by Peter.

Tenebrae (Latin for 'shadows' or 'darkness') is a unique ceremonial, commemorative liturgy contemplating the suffering of Christ by the gradual extinguishing of candles, a series of Scripture readings, teaching on the significance of the Passion of Christ.

FIRST READER: Luke 22: 39 – 48
First reader extinguishes 1st candle. -
SECOND READER: Luke 22: 54 - 62.
Reader extinguishes 2nd candle
THIRD READER: Matt 27: 22 – 31
Reader extinguishes 3rd candle.
FOURTH READER: Luke 23: 26 - 28.
Reader extinguishes 4th candle.
FIFTH READER: Matt 27: 33 – 40
Reader extinguishes 5th candle
SIXTH READER: Luke 23: 39 – 43 and John 19: 25 - 27.
Reader extinguishes 6th candle.
SEVENTH READER: Luke 23 : 44 – 54
Reader extinguishes last candle.

At the Tenebrae service we recreate the emotional aspects of the passion events. It is not a happy service, because the night remembered is a dark, solemn one in which we are in mourning, because our sins caused the Son of Man so much affliction and distress.
It is an incomplete service, without benediction at the end, only to be completed on Easter Sunday.

Good Friday
Good Friday is not a day of celebration but of mourning, both for the sins of the world and our personal sin, punished by the death and suffering of Jesus Christ.
Yet, although Friday is a solemn commemoration, it is not without its own joy, for while we want to contrast the joy of Resurrection to the solemn sadness of Good Friday, likewise the sombreness of Good Friday is a prophecy of the hope of Resurrection Sunday. We always observe Good Friday, well knowing that Sunday is coming! Traditionally we remember the words of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday...

Seven Words on the Cross:
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
Luke 23:34

"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Luke 23:43

"Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, this is your son".
Then he said to the disciple: "This is your mother."
John 19:26-27

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34

"I thirst"
John 19:28

When Jesus had received the wine, he said,
"It is finished"; John 19:30

Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit":
Luke 23:46

Resurrection (Easter) Sunday is the glorious crown of all Christian worship that inspires every Sunday worship service of the year, where we are equipped to live for the glory of God every day of our lives, until the end! You could call it “the most important Sunday of the year”. We should all call it the most inspiring Sunday Worship one can celebrate! Resurrection Sunday, and therefore every Sunday, is a feast of worship and praise, because Jesus triumphed over death and all our enemies.

Pray every day of Holy Week that:
God will bless every service in your own church and amongst every Christian community in the world.
That Christ will call many to receive the Gospel.
That our love for Jesus will be enthused and that God, and worshipping him will be the priority of every Christian in the world – far beyond anything else we could plan or do this week.
That after we commemorated these blessed days, our lives will show the love and mercy of God in the work of Jesus Christ celebrated and remembered during these holy days!
That Jesus Christ, and only Jesus, will be celebrated.

Palm Sunday: A peace march according to the example of Christ!

Palm Sunday: A peace march of the Man who comes in the Name of the LORD, to bring salvation!

On the first Palm Sunday when Jesus rode on a foal, the colt of a donkey, into Jerusalem, the crowds that gathered for the Passover, sang from Ps. 118. They expected the Messiah to come and believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised King. When we read these words from the CEV translation, we clearly see why they chose this song of praise:

Psalm 118: 26 – 29 (CEV)
God bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD!
We praise you from here in the house of the LORD.
The LORD is our God, and he has given us light!
Start the celebration!
March with palm branches all the way to the altar. The LORD is my God!
I will praise him and tell him how thankful I am.
Tell the LORD how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful.

The waving of palms and laying down of clothes were signs of achievement and victory.
Jesus encouraged the honour bestowed on him. (Otherwise the stones would shout it out!) He claimed to be the One who comes in the Name of the LORD. He marched with the palm waving people to the altar in God’s temple, to cleanse it from greed and to judge those who turned it into a robbers’ den.

He deliberately came into the city in this manner, to fulfil the words written in Zechariah 9: 9 – 10:
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the revert the ends of the earth.

But did the marching crowd remember that the prophet said that under this King’s rule the war horses of Ephraim (Israel) will be taken away and their bows would be broken? No, because they craved a political and military hero, they quoted the prophecy out of context. They only took from it what suited their own whims and desires.

But Jesus came to fulfil the prophecy within the framework of God’s announcement through Zechariah. That being lowly, he rode on donkey and claims victory by proclaiming peace to the nations. Through the gospel of peace and reconciliation, between God and man, and man and man, his rule through granting salvation, would extend from sea to sea!

The humble donkey became a throne for not only a King, but for the Son of God himself. Jesus used what was considered of little value, in this case a donkey, to be elevated to carry even God himself, our Lord and our Saviour. For our God saves as a peace maker and triumphs through sacrifice and suffering for our sake! The Son of God came into Jerusalem in peace and humility and he rode on a donkey to symbolise the character of his victorious kingdom.

We have to believe that evil is overcome by peace and humility. We have to believe that justice is restored through sacrificial love.

Jesus liberates from all our enemies, from the source and root of our problems: sin, evil, and death itself! This is the rule and reign Jesus Christ had in mind when he allowed the crowd to hail him as the son of David, the glorious Messiah of God and to wave their palms and throw their clothes on the road before him. He entered the city to triumph over evil by being crucified, buried, resurrected, and returned to heaven.

People of God! On Palm Sunday wave your palms! Take courage and proclaim God’s victory over sin, judgement, corruption, poverty, disease, and war. Overcome the real enemy of the people – evil, sin, death, selfishness, greed and lies, in the Name of the King of peace who rides on a donkey.

On Palm Sunday wave your palms! Remember their call to you:
Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
He is indeed the Prince of Peace.
Can you see that he brings peace? Look! The Lord of the universe rides on a donkey!