Today we are called upon to “Sing a new song to our God!” Various texts in the Bible mention a new song. (Psalm 33:3; Revelation 5:9; 14:3). It is obvious that man cannot go through life continuously singing, but a man who sings a lot is usually a happy man, however, the opposite is not always true. Somebody who cannot sing is not necessarily unhappy. When we are asked to sing a new song, what is really required is a new heart’s attitude. An attitude which makes one speak differently and about new things. It does not concern, only our mouth and vocal chords. Singing a new song also means that our feet walk along a new path, that we leave the byways and side streets and choose the heavenly paths. It also means that our hands do other work than before; instead of destructive work, God’s work for His people, for our brothers and sisters and for all those in need. Our gaze should be directed towards all that is beautiful, heavenly, sublime and divine. This does not mean that our thoughts should always be in the clouds and that we should lose contact with our surroundings. No, we remain with both our feet firmly on the ground and find beauty in the small things around us, in an encounter with our fellow-men, in being sympathetic to those who are sad, in smiles that result from shared joys, in the voice of a child, in the stillness of nature, in a song which stirs the heart, in a small sign of love.

“Little deeds of kindness, little words of love make the earth a doorway to the heaven above.”

Our ears should be attuned to God’s word, which comes to us through the Apostles and those who serve Jesus Christ, and which brings us something new. We should close our ears to all that is low, worthless, harmful, insulting and impure. They should be open to the new music, the new song, that can be heard even today, though it may be often very faint and not very clear. In short, we want to start anew in everything. On this new path our “heart of stone” will be changed into a “heart of flesh.” In other words, a new man will be born, who will be quite different from the old, and whose attitudes and aims will be unlike his old ones. Spiritual and divine things will be given first place in his life and material things will only be secondary. We have already passed two important milestones in our lives; milestones that were important for the creation of the new man, which signify a rebirth, namely Holy Baptism with water and Holy Sealing. Crossing over into a New Year is also another milestone, even though it may not be as important and as worth-while as the two already mentioned. The fact that we are crossing into a new period of time can serve as a stimulus to the creation of the new man in us. This creation will not take place against our will. God the Father does not measure time in terms of days, weeks or years, the past, present and future, centuries past and centuries to come are all just a “point in time” to Him, everything for Him is “Today”. However, it is impossible for man to live without dividing time into smaller periods. Due to some inner mechanism we are forced to arrange everything in a sequence of time. We arrange events in past, present or future. It comes naturally to us. We also cannot help looking back to the past to see whether it was satisfactory or not. Then may it so be, that whilst we are looking back on the past, we may be able to say: “I have been enriched, I have sung a new song the new man was further formed. My eyes are fixed on the new, heavenly and eternal Jerusalem!”

Having the all-knowing (omniscient) and all-powerful (omnipotent) God as our loving heavenly Father should remove all fear of the future. We have talked on many occasions about how a loving God can make a positive for us, even out of our darkest hour. This, however, requires us to think and act according to His will.

We can look back at history to learn this from the Lord’s example. Arguably, the very worst sin ever committed was the torture and murder of the Son of God. Not only was He ‘not guilty’ of the crimes for which He was tried, He was not guilty of any transgression EVER! Without doubt it was the darkest of miscarriages of justice and yet it was also the very best event to happen upon this earth since the Garden of Eden.

Because of His submission to, and love of the Father, Jesus endured the cross and fulfilled His purpose on earth. Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” He made the very darkest day in history God’s Friday and hence ‘good’ for all mankind.

When we, therefore, are feeling guilty or going through dark times in our lives may this verse encourage our next step in faith. May it help us to check our thoughts, and in turn our words and actions, to ensure they show our love for the Father so we can step out in confidence into the future.

1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”

The word peace is at present one that is heard all the time; but it is not easy to bring about peace, or to preserve it. With the one party excepting the other to make the first move towards establishing the peace, it is not surprising then with such a lop-sided effort that there just never is any success. Peace is a difficult state to achieve. But this peace striven after by man is not to be compared to the peace of God. The peace man speaks about is not more than a matter of sensibleness, of reason (John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”) (Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”).

According to the bible, the Lord sent out His apostles as messengers of peace, they were to go to the homes of the people and bring peace. Once again Apostles for Christ are offering this peace of God, a peace whose origin lies in the merit of Christ, and which can be received through accepting those whom God sends, hearing and accepting the word of God, having one’s sins forgiven. Matthew 10:40 “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me”. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

The peace of Christ is not pushy and will not impose itself on anyone. As ‘children of peace’ we have to pursue this peace and thereby prepare ourselves for our tasks in the thousand-year kingdom of peace. The preservation of this peace in our soul does not only make life pleasant for us, but serves on a much higher plane in our preparation for the return of our Redeemer

Our text word for today urges us to walk circumspectly in our life, which means that we should walk being alert at all times, we should have our eyes open at all times, and we should be looking at all times for the opportunity to fulfil the word of God in our life. We should not become careless, otherwise we can be led away from the true path very easily, but if we are alert at all times, we will see the opportunity that we can do in our life to prepare our soul for the coming kingdom of God. We will see opportunities to help our brothers and sisters when they are in trouble.

