Tomorrow is Thursday in the Holy Week.
And this night, the night to observe Passover we see Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper. Luke 22:14-20 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Torrow night at our church we will observe the Lord's Supper.
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Today is Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a colt of a donkey. Some might think it strange for Jesus to ride on a donkey or mule but kings rode on them. It said King David gave a donkey to all his sons to ride. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem they began to hail Him as a king. But their idea of a king and who he really was were two different things. He was and is the King of kings. He has a kingdom and He rules in the heart and lives of men and women. Those who have received Jesus Christ into their lives and are followers of Him, live in the kingdom of God, where Jesus rules over all His subjects.
God is the Creator of heaven and earth. He doesn't only save our souls, He also saves the entire universe. In fact, God's creation is so precious to Him that He is going to create a new heaven and earth. In the meantime, we should look after what God created. We should be good stewards(managers) of this Earth. We shouldn't pollute, we should litter, we should preserve and protect. Are you helping with protecting this creation?
" In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."- Genesis 1:1 The cross is not a romantic symbol. It is a place of death and disdain. It is the place where our Lord and Savior died on our behalf. The cross where Jesus traded places with us, and took our sins on Him. He, who knew no sin , took the status of a sinner, That's why the cross with all its terrors is also a place of hope and life.
" For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."1 Corinthians 1:18 Malachi 3:8-12
God is a giver; He is by far, the most generous of all. God wants us to give. We know this, because the Bible has a lot to say about giving and stewardship. Both the New Testament and Old Testament are very clear, that giving/tithing is part of God’s plan for His people. By the time of the prophet Malachi, the people of Israel had become disobedient and so many were no longer tithing, with the end result being that they were suffering from their sin. Malachi 3:8-12 A curse had come upon the people because they were disobedient. The word/phrase ‘rob’ God, is used four times in verses 8 and 9. The prophet clearly told the people that the way to God’s blessings, was to be found in their obedience of tithing. Malachi 3:10b Notice that it’s the Lord Himself Who is exhorting His people to practice tithing/giving; and there are several reasons as to why. Christians are exhorted to tithe/give as a recognition of God’s ownership. Everything belongs to God, not just 10%... He owns it all and we're to be good managers/stewards of all that He entrusts to us. Giving/generosity help us to resist materialism, greed and selfishness. Giving can help us to be less self-centered and to not hold tightly to the things of this world. “I’ve held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I’ve placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” Matthew 6:19-21 “He is no fool, who gives-up what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.” Blessings are oftentimes dependent upon our obedience. Scripture clearly teaches here, that God requires our obedience in bringing our tithes and offerings into His storehouse (“Treasury”). Be faithful to give a portion of everything you make back to His work, as obedience leads to blessing. God exhorted His people to give tithes and offerings to Him as a means of perspective and obedience, resulting in receiving His blessings - specifically stating that He would “open the windows of heaven” and pour out His blessings. Christians shouldn't give only because they're looking for material blessings. Yet you can’t see the promise of Malachi 3:10 come to fruition, without obedience to giving. But God’s blessings exceed material blessings. Malachi 3:12 Perhaps we've failed to realize that our obedience to give is a testimony to others of our good God, as God’s blessings aren’t just for our use. But as people see our blessings (as Scripture says), they'll call us blessed as we become beneficiaries of God’s goodness, provisions and faithfulness. May God help us to not rob Him or ourselves (of His blessings), or even the Church/Kingdom of its full potential! Giving teaches us Christian discipline. Many Christians develop in this particular discipline as they mature in Christ. But some of us have been taught from an early age to give a pertcentage of what we've earned. Giving doesn’t just happen when we feel like it, it's the result of discipleship and discipline; and then the ‘habit’ of giving becomes automatic each week, or whenever we receive pay. Another challenge that can evolve over time, is that our giving can become habitual, and not devotional. Where are you in the discipleship and discipline of giving to God? Don’t give God your leftovers but rather, give Him your ‘first fruits’ - the best of what you have, at the outset. “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made, if I hadn't tithed my first salary, which was $1.50/wk.” As giving is practiced regularly, one finds God’s promises to be true. “The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends, is the money I've given to the Lord.” Ultimately, this isn’t about discipline or return but rather, it's a matter of the heart. The attitude of many people today can be that giving to God or living for God are sometimes thought of as, ‘paying our dues’ or ‘fulfilling an obligation.’ What should our attitude toward giving be; and what's the proper motive for giving, or what’s the right kind of thinking about giving?… Perhaps the greatest point we need to understand is that giving is an act of worship. It should be an expression of gratitude to a faithful God for all of His goodness toward us; and so giving isn’t just our response to need in the church/kingdom, but it's to be a response of gratitude toward God. The final and best reason that we should give, is because it brings glory to God. When Christians give, God is glorified as we bear witness to the world of the life-changing power of the Gospel - as we give to the church, missions and Kingdom endeavors, making it possible for the Gospel to be shared with as many individuals, nations or people groups. We make a difference when people see the reality of God in our lives, as they witness His power at work when we’re generous with our time, talents and treasures. It all begins with a conscious act on our part to be obedient to God by recognizing His ownership, and then responding by giving Him our time, talents and treasures. We’re to trust that God will fulfill His part, if we obediently fulfill ours. Proverbs 3:9+10 - “Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” |
What we Learned on Sunday? Insights, ideas and InspirationWritten by Pastor Chris Hudson Archives
December 2024
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