REPORT OF THE FEAST FOR WEDNESDAY SATURDAY 22, 2018
First Sermon: FLEE INTO THE MOUNTAIN
– Brother Mike Ekiseowei
The sermon is drawn from Matthew 24:16 which says: “Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.”
It was Jesus Christ our redeemer who gave this warning. To flee means to, to run away from danger, especially from peril or trouble. Ordinarily Judah means praises, but in this context means lovers of truth and righteousness. People of goodwill who love truth and righteousness and are inclined to worship God and His son Jesus Christ. Mountain is used to represent God’s universal organisation, now established on the earth. When Christ said “flee into the mountain”, the question that would come up is “why should we run into God’s organisation”. (Matthew 24:16)
Mountain is used to represent God’s organisation described as holy mountain in Isaiah 11:9; Zechariah 8:3 and Jeremiah 51:25,26, and also satan’s organisation which is described as “destroying mountain”.
The question was asked Jesus Christ in Matthew 24 as to what would be the signs of the end. He spoke of wars and rumours of wars, false prophets, and disasters but it was in verse seven and eight he gave signs of his return, in that nation shall rise against nation, that there will be pestilences, earthquakes in divers places. This fulfilled in 1914 showing that Jesus Christ had been crowned as king in heaven. (Psalm 110:1; Daniel 7:13,14; Revelation 11:17,18) From thenceforth he started choosing the remnants of the saints to set up his kingdom organisations or “Mountain in different parts of the world.
Another sign that the mountain had been set up in the world is the setting up of the League of Nations in 1919. It was an organisation characterised by lies and hypocrisy. Our Saviour said: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15-16 See Daniel 11:31,;12:11) Therefore those who love truth and righteousness should diligently seek the mountain of God and seek protection , safety and salvation.
The nations cannot achieve peace without God. (Isaiah 45:12, 18)
Before the destruction takes place, God is giving warning that people should flee into the mountain where God will accept their services. – Ezekiel 20:40. Isaiah 2:4; 25, 6,7.
However, those who have come into the mountain should remain and not backslide . (2 Peter 3:18); they must cultivate spiritual qualities as stated in 2 Peter 3:9-12; invite others to come into the mountain, (Revelation 22:17); and should not compromise with evil. – James 4:4; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Isaiah 26:20,21.
It is when they keep doing so until the end that they will be protected and saved by God Almighty in His Kingdom fully established. – Isaiah 26:20-21 ; Ezekiel 34:26.
SECOND SERMON: THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE
Conscience is that part of the mind that tells you whether what you are doing is right or wrong.
God created Adam and placed him in the Garden and gave him a law that he should not eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:16,17) Unfortunately Eve fell to the trick of the devil and ate the fruit and also gave to her husband, Adam, and he did eat. – Genesis 3:6.
The immediate result was that ”the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” Thus, when they heard the “voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” Adam and his wife hid themselves among the trees of the garden. When the angel called Adam, he said “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself”. It was of course evident that they had eaten of the fruit. (Genesis 3:6-12) Why did Adam and Eve hide themselves? It was their consciences that smote them.
The speaker gave other examples to show that when someone does wrong and is judged by his conscience he should repent to do the right thing. The examples include those of the son who initially refused to obey his father but, realising that this was wrong, decided to obey, (Matthew 21:28-30); the instance of the men who brought a woman caught in adultery but whose consciences told them they too were sinners, (John 8:2-11); the brothers of Joseph who realised they had done wrong in selling their brother, hence their travails, (Genesis 42:20-24); the prodigal son who reasoned that he had erred in asking for his share of the father’s property and decided to return to his father, (Luke 15:12-21); the Jews who were so moved by the preaching of St. Peter on the day of Pentecost that “they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37-39); and that of David whose “heart smote him” for cutting off part of the garment of Saul, the Lord’s anointed. – 2 Samuel 24:1,2,24.
What of Judas who betrayed his master and “when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and ?elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood”. – Matthew 27:1-4.
One of the distinguishing features of the last days, the speaker went on, is that some people’s minds would be seared with as with a hot iron. Such ones are not judged by their consciences because that faculty in them is dead. The speaker warned of the consequences of living in that dangerous state stating that those who persist in evil will meet disaster in the end. – 1 Timothy 4:1; Proverbs 11:19,21;Ecclesisastes 8:11-13
The Bible says in Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” We should, like St. Paul, strive “to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” and to repent when we err. – Acts 24:15, 16; Psalm 95:7, 51:10, 11,17.
The GKS Vice President ended with the warning of Apostle John in 1 John 3:19-21 to wit, “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. “