Calvin Synod Herald, 1981 (81. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)

1981-12-01 / 5. szám

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD — 9 — REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA Scripture reading: Deutronomy 8:1-20. TEXT: “And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.” (Deutero­nomy 8:10.) Introduction: Surely you have heard enough presentations on Thanksgiving Day, you know many reasons to be thank­ful for and you have already counted the various blessings for which you wish to be grateful to God. But now I wish to have the privilege to call your attention to the spirit of gratefulness which is deeper and greater than the festivity of a joyous holi­day. Let this hour become the proper preparation for thankful thinking. THE UNIQUENESS OF THE CHAPTER EIGHT OF DEUTERONOMY • The name of this book comes from Greek and it means the repetition of the Lav. This book deals meinly with Moses’ final messages reviewing the past and warnings about the future. This eighth chapter contains a special admonition which can be summed up in the 10th verse, that is our text. (The 3rd verse was quoted by Jesus in Mt. 4.) • As the chosen people are ready to en­ter the promised land Moses reminds them of the past (verse 2), and prepares them for the new life they will enjoy soon, 7th and 8th verses. In between the past and the future the Israelites are told to keep in mind the goodness of the Lord and when they will be happy with the abundance of the new land they shall bless Him. • While we are grateful for all the good­ness and happiness of the present, some­how we tend to forget that the present is always instantaneous and wedged be­tween the years we left behind and the months we are entering. The lack of higher perspectives render our gratitude and thankfulness shallow and meaning­less. HOW DO HIGHER PERSPECTIVES ENRIGH OUR THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION? Sermonette Rev. Alexander Jalso lents, diligence and skills, hardly can fall down on his knees and offer a prayer of thanks. • Make a prediction what the future will bring and try to remember it, is the third step. This will keep you humble because later you can check how correct was your judgement. If you were mistaken and you did not suffer from it, be thankful; and if you were right, ask yourself; did your knowledge, might and expertise alone guarantee the predicted outcome? If the divine providence contributed to the reali­zation of your expectation, then that is reason to be grateful. • Make an honest evaluation to what extent have you been able to shape your own destiny, is the last step. Have you been sick lately? Have you encountered some difficulties? If you do not control your whole life completely then who holds you in his hand? If we are not completely in­dependent then let us be thankful for the divine providence. Conclusion: Only David, who had to go through so much troubles and tribula­tions, who had experienced success and defeat, who had been honored and humi­liated, only he could write: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2.) * * * Scripture reading: Luk. 2:1-14. TEXT: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" Rev. Stand. Version (Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.—K.J. Vers.) Luke 2:14 and “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” (1 Corinthians 13:11.) Introduction: It is often mentioned and heard that Christmas is for children. The Bible definitely does not share this view! • The late Prof. Karl Barth told his stu­dents that they should read with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Thanksgiving is only a turkey din­ner for those whose interest and concern do not reach beyond their front and back yards. Observing eyes, compassionate hearts and wide horizons are the first step toward true celebration of this upcoming holiday. • Re-examine your present convictions is the next step. If you have changed your mind in the past, are you sure you will not do it in the future? Read the 17th verse! Whoever is positively convinced that he is indebted to nobody and his own achieve­ments are exclusively based on his ta-WHY IS IT SAID THAT CHRISTMAS IS FOR CHILDREN? • First the children, then the business would be glad to change Christmas into a holiday of joy, a loving family reunion and a season of gift-giving. Let us finish the year with love, joy and happiness! • Unfortunately and unnoticeably this wish started to prevail. In what way did the grown-ups change the solemnity of Christmas into the joy of gift-giving? By emphasizing, practicing what we like and overlooking, forgetting what God revealed as vital parts of Incarnation. • The angels’ praise included three re­quests: glory to God, peace on earth, good will toward men. We are so eager to enjoy peace but what about glory to God and good will toward men? There are se­veral “threefold issues” from which we like to pick out one and neglect the other two, e. g. from glory, peace and good will we like peace: from faith, hope and love we enjoy love; from sin, repentance and forgiveness we welcome forgiveness; from service, humbleness and appreciation we prefer appreciation. CHRISTMAS IS NOT ONLY FOR THE CHILDREN OR NOT ONLY FOR THE ADULTS BUT FOR THE WHOLE MANKIND May the angelic adoration help us to celebrate Christmas properly. “Glory to God in the highest.” There is not other way man can respond to Christ’s arrival but to give glory to God. Although everybody knows what these words mean; glory, glorious, glorify yet we may be lost when we are asked; how shall one glorify his Creator exactly? Details may vary from person to person but the main action is the same: • let God’s majesty be recognized, Psalm 96:8; • let the divine order be restored, 1 John 3:8/b; • let His will prevail and rule, John 15:8. “And on earth peace,” Man’s long-last­ing peace can come only from God. Peace is much more than oppressed anger, wiped out opposition, a chain of compro­mise which delays belligerence, the real peace always starts from within. At Christmas God had started that “peace movement” which reconciled more oppo­nents, befriended more adversaries, res­tored more peace of mind, eliminated mo­re hostilities than any skillful negotiation. The man who cannot give glory to God has much less chance to settle his problems with his neighbors peacefully. God did not sen His Son just to have a couple of days of “cease-fire” at the end of the year. See Col. 1:19-20. “Good will toward men.” As war creates hostility, belligerence, hatred, revenge, destruction — peace and only peace can nurture good will. In the time of show­down; I will teach him a lesson, power struggle, survival of the fittest ... good will is not popular. But so far no other equivalent substitute has been found yet. No scientific achievement, no college edu­cation, no high living standards will ever make the good will unnecessary or super­fluous. “The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had...” Phil 2:5 Good News Bible. Conclusion: To the angels’ doxology man can respond only in this way: “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:10-11.)

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