9th September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 4:13-15)


Message (Alan Burke)


I’m sitting in my study listening to ‘The Clash’ and the song ‘I Fought the Law and the Law Won’ has just come on. Can you imagine though if there was no such thing as law in society? Of course, it would depend on many factors. I imagine that those in urban settings would face much greater consequences than those who live in a rural setting, but that’s maybe because I’ve rose-tinted glasses about living on the edge of a village. But without law, society would change dramatically; daily life would be transformed. Laws do more than punish wrongdoing; they establish shared rules, protect rights, organise daily life, etc. Paul has already made the point that Abraham’s righteousness came by faith and not the law. Now he builds on that in v14-15, for it wasn’t through the law, but the promise that Abraham was justified before God that it was credited to him as righteous. 


What Paul is doing is stripping away any notion that Abraham was justified before God in what he had done, whether it was circumcision or law-keeping. No, what mattered, the only thing that truly mattered, was that Abraham believed in God; he had a righteousness that came by faith that would mean that he would be heir of the world. Heir of the world, not because of what he had done but through faith. Making the point that if those who live by the law are heirs, faith has no value (v14). The reason why faith would have no value is because then our righteousness would be based on our works by observing the law; there is no need for the promise; faith would be worthless. Instead, though, of the law bringing righteousness, bringing our justification before the Lord our God, the law does something else: the law brings wrath. 


And what is God’s wrath? It is His holy, righteous, just anger against sin, expressed through divine judgement. This is the only thing that our law-keeping merits. Now, I’ve come across many people who think that through their obedience, their law-keeping, they have somehow done enough, but as we are reminded of in James 2:10, “Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (Jam 2:10).


What Paul is not doing is saying that the law has no positive role in the life of the believer; of course, it does; we should desire as believers to keep the law, but it can never justify us. 1 Tim 1:8 says, “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly” (1 Ti 1:8). The law is able to guide us in holiness, in how to please our heavenly Father. Yet if we are basing our hope on our law-keeping, then what we have merited, what we have earned, what we are deserving of is God’s wrath. 


What the law should do is that it should act as a mirror rather than fool anyone into a false sense of security. For it reveals that we cannot do what the Lord requires of us; the law helps us see just how many our sins are, how we have transgressed what God requires of us. Our only confidence before the Lord is in and through Jesus Christ; it is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone we are saved. So look to Christ Jesus and know that your confidence comes not from yourself but it is found in Him; stand on Christ and His righteousness and as we do we know that we have a righteousness that comes by faith.


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Q61 What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission, or careless performance, of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.
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8th September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Genesis 33)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Chapter 33 begins rapidly with Jacob lifting up his eyes and seeing his brother Esau with his four hundred men. As we have journeyed through the book of Genesis we have seen Esau’s rage over his little brother’s trickery. Finally after twenty years they reunite and a mighty battle will take place….and yet…there is no battle.


Jacob approached his older brother bowing himself to the ground seven times (v3). It was a sign of his submission to his brother and his respect. Seven is the perfect number - we speak of the seven seas and in Revelation the Holy Spirit is described as the sevenfold spirit. Jacob bowed completely without any half-heartedness, he didn’t want to fight, he came in peace.


Esau’s response was nothing short of stunning. We are told that he ran to meet Jacob and he fell upon him, kissed him and the brothers wept together (v4)! What had happened? Where had the grudge gone? Where was the fight to the death? If you expected that in chapter 33 then you’ll be sadly disappointed.


After Jacob’s wrestling match with God, he received the new name of Israel. This beautiful name means “the one who strived with God” but it also shows us something of God’s character too. He is the One who strives for His people. As Jacob approached his brother fearing the worst, the Lord had already been at work. The Lord is able to influence the righteous and the wicked alike. Esau was no giant of the faith but the Lord had softened his heart and caused him to forgive his twin brother. Indeed Esau has been so softened that Jacob almost has to force him to receive his gift (v11). The years had moved on and Esau’s wrath had been removed from him.


Unfortunately there is a little bit of the old Jacob in Jacob’s response. Esau urges his brother to come with him to his home in Seir. Jacob agrees but urges his brother to go on ahead and Jacob would follow at his own pace. Needless to say, Jacob had no intention to go to Seir and turns for Succoth instead (v17). Now, let it be said that Jacob was right for not heading to Seir - it was outside the promised land, but did he have to lie to a brother who had treated him with glorious grace? No.


