New Apostolic

Church
Divine Service
Guide

4 February First Sunday

Sharing the promise with others

7/8 February Putting God’s will into practice

11 February Second Sunday

Praise the Lord!

14/15 February Even the righteous can fall

18 February Third Sunday

Faith, love, and hope

21/22 February The presence of God

25 February Fourth Sunday

Intercession for the living and the dead

28/29 February Giving things up

Youth
A leap of faith

Confirmation
Happy in Christ

2 A monthly guide for the ministers

February 2024
Foreword February 2024

Three of the Sunday services in February are based on the theme

“Devotion to God”. Faith in Jesus Christ is inspired by the Holy
­Spirit. Those who have been granted faith as a gift are urged to
turn to God and cultivate their relationship with Him so that their
faith may be preserved. Faith is strengthened through forgiveness
of sins, partaking in Holy Communion, and hearing the word of
God. Receiving the sacraments and hearing the preaching of the
word are part of a Christian way of life.

One of the ways in which we can devote ourselves to God is by

sharing the gospel and the promises of God with others instead of
keeping them to ourselves. This will be the focus of the sermon on
the first Sunday in February. Believers do not remain silent, but
are rather eager to share the promises of the gospel with f­amily,
friends, and acquaintances in the hope that these promises will
touch them and leave their mark on their lives.

An essential aspect of our devotion to God, both for the individual

and the congregation, is to praise God. This will be the subject of
the sermon on the second Sunday. Most people find it easy to
make requests of God, but when it comes to glorifying and ­praising
Him, many are rather sparing with their words. The aim of the
­sermon is to show us some ways in which we can praise God by
remembering all the good that He has done throughout salvation
history and in our lives.

The sermon on the third Sunday reminds us to be thankful for

the faith, love, and hope that we have received from God. The
trio of “faith, love, and hope” is not only found in the first epistle of
­Thessa­lonians, but also—and more extensively—in 1 Corinthians 13,
where love is described as God’s greatest gift.

The fourth Sunday service in February serves to prepare the

congregations for the divine service for the departed. Our devotion
to God is not only demonstrated in praise, but also in our inter­
cessions. Intercession indicates that we are not merely interested in
our own salvation, but also in that of our neighbour. Let us therefore
pray for the salvation of both the living and the dead.
First Sunday | Devotion to God

For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all

who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.
 Acts 2:39

Sharing the promise with others

Message
We are called to pass on the promise of salvation to future gener­
ations.

Introduction
In his first sermon, Apostle Peter proclaimed that salvation in Jesus
Christ can be obtained through repentance, baptism, and the gift
of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

“For the promise is to you and to your children”

The Lord promised that His church would exist forever (Matthew
16:18) and that the Apostles would be able to fulfil their mission until
His return (Matthew 28:20). It is up to us, however, to pass on the
message to those who come after us.

First and foremost, it is parents who are called to plant the seed of
faith into the hearts of their children (Psalm 78:4–8). In this connec­
tion, I would like to remind us that we should keep the Sunday holy.
Our children need to understand that this day is different from the
other days of the week. Divine service is an encounter with God
and is indispensable for our inner equilibrium and our preparation
for eternal life with God.

In fact, this is a mission that falls to all of us. Our young members
are watching us. The children take the confirmands as their ex­­
ample, the confirmands follow the example of the young people,
and so on. Of course, we cannot force our children to be faithful.
Our mission is to teach them, to convince and encourage them so
that they can make the right decisions.

What is required to pass along the Lord’s promise?

In order to spread the promise of salvation in Christ, we are urged to

■ teach others and tell them about Jesus, His love, and His
grace.
■ be convincing by first internalising the gospel ourselves and
then putting it into practice.

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 4 February 2024

■ be encouraging by demonstrating that we love and care for

our children and young people.

Let us also pass along the New Apostolic teaching of the imminent
return of Christ and the present-day sending of the Apostles.

■ To introduce the doctrine to others, it is essential for us to

know it first!
■ In order to be convincing, we must first be convinced our­
selves. We believe that the teaching for our time is inspired
by the Holy Spirit and is in line with God’s expectations of
us today!
■ In order to encourage our young brothers and sisters to
accept the teaching, we must highlight its quality and consist­
ency instead of always dwelling on the disappointments and
frustrations of the past.

