The sermon for November 13th 2022 is now available on the New Life web site.
In this sermon, which is based on Luke 8:20-39, I talk about the State of the War, Part 3.
Click here to listen in your web browser, here to download the mp3
bible
Reflection on 1 Samuel 4:1-22
Scripture
When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!
Observation
Israel is at war with the Philistines. The two armies meet near Ebenezer. The Philistines kill 4000 men. The Israelite army decides to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh, believing it will save them from the enemy.
The Ark arrives, and with it, Hophini and Phineas, Eli’s sons. The shouts of joy as so loud that the ground shakes.
The discovery that the Ark is in the Israelite camp provoke the Philistines to fight even harder. This time they kill 30,000 man and capture the Ark. Eli’s sons also die in the battle.
When Eli hears the news that the Ark has been captured, he falls from his chair and breaks his neck.
Application
The Ark of the Covenant was a powerful symbol because God was enthroned between the cherubim on top of it.
It seems that the Israelite army put their trust in the Ark rather than in the Lord himself. This is a constant danger. We have the capacity to make idols out of almost anything. The worldly traps are obvious – gold, glory, and guys or girls.
But we can make idols at of religious symbols also
* the Bible that makes us feel safe
* the only true translation of the Bible
* the church that thinks adopting a Hillsong style will save them
* the pews that may never be moved
When we put our trust in anything other than God, we are worshipping idols. That is very dangerous Territory indeed.
Prayer
Father, please help me to see the idols that stop me from worshipping you. Grant me a heart for pure worship. Amen.
Reflection on 1 Samuel 3:1-21
Scripture
the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly, the lord called out “Samuel!”
Observation
Samuel continues to serve the Lord by assisting Eli at the Tabernacle. Words from the Lord and visions were uncommon at that time.
Samuel is asleep in the Tabernacle when he hears a voice calling his name. Thinking it is Eli, he runs off to him. But Eli says it was not he who called. This happens three times, and by then Eli realises it is the Lord. He tells Samuel to say, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
The Lord then speaks to Samuel and tells him that judgement will come on Eli and his sons, and nothing will deter the lord in this.
The next morning, Eli ask Samuel what the Lord had said to him. Samuel tells him, and Eli accepts this word from the Lord.
As Samuel grows up, he is recognised all through the land as a prophet of the Lord.
Application
Samuel was positioned to hear the word of the Lord. He slept in the Tabernacle, near the Ark of God. He was near the epicentre of God’s presence on the earth.
To hear the voice of the Lord, I need to position myself to receive from Him. I need to take time to be quiet and hear God’s voice. I need to learn to tune my spirit into the frequencies of the Holy Spirit. I need to learn to live free from sin.
God does not need me to follow a protocol or a process for hearing His voice in order to speak. But I need to quieten my heart in order to listen.
Samuel needed to learn to tune in to the Spirit of the Lord. At first he could not distinguish between God and man. Over time, he became famous as a prophet in Israel.
How much more should we expect to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Prayer
Thank you Lord that you are continually speaking your word to us. Please help me to listen constantly for your still small voice. Amen.
Reflection on 1 Samuel 2:12-36
Scripture
“Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed Kings forever.”
Observation
The sons of Eli had no respect for the Lord or for their role as priests. They would demand a portion of the meat of the sacrifice that was reserved for the family of the people making the sacrifice. They also slept with the young women who assisted at the Tabernacle.
Samuel, on the other hand, served the Lord faithfully. Each year, his mother would bring him aa new robe. Eli would pray for them and bless them to have children to replace Samuel. Hannah had three sons and two daughters.
Eli rebuked his sons for their behaviour, but to no avail. A man of God comes and prophesies that the two sons will die on the same day, and that the Lord will raise up a faithful priest who will serve Him and do His will.
Application
At this time, the priesthood under Eli and his sons was corrupt. But God was looking to replace the corrupt priests with a faithful priest who will serve the Lord.
