In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for transformation through the grace and love of God. He highlights the sinful nature of humanity, living in envy, jealousy, and various lusts and pleasures. The preacher also mentions the pagan Germanic tribes and their immoral lifestyles before the Gospel came. He emphasizes the importance of obeying God's truth and the revelation of Jesus Christ for salvation and deliverance from darkness. The sermon concludes with a reminder of the power of God's compassion and the necessity of knowing and following Him.

Let's read from Titus chapter 3 verse 3 to 7 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by his grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Let's pray. We ask you Lord that you would reveal your secrets as we delve into your word, work in our midst, and bless us all. Amen. We've just gone through Christmas. We celebrated that the fact about the fact of Jesus, the living God being manifest in the flesh, being a person in our midst. And we've celebrated the fact that he came to save Jews and pagans. For we all were heathen. Whoever wasn't a Jew was just counted automatically to be a pagan, one of the At times it astonishes me when I read about what happened to the disciples, the apostles, where later on they were not quite sure and there was some confusion about reaching out and evangelizing the pagans, whether they should or not. In Bethlehem, the first to come were Jews, the shepherds. And then after a few days, could have been two weeks plus or minus a few days, but then they came wise men from the east to see Jesus, to worship the child, coming with their gifts. And that shows us that the child is for the whole world. The English were pagans. The Germans, the Dutch, every tribe, every nation, they were all heathen. Everyone that didn't belong to the Jewish folk were heathen. Which shows that Jesus came for every person in this world. And the word of God teaches us that there is no other name given in heaven or earth by which we must be saved. What I want to emphasize and take note of today is this, all those who came to Jesus came because of the revelation of this mystery. Salvation is not by education, but by revelation. Education does not fundamentally change. You can give as much education as you want to a person, but that does not transform a person. You need this heavenly truth to be revealed to you. And in Galatians 1 verse 16, Paul says, God saw fit to reveal the Son of God to me. I did not receive it from flesh or blood, but when the Lord saw fit and decided to reveal Him to me, He saved me. You can rear your child in your home, you can make every effort to make it a Christian, but all your efforts are in vain if the Lord does not intervene. It will just leave a heathen. The shepherds who came to Jesus had this secret revealed to them. Not one of those who came, neither the shepherds nor the wise men, no one came to Jesus out of his own accord because he was intelligent enough to work out that he should come. It was only by revelation. The shepherds who had been shepherding their sheep at night, they were with them and there it was that the angel came and preached to them and spoke to them and spoke about the great joy which is for all nations. Having heard that truth revealed to them as these angels spoke these wonderful things, they were commanded to go and see for themselves and they would find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. The same with the wise men from the east. It's not that they came through their own intelligence, their own understanding, but they said we have seen that which shows us that a king has been born. They had seen a star from that place where they came from and they said since we have heard that it was predicted that the king was to be born we are now going to see him. And the confirmation then of the star saying it has indeed happened. Should the angels have not come to the shepherds and if the star had not appeared to the wise men they wouldn't have come to Jesus. And it was good that they were told because like to the shepherds it was spoken to them for faith cometh by hearing. When they heard they were obedient to that which was spoken to them. Because if God speaks his truth to you but you are not totally obedient to that truth it helps you nothing. When the wise men came from the east seeking the king they then went via King Herod and asked where is the king born. And then King Herod called all his wise men and the scribes and the Pharisees all those who were educated to say where he would be born. Because King Herod was spurred on by envy the feeling of being threatened that another king was there. Now they answered these wise men the Pharisees and that answered from the scriptures and from Micah saying that you are Bethlehem you are considered small but from now on you will not be little because the king will be born in you. They knew the Bible they knew the word of God. They knew precisely where the Messiah was to be born they were not inaccurate in that. But not one of them went to see the Messiah. You see you might have the truth you might know what the truth is you man or woman but if you do nothing with the truth and you don't obey that truth it is a useless knowledge to you. Satan knows the truth and is going to hell and you know the truth and you don't obey the truth you will go with him to hell. So the wise men from the east hearing this did then go to Bethlehem but not one of those who spoke the truth listened to the truth they didn't go to Bethlehem. Paul says when Jesus Christ was revealed to me I did not resist the revelation but I did as I was told. If God has spoken to you and shown his truth to you you will not be helped in your life or in your death if that truth is not revealed to you. If God has spoken to you and shown his truth to you you will not be helped in your life or in your death if that truth is not revealed to you. For our text speaks about our condition when it says for we ourselves were also once foolish disobedient deceived serving various lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another but when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared. They were in great darkness and on the way to hell but when God's compassion in his compassion he revealed himself to them. He saved them from