Christian Thought Series Nov-Dec 2013

Volume 10 Issue 2

Nov-Dec-2013

Rs.12/THEME : REASON

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Positive thoughts are not enough.

There have to be positive feelings and positive actions.

WITH SEASON

CHURCH MEETING - NORTH INDIA

LAY LEADERS’ TRAINING

TEACHING SESSION - MAHABALIPURAM

RETREAT - CHENNAI

All at the same time, God was preparing a vessel of honour through the womb of a young virgin called Mary. When a man or woman aligns himself/herself in accordance to the Father’s will, miracles happen. And it was the miracle of the virgin birth – which we call the incarnation of Jesus Christ. A young virgin submitted herself to God’s will saying, “May it be to me as you have said.” (Lk 1:38). Mary took God’s word seriously at its face-value. The greeting and announcement by the angel Gabriel had serious implications for Mary. To her, there was risk and danger to life itself. Perhaps, life to her was at its peril. The community’s disapproval of a young virgin, just betrothed - found to be pregnant would have had terrifying repercussions. Naturally, Mary was perturbed. In the Bible, we have the genealogy of Joseph-to be a descendant of Joseph. But Mary was just addressed as a young “ virgin Christian Thought Series

1

"All the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber."

- Blaise Pascal Vol 10 Issue 2

Nevertheless, Mary had cleared her preliminaries! How? Six months before, a priest by the name Zechariah had encountered a similar angelic visitation. To him, the meeting with the angel was at the temple’s inner sanctum. In the midst of his priestly duties, the announcement of the birth of a child to him was made by the angel. But to Zechariah, bearing a child in the old age was just a dream. It may be that both Zechariah and Elizabeth had prayed for a child for many years. Nothing happened. After some years, they probably would have stopped praying. They might have thought that the child bearing age itself was well past. “When the womb itself is dried up, why at all pray?” was their reason. This event is something similar to what happened to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham, who is called the father of faith had his inner conflicts as to God’s promise of a son. His doubtful act brought in to the world Ishmael before the promised heir. Zechariah was no exception too. For doubting what God was about to do, He was summarily admonished by the angel and dumbstruck for a period of time. Unlike Mary, the godly priest failed in his preliminaries. Back in the Old Testament again, God chose to call a young lad called Samuel to the rejection of the temple priest – Eli. This leads us to further understand to some extent the ultimate sovereignty of God. No one could ever tell why God had to choose Mary. The doctrine of “Election.” and “ predestination” are far beyond human comprehension. So it is with the Doctrine of Trinity. That is why we must seriously take God’s word at its face-value- nay, its faithChristian Thought Series

2

u u u uu u u uu u u uu u

We have drifted far away from Biblical faith. If at all we celebrate Christmas, two things must come to our minds. One, The Beloved Heavenly Father – giving away His Son for the highest and greatest purpose of redeeming mankind, and two, The Son of God leaving behind all His glory and splendor to submit to the will of God to become one like us (John 3:16; Phil.2:5-17). This is, essentially what we call as the crux of the gospel.

At most, when a news such as this breaks out, it would end up in stoning her to death. No doubt, Mary would have been the object of jealousy among her peers for she must have been pretty and good looking teen-ager. Friends of her age might have begun a gossip campaign.

Jealousy would soon erupt in to a scandal too. Now we understand why Mary was “greatly troubled at the angel’s words (v.29).

"Everybody'salways talking about people breaking into houses… but there are more people in the world who want to break out of their houses" - Thornton Wilder.

u u u uu u u uu u u uu u

T

he Season of Christmas is no more considered to be a sensible celebration. It has become a mockery of all sorts.

Fearing extremes, a certain Christian denomination had done away with Christmas. They argue saying, “Christmas has no biblical historicity”, calling it a heathen festival. For the rest of Christian denominations, utter thoughtlessness and disregard for both God and man mark the festivities. We must not be ashamed to acknowledge that most of what we call as Celebrations of the Season are nothing but abomination to God. Christmas is at most has become an event of extravagance- both cultural and social which gives vent to man’s unbridled lust for consumerism.

pledged to be married to Joseph “(Luke 2:27). The Bible is silent and had not provided any information about Mary’s parents . We might assume the incident of Mary found to be pregnant out of wedlock may have rocked her family which had sparked a furore by her parents and other relatives.

Vol 10 Issue 2

All at the same time, God was preparing a vessel of honour through the womb of a young virgin called Mary. When a man or woman aligns himself/herself in accordance to the Father’s will, miracles happen. And it was the miracle of the virgin birth – which we call the incarnation of Jesus Christ. A young virgin submitted herself to God’s will saying, “May it be to me as you have said.” (Lk 1:38). Mary took God’s word seriously at its face-value. The greeting and announcement by the angel Gabriel had serious implications for Mary. To her, there was risk and danger to life itself. Perhaps, life to her was at its peril. The community’s disapproval of a young virgin, just betrothed - found to be pregnant would have had terrifying repercussions. Naturally, Mary was perturbed. In the Bible, we have the genealogy of Joseph-to be a descendant of Joseph. But Mary was just addressed as a young “ virgin Christian Thought Series

1

"All the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber."

- Blaise Pascal Vol 10 Issue 2

Nevertheless, Mary had cleared her preliminaries! How? Six months before, a priest by the name Zechariah had encountered a similar angelic visitation. To him, the meeting with the angel was at the temple’s inner sanctum. In the midst of his priestly duties, the announcement of the birth of a child to him was made by the angel. But to Zechariah, bearing a child in the old age was just a dream. It may be that both Zechariah and Elizabeth had prayed for a child for many years. Nothing happened. After some years, they probably would have stopped praying. They might have thought that the child bearing age itself was well past. “When the womb itself is dried up, why at all pray?” was their reason. This event is something similar to what happened to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham, who is called the father of faith had his inner conflicts as to God’s promise of a son. His doubtful act brought in to the world Ishmael before the promised heir. Zechariah was no exception too. For doubting what God was about to do, He was summarily admonished by the angel and dumbstruck for a period of time. Unlike Mary, the godly priest failed in his preliminaries. Back in the Old Testament again, God chose to call a young lad called Samuel to the rejection of the temple priest – Eli. This leads us to further understand to some extent the ultimate sovereignty of God. No one could ever tell why God had to choose Mary. The doctrine of “Election.” and “ predestination” are far beyond human comprehension. So it is with the Doctrine of Trinity. That is why we must seriously take God’s word at its face-value- nay, its faithChristian Thought Series

2

u u u uu u u uu u u uu u

We have drifted far away from Biblical faith. If at all we celebrate Christmas, two things must come to our minds. One, The Beloved Heavenly Father – giving away His Son for the highest and greatest purpose of redeeming mankind, and two, The Son of God leaving behind all His glory and splendor to submit to the will of God to become one like us (John 3:16; Phil.2:5-17). This is, essentially what we call as the crux of the gospel.

At most, when a news such as this breaks out, it would end up in stoning her to death. No doubt, Mary would have been the object of jealousy among her peers for she must have been pretty and good looking teen-ager. Friends of her age might have begun a gossip campaign.

Jealousy would soon erupt in to a scandal too. Now we understand why Mary was “greatly troubled at the angel’s words (v.29).

"Everybody'salways talking about people breaking into houses… but there are more people in the world who want to break out of their houses" - Thornton Wilder.

u u u uu u u uu u u uu u

T

he Season of Christmas is no more considered to be a sensible celebration. It has become a mockery of all sorts.

Fearing extremes, a certain Christian denomination had done away with Christmas. They argue saying, “Christmas has no biblical historicity”, calling it a heathen festival. For the rest of Christian denominations, utter thoughtlessness and disregard for both God and man mark the festivities. We must not be ashamed to acknowledge that most of what we call as Celebrations of the Season are nothing but abomination to God. Christmas is at most has become an event of extravagance- both cultural and social which gives vent to man’s unbridled lust for consumerism.

pledged to be married to Joseph “(Luke 2:27). The Bible is silent and had not provided any information about Mary’s parents . We might assume the incident of Mary found to be pregnant out of wedlock may have rocked her family which had sparked a furore by her parents and other relatives.

Vol 10 Issue 2

value! It is like saying: “I do not know how, but I simply trust in what God says.” No human can possibly reason out why or what God does certain things that are very contrary to human understanding. Zechariah applied his logic and was dumbstruck. Mary trusted God against her own reasoning and was complimented by her cousin as blessed among women!

But still, Mary was at the risk of becoming the target of people’s anger and vilification. We live in a corrupt and wayward society. The Bible phrases it as “perverse and crooked.” There is a general disregard for moral and ethical uprightness among the majority of people in the modern world. Lasciviousness in all its finer cultural forms is available aplenty everywhere. People take no notice of it. In fact, they promote it. We are part of a permissive society. But then, people express their outburst of emotions when a particular case is hyped by the media. For example, in recent months, the outcry of protestors against Delhi Gang Rape offenders rent the heavens. “Hang them,” was their chorus. No doubt, what happened in Delhi was a heinous crime of savagery – showing no or little respect for an individual’s life. The barbaric act sent shock waves across the country. I am raising a point here: “When there is a moral mess all around, where does righteous indignation come from?” I might be tempted to call this a selective, subjective indignation. When there is law (moral law too), but no justice (where justice is perverted), justice is truly blind-folded! Why did not the nation cry out against Dharasingh and his men who torched Graham Staines and his two very young sons? In Khandamal- Orissa (India), the news of widespread violence against Christians was known throughout the world. A nun was mercilessly raped.

She was dragged on to the road. But there was no outcry like the one that we witnessed in Delhi. No women groups went on a procession. In Barakhuma village in Orissa, I met the villagers who told me that a girl among them was raped and burned. She survived and later hospitalized.

Her parents were killed. The government was a silent spectator. No one said then: “Hang the perpetrators!” The perpetrators were allowed to go scot-free for a very long time.

Those Pharisees who brought the woman caught in the adultery was not condemned by Jesus. Instead, the ‘holier-than-thou’ men were told by Jesus: “He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone on her!”

It is always good for Christians not to be caught up with media hype. They must be those who exercise their discernment with moderation and sensibility. Whipping up people’s unbridled emotions by presenting sensational stories and clippings must never be the sole motive of the media. Often times, it is the inner story or the other side of the story which goes uncovered either by the reporter or the lens-men.

In the case of Mary, we are not told in the Bible how many stories were circulated about her in her locality. Obeying God has its consequences too. Perhaps, some of us are going through a similar situation like that of Mary. It is a case of the whole world turning against you! There is no way to defend, respond or react. In unison, the voice of the people seem to reach a crescendo. “Away with him! “ “Away with Him”. This is what happened to the son of Mary thirty-three years later.

There is yet another character who often goes unnoticed in the whole nativity scene. But he was introduced in the gospel as a ” righteous man.” This was Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. He began to sense that something went wrong with Mary. Mary was “pledged to be married” to Him. Unlike other men, Joseph acted with a certain amount of dignity.

His marriage was almost falling apart. He was determined to divorce Mary quietly. (Matt.1:18-19). Think of many marriages ending up in divorces or preparations for marriage after betrothal coming to a halt just because there were some rumour-mongers who were spreading a rumour on the conduct of the girl or the boy. What is being reported? What is the actual case? Whenever we hear a startling report, these are points seriously to be considered by sensible Christians before coming to premature conclusions.

From our point of view, let’s think: What if Joseph dubbed Mary as becoming unfaithful to him?

For a young man, his dreams and hopes of a bright marriage had collapsed. But then, he too was instructed by the angel in a dream. No sooner, we find Joseph submitting himself to God’s direction.

Mary had a direct encounter with the angel. Joseph simply had a dream. Both collided to form a big

1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 "Freedom is not free. It is very costly. Illusion that money, 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 independence and distance would provide freedom is a fallacy" 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 - Warren. W. Wiersbe.

1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 Christian Thought Series

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Vol 10 Issue 2

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Vol 10 Issue 2

value! It is like saying: “I do not know how, but I simply trust in what God says.” No human can possibly reason out why or what God does certain things that are very contrary to human understanding. Zechariah applied his logic and was dumbstruck. Mary trusted God against her own reasoning and was complimented by her cousin as blessed among women!

