Tag: Repentance

April 18th 2025 – Good Friday: John Scanlon

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Mark 15:20-37.

There are seven distinct sayings of the Lord Jesus upon the cross of Calvary.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43).
“Woman, behold your son!” … “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26,27).
“
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  (Matthew 27:46).
“I thirst!” (John 19:28).
“It is finished!” (John 19:30).
“Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” (Luke 23:46).

These sayings are the heart-wrenching words of our Saviour as He was dying upon the cross and bearing our sins. The four gospels record extensive details and proofs of what the Lord went through both in His ministry and in His death and resurrection. The resurrection was proof of the success of what Christ achieved on Calvary. These various sayings also give us more detail about the type of character we have in Jesus Christ. He demonstrated incredible compassion when He asked the Father to forgive His persecutors. He showed immense patience and love for the thief who repented at the last moment of his life. He was keen to show love for His mother and made provision for her by giving her to John’s care. His cry of dereliction leads to our understanding of what was truly going on in His death. When He cried “it is finished” we learn that He had done all that the Father sent Him to do. And then just before He breathed His last breath we learn that He was always in command, even over His very death.

            From around 9 AM in the morning until 12 PM the first three sayings of our Lord were uttered. Then from 12 PM to 3 PM in the afternoon there was great darkness, and at the end of this time we hear the Lord cry out: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” The darkness was no eclipse nor any natural event. It was supernatural. The time of Passover was at the time of a full moon so there was no way that the darkness was caused by an eclipse. One minute the crowds and the authorities were mocking the dying Saviour, and the next it was deep darkness. There was also surely a quietness as a result of this darkness, so that the only sound to be heard was the cry of those on the cross. We are reminded of the ninth plague in Egypt when all of Egypt was in such a darkness that people could not see their hands in front of their face, a darkness that was restricted to Egypt and was not experienced by the Israelites. This was a supernatural darkness too, and it signalled judgment. Here too as Jesus Christ was dying, the darkness surely signals judgement. At the time, nobody knew how long this darkness would last. The darkness experienced then was also greatly symbolic, given to impress upon us this truth that Christ Jesus was under the judgment of God.

            God is light and in Him there is no darkness (1John 1:5). God is utterly pure! Sin is often referred to in Scripture as ‘darkness.’ People (fallen sinful people) prefer darkness to light because they prefer sin. We know that generally speaking thieves operate at night under the cover of darkness. The revelry of people is a night-time affair. Vice and wickedness are done during the dark hours when light is rare. So darkness signifies the time and occasions of sin. Now on the cross Jesus no longer enjoyed the light of God the Father. In Scripture hell is pictured as a place of eternal fire, but it is also described as a place of “outer darkness,” or extreme darkness (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). Now it is in this deep darkness that we hear the Saviour cry out: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” This was a terrible darkness. In Gethsemane the Lord Jesus was troubled greatly and sweat drops of blood. But here on the cross He cries out in deepest agony as the divine judgement fell fully upon Him.

            Some people ask this question: was Jesus Christ really forsaken by God? How could a Father forsake His Son? Now Psalm 22 clearly prophesies the very details of Christ’s crucifixion. There is no doubt at all that Jesus uses the words of Psalm 22:1 as He cried out in agony. Some thought that He was calling for the help of Elijah but these words of Psalm 22:1 show clearly that Jesus Christ was truly forsaken by God. Still some question this. How can such a thing be? We know that Jesus was forsaken by men. He was forsaken by the Jews who called for His death. He was forsaken by Judas Iscariot the traitor. He was even forsaken by His own disciples when they ran away at His arrest. He even predicted this during the teaching He gave before He died (John 16:32). All through these experiences of being forsaken the Lord Jesus knew the presence of His Father. Twice we hear the Lord Jesus say “I am not alone” and that He was “with” the Father (John 8:16; 16:32). But forsaken of God on Calvary? Surely not! Some say. Well, He was forsaken of God. That is what these words “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” really mean! But if you are unsure then consider this. In the first saying the Lord prays “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” and in the last He prays “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” In the second, third, fifth and sixth sayings He addresses others or makes statements. But in the central saying (the fourth) He does not speak of His Father but cries out “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Does this fact not demonstrate that He was forsaken by the Father? Christ Jesus was always with His Father and His Father was always with Him, but during these hours of darkness on the cross He was forsaken by the Father. In the holy Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit are bound in a perfect harmony, but amazingly on the cross we have the great mystery that God is forsaken of God!

            Why was our Lord forsaken by His Father? The only answer can be found (for example) in Psalm 22:3. The Lord is holy and cannot look upon sin. Habakkuk 1:13 tells us this: “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness.” But Christ who was spotless and pure and “knew no sin” was made “sin for us” (2Corinthians 5:21). He “bore our sins in His own body” (1Peter 2:24), and He “became a curse for us” by being nailed to the tree (Galatians 3:13). All our sin was laid on the spotless Saviour and He bore it all away. That is why he cried out “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

            Christ Jesus did not die as a martyr for a cause. Neither did He die as an example for others to follow. He died as our substitute. He died in our place. And all of this was prophesied 700 years before this time:

4 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4,5).

At that moment when there was no light and all was dark because God could not look upon the sin, Christ was bearing our sin and enduring the wrath of God. But then there came a point at which our Saviour could cry out: “it is finished!” This signifies the point at which our Lord had paid the price for sin in full. He bore the wrath of God fully and no more need be done. Christ Jesus did what no one else could do or could have done.

