31. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Are you Right?

We are busy talking about how our lives affect others. The passage we were looking at is You have heard that it was said to people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21 and 22). This is the last post on this section.

Galatians 5 says that the carnal nature opposes the Spirit. Paul says in Philippians that we work out the salvation of our souls with fear and trembling because the carnal nature, together with external temptations, does not easily yield to the Spirit.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. (Romans 7:15-22)

Therefore, we fight this battle: we keep on sinning by committing murder with our mouths. Our sinful nature keeps on resisting the Spirit. We (our sinful nature) keep on doing what we (our renewed spirit) do not want to do. What is the solution? The key is in the word “forgiveness.”

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

By confessing these sins of the tongue, we are forgiven and once again in right standing with God, but what about our neighbor? “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift,” (Matthew 5:23, 24). Jesus is saying that since you have called your brother an idiot, don’t come and worship Me until you have sorted things out with him.

Picture the following: Church is about to begin. You and your son just had a good fight, ending with words bordering on “raca” or “you fool.” Or perhaps you and your spouse had words in the past week. “Raca” was probably part of it. Neither of you, however, has yet apologized. Or maybe another Christian differed with you on a certain point and “raca” was either mentioned or implied.

As you are about to bring your sacrifice of praise to the heavenly altar, you remember this murder you have committed. Do you think the one you have slandered with your tongue, whether you were right or wrong, has something against you after what you’ve said? Maybe she is mad, but maybe she is so used to it that she has already forgiven you before you asked. Maybe she has forgotten about it, but inside, it still hurts. Whether she forgave you or not, no one can receive murderous words and not get hurt.

What does Jesus command? It is the same principle as His command in Matthew 6:14, 15: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” In this case, you are also the one in need of forgiveness, both from your neighbor and from God. What Jesus said here indirectly is mentioned clearly in 1 John 4:20: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”

Jesus says here that if you refuse to make right with your brother, or if you make light of the offense by ignoring it, you actually hate your brother because you don’t care how he feels. In such a case, you actually hate God. Of what worth is your sacrifice of praise then?

We may think that bringing a sacrifice to God means asking forgiveness of sins. However, according to our passage, we cannot expect forgiveness unless we are reconciled with our brother. God’s standards are much higher than we think. We think we can keep on sinning, accomplishing our own purposes, leaving wrecked souls behind us. We are often so ambitious, valuing only people who can help us to reach our goals, that we leave hurting people behind. We can even be too insensitive to realize they need reconciliation. But God sees this. He knows about it when we bring our sacrifices. When we do not hear His voice or He does not answer our prayers, we complain that our prayers hit the ceiling.

Why did Jesus consider it important to speak to His disciples about anger and insults? He wants us to be different from the world. He wants us to love and forgive like His father does. It’s natural for us to get angry, but the Word says in Psalm 4:4: “In your anger, do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.”

Do you want to be more like Jesus? Then obey the Father like Jesus did.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

30, Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How Close are you to the Lord?

We are busy talking about how our lives affect others. The passage we were looking at in the previous two posts was You have heard that it was said to people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21 and 22).

The writer to the Hebrews said, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord,” (Hebrews 12:14). To be holy means to be separated from everything that is not of God, to be put aside for God, altogether focused on Him. Many want to be Christians and have the privilege of going to heaven one day, but at the same time, they want to have a good life on earth. They want to live comfortably, pleasing the carnal nature. 

If we do not specifically separate ourselves from sin, self, and everything carnal, living a holy life in peace with our neighbours, we will not see God. We will not have close fellowship with Him, receiving revelation from Him in the present life; neither do I believe will such a person see Him physically one day. One might go to heaven through his faith in Jesus, but he would probably not see God.

For what it’s worth, I would like to explain a revelation. I don’t make a doctrine of it, although it does make sense and answer some questions. I once said to the Lord that I don’t think it is fair that all Christians go to the same heaven. Some live only a mediocre Christian life, being more concerned about their comfort than Kingdom issues, while others sacrifice their whole lives for the sake of the Kingdom, keeping nothing for themselves. The Lord then showed me three passages in the Bible.