But still, Mary was at the risk of becoming the target of people’s anger and vilification. We live in a corrupt and wayward society. The Bible phrases it as “perverse and crooked.” There is a general disregard for moral and ethical uprightness among the majority of people in the modern world. Lasciviousness in all its finer cultural forms is available aplenty everywhere. People take no notice of it. In fact, they promote it. We are part of a permissive society. But then, people express their outburst of emotions when a particular case is hyped by the media. For example, in recent months, the outcry of protestors against Delhi Gang Rape offenders rent the heavens. “Hang them,” was their chorus. No doubt, what happened in Delhi was a heinous crime of savagery – showing no or little respect for an individual’s life. The barbaric act sent shock waves across the country. I am raising a point here: “When there is a moral mess all around, where does righteous indignation come from?” I might be tempted to call this a selective, subjective indignation. When there is law (moral law too), but no justice (where justice is perverted), justice is truly blind-folded! Why did not the nation cry out against Dharasingh and his men who torched Graham Staines and his two very young sons? In Khandamal- Orissa (India), the news of widespread violence against Christians was known throughout the world. A nun was mercilessly raped.

She was dragged on to the road. But there was no outcry like the one that we witnessed in Delhi. No women groups went on a procession. In Barakhuma village in Orissa, I met the villagers who told me that a girl among them was raped and burned. She survived and later hospitalized.

Her parents were killed. The government was a silent spectator. No one said then: “Hang the perpetrators!” The perpetrators were allowed to go scot-free for a very long time.

Those Pharisees who brought the woman caught in the adultery was not condemned by Jesus. Instead, the ‘holier-than-thou’ men were told by Jesus: “He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone on her!”

It is always good for Christians not to be caught up with media hype. They must be those who exercise their discernment with moderation and sensibility. Whipping up people’s unbridled emotions by presenting sensational stories and clippings must never be the sole motive of the media. Often times, it is the inner story or the other side of the story which goes uncovered either by the reporter or the lens-men.

In the case of Mary, we are not told in the Bible how many stories were circulated about her in her locality. Obeying God has its consequences too. Perhaps, some of us are going through a similar situation like that of Mary. It is a case of the whole world turning against you! There is no way to defend, respond or react. In unison, the voice of the people seem to reach a crescendo. “Away with him! “ “Away with Him”. This is what happened to the son of Mary thirty-three years later.

There is yet another character who often goes unnoticed in the whole nativity scene. But he was introduced in the gospel as a ” righteous man.” This was Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. He began to sense that something went wrong with Mary. Mary was “pledged to be married” to Him. Unlike other men, Joseph acted with a certain amount of dignity.

His marriage was almost falling apart. He was determined to divorce Mary quietly. (Matt.1:18-19). Think of many marriages ending up in divorces or preparations for marriage after betrothal coming to a halt just because there were some rumour-mongers who were spreading a rumour on the conduct of the girl or the boy. What is being reported? What is the actual case? Whenever we hear a startling report, these are points seriously to be considered by sensible Christians before coming to premature conclusions.

From our point of view, let’s think: What if Joseph dubbed Mary as becoming unfaithful to him?

For a young man, his dreams and hopes of a bright marriage had collapsed. But then, he too was instructed by the angel in a dream. No sooner, we find Joseph submitting himself to God’s direction.

Mary had a direct encounter with the angel. Joseph simply had a dream. Both collided to form a big

1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 "Freedom is not free. It is very costly. Illusion that money, 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 independence and distance would provide freedom is a fallacy" 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 - Warren. W. Wiersbe.

1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012 Christian Thought Series

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picture of God’s plan. There was no more uncertainty of any kind. Both were united. They had become man and wife. And they took a major decision. The rest is history. We find that both of them acted with tremendous unity of mind and purpose. Sadly though, something of this sort is missing out from most of the Christian homes. Each one is functioning independent of the other. Yet each one calls himself/herself very spiritual. What purchases the wife makes, the husband is unaware.

Where or with whom the husband spends the evenings, the wife does not know. Therefore, each of them makes convenient plans to suit one another. We said earlier that when a family is united to carry out God’s purposes, miracles would happen. But this is rarely the case in Christian homes. Most homes worry about ”What shall we eat, what shall we wear” kind of matters. During this season, this pang gets all the more aggravated.

Touching upon the issue of the nature of Christian homes today, one thing is evident. No doubt, there is ‘a form of godliness – without the power of God (2 Tim. 3:5). They are those who take all pains to please the world – friends, peers, colleagues etc., They work out their plans, ignoring God’s counsel for their families. Like Lot in the Old Testament, many of our homes are controlled by external impulse than by inner prompting by the Spirit. Our thoughts vary to such a degree that many homes end up in divorce or live under the same roof all through their life with disagreement. When spouses begin to disagree just on the basics, there is nothing God can do with him. They can just go to work to earn.

They return home like robots – conditioned by mundane commitments.

God does not have pre-eminence in their lives. There is no family altar.

This means that they have no time to study the Word of God and pray.

“Celebrations are alright”, they say. “What is there to life even without these?” they might argue.

Many homes today present a picture of a “flickering torch” and “bruised reed.” Life just goes on. There are many couples who are truly gifted. Their children possess brilliant minds. The one thing they are lacking is the unity of mind. Disagreement on trivial things is the cause for division, bitterness and resentment. In most cases, the issues arise on the basis of money and material things. Some issues spring out of ego and of intellectual superiority. Who among us is greater? This question is enough to spark a fight.

Christian Thought Series

5

Vol 10 Issue 2

To cover up this, they dress up well and show up in public events and gatherings! They might share each other a wedding or a birthday gift. Families are just trying to be culturally refined before the watching world. Disagreement is not a bad thing. For example, a statement such as “I disagree to all that is ungodly in my house” is the basis for healthy disagreement. Just because I love my wife does not mean I agree to all her whims and fancies. If both the spouses are supposedly “godly” (I mean, not just a form of godliness), and are able to “discern” what is the good and perfect will of God, much of chaos in our homes can be resolved. The problem is compounded with the so-called ‘godly couple’ when each of them tends to claim their own “revelation” on a particular issue. There may be a husband exercising “superiority” because he earns the bread and possesses veto power on all matters. In a home such as this, the wife turns out to be just a scum. In the case of a wife who married off her husband by way of her wealth and education, “superiority” works in her favour. She tries in every bit to make her husband dance to her tune!

What’s for cooking? She alone would decide! On issues of either freedom or disciplining of children-she alone exercises her rod of power.

Let us look at Joseph and Mary. Consider the ordeals they endured together. Think of their flight to Egypt to save their new born. How desperately they kept searching for an inn, knocking from door-to-door in that cold and wintry night. How much pain Joseph would have endured?

His own dream of marrying Mary had been collapsed. There is no other word of commendation or his sacrifices lauded anywhere in the Bible. In the case of Mary, she was called as Blessed. The Roman Catholic church had gone to the extent of making her a deity and venerating her But Joseph also took God at his face value. In essence, God chose this couple on earth to fulfill His purpose. Both Mary and Joseph submitted to God’s will. They obeyed God despite all the consequences.

What are some of your own consequences of obeying God? Can God turn members of our family to be vessels of honour, this Chrstmas?

Joshua Dhanabalan.

uuuuuu

"A man's worse difficulties begin when he is able to do as he likes."

-Thomas H. Huxley.

Christian Thought Series

6

Vol 10 Issue 2

picture of God’s plan. There was no more uncertainty of any kind. Both were united. They had become man and wife. And they took a major decision. The rest is history. We find that both of them acted with tremendous unity of mind and purpose. Sadly though, something of this sort is missing out from most of the Christian homes. Each one is functioning independent of the other. Yet each one calls himself/herself very spiritual. What purchases the wife makes, the husband is unaware.

Where or with whom the husband spends the evenings, the wife does not know. Therefore, each of them makes convenient plans to suit one another. We said earlier that when a family is united to carry out God’s purposes, miracles would happen. But this is rarely the case in Christian homes. Most homes worry about ”What shall we eat, what shall we wear” kind of matters. During this season, this pang gets all the more aggravated.

Touching upon the issue of the nature of Christian homes today, one thing is evident. No doubt, there is ‘a form of godliness – without the power of God (2 Tim. 3:5). They are those who take all pains to please the world – friends, peers, colleagues etc., They work out their plans, ignoring God’s counsel for their families. Like Lot in the Old Testament, many of our homes are controlled by external impulse than by inner prompting by the Spirit. Our thoughts vary to such a degree that many homes end up in divorce or live under the same roof all through their life with disagreement. When spouses begin to disagree just on the basics, there is nothing God can do with him. They can just go to work to earn.

They return home like robots – conditioned by mundane commitments.

God does not have pre-eminence in their lives. There is no family altar.

This means that they have no time to study the Word of God and pray.

“Celebrations are alright”, they say. “What is there to life even without these?” they might argue.

Many homes today present a picture of a “flickering torch” and “bruised reed.” Life just goes on. There are many couples who are truly gifted. Their children possess brilliant minds. The one thing they are lacking is the unity of mind. Disagreement on trivial things is the cause for division, bitterness and resentment. In most cases, the issues arise on the basis of money and material things. Some issues spring out of ego and of intellectual superiority. Who among us is greater? This question is enough to spark a fight.

Christian Thought Series

5

Vol 10 Issue 2

To cover up this, they dress up well and show up in public events and gatherings! They might share each other a wedding or a birthday gift. Families are just trying to be culturally refined before the watching world. Disagreement is not a bad thing. For example, a statement such as “I disagree to all that is ungodly in my house” is the basis for healthy disagreement. Just because I love my wife does not mean I agree to all her whims and fancies. If both the spouses are supposedly “godly” (I mean, not just a form of godliness), and are able to “discern” what is the good and perfect will of God, much of chaos in our homes can be resolved. The problem is compounded with the so-called ‘godly couple’ when each of them tends to claim their own “revelation” on a particular issue. There may be a husband exercising “superiority” because he earns the bread and possesses veto power on all matters. In a home such as this, the wife turns out to be just a scum. In the case of a wife who married off her husband by way of her wealth and education, “superiority” works in her favour. She tries in every bit to make her husband dance to her tune!

What’s for cooking? She alone would decide! On issues of either freedom or disciplining of children-she alone exercises her rod of power.

Let us look at Joseph and Mary. Consider the ordeals they endured together. Think of their flight to Egypt to save their new born. How desperately they kept searching for an inn, knocking from door-to-door in that cold and wintry night. How much pain Joseph would have endured?

His own dream of marrying Mary had been collapsed. There is no other word of commendation or his sacrifices lauded anywhere in the Bible. In the case of Mary, she was called as Blessed. The Roman Catholic church had gone to the extent of making her a deity and venerating her But Joseph also took God at his face value. In essence, God chose this couple on earth to fulfill His purpose. Both Mary and Joseph submitted to God’s will. They obeyed God despite all the consequences.

What are some of your own consequences of obeying God? Can God turn members of our family to be vessels of honour, this Chrstmas?

Joshua Dhanabalan.

uuuuuu

"A man's worse difficulties begin when he is able to do as he likes."

-Thomas H. Huxley.

Christian Thought Series

6

Vol 10 Issue 2

WHAT’S In A Name

?

(By Rita Dhanabalan)

I

t is an incredible thing to know that from time immemorial, people took utmost care in naming their children. Even before a child was born, parents had begun looking everywhere with a hope of finding the best name which matched their child. The Book of Genesis accounts for the details of the creation, but tells us how God meticulously gave appropriate names to all the creatures.

Are you really happy the way you have been named by your parents?

Some names are hard to pronounce! Christians seem to be too biblical in naming their children. Not many know that even some of those bible names have negative connotation. Those people who disliked their names go through the legal process of changing their names and get it published through an offical gazette. And sadly, those who have become Christians have not effected change in their documents as to their name or religion. They continue to be called as a Hindu in their work place and Christian in a church group. Their old official document has a name – say, Saravanan and the church calls him Samuel! This also has deeper implications in India where people do not want to change name/religion lest they lose the employment privileges provided by the government based on a certain caste or community.

I can recall my school days when my classmate had a name called Gnaneswari, which meant a person with wisdom but unfortunately she was a slow learner and would fail in all the subjects and my teacher would call her Agnaneshwari, meaning a person without knowledge. There are many people whose names do not match up with their character. A girl with a name Sundari may turn out to be an ugly duckling! (Sundari, by the way is beautiful). As we meet people in our day to day walk of life we come across many who have beautiful names but their character do not match with their names.

"There is a difference between "freedom to enjoy" and "the enjoyment of freedom." In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably or succeed more miserably" - George Mc Donald.

