Tag: scripture

February 1st 2026 – Tom Baker

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Genesis 6: Dark days with a bright future

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The book of Genesis is essentially a large family tree with breaks in between revealing the history of certain individuals. Genesis 5 begins with a genealogy that stems from Seth, a son of Adam, and then reaches down to Noah, the son of Lamech, so that in Genesis 6 we have the beginning of Noah’s account. We are going to look at Genesis 6 specifically and will concentrate on two features: the darkness of the days, and the bright future shown within these dark days.

But before we begin let me give you an illustration of what I think is going on here. Recently we went to the aquarium in Bristol. And among the many exhibits there were on display, I was particularly struck by the Mexican blind cave fish. It is only small and pretty drab in appearance being mainly translucent. It has no eyes, only eye sockets. It lives in the cave in darkness and has no concept of light or of colour. If you were able to talk to this Mexican blind cave fish you could not really tell them about what you know because it is all outside of their experience. To such a creature, colour and light are meaningless. The Mexican blind cave fish lives within its own dark world and speaking to it about the world outside the cave would be meaningless to it. Unless they were given eyes to see!

Now this picture is something like what we observe within society in the days of Noah. The people of that age thought they had everything they wanted. They could go after forbidden fruit with freedom. They believed themselves to be enlightened. They were thoroughly independent and indulgent. But in truth as the Lord recounts here in Genesis 6 they were in darkness, in chaos, and without God in the world. They despised God, for they ignored Him and what He had to say. He did not fit into their view of life. Now such was true also of the days of Moses, although not in exactly the same details. The mention of giants and men of renown occurs not just here but in the early history of Israel under Moses and beyond. Obviously, these are not the same groups because the flood destroyed the old world. But it is clear that the outcome or fruit of such sinful and God-hating ways is demonstrated by the giant offspring of the pairing between the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2,4). Now at the time of Jesus the Lord stated clearly that when He would be about to return, the world would be in very much the same way as found in these days of Noah (Matthew 24:37,38). Nothing has changed. Mankind born in sin if left without restraint will always descend into degradation and wickedness. Modern man here in out country thinks of himself as so enlightened and free, and yet is bent on the pursuit of godless wickedness.

Clearly our passage teaches that judgment is about to come and will not delay, for the flood is coming as promised. We live after this time, after the time when the Lord promised never to flood this world again, but judgement by fire is coming as promised (2Peter 3:10f). We are in the same situation as Noah. We live in a sin-sick world bent on running away from God, and judgment is about to come.

Now the great purpose of this passage in Genesis 6 is to call people to life. That is the whole point of God’s revelation to Noah, the provision of an ark within which salvation may be secured. In the book of Genesis we see at least four origins. We see the origin of the world, the origin of man, the origin of sin, and the origin of God’s chosen people and their salvation. In short the Bible is like the story of a messed-up family. It is something like the Jeremy Kyle show where all the dirty laundry of life is aired for all to see. What is the human family like? We are all Adam’s descendants and so born in sin. And yet into this dysfunctional family is born the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. He was born without sin, of course, but he was truly flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. How wonderful that in the midst of sin and rebellion we get the promise of One who will crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15)! And so within Genesis we also see one family set aside through whom would come the promised Seed (Genesis 12:7). And out of this promise all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Scripture always guides our focus to the Lord Jesus Christ. Whereas man was given dominion over the earth but sinned and so earned death, which we see clearly in Genesis 5 where we read repeatedly “and he died,” the Lord Jesus – the promised Seed – has come to bring life by His death. As far as man is concerned his contribution is sin out of which flows death. After Adam and Eve sinned we not only see the promise of Genesis 3:15, but the provision by the Lord of garments (slain animals whose blood was shed) to make covering for sin. And then we read of Cain’s shedding the blood of his brother and the outcome of Cain’s descendants, the pride and wickedness of Lamech of Cain. The blood of Abel cried out from the ground against Cain but the blood of Christ speaks of  “better things” (Hebrews 12:24). The promise of hope and of light can be seen in such things as the early part of Genesis 5 where there is a recollection of creation placed there in the hope of new beginning. Then also we read of Enoch walking with God which recalls the days before Genesis 3 and the fall suggestive of the possibility of being right with the Lord. So we have here in Genesis 6 an account of the reality of sin and its dreadful effects, but also of the promise of hope and life once more. Whilst there will always be darkness, there is too the promise of light shining in that darkness, a promise of a bright future.

