We think of an enemy as an army or someone opposed to us. The enemies of God’s people can be a simple thing that comes unto us and upsets us. It can be something simple. It can be a word against us that can be an enemy. At the time when these happen, we have two ways we can go. We can immediately seek vengeance. That does not necessarily mean we take a weapon against those. We can in our thoughts, and more importantly in our words: we can take and execute vengeance against someone that has supposedly done something against us by going and telling others by speaking out against them by those things that are not showing love unto them and not feeding them as the Apostle Paul said.

In those times there can be two things happen within our lives, if the opportunity is there to exercise vengeance we might say. If we do it in the ungodly way it will linger on, it will develop, it will grow, will burn, it will build up and years later we will still hear it said that there has been a feud between those people for generations. How did it start? Simply by trying to take vengeance and not listening to the Word of God in showing love in that case, in putting coals on their head as it says, and those coals is the Holy Spirit that will bring peace. Many times a simple showing of love will bring forth the benefits thereof for many, many years; and the virtues of Christ will grow through those flames.

The Bible is full of examples of those who did not exercise vengeance. We can read of Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who when he was seventeen years old his brothers out of jealousy decided to kill him, but one of them, Judah, said – Do not shed blood, but let us sell him to these merchants. He was taken to Egypt and thirty odd years later, because of God’s blessing he had been elevated to a high position there. A great drought came through all the lands at that time. It was foretold by God to Joseph that it would be for seven years, and two years into the drought his brothers were sent to Egypt to seek whether they would sell them food or not. What an opportunity! Joseph now had the power to put an end to them all, to get his vengeance we might say for what had been done to him all those years before, but if we read the Bible we will find that he exercised God’s mercies upon them. He embraced them. It says he kissed his brothers in brotherly love, he invited them to bring all of their descendants into Egypt where he would ensure that they were fed for five years. What a blessing! The tribe of Judah was preserved. What does that mean to us? Through the tribe of Judah came the kings from King David, to the last of the Jewish kings who was crowned with a crown of thorns. He was the last of the kings, and that was Christ. Christ was then able to give us His teachings and blessings, and win for us the way to the Kingdom of God. Had Joseph taken vengeance on his brothers the tribe of Judah would not have been in existence; Christ would not have been born. We see therein how the blessings of displaying love can go on for years and generations, and for thousands of years those blessings can come from that.

We should not look for an instant blessing when we show love. It will happen in God’s time. We see another great example of this. After our Lord ascended to heaven and the ministers began to do their work, the deacon Stephen was ordained, and he stood up, and he was persecuted, and he was stoned. We can read his reaction, and think about the blessings that have come from his displaying of love on that day for the future of the world. We find written in Acts Chapter 7 verses 54-60 “When they heard these things. they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he being filled of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord. And cast him out of the city and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, ‘Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

We see he did not exercise vengeance. He was looking upon the Lord, at the right hand of God where there was all the power, he could have asked Jesus to exercise vengeance, but he did not. He asked that this not be held to their charge.  As was the custom of those days the one that ordered this stoning, the clothes were taken from the one stoned and placed at their feet. We have heard that was at the feet of Saul, who later became Apostle Paul. Through the love of Stephen this was not held against him. We share even today in the blessings of that love of showing the virtues of Christ as taught Luke 6:31 “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”

Every page of the Scriptures provides us the infallible proof of the faithfulness of God’s Word. Past events recorded in OT, from generation to generation, prophesies, feasts, ordinances and Law had become so ‘perfectly fine-tuned’ that will lead to its fulfilment through the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” The Old Testament is comparable to the auto-biography of the coming Messiah as this depicts the first Advent. Our Lord has confirmed this in our text and He spoke these words to underscore one of His roles as the Son of God, the Messiah, Christ or the Anointed One – that is to prove the enduring faithfulness of God’s Word. His birth does not only bring salvation for mankind through His Grace but also has proclaimed to the world and to Satan that His Words remain and will stay faithful and perfect. The Bible teaches us that His Way is perfect, and His Word is proven. “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him” – Psalm 18:30. God in His wisdom, has preserved His Word throughout the generations – Psalm 12:7 “Thou shalt  keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.” He alone is the ultimate Source and Author of this Book – 2 Tim 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” Therefore, our text conveys a strong message to all of us, that if we put our complete hope and trust to His promises and Words, He will never fail us. Let us spend time contemplating the exact words used by our Lord “one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Even all the generations after Christ’s ascension until the second Advent, how all the events as foretold by our Lord and His Apostles are now becoming reality. Once again, this portrays the perfection of God’s wisdom and His Word. Certainly, our Lord will complete His tasks and fulfil all the remaining prophesies when He returns with power and glory.

