TOPIC: THE VISION OF HIS THRONE.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit January 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Revelation 4:1-11 “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the centre, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 1 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (NIV).
Christians ought to be eternity conscious, living in time for eternity under the eyes of God and by his help. Every moment of our life under God’s eyes, every act in the light of judgement seat.
Christians can have access to God’s throne, just for the eyes. Isaiah saw the throne the year king Uzziah died, Daniel saw the throne, Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right side of the throne and John in the island of Patmos saw the throne.
Why the throne of God? Why do we need it? The vision of the throne talks about the transition of the earthly church. The church now is surrounded by hostility, suspicion, distrust, persecution, greed, lust, selfishness and hatred. The world is hitting us from all angles, living as a Christian in this world is becoming difficult. The only vision that will sustain us is the one that sustained the early Christians- the vision of His throne. The vision that reveals that our God reigns, the vision of the throne supports us in our hour of peril, as darkness seems to be closing in on us, we need God’s throne to nerve us on.
The vision of His throne will tell us that God rules the universe.
The vision of His throne will tell us that one with him is majority.
The vision of His throne will force us to speak the gospel.
The vision of his throne will help us to hate sin and greed and self.
No matter your situation be it physical or spiritual, you only need a gaze to heaven to see God who rules and a holy God who hates sin to overcome the difficulty. Human beings can fail you, the church need to look beyond this world and gaze at heavenly throne. God is ready to show us His throne, but it must be our desire out of a pure heart, that is the only sustaining power. May this be our comfort and experience in Jesus’ name. Amen.
TOPIC: CONFESSION.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit January 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 John 1:5-10 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (NIV).
God lays great stress upon confession in His dealing with sinning man. It is through confession that he draws near to God, and it is as such that God receives him. This is the only position, the only character in which God can deal with a sinner. Covering sin will do nothing for us, it doubles the transgression. Confession is the closest and most personal of all kind of dealings with God. It is telling out what we see in ourselves. It comprises matters which can be spoken in no ears but God’s. Confession can be public or largest part of confession is private. It is then needed to deal honestly with God and our own conscience in the matter so entirely private and confidential. The attempt to deceive God or to hide anything from Him is as dangerous as it is wicked and inexcusable.
There are kinds of confession, a false and a true and what we can call no confession. We have examples of these in the scripture; they both make use of the same word “I have sinned” yet they do not mean the same thing nor indicate the same state of feeling. Let us note some false confession, Pharaoh twice over he says “I have seen against the Lord”. Balaam, said to the angel of the Lord “I have sinned” Achan said “indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel” Saul said to Samuel “I have sinned for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord”. Judas said “I have sinned for I have betrayed The innocent blood”- the falsehood consists in this; it was constrained, motivated by terror and danger. These man would rather not have made it but could not help it, it was merely the natural heart crying out in trouble. It was selfish, not done because of God or others before the consequences to themselves. It was superficial, the inner man was not stirred, self was not abased, no broken nor contrite heart. It was temporary, the words of confession had hardly passed their lips when the feeling was gone.
Let us not cheat our souls, by uttering words of confession and not the expression of contrition of broken heartedness. Let us deal honestly, solemnly with God and our own God and our own conscience. Godly sorrow is one thing and the sorrow of the world is quite another. God cannot be mocked.
We have also some example of no confusion- we have Adam trying to hide his sin, Cain refusing to confess, Lamech glorifying in his shame. They are samples of how far human heart can go in rebellion against God and his mercies.
We have instances of true confession, David said “I have sinned” and his confession brought forgiveness. Daniel said “we have sinned and they found forgiveness.
In true confession, we take our proper place, the sinners place; a place of a mere helpless sinner, no goodness to recommend, no good feeling, no excellence in one’s faith, such will taste that the Lord is gracious. In true confession, we see sin somewhat as Gods sees it. We take the prodigal word “Father, I have sinned against heaven and thy sight”. we turn our eyes and our feet homeward. We remember the past; we look round us on the desolation of the ‘far country’. we listen to the good news of our father’s open door and loving heart. We arise and go. Every step we draw nearer, our view of sin increases, our sense of ingratitude deepens, and yet our father’s deep love and unchanged mercies cheers us, so that will draw near with a true heart, in full assurance that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. May that be our heart desire or experience in Jesus’ name. Amen.
