Fourth Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25 « Christ in Scripture / The Theology of G C Berkouwer

Fourth Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25 « Christ in all the Scriptures / The Theology of G C Berkouwer

A Framework for Understanding Genesis to Deuteronomy (from Eugene Peterson’s ‘Introduction’ to ‘The Message’) « Christ in all the Scriptures / The The

A Framework for Understanding Genesis to Deuteronomy (from Eugene Peterson’s ‘Introduction’ to ‘The Message’) « Christ in all the Scriptures / The Theology of G

Christ in all the Scriptures / The Theology of G C Berkouwer

Interpreting Genesis 1-3: Some thoughts from Bruce Milne’s book, “Know the Truth”

Two Weeks on the Old Testament

Two weeks on the Old Testament: Day 1 - The story of creation (Genesis 1)

Two weeks on the Old Testament: Day 2 - The Origin of Sin (Genesis 3)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 3 - Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22) « Christ in all the Scriptures / The Theology of G C Berkouwer

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 4 - Moses’ Encounter with God (Exodus 3) « Christ in all the Scriptures / The Theology of G C Berkouwer

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 5 - The gift of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 6 - David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 7 - David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 8 - Nathan’s rebuke of the king (2 Samuel 12)

Two weeks on the Old Testament: Day 9 - Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 10 - God’s answer to Job (Job 38)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 11 - A classic confession (Psalm 51)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 12 - Words of comfort from God (Isaiah 40)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 13 - Daniel and the lions (Daniel 6)

Two Weeks on the Old Testament: Day 14 - A prophet’s stern warning (Amos 4)

Third Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10 (or Luke 1:47-55); James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

Do we have faith? – Let us commit ourselves to a life of holiness.

What blessings are given to those who draw near to God - ‘Your God… will come and save you’ (Isaiah 35:4).

The Good News of Christ comes to us as a call to faith - ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’ (Acts 16:31).

We have been saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot remain the same. We are called to live a new life. We must travel on the Lord’s ‘highway’- ‘the Way of Holiness’ (Isaiah 35:8). This is ‘the Way’ which leads to ‘everlasting joy’ (Isaiah 35:10).

This ‘Way’ is so different from the world’s way. The world has no time for those who seek to live a holy life. This is what Jesus says about the world’s way of life: ‘the gate is wide and the way is wide that leads to destruction’ (Matthew 7:13).

Whatever the world may say, we must never forget this: ‘Without holiness, no-one will see the Lord’ (Hebrews 12:14).

Do we have faith? – Let us commit ourselves to a life of worship.

‘I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’ (Psalm 146:2).

Praising the Lord our God: This is a lifelong commitment. We cannot maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength.

We need the Lord’s help. We must never forget this: ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain’ (Psalm 127:1). We are not expected to maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength.

We have the Lord’s help. We must always remember this: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’ (Psalm 124:8).

‘Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, the Lord who remains faithful for ever’(Psalm 146:5-6).

Let us join with Mary in saying, ‘My soul praises the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour’ (Luke 1:46-47).

Do we have faith? – Let us commit ourselves to a life of listening to God’s Word.

Much is said about John the Baptist here, yet the whole purpose is to draw attention to Jesus the Saviour. Jesus is superior to John. He is the One to whom John pointed. There are two responses to Jesus.

- We can take offence at Him: ‘Blessed is he who takes no offence at Me’(Matthew 11:6).

- We can hear what He says, receiving Him with faith: ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear’ (Matthew 11:15).

In His time, Jesus asked the question, ‘To whom shall I compare this generation?’, giving the answer, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn’ (Matthew 11:16-17).

The promise of the Gospel is preached, yet many will not rejoice. The warning of the Gospel is preached, yet many will not repent. This is the story of our generation.

May God help us to lead people of this generation to Christ, the ‘Friend of sinners’ (Matthew 11:19).

Do we have faith? – Let us commit ourselves to a life of obeying God’s Word.

Don’t worry about ‘what will happen tomorrow’. It’s in the Lord’s hands (James 4:14-15).

We must not lose sight of ‘the purpose of the Lord’. We must remember that ‘the Lord is full of compassion and mercy’(James 5:11).

We look forward to ‘the Lord’s Coming’as the great Day of our salvation (James 5:7-8).

We must not, however, forget God’s words of warning: ‘The Judge is standing at the door’. God speaks to us concerning ‘the misery that is coming upon you’. What is He saying to us here? - He is warning us: Be careful how you live - Don’t trust in riches. ‘Don’t grumble against each other’(James 5:1-3, 9).

