Newsletter April 2023 Part 2

The presence of the risen Lord

In Luke 24:13-35, we read of two men who were walking from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus.  They had been disciples of Jesus, but their faith had just suffered a huge blow.  Their teacher, whom they had believed to be the Messiah, had been arrested and sentenced to death as a false prophet.  Then, however, three days later, they had heard from other disciples that His body was no longer in the grave where it had been laid.  One of the women, Mary, even claimed to have seen Him alive and spoken to Him.  Could it really be true that Jesus had risen from the dead as He had foretold?  Or was it simply a figment of a desperate woman’s imagination? 

     The two men were confused.  And as they discussed the matter between them, they were suddenly joined by another man, who asked them about their conversation and the reason for their sadness.  When they explained what had happened and what they had heard, the stranger began to expound to them the Scriptures, showing that the Messiah, their Saviour, had to die and rise again from the dead.  They were so captivated by what He said to them, that they would not let Him go further, but insisted that He stay with them for the night.  And when they sat down to eat, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them, as He had done with the twelve on the night when He was betrayed.  And immediately their eyes were opened and they recognised Jesus.

    How can we encounter the risen Lord?  How can we experience His presence in our busy lives?  By focusing our thoughts on Him; by reading His Word with an open heart and allowing Him to reveal its truth to us.  And when He speaks to us, we must not simply shelve what we have learnt and return to our daily business.  Like the two disciples in the account, we must ask Him to stay.  Jesus will not force Himself into our lives; He waits to be invited.  We must desire His presence above all else if we are to encounter Him, as these two disciples did. 

     As soon as they recognised Jesus, He vanished from their sight.  Yet now they were no longer left to speculate.  Now they didn’t have to rely on rumours about Him.  Now they knew for themselves: Jesus had truly risen.  He was alive, and He had appeared to them.  Now they had news to share.  Their previous plans no longer mattered.  All they wanted was to tell others, so they too could share in their joy.  They immediately rushed back to Jerusalem and went to the house where the eleven were gathered, only to find that Jesus had meanwhile appeared to Simon Peter as well.  And as they shared their own experience, Jesus suddenly stood in the midst of them all.

     What about you?  Have you had a true encounter with Jesus like these two men?  Do you make time to read His Word and allow Him to speak to you through it?  Do you seek Him with all your heart, putting everything else aside?  Do you invite His presence to abide with you?  Or do you merely depend on what you have heard in church, from the testimonies of others, or in Christian books or media? 

     Jesus wants to show Himself to you.  Don’t miss the moment.  Don’t let Him go on further; invite Him to abide with you.  He is looking for those who want His presence more than anything else.  They will know Him and be able to speak to others about Him from their own personal experience.  And as they do so, He will be there, right in the midst.  Are you such a one?      

Pastor Konrad

Newsletter April 2023 Part 1

He’s alive

 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)    

    At this time of the year we will again focus on remembering the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  The apostle Paul emphasised the preaching of the death and resurrection of Jesus because He understood – by revelation of the Holy Spirit – that it was the most significant event ever to have taken place in the history of humanity.    

    We can probably think of many individuals and events that “made history” – events by which something was set in motion that could never again be reversed, thus changing the course of human history.  Kingdoms that were once great and influential came to nothing as others rose up to take their place.  Discoveries and inventions opened up new doors, creating new opportunities, but also new dangers.

    All these events took place in the physical realm; they changed only the course of the history of this world.  However, when Jesus cried out on the cross of Calvary, “It is finished!” and His physical body died, the course of history was changed in the invisible, spiritual realm.  This moment that the prophets had foretold marked a change that could truly never be reversed.  The penalty of sin had been paid so that a lost world could now be redeemed.  The rule of Satan, which had brought so much misery to humanity and all of creation, had come to an end.  From now on humanity no longer had to remain subject to his devices.  Through His sacrifice on the cross, God’s sinless Son had taken away our guilt, thus restoring us to God. 

    And He did not remain in the grave.  On the third day He rose again from the dead, demonstrating the power of God through His resurrection.  Because of this one event all those who believe have now been saved from sin and death and have received the hope of eternal life.  History had truly been changed! 

    The real issues of victory and defeat are therefore not decided on the physical battlefields of this world, but in the spiritual realm.  Through Jesus’ resurrection the real war has been won on behalf of humanity.  The victory over sin and Satan’s power is available to all those who believe and receive it.  Paul therefore prayed for the believers in Ephesus that they would realise what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion …

(Eph. 1:19-20)

    As we remember the events of Calvary, let us look to our Saviour, knowing that He has already overcome the world for us!  And remember, with God nothing is impossible. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall, but God’s kingdom remains forever.  As it is in heaven it will be on earth.

Pastor Konrad 

Newsletter March 2023 Part 2

Guided by the Spirit 

     Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:6-10)

     Have you ever had a plan and somehow things just didn’t seem to work out.  If so, what did you do?  Did you try to force things?  Or did you wonder if God might be shutting a door because His plan was different to yours?  Did you turn to God and ask for direction? 

     Paul and his companions had a plan.  The next station on their missionary trip was to be Asia, a region they hadn’t preach in until then.  Surely the people there needed to hear the Gospel message just as others had.  So why did the door seem shut?  Why did the Spirit of God forbid them to preach in that region?

     Sometimes things seem to make sense to us.  We have a plan and pursue it until we achieve our goal.  But what if God’s plan is different?  What if He has a different priority?  Whether in ministry work or in our personal career or family life, we often waste time trying to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves, when God’s plan for us is quite different.  Yes, Asia needed to hear the Gospel, but not now.  Just across the sea, in Macedonia, the entrance to the European continent, there were people ready to receive the message of the cross, and God wanted to use Paul to bring it to them. 

     Following Paul’s vision of a Macedonian man pleading for them to come, the group did not hesitate to obey God’s leading.  And as they arrived in the city of Philippi, they encountered Lydia, who readily received the gospel and invited them to her house.  Everything was working out just as one would expect if God is leading.

     However, events took a different turn.  A slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination followed the missionaries, crying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”  Despite the truth of her words, Paul recognised their demonic source and cast the evil spirit out of her.  This upset her owners, as they had made money with her “gift” of fortune-telling.  Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten and thrown into prison.  Was God still there?  Were they still in His will?  Why then were things suddenly going so wrong?