TOPIC: USE WHAT YOU HAVE.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit January 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Romans 12:1-8
A group of animal decided to improve the general welfare by starting a training school. The curriculum included swimming, running, climbing and flying. The duck an excellent swimmer majored in climbing, the rabbit a superior runner and goes for swimming, the squirrel a specialist in climbing goes for flying, an eagle who soars to the top tree couldn’t because he learns to swim.
This is the same thing that is happening in the church of God today, some of us serve in several ways that our works are not done well; it should be noted that no improvement can be made on the will of God. What God want is not merely ritual activity but the involvement of the heart, mind and will and obedient service according to His special gift of Grace to meet the need of the church. Lack of proper identification of what we have, makes the whole church to suffer.
Accept your spiritual gift, cultivate their capabilities, stop comparing and enjoy being. Do what you can, where you are and with what you have.
May God show us the specific path we will play in His church and grant us the Grace to serving Him faithfully in Jesus’ name. Amen.
TOPIC: A DECISION MUST BE MADE.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit December 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Daniel 1:8, Luke 4:1-13
In the spiritual experience of every child of God there is a crisis of the crossroad. At that cross road, a decision must be made which will alter his life permanently. What he decides then will determine what he will be and do in the years to come.
The crossroad in the life of Daniel came when he was a captive in Babylon. While the circumstances may appear to have little significance in this day, it meant something when Daniel faced it. If he drank the wine and ate the food of the king, it meant that he had left his own religion behind him. It meant apostasy and personal defilement.
Daniel saw the issue clearly and made his decision on the basis of what he knew God required. That his decision was wise and best is demonstrated by his later life and usefulness in the service of God. He never counted the cost; he only did what was right.
Even Jesus, the author of our faith was presented with a cross road. He used the written word of God as a weapon and means of doing what was right. We cannot be too big for a crossroad; at any crossroad a decision must be made. Do you know what God required? It is that knowledge that will help you overcome and make godly decisions that have eternal value. May God help us to take necessary decision when it is most needed. Amen.
TOPIC: OTHER POSSIBILITIES.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit December 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Psalm 37:5-7, Proverbs 3:5-6
One day a woman aboard a ship became fearful because of a great storm at the sea. She rushed to the captain of the ship to find out from him what the prospect were. He said to her, Madam, “we must trust in providence”. Throwing up her hands in a gesture of hopelessness, she cried out- ‘O has it come to that.
We are to cast all our cares upon the Lord for He cares for us. But too many believers wait until all other possibilities have been exhausted before they throw themselves upon the mercy and strength of God. He becomes for many of us the last resort instead of the first one.
May God grant that no Christian will ever give utterance to the idea connoted by the story. Let the first line of our defense be a ready Providence, upon whom we call first, not last. We are not to trust God when all else failed. Rather, we are to trust Him before anything happens, while it happens and after it happened. Amen.
TOPIC: DO YOU HAVE A BETHEL?
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit December 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 13:3-4, Revelation 2:4-5
Abraham left the Ur of the Chaldees and moved towards Canaan. He stopped enroute at Haran where his father died. Then he continued his pilgrimage until last he came to Bethel where he built an altar and sacrifice unto God. famine drove him to Egypt and upon his return he sought again for Bethel and the altar, calling upon the name of the Lord.
Bethel was a precious spot in the life and memory of Abraham. It was there that God appeared to him. It was there he enjoyed the wonderful experience with God. And returning from Egypt Abraham was moved to go back to that wonderful place of memories.
Do you have a place where God speak to your heart? Is there some Bethel in your life- some holy ground where something of great significance happened in your soul? All of us true Christians have our sacred places and to them we repair when the vision grows dim and the presence fades. There we can see again the vision and hear again the voice and renew our vows. The first love is always the best, let us go back to Bethel. Amen.
TOPIC: ARE YOU READY?
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit December 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Luke 12:40
The teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ stress the unknown hour of His return to claim His own and to set up His Kingdom. We are reminded constantly that we are to be alert for that return.
Many have attempted to foretell the time of the second advent and have been wrong. Any man will be wrong who claims to know what God has hidden from men. God does not want man to know the time of Jesus’s return. But He does want man to be prepared at all times for it.
At the break of every day each servant of Christ should say, “it may be today” and at the close of it ought also to be his cry, “it may be tonight”, the believer’s life should be so ordered as to expect Him. At all times, the lamps are to be trimmed and fill with oil. We should be looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. The master accountant may come to audit the book tonight. Are you ready? Amen.