1.      If you confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). This passage and many similar ones in the New Testament indicate that to be saved, we need only to believe in Jesus.

2.       “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit,’” (John 3:5). This passage indicates that the only way to see or enter the Kingdom of God is by being born again, in other words the miraculous renewal of the spirit when one accepts Jesus as his Saviour.

3.       Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

In light of these passages, I believe I received a picture of Israel as an illustration of heaven. Farms and villages surrounded the city of Jerusalem. The king’s palace was inside the city with its buildings and gardens. In the center of the palace were the king’s courts and throne room.

God revealed to me that some will simply believe, but will not show much interest in knowing the King. These will live in the villages or in the country. They will not see the King. Those who are born again will see and enter the palace, but only those who pursued holiness will live in the courts of the King and see Him face to face.

The degree of intimacy you have with God on earth will determine how close you will be to Him in heaven. Only when we are born again and living in holy harmony with the Lord will we be free from the carnal nature and all that go with it. Then we will be fruitful (Galatians 5:16-24). Only through renewal and holiness (Romans 12:1-2)will we see more miracles, more salvation of souls, less sin, and freedom from the sins of the tongue.

Please take note; we are not talking about living a sinless life. We all sin daily. We also know that all our sins are forgiven and forgotten the moment we confess them. We are talking about attitude. We are talking about the choice between satisfying our carnal desire for comfort as well as our carnal freedom of speech and the restriction of the commands in God’s Word. We must choose between the narrow path and wide road. Matthew 7:13, 14 tells us to “enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

So what are we to do? Paul’s letter to the Philippians has an answer:

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12, 13)

What salvation is he talking about here? We cannot save ourselves from eternal damnation through our works, can we? We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8, 9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”). Jesus did it all on the cross at Calvary, but our souls still need transformation. This change doesn’t take place in an instant. It is under our control and subject to our decision. It is God who works this change in us with our cooperation and permission. We choose to be saved from being critical. We choose to be saved from filthy language. We choose to live according to the Spirit and in the process be saved from the results of sin caused by the carnal nature. It is our choice to be set aside for God. It is our responsibility to bring the soul in line with the Spirit. This is called sanctification or holiness. In Matthew 19:16-25 we read about the occasion when the rich young man approached Jesus. From this passage and a number of others, it is clear that the Lord wants our undivided attention. Time and energy spent on distractions such as material things could have been spent on time with the Lord, winning souls, teaching the Word, doing good works, or exercising any other gift to the glory of God. To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

29. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How you Affect Others - A Must Read

We are busy discussing the following passage: You have heard that it was said to people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21 and 22).

Why would Jesus have compared anger, insults, and criticism with murder? Isn't it a little radical? Let's look at what happens if you kill someone physically. You take away someone who brought value to the world and to other people, even if they did not appear valuable in the eyes of some. 

But we know that people don't really fall dead under an anger attack, so what do you kill when you act in anger? Before we can answer this question, we first need to look at what happens when one acts in anger. You would have experienced it a few times yourself - violent actions, accusations, insults, humiliation, sarcasm, silent stupors, ignoring others, criticism, etc. All of us have been on the giving side, haven't we? 

But we have been on the receiving side as well. How does that feel? We have feelings of rejection, anxiety, distrust, fear, heartache and sadness, despondency, and the like, don't we? What happens when this kind of anger is vented on you for a prolonged period? Certain things inside you die. When you are constantly criticised or not trusted your confidence dies, leaving you feeling insecure. Violent actions kill your feelings of security, and fear and anxiety is the result. Sarcasm, humiliation, accusations, and insults are verbal forms of violence, which cause the same death in you than the abovementioned does.

Slowly your confidence, creativity, and initiative die and you become as a living dead, having lost most of the value the Lord intended for you to have to a world around you for His name's sake.

When you are on the giving side of anger outbursts, insults, and criticism, I have just described your victim. You have killed a valuable instrument in God's hands and will answer to the Lord for doing it.

