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

ON THE BEATITUDES

  On the Beatitudes: Matthew 5:12-37

In the previous passage Jesus calls the Christians the ‘light of the world.’ Christians are the light of the church! Their light is radiant and shines forth from the presence of Christ within our hearts. And our lives are evident to the world!

Last week Pastor compared the Christians to one of the zesty spices, which spices up or gives good taste to our foods along with the salt that Jesus calls us. Some pastors compare the Christians, to cinnamon spice. Pastor encouraged us as Christians to be salt and peppers of the earth. When we eat or even smell pepper it wakes us up! Christians are to spice up the earth!

In the Gospel passage today, Jesus continues His sermon on the mount as he taught his disciples the full meaning of the law.  

In the passage Jesus uses the illustration of four laws: murder, adultery, divorce and swearing falsely, as prime examples of why merely observing the law might prevent a person from entering the kingdom of heaven, the reign of God, the shalom of God. (The reign of God is to let God control, rule or influence one’s life in daily living). (The reign of God in daily living brings shalom which means the piece of God in Christ).

In verse 20 Jesus expresses to his disciples, that unless their righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, they will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Wow!

This is one of the most shocking statements Jesus made in His whole Sermon on the Mount. In this statement Jesus put forth the profound nature or character of the Law.

For example, Jesus explains to his disciples that even though they may not express outward angry towards a person and yet in their heart they harbor anger towards that person they are subject to the same judgment as if they actually broke the law.  Jesus made it very clear to them that it is not about ‘works of righteousness and it is not about keeping the law perfectly. But it is about the condition of the heart.

Jesus wanted his disciples to understand that if they have a pure heart, a pure motive; it would lead them to right actions.

In Jesus’ day people took pride in keeping the law. For many of the religious leaders, practicing works of righteousness made them feel superior to those they thought of as law breaking sinners. Jesus, while he made it clear that He did not come to abolish the law; but to fulfill it, peels away at the façade, and exposes the condition of the hearts of those who practiced the law religiously. 

Again and again Jesus refuted what the religious leaders laid down as the law in order to set free those who were oppressed and condemned by the law.  For example, the law forbade healing on the Sabbath day, and Jesus went about healing the sick on the Sabbath day. 

You see, what the law could not do, God did, by sending Jesus Christ to fulfill the requirement of the law, to show us what it really means to love and to worship God, to give God reverence and to be a recipient of the marvelous grace of God.

It is not rules and regulations that draw us to God. Instead it is ‘GRACE’. It is the grace of God that draws us to God, and consequently leads us to repentance. Obeying a host of rules and regulations does not lead to right actions; it is having a pure heart enabled by ‘GRACE’ through faith in Jesus that leads to right actions. 

Many of you may remember growing up with what we had considered to be a barrage of rules and regulations given by our parents.

In my home there were a lot of rules. That’s how it was back home for plenty of Jamaicans. I love my father. He was very gracious as a person and as a pastor. I think somewhere in my father’s lifetime he was probably a Lutheran. This might account for my love for Luther’s theology of Justification by grace. Growing up in Jamaica when we wanted to do something adventurous as kids my father would say ‘go for it! And my mother would say, ‘Let it go!

My mother was a Salvation Army officer when she met my father. This might explain why she never waited for our father to come home to reprimand us kids for breaking a rule.

I love my mother. To me she is what the Bible calls a prudent (wise) woman.

In our home, it seemed as though the Ten Commandments were not enough for us kids.

So my mother would make up additional rules to spruce up the Ten Commandments for us kids to obey. She probably thought that she could make us follow the commandments perfectly by making up additional rules.

I remember this one particular rule:

“Thou shalt not fight at school and if one of your peers should hit you, thou shalt turn the other cheek.”

          After my sisters and I received many beatings at school from our peers, mother finally gave us permission to use “the eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth rule.” Well, you can imagine how relieved we were, since we were tired of taking beatings and turning the other cheek.

My sister Nora and I were one of a kind growing up. In some ways we still share elements of twin-ship to this day although we are not twins. We both did not think very   highly of those rules, but our sister Judy would obey the rules to the letter. In our parents absence, whenever Nora  and I decide to break a rule, my sister Judy would remind us to honor  our  father and mother so that our days may be long upon the land which the Lord our God gives us. But Nora and I would simply ask her whether this meant she will not be joining us on our adventure.

As I grew older, I realized that the reason for the rules in our home was to keep us safe. It was so that we would have Reverence for God, respect for our parents, respect for our life and for the lives of others, respect for property, and respect for the truth. So that wrong desires may not be our master. 

Rules and regulations are usually well intended. But they do not teach the Grace of God which brings freedom in Christ Jesus. Jesus wanted to minister to the hearts of his disciples and he wants to minister to our hearts too. He wanted his disciples as well Christians to understand that it is a ‘heart thing.’ He wants us to understand that it is not a matter of keeping rules and regulations, it’s not a matter of working hard to be perfect, and it is not about works of righteousness. But it is about the condition of the heart.  

