If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything ..."
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A moment in time ...
A moment in time ...
Yesterday - Esti and I drove to Gosford, to visit Erns and Aninke Hattingh - whose baby daughter, Carla, was born last Friday afternoon! - 2.6kg!
Vulnerable, now safe, sleeping in her crib during our visit, making baby noises! And Esti and Grandma, clucking like hens …
And as she lay there, I thought how wonderful it would have been if I could see her future; her whole life, in a glance … or a vision across the sky ...
Does that make you think back of your own children, or someone you know who has children ...
How did their lives unfold in this reality called life?
How did your own life turn out?
Today I will baptise a child - and we will welcome the Le Roux family into Church membership.
What is their past? How has life worked out for them? What has brought them here, to become our very own Brothers and Sisters - all of them welcomed into communicant membership?
Perhaps you can ask about these things over morning tea … with caring hearts, loving hearts, thankful hearts that they have been brought here by God - that is what I believe!
I wish I could see this child’s future, and offer it to you, perhaps in video format … I suspect you may have wished you could see a vision of her life, Ruan, Letitia …?
But we just don’t know, do we?
And that is a blessing, I think ...
But God knows! - And that should be enough for us!
During our visit to the newly born baby, Carla, I read from Psalm 139: 13-16 .
13 For it was you who created my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.
You see, God knows. He knew before time began, and He knows our future!
And yet, still we wonder … we so often of shaky faith ...
And so I wish I could offer you a word of encouragement today, Ruan, Letitia ...
(I wonder what will become of that little boy, playing with his plastic bottle truck as if it is an expensive Tonka Toy?)
WELL, AS IT HAPPENS, RUAN, LETITIA, I DO HAVE A WORD OF HOPE FOR YOU! Listen carefully now!
As sure as the Sun rose in the East this morning, your child will be safe in the arms of Jesus!
Psalm 139: 7-10
7 Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9 If I live at the eastern horizon
or settle at the western limits,
10 even there your hand will lead me;
your right hand will hold on to me.
Do you believe that? Ruan, Letitia; do you believe it, brothers and sisters - members of St Luke’s Presbyterian Church?
Well, there will come a time, friends, when you will be asked!
What will you say?
Bearing witness
Bearing witness
Acts 4: 1-3
1 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, 2 because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening.
The context is this:
The Apostles bore witness to Jesus death - and resurrection; they were there when He turned water into wine; when he walked on the waters of lake Galilee
More recently, they were present when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples of Jesus. And when they started speaking in different languages!
And now, they have come to understand that as part of God’s revelation as to who Jesus was, they themselves, now with the indwelling of the Spirit, were enabled to say to a lame man (40 years a begging cripple) “Stand up and walk” Acts 3.
And he does! He runs straight into the temple, as God is my witness, and he jumped and leapt, praising God as he felt the power in his recently powerless legs! Acts 3: 8.
8 So he jumped up and started to walk, and he entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
What would you have made of this, friends?
Well, it turns out, Peter and John had put a few miracles together, and have come up with a revelation, a truth: JESUS IS LORD! HE IS THE ONE IN WHOM WE CAN TRUST!
He is God the Son of our Triune God: God the Father, God The Son, God the Holy Spirit!
And in His name, for those who believe, there is healing, and protection, and everlasting life!
And how do they know this?
Well, they were eye-witnesses to His death on the Cross - and of His resurrection!
And here and now they had seen the lame man walk, raised up by grace alone, through faith alone, because he had been gifted a believing heart!
The power of the Holy Spirit had worked faith in the hearts of the Apostles; in faith the lame man was raised up; and now he had received faith a gave all glory and honour and praise - to God!
All praise to God, for the obvious truth that He had just been saved in the name of Jesus! And in Him alone!
Acts 4: 12.
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
But not everyone believes, do they?
And you?
The Sadducees and the Temple Guard Captain - and the Priests! didn’t believe!
Acts 4: 2-3.
2 because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening.
Do you believe it, brothers and sisters? Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead?
Or do some of you still doubt?
On what grounds?
Because you were not there?
Do you believe that the moon landing took place?
On what grounds?
Media records, reports, pictures? Eye witness accounts?
