Summarising the past three weeks messages:
I talked about living victoriously, reflecting on John’s eyewitness account of Jesus from his gospel and his gospel from the Island of Patmos and in part from his letter 1 John. I particularly like the words, of 1John 5:12, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Life is found being in Christ, we are victorious.
My desire is to live victoriously, in Christ for 2025, not to be vanquished of live in vain. We know that we have an enemy who wants to “kill, rob and destroy.” Jesus tells us the devil has been a lair from the being, but Jesus wants to give us “a hope and a future, life in all its abundance.” John 10:10. Jeremaih 29:1.
We can be victorious by remaining present in the light. Does anyone recall the thing that is seen as light that I talked about that first week? (Question) Aurora Australis)? Remember I talked about how sometimes we don’t see ourselves as victorious, because sometimes something clouds or interferes with our seeing the light. Did anyone else see the comet during the week, Comet Atlas 3G? Janaki and I went out to Titahi Bay to see it, thankfully we had another dad and daughter park near us who could point it out, otherwise we might not have seen it. The power of their witness was in instructing us where to look. Regarding the comets light, they had seen it, we hadn’t but did because of their testimony. Who is Jesus in regard to light? (Question) What does he say? ”I am the light of the World.” John 8:12. While we were looking for the comet, we saw the light of the planet Venus reflected off the sea, in the same way people should be able to see that light of God reflected off us. It’s part of our role in living victoriously to point others towards Jesus, and as my illustration about the comet says they may already be looking for Jesus, wanting spiritual victory. Interestingly as we drove away there was a couple, we passed steering out into space but the wrong bit looking for the comet and we were able to give witness to its position. They were very pleased that we had.
I talked in my first message how like runners in a race we need to remain focused on our goal, that Jesus has given us life, and that life is? (Eternal) Why, so we don’t run our race/live our lives in vain. We don’t want that or to be like a boxer beating the? (Air, not ear). That we keep God’s commands and therefore live in the freedom they bring. Also that God’s word is sharp, dividing soul and spirit joint and marrow. Making it easier for us to defeat those things, the sins of the flesh. Then to advance onto victory. I wrapped the last message up by saying that accomplishing victory in Christ comes down to our vantage point, or point of view and these things based on the scriptures I shared, Accept your being God’s child.
Listen to the direction of The Holy Spirit’s guidance
Focus running towards the goal, of being in the word (Bible) seeking after God’s will for your life in his word, be humble, live daily for Christ.
My second victorious sermon followed on with the theme; The words spoken by Jesus are vital for our living victoriously because we are all vulnerable, but with his word written on our hearts we have victory.
Victory comes in seeking to be made new in Jesus' likeness, for it is being in Jesus' likeness that you will recognise your true value and advance to victory, eternal victory.
I spoke about two of Jesus I am statements, I am the (gate for the sheep) and (I am the good shepherd). I talked about how as sheep we belong to the Good Sheperd and that the Good Shepherd is willing to/and did lay down something for his sheep, but that the hired hand won’t. (Life) .As Jesus sheep, a big part of our living victoriously and not vanquished or in vain is to know the words of Jesus to listen to what he said to know his teaching, very well, thoroughly. Jesus told us; “My sheep will listen to my voice.” (John 10:27). I talked about how we have the Bible and this great opportunity to know how God wants us to live through reading the Bible. I borrowed and illustration about arriving in heaven and getting introduced to a couple of saints, does anyone remember which saints? Luke and John. I picked them because Lukes’ gospel is a collection of eye witness accounts of Jesus and John’s is an eye witness account of life with Jesus. I also talked about how we are vulnerable to spiritual attack and that we can listen to The Holy Spirit, our helper who helps us maintain focus.
I summed it up by repeating that coming to that point of reflecting Jesus' likeness requires our: Knowing his voice, his Biblical words, his teaching, understanding that he is Our Protective Gate, The Good Shepherd who gave his life for us, because he cares for us His flock.
History has proven there will be times when we will be vulnerable to attack. But God’s word, the voice of Jesus written on our hearts will help protect us from harm, from sinning and the spiritual harm that results.
Also, that we are attentive to his still, small voice, the gentle whisper of his presence with us. For hearing his voice is key to our living victoriously in Him. Then your witness will speak another V word, (volumes).
Last week I tackled a related but different theme, about living lives in a state of celebration, why? Because we able to live lives of rejoicing in our understanding of God. I read a passage about a King? (David) and his wife? (Michal) who thought he danced like a? (Vulgar fellow). David allowed his position to be small in comparison to the position of the Lord. He was willing to be humiliated for the Lord’s gain.
The other characters that were in the passage were Uzziah a Levite who knew how to handle the ark of the covenant but lost his focus, allowed the ark to travel on the back of an ox cart and grabbed it when it stumbled, and fell dead. Then there was Obed-Edom who had the ark parked up at his place for three months and was blessed which showed King David that there was a right way to do things in regard to the ark. Michal David’s first wife missed out on being blessed with a family because of her criticism of her husband, we also can miss out on blessings when we are critical.
In our lives; we have testimonies we can celebrate that we can dance with joy before the Lord through 2025 because of, God’s love, God’s grace, our being redeemed by God, given the ability through Christ to live sanctified lives. To celebrate into eternity.