     Paul and Silas knew who had called them; and they knew that He had called them to Macedonia.  If God had allowed them to be arrested and ill-treated as they followed the Spirit’s leading, there had to be a purpose behind their ordeal.  And so they worshipped in the midst of their trouble.  And God intervened spectacularly: the prison was shaken and their chains and those of all the prisoners fell off.  The jailer, about to commit suicide when he realised what had happened, heard the gospel and, instead, found new life in Jesus Christ.  Their stay in Philippi finally ended with a victory for God’s kingdom and embarrassment for those who had unwittingly violated the rights of these Roman citizens by beating and imprisoning them without trial.

     God knows whom to send.  He has His purpose and His timetable for every one of us.  If we follow His leading we will fulfil that purpose, even though the journey won’t always be comfortable.  We don’t see the whole picture, and we don’t know what awaits us in the future, but God does.  Let us seek Him and trust the leading of His Spirit.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14)                                                             

                                                Pastor Konrad

Newsletter March 2023 Part 1

First place    

Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”  So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honour your father and your mother.’” And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 

(Mark 10:17-20)

     As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem where He will be arrested and crucified, He is approached by this man, commonly known as the “rich young ruler” (cf. Matthew 19:20 & Luke 18:18).  The man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.  He appears to be quite sincere: he addresses Jesus respectfully as “Good Teacher” and nothing is mentioned that would suggest ulterior motives.  This man clearly knows the requirements of the Law and seeks to fulfil these to the best of his ability, yet something is lacking in his life.  He senses that there must be more to serving God than he has experienced so far.

     Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 10:21)

     Jesus knows this young man; and He loves him.  He knows that his trust is in his possessions, and therefore He challenges him to let go of them.  For the young man, however, this is asking too much.  He would probably have been willing to give away something of what he had.  But everything?  Surely God would not require such a great sacrifice of him.  Had God not blessed him with his wealth in the first place?  Is God not a rewarder of those who serve Him?   

     Yes, God rewards of those who seek His face.  He blesses those who serve and worship Him.  But God wants us to trust in Him alone.  He knows our hearts; He knows where our affections are.  And He will challenge us on the things that are dearest to us.  Are we willing to forsake all for Him?  Will we set our minds on things above or on things on the earth?  (Colossians 3:2)  Do we find confidence and security in what we have and can do?  Or do we rely entirely on the Eternal One, the Creator, who holds the universe in the palm of His hand?  

     God has blessed us in many ways.  Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. (James 1:17)  Yet we are not to focus our lives on the blessings we have received - our careers, our wealth, our reputations, our ministries, or even our families. God wants to know that our sufficiency is in Him alone.  He will test us with the things dearest to us.  He will challenge us to see where our affections really are.

     So what if we do put God before everything else?  What if we really give up all to follow Him?  What if we have truly made Him the centre of our lives and live to fulfil His will rather than our own?  Jesus assures us that there is no one who has left [all] for His sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time …and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30) 

     We can only experience the fullness of God’s presence if we truly make Him the centre of our lives.  Therefore let us live our lives for God.  Let us invest in His kingdom.  Let us not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18). 

     In what area is Jesus challenging you?  Are you like the disciples, who let go of everything to

follow Him?  Or are you like the rich young ruler who held on to what he deemed his and walked away sorrowfully.  Jesus loved him but He could do nothing for him.  One day we will all have to give account and many who are first will be last, and the last first. (Mark 10:31)     

Newsletter February 2023 Part 2

God’s yoke

 Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; see now and know; and seek in her open places if you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth, and I will pardon her. (Jeremiah 5:1)

     To avert judgment on His rebellious people, God tells Jeremiah to search for any righteous persons, but the prophet cannot find even one person who seeks truth.  They have all departed from God’s way and refuse to receive correction and return to Him.  Concluding that their obstinance is due to ignorance, Jeremiah decides to go to the great men.  Surely, they should know the way of the LORD, the judgment of their God. (v.5).  However, his expectation is disappointed; those he thought would know better have wilfully rebelled against God.  Instead of remaining in God’s will and thus under His protection, they have broken the yoke and burst the bonds.  Therefore, they have fallen prey to wild animals.  The God whom they rejected has given them over to their enemies.  Soon they will be carried away to Babylon where they will remain for three generations.  After 70 years, when their descendants seek Him with all their heart, the LORD will bring them back to Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 29:14) His mercy will prevail over judgment, and He will again give them a future and a hope. (v.11)

     The story of God’s people is a story about His faithfulness despite their unfaithfulness.  He continuously seeks one who would be able to stand in the gap and intercede on behalf of His people.  Eventually He Himself comes into the world that He created.  The Word of God takes on human flesh and dwells among His people, yet the very ones who should know His promises declared by the prophets over the centuries fail to recognise Him.  Despite the demonstration of His divine power, they reject their Deliverer and King.

     Seeing their unbelief, Jesus responds (Matthew 11:25-27), “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.  While the seemingly wise reject Jesus, the seemingly ignorant, those who are weak and needy, hear His call, put their trust in Him, and follow Him.  To them He says (vv.28-31), Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

     Jesus calls us to come under His yoke – his lordship.  His yoke is not heavy, His intention is not to burden us down.  He wants to guide us in His perfect way so we can enter into His rest.  Breaking His yoke and bursting His bonds of love leaves us lost and wandering in the wilderness, where we are easy prey for the enemy of our souls. 

     God does not call His own to be a lawless people, but to come from a law that could only condemn for sin to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

(Romans 8:3-4)

Newsletter February 2023 Part 1

Led by God’s Spirit

 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)

     After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples as they were assembled with the doors shut for fear.  Despite the empty tomb and Mary’s testimony of her encounter with the risen Lord, they were still afraid of those who had killed Jesus.  Suddenly He stood in their midst, blessed them and commissioned them to continue the task He had begun – to reconcile a sinful world to God through the forgiveness of sins.  It was now for them to proclaim this truth, so that all who believe in Him could receive eternal life.  However, Jesus did not send them in their own strength and ability; He breathed His Spirit on them.  Because they believed in Him and received the forgiveness that His sacrifice on the cross brought they were now able to receive the Holy Spirit. (John 7:38-39)   

     Before going to the cross, Jesus had spoken to His disciples in private about the coming of the Helper.  The word Parakletos used in the original Greek text of John’s gospel and translated in a variety of ways in the English versions, means ‘one who comes alongside’.  Jesus had told the disciples that it was necessary for Him to go away, to ascend to the Father, so that the Spirit could come, not just to dwell with them but in them. (John 14:17)     

     Although Jesus is not with us in body as He was with those first disciples, He is present by the Spirit.  Through the Spirit He comes alongside us and communicates with us concerning every aspect of our lives.  He knows the future and therefore He is able to guide us through the uncertainties we face.  In a time when all we have trusted in seems to have failed, we can have the confidence that the presence of the almighty and all-knowing God is with us.  The Spirit of truth in us keeps us from deception by bringing to our remembrance all that Jesus taught and by telling us things to come. (John 16:13).  Whatever the future may bring, whatever our fears may be, we find peace in the knowledge that the One who has overcome the world remains with us. (John 16:33).