This is a reference to Samuel. He wasn’t exactly a priest, but as the story develops, we see that he really is faithful to God even when all others around him are not. Since, He is also the faithful prophet who hold kings and rulers accountable to the Lord .
It is also a reference looking forward to Jesus who is the eternal high priest of God who is forever faithful to the Lord. We are His priests, a royal priesthood, that stands in the presence of the Lord forever.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for replacing the old system of sacrifices by being the perfect and eternal sacrifice for us. My sins are taken away and my guilt is extinguished. Amen.
Reflection on 1 Samuel 2:1-11
Scripture
He will protect his faithful ones
The wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
Observation
After bringing Samuel to the Tabernacle to serve the Lord, Hannah prays.
Hannah expresses joy that she ihas been vindicated before her enemies. The Lord [pulls down the arrogant and raises the humble.
The Lord is overturning all the accepted structures. The hungry are well-fed and those who are well-fed are now starving. The woman who had no children now has seven, but those with many children will waste away.
It is the Lord who gives and takes away. He will protect His faithful ones. Those who resist the Lord will be shattered.
Application
The world tells us that we must all look after our own interests first. But God promises to protect those who are faithful to Him.
With God in control, the strong and the wicked will not always get their own way. He pulls down down the proud and the arrogant to remind us that He is the Lord.
Nobody succeeds by strength alone. It is all the grace of God.
We should not be afraid or anxious about what might happen. God is in control. We should just trust Him.
The gates of hell will not prevail against the Kingdom of God. Those gates are strong, but God’s Kingdom is stronger. The powerful elites and embedded interests seem impregnable, but God is greater.
Prayer
Hallelujah! You O Lord are greater than all the powers and schemes of men. Please help me to trust you now and always. Amen.
Reflection on 1 Samuel 1:1-28
Scripture
“O Lord of heaven’s armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
Observation
A man named Elkanah has two wives, one of whom, Hannah, has no children. One time, when they are at Shiloh for the annual sacrifice, Hannah goes to the Tabernacle. She is so fervent in her prayer for a son that Eli the priest thinks she is drunk.
In due course, Hannah becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, and she names him Samuel. When the boy is weaned, Hannah takes him to the tabernacle to serve the Lord.
Application
Hannah’s prayer may seem strange to some. She is desperate for a child, but she promises to give him back to the Lord if he answers her prayer. Really Hannah is recognising that she has no right to hold on to something that comes to her as a gift from the Lord.
The followers of Jesus are required to lay down their lives, take up their cross, and live only for the Lord. Everything has to be sacrificed to Him.
What God gives back then comes to us as a double grace. He is not bound to give us anything, but still He gives us more than we could ask for.
When we yield to God the desires of our heart, then He blesses us abundantly.
Prayer
Thank you Father for the paradox of grace. When I give you the things that I most desperately want, you return to me a much greater blessing. Amen.
Reflection on Hebrews 13:20-25
Scripture
Now may the God of peace – who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood – may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him for ever and ever. Amen.
Observation
In his concluding thoughts, the writer prays a blessing on his readers. May the God of peace, the same God who raised Jesus from the dead, may He equip them (us) with everything we need to do His will..
The book closes with the formal greeting, “May God’s grace be with you all.”
Application
The blessings of God rely on our personal relationship with Him. He is a real God, described here as the God of peace.
The peace of God comes from our dedication to following the Lord Jesus. The term does not mean that God owns peace, so to speak, but that He is the source of peace. When we submit ourselves to Him, He shares his shalom or peace with us.
God was the one who raised Jesus from the dead, and he ratified a new covenant, a better covenant, in the blood of Christ. This covenant is eternal and will never be done away with.
God calls us to live a life of holiness and good works. We are not saved by our good works, but we are saved in order to produce good works.
Even these good works are not our efforts alone. We need God’s grace and power in order to do every good thing that is pleasing to him.
Prayer
Hallelujah! You are an awesome Father, Lord God. Thank you for saving me by your grace and for equipping me to do the things you want me to do. Amen.
