Tag: John The Baptist

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This Sunday’s lecture | Church reloaded: the revolution will not be televised

Historically revolutions often times start from something insignificant, then overtime they gain momentum, Until they hit a tipping point. In recent times the Arabic Spring comes to mind.

With this in mind, we take another look at Jesus’ remarks to his audience about a revolution that was budding… He said concerning John the Baptist:

What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. – (Matthew 11:7-9)

So join us if you can for The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. In the course of my lecture I will be exploring: 

  1. the people that watch things happen;

  2. the people that make things happen; and,

  3. the people that ask, what happened?

(6:00-7:30)pm

Art Centre, Drama Room, Bexleyheath Academy, Woolwich Rd, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 7DA 

(Free parking in front of the school and adjacent streets)

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Spiritual Intelligence: Joy And Pain, Sunshine And Rain

“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Good morning friends. In biblical texts most times the word messenger can be interchanged for Angel. With that in mind, let’s consider our opening verses. In these texts the writer mentions two messengers: one assigned to prepare the way, the other the messenger of the covenant. So, who are these messengers? Well, we don’t need to work too hard for answers to that question. We know through historical accounts that this prophecy was fulfilled in the persons of John the Baptist, and Jesus Christ. Isaiah also caught glimpse of this light in his time, hence he wrote:

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.

Therefore when John was asked by his audience to locate himself in the holy writ, he pointed them to a prophetic reference from the book of Isaiah as he boldly declared: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness”. And the same John also identified Jesus as the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world .

Therefore we can conclude that these messengers were human and not angelic beings. Two people who were spoken about before they come being. Men who clearly knew their; place in time, fate in history, and path to destiny. Two pioneers that would ultimately pay with their lives for you and I to enjoy eternal life. They offered themselves as living sacrifices without flinching, even at the point of death – isn’t that something?

In closing this thought dear friends , I admonish you with words from Paul. In my humble opinion these words are arguably more relevant today than they were when written centuries ago:

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Like these two martyrs, just hold-on! Your season of pain and rain will soon be replaced with joy and sunshine!

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~ Sabali

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Spiritual Intelligence: The Voice…

When the authorities sent emissaries to enquire from John who he really was (this was in-spite of his mysterious birth, and activities leading to his presentation at the temple), John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet,

I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.

John’s mission was to make ready a people for the first coming of Christ. Even now there are people with the same spirit that John possessed preaching and teaching in the wilderness, preparing those willing to listen for the second coming of The Lord.

Similar to John, these individuals had to be out of the system, they had to be given a new identity, their fathers had to be made dumb so they don’t mess-up God’s plan. Their names had to be entrusted and pronounced by the church (Elizabeth). They were conceived by the church in her barrenness, shame, and old age; when all had written her off.

But in the words of prophet Isaiah;

A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.

Yes my friends, humankind is doing everything to achieve immortality and youthfulness, but inspite of our best efforts; like grass and flowers we will wither and fade away, but the word of God will stand forever.

Pray with me… Father I repent of all my sins, and I ask you to come into my life today. I’ve come to realise that this world is not my home, and I’m just passing through. I pray that you fill me with your Holy Spirit, empower me to lead a victorious life – in Jesus’ name! Amen.

If you said these prayers, congratulations. Get a copy of the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to a fellowship. You have made the most important decision of your life, and the angels are rejoicing in heaven!

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~ Sabali
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