18th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:12-13 focus 12b)


Message (Alan Burke)


You might have read this verse and thought ‘wow’, ‘fear and trembling’. Now before we get into that I want to try to illustrate something. A long time ago my grandad got a piece of land and it was rough ground, gorse, rocks, it looked like it would be nothing else. Over time though that piece of ground was transformed from rough ground that was only good for sticking a few goats to a piece of land that was good for grazing cattle. The thing is that that piece of land was my Grandad’s, it belonged to him and through blood sweat and tears it was transformed but the work never stoped in his lifetime, there was fencing that needed done, it needed grazed. If he had just left it would have been taken over by nature again, the gorse would have been back and it would have been back only suitable for goats. 


You might be wondering why on earth do I begin this way and the reason why is I’ve tried to illustrate the work of sanctification, we may not be a bit of rough ground, we might not have a lot of gorse but in sanctification God work in us, bringing us to salvation, and while at that moment when we come to saving faith, when we are declared holy, we are at the same time still sinners and God continues to work, transforming us, changing us from what we once were to what we were made to be as those who were choses from before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4), to be holy. 


The work of transformation within us doesn’t come all at once, while we are sanctified made holy and we belong to Christ, we are slowly transformed through his work of sanctification within us. Like the piece of rough ground, it already belonged to my Granda but it was transformed by his work to become a field, we are transformed from being sinner to being holy, we already belong to God and are holy when we come to salvation but there is a work to be done within us by the Holy Spirit transforming us into what God wants us to be. Paul has just said as we continue to obey we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling it is not that we are somehow earning our salvation, rather he is expressing the idea of continual obedience in the life of the believer. It is not that we should be filled with terror at loosing our salvation but that within the believer there should be a sense of awe and reverence before their creator. 


The true fear of God knows that we come before the Holy, Holy, Holy God and seeks to please and obey Him rather than to sin against Him. Noah feared God rightly and sought to honour Him in the midst of a wicked generation (Heb 11:7). The church in Philippi were to work out their salvation with fear and trembling and we are to do the same. While our sins have been forgiven, we are the redeemed of God, that salvation will be seen in us in the process of sanctification. It is seen as we die to sin and are conformed more and more into the likeness of Christ our saviour, it is an ongoing process, we seek to obey God and his word and he works in us. While we are saints as Paul has already made clear to those whom he wrote to, we are declared holy but there is an ongoing growth in our holiness in this life. Our salvation is not based on merit, it is all about God’s grace, but in that we respond to God’s grace and we live lives in response to what God has done. And just like that field we are transformed from what we once were into the likeness of our saviour, growing in our holiness.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q6 How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
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17th June 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 3v7-19) 
Message (Scott Woodburn) 
The Old Testament is not a random collection of fantastic stories useful only for Sunday school colouring-in pages. The Old Testament is the story of the church of Christ from the beginning of time to the four hundred years of silence between Malachi and the Gospels. Paul tells us elsewhere that the events of the Old Testament "took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did." (1 Corinthians 10v6) 
So in light of the Apostle telling us that we are to constantly consider Jesus, in these verses he warns us to be on guard against a hardening of our heart. To give this warning, the Apostle quotes from Psalm 95 which tells the story of the rebellion in the wilderness. The Lord had brought His people out of Egypt but instead of praise they responded with contempt. They grumbled against God. They complained about the wilderness. They moaned about the food that the Lord had provided. They even suggested that slavery in Egypt would be better than freedom under God. 
In response the Lord swore in His righteous angry that "they shall not enter my rest." (v11). Indeed that same generation would not set foot in the land of promise and even their leader Moses would only gaze towards the land of Judah. What should we make of this example? Paul sees it as a warning to guard against evil and unbelieving hearts which will cause us to fall away from God (v12). 
Now, let's be clear, the true believer can never slip from Christ's fingers. Their sins have been paid for and their justification will not be removed. Nevertheless we are to watch our hearts and pay attention to the condition of our soul. We are to exhort one another in this manner each and every day (v13).  When was the last time you asked a fellow Christian "How is your soul?" When was the last time a fellow Christian asked you "Have you repented today?" 
These conversations might be hard to imagine but we would do well to start having them. What is the danger? Sinful, hard, grumbling, ungrateful hearts are a sign of a sick soul in need of Gospel medicine. The Israelites in the wilderness forgot how God had saved them and their deceitful hearts led to them falling in the wilderness (v17). They did not enter the land of promise due to their unbelief (v19). 
So my brothers and sisters I urge you to respond to this devotion by evaluating the condition of your soul. Are you dwelling in unconfessed sin? Is your heart hard and unforgiving towards a fellow Christian? Are you bored with the things of God? Is your heart grateful or is it marked by arrogance? Only you can answer these questions truthfully. But if you see any warning signs then I urge you to flee to Christ and drink deeply from the well of truth. 
The Christian life is marked by an assurance of our salvation through faith in Christ but it should also be a watchful life. Our enemy is like a lion looking for someone to devour and so fellow Christian I urge you to walk with wisdom in the wilderness of this world. Keep a good watch on yourself and hold your original confidence firm to the end. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Help us Lord Jesus we pray! Amen. 
Pray (acTS) 
Sing 
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Q5. Are there more Gods than one? There is but one only, the living and true God.
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16th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:12-13, focus v12a)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I wonder if you have seen one of those videos of what I think it’s called the 'temptation challenge’? If you’re left wondering what the temptation challenge is it is when some sweets or chocolate are put in front of a child and the grown up with them leaves and secretly videos their child struggle not to give into temptation before they scoff the sweets or chocolate. Some of the children of course do a better job than others. But here’s the thing when there is no one watching you, when there isn’t someone watching over your shoulder, how quick are you and how easily do you give into temptation? It is much easier for us to obey, to do the right thing when we are being watched by someone we know and love than left to our own devices. Here in Paul affirms the church for how they have obeyed in his presence but also encourages the church to do so more and more in his absence. It shouldn’t matter if the apostle is there or if he languished in prison or was with them they should continue to obey.