[1] Dark days.

            Genesis 6:5 is stark. The Lord saw that man on earth was extremely wicked. The sentences are laboured. The wickedness of mankind was “great,” all the purposes and inner thoughts of mankind’s heart was exclusively wicked (“only evil” i.e. no good), and it was so “continually.”  Now this is the first time that we read of God looking at creation since Genesis 1. In Genesis 1 we read that He “saw” and that it was “good,” and “very good.” But now here in Genesis 6:5 the Lord “saw” something very different indeed. He saw that it was deeply, desperately, depressingly evil and wicked. How so? How had this come to be?

            Well, the answer to this question is that man had rejected God and had therefore gone his own way, but the outcome of such an action is always on a downward trend or spiral. I do not want us to be distracted about whom the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” may be here. This discussion will be for another time. Whichever view you take the problem really is a spiritual one. The key point to note here is that these ‘men’ (or fallen angels or demon possessed men), “saw” the women they desired, they saw that such were desirous to them, and so they “took” of any they wanted. Such language at once reminds us of Eve’s deception by the serpent:

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.  (Genesis 3:6a).

Boundaries have been crossed here. Eve should not have listened to the serpent. (Adam was culpable too as he should have told his wife to come away). In Genesis 6 boundaries have been crossed. Whatever our view of these two depictions of men and women may be, there is a choice being made here which is opposite to the good and the consequences are dire. Just as Eve listened to the serpent, there is a spiritual wickedness operating in Genesis 6. These people of Noah’s day were trying to engage in the spiritual realm in wickedness. How do we know this? Well listen to the Lord’s first word to the world of that time: “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Genesis 6:3). The Lord was remonstrating with mankind not to do what they were doing.

            But how did the Lord view all of this intense wickedness? In Genesis 6:6 we read that “the Lord was sorry” for having made man on earth and that “He was grieved in His heart.” The Lord who made all good was now grieving on account of man’s terrible state and condition. Do we not see the Lord Jesus expressing similar depths of emotion over sin and wickedness (Matthew 23:37)? Now it is also evident that the Lord was going to bring judgment to bear upon this wicked world. But let us remember that He does not do it as a dispassionate judge who has no personal interest in those whom He rightly judges. IS this not a warning to us? Yes we must preach that judgment is coming, but do we do so out of a deep sense of compassion for those to whom we witness? We must proclaim this grief of God over sin and evil. He is grieved so much that He sent His One and Only Son to bear the judgment! Notice too how grieved He feels about the sin and evil. The only solution is to wash it all away (Genesis 6:17). Mankind had corrupted himself to the point that the only solution was to destroy him completely. The Lord saw the depth of mankind’s corruption and evil and said ‘this cannot be.’ And so He destroyed the corruption by the waters of the flood.

            But notice too the great patience of God. He does not react to things like we do but is long suffering and patient towards mankind (2Peter 3:9). Every sin committed deserved bucket loads of the water of judgment but these have come after a long time of patient waiting for man to heed Him and turn from His wickedness.

[2] The hope and promise of a bright future in dark days.

            God shines light into the darkest places. Is this not what we see when He created the world in the first place? The darkness of initial creation (Genesis 1:2) was not evil nor chaos, but simply the starting point that God had made from which He constructed our world. He made all in the beginning but such were the raw materials (unformed and not yet filled), and then His first act was to create light. This is our God. He brings light into the darkness. And there are always two responses to that. To many the light exposes their darkness and because they love their darkness they recoil. To others the light illuminates their sight to see the truth about themselves and what the Lord is bringing and they are drawn toward it in faith. Scripture is full of this idea of two peoples and two ways. We see it in the position of the line of Cain to Lamech placed beside the line of Seth to Noah. But there are many other illustrations of this division in humanity into the righteous (who are so only by faith) and the wicked.

            Look at how the Holy Spirit puts it in our text. We read about the Lord’s intention to destroy all on account of wickedness in Genesis 6:7, and this was because He was “sorry” that He had made man. And then in Genesis 6:8 we read those wonderful words “but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Hebrews 11:7 tells us that it was “by faith” that Noah was enabled to do all that God commanded him. So Noah by faith in God and all that He had revealed received the grace of God and so he “found grace.” Grace is a gift. It is not something we earn. God is gracious. Praise His name! And Noah was enabled by faith to find this grace.

