Do you have insurance?

Service by Prof David T Williams on Sunday 21nd February

Do you have insurance? It is an agreement, a covenant, a contract. It gives a shield, a reward (Gen 15:1)

Without this covenant, the journey through life is dangerous, stupid! - even to God's chosen! For the chosen people of God, it was the Amorites (Gen 15:16). But with the covenant - Fear not! Insurance does not stop accidents, but provides what is needed.

Insurance is offered, not from our action, and the covenant happens only by God's initiative. What we need is reliability and faithfulness - that is God, and ability to pay - God is able - look at the stars (Ps 19)

But insurance needs acceptance. If there is no contract, there is no payout. Our acceptance is faith. A great truth is that we are saved by grace through faith (Gen 15:6) - quoted FOUR times in Romans 4

We need to know we have a contract. We trust a document, a record of act, this is given by the insurer. We have the Bible, given by God. Jesus, the WORD, is our surety (Heb 7:22)

There is an act of covenant, in Abram's case by fire, in our's through Christ and the fire of the Spirit.

What was Abram promised?

• Descendants. He could have a family related by one Father. We are spiritual descendants of God and have our own spiritual descendants, as Paul had Timothy. Our descendants are blessed by OUR covenant (cf Gen 12:3).
• Land, so an inheritance now (Gen 15:18). We know God's PRESENT provision. God provides NOW
• Salvation (Gen 15:15). Accidents may or may not happen, but death is a fact. We cannot just ignore it - we need insurance! Abraham went to his fathers in peace. No peace without God! We benefit from this life insurance, not just our relatives!

Pew Leaflet Sunday 24th January 2015

This pew leaflet can also be downloaded from https://goo.gl/T1rIYU

Pew leaflet Sunday 17th January 2016

Wise men from the East

Matthew 2:1-18

Christmas tends to get overshadowed by New Year, but that wonderful event should affect us for a long time; indeed one day everyone will be affected by Jesus (Phil 2:11).  The wise men, coming from a land where Islam is now dominant, remind us of a lasting Christmas; its events may be as much as two years after the birth.  All are touched by the story; three groups.

Why was Herod troubled?  Loss of his power, disturbance of the status quo, knowing that he had done wrong?  Is this us as well when Jesus comes?  What did he do?  A political action; tried to compromise - is that us? But Jesus requires absolute obedience.  Then he sought to remove the problem - political expediency?  Many do this, putting Jesus out of sight and mind.  Us?  But we should them make Jesus more visible!!

Can we identify with Herod?  But also with others in the story, the privileged?  The priests, society people, ritualists, performing the actions of worship.  These were "modernists", for whom God could not intrude.  Then there were scribes, devoted to the scriptures; this is good, but again they did not want a real intrusion!  Jesus wants a real relationship with us.

The third group worshipped.  They had come by a strange route, but that does not matter - they reached Christ.   And a meeting with a real Jesus is the solution to Islam!  Let us enter into their joy, their dedication, and their worship.

Prof David T Williams
Theology (retired)

Father of the Son

John 5:19

The wonder of Christmas is that Jesus is the son of God; God made families to reflect himself.  Genesis I tells us that we were made male and female in his image.  Then Jesus became human, being born into a human family.  Christmas is a family time, and very rightly.

Of course, families are not just a wonderful means of relationship; children produce more children. We become children of God through Christ, the son of God (1 Jn 3:2). We are God's family, so seeing what it means for Jesus to be Son of God helps us to reflect that.

Son derives from the Father. We derive our being from our parents.  Thus Jesus is fully God as son of His Father and fully human as son of Mary.  It is only because He has this dual nature that He is able to be our sacrifice.

In the same way, our new spiritual life derives from God. Just as the Spirit came on Mary to enable the incarnation, so we receive new birth by the Spirit.
But there is one big difference from a human birth, which reflects the divine nature of Jesus; He receives in an eternal giving.  So once we have received Christ we must then constantly be filled!

Son is like the Father. We are naturally like our fathers, and Jesus shows what God is like.  The word "son" in the Bible often denotes likeness eg Acts 4:36

When we become Christian, we are naturally like our heavenly Father.  However we can also choose to deliberately imitate him, becoming more like him.  That is good, as it is easier to live with somebody you are like.  Remember that we will be with him forever, so get like him now!

Son is in harmony with the Father. Because of the interaction between Father and Son in the Trinity, they are equal, and always in agreement.  Jesus says, "I always do the will of my Father" (Jn 8:29).

Likewise, as God's children we should be in harmony with God (1 Jn 3:3).  It should be our aim to both will and do what He wants.  In the Trinity, the harmonious relation is facilitated by the Spirit, who also then works to conform us to God.

God sent His Son at Christmas to serve him and to build His Church, and as children of God, he sends us likewise.

Sermon by Prof David T Williams

Pew Leaflet 13 December 2015: Advent 3

Services December to March 2016

December 2015 (sidesmen Carol Neith/Tonya Burton)

Sunday 6th, 10am                United                    Neil Cooper

Sunday 13th, 10am              Anglican                 Rev Margaret Fourie

Sunday 20th, 10am              Baptist                    Prof David Williams/Rev Graham Langley

Wednesday 23^rd 7pm          Street Carols         Rev Margaret Fourie (Arminel to VIC)

Thursday 24^th, 5:30pm        Carols                     Ann Webster/Dr Norma Fivaz

Thursday 24^th, 11pm           Midnight                Rev Margaret Fourie

Friday 25^th, 8am                   Anglican                 Rev Margaret Fourie; 10am Arboretum Rev Graham Langley   

Sunday 27th, 10am              Anglican                 Rev Dr Liz Thomas

January 2016 (sidesmen Chris/Keri Evertson)

Sunday 3rd, 10am                English                    Neil Cooper

Sunday 10th, 10am              Anglican                 Rev Margaret Fourie

Sunday 17^th, 10am               Baptist                    Prof David Williiams

Sunday 24th, 10am              Anglican                 Rev Margaret Fourie

February 2016 (sidesmen Stuart/Lindi Dewing)

Sunday 7th, 10am                Afrikaans               Dr Ds Leon van Niekerk

Sunday 14th, 10am              Anglican                 Rev Margaret Fourie

Sunday 21st, 10am              Baptist                    Prof David Williams (Council meeting 18^th)

Sunday 28th, 10am              Anglican                 Rev Margaret Fourie

March 2016 (sidesmen Harold/Irene Nicholls/Jenny Kluckow)

Sunday 6th, 10am                United                    Neil Cooper

Sunday 13th, 10am              Anglican                 Rev Margaret Fourie

Sunday 20th, 10am              Baptist                    Prof David Williams

Friday 25^th, 12 noon            Good Friday          Rev Margaret Fourie; Thursday Passover Supper

Sunday 27th, 8am                Anglican                 Rev Dr Liz Thomas; 10am Arboretum Rev M Fourie