The Citizen, 2013-06-06, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013.
By Pastor Andrew Versteeg
Brussels Community Bible
Chapel
Usually first thing in the morning I
like to take some time to read the
Bible and pray before getting busy
with the day’s activities. The
morning I wrote this, a verse from
Hebrews 9 caught my attention and
had me thinking: “But now once at
the consummation of the ages He
has been manifested to put away sin
by the sacrifice of Himself.”
There seems to be a lot of thought
and talk today given to this idea of
“the consummation of the ages”, or
the end of age.
A few recent conversations have
made it clear to me that people are
quite concerned with our present
state of affairs. Not too long ago my
wife and had a conversation with a
lawyer who was quite concerned
about what is going on with the
environment. She had some
legitimate concerns about how food
is being produced these days and the
sustainability of the way we are
presently doing things. She sincerely
believed, maybe rightly or wrongly,
that some sort of collapse is going to
take place in our society in the near
future. An accountant expressed the
same kind of concerns about the
global financial system. He said, “I
don’t know how we keep going, but
things can’t go on like this for much
longer.”
This past October my mother was
in Holland to visit some relatives
and she told me that the government
of Holland has undertaken a big
project to raise the height of the
dikes because they are concerned
that ocean levels are going to rise. A
large part of Holland sits below sea
level and is presently protected by an
elaborate dike and water canal
system.
Then think about all the movies
and books that are being produced
these days that have something to do
with the end of the world (an
apocalypse), or some kind of virus
or bacteria that wipes out our
population, or something that is
threatening to blow up the world or
invade it and destroy it.
Now I am not saying that any of
these things that people are talking
about, doing, or producing, is some
kind of proof that the world is going
to end or some kind of catastrophe is
going to strike us soon. My point is
that there seems to be an awareness,
rightly or wrongly, that something
quite life-changing could happen at
any moment. I personally believe
that we are beginning a time of
critical exponential change, meaning
that the rate of change is rapidly
increasing in almost all aspects of
life.
Now I am not trying to cause
people to panic or to go into
depression. I am just trying to be
realistic and to share with you the
best preparation strategy for your
future. That strategy has been laid
out for us in God’s word. Things in
society and in the world have been
going downhill every since we as a
people turned our back on God and
said we could live without Him and
without His ways. In short, our
ancestors Adam and Eve sinned
against God and we all have
followed them in the same sin. We
thought we could live without God.
We thought we knew better than
God, and we did not want to submit
to His loving authority. The result is
death and decay in all aspects of life.
Take for example species extinction.
Species have been going extinct long
before the industrial revolution and
the burning of large amounts of
fossil fuels. Our greed and
exploitation has only made it worse.
Sin has brought a curse from God
upon all of creation and that is the
source of all of our problems today.
From the biggest problems in the
world to the tiniest problems in our
lives, they are all there as a result of
the curse that God as placed on all of
creation because of sin. The Lord
has also told us that these things will
get worse as the time for His second
coming gets closer. Diseases,
‘natural disasters’, financial
problems, wars, are all characteristic
of the age in which we live and they
remind us that things are not as they
should be and that we cannot escape
from the consequences of our sin.
These things also serve to remind us
that Jesus Christ is coming
again, and this time it will be for
judgment.
We have brought this upon
ourselves. We cannot blame God. He
has done only what He said He
would do if we disobeyed Him. He
has been faithful to His own word
and character. Thankfully He has
been faithful to His character
because He is also a God of love and
mercy. His holiness and justice
demands that we be punished for our
sin, but His grace and love provided
a way to be forgiven and pardoned
from our sin. This is for any person
who will believe Him and trust Him.
God the Father sent His Son Jesus to
bear the punishment for the people
who would believe and trust Him.
There will be no judgment for you if
you trust in Jesus to be your Saviour.
That is good news and that good
news is from God Himself. This
good news will bring lasting peace
and joy to your life now if you
receive it. One day Jesus will come
again. The world as we know it will
be destroyed with fire, but God will
recreate a new heavens (the skies)
and a new earth for His people.
Those who do not trust in Jesus
Christ will be separated from God
forever under His judgment in Hell.
Hebrews 9:26-28 – “But now once
at the consummation of the ages He
has been manifested to put away sin
by the sacrifice of Himself. And
inasmuch as it is appointed for men
to die once and after this comes
the judgment, so Christ also,
having been offered to bear the sins
of many, will appear a second time
for salvation without reference to
sin, to those who eagerly await
Him.”
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
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, June 9
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 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 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
Minister: Pastor Gary Van Leeuwen
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9017
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m.
CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS
MINISTER
Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div.
All Welcome
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224
NEW START TIME FOR WORSHIP IS 10 AM
ALL WELCOME
Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m.
getlivingwater.org
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
Wingham Bible Study - Tuesdays 7:30 pm
at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God)
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
June 9: Luke 9:51 ff
Evangelical Missionary Church
“Drags on Discipleship:
What’s Holding
You Back”
250 Princess St., Brussels
519-887-6388
www.bmfchurch.com
Pastor Jim Whitehead
Guests Welcome
Jesus Is Lord!
Brussels
Mennonite
Fellowship
Worship Service 10:00 am
Sunday School 11:15 am
STUCK?
We Are In The “Getting Lives Unstuck” Businesshuronchapel.org
Every Sunday @ 10:30am and more
BRUSSELS
Sandra Cable, Pastor
Church Office 519-887-6259
E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am
Sunday School
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
United Church
From the Minister’s StudyEnd of the world talk ruling the airwaves