Word of Salvation - Vol.49 No.24 - June 2004   Praying for Avoidance of and Deliverance From Temptation Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 52a (Q/A 127 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Reading:  James 1:1-18 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 374; 66:5,6; 73:6,7,8; 454:7,8   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus has taught us to pray. With the Lord's prayer our whole existence is brought before God. Prayer allows us to focus on God, who He is, what He is to us, and what we are to Him. Prayer is a buffer zone in our busy life full of...

Word of Salvation - Vol.49 No.20 - May 2004   Praying for Forgiveness and a Forgiving Attitude Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 51 (Q/A 126 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Readings:  Matthew 6:12, 14-15; 18:21-35 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 186:1,2; 373; 411:1,2,3,4; 454:6,8   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should realise right from the beginning that this fifth petition in the Lord's prayer is not merely a straightforward asking for forgiveness of our sins. There is an addition and it puts praying for forgiveness into quite a different category. In fact, this addition can make praying for forgiveness...

Word of Salvation - Vol.49 No.16 - April 2004   Praying for Daily Bread Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 50 (Q/A 125 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Readings: Deuteronomy 8:10-20; Matthew 6:25-34 Suggested Hymns: BoW 153; 164; 24A; 454:5,8   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1. With the fourth petition in the Lord's prayer we have come to the part that focuses on our needs. You will recall that in the Lord's prayer it is first of all the honour and glory of God. Hallowed be YOUR name. YOUR kingdom come. YOUR will be done. But now it...

Word of Salvation - Vol.49 No.12 - March 2004   Praying for Obedience to God's Will Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 49 (Q/A 124 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Reading:  Luke 6:17-49 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 116:1,9,10; 119C; 457; 454:4   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first three petitions in the Lord's prayer are very much centred on God. The Lord Jesus taught us to first pray for the holiness of God's name. Then to pray that God so rule over us that His kingdom is established more and more. And now, with this third petition, we're to...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 49 No.8 – February 2004   Praying for the Coming of God's Kingdom   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 48 (Q/A 123 Heid.Cat.) Scripture Reading:  Isaiah 35; Matthew 4:17, 23-25 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 103A; 145; 514; 454:3,8   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Each statement in the Lord's prayer contains both profound and simple scriptural truths. And since our prayers will only be heard if they echo God's will, Christians should get to know the meaning as well as the order of the Lord's prayer. The Lord Jesus taught us to...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 49 No.4 – January 2004   Praying for the Holiness of God's Name   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 47 (Q/A 122 Heid.Cat.) Scripture Reading: Luke 11:1-14; Isaiah 37:1-23, 36-38 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 65; 159; 116:1,3,4; 454:1,2   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Hallowed be your name" is the first petition in the Lord's Prayer. In a petition you are asking someone to do you a favour, or to respond favourably to a request. People sometimes sign a petition addressed to the parliament. The first petition in the Lord's prayer comes...

Word of Salvation - Vol.48 No.48 - December 2003   Praying to Our Father in Heaven Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 46 (Q/A 120-121 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:9-20 Suggested Hymns: BoW 439; 103b:1,3; 337; 454:1   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are many reasons why Christians pray. In the previous Lord's Day the Heidelberg Catechism says that prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. If it were left up to us then praying would consist more of asking than giving thanks. So we need to be reminded...

Word of Salvation – Vol.48 No.40 – October 2003   Why God's Commandments Need Constant Emphasising Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 44 (Q/A 115 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Readings:  Matthew 5:17-20; Romans 13:8-14 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 436; 119b; 210; 150:1   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our first sermon on the tenth commandment, which forbids coveting, we saw that coveting is really the sin that so easily leads to other sins. If we did not covet, then we would love God and neighbour perfectly. But in our human nature we find that the desires of our...

Word of Salvation – Vol.48 No.44 – November 2003   Teach Us To Pray Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 45 (Q/A 116-119 Heid.Cat.) Scripture Readings:  Matthew 6: 5-15; Nehemiah 1 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 178:1,2,3; 145; 86:1,2,3,4; 424   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke's gospel speaks about Jesus praying. Observing Him, His disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1). It's a request that all God's children may put before their Lord and Saviour. Christians are not satisfied in merely learning a few prayers off by heart and then routinely repeating them at the appropriate...

