“Abel Tasman sighted this group of three islands in 1643. The date was 6 January, the twelfth day after Christmas – called the Fest of Epiphany by the Christian church.
According to tradition, three kings went searching for the spiritual leader of the age. The Epiphany was when they found him – the newborn baby Jesus.”
The true story about the Visit of the Magi is found in the Bible in Matthew 2:1-12
Not long ago I read seven sermons explaining the twelve verses.
Matthew 2:1-12
Have you ever started something and not finished it? I have! And that happened only lately. I think you have too.
Only the other day I received an E-mail which started like this: “Don’t start anything you can’t finish and always finish what you start.” The writer of the E-mail continues, “These words from my mother come to mind so often.”
And now listen to these words from the Bible, the word of the Living God. I read those words long ago and they have been a great encouragement for me already for a long time. Here they are: “,…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the DAY OF CHRIST JESUS.”
Are you not also glad, that the Lord began the good work in you and that you did not not do it and that he is carrying it on to completion? I am glad and thousand times glad!
The verse quoted above is actually Philippians 1:6. But read the verses three to six from the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Philippians 1:3-6.
In verse three of that portion of Scripture Paul is saying: “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Please note the underlined word remember.” We read of remembering something also in the letter to the Hebrews. Let us turn to Hebrews 13:7. There it says: ” Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Another translation says “the outcome of their well-spent lives”. A German translation talks about the exit of their lives.
I take it that it means the ‘Final Outcome’ of their lives. The final outcome is important.
Do you remember now people who have led you and are leading you now? Do you remember now people who spoke the word of God to you and are speaking the word of God to you now? Some are with the Lord already of course, but others are still alive. I remember them. Some have been outstanding men of God.
There are many, but I can only mention a few:
Only a couple of days ago “uncle Ernie” came to my mind. He was one of the founders of the Bible College I went to. I am thinking about him now and I am greatly encouraged. He likes to tell everybody what the Lord has done for him. (Personal Evangelism) He came to see us while we lived in Kaikohe and I went with him to Cape Reinga.
Cape Reinga, the top of NZ
I remember also a preacher of the Baptist Church in Germany. He would have liked me to go to the Baptist Seminar in Hamburg/Germany – but I wanted to be a missionary.
A man of God from Scotland used to be in charge of the German WEC home base many years ago and it is actually through him that I went to Thailand as a missionary. He came to speak at our Bible College and he helped me to get into Thailand, where I worked for 13 years.
The fieldleader in Thailand was from the United States of America and he was like a father to me. I was single for a good number of years while in Thailand and he looked after me. I remember him saying , “If we put enough pressure on each other, we all go home eventually.” That was a very wise statement from him.
Many evangelists in Germany had a great impact on my life. I heard them over the radio and went to their meetings.
In 1980 we did more study at the BCNZ, and the principal at that time seemed to manage to get all the overseas speakers, who came to NZ, to come to the BCNZ for meetings. David Watson was one of them.
At one stage of my life I used to stay in London at a Mission HQ. That was a highlight of my life.
At the end of his life the apostle Paul was able to say: Second Timothy 4:7,8
— “I have fought the good fight,
— I have finished the race,
— I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,…”
Can you say that also?
Can I say that? I can! Why? I read Philippians 1:6 again and believe it. The Lord started the good work and HE will bring it to completion. That are mighty words in Philippians 1:6!
The Lord is not like us. We start things and do not finish them; but not the Lord, the creator of Heaven and Earth.
One chapter in the book: ” Your Preaching….. a Force or a Farce?” by J. Deane is called: “Architect or Muddler?”
The dictionary again: homeletics
the art of preaching or writing sermons.
Brief sermon outline: Hebrews 10:19-25
LET US…….
(Hebrews 10:19-25)
Intr.: Therefore, brothers…..
— since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place… and
— since we have a great priest over the house of God,…
A. LET US DRAW NEAR TO GOD WITH A SINCERE HEART IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, HAVING …
B. LET US HOLD UNSWERVINGLY TO THE HOPE WE PROFESS, …
C. LET US CONSIDER HOW WE MUST SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON TOWARD LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS.
D. LET US NOT GIVE UP MEETING TOGETHER, …
End: and all the more as you see the DAY approaching.
“What can we do? Where can we go? I don’t know WHO to turn to!”
That are very real questions and cries from desperate people TODAY! They need to be answered quickly. And thank God, there is an answer for all of us!
The first two questions I read some time ago on a paper, which was pinned to a wall for everybody to read. The third question was written on a leaflet for people with gambling problems.
“What can we do? Where can we go?” are cries from young people of today, a judge at a Brisbane Juvenile Court writes in an open letter to teenagers. His answer is: “GO HOME! Mow the lawn, wash the dishes, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons. And, after you have finished, read a book!”
(READ THE BIBLE, the Word of the Living God!-Werner)
But how do we answer the cries: ” I don’t know WHO to turn to? What can I do? Where can we go?”
The answer is: COME HOME! Come home to your loving Heavenly Father. Turn to your Heavenly Father. He is waiting for YOU!
One book in my library I cherish very much. It is written by the German pastor Wilhelm Busch, who worked with young people in Essen. I used to go to his church services and meetings for the young people when I was young in the faith and before I ever went to Thailand as a missionary. It is called “COME HOME” and he is talking about the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:11-31.
I don’t know if you are aware, that the Lord used Isaiah 45:22 to bring Charles Haddon Spurgeon to himself. Isaiah 45:22: “TURN to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached in the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. The Tabernacle seated 6 000 people.
In John 6:67 the Lord Jesus Christ is asking the twelve,” You do not want to leave too, do you?” ( We would probably be afraid, to ask a question like that, especially if we would be the pastor of a church.) Please read what Simon Peter answered in John 6:68,69!!
The answer is so important to me , that I am going to write it down here: “LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. WE BELIEVE AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.”
I saw a really big sticker on one side of the rental car, which was just about to take off. I raced towards it and talked to the two ladies occupying the vehicle. My question was of course, “What does the sticker “WORLD HARMONY RUN” on your car mean? Do you have any literature, leaflets or something?”
While I received the literature, I had some more questions; but I had to be quick, because they had to hurry to an appointment. No, the run had nothing to do with religion and the Bible, I was told.
I said to them, “I have also literature about ‘World Harmony’, produced myself, but not with me.” They would have taken it, I am sure. Another missed opportunity. Why did I not have any tracts on me?
The WORLD HARMONY RUN 2008 started on 8 Sep. (Cape Reinga) and is going to finish on 1 Oct. (Invercargill).
On one of the leaflets I received was written, “We all carry within us a flame of HOPE – a yearning for a better world and a brighter FUTURE. As the World Harmony Run torch passes from hand to hand, so the rising flame of HOPE spreads from heart to heart, encircling the globe.”
HOPE and FUTURE again!
Please type those two words into SEARCH and read more about the FUTURE and our HOPE!
wd
I am reading just now,” It is okay to visit your past, just don’t bring any luggage with you.” Long ago I read the brochure written by an Evangelist with the title,”Leave the past alone.” With other words, don ‘t even go there without luggage.
The old man (not your father) said,” Remembering is not the problem, forgetting is.” The Evangelist Billy Graham visited once a mental institution in England and the head of the institution said to him something like this,” Half of the people in this institution could be released if they would know that they could be forgiven.”
Corrie ten Boom is talking about the ‘No Fishing!’ sign. If the Holy Spirit convicts you about a wrongdoing in the past confess it according to First John 1:9, but don’t go fishing and looking for things.