Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen, 16 Nov 2014
(also an engagement service of Sizwe Mnikathi and Fikile Shabalala)
1Tim 4:12-16
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
There are some who through disobedience destroy themselves, but each one of us should be an example, even to the believers. Even the believers need an example otherwise they go off the right way.
If you want to know if someone is a Christian ask the heathen. They read us. You’re a letter read by everyone, so be a letter of Christ to the people. You’re a letter not written with ink but on the hearts of people. May it be a letter from God. There are few people reading the Bible, but everyone sees our lives.
Some unbelievers say they don’t want to be Christians because of how the Christians live and the way the children of the Christians live. If you follow the Lord you bring joy to your parents, but if you go your own way it’s like stoning them.
Be an example and let no one despise your youth. If you want to be respected then be an example in your conduct, speech and purity.
The thing that touches the Muslims the most about Jesus Christ is His love for His enemies, especially where He prayed for His enemies.
Some say their perverse lust of homosexuality and lesbianism, is because they were born that way. But the truth is we were all born in sin. That’s why Jesus came to save us from our sin (Matt 1:21). The Bible says people fall in homosexuality and lesbianism because they become vain in their thoughts and refuse to acknowledge God, worshipping the things that were created instead of the Creator (Rom 1:18-32).
Remember you’re not what you think you are, you are what you think. Your thoughts must be pure as well.
In Proverbs it says you must not even go near the house of a prostitute (Prov 5:8). Flee worldly lusts, just like Joseph fled to Egypt when the angel warned him that Herod wanted to kill the Child. Joseph obeyed instantly.
Some alcoholic might say he wants to get rid of it, but then goes and sits in the bar. The same applies to a prostitute, if you don’t want to fall in her trap why go near her house?
1Corinthians 10:1-11
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
If one only read the first few verses it looks like a very good congregation, but because of their evil ways after God had done all for them, He wasn’t pleased with them, and most died in the wilderness, destroyed by the destroyer.
You can be a good or bad example. Read 1Cor 13 what true godly love is, having long suffering, being the least and serving others.
The destroyer came unexpectedly. We can just pray that God would come down like a mighty rain that will wash away all who are dead.
German Translation
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