No other name..

21 May 2016

  Geo de Kock

No other name… no other plan…

There is no other name like that of Jesus Christ… He is the One and Only – crucified unto death, but risen by God.  “God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”, Peter and John glowingly told the Jewish and temple elite (Acts 4).

At first sight (as the leaders understood) Peter and John terribly erred by teaching the people that the resurrection of Jesus opened the door to our resurrection too.  Systematic Theology.  But the two men could see through it all.  No!  What it is all about, is this lame man that now could walk (Act 3, 4:8).  It is all about the manner in which he was healed:  “by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene”.

A paralyzed person, now walking around?  Impossible!  Healing for a wounded and depressed South African society?  Impossible!  Just last night a friend told us about a young man in a wheel chair for whom was prayed recently.  At first his newly acquired ability to walk was unsteady, but it soon became stronger up to a point of a careful trot!  Yes, it is still possible, now, in 2016 – by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene!

Perhaps we must take a look at the messengers too.  They were part of the twelve, gathered by the Lord.  First order eye witnesses about all that have happened to Him.  Filled with the power and the authority that came along with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  “Co-founders” of the first church.  Earnestly and actively on their way with the true narrative about the power towards redemption in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene!

The rest of the Acts narrative is history, as they say.  It is humans, men and women, who powerfully witnessed about Him – then in Jerusalem, but as Jesus and his Spirit guided, also across many boundaries and borders, over millennia, till today.  Now, you and I are part of those people.  God only uses people to heal a broken and lame society and world – nothing more, nobody else.  We are the carriers of his power, authority and might on earth.  He chooses only to work through us and to bring about change.  There’s no other way.  We are his only, only plan for the restoration of all that are broken and in pain, also politically and economically, because it is only but people (broken and in pain) that serve in it.

Is it presumptuous to come to the conclusion that the answer for our broken society with its millions of broken human beings has everything to do with me and you – as individuals and as we gather together in church, being story tellers, carriers of the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene?  Of course the answer is not really within us, because only God can resurrect, heal and save, change and renew.  But at the same time the answer really is within us, because He used Peter and John and since then thousands of followers/missionaries/preachers/praying people as channels and instruments.  The name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene work through them, through us, through you and me, exclusively!  Within the paralysis of 2016 too!

We are the PLAN!

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21 Mei 2016

  Geo de Kock

Geen ander naam… geen ander plan…

Geen ander naam as dié van Jesus Christus… Hy is die Een, Hy alléén – gekruisig en gedood, maar deur God weer opgewek.  “Hy bring die verlossing en niemand anders nie…” het Petrus en Johannes dringend aan die Joodse- en tempel-elite in Jerusalem gesê (Hand. 4).

Op die oog af het dit (volgens die leiers) in dié drama gegaan om iets wat Petrus en Johannes vir die mense aangaande Jesus geleer het:  dat Jesus se opstanding uit die dood nou ook óns opstanding moontlik maak.  Dogma.  Maar die twee manne sien dwarsdeur alles.  Nee, waaroor dit éintlik vir julle gaan, is hierdie verlamde man, wat nou gesond rondloop (Hand 3;  4:8) en oor die manier hoe hy genees is:  “in die Naam van Jesus Christus van Nasaret”.

‘n Verlamde wat weer loop?  Onmoontlik!  Genesing vir ‘n verwonde en depressiewe Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing?  Onmoontlik?  ‘n Vriend vertel net gisteraand in ‘n kleingroep van ‘n rystoelman vir wie verlede week gebid is.  Sy nuwe loop was eers wankelrig, maar dit het al sterker geword tot op ‘n punt van versigtig draf!  Ja, steeds moontlik, nóú, in 2016 – in die Naam van Jesus Christus van Nasaret!

Miskien moet ons ook kyk na die boodskapdraers.  Hulle was deel van die 12 rondom Jesus.  Eerste-orde sig-getuies van wat alles met Hom gebeur het.  Met krag en gesag vervul met die uitstorting van die Heilige Gees.  “Mede-stigters” van die eerste gemeente.  Brandend op weg en aktief met ‘n ware verhaal – dié oor die verlossingskrag in die Naam van Jesus Christus van Nasaret!

Die res van die Handelinge-verhaal is geskiedenis.  Dis ménse wat met krag van Hom getuig, vertel, gepreek, aangeraak, opgewek, genees het – destyds in Jerusalem, maar deur Jesus en die Gees se toedoen ook oor vele grense, oor eeue heen, tot vandag toe.  Nou is ek en jy deel van daardie mense.  God gebruik nét ménse, om die wêreld óm ons te genees en te red.  Niks/niemand anders nie.  Ons is nou die draers van sy krag, sy mag en gesag op aarde.  Hy kan net deur ons werk en verandering bewerkstellig.  Op geen ander manier nie.  Ons is sy enigste, énigste plan met alles en almal wat stukkend is en in pyn – ook in die politiek en ekonomie, want dis maar net ménse (stukkend en in pyn) wat dit bedryf.

Is ons voorbarig om tot die gevolgtrekking te kom dat die antwoord vir ons stukkende samelewing met al sy stukkende mense, opgesluit lê in jou en my en waar ons saamkom  in gemeentes/die kerk, as draers en vertellers aangaande die Naam van Jesus Christus van Nasaret?  Die antwoord is natuurlik nie regtig in ons nie, want dit is ten diepste mos God wat red en genees, verander en vernuwe.  Maar dis ook wel in ons, want Hy gebruik vir Petrus en Johannes en daarna ook duisende volgelinge/gestuurdes/predikers/ voorbid-ders as kanale en instrumente.  Die Naam van Jesus Christus van Nasaret werk déúr hulle, déúr ons, déúr jou en my, alléén!  Ook in die verlamming van 2016.

Ons is die Plan!

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