Remember where we are in this piece of investigative journalism, friends.
The scene is this: There is a group of people - a large group! - in an area called Solomon’s Colonnade/Portico.
Near by is the Gate Beautiful - the place where the lame beggar was healed just the day before.
And while the people want to talk about the miracle healing of the lame man, Peter and John is saying: wake up! You are missing he point! This miracle points to the new heavens and the new earth, that will come as sure as this man can walk again!
We did not cure him. God did! In the power of the very being you have denied - Jesus the Christ whom you have crucified!
Do you want evidence of your powerlessness and Jesus saving power?
Well, you tried to kill Him, didn’t you, and indeed, for a while He was dead. But even that was predicted, was prophesied!
And now He was seen alive by many witnesses!
And now we know, death has been overcome, and for those who trust in this risen Lord, they too will rise from the dead!
And now the Sadducees gnash their teeth, and they have Peter and John arrested - of to the High Court of Justice (The Sanhedrin) where 71 men decide almost every fate of those accused - except the Death Penalty!
For Peter, it is not an all-together new experience of being accused of being a supporter of Jesus!
If you were a Hollywood director, you may even have a lonely Rooster walk casually, if dazed, across the scene ...
Remember? The night that Jesus was betrayed, and the woman asked Peter: Weren’t you with this Jesus. Weren't you one of His followers?
And on that occasion, of course, Peter denies Jesus! He is afraid of suffering the same fate Jesus was about to suffer (and ironically, later he probably would!) but that was then ...
But not this time!
Acts 4: 7.
7 After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”
That is to say “... by what power or in what name have you healed this man?”
BY the same power and in the same name as the one you thought you could kill - and yet, He is risen and He will come back again.
Remember, friends? Acts 1: 11.
11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”
Peter, the one with the wobbly knees when last questioned about His knowledge of Jesus, is now fearless!
In fact, so sure is he now of his strength in the Lord Jesus, that he takes on the Sanhedrin at their own game.
He challenges them on the letter of the law! He turns into King’s council, for the sake of Jesus glory and honour.
Just recently, yesterday, Peter reminded the people of how Moses bore witness to Jesus’ coming a thousand years before: Effectively, Peter is saying, “all you have to do is study the Scriptures, and you will know you have crucifies the Lord, but now, will you still not repent?
He declares: I believe in Jesus! You should, too, it is not too late,
but mind you, he says … let me point out to you what you should have known yourself:
Acts 3: 22-23.
22 Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers and sisters. You must listen to everything he tells you. 23 And everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be completely cut off from the people.
Which come directly from the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 18: 15-19.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 16 This is what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let us not continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God or see this great fire any longer, so that we will not die!’ 17 Then the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name.
But that was yesterday - and Peter is still in the throes of a Spirit filled passion for the truth: Jesus is Lord! And you are safe in that knowledge and faith … and your children are safe in that knowledge and faith!
Do you want further proof? Peter is staring down the High Priest and the Sanhedrin:
Read your Bibles! He says ...
Psalm 118: 22-23.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This came from the Lord;
it is wondrous in our sight.
Can’t you see, Peter says: It is God who healed the man!
Is it not your job to commend those who proclaim God? Why would you have us commit sacrilege and deny His name! No human can make a lame man walk again, but by faith alone through faith alone - By God alone! And now you want us to deny Him?
And you friends?
Ruan, Letitia?
By what power or in whose name do you bring your child for Baptism today?
There was once another child born … according to the Scriptures:
Isaiah 7: 14.
14 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.
Can you see? You don’t need me to try and persuade you that your child will be fine, safe in Jesus’ arms - just as all His children are, by grace alone through faith alone!
You see, the lame man did walk!
Many witnessed it and thousands believed it!
Jesus did die on the Cross!
Many were there - even a Roman named Cornelius soldier looked up and said: Truly, He was the Son of God!
And many reported seeing Him after His death, reporting about that mysterious empty grave, and seeing Him taken into heaven ...
Acts 1: 11.
11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”
Do you believe it?
Will you stand up for this truth?
Will you, to the best of your ability and in God’s strength alone, live your lives according to the will of God, and not your own?
Will you raise your children in it?
Please come forward and be welcomed into our faith membership!