            Noah’s father, Lamech thought it might be through his son that the promised Seed would come. And so he called his son “Noah” because this name means ‘rest,’ for he hoped that “this one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed” (Genesis 5:29). It is through the grace of God that Noah listened to what the Lord had said to the whole world (Genesis 6:3,7) and was thence “divinely warned” to seek God for more and was thence “moved with godly fear” (Hebrews 11:7).

            In Genesis 6:9 we read more about Noah. He is described as a “just man, perfect in his generations,” and he is referred to as one who “walked with God.” Noah, and Noah alone is described in such a way. Obviously as a man born of Adam Noah is so by faith as we have said. But the way in which the Holy Spirit has centred our thoughts upon this one man (who was just and blameless) serves to point us towards the truly Righteous One, the Lord Jesus Christ. Noah walked with God just as Enoch had done, but Christ was One with the Father and did all that the Father willed. And so at the end of Genesis 6 we discover that “Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22). This is set in such a way to remind us that Christ did all that the Father asked of Him so that He could cry out on the cross “it is finished” (John 17:4; 19:30). Now Noah appears in the Genesis account as a type of person that we have not been presented with before. And so in some ways he is presented to us as a new Adam, and in such a way he serves as a pointer to the true second and last Adam Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:45,47).

            In Genesis 6:18 we have the first mention of the word “covenant” in Scripture (although this is not the first mention of the idea of covenant which we see in Genesis 2:17). But notice also that this is God’s covenant (“My covenant”). At this point Noah is told that He will go into the ark, for this is the provision of God’s covenant. But, although his family also enter the ark and so benefit too, only Noah is described as a “just man.” We are not told about what his family believed at all. But in the account of Genesis 6 it is pointedly clear that Noah stands alone as a “just man.” In this we are pointed again to the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is righteous and by His one righteous act many are saved. Noah’s family are saved as-it-were on Noah’s coat-tails. We too hang onto Christ and are included in His sacrificial death. And so our entrance into the ark Christ by faith is only on account of the righteousness work of the Lord Jesus. Notice too that this covenant of God’s was already in existence because here we read that He will “establish it” and not ‘make it’ as in other cases (Exodus 24:8; 34:27; Deuteronomy 4:32; 5:2). This is the covenant of grace. There was nothing for Noah and his family to do except hear the Lord call them to come in. This covenant was made in eternity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in eternity determined to save a people. The Father initiated this covenant, the Son carried it out, and the Spirit applies it to those who would believe.

            The answer to the world’s corruption is complete destruction by the waters of the flood (genesis 6:17). But the answer to the coming destruction (deserved as it was) is the ark (Genesis 6:14)! The ark was a box which was much larger in length than breadth or height. Noah was given precise instructions as to its construction. They were to go into the ark, Noah, his family, and all creatures whom the Lord would call, and inside there would be safety. Outside there will be nothing but destruction, but inside all is safe. There would be trials and difficulties inside the ark, of course. They would hear the rain and feel the effects as they were jostled about, and they were inside with many animals and one another. But they were safe from the outer destruction which was borne by the ark. Note too that all of life was crammed into this giant box. The Lord said that one of the purposes of His coming was to bring life in all its abundance, and in this ark we see the presence of the abundance of life that He has made (John 10:10).

Exhortation.

            I leave you with a few words of exhortation. Judgment is surely coming. Just as in Noah’s day the wickedness of the earth could only be blotted out by the judgment of God, so too in our day when wickedness abounds and is on the increase, such is ripe for judgment by fire. If we do not see that judgment is coming we are burying our heads in the sand. I am not talking about climate change and such disasters as the world may be overly concerned about. I am talking of the heavens and the earth (the universe) being destroyed and remade into a new heavens and a new earth. This is far more serious because it involves personal judgement for sin. All will be held to account, life to those who trust in Jesus and all he has done, and eternal death to those who reject Him and all that he has done. So get into the ark, which is Christ. It might not appear that judgement is close at hand, but then the rain did not fall until Noah and his family were safely shut in the ark. The Lord has made this incredible way of getting out of the coming judgment. The Lord calls all who are weary and who are labouring under sin to come to Him to receive rest (Matthew 11:28-30). So get into the ark! Come to Christ who alone brings rest.

April 20th 2025: Easter Sunday – Gaius Douglas

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1 Corinthians 15: 1-4.