Word of Salvation - Vol.48 No.36 - September 2003   Obedience That Honours God Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 44 (Q/A 114 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Readings: Romans 7:14-25; Psalm 119: 89-104 Suggested Hymns: BoW 337; 98a; 1a; 527   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The tenth commandment speaks about coveting, and coveting is linked with the desires of our heart. Many desires of our hearts are normal and natural, they are part of being human. But when we covet something which is not ours to have, then our desires are impure. We are not content with...

Word of Salvation - Vol.48 No.32 - August 2003   The Desires of Our Heart Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 44 (Q/A 113 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Readings:  Deuteronomy 8; Romans 7:7-13 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 118:1,2,5; 41; 511; 468:1,3   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Catechism has three questions and answers on the tenth commandment and, the Lord willing, we will also have three sermons on this commandment, which is about 'coveting'. With the tenth commandment, the Lord specifically speaks to THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART, and firstly we will see what this commandment requires; secondly...

Word of Salvation – Vol.48 No.28 – July 2003   Are You A False Witness Or A Truth-teller?   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 43 (Q/A 112 Heid.Cat.) Scripture Readings:  Deuteronomy 17:6-13; 19:15-21; James 3:1-18 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 148; 215:1,3,5,6; 101; 527   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ... The ninth commandment says: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour." Here God shows His hatred against lying and expresses His concern for truth. So whomever you and I associate with, we are not to lie about them or to them. What are some examples of...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 48 No.24 – June 2003   It's Difficult to Share Your Possessions When Your Heart is with Your Money   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 42 (Q/A 110-111 Heid.Cat.) Scripture Readings:  Leviticus 25:35-43; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; 17-19 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 100; 133; 227:1,2; 226:1,2; 228:1,2; 117   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are looking at the eighth commandment which forbids stealing. Stealing is taking things that don't belong to you from others. There are many forms of stealing and we are familiar with most. And what makes stealing worse are...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 48 No.20 – May 2003   Sex is for Marriage, and Marriage is for Life   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 41 (Q/A 108-109 Heid.Cat.)   Scripture Readings:  Matthew 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 66a; 214; 32:1,2,3; 345   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The seventh commandment says, "You shall not commit adultery". Like some of the other commandments, it's put in the negative - "You shall not". There's nothing wrong with that. When we are tempted to do something that is declared wrong by God, then we need...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 48 No.16 – April 2003   You Shall Not Murder   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 40 (Q/A 105-107 Heid.Cat.) Scripture Readings:  Genesis 9:1-6; Matthew 5:21-26; 1 John 3:11-18 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 118:1,2,3; 427; 378:5,6,7; 150   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. When the Bible says we must not murder, then some people think it is saying that you must not kill. But the sixth commandment does not say, "You shall not kill". It says, "You shall not murder." When God's law in the Old Testament demanded the death penalty for...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 48 No.12 – March 2003   Honour Parents and Others in Authority Over You   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 39 Scripture Readings:  Proverbs 4; Hebrews 12: 7-11 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 89b; 32; 174; 181   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We proclaim God's Word to you about the fifth commandment, which is about the honouring of parents and others in authority over us. The following story may teach us something. "Once upon a time there was a father who had grown old and frail. His eyes blinked and his hands...

Word of Salvation – Vol.48 No.8 – February 2003   Re-discovering the Lord's Day (2) Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 38 (Exodus 20:8-11)   Scripture Reading:  Luke 13:10-17 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 111:1, 2, 6, 7; 315; 92; 240   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our first sermon on the fourth commandment, in the opening remarks, we described our lives as being very hectic. There is not enough time to do everything. Business and commerce, when open seven days a week, are often making excessive demands on their staff and, consequently, these people can't attend to...

Word of Salvation - Vol.48 No.4 - January 2003   Re-discovering the Lord's Day (1) Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 38 (Q&A 103 Heid Cat) & Exodus 20:8-11   Scripture Readings:  Genesis 2:1-3; Hebrews 4:1-13 Suggested Hymns:   BoW 84; 119a; 171; 160   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me begin this sermon on the fourth commandment with quoting the opening paragraph from a book called "Practising Our Faith", by Dorothy Bass: "How often people today cry out in desperation or despair, 'I just don't have enough time!' There is so much to do: earn...