Our text gives a sense of urgency. We have all been given gifts and talents from God and it is the use of those that we must work with. Our individual works and efforts of those gifts, must all be combined with one another to produce something worthwhile before the Lord. It can be likened to an orchestra playing a great concert. No one musician is of any more importance than another, all are needed to make the performance perfect. All take the same effort to prepare themselves, their clothing, and their instruments, in readiness to answer the conductors signal to work in unity, to produce something worthwhile.

I read of a triangle player recently, who was chosen to play in a leading orchestra. He practiced, polished his triangle, donned his best concert suit, arranged his music, and took his seat in the orchestra. As the concert began, the conductor skilfully cued one group, then another and so on. At last the crucial moment arrived. It was time for his single note to be played. The conductor signalled him and he played the only note he had to in the concert. It was over! The orchestra played on, and he sat there quietly for the rest of the concert, not with a sense of disappointment that he only played that one note, but with a sense of fulfillment and peace, that he had played it in tune, on time, and with enthusiasm and the joy to know his contribution had helped in presenting the perfect musical item. This is the same with the Lord’s work. We must stand always at the ready, be fully equipped to answer the call of the Holy Spirit, to use those gifts we are given at the correct time, to be in tune at all times to Christ’s teaching, so that our efforts will also produce those pleasing results. If we relate that one note to one converted or assisted soul in the world, we could all achieve that, even once in our life and those souls could then repeat it, and so on, we would soon see a very joyful outcome for all. Of course there is also the chance that it may go beyond that one note if the Lord blesses and brings forth the increase.

In Acts chapter 9 we read the only record of the work of Ananias, called by God to play as it were that one note, being ready to answer the call, being obedient and laying hands on one Saul to seal him by the Holy Ghost and then baptise him. Saul of course we all know became the Apostle Paul, and by that act the Lord was able to have him use the many gifts given to him to convert countless numbers to Christ. We can see why our text is so urgent, as part of our Lord’s teaching, we too, must be ready to work the works of Him that is sending us into the world while the light is still with us.

When we have a new idea or understand something we previously didn’t, we often use the phrase, ‘the light went on in my brain’. Similarly, the phrase, ‘come to light’ means new facts were found and understood.  We may even be able to ‘shed light’ on something that someone else does not know.

These idioms all have their grounding in the understanding that something true and factual is like light in darkness. It helps to deeper understand where we are and where we have come from in order to progress our journey in life.

The Word of God, Jesus Christ, is the light of the world, for He is full of Grace and truth (see John 1:14). He is the light that is required as the life for the world. John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

What does the quote from Peter above have to do with knowing the truth of Jesus, as the light of the world, who is able to shed light on eternal life? Peter saw the age of reason we live in because human nature has been consistent throughout humanity. Our ability to understand the truth and be mindful of the light is impacted by our ability to control our natural thoughts and requires a cleansing of the mind. To be ignorant is to not grasp some knowledge or understanding and we all journey through life with varying levels of genuine ignorance. But to be willingly ignorant is to deliberately stay uninformed even when the knowledge we require is available. It is a choice.

In this example, the Apostle Peter refers to the account of the beginning of the world. The only authority present at that time and the only valid eyewitness has given knowledge of that beginning in His words to Moses recorded in the Book of Genesis. Peter goes on to describe how the knowledge of that beginning, including the worldwide flood, gives substance to that which we see around us today. It helps us to shed light on what we can see as evidence of where we came from and ultimately it helps us to understand where we are going.

The irony of choosing to be ‘willingly ignorant’ is contained in that Genesis account, for it also tells us of Eve’s desire to know and understand like God with the result being the exact opposite. So great was the separation of mankind from God that we now must learn of Christ.

Thankfully, with Christ’s victory, the capacity to access the light of understanding is now in place.  Will we choose to turn on the light switch in our life or willingly remain in darkness? The choice is still ours today.

