Doctrine: Christ is both God and Man

[6] “Who being in very nature God, Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

[7]But made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

(Philippians 2:6-7)

Sermon Preached by Pastor Naphtally Ogallo on 2012-10-14

MARK 10:26-27

SALVATION – IMPOSSIBLE WITH MAN

Introduction Many people are religious but they have lost focus of true Christian religion. They have lost or don’t know the fundamental Biblical teaching of [1] the total depravity of man [2] salvation by God’s grace alone. Those who teach and preach these truths are despised and ridiculed. Churches where these truths are preached remain generally small and considered out of touch. I encourage both those who preach these truths that we must continue to stand and be counted. Anything less will not result into genuine conversion experience for sinners. In this passage, our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us that salvation is impossible with man but only possible with God. Consider these three points albeit it summary.

1.       Wrong thoughts about salvation: Some people claim that man is getting better and that just a little religion in his system is enough. But this claim has been disproved as wrong. A few illustrations will suffice: [1] The post election violence that rocked Kenya after the last General Election (2007-2008) is a fitting demonstration of this. Kenya is said to be over 75% Christians. If this is to be believed then either the violence was carried out by the 25% “none Christians” or we must believe the hard fact that so many among the 75% are actually not true Christians! [2] Our New Constitution is certainly much better than the previous one but if we care to admit, the New Constitution alone will not save Kenya unless hearts are changed. [3] Some people think that being a Christian is avoiding sins and doing good; Christ is only seen as an example to follow.

2.       Christ and the question of salvation: Christ declared “with man this is impossible, but not with God...”  (10:26). In another place Christ said “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” But who really is able? The answer is ‘No one.’ Thus “with man this is impossible...”

In Mark 10:15 our Lord Jesus uses the practical illustration of children to teach the lesson of entering into the kingdom of God. “...anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” This does not mean that all children will go to heaven! But the lesson we learn that we must have attitude of a child if we will be saved. Some illustrations will do: A child has the attitude of dependence. [1] When a child is given a painful discipline (like smacking) by the parent he or she while crying will run back to the very parent! [2] When a child is sees a wild dog approaching he or she will cling to the parent. A child has not learnt many evil tricks that adults have learnt and hidden in their hearts over the years. For adults to learn to put off those evil tricks or hatred in the heart is like expecting a leopard to change its spots. It is in a child to easily trust another greater than he or her. Our Lord Jesus says, just as a child trust another greater that he or she you are to trust God the same. Do we find this easy? The Lord Jesus declares “with man it is impossible...”

In Mark 10:17ff the rich young ruler asked “...what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Upon the Lord Jesus challenging him to recognize that his hope of eternal life must be in God alone, the man spoke sincerely but ignorantly of the fact that God’s law requires heart obedience not just outward performance. The subsequent words of our Lord and the man’s action reveal that this man was still far from entering the kingdom of God. Before we can enter the kingdom of God, one must give up himself and everything. But can it be done? No wonder the disciples asked and we too ask the same question “who then can be saved?”  The Lord Jesus declares that “with man it is impossible...” This is what bothered Nicodemus (cf. John 3:1ff).

3.       Salvation is by God’s grace alone! “...all things are possible with God!” God saved Paul! Manasseh! Christ does not ask us to do the impossible; but that we allow God to do the impossible for us. The Pharisees weren’t happy with Jesus because He raised standard of entering God’s kingdom so high. But the tax collectors, drunkards and sinful women who felt wicked saw hope in Jesus. The God who saved Saul of Tarsus and Manasseh son of Hezekiah has no changed.

Ø  I point you to God through the Lord Jesus Christ alone. He gives power and strength to helpless and hopeless sinners; give yourself to Him!

Ø  We too were once helpless and hopeless but God changed us. It is impossible to change yourself; but with God all things are possible. O that you would pray, look and cry to Him today!

Aug-Sept 2012 Prayer Letter [Part 2]

The human heart!

Friday began like any other day. I had planned what I wanted to do at my study and later attend to other ministerial duties away from home. Then someone knocked at the gate and I went to attend to him.

“I am looking for the pastor so that I can be prayed for as I am burdened with so many problems.”