Reflection on Hebrews 13:11-18
Scripture
Therefore, let us offer through Jesus continual sacrifice of praise to God proclaiming our allegiance to His name.
Observation
In the old covenant, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the temple, and their bodies were burnt outside the camp. Jesus died outside the city to make us holy. We need to go where He is and bear his disgrace.
This world is not our home. We are passing through on our way to a permanent dwelling place.
We should offer a continual sacrifice of praise to Jesus. This is our oath of allegiance to Him.
We should obey our spiritual leaders, so that they can rejoice in their responsibility.
Application
The Old Testament sacrifices are gone. Under the covenant of Christ, the only sacrifice left is the sacrifice of praise.
Our sacrifice his to be continual. Just as the animal sacrifices were offered night and day, so we must learn to be so full of joy and thanksgiving the praise almost leaks out of us. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul tells us to “Rejoice always, pray constantly and give thanks in all circumstances.”
It is easy to praise God when our lives are going well. The sacrifice of praise comes when we learn to praise God when things are going badly for us. God is still the same god when we are enjoying green meadows as when the flood waters are raging around us. He is worthy of praise always. The sacrifice comes when we praise Him anyway even if it is hard to see His hand at work.
Praise must come from the heart and not from the lips only. I know someone who uses the phrase, “praise the Lord,” almost as a swear word. Bang your shins, and it’s “Praise the Lord.” This is not the sacrifice of praise. When we say, “Thank you” to God from a joyful heart, then we have learnt to offer the sacrifice .
Prayer
Please help me Lord to remember to praise you even in the difficult times. Amen.
Reflection on Hebrews 13:1-10
Scripture
Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Observation
We should continue to love one another, entertain strangers, and remember those in prison.
Marriage must be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure. God will judge those who are immoral. We should keep our lives free from the love of money, and instead trust the Lord.
We need to be wary of strange teachings, remembering our hearts are strengthened by grace and not by eating the right foods.
Application
Our culture has elevated sexual depravity to an art form. What was once, just a generation ago, considered contemptible and disgusting is now celebrated as desirable.
Marriage is seen as a more or less temporary affair with cheating and divorce expected as the norm.
Scripture teaches us that God has a very high view of marriage. In Ephesians, Paul says that marriage is a picture of the covenantal faithfulness of Christ to the church. The intimacy of husband and wife is analogous to the intimacy between Christ and His own Bride.
Marriage is not a light thing. It is no light thing. It is not a mere human convenience. It is God’s idea, God’s plan for the ordering of a civil society.
It is no wonder that the devil hates marriage and tries to undermine it in every way possible.
Christians must honour marriage and try to encourage every husband and every wife to rejoice in their relationship.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for marriage. Thank you for my wife whom I love more than life itself. Amen.
Reflection on Hebrews 12:14-24
Scripture
But you have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.
Observation
We should make every effort to live at peace with the people. We have to be holy, or else we will not see the Lord. Avoid bitterness and sexual immorality.
Mount Sinai was the place where the Israelites met with the Lord Yahweh. It was a frightful place – burning with fire and covered with smoke, with loud trumpet blasts. Not even an animal was allowed to tough the mountain.
We have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God. We meet with the angels, but above all, we meet with God and with Jesus.
Application
When Israel was passing through the desert, the Lord invited them to meet with Him at Mount Sinai. But they were afraid, and Moses went up alone. Moses was afraid, but his passion to know the Lord overcame his fear.
We have come to a better place, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. This is the place where, together with the angles, we meet to worship our God and His Son our Lord Jesus.
It is not that the Old Testament religion is better than faith in Christ. No, the reverse is true. The Jews worshipped at a physical mountain, but we worship at a heavenly mountain.
It does not matter where we worship or how we worship. What does matter is that we worship with a holy and sincere heart.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for meeting with me at any time and any place. Help me to seek you often and to learn to live in awareness of your presence. Amen.
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