Let us commit ourselves to the future of the Church because we

have received the wonderful promise of Jesus Christ to have fellow­
ship with Him.

Thoughts from the Chief Apostle

Context

Peter’s Pentecost sermon is found Summary

in Acts 2:14–36. At the end of his ■ Every New Apostolic
sermon, the people ask him what Christian is called to
they must do in order to have pass along the message
fellow­ship with Christ. In verse 38, of salvation to future
Peter answers that a change of generations.
heart and baptism are necessary
in order to receive the gift of the ■ If our children are to
Holy Spirit. This is followed by our know and love Jesus
Bible word, which says that the Christ, the New Apos­
promise is not only addressed to tolic doctrine, and our
the people of that time, but also to Church, we must teach
their descendants and, in fact, to them, convince them,
all people—Jews and Gentiles and encourage them.
alike.
For use in congregations where there is no Confirmation divine service.
The divine service guide for the Confirmation divine service can be found on pages 22/23.
Midweek

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will,

but the will of Him who sent Me. John 6:38

Putting God’s will into practice

Message
God’s will must determine our actions.

Introduction
In John 6:38, Jesus refers to the fact that the Word of God has
come down from heaven in Him and become man. His actions and
words are not the result of human will, but are based on the divine
will. The man Jesus subordinated His will to the will of God and
obeyed Him to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8).

Jesus acts in accordance with God’s will

The gospels not only report that Jesus preached with authority, but
also that He acted with authority. He fed the hungry (John 6:11–13),
healed the sick, helped sinners, and raised the dead. He did none
of this to increase His popularity or to show off His miraculous abili­
ties, but to glorify God and to make it clear that the kingdom of God
was near.

Jesus proclaims the will of God

When Jesus preached, His listeners were able to hear the voice and
teachings of God. Jesus called on everyone to make the will of God
the criterion for their actions. He was able to proclaim this credibly
because He Himself absolutely fulfilled this criterion, n
­ amely to do
God’s will.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives examples of the kind

of conduct that is pleasing to God. He illustrates the behaviour of
those who strive for the kingdom of God. His requirement to love
God and one’s neighbour is one of the central points of Jesus’
preaching. “There is no other commandment greater than these”
(Mark 12:31).

We inquire into God’s will and put it into practice

Because we believe that God is present in Jesus Christ and that
He reveals the will of God with authority, it is important that we
align ourselves with the word of Christ as it is recorded in the New
Testament. Today’s preaching is based on the New Testament. The
Apostles interpret this in a manner suited to the needs of our time.

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 7/8 February 2024

Let us try to follow the example of Jesus Christ in the different situ­
ations that we face. Being devoted to God means that we always
take His will seriously. We can be sure that God only wants the best
for us. His actions always address both our present situation and
our future. Jesus Christ will soon return, and He wants us to go
from faith to sight. Let us turn to Him and act in accordance with
His will!

Summary
Context
■ Jesus’ actions and
John 6:38–39 belongs in the words are not the result
­context of Jesus’ bread of life dis­ of human will, but are
course, in which He talks about based on divine will.
Himself as the bread of life (John ■ Jesus announced
6:32 et seq.). Jesus states that this God’s will and acted in
bread has come down from heav­ accordance with it.
en and gives life to the world
(verse 33). The people listening to ■ Let us strive to draw
Him do not understand what this inspiration from the
bread is all about, so Jesus example of Jesus Christ
explains it to them:“I am the bread in the most diverse situ­
of life” (verse 35), just as He is also ations of life.
the water of life (John 4:13–14).
Second Sunday | Devotion to God

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him

in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts;
praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Psalm 150:1–2

Praise the Lord!

Message
Let us praise and glorify God for the love and care He shows us.

Introduction
The Bible word from Psalm 150 exhorts us to praise God. The
Psalm encourages believers among the chosen people of Israel
to praise God in His sanctuary, the temple, because that is where
God is present. The heavenly hosts are called to praise God in His
mighty firmament, namely in heaven. The whole of creation is called
to praise God.