     So how do we hear His voice?  How can we know what God is saying to us?  By seeking Him in prayer.  It is when we take time alone with God, when we shut out the noises of the world around us, that we learn to hear His voice.  As a child recognises the familiar voice of a parent, those who spend time in the arms of the heavenly Father learn to discern the voice and prompting of His Spirit. 

     While He was on earth, Jesus Himself taught us by His example the importance of prayer.  Despite His busy ministry with people following Him, asking Him questions about the kingdom of God, and wanting Him to attend to their physical and spiritual needs, Jesus made time to be alone with His Father.  It was in those times, often at night when others were sleeping, that He received instruction.

     When the religious leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy, of making Himself equal with God by calling God His Father, Jesus told them, (John 5:19) “... the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does the Son also does in like manner.”  When He was about to leave earth and return from His human existence to His heavenly home, He said to His disciples, (John 16:23), “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. ... (16:26-27) In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.  Through the death and resurrection of His Son, God has made the way for His Spirit to live in us; therefore now, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the Sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

Pastor Konrad

Newsletter January 2023 Part 2

Fellowship with God and one another

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.  And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. (1 John 1:1-4)

     In this opening statement of his letter, the apostle John describes the intimate fellowship he had with Jesus during His time on earth.  The Word of Life, Jesus, came from the heavenly Father and was manifested to John and his fellow disciples.  They were able to see Him, hear Him, and even touch Him.  As reliable witnesses, they were therefore able to declare Him to those who had not had this experience.  However, John goes on to say that his reason for writing is that they might share that same fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ – now. 

     Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit with Jesus, to look in His eyes, and to hear His voice opening up to you the mysteries of the kingdom of God?  Have you ever imagined what it would be like to share with Him from the depth of your heart, knowing that one touch from Him could meet every need?  Wouldn’t it all be so much easier if He were physically present with us?  Well, when John wrote these words, Jesus had died, risen, and ascended to the Father, and yet John declares here in the present tense that his fellowship is with God the Father and with Jesus.

     John understood that Jesus had not really gone away.  On the contrary – He was now more present than ever before.  Before going to the cross to die for the sins of the whole world, Jesus had assured them that He would send His Spirit.  That way, He would not merely be with them but in them (John 14:17).  There would not be a moment in their lives that Jesus would be absent (v.18-20).  This is what John meant when he declared, “and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”  He was keenly aware of Jesus’ presence constantly being with him and in him.  Therefore he was always able to call on Jesus for guidance, for strength (both physical and spiritual) and for power to do the works of God (John 14:12-13).

     So is this an experience reserved only for John and the other apostles?  Or is it something only a few chosen men or women of God can enjoy today?  Not at all.  John writes this letter because he wants every one of us to come to the realisation that this kind of intimate fellowship is available to all who believe – including you and me!  He wants us all to know the complete joy that can only come through fellowship with Jesus.  He is with us wherever we may be – if only we believe.

     This realisation was particularly important for the early believers at a time when they were facing increasing persecution.  How would they cope without being able to meet as they had been accustomed?  Who would they turn to for spiritual encouragement and direction when the last of those who had been with Jesus from the beginning was no longer with them?  

     We may not be quite in the same situation as they were – at least not now – but we still each need to consider: how would I manage if I were suddenly on my own?  The unexpected Covid lockdown in March 2020 gave us an idea of what that might be like.  Fortunately, as a church, we managed to adapt quickly by holding our services and meetings online until we could meet again face to face.  Nonetheless, it became very clear that we need to strengthen our relationships, both with God and with one another.  For this reason, we are encouraging all who are part of our church community to join one of our small groups.  These groups are not merely about holding meetings but about building deep and lasting relationships, so we can support one another in time of need and encourage one another to keep our eyes on Jesus.  Thus God’s purpose is being fulfilled, as Jesus prayed before going to the cross, that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17:21)         

Pastor Konrad

Newsletter January 2023 Part 1

His name – His purpose

 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.  But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  (Acts 4:18-19)

     After healing a lame man who was begging at the temple gate, Peter and John explained to the astonished crowd that it was through faith in the name of Jesus, through His power and not their own, that this man had been made well. (Acts 3:11-16)  Yet, while those who had gathered to see the miracle and listen to Peter’s proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection, the religious leaders were greatly disturbed.  They had the two apostles arrested and, the following day, interrogated them.  As they could not deny the miracle, they decided the only way to stop the spread of this message of Jesus was to severely threaten the apostles that from now on they speak to no man in this name.  (Acts 4:17)

     For Peter and John there was no option of silence.  They had witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus and had heard His commission to preach repentance and remission of sins in His name. (Luke 24:47) They were determined to continue in God’s purpose and advance His kingdom by proclaiming the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus the Messiah.  So they returned to their fellow believers and told them what had happened.  Immediately they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: (Acts 4:24-30) “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.  Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

     This prayer reveals the believers’ understanding of God, His purpose fulfilled in Jesus, and their role in that purpose.  Rather than focusing on their own situation and the treat of arrest, beating or even death, they looked to the Creator.  They knew the promises concerning God’s Anointed from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms (Luke 24:44) and understood that these had been fulfilled through Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension and the pouring out of His Spirit.  All the worldly powers had gathered together as God had foreordained to accomplish His purpose of giving His Son for the salvation not only of Israel but the entire world.  They knew their role was to continue proclaiming the gospel message, and therefore they asked God to give them boldness in the face of opposition and threat.  And they knew their own limitation: it was not through their own power and godliness (Acts 3:12) that God worked, but through His Spirit in them.  Therefore they asked God to stretch out His hand to heal and do signs and wonders to confirm the message they faithfully proclaimed. 

     In response to their faith in God and faithfulness to His purpose, the Creator demonstrated His power and gave His assurance by shaking the place where they were gathered, and they were all filled afresh with His Spirit.  As a result, they continued to speak in the name of Jesus and many were brought into God’s kingdom and added to His church.