Look back to how the verse starts as Paul says ‘Therefore’, ie, consequently, because of what I have just said and what has Paul just said, well it is of the humility of Christ Jesus, the example of Christ himself. Paul had held up Christ, he sets Christ before us as the example for us to how to live, he wanted the church in Phillip and us here today to look to what Jesus has done, to think on Christ, focus on him and the wonder of how he left the realms of glory for the cross of Calvary. He humbled himself for us, those who by our nature are his enemies and we should live lives in response to what he has done. Now he draws out the implications for us in our lives as a result of the humility of Christ. Ie therefore, consequently, because of what I have just said, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence. 


For all of us we should live in a way that is consistent with our faith in the Lord Jesus. The church in Philippi had come to know the wonder of what Christ had done, their lives had been transformed by the gospel. It wasn’t that they came to salvation and lived exactly as they did beforehand, no the gospel had brought transformation, they had left their paganism and turned to Christ. They were not somehow perfect Christians who obeyed perfectly, but they were those who sought to obey, responding to the work of God within. They were living in response to the gospel and whether Paul was among them or away from them he encourages them to continue to live in this way not only as he was with them but now in his absence. 


It shouldn’t be that we need someone watching over our shoulders to make us live in this way, rather our love and knowledge of the Lord should lead us to live this way, living life of obedience. What motivates us to live in obedience is the example of Christ, we live lives in response to the gospel, lives that are lived consistently with what we believe, we obey because Christ obeyed. And as we do that it will be seen in our sanctification. And while Paul doesn’t state it here, remember the reason why it was necessary that Christ humbled himself for us it was because we will fail to obey as we should, for all of us are sinful, every day in all things we fall short of his glory. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Gal 4:4). So when you fail, remember what Christ has done, and in remembering what Christ has done may it lead you and I to great obedience. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q4 What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