these evils. There is no darkness in the world that is as dark as not knowing God Jesus Christ himself. You are deceived foolish and hell bent unless the grace of God comes to you reveals his mercy to you and saves you. That is why Peter said Lord to whom shall we go you only have the words of life. We were lost but now we found. Every nation that does not have the revelation of the Son of God the truth about this salvation is in darkness. Darkness that is so thick it is tangible touchable. The nations heathen without Jesus Christ are in utter darkness and in a lost state. I just read this morning about an ancient Chinese tradition where they throw their little babies into the river. While they were alive that is how great the deception was. All nations without Christ are in utter darkness. I just read this morning about an ancient Chinese tradition where they throw their little babies into the river. While they were alive that is how great the deception was. All nations without Christ are in utter darkness. I just read this morning about an ancient Chinese tradition where they throw their little babies into the river. While they were alive that is how great the deception was. All nations without Christ are in utter darkness. I just read this morning about an ancient Chinese tradition where they throw their little babies into the river. While they were alive that is how great the deception was. All nations without Christ are in utter darkness. I just read this morning about an ancient Chinese tradition where they throw their little babies into the river. While they were alive that is how great the deception was. You see in our text it says that the people without grace live in malice and envy and hatefulness and hating each other. All manner of wickedness. What can you say of people who live in these sins? They are half this and half the devil. They are a mixture. Half devil and half animal. That is how people live. Where a person forgets completely that they are made in the image of God. It does not appear so anymore. All heathens are like that. And even my ancestry as well, of my Germanic ancestry we were pagans too. Recently I read about our ancient ancestry from Northern Germany. I had told you a little bit about them. How they used to shed blood. They liked to fight. How they would even go out in battle and if they conquered they would bring the trophy home being the defeated ones and they would offer them as human sacrifices in what they call a house. They were huge boulders and they called it the house of stones. They would take a knife. They would use knives of a very hard type of stone and slaughter these human beings, these war people caught as trophies and they would slaughter them for their gods. Not knowing God. They thought what they were doing was heroic. That is from the very place where my ancestors come from, Northern Germany, the Lüneburger Heide. And in behaving in that way they thought that they were doing a wonderful thing, heroic. Not knowing God. To fight other groups or tribes and to kill them and to plunder their goods, they thought that was heroism. And for you Zulu people you will identify with that and that type of behavior is also in your history, not ancient history, fairly recent. That is why I am telling you, if you go out in battle and if you kill people, if you slaughter people, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you kill animals, if you dance like a real man. In ancient European history it was like that too. There were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some nations where there were some to how they wish. You'll find that such a person is stubborn, rebellious. The pagan heart is also the individualist who doesn't want to be told by anybody what to do. In some cases, they would choose a person to say, now you lead us into battle. And when they would come back, they'd say, all right, now you're one of us. Just as the Bible describes to us in our text, we also were once foolish and disobedient and deceived. Here on earth, they might give the appearance of being heroic and full of courage and heroism, looting and plundering and murdering. The belief being that when they would die, they'd come to a massive big hall. The Germanic tribes of the Hithondam called it Valhalla. There was a great, huge big hall. Where there would be a continuous celebration and boozing, drinking out of the people, this wonderful booze up there in this Valhalla Hall in heaven. Don't the Zulus in the pagan belief also say, well, when we die, we're going to be very happy and we'll have all these things that we want? It was taken to such a point among the Zulus that if a Zulu king died, they would take a number of girls who would have to die with him. They would be buried alive. Underneath him, his corpse would be placed on top of them while they were alive so that he would have women to serve him on the other side. And so too with the Muslims. So too there are the Muslims who believe that if you die as a martyr in holy jihad, you will die and receive automatically 72 virgins on the other side. Young men, if you trouble by lust, well, then you need to become Muslims. And it's not a big deal. I mean, all they do is to blow themselves up. But you see that all of this is utter foolishness and they are driven by various lusts. Among the Germanic tribes, historians say that they would feast sometimes for up to two weeks, be drunk for two weeks on end. That's what pagans are like. And they would gamble with their money. After a few days, their money was finished. They lived in brutality, devious lusts and hatefulness of each other. A few months ago, I needed to go to Sun City. When I was there, I observed. I saw And so I saw also the casino side of it. I saw the machines, young people, old people, grannies, grandfathers, standing at these machines, putting their money in, wasting their money, of course, because people have to lose so that that business continues. I inquired of them and turned out that they were Afrikaans speaking people. And I realized how the Afrikaans people have fallen, turned aside from their faith, running after money now. That is a revival of paganism And I also read how the different tribes, Germanic tribes and that would have warfare continually. They would then have to pay revenge for their losses. And then there would