This year I shall be preaching 2 Christmas sermons. Tomorrow the set text is taken from John 3,16 "the Father's love". I thought this village church only had about 30 adults but I was told to expect 100. For the second I was given a free hand and I shall be preaching from Isa 53 "by his knowledge my servant will justify many." I shall be speaking of the knowledge of God, knowledge of his ways and knowledge of Scripture. I see that in many churches that I am associated with there is not much learning of God's Word besides the Sunday sermon. Even sermons tend to be topical and jump from one title to another. My people perish for the lack of knowledge (Hos 4) and indeed there is a famine not of bread but of hearing the words of God.
Although I had been asked to preach once in my homechurch and a couple of times in other churches I felt there was a lot more I could have done. Perhaps in the last leg of my sabbatical I should preach less because there will be a lot preaching come January 2015. Have I accomplished what I set out to do in my sabbatical? Perhaps this is a nonsensical question since on Sabbath one is to rest and stop from being concerned over productivity. I have done 3 things, nevertheless. First, reading chunks of the Septuagint. Second, I managed to write my memoirs totalling 65,000 words but I am holding on for another 12 months because I needed time and distance to write or rewrite the chapter on my Singapore's sojourn. Things are still so raw and I think I need more time so that objectivity is restored somewhat. Also the chapter on my one year in transition (1st Nov 2013 to 1st Nov 2014) also requires time to reflect on the many twists and turns I had experienced. Further, the next chapter of my ministry in Ranau will soon unfold and per chance after 12 months among the Dusuns of Ranau, I could legitimately call myself a modern missionary by the grace of God.
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