The Lord instructed us to build one another up in love (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and in our anger not to sin (Ephesians 4:26). In other words, we should use the self-control the Holy Spirit makes available to us (Galatians 5:22-23) to control our feelings of anger. When anger stirs up in you, why don't you excuse yourself and ask the Lord to make His power perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), and to give you a way out of that temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

If you're hotheaded, prone to anger, insults, or being critical in any way, why not start your day preparing prayerfully to have self-control during the day? This you do by calling on the abovementioned promises of the Lord ahead of time, so when the attack comes, you'll be ready. 

Naturally, there is no reviving power like apologising immediately and making right lovingly. 

Furthermore, victims should be careful of assisting the murder to their souls by sulking and pondering about it, giving Satan occasion to play havoc with their thoughts and emotions and worsening the whole situation. God is your helper and people are God's instruments in the process. There is no need for you to stay dead, in other words down in the dumps, willingly. The Lord invited you: "Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour me," (Psalm 50:15). Proclaim God's Word and get out of it! Jesus does raise people from the 'dead' all the time. 

When the person who vented the anger (the killer) repented and attempted to make right what s/he has caused through angry behaviour, you should especially receive the apology and forgive. However, I know it's often a repeated offence because the culprit actually struggles with controlling anger. As long as s/he is upright in the attempt to change, being graceful and forgiving to them and praying for them will help them along their way to having peace and towards change. Remember you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13) and you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)!

Then there is the issue of calling curses. How often do we call people stupid, or a fool, or sometimes even something less appropriate, especially towards other races and in traffic? When we proclaim anything over a person, we either bless them or curse them depending on whether it's uplifting or degrading. When we proclaim something positive, i.e. a blessing, God has the mandate to activate the blessing and when we proclaim something negative, i.e. a curse, we give Satan the mandate to activate the curse over them, i.e. make it happen or increase. 

Many people do this daily in their cars, during social gatherings, and in their homes, and then we ask why there is such an increase in inappropriate behaviour in for example certain drivers in traffic and in violence. Every time we call the curses, i.e. tell the spirit world how bad we would like these people to be, Satan uses the opportunity to instigate them to worse behaviour.  To be frank I believe these curses from the supposedly good people contribute to the increase in wickedness (Matthew 24:12). We have more power than we think and need to learn to manage it in a godly way. This is why James was so adamant about the control we should exercise over the tongue (James 3:1-12) and why Jesus addressed the issue so sternly here.

Dear friends, let's be careful in controlling anger and watching the tongue. It has lots of power. If all Christians decide to only proclaim blessings and to never curse, we will see a different world. 

Let's pray like David did in Psalm 141:3: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

28. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Do you Kill? Part 1

You have heard that it was said to people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. (Matthew 5:21,22a)

The words “but I tell you” indicate Jesus’ renewal or fulfillment of the old law. In fact, He made it even stricter. We judge murderers and look down on them as being criminals—the filth of society. Jesus knew of this tendency. Remember that He was not speaking to Pharisees here. He was speaking to the disciples, His chosen ones.

What does he say? “You who look down on thieves and murderers, judging them for their deeds, hear what I have to say: when you get angry with your brother (fellow man or countryman, including other races) without a cause, you will be subject to the same judgment as these thieves and murderers.” Many Bible translations add the words “without a cause.” Anger is a natural, built-in emotion. Ephesians 4:26, 27 tells us to be angry but not to sin while we are angry or stay angry. Anger can be a way to stir oneself to action. Sometimes we need to experience more holy anger toward injustices. Anger has a function, but we must not stay angry just because we are too proud to repent and restore relationships. This could lead to sin and judgment. 

Momentary anger won’t make us subject to judgment unless our pride and selfishness lead to bitterness and unforgiveness. Godly anger can bring feelings to the surface so we can deal with them and improve our relationships. If we are saved and Spirit-filled, we have the fruit of the Spirit, which according to Galatians 5:22, 23 is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Therefore, we do not need violent venting of anger. We have within us the ability to handle anger with the help of the Holy Spirit. However, if we choose to ignore Him and allow anger to control us, our outbursts will damage our relationships, and we will be subject to judgment.  

***

Again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:22b)

“Raca” was a term of reproach used by the Jews in the time of Christ. It means a senseless, empty-headed man. How often have you called someone an idiot or a fool? Don’t we often do it while driving, or when criticizing a colleague, pastor, or politician? What did Jesus say would be the fate of such a “murderer?” Read the above passage again. Was Jesus serious about this?