The Apostle Paul said that while the sun is shining on our life we should seek out the good things because he said that evil times were coming into the world. Already in his day he saw it coming, and certainly in the world today we see evil coming in everywhere. We should make full use of the blessings of God, the word of God, the sacraments that God gives us, the forgiveness of our sins, the blessings of being able to come together and share love with each other, because as time goes on all these things will begin to be prevented.

In the markets we can see many stalls everywhere, but we should take our time to go from stall to stall to be sure that we buy the best that is available. It is no good buying fruit that is rotten before we get home. It is no good buying an article of clothing if it does not fit us. So it is in our Christian life. We have to seek out the best things that can help our Christian life.

We must take the best of what God has to offer us. Our Lord spoke a parable, we must find where the treasure is and forget everything else. Our Lord also gave a teaching at that time which offended the Jewish people. He was warning them that they would lose the kingdom of God, but it is a great teaching for the Christian church.

We find it written in Matthew Chapter 13 verses 45 and 46: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” The Jewish people who heard that teaching became very offended at the Lord’s words because we know that a pearl is made out of an oyster. The Jewish law had clean animals and unclean animals, and the oyster was an unclean animal. The Jewish people were not allowed to use oysters, and yet our Lord said that you will liken the kingdom of God unto a merchant that found the greatest pearl. He also taught the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation, when he showed him the elect or the spiritual temple of God, and each door was a pearl. That is why sometimes today we still hear about the pearly gates that we can go to when we pass from this life. What our Lord was teaching us was that He would become the greatest pearl. He would create the church as the greatest pearl.

If we take the oyster shell; it is fixed to a stone in the ocean, and it opens its shell, and it relies on the water and the waves to bring it food. It does not run here and there looking for food. This is how the church must be. The church must be built solidly on a stone Jesus Christ, and we must open our hearts and rely on God to bring us our food; not running here and running there to false Christs but allow the Holy Spirit to bring the bread of life and the food of life to us. Every now and then in the water comes a grain of sand, and that grain of sand lodges in the oyster. The oyster could reject that, but it does not. Even though it aggravates it and annoys it, the oyster puts around that grain of sand, a special covering. This covering grows and becomes strong, and finally becomes a precious pearl. That represents our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He came to this earth to save the people, but they were like a grain of sand. They aggravated Him, they made Him a mockery, but He did not reject them. He took His life and He slowed that aggravation to make something good come out of that bad. He created what is like a big pearl. The aggravation of man covered in the love of God to make a great and precious pearl.

The church has to take the place of our Lord. We too are like the oyster. We have to wait for the blessings of God to come to us. Sometimes the grain of sand comes, and sometimes people aggravate us. We can reject them but that is not what the Lord wants us to do. “Do good to them that use you”, he said. Return love for hatred and we can put a coating of love around that aggravation and turn that aggravation into a precious pearl in the sight of God. We can see what our Lord meant by this parable. If we wish to go into that pearly gate and into the new Jerusalem, then we must also find pearls in our own life. In a description of the holy temple there are many gold and silver and ruby and precious stones of all kinds but none of them come from a living thing. The only one mentioned that comes from a living thing is the pearl. Christ is living. The church must be living. Then we can bring forth the pearl from this living Jesus Christ.

Remember to always acquire the best that is available, the righteousness of Christ, and we will be sure that we will be invited into the Kingdom of God.

God’s truth contained in this verse, and in other places in scripture, should always be at the forefront of our spiritual awareness. In summary, it tells us not to put anything above God in our lives – not even ourself. The Holy Bible, the world around us and our own lives prove these words are an inbuilt aspect of our human nature.

When questioned by the Pharisees, Jesus confirmed the Father’s desire for mankind to get this in the right order. Matthew 22:37-38, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.”

The previous two verses in this chapter are meant to be examples of aspects of life that are common to humanity across time and by highlighting them we should seek to avoid the same pitfalls today.

Verse 23 tells us that making an idol out of any natural aspect of this world that we can see corrupts our thinking and leads us away from placing God above all. In the time of Paul’s writing, he referred to statues or images of creatures / animals we can see. Today we can see this same shift of priorities when the created world is given more worship than the God who created it.

Verse 24 adds to the creatures from the animal Kingdom the awareness that we too can become a creature of our own worship. If we submit to the bodily lusts, that come from our human nature without maintaining control and the ordinance of God, we will follow our own desires rather than God’s purpose. It is then that we require the Holy Spirit to assist from within so we are able to submit our will to God’s will for our lives.

Jesus also dealt with this order of priorities when giving His sermon on the mount. Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The choice to be lifted up in honour versus broken down in destruction would seem to be an easy one to make. Yet the way to make the right choice is contrary to our human nature. We have an inbuilt desire to strive for gain but a sad indictment on our human condition is that if we achieve some success our heart is soon inclined to haughtiness.