We praise God
The call to praise God naturally also applies today. Praise has noth­
ing to do with asking God for something, but serves to laud and
magnify Him and thank Him for all that He has done for us and will
do in the future. Praise is reserved for God, who created both ma­
terial and spiritual reality, the church, salvation history, and ultim­
ately also us. We praise God not only in words, but also by living a
life that is characterised by love and by following Christ.

Praise for the Creator of the material world

We praise God for His mighty acts, namely for His creation, which
was good and perfect from the beginning (Genesis 1). God not only
created the earth, but the entire cosmos. The stars are His work.
Without the light of the sun or without the water that nourishes
humans, plants, and animals, life would not be possible. Both body
and soul are creations of God. He gives us life in this world and in
the beyond. This makes us pause and marvel. Let us praise Him
for all of this.

But praise is also due to God for accompanying and protecting

us in our everyday lives. We feel His closeness in bright and dark
days alike, and we feel safe with Him. God knows and loves us. We
can talk to Him, and He hears us and speaks to us. Let us remem­
ber that our praise, which we offer each day anew, is a special
response to God’s good deeds.

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 11 February 2024

Praise for the Creator of the spiritual world

God created the heavens and the earth, that is, “all things vis­ible and
invisible” (CNAC 2.2.2). The angels who proclaim His will, whose help
He sends us, were also created by Him. We also praise God that
He became human in Jesus Christ, that He appeared to humanity
as a human being and revealed His love to them in this way. The insti­
tution of the church, the sacraments and the proclamation of the
gospel throughout the ages is a reason for each of us to be grateful.

Praise for the Sustainer

We not only praise God for giving us life and preserving it, but also
for giving us faith in Jesus Christ and electing us to be Christians
and firstlings. Let us be grateful that we can share in His excellent
greatness.

Praise for the Finisher

Let us also praise God for the fact that, through the promise of
Christ’s return and the promise of eternal fellowship with Him, there
is a future waiting for us that far transcends anything that anyone
could expect of the future. We praise God because He will com­
plete what He has begun.

Summary

Praise has nothing to do

with asking God for any­
thing, but everything to do
with thanking Him for all the
good He has done.
We praise God
■ for His mighty acts,
namely for the spiritual
and material creation
and for our lives.

Context
Psalm 150 is the final Psalm in the
book of Psalms. It is characterised
by a set of reminders to praise
God, thereby highlighting the core
of our relationship with God,
namely praise.
This exhortation to worship God
applies first and foremost to those
who serve in the temple, but also
to those who make pilgrim­ages
there.
■ for our faith and for
accompanying us in our
everyday lives.
■ for His act of salvation
in Jesus Christ, for the
church, the sacraments,
and the proclamation of
the gospel. And last but
not least, we praise Him
for the fact that He will
complete everything He
has begun.
Midweek

For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again,
but the wicked shall fall by calamity. Proverbs 24:16

Even the righteous can fall

Message
God lifts the righteous when they fall.

Introduction
The righteous are those who do what God expects of them and
who do right by their neighbour. In the Old Testament, this meant
being humble before God, obeying His law, and remaining faith­
ful to Him. In the new covenant, we must believe in Jesus Christ
and keep the commandment to love God and our neighbour. The
­wicked are those who follow their own ways and respect neither
God nor their neighbour.

We believe in Jesus Christ and follow Him. And yet we sometimes

fall. These bouts of weakness do not jeopardise our salvation, pro­
vided we adopt the right attitude.

We do the evil we do not want to do

Romans 7:19 relates that we at times do the evil we do not want to
do. Jesus does not reproach us. He knows that we are incapable
of living without sin.

Let us not minimise our faults on the pretext that others commit
sins too, or by telling ourselves that God will forgive us anyway! Let
us show sincere remorse: we suffer when we sin and we want to
fight sin all the time. With such a disposition, we can find access to
God’s grace and forgiveness of sins.

God lifts us up
The wicked attempt to bring down the righteous, yet the righteous
are determined to remain faithful to God. God gives them grace
and lifts them up: “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
for the Lord upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 37:24).

