परमेश्वरलाई मनपर्ने भेटी-४, पा. रुएल थापा

Introduction: This is a thanksgiving season at Cross-Way Church. Each year we focus on different aspect and angles of Christian life with regards to our call to grateful lives. Sacrifices are plenty in the OT. The question is, what do they mean? And what do they point to- because blood of animals or offer of grains are not in itself what God wanted. OT Sacrificial system bore heavy weights in life and society (personal, communal, economic). Notice how often they were required and how detailed the rituals were, which points to the significance for what they meant. Studying them, these were some of the reasons, as to WHY sacrifice offerings were required: A) Acknowledging and honoring God’s presence (Character of Holiness). B) Remembering Covenant Commitments. C) Symbolize Atonement (sacrifices for reconciling) appropriate to the sin/guilt. D) Value ascribed by voluntarily (freely) and willingly giving. They were never enough (elements, rituals) but were symbols = showing (alluding to) the essence and understanding of greater things God desired and meaning of life. Even though we are not required to bring sacrifice or material offerings today, the meanings behind those sacrifice rituals shows what was/is in God’s heart, which has not changed, because God has not changed. But, what does our lives show to/about God from what/how we give. Are our offerings worthy (show value & meaning) of God we worship? What are we giving? How are we giving? What does that mean? Are we giving less than our best? The Need: Too often our lives, in the midst of modern progressive lifestyle, namely of fast-pace globalized world connected with internet at our finger tips, literally with smart phones and access of information from across the world, have made us busy and pre-occupied and selfish. Consumer driven lifestyle, ironically, has left us empty. To experience what the world has in offer you must make money to have access. Go make money, by all means possible, get jobs, education, access (visa), preoccupies our lives. This is an age of instant gratification, our culture have lost (or forgotten) the secret and art of gratefulness. We must look to the root and sources from where our blessings come and learn to say Thank You.“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality, and the last is to say ‘thank you’.” Max De Pree.Goal: We will learn the arts and motif of grateful response to God.We will understand (re-focus) what makes up the foundations of Christian life, (namely God has graciously not only created the world and everything in it, provided all things necessary to sustain our lives [vegetables that grow, parents who birthed and raised us, or not; oxygen we breath] Jesus Christ who has given us eternal life and hope to live now) accomplished our salvation. So, we will become grateful people with our hearts and actions.

Om Podcasten

Podcast by Cross-Way Nepal: Here you will find the Biblical and Contextually Relevant Sermons recorded live at Cross-Way Church, Lalitpur Nepal. These sermons are in the Nepali language.