Not only did Jacob lie to Esau, he was also disobedient to God. The Lord had called Jacob to return home to Bethel and instead Jacob camped at Shechem. It was close to Bethel but it wasn’t Bethel. In the midst of a chapter full of reconciliation and grace, we still see underhandedness and disobedience and before we climb onto our self-righteous horse - there but the grace of God go we.


Each one of us has been reconciled to God through faith in Christ. He has and is transforming us by the ordinary means of grace and the mighty work of the Holy Spirit and yet…the old Jacob remains in us all. We rejoice when someone forgives us and then hours later our hearts are as hard as ever. We are brought to our knees by the Word of God and then we quickly forget as something shows up on our Facebook feed. We marvel that Christ has forgiven us and yet we promise never to forgive those who have wronged us. What wretched people we are! Who will rescue us from this body of death?


Esau treated Jacob in a way that he did not deserve and thanks be to God because the Lord acts in the same way. The Gospel tells us that Christ died not for the good but for the ungodly and it is the Lord who runs to us as He takes the initiative in salvation. My brothers and sisters, forgive one another as you have been forgiven. Do not practice deceit but instead let your yes be yes and your no be no. Finally, listen to God and do what He says for we no longer walk in the dark but in the marvellous light of Christ. 


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Q60 How is the Sabbath to be sanctified? The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.
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7th September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 4:13)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I got given a book last year to read on my holidays. It’s called ‘Incompetence, Bad is the new Good’. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it, but the idea is that no one can be "prejudiced from employment for reason of age, race, creed, or incompetence”. Imagine it: like I get the reason for age, race, and creed, but incompetence? Well, if that is how society worked, it would be even more of a disaster than it is. What about someone who couldn’t follow basic instructions, continued to ignore what they had been told, who failed time and again? You may not like this, but we fall into that category. The LORD is clear, and we often don’t get the basics right. We ignore what he tells us and we fail time and time again. If our status before our God was dependent on how well we did, our abilities, we’d be stuffed. Our sin is much worse than incompetence; it is high treason against a holy God. 


Here, Paul once more brings us face to face with how our eternal destiny is not dependent on us, on our works, but on God’s free grace, and I, for one, am so, so, so very thankful for that. Once more, he takes us to Abraham and how “It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith”. The point that he is making is that Abraham’s righteousness did not come by what he did. There were those, though, who would have been some who pushed back at Paul’s reasoning; how he dismisses Abraham’s works and the sign of circumcision were what made him righteous before God, those who would have argued that Abraham kept the law. 


Let’s think about this: who did the Lord give the law through? The Lord gave the law through Moses, 430 years after Abraham (see Gal 3:17). Abraham didn’t have the law to follow; he only had the promises of God, and God didn’t say, “Here Abraham, here’s a promise for you, but what you have to do is keep the law of Moses, what you have to do is all that it requires of you, and you’re going to be righteous. Now I know you don’t have the law of Moses, but I still expect you to keep it.” Don’t be daft. But there is one thing that I want you to notice, how Paul says “heir of the world”. If you’re familiar with the promises given to Abraham, you’ll know that God promised him many descendants (see Gen. 12:2; 13:16; 15:5; 17:4–6, 16–20; 18:18; 22:17), he promised him the land of Canaan (see 12:7; 13:14–17; 15:7, 18–21; 17:8), and that all nations would be blessed through him (see 12:3; 18:18; 22:18), it was never promised though, that Abraham would be heir of the world. 


Yet Paul understands that the promises given to Abraham of how he would be a great nation (Gen 12:2), that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed (Gen 2:3), that his offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies (Gen 22:17), that in his offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (Gen 22:18) were being fulfilled in Christ. And since Christ inherits all things, those who belong to him share in that inheritance, for Abraham was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Heb 11:10). 


He was living by faith when he did, longing for a better country—a heavenly one (Heb 11:16). He was looking forward to God’s eternal kingdom, which he became an heir of the world through a righteousness that comes by faith, as God’s Covenant of Grace will be finally and fully realised in the new heaven and the new earth (see Rev 21&22). And for all who belong to Christ, then we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3:29). Thankfully, our hope isn’t based on our incompetence; it is based on the perfect righteousness of Christ in whom we are heirs according to the promise.


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Q59 Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?
A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath.
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5th September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Genesis 32)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Unfortunately for Jacob even though the problem of Laban seemed to be solved another problem called Esau was still to come. Jacob was greeted by angels at Mahanaim and yet that awesome sight was soon blotted out by the anger of Jacob’s older brother. Jacob wanted peace and so sent messengers to Esau seeking Esau’s favour (v5) The troubling response was that Esau was on his way to meet Jacob with 400 men (v6).