The warning and the promise belong together. Those who are facing judgment can be brought to the Saviour. May God help us to speak His Word - the warning as well as the promise - , always praying that sinners will be saved (James 5:16, 19-20).

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The Bible Readings are based on the Revised Common Lectionary – Year A.

Filed under: Advent, Bible, Isaiah, James, Luke, Matthew, Preaching, Revised Common Lectionary - Year A, Scripture, Sermons

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 14 - Imitating Christ (Philippians 2) / Links to Days 10-13

1:1-2:11

Do you feel like you can`t go on? Do you feel like giving up? Here`s God`s Word of encouragement for you: ‘He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the Day of Jesus Christ’(1:6). God finishes what He starts - ‘He didn't bring us this far to leave us. He didn`t teach us to swim to let us drown. He didn't build His home in us to move away. He didn`t lift us up to let us down’. In all the changes of life, we must remember this: God is faithful. His love is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. We don`t keep going because weare strong. We are ‘kept by the power of God’(1 Peter 1:5). In ‘humility’ let us live ‘to the glory and praise of God’(2:3; 1:11). ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’(2:11) - He will give you the strength to keep going when you feel like giving up.

2:12-3:11

God’s command- ‘Work out your own salvation’- must never be separated from His promise - ‘God is at work in you’(12-13). We do not save ourselves - We ‘put no confidence in the flesh’. We are saved by the Lord - We ‘glory in Christ Jesus’(3). We are to ‘shine as lights in the world’, directing attention away from ourselves to Him who is ‘the Light of the world’- our Lord Jesus Christ (15; John 8:12). We have this testimony: “I have ‘no righteousness of my own’. ‘Through faith in Christ’, I have received ‘this righteousness from God’”(9). We are living in difficult times. This is ‘a crooked and perverse generation’(15). We are called to ‘hold fast the Word of life’(16). It will not be easy. We will face many difficulties. We must take encouragement from this: ‘God is at work in you’(13).

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Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 13 - Paul’s summary of his mission (Ephesians 3)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 12 - Freedom in Christ (Galatians 5)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 11- Thoughts on the afterlife (1 Corinthians 15)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 10 - Paul’s description of love (1 Corinthians 13)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 9 - Life in the Spirit (Romans 9) / Links to Days 3-8

Each of us must choose. We can ‘live according to the flesh’ or we can ‘live according to the Spirit’. We can ‘set the mind on the flesh’ or we can ‘set the mind on the Spirit’(5-6). The new life in the Spirit is just the beginning. God is preparing us for the greater ‘glory that will be revealed in us’(18). We have ‘the first fruits of the Spirit’. The Holy Spirit is ‘the guarantee of our inheritance’. He is the starter which whets our appetite for the main course! With Him in our hearts, we long for more - ‘an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you’, ‘the redemption of our bodies’, ‘the glorious liberty of the children of God’(21-23; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5). Led by the Spirit, strong in the Spirit, we press on to glory (14,26,17).

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Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 8 - Struuggle with sin (Romans 7)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 7 - Paul’s theology in a nutshell (Romans 3)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 6 - Paul’s arrival in Rome (Acts 28)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 5 - Shipwreck on the way to Rome (Acts 27)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 4 - Paul tells his life story to a king (Acts 26)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 3 - Scenes from Paul’s Missionary Journey (Acts 17)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 2 - Paul’s Macedonian Call and a Jailbreak (Acts 16) / Link to Day 1

15:36-16:40

Notice the importance of prayer in the advance of the Gospel. They were looking for a prayer meeting when Lydia was saved (13-14). They were going to a prayer meeting when the girl was saved (16-18). They were having a prayer meeting when the jailer was saved (25-34). They had gone to Philippi ‘to preach the Gospel to them’(10). Even when they were ‘in chains’, the Gospel proved itself to be ‘the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith’(Ephesians 6:20; Romans 1:16). ‘The Word of God is not bound’. It is ‘living and active’. ‘Sharper than any two-edged sword’, it is ‘the sword of the Spirit’(2 Timothy 2:9; Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17). Do you want people to ask the Salvation question and heed the Gospel answer (30-31)? ‘Pray at all times in the Spirit… with all perseverance’(Ephesians 6:18).

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Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Paul: Day 1 - The Conversion of Saul (Acts 9)

Second Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Christ calls all nations to come to Him.

The family tree of ‘Jesse, the father of King David’ has a very special ‘Branch’- Jesus Christ (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1, 6, 16).

Jesus Christ has raised ‘a banner for the nations’. He is ‘the Saviour of the world’. He has died ‘for the sins of the whole world’. The ‘Good News’ is to be preached to ‘all the world’.

