Tag: Jesus Christ

April 14th 2025: Andrew Bowden

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Luke 19: 29-44

“And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.” Luke 19:28.

There is an account of Palm Sunday in each of the gospels. The setting is the approach of the greatest festival in Jerusalem, Passover. It remembers the time when God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, when a lamb was slain, when firstborn were sheltered and the blood and were spared. It prefigures the great Paschal Lamb, Jesus. Before the foundation of the world God had a plan. We see here the working out in the fallen world, ravaged with sin, where God is about to establish His greatest masterpiece from eternity past – a mighty awesome event.

Our Lord is coming to His hour, His time. Our Lord here is coming to Jerusalem. It is a moving scene. The crowds, having witnessed Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, are euphoric. They extol Jesus as the king. It is out of keeping with the Lord’s ministry. Our Lord always suppressed any hint of euphoria. Alongside Psalm 24 there is an intimation of a coming glory, like on the mount of transfiguration. It is an awesome event.

  1. The fulfilment of scripture.

Earlier, in chapter 18 verse 31, going up to Jerusalem is all the outworking of what was recorded in holy scripture centuries before. There are predictions concerning His birth, His manner of life, the nature of His ministry, His suffering, death, Resurrection, and His ascension into glory. It is a book of marvels, come down from heaven. Think of the various typography, of Joseph and others, looking forward to Christ to come. It sets forth the wonder of the coming Jesus. God’s covenant love and mercy.

Jesus, when He refers to prophecies, say they testify to Him. For Jesus is the central figure of holy scripture, of the Trinity, the cross, the gospel message. They are all wrapped up in Jesus. 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
    righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
            (Zechariah 9:9).

See all the incredible details, detail fulfilled in this event. God verifies His word.

Scripture has always been under attack. In Genesis we have the word of God under attack by Satan. When we come to holy scripture, we ought to revere it. All the truths and glories of the visible Christ need to be fleshed out, in and through us, as it was with Jesus. We cannot appreciate Him, we cannot love Him unless we are steeped in God’s word. We need to be enraptured in Christ. We need to see afresh Jesus. We need to absorb God’s word. The Bereans searched the scriptures daily, to see for themselves the wonder of these things.

  • The excitement of the crowd.

Our Lord arrived at Bethany and the crowds converged and extol our Lord, His kingship. There is great excitement yet they cannot realise fully that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Christ has come as King. That is what is celebrated in Revelation, above all else. He came to vanquish Satan, to abolish death and bring life. He has come to establish the basis of a royal pardon. It is a finished work, a glorious work. The cross is God’s masterpiece. Christ cried on the cross, “It is finished!” Our pardon, our forgiveness. We can never bring anything of ourselves. Jesus came to vanquish the devil, but more than that, to set up a realm of grace. The Kingdom is within you; it is eternal and spiritual. It banishes all guilt, all shame. It is all of God’s grace.

We see here His majesty. He knows where the colt is tethered and what the objections will be. He knows all. He Has rebuked the forces of darkness. Here, He is calm and composed. We see some of His humanity, riding on a donkey, in peace. How many, many, many lives of subjects have been laid down for a monarch? But here, the King lays down His life for His subjects.

There is euphoria, a celebration as Jesus enters Jerusalem. There was euphoria with the angels at His birth. The first carol service was celebrated by angels. In Psalm 24 we see our Lord ascended and sits at the Father’s right hand. As He is received into our hearts we are welcomed as children of God. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

  • The Pharisees and their resentment.

The Pharisees could not stand so much being made of Christ. They had a cold, formal religion. There will always be opposition to the gospel. We see moves to make the gospel more palatable. But the gospel begins with the reality of who we are – sinners. It is uncomfortable. That is the bad news. But the good news is that forgiveness and pardon can be found through Jesus Christ. He is precious, Lord of all. Everything should be laid at His feet, joyfully – our talent, our time and gifts.

March 16th 2025: Gareth Edwards

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Romans 5:12-21 – Death in Adam, Life in Christ

In just 10 verses a lot of theological truth is condensed. Consequently, there is no time to fully explore the depth of all Paul says here. We’re not going to fully exhaust these verses. I trust, by God’s grace, we will be deeply encouraged and challenged. Central to an understanding of this passage is that God has appointed two individuals to represent men. These are our federal heads: Adam and Jesus Christ. All that we ever will be revolves around our relationship with these two men. There is a repeated contrast. Paul mentions the one man, then the many, or all. The action of the one has a profound effect for the all, the many.

By nature, we are in Adam but our future destiny depends if we are also in Christ. Adam was a type of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45). Paul emphasises the human nature of Jesus. Paul focuses on Jesus being our representative. Just as Adam had been appointed as a federal head, so Jesus is a federal head. Adam and Jesus are similar in that they could be appointed by God to be our representative. However, there is a difference. Adam’s failure brought disaster. Christ brought hope.