14th June 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 3v1-6) 
Message (Scott Woodburn)
In the previous chapter the Apostle made it abundantly clear that Christ was greater than the angels and yet for a little while He was made lower than the heavenly host. Jesus became like us in every way but was without sin. He suffered and was tempted and tried but His sacrifice was complete and has delivered the faithful from the slavery of death. Jesus Christ is our great high priest. 
As we remember this, Paul adds another "therefore" (v1). The point being that in light of everything we have heard we are to respond by constantly considering Christ (v1b). We share in a heavenly calling and so we are to think upon Jesus who is both the apostle and high priest of our confession. What does this mean? Apostle means "sent one" and so Christ is the true Apostle who was sent by God to redeem a fallen people. Jesus is also our high priest and as we have already discovered, He made the sacrifice that has paid for the sin of His bride the church. When we speak about "our confession" we are describing that which we believe. Christ is the sent one and high priest of our confession. He has revealed to us the Gospel by which we are saved. He is the content of the Gospel by His most excellent sacrifice. We confess our belief in the Gospel and we confess our certainty that Jesus is the Christ. 
Therefore we are to consider Jesus frequently. We do not move on from Christ and we will never master Him. When we are tempted and tried we are to consider Jesus and His faithfulness to God (v2). Just as Jesus is greater than the prophets and the angels, He is also greater than Moses. Christians coming from a Jewish background would have been well aware of Moses and would certainly have held him in the highest regard. He was unquestionably a man of faith and acted faithfully in God's service (v2). 
Nevertheless, Christ is the greater Moses and counted worthy of more glory than the Old Testament leader (v3). To underline his point, the Apostle encourages us to imagine a house. When a house is built we walk around it and marvel at its beauty, but no house ever built itself. The house might be honoured by those who appreciate it, but the builder of the house deserves more honour still. He was the one who designed the house and shaped it by the sweat of his brow. God is ultimately the builder of all things and God is the builder of His house the church (v4). 
In the house of God, Moses was a good and faithful servant who spoke about the things that were to come (v5). But Christ is worthy of the greater honour because He serves God's house as a Son (v6). The Apostle's language is interesting - Mose WAS faithful IN God's house, Christ IS faithful OVER God's house. Moses needed to be saved by the coming Christ and now the ministry of Moses is over. Christ came not to be saved but to save and His ministry over the church continues. 
Jesus is greater than the prophets, angels and even Moses. We are His house and therefore we are to remain confident in Christ and boastful of our hope (v6). This isn't sinful, arrogant boasting but instead we rejoice in our hope and we speak of it frequently. 
My brothers and sisters the Christian doesn't need to pretend that everything is okay. The Lord does not require us to put on a brave face or a stiff upper lip. If you know trouble, doubt and fear then there are two words which should be like honey to your soul...consider Jesus. 
Pray (acTS) 
Sing 
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Q. What do the Scriptures principally teach? The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.
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13th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:5-11 focus v8-11)


Message (Alan Burke)


You’ve two kidneys would you give one of yours up so that someone could live? You’ve two lungs what about one of them? Or how about part of your liver? Maybe an eye? What about if the person in question was your enemy? Would you give them your life so that they could live? I suspect you knew where I was going with those questions, but if they weren’t asked in the context of this passage and devotion would your answer have been any different? Don’t worry you don’t have to tell me but as Paul gets us to think on Christ he takes us to more of the wonder of what has been done for us who by our nature his enemies. For Jesus left the realms of glory he condescended for us, lowered himself, made himself nothing for you and I so that we might become the children of God


Think on that, think on Christ, think on how he made himself nothing for you and I so that we might know what it is to become the children of God. And he, the pre existing, eternal Son, who was with the Father (Jn 1:1, 17:5, 24), who took the nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, in the appearance of man, God showed us His humility, as he humbled himself for us and became obedient to death, even death on a cross (8). 