Despite the sight of God’s angels, Jacob was greatly afraid (v7). He divided his camp in two so that not everyone would perish under an Esau attack and then he cried to the Lord for deliverance (v9). Jacob understood that God is full of steadfast love and faithfulness (v10). Surely the Lord wouldn’t allow Esau to slay Jacob? The Lord had said that He would greatly multiply Jacob and His offspring (v12). Would He now break His promise? Jacob’s prayer was confident and yet Jacob’s next action was to take matters into his own hands.


He gathered together a massive collection of goats, rams, camels, calves, cows, bulls and donkeys and sent them on ahead. This was to be a gift for Esau as Jacob thought that his brother could be appeased by such a present (v20). Jacob’s effort was unnecessary. He trusted in the Lord’s protection and provision and he had witnessed God’s sovereignty over Laban’s rage. Why then did Jacob feel the need to try and sort out the Esau problem himself? 


Jacob’s self-sufficiency would soon be wrestled out of him. It was night and Jacob stood alone on the bank of the river Jabbok (v22). He couldn’t go back to Laban and ahead of him was Esau and a small army. What was to be done? The Lord provided the answer.


Out of nowhere a man came and attacked Jacob and the two entered into a long drawn out wrestling match (v24). Was this man a robber? Was he an assassin from Esau? No. This man was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Later Jacob recognises that he has met with the Lord (v30). So the individual who wrestles with Jacob is Jesus. This is a Christophany - an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament. This teaching is underlined by the testimony of Hosea 12v2-5.


So if this is Jesus, why is it that Christ doesn’t prevail over Jacob (v25)? Was Jacob stronger than God? No. My friends consider the power of Christ - at one touch he dislocates Jacob’s hip (v25b). If it was the will of God to humiliate and destroy Jacob, then he would have been humiliated and destroyed. Here we see the condescension of Christ, He willingly lowers Himself to our level and in this instance He is wrestling the self-sufficiency out of Jacob. As daybreak arrives Jacob is left clinging on to Jesus and refuses to let go until he receives a blessing (v26). Is Jesus so weak that He cannot break free? No. If the day arrives then Jacob will die for no one can see God and live (Exodus 33v20). Jacob is not in control here, indeed he is in great danger.


So what’s happening? With a disgruntled Laban behind him and a desperately angry Esau in front of him, Jacob is being disciplined. His ways have been sneaky and treacherous. He is Jacob by name and Jacob by nature. He is the one who grasped his brother’s heel and took his brother’s place and yet here Christ Himself gives sneaky Jacob a new name…from now on Jacob will be called Israel (v28).


What a blessing! Only God Himself can rename His people and in this instance He removes Jacob’s shame and reproach and gives him a new name that speaks of his striving with God. Yet Israel in a deeper way speaks of God’s striving for us. Jacob had nowhere to go but forward into the jaws of Esau’s twenty year old rage. But here is Jesus declaring to Jacob that God will strive for him. He is not on his own and never will be.


Jacob is left bruised and battered and limping but the victory will be his. Brothers and sisters, Christ is our Peniel (v30) for in Jesus we have seen God and lived. Christ is still the One who wrestles with us, subduing our sin and disciplining those whom He loves. Christ is still the One who wrestles for us, He stands against Satan’s plots and if He is for us, then who can be against us? By faith in Christ we have received a new name - we are Christians and for us the old has gone and the new has come.


Child of God, I know many of us carry the scars of battle and our once confident walk has been replaced by a limp but press on and cling on to Christ! Peace and mercy be upon you today, and upon the Israel of God which is Christ’s precious church.       


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Q58 What is required in the fourth commandment?
The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy Sabbath to himself.
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4th September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 4:1-12 focus v9-12)


Message (Alan Burke)


I know one saint that really doesn’t like it when I talk about circumcision, but I can really avoid it when the text brings it up, although I do avoid going into the detail of the medical procedure and how it works. Paul has been arguing how we are made righteous in God’s sight, and he now turns to Circumcision. The reason why is that to the Jews, they saw circumcision as the sign of the covenant with Abraham. It was a sign of God’s promises. It was to be placed on every male among the people who was eight days old. The backdrop to that which Paul writes is that of those who were insisting that circumcision was central to salvation, that it was a requirement for salvation. There were those known as the Judiazers who were insisting that new converts had to be circumcised, that it was necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1, Rom. 2:25–27; Gal. 5:2, 6, 12; 6:12–15; Phil. 3:2, 3). They were teaching: Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot belong to God’s people and be saved (Acts 15:1). Since Paul has just spoken about Abraham, who was circumcised and David, who was circumcised, both having been forgiven, he asks: is this blessedness, is it only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? 