Christ calls ‘all nations’ to ‘turn to Him’. He calls ‘all nations’ to receive the ‘forgiveness of sins’. He calls ‘all nations’ to become His ‘disciples’ (Isaiah 11:12; John 4:42; 1 John 2:2; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; Matthew 28:19).

May our personal faith - ‘I will praise You, O Lord… God is my Salvation… The Lord is my Strength and my Song…’- become our public testimony - making Christ ‘known among the nations’, telling ‘all the world’ what the Lord has done for us (Isaiah 12:1-2, 4-5).

From all over the world Christ gathers His people.

Read the words - ‘His Name’ shall ‘endure for ever’ (Psalm 72:17) - and think of Christ. His Name is ‘the Name above all other names’. He is ‘the King of kings and Lord of lords’ (Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16).

Read the words - ‘all nations call Him blessed’ (Psalm 72:17) - , and think of Christ. ‘From every tribe and language and people and nation’, God’s people have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (Revelation 5:9).

Read the words -‘May His glory fill the whole earth!’(Psalm 72:19) - and think of Christ. In the ‘new heaven and new earth’, ‘the holy city’ will shine with ‘the glory of God’. ‘Its radiance’, ‘like a very precious jewel’, will be shining from this ‘lamp’: Jesus Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (Revelation 21:1-2, 10-11, 23; John 1:29).

The Good News of Christ is for all the world.

With Christ’s example, ‘the encouragement of the Scriptures’and the enabling power of God, let us love one another,‘with one heart and one voice’(Romans 15:1-6). This is the way of glorifying God.

Trusting in Christ, ‘the root of Jesse’, we are blessed by ‘the God of hope’, filled with ‘the power of the Holy Spirit’- so that we may ‘abound in hope’. This hope comes to us through ‘the Scriptures’(Romans 15:12-13, 4).

God’s saving purpose was not only for the ‘dyed in the wool’Jew. He saved both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 15:9-12). Thank God that Paul was not as narrow-minded as many people are today! God’s blessing is not only for our type of people! Let us learn from Paul. ‘A minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles’, he was always reaching out to more and more people ‘in the fulness of the blessing of Christ’(Romans 15:16, 29).

Let us take the Good News of Christ to every nation.

Our Gospel passage begins with ‘John the Baptist’(Matthew 3:1). It ends with our Lord Jesus Christ concerning whom the Voice from heaven says, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’(Matthew 3:17).

Once John had served his purpose, once he has pointed away from himself to the Lord Jesus Christ, he retreats into the background. This is how it must always be. We point to One who is ‘more powerful’than ourselves (Matthew 3:11; Romans 1:16). With John, we must learn to say, ‘Christ must increase, I must decrease’(John 3:30).

The contrast between John and Jesus is highlighted in Matthew 3:11 - ‘I baptize with water… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire’. This is still the contrast between the preacher and the Saviour - We preach the Word. He sends the power. Still He says, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses’(Acts 1:8).

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The Bible Readings are based on the Revised Common Lectionary – Year A.

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 14 - Jesus’ Appearance after His Resurrection (Luke 24) / Links to Days 6-13

23:26-24:12

‘God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong’(1 Corinthians 1:27). In his weakness, the thief on the cross trusted Christ for salvation (42-43). Pilate, a man of power, rejected Christ, sending Him off to be crucified (23:23-25). Jesus was ‘delivered into the hands of sinful men’. Jesus was ‘crucified’. This was not, for Him, the end. He rose from the dead (7). At the Cross, ‘the centurion’described Jesus as ‘a righteous man’(47). In the resurrection, God declared Him to be much more than a righteous man - He is ‘the Son of God’(Romans 1:4). Don’t be like those who do ‘not believe’, those who consider Christ’s resurrection to be ‘an idle tale’(11). Something has ‘happened’, something very wonderful - Jesus has risen from the dead:… ‘believe… be saved’(12; Romans 10:9).

24:13-53

‘In all the Scriptures’, Jesus teaches ‘the things concerning Himself’(27). Do ‘our hearts burn within us… while He opens to us the Scriptures?’(32). He calls us to be His ‘witnesses’, to preach His message of salvation ‘to all nations’(47-48). Before we can preach, we must listen to Him. Before we can proclaim His resurrection, we must consider His suffering for us: ‘See my hands and my feet’(39) - even after His resurrection, they still bear ‘the mark of the nails’(John 20:25). Listen to Christ. Consider His suffering for you. Be ‘clothed with power from on high. Let the Lord ‘bless’you, strengthening your worship and filling you ‘with great joy’. With all this going on in your lives, we will consider it not only our responsibility but our joyful privilege to be His ‘witnesses’(48-53)!

