PASTORS: YOU HAD BREAKFAST WITH JESUS

PASTORS: LIKE PETER, JESUS HAD BREAKFAST WITH YOU AT YOUR ORDINATION.
HE SENT YOU SAYING, DON'T FORGET TO "FEED MY SHEEP"

John 21:15-18 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."

Christians, do we love God more than our guns? more than things? more than the world? Then we must feed Christ Sheep for which He shed his blood. We are bought with a price. The price is Christ blood on the cross at Calvary.

Pastors, Christ Jesus has dressed us and He has sent us possibly where we do not particularly want to go. Nevertheless, if we said yes to God we need to keep our promise to feed His sheep. After all that is the reason he sent us.

“ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH”

“ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH”

 As Christians living in today’s society we are often tempted to sacrifice “living a holy life” in order to be popular or to look good in the eyes of the world. When we socialize with friends on FB, Twitter and other types of media, what type of influence do we have on our friends? Is it one that influences our friends to live holy and righteous lives? Or do we as Christians try to impress with worldly impressions to gain popularity.

As Christians we are called the Church, and as the Church we are to live holy lives – we are to live a life worthy of the calling we have received from God, our heavenly father. We need to remember to always wear the full Armor of God, and especially to not leave home without it. The full armor of God helps us as Christians to stay true to the call of God, and to live a life worthy of such a ‘call’. First and foremost the armor of God allows us to be able to stand against evil influences in the world, especially in these days.

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said this to Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” And Matthew 16:19, forecasts Acts 2:41, which led to Peter’s experience on the day of Pentecost when Peter’s proclamation of Christ Jesus opened the door to three thousand souls. As Christians we are to preach the Gospel of Christ both in Word, deeds, and in lifestyle. We are ambassadors or representatives of Christ; therefore we need to be living testament for Christ.

Many Christians believe that they can live a life patterned after the world because they say, “We are covered by grace – grace takes care of everything”

Paul affirms this “. . . But where sin increased, grace increased all the more . . .” (Romans 5:20).But Paul continues, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  ² By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

In Jamaican Patois we would say, “ Wa sin deh yu ha nuf, nuf more grace”  (Romans 5:20).

In Jamaican Patois we would say “why wee fe continue fe sin God forbid.” (Romans 6:1).

 Stay tune for the more on the armor of God for the Christian.

BUCKLE UP YOUR SEAT-BELT CHRISTIANS

In Jamaican: Buckle yu seet belt Christians.

In the Book of I Kings Chapter 19, we read how Elijah ran from Jezebel for fear of his life.

In I Kings Chapter 18, Ahab called Elijah “you troubler of Israel”. But Elijah responded to Ahab, “I have not made trouble for Israel, but you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals.”

On Mount Carmel Elijah stood before all the people and issued a command, “If the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal is God, follow him.”

Elijah also told the people that he was the only prophet of the Lord who was not put to death by Jezebel. On the other hand, Baal had four hundred and fifty false prophets on his side.  In I Kings 19:18 the Lord told Elijah that there were seven thousand prophets in Israel who have not bowed down to Baal.

It is so easy as Christians to feel as Elijah felt, alone in the Christian walk. And with this kind of feeling the Christian can surrender his or her life to the world’s system and way of daily living. But God wants us to remember that as Christians we are not alone. If Christ Jesus lives in us there are more of us than there are of the Baal’s. So then, as Christians we are not to be afraid. We are to hold fast the “Great Commission” given to us by Jesus in Matthew Chapter 28. God has made the Christians a gospel promise to be with us always to the end of the age. This is an awesome promise to keep in mind while proclaiming the gospel to a lost world. Elijah was not ashamed to confront the false prophets even in the face of danger. Christians are not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ but we are to find every opportunity to proclaim it for it is the power of God unto salvation.

So as Christians we are to put on our armor - the full armor of God:

1.      Put on truth

2.      Put on righteousness

3.      Put on peace

4.      Put on faith

5.      Put on salvation and the Word of God

In Ephesians Chapter 6 Paul the apostle tells us how to stand firm by putting on the belt of truth buckled around our waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 

Finally, we are to pray for one another that whenever we open our mouths, words may be given to us that we would fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which we are ambassadors of Christ Jesus. The church is not a building in which we worship. The church is the people of God. And we are to pray for one another – for the church universal to fearlessly proclaim the gospel of Christ to a lost and dying world.

BUCKLE UP YOUR SEAT-BELT CHRISTIANS

In Jamaican: Buckle yu seet belt Christians.

