Malagasy Lutheran Church Music & Gospel Sunday IX following Trinity, August 1st-7, 2021 « The Believers, Faithful People » *

Introduction: Faithful believers are people with whom God is pleased because He can trust them. They are steadfast in their faith, as the Lord said: « My righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back » Heb 10:38. Thus, the faithful believers really walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). And so, Jesus declares that they are happy, as He said to Thomas: « Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe » Jn 20:29. God has intended His people to live by faith, for that is the guarantee of their salvation, as Jesus said to the sick woman who came and touched His cloak: « Your faith has made you well » Mar 5:34a. Faith is a way to glorify God; therefore, He is pleased with the prayer made with faith and answers it, as « without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him » Heb 11:6. We should live in faith not only for a limited time, or for a specific reason, but for a lifetime and for all purposes. Therefore, the « obedience of faith » (Rom 16:26) begins at the time one starts to believe; yet God has intended it to last until the believer’s last breath on earth, when the Lord would receive him in His everlasting kingdom. He said: « Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life » Rev 2:10c.

Monday, 2nd: The Believers, people who are faithful to whom they believe in.
« You cannot serve God and Mammon » Lk 16:13c.
Reading 1: Jos 24:11-15. Reading 2: Lk 16:9-15. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Lk 16:13.
Introduction: To love Him alone, that was the core of the first three commandments spoken by God from heaven (Ex 20:3-11, summed up by Deut 6:5). He definitely hates to be cheated on with other gods. Joshua was faithful in his faith in Him, standing boldly before the people of Israel,
saying: « But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord » Jos 24:15b. Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the Law, emphasized this when He
said: « Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him » Mt 4:10.

Tuesday, 3rd: The Believers, people who are faithful in caring for their neighbors.
« As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good » 2 Thes 3:13.
Reading 1: Acts 10:1-8. Reading 2: 2 Thes 3:13-18. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: 2 Thes 3:13.
Introduction: Loving acts that are fruits of faith are pleasing sacrifices to God, just as the one Jesus Christ did for us sinners (Eph 5:2). The first of
them is the care for the lives of the friends whom God brings us to interact with, according to the last seven commandments (Ex 20:12-17, summed
up by Lev 19:18). The Apostle Paul summarizes it as he wrote: « God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always
having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, ‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his
righteousness endures forever’ -Ps 112:9″ 2 Cor 9:8-9.

Wednesday, 04th: The Believers, people who are faithful and keep hold of faith.
« The one who endures to the end will be saved » Mt 24:13.
Reading 1: Rev 12:1-11. Reading 2: Mt 24:1-14. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Mt 24:12-13.
Introduction: God requires not only that the believers have faith, but also that they keep that faith until their last breath. The Apostle Paul stood
firm and encouraged others to do the same when he wrote to his son Timothy: « As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the
time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith » 2 Tim 4:6-7. Your courage and
perseverance to grasp the faith in Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:58b) will never be in vain, as He encourages: « Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence
of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised » Heb
10:35-36.

Thursday, 05th: The Believers, people who are faithful in service.
« Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much » Lk 16:10a.
Reading 1: Heb 3:1-6. Reading 2: Lk 16:10-12. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Lk 16:10.
Introduction: God uses the ministries that He entrusts to the believers on earth to observe if they are faithful or not. He declares that blessed are
those whom He finds faithful in these ministries, as Jesus said: « Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his
household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he
arrives » Mt 24:45-46. They are really blessed, because God will entrust to them the true fortune which is eternal life (Lk 16:11). Therefore, « […]
be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain » 1 Cor 15:58.

Friday, 06th: The Believers are faithful people that they glorify God.
« And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name » 1 Chr 29:13.
Reading 1: Ps 115:1-11. Reading 2: 1 Chr 29:10-13. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: 1 Chr 29:13.
Introduction: The gratitude for God’s salvation for us through Jesus Christ produces heartfelt praises for Him. It is in the hearts of all God’s
children to praise Him (Ps 145:10-12). This is after all what the whole inhabitants of heaven do forever, as it is written: « And all the angels stood
around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen » Rev 7:11-12.

Saturday, 07th: God honors the faithful believers.
« Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life » Rev 2:10c.
Reading 1: 2 Tim 4:1-8. Reading 2: Rev 2:8-11. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Rev 2:10.
Introduction: God rewards the believers who are faithful and persevere in their faith, starting here and into eternity. Jesus says to them: « Well done,
good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things » Mt 25:21a. The Apostle John also
declared: « These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple » Rev 7:14b-15a.

This pericope is published in Malagasy, French, English and German, and can be found on the Site www.hifi- madanet.org and Facebook “Hira sy Filazantsara”. Listen to hifiradio.org 24/7: lessons, songs, … © Madanet.

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