God does not leave us to our own devices, but is at our side even
when we have fallen, even when we are in danger of drifting away
from Him. That is why it is so important that we allow ourselves to
be strengthened by His word and the sacraments. Through God’s
word, we find guidance and a new direction. Through Holy Com­

10 | 11
 14/15 February 2024

munion, we receive strength to resist the evil tendencies within us

and the strength to grasp God’s merciful hand when we fall. This
means that, in reality, we can never be torn out of God’s hand.

Let us never stop talking to God and listening to what He wants to

tell us. Then He will be able to comfort us and lift us up.

Thoughts from the Chief Apostle

Summary

Context
■ We do not always
­manage to do the good
The book of Proverbs is largely a things we want to do.
collection of proverbial wisdom ■ The right thing to do is
that invites us to lead a just life. In to be humble and
Proverbs 24:15–17, we are urged repentant, and to trust
not to harm the house, posses­ and love God.
sions, or family of the righteous
(verse 15). The righteous are ■ God always lifts up the
­protected by God, who always righteous.
helps them up again.
Third Sunday | Devotion to God

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention

of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your
work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our
Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.
1 Thessalonians 1:2–3

Faith, love, and hope

Message
Faith, love, and hope define our lives.

Introduction
Apostle Paul went to Thessalonica to preach the gospel there.
Before long, he was able to establish a church there. Soon there­
after, however, he was confronted with hostility and had to leave the
city, unable to return. In his epistle, he thanks God for helping the
believers in Thessalonica to remain faithful. Paul’s description of the
believers also applies to us.

Our work of faith

We believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that God has revealed
His nature to us through Christ. He is love, grace, and mercy. We
believe that Christ wants to give us eternal life in His kingdom. We
believe in the resurrection of the dead. Belief in our resurrection is
inextricably linked with faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12–18). And
we believe that the gospel is the path we must follow in order to be
saved. Believing in God means trusting in Him.

The work of our faith is to shape our lives on the basis of our faith. It
is our faith that defines our decisions and behaviour.

A labour of love
God is love. The triune God is the loving unity of Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. Because God loves all human beings, He wants to lead
them into this fellowship. God poured His life, and therefore His
love, into us when we were reborn out of water and the Spirit.

Our love for God drives us to seek fellowship with Him. Our labour
of love consists of ridding ourselves of everything that could
­damage this fellowship. The divine life that has been placed within
us inspires us to love our neighbour. Let us contribute to the plan of
salvation and help others find their way to the gospel.

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 18 February 2024

Patience inspired by hope

Our hope stems from our faith in Christ and our love for Him. We
await His return because we believe in His promise and long to be
with Him. With our eyes fixed on our goal of becoming like Christ,
we do not allow ourselves to be distracted or discouraged by the
difficulties we encounter.

We have chosen to follow and serve Christ, even if the reality we

perceive seems to contradict the certainties of faith. We are waiting
for the time when we will see the glory of God. This hope is our joy
already today!

Thoughts from the Chief Apostle

Context

At the beginning of the letter, Paul Summary

mentions his co-workers Silvanus
(also known as Silas) and Timothy
as co-authors and extends a
greeting of peace to his readers ­
(1 Thessalonians 1:1). This is
­followed by an expression of his
gratitude (1 Thessalonians 1:2–10),
from which our Bible word is
taken. He thanks the Christians in
Thessalonica for their hospitality
and for accepting the word of
God. He is grateful that the
Thessa­lonians have turned away
from their pagan idols and
­accepted the Son of God, whom
God raised from the dead.
■ We believe in Christ and
His work of salvation.
Our faith defines our
lives.
■ We love Christ and
work to become like
Him.
■ We love others and
contribute to their sal­
vation.
■ We hope for Christ’s
return and prepare our­
selves for it.
Midweek

Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?”

But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
Psalm 115:2–3

The presence of God

Message
God works for our salvation and dwells in our hearts.

Introduction
The psalmist emphasises the difference between the God of ­Israel
and the gods of the neighbouring nations. Although the eternal God
is invisible, He is alive and omnipotent, whereas idols are nothing
more than man-made images.