If we look back in the Garden of Eden, we see how the serpent deceived Eve by attacking God’s Word. Genesis 3:2-4 “And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” This led to the downfall of Man and sin begins to enter to the world. This tells us that we must stay vigilant and wise not to fall to this trap of Satan, temptations of the world or the lusts of the flesh. Difficult circumstances, temptations and trials may come in our lives that could lead us to doubt His Words and promises.

May we always learn to stay faithful to God and in His Words, regardless of the circumstances of our lives. Let us nurture a heart within us that is ready, willing and committed in trusting God whole-heartedly – Prov. 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  As we celebrate this festival, let us thank our Heavenly Father for the birth of His only Begotten Son, Lord Jesus Christ, who through His birth has shown us His great faithfulness -Lamentations 3:23, “They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

All Honour to God.

We hear that prophecy and we can understand why the people saw it as a mystery. How was this going to happen? How could the yoke be taken from men? How could it be likened to as in the day of Midian? If we go to the recording of Gideon who was one of the judges when the children of Israel entered the promised land, we see a picture that makes it clear in our mind, but those people could not understand it for they had not yet received the Holy Spirit, this fire, this burning that the prophet said how it would come about, not with force but through the power of the Holy Spirit. If we reflect on Gideon, he faced the Midianites that were coming by their many thousands. The Scripture says they were like the ants of the land. There was no hope in repelling them, but in their trust in God Gideon gathered his armies. The Israeli army was 60,000 men, so we can only imagine how many were in the opposing force. God said to Gideon, send the people home, for if I allow a victory then they will become elevated and high-minded; and he sent home 50,000 of his warriors and had 10,000 left, but God said – There is still too many and He imposed a test upon them on how they drank their water. Those that cupped their hand and drank their water looking upto heaven, He said – Set them aside, and there were 300 and God said – Now I will bring about a victory. Send the rest home. We can see that the world is foreshadowed here. Many, many, hundreds of thousands have not yet received this blessing, but God chose and chooses a few to take this forward because they are not walking alone, they are walking with the Holy Spirit. That is why the Apostle Paul said that he is but a minister. He is the least of the saints, but he has to be obedient to that Spirit. Gideon was told to arm his 300, not with swords or spears. They had to take a trumpet in one hand and they had to take an earthen pitcher in the other, and within that pitcher they had to put a lamp and light it, and they had to surround this camp by 100 on all sides, showing very clearly the width of God’s work will be in every part of the world, and at the appointed time Gideon had to give the signal and they had to break the pitcher and a light shone forth. We see today that that earthen vessel was Christ. He had to be broken into the world before mankind so that His light could go forth, as the prophet said – They have seen this light in a dark world. We can imagine those lights that lit up completely surrounding the camp on that day, and they then had to blow their trumpets. The trumpets represent the Word of God.  They had to give this Word of God into the world and they had to shout -The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon, meaning that the sword of God is the Word of God that can sever even bone and marrow. The Sword of the Lord had to go into the world and of Gideon; meaning that his servants also take and be active, and respected within the world for these instructions of God.  We can read that the Midianites were confounded, and they began to fight amongst each other, and they destroyed themselves and were able then to be followed up by the armies of Israel.  We can also see the prophecy of a child being born into the world who would go on and become the leader over everything.  We should be so thankful that we have been blessed also through the power of the Holy Spirit in receiving the mysteries of God, for it strengthens our faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We should play our part in allowing the light to surround the enemies of God.

