UNITED CHURCH (CNI) AMBALA SADAR CELEBRATES ITS 153 th YEAR OF EXISTENCE

It was an honour to be part of 153 years of existence of United Church, Diocese of Delhi (CNI), Ambala Sadar celebrated on the 9th of November 2012, the day on which the church was re-dedicated to the glory of Almighty God after its renovation in the year 2009-2010.

Bishop of Diocese of Delhi CNI - The Rt. Rev. Sunil Kumar Singh, Delhi Diocesan Secretary - The Rev. Prabhakar Mahlan and many other pastors were present on the occasion. Seven children were confirmed by his grace Bishop Sunil Singh on this auspicious day. 

GOD THE HOLY TRINITY

JOHN 16: 5-15

In St. John’s Gospel we see that Jesus Christ tells the disciples that He will send them the advocate, the Spirit of truth, who will testify on his behalf [Jn.15²⁶ ;16^13-14]. Jesus Christ knew that he was going to be killed and that He rises again on the 3^rd day. He also knew that when he ascends to the Father, He will send the Holy Spirit to be with them forever to teach and testify about Christ. Jesus focuses on the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Jesus addresses the Holy Spirit as HE. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon all the people who believed and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and the saviour; as a mighty rushing wind and as a tongues of fire and they began to speak in many different languages. From that day till today Almighty God continues to pour out His Holy Spirit upon the church, the people of God. Almighty God and Jesus Christ have kept their promise and the Holy Spirit is available to all who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and saviour.

The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct from one another. The Father honours the Son; the Son honours the Father and the Holy Spirit honours the Son (Jn.17^{1, 8, 22}). In the unity of the Godhead there is a trinity of Persons working out redemption.

• God the Father is the creator and the ruler of man & the provider of the redemption through His love [Jn.3¹⁶].
• God the Son is the redeemer, who became man for the purpose of our redemption.
• God the Holy Spirit is the “Executive of the Godhead” who applies to each believing soul the benefits of redemption.

 The foundation of the Christian idea of the Godhead is that of the One Supreme Almighty Spirit whom we worship, to whom we pray, from whom we receive grace and whom we serve. But the specific Christian thought of God is that of a Spirit, in the unity of whose being is revealed a distinction of persons whom we call the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the God from whom, through whom and by whom all things come – The Father as the primary source, The Son as the redemptive Mediator and The Holy Spirit as the personal applier of life and peace. Christianity insists that one God exists in Trinity: God has three persons but one essence. It was Tertullian (AD 160-220) first to formulate the doctrine of Trinity in the language of persons and essence – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit [not in condition, but in degree; not in substance, but in form; not in power, but in aspect; yet of one substance, and of one condition; and of power, in as much as He is one God, from whom these degrees and the forms and aspects are reckon, under the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of Trinity was affirmed in the Council of Nicaea (AD325). The creed most of the churches recognizes  as the Nicene Creed: -

“I believe in One God, the Father Almighty,

Creator of Heaven and Earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God,

Begotten , not made, One in being with the Father,

Through Him all things were created.

I believe in Holy Spirit, the Lord, giver of life,

Who proceeds from Father and the Son,

With Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.”