This is a serious sin, and we all are guilty. It hinders our walk with God, just like any other sin.  “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things,” (Isaiah 59:1-3).

Are we guilty of having blood on our hands? Can we murder without getting blood on our hands? Even in this Old Testament passage, Isaiah mentions murder and sins of the tongue in the same breath. Then we ask ourselves why we don’t prosper, why don’t we see God moving as he has moved in the times of the Bible. Why is there so much evil in the world? God is moving mightily everywhere, and many souls are being saved, but if everyone who called himself a Christian had a closer relationship with God, would the moves of God not have been even more powerful? Would there not have been more miracles, more salvation of souls, less sin? To be continued...

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

                                             

27. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Make the Most of Every Opportunity

We are busy discussing the various ways we can let our light shine so God may be glorified from Matthew 5:16: Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

           What are the good works that we must do? One thing we generally perceive as good works is caring for the poor and the widows—the less fortunate. The Bible mentions good works many times, which stresses their importance. Our involvement can be either in the form of giving money or helping others physically. We need to hear from the Lord in order to determine what He wants us to do.

The word “good,” however, means being involved in anything virtuous. Physically caring for the less fortunate will not necessarily help them to receive the Good News and meet the Good Lord Jesus. Therefore, doing good works involves more than the physical. It is linked to the motivational gifts which each Christian has received.

            We read in Romans 12:6-8: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” All these gifts (called motivational gifts) are aimed to strengthen God’s Kingdom and to ensure that people get saved and equipped properly. They, in turn, reach and equip others. Since expanding the Kingdom of God is a good thing, we can consider activities related to kingdom growth as good works. This includes teaching the Bible, encouraging others, and taking a position of leadership in the Kingdom of God.

            Not everybody is designed for physical caregiving, but we can all exercise the gift we have and strive to excel in it. If someone is gifted as a giver, it is easy for him to give money. Someone else may have the gift of encouragement, and she receives the same blessing as the giver.

So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31, 33)

The church often places an unhealthy emphasis on financial giving. We make it a condition for receiving and don’t emphasize the development of other gifts. This can lead to undeserved feelings of guilt in those whose gifts don’t include giving. They often find it difficult to give all the money expected, especially if their pastors emphasize financial giving. Had their gifts been identified and been put to use within the church, these people would be fulfilled, happy, and blessed as a result of their obedience (Matthew 6:33). They may even find it easier to give financially as well. If everyone flows fully within their gifting, the church will grow.

My wife, Julia, and I have different gifts. Hers are mercy, hospitality, and serving. Mine are teaching and encouragement or exhortation. We both love to give, but neither has the ability to generate money in excess. We give financially, but only within our ability. We are extremely blessed, not as a result of giving money, but because we obey God within our gifting and because we show our love to Him through praising Him for every small blessing (Proverbs 3:6: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths).

Sometimes I feel merciless when she acts within her mercy gifting. The Lord has shown me that my gifts have an equally strong effect on people and the Kingdom as Julia’s do. Where mercy meets the needs with regard to the physical, teaching and encouragement meet the needs concerning faith and hope. I felt guilty because humanism emphasizes the physical and stresses that we should not just talk, but also act. I want to encourage those with “talk” gifts. Talking is also doing if your words build faith and hope.
         Therefore I want to encourage you to work your gift with all your heart. Make every effort to develop your gift and bless others with it as much as you can to the glory of God. Seek every opportunity to make a difference in people's lives and... "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone, (Colossians 4:5-6).

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

26. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - The Power in Deeds Part 2

We're busy discussing the following passage; Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) and are looking at how Jesus set the example of having your light shine.

Jesus was busy from early in the morning until late at night. Then at night, he prayed. Looking at the two references in the previous post, we get an idea of Jesus’ style of making His light shine so that His Father may be glorified.          Can you imagine how hard He must have worked to fill so many books, as mentioned by John? Jesus walked all over Israel, meeting spiritual and physical needs. From Jerusalem to Nazareth is about forty-four miles (70 kilometres). To Caesarea-Philippi is another forty-four miles—plenty to cover on foot. He walked about, healing every disease. He gave food to the hungry. He set people free from oppression and gave them hope. All these He did through God’s power, not through human resources, although He was fully human and as dependent on God as we are. 

