Category: Services

Saturday August 5th 2023: 201st Anniversary – Chris Rees

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Matthew 7:21-23 I never knew you

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

When you go through the Sermon on the Mount, as beautiful as it is, it’s like walking through a minefield. A bomb goes off and you’re brought to your senses. If you were there, listening to the Lord Jesus Christ, it was like He had grenades in His hands. As you were listening about the flowers in the fields, the lilies and your Father who loves you, all of a sudden one of these great bombs would go off and you’re brought to your senses. Perhaps, never more so, than what you find here in these verses.

The Lord Jesus Christ finishes the sermon with a great anti-climax. You always want to finish on a positive, but it is astounding as He finished, the whole house collapses. These verses startle us, even as Christians. They are a shocking statement. The apostle Paul tells us no-one can call Jesus Lord unless by the Holy Spirit. Yet, you have these verses, which show us there is no such thing as an easy believism.

The Lord Jesus Christ is coming to the end of the Sermon on the Mount. He never let people settle, He never let people think that there were not eternal decisions to make. He makes the great appeal about the broad way and the narrow way. There are many on the broadway. He makes an appeal to enter through the narrow way. Many will make a profession of faith, but you will know them by their fruits, not their words. He wants you to be discerning in your own life and in the life of the church. These verses are not only for non-believers, but also many who have known wondrous things.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). The Bible makes it quite clear that there is no-one who can be saved unless they make the great confessions that Jesus Christ is Lord. The Lord Jesus is not saying anything against the great confession itself, but is saying, “Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of heaven.’

There is a name for God – Lord. Jesus refers to Himself as the Lord. When he was born the angels came from heaven and proclaimed Christ the Lord had been born. The kings came to Him and they worshipped Him. There were those who came and bowed before Him. Yet, not everyone who calls him Lord shall enter the Kingdom of heaven. Many will acknowledge the title that Jesus is Lord in their prayers, in their hymns and in their gatherings, but at the end of the day they will have no place in the Kingdom of heaven. Hitler actually acknowledged that Jesus was Lord. He had no problem with giving Him the title. However, He may be Lord on people’s lips, but not Lord in their life.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord.’ There is something significant in that. People may use the title Lord and sing hymns, but they have never addressed Jesus Himself. They have never actually come to Jesus and spoken to him personally. Here though, Jesus says there will be those who will come to Him personally. There were many who came to Him when He was on earth and gave Him this title, gave supplications to Him, pleaded with him, cried to Him and interceded before Him. People can talk about God in the second person then not come and talk to Him in the first person. You can talk to people who pray every day. I used to know one man who prayed every day, ‘Lord Jesus, look after my wife, looked after look after my mother (who was dead), and look after the virgin Mary.’ He prayed for those three women every day. Nothing else!

Some say they pray and call to Jesus, but He says on that day, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’” Notice something else – there’s a little passion within it, “Lord, Lord.” You may have some passion and love, even for Jesus Christ Himself. Well, I have news for you – Jesus is not hard to love! He is the most lovable of all beings. Every Christian has a personal relationship with Him and we love Him. We need more passion and pleading with God.

I ask people in churches, ‘Are you going to heaven?’ Some never know! Jesus is pointing out something – you need to do the will of the Father in heaven. There is only one way people can go to heaven. You may have the doctrinally right statements in your head, you may do the performance of prayer in your life, you may have a passion that loves Jesus in your heart, but you’ll never get there unless you put your trust in Him, have faith in Him and give Him your life. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). There is only one way ever to heaven. “ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40). The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to all the Pharisees around Him. Again, we read, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29).

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12). It was the will of the Father to send His Son into this world. It was the will of the Father who made Him keep that cup. It was the will of the Father to send Him to Calvary. It was the will of the Father that He died for our sins. It was the will of the Father that people would come to believe in Him.

People talk about the will of God. It is the will of God working in you. If you have never come to put your trust in Jesus Christ, you’re not even close to the will of God. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’” This verse is incredible. Remarkable. Jesus, born in manger, grew up in Nazareth, a teacher, knows the day is coming, the final day. He says that on that day, many will come and claim what they have done, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’” The Lord Jesus knows that the day is coming. On that day it is not about Buddha or about Muhammad, it is about Jesus Christ. Everybody will be directing their words to Jesus Christ. He is the judge.

Who could these people be who have prophesized and cast out demons? Popes, bishops, TV evangelists, preachers, missionaries, church workers, translators, church planters, pioneers, exorcists – all who have been working in the Kingdom of God, who have been successful in the Kingdom of God, people who have spoken the very word of God, those who have done great wonders. The punch line in verse 22 is, ‘In your name.’ They have not done it in their own strength but in the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of the Lord Jesus. There is power for you to come before God’s throne. It’s a name which He honours, by which you can approach Him. There are people who have been healed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. They have called upon Him and, in His mercy, God has answered them. That’s powerful!

God can give that powerful word and it can change people’s lives. He can use donkeys! There is coming that day when, with a passion, with a love, with some kind of allegiance to Him, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’” Then comes verse 23, the most shocking words you could ever imagine, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Jesus knows everything. He knows the number of hairs on your head, the days before you live them. He knows your thoughts from afar. The reality is He never knew those people in that union, in fellowship and communion, of being part of His body. They never had any place with Him. There was never a time when they did know Him and went away. He says He never knew them! They were never a part of His Kingdom and of His body.

It maybe you’ve been through that stressful period when you’ve been a backslider. But as a backslider; there was a time when you could say, ‘I knew Him.’ You’ll meet the backslider in the street. They’ll tell you about something that happened and now they have back slidden. Backsliders know that if they are ever going to get to heaven, it isn’t going to be for what they’ve done. They know they need Jesus Christ and His mercy. That is what is missing in these people in these verses. Their trust was in themselves – we have done this, we have achieved this.

 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Jesus knew their trust was in themselves. It was different. They never knew Him, they had never came to put their trust in Him. The only way is by faith in Him and faith alone.

When we go our different ways and think about our Christian walk and confusion around us, we need to have a grasp of these verses. You may sit in a pew and think, ‘I wish I could speak as others speak. I wish I could have faith.’ Somehow, we think we need something great. Jesus says, ‘You who practice lawlessness.’ Reading the Sermon on the mount is really interesting; this is what Jesus wants. He wants you to live with your fellow man at peace. He wants you who are married to be faithful. He wants you who are single to be pure. He wants you who are believers not to break a promise. He wants you who have enemies to be lovers. He wants you to give without other people knowing.

