Everlasting Gospel
First lesson: Matthew: 5:14
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.”
Second lesson: John: 1:5
“And the light shineth in darkness', and the. darkness comprehended it not.”
Golden text: 1 John: 2:10
“He that.loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”
Brethren, what you hear is the revelation of our lesson this morning. Do you realize that any person, who does not possess the attribute of love, is walking in darkness? That is why we are relentless in preaching love unto you. That is why also our Lord Jesus Christ passed through Saint Paul when he said, "Although I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, although, I give my body to be burnt and have not charity it does not profit me anything." Do not be deceived into believing that, there is another way of life existing in heaven and on earth apart from loving one another. Whosoever does not abide in love abides in darkness and walks in darkness. Our Lord Jesus Christ has revealed that you are the light of the world. He directs that all works of God should be revealed unto you. To confirm what He has spoken, He said, when the Comforter, even the Spirit of truth is come; He will lead you to the knowledge of the truth and will bring unto your remembrance all that he had told you. He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever he shall speak He will show you things to come.
1.1 The Sower
That is why every moment of time, year in and year out, every day, every week and every month of the year, I continue to reveal to you, what our Lord Jesus Christ had laid down for us. The word of God is like someone beholding his face in the mirror. He beholds himself and goes away and straightaway he forgets what sort of man he was. That is why he gave a parable that a sower went to sow his seeds and when he was scattering the seeds some fell on the roadside, and some on stony ground, some in a thick forest, while others fell on a fertile ground.
When he interpreted the parable unto them, they were very surprised. The seeds, which fell on stony places, refer to those who hear the word of God with joy, but when tribulations or persecution arise, because of the word he is offered, they so completely forget about the words of God.
The seeds that fell among the thorns in the thick forest are those who hear the word, but the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches choke and suffocate the word and they become unfruitful. The seeds that fell on the road side, means that, when people hear the word of the kingdom and do not understand, then the wicked one comes and takes away that which was sown in his heart.
The seeds that fell on the fertile ground refer to those who hear the word, understand it and put it into practice, bringing forth fruits some a hundred, some sixty and some thirty. That is why, everyday, I continue to remind you about the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1.2 You are the light of the world
It is not hearing the word of God that is important, but putting them into practice. Those seeds that fell on the fertile ground are those who receive the words of God and put them into practice. You are the light of the world, and a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. If we, therefore, possess the attributes of love and show this expression of love to every other person, we should be able to shine throughout the world. Many people complain that, their families, their husbands or wives, do not love Brotherhood. This is not true. You are like the seeds that fell along the roadside, when the birds of the air see, they feed on, and remove them completely from the road. You have heard the word of God, but as soon as you get out of this place someone abuses you and without looking back you reply in the same vein. It is very true that some of you do not carry the words of God beyond 34 Ambo Street. The words are received when you are in 34 Ambo Street. But as soon as you depart, the words are taken away from you. Your relations, wives or children do not know that you have received the words of God because they have not seen even an atom or sign of the word of God in you, because you have not put them into practice.
1.3 Let your light shine among men
The word of God is the light of the world, and love also is the light of the world. If you hear the words of God and put them into practise you will stay in one place and your illumination will shine throughout the world. Your father will not ask you question, and your mother will not ask you any question. The whole village will not have anything to say because they have really seen the illumination coming out from you, they have seen the way through the light, and they walk in it. The great question that is posed to you is, do you realize that you are the light of the world? Any house that is set upon a hill. cannot be hidden. That is why, you erroneously, say that. God knows your heart. God does not know your heart. If your heart is open and everything is rightly illuminated in you, every person in the world will realize your action. It does not serve any useful purpose and there is no wisdom in your telling people that you are a baptised Christian, an elder or that you hold any position in the church. There is no use in your telling people that you are always benevolent, you give alms to the poor, and you make feast. To whom are you telling these?
