Marcom ICF Delft

Back to the past or back to the future!?!

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Exodus 17:1-7

Sometimes it is good that our wishes are not answered in the way we want.
Israel being free from Egypt and short after this it is longing back several times. Here in Exodus 17 it’s the third time they want to return to their past. How patient is the God of Israel? Is He giving what they ask?

Receiving a new home and new destiny and a new goal in our life takes time, maybe a lifetime, God is learning His people. Sometimes the journey seems too difficult, too dangerous, too unsure to continue. It seems the best to stay were you are or return where you came from.

But Gods Kingdom is not back in time, but before us. Returning to Him is going back to the future, or better: Is receiving His future through His Kingdom. Therefore He is learning to be confident with God alone.  That’s the lesson God is learning us. The best return is to turn us to God. In that way we receive a new future through Jesus Christ.

Be most welcome this Sunday, 3 November 2019 in the New Church at 12:30, to find out more about this!

Pastor Christiaan Olie

A night to remember

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Exodus 12 describes what happened in the Passover night. After God had told Pharao time and again to release his people Israel from slavery, the destroyer killed all the firstborn in Egypt, except for the firstborn who were protected by the blood of a lamb. And after this Passover night, Pharao released Israel and let them go. This shocking story leaves us with questions. Why the firstborn? And why did the blood of a lamb protect against the destroyer? Centuries later, Jesus celebrate the Passover with his disciples. Why does no one of the gospels mention the lamb? And why did Jesus have to die – like a lamb? The sermon will discuss these questions by putting them in the context.

Be most welcome this Sunday, 27 October 2019 in the New Church at 12:30, to find out more about this!

Henk Polinder

What’s in God’s Name? 

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Exodus 3
The life of Moses can be divided into three different periods: 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in Midjan and another 40 years in the desert on the way to the promised land.

Moses’ time in Midjam was especially important because of his encounter with God at the age of 80. The confrontation completely turned Moses’ life upside down. It also teaches us something very important about living with God today. What that is has to do with His name: Jahweh. Are you ready to discover what this means and how is it connected to that other name, Jesus?

We are excited to see you and welcome you this Sunday 20 October in the New Church at 12.30 hrs!

Pastor Hans-Jan Roosenbrand

Faithfulness behind the scenes

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Exodus 1 and 2 lead us into a world of great trouble and intense suffering: a time of slavery and organized murder. All newborn Hebrew boys had to be killed. Of course this situation must have brought many Israelites to serious questions: Where is God in all this? What is He doing? Why doesn’t He intervene and rescue us from the hell of Egypt? But there are still people who trust in the Lord and wait for Him, people like Amram and Jochebed. They resist evil in an act of faith. What do they do? Why? And how can their brave act of trust in God help us to be faithful to the Lord?

Be most welcome this Sunday, 13 October 2019 in the New Church at 12:30, to find out more about this!

Rene van Loon

Living with hope and courage whatever may come

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We all live our lives without knowing what may happen in the future. All humans are fragile in one way or another. For instance, we cannot avoid death or the death of loved ones. Furthermore, we need to know who we are to be able to live a life free from wrong expectations or the trap of performing to be accepted. We want to live with values that will help us live a life worth living. Who can help us live with hope and courage during our short and fragile lives? The Christian faith has an answer to these questions. Our passage this coming Sunday from 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5 talks about certainty in death, the courage to live with kingdom values, and an identity rooted in a relationship with God.

Be most welcome this Sunday, 6 October 2019 in the New Church at 12:30, to find out more about this!

Solomon Dimitriadis

Christian Holiness, 29 September 2019

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Christian Holiness

‘I don’t care too much for money,’ sang the Beatles; ‘Money can’t buy me love.’ Continuing our series on Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians we learn about the connection between love and money. What the Beatles sang – ironically just as they were earning millions – is of course true. But the point of coming Sunday’s passage is that if love is genuine it will find an outlet in financial generosity. Money can’t buy love. But in the context of the Christian family it can (and must) express love.

Be most welcome this Sunday, 29 September 2019 in the New Church at 12:30, to find out more about this!

Pastor Hans-Jan Roosenbrand

Reasons to rejoice – Farewell service on 22 September

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In this service – saying farewell to ICF-Delft – I want to explore the reasons for continuing joy. Everybody of us knows moments of joy, but also the moments of absence of joy. And saying farewell might be one. How is it possible to ‘be joyful always’, as the apostle Paul says in his letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 5 verse 16)?

According to the apostle the secret of lasting joy is not what we experience or do. It is the faith that we don’t belong to ourselves but belong to Somebody who gave his life for us, and who promised to make everything new. Through Him, the bright, joyful spots, as well as the dark, sad spots are brought together in one painting-of-hope. To be able to see and experience this, we need ‘places of practice’, where God wants to make us see.

Hear, see more about it in the service in the New Church on Sunday 22 September, 12 hrs 30.

My wife Jenny and I look forward to meeting you in the service and to have a little moment of farewell after the service!

Pastor Niek

Model Suffering

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1 Thess. 2:13-3:13

Paul’s affectionate, fatherly relationship to the church of Thessalonica is evident from the manner in which this letter was written. Timothy’s visit to the church and his encouraging news on his return occasioned the writing of the letter. It brought gratitude, thanksgiving and joy to Paul. There is so little of this kind of joy today. Why is it like that? Usually things, careers, relationships bring us joy but the joy of seeing the gospel take root in people and then seeing them grow in it is something that is alien to us today.

Christians walked away from church and their faith in the first century just as much as they do in the 21st century. Abandoning one’s faith and faith community was the order of the day. But this church in Thessalonica showed signs of growth despite severe persecution and suffering. Paul’s work for the gospel was not in vain. The church did well even in his absence. The gospel never goes unopposed in this world. There is both human and spiritual opposition that pushes against those who believe. A life of faith is always a contested life of faith. It is the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that offers solace and the power of perseverance in times of opposition.

Hear more this Sunday (15 September 2019) in the New Church at 12:30. 

Szaszi Bene