What the law could not do, God did, by sending His son Jesus Christ into the world to offer up himself as a sacrifice for our sin. Yes, he went to the cross for us. And on that cross Jesus declares, “It is finished.” Our hard works of righteousness is finished, our endless attempts to be perfect by obeying the law is finished. We are saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus. Christ is our righteousness. And we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We are the redeemed of the Lord. Through Christ’s death, His finished work on the cross and His resurrection, we are guaranteed life eternal. 
Every day I am reminded that you and I are God’s royal priests. And in our baptism, you and I are marked with the cross of Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

By: Pastor Salome

THE UNFAITHFUL MANAGER

SERMON on Luke 16:1-13

Sermon Title: ‘The unfaithful Manager’

Do you find this parable of the unfaithful manager confusing? Well, you are not the only one! This parable has discombobulated or confused many, many, people down through the ages. It is difficult to comprehend how an unfaithful, steward who is about to be relieved of his position ends up receiving praise from his master.    

Another thing I have noticed is the many different titles that are given to this passage: The unjust steward, the shrewd manager, the unfaithful servant and much more. My title today is fifty-fifty. Thus making it the ‘unfaithful manager.’

But in order for us to really get a clear grasp of this parable, we need to look at the context in which it was presented.

The story of the unfaithful manager is one of four parables given in a series, and begins in Luke 15.  Luke 15 tells us that tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus to listen to him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained that Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. So they concluded that since Jesus hangs around sinners he has something in common with them. He must be a sinner also – an attack through association.  But Jesus responds through his most potent means of defense and that is through telling parables, in this case, four parables.   

Luke 15 encompasses three of the parables. The first is the parable of The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7). This parable expresses the great effort that is made to rescue the one sheep that was lost and when it is found the owner lays it on his shoulder, rejoices that the sheep is found, brings it home and calls all the neighbors to rejoice with him.  The parable of the lost sheep communicates to us how precious every single person is to God. And is worth every effort to save. The scribes and Pharisees that were present, had their focus on the sins of sinners but Jesus had his focus on sinners who needed to be saved

The second parable is about a Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10). A widow loses her 10th silver coin, and searches thoroughly until she finds it. When she finds it she calls her friends and neighbor to come and rejoice with her.  

Jesus reminds us in this parable that we put a lot of effort in something that we feel is valuable to us. The coin that the widow lost was about a day’s wage, and like the one sheep that was import to its owner, even though the widow had nine more coins she searched thoroughly for the one that was lost because it was valuable to her. Just imagine, if so much effort and excitement was placed on finding a lost silver coin, how much more God rejoices over a sinner who was lost and is found.

          The third parable is about the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).  We learn in this parable that no matter how we turn our backs on God, when we return to God, God is able to forgive us and takes us back. There is nothing a sinner can do that will let God disown the sinner. Here in this parable, the prodigal son represents the sinner drawing near to Jesus, and the son who was always at home represents the Pharisees who because of his focus on himself was unable to celebrate the return of a son who was lost and now returns home.

Today’s Gospel passage tells about an unfaithful manager (Luke 16:1-13). The passage may seem obscure or confusing to us but the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day understood it well. And they knew that Jesus was talking about them. (Verse 14) 

 Jesus uses this Parable to make a point about unrighteous stewardship.

 This unfaithful manager was entrusted with his master’s possessions and was given the task to manage it. How often we expect a steward who is entrusted with a master’s possession to be faithful in management. But are we not all guilty of wasting valuable time and resources on the job, which we could use productively in the master’s service?           In today’s gospel the unfaithful manager is forewarned that he is about to lose his job.

 He did not want to work for a living and from what we gather from the passage he was too lazy to put out much effort. Does that describe us? How often many of us look for a way out that demands the least effort.

In the other three parables we see the great effort that was put forth in finding whatever or whoever was lost. All around us, in our communities there are people who find themselves lost in some way or other. If we make an effort to search for them we will find them. That is part of being a faithful a manager – a good steward.  This unfaithful manager refused to beg. It was beneath his dignity. Many of us find that there are things and even people beneath our dignity.

After the manager was forewarned that he is about to lose his job, he brilliantly uses his master’s resources to provide for himself.  When the master learns how clever the unfaithful manager was, he praised him. It is here that we need to see that the master did not praise the manager for the mismanagement of his master’s resources, but instead he is praised for his very clever planning.

          Verse 8 tells us that people in the world who are ungodly know how to use the world’s system to get worldly thing, while godly people don’t even know how to get the most from spiritual things. The Pharisees were squandering precious resources. While there were people in their midst who needed to be brought back to God, But they refused to see the importance or worth of these people. And they refused even to use God’s rich resources to bring them back to God.

As Christians we can become so caught up in the daily activities of our lives, that we lose sight of the spiritual goal. Thus we find ourselves living our lives through temporal means. Vs. 13; goes directly to the root of the Pharisees problem. It gives them a choice either to serve God or their wealth, and reminded them that no one can serve two masters.  We are faced with these same problems and the passage also speaks to us.

     Questions: What will you do with your life? What will you 
do with your resources? And what will you do with the people in our midst? What will you do with the people who need to be brought back to God? 
Will you reach out for the one who is lost and guide him or her back to the cross of Christ. Amen.
By: Pastor Salome