It treats the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as individual persons within the Godhead. The basis idea is that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are coequal and coeternal centers of the self-awareness, each being “I” in relation to the other two, who are “you” and each partaking of the full divine essence along with the other two. Jesus Christ also assumed the doctrine of Trinity when He prescribed baptism- “in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” [Mt.28¹⁹]. the three persons share one name because they are one God. Jesus Christ teaches his disciples in the vs.5-15 about the Holy Spirit. In vs.⁵ Jesus wanted his disciples to concentrate on the result of His departure- the coming of the Holy Spirit rather thinking where Jesus Christ was going. Vs.^6-7 The disciples were grieved at the going of Jesus, but the coming of Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost would assure them of Almighty God’s presence at their side anywhere and everywhere in the world. Jesus wanted to tell his followers that he was on the earth for a limited time for a specific task given to him by His heavenly Father. The will or the task was to born like a man, die on the cross for the sins of many and then rise again on the 3^rd day. Jesus Christ by becoming obedient to Almighty God, came victorious on the cross over the powers hostile to God. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth that brings people to the truth of Almighty God. The world doesn't notice the Spirit of truth, but this Spirit was with Jesus’ disciples and would be in them forever. Vs.^8-9 The Holy Spirit will convict the world that we are all sinners, and would lead us to repentance and salvation. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, the world cannot accept him because they are not aware of him; but we as believers know the Spirit as it is with us. The expression “the Spirit of Truth” is often used in the Gospel is always in reference to Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ earlier in this gospel John 14⁶ declares Himself to be the truth. The Holy Spirit also convicts every human of righteousness and of judgment. The world’s ways of righteousness and the judgment is wrong and is on the principles of the worldly rulers. The world is equally condemned with its rulers. Vs.^13-15 The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth that leads the followers into all the truth by reminding them about all Jesus Christ had said and done. The Spirit was meant to be the one who communicates the truth to the hearers. Only through Jesus Christ we can understand who Almighty God is? The church of God is the character of Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit will bring glory to Jesus as the plan of redemption centers in Christ; this is the topic on which Holy Spirit concentrates its teachings (John 15²⁶). The close inter-relationship between the three persons of Trinity is once again emphasized. The Holy Spirit anoints and empowers to do what He directs him to do (Luke 4^{14-15; 18-21}). It also empowers to preach and heal (John 8²⁶); He is the advocate that pleads our cause before the Almighty God for us. Holy Spirit is also seen as a helper or a comforter that gives us peace and guidance at the time of trouble and it also intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. He helps us to pray (Rom.8²⁶). Jesus Christ had to go to the Father in order to send us the Paraclete, Holy Spirit that resides in us forever (1Cor.3¹⁶). The Spirit of God remains with every believer forever. The Old Testament people did not have this advantage. The Spirit of God came upon them but for a certain task and then left them; but post Pentecost every believer is equipped with the Holy Spirit forever. Today as we focus on the Trinity – God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, how much do we reflect their aspect in our lives? Do we find it easier to relate to relate to the Godhead as individuals – as Almighty God the Father, Jesus Christ his Son and the Holy Spirit the Comforter?

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR FAITH

Ephesians 6¹⁰     “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

The Old Testament tells us that Moses was chosen by the Lord God to follow him. He was chosen for a special task, the task to free the Israelites, God’s chosen people. Moses was little hesitant to go to Egypt to accomplish the task for which God called him. May be he could not come out fear that he had when he ran away from Pharaoh. But God gave him courage and the assistance of his brother Aaron. Many a times fear prejudges, preoccupation takes precedence over the calling of God. The fear of livelihood, day-to-day problems, health, family situations, finances, etc. overrules and governs us most of the time. In the same way like Moses, we are also chosen by Almighty God to be His disciples. Jesus Christ commanded his disciples to go to all the nations and make disciples for Him, baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and also teach them to obey everything He have commanded us. Unfortunately we ourselves do not obey His commands, so the question of teaching others and making them His disciples doesn’t rise. We also hesitate like Moses and give lame excuses.

To avoid Moses gave 5 excuses - 

• Ex. 3¹¹     “ ----- who am I, that should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt.”
• Ex. 3¹³      “----- Israelites would ask me, what is the name of the God of our ancestors.”
• Ex. 4¹        “ ----- what if they don’t believe me or listen to me and say the Lord did not appear to you.”
• Ex. 4¹⁰     “----- I have never been eloquent.”
• Ex. 4¹³     “----- please send someone else to do so.”

On hearing the 5^th excuse God became angry, how could Moses continue to refuse? After the series of rhetorical questions; God revealed that His power could overcome any inability which Moses might have felt. As a final gesture of Divine patience, God promised him assistance of his brother Aaron. In Exodus 4, Vs.18, the fact that Moses did not reveal his father-in-law, the real reason for his departure to Egypt possibly suggests that Moses remained unconvinced of God’s ability to accomplish his plans. God’s call to Moses is a vivid reminder of how we all are called to serve the living God.

In the letter to Ephesians, Paul addresses the whole Church corporately as an army of the Almighty God, not as an individual. Paul’s exhortation doesn’t prepare soldiers to make a quick moving attack but to take stand (Eph.6¹¹); to stand your ground (6¹³) and to stand firm (6¹⁴). The strong position Paul  has in his mind, will be clear to his readers ; it is our union with Christ, the head over all the things, far above all principalities and the powers and His resurrection is the power of Almighty God at work in us. Even the armour and the weapons turn out to be a mixture of God’s very own (Is.59¹⁷) with those of His Messiah (Is.11^4-5). 

Is.59 17

“He put on righteousness as his breastplate and the helmet of Salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.”

Is.11 4-5

“but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions         for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth with the breath of hid lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.”

(A) “Be strong in the Lord” literally means to find strength in the Lord. Emphasis is on the God’s mighty powers for the Spiritual fight. In addition to divine strength they will need the full armour that God provides.