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Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 13 - Resurrection (John 20)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 12 - Jesus’ Execution on a Cross (Matthew 27)

Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 11 - Betrayal and Arrest (Matthew 26)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 10 - Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples (John 17)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 9 - Jesus’ Final Instructions (John 14)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 8 - A Conversation with Jesus (John 3)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 7 - Parables of Jesus (Luke 15)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 6 - The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6)

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 5 - The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5)

verses 1-2

Here, we have the introduction to ‘the Sermon on the Mount’(chs 5-7). Reference is made to both ‘the disciples’ and ‘the crowds’. The disciples are taught with a view to becoming teachers of the crowds. Peter learned from Christ and later he taught the crowds (Acts 2:14-42). The Sermon on the Mount was heard by the crowds as well as the disciples. Jesus spoke to the crowds. His ministry to the disciples had a dual purpose. It was for their own spiritual strengthening. It was training for the time when they would be entrusted with the Lord’s commission: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’(Matthew 28: 19-20). Do you read God’s Word solely for your own benefit? Or, do we have an eye for ways in which we can learn to share His Word with others?

verses 3-12

‘The Beatitudes’ show us God’s way of blessing. We might also describe them as the Be Attitudes, since they show us what we are to be. Jesus teaches us that the way to happiness is the way of holiness. The only alternative to the way of holiness is the way of hypocrisy. There can be no true happiness when we are walking in the way of hypocrisy. Holiness is to take shape in our lives - the shape of Jesus Christ living in us. This is the truly happy life: the Christ-centered life. We are not to live according to present appearances. We are to live in the light of the future Reality of God’s heavenly Kingdom. Some of Jesus’later statements can be viewed as an exploration of the meaning of the Beatitudes. The general principles (3-10) are to be applied personally: ‘Blessed are you…’(11-12). We are not only to read the Beatitudes. We are to live them.

verses 13-16

Holiness is to be seen. Happiness is to be shared. We are not to be secret disciples. It will not be easy to live the life of Christ’s disciples. In a world of much corruption, we are to be ‘the salt of the earth’(13). In a world of much darkness we are to be ‘the light of the world’(14). If we are to bring the refreshing light of Christ into our world, we ourselves must receive spiritual refreshment as we let the light of God’s Word shine on our lives. Reading God’s Word can never be a purely personal thing. Being ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’- this is what Jesus says we are- , we read Scripture with a view to learning how we are to live in the world. Don’t lose your saltiness. Be salty enough to create a thirst for God in other people. Don’t let your light grow dim. Let it shine brightly. Remember - all the glory belongs to God (16; Psalm 115:1).

verses 17-20

In verse 20, Jesus refers to ‘the scribes and Pharisees’. Jesus warned against the shallow superficiality of these men who were more concerned with outward appearances than inner reality. This conflict with the Jewish religious leaders lies close to the surface in the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus says, ‘This is their way. This is My way’, He is not calling in question the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures: ‘Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them’(17). He is in conflict with ‘the hypocrites’(6:2 5,16). He is warning against the ‘false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves’(7:15). What a difference there was between Jesus’ teaching and those who ‘preach, but do not practise’ (23:3) - He spoke with ‘authority’, they did not (7:29). May we be like Jesus!

verses 21-37

The teaching of Jesus here may be summed up thus: The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. Jesus’ teaching was much more penetrating than the pronouncements made by the scribes and Pharisees. Not content to scratch the surface, Jesus asked the deeper question, ‘What’s going on in your heart?’. Jesus’teaching has real spiritual depth. He takes seriously the biblical teaching that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt’(Jeremiah 17:9). He knows that we need a ‘new heart’(Ezekiel 36:26). The Pharisees were bogged down in intricate details - Do this. Do that. Do the other. All the emphasis was on what we do. Christ was much more direct - Get the heart right. Ask God for a heart of love (21-26), purity (27-32), and truthfulness (33-37). Do not say, ‘Look what I’ve done’(7:22). Let Christ live in your heart; let Him change you.

verses 38-48

The Pharisees lived by law. Jesus lived by love. The law of God - ‘holy and just and good’(Romans 7:12) - had been distorted by the religious hypocrites. They were saying, ‘love your neighbour and hate your enemy’(43). ‘Love your neighbour’ is found in Leviticus 19:18. ‘Hate your enemy’ is not found in the Old Testament. For the Jews, ‘neighbour’ meant their own kind. They wrongly concluded that Gentiles were to be hated. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan makes it clear that we are to love our enemies as well as our friends (Luke 10:25-37). Jesus’ disagreement is not with the law of God. It is with man’s misuse of it. Jesus’ teaching is simple - Love is not to be limited. It is demanding - love is all-embracing. We dare not bring love within our reach. We always fall short. We can only come to Christ. Confessing our lack of love and trusting in His perfect love, we learn to love.

