Harry Graf
Guest preacher in the seetal chile
Life in abundance comes from Jesus Christ. Sin separates us from God. Here we must come true and confess our guilt and claim Christ’s forgiveness. Then his grace, his favour, is applied to us without preconditions and we find real life. In practical terms, this happens through the Holy Spirit, who advises and equips us in a «training programme» in all everyday matters. The way to life is through Jesus Christ. «I have come that they may have life and be filled…
We need truth in order to know how we should live. However, truth is highly controversial today. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit gives us access to the truth and also helps us to live in this truth. The Bible plays a central role in this. We hear in almost every sermon that we should/can do this or that by the power of the Spirit. What does the Holy Spirit actually do and how does he do it? I would like to explain this to you in various…
As disciples of Jesus, we have a mission to bring the gospel to other people. Jesus wants to reach and conquer hearts. Now how can this work? In the New Testament, Jesus says that if we have love for one another, everyone will recognise Jesus in us. In the Old Testament, the conquest of Jericho gives us an example of how the «conquest» of hearts can happen through «obedient behaviour». «By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another» (John 13:34 LUT). Everyone – are…
Between the desert and the Promised Land, the Jordan River floods towards the Dead Sea. The people of Israel are to cross this river under the leadership of Joshua – but how? When the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant into this raging river at God’s command, there is a dry crossing – an image of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. When someone has «crossed the Jordan», this popularly means that they have died. For the people of Israel, the Jordan was the dividing line between 40…
Jesus is risen. As redeemed and reconciled people, we are called to discipleship and equipped with wisdom and power by the Holy Spirit. But what should this discipleship consist of in practical terms? Jesus himself explains this to us in his example of the Good Samaritan. In its figurative language, this example is both an explanation and a challenge. A man falls among robbers. He goes from Jerusalem (where God lives) to Jericho (the condemned city). Is it his own fault? In any case, Jesus begins with this…
Everyone wants to be happy in life. But how do I do that? Do I make myself happy, do I follow someone or something? If you read Paul’s account, his discipleship does not seem very promising at first glance: weakness, abuse, hardship, persecution and fear accompany him on his journey. But these do not deter him for two reasons. On the contrary – he chooses the path out of his comfort zone because, on the one hand, he experiences Christ himself in his weakness and, on the other, he becomes an ambassador of the good news, of salvation, peace…
King Solomon took in 666 talents or 22 tons of gold alone annually, the equivalent of CH 1.27 billion per year. He was God’s chosen king of Israel, God’s people. He was the wisest man of all time. His incredible glory was a picture of the glory of God – as long as he trusted in God alone. But things turned out differently… Every person, every one of us has a «glory». What governs your life and mine will be in your…
At his first sign, Jesus makes 600 litres of the best wine for a wedding party in Cana, which has run out of wine. No healing, no raising of the dead, no multiplication of bread – no, but wine in quantity. What does this mean? And why does Christ make this the first sign? Marriage – coming together – bearing fruit «So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. And God blessed them and gave them…
Holiness and love belong together. He who loves completely does not allow harm to come to the beloved. We have a choice: we can place ourselves under the love of God or we can choose self-realisation and selfishness. With the latter, our actions will affect, harm others. Because God loves all people, he does not allow that, his holiness does not allow that. God’s holiness is so important for love because it guarantees that he will never let up, that absolutely…