TOPIC: WHAT WE SHARE.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit December 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 25:40
Man is both physical and spiritual in his makeup. A cup of cold water will minister to his physical body, but it will not satisfy the spiritual side of man. Thus when we give a man a cup of cold water; you must also give him a part of ourselves.
A person who minister bread without is a benevolently disinterested individual, because he does not comprehend the gospel requirements of our Lord. The man who gives both his bread and himself is the one who most truly reflect the genius of the gospel commandment. This man ministers not only to the suppliant, but he does something for his own soul too, and then he ministers to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospel is not only what we give, but what we share; for the gift without the giver is bare; for who gives himself with his alms feeds three: himself, his hungering neighbor and Christ. It should be your bread and yourself. Amen.
TOPIC: A VISION AND A TASK.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit December 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Ecclesiastes 9:10
Solomon was a wise man. God granted him wisdom, the like few humans experienced before Jesus’ day. He said this from the depth of personal experience and observation.
As a Christian, we should make a constant practice- when we have put our hands on the plough, there ought to be no turning back. There are many Christians who have no task to do, but they have great vision; great vision without a task is only a dream. They are others who have a task without a vision and that is hard boring work. It is a combination of task and a vision that produces a victory. the reality of a vision is its execution as a task.
Jesus had put the vision and the task in one great effort; it is the propagation of the gospel of Himself. He is the vision, and the task is to make the vision known to the hearts of men. This can neither be hard boring task nor a dream, it is victory because it is a vision with a task.
What is our vision today? It remains Christ and to be with Him eternally. Some have the vision, but do not like the duty. Some have the duty and are working themselves to death but no vision. May God help us to catch the vision and combine it with a task. Amen.
TOPIC: THE WORTH OF A HUMAN SOUL.
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit December 2002)
BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 Peter 3:9
What is the worth of a human soul? How we answer this question will make all the difference in our approach to gospel endeavor. The Christian who does not have a sense of the value of a single human soul for whom Christ died for will not care much for evangelism. But when a man is gripped by the knowledge of what one soul is worth his life will be transformed.
The love of Christ for a soul is such that, even if it is the only one unsaved in the world, He will still make the journey to the cross. Christ journey to the cross is not because we were many, but because of His love. We should value ourselves as Christ valued us. A soul is not valued according to status; a soul of a poor man is of the same value as the soul of a president of any country. Attention should be given to all souls within our reach equally. If for any reason much attention is given to one, it should not be for selfish reasons.
As the year 2002 is closing by, let us ask God to lay in our hearts some souls however debauched and degraded, whose value in the sight of God is the same as that of the greatest man you know. This knowledge will lead to passion and passion to prayer and prayer to speaking and to conversion. Amen.
TOPIC: SHIBBOLETH OR SIBBOLETH?
(Berea Youth Programme –from the pulpit January 2003)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Judges 12: 1-7
In this famous battle a strange problem arose, the solution to which was determined by one’s ability to pronounce a single word; it was necessary because friends and enemies were mixed up in that conflict. As this mass of humanity crossed the river Jordan, a company of soldiers stationed themselves to see that only friends make the crossing; and the acid test of the matter was one’s ability to say ‘Shibboleth’ correctly. If a man did so, he was safe; if he said ‘Sibboleth’ it was the last word he spoke.
‘Shibboleth’ means ‘floods’. The Israelites East of Jordan pronounced its initial letter with a strong ‘Sh’ sound, while those in Canaan give it a softer ‘S’ sound. You also remember during the trial of our Lord Jesus, Peter was recognized by his accent (Matthew 26:73).
The passage of scripture has a lesson for every heart. Just as this question and the answer marks of friend from enemy, a man from Gilead from the man of Ephraim; so also it marks of life and death for each one. Spiritually, you and I must answer a question which will mark off belief from unbelief, heaven from hell, life from death.
The question will come from God our maker Himself and it is- what do you think of Jesus Christ? That time it is not going to be Bible definition you have in your head nor Peter’s definition when Jesus asked ‘whom do you say I am? But it is going to be what you think and know Him and how that thought and knowledge affects your way of life.
You have to know now the correct answer with your life, when it is not too late. Because you cannot avoid that question -what do you think of Jesus Christ? It will mark off eternal Life from eternal death. Amen.
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