There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin,
He only could unlock the gate
Of heav’n and let us in.

Never speak of what you have done. Only speak of what the Saviour has done for you!

June 2nd 2024: Children’s Anniversary Service Chris Jenkins

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“And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Mark 10:13-15

I’ve borrowed this photograph from the wall next door. It’s a black and white photo showing the Sunday School here at Penuel long, long ago. How we would love to see so many children gather here each week to hear the good news about Jesus and His love for each one of us.

Today, we are looking at a scene from the Bible, in Mark chapter 10. In this story it was one of those busy days when people crowded around the Lord Jesus, asking Him questions. Jesus had been answering some very important questions. Sometimes He answered them from the Old Testament part of the Bible. Sometimes He answered them with His own words, which are also the Word of God.

The grown-up talk was suddenly interrupted by children’s voices. The disciples looked and saw them coming, running, skipping and jumping. Some of the grown-ups were carrying babies.

“Surely they were not coming to Jesus?” they thought. “We have been talking about such important matters. They must not interrupt.” Perhaps they even spoke to one another about it, saying, “We mustn’t allow those children to bother Him. He has had such a busy day. He won’t want to see children.”

The disciples quickly decided to do something about it. One may have said, “Stop right here, you must not bother Jesus. Jesus is too busy.” Another may have said. “He hasn’t time to be bothered with children. Take your babies away. You must go now.”

Quickly the Lord Jesus stepped out from the crowd. He spoke sharply to the disciples. “Let the children come to Me.” Jesus demanded. “Do not turn them away. The Kingdom of Heaven is for those who come to Me, as they have come. Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child receives it shall not enter in.”

The Lord Jesus loves children, they are very, very important to Him. He wants you to come to Him. Of course, you cannot run to Him as these children did. You come to Him asking Him to forgive your sin and take charge of your life. He wants you to come, for He loves children very much. Indeed, when He died on the cross, He was dying for boys and girls as well as for grown-ups.

The disciples stood back. They watched as the Lord Jesus reached out toward the little ones. He picked them up in His loving arms.  Others crowed around Him. Mothers may have held out their babies close to him to touch them. What a welcome! Those children could see that Jesus, the Son of God, loved them. The disciples didn’t think they mattered, but the Lord Jesus did.

The joy of knowing Christ as our Saviour

Most of you know my love of playing sport, especially when I was younger. Rugby was my main sport and I used to train nearly every day, focused on the game on Saturday, to score the perfect try. When this happened there was an instant joy, but it faded over time.

But when you accept the Lord as your saviour there will be a joy that never fades. It is an everlasting joy. That is why it is so important to meet – to be reminded of this at Sunday services, Bible study and prayer meetings, Good News Clubs and chapel Youth Clubs. We can encourage, support and pray for each other. You too, can know that you are special to Him if you come to Him and trust Him as your Saviour. He says, “Let the children come to Me.” Will you accept this invitation?

The need of a Saviour

God created a perfect world for us to live in. However, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they brought sin into the world. Does anyone know what sin is?

Yes, that’s right – everything we think, say or do that breaks God’s law.

Each of us has sinned. Each of us is in need of a Saviour. Many people think doing good deeds is enough to get us into heaven. But heaven is God’s home. It is a perfect place and we are imperfect. There is now way we can get to heaven by being good and helping others. Of course, those things are important, but we need to know Jesus and accept Him as our Saviour.

So, how do sinful people have a relationship with a perfect, pure God and get to live one day in heave, a perfect place with no sin? Well, God had a rescue plan!

God the Father sent His only Son Jesus into this world. The Lord Jesus lived a sinless perfect life. He came to share the good news of the Kingdom of God with people. He then suffered and died on the cross of Calvary for our sins, taking the punishment we deserve. On the third day He rose again, conquering death. Later, He went back to heaven, where He now lives. All this is true, historical fact which you can read about in the Bible. Every word of the Bible is true.

Jesus came to bring light into the world, to save us from the darkness of sin. In John chapter 3, verse 16 Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Do you believe that?

I’m so glad Jesus said “whoever believes in Him.” That means He is speaking to me, and to you too. He loves everyone and wants everyone to have a special relationship with Him, to trust Him and put Him first in our lives.

This means that anybody who believe and trusts in God and turns away from their sin and repents, will be accepted by Jesus. They will be saved. John chapter 3 verse 17 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Lasting joy can be yours if you know the Lord as your Saviour. If you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, as the light who shines in the darkness and takes away sin, you can know Him right now. After the service, you are welcome to ask any of the people who love coming to Penuel each week, and they would love to tell you more about Jesus.

May 12th 2024: Robert Strivens

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2 Peter 3:1-15: Godly living in the light of Christ’s return in glory and for judgement.

“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.  And count the patience of our Lord as salvation” (v.14-15a).

These verses are a summary of what Peter wants us to learn. We are waiting for these things, and as we wait and look forward, we need to be careful, found in Christ, living in such a way that is holy and godly.

This chapter is first of all telling us that this world will come to an end (v.14). Essentially, Peter wants people to think of the end of the age and the new heavens and new earth (v.13). That is where he wants us to look; when this world, as we know it, will come to an end, and a new heaven and a new earth will take its place.