be new revenge blood. And so it would continue. That is paganism. That's why it is so familiar here as well. Not just in the Msinga area, even here in these areas, there's fighting that just flares up all the time because of revenge. Many of you are fully aware of faction fighting. If I stand here, I need to speak the blatant truth and not lie. It is also recorded of the pagan Germanic tribes that the men were just beer loving, warring, lazy men. The women had to work out in the fields and the slaves. That's what it was like before the gospel came. And those various tribes there in Europe, they were living in forests and swamps and some would wear animal skins, some nothing. Very similar to what you find in Africa. Nevertheless, there were some who were able to show some respect and some self-respect and were able to be a good example to others. Not all people are the same. You find some people who are better in character than others. There were some Germans who were very trustworthy, would speak the truth, would be hospitable and bring in visitors and not be stingy. But the gospel has come and has given light to the heathen. Now, as I've seen, I've spoken about how some would worship snakes and serpents and they would sometimes, our Germanic tribes, they would use occult practices of using horses to tell the future and one's fortune. And here among the people, sorcery is practiced. Those are the priests. Some Christian people here in Africa even fall back on that superstition and back on that paganism and if somebody's sick, they go to the witch doctor to find out who's done it. Now, I've spoken a lot about people from ancient times. How are things now, today? What are Christians like now? Some are harming the name of the faith and of Christianity. Go to the bars and the shabins and these discos. Who will you find there? Those who claim to be Christians. Some down in the Cape, some girls of just 14 years of age have exposed the fact that they had been prostituting themselves to their pastors. Just think of such utter depravity. Go to the bars and you'll see the children of Christians talking about sexual promiscuity, pornography, all that is perverted. That's what they're speaking about. They poke fun at the Bible, but on Sunday, where are they? They're at church. But during the rest of the week, they are mockers of the faith. The young people are angry with each other. They fight. They scratch each other or attack each other. They hate each other. And you'll find them there on the grounds floor, touching and petting. What is this? Some of them go by the Christian tag. You would find them maybe have in the past, they've been giving their testimonies, but now they're on the dance floor doing these wicked things, perverted things. Children of Christian parents who wear the fashions of the world, where do they see it? How is it taught to them? Is it on TV? Is it because they go to the shopping malls and see it there? But they are not Christians. They are, as we'd say, bastard children. Why do you call yourself a Christian and you dress like the world? Why? Why have we got to see your belly or the back of your back? Don't you see that you're a terrible bastard, a cross between the devil and an animal? Don't tell me you're a Christian. You drawl around like the world. You have the gate and the swing as you walk of the world. You are on the way to hell if you do not repent. All I can say of such people is that this is modern paganism. They are not Christians. They have not been made new. They need to meet with Jesus Christ personally and be transformed and completely changed. We who call ourselves Christians are spoiling the Christian land. Shall the Holy One dwell in our midst? We who call ourselves Christians are spoiling the Christian land. Shall the Holy One dwell in our midst? If you're not transformed by the truth that you are preached to, you remain in that state. You don't change. Well, you are a pagan. I'd rather that you go, rather that benchers should be here and no people, than that you should remain in your pagan state. Just with the angels speaking to the shepherds, they responded to what they had to say. The wise men could listen and it was revealed to them. And they responded, why are you disobedient? Now listen. For we ourselves were also once foolish. Disobedient. Those who are told and just don't listen. Deceived. Serving various lusts and pleasures of all different types. All manner of pleasure and vice and sin and perversion. Living in envy and jealousy. Being hated and being hateful. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, he saved us. I would rejoice if you would respond as you listen to these truths, these wonderful truths, that you would be transformed by them as you obey his word. The grace and love of God, has it been revealed to you? Has it changed your life? Or do you sit here like a heathen? If it hasn't changed, let this day be the day when your life is changed. When you are born again. When you are born again, let this day be the day when your life is changed. When you are born again, let this day be the day when your life is changed. When you are born again, let this day be the day when your life is changed. When you are born again, let this day be the day when your life is changed. When you are born again, let this day be the day when your life is changed. When you are born again, let this day be the day when your life is changed. I've spoken about the casinos, gambling, don't gamble with church, don't mess around and play with these truths of God, let it transform you rather. Let them gamble and lose all the money at the gambling places, but you don't play around with Christianity, that's too holy. And God is alive and he won't allow it. Let's bow our heads and pray. Lord Jesus, we thank you for your coming into this world. Thank you Lord for coming to us, we heathen, not to the Jews only but to we of the nations. So that we would turn away from our foolishness and worship you the living one. Lord wouldn't you work wonderfully, work in such a way that your word would go forth throughout the whole world and that your working would be so mighty that people would be transformed and changed. And that there would be real repentance and turning away from hatred, grudges and gossip. All the works of Satan that it might come to an end. Amen.