I ushered him into our Tent of meeting which is attached to our house. I asked him his name and what exactly is his problem. This briefly is what he said and what followed and lessons learned:

“My name is S.B. (abbreviated). My wife died in 2009 and left me with three children, the youngest was only a few months old. Two weeks ago, I travelled to the village with my children so as to harvest beans from our shamba (garden). While in the shamba, I was called that Linda (6 years) has fallen and drowned in a family well. The body was retrieved and I buried her last week. I could not stay any longer in the village as I had no money. I used to work as a guard with a security firm but it folded up some months ago. I have remained jobless and only occasionally being hired as a daily labourer at building sites. However, the site foremen would always demand half of my daily wages as bribe or as goodwill for next day’s hire.  But now for weeks, I haven’t gotten any jobs and so for a number of days we have not eaten. My youngest daughter, Florence (now 4 years) is very ill in the house. My son Joseph (8 years) is the one looking after her. I used to go to church faithfully but I dropped as people mocked me saying some bad spirit is upon my home that is why my family is getting finished.”

I then inquired why he hasn’t taken Florence to the nearest Medical Unit which is free?

                “They require me to pay for a Record Card but I don’t have the Ksh.20.”

At this point I felt greatly challenged that for lack of Ksh.20, the life of a little girl may be lost just like that. I urgently consulted with my wife then handed over Ksh.250 to him directing him to immediately take Florence to the hospital. He was extremely thankful and said he would come on Sunday with the children, give report and thanks.

The man came on Sunday just as we were beginning our meeting. But he said “the sad news is that Florence died the previous evening and the body is at the Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital mortuary.” We were all saddened. He talked of the urgent need to rush to the village to inform his relatives, sell his two only goats and return in readiness to bury his daughter. Due to the urgency involved, I assured him of our prayers and gave him Ksh.400/ as fare and airtime in his phone to facilitate his communication. A number of us prayed for him during the service.

Later Sunday night he phoned me to share the good news that he arrived safely in the village and was thankful. But another bad news was to immediately follow. He found his two goats confiscated by a neighbour for straying into and destroying vegetable garden! They would only be released upon payment of cash. We felt very sad and upset. I advised him to take the matter to the immediate authority to help arbitrate.

Tuesday I was unwell and so stayed longer in bed when by 7.00am the phones rings and my wife answered it telling the person that I am unwell so he can ring latter. The caller identified himself as the bereaved man and saying that he was back from the village and is set for the burial of the late Florence the same day, Tuesday at the municipal cemetery. Upon hearing that, I gathered strength and managed to talk to him telling him that I would have loved to go and help him conduct the burial but I can’t due to illness and so I will send two men (Julius and Timothy) to help him both at the mortuary and the cemetery. To enable him pay the mortuary bill and the grave I send him Ksh.1,030/ through Mpesa direct to his phone to boost the little he said he had.

Julius and Timothy arrived at the mortuary at 9.00am ready with a passage of Scripture I prepared for them to preach from. They patiently waited for S.B. repeatedly making attempts to call his phone which was now permanently off! When it reached 12.30pm, I asked them to give up and return. The two came back tired, hungry and angry that we have been conned! I urged them to be patient and that we must do all we can to prove a man guilty before condemning him. We prayed and my wife gave them food. Since the man’s phone was still off, I still felt it was best to assume that his phone battery could have died off and needed recharging. At the same time, I thought the best way to make this man feature again and for us to verify the details is to send a sms to him phone so that as soon as it is switched on, he would get my message! I something like this: “I trust you finished the burial well. You have been in our thoughts and prayers. Sorry that the two men weren’t able to be with and help you. When you are able, please come and we can talk to see how we can help you further.”  I encouraged the two brothers, we prayed and they left for their homes.

Wednesday at 8.30am S.B. arrives and knocks at our gate!! The sms worked!! Just before ushering him in, I quickly phoned Julius and Timothy to rush to come as urgently as possible. The man was offered a cup of tea and I begun to sympathetically but tactfully interrogate him. Soon the two brothers arrive and he is challenged. He maintained his story but said he left the receipts in the house as he left in a hurry. I then suggested that we go straight to the mortuary and confirm the records. I was careful to remain calm and not send any threat signals; at the same time calming the two down. He agreed with my suggestion. I again asked him if he would wish to change his story but insisted that he is right. My wife quietly advised me not to go in our car but hire transport lest I be marked...! The man, the two brothers and I arrived at the mortuary records’ office and after a thorough search it was proved that there is no record of the body of Florence having been booked in on Saturday or removed on Tuesday! What we thought would take less than 10 minutes to prove genuine or false, now turns to be a “security case” which lasted over six hour!