This is a fairly general letter, comforting people because they are being scoffed at (vs.3-4). People still do this today. Peter was writing to give comfort and assurance. When people laugh at us and don’t believe what we say, as believers, it can be unsettling. People question why this world will come to an end as there is no sign of this. Many doubt if it is really going to happen. Peter addresses this feeling of being unsettled. He reminds us of two vital things:

  1. the past
  2. to look forward

1.The Past

Look back (vs. 5-6). We are reminded that things have not always been like this, as they are today. There has been a beginning of all things; God created all things by His word (Genesis 1). There was a time when there was nothing but God. He created this world out of nothing (Hebrews 3). Peter is saying things had a beginning. We must be clear and not be taken up by evolutionary thought. From the word of God there was creation of this universe. It will keep going until He brings it to an end (v.7).

Things continue as they are because God maintains them by His word (Hebrews 1, Psalm 102). Peter is saying things appear to go on with no sign of judgement. But look, this world is maintained by God. Furthermore, he points out that there has been a great worldwide catastrophe in the past (v.6). Why is he pointing to the Flood? Because you cannot assume things will go on. Look to the past – the judgement for people’s wickedness.

Things had a start, a beginning, there was this great catastrophe. Things don’t continue without interruption. People should not assume things have always been as they are. This world will come to an end. Look back, then look forward (v.4).

2. Look forward.

See the promise of His coming (v.7), when Christ will return in judgement. The end of this world is coming. God is not slow to fulfil this promise (v.9). He gives an explanation, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (v.8). It is not some philosophical trick. It is a much more solid point. The Lord is patient (v.9). He is waiting. God is merciful and is waiting for all He has chosen to return to Him in repentance.

A time is coming when the Lord will return and judge the world. God is deliberately patient with sinful humanity. He is given opportunity for the church to give witness. He will return suddenly, without warning (v.10). This teaching is so clear in the Bible. We can’t work it out. Then, disaster will come for those who do not know the Lord (v.10). The world will come to an end – not by some man-made event, but by the act of God Himself. It is vital we grasp that.

What does that mean for a Christian today?

Our priorities for living.
 Peter draws conclusions for how we are to live today and every day (vs.12-13). A Christian is characterised by living a holy and godly life. This is the practical outworking of that doctrine. We know when God brings this universe to an end, we will have the home of righteousness. As we look forward to this great future, we should seek to live holy and godly lives. We are expecting to see the Lord in His glory, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will be an extraordinary experience – Christ returning in glory to judge the world, to usher in new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. This should affect how we live – not just in outward appearance but in heart.

If we are born again of the Holy Spirit, we should walk in Christ’s way, seeking to live lives of holiness and godliness, rooted in the soil of true repentance of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We should be trusting in what Christ has done on the cross. We contribute nothing at all. It all depends on Christ, who has successfully paid the price in full. That is the foundation. We seek, through the Holy Spirit, to live for Him.

Paul tells us in Colossians 3, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” There is a great change in someone who repents. Peter says we are not perfect; we continue to sin and don’t live up to the standards of God. But we seek the Lord’s forgiveness. Sometimes, we backslide. Return to the saviour. Look to Him and ask Him to restore you. Remember what Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.” (Luke 12:37).

Peter says we are to be actively looking forward to the Lord’s return (v.12). This is not just knowing it is true, but waiting, thinking about it. Are we thinking about it? This should be the major event on our horizon – greater than marriage, greater than the birth of a child, greater than retirement. How often do you reflect on this glorious fact of Christ’s return, of this universe being destroyed and a far better version coming, a time when sin will be no more, when there will be no more lying, theft, deception, adultery, pride, murder. All terrible consequences will be gone. There will be no more famine, ill health, poverty, sadness. All will be abolished. It is not fantasy, it is reality. It is God’s promise.

Is that where your heart is set – the new heavens and the new earth? We enjoy this creation but we are looking for an even better day, when Christ returns in glory. Are you waiting and looking forward? “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” (v.14). At peace. We live in a world where there is anything but peace. Do you know the peace of Christ? In this time of waiting, it is a time of salvation, “And count the patience of our Lord as salvation” (v.15a). Seek to witness and testify that others may know the saviour in this day of grace.

January 7th 2024: James Allan

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Psalm 85

All was not right in Judah and Jerusalem. The setting for this Psalm is the years after the Lord’s people had returned from exile in Babylon. They set to work on rebuilding the temple, relaying the foundations of the temple. Then work on the temple slowed and gradually ground to a halt. In Haggai we read that people spent money on their own homes, not the temple (Haggai 1:9). The people came under the Lord’s judgement (v.10). The temple was eventually constructed, and people began to work on the city walls (Nehemiah). Yet again, work began and then ground to a halt (Nehemiah 5:10). The poor were suffering. People were guilty of marrying women from pagan nations. Children were growing up in homes not worshipping the Lord, they did not even speak the language of the Lord’s people. (Nehemiah 13:24).

This psalm is written, most likely in the days of Haggai (v.12). It was written to a restored people, who had known the Lord’s salvation. They had been under God’s judgement – the Lord had taken them into captivity into Babylon. But then they had experienced His salvation (v1). They were in exile, but now they had been restored.

However, all is not well. Salvation is needed again. There is sin that needs to be repented of (verses 4-5). ‘Restore’ could be translated as ‘repent.’ The people are living in sin again. The psalmist especially longs for revival so the people may rejoice in God (verses 6-7). The people are a restored people, but now they’re back in the land they need to be once again a people who will delight in Him.

We are, today, people who have received, known and experienced the Lord’s salvation. But do we have a sense of what verses 6 and 7 mean? Are we seeking to find what we need in things other than the Lord himself? In crisis, do I look to other things and not the Lord? I am in Christ, so I have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. If you are truly in Christ, yet living in other things and the Lord is not first in everything, then you are never more happy then you are holy. For the believer, you are safe in Christ. But as a Christian you need the Lord to turn to. Do you know the joy of the Lord?