For any Jew worth their salt, they would have known that Abraham was circumcised thirteen years after it was credited to him as righteousness (Gen 16:16; he is 86 years old and in 17:24 he is 99 years old). Long before the sign was given, so it is not that circumcision that justifies; it is faith. Abraham was looking with faith to the promises of God that would be fulfilled in the future, in his promises of the one who would come and crush the head of the serpent. Abraham was justified before he was giving the sign of circumcision. Do you see what Paul is doing, how he is stripping away any confidence one might have in self, for in a sense, Abraham was justified by faith while he was still a Gentile, and the only confidence we have is not in who we are or what we have done, for the salvation that comes is through God’s grace. It wasn’t that his faith was a meritorious work that earned his righteousness; it was a gift of God. 


God had given Abraham a sign, the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith, and yet Abraham had faith, and he was to give the sign to Isaac at eight days old, before he had faith, circumcision was a sign and a seal; it was pointing not to the individual but to the promises of God. God gave his church before the coming of Christ signs and seals, sacrament that were to act as a reminder to them. He gave them circumcision and he gave them the Passover, signs and seals of pointing not to the individual but to the promises of God. Paul, in making the point, circumcision didn’t justify anyone; it is faith. 


Likewise, today he has given us signs and seals, in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper, signs and seals of pointing not to the individual or our faith but to the promises of God. Why do we baptise the children of those who have faith? It is because it is a sign and seal of the promises of God that has been given to the believer and their seed, for the promise is for us and our children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call. (Acts 2:39). And just like circumcision, baptism doesn’t justify anyone, it doesn’t make the sign meaningless though; we are justified by grace through faith, circumcision was a sign and seal just as baptism, pointing to the promises of God and to what he has done and not what we have done through the Christ so that we can be the righteous of God, so that we be justified before him. Personally I’m so thankful for what God has done, that it is not about me and that he has given me a sign and a seal in my baptism that isn’t about my faith, it is a testimony to the faithfulness of our God and his promises to his people, so remember your baptism, remember the promises of God, remember your hope does not rest on you, your faith, your obedience, your works, instead it rests upon Christ, remember your baptism and the promise it points towards, that salvation belongs to the LORD. 


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Q57 Which is the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it.
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3rd September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Genesis 31)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The tension between Laban and Jacob had reached boiling point. The sons of Laban openly resented Jacob (v1) and Jacob knew that Laban no longer looked upon him favourably (v2). Into this fraught context the Lord spoke and commanded Jacob “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” (v3). It was time to go home.


Jacob had come to understand that even though Laban could not be trusted, the Lord God always could. It wasn’t Jacob’s sticks that had caused spotted and striped animals to be born but instead it was the mighty hand of God (v8). It was the Lord who had taken Laban’s flocks and given them to Jacob (v9) and it was the Lord who had seen Laban’s wicked plan and overruled him (v12). It was the Lord who had revealed Himself to Jacob at Bethel (v13) and now the Lord was telling Jacob to go home.


Rachel and Leah’s relationship had not been an easy one and yet they both agreed it was time to do whatever God commanded (v16). With agreement reached Jacob and his family fled. They kept their plan from Laban (v20) and strangely Rachel stole the false idols belonging to her father (v19).


Not surprisingly Laban gave chase and eventually overtook Jacob (v25). Laban would have been well within his rights to punish Jacob harshly but yet again the schemes of Laban were overruled by Almighty God. The Lord spoke in a dream and told Laban “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” (v24) Laban listened to the Lord but enquired nevertheless as to why Jacob had stolen Laban’s false gods (v30).


Jacob knew nothing about Rachel’s theft and so declared “Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live.” (v32) Rachel’s actions had been petty and unnecessary and could quite easily have cost her life. Yet again the Lord is gracious to His people even in the midst of their foolishness. Laban conducts a full search but doesn’t find his gods. Rachel put them in her saddle and sat upon them, telling her father she couldn’t rise because of her monthly period (v35). It was another trick but Laban this time fell for it.


As the threat of violence slowly disappeared Jacob and Laban battled verbally. Jacob wanted to know what Laban’s problem was. Jacob had served him for twenty years and had done his best to act justly. Everything had moved to this moment and Laban had now even heard God’s rebuke (v42). The heat of Laban’s anger was cooling. It appears in his speech that he still doesn’t trust Jacob but nevertheless he calls for a covenant between the warring parties (v44).