        He spent His life for those around Him. There was no time for sport, entertainment, or self-indulgence. Even when He relaxed and socialized His aim was to affect the lives of His company (e.g. Luke 7:36-50, Luke 19:1-9, John 2:1-10). What was it that glorified His Father? Was it His miracles? No, it was His sacrifice for that which was important to the Father.

Jesus simply was not part of the status quo. He just could not be missed. Even if He had done no miracles, His selfless lifestyle of sacrifice upon sacrifice would have separated Him from everybody else. People would have asked, “Where does this man come from? What motivates him to do all these things? What is he getting out of it?”

Then Jesus would have had the opportunity to answer: He did these things because of His Father’s amazing love. Jesus prayed in John 17:4: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”

And what about us? We wear “What would Jesus do?” bracelets. We want to be like Him. We enjoy church services, but does our light shine as effectively as that of Jesus? Or do comfort, circumstances, and self-indulgence hide the light from the world? Could you and I say, “I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do”?

If all Christians lived self-sacrificial, light-shining lives with one goal in mind—to glorify the Lord—the world would have no choice. They would have to declare, “The Lord Almighty, He alone is God.”

It does not seem that is the case at the moment. More accurately, the world ignores the Church, or worse, mocks it. It is as if the church desperately seeks acceptance from the world, screaming, “We are here. Don’t overlook us.” Instead of walking in the power of God, risking persecution in order to win the world, the church has incorporated all kinds of worldly activities to become acceptable to the world. The church has become a social club with a Christian appearance, having a form of godliness but denying the power (2 Timothy 3:5).

We don’t know what happens in church people’s private lives. Paul wrote the following to Timothy, a pastor, to warn him against religious people. If we would mirror our secret lives in these verses, I wonder what would reflect back.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

            What are the good works that we must do? To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

25. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - The Power in Deeds Part 1

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

This reference contains a few keywords and phrases. We already know that our light shines, whether we want it to or not. The first key word is “let.” We decide, in part, whether people will understand what they see in us and be changed by it. We have been created with a free will. We are God’s hands and feet. He took the responsibility to cause His light to shine through us. It is our responsibility to cause this light to make sense to those who see it.

            Next comes the keyword, “that.” This word indicates our purpose. We are taking a conscious action to let those who see the light understand what they see so that God may be glorified or praised by it. We will always face the temptation to take the glory. Therefore, we are called to witness that in ourselves we are nothing; it’s all about the Lord. This verse mentions good works. People must not only hear about the Lord, but they must feel God.

Many non-Christians and secular organizations do good works. This is called charity. Many people do good works in order to feel good about themselves. They are helping people; therefore, they are good. It might earn them credit with whoever their god is. However, they can help others only temporarily, meeting their immediate needs. Good works in the name of the Lord may result in people being saved and spending an eternity with the God who gets glorified by those works. The point is to do our good works in such a way that people recognize God in them and then bring glory to Him. The all-knowing God sees exactly what people need and how and when they need it. If we listen to the Lord telling us what to do for others and when to do it, then His wisdom will bring the perfect solution. The one in need would stand in awe of the person or group who knew exactly what to do. Then the Christian should point to the Lord as the source of wisdom and refer the glory to Him. This opens a perfect opportunity to share the gospel with the unsaved.

We are all familiar with the saying, “Your actions speak so loudly, I can’t hear what you are saying.” If others can’t reconcile the things we do with the light they see, we bring dishonor instead of glory to the Father. Jesus did not stand in a pulpit in some glorious amphitheater, preaching mighty sermons. He did not do His good works by simply inviting the people forward during a service, delegating His task to the disciples while He just prayed over the crowd. No, he was among the people, meeting their every need.