There is a difference between the doctrine of justification and the doctrine of adoption. Think of justification as loving your children. It is a biological fact which cannot be altered, that they are your children. Nothing can alter than relationship. But relationships can become strained. My relationship with the Lord can become strained. Justification means that when I become a Christian, I am righteous in the sight of God. I am clothed in Christ’s righteousness. I am a child of God. I am not saved on the basis of anything I have done. I am a sinner but clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

Although nothing can alter the fact that I am a child of God, my relationship with the Lord can become strained. The Lord disciplines His people for their good. I am adopted. I am a child of God. But we need to keep in step in the Holy Spirit.

In verse 12 the psalmist has confidence.

“Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.”

Remember, if this was written at the time of Haggai, the Lord was withholding the harvest so the people would return from their sin. The psalmist is confident, saying, ‘Let us turn from our sin and be confident of the Lord’s goodness, that He will provide.’

“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
    but let them not turn back to folly.”         

Psalm 85.8

The psalmist is again confident. If the people turn from their sin the Lord will forgive them. We must turn from our sin and be confident that the Lord is willing and ready to restore. Take encouragement. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). The Lord is willing, and He is able. The greatest blessing of all for a restored people is the Lord Himself,

“Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    that glory may dwell in our land.”      

Psalm 85:9

What do we want? Surely, the Lord Himself – the knowledge of the Lord’s presence with us to bless us. The ‘gods’ of this world – money, sex, power – promise much, but never satisfy. The Lord is everywhere. We want Him to bless us.

The context of this psalm is a restored people who have fallen into sin, they cry out for mercy,

“Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us!”
  Psalm 85:4

The focus of this psalm is verse 7,

“Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.”
  Psalm 85:7

What is the remedy for a people who need to be restored, who needs to repent, who need to be revived? It is to know the love of the Lord. We need to see the love of God for sinners.

In verses 2-3 the psalmist remembers the Lord’s grace to His people,

“You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
    you turned from your hot anger.”

Zechariah 3:1-2 gives a vision of Jerusalem’s High Priest, Joshua. Satan is also there, standing to accuse, in the presence of God. Joshua, the High Priest, who represents the people of Israel, is standing in dirty clothes. The following verses show the gospel, the imputed righteousness of Christ – the great exchange – my sin is given to Christ and He bears the punishment for it on the cross. He gives me His righteousness and I am seen clothed in His perfect righteousness, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If your heart is cold this morning, here is your prayer,

“Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.”
(Psalm 85:7)

In verse 3 we see the anger of God for sin. Here, we have the doctrine of propitiation. He must oppose all that is evil because He is a God of justice. But how can He turn from His anger? Something has to happen. Sin must be punished. The wrath of God is satisfied in Christ as He bore our sins on the cross. On Him every sin was laid.

Is verse 7 your prayer?

“Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.”

In verse 10 we are unpacking the gospel in more depth,
“Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
    righteousness and peace kiss each other.”

The attributes of God listed here might seem at odds with each other. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet – a love that gives Himself to His people. In faithfulness we see God is being faithful to Himself. He is pure, clean. How then can He be faithful and give steadfast love to His people? At the cross.

“Righteousness and peace kiss each other.” How is this possible? It is at the cross. I can have peace with God because Christ takes that wrath from me.

“Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
    and righteousness looks down from the sky.”
Psalm 85:11

This reminds us of God’s grace. Faithfulness could be translated as truth. We are given a picture of a crop springing out of the ground. You don’t have to work hard for it. There is truth all around us. If you feel your heart is cold, your priorities are wrong. Like the people of Haggai, you are not building the Lord’s house, you are building your own house. Your life is self-absorbed, building up your own treasures on earth. The antidote is to seek the love of God. How do you do this? Think of what you have: you have God’s Word. Do you read it? You have the local church, the local congregation. Do you come, come with the right mindset? Is the slightest excuse enough to keep you away?

A Christian can say the right words, know the right doctrines, but their priorities can be elsewhere. What can help us? Do you put yourself where the word of God is? You may go to worship with a cold heart, but you can leave with a rejoicing heart.

“And righteousness looks down from the sky.” Without the sun there is no food, no light. We have received everything from the Lord.

“Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.”

Keep gazing at our great salvation. Set your eyes on Christ and know that intimacy with Him.

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.

October 1st 2023: Owen Jones

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To watch this service, click on the link to our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/xyIkuxuNRpw?si=2HBkFHDsAlc0zwe3

“And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.” Luke 7:37-38

Generally, people are judged by the company they keep. If you go to church, lead a sober life, are morally upright and have a clean tongue, you’re considered to be good. It was very much the same in the time of Jesus. Morally loose people were avoided because the more time you spent with them, the more likely you’d become like them. This is the story of Jesus and the ne’er-do-well of his day.

We can see three things about our Saviour:

  1. Jesus, the friend of sinners
  2. Jesus, the forgiveness of sins
  3. Jesus, the faith that saves.
  1. Jesus, the friend of sinners.

“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Luke 7:34). Sometimes, those who oppose Him, identify Jesus correctly. Some demons knew He was the son of God before the disciples did. He spent time with sinners. “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13). It is a world full of self-righteous people. They didn’t need what He had to offer, they didn’t need Him as a friend. He came to the home of Zaccheus (Luke 19:5). This little man was a big crook, working for the occupational forces of Rome. He embezzled money out of his own flesh and blood, but Jesus went to his home.

