The Archbishop has requested that we ring the bell every day at noon and say this Angelus prayer together
Angelus
God Bless the world
Give it wisdom at this time
Grant us relief and release
Be with those who are ill
And bless the carers fighting this pandemic
For Jesus Christ sake.
Amen
Eucharist readings for the week:
Monday 20th April
Acts 4:23-31 John 3:1-8
Psalm 22
Tuesday 21st April
Acts 4:32-37 John 3:7-15
Psalm 93
Wednesday 22nd April
Acts 5:17-26 John 3:16-21
Psalm 34:1-8
Thursday 23rd April
Acts 5:27-33 John 3:31-36
Psalm 34:15-22
Friday 24th April
Acts 5:34-42 John 6:1-15
Psalm 27:1-7,16-17
Saturday 25th April
Ecclesiasticus 51:13,23-30 Ephesians 4:7-16
Psalm 119:9-16 Mark 1:1-15
Oordenking Dag Vyf-en-twintig in Lockdown Maandag 20 April 2020
Acts 4:23-31 Psalm 2 John 3:1-8
Goeie dag liewe vriende
Ons vind ons besig met die boek van Handelinge as ons eerste les vir die periode na Paasfees tot en met Pinkster. Dit gaan oor die dissipels en hul getuienis oor die grootheid van hul God. Hul gebed is ‘n reaksie op die opdrag van die geloofsleiers en hul manier om God te herverklaar as hul skepper, redder en onderhouer. Hul gebed begin met lofprysing en vereering van God wat God deur Sy almag bekend gemaak het en dan rig hulle ‘n versoek. Die dissipels weet dat die vyandige magte voorberei vir aanvaal en hulle bid vir die krag en oortuiging om met vertroue te staan en baldadig die regering van God aante kondig en te verklaar. Hulle tree in geloof op wetend dat God sal uitreik en hulle nie net beskerm teen hul vyande nie, maar hulle tekens en wonders sal gee wat hulle sal laat uitstaan bo die geloofs leiers. Die gebed in vertrou gebid was deur God beantwoord, die plek van byeenkoms het geskud en die dissipels was gevul met die krag van die Heilige Gees.
Hulle bid dat hulle die woord van God met vertrou en in krag sal spreek. God vul hul met die Heilige Gees in antwoord op hul gebed en hulle verklaar Sy woord met durf en moed.
Wanneer ons bid moet ons God vra om ons te help om Sy woord met durf en moed te verklaar.Wanneer dit met oortuiging gedoen word, sal dit die harte van mense binnedring, verandering in lewens bring en hoorders verander. Ons het dieselfde voorreg in gebed en moet baldadig, met durf en moed God verklaar selfs in die teenwoordigheid van opposisie, met die wete dat ongeag die omstandighede, God altyd in beheer is en met ons sal stap deur ons moeilikhede en stryd. Ons moet die woord in die krag van die Heilige Gees verklaar en God sal ons vul en krag gee in ons getuienis. Wanneer ons bid, roep ons tot die almagtige God, en daarom kan ons met vertroue bid en Hy sal alles ten goede meewerk vir die voordeel van Sy koningkryk en Sy diensknegte.
Daar is vier onderskeidelike tonele in Psalm 2 naamlik: Die rebellie van die mens, Heilige reaksie, Heilige regering en Menslike verantwoordelikheid. Die “waarom” set die toon vir die verwondering oor die sinnelose verwerping van God se regering deur die ongelowiges. Die volke en nasies word deur hul konings gelei om hul haat na God en Sy uitverkorene te rig, en net so doen regeerders in ons dag teenoor die leringe van Jesus en die Bybel. Baie besluite gemaak in parlement en die howe van ons land is direk gemik teenoor die leringe in die Bybel. God is geduldig, soos ons hier lees, maar daar kom ‘n tyd wanneer Hy, God in Sy wraak sal spreek. Hulle sal bang word en bewe wanneer die wraakgerug van God teen hulle ontvlam. God sal wie God wil in beheer plaas en met gesag toerus, enige tyd as en wanneer God wil. Geen mag op aarde kan God keer om te doen wat God wil nie. In plaas van onmiddelike oordeel, sal die Here en Sy uitverkorenes genadiglik geleentheid vir belydenis en omdraai bied en sit vyf verantwoordelikhede op die ongehoorsame mens. Hulle moet dien met vrees;, bly wees met bewing, hulle aan God onderwerp, met God vereenselwig en God alleen vertrou.