People claim Jesus is Lord but advocate every evil practise. In the Christian walk, you can do great and wonderful things, but at the end of the day you are saved by faith alone. You go to hell for many things. The Lord Jesus wants us to discern about our own lives and what is around us. It is vital.

July 30th 2023: Geraint Morse

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Exodus 33: 7-23

This is an account of an incredible conversation between the man of God, Moses, and his God. I am struck by this man’s boldness; he came into God’s presence with bold confidence and the assurance that he will be heard. As he comes before God Himself, he makes several requests, in ascending order. They raise the level, one after another.

Moses’ first request is found in verses 12 to 13, “Teach me your ways.” That is what Moses desires. He wants to find favour with God, as a leader. Then, Moses puts in this request, “Remember this nation is your people,” (verse 13). Is that our request this morning, that above all other things, we want to know God’s ways better? Do we want to be a better teacher, a better child, a better believer? We belong to the people of God. We are the people of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be taught in His ways.

The second request that Moses has is to do with leadership, being led. Moses says there is no point going one step forward unless God is with us. Have you got plans? Are you considering a change of location, a change of occupation, or a change of direction – individually, as a group of people, or as a fellowship of God’s people? May this be a cry from the heart. Unless the Lord is leading you in a situation, there is no point going forward. May you know His way ahead at Penuel.

I get a sense of increased intensity in Moses’ requests. His third request is, “Lord show me your glory.” Was there ever such a request made by any man in the Old Testament? What did Moses expect to see, to happen, to experience? I imagine it was to see and to feel something of the majesty, the glory, the honour, and the holiness of God himself and Moses standing before him.

God answered him, ‘It’s not quite that easy Moses; no man can see my face and live.’ Such is His Holiness. God continued, ‘But I tell you, there’s a rock over there Moses, you’ll hide in that rock and I will pass by. As I pass by, I will shelter you. My hand will protect you from the glory you’ve asked to see. As I pass by, you will see a partial glimpse of my glory.’

If you walk along the Pembrokeshire coast, you will see curves in rocks caused by deep movements within the earth, twisted and lifted up. Faults arise. As winds and rain beat into the rocks, clefts are caused. Sometimes, you will see a split in a rock. Sometimes, you will see just a stack left above. Think of the power that has formed this geological formation. It was in such a cleft that Moses hid. He hid in a cleft in a rock, in a split in the rock. Moses hid, sheltered, and the glory of God passed by. God removed his hand and Moses saw just a glimpse – no more. God gave him as much as he possibly could have. Moses saw something of the glory of God. Is that your desire?

John speaks about the glory of God in Jesus Christ, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). This story from Exodus 33 is a picture of what God has done for us in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through Him the glory of God is revealed to us. John, who was with Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration, saw for a moment something of the glory of God as Jesus was transformed in front of his eyes. He saw the glory of God in the face of Jesus. That’s where we see it.

We have all sinned, we have all broken God’s laws, we’re all guilty. We deserve punishment. But the wonder of the gospel is God sent His Son to be an atonement for our sin, so that we might be forgiven. This is the work of Calvary. Through trusting in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ you can come before God and confess your sins, believing Jesus died for you as you ask for forgiveness, and ask for a new life in him. Jesus is our cleft in the rock. It is hiding in Jesus that we are safe and see the glory of God. Have you believed in His teaching, in His leadership and in His revelation?

We praise God as we believe in Him and as He leads us. As you walk along the coastal path, when you see a rock with a cut in it, just remember the Lord Jesus Christ, broken for us, His blood shed for you and me, that we may have peace with the Father.

July 23rd 2023: Ben Christofides

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Acts 7:54 – 8:8 The Stoning of Stephen

In this portion of scripture we have two fairly seismic events in the life of the early church. The book of Acts is all about how the gospel spread after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although it is called the book of Acts a better title might be the Acts of Jesus Christ through the apostles. This morning we’re going to look at the death of the first Christian martyr, Stephen.


What is it like to live as a Christian in 21st century Britain? The trend is one of increasing hostility to Biblical truths we hold dear. Some Christians in other countries have much more persecution than Christians here. How are we to live in light of persecution? Should we conform to the increasingly secular society around us? In Matthew chapter 10, Jesus made it clear to the disciples that following Him would bring persecution. Persecution is not something that should take us by surprise. God uses it to advance the gospel. Ultimately, persecution is used to bring joy out of the darkest situations.

  1. Persecution will come.

All of God’s dealings with His people point to and are fulfilled in Jesus. Stephen speaks with such incredible clarity. His experience almost matches what we read in Matthew 10:17-18, “Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.” Stephen wasn’t taken by surprise, he was prepared. Even so, it was a hugely toxic environment; people were accusing him of blaspheming before the courts.

Will we face persecution? Yes. In those moments, we don’t need to worry what to say, “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.” (Matthew 10:19). Wonderful! What a great comfort for all of us.

Stephen reaffirms Jesus was indeed the Messiah. This was too much for the rulers. His fate is sealed. Stephen stood for Christ, despite the opposition. Now he is going to be killed for it. Has he been deserted by his Saviour and God? Not at all. “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32). Here is Stephen, who has more than acknowledged Jesus, stood before the Sanhedrin, and is now going to be stoned. What now?

“But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55). Stephen saw heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Jesus is there, but what is He doing? He is not sitting at the right hand of God, He is standing. Why? Thomas Goodwin writes, “The heart of Christ is so inclined towards His people that it causes Him to stand up when He sees their affliction.” Christ cannot love you more than He already does.

Clearly aware of his Saviour’s love, Stephen prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:60b). This reminds us of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself on the cross. (Luke 23).

Jesus met with Stephen in his persecution. This was an honour for Stephen. The apostle Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). Stephen’s death was surely firmly in his mind when he penned those words.

Is suffering for Christ something you consider to be an honour? You are safe in Jesus. When facing intense trials, when times get tough, how sure are you? Are we prepared to suffer? In our own strength, there is very little we can bear. God doesn’t promise to limit our sufferings. He offers something far greater. He promises to climb into our sufferings with us, to be with us in it. Luke, who wrote these words, does not focus on Stephen, but on Stephen’s role in the advance of the gospel.

  • Persecution will appear to have the upper hand.

“Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 7:58). Those who witnessed the stoning of Stephen laid their clothes at the feet of Saul, who approved of Stephen’s killing (Acts 8:1). Saul had a brutal campaign against the followers of Christ. It included intense suffering and death, to completely wipe out the name of Jesus Christ. It appears he is doing a pretty good job! It results in the early church being scattered. It looks like the persecute have succeeded. Saul began to destroy the church. It is dark. It is bleak.

Remember, we have a God who specialises in bringing light into darkness. Chapter 8 onwards marks a significant shift. The death of Stephen and the subsequent scattering of the early church, far from being the beginning of the end, is actually God’s plan for spreading the gospel to the rest of the world. God is on the throne. “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4). Wow! The persecutors, without realising it, are playing a pivotal role in the advance of the gospel. Who will be at the forefront of spearheading the gospel? None other than the one hoping to stamp it out – Saul!

Places where we have seen the church growing most rapidly in recent years, such as China and Iran, have suffered great persecution, but this often ushers in great blessing. The devil is clearly not learning his lesson. God is on the throne and is building His church.

Whatever persecution you face, God uses it for His glory. He wants you to trust Him and remain faithful to Him. Who have you written off who you think cannot be saved? Let’s not limit our awesome God. God is able to bring light from darkness. He promises He will never leave you.

  • The gospel of Jesus Christ will always bring rejoicing.

“So there was much joy in that city.” (Acts 8:8). How can murder bring about great joy? The verses we have read give up a wonderful microcosm of how God brings light into the most intense darkness. There was great sadness at the death of Stephen. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. Persecution is not pleasant, but God always remains sovereign.

The source of joy is found in Acts 8:4-7, “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.” The Word of God goes out with great power, accompanied with great signs and wonders. Philip proclaims Jesus as the Messiah. People see Jesus is the Saviour they need. God takes the murder of Stephen to be a source of joy.

Can you think of another time when God uses an unjust death and takes it as a catalyst for a source of joy? Yes, the cross of Calvary. The Son of God suffered the righteous for the unrighteous. We have a God who is able to reach into darkness and bring light. The darkest event to ever occur in this world became the brightest light. God can take your darkness and bring light. Look at the cross.

How is it joy can be experienced here in Roch? How, in 2023, can you know real joy? There is only one way that there will be great rejoicing in Roch; this is through the spread of the gospel, by people coming to know the forgiveness of their sins through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by people knowing their only hope is removing their gaze on worldly things and fixing their eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. To be in a place of rejoicing here in Roch, you have to know Jesus. You need Jesus, nothing else.

Who is going to tell the people of Roch, your neighbours, your colleagues? In Acts chapter 8 it is the scattered Christians. Today, it’s Christians here. That’s the task. I am really encouraged to see what the Lord is doing here in Penuel. Can I encourage you to press on? The church is the only hope for a lost community. As we look to the coming weeks and the coming months ahead, until Jesus returns, oh to echo the words of the apostle Paul, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18).

Persecution will come. God is on the throne. He can use our sufferings to advance the gospel. Let us preach the word wherever we go, whatever the cost.

July 16th 2023: Paul Daniel

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Judges 7

Yesterday was the Wimbledon Ladies Final. The loser described this as the worst day ever, but the winner described it as the best day ever. Here we see an example of two extremes – from worst to best. You could tell it all over their faces. Here in the book of Judges, you have the best on show – God’s salvation is at work and on display. The worst is also on show, we see God’s people and how quickly they abandoned the Lord, and the consequences that came. The book of Judges follows Moses and Joshua. The people of Israel receive rest but they also turn and see other gods and start worshipping them. Then, God gave them over to oppressors. They cry out to God, who raises a judge. This cycle of rest, refusing God, oppression, a cry out and God who raises a judge, is a pattern that repeats itself over and over.

Who does God raise up? Gideon. Who is Gideon? “Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.” (Joshua 6:11). In one sense, Gideon is a nobody who God has made into a somebody. God uses people like Gideon to bring glory to himself. God uses people even like Gideon, who isn’t unsure of himself – he asks God for reassurance. God comes down to his level and goes gives him reassurance.

Verses 1 to 8. What is power?
Here, we have the very powerful presence of the Midianites. Numbers is power. Military is power. Others view power as how much money you have. The Israelites had been oppressed for seven years, weak and hiding in caves. They have lost a sense of God’s power. Power, we see is the Lord in control. Gideon has managed to amass a large, great army. Now God is going to show what real power is, “The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.” (v.2).

God says Gideon has got too many men. Power is not needing a really big army. With the Lord it is different. 22,000 men was too many. Those who were afraid could go back, leaving 10,000 men. There were still too many men, And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” (v.4). The numbers needed to go down even further. God told Gideon to take them down to the river and separate them even more. Eventually, 300 men were left, who God would use to save them from the Midianites.

The Lord is always in control. The Lord was the one who gave them over to their oppressors, and it is the Lord who will save them from the oppressors. The army is whittled down to 300. Gideon does not even know how many Midianites he is facing. It shows us that there is nothing too hard for our God. He knows everything. God is not someone who we can quantify. He is beyond all that. People want evidence – the evidence is in creation. We need faith.

Do you believe that God has a purpose and a plan for you? He calls you to come and serve Him, to follow Him. Don’t put God in a box. Scripture shows that God surpasses what the world expects. If we put God in a box, into some kind of framework, into a meeting that starts at a certain time and finishes at a certain time, is that who the Lord is? You can’t put God in a box.

Jesus Christ shows us who God is. Jesus is the unexpected. He did things that people had never seen and heard before. That’s power! That same power is available to you if you are a Christian. What is power? It is the way the Lord works.

Verses 9 to 14. What is endurance?
Is 300 enough? The Lord knows Gideon is weak, “But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. (v.10). Here are two resources that God gives Gideon. Firstly, he gives him Purah, a servant. Gideon was not alone. God gave him Purah to go with him. Secondly, God also gives Gideon His word in a dream. “When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” (vs 13-14). As Purah and Gideon overhear the conversation, Gideon learns he is going to overturn the Midianites.

What reassurances does God give His people today? Others, His church, and his Word. They go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t say you are a Christian and not need other Christians, you can’t say you are a Christian and not need God’s word.