No matter how thick the darkness may be, the illumination of God will cast away darkness. So brethren, you should realize that you are the light of the world. If a lantern is lit and put on top of the hill, that light cannot be hidden, the light will shine around everywhere. For you to claim that you are the only Brotherhood in the whole of the state does not serve any purpose. Let us suppose that your village is overwhelmed with darkness and you are the light, since you claim to be the only Brotherhood, and Brotherhood is the light, if you enter the village, there should be light.
1.4 Light is incompatible with darkness
If you are the only person with light elected by God in your state and your state is overwhelmed by darkness, and you use the light of God to brighten the area, every person will see through the light. If you are the singular person who possesses love in the state, it means that the whole state is saved. Our Lord Jesus Christ has said that Light has come into the world, but it seems that the world loves darkness rather than light. Whoever walks in the light must do those things that are commensurate with the light.
That is why, you have been told and you have the reason to believe that Brotherhood is not hidden inside a room. It is not circumscribed within the walls of a building but it is always seen outside. If your own love extends only to your fellow members, others will say that you do not love them. Can you then tell me that, you are shining to every person? If you love only the members of your household, and you do not love others, can you be described as light? It is known and it is quite true that God is the light and you are also the light. Can people see this illumination? All those who walk in the light, will not stumble at any occasion.
1.5 Has light brightened the corner where you are?
What is the difference between you, as the light and God being the light? Can you definitely see the difference between the two? Have you not seen why you should be holy, as He is holy? Have you seen why you are enjoined to have love no matter the circumstances in your life. You may be a small child, you may be poor, rich, but it is incumbent upon every person to love. In this new Kingdom of God, nothing is required from you except that you should show the expression of love. This new Kingdom itself is light and it is shinning in every nook and comer of the world. Wherever you go to, the light is shinning. In Asia, America, Britain, the light is shining everywhere. It is shining in the air, sun, moon, water, and in the heart of the earth.
Wherever you go to, if you indulge in drinking alcohol, people will not ask you which church you go to; because definitely they will know where you come from. Wherever you go to, if you commit fornication, people will not ask you to which church you belong, because they already know to which church you belong. But if you attend any gathering and drinks of assorted types are brought to the table and people open and start to drink, and when you are offered, you tell them to get on with it that you do not drink alcohol, they will rove this way and that way and will not know exactly what to say. Others will say that it is according to the teaching that you receive. In the end they will ask you, "Are you a Brotherhood of the Cross and Star member"? If you answer in the affirmative they will say "No wonder"; it is only in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star that people do not drink alcohol. It is in such a way that your light will shine.
1.6 Righteousness alone exalts a man
In the same token if you go to a place, and a certain girl comes dancing before you, and tries to pamper you, and will go to the extent of romancing you, you should tell her to get out, and start to preach the word of God to her.
On the other hand, if a young man approaches a girl, making love advances and the girl starts to preach to him, he will ask, are you a member of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star? If you pass along the road and someone slaps you on your cheek, but you pass your own way.
Instead of pronouncing provoking words, you say "peace of the Father", you do rightly. If you behave this way to people they will be contemplating within themselves, whether you will go back to fight them; others will disagree; But they in their doubts will come up to ask which church you attend. You will then tell them that, you are a Brotherhood member. They will say, no wonder, no other person would have behaved that way towards the man.
Brethren, have you taken this light of God and extended it to your village, town or city? Has this light of God been extended to your village, town or city? Any person who hates his brother, walks in darkness and is in darkness. We are the light of the world. Any city that is built on top of a hill cannot be hidden. And so brethren, I do not visualize any other gospel that I preach to you other than this gospel about this light of God. This morning, I want to compare the relationship between you and God. You should examine whether there is any difference between you and God. Our first lesson will now be read.
First lesson: Matthew: 5:14
“Ye -are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.”
Why do people doubt the work of God? Do you think that the work of God depends on putting on high shoes and flying in airplanes? Does it depend on high universities and acquiring many degrees? Does it depend upon accumulating of money to yourself? It depends solely and wholly on truth.
1.7 By their fruits ye shall know them
You have to brighten the comer wherever you are, whether you are in the forest, on top of a tree, inside the water, wherever you may be. You have to brighten the comer wherever you are. It is utter foolishness for people to contemplate that, they should desert the place they are living because it is rural area, or that one should establish a township or should find a place in a township for people to live. It is said that a house that is set on top of the hill cannot be hidden. As a small child, John the Baptist was shown to the effect that his illumination was seen throughout the world. It was because of his shinning example that people repented and turned to God. It was because of His works that people asked him whether he was the Christ.
When he told them that he was not the Christ they asked him whether he was Elijah. He said no. They asked him if he was the prophet who was foretold about, he said that he was not. They asked him who he was if he was neither Christ, nor the prophet, nor Elijah. This was because they had seen his light shinning. He told them he was the voice crying in the wilderness.
1.8 You should be known through your work
He was not the person who told them the type of man he was. It was the type of light that was shinning through him to the world and his fame that was known across the world. It was because of him that all those who did not believe in God actually knew that God had arrived and started to believe in him. Hitherto, no person had ever confessed his sins, no person had ever been baptised with water, but because of John the Baptist, people started to confess their sins and became repentant unto God after being baptised.
It was not because he had attained educational experience from the university, or because he was so great or important, but because his light had shone to the notice of all. He did not eat any type of meat, fish, nor did he eat any type of food nor wear any type of clothing. He did not marry a wife and did not commit fornication. He did not engage in any worldly affairs. He was living in the wilderness. Eating meat, fish or food, drinking wine, marrying a wife, wearing gorgeous dresses and living in magnificent building are not sinful per se, but when you come across a young healthy man abstaining from carnal intimacy, or drinking, or eating, or dwelling in a house and enjoying life, but rather limits himself to honey and locust beans as food, you wonder. He also does not put on any form of cloth or marry a wife; you should take stock of such a person. This sprang a surprise on so many people. People even thought that God Himself had come. That exactly was the time they needed a light like him. Even though there were many beautiful ladies around, he was not interested in them. If he had attempted to indulge in sexual intimacy, he would have quenched that light. People would have regarded him as a rebel, and the whole place could have been covered with darkness. It was fore ordained that at that time the Israelites would be given light from God.
1.9 Sin extinguishes the light
At the end, that great light that was our Lord Jesus Christ emerged. Think of this fact, immediately he touched down, his presence was noticed throughout the world. People in all nooks and comers knew that a great king was born. The angels of God descended, people everywhere inundated the city because they had seen this light shining throughout the world. It was not because he had a permanent building or that he had erected a sky scrapper, or that he was a man of standing in the society but because of the light he was able to show. That prompted people to begin to ask questions, whether he was not the son of a carpenter, Joseph and Mary because they had seen his light shining everywhere. Do not think that it is healing the sick that is showing the light. It is not preaching the words of God that is the light. It is not kindness, generosity or being benevolent that is the light. The truth is evil men, even the wicked ones, give money to people. It is your conduct, your behavioral pattern, that shows this light.
People do not know that immediately they tell lies that light is out completely. Even the smallest child immediately he tells lies, that light is extinguished. Many people do not even know that once they become exasperated at any moment in time, that light in them is completely out. People do not also realize that once you begrudge any person, even if you think, the person is a small child, then your light is off. People do not realize that if you sip of any liquor or wine, that light is off even what you call soft drink. You have quenched that light.
The moment you go to consult an oracle to find out what is wrong with you or your family, that light is extinguished. People do not also realize that immediately they take a sniff of snuff or drugs into their nostrils their light is not shining again.
All these offences mentioned are the very light ones. I do not even talk about fornication which I plead with you day in and day out, to forsake, but which many of you would not like to forsake. Whenever you indulge in the sin of fornication, the light is completely out of you.
That is why you have been exhorted, if you bestow all your wealth to feed the poor, and then you give your body to be burnt, you have no love, you will derive no benefit. Do you realize that white raiment, which has been mentioned, has to do with giving up certain things especially sins?
1.10 Man is the light of the world
The white raiment signifies righteousness. You should neither fornicate nor commit adultery; you should neither begrudge any person nor put your hands into committing any of these vices. You are the light of the world. It is not said that money is the light of the world or that material things are the light of the world. God is not seen in your bedroom, or in your offices, or establishment, but God is seen in your behavior. That is why Christ advised that, if someone told you that Christ is found inside a room you should not go there, or that He is in the desert, do not make an attempt of going there. As the light shines from one part of the earth to the other, so is the coming of the Son of Man. You are the light of the world and any city set upon the top of a hill cannot be hidden.
If you lead a life that complies with the laws of God, then, every person will see the illumination in you, and the whole world will be brightened. It is also said that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you can never enter into the kingdom. They could fast two times in a week and love those who love them. Upon all those things they did, they still continued to fornicate, steal, tell lies, begrudge people, and indulge in all acts of vices.
1.11 All spirits recognise the light of God
Beware of all types of covetousness because a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the wealth he possesses. It is said that you are the light of the world. If I may ask, what is God Himself?
Allow the words that are given to you to be engraved in your heart. It is said that you are the light of the world, and any city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Do you remember what happened to those vagabond Jews who tried to cast out demons in a demoniac by using the name of Jesus? The evil spirit rose up and said to him, "Jesus I know, Paul I know but who are you"? The evil spirit prevailed upon them and they ran away naked and wounded.
We all do think erroneously that thieves do not know God, fornicators and adulterers do not know God, juju priests do not know God. I tell you that they all know God. All the demented fellows you find in the streets and psychiatric hospitals know God. Wherever you go, if you show the illumination in you people will really know that you are a child of God.
When the house is tidy and clean, then the person who occupies that house must be holy. When the tree is good, then the fruit will be good. When the tree is corrupt then the fruit will be corrupt.
1.12 Show the light and the people will follow
If we are pure in our thoughts, words, deeds and pursuits, it means that this light in us will also shine and brighten everywhere. The spotless white that you put on does not make people see brightness in you. It is the behavior that you show, the decorum you maintain that makes people say that you are of God. If you say that you are not of God who are you then? Our Lord Jesus Christ has already said that you are the light of the world. When God had created every other thing in the world and had rested. He said, "Let us make man in our own image". He created man in His own image and likeness-. That is why He has said that we are the light of the world. You are the representative of God. You are holding the fort for him here; therefore, you are to show the light to all his creation.
1.13 Be ye holy as He is holy
If God is the light and you are darkness, show me how you can be compatible. That is why it is incumbent upon every person to be holy even as He is holy. God is love. God is truth, and God is patient. Have you observed how God loves every person? He does not only love the human beings but loves even the fishes in the water, the birds of the air, and animals in the field. It is always surprising to observe that the man, whom, you say is your enemy, is a witch, a mermaid, or rock also sings the praises of God. Do not be surprised. You will also be surprised at the behavior of God towards a person whom you say has committed murder for which you ask God to kill him. You will see how he will sit down and converse with God and how God will console him that he should not put his thought into it, and he should not be exasperated.
1.14 God cares for all his creations in the same way
Do you think when you desert somebody, that God also has deserted him? Do you think that when you pray that a man should die because of his sins. God has accepted that prayer? Do you think that, all the leaves and herbs that you gather. God does not feed them? Or that God does not cater for each of them? What of the fish, they can neither sow nor reap yet they eat every day. Look at the trees in the bush and the animals. They do not plant and do not harvest yet God is feeding them in the same way as He is feeding you. Look at the murderers, thieves, cannibals. God is caring for them. He is still feeding them, providing them with shelter.
Do you not know that it is His will that we should always resemble Him? Do you not realize that He is the light? It is incumbent upon us to walk according to His footsteps, because there is no other way we will walk in him. So brethren, I do not want to continue further with you, we should now have the second lesson.
Second lesson: John: 1:5
“And the light shineth in darkness', and the. darkness comprehended it not.”
Brethren, do you hear that? When I tell you that you are gods, you say that I am the person telling you. Have I told you that you are the light? It is the Almighty God who says that you are the light. When you go back home refer to this portion of the bible and you will read that, you are the light. It is the passage of the scriptures, which says that you are the light of the world and a city that is built on top of a hill cannot be hidden. And the second lesson says. This is the message which I receive from the Lamb and I declare it unto you that. God is the light and in Him there is no vice.
Brethren, if God is the light and you are the light, there is no difference between you and God. Every time you say that, you are human, what is human? God is light and you are the light. You must always walk with God. If you were a human being as you think you are, God would not have appointed you to have superintendence over all creations and to see about all things, and you would not have been created in His likeness.
To which angels, has God said at any time, “you are my son; this day I have begotten you?” It is to human beings that God has said, you are my child, I have begotten you this day. Go and compare these two statements, you are the light. God is also the light and in Him there is no darkness. Man cannot continue to languish in stupidity and foolishness. This Pentecostal period is an eye opener. If you had so many scales to remove from your eyes, the words delivered to you within this Pentecostal period will cause these scales to fall off from your eyes, and you will see clearly.
1.15 The likeness in man is the spirit of light
Show this passage to any person who says that he is not a child of God. Let him read the passage and he will find where it is written that, you are the light of the world.
Tell him that he is the light of the world and you are the light of the world. John also was the light of the world. The likeness of God in man is light. Who is that light? That light is God. Who is God? He is the Spirit. It is said Spirit of light and love shine on my way. Have you seen the difference between you and the animals, fish, creeping things, birds? This is why man is always tied to the apron string of God. No matter what you do. He has not deserted you. You are always joined together with Him no matter how sinful you may be. No matter the circumstances and the situation in which you find yourself, you cannot be cut off from Him, but continue to be attached to Him. That is why it is always said that it is expedient you resemble your Father, God.
1.16 A man who walks in the light does not fall
Therefore, if we walk in God, we are always walking in the daylight and there is no question of stumbling for us. That is why, if a man walks in darkness, and comes into contact with you, the light brightens him and you will be able to X-ray him. You will also know what is in his mind and what is in the whole world. Therefore there will be no problem whatever with you. That is why our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples, let us go back to Bethany and see what we had done there. The disciples said to Him, "Are you going back to that place where the people wanted to kill you? He asked them, are there not twelve hours in a day? He told them that there is no person who walks in the day and stumbles. So brethren if we walk in the light there is no occasion of stumbling.
1.17 Walk in the light and you will not stumble
There is no evil with God. God is not exasperated. He does not tell lies, He does not quarrel with any person. He does not drink, snuff, fornicate, does not puff up, does not discriminate and sow seeds of discord. There is no sinfulness in Him. Therefore, we should follow Him. There is no death in him, no sickness, no lack and there is no division with Him. Have you not seen this life in God? If we walk in Him who is the light, we have no problem at all.
If we walk in Him we will not get any problems. If you walk in this light you will see Him face to face. Everything in this kingdom of God will be revealed to you. This is the zeal I have for you. Light has come into the world; the illumination of God has come into the world. We should endeavor to walk in the light. There has never been any time, when God did not exist. He has always existed with the light. It is sad and sorrowful that man loves darkness rather than light. All your problems are that you have refused to walk in the light of God. It is quite clear to you that any person who hates his brethren is in darkness. Since God is light and we are the light, we should walk in the light. Do not preach discrimination, segregation to any set of persons because all these amount to darkness. Do not preach hatred to any person because hatred is darkness. Do not preach quarrel to any person because it is darkness. Do not preach robbery and fornication to any person because all these are the work of darkness.
1.18 Preach the attributes of love
Preach love, peace, truth, and righteousness; preach good conduct and humility because the sum total of these is the work of God. All the days of our life, every second, every minute, we should be able to walk in this light. All those who walk in this light know their own Father. When you walk in this light, what you call your children will not be your children again but the children of God. For you also are children of God. All things belong to God. Your eyes will be opened and you will no longer sin.
When you walk in this light, you are in the kingdom of God and the glory of God will be manifest. We are always in the presence of God and His Christ and the saints. You will not ask God for money or children because your eyes are opened.
Do you think that the domestic animals and the wild beast, birds and fishes pray to God to give them food? He is providing them with food. It is said that there is no darkness in Him. Darkness is hatred. God does not hate any person. It is when we have derailed from the path of rectitude and begin to run from pillar to post that we allege that God hates any person. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "I am the way the truth and the life, no person goes to the Father except by me." There is no other way apart from walking according to the dictates of God. Loving every person is the only way we can walk in the light. Let the golden text be read.
Golden text: 1s1 John: 2:10
“He that.loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”
Ask yourself if you are walking in the light. Ask the inhabitants of the world if there is any one of them walking in the light. Whoever loves his brethren, walks in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling for him. Show me any doctrine on earth and in heaven, whether in this generation or in the generation to come which is higher than this gospel of light given to you. Some of you say that you are waiting for Jesus until He comes back. Will He teach you more than what I am teaching you?
1.19 Do not doubt God any longer
You say that you are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ and He will fly through the clouds and land like an eagle. And I ask you whether you think He will teach you in the same vein. Some of you say that you are waiting for Abraham; do you think that when he comes he will give you teachings, which are completely at variance with what I am telling you now? All those who had doubted in the past should not doubt any more.
Any person, who loves his brethren, walks in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling. You have been created as the light and God is that light. What do you lose or what does it cost to love every person throughout the world? Love is not money but to live in peace with all men. Love is righteousness.
Love does not tell lies so do not tell lies. You should not fornicate, commit adultery, steal, backbite, and indulge in idolatry, necromancy, and soothsaying.
Do not have any other God apart from Jehovah God and His Christ. Do not consult oracle, and do not indulge in any form of concoctions. Always be satisfied with your position. Do not begrudge any person, do not utter any evil word against any person, and do not fight. Regard every person as the same throughout the world. Do not regard that one person is better off than the other. Do not indulge in evil thoughts because there is no evil with God. Do not allow evil communication to proceed from your mouth. In whatever circumstances you find yourself, do not doubt God. When you walk on this path of love there will be no occasion of your stumbling. Love what God loves. Your eye, ear, flesh, hand and words are all those of God. If you hate your brethren, why are you worthy then? That is what is disturbing the entire world.
1.20 The true concept of love
That is why it is said that there is great joy in heaven for one repented sinner. If we refrain from anger, falsehood, fornication and other vices then shall we walk in the light and can never fall. Money is nothing because it is mundane. If you give money to someone and despise him at the same time and tell him lies, does it mean that you love him? But if you have no money to give to a person but you tell him the truth you love. Take yourself as an example, you are always kind and benevolent to people. You tell them that you love them. This is the love that you have been enjoying. You have been misrepresenting the efficacy of love, the true concept of love. What the world understands as love is not true love.
You think that when you do something to any person, or you give something to someone, that is love. If you have none, no person complains. If a visitor comes to your home and you borrow money to entertain him, you are an abominable man and have no love.
If you steal money to buy something for your wife, you are an abominable man and you are not useful to yourself and to others. If you have love and walk in the light you will not go to any person to ask for a loan of money. Do you remember when Satan tempted our Lord Jesus Christ in the wilderness, when he asked Christ, if you are the Son of God make these stones to become bread? What did our Lord Jesus Christ tell him? He said that it had been written that man should not live by bread alone but from every word that comes from God.
Let it not be for the reason of getting a child you indulge yourself in concoctions. Did you come into the world with children? What is a child? Will you return with a child? What did our Lord Jesus tell the women of Jerusalem?
The women said, blessed is the womb that bears thee, and the pap, which thou hast sucked. But our Lord Jesus Christ said. Behold, the days are coming in which they will say "blessed are the barren and the womb that never bear and the pap which never gave suck." Let it not be for the reason of getting money, you say that God does not love you.
A person who has money is not necessarily someone who is loved by God. Money is nothing to any person. If money were to be anything he would not have said, "how difficult will it be for any wealthy man to enter into the kingdom of God." If children were to be that important, he would not have said, "Very sorry for pregnant women and those who have little children that suck breasts." The most significant and most important thing before us is to love the brethren.
So brethren, it is not my intention to be tedious unto you, A stroke of the cane is sufficient unto the wise. All those who have ears, let them hear, and may the Lord bless His words. Amen.
THANK YOU FATHER