Is the world able to tell whether or not a Christian is a Christian?

Can the Christian tell whether or not the world is the world?

The answer: Matthew 7:20-21 by our fruit the world will recognize the Christian.

And by the world’s fruit the Christian will recognize the world.

As Christians we are urged to live a life worthy of the ‘call’ we received from God.  

THE BRIDE

 What an awesome thing to behold if the church comes together as one people, united under God Almighty. What an awesome sight to witness God’s glorious church of a rainbow-color worshiping together and bringing heaven down to earth. I believe God longs for a ‘Rainbow- color Revival’ in His church, where God’s people assemble together around the table of the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

          There are so many dying around us and around the world, especially our young people. Many are feeling empty and hungry for something and do not know what. But what the emptiness and the hunger stem from is an emptiness of God and a hunger for God. It is a hunger for Jesus Christ and Savior of the world.  May the power of the Holy Spirit burn within the church and equip the saints of God to proclaim a gospel that will satisfy the hungry and emptiness of souls.

I believe God longs for Christ Bride, the Church, to experience a ‘Rainbow Color’ awakening that will spark a reformation of a complacent church.  

          We came through the Lenten season up to the resurrection of Jesus. It was during this time that the disciples got discouraged at the cruel sight of Jesus’ crucifixion. They lost hope in the idea of continuing on in the footstep of Jesus. But Jesus’ resurrection brought about a reformation of the disciples lives and sparked a fire in them to advance the New Testament Church. The Church today needs a fire, the Holy Spirit fire.

          When the fire of the Holy Spirit comes to the church, the church will no longer look the same as it is today.  And when the gospel is preached those who are feeling empty and spiritually hungry will run to the cross of Christ and be made satisfied in Him.

          John in his gospel tells us that Jesus declares, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.” John 7:37. And Isaiah tells us, “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen, so that you may live. Isaiah 55. Those who are feeling empty and hungry for God come to the water of the Word, eat, drink and live.  

TO RESCUE

The essence of the Gospel is ‘salvation’. Salvation is to seek and to save what was lost. It is to seek and rescue what was lost from the power of sin. Notice, the phrase ‘what was lost’. I invite you to look at a bigger picture. We are often tempted to narrow down the ‘seek and save’ to humanity only. But think of it, ‘to seek and to save what was lost’ also include the whole creation. Ever wonder why there is so much compassion shown towards the animals? At times it seems more compassion is given towards animals than to humans. It is because the Gospel is given for the animals also. It is given for God’s whole creation. The Gospel, although it is about the life, ministry, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of the living Christ, it is not just words on the pages of the Bible. The Gospel is the Good News, the Word of God alive through God’s people in the world. We are ambassadors of Christ, called to do the gospel, and to be the Gospel, to all nations and languages for Christ’s sake. We are God’s hands and feet in the world through Jesus Christ. We are to seek and rescue that which is lost through the saving Gospel of Christ. Therefore, the essence of the Gospel is ‘salvation’. Salvation is to rescue that which is lost from the power of sin. And Jesus Christ came to seek and to save what was lost. Luke 19:10.

BIG QUESTION:
What does Christ means to you?
How do you see the Gospel used in your church to rescue the lost from the power of sin?

BEHOLD THE CHURCH

          What an awesome thing to behold if the church comes together as one people, united under God Almighty. What an awesome sight to witness God’s glorious church of a rainbow-color worshiping together and bringing heaven down to earth. I believe God longs for a ‘Rainbow- color Revival’ in His church, where God’s people assemble together around the table of the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

          There are so many dying around us and around the world, especially our young people. Many are feeling empty and hungry for something and do not know what. But what the emptiness and the hunger stem from is an emptiness of God and a hunger for God. It is a hunger for Jesus Christ and Savior of the world.  May the power of the Holy Spirit burn within the church and equip the saints of God to proclaim a gospel that will satisfy the hungry and emptiness of souls.

I believe God longs for Christ Bride, the Church, to experience a ‘Rainbow Color’ awakening that will spark a reformation of a complacent church.  

          We came through the Lenten season up to the resurrection of Jesus. It was during this time that the disciples got discouraged at the cruel sight of Jesus’ crucifixion. They lost hope in the idea of continuing on in the footstep of Jesus. But Jesus’ resurrection brought about a reformation of the disciples lives and sparked a fire in them to advance the New Testament Church. The Church today needs a fire, the Holy Spirit fire.

          When the fire of the Holy Spirit comes to the church, the church will no longer look the same as it is today.  And when the gospel is preached those who are feeling empty and spiritually hungry will run to the cross of Christ and be made satisfied in Him.