Assurance goes further. Assurance causes Gideon to act and worship God. It builds more assurance, and he stops doubting. It helps him to move forward. We have His Holy Spirit living inside of us. In Gideon’s anxiety, he was asked not to look at himself, but to look at the Lord. Anxiety is huge, but there is a principle here. When we struggle, we are not to focus on ourselves because we are powerless. We are to look to the Lord. Our greatest anxiety is death, but Jesus defeated death. Faith – moving forward with the assurance that God gives. Turn more to God’s word. Talk more to God’s people. Use the resources God has given us.

Verses 15 onwards. What is confidence?
Here is the master plan of how to have confidence and defeat the enemy: trumpets, jars and torches! The Midianites were defeated with trumpets, jars and torches! It is the Lord’s plan. The Lord is the one who is doing it. It is incredible what each man held in his position around the camp. The weakest battle plan ever, yet it results in triumph.

The cross of Jesus looks like the weakest plan and yet it results in triumph. Jesus hanging on the cross, dying – yet three days later He was raised to life. Do you, as Christians, ever doubt you can know God and be forgiven? God uses nobody’s like a Gideon. God used Gideon to bring glory to himself.

This story is not about Gideon. Look what happens, “22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.” 24 And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels[b] of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels. 27 And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.” (Judges 8:22-27).

After all that happened, Gideon does not want to rule over the Israelites – God will. But then how he acts becomes a snare. The book of Judges shows us faith and works go hand in hand. Yes, we are God’s people, but look at what God’s people do – they look to other gods. Judges shows us God is patient with His people. He is gracious despite our lack of love for him. God deliverers his people when they do not deserve it.

Were it not for God’s patience and mercy, we would be somewhere else this morning and have a different eternity. God alone rescues people like you and me. We don’t bring anything to the table. He alone is worthy of our worship. We are not always who we say we are, but look to the Lord and His goodness.

The cross is not just about forgiveness. In the messiness of Christian life and when we turn to other things we know are not good for us, Romans are reminds us, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus.” Israel had no king. We live in a time when leaders make decisions, people talk of the right of ‘I’ and the right of ‘me.’ In all the messiness, God is still the same yesterday, today and forever. God is patient, wanting everyone to come to repentance. God still wants to save people like you and me.

July 9th 2023: Dafydd Williams

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Psalm 80: “Restore us, O Lord.”

Have you ever watched a tv show where there is an old house which needed heating, its glass panes windows replaced and for the rest of the house to be lovingly restored as a family home? It was not fit for purpose but was lovingly restored. What happens to old homes is similar to what can happen to us spiritually.

Psalm 80 is a community lament, written at a time when Israel was in the north and Judah in the South. Possibly, this psalm was written when the northern Kingdom had fallen and was taken into exile. Asaph laments the destruction and exile and prays this doesn’t happen to the southern Kingdom. What has this to do with us? The circumstances are not dissimilar to us; we live in a day when Biblical truths are mocked. The central prayer of Psalm 80 is what we need to hear today. This is repeated in verses 3, 7 and 19, “Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” The Psalmist realises this is their greatest need and our greatest need is to restore us and make His face shine upon us.

There are four truths about the character of God in this Psalm.

In verses 1-3, Asaph is praying to the Shepherd who saves,

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.”
Psalm 80:1

The Lord is called our Shepherd, as he is in Psalm 23. He is concerned for His church. A good Shepherd never leaves His sheep. The Lord above is the one alone who provides and guides. He is also the God who dwells among His people. This is a prayer asking the Lord to hear them and appear in His glorious and saving power. The Psalmist knew that the Lord had great strength. Asaph wants the Lord to act and bring deliverance, He will come in power and save,

“Restore us, O God;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!”
Psalm 80:3

This this is a simple prayer – we need the Lord to restore us. We are like sheep who have wandered far and wide and get distracted by the idols of this world. We are unfaithful to Him, therefore we do not know the favour of God in our lives. When we don’t prioritise time with the Lord, we cannot expect God’s face to shine upon us.

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance[c] upon you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

When the face of the Lord shines on His people they are blessed. Do you know something of God’s face shining on you? Do you know the grace of the Lord Jesus, the one who lays down His life for his sheep? Are you walking closely with your Shepherd or are you in need of restoration?

The second truth of who God is found in verses 4 to 7,

O Lord God of hosts,
    how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbours,
    and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

The almighty is angry.  Would God really threaten to leave His people? We might not like to think of God in that way. These verses show God is the judge of all the earth. He is angry with His people. They have prayed for His blessing but have known ridicule from their enemies. There is no leading into green pastures. The people of God are mocked.

The question of verse 4 is ‘How long will this go on for?” In verse 5 we read that their mourning is continuous, there are so many tears. The care of the Shepherd King is not felt. Don’t make the mistake that God does not care or is not in control. The anger of God is not an accident. He never does wrong. Even through evil, the Lord works and is achieving for His people. The people were living sinful lives. They left the land of blessing. The Lord’s judgement came upon them. Is not neutral with sin, it is an offence to Him. That is why we today might not be experiencing God’s love in our lives.

Verse seven says He saves. There is a growing longing for divine salvation, a cry amongst the sin, that God might show favour again. Sometimes, there is a direct link between our sin and God’s favour. In such times, the Lord might be chastising us. He knows it is only then we will come to know true blessing. The people had fallen out of favour with God. If you are in a position where you have fallen out of favour with God and your heart has grown cold, when you don’t prioritise God, our communion with the Lord can suffer. The Lord knows what is best to draw us back. We are presented with hope in this wonderful, repeated prayer. You can come back and know the reality of the sun shining on you again. Disciplining judgement blocks out warm rays of grace. Pray He might restore you – He is willing. Repent and come back to the Lord.

Thirdly, we see God is a merciful deliverer in verses 8 to 14. This is what God has revealed Himself to be, caring for us like a gardener. God is so kind, so merciful. He is so patient and provides for their daily needs. He is full of mercy and able to save from the most dire of situations. Israel is pictured as a vine which covers the whole land. The people had been mercifully delivered from Egypt. But sadly, in verses 12 to 13, things didn’t stay that way,

“Why then have you broken down its walls,
    so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
    and all that move in the field feed on it.”

The Lord has broken down the walls. The people have been unfaithful to Him. The Psalmist knows God has allowed it. It seems God is turning His back on His people, allowing the land to be ravaged. Isaiah prophesized what would happen to this vine – it would be fruitless. This vine of God should have been full of truthful, faithful followers, but instead it was full of fruitless, faithless disobedience. He has allowed the vineyard to decline because of the incredible descent into faithlessness in His people. It is so sad that God’s people would respond to His mercy and grace in such a way.  

How would you respond if you were in this situation? Would you pray verse 14?

“Turn again, O God of hosts!
    Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine.”

The Psalmist asks that the Lord almighty would look down in kindness. There is a recognition of sin, guilt and shame, and pleading with God to restore. We have to grasp that God is merciful. The people had been so disobedient, yet they know they can approach God in prayer. The wonderful truth is we can lift up our eyes to heaven and ask God to return to us and restore us. We can plead that God will be merciful and do a work in our heart. Come humbly to Him and He will draw near to you once more.

Because the merciful deliverer is who He is, He is a ruler who revives. Asaph Praise that the Lord would watch over this vine, His people.

“They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!” (verse 16).

The vine is cut down and burnt. The situation is bleak. Fire will bring destruction. This is a totally just judgement. So, Asaph prays,

“But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
    give us life, and we will call upon your name!”

In the hour of need, may the Lord sustain his people. The focus of the hope of God’s people is one of David’s line. The Lord would always be true to David. Ultimately, the hope of God’s people is the Rescuer who will come – the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Lord really did watch over His people. God sent His son. The Messiah came, in whom we have been given new life, and access to God.

Verse 18 points us to the hope found in the Lord Jesus Christ. We were once dead in trespasses and sin, yet He died on the cross on our behalf so we can be brought into a relationship with Him. It is only His breath of life that can refresh and renew us. We are powerless in ourselves. We need the spirit of God to come, to give us life, power, and greater awareness of our sin. We need the Lord to revive us ( verses 3, 7, 14, 19). Every time there is a little more added to each verse. The Lord is the Covenant name of God, Yahweh. He is a promise-keeping God. He is faithful in every way.

In the final plea of Psalm 80 we see the Psalmist appeals again to the Covenant, to the promise God has made. He asks God to be faithful in His promise, to forgive the people of their sins as they call upon Him and confess their sins. This conclusion is like an Old Testament conclusion of what we find in 1 John 1: 9., “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Brothers and sisters, do we see and feel our need? Our nation is in a mess. The church feels so powerless. We can do nothing by ourselves, but with God all things are possible, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a prayer we need. We need to be awoken from individual slumber. As a church we need to know the face of God shining on us, to know His favour. Is this prayer of this Psalm your desire? Pray to restore yourself, your church, your nation, that you might know more of Him. Do you want to know more of Him? Do you want the Lord to restore the honour of His name? Can you commit to pray for this, in the coming days and weeks, that the Lord might restore us? We come as sons and daughters to Him in prayer. Will you be bold and pray this bold prayer of Asaph?

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

July 2nd 2023: John Funnell – Baptism Service

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Mark 1:1-13

We’ve met a character called John. I’m John, I’m a Baptist, but not John the Baptist. He wore camel hair, a belt and ate locusts. He spent most of his time in the Jordan shouting at people. He was a very great and powerful man, so great that our Lord Jesus Christ described him as the greatest person ever born (Matthew 11:11). Yet, despite his greatness, when he met with Jesus Christ he says, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (v.7-8). John the Baptist, the greatest man who ever lived, didn’t feel worthy enough to do the lowest job for Jesus. Why? Because John the Baptist knew that this real, tangible, historic person in front of him was not just another man, He’s God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1).

Jesus is God. John the Baptist knew this man. He could see in flesh before him was Logos, the Word who the spoke time, space and matter into existence. John the Baptist knew that Jesus is the Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, Kings of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lion of Judah, the great I am, the Promised Messiah. At His name every knee shall bow, even those today who deny Him. He came to the River Jordan to undertake a sinner’s baptism, to do what TJ is about to do this afternoon. Why?

Before I was a pastor, I was a prison chaplain. I loved it. But I was with some vile people – murderers and worse. Prison is not exactly how you think it is. At times, it can be a very open place where inmates move around and are free to wear their own clothes. On Sundays, I dress smartly, but the rest of the week I am in casual clothes, similar to the inmates. I looked like them. On occasion, the prisoners would be ushered back into their cells when alarms went off. As they were herded in, I would begin to panic. I would make sure that my pass and keys could be seen, so that the prison wardens did not mistake me for one of the prisoners. I wanted them to know I wasn’t one of the prisoners.

I don’t know why I panicked. I knew the inmates well and trusted them. I had built up strong relationships with them as their chaplain and I know they would never hurt me. Even if I was locked in, I had my keys and my pass, so I could get myself out. So, why did I panic? Because of a deep-seated issue in my heart. I didn’t want to be numbered with the inmates, who had done some vile and disgusting things. I didn’t want the shame of the guards thinking I was one of them. How un-Christian! It pains me even more now, in how the Lord Jesus Christ came to save me from my sin and reunite me with the Living God.

Jesus Christ is the perfect Son of God, yet He came here to this broken earth that rejects Him, and He chose to go through a sinner’s baptism. Isn’t that beautiful? He came so that He could be numbered with us, so that as one of us He could go to the cross as a substitute for us and die that death that we all deserve because of our sin, so we can have His life. Hallelujah! Just as Jesus passed through the waters to be named with us, TJ is willing today to publicly show you all that he is now numbered with Jesus. TJ is going through the waters to show you through the act of baptism that Jesus Christ is his Lord and Saviour.

For some of you here today, what TJ is about to do might seem very odd. Yet, well over two billion people alive today, which is a third of humanity, have done what TJ is about to do. Praise be to God there are hundreds of thousands of people around the world today that are going to be doing the same thing TJ. Isn’t that great! Baptism isn’t weird. Baptism has been in the central place of practice in the West for 2000 years. It is the core that’s built our society. It is a public profession of faith. It’s a symbol showing you all, this afternoon, of TJ’s commitment to Jesus and His teaching. It is a symbol of Christ’s washing away of TJ’s sin. It also symbolises the death to TJ’s former self and, as he comes out of the water, it symbolises his re-birth as a Child of God. It’s a joy to see.

TJ, do not think that when you’ve been baptised you’ve ticked all the boxes. Baptism is just the start of a wonderful journey with God that never ends. When you leave this life, you have eternity with Jesus. Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of His ministry, and it marks the beginning of yours, as a Christian. You must be on your guard. I say this from personal experience. When Jesus left the waters of baptism He was led straight to the wilderness where He was tempted. The devil will be after you. Over the coming weeks, stand your guard. Stay close to the Word of God and stay close with your church family. There is safety in numbers. When a lion attacks a zebra, he doesn’t go for the herd, he gets the ones that are on their own. Stay with the church.

It is a most blessed time. Jesus loves you. You are joining His church. Today, you are publicly proclaiming citizenship in God’s Kingdom. Hallelujah! Enjoy it. As you pass through the waters, you now have a new and better life with peace. We love you. I love you and we’re going to support you. Welcome to the family.

July 2nd 2023: John Funnell

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Luke 15:11-32: The Parable of the Lost Son

This parable was written with God’s grace and love for us. It is masterfully told by our Lord. There are three characters to think about. We read of the Father, the loving provider, who represents God. There is a son who disgraces his father by asking for his share of the inheritance early, which, in this culture was an outrageous event, and would have been seen as the son wishing his father dead. The Father obliges and the son leaves to chase the pleasures of this world. This parable reminds us that this life choice never works for anyone. When we take ourselves away from the Father, any trial that comes our way breaks us.

A famine comes, “And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.” (Luke 15:14). The son, who was prospering, becomes a slave to sin. He hires himself out to a citizen of the world, “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.” (v.15). Look how the world treats him – he ends up rock bottom, feeding pigs, which were unclean to Jews, “And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.” (v.16). He was not only feeding the pigs, they were eating better than he was. The world may lead you away from God, but temptations leave you rock bottom.

The son decides to return home, coming back on his own terms, merely as a servant. To his surprise, as he repents from his worldly sin, he sees his dad waiting for him with open arms. The son is welcomed back, not merely as a servant but loved as a son, “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.” (v.22). Not only that, he was given a sacrifice to atone for his sin – a prize calf, a rejection of the golden calf of this world, “And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.” (v.23).

Such celebrations upset the third character in this story, the other son, “But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,” (v.28). He is jealous of his sibling’s treatment and said, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.” (v.29). He makes the mistake of seeking a similar reward, but out of obedience. Both boys have no understanding of how God works. One thought he had to reach rock bottom to receive grace, the other thought he could earn it.

Jesus makes it clear that God’s love for you is freely an offer for you right now, regardless of where you are at. Jesus loves you all so much, He has done it all for you already. You don’t have to reach rock bottom to receive God’s love because Jesus, on the cross, hit rock bottom for you. Jesus says you can turn back to him right now. You can repent of your sin right now. Whatever is weighing you down, whatever shameful secrets you hold onto, God says, ‘Come to me.’ When you do, you will find the Father is already waiting for you with open arms, running towards you to clothe you in the robe of righteousness of the Son.

The generosity of our Father doesn’t stop there. It gets better! Brilliant! The Parable of the Lost Son links it to the wider narrative, “He also said …” (v.11). This parable is linked to what has gone on previously: the Lost Coin and the Lost Sheep. Both parables end in the same way – a party in heaven, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (v.7), “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (v.10), “And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.” (v.23).

What is Jesus telling us here? He is reminding us that when we turn away from the ways of the world and repent, heaven has a party. When TJ gets baptised this afternoon, it will not just be the people here rejoicing, heaven has a party. Millions of angels will be rejoicing.  

I have strong links to Romania. Romania and Roch are bookends of our continent! Christians in Romania have suffered Muslim oppression, then atheist oppression and now cultural oppression from Wokeism of secular Europe. They never talk of the day they came to faith; when giving their testimony they tell of the day of their repentance and fell into the warm embrace of their loving Father. That is what we see in the parable. We see the amazing truth of God’s grace. We don’t have to earn our salvation, we don’t have to reach bottom. He will always welcome us if we turn to Him because He is gracious. Heaven has a party. The angels rejoice.

If heaven is willing to have a party, just for you, when you repent, you can know that God will never ever let you go. Jesus wants you to bask in the love of Himself. Jesus also wants you to rest in the blessed assurance He will never let you go. The precious Lamb of God was slain for each of you. In heaven, the victory party has begun. Your other option is to spend the week living in the filth of condemnation. It’s an easy choice. God has brought each of you here today to hear this. Today is the day of salvation. Turn from your guilt, turn from your lies and darkness, come to the truth, come to God. He is waiting with open arms. Come to God before this window of grace closes.

June 25th 2023: Ian Middlemist

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Luke 11: 33-36 Glow in the Dark

What is on offer for us this morning is illumination. This world is marked by darkness because the soul of man without Jesus Christ is in darkness. We are in darkness until we have the hole punched through the darkness. We’ve just passed the longest day of the year, but our world is marked by darkness. We need to punch a hole in the darkness. Jesus is the light of the world. We long that His light would shine.

Jesus tells us of this parable and we have to think about how we respond. “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.”  (Luke 11:33). Some were dazzled by the light. Some considered the light to be darkness. Others saw little light in Him (verses 29-32) and made demands for further signs. It wasn’t good enough; they were looking for something else. Jesus speaks in this parable of great revelation of God Himself in His person. It is all about His person, all about Jesus.

God has put Jesus, the Light, on the stand. Many people view religion as God may have revealed Himself, but to a strange, obscure group of people. They believe it is only for a special few – perhaps those in a monastery. The Light is for everyone. Some think if it’s for everyone then it cheapens the knowledge of the truth. Not so. “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” (Luke 11:33). The image is of a house that’s in the dark. You can imagine such a place in your mind’s eye. It’s in darkness. It’s unnerving. A restless place. You can’t fulfil your plans or get anything done. You’re stressed. Confused. The opposite of that is a room filled with light so people can see. Jesus invites you into this room to see the light. Do you prefer to be in a room filled with darkness? There’s no point having a light in a room where there is no-one. We invite people into a room of light. Jesus is the Light of the world. He is the lamp that must not be hidden.

Where do you find this light? Is it in church? Where do we find truth in this day and age? Some believe that they can look deep within themselves and find a well of life. Sadly, that is not true. The Bible tells us that what we have within is darkness. The light is in Jesus Christ. The light of God has shone on Him.

We need healthy eyes to see, “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.” (Luke 11:34). The way the lamp of Jesus becomes a light to you is to see it as it really is. When your eye is healthy you are full of light when you see Jesus. Many people suffer with sight loss, struggling especially in the evening, when night falls. Jesus talks about people who struggle without the light of Christ, who have unhealthy eyes. Jesus is alerting these hearers that the problem is not to do with the light, but with them. The blind need to see the entry of light shining. Jesus healed so many blind people in His ministry.

How easy it is for us to become dull to the reality of the cross. How much does the cross mean to you right now? It’s not a problem with the message but with us. Have healthy eyes. Pray that God will give you healthy eyes.

“Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.” (Luke 11:35). Be careful. It places the onus on you. You have some responsibility here. Jesus says, ‘Listen to this. See to it. Be careful lest this light in you be darkness.’ We need to examine ourselves. Is my light really light or is it darkness? Dear friends, be careful with your soul. Are you sure you’re in the light? You may be fooling yourself.

There are many bright things that keep us from seeing Jesus. Be careful. There are many theological teachers who do not walk in truth. If you’re not in the light of Christ in your whole body, you are still in darkness. Be careful what you see as bright and attractive. These bright lights die away.

Let’s make much of the Word. Don’t just read of Christ on the cross – maintain a soft heart. Listen to the warnings and pleas of God’s Word. Contemplate. Take time to examine your soul. Are you right with God? Concentrate. Make a deliberate attempt to focus on Christ. Shine. We must shine our light. Christ is the glory we are meant to see.

June 18th 2023: John Mann

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“10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” 1 Peter 1:10-12.

Peter wrote to a church very much under persecution. This is summed up in verse 6, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.” These are a people passing through difficult times, suffering for doing good. That’s the kind of world they lived in, and we live in too. In chapter 4 they suffer for being a Christian. We know a little of that, some suffer greatly. Peter’s purpose is to emphasise the greatness of our salvation. What a privilege, what a joy and what a blessing it is to belong to Christ. Peter says it is of greater value than this world has to offer. Nothing in this world comes even close.

Is your heart rejoicing in the knowledge that you know Christ as your personal Saviour? Salvation overrides everything else. It is our priority to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Our life is the opportunity God gives to us to know Christ as our Saviour. Does your relationship with Jesus out-do all earthly pleasures? If we are without knowledge and understanding of God’s saving grace, of the need for forgiveness, then we are missing the whole purpose of what we are here for and we remain in darkness of sins. Peter wants us to rejoice in what the Lord Jesus has done.

Our salvation is all of God’s grace – no merit of our own, no self-achievement. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ – faith which is in Christ alone, faith which leans fully on Him. We don’t see Him but it’s the faith that saves. It’s the faith that inspires love, so real it outweighs any adversaries. When we go through difficulties and face opposition, we can always rejoice! It’s a joy the world knows nothing about. We have the joy of knowing we have a Saviour we can turn to. We are wealthy beyond measure. Are you building up heavenly credit? Are you seeking righteousness, storing up treasures in heaven?

Salvation. God planned it from the beginning. He gave us His Word, He gave us the Bible, He gave us prophets. All this leads to His Son, our Saviour and what He did for us on the cross at Calvary. Are you amazed at God’s salvation, what He has done for you, a sinner saved by grace?

The prophets were amazed, even though they were proclaiming something they didn’t fully understand, yet it excited them with great anticipation. The prophets were people who believed the words God gave them. They proclaimed the coming of a Messiah with passion. It was often at great cost to themselves, yet they were excited. They foresaw and understood there was a great salvation coming. Do you search the scriptures as intently as the prophets did?

Does His Word excite us and fill us with a great sense of wonder so we long to know more? The prophets believed there was a Messiah to come in the future. They knew God the future. The full implication what God would do intrigued them and filled them with wonder and amazement. They couldn’t contain their anticipation. They knew it was by grace. They knew God would send His Son and for him there would be sufferings (Isaiah 53). He suffered for the sake and sins of others. Isaiah, who didn’t know the full implication, by the Holy Spirit, presented what the Lord Jesus would do for you and me.

Salvation is God’s doing. He implemented it and completed it (Isaiah 53:10). That is how great this salvation is. It was His will to crush the Lord Jesus Christ and cause Him to suffer in our place. The prophets knew salvation would come through faith in Jesus Christ. They anticipated that great day when the Messiah would come, “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter 1:12).

That day has now come. The prophets foresaw these things. The apostles preached these things. In our day, preachers still proclaim the Word of God. We know how the Lord Jesus Christ suffered for our sakes. The gift of salvation is given, it is nothing of ourselves, so we cannot boast. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We have this great privilege of hearing the gospel preached week by week. We have God’s gift of faith to believe in Christ. We have glorious hope in Him. Peter wants us to remember the wonder of salvation.

Just like the prophets, we don’t fully understand. We know more than the prophets; we know of the cross of Jesus Christ and His love for sinners. We anticipate that great day when we will know fully, and stand in God’s presence and see our Saviour face to face, and know more and more each day.

It isn’t just the prophets – even the angels long to look into these things. The angels are unable to fully comprehend how it feels for a sinner to be saved by grace. They long to look into this wonderful prospect of sinners being saved by grace. Angels dwelt in the presence of God and understood His holiness and saw His glory (Isaiah 6). They were messengers that God sent (Hebrews 1). They are privileged personal instruments from Him. They are given an awesome presence of their own.

 Angels are perfect beings, free from corruption that blights us. Angels knew the work of Jesus at His incarnation. Angels were involved in the temptation of Jesus (Mark 1). They were involved in His miracles (Mark 5). They were involved in His Resurrection. This is the privilege and blessing of the angels. Angels were involved in His person and glory (Revelation 22). These holy angels, who behold His glory, who carry out His bidding, still cannot fully understand our salvation by grace and long to look into these things. If they are amazed, how much more should we be filled with a sense of joy, a sense of blessing and wonder of the One who saved us? Do we long to know more, to lean forward and marvel?

What a great God we serve and worship. Are we filled with a sense of privilege? Freely we have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ. It is all in Him and by Him. Without Him there would be no salvation, we would still be under the condemnation of a holy God. Are we filled with that same sense of wonder at God’s grace and mercy in saving our eternal souls? Do we express our eternal thanksgivings (Psalm 126).

Peter’s challenges exhort us to never under-value our salvation, to never lose sight of the wonder and glory and grace of the gospel. This gospel doesn’t discriminate – it is free to all who will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of sins. Peter is writing to Gentiles and people of all nations. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6). Praise God! Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

June 11th 2023: Gaius Douglas

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Job 42: “There but for the grace of God go I.”