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As the season of Christmas ushers in, let us reflect on the names given to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ before he was born.

Isaiah 9:6 reads: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us: authority rests upon his shoulders and he named Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. “ Not a church would miss out reading the above passage during this season!

Wonderful counselor Recently the people of Tamil Nadu were rudely shaken up when they heard about the ghastly murder of a Principal of an engineering college in Tuticorin in October 2013. There was lot of debate which had taken place in many places and in the media to discuss what could have gone wrong with those three young students from the same college who were involved in the murder. Different social forums(fora) expressed their concern and urged the colleges to consider recruiting counselors who will help students with right direction. It is not just one incidence. It has become the order of the day.

What do we read in the news paper every day? We hear of murder, rape, theft, trafficking, drug addiction, alcoholism, betrayal, rejection, divorce and so on. If only the agitated minds of those young students had been provided with good counsel, a precious life could have been saved and a number of such recurrent problems averted in the society.

Often when we are faced with critical situations in life, as an immediate remedy, we are tempted to run to a human counselor. Indeed we do need them but as a followers of Jesus Christ do we go to our Lord Jesus who is our Wonderful Counselor? Dear friend, who is your counselor at this moment? A psychiatrist or a famous preacher? Some Christians even resort to go to a fortune teller. There are Christians who still believe that God’s blessing can be sought by undertaking pilgrimage to certain shrines and through the offering of money or gifts. Many Christians still have a superstitious belief that in some “Christian” centres miraculous powers exist which are able to bring health and healing to its devotees.

Christian Thought Series

8

Vol 10 Issue 2

WHAT’S In A Name

?

(By Rita Dhanabalan)

I

t is an incredible thing to know that from time immemorial, people took utmost care in naming their children. Even before a child was born, parents had begun looking everywhere with a hope of finding the best name which matched their child. The Book of Genesis accounts for the details of the creation, but tells us how God meticulously gave appropriate names to all the creatures.

Are you really happy the way you have been named by your parents?

Some names are hard to pronounce! Christians seem to be too biblical in naming their children. Not many know that even some of those bible names have negative connotation. Those people who disliked their names go through the legal process of changing their names and get it published through an offical gazette. And sadly, those who have become Christians have not effected change in their documents as to their name or religion. They continue to be called as a Hindu in their work place and Christian in a church group. Their old official document has a name – say, Saravanan and the church calls him Samuel! This also has deeper implications in India where people do not want to change name/religion lest they lose the employment privileges provided by the government based on a certain caste or community.

I can recall my school days when my classmate had a name called Gnaneswari, which meant a person with wisdom but unfortunately she was a slow learner and would fail in all the subjects and my teacher would call her Agnaneshwari, meaning a person without knowledge. There are many people whose names do not match up with their character. A girl with a name Sundari may turn out to be an ugly duckling! (Sundari, by the way is beautiful). As we meet people in our day to day walk of life we come across many who have beautiful names but their character do not match with their names.

"There is a difference between "freedom to enjoy" and "the enjoyment of freedom." In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably or succeed more miserably" - George Mc Donald.

Christian Thought Series

7

Vol 10 Issue 2

As the season of Christmas ushers in, let us reflect on the names given to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ before he was born.

Isaiah 9:6 reads: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us: authority rests upon his shoulders and he named Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. “ Not a church would miss out reading the above passage during this season!

Wonderful counselor Recently the people of Tamil Nadu were rudely shaken up when they heard about the ghastly murder of a Principal of an engineering college in Tuticorin in October 2013. There was lot of debate which had taken place in many places and in the media to discuss what could have gone wrong with those three young students from the same college who were involved in the murder. Different social forums(fora) expressed their concern and urged the colleges to consider recruiting counselors who will help students with right direction. It is not just one incidence. It has become the order of the day.

What do we read in the news paper every day? We hear of murder, rape, theft, trafficking, drug addiction, alcoholism, betrayal, rejection, divorce and so on. If only the agitated minds of those young students had been provided with good counsel, a precious life could have been saved and a number of such recurrent problems averted in the society.

Often when we are faced with critical situations in life, as an immediate remedy, we are tempted to run to a human counselor. Indeed we do need them but as a followers of Jesus Christ do we go to our Lord Jesus who is our Wonderful Counselor? Dear friend, who is your counselor at this moment? A psychiatrist or a famous preacher? Some Christians even resort to go to a fortune teller. There are Christians who still believe that God’s blessing can be sought by undertaking pilgrimage to certain shrines and through the offering of money or gifts. Many Christians still have a superstitious belief that in some “Christian” centres miraculous powers exist which are able to bring health and healing to its devotees.

Christian Thought Series

8

Vol 10 Issue 2

God’s Word says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will counsel you with my loving eye on you, says the Lord” ( Ps 32:8). God’s word is our instructor. It is always better to seek God’s counsel through His Word than rushing to find the counsel of an elderly people of God especially when we are at the cross roads and while making major decisions and choices in life. The important decisions may involve finding a suitable job, entering full-time ministry, finding a marriage partner, choosing a career etc., Our God is a wonderful counselor. During this Season, many of us may be going through tough situations of finding God’s guidance on important issues.

May this be a time of blessing when the Lord’s counsel prevail over human guidance. By heeding to His counsel, we could avert chaos, conflicts and catastrophic events.

Mighty God When the news reached king Jehoshaphat that the Moabites and the Ammonites were preparing to wage war against him, he was terribly upset and perplexed (2 Chronicles 20 : 1-30). However, the first thing that he did was to seek the help of the Lord. He called the whole nation for fasting and prayer. A thorough reading of the entire chapter would tell us how wonderfully the Lord saved the nation from their enemies. Our Lord led the Israelites through the desert The Red-sea parted and they walked through dry land. He provided them heavenly manna. He quenched their thirst when water gushed out from the rock. Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. Lazarus came alive from the grave after four days. He turned water into wine. Our God is a mighty God. “The Lord your God is with you and He is mighty to save” (Zephaniah 3:17). Dear reader are you experiencing situations that seem like mountains? What is the point in praying? Things seem just impossible. God is not interested in my problem any more! Is this how you feel? By utter faith, remember that we have a God who is mighty. He is mighty to save you and me provided our lives are submitted to His will.

Pilgrim, through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand: Bread of heaven,

A son or a daughter who reciprocated the love of the father, imagine the sudden passing away of him from your life. It leaves a deep void which seems difficult to be filled with any other thing. If the family was dependent on him financially, then it may be probable that it would go through a sudden crisis and become insecure in the absence of a breadwinner in the family. It is during such times we recognize the significance of our dear one in our lives.

But the truth is that each of us have to leave this world and none of the relationships that we cherish in this world are permanent. The one whom we considered as the tower of strength and support were no longer with us. We can always cherish the good memory of such fathers and praise God for their lives and testimony. As believers, we need to remember that we have a Heavenly Father who will never leave nor forsake us. That is why He is called as the Everlasting Father. How comforting it is to know and experience the Father’s presence at all times. When the disciples wanted Jesus to teach them how to pray, He taught them to begin the prayer by saying - “Our Father in heaven…. (Mathew 6: 9). He is our caring Father who provides all our needs.

"Ignoring the "discipline of delay" and "postponing of pleasures" will result in making us immature and impatient people"

Feed me till I want no more.

-Thomas Hastings 9

Fathers who belong to the contemporary world are generally considered to be very caring, and responsible with regard to the well-being of their children. There are, however, exceptions. Responsible fathers toil all their lives to see that their children receive good education. On Sundays, sparing no pains, they take them to the Sunday school. Besides providing them extracurricular activities, they are very particular that their children enjoy a comfortable life. In most families, both the husband and wife shoulder responsibilities so as to take care of their children.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” (Mathew 7:11). Can we imagine a father who is a drunkard encourage his son to drink like him? That is what Jesus meant when he said“You are evil, but know how to give good gifts to your children”.

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah

Christian Thought Series

Everlasting Father

- Warren W. Wiersbe.

Vol 10 Issue 2

Christian Thought Series

10

Vol 10 Issue 2

God’s Word says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will counsel you with my loving eye on you, says the Lord” ( Ps 32:8). God’s word is our instructor. It is always better to seek God’s counsel through His Word than rushing to find the counsel of an elderly people of God especially when we are at the cross roads and while making major decisions and choices in life. The important decisions may involve finding a suitable job, entering full-time ministry, finding a marriage partner, choosing a career etc., Our God is a wonderful counselor. During this Season, many of us may be going through tough situations of finding God’s guidance on important issues.

May this be a time of blessing when the Lord’s counsel prevail over human guidance. By heeding to His counsel, we could avert chaos, conflicts and catastrophic events.

Mighty God When the news reached king Jehoshaphat that the Moabites and the Ammonites were preparing to wage war against him, he was terribly upset and perplexed (2 Chronicles 20 : 1-30). However, the first thing that he did was to seek the help of the Lord. He called the whole nation for fasting and prayer. A thorough reading of the entire chapter would tell us how wonderfully the Lord saved the nation from their enemies. Our Lord led the Israelites through the desert The Red-sea parted and they walked through dry land. He provided them heavenly manna. He quenched their thirst when water gushed out from the rock. Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. Lazarus came alive from the grave after four days. He turned water into wine. Our God is a mighty God. “The Lord your God is with you and He is mighty to save” (Zephaniah 3:17). Dear reader are you experiencing situations that seem like mountains? What is the point in praying? Things seem just impossible. God is not interested in my problem any more! Is this how you feel? By utter faith, remember that we have a God who is mighty. He is mighty to save you and me provided our lives are submitted to His will.

Pilgrim, through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand: Bread of heaven,

A son or a daughter who reciprocated the love of the father, imagine the sudden passing away of him from your life. It leaves a deep void which seems difficult to be filled with any other thing. If the family was dependent on him financially, then it may be probable that it would go through a sudden crisis and become insecure in the absence of a breadwinner in the family. It is during such times we recognize the significance of our dear one in our lives.

But the truth is that each of us have to leave this world and none of the relationships that we cherish in this world are permanent. The one whom we considered as the tower of strength and support were no longer with us. We can always cherish the good memory of such fathers and praise God for their lives and testimony. As believers, we need to remember that we have a Heavenly Father who will never leave nor forsake us. That is why He is called as the Everlasting Father. How comforting it is to know and experience the Father’s presence at all times. When the disciples wanted Jesus to teach them how to pray, He taught them to begin the prayer by saying - “Our Father in heaven…. (Mathew 6: 9). He is our caring Father who provides all our needs.

"Ignoring the "discipline of delay" and "postponing of pleasures" will result in making us immature and impatient people"

Feed me till I want no more.

-Thomas Hastings 9

Fathers who belong to the contemporary world are generally considered to be very caring, and responsible with regard to the well-being of their children. There are, however, exceptions. Responsible fathers toil all their lives to see that their children receive good education. On Sundays, sparing no pains, they take them to the Sunday school. Besides providing them extracurricular activities, they are very particular that their children enjoy a comfortable life. In most families, both the husband and wife shoulder responsibilities so as to take care of their children.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” (Mathew 7:11). Can we imagine a father who is a drunkard encourage his son to drink like him? That is what Jesus meant when he said“You are evil, but know how to give good gifts to your children”.

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah

Christian Thought Series

Everlasting Father

- Warren W. Wiersbe.

Vol 10 Issue 2

Christian Thought Series

10

Vol 10 Issue 2

In John 14 : 5-8 we read about Thomas saying to Jesus “ Lord we do not know where you are going? How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you know my Father also. Philip said: “Lord show us the Father” Jesus said to him: “ Have I been with you all this time, and you still do not know me? Who ever has seen me has seen the Father.

Believe me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (V10). Jesus is the way to the Father. How many of us experience intimacy with our Heavenly Father who is waiting every morning to talk to us and have fellowship with us?

Aren’t we privileged to call our God as Father? It is an abomination for a Muslim to call God as a father. Bilquis Sheikh, a wealthy Pakistani muslim lady in her book “I dared to call him Father” writes that it is her understanding of the Fatherhood of God in the Bible which led her to Christ.

** What do the names of Jesus mean to you this Christmas? Are they mere names without any meaning? ** Is He the Wonderful counselor to whom we always go with all our problems? ** Do we have the faith to believe that God the Almighty is able to save us from every situation? ** Is God our Eternal Father – with whom we relate and enjoy communion at all times? ** Amidst turbulence and storm, is Christ the giver of peace?

We shall do well during this Season if we ponder over these great truths.