The gospel in a nutshell: “Christ died for our sins” must be the declaration of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who does not believe this and the facts recorded in our text cannot be called a ‘Christian.’

[1] He died.
At the cross there were four people standing there. These were: Jesus’ mother Mary, Mary’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25). As they stood there and watched what was going on, Mary the mother of Jesus might have cast her mind back to what Simeon said in the temple when Jesus was presented at eight days old for circumcision: “a sword will pierce through your own soul” (Luke 2:35). Imagine her feelings at this time. Later on the risen Christ would join two disciples on the road home to Emmaus as recorded in Luke 24. One of these was named “Cleopas” and this was probably the husband of the Mary who is referred to as “the wife of Clopas” in John 19:25.

So we have these two disciples trudging the seven miles home from Jerusalem. They were discussing all that had happened and were trying to ‘work it all out,’ with their reason. At this point the risen Christ (unbeknown to them) came alongside them. In the course of their conversation with the Lord He “expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Then after He went to their house for a meal and He revealed Himself in the breaking of bread, we read that “their eyes were opened and they knew Him” (Luke 24:30,31). Jesus then vanished from sight but even though they had travelled the seven miles home, nevertheless we read that “they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem” (Luke 24:33).

It seems clear that being with the risen Christ empowered them to rise up and head straight back to Jerusalem! They had an energy from having their eyes opened and have recognised that Jesus was risen. Christ died for sins. They felt forlorn at His death but now they are excited with strength renewed like the eagles. Paul was led by the Spirit of God to write these words in 1Corinthians 15:1-4. Christ is central to Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. He is the author and finisher of our faith, the altogether lovely one, the alpha and omega, the resurrection and the life. Is He your Saviour? Is He your beloved One?

Christ died for our sins. He willingly sacrificed Himself. He laid down His life for us. No one took the Lord’s life from Him, for He laid it down of His own will (John 10:18). The Lord Jesus came to do the Father’s will. He came not to do His own will but the will of the Father. He willingly went to Calvary and He willingly paid for sins. John 3:16 teaches us that the Father sent the Son so that whosoever believes will never perish.

Christ was buried. He had literally died and He was placed in a tomb as a corpse. All our sins were taken by Him and paid for, and so our sins have been buried too. But death had no power of the Lord Jesus! So on the third day He rose again having fully satisfied all that the Father gave Him to do. In Romans 6:23 we learn that the wages of sin is death and that the free gift of God is eternal life. The Lord Jesus bore our guilt and the penalty of our sins. He paid the debt He did not owe, and He bore my sins on the tree. Now, since He paid in full, sin and death no longer has any grip over Him. So He lives! I am alive eternally because of Him (if I believe truly). The Lord Jesus shared our likeness for the purpose of destroying him who had the power of death (the devil) (Hebrews 2:14). The devil is the enemy of souls. He hates us. He was determined to bring us down to hell. But the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for sins and in the process destroyed the one who had power over death. Death is therefore no more to be feared. The Lord defeated sin, He conquered the devil, and He has overcome the world.

Paul writes a bit later in 1 Corinthians 15 that if Christ is not risen, then faith is of no account and we are still in our sins. But the facts of the matter are clear. Christ did die for sins. He was buried. He did rise. So our faith is true. We believe in Christ for salvation. We believe His death was sufficient to pay for sins. We believe that He was raised from the dead for our justification. These are sure and certain truths. Christ ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and one day He will return to receive His people into glory.

[2] The vital importance of Scripture.
The Spirit of God stresses here the importance of Scripture. We are told that Christ died for our sins “according to the Scriptures” (1Crinthians 15:3). And we are also told that His burial and resurrection on the third day was “according to the Scriptures” (1Corinthians 15:4). The Scriptures are vital. What Scriptures is Paul speaking of here? It was the Old Testament for much of the New Testament was still to be written. Psalm 22 which records much prophecy of Christ’s work on Calvary was written about a thousand years before His death. In Psalm 16:10 we read a prophecy of Christ’s resurrection. Seven hundred years before the first advent of Christ Isaiah records another detailed prophecy of the Lord’s work on Calvary in Isaiah 53.