Where is God?
Where is your God? We too are faced with this question. Firstly,
because we cannot see God. He certainly did appear to humanity
in Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate. But since His ascension,
Jesus Christ is no longer visible to us. In fact, doubts may even arise

■ because God does not seem to perform spectacular mir­

acles.
■ because God does nothing to stop violence, injustice, and
evil in all its forms.
■ because He has not answered our prayers.
■ because Jesus Christ has still not returned.

Let us not allow such doubts to unsettle us. The Holy Spirit gives us
the right answers so that we can resist temptations.

God is in heaven
The Holy Spirit teaches us that God is in heaven. His thoughts and
actions are higher than our understanding (Isaiah 55:9). “He does
whatever He pleases.” God created human beings to live in per­
fect fellowship with Him and with one another. This harmony was
shattered by the fall into sin. But God will create a new earth where
people can once again live in perfect fellowship with Him and with
one another.

The presence of God among us

The Holy Spirit is present in the time of the church. He reminds us
of the suffering that Jesus Christ had to endure. Jesus Christ is able

14 | 15
 21/22 February 2024

to understand the distressed and unfortunate because He shared

their fate.

He was always on the side of the weak and the rejected. We need
only think of Stephen, who was a Deacon in the early church. The
aim of God’s help was not to deliver him from his enemies, but to
give him the strength to remain faithful to the end.

If we feel despised or ignored, the Holy Spirit reminds us that Jesus

proved His love to us by agreeing to die for us.

God is present in the divine service. We can talk to Him, hear His
voice, and also have physical fellowship with Him in the celebration
of Holy Communion.

And finally, God is present in our hearts. We firmly believe that this
will not change, no matter what happens!

Thoughts from the Chief Apostle

Context

Psalm 115 is one of a group of

Psalms of praise. The subject of Summary
the Psalm is the contrast between
the pagan idols and the living God. ■ God wants our sal­
God is without image, but alive. vation.
Idols are a representation of a ■ Jesus Christ gave His
god, but they are dead (verses life for us.
4–8). It is no coincidence that this
Psalm is preceded by Psalm 114, ■ The Holy Spirit prepares
which praises God’s unique act of us for His return.
salvation for Israel, namely the ■ God gives us the
exodus from Egypt. Thus God has strength to overcome
proven Himself to be the living our trials.
God. In the second part of Psalm
115, the singers praise the God on ■ Let us remain faithful to
whom all hope rests (verse 9 et Him no matter what.
seq.).
Fourth Sunday | Preparation for the divine service for the departed

But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord
provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart
to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not
cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.”
And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
2 Chronicles 30:18b–20

Intercession for the living and

the dead
Message
Intercession is part of our mission.

Introduction
After Hezekiah became king of Judah, he urged the people to
return to the Lord. He had the temple repaired, he restored the
sacri­ficial service, and he organised the Passover celebration. He
also invited the tribes of the northern kingdom to repent and take
part in the celebration. Only a few agreed to come to Jerusalem.
During the feast, Hezekiah realised that some of those who had
assembled were unable or unwilling to purify themselves according
to the requirements of the law. He interceded for them, imploring
God to grant them His grace. Then the Levites prayed for all the
people, and God answered their prayers.

The royal priesthood is revealed already today

God has chosen us to be part of the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9)—
not only in the thousand-year kingdom of peace, but also here and
now. The story of the Passover celebrated by King ­Hezekiah and
the Levitical priests illustrates what God expects of us: like them,
we are called to worship God, to proclaim the good news to people
and invite them, and finally, to intercede for others.

Intercession for our neighbour

Abraham begged God to spare the righteous who lived in Sodom.
The Lord answered him by giving Lot and his family the opportunity
to be saved (Genesis chapters 18–19).

Moses asked the Lord to be merciful to the people of Israel who

had worshipped the golden calf. In solidarity with his people, he
said to God: if you punish them, you must also punish me, for I am
no better than they are (Exodus 32:31, 32).