(Rita Dhanabalan can be contacted at: rita.dhanabalan@gmail.com)

Prince of Peace

hhhhhh

Peace is not the absence of problems, or oneself being in a quiet surroundings. People of almost all religions have developed a wrong notion that by going to pilgrimages or by doing good works and by offering sacrifices or through yoga one will obtain peace. Nowadays, even Christians in thousands are part of the organized tour to the Holy Land. They visit Jordan and Israel.

Many of them take a holy “dip” in the river Jordan and think their sins are cleansed by this act! Not many of them know the real Prince of Peace!

Peace for a Christian is something unique. Peace is serenity – and a state of being sober and self controlled even when one is going through painful situations. It is not that we are care free but we are confident that the Lord is with us and He will take us through. King David said “Even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me” Psalm 23:4. David could experience God’s presence in times of trouble.

How many times do we question God when we are faced with trials? We ask: “Where is God?” “Why is He silent?”, Why doesn’t He care?” There is no inner peace in us at such times. The Bible says “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7. The disciples were travelling in a boat with Jesus when they were caught up in the storm. But Jesus was fast asleep. The disciples were greatly distressed and began to cry “Lord don’t you care we are dying?”

Jesus immediately calmed the storm. (Mark 4:35- 41). Many a times we would have reacted in the same way as the disciples did. But let us remember that we can get the inner peace only through our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Prince of Peace. In Isaiah 26:3 we read “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee”.

Christian Thought Series

11

Vol 10 Issue 2

Dr. Marin Lloyd Jones gave up a lucrative and prestigious medical practice to preach the gospel. Here is his story: "People said to me, "Why give up good work, a good profession- after all, the medical profession, why give that up? If you had been a bookie, for instance, and wanted to give that up to preach the gospel, we should understand and agree with you and say that you were doing a grand thing. But medicine a good profession, healing the sick and relieving pain!"

One man even said this, "If you were a solicitor and gave it up, I'd give you a pat on the back, but to give up medicine!" "Ah well," I felt like saying them, "If you knew more about the work of a doctor, you would understand.

We spend most of our time rendering people fit to go back to their sin!" I saw men on their sick beds, I spoke to them of their immortal souls, they promised grand things. Then they got better and back they went to their old sin! I saw I was helping these men to sin and I decided I would do no more of it. I want to heal souls. If a man has a diseased body and his soul is alright, he is all right to the end; but a man with a healthy body and diseased soul is all right for sixty years or so and then he has to face an eternity of hell. Ah yes! We have sometimes to give up those things which are good for that which is best of all the joy of salvation and newness of life."

Another doctor said he laid down his scalpel to concentrate full-time on the instrument that is far more accurate, reliable, and sharper than the latest laser knife, the Word of God. - William MacDonald.

Christian Thought Series

12

Vol 10 Issue 2

In John 14 : 5-8 we read about Thomas saying to Jesus “ Lord we do not know where you are going? How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you know my Father also. Philip said: “Lord show us the Father” Jesus said to him: “ Have I been with you all this time, and you still do not know me? Who ever has seen me has seen the Father.

Believe me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (V10). Jesus is the way to the Father. How many of us experience intimacy with our Heavenly Father who is waiting every morning to talk to us and have fellowship with us?

Aren’t we privileged to call our God as Father? It is an abomination for a Muslim to call God as a father. Bilquis Sheikh, a wealthy Pakistani muslim lady in her book “I dared to call him Father” writes that it is her understanding of the Fatherhood of God in the Bible which led her to Christ.

** What do the names of Jesus mean to you this Christmas? Are they mere names without any meaning? ** Is He the Wonderful counselor to whom we always go with all our problems? ** Do we have the faith to believe that God the Almighty is able to save us from every situation? ** Is God our Eternal Father – with whom we relate and enjoy communion at all times? ** Amidst turbulence and storm, is Christ the giver of peace?

We shall do well during this Season if we ponder over these great truths.

(Rita Dhanabalan can be contacted at: rita.dhanabalan@gmail.com)

Prince of Peace

hhhhhh

Peace is not the absence of problems, or oneself being in a quiet surroundings. People of almost all religions have developed a wrong notion that by going to pilgrimages or by doing good works and by offering sacrifices or through yoga one will obtain peace. Nowadays, even Christians in thousands are part of the organized tour to the Holy Land. They visit Jordan and Israel.

Many of them take a holy “dip” in the river Jordan and think their sins are cleansed by this act! Not many of them know the real Prince of Peace!

Peace for a Christian is something unique. Peace is serenity – and a state of being sober and self controlled even when one is going through painful situations. It is not that we are care free but we are confident that the Lord is with us and He will take us through. King David said “Even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me” Psalm 23:4. David could experience God’s presence in times of trouble.

How many times do we question God when we are faced with trials? We ask: “Where is God?” “Why is He silent?”, Why doesn’t He care?” There is no inner peace in us at such times. The Bible says “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7. The disciples were travelling in a boat with Jesus when they were caught up in the storm. But Jesus was fast asleep. The disciples were greatly distressed and began to cry “Lord don’t you care we are dying?”

Jesus immediately calmed the storm. (Mark 4:35- 41). Many a times we would have reacted in the same way as the disciples did. But let us remember that we can get the inner peace only through our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Prince of Peace. In Isaiah 26:3 we read “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee”.

Christian Thought Series

11

Vol 10 Issue 2

Dr. Marin Lloyd Jones gave up a lucrative and prestigious medical practice to preach the gospel. Here is his story: "People said to me, "Why give up good work, a good profession- after all, the medical profession, why give that up? If you had been a bookie, for instance, and wanted to give that up to preach the gospel, we should understand and agree with you and say that you were doing a grand thing. But medicine a good profession, healing the sick and relieving pain!"

One man even said this, "If you were a solicitor and gave it up, I'd give you a pat on the back, but to give up medicine!" "Ah well," I felt like saying them, "If you knew more about the work of a doctor, you would understand.

We spend most of our time rendering people fit to go back to their sin!" I saw men on their sick beds, I spoke to them of their immortal souls, they promised grand things. Then they got better and back they went to their old sin! I saw I was helping these men to sin and I decided I would do no more of it. I want to heal souls. If a man has a diseased body and his soul is alright, he is all right to the end; but a man with a healthy body and diseased soul is all right for sixty years or so and then he has to face an eternity of hell. Ah yes! We have sometimes to give up those things which are good for that which is best of all the joy of salvation and newness of life."

Another doctor said he laid down his scalpel to concentrate full-time on the instrument that is far more accurate, reliable, and sharper than the latest laser knife, the Word of God. - William MacDonald.

Christian Thought Series

12

Vol 10 Issue 2

P

rinciple or erson

C

hristians, as never before have developed a vague mental picture about the Person of Christ. In the case of real life’s situation, we make sure about the kind of person with whom we would like to relate. We check out for his or her credentials and study carefully the antecedents. It somehow appears that Christians have given Christ a decent burial – only to remove their thoughts away from Him. The more one hides his thoughts, all the more the Real Christ confronts them.

David says this in effect: Where can I go from your Spirit (presence)? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if Imake my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast (Ps. 139:8-10).

Have we ever thought of this? How can the real Christ be pushed behind?

Can He occupy some corner of our mind and be quiet there? Try this! Be silent and stop thinking about Christ. If you are successful, then we can do away with Christ.

Do we recognize that He comes in to our lives as an intruder- interrupting us, sometimes invalidating us! The more you and I rebel against his gentle chiding, he keeps at it patiently. But there are times when his whip of discipline comes to us. We lie in our bed for days and months. There Christ confronts us – and our pride and arrogance is broken instantly. Someof us run on a fast track. All is well – so we think. Our finances are stable. We enjoy perfect health to move around. There is love and care available plentiful at our disposal. Positional comfort affords us a status quo in the society, Church or in the ministry. It is when a believer is subtly sunk into a state of selfsufficiency. Such people are those who do not need Christ. It is to them the Person of Christ becomes a Principle.

Isn’t it a fact that a lot many of our friends who began well their walk with Christ are no longer in step with Jesus Christ? They are marching to a different drummer. May be, the world order is directing them. It is not hard to find such people in our churches. CEO’s, eminent surgeons, famous scientists, successful businessmen may form the list. Forgive me, I had safely omitted a long list of Bishops, clergymen, pastors and organization heads who call themselves Christians. They may sing hymns that may sound highly Christian Thought Series

13

Vol 10 Issue 2

philosophical. Their prayers may be words of tribute to a dead Christ. They might even part take at the communion. It may just be a symbol of comradeship. The offering they provide to the church may only be considered as a noble act of charity. Swineburn’s Tedium: “Glory to man in the highest” echoes their life-style. Such people tend to follow Christ outwardly. They do not reject him completely. They make a Principle out of the person of Christ.

Someone said: “They come to worship Christ with crowns on their head.

They bend before him, all the while conscious about their crowns that sit on their hand. Each one’s hand reaches out to the crown, sets it again in order, lest it slips and fall down to their utter shame!”

I am not talking about a church where simple people come together with earnest heart. I am humbled by the fact that often in my ministry, the Lord had taken me through people and churches that were diametrically opposite to each other in every respect – be it socio- economic or spiritual.

Sometimes, on a Sunday morning I stood before a congregation ministering the Word. They are the ones very simple and even poor in the sight of the world. But they were those who were deeply hungry and thirsty- wanting God’s Word to fill them. All around them, I found no basic support system or comforts. The same evening I stood to minister before a congregation who by their very looks show that they are smarter and wiser than God or His Word.

The Bible talks about“looks that are haughty. (Prov.6:16).” In some Churches, the key member of the council, by the powers vested on him and by virtue of him/her being democratically elected to the Church council sees to it particularly that each and every worship service, he /she is seen by the congregation as he ventures to the front line in order to make a quick speech or shares a word of greeting. If the pastor is not a spiritually dynamic person, he is quickly taken for granted.

If the Person of Jesus Christ is removed from our worship, Church or assemblies, then we worship an ideal, a principle or a dogma. Some worship a virtue called self-disciple. Discipline is good. But it can never be venerated.

In the so called ‘high’ churches of Christian denomination, carrying the cross through the choir procession at the beginning of worship is intended to be a deep symbolic act of being a disciple willing to be able to carry the cross and at the same time honouring and remembering our Lord Jesus Christ and His great work on the cross. I do not think that we neither think symbolically nor spiritually as years had gone by. We carry the cross in the church service, ever since it had become a mere principle to be followed in religion, let alone a practice.

Christian Thought Series

14

Vol 10 Issue 2

P

rinciple or erson

C

hristians, as never before have developed a vague mental picture about the Person of Christ. In the case of real life’s situation, we make sure about the kind of person with whom we would like to relate. We check out for his or her credentials and study carefully the antecedents. It somehow appears that Christians have given Christ a decent burial – only to remove their thoughts away from Him. The more one hides his thoughts, all the more the Real Christ confronts them.

David says this in effect: Where can I go from your Spirit (presence)? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if Imake my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast (Ps. 139:8-10).

Have we ever thought of this? How can the real Christ be pushed behind?

Can He occupy some corner of our mind and be quiet there? Try this! Be silent and stop thinking about Christ. If you are successful, then we can do away with Christ.

Do we recognize that He comes in to our lives as an intruder- interrupting us, sometimes invalidating us! The more you and I rebel against his gentle chiding, he keeps at it patiently. But there are times when his whip of discipline comes to us. We lie in our bed for days and months. There Christ confronts us – and our pride and arrogance is broken instantly. Someof us run on a fast track. All is well – so we think. Our finances are stable. We enjoy perfect health to move around. There is love and care available plentiful at our disposal. Positional comfort affords us a status quo in the society, Church or in the ministry. It is when a believer is subtly sunk into a state of selfsufficiency. Such people are those who do not need Christ. It is to them the Person of Christ becomes a Principle.

Isn’t it a fact that a lot many of our friends who began well their walk with Christ are no longer in step with Jesus Christ? They are marching to a different drummer. May be, the world order is directing them. It is not hard to find such people in our churches. CEO’s, eminent surgeons, famous scientists, successful businessmen may form the list. Forgive me, I had safely omitted a long list of Bishops, clergymen, pastors and organization heads who call themselves Christians. They may sing hymns that may sound highly Christian Thought Series

13

Vol 10 Issue 2

philosophical. Their prayers may be words of tribute to a dead Christ. They might even part take at the communion. It may just be a symbol of comradeship. The offering they provide to the church may only be considered as a noble act of charity. Swineburn’s Tedium: “Glory to man in the highest” echoes their life-style. Such people tend to follow Christ outwardly. They do not reject him completely. They make a Principle out of the person of Christ.