As we gather for the last service in the year 2016 to give thanks, to reflect and to make a new resolve. Or is the fact that we are numbered to the people of most high and receive grace incessantly not worth thanking for? The children of God who have personally experienced the truth of the words in one of our hymn “When all things fail, God will still prevail. He can safely lead thee thro the darkest vale” give thanks. Yet some feared they would perish in the tempest of adverse circumstances. In despair they cried
out as did the disciples, “Carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4: 38) But this strong helper did not forsake them. Even those among us who threatened to collapse under their cross were helped by God at the appropriate time. The pressure of a cross is never pleasant, but it had to be carried by those who wanted to prove themselves (1 Peter 1: 6 – 7) “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though nowfor a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of yourfaith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might befound unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” Those children of God who are still waiting for help for which they prayed had to admit that they can-not always understand God, but they continue to trust Him. Let us examine ourselves whether the words of our text, which was given to us at the beginning of this year, have been fulfilled upon us.
Where all things have become new

… The oneness is cultivated in the family and among the Brothers and Sisters in the community.

… One does not blame the other (James 5: 9) “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door;” but they all pray for one another.

… One does nor rebel against God’s will but surrenders to Him in the knowledge that God never makes a mistake.

… The return of Christ has become the hub of life, and one leads a life “like unto men that waitfor their Lord” (Luke 12: 36).

If we have not succeeded in every respect we continue to strive to achieve this complete renewal. Let us therefore resolve to keep the new commandment of Jesus (John 13: 34), “A newcommandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love oneanother.” To wait for the Lord who always gives us new strength (Isaiah 40: 31), “But they thatwait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; theyshall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”. To honor our new name even more (Revelation 3: 12) “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, andhe shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city ofmy God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will writeupon him my new name.” so that we can joyfully enter our new home on the day of the First Resurrection.

We see if we look into that recording that Abraham was called by God for a purpose in his life. He was told that he had to leave the house of his father and the nation in which he was living. The reason for that was that his father worshipped false gods and idols, and that land worshipped all those idols along with his father and his family. We see that the calling of Abraham was that he should leave this worshipping of idols and idolatry what was going on in that land, and God would take him to a better place. We see the first thing that we in our lives should be giving thanksgiving for as Abraham did, and that is that we have been called out of a world that worships idols and a world that does not recognise the true God. Many of us would not even know if we went back through our generations when this happened in our lives. It would have happened many years ago when some of our forebears also received the calling of God and left their pagan ways and began to worship God, and through that it was then passed on. The importance of this to Abraham we have already heard, that each step of his life where God gave him another promise he made an altar and made a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Almighty God, from place to place, wherever a blessing was given. That is the very first that we in the church should be giving thanksgiving for, that we have been called out of the ways of the world by our Lord into this wonderful way of salvation, and we should never stop giving thanks and praise. The message to the churches in the Book of Revelation spelt that out very clearly, that God still had something against them even though they were doing all the good deeds, and that is that they had left their first true love. Our first true love is when we have been called into this wonderful blessing. The Prophet Isaiah taught that we need then to establish a rock on which we place our faith, and that rock of course is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We should give thanksgiving to Christ that He has brought righteousness into the world, that He has overcome so many things.
The prophet said that He has taken away the worry of the pit, meaning the worry of the grave. Through His resurrection and through His great promise of leaving grace within the world we now should have no fear of death, for it is just a passing over for each and everyone of us. He speaks of eternal life and that can come through Christ. All of these blessings have been granted unto us. He then tells us of an obligation that we need to do. He said that all the families look for this salvation. He even said the islands of the world wait patiently for this message, and they must have wondered what he was speaking about because they would have had no idea of the enormity of the world, and the islands like Australia for instance that had to wait patiently for this. It would not just happen. It had to come through the words that He would put within their mouths so that they could pass this good message on, and the final part of that blessing was that God declared that He was the God, He was the Creator, and therein begins the first test of faith. If we do not believe in the creation, that God created everything we see around us, then it is very difficult to believe in Christ as the Son of God. We renew over this period of time our thanksgiving to God as the Creator. We look to His blessings which He will shower upon us, which He always showers after thanksgiving, and God declared that wonderful word through the prophet that – Thou shalt be My people. We now have this wonderful opportunity to express our thanksgiving and we do it in prayer, we do it in song, we do it in word, we do it in a special offering that comes forth so that others can also receive this blessing.
We read 2 Corinthians 4:15 ‘For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redouned to the glory of God.’ This helps us understand John 1:16 “and of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.’