In this chapter we will be focusing on the three daughters of Job: Jemimah, Keziah and Keren-Happuch. When you see someone who is suffering, who is down and out, finding life very difficult, as we look on and try to understand why, we respond in one of two ways: we can say he or she deserves it, or we can say, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’

These friends of Job who come to comfort him (Job 2:11-13), instead of comforting him they become his worst enemies. They said he deserved what he was getting because he was a hypocrite.

In 1 Corinthians 15 the apostle Paul says he is not wanting to be called an apostle because he persecuted the church. We can empathise with a person experiencing difficulties because we realise those same difficulties could happen to us. God demonstrates His grace, He shows us His grace. Grace is God choosing to bless us rather than curse us as our sins deserve. God is benevolent. God bestows grace on us. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, He has blessed you with His grace, with His compassion, with His kindness. He has given to you what you don’t deserve.

God’s grace is the restoration of Job. God’s constant work is seen in a two-fold aspect: spiritually, He restored Job’s soul and physically He restored him. This is something we see throughout the life of every believer – our spiritual and physical restoration. Even though I’m saved, you may say ‘I’m ailing.’ But my dear friends, very soon our Lord Jesus Christ is coming and He will restore our bodies. We will have a glorified body. We shall be like Him. This is something to look forward to. The restoration of the soul is only possible for those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Job’s three daughters had wonderful names. Jemimah means ‘day light, as handsome as the day.’ Keziah refers to cassia, a fragrant spice, a beautiful fragrance. Keren-Happuch, the most beautiful of all the daughters, is ‘the horn of paint.’ Eye-liner accentuates the beauty of the eyes. Job saw her beautiful eyes. These girls were the most beautiful in all the East, “In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job,” (Job 42:15a).

There is no doubt, from the time Job came from the dung heap, he is now living with his family. All that he had lost was restored. When we come to the miracles of Jesus Christ, to the lady who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment (Mark 5), Jesus says ‘They faith has made thee well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.’ Here we see the restoration of the soul and the physical healing. Do you know you’ve been physically healed? If you know and love the Lord Jesus Christ, we will never die. We have been saved for glory. Our souls have been restored. In the eyes of God, He sees Christ in us, who is perfect.

Job had seven sons and three daughters, “He also had seven sons and three daughters.” (Job 42:13). The sons are not named. Job loved them. He offered sacrifices regularly to God for his sons and daughters, just in case they sinned. He names the daughters. Why? Names in scripture hold great significance. The Lord Jesus Christ is given the name Jesus, ‘For He shall save the people from their sins.’ These three daughters were going to be a testimony of God’s grace towards Job. They are part of the blessings of Job’s prosperity. Job sat in the ashes. Here we see a representation of three beautiful women. In Christ you are beautiful. He has given you life, He has given you salvation, He has given you of Himself, He has given you Christ. We also see that Job gave the names to his daughters. This is the only place in scripture where a father gives names to his daughters.

For a long time Job experienced darkness and long nights. He calls his first daughter Jemimah. Day. Job was a man of great faith and patience. There were times when he was so low he only expected death. But there were other times when this wasn’t so (Job 13:15, 19:25, 23:10). Daylight. Job is thinking about the graciousness of God. David describes it in Psalm 23 as living in the shadow of death. Day – the Lord has brought him out of darkness into His glorious light. Now he can see the day. His night has been turned into day.

Then Job had a second daughter, Keziah. Job deemed her as precious as cassia, a fragrant spice. In Hebrew it means ‘bow down the head.’ Perhaps, Job remembered those days and those nights when he was bowed down in ashes, in a dung heap, with no place to rest. He was also being tormented by his friends. Cassia was also used as an anti-inflammatory drug. Perhaps it was part of his cure. This is also a picture of prayer. At the end of chapter 1, when messengers came and gave him the bad news, Job bowed his face down and worshipped the Lord. Here, in chapter 42, he bows. This is repentance. You cannot have forgiveness without repentance.

We are reminded in Corinthians, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7). God is that cheerful giver and He now lavishes Job with another daughter, Keren-Happuch, ‘horn of paint.’ Keren-Happuch didn’t need this paint to accentuate her eyes, she had such beauty. Job would look at her and see he is now newly-restored, “In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.” (Job 42:15). Job’s three daughters, Jemimah, Keziah and Keren-Happuch, represented God’s graciousness to Job. They represented God’s favour towards Job.

“to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”

(Isaiah 61:3)

The beauty that God gave to those ladies would speak of His blessing. Men and women around would see these beautiful women, the offspring of Job. Doesn’t this remind you of the Lord Jesus Christ? In the same way these three women spoke of God’s restoration on Job’s life, we see the man Jesus who He sent to become our Saviour, who brought light, who was beautiful in every aspect, who came into a Christ-less, dark world (Matthew 4:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:5).

My dear friends, you are the children of day, not of darkness. You are the children of day. We will never experience darkness. We need to live in light.

“Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad.” (Psalm 45:8)

The garment of the High Priest was sprinkled with this beautiful fragrance as he walked into the Holy of Holies. The fragrance would ascend to the throne of God. Jesus Christ was a sweet-smelling aroma to His God. “Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John12:3). He displayed the glories of God’s grace.

Jemimah, Keziah and Keren-Happuch had an outward beauty, but possibly an inward beauty. The Lord Jesus Christ had no beauty to desire Him (Isaiah 53). Yet when He walked this earth, people saw beauty, glory, power and compassion. He displayed a sweet-smelling savour to God. It came from His heart and He displayed it to all around. He still displays it today. His grace and favour is displayed in you.

We look forward to His coming again. Now we can rest in Him, the glory of the Father. We are clothed with garments of salvation, so we can display His glory. “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14) Through you. That’s me and you. We are to God the fragrance of Christ. Wow!

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. He is refining our nature. Job was the greatest man in the East. Now it is his daughters who display the glories of Job and are the most beautiful women of the East. When we come to the Lord Jesus Christ we see one who displays the glories of His Father, Now His beauty rests not only upon us, but in us. Now we are beautiful. Do you believe that? God looks upon us and sees beauty in us because He sees Christ. Do we live in that grace? Do we live in a way that displays God’s beauty and His grace?

Let’s pray that the inward beauty and the fragrance of Christ may be seen in us, and that the Spirit of God – who is there transforming us by the renewing of our minds – that as we walk and as we live, we may display the same beauty and remember Jemimah, Keziah and Keren-Happuch. They were there for the glory of God. We are here for God’s glory.