We are so familiar with the crucifixion but in Roman society it was never a discussion topic in polite company, we even have instances of Roman etiquette books that dealt with what is appropriate and not appropriate to talk about that crucifixion is a big no no. It was the ultimate indignity, degrading and humiliating, crucifixion was cruel and unusual by design. It was intended that those who hung on the cross would suffer not for minutes or hours but for day, both physically as well as emotionally with the shouts and taunts of the onlookers, as family came and wept, as the pain increased, as the exhaustion grew. 


Yet Paul wants us to think on how the one through whom all things were made, who rules over the heaven and the earth, who is rightfully the King of kings and Lord of lords, came, giving up the highest pinnacle of glory to take on our humanity, instead of exalting himself he humbled himself even to death on a cross. This is the ultimate example to us of humility. He who had the privileges that were rightly his as king of the universe, gave them up to become a baby bound for the cross. Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). 


The Triune God in his purposes, designed that we should in the death of Christ, see and taste, and ponder, and feel, and recognise the unmerited goodness of God, and the love of Christ toward us, that is applied to us by the work of the spirit within us, this great and immeasurable, wonder that our saviour Christ Jesus regardless of his position humbled himself and his life for our sakes. This is the means by which we are redeemed, reconciled to God, that we are given right standing before God by the imputed righteousness of Christ, that we are cleansed from our sin, true life has been procured for us a gift that we have not deserved, eternal life is ours though Christ Jesus, who humbled himself for us.


So Instead of having selfish ambition or concede we should count others more significant than ourselves. We should seek humility, instead of looking for our own selfish ambitions we should count others more significant than ourselves. That is what is required of us as believers and it is costly. How unreasonable are we when we who are nothing, refuse to give up pride, selfish ambition, conceit what ever it is and look to our Saviour, think on what he has done, how unreasonable are we who hold on to so much instead of marvelling at how he gave up everything for us. This is the pattern of humility that we ought to look to, it is the pattered that we ought to live by. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q2 What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
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12th June 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 2v17-18) 
Message (Scott Woodburn) 
It is remarkable when we consider the earthly life of Christ. He wasn't a little bit human and a little bit God. His humanity didn't convert His divinity and equally His divinity didn't convert His humanity. He was and is true God, true man but always without sin. Think on this for a wee second...there was a date in history that Jesus took His first steps, there was another moment that He would have been weaned off His mother's milk and on another occasion Jesus started working alongside His earthy father Joseph. 
Christ was made like us in every respect. But why? Surely it was possible for Jesus to come as a fully grown man and go immediately to the cross? Why did He need to spend over thirty years here on earth? Why did He become the eldest son and big brother of an earthly family? Why did He have to become a subject of the Roman empire? Why did he attend weddings and funerals? Why a physical body and an awful death? What was it all for? 
The Apostle explains that Christ was made like us in every respect so that He might become our faithful high priest in God's service (v17). As the church worshipped in the Old Testament they did so by way of sacrifice and priesthood. But this system was temporary until the arrival of Christ. At Calvary, Christ showed Himself as our priest and our sacrifice. He went to the place of the skull where He Himself laid down His life as a ransom for many. The Temple is no more because Christ is the true temple. Sacrifices are no more because Christ's sacrifice was sufficient. The priesthood is no more because Jesus is the true priest. 
On the cross Jesus made "propitiation" for His people's sins. That's a difficult word to say but it's an important word to learn. When we speak of "propitiation" we talk of Christ's sacrifice being one that turns away the wrath of God. Let me say that again...Christ's sacrifice turned away the wrath of God. If you think of the wildest of storms with rain, thunder and lightning beating down upon your house, you still won't grasp the furious anger of God towards sin. 
Sinners caught in the storm of God's wrath will surely perish. Just as you could do with an umbrella on a rainy day, so too do we need something to protect us from God's anger. Christ fulfils this great need. The wrath of God is furious indeed but those who trust in Christ will find that He faced the anger of God so that we never will. Jesus became sin for our sake. He is our propitiation - His sacrifice turns away the anger of God. 
Jesus was made like us in every respect so that He might become our faithful high priest. Christ who was truly human and knew all the struggles of humanity made propitiation for our sins. 
We would do well to remember this truth and we would do well to remember that the cross wasn't "easy" for Jesus. We incorrectly think that because Jesus was true God and true man then perhaps the nails didn't really hurt and the agony wasn't really that bad. May God forgive us. Christ's suffering is beyond our imagination. He suffered. He was tempted. He was crushed. Yet He did not sin and He did not fail. 
Today if you are being tempted and if you know suffering then there really is only One who can help. Christ was made like you in every respect and as your great high priest He is able to help you in your temptation (v18). Lift your eyes to Him dear child of God, He faced God's wrath so you don't have to, lift your eyes to Him. 
Pray (acTS) 
Sing 
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Q1 What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
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11th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:5-11 focus v6-7)