Sin and death in Adam.
When Adam fell into sin (v12), we all sinned in him. Sin began with Satan (Revelation 12:7-8), with Adam succumbing to Satan’s temptation. Adam had been created by God perfect, with an ability to resist Satan’s temptation. But he did not. He becomes a slave to sin. What is more, because Adam is our representative, when he fell, we fell with him. So, like him, we are sinful creatures under the dominion of sin. As we all sinned in Adam, we are all condemned in Adam (v16, 18). We are justly condemned before the righteousness of God (Ephesians 4:2). This means we are under sentence of death. God warned Adam if he disobeyed Him, he would surely die (Genesis 2:17).

After Adams fall, after his disobedience, God in His mercy did not enforce the sentence of death on Adam immediately in a physical way. But he was cut off from the fellowship with God. This seed of death would consume him to death. The same sin condemns us (1 Corinthians 15:20). Even at this moment, you and I are the walking dead. We are spiritually dead, cut off from God, from the moment we drew our first breath (Romans 6:23). Sin and death in Adam.

‘How can I be held responsible for what Adam did?’ This is what many people say in the West. Yet, other people understand this (reference to village chiefs – where the chief or elder represent their tribe). When God appointed Adam as our federal head He chose the best candidate. Adam was given the ability to resist temptation. None of us would have done any better.

If we object to Adam being our federal head, our representative, we must also object to Jesus Christ be in our federal head, our representative – therefore, removing all possibility of salvation. In that case, we reject men being sons of God. Adam, even before the fall, was but a creature who had a relationship with God. But Adam was not a child of God – for it was only when the Son of God came into this world and became the Son of Man, one with us and through grace being one with Him, then becoming a child of God.

With Adam we are in a desperate situation, justly condemned. Nothing we can do can change this. We are hopelessly lost. That is why we need to look to God for salvation. He alone can save us. Therefore, Paul speaks of grace and life in grace. In His loving kindness, in His mercy, God appoints a second federal head – Jesus Christ Himself. He becomes our Saviour. In His grace (v15) God offers us the free gift of salvation.

This grace is abundant (v15, 17, 20). This grace is not universal; not all men are saved. But neither is this grace rationed, it is for many. Paul emphasises this by drawing a contrast between the judgement that came because of one man’s disobedience, with salvation that comes to a great many people (v16).

How is this salvation secured? By Christ’s obedience (v18-19). Our second head gloriously succeeded. He perfectly obeyed. In His humility, Christ laid aside glory and honour and humbled Himself to come into this sin-sick world, in obedience to the will of God the father. He lived a sinless life. He lived the life of a perfect man which Adam and all of us failed to do. Even more, He offered Himself up to death in our place on the cross. He bought the wages of our sin on the cross. He offered Himself as a sacrifice, as our substitute, dying under the penalty of the law.

Through this obedience Jesus brings us:

i. Justification (v16). We are declared not guilty of our sin because our sin was imputed, credited to Christ. God pronounced the judgement of death on Jesus in our place. As He pays in full our debt before the law, we are justified. It is just as if I have never sinned.

ii. Righteousness (v17, 21). In salvation through His obedience, the Lord Jesus Christ provides for us justification and also righteousness. Our sinfulness is credited to Him. At the same time, His sinlessness is credited to us, as if we lived the perfect life of obedience. Therefore, we are accepted by God. Consequently, those who repent of their sin, having Him as their Saviour, knowing that He is the federal head, are saved. They have received new life, eternal life (v17, 21).

This means restored spiritual life in the soul. A new life floods our souls as fellowship with God is restored. Because there is new life in the soul, there will be restoration of physical life (1 Corinthians 15:22). Here then is hope for the hopeless, in Jesus Christ with all its glorious blessings.

Are you alive in Christ, or still dead in Adam? It is one or the other, there is no in-between. If you are in Adam, the second death is eternal punishment for your sin in hell (Revelation). If you come to Christ in repentance and trust in Christ as your saviour, you will experience spiritual restoration and resurrection joy. Which one will it be for you – alive in Christ or dead in Adam?

Come to Jesus now. It is a free gift, you do not earn it. We are not worthy to receive it, but it is freely given in God’s abundant grace to all who turn from sin and trust in Jesus for forgiveness. Come. Don’t hesitate.

If you are in Christ, remember your salvation is not of your own making. It is by God’s grace, so endlessly praise the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You can rejoice with thankfulness if you are a child of God in Christ. This is the greatest privilege. It is the source of all blessing. You have great cause to rejoice, to be glad and glorify your Saviour’s name.