     As we gather together in prayer at the start of a new year, what will our focus be?  Will we pray just to get through difficult times, or will we see the larger picture of God’s purpose to reconcile His world back to Himself in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

Newsletter December 2022 Part 2

The Sign of His coming

 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

     When the angel of the Lord announced the sign of Messiah’s birth to these shepherds they would have understood.  Being responsible for tending the flocks in the country surrounding Jerusalem that were raised to meet the constant demand for animal sacrifice, this announcement of a child in a manger would have reminded them of the choice lambs they would separate from the flock and wrap in cloth.  This was to prevent them from incurring any injury that might lead to their rejection by the priests upon inspection.  Hearing the words of the angel, these shepherds realised the connection: the birth of the promised heir to David’s throne was, at the same time, to fulfil prophecy in the book of Isaiah of the one who would give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of God’s people. (Isaiah 53 and Acts 8:32-33).  This child, born like King David in the ‘Daughter of Zion’ Bethlehem (Micah 4:8 and 5:2) yet unnoticed by the religious elite who were anticipating Messiah’s coming, would grow up to fulfil all that was written in the holy scriptures (Luke 24:44-46).  Dying as a sacrifice for sin before rising from the grave, He would finally ascend and be seated at the right hand of His divine Father in majesty until His return to rule on earth, visible to all the world. (Acts 1:11)

     Having seen the child in the stable with His parents, the shepherds went about sharing the good news with everyone they met and glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen. (Luke 2:18-20) Mary, meanwhile, kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.  As she recalled the words the angel Gabriel had spoken to her (Luke 1:31-33), she now had to reconcile the joy of giving birth to the promised Messiah, of whose kingdom there would be no end, with the notion that one day she would see her son suffer and die. 

     Later, when Mary and Joseph took the child to the temple to offer the sacrifice required for the birth of their firstborn, the prophet Simeon blessed Him and, referring to His future rejection and crucifixion, said to Mary “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35) We then read on how, at the age of twelve, Jesus sat in the temple with the teachers, discussing the scriptures with them so that all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. (v. 36)   As the family return home to Nazareth, we again read, Mary kept all these things in her heart. (v. 51)  

     Later still, after Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension to the heavenly Father, the Apostle Peter wrote (1 Peter1:18-31) you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.  Jesus was examined by the religious leaders, Herod and finally Pilate, but no blemish could be found in Him.  Yet He was falsely accused and unjustly judged as a sinner, so He could become our perfect sacrifice for sin. 

     When you consider in your heart the child in the manger, what do you see?  When you reflect on His birth, on His life and teaching, and on His death and resurrection, who is He to you?  Do you recognise and confess Him as your sacrifice for sin and Lord of your life?  Will you take up your cross daily and follow Him, no matter what others may think? Will you share with them the hope that is found only in Jesus?  Or will you be ashamed of Him and His words and find that He too will be ashamed of you on that day when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23)

Newsletter December 2022 Part 1

The Sun of Righteousness

 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.  And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.  But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.  You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,” says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 4:1-3)

     The book of Malachi concludes the Old Testament by pointing to the New Testament – the coming of the Saviour of Israel and the world.  Like many other prophetic passages these verses speak of the Lord’s Day, - judgment of the wicked and vindication of those who have remained faithful to Him by depending on His grace.  However, there is something unusual about this prophecy: it is the only passage that refers to the promised Messiah as the Sun of Righteousness.

     Throughout the Bible there are many references to the sun.  In pagan religions the sun is revered as a god, as everything seems to depend on it.  The rising of the sun is the beginning of the day and, in our colder climates, it signals the end of winter and the beginning of a new life cycle.  The biblical account of creation, however, begins with God’s first utterance ‘Let there be light’, which separates light from darkness resulting in the first day.  It is not until the fourth day, after preparing the land through the separation of the waters in preparation for humanity, that God begins to populate His world. 

     In Genesis 1:14, God says, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.  Interestingly, the sun is not named by the word shemesh (שֶׁ֣מֶשׁ) as later in scripture (including Malachi 4:2) but simply called the greater light to rule the day, the moon being the lesser light to rule the night. 

    The word shemesh is used in passages where God admonishes His people not to bow down it (Deut. 4:19) and where God demonstrates His power over it as its Creator, proving that it has no divine power.  During the plagues against Egypt, for instance, where worship of the sun was at the centre of religious belief and practice, the whole land was covered in darkness for three days (Exodus 10:21-22), and when the Israelites under Joshua’s leadership defeated the Amorites (Joshua 10:13) the sun stood still in the sky for a whole day.

     We today rely far less on sunlight than the people of Bible times, as we are able to produce light artificially.  However, with the climate and energy crisis we are currently experiencing, the sun has once again gained in significance.  As science is looking for answers, the focus is increasingly on solar energy as the solution.  There are even plans to beam solar energy wirelessly from space to earth.  It is therefore not surprising that images of the sun are appearing in all kinds of contexts.  Is humanity again looking to creation rather than the Creator?  Are we repeating original sin with our own endeavours by building towers to heaven rather than turning to the Lord of Heaven with repentant hearts?  Are we seeking to create our own perfect world of peace without the Prince of Peace?

     Malachi concludes (4:4-6) “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.   And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” This prophetic word was fulfilled when John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah to announce the coming of Jesus, and when Jesus returns in His glory the sun will again be darkened (Mark 13:24) so He alone will be the light. (Revelation 21:23)

Newsletter November 2022 Part 2

God’s voice in the desert place

 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her.
I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

(Hosea 2:14-15)

     When God calls Hosea he tells him to marry.  However, this is not a love marriage to a woman of his choice.  Hosea has to take a harlot as his wife so he can experience that pain God feels at the harlotry His people are committing by serving other gods.  Hosea’s wife gives birth to three children: a son whom Hosea is to call Jezreel (God shall sow), a daughter Lo-Ruhamah (no mercy) and another son Lo-Ammi (not my people).  These names represent three aspects of the message that God would give to His prophet.     

     God’s mercy seems to be exhausted; those who were once His chosen people will no longer be His people.  Yet the divine Husband’s love for His adulterous wife is too potent; He cannot put her away forever.  Mercy triumphs over judgment.  God still loves His people; He will restore them. 

     God does everything to keep His wife from her lovers.  He locks her in, prevents her from going out to chase after her lovers (v.6).  He takes everything from her – all the gifts she received from her true Husband but wrongly attributes to her lovers.  God will punish His people for worshiping idols while forgetting Him who brought them out of bondage into a land of blessing to reflect the light of His glory.