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 4 - A Day in the Life of Jesus (Mark 9)

8:27-9:13

‘Who do you say that I am ?’: Jesus puts this question to all of us. Some believe He is the Christ. Others do not. Some tryto ’sit on the fence’. Everyone makes their response to Him. God is not deceived by outward observance of religion, when it masks an inward refusal to receive Christ as Saviour, to submit to Him as Lord. On the day of judgment, God will not be looking for respectability. He will be looking for faith(Luke 18:8). Peter confessed Christ (29). Then, he was overcome by Satan (33). He became ‘puffed up’with pride (1 Corinthians 8:1). He forgot that faith comes from divine revelation (Matthew 16:17). We are not ‘to rebuke’the Lord (32). Looking to ‘Jesus only’(8; Romans 4:5), we are to live as His disciples (34) - not of this world, as He is not of this world (John 17:14,16; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:3-4).

9:14-50

‘Our God is able’(Daniel 3:17). Do we believe this? There is no doubt about God’s power. What about our faith? We come to Jesus, saying, ‘If you can’. Jesus turns things around: ‘If youcan! All things are possible to him who believes’(22-23). This is not so much an appeal for positive thinking. It is a call to prayer (29). Less self-confidence and more confidence in God - This is what we need. God’s greatness is more important than our ‘greatness’(33-35). Are there things that you don’t understand? Don’t be afraid to ask (32). You may even learn from those who ‘don’t belong to our group’(38-40). They don’t belong to our group? So what? Do they belong to Christ? That’s what matters. ‘It is better’(43,45,47) to be Christ’s - than anything else! May our faith, though ‘tested by fire’, grow strong - to God’s glory (49-50; 1 Peter 1: 6-7).

Two Weeks on the Life and Teaching of Jesus: Day 3 - The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry (Mark 1)

1:1-20

This is a new ‘beginning’. The prophets had spoken. Now, the Saviour has come. This is Good News. John has prepared the way. Now, he stands aside to make way for Jesus Christ, the Son of God’(1,11). Following Jesus’ baptism, there was temptation. This was Kingdom against kingdom. Satan’s kingdom was under threat. The Kingdom of God had come. Christ triumphed over Satan. In Him, we triumph when, hearing the Gospel declaration - ‘the Kingdom of God is at hand’- , we obey the Gospel command - ‘repent and believe the gospel’(15). With the command, ‘Follow Me’, there is the promise, ‘I will make you…’(17). Christ’s call is ‘full of grace and truth’(John 1:14). It is truth - a call to discipleship. It is grace - a call from Jesus. In Christ, we become ‘a new creation’(2 Corinthians 5:17). We become ‘fishers of men’(17).

1:21-2:12

Great things were happening. God was moving in power. In all this, we could easily overlook something very important: Jesus prayed (35). He made time for prayer. This was not wasted time. This was time well spent. Jesus was mighty before men - the power of God was flowing freely. Jesus knew where the power comes from - He was humble before God. We long for this - ‘they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”’(12). We must pray in faith, bringing people before the Lord, convinced that such prayer ‘is powerful and effective’(2:5; James 5:16). “If my people… pray…, I will… forgive their sin and heal their land’(2 Chronicles 7:14). “O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee. Send a revival. Start the work in me. Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need. For blessing now, O Lord, I humbly plead’ (Mission Praise, 587).

Two weeks on the Life and Teachings of Jesus: Day 2 - The Story of Jesus’ Birth (Luke 2)

God is in control! Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Long before it happened, God had it planned (1-7; Micah 5:2-3). As we approach Christ’s Return, God still has His plan. He is still in control. The birth of Christ is not merely an event from the past. It is also a message for the future. We look back so that we can move forward. We are fearful about many things. ‘What’s the world coming to?’, we ask. God turns our question on its head: ‘Christ is coming to the world’. From His first coming, we look on to His Second Coming - He ‘will come to all the people’(10): ‘every eye will see Him’(Revelation 1:7). His Return invites us to ask another question: ‘when the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?’(18:8). For you, is it still ‘before Christ’? Let the ‘new age’ begin: Let Christ be ‘born this day’(11) - in your heart!