December 15th 2024: Ian Middlemist

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Matthew 1:1-17 “Jesus Christ, born in The Likeness of us.”

  1. Human Lineage
  2. 2) the sinless descendant

The genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you look at your own genealogy, you may be looking for some royal ancestry, but generally there’s something like a skeleton in the cupboard, something sinful. It reminds us that we’re human. The knowledge and experience of God reminds us we are human. It is a solid truth. We have parents, our parents have parents. Some can trace their genealogy back a few generations. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve. We are told that Adam is the son of God, in Luke’s genealogy. God created Adam.

Matthew begins his Christmas story by tracing the lineage of Jesus Christ. This genealogy shows us that the Lord Jesus Christ had a truly human lineage but also that He is the sinless descendant. Jesus Christ was sent to a sinful, needy, week, last, confused, broken, lawless people like you and I.

1.Human Lineage

The human genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ shows us a broad spectrum of people from all walks of life including kings and commoners. But oddly for the patriarchal Jews of Matthew’s day, there are women in this list – women who were Gentiles. Some of the women and men who were named were notoriously immoral. This list clearly isn’t fabricated. It is as it is. No religious Jew would have put this list together to impress the community to show this great pedigree of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone on this list shares one thing in common – every single one is a sinner, in need of a Saviour, in need of forgiveness, in need of restoration, in need of a new life (Romans 1-3).

Every name is important in this genealogy. Because they are descendants of Adam, they are sinners. All are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Even Mary acknowledged her need of a Saviour (Luke). Let us look at 2 characters to highlight the fact that Jesus Christ is a descendant who is truly human.

Tamar (v3) illustrates that Jesus is the Saviour of sinners. He deliberately associated with sinners, such as tax collectors who were notorious scoundrels. We may think we are not a sinful as Tamer, a prostitute. All of us are in need of a Saviour. In Tamar we see Christ brings salvation to sinners.

We all know what Rahab was famous for! She is known to us as the harlot. Like Tamar, she was a Canaanite – outside of the covenant people of God, ‘not from round here.’ (Joshua 2). Remarkably, she believed in the God of the Hebrews. She had faith. As uncomfortable as she is as a subject, by faith she did not perish. She is an example of faith and works. James makes the point that salvation is by grace through faith. Rahab had faith and expressed her faith through works. Salvation that Christ brings comes to sinners by faith. Tamar and Rahab teaches us that salvation is received by faith.

2. The sinless descendant.

Christ was sinless, fitting to be our Saviour. Jesus Christ was rich beyond all splendour, but for our sake He became poor. He became us. He is associated with us. Christ’s lineage, from these people and from Adam, is a real, meaningful association. Christ became completely human. He was 100% human. There is humanity continuity seen in this lineage.

However, there is something radically different about Jesus – He was completely sinless. His nature was sinless. Christ’s birth was a virgin birth. He was sinless. The Lord Jesus Christ was not guilty in His human life of any actual sin. Never did He utter a word that transgressed the law. Never did His emotions get the better of Him. We witness this as we study His life, His integrity and His honesty. Our Lord and Saviour is the sinless One who teaches us to ask for forgiveness of sin.

There is no sin inherent in Him. In the Lord Jesus Christ, in His very nature, there was no sin, even though He was 100% human. This Christ is the Lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1). Therefore, He was a fitting sacrifice on the cross. This is why the blood that was shed at Calvary was so gloriously precious; There was no sin in Him. None. Our blood cannot atone because we have inherent sin. Christ has no inherent sin whatsoever. His person is pure and holy (Hebrews 7:26).

God sent forth His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Christ was in the likeness of our flesh, but without sin. He did not come with sinful flesh. He was made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was not made sinful. There is a vital difference. Our sin was transferred to Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice. His righteousness was transferred to us.

Christ came, in the likeness of sinful flesh. This means that a just and holy God can now look on Him and pardon me. I can be forgiven, I can be atoned for, I can be saved. Christ has died on the cross. I am justified by His amazing grace as I put my trust in Him (Romans 8:3). He is the sinless Saviour who dies for me.

God sent a Saviour for sinners. Christ associates with sinners. As you begin to contemplate the last year, in your failures, God sent Christ for us. This genealogy invites such as me to come to Jesus and ask for pardon, to be washed and cleansed. Praise His name.

October 27th 2024: Andrew Bowden

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“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31.

Our Lord encounters a barrage of questions from the religious establishment. Many are trite, trivial and show shear arrogance and impertinence of men questioning the second person of the Trinity. They have such a sceptical approach. The Bible begins with God questioning man and woman. Adam is asked, ‘Where are you in all this mess?’ There is nothing trivial about the question. We read the Lord will come to seek and save the lost. Christ will be the central figure in the answer, opening up the way in His sacrificial death. That is the gospel. He came to deal decisively with sin.

