2025-08-13
Mark 4:33 NIV
If you’re serious about reaching and teaching people, there are two things you must try to do:
(1) Talk to them, not above them. A preschooler was eating an apple in the back of the car. “Daddy,” he said, “why is my apple turning brown?” His father explained: “Because after you assimilated the skin on the exterior, the core structure of the apple came into contact with the atmosphere, which caused it to oxidize, thus changing its molecular structure and transforming it into a different color.” After a long silence, the little boy replied, “Daddy, are you talking to me?” Can the listener understand and apply what you’re saying?
Paul told the church at Corinth, “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready… Indeed, you are still not ready” (1 Corinthians 3:2 NIV). Jesus made a point of tailoring His remarks so the people listening could grasp the message. The Bible says, “With… parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.” Think about it: Jesus was God, and He could easily have awed us with His knowledge. But because His desire was to change our lives for the better, He stayed on our level and spoke in a language we understand. And you must learn to do the same.
(2) Say it over and over again. The fundamental law of learning is repetition. It’s been said that people have to hear something sixteen times before they believe it and really “get it.” The question that should concern you isn’t, “What will I say?” but, “What will people take away from it?”
Soul food: Judg 12-15; Matt 17:14-27; Ps 119:81-88; Pro 17:27-28
2025-08-12
1 Petrus 5:4 AFR83
Die vyfde kroon is die kroon van heerlikheid. Petrus het geskryf: ‘As mede-ouderling en getuie van die lyding van Christus en ook deelgenoot aan die heerlikheid wat geopenbaar sal word, dring ek by die ouderlinge onder julle daarop aan: Pas die kudde van God wat aan julle toevertrou is, goed op. Hou toesig oor hulle, nie uit dwang nie, maar gewillig soos God dit verwag; nie om eie gewin nie, maar uit toegewydheid; ook nie deur baas te speel oor dié wat God aan julle sorg toevertrou het nie, maar deur ‘n voorbeeld vir die kudde te wees. En dan, wanneer die Opperherder kom, sal julle die heerlikheid as onverganklike kroon ontvang’ (verse 1-4 NLV).
Hierdie kroon blyk van toepassing op pastore en Christelike leiers te wees. Dit beteken egter nie dat jy ‘n pastoor of amptelike leier moet wees nie. Soos een pastoor dit verduidelik: ‘Jy mag dalk die herder van ‘n klein groepie wees. Jou kudde is dalk jou familie of jou Sondagskoolklas. Die Here gee ons dikwels die verantwoordelikheid om na die geestelike welsyn van ander mense om te sien. Dis ‘n wonderlike geleentheid om Hom te dien!’
Dit bring ons by ‘n goeie vraag: Wat gaan ons met al hierdie krone doen? Openbaring 4:10-11 beskryf ‘n groot lofprysingsdiens wat gaan plaasvind wanneer ons in die hemel aankom: ‘…die 24 ouderlinge [val] in aanbidding voor Hom wat op die troon sit, neer. Hulle aanbid Hom wat vir altyd lewe en sit hulle krone voor die troon neer en sê: ‘U is waardig, Here ons God, om die hemelse heerlikheid en die eer en die mag te ontvang…’ (NLV). Stel jou voor dat jy voor die Here kniel en jou kroon aan sy voete neerlê, oorweldig deur dankbaarheid vir alles wat Hy vir jou gedoen het.
Sielskos: Rig 9:34-11:40; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 119:73-80; Spr 20:25
1 Peter 5:4 NKJV
The fifth crown is the crown of glory. Peter wrote: “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (vv. 1-4 NKJV).
This crown seems especially designed for pastors and Christian leaders. That doesn’t mean you have to be an official pastor or a member of a church staff. As one pastor explains: “You might be the shepherd of a small group. Your flock might be your family… It might be your Sunday school class… The Lord often gives us responsibility for the spiritual well-being and maturing of others, and what an opportunity to serve Him!”
This raises an interesting question: What are we going to do with these crowns? Revelation 4:10-11 describes a great worship service that will occur when we arrive in heaven. “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power'” (NKJV). Imagine kneeling before the Lord and laying your crown at His feet, overwhelmed with gratitude for all that He has done for you.
Soul food: Judg 9:34-11:40; Matt 17:1-13; Ps 119:73-80; Pro 20:25
2025-08-11
Revelation 2:10 NKJV
The fourth crown is the crown of life. Two different verses depict it for us. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12 NKJV). “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
A pastor explains it this way: “The Crown of Life is given in recognition of enduring and triumphing over temptations and trials, even to the point of martyrdom. Motivated by our love for Christ, we persevere and never quit until He takes us home… Almost every New Testament book was written to believers who lived in danger of martyrdom. The apostles counselled them to persevere so they could inherit the Crown of Life.”
Today we are living in one of the most intense periods of persecution in the history of the church. Open Doors, an organization that monitors persecution, reports on the top fifty nations where Christians face the most severe persecution. In 2017, they said trends are getting worse every year, and that “one hundred percent of Christians in twenty-one countries around the world experience persecution for their faith in Christ, and more than 215 million Christians face ‘high levels’ of persecution. Nearly one in every twelve Christians today lives in an area or culture in which Christianity is illegal, forbidden, or punished.”
The Bible says, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV). But the good news is that it gives each of us a marvellous opportunity to lay claim to the crown of life.
Soul food: Judg 7:1-9:33; Matt 16:13-28; Ps 119:65-72; Pro 17:23-26
Openbaring 2:10 NLV
Die vierde kroon is die kroon van die lewe. Twee verskillende verse maak melding daarvan: ‘Geseënd is die man wat versoeking verdra, want as hy beproef word, sal hy die kroon van die lewe ontvang wat die Here beloof het aan die wat Hom liefhet’ (Jakobus 1:12 KAB23). ‘…Wees net getrou tot die dood toe, en Ek sal aan julle die kroon van die lewe gee.’
‘n Pastoor verduidelik dit as volg: ‘Die kroon van die lewe word gegee in erkenning aan die volharding en oorwinning oor versoeking en beproewing, selfs tot die punt van martelaarskap. Ons word deur ons liefde vir Christus gemotiveer en ons volhard en gee nooit op nie totdat Hy ons huis toe neem. Byna elke boek in die Nuwe Testament is aan gelowiges, wat in gevaar van martelaarskap geleef het, geskryf. Die apostels het hulle aangeraai om te volhard sodat hulle die kroon van die lewe kan ontvang.’
Deesdae leef ons in een van die intenste tydperke van vervolging in die geskiedenis van die kerk. Geopende Deure, ‘n organisasie wat vervolging monitor, het in 2017 berig dat vervolging elke jaar erger word, dat honderd persent van Christene in een-en-twintig lande regoor die wêreld vervolging as gevolg van hul geloof in Christus ervaar en meer as 215 miljoen Christene ‘hoë vlakke’ van vervolging in die gesig staar. Byna een uit elke twaalf Christene woon deesdae in ‘n land of kultuur waarin Christenskap onwettig of verbode is en waar dit gestraf word.
Die Bybel sê: ‘Ja, en almal wat ‘n toegewyde lewe in Christus Jesus wil lei, sal vervolging te beurt val’ (2 Timoteus 3:12 NLV). Die goeie nuus is egter dat dit elkeen van ons ‘n wonderlike geleentheid gee om die kroon van die lewe op te eis.
Sielskos: Rig 7:1-9:33; Matt 16:13-28; Ps 119:65-72; Spr 17:23-26