          John in his gospel tells us that Jesus declares, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.” John 7:37. And Isaiah tells us, “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen, so that you may live. Isaiah 55. Those who are feeling empty and hungry for God come to the water of the Word, eat, drink and live.  

SEARCHING

Many people, especially our younger generation are searching for God. They want to know, who is this God that is talked about, called upon, and proclaimed. Yet, many have not come to know or find this God. It seems like a dilemma, both in the world and sadly, in the church. 
Is there an answer to this dilemma? 
Does the church have an answer?
The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation. What then is the Gospel?
The Gospel is the good news about Jesus Christ. 

When the life of Jesus is told or preached – when his birth, his life, his ministry, his death, burial and resurrection is told or preached, we have the good news. Although the good news seems obscured by his oppression and his death, the good news came to life or became clear at his resurrection. So Jesus’ life –ministry, death, burial and resurrection, especially His resurrection is the ultimate Good News and the essence of salvation.

What then is salvation? The dictionary has several meanings. One is “Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin.” So one could say, salvation means to be delivered, rescued or saved from something that is not good for us or for our relationship with God. 
According to Harper Collins Bible Dictionary, the term ‘salvation’ has lost its original meaning. It states that the word salvation is rooted in God’s divine help, especially in circumstances where God’s people face an adversary. God comes in and rescues and delivers from perils. Salvation also includes deliverance from other forms of conflict, especially relating to people’s relationship with God.

 The Gospel or the Good News is in direct correlation with salvation. In a nutshell, the Gospel is the essence of salvation.

 KJV Mark 16:15, Jesus told his disciples, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
 NIV Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” 
NRS Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” 

In the language of Christianity, the God for whom people are searching is found in Jesus Christ, the one who died on the cross to atone for sinful humanity. Jesus is the one whom Isaiah wrote about in the book of Isaiah Chapter 53 saying, “He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.”

The devastation of Jesus’ life became the Ultimate Good News at His resurrection. The Good News is the Gospel and the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The Gospel is the essence of salvation for seekers.

 Many people are searching for answers how to be saved from all kinds of things in the world, which ail or afflict them. In other words people are seeking for salvation; they are seeking to be saved or to be rescued from something that is not good for the physical, mental or spiritual health. And everyone likes to be healthy.

What then is the answer for those who are still searching?

The answer then lies in the Gospel – the Good News about Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation – the power of God to save, rescue or to deliver the one who searches for God, and bring an end to the search.

 I believe a person, who is searching for God, is like one who is lost in a vast forest or wilderness. He walks until his shoes are worn, his feet have blisters, he is hungry for food, and thirsty for water with no end in sight. He decides to look for streams of water between the rocks and trees of this vast forest. And the irony here is that the streams of water is not lost, it is right where it is supposed to be in the forest. And it is the one who is thirsty that has to find it. When he finds it he rejoices and drinks and lives, or he drinks and lives and rejoices.

The Good News is God is not lost, and Jesus calls us to God through His Gospel.

When the Gospel is preached – the life, ministry, death, burial and resurrection of the risen Christ, the one who is searching for God will be saved from his wilderness whatever his wilderness may be and his search for God will come to an end. He will rejoice that he has found that for which he searches.

By: Pastor Salome

ADVENT

Advent Sermon: Matthew 1:18 - 2:1 

Sermon Title: 180 degrees turn around

        Mary is engaged to Joseph. 

Imagine Mary’s excitement as her father discusses a potential wedding engagement for her! Joseph’s father meets with Mary’s father, and asks for her hand in marriage. Imagine both fathers come to a wedding agreement perhaps with a toast of wine as they arrange the wedding. Joseph then tells Mary that he loves her and asks her to be his bride. Mary gleefully accepts Joseph’s proposal. Then Joseph binds his commitment to Mary by a gift, perhaps a ring, which he gives her in the presence of at least two witnesses. Imagine Joseph as he gives the ring to Mary and says to her “Behold you are consecrated unto me with this ring according to the laws of Moses.” Then a written contract is made, stating the terms of Joseph and Mary’s marriage. Imagine how excited Mary must have been at her betrothal or engagement ceremony! After the engagement party, Joseph leaves Mary for a year to prepare a home for his new bride. How excited Joseph and Mary must have been as they prepare for their formal wedding ceremony. Imagine their anticipation of that festive seven-day celebration, which follows the wedding ceremony. But instead of a wedding let alone a celebration their lives were changed forever.