Someone said: “They come to worship Christ with crowns on their head.

They bend before him, all the while conscious about their crowns that sit on their hand. Each one’s hand reaches out to the crown, sets it again in order, lest it slips and fall down to their utter shame!”

I am not talking about a church where simple people come together with earnest heart. I am humbled by the fact that often in my ministry, the Lord had taken me through people and churches that were diametrically opposite to each other in every respect – be it socio- economic or spiritual.

Sometimes, on a Sunday morning I stood before a congregation ministering the Word. They are the ones very simple and even poor in the sight of the world. But they were those who were deeply hungry and thirsty- wanting God’s Word to fill them. All around them, I found no basic support system or comforts. The same evening I stood to minister before a congregation who by their very looks show that they are smarter and wiser than God or His Word.

The Bible talks about“looks that are haughty. (Prov.6:16).” In some Churches, the key member of the council, by the powers vested on him and by virtue of him/her being democratically elected to the Church council sees to it particularly that each and every worship service, he /she is seen by the congregation as he ventures to the front line in order to make a quick speech or shares a word of greeting. If the pastor is not a spiritually dynamic person, he is quickly taken for granted.

If the Person of Jesus Christ is removed from our worship, Church or assemblies, then we worship an ideal, a principle or a dogma. Some worship a virtue called self-disciple. Discipline is good. But it can never be venerated.

In the so called ‘high’ churches of Christian denomination, carrying the cross through the choir procession at the beginning of worship is intended to be a deep symbolic act of being a disciple willing to be able to carry the cross and at the same time honouring and remembering our Lord Jesus Christ and His great work on the cross. I do not think that we neither think symbolically nor spiritually as years had gone by. We carry the cross in the church service, ever since it had become a mere principle to be followed in religion, let alone a practice.

Christian Thought Series

14

Vol 10 Issue 2

“ “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” is the church’s national anthem and the cross is her official flag, but the week-by week services of the church and the day-by-day conduct of her members, someone else, not Christ, makes the decisions. Those in authority decide the moral standards of the church.

Today, in some churches the pastor has more authority than Jesus Christ has.

Not only so, His influence is becoming less and less. The Lordship of Jesus is not quite forgotten among Christians, but it has been relegated to the hymnal where all responsibility toward it may be comfortably discharged in a glow pleasant religious emotion.”

- A.W. Tozer.

Reading through the passage in the Book of Acts 11:21, it says: “The hand of the Lord was with the church in Antioch, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.” Verse 23 says: When Barnabas was sent by the Jerusalem council to Antioch to ascertain the work of God in the midst of believers in Antioch, “he saw the grace of God” How different it is from many of today’s Churches! Most of us work by principles of a religion or a denomination than guided by the hand of the Lord.

God’s grace is not evident in most of our churches today. We tend to enforce or impose something from without when something within is absent. Where is the authority of Christ in our churches today? Enforcementof a principle comes either from the authority of the Bishop or a Council.

We must humbly accept and confess the fact that Jesus Christ has no authority at all today among most of the Churches and groups that call themselves by His name.

“We must consider the effects and consequences of venerating a mere principle than worshipping Christ. It may be that we may give up on some sins and habits but still fail to live as Christians. For the giving up of sins is not an end in itself; it is in order to get in saving touch with Christ. The WAY of Christ is not negative. We are not Christians just because we don’t do this or that.

We are Christians when life is centred in Christ and not ourselves. We may change, but change toward the wrong direction. Judas changed – he went to the high priest, threw down the money, and said, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.” Don’t we see that he repented in the wrong direction? Had he gone to Jesus, thrown down the money, and said, “I have sinned,” we would seen the most remarkable reconciliation and restoration in history. Some turn toward their sins and mourn in useless regret. No release comes from that.”

- Stanley Jones.

Again, we may connect with an institution and fail to get through to Christ. The church itself is a wonderful place of worship- an institution where Christian Thought Series

15

Vol 10 Issue 2

we cultivate spiritual maturity. But we must move beyond Church and connect ourselves withChrist. There is a difference between the Church and the Kingdom of God. The Church is not the Kingdom, but part of the Kingdom.

Many of us stop with our Churches and our denominations. We think of them as end in themselves. The Church in fact,leads us to the Kingdom of God where Christ is our King.

“We may stop at Principles and miss the Person. We may well say: “We live by Christian principles,” and yet may not get into a warm, living fellowship with Him. In such cases, our lives will turn out to be a tense striving to live principles instead of a trustful fellowship with a Person, living in relaxed spontaneity.

Mahatma Gandhi took the principles of Christianity, but missed the Person- Christ. Hence he sees “through a glass, darkly” Go beyond your sins, beyond the institution, beyond the principles to the Person. Then religion will be to you a long falling in love.”(Dr. Stanley Jones).

The Lord must protect us from stumbling and falling into such a folly.

Why it that many devout Christians, seriously disciplined are not living lives that are vibrant and victorious? They do not indulge in sinful pleasures. Their moral and ethical standards are commendable. Somewhere they have made the mistake of following rules and rituals,principles and practices as the way to salvation. Christ is The Way and not observances. They may be good as long as they direct us to Christ.

During this Season of Christmas let us turn our gaze from the Crib or a cradle. It is not even the manger or the enacted scene of Nativity. Jesus is not just a Babe of Bethlehem. He is Christ the King. We are called to bow and worship before Him during this Christmas.

J.D. Christian Thought Series

16

Life thrives like a tree in generosity, but grasping greed is death to men (Prov.11:24). If we do not take God into partnership with our material life, then a curse will rest upon our riches. But what he won he cannot keep, the harvest of his gain he cannot reap (Job 15:29). An oilman said to a missionary in Malaysia. During the war, when the Japanese army moved in and a quick evacuation made both the missionary and the oilman move out."My life work has gone into oil well, which I had to blow up; your life has gone into people, in their character and development. My life work has gone; yours will remain. I've failed; you've succeeded" The only permanent investment is an investment in people.

Vol 10 Issue 2

“ “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” is the church’s national anthem and the cross is her official flag, but the week-by week services of the church and the day-by-day conduct of her members, someone else, not Christ, makes the decisions. Those in authority decide the moral standards of the church.

Today, in some churches the pastor has more authority than Jesus Christ has.

Not only so, His influence is becoming less and less. The Lordship of Jesus is not quite forgotten among Christians, but it has been relegated to the hymnal where all responsibility toward it may be comfortably discharged in a glow pleasant religious emotion.”

- A.W. Tozer.

Reading through the passage in the Book of Acts 11:21, it says: “The hand of the Lord was with the church in Antioch, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.” Verse 23 says: When Barnabas was sent by the Jerusalem council to Antioch to ascertain the work of God in the midst of believers in Antioch, “he saw the grace of God” How different it is from many of today’s Churches! Most of us work by principles of a religion or a denomination than guided by the hand of the Lord.

God’s grace is not evident in most of our churches today. We tend to enforce or impose something from without when something within is absent. Where is the authority of Christ in our churches today? Enforcementof a principle comes either from the authority of the Bishop or a Council.

We must humbly accept and confess the fact that Jesus Christ has no authority at all today among most of the Churches and groups that call themselves by His name.

“We must consider the effects and consequences of venerating a mere principle than worshipping Christ. It may be that we may give up on some sins and habits but still fail to live as Christians. For the giving up of sins is not an end in itself; it is in order to get in saving touch with Christ. The WAY of Christ is not negative. We are not Christians just because we don’t do this or that.

We are Christians when life is centred in Christ and not ourselves. We may change, but change toward the wrong direction. Judas changed – he went to the high priest, threw down the money, and said, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.” Don’t we see that he repented in the wrong direction? Had he gone to Jesus, thrown down the money, and said, “I have sinned,” we would seen the most remarkable reconciliation and restoration in history. Some turn toward their sins and mourn in useless regret. No release comes from that.”

- Stanley Jones.

Again, we may connect with an institution and fail to get through to Christ. The church itself is a wonderful place of worship- an institution where Christian Thought Series

15

Vol 10 Issue 2

we cultivate spiritual maturity. But we must move beyond Church and connect ourselves withChrist. There is a difference between the Church and the Kingdom of God. The Church is not the Kingdom, but part of the Kingdom.

Many of us stop with our Churches and our denominations. We think of them as end in themselves. The Church in fact,leads us to the Kingdom of God where Christ is our King.

“We may stop at Principles and miss the Person. We may well say: “We live by Christian principles,” and yet may not get into a warm, living fellowship with Him. In such cases, our lives will turn out to be a tense striving to live principles instead of a trustful fellowship with a Person, living in relaxed spontaneity.

Mahatma Gandhi took the principles of Christianity, but missed the Person- Christ. Hence he sees “through a glass, darkly” Go beyond your sins, beyond the institution, beyond the principles to the Person. Then religion will be to you a long falling in love.”(Dr. Stanley Jones).

The Lord must protect us from stumbling and falling into such a folly.

Why it that many devout Christians, seriously disciplined are not living lives that are vibrant and victorious? They do not indulge in sinful pleasures. Their moral and ethical standards are commendable. Somewhere they have made the mistake of following rules and rituals,principles and practices as the way to salvation. Christ is The Way and not observances. They may be good as long as they direct us to Christ.

During this Season of Christmas let us turn our gaze from the Crib or a cradle. It is not even the manger or the enacted scene of Nativity. Jesus is not just a Babe of Bethlehem. He is Christ the King. We are called to bow and worship before Him during this Christmas.

J.D. Christian Thought Series

16

Life thrives like a tree in generosity, but grasping greed is death to men (Prov.11:24). If we do not take God into partnership with our material life, then a curse will rest upon our riches. But what he won he cannot keep, the harvest of his gain he cannot reap (Job 15:29). An oilman said to a missionary in Malaysia. During the war, when the Japanese army moved in and a quick evacuation made both the missionary and the oilman move out."My life work has gone into oil well, which I had to blow up; your life has gone into people, in their character and development. My life work has gone; yours will remain. I've failed; you've succeeded" The only permanent investment is an investment in people.

Vol 10 Issue 2

POINTS FOR PRAISE & PRAYER

•

That we may express our love and concern to the poor and the needy during this Christmas.

We are grateful to God for the blessings received in the following places of ministry.

• CSI St. John’s Church, Egmore, Chennai • CSI St. Thomas Church, San Thome, Chennai • Wesley Churches – Broadway & Egmore.

• Pastor’s Training at Mahabalipuram through ‘PISGAH’ • Bible Teaching ministries extended to many through person and on-line in and through the country.

• The publication of Tamil gospel tracts – received by many with enthusiasm.

• Requests from individuals, small-groups and book-shops are pouring in for more gospel literature.

• A few HIV-AIDS patients are provided with regular care and compassion.

• A young single mother –(HIV -positive), provided with a small dwelling place as her hutment collapsed.

• Tamil Bible-study materials through DVDs are being profitably used by small groups and individual believers.

• Many new readers have shown interest in Christian Thought Series in recent times.

•

God’s grace and anointing, travel mercies for my ministry in Malawi during the early part of December.

•

Please remember Dr. Thelma Majela whose vision and initiative resulted in the ministry called “Ministers of Reconciliation International” in Malawi.

Please Pray : As the ministry extends, we need committed volunteers to share the burden and blessings.

• Computer-related work, distribution/display of literature in the meetings, share the work to like-minded people are some of the responsibilities of the volunteers . They will have time to study together the word of God and visit different fields of the ministry.

• Need for God’s cleansing and renewal in the churches.

• That each believer exhibits the character of Christ in the society.

• There is a decline of moral values among Christians – we need to pray for the restoration of moral uprightness.

• The concern of world-wide terrorism and attack on Christians – The WestEnd Mall in Nairobi and the Anglican Church bomb-blast in Peshawar in Pakistan in recent times.

• Attack on Christians is mounting in some parts of South India. Tumkur and Belgaum in Karnataka where Christians and pastors are being persecuted. The state of Karnataka is being dubbed as the “graveyard of missionaries!”

Christian Thought Series

17

Vol 10 Issue 2

DO YOU SUFFER FROM FAULTY SPIRITUAL REBIRTH?

