Gospel News — Sep-Dec 2013

30

NEWS FROM BROTHERS & SISTERS

NEWS FROM BARBADOS

These are some of the members of the Bank Hall Ecclesia. The picture was taken on a Sunday morning after church: at the time we had two visitors from the U.S., Bro. Jason and Sis. Jen Dineen. The Ecclesia is currently commemorating 40 years at its present location, and 124 years since the first Christadelphian came to the island, that was Bro. John Blenman, an expatriate who learned the Truth when he went to England, and brought it back to his native land. He was then instrumental in taking it to other Caribbean islands as well. We are having a year of special events, including special lectures, sharing leaflets, youth activities, etc.

NEWS FROM KENYA

BULIMBO

Bro. Jouma Sadique

BUNGOMA

We are grateful for the Bibles you have sent to us and are very happy to have received them. I also received the DVD about preaching the gospel but we do not have a laptop so that we can use it, so will have to find someone to play it for us.

We read in Luke 10:25-35 of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Who is the good Samaritan? We will see at the end of the lesson that it was Jesus. The man, a Jew, that was coming from Jerusalem to Jericho, encountered robbers who:

left him with no clothes

left him there to die

left him bleeding.

The first person to come across this injured man was a priest who did not help him, the next person, a Levite also passed by on the other side. The third person who came along was "a certain Samaritan", who was moved with compassion and bound up his wounds, set him on his own beast, took him to an inn and paid for him to be looked after.

Remember that first person was a priest from the house of Levi and the second person was a Levite, but not a priest. They were representatives of the Law of Moses and they passed by and did nothing. They were poor leaders and carers of the sheep. The third person was from Samaria and the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans, treated them as enemies and would not even fetch them water from a spring.

The man that fell among thieves is a picture of sinners, he "went down" to Jericho (place of a curse). The Redeemer - a certain Samaritan – despised, was his neighbour and represents Christ, whose blood was shed on the cross for our sins, (he paid the inn keeper) and if we accept and obey him, his remedy for us – oil and wine: wine to cleanse – conviction: oil to cure – conversion. We are to follow that good shepherd of the sheep because he gives life (eternal life) to us through baptism, John 10:11- 15, and faithfully obeying his commands.