     When all is going well, when we are blessed and successful, we easily take things for granted.  We believe that it is through our efforts and our abilities that we have achieved what we have.  Instead of thanking the One who made us what we are and gave us what we have, we begin to worship the idol of self.  We create platforms to present ourselves.  We despise those who are not like us instead of reaching out to them with the same compassion that God showed us when we ourselves were nothing. 

     As Christians it is easy to become self-indulgent, critical and judgmental of those around us.  We feel that we are on a moral high ground and thank God that we are not like those other people (Luke 18:11).  We boast about our possessions, our achievements (Rev. 3:17) and our standards of morality.  We are only too happy to watch God judge the world in righteousness.  We think judgment will pass us by because we are God’s righteous ones, forgetting that we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23).  

    As we find ourselves affected by the present economic and societal crises, one thing becomes clear: when trouble comes it can affect us all.  We discover that we are as needy as those whom we have ignored for so long.  The harvest has been waiting in the fields for the labourers, but the labourers have enjoyed the comfort and security of their homes and church fellowships.  Much of this is being shaken so we will turn our focus on God’s purpose and depend on His grace.          

     Like Israel we have not really understood our calling as a light to the world.  Too often, we have used the gifts and resources God has given us on ourselves and we have limited our prayers to our own needs and desires.  We forget that God has blessed us so we can bring blessing to the less fortunate by sharing with them what God has given us – both materially and spiritually.     

     As we continue on this journey, let us allow God’s word to cleanse and transform our hearts so that we may love Him and others as He has loved us, and show compassion as He has shown compassion to us.  If we will listen to the words from His heart in the desert place, He will give us vineyards from there (v.15).  God is able to do a new thing right where it seems impossible.  He sows seed and gives rain in dry places; He will bring about a great revival, not by our effort and ability but by His mercy and grace.  God, by His Spirit, is creating a people for Himself who will reflect His justice and compassion and will bring His love and hope to those who know only fear and distress.  His kingdom alone, manifested through His people, can bring peace to this desperate world.      

Newsletter November 2022 Part 1

House to house

 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.  (Acts 2:46-47)

     These two verses sum up the nature and impact of the Early Church.  Having been baptised in the Holy Spirit, the disciples boldly declared that Jesus had risen from the dead and that He was the promised Messiah, the Saviour of the world.  And Jesus was not only at the centre of their message, but of every aspect of their lives.  Everything they did was modelled on what they had seen in Him and inspired by His Spirit who now lived in them.

     The Early church did not have a church building.  Yes, being of Jewish background, they would meet in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, which was one of the most magnificent edifices of their day.  They would go there to observe the worship requirements of the Law of Moses and to proclaim Jesus as the fulfilment of that Law.  For them, however, the temple was not the equivalent to our church buildings today – a place where they could come together and worship with those who shared their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  On the contrary, it was a rather hostile place, as the religious leaders who oversaw the temple worship were, for the most part, opposed to their message and soon persecuted them as they had persecuted their Master.  When we think of the temple, we must rather think of a public place where all kinds of people gathered – a venue where one could preach the message of the risen Christ to those who had not yet heard it.  

     So where did the first century believers meet?  Where did they worship the Lord and fellowship with one another?  It was in their houses.  As more and more people responded to the message to follow Jesus, the disciples opened their homes to these new believers.  They did not regard what they had as their own, but as God’s, and therefore it was natural for them to welcome others who shared their faith to also share their food, their fellowship and their entire lives.  This is what they had experienced when they had been with Jesus while He was on earth, and this is what they continued, as He continued to walk with them in the Spirit.

     Our understanding of church today has been shaped largely by what we have seen around us rather than by the experience of Acts.  Most people associate church with a building where we gather once a week on a Sunday morning to take time out for God.  Our busy lives and varied responsibilities do not allow us to “get involved” any more than that.  When we face struggles, we either keep them to ourselves or maybe share them with those whose “job” it is to look after the flock.

     Not so the Early Church: they had all things in common.  No one was left alone with their need – be it material or spiritual.  Everyone knew that the others cared for them, because their God cared for them.  Therefore they were not afraid to share their needs with their brothers and sisters in Christ and not too busy with their own lives to support those who were struggling.  Their faith was not merely a religious exercise tagged on to the end of a busy week – it was a lifestyle.  It reflected who they were in Christ, and it helped them survive and grow ever stronger, even in the face of constant persecution.

     Now, this model of church was not limited to Jerusalem.  As the church grew and spread throughout the Roman Empire, fellowships sprang up everywhere, meeting mainly in homes and gathering only sometimes in larger groups, as they were able.  For the first three centuries, the church was built on caring relationships lived out within small groups. 

This fact is reflected in Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 – we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.  So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

     The New Testament model of church is built on small groups – now, as it was then.  It is in the caring environment of a small group that we can grow in the knowledge of God, discover the gifts He has given us, and bear one another’s burdens in true Christian love.  Let us share our faith and our lives with one another and discover the purpose and calling God has for us. 

 Pastor Konrad

Newsletter October 2022 Part 2

Impossible?

   “Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’”  So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”  (2 Kings 7:1-2)

     The prophet Elisha spoke these words at a time of great calamity.  The Syrian army was besieging the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, which was ruled by king Ahab with his evil wife Jezebel.  This siege was the first stage of God’s judgment pronounced on the house of Ahab by the prophet Elijah.  The situation had become desperate and food so scarce that most of the inhabitants could not afford anything edible, not even a donkey’s head or dove’s dung (2 Kings 6:25).  Yet in the midst of this desperation, the man of God speaks a word of hope – God will provide food.  By the following day, wheat and barley will be readily available, and everyone will be able to afford it.  And when God speaks, it will come to pass, even though it may seem impossible by any stretch of human imagination. 

     One of the king’s officers hears this prophecy and immediately retorts that not even God Himself could do such a thing.  Little does he realise that his doubt will not change God’s promise; God will do what He said He would do.  Therefore Elisha tells this man by the word of the Lord that he will see others enjoying the blessing of God but, because of his doubt, he himself will not partake of it.  God does bring about His purpose, but in a way that no one could possibly have imagined – He uses a group of desperate lepers who have nothing to lose in order to frighten away the entire besieging army.  All the people of Samaria need to do is collect the abundant food supplies left behind by the Syrians.  God’s promise comes to pass, and we read at the end of the chapter that the doubting officer is trampled to death by the crowd while overseeing the distribution of the food. (v.19-20)

     God will always bless His people if we are obedient to Him and believe His word.  No matter how desperate our situation may seem, God has an answer.  However, He does not work according to our understanding.  We may have decided how God should work, but He will do far more than we can ever imagine, if only we will trust Him and let Him bless us in the way He chooses. 