(B)  A repeated “Stand Firm” in togetherness introduces the portrayal of the armour. The readers would no doubt have thought of the Roman soldiers but Paul has cast his description mainly in the terms of God’s armour. Here the Messiah’s belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness are added along with his powerful word which strikes judgement. Paul is saying that the Church’s basic equipment in the spiritual battle is integrity and righteous living. It is a deep spiritual understanding of the gospel of peace that provides the church with this firm grip that is the preparation for the battle. The shield of faith would protect from the fiery darts, would include anything from direct occult attack to devilish persecution, but above all the steady rain of temptations to fear, bitterness, anger and division that would break the church unity. These darts are to be countered with faith. Taking the shield of faith suggests a deliberate and positive holding onto the God’s revealed in the gospel, firm and resolute dependence on the Lord which quenches the fiery attempts of the enemy to harm and to spread panic.

(C)  A constant watch is needed. This doesn’t mean that prayer is one of the pieces of armour but spiritual understanding of the gospel combined with an alert prayerfulness is the combination of prayer-warrior, such prayer will be guided by spirit who gives access to God.

APPLICATION:

• Do we hear God calling us ?
• How do we respond to his calling?
• Does any kind of fear stops us in listening God’s call?
• Are we fully equipped with all the things necessary (i.e. The Spiritual armour) to fight the spiritual battle?
• With whom do we think, we have to fight this battle?
• What measures are we taking to overcome our fear?

These are some of the questions that we have to ask us and see where do we stand. We are on the God’s side as a soldier or on the Satan’s side as an enemy?

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life

The declaration of our Lord Jesus Christ – I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE is very popular and is widely known. All of us in general rely very much on this saying of the Lord and bounce with certitude that because we worship Jesus Christ we have the passport to enter and enjoy the glory of eternal life. Is it possible or certain for anyone to reach the destination for the reason that one has found the way? Can the way take the traveler to its destination? Can the traveler reach the destination and reap the fruits thereof lay in preserve simply because he is able to sing hymns on its charms or deliver sermons on its stupendous glory? Finding the right way is the first step for the aspirant to reach and enjoy eternal life and thereafter lies more cumbersome task ahead; the traveler may get stranded on the way, may squat , slip or even fall down on the way. He may encounter difficulties, temptations and such other exigencies which may become hurdles and obstacles which consequently may cause him abandon the journey. As the Psalter sings that we all are pilgrims and sojourners on this planet and our life is a journey from birth to death (from cradle to grave). In this journey we should be firm in each step guided by the truth. If we depart from the truth and pursue wickedness, selfishness, greed, hatred, jealousy, and anger in our hearts, we will slip and grope as in darkness.

Prov.4¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble. 

Unless we stand firm and walk upright and steadfast, we cannot reach the goal and our mere choice of the way doesn’t come to our aid. Even in choosing the way, we should be diligent and prudent lest it should lead to death.

Prov.16²⁵ / Prov.14¹²​​​​​​ There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death.

Jesus is the truth as he declares himself in Jn. 16¹³ – I AM THE TRUTH, and he also adds when the Spirit of truth comes he will guide us into the truth.

Jn.16 ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come.

It is therefore manifest that through guidance of the Spirit alone we can be led into whole truth. Rightly said that Jesus is the truth and it is through him and by the truth preached by him one can be made free, free from the bondage of – sin, economic crises, sickness, temptations, family problems, etc.. It is also a test for us and for our declared philosophy that we are the followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus also declared – I AM LIFE; as food is necessary for the physical being so much so spiritual nourishment is essential for the growth of inner being, because as God had said that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. 

Duet. 8³ So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone but also by everything that comes from the LORD’s mouth.

Mt. 4⁴ But he answered, “It is written, man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Lk. 4⁴ Jesus answered him, “It is written, man does not live by bread alone.”

 

Almighty God fed the Israelites in their journey with manna that rained from the skies and this manna is the symbolic and figurative illustration of the word proceeding out of the mouth of God. This word had been there from the very beginning.

Jn.1^1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.

Thus we realize that Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life personified. We are all with life. We speak, hear, and see things, smell, feel, eat, talk, move, stand and sit. Are these the only symbols or evidence of life. They are the symbols for the material and physical realm of human life. Besides these material symbols or elements man has a soul that distinguishes them from others. This life is something distinct and different from life in its ordinary exposition. That is how the church in Sardis was described.

Rev.3² This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead.'  

​​​​​​​Prov. 11 ¹⁹ True righteousness leads to life, but the one who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.

Let us examine ourselves with regard to the manner and situation of our life. If we follow Jesus in truth through the way He set before us, then only we have the life He offers.

THE GIFTS OF HOLY SPIRIT (John 20:19-23)

The believers of the church are endowed because of God’s grace. We are just the stewards to be used for the well being of the whole church, the body of Christ. Therefore, the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are given: -

·         Are not for self-interest;

·         To be used;

·         For the service of the church.