The second question is to Eve, ‘What is this you have done? Don’t you realise the ramifications?’ The answer from God is what He will do on the cross and Christ will say, “It is finished.”

In the setting here in Mark’s gospel There is formality and hypocrisy before all questions. They lost the essence of the law, which is love. There is a stark contrast of them being so hard-hearted and Jesus reaching out to all. We see grace personified in Jesus. The very one God raised up to be the mediator, in His very demeanour, is so approachable, tender and compassionate. Incredible!

A lawyer steps forward and says to Jesus, ‘Which is the greatest commandment?’ It is like saying, ‘Which of your children do you love the most?’ Jesus comes to the very heart of the law – love is the essence. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” We are looking at our love towards God and how we should love God. The word ‘love’ covers so many things. It is a love, first of all, which is personal – ‘love your God.’

The gospel is not about ritual and ceremony, rules, regulations and robes. The gospel is about a loving, living, dynamic relationship with God. God has made us and created us to respond to stimuli: a sunset, a meadow of spring flowers, crashing waves on a shore. We respond to beauty with awe. The whole earth is full of the glory of God. God is behind it all. If the dawn chorus only happened once a year, no one would go to bed! Yet the human heart does not respond to God with all, wonder and love. Yet we know we are made for something more. We are made to know God in a personal way. We should respond to Calvary and the cross. John 3:16. The love of God towards us, is demonstrated in a way which will stand for all eternity as a thing of wonder.

The response on our part is to take God at His word, (Isaac Watts, ‘When I Survey the wondrous cross). We should have a personal response of love and appreciation, where we love God above all. This is the first and greatest of all the commands, with all the intensity of our being. Is there anything greater than love? (1 Corinthians 13).

Love is not legalistic. Marriage can deteriorate to something functional, having all the passion of yesterday morning’s cornflakes! Remember when you first came to know the Lord, when the Lord’s day came round you came with joyful zeal. You had a passion for prayer, excitement of sharing everything with God. But the passion evaporates, There is no real fire. You have lost your first love. Where has it gone? Where is the love? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” We are to love with the entirety of our being because God has loved us, given His all for us. The only fitting response is our all – our talent, our time, our gifts, our resources – all used for His glory. Use everything to the glory of God and please Him above all else.

Paul addresses losing heart. The heart is all; it is where your deepest thinking goes on. The Christian life is not something imposed upon us. It is not outward but inward. Work out your salvation. It is God who is at work in you. When something is from the heart it is the driving force. How can anything material satisfy when there is a spiritual appetite for God and His word? Every breath we take is to make known the wonder of His Saviour. I praise my Maker while I have breath.

Live for Him. Breathe for Him with all your mind. Do you realise how heavenly a gift your mind is? Tozer writes, ‘There is an inner beauty in truth and a deliciousness in truth and she invites you, she beckons you into an enchanted world.’

We are so blessed with literature. There is so much available to us. We need to serve the lord with all our mind. Sing psalms and hymns which stretch us and our minds.

Love has another dimension. It is not just something that is vertical, it is horizontal. We are meant to be channels, conduits of the love of God, shown towards others. How can someone who has known such grace not, in turn, be gracious? How can somebody who has known such pardoning, such mercy, not in turn be merciful? How can someone who has come to adore the wonder and kindness of God not be good and kind in relating to others?

If we really love God we are meant to show the love of God. In the early church a people emerged who were wholesome, clean, attractive, principled and pure. That is what impacted the life of the early church. There was a spirit of love, compassion and grace.

January 21st 2024: Phil Meiring

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Acts 16:11-40

Acts 16:30 – the ultimate question – “What must I do to be saved?”

At least forty times in the New Testament, being saved is used to describe someone becoming a Christian. There are other words and phrases used in the Bible which describe other important aspects of someone becoming a Christian, e.g. ‘born again,’ ‘adopted.’ But the word ‘saved’ is particularly fundamental to a right understanding of the message of the cross.

1.      Who can get saved?

This account clearly demonstrates that anyone can get saved. Anyone who recognises they are
a rebel before God. Lost. Come with me to a Roman colony in northern Greece and
let’s meet the three characters in our reading. They lived in a town called Philippi
situated on the chariot way between the Adriatic sea and the Aegean sea. It is
a thriving business centre.

You couldn’t get three more different characters than the three we meet here. Lydia
(Acts 16:14-15). Everything is packed into two verses. A woman, a
businesswoman, a worshipper of God. A non-dramatic conversion, “The Lord opened
her heart.”

A clairvoyant slave girl (Acts 16:16-18). A young slave girl. She knew exactly what the message
was all about, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling
you the way to be saved.” On the street, the girl with the dark powers was
dramatically saved.