     In the coming months, we are sure to face trials.  We will be confronted with situations to which there seems to be no answer – humanly speaking.  But when God speaks, situations change.  When God speaks, there is water in the desert and life where there was nothing but death.  God’s word will not return to Him void. (Isaiah 55:10-11)  Let us take Him at His word!  Let us believe that revival is on the way: in our personal lives, in our church, and in our community and beyond.  Let us not limit God by our own understanding and unbelief, but allow Him to reveal His power in us, amongst us, and through us.  [He] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.  (Ephesians 3:20)  Yes, He works through us!  We may not see ourselves as much, nor may others think much of us, but God works through precisely such people.  In Elisha’s day He used a group of desperate lepers – so why should He not use you today?  He chooses seemingly insignificant instruments like us.  That way, all the glory will go to Him alone.  Are you ready to be used by God in these troublesome times?  Are you desperate for the miraculous?  Will you obey God, will you worship Him and believe that He can do anything, as His limitless power works through you and me?  If so, you will not just see the coming revival from afar but enjoy the fulness of God’s blessing with all who trust in Him.

Pastor Konrad

Newsletter October 2022 Part 1

What kind of King?

 “People of loving service are rare in any walk of life; leaders of loving service are still rarer. But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered when those who cling to power and privileges are long forgotten.”  These words were spoken by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in his tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral.  He also stated that he knew “His Majesty [King Charles] shares the same sense of faith and hope in Jesus Christ as His mother, the same sense of service and duty.”  Of course, ultimately time will show what kind of king HM Charles III will be.

     At the time of Jesus’ birth there was much speculation, as there is today.  Living under Roman occupation, the entire nation of Israel was in expectation.  Would the promised Messiah soon be revealed and, if so, what kind of King would He be.  Was He already there, only waiting to be identified? Or would he appear suddenly, as Daniel (7:14-15) had prophesied, with the clouds of heaven?  Whatever their expectation regarding His coming, all shared the hope that God’s Anointed would deliver their nation from oppression.

     When Jesus began His public ministry, proclaiming the arrival of God’s kingdom and calling people to repent, opinion was divided.  Seeing the miracles He performed and listening to the wisdom of His words, many believed that He must be the One.  Others, particularly among the religious leaders, struggled with many of His teachings, actions and particularly with His association with sinners, which they perceived as a violation of God’s purity laws.  Everyone was watching: What would He do?  Would He take control and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem?  Or was He just another false Messiah, destined to failure? (see Acts 5:35-39)

     When the crowds who had witnessed the miracle of the loaves and fish attempted to make Him king by force, Jesus departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. (John 6:15) Later, however, He did come to Jerusalem for His final Passover and the people took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!” (John 12:12)  On this occasion, Jesus did not rebuke the crowd, as the religious leaders demanded, but instead took a young donkey and rode on it, showing that His coming was in fulfilment of the prophecy, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.” (Zechariah 9:9)

     Jesus came to Jerusalem as the King of Israel; but why did He not claim His throne, oust the oppressors and restore the kingdom of David?  Why did He allow his opponents to arrest Him and to mock Him, by putting a crown of thorns on His head and beating Him.  Why did He have to die alone like a criminal, nailed to a Roman cross?  It was through His death that He fulfilled the prophetic words spoken by Isaiah, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed and by Zechariah In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.  The King of Glory gave His life so we could receive life.  The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)  And He calls us to follow His example – to lay down our lives in service as He did, so we can receive life. 

     One day He will return with the clouds, not proclaimed King by popular consent, but appointed by the Father.  That Day, Daniel’s vision will become a visible reality to all: “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.  Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.

Pastor Konrad

Newsletter September 2022 Part 2

A heart to know God

 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,  “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans.  For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up.  Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart. (Jeremiah 24:4-7)

     At the time when God spoke these words through His prophet Jeremiah, Judah had been conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and many had been carried away into captivity while others were allowed to remain in Judah under Zedekiah, the new vassal king appointed by Nebuchadnezzar.  It would seem at this point that those who were in captivity were in a worse place than those who had been allowed to remain.  However, in this vision of the good and bad figs, God says that He has carried them away for their own good.  It is precisely in their captivity that God would set His eyes on them for good.

     As we experience both economic hardship and a fundamental change in values, many of the comforts we have known seem to be evaporating.  In the face of such trouble and uncertainty, it is easy to become discouraged and complain.  We might even feel that God has forgotten us.  Yet it is precisely in our apparent ‘captivity’ in an increasingly hostile world that God wants to reveal Himself to His people in a deeper way.  While the Covid lockdown was a time of adjusting and learning new ways of doing church services, we are now facing new challenges which require new adjustments.  We therefore need to be still and seek God in order to hear what He is saying to us by His Spirit. 

     In this word to the prophet, God promises to give the captives of Judah a heart to know Him and to make them truly into His people.  This transformation is God’s doing, His initiative.  Yet there is, as always, a condition to His promise: they must return to Him, not half-heartedly, but with their whole heart.  As it was then with Judah, it is now with us.  God’s purpose is that we draw near to Him, give ourselves completely over to His Spirit, so that He can restore His image in us. 

     While God was working among the captives, raising up a new generation who would be faithful to His calling even in the face of death, the people left in Jerusalem continued to drift away from God’s presence.  Instead of submitting to the Babylonians as Jeremiah urged them to do by the word of the LORD, they followed the advice of false prophets, took matters into their own hands and rebelled.  As a result of their rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, and ultimately against the purpose of God, they lost everything: their homes, their city and even their temple where they had worshipped God.

     God is not limited by our circumstances.  Let us therefore not be discouraged.  The God who makes rivers in the desert will do a new thing; He is forming a people for Himself who will declare His praise.  (Isaiah 43:18-21) He will surely deliver all who believe His promise and trust in His grace.  Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad. (Psalm 14:7)

Newsletter September 2022 Part 1

Into His image

 So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness.  And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.  He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. (Exodus 12:20-22)

     When the Israelites left Egypt, where they had been in bondage for almost 400 years, God led them on their way.  In Moses, He had given them a leader to follow, but He wanted all of them to know that He Himself was showing the way.  That is why He gave them a visible sign of His presence to follow: a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 

     As children of God today, we too have God’s presence in our lives.  We may not follow a visible cloud that goes before us, but we have God’s Spirit to guide us.  Just like God had a route planned for the Israelites to travel, He has a plan and purpose for us.  He does not leave us to wander about blindly, hoping that somehow we will get where we should be.  God directs our every step by His Spirit – but will we follow?