We see therein the great importance to preserve this Spirit of God within the living church for it is the only way that we can have the spirit and the mind of Christ, and it is the only way then that we will understand the mysteries of God with His dealings for mankind. One of the greatest mysteries for mankind was always – What happens when we leave this life in death? It was always a mystery in those previous generations, but through the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Spirit it is no longer a mystery to those who listen to God and to understand what He has planned for us. That blessing alone, to have that fear of death taken away, to have taken away from us the doubt of where we are travelling, the darkness of a journey that stands before us has now become enlightened, to have that blessing granted unto us is sufficient for each and every one of us to give thanks and praise to the Almighty God for this outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul revealed that mystery to the Infant Church and it is still revealed unto us today, and it must become one of the greatest foundations of our faith and the urging of the apostles on that day is the same urging of the apostles on this day. We find Apostle Paul wrote to the 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 as follows: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, For this corruptible must put on  incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

What an inspiration! What a reason within our hearts today to give thanks to God for this gift of the Holy Spirit to reveal the mysteries of God’s plan for mankind so that we no longer fear where we are going, but we have a clear understanding of what this generation, this blessed generation created by God, that we are called into it, and we are given those great promises and they are given unto us by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was the power that brought Christ out of the grave, and it will be the same power that will bring each and every one of us, and convert us when the Lord returns to begin the Kingdom of God.

As the Apostle Paul said, ‘Let us be unmoveable.’ Let us be thankful that we do not have to have those fears and worries, but we, because of the gift of this Spirit have had revealed unto us the mysteries of God’s plan.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.

We have read correctly, it is all about God and His Spirit, to reign over us and to be the children of God. Even if this seems constrictive, Apostle Paul speaks of freedom.

With this statement Apostle Paul breaks a taboo by telling the Christians in Rome about freedom. As it is clearly shown in the next verse Number 15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

Apostle Paul showed with the parable of the married woman (Romans 7:1-6) that the people were bound by the law until Christ would die on the cross for them. From this point on, they only belong to Christ. They live in Christ and are now able to bring fruit of their faith to God, provided they believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. The law was necessary to know what sin is (Romans 7:7-11). This law was also made by God. Now Apostle Paul wanted to escape the bondage of sin because he could not fulfill God’s law. He came to the conclusion through our Lord Jesus Christ we are already free.

Everyone wants to be free. Freedom to think, to act, to judge which is the way to live without fear and care, life is worth living. This is what Apostle Paul says: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2).

There is a new law of God’s Spirit which should guide our lives. God’s Spirit gives all people peace and life if they accept it. Accepting God’s Spirit gives people a peaceful life. By receiving the Holy Ghost, we become children of God. We belong to His creation. Christ said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again”. (John 3:7). A new covenant was made between God and the people, a covenant signed by God by sending His son, now we are asked, are you willing to sign this covenant, too, without reservation? If yes, we are as a child of God included in the freedom in Christ.

Apostle Paul had heated arguments with the Jews who always wanted to force the Christians to them that neither Jewish descent nor circumcision made one a Jew. “But He is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Romans 2:29).

Afterwards he said, “Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.” (Romans 3:30).

Apostle Paul’s mission was to bring the people out of the yoke of the law into the freedom of Christ and to convince them that their faith was a gift from God. Apostle Paul’s mission was also to call the people to freedom, which is always possible if we trust in God’s Spirit.

The Evangelist Luke gives a most vivid report of the healing of a heathen centurion’s servant. The healing itself is not the main thing, but that through this act Jesus was proved once again to be God’s Son.

Our attention is drawn to the heathen centurion. We are first told that the centurion’s servant was dear to him. This was rather unusual in those days and, therefore, it has been given considerable importance. Among other things in the report Luke also clearly says that the heathen centurion had a good relationship with the Jews. There are really two noteworthy points and reveal that this man did not lead a superficial life. This was because of his great faith and Jesus said: “I have not found such great faith in Israel.”