“And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,” (Luke 7:37). Would you commend your love for such a person as that, a piece of street garbage? Jesus befriended those who you and I might not be seen dead with. Do you think He could be friend you? Some say, ‘You can keep your religion, you can keep your Jesus. I don’t need what He’s got to offer.’

Paul was guilty of second-degree murder, the one who sanctioned the death of the first man to die for Christ. Yet he later wrote, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10). Jesus is the one we have considered our enemy in the past, who says guilty as charged, yet He becomes the means of our peace and acquittal. He is the one who came to bear our sin and take it away from us. What a friend we have in Jesus, the friend of sinners. Have you made him your friend in this gospel?

  • Jesus, the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus sticks closer than a brother. Here is a woman who sold herself daily, from the red light district, even then. Jesus forgave her sins, then she showed the fruit of repentance. Her many sins were forgiven. This is evidence of who Jesus is. He is God Incarnate. In showing forgiveness, He is showing He is God. Are you aware that God, who alone can forgive you, is the friend of sinners?

When our brother died on the cross, He shed His blood for our sins. He was bringing us back to God. You are alienated if you are not His friend. He was bringing us back to God, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (1 Peter 3:18). Do you know what it is to be brought back to God?

The reaction of Simon, the Pharisee, was understandable. But Jesus says to Simon, “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”  (Luke 7:41-43). The man who owed the most was forgiven and had such a sense of gratitude. We shouldn’t forget how much we were in debt to the Lord Jesus Christ – every little sin, every big sin. The enormity of our sins were crushing, yet He can sort everyone’s past, present and future sin.

I wonder if this woman had met Jesus before and had come back to thank him? Simon did not thank Jesus, “Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  (Luke 7:44-48). Simon gave no water for His feet, no kiss, no oil. Our love and adoration for Christ is shown in the giving of our lives to him. Does your heart go out in gratitude to him?

  • Jesus, the faith that saves.

“And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48). As this experience peaks, Jesus forgave her and her sins and made it a public proclamation. How did she go home? “And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50). Where does faith come from? Faith comes from and through the gospel. Repentance and faith are not always mentioned together, but they are implied together. When God brings you to repentance He brings you into the state of godly sorrow – repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It takes us to Calvary and we put our whole weight of sin upon him. This is the grace of God that comes to us, from heaven, the gospel which lands into our soul, “Testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21).

“Go in peace.” You have been justified through faith in His blood. You are no longer enemies but as one. You know the atonement, brought one with God. His peace, the fruit of the Spirit, is always in blossom. There is something sovereign about it. It may be that you have lost that peace? It can be restored, it can reign. He says, “Go in peace.” Can you go in peace this morning? If you want that peace, God gives you that peace because He is the friend of sinners who comes and gives peace. Is he your friend? Do you know your sins are forgiven? Are you saved?

September 10th 2023: David Hails

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Psalm 66

There are many ways to think of dividing up time, such as the way time is divided up into calendars and also the academic year. We are now in September, a new academic year. It is often a time to reflect and think about our lives. Psalm 66 gives us good cause to think about a new year. We’re not told who wrote this song; it could be David. There are certainly parts of this psalm which speak in the way David speaks. It is a song. There are lessons for us as well as a challenge. There are three parts to this psalm:

  1. Shout for joy.
  2. Come and see.
  3. Come and hear.

1.Shout for joy because we have a praiseworthy God (verses 1-4).

There is a challenge right at the start of this psalm, ‘Shout for joy to God.’ As we come together Sunday by Sunday, is your desire to praise God? As you get up each morning is your desire to praise God, to give Him glorious praise? As a British, evangelical church, how do these words make us feel? A little uncomfortable? It is OK to shout on the school playground or the Millennium Stadium, but in church, before God, is shouting for joy what we are supposed to do? The psalmist says so. Has our worship become a bit too formal, distant? Is this something we could be learning? I am not looking for chaos, but do we need to be a bit looser? Have we lost some of the joy of worship? Old Testament worship would have been loud and joyous. Let us be desiring and seeking to know His joy, the feeling of His presence in our worship.

We have many reasons to praise God. There are also reasons that bring fear. In this psalm not everyone will praise God, they are seen as enemies of God (v3). The mighty deeds of God are not good news for everyone. The power of God is such, His enemies cannot triumph. The victory is already won, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11).

As we look forward, all will worship God and have to acknowledge the mercy and greatness of God. The call of the psalmist is to do this before it is too late. Come to Him, know Him, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ now. Come and worship the only one through which you can be saved.

2.Come and see because we have a mighty God (verses 5-13).

We have a call to come and see what God has done. He is a mighty God. Within section there are three different parts:

Verses 5-7: a call to those outside of Israel, to come and see what God has done. He is calling on those outside Israel to come, to see, to believe, to worship. The primary reason is to come and see what God has done in bringing His people out of Egypt. It points back to history, to the birth of the nation of Israel. It was many years ago, but they are still here. God brought a people together, out of His mercy. It is from the people of Israel that His greatest gift came, the Saviour of the world. He lived in Israel, He died in Israel. He died for the sins of the whole world. He came from the people of Israel for all the peoples of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ came so that sinful people would be forgiven. He lived the perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He did awesome deeds. How do we react? As a foreigner, a Gentile, outside of Israel, how do we respond? There is only one way – in praise, in adoration and glory.