         Have you ever made plans for your life, when all of a sudden wham! something happens to challenge your very existence, your very survival? In some case something so pungent, so overpowering, that it not only challenge you, but turn your life around 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

Similar thing happen to Mary and Joseph. Mary’s engagement party is long over. She is at her home in Nazareth waiting impatiently, but excitingly for her wedding ceremony, so that she can finally be with Joseph!  But their wedding plan was challenged!  By what God had asked them to do. You see the God of heaven whom we worship on Sundays and every day of our lives, this same God called on Joseph and Mary to be father and mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was a privilege, but it was also a challenge for both Mary and Joseph.

What has God asked you to do?

How has it challenge you?  

What is your answer?

God asked Joseph and Mary to do something that would change their lives and the world forever.

You see, God needed to come to us in person; because God had promised to save the world by sending us a savior. And in order for that to happen, God chose Mary and Joseph to be the mother and father of the Son of God, and savior of the world. So while Joseph gets busy building a home for his bride and while Mary waits eagerly for their wedding day they were blindsided, taken off guard by what God had asked them to do. The angel Gabriel appears to Mary and announces. Mary! “Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God, and now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.” Say what! This would probably be our response. I haven’t even had my wedding yet! Let alone a honeymoon! This must be a big joke right Gabriel! But this would have been a natural response. Mary was perplexed and she questioned the angel.  “How can this be since I have not been with my husband?  But the angel assured Mary saying, Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.” And in case Mary had any doubt at all, the angel tells her, Mary your cousin Elizabeth who could not have a child is also pregnant in her old age and will have a son.  Mary later visits her cousin Elizabeth and found her pregnant with child.

Mary received a call form God to be the mother of Jesus – the Son of God.

What is God calling you to do today?

What is God asking us to do? 

        According to the Luke 1 passage, it seems as though it did not take Mary long to be persuaded to answer God’s ‘call.’ She did not even wait to discuss this with Joseph. Mary was obedient. She believed the angel, and her response was Yes Lord, I will be the mother of the savior of the world. “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

When Mary’s pregnancy came to light, Joseph was bewildered, perplexed. He thought Mary had betrayed him. He thought that she was unfaithful. Joseph’s only answer to all this is to quietly dismiss Mary from his life. But this we know, in the midst of bewilderment and perplexity God is always present to assure us that we are not alone – that God who calls us is with us and will never leave us stranded when we answer His ‘call.’  When we are most vulnerable, when we are at the point of despair and hopelessness, God comes in and saves us from hopelessness and despair. God saved Joseph at his point of hopelessness and despair by sending an angel to him in a dream while he tossed and turned in his despair. "Joseph! Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Joseph woke up in God’s obedience, and like Mary he said yes to the call of God.

     Whenever God is working God’s purpose in the midst of God’s people, whenever God is working God’s purpose in your life it seems in the beginning as though everything is going wrong. Then the blaming game begins the pointing of fingers, gossiping, dissension, quarreling, jealousy, slandering, grumbling, division, and disunity. But in the midst of all this there are also prayers of intercession, a stirring-up of the Holy Spirit, a shifting of priorities, and a reviving of what was dying in our lives, and a strengthening through the Word of what remains. Then God’s people become pregnant with the things of God, with ministries and give birth to something new, fresh and wonderful as they become obedient to God’s call.

God sometimes asks us to do something so difficult that it seems to us to be impossible. God asked Joseph and Mary to do what seemed to be the impossible. But God reminds them and us that nothing will be impossible with God.   Because of their obedience Joseph and Mary became parents of the savior, the one who went on the cross to fulfill the command of His father’s promise to save his people from sin. And through our savior’s Salvific work on the cross, through His death and resurrection, we have eternal life.

 And this is the savior for whom we wait expectantly in this Advent season. This is a time of happiness and joy since we know for whom we are waiting. We are especially reminded that Emmanuel “God with us” has come to us! And He is with us.  Joseph and Mary waited for the first coming of the Messiah, but in this Advent season we not only celebrate Christ first coming but the Word of God encourages us to wait for His second coming. Yes, he is coming back.

        Joseph and Mary’s life’s plan was challenged by what God asked them to do but they said yes to God.

What is God asking you to do?

Whatever it may be, will you say yes to God? 

Let us pray:

Lamb of God, you once came to rid the world of sin; cleanse us now from every stain of sin.

 Lord, you came to save what was lost; come once again with your salvific power for your redeemed. We have come to know you in faith; may we have unending joy when you come again in glory.

By: Pastor Salome