The jailor (Acts 16:19 onwards). This man would have looked quite at home outside a nightclub in
Haverfordwest. Arguably, his is the most dramatic conversion story of the
passage. Pagan to believer in a night! We are going to follow this guy’s story
more closely. Let’s climb in through his bedroom window.

v.27. The jailor is fast asleep. The moonlight illuminates the courtyard. It’s been a mad day
with some very odd customers to contend with – banged up but singing out loud
to God and praying – and no booze insight! Suddenly, his bed is shaking
violently. There’s a loud bang. He sits bolt upright in great fear. He rushes
over to the window and looks out across the yard toward the prison block. A
great cloud of dust is settling in the moonlight. He notices the prison door
hanging off its hinges and a heap of masonry.

Suddenly, his blood runs cold. The prisoners – they’ll all be gone. His heart begins
pounding as he leaps out to bed. He stumbles across the courtyard, over the
rubble and enters the prison building. It’s all deathly quiet and dark inside.
They must be gone. He draws his sword . . .

v.28. Some sweet words echo along the corridor, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!”

v.29. The jailer calls his servant for a light. Shaking like a leaf, he stumbles into the cell
of Paul and Silas and falls at their feet. We don’t know, but he must have had
Paul and Silas with tears streaming down his face, thanking them.

v.30. Then, they all emerge into the moonlight. Does the jailer say, “Guys, I owe my life
to you! Tell me guys, what can I do for you?” No! He says, “Sir, what must I do
to be saved?”

Now, that is odd. This man has been saved from a beheading, suicide and an earthquake. What
more could he a man want to be saved from? But something else was surfacing in
his heart. It was deeply troubling him and it had been bothering him ever since
these two religious guys had first hit the town.

The jailer’s question is almost certainly a response to the message that Paul and Silas had
been declaring on the street, and to the unusual events of the night – guys singing
instead of cursing and guys who didn’t even ‘leg-it’ when the earthquake blew
off the jail door!

2.      What are we saved from?

From this chapter alone we cannot provide the answer. Clearly, the slave girl knew there
was something to be saved from and a ‘way to be saved’ (v.27). So, what was it?

A strap line for Paul’s message found in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “Jesus who rescues us from
the coming wrath.” That’s what it is, “The coming wrath.”

God is not some philosophical concept simply to plug a gap in our consciousness. He is one
who made us, keeps our hearts beating this very minute, and has genuine
emotions toward us. God has feelings too. I put it to you, we need to be saved
from the consequences of the one emotion, wrath, and saved as a consequence of
the other emotion bound in love of God expressed in the Lord Jesus.

The jailor how to become aware that he was a condemned man, even though he had the key to
every cell in the block. The wrath of God was heading his way and God was on
his case. In that moment, the jailor felt his need to be saved.

I have deliberately introduced the idea that God has feelings and so it is important
that I clarify this understanding. Already you might be asking, God, got
emotions? Yes, because He is a person, but it is critical to the glory of God’s
Being that we recognise that His emotions are of an entirely different order to
those that we experience. There is some correspondence, but His responses out
of one who, unlike us, is perfect, holy and just in His character. The one who
is eternally unchangeable in attitude. God doesn’t have ‘mood swings’ like us. Emotions
with Him are not involuntary. He doesn’t ‘fall in love.’ He is love. His
feelings and actions towards His creation are consistent, predictable and
steadfast.

You might be wondering whether God ought to be angry. We sociate anger with someone who is
irritable or flies off the handle. This is not how it is with God. His anger is
a controlled consistent opposition of His holy nature to rebel mankind. It is a
must with God to express His divine justice. He has every right to be angry. Remember
this, there are times when human anger is a just and acceptable emotion to
express e.g. when a marriage relationship is violated or when a war crime is
committed.

The word ‘wrath’ is used 16 times in Paul’s letters and in the accounts of his ministry.
It was a word that galvanised his gospel preaching along with that of ‘love.’ Paul
sensed that not only is the anger of God something awaiting in the future but
it is very much how God feels toward all rebels right now. In his letter to the
Romans Paul says, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all
the godliness and wickedness of men.” (Romans 1:18). This is how God feels this
very morning about each and every rebel.

3.      How are we saved?

v.31. Paul gave the jailor the answer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus …” In verse 32 he
explains his answer not only to the jailor but to his wife and kids. Then, shortly
after midnight, not only is the jailor saved but all his family. Eternally
safe, never to have to suffer the wrath of God. But what’s more, totally
overjoyed at the experience of believing!

Simple. Turning away from my former life, resting in all that Jesus did at the cross.
Surely, you can’t get saved just like that. Yes, you can! It is simply resting
in what Jesus has done.

“For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). Jesus and what He did was the
consequences of the extreme love of God. Love of immeasurable dimensions
(Ephesians 3:18).

