Time to Work Time to Relax

I am down in KK for the Labour Day weekend. I look forward to worshipping at my homechurch in Likas tomorrow. After 5 days of non-stop activities at College it is time to relax and reflect on what is meant to be a labourer in the Lord's vineyard. There is time to work and there is a time to relax. Yesterday I preached the sermon for Chapel replacing a student who called in sick. I woke up at 4am to prepare for it. Even a short message of 20 mins it is absolutely necessary to prepare well when one speaks as the oracles of God.
As Acting head, I reminded the College community on several things. First, I talked about what it is to live as a community, being a fully residential College with all lecturers and their families, students and their families and single students living side by side. I stressed the need to love for one another and treat one another as family members, genuinely and without hypocrisy and falsehood. I shared how often times people remember us for our deeds of kindness rather than our beautifully crafted sermons. I also issued several mild rebukes to several people and groups. As we are entering our exams week I chided one group for not returning to Campus on time when they went out for sports in a nearby village. They missed dinner and they were late for Thursday home groups. I expounded on the verse from 1 Tim 4,7 bodily exercise is of little benefit but godliness or saintliness holds good for now and forever. I told them to spend more time on prayers. I went to the pre-dawn meeting in the Men's hostel at 5.08am and it was over then in 8 minutes. I told them to pray for one another and all the efforts of getting up so early are wasted if we only do that perfunctorily and without aim and purpose.

I told them no one is entitled to be called pastor if they have not read their Bibles in their entirety. I cited an example when no one knew which prophet was called the son of man when I asked in class once. Repeated 93 times over for the prophet Ezekiel. I chastised them for being too casual in things spiritual. Let's not seek titles, honours and positions but use whatever knowledge of Scripture to bless the body of Christ.  I closed my sermon by sharing about John Calvin's Geneva Academy to train future pastors. Calvin was in his late 40s and had less than 6 or 7 years before the Lord called him home. He engaged for his academy the top brains in Europe, three Professors, Professors of Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Latin yesteryear is English today. I pushed them to learn English and take Greek seriously. I ended by telling them to look at the notice board for the format of the Greek exams. Kurie elison!