Message (Alan Burke)


Let me as you this, would you be willing to give up your home for a family of refugees to live in and move out to the garage or the shed? Now that could be a fairly spicy question in some quarters especially since I’ve seen stickers in Crossgar with an Irish tricolour and the words “Ireland is Full” on it. But back in 2022 people welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their home and got paid for it by the government. So would you be willing to give up your home for a family of refugees after all most of us live in houses that are too big for us but for some reason we still need all the bedrooms and will never downsize and when we realise we should have done it, it is then too late and our homes our prisons. Would you leave your home? Yes/No? Maybe it would help if you knew a bit about the family, actually it’s best if you don’t know about the family because they are the worst kind of people and there isn’t one of them who are good. So how about it?


I can’t guarantee what your response was but if I was going to take a guess it would be that you wouldn’t be willing to give up your home and it wouldn’t matter if it was for refugees or the next door neighbour or even some of the family. Yet lets think to what Christ has done, who… v6 …being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.


The one through whom all things were made, he entered the world he was humiliated, he humbled himself in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine the depth or the breath of, the sheer gravity of what has taken place for us. Jesus Christ for our sakes, made himself nothing, emptied himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant. He voluntary took upon himself our humanity, humbling himself in the incarnation in every part. The one whom all things were made, who rightly rules over the heaven and the earth, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, came, giving up the highest pinnacle of glory to take on our humanity, instead of exalting himself he humbled himself. Think on Christ, think on what he has done, the example he has set of how he left the privileges that were rightly his as king of the universe, gave them up to become a baby bound for the cross. Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). The “emptying” consisted of his becoming human, not of his giving up any part of his true deity.


He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant in his condescending he voluntary submitting to the will of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit. He willingly came as one of us to do all that was required of us, in his life, death and after his death until his resurrection. He didn’t have to any of this, he willingly did for our redemption. Jesus chose to condescend for us to die for our salvation. Think to Christ when your tempted to do thinks out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, when the grumpy old fart rubs you up the wrong way, when you don’t get your preference in the new church sign, think to Christ and remember what he has done for you and how that should impact everything you do and say. 