Verses 8-12. The emphasis changes slightly to ‘our’ God (verses 8-9). The psalm goes from a cry of foreigners to come and see to a national cry, to corporate worship. So, today, we are God’s people. We come together today and worship Him together, to proclaim Him together. Praise God that the God of the past and is the same God we worship today.

Verses 13-15. The call now becomes a personal call. Five times the word ‘I’ is used. It is a reminder that our worship is both corporate and personal. Our faith has to be personal. It has to be me: ‘I come,’ ‘I will worship, ‘I will trust,’ ‘I believe.’ Just being part of a church isn’t enough; our faith in God has to be personal. We must believe personally and trust in the Lord personally. Have you believed and trusted in the Lord?

3. Come and hear because He is a personal God (verses 14-20). God is sovereign, He is mighty, but He is also personal. We cannot be a Christian on our own or by relying on the faith of others. We come to worship one who is here, one who is with us. He dwells within you.

There are more challenges for us (verses 17-18). We are pointed back to a call to worship. But who can praise God? As those who claim to be Christians, do you cherish Him or do you hold tightly to sin, to wrongdoing? Does your wrongdoing bring shame to you or bring the light to your heart? We should not expect God to listen to us if we hold tight to sin.

What right do we have to call on God? We need to truly bend the need to worship Him. If we hold tight to our sins, we won’t be able to speak to God, He won’t listen. If we put to death sin, if we repent and turn back to God, to Jesus the one who died so we could be made right with God, we can call on Him.

If we confess our sin, then we can know comfort, joy, and peace. The Psalm finishes,

“But truly God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me!”

Coming to Jesus in repentance, to seek forgiveness, laying down your sins, He hears you and loves you with a steadfast love, a love that never changes, a love that is everlasting.

He gave, out of love, out of mercy, out of grace, so that we can be forgiven and know His everlasting love. God is almighty but also personal. He knows each one of us.

June 4th 2023: James Sibley

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Numbers 21: 4-9
John 3: 1-21

When I went to America for a trip I notice lot of similar things but also things which were different. When driving, there are big billboards on the sides of the roads. Usually these are of two types – either advertisements for injury lawyers or ones with verses of the Bible. Often the verse is John 3:16, a glorious verse and probably the most well-known verse in the Bible. I’m not going to focus on this verse, instead I am going to focus on the truth of verse 14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3:14.

The teaching that Jesus gives refers back to the Old Testament story (Numbers 21:4-9), back to the people of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness after God delivered them out of slavery in Egypt. The Lord was guiding His people through the wilderness, but they sinned. They grumbled and grew impatient. It gets to the point where we have a drastic response from the Lord – death and judgement. He has promised He will deliver them, so why this judgement?

We see the severity of the people’s sin; they reject Moses and his leadership and they reject God and His leadership. The people’s complaints weren’t justified. Yes, the people were having trying times, but their complaints were unjustified. They were dissatisfied with God’s provision and with God’s promises.

As the snakes came into the camp and death came in, the Lord was bringing His justice into the situation, as they rebelled against perfect judgement. This happened so they might seek repentance and mercy. God told Moses He was slow to anger and that’s what we see in this passage, “And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” (Numbers 21:7). The people see they have sinned and asked for the snakes to be taken away.

What happens next is interesting. God tells Moses what He is going to do. He doesn’t take away the snakes. What He does instead is even better than that. Sometimes, we make plans but they don’t go as expected, but they turn out even better. There is a lesson here for us, for what we pray. Often our prayers aren’t answered directly or how we’d like, but He works all things for the good for those who are called according to his purpose. We need hearts of faith when things are difficult.

It would have been easy for the Israelites to think that God had abandoned them, as the snakes stayed. The Lord leaves the snakes for a while but makes a way for those who have sinned to simply look and be saved. Moses, following God’s instructions, makes a bronze snake.

In John’s gospel, we see Jesus takes this story as he has a conversation with Nicodemus as He explains that someone needs to be born again to see what He’s done. Jesus says to Nicodemus they people need to be born again from above. Jesus begins to show Nicodemus that every person in this world is dead to sin (Ephesians 2). They need to have spiritual eyes to see and hearts to believe, to be regenerated. To see and believe what? To see what Jesus has done and what He has promised.

Seeing and believing are two things which are integral to these passages. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so Jesus must be lifted up. Centuries later, King Hezekiah had to destroy this snake as people were worshipping it. Those who did not look clearly had not recognised their sin. Where are we? Have we come to the point where we say we have sinned? There is hope, there are promises: forgiveness and eternal life can be found in Him, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). We come to Him in faith, turning from our sins and looking to Jesus.

The application. Regeneration is essential. We should see repentance in our life. Repentance is a turning away from sin and turning towards Jesus. There should be grieving over sin which leads to turning to Jesus.

   “Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.”
         Isaiah 45:22

Faith is believing in Jesus, who He is and what he has done and continues to do. It is a resting in and receiving of Jesus and all that he promises. We believe in Him, rest in Him and He brings forgiveness. How can Jesus bring us forgiveness and eternal life? God brings judgement on people with snakes. It is a picture of the Fall (Genesis 3). It is connected to Satan. The serpents come into the camp. Many were struck were stuck by them and died, until the people repented. Death was then defeated for a time. Jesus says this is a picture, a sign of the truth He brings in His life, death and resurrection. On the cross Jesus removed the power of sin, Satan and death for all who believe in Him.

