A Prayer for Maundy Thursday
Holy God, source of all love,
on the night of his betrayal
Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment,
to love one another as he loved them;
write this commandment in our hearts,
and give us the will to serve others
as he was the servant of all
who gave his life and died for us,
yet is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Thursday before Easter is known as either Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday. Maundy is derived from the Latin word for "command," and refers to Jesus' commandment to the disciples to "Love one another as I have loved you."
A Call to Prayer
Join Christians around the world on Saturday 4th April as we unite in prayer and fasting. For more information please go to the following link:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/day-fast-pray-april-4/
The End is Nigh?
As I expected, the conspiracy theories are flying across social media during this COVID-19 crisis. Some are clearly foolish, but others are catching people out and fuelling panic and fear.
One of the most prominent conspiracy theories is the relationship between COVID-19 and the 5G cell phone network. This ‘prophetic warning’ is being passed via a long WhatsApp voice message spoken by a well-educated sounding English person who claims to ‘operate in the prophetic’ and who ‘once owned a telecommunications company’.
The gist of his message is:
- There is a global corporate plot to reduce the world’s population (to such a sinister extent that it makes Thanos look like a nice guy).
- Google, Amazon and others, like Bill Gates, are mentioned as those using the 5G network (which was first rolled out in Wuhan, China) to emit powerful radiation that is causing “cell poisoning” which results in virus like symptoms causing eventual death. This is why the countries with the most 5G networks are suffering the most cases (China, Italy, UK, USA). He also claims that the 1918 Spanish Flu virus was caused by radio waves as were other historic outbreaks.
- The government roll out of COVID-19 testing stations is being used as a cover to actually infect people coming for testing so that the claim of a viral epidemic can be substantiated.
- When the vaccine is eventually introduced it will be a false vaccine that actually puts ‘markers’ in your blood system that attract more 5G radiation to you! (A clear ‘anti-vaccine’ stance is made.)
- Churches are being shut down because it means we cannot gather together for worship which ‘reduces our frequency’ and our spiritual power to counteract the evil forces at work in the world.
Sadly, these outrageous claims are being taken seriously, even by clergy and other church leaders.
Some things to note:
- There is no medical or scientific support for the 5G network being any more dangerous or damaging than 4G or any other radio network (there are ongoing debates about radiation waves from cell phone towers and their possible links to cancer, but the American Cancer Association considers it very low risk). I have been in contact with a senior Christian physician who assures me that, from a medical point of view, any claims of a link to 5G and the COVID-19 virus are ludicrous.
- The 5G network was not rolled out in Wuhan, but actually in South Korea and parts of the USA. The virus is not just spreading in countries with the 5G network. Iran, for example, has no 5G and has a high infection rate. (Its ironic that the conspiracy theory itself is spreading like a virus across global 5G networks!)
- There is no evidence for a vaccine conspiracy and medical research has shown again and again how beneficial vaccines have been (particularly in Africa) in helping to reduce mortality rate.
- A full list of false conspiracy theories and their origins is on Wikipedia.
Some important points that Christians need to bear in mind.
Many of these conspiracy theories are built on poor theology and take advantage of people’s fear and uncertainty in times of crisis. This is irresponsible at best. To advocate resisting important virus testing and vaccination is extremely dangerous and possibly even criminal. (It is illegal to pass on false reports in RSA).
The Lord does not need us to gather together and worship in order to ‘raise our frequency’ and so overcome the evil forces by the combined power of our worship. Our worship is not the cause of God’s power, but rather a response to it (e.g. The Red Sea rescue: Exodus 13:17-15:21).
There is certainly a spiritual conspiracy theory at work in our world and the Bible is very clear on that (e.g. 1 John 2:18f). Satan will do whatever it takes to distract us from the saving message of the gospel. As long as the devil keeps us running scared and obsessing over way out claims, he will keep us from focussing on the work Jesus has called us to do. Our God given task is to prayerfully declare His saving gospel to the nations and make disciples walking in faithful obedience to Christ (Matt.28:18f). This is the work we are to be about as we await Christ’s return. We ‘keep watch’ not by endless hours of end time speculation, but by our ongoing work for the gospel. This is how the Master wants to find us when he returns ‘at an hour we do not expect’ (Matthew 24:42-44)
The responsible thing for every believer to do now is certainly to pray. Pray not just for an end to this viral epidemic but also for us to use the time rightly for the growth of the gospel. Pray too for discernment because many more alarmist theories will come our way. Sadly, the greatest alarm of all is being lost in all this conspiracy noise. The alarming truth that all of us will die and face judgement (Hebrews 9:27). We have the good news of rescue from Hell through the saving death of Jesus on the cross for our sins. That is the real message we ought to be spreading across our social networks in these critical days.
Live Streams and Sermon Platform Links
Looking for a live stream for your Church@Home tomorrow?
