Lutheran Church Malagasy

Song & Gospel
Sunday XVI after Trinity 07-12 October 2019
« Know God »

Introduction: « Know God », it tells us that God does not hide or wants to hide from us, sinners. We can know Him well and He wants us to know Him so that we can believe in Him and receive his salvation and enjoy his endless grace (Joh. 1:16). According to that, the key word of the Christian faith is to know in whom one believes, in agreement with what the apostle Paul said, « I know whom I have believed » 2 Tim. 1: 12. It shows that his faith is not superstition as if it were an unfounded, unreliable reality, or only intellectual and conceptual faith, like a person who acknowledges the existence of God but neither have a close relationship with Him nor know His power, a person who does not even have a living faith. For the Lord says, « My righteous one will live by faith » Heb. 10: 38a, that is, living truly with God, being not a stranger but a child whom He really knows (1Tim. 2: 19) consistently with Jesus’s word, « My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow Me » Joh. 10: 27. For the lack of true knowledge about God causes unbelief as Jesus said, « You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God » Mat. 22: 29. This is what shakes faith and what gives way to serving false gods, and leading some to duplicity, « those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek » Zep. 1: 5. Yet the Lord says, « I am the Lord and there is no other, apart from Me, there is no God » Isa. 45: 5. There are also those who do not want to know Him but deny Him like the Jews (Joh. 1:11) and the Romans about whom Paul told, « For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him » Rom. 1:21. There are five revealers of God that make Him known: The Holy Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16), the work of God (Psa.19:1, Joh.14: 10-11) Jesus Christ the Son (Mat. 17:5, Joh. 1:18), the Holy Spirit (Joh. 15:26), and the witnesses (Joh. 15:27, Acts 1:8). For this reason, Jesus says: « Seek and you will find » Mat. 7:7b.

Monday: Find out the Unique God.
« See now that I myself am He » Deu. 32:39a.
Reading 1: Joh. 14:1-7. Reading 2: Deu. 32: 39-40. Preaching: Deu. 32:39.
Introduction: The wording « the Unique God » shows that there is no other God and He cannot be replaced. It is a recommendation and a foundation for us to trust Him without troubling ourselves about seeking and serving other lords or blending Him with those who are not God. Happy are those who know Him and can say like His disciples, « Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the Word of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God » Joh. 6:68-69.

Tuesday: Know that God is holy.
« You shall have no other gods before Me » Exo. 20:3.
Reading 1: Gal. 1:1-8. Reading 2: Exo. 20:1-6. Preaching: Exo. 20:3.
Introduction: Since God is saint, sanctify Him. Offer Him the glory and honor He deserves as He said: « A son honors his father and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me? says the go LORD ALMIGHTY. It is you priests who show contempt for my name » Mal. 1:6. This is a great bell song that calls all God’s people to holiness because « those who are holy will see the Holy One » (Heb.12:14), and will be able to get in touch with Him (Job 22:21).

Wednesday: Know that God is love.
« God is love » 1 Joh. 4:16a.
Reading 1: Mat. 9: 9-13. Reading 2: 1 Joh. 4:12-16. Preaching: 1 Joh. 4:16.
Introduction: God is love and He does not want sinners to be lost, but to be saved to inherit his kingdom, even eternal life (Joh. 3: 16). He sent his Son to us, Jesus Christ who declared: « For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost » Lk. 19:10. Then He called, « Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest » Mat. 11:28. Answer his call, for He said, « Whoever who comes to me, I will never drive away » Joh. 6:37.

Thursday: Know that God is the Lord of life.
« Jesus said: ‘Young man, I say to you, get up’ » Lk. 7:14.
Reading 1: Jam. 4: 10-12. Reading 2: Lk. 7: 11-17. Preaching: Lk. 7:14-15.
Introduction: The people who saw Jesus raise the only son of the widow of Nain from the dead were amazed and terrified—and this in only a couple of words, « Get up ». It means that his words are « holy » because He is the Lord. He said, « I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die and whoever lives by believing in me will never die » Joh. 11: 25-26. That is why « whoever believes in the Son has eternal life » Joh. 3:36.

Friday: Know Jesus Christ, the only Savior.
« We know that this man is the Savior of the world » Joh. 4:42b.
Reading 1: Acts 4:5-12. Reading 2: Joh. 4:34-42. Preaching: Joh. 4:41-42.
Introduction: Jesus Christ is the only Savior the Father has given for the world as He said: « This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased. Listen to him » Mat. 17:5. « For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved » Acts 4: 12. Jesus has prayed, « Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him » Joh. 17:1-2.

Saturday: Stand firm in the Lord.
« So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith » Eph. 3:17a.
Reading 1: Joh. 15:9-15. Reading 2: Eph. 3:14-21. Preaching: Eph. 3:14-17.
Introduction: « Standing firm » is a source of confidence and gain. It is the Lord dwelling in the believer (Rev. 3:20). So, those who want to dwell in Him revere Him as the Lord who reigns in their heart (1 Pet. 3:15). This is a guarantee of salvation and eternal blessing as it is written: « Christ in you, the hope of glory » Col. 1:27. Jesus will surely come to take those who are His in order to accomplish his words « that you also may be where I am » Joh. 14:3. Therefore, « Stand firm. Let nothing move you » 1 Cor. 15: 58.

Nota: This pericop is weekly published in Malagasy, French, and English. It can be consulted on the website www.hifi-madanet.org, and on Facebook “HiFi- English.”Listen to “hifiradio.org”- Teachings, testimonies, songs in 24h/7d. © HiFi Madanet

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