The sermon that moved us all on M4M Sunday

READINGS:

1^st LESSON: 1st KINGS 19:9-18

2^nd LESSON: 1^st SAMUEL 16: 1-12

TEXT: LUKE 4: 14-19

PRAYER

Lord anoint us this morning as we listen to your word; use us as instruments and vessels in your vine yard and may your will be done today within this service. Use me, oh Lord as your boat of transmission of the gospel and the anointing of your children. May we find favour in your presence, empowerment by the Holy Spirit, healing and comfort and edification in your word. This, we pray in the name of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

 

THEME: THE ANONTING POWER OF GOD.

It is and will always be remembered that man is faced with very daunting challenges to cross over and when the bells of heaven will ring the wake up call for us to approach the kingdom throne shall be announced by the return of the king who has constantly 

anointed His Church.

Grace to you and peace from Him who is, who was, and who is come. Amen

When told to present this meditation, I felt it was another challenge but after prayers the Lord told what to expose today. I prayed and was asked to talk on anointing. 

There are two types of anointing;             

Anointing with oil,                  

Anointing by the Holy Spirit.

·       Anointing with oil is an old tradition dating back to the olden Davidic days. It is the applying of oil to the human body (Ruth 3:3 Psalms 104:15; Luke 7:46) at death (Mk 14:8; 16:1). 

·       There was also sacred anointing to dedicate a person or thing to the Lord e.g. the tabernacle and its furniture and (Ex 20: 22), prophets (1 kings 19:16), priests like the Aaronic priests (Ex

28:41) and kings like David was anointed in 1^st Samuel 16: 12-13.  

·       In the New Testament we see Christ anointed by the Holy Spirit in Jn 1:32-33; and Luke 4:18-21. “The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

·   

    We see Jesus anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit when he is baptized and w hear Christ in many biblical quotations talking about the anointing power of the Holy Spirit on all who believe and have faith I Him. In John 14 Jesus promises the Holy Spirit and in vs 18 He promises “l will not leave you as Orphans; I will come to you; and in vs 25-26 he adds that “All this l have spoken while still with you but the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything l have said to you”

·     

  Like the Holy Spirit came down and anointed Jesus as testifies John the Baptist in John 1:32-33 “I saw the Holy Spirit come down from Heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me. ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit’.”    

·       

TTTwo icons JOHN HUSS and MARTIN LUTHER ignited by JOHN WYCLIFFE”S writings were all anointed by the Holy Spirit to become great reformists of the Church and expose the religious charlatans of the church and proclaim the truth of scripture. Listen to this paragraph about JOHN HUSS’ anointment as reported by STUART GARVER

“Confronted by representatives of the Pope sent to silence Huss, the outspoken reformer declared: “Let it be understood that I call apostolic orders the teachings of the Apostles of Christ. When the pope’s orders are in agreement with these l am ready to listen to them: when they are contrary I refuse to obey them even if you were to kindle before my very eyes the fire in which my body was to be burned.”

Tragically, the last statement would prove to be prophetic says Stuart and when HUSS was summoned and accused of “wycliffism” he refused to recant, on the basis that there was no scriptural prove to show that he his teachings were wrong. His enemies sentenced him to be burned at the stake. 

On the afternoon of July 6^th, 1415, he was led and lashed to the stake and smeared with pitch and oil, and according to Stuart Garver, before the executioner lit the embers piled at his feet he cried out this cryptic prophecy:

“Today………. You will roast a lean goose (meant HUSS goose) but hundred of years from now you will hear a swan sing. Him you will leave unroasted. No trap or net will catch him for you!” which became Luther’s anointing.

As men for the Master celebrate this day we also take a look at the anointing power of the Spirit that inspired them to initiate such an idea. Today we celebrate another moment in the life of the M4M who have been greatly involved in one way or the other in the life of the congregation.

As we celebrate this day we look forward to enhancing the goals such as:

           - To cultivate the fields and take care of the sheep

           - Enhance the Spiritual growth of the members

Concluding, as we approach Easter, may we all seek God’s anointing power to us as individuals and as a Church at large, so that we can together seek to see and know God’s direction for Men for the Master and St Mark’s as a whole.

Summarily, we take the following

1.   That God can anoint us at any time whether as a means of healing or deliverance.

2.   Anointing is an old time means of empowerment used by God.

3.   Anointing was what empowered Martin Luther and John Huss.

May we come forward now if we feel moved by the Spirit for anointing with oil as a means of empowerment and readiness to approaching Easter.

Let’s pray ……Amen

Blessings,

Roger Tem