So moet ons ook met omsigtigheid en goeie oordeel optree deur eer aan God te openbaar en ons tot Sy gesag te onderwerp.. Ons moet so doen met beskeidenheid, nederigheid en trots, eiewaan en selfbeheptheid teëstaan met geen vertroue op die vlees nie, maar in en op God.
Nikodemus was bang of skaam om met Jesus gesien te word en daarom kom hy in die nag na Jesus toe. Jesus verwelkom Hom en agterna was hy, Nikodemus bereid om Christus in die openbaar te eien. Hy het nie met Jesus oor staats sake gepraat nie, alhoewel hy so kon doen as ‘n leier , maar oor hartsake, die toestand van sy siel en sy redding. Ons redder praat met hom, Nikodemus oor die nodigheid en belangrikheid van wedergeboorte en redding en verwys Nikodemus na die bron van heiligheid van hart. Geboorte is die begin van lewe, om gebore te word, beteken om nuut te begin lewe, met ‘n nuwe natuur, nuwe beginsels, nuwe aantrekkinge en nuwe doelwitte.
Ons moet totaal nuut wees van wat ons voorheen was, want geboorte is altyd anders as enigiets wat voorheen was. Nuut kan nie dieselfde wees as dit wat voorheen was nie. Hierdie nuwe geboorte is van God en beteken iets word in ons gedoen, en vir ons gedoen, wat ons nie vir onsself kan doen nie.
Nikodemus het hierdie nuwe skepping en nuwe vorming misverstaan, maar sy onkunde erken wat ‘n begeerte gewys het om beter te verstaan. Dit word nie meegebring deur enige wysheid of krag van ons eie nie, maar deur die krag van die Heilige Gees. Die herskeppingswerk van die Heilge Gees word vergelyk met water en dit is moontlik dat Jesus verwys het na die gebruik van die doop. Nie dat almal van hulle wie gedoop is gered is nie, maar dat sonder daardie nuwe geboorte meegebring deur die Heilige Gees en bewys deur die doop, niemand toegang sal kry tot die koningkryk van die hemele nie. Dieselfde woord beskryf beide water en die Heilige Gees. Die wind waai waar dit wil en God beheer en gee dit rigting. Die Heilige Gees stuur sy invloed waar en wanneer, op wie en in watter graad en mate, soos hy, die Heilige Gees goed dink.
Jesus, Christus het gekom om ons te red, deur ons te vergewe, sodat ons nie sal sterf deur die straf van die wet nie. Hier is evangelie, goeie nuus inderdaad; hier is God se liefde in deurdat Hy , Sy Seun vir die wêreld gegee het; en hier is die groot evangelie voordeel vir ons, mense.
As Christene moet ons eerlik en waaragtig optree in alles wat ons doen, met die begeerte om te wil weet wat die wil van God is, en dit te doen, al gaan dit teen ons wêreldse belang. Ons werke is goed as die wil van God dit regeer en die heerlikheid van God die einde daarvan is. Wanneer dit gedoen word in Sy krag, vir Sy onthalwe, aan Hom en nie vir persoonlike voordeel nie. Herskepping of nuwe geboorte is ‘n onderwerp waarteen die wêreld sterk gekant is, dit is derhalwe die belangrikste saak, waarteen enigiets anders onbelangrik is. Waarop dui dit? As ons nie wedergebore is of word nie, sterf ons in sonde.
Laat ons bid:
Vader wanneer ons bang is, wanneer ons bevrees is, herinner ons aan U en wie ons in U is. Ons weet us is met ons, U is vir ons en U sal ons bemagtig met die moed en krag wat ons nodig het vir wat ookal voor ons gesit word. Herinner ons aan wie U ons geskape het om te wees, en wat U ons bemagtig het om te doen. Ons verklaar met moed dat ons nie vrees en intimidasie sal toelaat om ons van gehoorsaamheid sal laat stop nie. Help ons om te verdra, Here, Gee ons genade. Ons bid dit in Jesus se naam, Amen.