We say and know that faith is a divine gift. This is certainly true, but we should never forget that God looks at the heart. If it has been gifted to us, so that we are able to say, I believe!, then our relations with our fellowmen will be based on this faith. Our own position will not come in the way of our working for the lowly. Enmity due to human motives is not an insurmountable wall for those who believe in God and Christ. This Roman officer, inspite of all the odds, got along well with the Jews, (although the enmity between the Romans and Jews was deep rooted).

As we read in our text, the Jewish elders who were sent to plead with the Lord on behalf of the centurion spoke well of him. “When they came to Jesus, they besought Him earnestly saying that he was worthy for Whom he should do this: for he loveth our nation and he hath built us a synagogue.” This shows that love was practised and not given merely lip service.

All those who want to can find in the centurion’s behaviour an example against which they can measure themselves. The following words apply to all of us: “Faith without works-is dead.” (James 3:17).

It is both amazing and heartening to note the way this man based the fulfilment of his request on faith: “I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers who obey me. But you are the Lord! Only say a word and my servant shall be healed.” His faith was evident and his trust was not betrayed. “And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick!”

“Many who appear to be on the outside are not,” says St. Augustine, because unlike many Christians they recognized deeper truths and get their priorities right. Jesus said, “Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness: There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 8:11-12). The Apostle Paul admonishes us, “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith! Prove your own selves! Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates.” (2 Cor. 13:5).

We often think back in the past to many of our loved ones – relations, brothers, sisters, teachers in the Lord, who have gone into the eternal home. For us, who are still “living in the flesh”, they lived “yesterday” and the writer of the Hebrew letter reminds us, to remember our teachers, all who in many ways, through word and deed, entrusted us with the Word of God. We were able to be with several up to their last hour and were encouraged by their faith in the promise of our Saviour Jesus Christ. We also feel an urgency to intercede for those who did not live in faith and had to leave this earth without this living hope. For the natural man, the loss of this life is the worst threat. But Jesus did say then and still stresses today: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28.

Jesus Christ from “yesterday” was from the beginning by God and saw the misery into which sinful man had fallen. He could judge how terrible it is, to be severed from the Heavenly Father, and prepared Himself to fulfill the salvation plan of His Father. As man, like us, He experienced the birth, learned to know the bitterness of death and has fulfilled everything to make the return to Paradise in Heaven, for Himself and for us, possible. During His earthly walk and works, He pointed out, that His real mission is to save mankind from eternal death, so that they again can become united with God. In answer to the Sadducees question regarding resurrection (Luke 20:27-38), He verified: “God is not a god of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.” (verse 38).

Jesus Christ of “today” tells us, that we also have no continuing city, but undoubtingly should seek in future the better city, Hebrews 11:13,14, which is the goal of the faithful at all times, who shall be “accounted worthy to obtain that world,” as Jesus Himself promised. Luke 20:35. For yesterday as well as today, the answer is the same: No person will be able to reach into the new world without the mercy and grace of our Redeemer, where death will be no more. Surely, we wish this grace for everyone, because this is our Master’s will, that – and if at all possible – no soul should be lost. When we remember those who have “gone before”, it is a service of love and a confession of our belief on the righteousness of God, who gave all power to our Saviour, in heaven and on earth, “beyond” and as well as on “this side”. Jesus Christ, “the same for ever, into all eternity”, has in His plan of salvation for every soul, who acknowledge Him as their redeemer and take to themselves willingly the merit of His sacrifice, to give them the opportunity to have fellowship with Him and with His church.

In remembering, we prove that the love for our fellow-men is dear to our heart, and rejoice that Christ’s love is “limitless”. All this we can experience with our Lord, who is Master over Life and Death.

Blessed be our “God of peace”, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Hebrews 13:20.