The whole idea of Apostle Paul is the essential unity of the body of Christ, the church; where the every member performs his/her duties or function in the church for the good of the whole body. Besides the gifts, we have other important aspects of the Holy Spirit’s manifestation in one’s life that is the fruits of the Spirit (Gal.5: 22-23). Apostle Paul puts love on top of the list of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians: Love; Joy; Peace; Patience: Kindness; Goodness; Faithfulness; Gentleness and Self-control. The man gifted with the Holy Spirit is a converted person but the true indication that a person has received the Spirit is not in the emotional externals but in a character molded into Christ-likeness. These fruits are nothing but the qualities of virtues (morals) shown in the life of the believers. 

Pentecost comes from the Greek word penthkosth, (Pentecoste), literally meaning the fiftieth, given to the Jewish feast of weeks (Deut 16:10) which began fifty days after the Sabbath of the Passover festival. The day of Pentecost is the 50^th day after the Sabbath of Passover week, thus the first day of the week. Pentecost is also called the Feast of the Weeks (Deut.16:10), the Feast of Harvest (Ex.23¹⁶) and the day of the first fruits (Num.28:26). This was a feast where the first fruits of the corn harvest were presented.  Later on, the giving of the Law by Moses was also commemorated on this day.  Fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit that was prophesied by the prophet Joel was given to all the believers.  Joel prophesied almost eight hundred years before the birth of Christ, about how God will gift his spirit: ‘It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.  Even upon the menservants and maidservants in those days, I will pour out my spirit’ (Joel 2:28).

The Gospel according to John, chapter 20 and verse 19 tell us that the disciples were afraid of the Jews so they had locked themselves in a room and often stayed together. Here in Luke 24:36 also when they were still telling each other about their experiences of seeing Jesus, Risen Christ enters the locked room and wishes them “Peace be with you”- which was probably a common practice to greet each other among the Jews but Jesus wanted to give them His Spiritual peace that he had promised his disciples earlier before his death. Jesus knew that all his disciples had run away at the time of His crucifixion and did not believe that He has risen from the dead but at this hour they really needed the blessings of their Guru. Jesus gives them joy because they were depressed on the death of their Guru; they got peace because they were mourning and were restless; they got the power of the Holy Spirit as they thought themselves to be weak in their faiths after the death of Jesus who gave them the new life because they all repented and received Jesus as their Messiah who delivered them from the burden of sin.

Verse 20 tell us that by Jesus entering the closed room, the disciples thought that the spirit or a ghost of Jesus is standing in front of them; but Jesus shows them as the forth proof of His resurrection; His physical body of flesh and bones, his feet and hands with nail prints; the marks of the wounds were still on His resurrected body. Disciples needed to be convinced that they were seeing the real person, Jesus. Jesus proved that He is the Risen Christ rather than a ghost that was standing amongst them; forgiving them for what they had done earlier with their Guru by running away at the time of His crucifixion. Jesus showed them His wounds to make them believe on every word He had spoken. The word “MUST” in the Luke 24:44 tells us that it is no mere accident that the Scripture is fulfilled. There is divine necessity about it. (The Law of Moses°; The Prophets¹ and The Psalms²) Jesus was saying that these threefold division of the Hebrew Bible; every part of the Scripture bears witness to Him.

Verses 21-22 tell us that as He was anointed by his Heavenly Father to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the whole world, in the same way Jesus anoints His chosen ones by gifting them with his Spirit for a mission to spread the gospel and prepare each and every individual to repent and accept Jesus as a Saviour. This doesn’t refer to empowerment for the ministry that took place at the Pentecost, but to formal ordination of the disciples to the office of the apostles. Jesus Christ’s mission is one of the dominant themes of this gospel and is given as a pattern for his followers in the world. We May long for heaven but it is on earth that our work is done.

Verse 23 tells us that about the authority given by Jesus Christ to his disciples. In Mt.28:18 Jesus Christ says, “All authority in Heaven and earth has been given to me.” The disciples needed Almighty God’s help {Holy Spirit} to carry out the commission they had just been given. 

Ø  Are we ready to follow Jesus?

Ø  Do we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour?

Ø  Are we ready to commit our life in the service of the Lord?

The fruits of the Holy Spirit emphasize that unlike the gifts of the Spirit given in an unusual way; these are given to help and guide the believer to lead a true Christian life in his/her normal day-to-day life. The Spirit soothes like nothing else. The Spirit slakes our thirst like nothing else. Why settle for, or accept as inevitable, “a culture of deceit and half truth” when God’s promised His Spirit of truth to work with us for Him in His world? The most glorious day we look forward to as Christians is the last day, to which God’s Spirit inexorably draws us, when there will be an end of sin, deceit and half truth, and a glorious consummation of God’s perfect, kingdom reign.