A

s long as a man or woman remains "half-converted" either a bit here intellectually or a bit there emotionally, there would remain a "dark-domain" in the life of such a Christian which will go unchecked or unchallenged. This force remains dormant - but lurks deep within. The molten rock or the lava keeps churning inside, ready to burst forth when there would occur an eruption. None can ever rule out sudden eruptions in a Christian, even if it is a regenerated soul. This made the great apostle to cry out: "What a wretched man that I am! Who can deliver me from this body of death!" It is just a reminder that a believer cannot go easy with his/her Christian life. The whole process of conversion, if not rightly understood and applied in the scriptural sense - can terribly go wrong and result In "Birth Defects." They will be those who will always be learning, but not yet settled in their faith life. There is always some want or an unmet need in their lives. It may be that they do not experience the rule of God in their lives. They are, by name, called as Christians. They are even said to be "converted" from another faith. It largely depends on who and how the gospel is shared to the seeker. Even when the gospel is shared rightly, it largely depends on how the listener had made the decision - both intelligently and emotionally.

To those who are said to be "born-again", two very important things must be said in this effect. 1) Have they developed a healthy hunger pang soon after conversion (I Pet.2:2)? What would you call a supposedly "newly convert" who does not feel any spiritual hunger and thirst for God and His Word? 2)The Verbal Witness of what or who they believe in is found in 1 Pet. 3:15 and in Col.4:5. There will be a deep urge whenever they utter what the Lord had done for them - whatever one might call it - a personal testimony or the sharing of the gospel and its effect. The outcome of this is joy unspeakable!

One can be easily checked with these spiritual parameters - as to the question of where they stand in their faith life.

Following Christ is a combination of tough challenges to faith, hardships and exciting experiences. If anyone says that following Christ is easy, such a person has never attempted to follow Christ.

J.D. Christian Thought Series

18

Vol 10 Issue 2

POINTS FOR PRAISE & PRAYER

•

That we may express our love and concern to the poor and the needy during this Christmas.

We are grateful to God for the blessings received in the following places of ministry.

• CSI St. John’s Church, Egmore, Chennai • CSI St. Thomas Church, San Thome, Chennai • Wesley Churches – Broadway & Egmore.

• Pastor’s Training at Mahabalipuram through ‘PISGAH’ • Bible Teaching ministries extended to many through person and on-line in and through the country.

• The publication of Tamil gospel tracts – received by many with enthusiasm.

• Requests from individuals, small-groups and book-shops are pouring in for more gospel literature.

• A few HIV-AIDS patients are provided with regular care and compassion.

• A young single mother –(HIV -positive), provided with a small dwelling place as her hutment collapsed.

• Tamil Bible-study materials through DVDs are being profitably used by small groups and individual believers.

• Many new readers have shown interest in Christian Thought Series in recent times.

•

God’s grace and anointing, travel mercies for my ministry in Malawi during the early part of December.

•

Please remember Dr. Thelma Majela whose vision and initiative resulted in the ministry called “Ministers of Reconciliation International” in Malawi.

Please Pray : As the ministry extends, we need committed volunteers to share the burden and blessings.

• Computer-related work, distribution/display of literature in the meetings, share the work to like-minded people are some of the responsibilities of the volunteers . They will have time to study together the word of God and visit different fields of the ministry.

• Need for God’s cleansing and renewal in the churches.

• That each believer exhibits the character of Christ in the society.

• There is a decline of moral values among Christians – we need to pray for the restoration of moral uprightness.

• The concern of world-wide terrorism and attack on Christians – The WestEnd Mall in Nairobi and the Anglican Church bomb-blast in Peshawar in Pakistan in recent times.

• Attack on Christians is mounting in some parts of South India. Tumkur and Belgaum in Karnataka where Christians and pastors are being persecuted. The state of Karnataka is being dubbed as the “graveyard of missionaries!”

Christian Thought Series

17

Vol 10 Issue 2

DO YOU SUFFER FROM FAULTY SPIRITUAL REBIRTH?

A

s long as a man or woman remains "half-converted" either a bit here intellectually or a bit there emotionally, there would remain a "dark-domain" in the life of such a Christian which will go unchecked or unchallenged. This force remains dormant - but lurks deep within. The molten rock or the lava keeps churning inside, ready to burst forth when there would occur an eruption. None can ever rule out sudden eruptions in a Christian, even if it is a regenerated soul. This made the great apostle to cry out: "What a wretched man that I am! Who can deliver me from this body of death!" It is just a reminder that a believer cannot go easy with his/her Christian life. The whole process of conversion, if not rightly understood and applied in the scriptural sense - can terribly go wrong and result In "Birth Defects." They will be those who will always be learning, but not yet settled in their faith life. There is always some want or an unmet need in their lives. It may be that they do not experience the rule of God in their lives. They are, by name, called as Christians. They are even said to be "converted" from another faith. It largely depends on who and how the gospel is shared to the seeker. Even when the gospel is shared rightly, it largely depends on how the listener had made the decision - both intelligently and emotionally.

To those who are said to be "born-again", two very important things must be said in this effect. 1) Have they developed a healthy hunger pang soon after conversion (I Pet.2:2)? What would you call a supposedly "newly convert" who does not feel any spiritual hunger and thirst for God and His Word? 2)The Verbal Witness of what or who they believe in is found in 1 Pet. 3:15 and in Col.4:5. There will be a deep urge whenever they utter what the Lord had done for them - whatever one might call it - a personal testimony or the sharing of the gospel and its effect. The outcome of this is joy unspeakable!

One can be easily checked with these spiritual parameters - as to the question of where they stand in their faith life.

Following Christ is a combination of tough challenges to faith, hardships and exciting experiences. If anyone says that following Christ is easy, such a person has never attempted to follow Christ.

J.D. Christian Thought Series

18

Vol 10 Issue 2

AGENDA FOR

CHRISTMAS uman beings are destined not for the dust but for eternity.

Physical beings though we are, we still have the breath of God in us. To explain it further, we are spiritual in the sense that we are made in the image of God. This is the reason why we must be wise enough to use rightly our senses that other wise tend to control us. A spiritual person is one who has learnt the art of governing his own physical impulses. As physical beings we cannot ignore our senses. But it is our renewed spiritual state that endows us with sensibility.

H

Sense And Sensibility: Isn’t it true that we are controlled to a great extent by our passions? More so, we are driven or activated by stimulants.

Think of a cup of coffee with a good aroma consumed early as the day breaks forth! A time comes when we cannot go without a cup of coffee. Those many of us who often travel outside know how true this is. When we are travelling to new places and our regular dose of coffee with the caffeine does not go into the blood stream to reach our CNS at the appointed time, we feel mad!

Let’s imagine how we would feel or react if we were deprived of this aroma and the hot coffee for days? The result can be horrifying. There are countless other stimulants that govern and control us. Moods control us. Psychologists explain what mood swings are all about. A person has his/her low swing in the morning. But the same person becomes hyper-active in the evening. There are drugs administered by doctors to correct mood variations. In a sense, they act as stimulants too. To study closely how a person acts or reacts, one has to monitor the quantity of external stimuli. For example, a person cannot be happy unless he/she is in the company of friends. Therefore, we have parties on some pretext. Christmas celebration is no different. I am afraid, the word I use here may offend some of us. Is it that “kick” we get out of our Christmas parties create an urge to seek more of such occasions to stimulate us? We must be aware that stimulants die down quickly. Therefore, we need to develop nutrients that last longer than the stimulants.

Do’s & Don’t For Christmas: Let us avoid excessive stimulant in-take.

We should check those substances that increase our dependency. Money, material goods, friends, cakes, puddings, spending and sending greeting cards, throwing extravagant parties, swiping credit cards, buying expensive jewelry and clothes are in a sense, very strong external stimulants. Their effects, though, are not long lasting. At the most, if runs for a few days. We long for such stimuli to stir us up – therefore find ways to indulge in them. If not Christmas, we have birthday-bashes, wedding anniversaries and every slightest cause to show that we must have some celebration.

Well, one might be quick to ask: “What is wrong with them, any way?”

There is nothing wrong at all as long as they do not make us utterly dependable. Having a good food is not an evil thing. But money spent on lavish parties can be a snare. Most of all, time spent on all those (mostly unproductive)can become ungodly activities particularly during the season of Christmas.

What Can be Done? More thought and gratitude must be blended into all our actions. For example, the mind of Christ which Paul talks about in Philippians 2:5 must show forth Christ’s example of humility and self-sacrifice.

Think Of Others: The following are a few thoughts which might help us doing what is worthwhile during Christmas.

•

Mothers with children – uncared for – they may have lost their loved ones -say, father or husband.

•

Elderly people left alone by children – ailing and weak.

•

Someone whom you know, staying away from their homes with no one to attend on them.

•

People who have been hospitalized and requiring help.

•

A friend of ours who may be undergoing the pain of rejection – say, due to separation or divorce.

•

Reaching out to those people or person(s) who are going through the shame of wrongful vindiction.

•

May be, it is one of our acquaintances whose hopes have been dashed since his/her business collapsed.

What are some of the nutrients that can strengthen our system all round the year?

•

Young mothers infected with HIV +ve - left alone to fend for themselves.

How can we be engaged in some useful activity to build up our metabolism than depending on steroids or stimulants?

The above mentioned category of people and many more cases we may be aware of are those who needed to be brought to the news of hope and love that they may find in the Saviour during this time of Christmas.

Christian Thought Series

19

Vol 10 Issue 2

Christian Thought Series

20

Vol 10 Issue 2

AGENDA FOR

CHRISTMAS uman beings are destined not for the dust but for eternity.

Physical beings though we are, we still have the breath of God in us. To explain it further, we are spiritual in the sense that we are made in the image of God. This is the reason why we must be wise enough to use rightly our senses that other wise tend to control us. A spiritual person is one who has learnt the art of governing his own physical impulses. As physical beings we cannot ignore our senses. But it is our renewed spiritual state that endows us with sensibility.

H

Sense And Sensibility: Isn’t it true that we are controlled to a great extent by our passions? More so, we are driven or activated by stimulants.

Think of a cup of coffee with a good aroma consumed early as the day breaks forth! A time comes when we cannot go without a cup of coffee. Those many of us who often travel outside know how true this is. When we are travelling to new places and our regular dose of coffee with the caffeine does not go into the blood stream to reach our CNS at the appointed time, we feel mad!

Let’s imagine how we would feel or react if we were deprived of this aroma and the hot coffee for days? The result can be horrifying. There are countless other stimulants that govern and control us. Moods control us. Psychologists explain what mood swings are all about. A person has his/her low swing in the morning. But the same person becomes hyper-active in the evening. There are drugs administered by doctors to correct mood variations. In a sense, they act as stimulants too. To study closely how a person acts or reacts, one has to monitor the quantity of external stimuli. For example, a person cannot be happy unless he/she is in the company of friends. Therefore, we have parties on some pretext. Christmas celebration is no different. I am afraid, the word I use here may offend some of us. Is it that “kick” we get out of our Christmas parties create an urge to seek more of such occasions to stimulate us? We must be aware that stimulants die down quickly. Therefore, we need to develop nutrients that last longer than the stimulants.

Do’s & Don’t For Christmas: Let us avoid excessive stimulant in-take.

We should check those substances that increase our dependency. Money, material goods, friends, cakes, puddings, spending and sending greeting cards, throwing extravagant parties, swiping credit cards, buying expensive jewelry and clothes are in a sense, very strong external stimulants. Their effects, though, are not long lasting. At the most, if runs for a few days. We long for such stimuli to stir us up – therefore find ways to indulge in them. If not Christmas, we have birthday-bashes, wedding anniversaries and every slightest cause to show that we must have some celebration.

Well, one might be quick to ask: “What is wrong with them, any way?”

There is nothing wrong at all as long as they do not make us utterly dependable. Having a good food is not an evil thing. But money spent on lavish parties can be a snare. Most of all, time spent on all those (mostly unproductive)can become ungodly activities particularly during the season of Christmas.

What Can be Done? More thought and gratitude must be blended into all our actions. For example, the mind of Christ which Paul talks about in Philippians 2:5 must show forth Christ’s example of humility and self-sacrifice.

Think Of Others: The following are a few thoughts which might help us doing what is worthwhile during Christmas.

•

Mothers with children – uncared for – they may have lost their loved ones -say, father or husband.

•

Elderly people left alone by children – ailing and weak.

•

Someone whom you know, staying away from their homes with no one to attend on them.

•

People who have been hospitalized and requiring help.