This resolution Word with the elementary foundation “WHO SEEKS, SHALL FIND’, may it point the way, encourage and be accompanying us in this coming New Year. Being awakened to our surrounding and aware to ourselves, acting and reacting with loving hearts and minds. Here the prophet Jeremiah consoles the people, who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar into the seventy-year captivity. God promises His people that He, at the end of the seventy years, will bring them back into their homeland and liberty. As well, He does not want to leave His people in this time. On the contrary, He gives them this wonderful promise, that He has thoughts of peace and not of sorrow towards them and that they can find Him if they seek Him with all their hearts. Although the carrying off into captivity already happened, according to God’s will, He has not forgotten His people. As a requirement to find God, He calls it the searching after Him with a whole heart! How can this be without belief, that God is the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth, makes it impossible. Although important scientists studying Molecular biology and genetics, are bringing to attention that in Darwin’s evolution theory the proofs of a higher-developed life is missing, science is mainly still keeping rigidly onto this version. It is quite clear, that children and adults alike, who will be taught and finally influenced by these theories and ideologies, are not seeking God. They don’t need Him, such a one does not exist because “everything” supposedly “evolved out of nothing”. But, when we consider the order and exactness of the natural creation, it is difficult to explain, how completely automatic, that is of itself, out of the chaos of the origin, this Cosmos should have been formed. For me at least, this is deeply unworthy of belief – unauthentic!
The alternative, to seek God wholeheartedly, if we truly want to find Him. This conception “with all the heart”, Jesus uses this also in His answer to the question about the greatest commandment “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind”. (Matt. 22:37) The heart truly is the most important organ. With it our earthly presence stands or falls. More than the whole heart we cannot pledge or give, and, this can only happen out of love. The greatest commandment is the summons of our love to this wonderful Creator of all things. He made us as a crown of creation and to be living souls, and not we ourselves!
Between SEEKING AND FINDING exists the connection of CAUSE AND EFFECT. Nothing happens without a reason. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ speaks in, connection with the hearing of prayer, about the same basic fundamental rules: (Matt. 7:7-8) Therewith instruction and task is made clear. The recipe lays before us. Now, we only have to make use of it and do it!
Where, how and when can we seek God? Too many questions at once. Therefore some examples to the WHERE.
Hear God’s Word – listen – obey! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made that was made.” (John 1 :1-3) The bible gives information about the Spiritual Creation, audible in the Divine Service, in the congregation, in the neighbour, in ourselves. Visually: The Natural Creation – seeing – looking – observing – wonder in amazement! But attention: One is supposed to see well with the heart only.
In the commandments and law of God: “I am the Lord thy God, … Thou shalt have no other gods before me … Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them!” But in the Son and in the Holy Ghost I do find Him! “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father! (John 14-9) … even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God”. (1 Corinthians 2: 11) The petition for the Spirit is the foremost prayer of the congregation and the individual.
HOW I seek God! Call God with the mouth: Speak with Him in PRAYER! “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Through praying arises prayer-exaltation! With the cry of emergency ‘And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ (Psalm 50:15) WHEN can we finally seek God? ALWAYS, because He is with us, every day, till the end of the world in His Son: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
In the continuous SEEKING AND FINDING wecan notice again and again the distinct contours and structures of the existence of God, though He will never let us see Him in a picture or catch Him in a form. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Let us go and discover our God every day of this year, with love and wholeheartedly. Then it will certainly be an interesting, joyful, and through many facets of God’s glorious majesty, enriched year – because GOD IS PRESENT!

We see in Christ’s last instruction that the role of His earthly mother had now come to an end. A role that will always be remembered by all as proclaimed by the angel in Luke 1:28, “And the angel came in unto her and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women”. Our Lord had tasted of a loving family upbringing and now He was transferring that over to the Apostle John. Our Lord showed how much He valued a family home life, and we see in the text that from that hour, the Apostle John took her unto his own home.