We cannot do anything except through Scripture. We must do all “according to the Scriptures.” The word of God is truth. The Scriptures tell us all about Christ. The Scriptures are the very word of God to us. Peter’s first sermon makes use of important Scriptures. Paul quotes the Scriptures in his letters. When Jesus met the two disciples on the road to Emmaus He pointed to the Scriptures. It is not ideology, nor opinion, nor what man has made up. The Scriptures are that which we have “received.” They are not man-made but detail the very words of God.

[3] The importance of the resurrection.
Why is the resurrection so central? Well we have noted already that if Christ is not risen then faith is of no value and we are still in our sins. Without the resurrection we have no good news, no gospel. Christ Jesus is alive! But all other gods, and all other ‘pretenders to truth’ are dead. But what of all those who have died? If Christ is not risen then these have died in vain. If we have a hope only in this life we are of all people to be pitied.

The night before He died, the Lord Jesus told His disciples not to be afraid. He said they were not to be troubled for the Father’s house has many mansions or rooms (John 14:3). He then said that he was going to prepare a place for His disciples and that he would return or come again so that His disciples could be with Him. Because He paid for sins in full, and because He is faithful, the resurrection guarantees the fulfilment of His promises. What about all those who have ‘fallen asleep’? I once knew a pastor who purchased an area in a cemetery for all his congregation so that when the Lord returned they could rise all together!

In 1 Corinthians 15:42 we read that the “body is sown in corruption” and that “it is raised in incorruption.” The Lord said the night before He died: “because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). In 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 we learn that the dead in Christ will rise first when the Lord returns and that living believers will be caught up in the air to be with the Lord forever. The resurrection proves who Christ is and that he has power to save. The resurrection is a guarantee that the bodies of believers will be raised anew. We will have new resurrected bodies when Christ returns. Christ described Himself as “the resurrection and the life” to Martha Lazarus’ sister (John 11:25). Was He late in coming to Lazarus? Never! He is the resurrection and He is the life.

March 23rd 2025: Graham John

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Acts 9:10-29.

            The ministry of encouragement is one of the most important ministries in the Christian Church. Everyone finds themselves at one time or another in need of encouragement. It is not just pastors, preachers, or Church officers who can exercise this work, for all Christians ought to be encouragers. Some may have a natural ability of enthusing others. For many this is not part of their natural makeup, but every Christian can develop this gift of encouragement. Perhaps you can look back over your Christian experience and point to others who have encouraged you along the way?

            God is described as “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” by Paul (2Corinthians 1:3). The Holy Spirit is the One who ministers encouragement for He is described as the “Comforter” (John 14:216,26; 15:26; 16:7 – KJV), and He exercises this ministry of comfort or encouragement to believers (Acts 9:31). The gospel or good news is, of course, a comfort to needy sinners, If we want to be like the Lord then we ought to be encouragers. If we want to be godly people and Christlike, then it is imperative that we engage in a life of encouraging others, especially when there are great difficulties to be faced.

            We shall look at this ministry of encouragement under three headings.

[1] God’s high value on those whom He has redeemed.

            The Lord highly values His own people and their welfare. This is evident throughout Scripture, but perhaps supremely in the coming of Christ Jesus to save sinners. If God so values those whom He has saved, we too ought to set the same high value on believers.

            By nature the sinful man is proud, boastful, arrogant, idolatrous, selfish, greedy and so on, but with all of these characteristics we discover that God still sent His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). In Romans 14 the apostle Paul speaks of how we ought to treat those who are “weak in the faith” (Romans 14:1). Towards the end of the chapter Paul wrote:

Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. (Romans 14:15).

If Christ gave up His life for the Church, even when each individual was still a sinner, we ought to hold our brethren “for whom Christ died” in high esteem. The basis for our ministry of encouragement, then, is the high value God placed on believers in sending His Son to die in their place.

            Let us seek to reproduce the love of God towards the brethren, not as a duty but on account of the love we have for God who first loved us. Are we willing to overlook past offences and forgive one another as Christ forgave us? Christ never asked: ‘are these for whom I am dying worthy of me’? Is Christ’s love for me transforming me to be a useful, loving, and kind believer? God has highly valued His people.

[2] The importance of Scripture in the ministry of encouragement.

            Paul wrote these words to the Romans:

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4).

Of course Paul was referring to the Old Testament here but we are justified in applying them to the New Testament too. The Scriptures are given to us as a gift, but it does require us to put some effort into grasping them. Amongst many other themes and subjects, the Scriptures give as lessons about:

  • Christ, His person and work.
  • The unspeakable love of God.
  • The Kingdom of God and how we enter this and live within it.
  • The life of a disciple of Christ Jesus.