We might wonder why God told Moses to make a snake and lift it up. Why not a Lamb or other animal? It is because that is what it takes to break the curse. The curse has to be entered into to be broken. Jesus submitted Himself to death. He took the curse of sin and death upon Himself. He became sin and death for us so that we might live, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14).

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ cross is at the centre of all things. It is life-giving.

Jesus uses the language ‘lifted up’ in this passage, yet He is talking about His harrowing death. Why is it glorious? As He died in twisted agony, He achieved eternal life for all who believe. Eternal life is knowing Jesus, “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). We see God and His glory in Jesus, even on the cross. As we look to Him, there we see life. The cross reveals His glory because it highlights His holiness and justice. It highlights His love and mercy.

Remember what Jesus did on the cross. He became a curse for us, He offered Himself for us. Remember what He gave. Himself. Not just then but for all life. We can enjoy the sweetness of a relationship with Him. That’s the gospel.

January 19th 2020: Thomas Kitchen

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Thomas Kitchen-Jan2020Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated by the Spirit,
        seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
    believed on in the world,
        taken up in glory.

1 Timothy 3:16

There are lots of mysteries in the world, for example the Bermuda Triangle; lots of aircraft have flown into this space only to disappear. The Antikythera was an analogue computer of 100 BC used to determine the position of the stars and planets, yet it is a mystery why it would be about another 1000 years before this technology was found and used again. Turning to this passage to day (1 Timothy 3:14-16) we are going to focus on verse 16. What is the mystery of godliness?

This is a verse short verse yet it is packed with such a lot of truth. The gospel, the good news, is explained here, and the importance of the church is explained.

“He was manifested in the flesh.” This is evidence that Jesus really is God. He didn’t start life as a man, He has always been around, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). It is wonderful to hear this gospel. This wonderful news doesn’t begin with one of us. This is someone who became flesh, this is Jesus, who created everything we see, know, hear, taste and feel.  Jesus comes into this world He created and lives among humans, the ones He created. So many have no idea He is the creator of their own soul and body. He is the one who is above all, God incarnate. We see glimpses of this across the Old Testament – with Adam and Eve. Moses, the prophets. Then Jesus comes, God in the flesh. He showed Himself to us completely. In Isaiah 40:12-15 we see humanity’s worthlessness against the King of Kings.

It is utterly astounding what Christ did for us in coming into the world. There is lots of build-up in the Old Testament, glimpses and clues, but now Jesus has come salvation is put into action, the plan worked out before time itself. Jesus – fully God, fully human.

“He was vindicated by the Spirit.” He was justified by the Spirit. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit – the third person of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This speaks of Jesus being blessed. God is pleased it is His Son carrying out this work of salvation for us. He is pleased with His Son, who is without sin, who is justified and perfect to carry out this task. It had to be Jesus, the Son of God. He was willing to do His Father’s will even though it was hard for Him. But He knew what it would accomplish – the saving of His people.

“Seen by angels.” This is an odd sentence at first glance. You would have thought it would have been seen by men and women next. But this phrase is important. It is talking about God the Father’s hand in guiding Jesus. Angels were there at His birth, ministered to Him in the wilderness, at the Garden of Gethsemane, when He rose from the dead and went back into heaven. Angels were with Him every step of the way.

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world,  taken up in glory (1 Timothy 3:16).

God is there in the entire process, working in us, through us and for us.

“Proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world.” The nations refer to Gentiles and Jews. The Gentiles are everyone other than Jews. Jews considered themselves to be very different and holier than others. Jesus Himself was Jewish and was brought up with Jewish customs. This matters because Jews considered themselves to be a chosen people which brought them above and beyond other nations. But Jesus wasn’t like that, He knew that no person in the nations was holy. We are all sinful, we are all a drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15). But one of the best things about the gospel is it is for all. There are certain blessings in the Old Testament for Jews, but the New Testament is opened up for all. The gospel is proclaimed to all, not just the Jews. It is an invite for all to come to Jesus Christ – and only Jesus Christ. The gospel is for all languages, all peoples, all nations and all tribes. That is how heaven is described.

God had made Jesus Christ salvation for all. This message for us is ‘Come to Jesus Christ.’ He is not just an example for us, He not only bore our sins and we start with a clean slate, He took all our sins and gave us His robe of righteousness. He takes our filthy rags and He gives us our royal robes. One day, if we are trusting in Him, we will be with Him, worshipping Him face to face. We will be perfect, with a new body, eternally with our God. What a day that will be!

“Taken up in glory.” This, of course, refers to Jesus going up into heaven. He rose from the dead, showed Himself to many people, to many witnesses, and ascended into heaven. Jesus was taken up into glory to be at the right hand of His Father where He prays for those who trust in Him. Jesus also had His trials, His difficulties. He can empathise with us. He is now praying to the Father for you. This is the glorious message which can never be destroyed. He gives you the faith you need. God does it all, He is the one who raises us from our deadness in sin, He is the one who opens our blind eyes. It is God who brings us back to life (Ephesians 2:1).

What is the mystery of godliness? Looking back to the original language, the Greek word for mystery is mystírio. This is something that is unknown unless God reveals it. What has been revealed to us? The person of the Lord Jesus Christ – who He is, what He has done on the cross. He has been revealed to us. It is unknowable unless it is revealed by God. We can know Jesus for ourselves because God has revealed this to us through His word, the Bible. Of course, there are mysteries we can’t fully understand – for example our Creator God being nailed to a cross, bleeding and dying. This is fact we can’t understand completely. We know this happened but we have to decide if we are going to submit to Him and worship Him forever.

