We are about to start Lent. Many of us do not want to see the black curtain hung, we no longer will see Der Hayr and the deacons and subdeacons who are serving on the Altar. They will be behind the curtain. We don’t take the Kiss of Peace, we don’t take Communion, unless privately requested. The Church, for 40 days, will not perform any Marriage ceremony...The list is long. In one word, the Church with her congregation will go through a mourning period. But why?
As you will notice, during the Lent, in my sermons I’ll be using the words, Sin, Repentance, confession, redemption, etc. etc.
PRIOR TO EASTER, THE CHURCH HAS DESIGNATED 40 DAYS, GIVING US TIME TO REFLECT ON OUR LIVES, TO TAKE A SPIRITUAL “INVENTORY,” TO CHECK OURSELVES, TO DRAW OURSELVES NEARER TO GOD TO KNOW HIM BETTER. AND THIS HAPPENS THROUGH REPENTANCE.
But what actually is Repentance?
Literally, Repentance means to admit the fact that we all are sinners, confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness. Change our mind to follow God and to do His will. Repentance also means turning from our way to God’s way, having the desire to follow God and do His will. Repentance will lead us into Regeneration, to a new life. When we truly repent, we will have more desire to come to Church, to hear the Message of the Gospel which will nurture our souls.
Charles Colson, an aide to President Nixon, puts it this way:
“My own conversion,” he says, “was rather dramatic…because, in a sense I have lived two lives. In a secular world, I felt what life is like without Christ. I saw the corruption of power and success. Today I can look at the secular world I was once part of and critique it from a Christian perspective...In my own life, REPENTANCE MEANT THAT I WANTED TO ADOPT NEW VALUES. I WANTED TO BE FORGIVEN OF WHAT I’D DONE IN THE PAST AND NOT CONTINUE THESE THINGS...” (ITALIC IS MINE)
During Lent, the Church with Gospel readings and messages will lead us to Calvary where Jesus paid the price on the cross for our sins. Let us then, take advantage of the 40 days, searching our hearts, confessing our sins, repent and turn to God.
REPENTANCE BEGINS IN THE HUMILIATION OF THE HEART, AND ENDS IN THE REFORMATION OF THE LIFE.” Jer. 10:23-24, 11:1-8
I remember, when I used to apply for a job, in those days we had to seat down and fill up an Application in front of the Personnel Manager. I remember, I used to be very nervous, make sure that all the questions were answered properly and correctly. After everything is done and said, when they were ready to hire me, the Personnel Manager would tell me the TERMS AND THE CONDITIONS. He would say my responsibilities, the hours expected to come to work, etc. etc. After I hear their TERMS AND CONDITIONS, I would give my TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Before they hire me, the one very important term that I put in front of them was,
“I AM AN ARCHDEACON OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH; I HAVE OBLIGATION TOWARD GOD AND MY CHURCH. WEEKDAYS I MAY HAVE TO TAKE OFF FOR FUNERALS, I DON’T WORK SUNDAYS. BUT IF I TAKE OFF FOR FUNERALS, I’LL PROMISE TO MAKE UP THE TIME.
IS THIS ACCEPTABLE WITH THE COMPANY?”
I have put this TERMS AND CONDITIONS to every company BEFORE THEY HIRED ME. And thank God, every company respected and eccepted my TERMS. I know as an employee what it means to work for companies
One way or another, we all have SOME TERMS AND CONDITIONS, between husbands and wives, parents and children. When they have to be home, what they can do or can’t do.
MY FATHER’S TERMS:
As soon as the streetlight came on, I had to be inside the house! NO QUESTIONS, NO EXCUSES. Otherwise, I would pay the consequences.
GOD IS NOT DIFFERENT:
Last Sunday we read on THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS God put in front of our ancestors, Adam and Eve.
“THE LORD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN... AND THE LORD COMMANDED THE MAN, ‘YOU ARE FREE TO EAT FROM ANY TREE OF THE GARDEN; BUT YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, FOR WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOU WILL SURLY DIE.” (Gen. 2:15-17). And when they did not keep the TERMS AND THE CONDITIONS of God, they, as well as we are paying the consequences.
THE PRODIGAL SON:
In today’s Passage, the church is teaching us THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS of being a child of God. If you meet the TERMS you will stay in the house and be the part of the family, if you don’t you will pay the price. In the Book of Jeremiah, we read that God was warning the Israelites. Because of their sins, God was going to destroy them. We see that God is so patients that He gives them warning. He does not surprise them.
God gives them time to think about it seriously and make their decision.
God doesn’t want to see any bode get hurt. He gives us time to seek His will and live safe.
After God gave warning to Jeremiah, Jeremiah prayed the following prayer.