Jesus ‘fulfilled all righteousness’(Matthew 3:15). His circumcision and presentation to the Lord was ‘according to the law of Moses’(21-24; Leviticus 12:1-8). Jesus’ obedience was always more than mere conformity to ‘the written code’. He was walking ‘in the Spirit’. He was filled with ‘the Spirit of the living God’(2 Corinthians 3:3,6). His obedience came ‘from the heart’ and His ‘praise’ came ‘not from men but from God’(Romans 6:17; 2:29). What joy there was for Simeon and Anna! This was ‘salvation’, ‘redemption’(30,38). As you journey through life, don’t ‘lose Jesus’(43-45). Keep close to Him! If you do ‘lose Him’, where will you find Him again? - ‘In the temple’(46). Have you lost your way? Find your way back to ‘the sanctuary of God’- and things will start to fall into place again (Psalm 73:16-17)!

Two Weeks on the Life and Teaching of Jesus: Day 1 - Preparing for Jesus' Arrival (Luke 1)

God was about to do ‘a new thing’(Isaiah 43:19). It was centred on Christ, though John also played his part (31-33,16-17). There were obstacles - Zechariah and Elizabeth were ‘old’(18), and Mary had ‘no man’(34). What were these obstacles to God? - Nothing: ‘with God nothing will be impossible’(37). How are we to respond to God’s ‘new thing’? - ‘let it be to me according to Your Word’(38). How will God’s ‘new thing’ make progress among us? - Through the power of the Holy Spirit: ‘he will be filled with the Holy Spirit’(15), ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you...’(34). ‘Holy Spirit, we welcome you... Move among us with holy fire... Let the breeze of your presence flow... Please accomplish in me today, some new work of loving grace, I pray; Unreservedly have Your way...’(Mission Praise, 241).
There are two great ‘songs of praise’ here (46-55,67-79). God was doing ‘a new thing’. His people were rejoicing in Him. Great things were happening. Greater things were going to happen. Soon, the Saviour would be born. The birth of John the Baptist (57-66) - This was great. The birth of our Saviour - This would be even greater. Mary and Zechariah felt the touch of God upon their lives, and their hearts were filled with praise to God: ‘When I feel the touch of Your hand upon my life, it causes me to sing a song that I love You, Lord. So from deep within my spirit singeth unto Thee, You are my King, You are my God, and I love You Lord’(Mission Praise, 753). John was ‘in the wilderness’. He ‘became strong in spirit’(80). May God help us to grow spiritually, even when life is not very easy!

First Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

Awaiting Christ’s Return , let us worship God and walk in His ways.

God calls us to worship Him - ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…’- and walk in His ways - ‘Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord’ (Isaiah 2:3, 5).

We are moving towards the Day when ‘the pride of men shall be humbled and brought low’, the Day when ‘the Lord alone will be exalted’ (Isaiah 2:11, 12, 17).

How are we to get ready for the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ? God calls us to keep on worshipping Him. We are to encourage one another to keep on walking with God. ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching’(Hebrews 10:25).

Let our pride be humbled and let the Lord be exalted as we await Christ’s Return in ‘faith’, looking to Him alone for our ‘salvation’(1 Peter 1:7-9).

Worshipping the Lord with joy

‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the House of the Lord”’ (Psalm 122:2).

Why do we go to the House of the Lord? We go ‘to give thanks to the Name of the Lord’ (Psalm 122:4).

We seek His mercy for our past sins: ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!’(Psalm 123:3).

We seek His help for our future temptations: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord…’ (Psalm 124:8).

As we receive mercy and help from the Lord, we worship Him: ‘Blessed be the Lord’ (Psalm 124:6).

In our worship, we ‘look to the Lord our God’, drawing encouragement from His Word: ‘The Lord is on our side’- In Him we have the victory (Psalms 123:2; 124:1-5).

Rejoicing in God’s blessing, we pray for others: ‘May they prosper who love You’ (Psalm 122:6).

Walking with the Lord in love

Awaiting the Return of Christ – our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed - , let us clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:11, 14).

‘Walk in love’- We must not fall out over matters in which difference of opinion is allowed (Romans 14:5, 15).

There can be a lot of bitterness over ‘the Sabbath’. There can be so much pride. For some, this is the ‘be-all and end-all’of Christian faith. They say, ‘We are the Sabbath keepers. They are not!’. Others react, ‘We rejoice in our Christian liberty. They are legalists’. ‘Pharisees’are preoccupied with ‘the Sabbath’. We must remember that Jesus is ‘the Lord of the Sabbath’.

We must let His love flow (Matthew 12:2, 10, 8, 11-12).

Let faith be real- not just keeping on the right side of narrow-minded people (Romans 14:23; Colossians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 2:15).

Let there be ‘peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’.

Don’t think too highly of yourself. ‘Count others better than yourself’(Romans 14:17; 12:3; Philippians 2:3).

Worshipping with joy and walking in love, we await Christ’s Return.

‘The times they are-a-changing’. There is, however, one thing that remains constant. Jesus says, ‘My words will not pass away’(Matthew 24:35).