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 25 February 2024

Intercession for the departed

We don’t know how and to what extent the departed perceive our
intercession. But we believe that our prayers contribute to their
­s alvation and help them to accept and follow Christ. Our inter­
cession for the departed is also an expression of our faith:

■ we believe that Christ has conquered death, which is no

longer an obstacle to salvation.
■ we believe that salvation is acquired through faith, not merit.
The same is true for the departed. It is their faith that is de­
cisive. They must believe what they cannot see and trust in
God.

Our prayers are the fruit of our love. Filled with the love of Christ,
we want the living and the dead to accept salvation in Christ.

Thoughts from the Chief Apostle

Context

2 Chronicles relates the story of

the reign of King Hezekiah in
­Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 29–32).
­Hezekiah was considered to be on
the same level as David, having
distinguished himself among the
kings. His long reign serves as an
indication that God’s blessing
­rested on him (2 Chron­icles 29:1–
2). Hezekiah launched a series of Summary
reforms aimed at returning to a ■ Having been called to
true faith in God: the temple and
be part of the royal
temple worship were restored,
priesthood, we serve
the temple service through priests
God and proclaim the
and Levites was reorganised,
gospel.
and the Passover was celebrated ­
(2 Chronicles 29–31). This was ■ We pray for the sal­
­necessary because Ahaz, vation of others. Our
­Hezekiah’s ­pre­decessor, had intercession expresses
­tolerated a­ nd ­promoted idolatry in our faith, our love, and
Jerusalem and the rest of the our hope.
country ­(2 Chronicles 28:22–25).
Midweek

So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no

one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or
children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not
receive many times more in this present time, and in the
age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:29–30

Giving things up
Message
Discipleship also means giving up things to which our heart is
attached.

Introduction
The rich young ruler was not able to give up his possessions in order
to follow Jesus. When the Lord saw this, He explained that it would
be difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. This remark
unsettled the disciples. Would they be able to enter the kingdom,
knowing that they had given up everything to follow Jesus? Jesus
reassured them that God would give them much more than they
had given up for Him.

Things we must leave behind

Jesus asked this young man to give up his wealth. He did not
demand this of all of His disciples. Joseph of Arimathea, who had
also become a disciple of Jesus and who placed the body of Jesus
in his tomb, was a rich man (Matthew 27:57–60). But God asks
all those who follow Him to value their fellowship with Him more
than material things. True followers of Christ would rather give up
material possessions than violate the law of love for God and their
neighbour.

Christ asks us to leave our “homes”. He does not forbid us from

having a home. He himself enjoyed staying at the home of Mary
and Martha. The home here symbolises our comfort zone, where
we can do whatever we want. But those who want to follow Christ
must forego comfort. Following Christ requires a lot of effort and
struggle.

Christ expects us to leave our “parents and our brothers”. The

­family in our Bible word represents the society in which we live.
We carry out our duties within society, but do not allow society to
dictate our conduct. We obey the law of God, even if it puts us at
odds with society.

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 28/29 February 2024

Jesus asks us to leave our “spouses and children”. Again, this is an

image. Peter and the other Apostles were married, and we know
from Paul that their wives accompanied them on their journeys
(1 Corinthians 9:5). Here the Lord alludes to a precept of the Mosaic
Law: if the child or woman you love entices you to serve gods other
than the Lord, do not listen to them (Deuteronomy 13:6–8)!

Following Christ requires us to give up certain things

The Lord did not require all of His disciples to surrender the same
things. Not everyone had to die as a martyr. Only some Christians
pooled all their possessions. We too have to make sacrifices in very
different ways. To follow Jesus, we have to deny ourselves (Mark
8:34). We must give up all aspects of our personality that stand in
the way of our fellowship with Christ.

Thoughts from the Chief Apostle

Context

Our Bible word follows the story of

the rich young ruler who clings to
his wealth and ultimately decides
not to follow Jesus (Luke 18:18–
26). In Luke 18:29–30, Jesus
answers the disciples’ question as
to what reward they will receive for
following Him (verse 28). The Summary
reward for those who radically ■ Following Christ is
change their lives for the sake of essential for salvation.
the kingdom of God is beyond
anything they can imagine, for ■ Discipleship always
they will have eternal life—that is, requires us to give up
fellowship with God—and live in something.
His glory.
Youth

So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out

of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
Matthew 14:29

A leap of faith
Message
Jesus asks us to trust God and walk with Him, and invites us to
abandon our human certainties.

