Ebenezer Family Church

Before Jesus comes into Bethany, Martha meets Him and shares her disappointment. Yes, she believes Lazarus will rise again, but is resurrection is some dim and misty future concept? No, for Jesus is the resurrection and life! It is a reality in Him.

God is faithful; He does not falter or fail when it comes to faithfulness. Nobody can doubt or question God's ability to keep His promises and do what He says He will do. Let's learn more about His immutable faithfulness!

The disciples did not have an idea of the Resurrection yet, but their statement that Lazarus would be saved from his sickness by falling asleep is a comment about the certainty of our eternity after we die. Indeed, we shall be saved from the sickness of sin and these fallen bodies. Also, Jesus is glad... why? Because He is certain of the outcome!

Mercy is not receving what is due to us (wrath); grace is receiving what we do not deserve (forgiveness). It God's unchanging, continuous mercy towards us that enables us to receive those wonderful gifts from Him as well. Let's learn some more about His mercy!

Ananias's reservations about Saul are absolutely rational. But with God, the impossible becomes possible; the persecutor becomes the instrument. And it is by God's great grace that Ananias goes and lays hands on "Brother Saul"!

In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, we see two very different people who lead two very different lives. Even though they experience one commanality in that they die, their paths once again diverge: one to eternal anguish; one to eternal comfort. But their differences were not merely outwardly, but fundamentally internally. One had true saving faith; one did not. Let's see what we can learn from this parable!

Each person is responsible before God. In practice, that might not be so evident if you consider the strong family ties and community collectivism that often defines South African society. You are not responsible for another person's sins, even if you are affected by them. We will all stand alone before God!

John 11 is a deeply emotional chapter, highlighting the impact of the situation on Jesus's humanity. In these opening verses, we see Jesus remaining steadfast in His commitment to the work God has given to Him, even if it means going through the trauma of waiting a few days as Lazarus dies.

It seems as though God's justice is the overlooked part of His immutable character, especially in light of His love. It is still there and it is unchanging! Let us see how His justice remains immutable in light of His love and other characteristics, and what the implications are for us.

When we are accused, seek forgiveness and pay your debts! When you are the accuser, offer forgiveness for He has forgiven you! We could never pay our eternal debt for sin, but Christ has paid it all - every last "penny"**APOLOGIES for the audio quality towards the end. Not sure what went wrong**

The Jews are ready to stone Jesus for blasphemy. Although He tries to reason with them, they are still out for blood. As it is not yet His time, Jesus simply eludes their grasp. Where He goes next, out in the countryside, away from the mangificence of Jerusalem, is where He finds true sheep.

God's love towards us is unchanging. There is nothing that we can do or not do that would make Him love us more or less. Let's see how God' immutable love fits in with His other immutable characteristics and what lessons we can learn!

To the one who has knowledge of the Light, more will be given. This is true because we are moving closer and closer to eternity, growing in Christ and in salvation!

If the sheep hear the Shepherd's voice, the opposite is also true: those who are not sheep do not hear His voice and they do not believe. Jesus is not just another option. He is the door to eternal life. He is God, one with the Father.

Today we look at another unchanging attribute of God: His holiness. If we consider Isaiah's contact with God's holiness, we see that it totally destroyed him. That is, until he was purified by a burning coal. What does that mean for us? Well, God is holy and He is not going to change, but we certainly need to! Let's learn some lessons about our holy, holy, holy God

2026 comes with new challenges and new temptations. But our God stays the same forever! May we follow the example of our Lord when He was tempted: He responded by standing on God's Word of truth and righteousness.

Another year, another host of changes. If we keep all of our hope and security in anything except God, things will change. But we serve an unchanging God; a God who stays the same. Praise the Lord that we are safe in Him who is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

We come to some very practical principles now: do not be a stumbling block; do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil; etc. While we have the liberty to act according to our conscience, this certainly does not override the command to love our neighbours. Walk in love and pursue peace and mutual upbringing!

There are many hot potato issues, or "grey areas", that we have to deal with as Christians. The Bible is clear on the essential truths. Once we have those unified, why would we quarrel with one another on the non-essentials? Let us be unified in the essentials, maintain biblical liberty to act according to our consciences for non-essentials, and always keep a close eye on what we are doing (assiduity) so that we are honouring God!

Give thanks in ALL circumstances! Everything that we have comes from God.

We cannot explain why somethings happen to us. But we can trust that God is sovereign and in control. That's the simplest and the best answer!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays His life down for His sheep. His sheep are an integral part of His mission and purpose - their salvation is right there in that close unity between the Father and the Son. Praise God that His sheep hear His voice!

We are all born into sin and we will all die with our natural inclination to sin. However, although we cannot overcome our sin nature, God can. And He did! Let us remember that we are born again and called to a better way. Acknowledge your natural weakness to sin, submit to God, and content for righteousness!

Are you foolish? Don't be foolish! It is the Spirit at work within you, not your own "goodness" or "Christianess". What was begun by the Spirit cannot be completed by the flesh!

Jesus is both the door to the sheep and the door to salvation. Anybody who comes in by any other way is a thief. And the thief is only there to steal, kill, and destroy. But praise God that His sheep hear His voice!