“I KNOW LORD, THAT A MAN’S LIFE IS NOT HIS OWN; IT IS NOT FOR MAN TO DIRECT HIS STEPS. CORRECT ME, LORD, BUT ONLY WITH JUSTICE- NOT IN YOUR ANGER, LEST YOU REDUCE ME TO NOTHING.” (10:23-24)
After Jeremiah realizing that his life belongs to God, and that the human being is not capable of living with the guidance from God, he asks correction and guidance from God, then we read.
‘THIS IS THE WORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAH FORM THE LORD.”
It was NOT Jeremiah’s word; it was THE WORD OF THE LORD.
A message God was asking to convey to his people, and today to us.
A.- THE TERMS OF THE LORD.
God says,
“LISTEN TO THE TERMS OF THE COVENANT AND TELL THEM TO THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH AND TO THOSE WHO LIE IN JERUSALEM.” (Jer.11:2)
As much as the “TERMS” addressed to the Israelites, they are also applicable to us today.
Today the Message is for all of us.
God told Ezekiel.
“SON OF MAN… GO NOW TO YOUR COUNTRYMEN … AND SPEACK AND SPEAK TO THEM…WHETHER THEY LISTEN OR FAIL TO LISTEN.” (Ez. 2:11)
That is what I am doing. PREACHING WHETHER YOU ARE LISTENING OR NOT LISTENING.
EG.
Years ago one my perishers said to me “THE BEST TIME I TAKE A KNAP IS, WHEN THE PASOR STARTS PREACHING.”
B.-WHAT ARE THE TERMS OF THE LORD?
a.- OBEY AND DO EVERYTHING YOU LISTEN.
“THE TERMS I COMMANDED YOUR FOREFATHERS WHEN I BROUGHT THEM OUT OF EGYPT...I SAID, OBEY ME AND DO EVERYTHING I COMMANDED YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MY PEOPLE.”
You must have noticed by now that I have tried to make the Messages, the Services understandable with the language that you understand. Now what God is saying that HIS TERMS IS NOT ONLY TO LISTEN THE MESSAGE BUT TO OBEY AND DO IT.
EXAMPLE:
The four types of listener: Not deep, Rocky, Thorny and Good soil.
“BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO READS THE WORD OF THE PROPHECY AND BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR IT AND TAKE TO HEART.” (Rev. 1:3)
Unless we take the Message of God into our hearts and let it work to change our lives, it will stay in our minds with no results.
That is one of the ‘TERMS” of the Lord;
To listen the message and to obey.
b.- THE OTHER TERM THAT GOD PUTS IN FRONT OF US TODAY IS; TO FOLLOW HIM.
Following the Lord means, to give up your right and live for Him.
EXAMPLES:
When He called His disciples.
When people wanted to follow Him, they couldn’t because they wanted to follow according to their terms.
E.G. The Lawyer, the rich man, the man who wanted to bury his father first.
“THE LORD SAID...LISTEN TO THE COVENANTS AND FOLLOW THEM... I HAD COMMANDED THEM TO FOLLOW BUT THEY DID NOT KEEP.” (11:8)
See, God has given us free will to LISTEN, TO OBEY AND TO FOLLOW. The choice is ours.
JOSHUA: When God took Moses and replaced Joshua as his successor, the first thing Joshua did put condition, terms in front of Israel.
“DO NOT LET THIS BOOK OF THE LAW DEPART FROM YOUR MOUTH; MEDITATE ON IT DAY AND NIGHT, SO THAT YOU MAY BE CAREFUL TO DO EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT, THEN YOU WILL BE PROSPEROUS AND SUCCESSFUL.” (Josh. 1:8)
There are condition and terms God is putting in front of us all.
If we meet the conditions, God will fulfill His promise.
You can refuse, but don’t forget you will pay the consequences.
JESUS SAID:
“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, LORD, LORD, WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY HE/SHE WHO DOES THE WILL OF THE FATHER, WHO IS IN HEAVEN.” (Luke 8:21)
God does not surprise us, He tells it as it is. He puts the TERMS AND THE CONDITIONS It’s up to us how we take it.
When Solomon built the Temple, and he prayed to God, God answered to Solomon’s prayer by putting condition and terms.
The conditions God puts Infront of us.
“IF MY PEOPLE, WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND.” (II Chr. 7:14)
EXAMPLE THE PRODIGAL SON:
God is the same God, and He is putting the same conditions and terms in front of us.
After Jeremiah heard the Message from the Lord, he said.
“AMEN, LORD!” That is I agree and I will obey to the terms.
I agree, let it be the way you want.
Can you and I say AMEN! to the TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE LORD?
Lent is the time to answer to these questions and answer to them with humble and broken heart, “yes, I will.”
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