Introduction
After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus sent His disciples to
the Sea of Galilee. He went up a mountain by Himself to pray to
His Father. It was a dark night and there was a violent storm. Even
the experienced fishermen were afraid. Then Jesus came to them,
walking on the water, and said: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not
be afraid.” Peter demonstrated courage and decided that he also
wanted to walk on the water to go to the Lord. Our Bible word is
Jesus’ invitation to Peter to take this leap of faith. As long as Peter’s
eyes were fixed on the Lord, he walked on the water. But as soon
as he noticed the strong wind, his faith weakened and he began to
sink. Doubt weakened his strong faith and enthusiasm.

The power of faith

Faith gives us courage and can far transcend our intellect and
­reason. With such faith, we trust in the God we cannot see, but
who is always present.

Life can be as stormy as the Sea of Galilee and can leave us feeling
uncertain. At times, we may even fear that God has abandoned us
and that we are sinking.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation similar to that of Peter.

And just as we were beginning to feel abandoned by God, we
heard His voice: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

From fear to courage

Everyone has to deal with fear in life. On the one hand, this is a
good thing because it makes us cautious and warns us of danger.
On the other hand, fear can have a paralysing effect and rob us of
our joy and even hold us back in life.

20 | 21
 February 2024

Sometimes we lack the courage to stand up for Christ and make

it clear that we are living a life that revolves around the will of God.
Often, we only trust our intellect, but faith opens up a perspective
that transcends anything human beings are capable of imagining.
This applies, for example, to our belief in the return of Christ.

In this context, let us ask ourselves whether, by virtue of our faith,

we believe that God is present, that He helps us and accompanies
us every day—and above all, that He gives us the present age and
the future! Jesus did not let Peter sink, but reached out His hand
and caught Him. Then they got into the boat and Peter was again
re­­assured. We should also help those who are anxious or insecure
to find a solid foundation of faith and trust.

Those who not only talk about labours of love and mercy, but ac­­
tually perform such deeds, find favour with God and are blessed.

Summary
■ Jesus’ disciples are
caught in a storm on
the lake and are ter­
Context rified.
■ When Jesus walks
The disciples of Jesus were sitting toward them on the
in a boat on the Sea of Galilee water, Peter demon­
when a violent storm came up. strates courage and
They were terrified. Jesus went goes to meet the Lord
out to them, walking on the lake, by likewise walking on
and said: “It is I; do not be afraid.” the water, but he begins
Peter plucked up courage and to sink.
wanted to walk across the water
to meet Jesus. The moment ■ Jesus holds out His
he took his eyes off the Lord, hand and catches him.
everything went wrong and he ■ Let us be courageous
started to sink. The Lord saved
because Jesus will also
him.
reach out His hand to
Suggested optional reading for the divine us in difficult situations.
service: Matthew 14:22–33
Confirmation

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
John 14: 6a

Happy in Christ
Message
Following Christ makes us happy.

Introduction
By taking their vow, our confirmands are making a number of
particularly important decisions. They vow to renounce evil. They
choose to believe in God and obey Him. And they are setting them­
selves the goal of living eternally with God in His kingdom.

Jesus is the way

There is only one possible way to have eternal fellowship with God.
We must believe in Jesus Christ, accept His teachings, and follow
His example. Every confirmand can walk this path with the help of
the Holy Spirit if he or she desires. This ap-plies to all confirmands
at any time in their lives, no matter the situation they are in. Fol­
lowing the way of Christ will al-ways be the best decision they can
make.

To reach the goal, it is not enough to be on the right path; you must
also move forward on it. Our confirmands will have to grow in faith,
learn to trust Jesus and become more and more like Him. The
ministers and the congregation will be there to encourage, support,
and guide them on this journey.