This is one of those strange and confusingly ambiguous narratives that one plain read-through does not do justice. However, if we read the circumcision stuff in light of the New Testament, we start to understand the eternal disctinction between those who have Christ and those who do not. Let's go back to the Cross!

The difference between true spiritual leaders (shepherds) and the Pharisees who preyed upon the lost people (thieves) is the Door: Jesus. Pay attention to your shepherds and flee from those who climb over the wall!

The time of Judges greatly resembles our current world: a cycle of sin, suffering, and deliverance. We desparately need deliverers! An unlikely one arose in Judges, Shamgar. Let's learn some major lessons from this minor judge.

Being well is not a feeling, but a state of being. That does not mean that everything is "well" as we might want it to be. But it certainly means that it is well with my soul: I am at peace with God!

We reach the culmination of this journey to spiritual sight - a declaration of belief. In order to see Christ, we must become blind to ourselves. This is what the formerly blind man understood and what the Jews missed.

Although the mighty men we read about in 2 Samuel lived in different times and different circumstances, we can make comparissons when we consider the spiritual battles we fight. Let's see what lessons we can learn from them and how they might help us stand firm in this modern age!

The blind beggar was probably not the most educated guy around; certainly not the most high-status. Yet, his response to the Jews is one of clarity, precision, and boldness. He can stand up to those who rule his world and convincingly defend Christ.

Justified by faith alone: sola fide! But what does biblical faith look like? Let' have a quick look!

Today we had Pastor Paul's daughter, Dr Danica Smit, sharing her testimony with the church. She shares a story of thanksgiving in troubled times, a sovereign God working all things for good, and the power of the Word to carry us through every situation.

The Gospel is Christ; not social oppression, or prosperity, or living like a Jew. Let us strive to preserve that Gospel purity delivered to us in God's Word and be careful not to add anything extra!

The Jews continue their questioning of the blind man, demonstrating their unwillingess to believe and intense hatred for Jesus. They were too busy being disciples of a "Moses" that they had created.

What do we learn from this story? Do not go to sleep in church! Well, that would be decent message. But let us dive a little bit deeper. Sleeping Eutychus teaches us about the dangers of falling asleep spiritually, but also about the generous grace of God to wake us up and keep us going!

So often, we find it far too easy to complain about things going wrong in church and far too difficult to remain in a consistent structure. Let's seek to hold fast to hungering for the Word, to what is already in place in terms of where and when we meet, to our leaders, and ultimately to God's grace!

In the situation, the parents of the blind man give the right answers to the Jews' questions. However, when we have to stand before God one day and give an account for what we did with the person of Jesus, it will not be sufficient to simply say "ask someone else"!

Last time, we had a look at what the Bible really has to say about the Rapture. This week, we get into some more mechanics. But let's keep the main thing the main thing. Whatever your eschatological conviction, do you know Christ and are you waiting for Him alone?

The "Rapture" is quite the buzzword in theology. Many, many people have come up with weird and wonderful explanations of how and when it will happen - the most recent being sometime this very month! Let's take a brief expedition into this topic and what the Bible really says.

A public healing of a public figure means the formerly blind man was on the Pharisees' radar. What we see is a remarkable display of faith and courage. He did not change the account of his healing for those who could have made his life difficult.

Ugly things are happening by wicked people all around. There is a deep rot in society - this is not something new. But we are still called to live faithfully, each one of us, by trusting in God, His faithfulness, and delighting in Him!

What we see in this section is the beginning of the blind man's spiritual healing process. Yes, he received his sight, but at this stage he does not know Jesus beyond His name. However, he can give the specifics of how he was healed - this is a man who by the end of the chapter will declare "I believe"!

Yes, we are saved and adopted children of God. But if we didn't at first fear Him, why would we need to be saved? Let's not forget the fear of the Lord!

Suffering isn't always caused by sin. Sometimes, as in the case of the blind man, our suffering may be for the works of God to be made manifest. Instead of focusing on our hardship, we should trust in His purpose and go as He sends us - all for His glory!

Many times in life we get stuck in repeated errors that we cannot seem to shake. However, the Bible promises us freedom from habitual sin and patterns of behaviour - we must just learn to do what God's Word says! Remember: a mistake the first time is a mistake, but a mistake the second time is a decision. What decisions will you make today?

Stuck in the Pit? Don't worry, God has not forgotten you nor abandoned you! He will not leave you there: He has a place for you with Him in eternity!

Jesus did not have to put up a front. He could not, for He is not a liar like we sometimes are. As such, it is with the upmost clarity that He makes an undeniable claim to divinity: "I Am" - the characteristic of being eternal, reserved for God alone.

Paul gives thanks to God for the Roman Church' faith that was proclaimed throughout the world. Is it too difficult for that to be said of us? Let' take encouragement from this passage to work together in faith, striving side-by-side in unity, for the glory of God!

The Jews now start attacking Jesus's character and twisting His words. It is evident that they do not honour the Father, for they do not honour the Son. Even the Son did not seek His own glory, but the glory of the Father.