King Solomon spoke both of a haughty heart (Proverbs 16:18) and a haughty spirit (Proverbs 18:12) showing they were an internal part of us as a result of pride and arrogance. It results from attributing success to one’s own effort and skill.

Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” The original Hebrew word (‘gabahh’) when applied to the Almighty God as the high and holy one finds a suitable fit but when mankind takes on this demeanour be prepared to witness a fall!

Recognising that our blessings are from God under the Grace of His Son, is a much more truthful way to live our lives. Within this era of Grace, both Apostle James (James 4:6) and Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:5) used this proverb to teach the people how to get their heart and spirit ‘right’ in the sight of God. Of course, the fulfilment of this scripture is embodied in the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ on earth. Philippians 2:5-8, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

He chose to be born as a child, in the likeness of man to humble parents. His life and teaching was at all times fulfilled in humility and obedience to His Father. His death on the cross saw Him despised and rejected by mankind. However, it was this humility that was then replaced by the honour bestowed upon Him by His Father giving Him a name above all names. Philippians 2:9, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.”

Our call to become ‘similar to His image’ should ensure this humility is a visible trait within the household of God. Embracing humility and obedience to the Heavenly Father during our life will ensure that God will also honour His church in due time.

As Apostle James wrote, the tongue is a small part of our body, yet it wields great power. Like a small rudder that steers a large ship (James 3:4-5). Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” Great power can be used for good works, or for bad works. The same applies to a tongue, it can bring good words, or bad words (James 3:10). “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

The Bible tells us clearly what not to say. Don’t swear or curse, don’t use God’s name in vain, don’t lie (bear false witness), don’t cause hurt, don’t provoke anger, don’t tempt. Exodus 20:7 “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exodus 20:16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Colossians 3:8 “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

Bad words are spoken as a result of inner feelings like wrath, fear, jealousy, pride, and envy. Controlling our feelings and what we say is an essential part of being a new man or creation in Christ. Apostle Paul’s writings in Colossians 3:10 and onwards tells us what this means. “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”.

Jesus Christ teaches on the different ways we can speak, and that it is the inner man (our heart) that dictates this. Matthew 12:35-37. “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” The words we speak reflect where our hearts are. They are like fruits that show what kind of tree.

This Word of Life text, Proverbs 25:11, likens a word fitly spoken to a fruit so splendorous that it can only be described as an apple of gold set in silver. Rather than telling us what not to say, this proverb is prompting us to say something good and appropriate and timely (when it is needed).

The golden apples we need to be ready to share are many and diverse: words to encourage, to make peace, to share joy, to comfort, to testify of our Faith.

• Proverbs 15:1, gentle words to stop a disagreement turning to violent words or actions.
• James 4:15, display humbleness and testify our dependence on God in all things.
• James 5:16, say sorry
• Proverbs 15:23, share joy
• 1 Peter 3:15, be ready for those opportunities to testify of your hope (Jesus Christ), do this in a loving way. It need not be a sermon.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:18, comfort those who mourn, or those who dread the happenings in this world.

Timeliness is so important; we all miss opportunities. We walk away in silence, later a voice inside tells us, “You missed a chance to help with some simple words”. If we reflect on this in sincere regret, pray to God and He will provide us another opportunity to use His Word.

We see the Apostle has likened the sword of the Lord to the word of God which is powerful, and it has the power to even divide between the soul and the spirit, and that is a very narrow line. We know that within each of us is the eternal soul, God given unto us, and we all have a spirit which leads us in our life. Sometimes it is a wayward spirit. Sometimes it takes us away from the word of God. Each time that happens those deeds of darkness enter into our soul, but with the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, and allowing that word of God to be a sword forever moving between our soul and our spirit we can discern that which is from God and that which is not from God.

That sword then, can do battle with the evil that is trying to contaminate our soul. It is so powerful that it can end that battle. We have to heed and hearken, and allow this spirit, this word of God to enter within our lives as this strong sword, and everything we hear and everything we do and everything we say we should always call on that sword to go between our soul and our spirit and tell us, advise us if it is from God, and if it is not from God then we should not partake of it. Nothing is hid from God. We cannot deceive God. The Spirit of God is there, and it will witness what we do within our lives.

The Apostle also said that we have been given this gift of a High Priest in Heaven who understands our infirmities. He was here on this earth. He lived and walked, and He was tempted more than any of us. He was cursed. He was spat upon. He was crucified. He knows how we feel. In His kingdom preparation He has set up a throne and that throne is called the throne of grace and we have access to that throne of grace. The Apostle wrote that there is yet a day of rest for each and every one of us.

We have access to that kingdom through that throne of grace, and He urges us to come boldly to this throne of grace every day of our life and seek the grace of God in the day that stands before us, seek His blessings, seek His guidance, and we have the assurity that He who is sitting at the right hand of God, He who has that sword girded, He who has been on this earth, He who is full of love and compassion, He who is looking for the preparation of this bride will dispense His grace to each and every one who asks it of Him.

Titus 3:7 “That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”