These eternal truths are the same for all ages and all cultures the world over. There are two points we need to make here concerning the importance of the Bible.

[a] The entire Bible is important.

            The text we quoted from Romans 15 tells us that “whatever things were written,” and this leads us to the idea that all of Scripture is important for us. There are ‘less well know’ parts of Scripture that are often neglected. But all of the Bible is the inspired word, and every word that comes from God’s mouth is needed. In some of these ‘less well know’ parts are to be found great gems and pearls. A study of the temple and the tabernacle in its imagery is well worth making even if it takes time, for these speak supremely of Christ and His work. The history of Israel and her failures are worth the effort of study too, for in these we see our failure and rejoice in the One true Israelite who succeeded in keeping the Old Covenant on our behalf, (i.e. Christ Jesus). Some parts of the Bible are less clear than others. Undoubtedly some parts may be ‘weightier’ than others. The Lord Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees because in the zeal for detail, they had “neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith” (Matthew 23:23). Whilst some parts need more time to study and digest, we dare not neglect these!

            I remember a communist man who was converted in his 90s. He was in a care home and often had visitors, but he was in the habit of asking them to leave him because they were taking up his valuable time in reading and studying Scripture! He was desperate to ensure he missed nothing and wanted to go through the whole Bible before he ran out of time! I also remember a Buddhist who was converted and began to read the Bible from Genesis, but we convinced Him to start at John’s gospel so he could discover the love of God in Christ first. These examples teach us that we need to be wise in our approach to Scripture, but we do need to consider it in its entirety. We need to change our attitude from ‘duty,’ to ‘delight’ for the Scriptures are God’s very word to us. Do we love Him? Then why would we not want to read all that He has said and written down?

[b] There is a practical purpose.

            We ought to have some pattern and policy to our reading and study. Make a plan to read and study all of Scripture. We need to be able to receive encouragement from others and we need to grow in dispensing encouragement too. The Scriptures will show us how. For example there are many places where we are taught to look beyond the current difficulties we face towards the glory to be revealed. We are exhorted by Paul to “comfort one another” with the words concerning Christ’s return (1Thessalonians 4:18).

[3] Barnabas – the ‘son of encouragement.’

            In Acts chapter 4 we come across a man named “Joseph” (he is called “Joses” in the NKJV but is the same name), who was a native of Cyprus and a Levite. This man sold some land he owned and gave the proceeds to the apostles so that those in need could be looked after (Acts 4:36,37). He was “named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement)” (Acts 4:36). It is perhaps speculation, but it would seem that Barnabas’ action was not something done out of duty or simply through necessity, but was rather done from a heart full of love towards God. Barnabas gave freely not because he had to, but because of his love for the Lord. And this action motivated the apostles to give the name “Son of Encouragement.” Everything Barnabas owned was the Lord’s. Perhaps his Levitical upbringing helped here?

            Now the ministry of encouragement is much more than the passing on of words. It includes sharing our wealth, our time, our homes, and even our very lives. We next find reference to Barnabas in Acts 9 which we read earlier. He was the one who introduced Paul to the apostles in Jerusalem. Everyone else was suspicious of him because of his former reputation as a persecutor. The disciples at Jerusalem were afraid to welcome him because they thought he was going to revert to his persecuting ways. Many were not convinced of his genuineness. But Barnabas took him to the apostles and explained to them all about his conversion and the fact that he was now preaching Christ as the Son of God (Acts 9:27). Barnabas was bold enough to risk his own life and reputation by taking Paul, about whom many thought of still as a persecutor, and he recommended him to the apostles.

            Was anyone praying for Paul during those years of persecution I wonder? Were they guilty of thinking that Paul was such a person beyond redemption? He was a fierce enemy of the gospel and hounded Christians mercilessly. But were any moved to pray for him to be converted? Now Barnabas had such a high view of Christ’s saving power that Paul’s conversion was something that he accepted readily. Others may have had their suspicions but Barnabas knew that Christ could save even Paul. Barnabas also had such a high view of the Church and Christian Fellowship that he couldn’t allow the newly converted Paul to be ignored or feared and so he brought Paul to the apostles so that he could be accepted into the fellowship of believers. I wonder how much weaker would the Church have been if Barnabas did not do this? Barnabas could not know that Paul would be so important to the Church, nor that Paul would be responsible for a large part of the New Testament. We do not know where our ministry of encouragement to another believer will ultimately lead. Are we encouraging others as we seek to bring men, women, boys, and girls to Christ and His word?