     The Israelites had their doubts about God’s leading, when they reached the shore of the Red Sea.  Having followed God’s cloud, they suddenly found themselves closed in with the Egyptians hard on their heels.  What would have gone on in their minds?  Why had God brought them to this place?  Was His plan really to destroy them? 

     We too may be led by the Holy Spirit to a place in our lives where there seems to be no going further.  We may begin to question: was it really God who led me here?  Did I get it wrong?  Or, even worse: does God not care about me?  Has he led me to this place in my life to abandon me?

     The Israelites asked these questions.  They complained to Moses, saying it would have been better for them to stay in bondage rather than die in the wilderness (Exodus 14:11).  Yet God knew what He was doing.  Not long after, they watched from a place of safety, as God caused the water of the Red Sea to come crashing down on their pursuers, killing every one of them.  God had led them to this place, not to destroy them, but their enemies.  He always fights for His own, even if it may not seem so at the moment.

     As Christians we can become discouraged when we turn our focus from God’s greater purpose to our immediate circumstances.  However, as God was with the Israelites when He led them through the Red Sea and the wilderness, so He is also with us in every circumstance.  As He brought them to Mount Horeb to make them into His special people, so He also wants to bring us into His presence.  He is able to make all things work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  He has predestined those whom He foreknew to be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:28-29)  

     God has our eternal destiny in mind, and therefore the shaping of our character is of greater significance than our immediate comfort.  It is precisely through the trials we experience that we are refined.  As we are tested in the fire of life’s adversities, the genuineness of our faith is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7) 

     Are you questioning God?  Are you asking why He has brought you to the place you find yourself in?  Do you doubt His love and His purpose for your life because things presently seem difficult?  Well, think again.  As long as we follow God’s leading, He will protect us and He will fight our battles.  As long as we remain in His will and follow the leading of His Spirit, we will overcome by His power. 

     We may not always understand what God is doing, but if we trust in Him we will experience His loving presence and enter into His purpose, no matter what our circumstances seem to suggest.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)  Let us allow the Creator to shape us into the perfect image which He always intended for us – that image which was revealed in His Son Jesus Christ our Saviour when He took on human form. (Phil. 2:7)

Newsletter August 2022

A new walk

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.   For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  (Ephesians 2:1-7)

     In this passage, Paul reminds the believers where they have come from and admonishes them to continue on the new journey they have begun with God.  Once they, like the rest of society, had lived their lives in rebellion to God’s purpose.  They had walked in the ways of this world, influenced by the spiritual forces of evil and succumbing to sinful desires rather than seeking the purpose of the Creator.  As a result, they were destined for the judgment that will one day come upon all who reject God.

     However, a change had taken place in their lives: God, in His boundless mercy, had revealed Himself to them and they had received new life in Jesus Christ through the forgiveness of sin (Ephesians 1:7).  They had been adopted into God’s family (Ephesians 1:5) and were consequently heirs of His blessings. (Ephesians 1:11)  Yet now these new believers were prone to a different temptation, which was equally worldly: religious pride.  They might just forget where God had brought them from and consequently begin to despise those who continued living in the quagmire of sin.  

     Paul dispels any such notion of pride by reiterating that everything we receive from God comes solely by His initiative.  We, the believers in Jesus Christ, have been saved by grace, the free gift of God.  And even the very faith we have found came by His Spirit, who convicted us of sin and led us to the cross where we received forgiveness.  This means that there are no grounds at all for boasting, only for thanksgiving.  All the glory belongs to God alone. (Ephesians 1:12)

     And now the God who revealed Himself through His Son Jesus Christ is working in us to reshape us according to His purpose.  In Jesus Christ, He is recreating us into His image so that we can be what He always intended us to be.  As He had once walked with Adam in the garden, God wants to walk with us.  As He had commissioned Adam as His agent to take care of His creation, He is preparing the people He has redeemed for the final restoration of His entire creation. (Ephesians 1:10, Romans 8:19-21)

     So what does it mean to walk in the good works, which God prepared beforehand?  And how are we being created in Jesus Christ?  The answer is: through our life experiences.  Everything we experience is an opportunity to choose whether we will submit to the hand of the divine craftsman or whether we will resist His purpose.  As Paul states in Romans 8:28-29 … all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  We are therefore called to give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18) even if we can’t make sense of it, always trusting that God is working to shape us into His image.  We are to walk no longer according to the course of this world but as children of light (Ephesians 5:8) in love (v.2) and with our spiritual eyes open (vv.15-16) so we can discern God’s purpose as it unfolds in our time.

Newsletter July 2022 Part 2

One body

 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.  But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. (Ephesians 4:1-7)

     Writing from prison, the apostle Paul admonishes the believers in Ephesus to live in a way that honours God.  Their attitude towards one another is to be characterised by humility and love.  In everything they do, they must be motivated by a desire for unity within the body of Christ, the church.  After all, God is one, and He has called them – and us today – in one hope.  We all are children of one heavenly Father, who is above all and – by His Spirit – lives in us all.  And it is through His Spirit that we are united in one body.

     Being one, however, does not mean that we are all the same.  God, in His wisdom, has given to each of us different gifts according to His grace.  We are called and endowed with gifts not because of our merit or our own efforts; God distributes His gifts as He Himself chooses.       

     And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-15). 

     Paul points out that God has called some to lead within the body of Christ.  These leaders are not the head of the body; Christ Himself is the head.  It is He who calls each individual and places them in the body according to His will.  It is He who directs the body to function as He desires.  So then what is the purpose of leadership within the church?

     Paul explains that the role of leaders is to equip the individual members of the body, the saints, for the work of the ministry to which God has called them.  They do so by teaching the truth of God’s Word to those they lead.  As each member grows in the knowledge of Christ and discovers his/her God-given place in the body, the whole body can grow into the “perfect man” that God desires it to be.   

      Like members of a physical body, each member of the church has a particular role and purpose that only he/she can fulfil.  Thus each member is equally important.  If one fails to function in his/her role, the whole body lacks as a result.  But if each member does his/her share as Christ, the head, directs the body is built up in unity and love to the glory of God. 

     What is your place?  What is your calling?  What gifts has God bestowed on you?  Are you determined to do your share in His body?  Are you asking Him to reveal to you what ministry He has called you to?  Are you looking for an opportunity to develop the gifts God has given you?  There are many things to do within God’s church.  Some roles and functions may be more conspicuous than others, but they all work together for the building up of Christ’s body. 