Jesus is the truth

In the years to come, our young sisters and brothers will likely be
confronted with a flood of all kinds of information. Some-times they
will find it hard to know who is telling the truth. This is all the more
difficult because what is true today will not necessarily be true
tomorrow. One thing is certain: Jesus is the truth! His words are
eternally valid (Matthew 24:35). He keeps everything He promises.
Jesus will also always tell them the truth about themselves. And this
truth is that God loves them. He will also tell them the truth about
their neigh-bour. And this truth is that God loves others as He loves
us. Everything that Jesus tells us and asks of us has just one goal:
our salvation.

22 | 23
 February 2024

Jesus is the life

Jesus wants young people to spend eternity with Him, in peace
and happiness. But He is also interested in their earthly existence. It
is true that the life of a disciple of Jesus is sometimes more compli­
cated than that of other people. But obedience to Christ gives them
an assurance that others do not have (Matthew 7:24, 25). Following
Christ gives meaning to their lives: disciples of Christ always have a
mission to fulfil, namely to serve God and their neighbour. Serving
Christ brings real joy! Fellowship with Christ enriches life.

Let us remember that everything that is said to the confirm-ands

today also applies to the congregation. One or the other may be
at a crossroads in their life. Choose the way of Christ! Others ask
themselves, who is telling the truth? The answer is unequivocal:
Christ! Still others find their lives boring and uninteresting. Commit
yourself to Christ!

Jean-Luc Schneider

Summary
■ The confirmands sur­
render themselves to
God and vow to act in
accordance with His
will.
Context ■ In order to attain eternal
life, one must follow
John 14: 6 is one of the “I am” Christ.
statements in which Jesus
re-veals His divine nature and the ■ Christ is the truth. He
purpose of His mission. Jesus is loves us and loves our
the way to God. He not only pro­ neighbour.
claims the truth, but is truth per­ ■ Fellowship with Christ
sonified. And He is the life, the enriches our lives.
foundation of earthly and eternal
life (John 1: 4). Com-plete proximi­ ■ We support one anoth­
ty to God is only possible through er on the path to eternal
faith and fel-lowship with Jesus fellowship with God.
Christ.
Reading

Reading for the youth service

Matthew 14:22–33

Jesus walks on the sea

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and
go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multi­
tudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away,
He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when
evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now
in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind
was contrary.

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them,

walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walk­
ing on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!”
And they cried out for fear.

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good

cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, com­

mand me to come to You on the water.”

So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out

of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But
when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid;
and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught

him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you
doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped

Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

24 | 25
 February March

1 Thur. 1 Fri.
2 Fri. 2 Sat.
Divine service for
3 Sat. 3 Sun. Psalm 57:10 the departed

4 Sun. Acts 2:39 4 Mon.

5 Mon. 5 Tue.
6 Tue. 6 Wed. Psalm 145:8
7 Wed. John 6:38 7 Thur.
8 Thur. 8 Fri.
9 Fri. 9 Sat.
10 Sat. 10 Sun. Isaiah 53:4
11 Sun. Psalm 150:1–2 11 Mon.
12 Mon. 12 Tue.
13 Tue. 13 Wed. Proverbs 23:17–18
14 Wed. Proverbs 24:16 14 Thur.
15 Thur. 15 Fri.
16 Fri. 16 Sat.
17 Sat. 17 Sun. 1 Corinthians 11:23–24
18 Sun. 1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 18 Mon.
19 Mon. 19 Tue.
20 Tue. 20 Wed. James 1:17
21 Wed. Psalm 115:2–3 21 Thur.
22 Thur. 22 Fri.
23 Fri. 23 Sat.
24 Sat. 24 Sun. Luke 19:38–40 Palm Sunday

25 Sun. 2 Chronicles 30:18b–20 25 Mon.

26 Mon. 26 Tue.
27 Tue. 27 Wed.
28 Wed. Luke 18:29–30 28 Thur.
29 Thur. 29 Fri. Mark 15:39 Good Friday

Youth service: Matthew 14:29 30 Sat.

31 Sun. 1 Corinthians 15:20–21 Easter

Youth service: Luke 15:18

Children’s service: Luke 12:7
Publisher and responsible for the content:
Jean-Luc Schneider | Zurich (Switzerland)

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version ®.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
All rights reserved.

ISSN 1867-867X

Item number 414402-2402

ENGLISH EDITION