•

A friend of ours who may be undergoing the pain of rejection – say, due to separation or divorce.

•

Reaching out to those people or person(s) who are going through the shame of wrongful vindiction.

•

May be, it is one of our acquaintances whose hopes have been dashed since his/her business collapsed.

What are some of the nutrients that can strengthen our system all round the year?

•

Young mothers infected with HIV +ve - left alone to fend for themselves.

How can we be engaged in some useful activity to build up our metabolism than depending on steroids or stimulants?

The above mentioned category of people and many more cases we may be aware of are those who needed to be brought to the news of hope and love that they may find in the Saviour during this time of Christmas.

Christian Thought Series

19

Vol 10 Issue 2

Christian Thought Series

20

Vol 10 Issue 2

An agenda in the following pattern can be worked out which will prove to be helpful : 1

Work out a budget to help any one in the above category and plan a budget to carry out an effective project.

2

Focus on the target group (a target group may vary from a group or person to person)

3

Plan Of Action (set date, programme, place, methodology etc.,) For example, we may invite our Non-Christian neighbours, or our Brahmin friends or colleagues into our homes for a vegetarian meal and present a culturally relevant, biblically oriented dance or drama to present the message of Christmas.

4

Pray particularly for the target group we plan to meet with.

5

Never end the programme as an even would finish.

6

The urgency and necessity of follow-up with our target all through the year is a must.

This is just a way of celebrating Christmas with meaning and purpose.

Perhaps some of us are broken financially and not in a position to plan an elaborate agenda for Christmas. Such persons may net-work with other Christians, agencies or local church in providing time or talents. Look out for those places/people and the area of your interest that matches well.

More than any other things, please make this season a time for personal reflection with the thought of offering to God the deep gratitude for all that He had done.

Christ came. He gave Himself. He gave all.

However insignificant and small, it will make a big difference, provided we begin right away. There are a hundred ways of expressing our love to God and our brethren. Christmas is not all that eating, drinking and merry-making as some of our non-Christian friends and neighbours have thought it to be.

We have made Christmas very commercial. We must get back to the spirit of the old time Christmas. At the birth of the Saviour, God chose to bring the good news to the ordinary people. They were the target group chosen by God. v Who is going to be your target group for this Christmas? v Have you worked out a Christmas agenda for them?

J.D. Christian Thought Series

21

Vol 10 Issue 2

(By Mr. LalitKumar Bardhan) Introduction

L

et me invite you to think with me! What will be your answer if a news reporter came up to you as you were walking along the road side in your native place and asked you: “What do you believe is the greatest single event that has occurred since the beginning of the world?” How would you answer him? What incident is bigger than all other events in human history? My answer would have to do with the Lord Jesus’ coming into the world to be our Savior.

While the carnal world may summarily reject it, to us the most farreaching occurrence in the history of the world has to be the life—the incarnation, the becoming flesh—of Jesus, God’s Son. Paul wrote that even though Jesus existed in the form of God, He did not regard this equality with God as something to be clung to at all costs. He “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,” and was “made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). According to John, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

We could say that Christ was just as much human as if He were not divine at all, and He was just as much divine as if He were not human at all.

So completely did Jesus identify with the human race in His becoming man that He was born as all humans are born (Luke 2:6), grew as all humans grow (Luke 2:40), was subject to all the sufferings to which all humans are heirs (Hebrews 5:8, 9), and lived in a body that could be affected by disease, decay, and death—a body that humans could even kill on a cross (Philippians 2:8, 9).

He was thoroughly a man and was called the Son of Man, yet He was entirely divine and must be acknowledged as the Son of God (Hebrews 2:14, 17, 18).

He was the perfect joining of humanity and deity into one personality. He became man without sacrificing His deity; He remained divine even though He became like us.

But the fundamental purpose of Jesus’ coming on the earth was to fulfill and to do the will of the Father. It was the plan of the Father to send His only begotten Son in the Earth The nature of Jesus’ coming to earth raises serious Christian Thought Series

22

Vol 10 Issue 2

An agenda in the following pattern can be worked out which will prove to be helpful : 1

Work out a budget to help any one in the above category and plan a budget to carry out an effective project.

2

Focus on the target group (a target group may vary from a group or person to person)

3

Plan Of Action (set date, programme, place, methodology etc.,) For example, we may invite our Non-Christian neighbours, or our Brahmin friends or colleagues into our homes for a vegetarian meal and present a culturally relevant, biblically oriented dance or drama to present the message of Christmas.

4

Pray particularly for the target group we plan to meet with.

5

Never end the programme as an even would finish.

6

The urgency and necessity of follow-up with our target all through the year is a must.

This is just a way of celebrating Christmas with meaning and purpose.

Perhaps some of us are broken financially and not in a position to plan an elaborate agenda for Christmas. Such persons may net-work with other Christians, agencies or local church in providing time or talents. Look out for those places/people and the area of your interest that matches well.

More than any other things, please make this season a time for personal reflection with the thought of offering to God the deep gratitude for all that He had done.

Christ came. He gave Himself. He gave all.

However insignificant and small, it will make a big difference, provided we begin right away. There are a hundred ways of expressing our love to God and our brethren. Christmas is not all that eating, drinking and merry-making as some of our non-Christian friends and neighbours have thought it to be.

We have made Christmas very commercial. We must get back to the spirit of the old time Christmas. At the birth of the Saviour, God chose to bring the good news to the ordinary people. They were the target group chosen by God. v Who is going to be your target group for this Christmas? v Have you worked out a Christmas agenda for them?

J.D. Christian Thought Series

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(By Mr. LalitKumar Bardhan) Introduction

L

et me invite you to think with me! What will be your answer if a news reporter came up to you as you were walking along the road side in your native place and asked you: “What do you believe is the greatest single event that has occurred since the beginning of the world?” How would you answer him? What incident is bigger than all other events in human history? My answer would have to do with the Lord Jesus’ coming into the world to be our Savior.

While the carnal world may summarily reject it, to us the most farreaching occurrence in the history of the world has to be the life—the incarnation, the becoming flesh—of Jesus, God’s Son. Paul wrote that even though Jesus existed in the form of God, He did not regard this equality with God as something to be clung to at all costs. He “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,” and was “made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). According to John, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

We could say that Christ was just as much human as if He were not divine at all, and He was just as much divine as if He were not human at all.

So completely did Jesus identify with the human race in His becoming man that He was born as all humans are born (Luke 2:6), grew as all humans grow (Luke 2:40), was subject to all the sufferings to which all humans are heirs (Hebrews 5:8, 9), and lived in a body that could be affected by disease, decay, and death—a body that humans could even kill on a cross (Philippians 2:8, 9).

He was thoroughly a man and was called the Son of Man, yet He was entirely divine and must be acknowledged as the Son of God (Hebrews 2:14, 17, 18).

He was the perfect joining of humanity and deity into one personality. He became man without sacrificing His deity; He remained divine even though He became like us.

But the fundamental purpose of Jesus’ coming on the earth was to fulfill and to do the will of the Father. It was the plan of the Father to send His only begotten Son in the Earth The nature of Jesus’ coming to earth raises serious Christian Thought Series

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questions: Why did Jesus come to earth the way He did? What was the purpose of His entering the human race, living among us, and dying upon a cross? Why did the divine Son of God lower Himself to the extent of becoming wholly man? The answers to these questions can be summarized in three following points:

1. To Die on the Cross for Sinful Humanity: I believe the number one reason why Jesus came to the earth and was born a human man, was so that he could die. Did you know that it is impossible to kill God? God is a supreme spiritual power and it is impossible to eliminate God from existence. But, that does not mean that God as a man could not die a normal physical death. It is pretty obvious that Jesus proved that after hanging on the cross. When Jesus said it is finished, He fulfilled His number one purpose for coming into the world. His death accomplished more than you can imagine right now, but read this verse: Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of Jesus, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Jesus Christ was born a human male on the earth so that he could taste death for all of us. The Bible says that it is appointed unto every man, once to die (Heb 9:27). In becoming a man we can clearly see that God did not intend for Jesus the man to live on the earth forever or to set up a natural kingdom or rule in this dimension of time. God specifically came to the earth in a very temporary capacity, on purpose with the set goal to die after 33 years of being present as a man. Death is also a separating force that terminates covenants.

You can learn this by reading the words of Ruth, when she says “Until death separates me from thee�. If God wants to die on the earth, you can conclude that He wants to end whatever covenants that He was previously tied to. I know that is not a popular teaching, but it is a logical deduction based upon the facts established in the Bible. Do realize that the living mortal man Jesus of Nazareth did not establish a New Covenant with anyone while He was here in His mortal physical state? You see the New Covenant was implemented by the risen from the dead Jesus Christ. The Risen Jesus is now an immortal and omnipotent spiritual being and only He can implement a new eternal covenant that never existed before. This is a fact that you rarely hear taught in church.

Jesus Christ is the first born from the dead and the heir of everything (Heb 1:2). What is an heir? An Heir is only someone who inherits what someone Christian Thought Series

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Vol 10 Issue 2

who died has left. Who died? What was left? Who are the heirs? You see why the Bible is so difficult to understand for most people? The Bible is more complex than most understood.

2. To Save Sinful Humanity from Their Sins: One of the reasons was to give mankind a chance to have their sins forgiven. Why does mankind need a Savior? The reason man needs a Savior is because of sin. The Bible clearly says, all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Every person who can tell right from wrong commits sin. The apostle John also tells us this fact (1 John 1:6-10). What is sin? Sin is missing the mark (Romans 3:23). It is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). John added, all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17). Also, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Sin causes us to go away from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), and Christ came to the earth to bring us back to God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21; Ephesians 2:16).

We have shown one of the reasons Jesus came to the earth was because of sin. From where did sin come? The answer is given to us in the first book of the Bible. After God created Adam and Eve, He put them in the Garden of Eden, giving them everything they needed. He also gave them commands they were to follow. And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:15-17).

God clearly told them what to do. They were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The third chapter of Genesis tells us what happened. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. (Genesis 3:1-6).

Christian Thought Series

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Vol 10 Issue 2

questions: Why did Jesus come to earth the way He did? What was the purpose of His entering the human race, living among us, and dying upon a cross? Why did the divine Son of God lower Himself to the extent of becoming wholly man? The answers to these questions can be summarized in three following points:

1. To Die on the Cross for Sinful Humanity: I believe the number one reason why Jesus came to the earth and was born a human man, was so that he could die. Did you know that it is impossible to kill God? God is a supreme spiritual power and it is impossible to eliminate God from existence. But, that does not mean that God as a man could not die a normal physical death. It is pretty obvious that Jesus proved that after hanging on the cross. When Jesus said it is finished, He fulfilled His number one purpose for coming into the world. His death accomplished more than you can imagine right now, but read this verse: Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of Jesus, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Jesus Christ was born a human male on the earth so that he could taste death for all of us. The Bible says that it is appointed unto every man, once to die (Heb 9:27). In becoming a man we can clearly see that God did not intend for Jesus the man to live on the earth forever or to set up a natural kingdom or rule in this dimension of time. God specifically came to the earth in a very temporary capacity, on purpose with the set goal to die after 33 years of being present as a man. Death is also a separating force that terminates covenants.

You can learn this by reading the words of Ruth, when she says “Until death separates me from thee�. If God wants to die on the earth, you can conclude that He wants to end whatever covenants that He was previously tied to. I know that is not a popular teaching, but it is a logical deduction based upon the facts established in the Bible. Do realize that the living mortal man Jesus of Nazareth did not establish a New Covenant with anyone while He was here in His mortal physical state? You see the New Covenant was implemented by the risen from the dead Jesus Christ. The Risen Jesus is now an immortal and omnipotent spiritual being and only He can implement a new eternal covenant that never existed before. This is a fact that you rarely hear taught in church.

Jesus Christ is the first born from the dead and the heir of everything (Heb 1:2). What is an heir? An Heir is only someone who inherits what someone Christian Thought Series

23

Vol 10 Issue 2

who died has left. Who died? What was left? Who are the heirs? You see why the Bible is so difficult to understand for most people? The Bible is more complex than most understood.

2. To Save Sinful Humanity from Their Sins: One of the reasons was to give mankind a chance to have their sins forgiven. Why does mankind need a Savior? The reason man needs a Savior is because of sin. The Bible clearly says, all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Every person who can tell right from wrong commits sin. The apostle John also tells us this fact (1 John 1:6-10). What is sin? Sin is missing the mark (Romans 3:23). It is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). John added, all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17). Also, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Sin causes us to go away from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), and Christ came to the earth to bring us back to God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21; Ephesians 2:16).

