Dead to sin, alive to God!

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Romans 6:11-12

Lenten season reminds us that Lord Jesus Christ suffered, crucified, died and rose again for our sins. He has released us from the slavery of sin & death. We are no more alive to sin but we are dead to sin and alive as a new creation in Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corn. 5:17).

He has redeemed us from our old sinful nature by shedding His Holy & Precious Blood on the Cross of Calvary. We are no longer slaves of sin and sin should not be our master. Like after the death slave he is frees from the slavery of his master. In the same way Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins to make us living to God. As Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead to leave this world (Jn.13:1) and He rose to live to God. We are also in and through the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ rose to live to God.

These verses show how we must behave in our new resurrection life. Our whole attitude to sin must change. Every part of the body can sin. With our eyes, we can look at wrong things. With our ears, we can listen to bad talk. With our mouth we can say things that can hurt other people. With our hands we can work in bad ways. With our feet we can go to places that we should avoid. We should not use ourselves as instruments of sin but in and through the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ we should do what God wants.

Friends, now choice is before us either to allow old sinful nature to master over us or continue to allow Lord Jesus Christ to be our Master and Saviour.

May God strengthen you through His grace and the power of His Holy Spirit to live for Him and to serve Him.
God bless you.

Yours in His service,
Rev. Varinder Kumar

Worship the Lord

In the book of prophet Daniel, in Ch. 3 we come across three young Jews. They present an exemplary behaviour and teach us that we, in all circumstances we should always trust and worship the Lord. We should never miss an opportunity to worship Him. They were very faithful to God even in the times of difficulties, extreme pain and troubles.

Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar commanded his people to worship his image that was made of gold. These three young men were in great trouble because they were very faithful to their living and almighty God and they knew it very well that worshiping other gods or giving priority to other gods is a great sin. Since they were under the bondage of Babylonian king, there was a great penalty for them; because saying 'no' to the king's command only meant death. However, they did make a choice of who's command to follow, because worshiping other gods meant committing a great sin against God Almighty.

Friends, finally they decided to say no to earthly king’s command and follow their kings of King’s command (Ex.20:3-4). The result: they were thrown into the midst of the fiery burning furnace, which was heated seven times more. Soon king Nebuchadnezzar saw there were four persons walking in the midst of that furnace instead of three. All were unhurt and unharmed, and he saw that the fourth person who was walking with them, who was none other but the Son of the God.

Finally Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has delivered His servants who trusted in Him”. This changed the king's word, and he yielded their bodies, so that they might "neither serve nor worship any other god, except their own God."

We must praise God that we are not under the bondage of anyone and do not have any command from worldly authorities. So lets worship God even in the time of pressures, difficulties, troubles and uncertainties. If we give time and place that belongs to God then we would always experience with us the presence of the Son of God.

Not everyday, but just count how many Sundays in the month of February did we not worship the Lord?

Yours in His service,
Rev. Varinder Kumar

Repent or Perish

Reading: Luke 13: 1-9
(Sermon preached on March 1, 2009. Rev. Varinder Kumar)

Our God is persistent lover. It is His holy will that no one should perish but all must repent and turn away from their wicked ways. That’s why He sent His prophets, judges, servants and John the Baptist and finally He Himself came down from heaven to earth. He offered His life for our redemption. The Lenten season reminds us when we were still sinners, Lord Jesus Christ died for us and He paid the penalty of our sins. Traditionally, Lenten season is seen as the time of repentance, abstinence, prayer & fasting, seeking faith, studying Word of God, examining ourselves and remembering His suffering and death. Our today’s portion of meditation is related to Lenten season. “Repent or Perish”. In the reading, we see a small parable Lord Jesus Christ spoke with very deep meaning.

Vv. 1-5. Some people told Lord Jesus Christ that Pilate had killed some Galileans when they were sacrificing in the Temple. (Lord Jesus Christ belongs to same region). Lord Jesus Christ added one more example in V.4, that of 18 people who died when tower of Siloam fell upon them. Lord Jesus Christ told them that one day every one has to die. Everyone is mortal. Answers to How? When? Where? are unknown. Therefore, before one dies, s/he must repent before it will be too late, yes, we must repent.

He spoke this parable.

• We are planted by God: - A fig tree was planted by man. This fig tree had an advantage over other fig trees as it was planted in a vineyard, in better soil, had special care, belonged to owner, purchased, paid money to caretaker & for fertilizer. The inference we draw here is that a. God is owner of the vineyard. He is our creator (Jn. 15:1, Is. 51: 1-2). b. Human beings are trees. He has planted us, chosen us to bear fruit of righteousness (Ps. 1, Ps. 37:35, Jn. 15:16). He has purchased us by paying the price of the blood of Lord Jesus Christ. He has planted us with the blood of Lord Jesus Christ. He has given the water of His Holy Spirit and fertilized us with His Word.
  

• God is bearing with us:-Three times owner came and found no fruit. He wasn’t hasty nor greedy, neither did he expect too much. He waited for three years and found none. Through this, Lord Jesus Christ is telling us that God has chosen you, given you special care, special privilege, special advantage than other people. He became human for us. He completed His three years ministry on this earth but people didn’t repent and not show fruit. He expects that we must bear the fruit bearing with repentance. (Luke 3: 8) “
  

• His patience has an limits:- Owner said “V. 7b. Cut it down…..” But Gardner intercedes on behalf of the tree that “V. 8. Lord, let it alone this year also……” a. Lord Jesus Christ is our interceder Rom.8:34. He is interceding to Father for us. We must also intercede for others. b. Fig tree was only wasting time, money, energy and space of the owner. Like a parasite it was taking but in return giving nothing to owner. It was sure that after three years fig tree bears fruit, if not in 1st year or 2nd year but third year was sure.
  

Dear friends, we are planted by God, purchased by the blood of Lord Jesus Christ, watered by His Holy spirit, fertilized by His Holy Word to bear fruit. If we only take from God or always place demands before Him and in return give nothing to Him than we are parasite. He expects that we must bear fruit.

Conclusion: -
Friends, if we are bearing fruits for Him than praise God, But If we are not than this the waking call for us. We are not sure when He will come to judge us.
Because His word says “Cut it down” Jn. 15:2; Math. 3:8, 10; Ps. 1:4-5; Rev. 22:2