In an age of unbelief, our faith is often under threat. We must stand upon this solid Rock: ‘The Word of the Lord stands forever’(1 Peter 1:25).

The scoffers will say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’(2 Peter 3:3-4). We are to believe that ‘He is near’(Matthew 24:33).

Christ has risen. He will return (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

When He returns need not concern us: ‘the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect’(Matthew 24:44).

We are to be ready at all times (Matthew 25:13) - doing the Lord’s will (Matthew 24:46).

We are to be ‘faithful and wise’(Matthew 24:45).

As ‘the bride of Christ’(Revelation 19:7; 21:2), we await the Return of Christ our Bridegroom: ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet Him’(Matthew 25:6).

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The Bible Readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary – Year A.

‘O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your Name... You have done marvellous things’(Isaiah 25:1).

We remember what God has done for us. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who died for us. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who rose again for us. We look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We look forward to the Day when ‘He will swallow up death for ever’. On that Day, ‘the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces’. On that Day, we will look back and say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us’. On that Day, we will ‘rejoice and be glad in His salvation’(8-9). Here and now, let us learn to ‘trust in the Lord’. We can trust in Him ‘for ever’. He is ‘the everlasting Rock’- ‘the Rock of our salvation’(4; Psalm 95:1).

Jesus Christ - risen and victorious (Matthew 28:1-10)

The resurrection declares Christ’s victory over evil, the triumph of His love. There is no need for fear: ‘He has risen’- His ‘perfect love casts out fear’(5-6; 1 John 4:18). There has to be a new beginning in faith. First, there was a new beginning ‘in fact- Christ has been raised from the dead’(1 Corinthians 15:20). Christ has won the victory over the grave. Christ has taken the sting out of death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Between the new beginning in faith - making disciples (19) - and the new beginning in fact - Christ’s resurrection - , there is worship (9). The fact is not dependent on our feelings. ‘He has risen’(6-7) - the fact stands, even when many doubt and few worship (17). As we worship, we are strengthened in faith, strengthened for our task. We are to invite people to come to the place where ‘they will see’ Jesus (10). We are to ‘make disciples’(19). Run and tell - with great joy (8)!

Loving, serving and following Jesus (John 21).

‘Fishers of men’(Matthew 4:19) - Set your goals lower than this, and you will take others with you. Together, you will discover the emptiness of life without Christ at its centre - ‘they caught nothing’(3). Note the contrast between the self-centered life (5) and the Christ-centered life (6, 8, 11). Loving, serving and following Jesus - These are the most important things in life (15-17, 22). Don’t look over your shoulder at someone else - ‘Lord, what about this man?’(21). Let it be personal - Jesus says, ‘Do you love Me?’(15-17). He asked Peter, ‘Do you love me more than these?’(15) - more than you love these other disciples, more than these other disciples love Me, more than your boats, nets and fishes? Look back and ask yourself, ‘Do I love Jesus more than I did a year ago?’.

Let Leviticus 16 lead you to the Saviour

God is 'holy'. We cannot 'draw near' and 'come' to Him without a 'sin offering' (1-3). We cannot bring 'a sin offering' to Him. We can only bring our sin: Our righteousness is 'like filthy rags' (Isaiah 64:6). There is a 'way' for sinners to 'draw near' to God: Christ is the true and living Way (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-22). In verses 20-22, we have a great picture of Christ bearing the sin of the world: 'Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood... Full atonement, - Yes it is! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!’(Church Hymnary, 380). Atonement has been made for us...We have been cleansed from all our sins (30): What a perfect atonement! What a perfect Saviour! - 'God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Galatians 6:14).

Learning from God's Word (Psalms 66 - 67)

‘Come and see what God has done’(66:5). God invites us to look into His Word, to read His Story, the Story of all that He has done for us. ‘Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what He has done for me’(66:16). God invites us to listen to the preaching of His Word, to let His Story become our story, to let His salvation become real in our lives. We read God’s Word. We hear His Word. This is our journey of discovery. We discover what the Lord has done for us. We discover how much He wants to bless us. He waits to hear our prayer - ‘May God be gracious to us and bless us...’. He answers our prayer - ‘God has blessed us’(67:1,6-7). He wants us to ‘be glad and sing for joy’. He wants us to call ‘all the ends of the earth’ to ‘worship Him’(67:4,7).

Let Christ fill you with His joy, His strength and His peace (Philippians 3:12-4:23).