We have shown one of the reasons Jesus came to the earth was because of sin. From where did sin come? The answer is given to us in the first book of the Bible. After God created Adam and Eve, He put them in the Garden of Eden, giving them everything they needed. He also gave them commands they were to follow. And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:15-17).

God clearly told them what to do. They were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The third chapter of Genesis tells us what happened. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. (Genesis 3:1-6).

Christian Thought Series

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Vol 10 Issue 2

Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, sin entered into the world (Romans 5:12). God already had the plan to send Christ to the earth to save man from his sin. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly...But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6, 8). Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).

that are lost”. But, this word can mean “destroyed” or “perishing”. So while you could say people are lost, you actually find this statement:

3. To Reconcile Sinful Humanity Back to God: -

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

This reason I will probably not be able to elaborate on fully in this lesson.

Many will read this next verse that I give and think that it is talking about the previous reason, but I do not personally think that is what Jesus was talking about. Jesus did tell us that He was sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Mat 15:24). So we do understand that people are spoken of in the Bible as being lost. What I think is that it was more than that, which Jesus was talking about in this next verse.

Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Did you notice that this verse does not say, “Those Who Were Lost”?

Why is that important? Why is that necessary to see? What was lost? What must be saved? Many just think we the people were what was lost and that is the only thing that God came here to save. That of course is a very narrow minded focus on what God is capable of doing. Let me answer these questions by asking you a question. Why is it necessary for God to create a new heaven and a new earth? You should really give that some serious thought before you try to answer that question. Could it be that is what was lost? I only buy a new car because something happened to my old car, either a wreck, or just old age and it died. Some people trade cars like they buy new underwear or socks, but God is not this way. You have to realize that there is a major problem with the old, if God implements a new anything. I mean think about it, can’t God ever create anything that lasts? Is He not God? It would appear that something happens to the old heaven and the old earth that causes God to create a new physical and spiritual realm. So I do not deny that people are also lost. In 2nd Corinthians 4:3 it says “If our gospel is hid, it is hid to them Christian Thought Series

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Vol 10 Issue 2

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

You see you can find more scriptures about people having been reconciled back to God in the New Testament than you can find scriptures that speak about people being lost.

So the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s death is that we have been reconciled back in right relationship with God.

Conclusion: From all above mentioned we come to the conclusion that God Almighty to communicate with us in the best way possible, “He “became flesh,” He became one of the creatures he made, simply because our greatest need is an eternal one. It’s not about what we can gain in this life, in profits or pleasure or making a lasting imprint on this earth. None of these will satisfy our souls.

Our’s is a spiritual need, one that we were created for, to have fellowship with God and do His will.

Jesus came to earth because he loves us; He came to deliver truth in a world of false beliefs. But the main reason He came to earth was to be the final sacrifice for our sins. The simple reason is because we are not good, none of us are good when compared to God’s standard—Jesus Christ.

His love prompted him to become man to accomplish what only He could, to rescue mankind. Because we are sinful, in a spiritually wrecked condition we are in need of redemption but could not redeem ourselves.

Nothing short than the eternal creator could accomplish this; no man with sin could qualify to redeem us with his life. God would come to earth as man to cleanse the affect of the disease of sin inherited to all humanity. That is what is so amazing about the Bible stories [facts] of Jesus. The creator came to earth; God who is perfect, righteous and holy lived among his creatures that are unholy, unrighteous, even those who were enemies of him. (Mr. Lalit.K. Bardhan can be contacted through e-mail:lkbardhan@gmail.com) Christian Thought Series

26

Vol 10 Issue 2

Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, sin entered into the world (Romans 5:12). God already had the plan to send Christ to the earth to save man from his sin. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly...But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6, 8). Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).

that are lost”. But, this word can mean “destroyed” or “perishing”. So while you could say people are lost, you actually find this statement:

3. To Reconcile Sinful Humanity Back to God: -

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

This reason I will probably not be able to elaborate on fully in this lesson.

Many will read this next verse that I give and think that it is talking about the previous reason, but I do not personally think that is what Jesus was talking about. Jesus did tell us that He was sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Mat 15:24). So we do understand that people are spoken of in the Bible as being lost. What I think is that it was more than that, which Jesus was talking about in this next verse.

Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Did you notice that this verse does not say, “Those Who Were Lost”?

Why is that important? Why is that necessary to see? What was lost? What must be saved? Many just think we the people were what was lost and that is the only thing that God came here to save. That of course is a very narrow minded focus on what God is capable of doing. Let me answer these questions by asking you a question. Why is it necessary for God to create a new heaven and a new earth? You should really give that some serious thought before you try to answer that question. Could it be that is what was lost? I only buy a new car because something happened to my old car, either a wreck, or just old age and it died. Some people trade cars like they buy new underwear or socks, but God is not this way. You have to realize that there is a major problem with the old, if God implements a new anything. I mean think about it, can’t God ever create anything that lasts? Is He not God? It would appear that something happens to the old heaven and the old earth that causes God to create a new physical and spiritual realm. So I do not deny that people are also lost. In 2nd Corinthians 4:3 it says “If our gospel is hid, it is hid to them Christian Thought Series

25

Vol 10 Issue 2

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

You see you can find more scriptures about people having been reconciled back to God in the New Testament than you can find scriptures that speak about people being lost.

So the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s death is that we have been reconciled back in right relationship with God.

Conclusion: From all above mentioned we come to the conclusion that God Almighty to communicate with us in the best way possible, “He “became flesh,” He became one of the creatures he made, simply because our greatest need is an eternal one. It’s not about what we can gain in this life, in profits or pleasure or making a lasting imprint on this earth. None of these will satisfy our souls.

Our’s is a spiritual need, one that we were created for, to have fellowship with God and do His will.

Jesus came to earth because he loves us; He came to deliver truth in a world of false beliefs. But the main reason He came to earth was to be the final sacrifice for our sins. The simple reason is because we are not good, none of us are good when compared to God’s standard—Jesus Christ.

His love prompted him to become man to accomplish what only He could, to rescue mankind. Because we are sinful, in a spiritually wrecked condition we are in need of redemption but could not redeem ourselves.

Nothing short than the eternal creator could accomplish this; no man with sin could qualify to redeem us with his life. God would come to earth as man to cleanse the affect of the disease of sin inherited to all humanity. That is what is so amazing about the Bible stories [facts] of Jesus. The creator came to earth; God who is perfect, righteous and holy lived among his creatures that are unholy, unrighteous, even those who were enemies of him. (Mr. Lalit.K. Bardhan can be contacted through e-mail:lkbardhan@gmail.com) Christian Thought Series

26

Vol 10 Issue 2

☺

WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT GOOD NEWS?

☺

The Word of God presented to us through the Bible is indeed very fascinating. It unfolds the eternal plan of God for mankind. God’s purpose in Christ is that the fallen man must be restored and reunited to Him. In order to accomplish this great task, God in Christ came down to be one with us. He is God with us, Immanuel. The infallible Word of God must touch our lives and turn us away from sin. The remedy for sin is found in the Lamb of God – the sinless Christ who died on our behalf to atone for our sins. It is through this act of faith and trust in the Saviour, the sinner is forgiven and begins a new relationship with God. Through the work of Christ, sin’s enslavement is done away with.

The guilt of sin and condemnation is removed. The conscience is revived.

Eternal life is offered as the free gift through Jesus Christ to those who believe in Him. A new outlook begins in a man or woman who surrenders his/her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps, this message can make an impact in your life during this Christmas. We may celebrate Christmas without really experiencing this new life that Christ offers us. With Christ living in us and we in Him, it would make a lot of difference. Why not make a new start this Christmas by inviting Jesus into our lives? May He become our Saviour, Lord and King.

It will be wonderful if we share this message with our non Christian friends. What more can be said other than this when we boldly make a declaration and share the gospel in this way!.

J.D.

Readers may listen to a recent message of

Rev. JOSHUA DHANABALAN

27

l Is it possible to serve God expecting no results or miracles? l What does it mean to take God's Word at its face - value? l Do you venerate Mary and make her a deity or consider her as a simple

yet special women God chose? l Do you see Jesus Christ as a person or a principle? l What is your agenda for this Christmas?

To The Kind Attention of our Readers…….

It is with an endeavour to teach, admonish and edify Christian believers, Christian Thought Series is published and had been sent free mostly across the country. There is also an-email version available on-line.

Please provide your e-mail ID so you could receive it and pass it on easily to friends and relatives staying far away from you .

With the rising costs in printing and related expenditure, we make an earnest plea to our readers to considerer supporting this work through your prayers and free-will offerings.

General Readers who receive regular issue of the magazine are requested to renew their subscription of Rs.100/Please find details of the ministry of Disciples For Christ at the back page. Your prayers and participation would encourage us.

Seminaries/ Book-stores may kindly renew their subscription for uninterrupted supply.

Your contributions may be sent to: Disciples For Christ State Bank of India, kellys Branch, Chennai 10.

Savings Bank A/c No.32694836912.

by visiting:https://soundcloud.com/radnus-inc/sermon-by-rev-joshua Christian Thought Series

Ponder These Questions!

Vol 10 Issue 2

IFSC:SBINOO11736/ Branch Code 11736.

Christian Thought Series

28

Vol 10 Issue 2

☺

WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT GOOD NEWS?

☺

The Word of God presented to us through the Bible is indeed very fascinating. It unfolds the eternal plan of God for mankind. God’s purpose in Christ is that the fallen man must be restored and reunited to Him. In order to accomplish this great task, God in Christ came down to be one with us. He is God with us, Immanuel. The infallible Word of God must touch our lives and turn us away from sin. The remedy for sin is found in the Lamb of God – the sinless Christ who died on our behalf to atone for our sins. It is through this act of faith and trust in the Saviour, the sinner is forgiven and begins a new relationship with God. Through the work of Christ, sin’s enslavement is done away with.

The guilt of sin and condemnation is removed. The conscience is revived.

Eternal life is offered as the free gift through Jesus Christ to those who believe in Him. A new outlook begins in a man or woman who surrenders his/her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps, this message can make an impact in your life during this Christmas. We may celebrate Christmas without really experiencing this new life that Christ offers us. With Christ living in us and we in Him, it would make a lot of difference. Why not make a new start this Christmas by inviting Jesus into our lives? May He become our Saviour, Lord and King.

It will be wonderful if we share this message with our non Christian friends. What more can be said other than this when we boldly make a declaration and share the gospel in this way!.

J.D.

Readers may listen to a recent message of

Rev. JOSHUA DHANABALAN

27

l Is it possible to serve God expecting no results or miracles? l What does it mean to take God's Word at its face - value? l Do you venerate Mary and make her a deity or consider her as a simple

yet special women God chose? l Do you see Jesus Christ as a person or a principle? l What is your agenda for this Christmas?

To The Kind Attention of our Readers…….

It is with an endeavour to teach, admonish and edify Christian believers, Christian Thought Series is published and had been sent free mostly across the country. There is also an-email version available on-line.

Please provide your e-mail ID so you could receive it and pass it on easily to friends and relatives staying far away from you .

With the rising costs in printing and related expenditure, we make an earnest plea to our readers to considerer supporting this work through your prayers and free-will offerings.

General Readers who receive regular issue of the magazine are requested to renew their subscription of Rs.100/Please find details of the ministry of Disciples For Christ at the back page. Your prayers and participation would encourage us.

Seminaries/ Book-stores may kindly renew their subscription for uninterrupted supply.

Your contributions may be sent to: Disciples For Christ State Bank of India, kellys Branch, Chennai 10.

Savings Bank A/c No.32694836912.

by visiting:https://soundcloud.com/radnus-inc/sermon-by-rev-joshua Christian Thought Series

Ponder These Questions!

Vol 10 Issue 2

IFSC:SBINOO11736/ Branch Code 11736.

Christian Thought Series

28

Vol 10 Issue 2

CHURCH MEETING - NORTH INDIA

LAY LEADERS’ TRAINING

TEACHING SESSION - MAHABALIPURAM

RETREAT - CHENNAI

Volume 10 Issue 2

Nov-Dec-2013

Rs.12/THEME : REASON

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT SERIES - BI MONTHLY MAGAZINE Yearly Subscription - Rs.100/- (India) Call or E Mail to Subscribe If Undelivered, Please return to the above address

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