Family life in our homes is one of the greatest gifts that God has given us, because as shown in the text, it has enduring and on-going benefits. Unfortunately, family life in our homes is under attack from every side, and we must take up the Lord’s fight to work to preserve its continuance. We can read often and we see people being interviewed, who have been instrumental in being recognized for outstanding charitable work, that when asked what motivated them towards that, the majority say that “They were brought up in a loving home environment and were taught love and respect by their parents”. Acts of kindness and love experienced at home touch the lives of other people in the world as we mix with them. I read an article recently that a famous artist wished to paint the most beautiful thing in the world so that he could be remembered. He asked the question around. The Priest in his community said, “Faith, was the most beautiful thing, as you will find it in many wonderful people”. A young bride told him “Love is the most beautiful thing as it builds poverty into riches, it eases all our burdens”. A soldier home on leave said, “Peace is the most beautiful thing in the world, war is ugly but with peace you find beauty”. “Faith, Love, Peace!” thought the artist, how can I paint them? He was thinking hard on this as he walked into his home. Then he saw faith in the eyes of his children, he saw love in his wife’s face and then he saw the peace that faith and love had built in his home. His problem was solved, he painted the most beautiful thing to him in the world, his family home.

“Oh, Blessed is the family Home,

Where thou, O Lord, doth freely roam,

Of all that enter as a guest,

Thou art made welcome as the best”.

Trust is the basis of our life together and our relationship with God. However, our trust, especially that in God, repeatedly becomes the target of the temptations of evil. Already in paradise, the serpent managed to destroy this trust and persuade people that God is withholding something important from them with the tree of knowledge. The result was sin. Ultimately, sin and thus separation only became possible because the trust was no longer there. This process of evil has not changed to this day. Time and again, people’s trust in friendship, marriage, in religious communities, in God is threatened. Not infrequently, quarrels and separation are the result, which in turn, like a devilish spiral, question and destroy trust.

Our trust in God and our life in following Jesus are constantly challenged:
⦁ Is that still my God if He allows my current, difficult life situation?
⦁ Where is the consolation of the Holy Spirit?
⦁ Where should my life lead with Jesus Christ?
⦁ Is there any point in praying at all?
⦁ Will Jesus Christ really come again, and will He actually establish His kingdom?
⦁ How is this supposed to work?

We will not be able to prevent these challenges. We cannot banish these thoughts, at best suppress them, but we can react to them properly. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews refers to a very important aspect. Even if we cannot prevent the challenges to our trust, which are often brought to us from outside, we can still decide for ourselves whether we then give up our trust, i.e., “throw it away”, as the text says, or not. When the liturgical calendar leads us to this passage in the letter to the Hebrews, we can seize the opportunity to make ourselves and our congregations once again aware of what the dangers lie in giving up trust on the one hand and the comfort we can find in holding on to our trust on the other. A life without trust quickly misses its divine purpose. A life without trust puts your future at risk. Where trust is lost, faith in God’s promises is also lost.
A life of faith lives toward the kingdom of God and is rewarded with the comfort of the Holy Spirit. It will find its completion in eternal life.

Finally,
• Anyone who has no trust in their fellow human beings is deluding themselves if they believe they have trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself made it clear again and again that He is to be found in people. “At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20). “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40); or the parable of the Samaritan. It is not for nothing that He commands His disciples to love one another – how can that be possible without trust?
• The reward of trust is not only related to eternity. Here, too, the promise already applies to our earthly life. Jesus shows us a life of trust in God, for example in the Sermon on the Mount, and in particular the Beatitudes say that the reward will not only come in eternity, but immediately, here and now: “Blessed are…” A life of trust enables an intimate, blessed community with each other and with Jesus Christ, here and now. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42).
• As we think about how we can strengthen and secure trust, for disciples of Christ in general and for called workers and ministers in particular, there is a responsibility for the people that Jesus Christ wants to save, in addition to the implications for their own lives. Specifically, we are asked whether our behaviour contributes to creating a culture and atmosphere in our environment, in our congregations and in the Church of Christ, in which people can regain lost trust and strengthen weakened trust.