The Oil and the Wine...

Revelation 6: 5-6 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

I was listening to Back to the Bible yesterday where Woodrow Kroll was teaching on the four horsemen of the apocalypse. What caught my attention was his explanation of the line in verse 6 of Revelation 6 where it says : and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.  The first seal is the antichrist making his appearance, the second seal is a war on the earth and then the third seal  represents a famine. During the times of this famine, it will cost a person's entire daily wage to buy food sufficient for just one person. Then we come to part "and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine".  What does that mean?? Woodrow Kroll seemed unsure of the meaning but he suggested that in the days of this tribulation there will still be a divide among the rich and poor people on the earth. The poor struggling to put food on the table and the rich having excess described by the terms oil and wine. BUT, I would like to share a different perspective on the interpretation of "the oil and wine". My Dad ( he has already passed on to glory) was a preacher and Bible teacher and he had quite a different explanation for this. He believed that the "oil and wine" refers to medicine and heathcare being available to those in need of it. (Whether it will be government run is not clear but  perhaps you could think of organizations such as The Red Cross etc) Let me explain why he thought "oil and wine" could refer to medicine and healthcare. We all have heard Bible teachers say you must interpret Scripture with Scripture. When you look in the story of the good Samaritan - what does the Samaritan use to dress the wounds of the injured man who fell among thieves. Luke 10:34 says And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. We can see from this that oil and wine were used in Biblical times for medicinal purposes.
 So to conclude, I cannot say whether Woodrow Kroll has the correct interpretation here or whether my Dad does but for the benefit of those living in the days of the tribulation period, I would hope that healthcare and medicine would be available to them in those days.

Sunday Sermon Review "Good Samaritan"

June 24, 2012 - Sunday Sermon Review  "Good Samaritan"
 (from my home church that I attend regularly)


Today we had a guest speaker at our church. His name was John Chalkis, the director of  'Seeds of Hope'.  Seeds of Hope is a ministry to Orphans in Africa. You can check out their website at www.seedsofhopecm.com  


The service began with singing and the reading of Scripture from Psalm 139
Verses 23 and 24 reads:  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting


John Chalkis chose to speak on the topic of the "Good Samaritan". Please take the time to read Luke 10:25-36 which I have posted entirely at the end of this post.

Mr Chalkis gave an update of the projects in Zambia that Seeds of Hope is involved with. He informed us that they have 120 children in the orphanages. The children receive 3 meals a day as well as medical care. Many of the children are HIV positive but with treatment can expect to live a good life. He shared that many parents have died due to the HIV infections and now Seeds of Hope is also helping to feed the grandmothers who are now left to take care of the children.
Mr Chalkis shared the testimony of a young man named Tyson Chalkis who had come through the Seeds of Hope ministry program and is now working to give back to the needy. Mr Chalkis encouraged us to participate in child sponsorship with an organization of our choosing so orphans and poor children can be taken care of and also hear the gospel.

He then went on to ask "In the story of the good Samaritan, who are you?" Who would you be? - the priest, the Levite or the Samaritan who then helps the man who has been beaten by thieves??

Mr Chalkis told the story of a group of seminary students who were required to preach a sermon on the story of the good Samaritan. The Professor gave each student a 20 minute time alotment to speak. Each student got a grade of 0% in the assignment. Why?  As a test to his students the professor had a friend dress up as a beggar and posted him just outside the church. Not one of the students gave the "beggar" any help whatsoever and that is why each one failed the preaching test. Though they could speak about the topic, none of them actually did anything they were saying.

The speaker continued on with the topic of missed opportunities. Mr Chalkis shared a story from his own life where he had not immediately taken care of a "beggar" as he should have, but had done many other things that seemed more important to him in his day. He challenged us to look for opportunities that God may be placing in our path each day where we could help someone. We need to be listening to hear God speak and be willing to walk in His way! God is to be #1 in our lives.


One of the Pastors of our church continued the service with the serving of Communion. We celebrate Jesus death and resurrection and remember Him until He comes again. The night of His betrayal, Jesus took part in the Passover meal and instituted the new covenant that though faith in Him we can be saved.  Ephesians 2:8-9 -  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The Bread of Communion was passed out first, which was followed by the wine ( I believe our church uses grape juice).


Text
Luke 10:25-36
²⁵ And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

²⁶ He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

²⁷ And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

²⁸ And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

²⁹ But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

³⁰ And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

³¹ And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

³² And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

³³ But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

³⁴ And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

³⁵ And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

³⁶ Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?