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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-02-16, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017. PAGE 13. From the Minister's Study Follow Jesus, don't be a slave to sin By Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Blyth Christian Reformed Church The second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus, has a fascinating structure. The book begins with the Israelites suffering as slaves under ruthless Egyptian rule. We see the Egyptians using their slaves to develop their nation so that they, the Egyptians, can become even more rich and powerful. Slavery, in any form, whether it be the slavery of ancient Egypt or the slavery of recent America or the slavery that still exists in various forms in our country, is dehumanizing. In the book of Exodus, we see the king of Egypt, Pharaoh, taking the position of a god over the Israelites. He fully believes that he has the right to determine the destiny of this suffering people, even to the point of killing their infant boys so that the Israelites cannot grow strong as a people group. Pharaoh believed that he had full right to do with the Israelites as he saw fit with no regard for their wellbeing. As the story unfolds, we see God acting through the person of Moses to enter into combat with Pharaoh. Ten terrible plagues are unleashed upon the land of Egypt, completely devastating the land until at last Pharaoh decides to release the Israelites. When he changes his mind and pursues them, he and his army lose their lives by drowning in the Red Sea. God takes credit for the Israelites' escape from Egypt, and he promises to continue to care for his people. He enters into a relationship with them through a covenant (much like a marriage covenant), and he commits himself to the wellbeing of the Israelites. They, in response, are invited to join him in this relationship, signifying their acceptance of the terms by agreeing to obey his commands. The Israelites are pleased to do so, trusting that God will bless them as they live obediently before him. At the end of Exodus, God enters into their midst by making himself present in a temporary temple, a tent called a tabernacle. From that place he will bless his people, giving them food, protection and peace. He promises to look after their wellbeing, unlike Pharaoh who cared nothing for the wellbeing of his slaves. The book of Exodus is structured to show us how God is ready and willing and able to free people from slavery and oppression and bring them under his care. Freedom, in Exodus, is not defined as being able to do whatever we want, but rather the opportunity to live in security under a compassionate God. The pattern or structure of Exodus is a small picture that shows us what t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t ($) TIVotter Cfirialiout Twp Thomas Bailey - Creation Ministries Small Group • Tuesdays 7:30 pm at R&S Howson's, Blyth Coffee Break Women's Bible Study •Wed. 10 am at Blyth CRC Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.8:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getlivingwater.or j God is doing on a larger scale. God is bringing people from slavery to sin to freedom in Jesus Christ. The images that the New Testament uses to show us what God is doing reflect the Exodus from Egypt. The Bible guides our understanding to show us that the problems we have in this world are not the way God intended it to be. Rather, we have voluntarily placed ourselves under the reign of God's adversary, the devil himself. The devil, contrary to many contemporary depictions of him, has only one purpose and that is to destroy everything that God has made. By pitting people against each other, he creates violence and war. By making us feel insecure, he institutes systems of greed and hoarding. By enticing us with feelings of entitlement, we begin to believe that we have the right to pillage the earth of its resources with little regard for others both now and into the future. He wants only one thing: to destroy all that God holds dear. Because of the devil, we are an oppressed people, enslaved to the kingdom of darkness, bound by sin. God, however, hears our cries, and he does something about our situation. He has sent Jesus to this world to defeat the devil. The cross, a symbol of torture and death, becomes a place where the devil is conquered and the empty tomb a sign that death is vanquished. All who believe in Jesus experience an exodus from the oppression of the devil. We gain freedom. But freedom is not the opportunity to do whatever we like. Freedom is best experienced under the loving care of a God who will provide for our needs. If we know that someone will take care of us, only then can we live freely. If, on the other hand, we have no one to care for us, no one to provide for us, we become enslaved to our own need to provide for ourselves. True freedom is knowing that we don't have to worry about BRUSSELS '' United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca 66 Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. - 226-963-1175 At GLICAIN 41BLYTH AI PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS BRUSSELS Trinity St. John's ( 9:15 am 11:15 am Church Office Church Office ,,, i 519-357-4883 519-887-6862 Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH USI MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. j,_ (� Nursery care available 519-887-6687 IA Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, February 19 t Rummaging through the Lost and Found MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. & OFFICE: 519-523-4224 anything, for we can trust that God will provide through Jesus Christ. It is rather sad that we have lost this concept of freedom. I see so many people living in fear and insecurity because they have decided to go it alone, without God. In eliminating God from their lives, they don't have any assurance at all that things will work out in the end. All they can do is have a faith hope that perhaps they will. Those, however, who have given their lives to Jesus know that they can't do whatever they want. A follower of Jesus Christ, one who has trusted in him, voluntarily submits him/herself to the direction and guidance of God. But they do so knowing that as they live obediently, God will care for them. To live in slavery to sin is dehumanizing. To live in submission to Jesus Christ enables us to live life to the fullest. We are confident that God has our wellbeing in mind. Through Jesus we can leave slavery and live a life of true freedom. Jou re e�nvited a join Ifs c9n 61-Co7s/ip SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 efrcc¢ae€4 eoKusi2l�rc'fiy 'e6€e &wild You're Invitee( to come worsht p with us Sunday, February 19 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 UT -LIVE YOUR_ == Always A Place For You - SUNDAY @ 10:30 in AUBURN huronchapel.com THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N.