Reflection Day Twenty-five in National Lockdown Monday 20 April 2020
Acts 4:23-31 Psalm 2 John 3:1-8
Good day dear friends
We are getting into the Book of Acts as our first reading for the period after Easter, leading up to Pentecost. It is about the disciples and their testifying to the greatness of their God. Their prayer is a response to the instructions of the worldly leaders, rulers and elders and a reclaiming the supremacy of their God as creator, redeemer and sustainer. The prayer started out with praise and honour be brought and the power of God established, then the disciples proceeded with a request. The disciples knew that the enemy forces were preparing for an onslaught and they prayed for the strength and conviction to stand with confidence and be bold in their proclamation of the reign of God. They acted in faith with the knowledge that God will reach out and grant them not just protection from their enemies, but signs and wonders that would set them apart from the rulers and elders. The prayer prayed with confidence was answered by God with the place of meeting shaking and the disciples filled with the power of the Spirit. The disciples prayed to speak the word of God in confidence and power. God filled them with the Spirit in answer to their prayer, and they boldly proclaimed His Word.
When we pray, we should ask God to help us speak the word of God with boldness. When done with conviction the word will penetrate the hearts of people, bring changes in lives and transform hearers. We have the same privilege in prayer and should be bold in our proclamation in the face of opposition, knowing that irrespective of the circumstances, God is always in charge and will walk us through our difficulties and trials.
We must pray that we deliver the Word in the power of the Spirit and God will fill us with the Spirit to be bold in our witness. When we pray, we can call upon God who is the Sovereign Lord. Because of this, we can pray in full confidence. He will make all things work to benefit His kingdom and His servants.
Psalm 2 has four distinctive scenes to it namely: The rebellion of humanity, Divine reaction, Divine rule and Human responsibility.
The “why” sets the tone and is a sign of astonishment at the senseless rejection of God’s rule by the “heathen”. The nations and peoples, led by their kings and rulers, directed their hostility toward the Lord and His anointed one, and likewise rulers in our day have gone totally against the teachings of Jesus in the Bible. So many decisions made in the precincts of parliament and the courts of our land are directly opposed to the teachings in the Bible.
God is patient as we read above, but there is a time, when He will speak in His wrath. The word “vex” in this instance, means to tremble. It would certainly be the time to tremble, if the wrath of God was vented against you. God will put whoever He wants to in authority, anytime He wants to. No power on earth can keep Him from doing what He wishes. Instead of immediate judgment, the Lord and His Anointed mercifully provide an opportunity for repentance. Five commands place responsibility on disobedient mankind. They were to serve with fear, rejoice with trembling, submit to God and act in allegiance and trust.
Likewise we should act prudently and with discretion by showing reverence for God and submitting to His authority. We should do so with modesty and humility, opposed to pride, haughtiness and arrogance and with no confidence in the flesh but in God.
Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Christ, therefore came in the night, Jesus bid him welcome, and afterward he owned Christ publicly. He did not talk with Christ about state affairs, though he was a ruler, but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation. Our Saviour spoke of the necessity and nature of regeneration or the new birth, and directed Nicodemus to the source of holiness of the heart. Birth is the beginning of life; to be born again, is to begin to live anew, with a new nature, new principles, new affections, and new aims. We must be entirely different from what we were before, as that which begins to be at any time, is not, and cannot be the same with that which was before. This new birth is from God and means that something is done in us, and for us, which we cannot do for ourselves. Nicodemus misunderstood regenerating and new-moulding but he acknowledged his ignorance, which shows a desire to be better informed. It is not wrought by any wisdom or power of our own, but by the power of the blessed Spirit. The regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is compared to water. It is also likely that Christ had reference to the regulation of baptism. Not that all those that are baptized, are saved; but without that new birth brought about by the Spirit, and signified by baptism, none shall be subjects of the kingdom of heaven. The same word signifies both the wind and the Spirit. The wind blow where it wishes, God directs it. The Spirit sends his influences where, and when, on whom, and in what measure and degree, he pleases. Jesus Christ came to save us by pardoning us that we might not die by the sentence of the law. Here is gospel, good news indeed, here is God’s love in giving his Son for the world, and here is the great gospel benefit.
As Christians we should act truly and sincerely in all we do with the desires to know what the will of God is, and to do it, though against our worldly interest. Our works are good when the will of God is the rule of them and the glory of God the end of them; when done in his strength, for his sake; to him, and not for personal gain. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a subject to which the world is very disinclined; it is, however, the striking concern, in comparison with which everything else is insignificant. What does it signify though? If we are not born again, we die in our sins.
Let us pray:
Father, when we are afraid, when we are timid, remind us of who YOU are, and who we are in You. We know you are with us, you are for us, and you will empower us with the courage and the strength we need for whatever is placed before us. Remind us of who You have created us to be and what You have empowered us to do. We boldly declare that we will not let fear or intimidation stop us from being obedient. Help us to endure, Lord. Give us grace. We pray this in Jesus name, Amen