Do you want to know how extreme the love of God was toward you and I? I’ll tell you.

i). When the eternal Son of God, Jesus, left home and joined us for 33 years. It wasn’t a
state visit. No red carpet. He came as a suffering servant. (Philippians
2:6-8).

ii). The minute He stepped out of heaven, the incarnation arrangement would become
permanent. The second person of the Trinity would take on our humanity and
become wedded to it forever. (1 Corinthians 15:28, 49).

iii). At the cross itself, the Son would face, on behalf of you and I, the fierce anger of
His dearly loved Father. This would be an awful and uniquely distressing event
within the Being of God, as Jesus was counted a sinner on our behalf. (Matthew
26:36, 27, 46).

Our rebellion could not be forgiven (washed away) simply on account of the enormous
and overwhelming love of God. Justice had to be done. His wrath had to be
satisfied. His love put His Son there at the cross and His wrath was poured out
on Him as He was counted the sinner, the rebel in our place. This is how your
penalty was paid. His wrath towards the rebel, rightly arising out of His holy
nature, was satisfied. The wrath and love of God collided at the cross.

Seeker:
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” This means turn from your
rebel ways and rest in what He has done for you. At that moment you will be
safe.

Believer: The
love and wrath of God are two wheels on the gospel chariot. If one comes off
there is no telling where the chariot will end up!



 



 



October 29th 2023: Jonathan Scott

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Mark 1: Everyone’s Talking

There are moments in history that stand out in our lives that last for a lifetime. Can you name any that stand out for you? Whether that could be the birth of a family member, the death of a monarch, a tragedy or disaster? I’m sure we can all remember a time like this.

There are significant moments in history, like the death of Queen Elizabeth 11, that are remembered for generations to come.

Today we will be looking at an event in the bible which had been talked about and was foretold for centuries. This had everyone talking about something so amazing and significant they couldn’t stop talking about it until it actually happened. They lived in the hope and trusted in the promises given by God that one day He would send the Messiah, the ultimate sacrifice for each and every one of us.

The first questions you may ask are ‘Who is talking and what are they talking about? This account found in Mark chapter 1 has many people talking about the arrival of the Messiah, including the Old Testament prophets, Malachi and Isaiah, as well as New Testament followers and disciples, the four gospel writers, everyone in between The Testaments, those in heaven, those in hell, people today. Jesus is a historical fact, even included in secular history. Time 100 magazine did a list of the most influential historical figures and Jesus Christ came number 1. Even the secular world is talking about this event.

So, if there were so many people talking about this, what was this amazing event that everyone was talking about?

  • Isaiah is talking about The Messiah coming, the messenger that is preparing the way for the Messiah and extraordinary things are going to happen that we don’t expect.
  • Salvation – talked about by the 4 gospels and John the Baptist
  • Hope, One is coming who is Yahweh, Jehovah the Son of God the Messiah.

Malachi is talking about a messenger being sent ahead of one who is the Messiah, who will prepare the way for Him. This messenger mentioned in Malachi and Isaiah is John the Baptist, the most famous prophet and the one who was noted to be the greatest amongst people, Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11).

Jesus Himself said no one would rise up greater than John the Baptist. This is high praise, but he is only here to pave the way for the one who is the Messiah and redeemer, Jesus.

“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”
Mark 1:2

John the Baptist’s ministry represents a fulfilment of the promise of a new exodus in which Israel is delivered and finally enters into the Jordan river to receive God’s promise of salvation. He was pointing the people to the true Messiah, one who was much greater than him. He was the messenger, preparing Judea for Jesus’ life-changing ministry. Freedom that they had never known – baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. Confessing their sins, the people were baptised by him in the Jordan River (Mark 1:5).

John the Baptist was calling people to repentance, turning away from their sins and turning to God for forgiveness of sins. The act of repentance had to precede baptism, and therefore baptism was not the means by which sins were forgiven but rather a sign showing that a person has truly repented. John the Baptist’s ministry in the wilderness was once again a fulfilment of prophesy found in Isaiah 40:3, “A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare    the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

This is John the Baptists message: ‘After me comes the one who is more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.’ (Mark 1:8). The unfastening of someone’s sandals in Jewish times was seen as a task reserved for the lowest of slaves, and certainly wasn’t meant to be done by a Jew. Jewish instructions said that a disciple should do everything for his teacher that a slave would do. However, Jesus is so great, John the Baptist, who was considered the greatest of the prophets, is not worthy to do the most menial of tasks of a servant for Jesus.