     Over the past year we have been holding vision meetings to outline the local church vision and encourage participation in the various areas of ministry.  This year, we expect to see the release of gifts and callings in a new way.  We will now focus on resuming training and re-establishing accountability structures, some of which have not been operational due to lockdown and the resulting changes.  Will you be part of what God is doing?  Will you work as part of God’s team so the body can grow to maturity under the direction of Christ the Head?

                                    Pastor Konrad

Newsletter July 2022 Part 1

Depending on God

 “Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.” (Deut. 11:8-12)

     Moses spoke these words to the Israelites when they were about to enter the land promised to them by God.  The LORD their God had led them out of Egyptian bondage to Mount Sinai, where He revealed Himself to them and made a covenant with them, and eventually to the border of Canaan.  The journey had not been a smooth one and, due to rebellion and unbelief, a whole generation had missed out on God’s promise of a land of their own.  Moses reminded them that some of their fathers had been destroyed by God for making themselves an idol to worship or for rebelling against him, God’s chosen leader.  Therefore he admonished the next generation to remember God’s commands, to obey them and to teach them to their children.  God’s promise was sure, and the land he was giving them was a land of plenty, but they would only be able to possess it if they depended on Him and followed His ways rather than their own.  Their allegiance had to be to Him alone; they were to worship no other gods, but to love the LORD with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their strength (Deut. 6:5).

     Moses compares Canaan, the Promised Land, with Egypt.  However, surprisingly, he does not refer to the hardship their parents and the generations before them had suffered there; instead, he describes Egypt as a garden.  There was a time, after the days of Joseph, when Israel had lived in peace in Egypt.  They had benefitted from the abundant water provided all year round by the great River Nile.  They, like the Egyptians, had dug irrigation canals to direct the Nile’s water far beyond its banks, thus turning dry wasteland into highly productive fields.  Even when there was little or no rain, the Nile continued to supply water for agriculture, thus providing the basis for a great civilisation, an achievement of human endeavour.  

     Moses contrasts this with Canaan, a land of hills with complete dependence on the annual rainfall – the former rain in the spring, and the latter rain in autumn.  This bi-annual supply of water from heaven secured the fertility of the land; when the rain ceased, so did the crops.  Therefore the worship of the Canaanites was centred on fertility cults, involving all kinds of abominable practices from ritual prostitution to child sacrifice.  God’s command to Israel was to possess the land and destroy these people and their religious practices.  Instead, they should depend entirely on the God of heaven who would send rain from above to water the land that it could bring forth abundant fruit.  God’s blessings of abundant harvest were remembered, along with the deliverance from Egypt and the giving of God’s Law, in the annual celebrations Shavuot (Pentecost) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

     The Almighty God who revealed Himself to Israel at Sinai has now revealed Himself in the person of His Son Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-4).  In Him we have been made part of God’s people and thus beneficiaries of His promises.  The new birth effected by the Spirit in us through faith in Jesus allows us to enter the kingdom of God, the spiritual land He has prepared for us.  However, like Israel, we need to put God at the centre of our lives.  He will not share His glory with any other gods; nothing else must take pre-eminence in our lives.  As Israel we are to love the LORD with all their heart, and all their soul and all their strength, so must we – not from a mere sense of duty, but because we realise that He first loved us (1 John 4:19) and delivered us from the bondage of sin.

     Throughout the scriptures we see a consistent theme: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6)  The human desire for independence and self-reliance is the root of all sin (Gen. 3:5).  God’s answer is His provision of forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His call to a life of dependence on His Spirit (Gal. 5:25).  He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) 

Newsletter June 2022 Part 2

Word, Spirit and Light

 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. (Psalm 33:6)  As Christians, we believe that the world was created by God.  In Genesis 1 we read that the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.  God continues to speak, and at His word the waters are divided, land appears, life springs forth – first vegetation, then animals and finally, when all is prepared, God creates humanity, the crown of His creation.  He makes them man and woman, created in His own image and likeness.  God’s purpose is for the humans He has created to dwell in the world He has created for them and to enjoy fellowship with Him and with one another.  However, following their desire for independence, the first humans turn from God and consequently the earth that was created as a blessing for them becomes cursed. 

     Yet God does not cease to speak.  As we read through the Bible, we hear Creator calling humanity back to Himself.  From Genesis to Revelation, the story of God is a story of restoration through reconciliation.  God speaks, calling us back to Himself, to the relationship for which He had created us from the beginning.  He speaks to Noah, instructing him to build an ark to escape the judgment He is bringing on rebellious humanity.  He speaks to Abraham, calling Him to leave his life of idolatry and go to a land He will give to him and his seed.  There He will bless him and make him a blessing.  When Abraham’s descendants suffer as slaves in Egypt, God speaks to Moses, calling him to lead them out of bondage and into the land He promised to their ancestor.  At Mount Sinai, He speaks to Israel, establishing a covenant with them and giving them His laws to live by as His special people.

    Throughout the Bible we read how God’s people, time and again, break His covenant with them by rebelling against Him and serving idols, and how God, time and again, initiates reconciliation by calling His people to Himself through the prophets.  The Bible is God’s word – God’s call to us to return to Him.  As He spoke in the beginning and there was light, and He now speaks into our darkness to bring His light. 

     In 2 Peter 1:19-21 we are told that we have the prophetic word confirmed, which [we] do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in [our] hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.  It is through the Bible that God reveals Himself to us.  It is by reading His written word that we understand God’s character and purpose.  His word is a lamp to [our] feet And a light to [our] path. (Psalm 119:105)  As we meditate on God’s word and He enlightens our understanding by His Spirit, we receive life.   

    The Bible is far more than an instruction manual for moral living; it is God’s revelation of Himself, ultimately fulfilled in the coming of His Son Jesus Christ.  The entire scriptures that we know as the Old Testament point to this climax.  In the New Testament letter to the Hebrews we learn that God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:1-4). 

As we search the scriptures, let us remember that the scriptures testify of Jesus (John 5:39).  As we allow the Spirit to shine on the pages of our Bible, the day will dawn and we will see clearly.  Let us hear God’s voice as He calls us through His word to relationship with Him in Jesus.  Let us recognise and receive the whole Bible rightly divided as God’s word and walk in His light as we are led by His Spirit. Let us allow His blood to cleanse us from sin and let us have true fellowship with Him and with one another. (1 John 1:7) 

Pastor Konrad