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.