Do you understand the wonder of what Christ has done for you, Paul wants us to think upon Christ and what he has done, so that we who by our nature are his enemies, who are filthy sinners so that we could know forgiveness. Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance, and born of her, yet without sin, and sinner, he did this for you. This should impact how you live in every way as a believer. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q107 What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen,” teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; and in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.
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10th June 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 2.14-18) 
Message (Scott Woodburn)
A remarkable Christian truth is that God is glorious above all things and yet at one moment in history God the Son stepped into creation and took on flesh. We consider this at Christmas but truthfully it deserves our attention every single day. Christ is eternal, He always has been and always will be. All things were made through Him and for Him but He still He grew in a virgin’s womb and became like us in every way, yet without sin. 
This was absolutely necessary because Christ’s church consists of sinful but redeemed humans. Just as you and I have blood pumping around our bodies and oxygen in our lungs, so too did Jesus take on the same things (v14). Indeed, even now, Christ continues in flesh and blood and the God man stands at the right hand of God. We should be humbled by this because in order for sinful humanity to be saved we needed a perfect human representative to pay the price for us. 
Only Jesus could do it for only Jesus is true God, true man and without sin. Christ’s life was perfectly obedient. At no point did He sin, but at every point He kept God’s law perfectly and even when He received the punishment for sinners, He faced it willingly. The perfect man, our glorious representative died at Calvary and has categorically defeated death.  
Satan on the other hand is the enemy of humanity. Some fools worship him by name whilst others unknowingly serve him. Bob Dylan had it right when he sang “You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed. You’re gonna have to serve somebody. Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord. But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” We either serve the Lord or we serve Satan, there is no in-between. 
Since the fall humanity has been in the grip of sin and death meaning that everyone who has ever been born has also died. We have wept in graveyards, we have worried about our health, we have done our best to avoid Covid and all because death is the enemy of humanity and we try to flee from it. Satan understands this and wishes to keep as many as possible in spiritual darkness. 
But Christ's work has robbed death of it's sting. Christ called Satan "the strongman" but Christ was stronger by far. Satan has been bound and although he continues to rage, Christ has set his people free. Christians no longer need to fear death, we are no longer slaves to sin, Christ has delivered us (v15). 
By taking on flesh and completing His work, Jesus has helped not the angels but "the offspring of Abraham" (v16). If we belong to Jesus then by extension we also belong to Abraham. We are his spiritual descendants by faith and it is as Paul writes "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3v29) 
My friends, today may be incredibly hard and there may be difficult days still to come but we would do well to daily contemplate the result of Christ's work. He became like us to help us and to destroy the works of the devil and sin. As a result, by faith in Christ, we are truly free. Death will still come but for the child of God it is followed by glory. Thanks be to God! 
Pray (acTS) 
Sing 
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Q106 What do we pray for in the sixth petition? In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” we pray, that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.
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9th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:5-11 focus v5)


Message (Alan Burke) 


Here in Northern Ireland, we have our own sense of humour that apparently is like no where else in the world. Only here can you ask a child if they’re having the craic and you don’t get dirty looks or arrested, or ask someone if they want a poke and not get a slap. We even have a public art sculptures called the balls of the falls, doesn’t matter what it is officially called, if I said take the turnoff at Rise and the second exit at the round about most normal people wouldn’t have a clue. We like the banter and on top of that there is the sarcasm that those across the pond don’t really understand.


Our wit is dark and dry and if we’re not willing to laugh at ourselves then we make ourselves a target, people will make sure that we don’t get a big head, even if someone has done a great job we don’t like people thinking more of themselves than they ought. You know what I mean, we make sure nobody gets above their station. We keep them humble, don’t we!? Things are different from the workplace to the bowling club, from the mart to school, but I’m sure we have all come across that kind of humour. We have also seen when it has gone too far, when someone has been humiliated by others, they have been made to feel ashamed, foolish, their dignity and pride has been given a right kicking. Now I hope that you aren’t like that, for it is sinful, we should be the opposite of the culture around us, we should love one another, desiring to build up not tear down but that is for another time.


The reason why I start with that is today we look to the Humility of Christ but it is also known as the humiliation of Christ. It wasn’t that Jesus was made to feel ashamed, foolish, his dignity and pride had been given a right kicking, rather it was that he was reduced to a lower position, he humbled himself for us. Paul had just taken the church through how there should be unity in the church, that they should do nothing our of selfish ambition of vain conceit, instead looking to the interests of others and now he tells us that our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Paul is taking the focus of ourselves and wants us to think on Christ and that as our attention moves from ourselves on to Christ and what he has done for us then it should impact how we live. 