Check out these links for REACH Churches from around the country:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6pctFBmF85ypmMhkI28A
Christ Church Cascades
https://www.christchurch-hermanus.org/broadcast-services
Christ Church Hermanus
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA_jydtOL2qXJuyRyqsFm5A
Emmanuel Port Elizabeth
https://stjameschurchathome.com/
St James Church Kenilworth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvNv1pHKxCo&feature=youtu.be
Christ Church Hillcrest
https://www.youtube.com/user/dnahill1/featured
Christ Church Waterkloof
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8c6Q8y6h-r4CabY4iPkb6Q/videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6kVJdijqrA&feature=youtu.be
Christ Church Tygerberg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChG5BHbqaBoBwE2GQXW3WNQhttps://web.facebook.com/christchurchtshwane/?_rdc=1&_rdr
https://web.facebook.com/christchurchtshwane/?_rdc=1&_rdr
Christ Church Tshwane
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdLdJm1F_nd9TjdRBgPho9w
Emmanuel Church Bellville
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsHAzyM3c1g
St Peter's Fish Hoek
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbjGAIEVx5y52lHKL6SrM_A?fbclid=IwAR2F34wshvEbHbEYCVvTMPlzaJQTrw_biON2zhYXCOQngxm7mzbelOHnxkw
Christ Church Somerset West
http://www.christchurchpmb.co.za/
Christ Church Pietermaritzburg
http://ccu.org.za/
Christ Church Umhlanga
https://www.christchurchmidrand.co.za/churchathome/
Christ Church Midrand
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSrexbjLRRgYI-Wrb6kZ0_Q
Christ Church Sandton
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjplKMm1TIc9laVebO2ehzQ
Christ Church Blairgowrie
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIa-3jZXWzR-RC3_OGKavWg
St Stephen's Claremont
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClvlcjLVNCUAazwBgCFm7Rw
St Matthews Table View
http://stjamesbloem.co.za/
St James Bloemfontein
https://www.facebook.com/REACHSummerstrand/
REACH Summerstrand
REACH-SA COVID-19 Statement
In the light of recent restrictions imposed by the National State of Disaster, REACH-South Africa has issued the following directives to all her churches.
- Special events are postponed till further notice. (Easter Conventions, Seminars, Conferences etc.) We are urging all our local churches to lean toward an abundance of caution and postpone all public meetings and gatherings.
- Sunday Services are (at the very least) to be restricted to below the required 100 mark and all members encouraged to meet together at home or in small groups during Sunday service times. Those who are in high risk categories (overseas travel; seniors; children) are advised to refrain from church attendance over this time. Churches with large congregations have suspended or limited their public gatherings and moved to live-streaming.
- George Whitefield College has moved classes to online streaming. Please contact GWC for further information.
- BUT the church is NOT closed in this time of crisis and we invite you to contact us or talk to your local church pastor if you are concerned or in need of help and guidance over this time. The Word of God gives us assurance and hope in this time of uncertainty and anxiety and we will always hold out this hope to the world, even if we are restricted from physical contact.
- Our motive in restricting contact is not out of fear for our lives, but out of loving concern for yours. Therefore, we would like to be in contact with you online and provide pastoral and prayer support as much as we possibly can. Please will you get in touch with us if you need any assistance or guidance over this time of crisis. info@reachsa.org.za
Perspective: Our Father
"Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven…" (Matthew 6:9)
The words quoted above introduce the most famous of all Christian prayers, the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples as a model prayer, a prayer not simply to be prayed but also to be used as a guideline to shape our prayers.
As with all Scripture, the Lord’s Prayer, as it has come to be known, should be read in context and that context is very striking indeed. Jesus’ begins his teaching about prayer by telling his disciples how not to pray. First, we should avoid the hypocrisy that sees prayer more as a display of our own piety than a humble conversation with God. We must never pray in order to be seen and praised by others! (Matthew 6:5-6) Second, we should avoid the superstition that imagines that we can somehow control or manipulate God through our words or techniques. To pray in that way is to be no better than a pagan (Matthew 6:7-8). Third, we should avoid a mystical view of prayer in which prayer becomes listening to God rather than speaking to God. God’s speaks to us not in our prayer but by His Word the Bible. It is of course good to listen to the Word with a humble, receptive heart and to turn God’s Word in the Bible into prayer. As with the Lord’s Prayer, our prayers should be shaped by all that the Bible says. But we should never confuse our speaking to God (prayer) with listening to God (reading the Bible).
How then should we pray? And it here that the opening words of the Lord’s prayer are so revolutionary and encouraging. Firstly, we should pray in the full confidence that if we have put our trust in Jesus Christ, God is indeed not simply a Father, but our Father! In Christ we are kept in a true and deep relationship with God. Hostilities and estrangement caused by our sin are now at an end since Christ has made peace between us and God (Ephesians 2:11-18). Thus, whenever we pray, we come to God as our Father knowing that, because of Jesus, He always hears us and, in Christ, He will grant everything good that is in accordance with His will (1 John 5:14-15). Secondly, we should pray in the full confidence that the God to whom we pray is our Father in heaven. The phrase ‘in heaven’ reminds us of the wisdom, sovereignty and power of God. It reminds us that God knows what is best for us since He created us. It reminds us that God knows what is best for us since He knows all things, including the future. More than that it reminds us that God not only knows all things, but that He controls all things, even the smallest details of our lives. Thus, as our Father in heaven, God works for our eternal good in all things, even in the midst of human evil and the trials of a fallen world (Romans 8:26-30).
By teaching us that our Heavenly Father is both able and willing to answer our prayers, the Lord’s Prayer teaches us how to pray. But more than that, it teaches us that we can and must pray! So often the evil one reminds us of our sins and failures and our hearts condemn us. But God in Christ is greater than our hearts! (1 John 3:20). We need to remember that because Jesus has paid the full price for our sins and now intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand, we may indeed approach God’s throne of grace with confidence to find mercy and help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). No matter how often or how much we have failed or fallen, we should always keep coming back to our Heavenly Father in prayer. This is not to be a hypocrite, but to believe the gospel. Satan the accuser wants to keep us away from God. Jesus our Lord and Saviour wants to lead us back to God our Father. Like the prodigal son, we need to remember that the best place to be is in our Father’s house, not as unworthy servants, but as blood bought children. Thanks be to God for the indescribable gift of His Son and the gift of prayer.
The Church and The Kingdom of God
The task of the church is to make the invisible kingdom visible through faithful Christian living and witness-bearing. The Gospel of Christ is still the gospel of the kingdom, the good news of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit through entering a disciple’s relationship to the living Lord. The church must make its message credible by manifesting the reality of the kingdom. - J.I. Packer