SUNDAY 4TH DECEMBER 2016
SERMON AZANIA FRONT ENGLISH SERVICE
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
THEME: THE LORD IS COMING TO HIS KINGDOM
Psalm 8, Revelation 1:8, Isaiah 2:2-4
Isaiah 2:2-4New International Version (NIV)
2 In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
3 Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Today is the second Sunday in Advent. We are thinking about the Lord coming in Glory and establishing His kingdom. We see in the prophecy of Isaiah a vision of a wonderful future. It is like a restoring of the Garden of Eden and the beauty and perfection of the original creation of God before sin entered the world.
We hear in the news daily of many terrible things going on in the world. There are many different groups with conflicting aims and desires who are fighting and killing one another. We see countries like Syria torn apart by civil war. ISIS and other extremist groups are killing people with suicide bombs and land mines and other weapons. There are epidemics of serious diseases spreading through various countries and overwhelming their health facilities. We hear of famines and floods and earthquakes. We have bad predictions of the devastating affects of Global warming. Do we not all long for good news? Do we not long for harmony and peace and blessings in our world.
What a beautiful picture Isaiah paints: People from all nations coming to the house of God and wanting to learn of Him. An end to armed conflicts. No more need for weapons. Peace and harmony. People loving God and loving one another. Wouldn’t that be wonderful.
We know that there is much evil in the world. But it is not just outside us. It is not just other people. Even in us there is sometimes evil. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners. Paul talks about a struggle within himself between good and evil.
Even as Christians we sometimes rebel against God.
Today we hear about Jesus coming into His Kingdom. The Bible talks a lot about the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven.
What is God’s Kingdom? It is where God rules as King. Where God is honoured and obey and His will is done.
We see God’s Kingdom here in part whenever God is honoured. Is God honoured in my life and in yours?
We are meeting together to worship God. We hope we are truly honouring God.
What about when we go out from our service. When we are at home with our families, when we meet with our friends. Do we honour God.? When we are at work.?
When we pray in the Lord’s prayer. “ Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. What do we really mean.
Let us think about these things and do our best to bring about God’s Kingdom on earth and prepare for the time when Christ will return in glory. Amen