February 11th 2024: Paul Daniel

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Philippians 2:1-11

As you travel, you keep an eye on what is going on. You notice changes. If you examine the difference in Wales between the 80s and now you will see many changes; the population has increased and there are many changes in churches. The number of churches has increased and there are different varieties of worship. There is natural growth. Have you thought about why churches rise and fall? There are different reasons for this. Sometimes, people leave and don’t come back. There is natural movement of people because of age or jobs. There is a difference in church. Sometimes, there’s a health change and you must move to be closer to hospital or family.

There is some rise and fall in churches. Disagreements also arise. There is a lack of unity. Scripture talks about this – our unity. It is such a joy, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” There is a wonderful joy, a unity we share in our Lord Jesus Christ. Consider the alternative – no unity, no joy, because the Lord Jesus Christ didn’t come. Imagine the alternative. It is such a joy Jesus Christ has come, put His body on the cross. Sinners are welcomed into God’s family. The cross stands there as the only solution that can bring permanent peace and reconciliation.

Philippians 2 reminds us of the blessings of being a Christian Church in unity. We read in Acts of the Church in Philippi being born. Here we read of a slave girl, Lydia, and the gaoler, who were converted. Lydia opened her home up. Can you imagine the diversity in that house – a slave girl taken advantage of, Lydia, a businesswoman, and a jailer? Such incredible diversity. We hear in the news of all types of scandals. What might it have been like for a slave girl? It might have been a challenge. In Philippians 4 Paul writes to the church for people to agree with each other. They were tensions, little disagreements.

Unity is crucial. It is being paid for by Jesus with His precious blood. He humbled himself and was obedient, even to death. “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14). We are to strive for peace because Jesus Christ has shed His precious blood for the church. The very expensive price has been paid for by Jesus. There are expensive consequences if you are not in Jesus.

Invest in talking to one another, invest in relationships. Do we still talk to each other or email or text each other? Communication has changed. In one sense, we communicate more but have less deep and meaningful relationships. We need to invest in our relationships. Chapters like this reminders Jesus Christ has paid the ultimate price so we belong to each other.

  1. What is your outlook?

“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2). Paul says you need to have the same mind. We’re all different but we need to have the same love and be united in spirit and purpose. There is a diversity in our churches, but in this there is a oneness in attitude, a oneness in affection, a oneness in direction and cooperation. We see it in the Trinity; there is a oneness there.

It is this collective effort, where everyone has a part to play, we are all in a relationship to one another. We are to be of one mind, in unity, for the cause of the gospel. Time is precious. There is a world out there that does not know Jesus. Jesus Christ is coming soon. We are to work together, that we can see others come to know Him too.

  • Where is our humility?

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.“ (Philippians 2:3). Each of us needs to be moved in humility. Others are more important than ourselves. We should have no selfish ambition or vanity. Each of us, no matter what position or role, should examine our own hearts. There should be a positive move to treat one another more importantly than ourselves – not because we’re told to but because we want to. It comes from the heart, from holiness. It is very much about our attitude to others to be humble. Where is our humility? Humility comes from reminding ourselves that every good thing comes from the Lord.

  • Do we consider the interests of others?

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4). Each of us should be concerned about the interests of others. What does that look like in church? The Lord Jesus Christ came, died, brought salvation, equipped us for every good work. We should use our gifts to serve one another. All are valuable. All are useful. We should be interested in what others have to say and do. It might not always be the right thing, but we need to listen.

Look for the interests of others, even if it seems insignificant. What did Jesus see in us? Something wonderful, attractive? No! Yet He loved us, came down, went to the cross and shed His blood for you and me. Be interested in Bethlehem, not just Jerusalem. Why shouldn’t we use the gifts that God has given us, to serve Him? We should have unity on our radar. We should not take unity for granted. I’m not talking about passive unity that we have, but active unity. Don’t take your unity for granted. Engage in relationships. Talk to one another. Remember Jesus Christ considered the interests of others.

What is the Lord asking you to do as an individual, as a corporate body? What does that unity look like? In the new heavens there will be people from every tribe and nation, giving Him praise, glory and honour.