Sunday service, Jabulani Dube, 23 April 2017
When God started to work among us in the beginning we would not go to bed if there was something between us and God. At that time it was also common for black people to call elderly whites “Nkosana”, which is the diminutive form of lord or king. But when God worked among us the elderly whites too asked that we don’t call them such and we simply called them “ubaba”, which is the respectful term for an elderly man like uncle, sir or father. Arrogancy between races came to an end. Sharp and biting words came to an end.
God separated us from all the evil customs of ancestral worship. It’s heartbreaking when one attends the funeral of a so-called Christian and then all the heathen ancestral customs are followed. Note that there are good customs that we kept, like the respect in greeting and serving elderly people. We must get to the point where we stop compromising with the world.
Rom 6:1-7
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
There is a baptism where we are baptised into the death of Christ, which means that our life of sin comes to an end.
When I was young I thought the people that crucified Christ were evil people but later I realised that every time I sin I crucify Him afresh! He carried my sin on the cross.
A certain man wanted to stop smoking and he dug a hole and buried his pipe. But later he craved again and went and dug it up to smoke again. But you must totally eradicate your sin. Don’t be superficial about your sin but get to the root of it, then God can help you.
What do people know you for? What is your reputation? When you meet with Christ then even the love for self comes to an end and God makes everything new. When you have died to sin you’re set free from sin. But if you’re still beset by lust, jealousy, etc., cry out to God to set you free.
Gal 5:19-26
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Note first that your sins are open before God. You must put these things right with God. If the fruit of the Spirit is not evident in your life how can you claim to be a Christian?
When God speaks to you about putting things right or helping others how do you respond? Do you obey instantly or is there a delay? Is the fruit of the Spirit visible in your life? Nobody should have to teach you how to conduct yourself in different situations for the Holy Spirit will teach you if you remain in step with the Spirit.
Deut 18:10-14
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
We see how God’s word clearly separates us from the occult. If any of these things are still found in your life you’re disobedient to Him.
Lev 19
28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
32 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Here it clearly shows the evil of cutting yourself or getting tattoos, or dealing with the occult. Have nothing to do with the occult or the dead or witch doctors. Have you made it clear to everyone in your family how it should go at your funeral? Have you prepared for your family after your death?
If you have a fire in a fireplace, the fire will eventually die unless you continue to add fuel to the fire. So too spiritually unless you continually fuel God’s fire in your life, it will die. Don’t neglect the coming together with God’s children. Don’t neglect private prayer and devotion. Any defiled animal like a frog or snake can come and lie down in the fireplace when the fire had died and it’s cold. So too spiritually if God’s fire had died in your life any defiled animal will enter and stay there. You will find that the old sins enter your life again and raise it’s ugly head.
But as we’ve read at the beginning, God forbid that we should remain in sin at all. His salvation is complete and we must remain in Him.
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