S.B. admitted he had mixed truth with lies to get help saying he ‘had suffered for so long.’ He revealed that I was the third person he had swindled though changing the story to suit each occasion. He looked more miserable at every revelation of his tricks. The security officers at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital did not miss-handle him. This forty year old man looked much older than I, though I am no longer young! I was asked if I wanted to press charges in a court of law and have him committed to jail. Then I thought of his child or children(?) and felt that it is better to err on the side of mercy rather than demand justice. All his details including his photo were taken and dispatched to relevant security agencies within the Province; he was labelled “a dangerous man” and was immediately dispatched back to his home village to work with his hands in his shamba and provide for his children(?). His local area administration also informed immediately to put an eye on him.

What lessons or opportunities? There are many if one cares to look but I can only mention a few.

·         The wickedness of the human heart is very real. If not for the grace of God, I would be no better.

·         The challenges in the ministry are real and varied. There are those whose story is genuine, others are spiced up but others are downright lies. We stand in need of God’s wisdom. The high temptation now is for us to be suspicious of and turn away any who comes seeking help.

·         I had opportunity to show my two brothers that though we had ‘wasted’ two whole days and lost a lot of money, the Lord has helped us to learn how to handle situations practically better than if we just sat in our ‘preachers’ class’ on a Saturday morning.

·         This incident also enabled us to meet and witness to the security staff of this second largest medical institution in the country; at the end, I was allowed to pray for the man and for the security team. I believe there is opportunity for us to bring God’s work in terms of literature and even preaching.

I can ask, ‘Who is sufficient for these things? Paul’s words in 2 Cor.3:5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves ... our sufficiency is from God...”

Dear friends, pray for us as we pray for you.

In Christ by grace,

Naphtally & Helida Ogallo.

Aug-Sept 2012 Prayer Letter [Part 1]

Dear Friends,

Greetings in our Saviour’s name. We are extremely sorry to have delayed with this P/L especially as we remember the fact that there are those who eagerly look forward to it for continued prayers.

Since our last P/L we are glad to report that Tim was able to travel to Canada and has now began his studies at the University of British Columbia in the city of Vancouver. He is finding his way around and we trust that he will soon settle in a good church. Please pray for him that he will stand spiritually and be a faithful witness of Christ among his colleagues.

Liz received her results and we are looking to the Lord for her next move in life. The years seem to pass so fast and the feeling that she is a grown up can’t be can’t be held back! Please pray for her and for us as we seek to help her find what she can do.

Helida is doing well at the moment and she quietly keeps the wheels of the home turning steadily. She is such a blessing to me in terms of those who come seeking Pastor’s help. Not just in ‘filtering’ what needs she can conveniently intercept but issues that would be best handled corporately. I often stand amazed as she frequently demonstrates just that extra sense! As you know, Kenyans did poorly at the just concluded Olympic Games but at least there were two or so gold medals. Even so, in the family, I am the one who does poorly health wise. My lower back is a constant problem and I am currently under treatment for somewhat resistant malaria and cough. But in terms of my studies, I am much nearer the end than when I first began. They have remained challenging but practical.

There is much encouragement in the church for which we are bound to give God all the glory. I have continued to preach through the book of Nehemiah but occasionally digressing to preach topically on practical issues.

A specific area of encouragement is the ‘preachers’ class.’ The four men (Julius, Timothy, Moses and Martin) are faithful and steadily growing. They are also taking part in leading at the Wednesday prayer meetings and some parts of Sunday services.

During August holidays, we held holiday Bible Clubs for lower primary one week and for the upper primary through to secondary the following week. This second group read and discussed the book ‘By God’s Grace Alone’ by Abraham Booth.

Last week I, Helida, Julius and later Pastor Sam from Kisumu, sat under rich Biblical teaching of the Doctrines of Grace within Eldoret. Pastor Albert Rommal of Northwest Baptist Church AZ, USA and two brothers from his church were the speakers at a conference. These teachings were new to the hosting church but they expressed great appreciation for the same. Please pray that we will develop a Biblical partnership in the gospel with our brethren so that in turn, we on the ground would be useful to this group of believers and further teach them these wonderful doctrines of God’s grace.

We are going through various national serious problems for which we plead for your prayers: Insecurity is a worry both in the coastal and north-eastern regions of the country. Many people have been killed and property destroyed in politically instigated violence. With General Elections only six months away, this is a real concern. At the same time, the Doctors, the teachers of public primary and secondary schools as well as universities have gone on strike demanding better pay.

I am convinced afresh that the Gospel and living it out is the urgent need of the hour. Please pray for us.

In Christ by grace,

Naphtally & Helida Ogallo.

Apologies for silence!

Dear members and friends who follow this blog, I am very sorry for the long silence. I will now do my best to make sure that posting is done as regularly as possible. I really appreciate your interest and will seek to play my part promptly. God bless you richly. By grace, Naphtally Ogallo.