Be Open-eyed

There was a blind man who sat begging at the road near Jericho. When he heard that there were crowds passing near him he asked what all the activity was. He was told that Jesus of Nazareth was just passing by. The man called to Jesus to have compassion on him. The people tried to silence him, but he called even louder. Jesus stopped, and asked this man be brought to him. “What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee”, he asked, and the man bid Jesus give him back his sight that his life might be worth living. He must have known of Jesus, and believed in Him. Judging by what Jesus said to him, it becomes evident what the prerequisites that he be given his sight were: the word of the Lord and the man’s faith. Together they brought help.

That which Jesus did then has become general knowledge today, but was known to a few only at the time. Those affected by Jesus’ miracles knew, obviously. And those witnessing Jesus’ work and who spread the news also knew, but, all the miracles of God. Some, reading or hearing about these wonders, ask why they are no longer performed today. But many an Apostolic Christian could testify of the wonders of God performed upon him because he believed. When the Lord takes His own home to the Father and they then see what He did for His children, there will be no end to their praise. Can we see the wonders God still does today? What God is doing is primarily spiritual wonders like the rebirth with water and the Holy Spirit, His forgiveness of sins, the partaking of body and blood of Jesus through the Holy Communion, and the spirit inspired word of God.

In the cities where Christ performed most of His miracles very few of the inhabitants, in spite thereof, changed their opinion, so that the Lord cried a woe over them (Mathew 11: 20 – 24). We the inhabitants of the present city of God do not only want to witness wonders but we want to follow the Lord and act according to His will.

Through a Revelation Jesus warned the Christian community in Laodicea of spiritual blindness, and ignorance of their spiritual condition: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,” (Revelation 3:17). This admonition which was not directed at the general population but at the congregants of the Christian Church, is valid still today for the congregation of Christ. Satan is out to blind the children of God to the wonders of the Lord today and to infect them with the terrible illness of ignorance. Once affected one no longer recognizes one’s own condition so that one is tricked into believing that one does not need the word of God.

In this state there is only one possibility and that is to seek the Lord to be healed. He who bids Christ be compassionate and accepts His word faithfully, will be helped to regain his sight. He who has His spiritual sight is able to see His true condition and distinguish the signs of the times of which Jesus Christ said: “When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” (Luke 21:31). Those who come to the altar open-eyed pray the Lord preserve their ability to recognise Him and His wonders.

Every day we must fight the good fight of faith. We will be victorious if we adroitly use the
spiritual armor which the Lord provides for His own.
In our text the word of God is called the sword of the Spirit. Blessed is the one who makes good
use of it. In Hebrew 4: 12 we read: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and to the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hence the word of God must
penetrate the heart of every child of God and work great blessing. We not only read about the word
of God in the Holy Scripture, we can hear it in the activity of the Holy Spirit. And it is fulfilled
upon us. Apostle Peter already wrote to the children of God: “But the word of the Lord endureth for
ever. And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1: 25). This must be
accepted in Trust. Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he
knoweth them that trust in him.”
This is an ancient word but still very up to date. God’s acts are determined through His
righteousness and goodness. All people benefit by them, but only a minority recognize this
(Matthew 5: 45) “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his
sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Only His
children can be fully aware of His goodness (Romans 11: 22) “Behold therefore the goodness and
severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” He is also a fortress, and a place of safety and
security. This is the community of His son which was founded on the rock. (Psalms 18:2) “The
LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my
buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” There is no trouble. Trouble is usually
measured against earthly conditions. The biggest trouble, however is the affliction the soul can
suffer, and the cause can lie in its distance from or separation from God. This will bring about
illnesses like dissatisfaction and hopelessness. These can only be healed by the Lord through His
word. It would be to the advantage of every soul to come to the house of the Lord with the plea;
that His word washes over him like a healing stream.
Those that trust the Lord confess Him. “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will
I confess before my Father which is in heaven” (Mathew 10:32). This is the Son of God performing
something very decisive for us when He confesses us before the Father (1 John 2: 1). Therefore we
should take the trouble and with joy confess Him before the people and be found following
faithfully. In this way we make it easier for the Lord to represent us before God (Hebrews 9: 24)
“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true;
but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”