In our union with Christ, which leads to a union with one another, leading us to live humbly and we live this way because of what has been done for us through the Saviour who showed such humility, he humbled himself for us. If we truly are in Christ, if we are the children of God by faith, if we belong to his family, it naturally follows that we will bear familial characteristics, just as with wee Jonny, we say aww, he’s got his da’s eyes, or his ma’s nose, the same should be said about the believer, if we bear not likeness to our saviour then questions have to be asked. There are many who have a great zeal, they know the right stuff, they believe it to be true, but their humility is lacking. So Paul says think on Christ, think on him for humility isn’t easy, in fact is darn right difficult, because it’s so contrary to how this world works, it’s not how our schools teach, it's not how life works, but it’s what the church needs. We are not only to have humility to see others more significant than ourselves, but to look to the interests of others not our own (4). So Paul tells us to think on Christ. We might have a sense of humour that is like no where else in the world but in the church we need to think on Christ, the wonder of what he has done for us and that should impact everything we do and say, our entire being needs to be orientated rightly by what he has done. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q105 What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” we pray, that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.
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7th June 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 2v5-13) 
Message (Scott Woodburn)
As we have already seen, angels are God's servants sent out for the sake of Christ's church. They are mighty and glorious beings who were present at and involved in the delivering of God's law. Indeed the Lord has even given the angels some authority over this present world. In Deuteronomy 32v8 we read "When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God." In this verse the angels are described as "the sons of God" and it would appear that they have some role to play in God's providential governing of the nations. 
Angels are truly majestic creatures and yet Christ is superior to them. With that stated we must remember that in the humiliation of Christ He was for a little while made lower than the angels. The Apostle quotes from Psalm 8v4-5 “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” 
Jesus took on flesh and became like us in every way, yet without sin. For a little while He left His heavenly home and walked among us. He had to learn how to speak and walk. He attended funerals and weddings. He had brothers and sisters with whom He grew up. He learned a trade and willingly submitted to His earthly parents and earthly authorities. He was made lower than the angels for a time but by His death, resurrection and ascension He has been crowned with glory and honour and everything is in subjection under His feet. 
What does this "subjection" look like? The Apostle explains that Christ is the King and nothing is outside His control (v8). We believe this to be true and although we don't yet see everything in subjection to Him (v8b) we do see Christ (v9). He was humiliated and exalted and because of His suffering and death, He has put an end to death for His followers (v9). In the age to come, the world, the universe and everyone in it will be under the glorious rule and reign of Christ Jesus. In that day there will no more sin or death. All wickedness and evil will be put away and Christ will walk with His people in a kingdom where righteousness dwells. If the angels are involved in this present age, the world to come will not be subject to them, only to Christ (v5). 
Christ is the only One who deserves this lofty position. His exaltation is fitting and the subjection of all things is deserved because Jesus is the One who made all things and who owns all things (v10). He is the One who has brought many sons and daughters to glory by the merit of His suffering and death (v10b). 
Jesus is the only begotten Son of God sent by the Father to redeem and sanctify a multitude. That multitude have been chosen by the Father from before the foundation of the world. Therefore the sanctifier (Christ) and those sanctified (the Church) have the one source (God the Father) and so Jesus is not ashamed to call Christians His brothers and sisters (v11). The finished work of Jesus is sufficient to save a people for His own possession and by faith we are adopted into the family of God and enter into an unbreakable union with Christ.    
Christ has fulfilled Psalm 22v22 “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” by coming among His people and making known the Father. Christ took Isaiah 8v17 “I will put my trust in him.” and fulfilled it by trusting in God even in the midst of being forsaken at Calvary and again it was Christ who fulfilled Isaiah 8v18 “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” by gathering His people to Himself by the Word and Spirit. 
As we take all of this together we are again convinced of Christ's superiority over the angels. We are thankful for God's heavenly servants but only Jesus is our elder brother and by faith in Him we have been given the right to be called children of God. Thanks be to God! 
Pray (acTS) 
Sing 
WSC
Q104 What do we pray for in the fourth petition? In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread,” we pray, that of God’s free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.