The fruit of a true hearing of the Gospel, a hearing with saving faith, is always that a change in your life takes place. Without such change there is no evidence that you have been saved. This change must manifest itself both in your speech and in your acts. Of course you feel angry when someone has sinned against you. Even more when it was a brother or sister. But if you have saving faith, you have also come to know that you yourself have terribly provoked a holy and righteous God to anger by your own sin and that even so, he spoke such a precious saving word to you, so that by faith in that word you might repent from your sin, believe in Christ and be saved. If you have truly heard and believed this saving Gospel you must realise that we must be very careful and modest in what we say, even if people have sinned against us. And if you have truly seen – by the word  – how the Son of God was willing to become poor to save you and to give up his riches to welcome you into God’s kingdom – can you then remain cold-hearted towards a brother or sister in practical need, without doing anything for them? Can you just continue to pursue your own desires?

Upcoming Sunday we continue to read in James’ letter – Chapter 1:19-26. Here James warns for the deceptive thought that all who have listened with some interest and joy to the Gospel may assume that they are saved Christians. This passage contains a call to repentance which is as much needed today as it was when the letter was first read.

You are so welcome to come and to learn more!

Pastor Jos Slager

Treasure Seekers

Title: The King’s Question
Text: Mark 8:22-30
Big Idea: Jesus healed a blind man in two stages to show that people, including the disciples, needed help to see clearly who he is.
Aim: To teach that not everyone can see that Jesus is the promised king – we need God’s help to understand this.