He was raised to glory. One day He is coming again. Every knee will bow. The mystery of His glory will be revealed. Then it’s heaven or hell. Knowing about the gospel is all well and good but it has to go to our hearts. Knowledge without repentance is just a torch to light you to hell, “Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to hell” (Thomas Watson). If we know the gospel but do nothing about it, then all that knowledge is lighting our way to hell. There are many reasons why sinners go to hell, but there is only one reason sinners go to heaven – they have been washed by the blood of Jesus.

There are Christians who say they know everything they need to know, but we need to be reminded of the gospel every day. We need to hear God’s word, to pray and to preach to ourselves out loud, on our own, reminding ourselves what the He has done for us, what the gospel has done. Say to yourself, “He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world,  taken up in glory,” (1 Timothy 3:16). No matter what happens, that is our hope. Our identity is in Christ. If our identity is in marriage and our marriage breaks down, we lose our identity. If our identity is in our job and we lose our job, we have lost our identity. Preach to yourself and you will be encouraged and helped by the Spirit.

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

January 12th 2020: Chris Benbow

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Chris Benbow - Jan 2020Acts 2:38-47

Imagine we are all going to be involved in a group project to build a car. We all get together and different jobs are assigned to acquire a piece of a car and bring it back to the group to assemble together. Simple enough? The roles are delegated. Soon, one person comes back saying, “I have good news. I’ve secured my piece for the car. A wonderful set of magnificent wings.” All agree the wings are wonderful – but not quite what they had in mind! Time passes, another person comes back and says, “I’ve secured a piece for the car. It’s going to be the best bit – a top of the range sail.” Again, it is wonderful but not what was wanted. As we all know, cars don’t have wings or sails. Before getting started on the project, the people should have got together to ask, ‘What is a car? How are we going to build it? Unless we establish that we won’t get very far. We need unity and clarity. It’s a simple example. The question this morning is a little bit different, more important. What is a church?

Over the years both Christians and non-Christians have needed a lot more unity and clarity when it comes to answering ‘What is a church?’ Do we have unity and clarity on this point? It is helpful to consider what a church is not. For some, church is a building, used for an hour on Sunday then left for the rest of the week. That is not the whole picture. It is a traditional picture given by some older people but it does not give the complete story. There is a younger mistake, the complete opposite of the traditional view. It is that the church is believers, no more, no less. Is that it? You get together with other believers in a coffee shop and that is church? Surfing believers gather together, then you get church on the waves? Matthew records, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them,” (Matthew 18:20). But that’s not all a church is. Let’s move from the negative to the positive and look at church characteristics.

The over-arching principles of what church is and what activities it is about:

Calvin speaks of the invisible and visible church. The invisible church is all generations, of all times, come together. We see a snapshot of this in Revelation. The visible church is visible in local collections of believers that practice certain things. What does the church do? Repent. Healthy churches hate sin, their own personal sin. That’s the life-cycle of a Christian – repentance, repentance, repentance! Is there a sin we are hating in our lives? The church is to be repentant. But is also to be baptised – full submission baptism, completely taken under water and raised. This is a visible sign, died to sin and raised to Christ. If you’re a Christian, have you been baptised? Are you a Jesus loving, born-again Christian? You need to be baptised in the name of the Lord It’s all about Him. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That is our security. The Holy Spirit seals us. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit; they are signed and sealed. And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,“ (Acts 2:38).

Who is this promise for? Everyone! “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself,” (Acts 2:39). Church groups can do very effective programmes – children’s work, work for senior citizens, but this is not the church. The church is multi-generational. Church programmes are not the church. Church is family and families are diverse. Are you building a church or church programmes? There is a difference.

“And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2: 40-41). I once went to a church where there was a gifted, intelligent, well-liked guy who was heavily involved in church. He was a holiday club leader, visited people in a pastoral role, involved in lots of activities – a deacon in everything but name. But he wasn’t a member of the church. Was he part of the church or not? For all intents and purposes yes, but actually no. Because when people get saved they join the church. Church membership tends to be unpopular these days.

What is a church? It is local, multi-generational, baptising and has members. It is all about Jesus Christ. The church is characterised by certain things. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers,” (Acts 2:42). They devoted themselves. Devoted is habitual. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, the teaching of the scripture. Everything we do should be peppered with the Bible. We should be devoted to the Holy Bible, it is God’s word. The people of the early church devoted themselves to church fellowship. The local church knows each other and spends time with each other.

The church also devotes itself to the breaking of bread, the Lord’s Supper. Communion is central to everything we do. Why not have it every week, every Sunday? The Bible does not give us a template but ‘devoted’ implies constantly.

The teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. Prayers make us a listening and speaking community to our heavenly Father. Your heavenly Father does indeed hear you.

“And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles,“ (Acts 2:43) This is another controversial point. I don’t know where you stand on Spiritual gifts but are we are expecting God to move? Are we prepared to see what He is doing? What is God going to do next? Is there expectancy?

“And all who believed were together and had all things in common,” (Acts 2:43). How is that worked out in practice? Do you have a statement of faith on your website? Do we declare what we believe so there is unity as a purpose within this? Our statement of faith provides clarity in a generation of confusion.

“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need,“ (Acts 2:45). In the early church they gave as they could, sacrificially, for the church of God. Another mark of the church is giving.

Let’s encourage one another. Let’s all evaluate where we are in the light of scripture. By His strength and grace we can move forward.