John the Baptist Continues: ‘I baptise with water, but He will baptise you with the holy spirit. (Mark 1:8). This is the true reason behind why Jesus came into this world – to die so that our sins can be forgiven on the cross at Calvary, the innocent lamb of God dying for us when we don’t deserve it. John the Baptist’s baptism could wash sins clean temporarily, but Jesus Christ can wash away sins for eternity, including the forgiveness of sins in the past, present, and future. He does this for us because He loves us unconditionally.

Colossians 1:13-16 tell us that:

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

Who is this special person that everyone is talking about? Mark 1:1 gives us this answer,

“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah the son of God.” What a way to start a gospel! Who is Jesus? The meaning of the name Jesus is ‘to deliver, to rescue.’ 

When we talk about Deliver, we are used to that from the Old Testament in the likes of Exodus when God delivers the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians. However, the idea of complete rescue is a new concept which Jesus brings to completion in His new age of ministry. Romans 10:13 says, “For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Not just a few, but everyone! This is a gospel truth not to the elite, but to the many.

Jesus’ humility and love for others is unparalleled, flowing from the infinite love of God for His people. The ‘ransom’ of Christ’s life was paid to God the Father, who accepted it in full, as a just payment for the sins of the world, past, present and future. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rmans 5:8).

Has there ever been a time when they have not been talking about the Lord Jesus, the Messiah? Isaiah had been talking about the Lord Jesus the Messiah at least 700 years before Jesus or John the Baptist came on the scene. Malachi had been talking about this 400 years before this account in Mark 1.  Then after Malachi there was 400 years of silence. This is the period between the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. There was nothing shared in the Bible of what happened during this period. The people had to live in Hope that the Messiah was coming soon. There was suspense of when the Messiah might come. Not knowing when His arrival will be and with this silence of 400 years between the old and new testaments the expectation grew with time, generation after generation.

They were looking forward to the physical coming of the Messiah, but Jesus has been present from the beginning. There has never been a time when Jesus has not been there. In Genesis 1:1-2 reads, ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.’

At first glance the account of creation found in Genesis 1 v 1 seems to focus on God the Father and the Holy Spirit. However, the opening words of John’s gospel adds clarity to show that the Lord Jesus, the Son of the God was present as an integral part of the Trinity,

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ (John 1:1-5).

This tells of the Word being there in the beginning. The Word is Jesus Christ. He wasn’t just there at Creation; He was part of every aspect of it, working in total unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This is amazing that the One who died for our sins on the cross and who came to earth to walk amongst us, was the same One who created all things with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is the thread which runs throughout the Bible. He was there through it all, at the beginning, middle and end of the Bible. From Genesis every story points to Him and whispers His name. ‘Jesus says I AM the alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13)’. He is there from beginning to the end of time. Jesus is this thread which leads to a roadmap in the Bible going from the Old Testament in Genesis to Revelation in the New Testament.

When we talk about this roadmap, we see Isaiah pointing to Jesus. However, the Israelites and Isaiah were in a completely different place spiritually than the Jews we find in Mark chapter 1. Isaiah was in agony with all the oppression going on around him. However, he writes in Isaiah 64 and in other chapters about a hope. Firstly, that a messenger is coming to point to the long-awaited Messiah, which is John the Baptist. Secondly, and more importantly, there will be one coming who is greater than John the Baptist. Isaiah is not looking to someone who is merely a human but is looking further to Heaven – to God and Jesus, who is fully God in human form. Isaiah 64:1-3 reads,

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
    that the mountains would tremble before you!
2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake before you!
3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
    you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.

This is a plea from Isaiah to God, Why? Well, he is in agony. He pleads that God will ‘rend the heavens and come down.’ This is fulfilled with Jesus coming to earth. The mountains were the most solid thing of their time; Isaiah believes that the power of God can make even the most solid thing tremble and he is pleading for it to happen.

There is hope! Someone is coming that will do all this. Isaiah isn’t pleading for John the Baptist, he is pleading for Jesus. He is not settling for the greatest in human form but looking to God.

But then looking at this roadmap it points directly to this account in Mark 1, to the baptism of Jesus, and all the way to Jesus on the Cross. As he died this all came true. The mountains tremble, nations quake and the enemies knew your name on that cross. The things in Isaiah also are reiterated in Malachi about a messenger preparing the way for Jesus, “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the LORD you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.”” (Malachi 3:1).

In the Old Testament the LORD is in capitals in this section. This is interesting to look into to see the context of who Isaiah and Malachi are describing. The LORD, when in capitals in the Old Testament refers to the Hebrew name Yahweh which describes God in the most sacred of ways. The name suggests that God simply is. He possesses an underived existence; He is the eternal “I AM”.

Malachi is saying that John the Baptist is preparing the way for Yahweh, Jehovah, God in His most sacred form. Although it hasn’t been revealed as to what form this will take at this time, we know with hindsight this to be the divine Messiah, Son of God, Jesus, and in this most miraculous and beautiful act of baptism in Mark 1 we see the fullness of the holy Trinity displayed.