‘Christ Jesus has made me His own’(3:12). In Paul`s words, we hear an echo of Jesus` words, ‘You did not choose Me... I chose you’(John 15:16). Christ has claimed us for Himself. He has laid claim to every part of our life. We are to ‘rejoice in the Lord always’(4). We are to bring ‘everything’ to Him in prayer (6). We are to be ‘content in all circumstances’(4:11-12). We are to face every challenge with confidence in His strength - ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’(4:13). We are to trust Him to ‘supply ’our ‘every need’(4:19). In every situation, we can come to the Lord, trusting in His promise: ‘the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’(7). Whatever is happening, take it to the Lord in prayer and let Him give you His peace.

‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’(Jeremiah 31:3).

So often, we have been like ‘the prodigal son’(Luke 15:11-24). We have walked away from our Father’s House. We have wandered off into ‘the far country’. We feel that we are far from God, yet still He draws near to us. The Lord is at work in our hearts. He is bringing us ‘to our senses’. He is reminding us of His love. He is drawing us back to Himself. In love, He is calling us home again. He is speaking to our hearts. He is saying to us, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’. As His love reaches our hearts, ‘the prodigal son’ becomes ‘the returning son’: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’. ‘Bring me back, let me come back, for you are the Lord my God!’(Jeremiah 31:18).

‘When I said, “My foot is slipping”, Your love, O Lord, supported me’(Psalm 94:18).

The Lord is ‘able to keep us from falling’. We are ‘kept by the power of God’. Putting our trust in the Lord, we may be confident of this: ‘God, who began His good work in us, will carry it through to completion on the Day of Christ Jesus’. We are called to ‘press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenwards in Christ Jesus’. As we ‘press on’, we must never forget this: ‘It is God who works in us to will and to work according to His good purpose’. ‘Let us fix our eyes on Jesus’, trusting in His promise: ‘My sheep listen to My voice... I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of My hand...’(Jude 24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Philippians 1:6; 3:14; 2:13; Hebrews 12:2; John 10:27-30).

God's Word is to be shared (Ezekiel 4:1-4).

God was revealing Himself to Ezekiel. ‘The hand of the Lord was upon’ him. He received ‘visions of God’(Ezekiel 4:1-2). Ezekiel was not to keep this revelation to himself: ‘Tell the house of Israel everything you see’(Ezekiel 4:4). We are to learn from ‘the prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord’. Like them, we are to seek to bring ‘sinners’ back to the Lord, showing them ‘the error of their ways’ and pointing them to God’s way of salvation. This work is to be done prayerfully, never forgetting that ‘the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective’(James 5:10,16,19-20). God promises great blessing to those who are faithful in this work of winning others for Him: ‘Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars for ever and ever’(Daniel 12:3).

Let the Lord renew your strength (Isaiah 40:28-31).

‘The Lord is the everlasting God... He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak... those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength...’(Isaiah 40:28-31). Far too often, we say, ‘I can’t’ when we really mean ‘I won’t’. ‘I can’t’- This is an insult to the power of God. The Lord calls us to do something special for Him. We say, ‘I can’t’. What are we really saying? This is what we are saying - ‘Lord, I don’t believe Your promise - “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”’. Don’t say, ‘I can’t’. Don’t get so busy with other things that you fail to wait upon the Lord and renew your strength. When the Lord calls you to serve Him, say, ‘Yes, Lord, I will wait upon You. I will renew my strength. I will do Your will’.

‘Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord’(Psalm 64:10).

True joy in the Lord is not just a passing emotion, a feeling which doesn’t last for very long. When our ‘praise’ to the Lord is real, it leads to a changed life: ‘O God’, we will ‘keep our promises to You’(Psalm 65:1). Jesus shows us the great difference between a passing emotion, a feeling which doesn’t last, and a true conversion which leads to a changed life. He speaks of those who ‘receive the Word with joy,... endure for a while’ and then ‘fall away’. He speaks also of those who ‘hear the Word and accept it and bear fruit’(Mark 4:3-9,16-17,20). How do you worship the Lord? Are you looking for a good feeling - and nothing more than that? God is looking for more. He wants us to live as ‘a new creation’(2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Majesty of God (Psalm 8)

'The Lord is ‘majestic’(1,9). He does not remain remote. He does not keep His distance. He show us His greatness, the greatness of His love. We feel forgotten. He remembers us. We feel unloved. He cares for us (4). We are tempted. He will ‘still the enemy’(2). We look beyond our creation (5-8) to our salvation - ‘we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone...that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil’(Hebrews 2:8-9,14). This is ‘Majesty’- ‘Jesus, who died, now glorified, King of all kings’. The Name of the Lord is majestic ‘in all the earth’(1, 9). To God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - we pray, ‘Glorify Your Name in all the earth’(Mission Praise. 454,142).