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25)

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35)

           

Jesus was busy from early in the morning until late at night. Then at night, he prayed. Looking at the above two references, we get an idea of Jesus’ style of making His light shine so that His Father may be glorified. To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

24. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - You are the light of the world - Last part - a must read

We are busy talking about being the light to the World from Matthew 5:14b, 15: “A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

        Why did Jesus mention both the city on a hill and the lamp in a room? The city on the hill consists of many lights, all in one body. The light can be seen from a distance and give direction, drawing the tired traveler to it, giving her hope.

Imagine a man in Bible times walking through the wilderness at dusk. As night falls, he thinks he is drawing near to the city, and having walked all day, he is not in the mood to set up camp once again. He stumbles on in the moonlight.

As he crests a hill, his gaze is drawn to the brightly lit city on a hill in the distance. After a day of heat and dust, he warms to the sight, and hope surges within him. A warm bath followed by a soft bed sounds much better than a mat on the stony ground.

As the church, we should bring hope to the world. After some hard years of hopelessness and hardship, the unsaved should experience a church brimming with good works. The expression of the gifts and fruit of the Spirit will draw the sinner and give him hope like lights shining from a city.

Jesus also mentioned that the city was on a hill. John 12:32 says, “‘But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.’” In John 14:12, Jesus said, “‘I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.’” With these words, He elevated the church or body of believers to a higher level (on a hill), since He lives within the believers. We as the church represent the Almighty. Our conduct should cause the world to look up to the church and not down as it often does today. If we act in Jesus’ power, doing greater things than He has done, the power and love emanating from us will draw the world up to Jesus. This will inspire awe of Him and the church rather than contempt caused by religious actions and talk, as well as passivity.

The Lord Jesus knew that it is easy to disappear in the crowd and let others do the work of the ministry. He therefore also mentioned the light in the room, which represents the individual. Light bathes everyone in the room in its warmth. In the window, light draws the lonely one who looks for comfort and support.

As Christians, we should influence others by causing them to desire to learn from us. We should bring them light and answer their questions. Our light and our gifting bring comfort, support, and development to others. Our encouragement, teaching, and mercy will flow to the one in need.

In order to be effective, we need to develop our gifting. A teacher should know the Bible well, attend Bible classes, and be tuned in to the voice of the Holy Spirit for new revelation. He should make use of every opportunity to teach. A giver probably has the gift of making money. She should learn all she can about business and be tuned in to the Holy Spirit for creative ideas to both make money and give it away. Prophets need to learn from other prophets how to hear from the Lord as Elisha did from Elijah. In order to lead, one needs to seek opportunities such as becoming a home group leader. All the gifts in Romans 12:6-8 are linked to skills and effort on our part. Obtaining these skills is essential service to the Lord and evidence of our love for Him.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

23. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - You are the light of the world - Part 2

Last time we started the topic on believers being the light of the world and we discovered that we are light and that we have no choice in it. Let's continue.

“A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:14b, 15).

             Imagine a massive city on top of a hill, seen by all who pass. A large city in Jesus’ time probably had sufficient lights in the windows to make quite an impression.

            Many Christians keep low profiles when it comes to witnessing. Once Jesus’ light is living in us through the Holy Spirit, it cannot be hidden. 

            Those outside Christ cannot miss the fact that we are emitting something. However, they do not know what they see unless we tell them. The man who approached Reinhardt Bonnke was probably a Christian, because he knew what he saw. 

            We set a lamp on a stand in order to make light for all in the room. It is our Christian duty to bring the Light of the Holy Spirit to the world so that they will be able to see through the darkness in their lives. If you are camping with your family and one of the children needs to go to the bathroom after dark, would you send her without a flashlight? Instead, we would get a flashlight and walk with her because we love her and don’t want anything to happen to her.

Why then do we not allow those of the world to experience the light of the Holy Spirit in their darkness? Is it because we don’t love them enough? Maybe we are selfish and want to avoid involvement.

            If we are passive, not allowing the world or even other Christians to understand the light we have, are we self-centered and careless? How do we bring light to the darkness in their lives? We do it by allowing them to identify with the darkness that we used to have and then let them understand how the Light of the World removed our darkness. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

            The Holy Spirit gives new revelation to Christians daily. Usually those who are walking closely with the Lord receive His revelation light. We are not meant to hide this light but to share it with the others in our lives. We should make good use of every opportunity to teach one another, for revelation knowledge brings faith. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). The written Word (logos), made alive by revelation from Christ (rhema), through the Holy Spirit, creates faith.

Pastors have a responsibility to recognize opportunities for their members to share their light with the congregation. While this may occur more frequently in home or cell meetings, the pastor needs to allow his members to make it available to the whole congregation. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16a).

Paul spells out the purpose of the five-fold ministry in Ephesians 4:11-14: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”

The ministers’ job is to identify the gifts within the congregation and create opportunity for the development of those gifts in each individual. Say, for instance, the church leadership identifies a few immature people gifted as teachers. The mature teachers should take an interest in these people and equip them with knowledge. Once the new teachers are ready, the leadership could guide them in preparing sermons and then let them teach. The same could happen with the other gifts such as encouragement, leadership, mercy, etc. as per Romans 12:4-8. In this way, the church obeys the command to equip the saints for ministry, and everybody has the opportunity to let their light shine. It prepares the way for church growth, since the Lord sees that there are enough equipped workers to handle the growth. To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za

22. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - You are the light of the world - Part 1

You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)

We're discussing this passage Matthew 5:14, but in John 9:5, Jesus also said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” We don’t know the chronological order of these two statements, since they are recorded in two different gospels, but the implication is that once Jesus left the world, His representatives became the light of the world.

One interpretation of this scripture is that we must do good works and say good things that bring light to the world and make Jesus known to them. There is not much wrong with such an idea except that it places the focus on man, giving him the ability to determine whether the light will shine or not. 
We know that “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5b). We must also agree that God the Holy Spirit lives in us, together with all the light that He is.

            The Greek word for light in verse 14 is “phos.” It is the root of the word “phosphorous,” an element which re-emits light it has been exposed to or intensifies light to a white brilliance as we see in fluorescent lamps. “Phos” means to shine or make manifest, especially by rays. It can mean the light emitted by a heavenly light such as that which surrounds angels when they appear on earth. It can also refer to anything emitting light: a star, fire, a lamp, or a flashlight. In other contexts, it can mean light or the brightness of a lamp.

Believers are light. We can’t choose whether or not we want to be light. We can’t be light when we are good and darkness when we are bad. Jesus said "you are the light of the world" and not "you should be the light of the world." We are the light in the same way as He was the light, and should have faith to measure up to His example (John 14:12). 

Ephesians 2:8-10 deals with our position as light. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of —God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good  works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We must accept that, when we are born again, we automatically become the light of the world. It is by grace that we are light. It does not come by works; otherwise we could boast about what a great light we are. As verse ten tells us, good works are pre-planned - the result of the light which the Holy Spirit emits through us. 

            Jesus uses the temples of the Holy Spirit (that's the believers) to make Himself manifest in the form of rays of light for the world to see. Sometimes people can see something shining from us, a light of sorts, as when a stranger cleans up his language in your presence. That is why He says, “You are the light of the world.” We are the vessels by which the subtle, brilliant light of God reaches the world. People sometimes see the purity of God in you. Maybe the Holy Spirit opens their eyes to see the light that we cannot.

            A man once asked evangelist Reinhart Bonnke, “Are you a Christian?” Bonnke was astonished. “How did you know?” The stranger said, “I can see Jesus in your eyes.”

Afterward, Bonnke explained that the eyes are the windows of the heart, so the Holy Spirit, being resident in you, must shine out sometimes.

The world is in darkness. Without God there is no light. “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Jesus said that we are the light of the world. As people see our light shining, they want to know more about it. In the process, they see our good works and end up knowing God. If we love the Lord, the works come by themselves without any effort on our part. We can’t help doing good works. This is what separates God-lovers from the world. When we think of the element, phosphor, in this context, we realize that, as phosphor absorbs and re-emits light, our emitting of light will be more evident and powerful as we absorb more light whilst spending time in God's presence and whilst responding to His commands in obedience. Religious people do good works in order to feel good about themselves, to buy their salvation, to earn acceptability, or to impress their peers. When those outside Christ see the difference, and believe me they do, they will be drawn to God. To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za