We find the Baptism of Jesus in Mark 1 vs 9-11.

Jesus, is the perfect lamb of God, the Messiah, who is free from sin, yet He identifies with the sins of His people. Even though He Himself was free from sin, He was still baptised (Mark 1:9-11). This is to fulfil the prophesy in Isaiah 40.

Mark is known as the whistle stop gospel. He attacks it at full speed, but he doesn’t miss the important details. Anything that is mentioned due to Mark’s brief nature must be taken into consideration as the fact that it is mentioned means the details given are hugely important.

In verse 10 as Jesus came up out of the water, this is the unexpected event that was prophesied in Isaiah 64. “Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.” (Mark 1:10). This is the moment we see the trinity in its entirety. The Holy Spirit was there at the beginning of creation, hovering over the waters, and also the Holy Spirit is described in the gospel of Mark descended like a dove and hovering over the waters. This account in Mark’s gospel links straight back to creation, the roadmap as mentioned earlier pointing to Jesus.

Jesus is commissioned for a unique purpose and to finally complete God’s rescue plan for humanity. God the Spirit anoints Jesus as Israel’s long-awaited King and Messiah and commissions Him as God’s righteous servant. (Isaiah 42:1)

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will bring justice to the nations.

At Jesus’ baptism the heavens were ripped open and the heavenly voice of father comes down, confirming the eternal, loving Sonship of Jesus and the eternally existing relationship of divine love that the Son and Father share, as well as Jesus’ identity as the messianic Son of God, “And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11). The heavens ripping open is a violent picture of the awesome power of God the Trinity. Imagine actually being there. This foreshadows to the events at the cross. When Jesus died the curtain was torn top to bottom in the temple.

This beloved Son is the triumphant King, yet He is also the humble servant into whose hands the Father is well pleased to place the mission to bring Salvation to the nations

Then, in Verses 12-13 of Mark 1 Jesus is sent by the spirit into the wilderness for 40 Days where Jesus is tempted and equipped for the start of His ministry. In verses 14-15 we read, “

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

This is the final fulfilment of the prophesy in Isaiah 40; Jesus announcing to the world, the wait is over. Finally, the time has now come, I am here. But there is one small clause, life-changing clause, “Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15b).

All you have to do is repent and believe to receive the gift of salvation and be a part of the kingdom of God, His chosen family. However, when you look into it a bit more in depth, it isn’t as easy as just saying sorry and believing in God and be done with it to get a free ticket to heaven. Repenting is not just saying sorry. It is a complete change in character, in nature and a clear transformation in your life. It is a full 180-degree spin to acknowledge that we are all born with sinful natures, (Romans 3:23). All the things we have done wrong is not just against others or ourselves, but deeply hurts our Heavenly Father and Jesus. We need to completely turn from our sinful ways and not do these things, but I know that this is not an easy task. This is where God in His goodness to us, left the Holy Spirit as a helper and comforter to all who believe in Him. You can ask for forgiveness from Jesus and He will give you the Holy Spirit’s help to change you from the inside and help you fight against our human nature, living for a far greater purpose. When you accept Jesus, it is a wonderful day, especially knowing that the best is always yet to come. Jesus promises to take your sins away, as far as the east is from the west, and we know that He always keeps His promises.

Summary

We have gone on a road trip through the bible, from Genesis to Revelation, including Old Testament prophets Isaiah and Malachi, to New Testament scholars in Hebrews and Romans, from Old Testament through the silence to the New Testament, eventually crash landing looking at the events in Mark 1 about, John the Baptist and Jesus.

I would like to summarise with 3 points and a challenge.

  1. Declaration of Isaiah and Malachi saying that a ‘messenger is coming’. Also looking forward with expectation and suspense to the Messiah Jesus is coming. John the Baptist paving the way for the Messiah.
  2. Confirmation – God ‘This is my Son’. Everyone who has gone before calling for repentance and the sacrifices that have been offered to Himself will one day be finished and completed in Jesus.
  3. Proclamation – ‘The time has come. Repent and believe the Good News.’

    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

I encourage you to turn your eyes upon Jesus, and in His strength we can move mountains.

So, everyone is talking. What should everyone be talking about? The good news – Jesus died for us and rose again to a glorious ascension to heaven, to be at the right hand of the Father. Mission complete. He has WON. Victory Assured. Death defeated, sins forgiven. IT IS FINISHED!!!

Then, as stated in Matthew 28:18-20, we are called to make disciples of all nations, knowing that the Lord is with us always even to the very end of the age. Put our trust in Him, repent and believe. Share the good news that ‘He Has Risen’ each and every day and in His strength, we can do immeasurably more through our Saviour the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ.