Ebenezer Family Church

There is a view called "Annihilationism", which holds that unrepentant sinners will simply cease existing after judgement. While this view is comfortable for us, it goes against many foundational truths about God's character and the nature of eternity. It's a tough one, but let's dig in and review!

Positionally, we are righteous; behaviourally, eish! In God's eyes, because of Christ's righteousness imparted to us, we are saints! It's all about His saving grace in our lives that we experience His gifts for today and the guarantees of future glory with Him.

We can all remember Genesis 1:1, but what about verse 2? In contemplating this profound commentary about the chaotic state of the world before God's creative power, we quickly realize how gracious our sovereign God is! Without His constant, ordered involvement, everything would quickly descend back into chaos!

At the end of John 11, we see that the path to the cross is in our sights. The Sanhedrin, the top dogs, have now decided that Jesus must die. Furthermore, the final Passover is near for which the Lamb of God is being prepared.

The opening lines of Paul's first letter to the Corinthian Church introduce a few key concepts. What is an apostle? Who are the saints? We'll find out in this introduction!

In light of all the chaos happening around us, let us not be led away by the error of others getting caught up in that chaos. Rather, grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That is true stability!

The man who was dead for four days, Lazarus, is commanded by Jesus, on the authority of God, to come out of the tomb. This is not fantasy; this is reality. And Jesus did this in the sight of many so that they would know that He was the One sent from God.

The Bible is clear: there is no place in this universe outside of God' presence. In the Old Testament, we see the Great I Am. In the New Testament, we see God incarnate, Jesus Christ. Since Pentecost, we see the Holy Spirit indwelling every believer. God's presence doesn't change - He is still the same everywhere!

In this intensely emotional moment, Jesus is troubled, actually angry, at the consequences of sin and death in the wolrd. Although He Himself is moved to tears, He is still in total control of the situation.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is God's path to salvation; that will never change. And so, we see that God's salvation is immutable. Let's dive in!

Before Jesus comes into Bethany, Martha meets Him and shares her disappointment. Yes, she believes Lazarus will rise again, but is resurrection is some dim and misty future concept? No, for Jesus is the resurrection and life! It is a reality in Him.

God is faithful; He does not falter or fail when it comes to faithfulness. Nobody can doubt or question God's ability to keep His promises and do what He says He will do. Let's learn more about His immutable faithfulness!

The disciples did not have an idea of the Resurrection yet, but their statement that Lazarus would be saved from his sickness by falling asleep is a comment about the certainty of our eternity after we die. Indeed, we shall be saved from the sickness of sin and these fallen bodies. Also, Jesus is glad... why? Because He is certain of the outcome!

Mercy is not receving what is due to us (wrath); grace is receiving what we do not deserve (forgiveness). It God's unchanging, continuous mercy towards us that enables us to receive those wonderful gifts from Him as well. Let's learn some more about His mercy!

Ananias's reservations about Saul are absolutely rational. But with God, the impossible becomes possible; the persecutor becomes the instrument. And it is by God's great grace that Ananias goes and lays hands on "Brother Saul"!

In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, we see two very different people who lead two very different lives. Even though they experience one commanality in that they die, their paths once again diverge: one to eternal anguish; one to eternal comfort. But their differences were not merely outwardly, but fundamentally internally. One had true saving faith; one did not. Let's see what we can l...

Each person is responsible before God. In practice, that might not be so evident if you consider the strong family ties and community collectivism that often defines South African society. You are not responsible for another person's sins, even if you are affected by them. We will all stand alone before God!

John 11 is a deeply emotional chapter, highlighting the impact of the situation on Jesus's humanity. In these opening verses, we see Jesus remaining steadfast in His commitment to the work God has given to Him, even if it means going through the trauma of waiting a few days as Lazarus dies.

It seems as though God's justice is the overlooked part of His immutable character, especially in light of His love. It is still there and it is unchanging! Let us see how His justice remains immutable in light of His love and other characteristics, and what the implications are for us.

When we are accused, seek forgiveness and pay your debts! When you are the accuser, offer forgiveness for He has forgiven you! We could never pay our eternal debt for sin, but Christ has paid it all - every last "penny" **APOLOGIES for the audio quality towards the end. Not sure what went wrong**

The Jews are ready to stone Jesus for blasphemy. Although He tries to reason with them, they are still out for blood. As it is not yet His time, Jesus simply eludes their grasp. Where He goes next, out in the countryside, away from the mangificence of Jerusalem, is where He finds true sheep.

God's love towards us is unchanging. There is nothing that we can do or not do that would make Him love us more or less. Let's see how God' immutable love fits in with His other immutable characteristics and what lessons we can learn!

To the one who has knowledge of the Light, more will be given. This is true because we are moving closer and closer to eternity, growing in Christ and in salvation!

If the sheep hear the Shepherd's voice, the opposite is also true: those who are not sheep do not hear His voice and they do not believe. Jesus is not just another option. He is the door to eternal life. He is God, one with the Father.

Today we look at another unchanging attribute of God: His holiness. If we consider Isaiah's contact with God's holiness, we see that it totally destroyed him. That is, until he was purified by a burning coal. What does that mean for us? Well, God is holy and He is not going to change, but we certainly need to! Let's learn some lessons about our holy, holy, holy God