Jacob set up a stone pillar and heaped stones around it (v45-46). The two men who will later represent the nations of Israel and Syria agreed to peace with God as the witness that they would do no evil to one another and would respect each other’s territory (v52).


Jacob’s years with Laban had been incredibly difficult and just before the two men went their separate ways this divided family could easily have spilt each other’s blood. The reason disaster was averted wasn’t because of Laban’s disappearing anger, Jacob’s striped sticks or Rachel’s stolen false gods. Instead the Lord throughout Jacob’s entire twenty years with Laban had been at work. The Lord is sovereign and He knows the path of His people. He overrules the plans of the wicked and He forgives the fool who makes matters worse by the theft of false idols.


God is sovereign and God is good. Laban’s gods couldn’t hear or speak and they were rendered insignificant hidden under his daughter’s backside. The one true God hears, speaks, answers, rules and defends. He is the sovereign Triune God who is for His people. Brothers and sisters if you are being chased by Laban and don’t know how to escape please remember today that by faith in Christ, God is for you. As the Psalmist would later write “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46v11) 


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Q56 What is the reason annexed to the third commandment? The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment.
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2nd September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 4:1-12 focus v4-8)


Message (Alan Burke)


I’ve been censored, that is by Scott. Any time I think I’m going to say anything too spicy, I send it to him to decide, and this time well, he ruled that the introduction was too spicy. He’s probably right again. So let’s use the imagery that is given here, that of wages. Paul says, “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” That means when you work, what you get isn’t a gift; instead, you’ve earned it. Simple enough, isn’t it? Well, righteousness isn’t earned; it is credited, it’s a gift. Just so we don’t miss the point, Paul turns our focus from Abraham to David. 


Now let’s think on David. He was Israel’s greatest king; he united the tribes of Israel together, established Jerusalem as the capital, and expanded the kingdom significantly, creating a strong and centralised monarchy. His leadership even today among Jews is viewed as a golden age for Israel. Behind all his national achievements, David’s life showed his own moral failure; you need only think of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and how he had her husband Uriah murdered. You know, the law is clear; for what he had done, both adultery and murder, he should have been put to death (See Lev 20:10, Num 35:31). Yet David, v7, was able to say:  7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”


It is not; “blessed are those who have obeyed the law”, or “blessed are those who’ve lived a good life”, or “blessed are those who worked hard enough”; No, it is “blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered… whose sin the LORD will never count against him”. Being blessed by God is receiving his favour. Think of the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6; “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Num 6:24-26). There what it is to be blessed is that the Lord’s face would shine on his people, meaning that they would have fellowship with him, they understood that blessing in terms of proximity to the presence of God. But we are confronted in scripture that God cannot look on evil, Habakkuk 1; Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? (Hab 1:13).


If God cannot look at evil, and we are evil, then unless our sin is covered, he will never make his face shine upon us. How is our sin covered? Our sin is covered through what the Lord Jesus Christ has done. The opposite of blessed is to be cursed. In fact, cursed are those whose transgressions are not forgiven, whose sins are not covered, whose sin the Lord counts against him. While he had no sin, Jesus Christ was cursed for us; God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). For Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree (Ga 3:13). On the cross, our sin was imputed to him, credited to him, counted to him. As he hung there on the cross, he became sin for us; he became the most reprehensible sinner that ever was in the sight of a holy God, for upon Him was placed the sin of all whom He died for. All so that we might become the righteous of God, knowing what it is to be blessed by God. Brothers and sisters, marvel this day at what your God has done for you so that you may be forgiven.


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Q55 What is forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh himself known.
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1st September 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Genesis 30v25-43)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Jacob had been in the employment of his father-in-law Laban for fourteen years and it was now time to go home. He approached Laban and told him of his plans, asking to be allowed to leave taking only his family with him (v26). Laban was not a righteous man. If Jacob have proved to be a sneak then Laban had proved sneakier. Yet whatever we can say about Laban, he was no fool. He had used the wicked practice of divination to learn that the Lord had blessed him because of Jacob (v27) and now he offered wages to Jacob in order to get him to stay (v28).


Jacob responded to Laban’s request with a complaint that whilst the Lord had blessed Laban, Jacob’s own family hadn’t seen much of the blessing (v29-30) and so Jacob proposed that if he stayed and continued working for Laban he would receive all of the speckled and spotted sheep and goats and every black lamb from Laban’s flock (v31-33). Jacob’s request was both honest (v33a) and generous. His share of the flock would certainly not be as big as the share that remained with Laban.


Laban’s delight at this arrangement seems to jump off the page “Good!” He replied “Let it be as you have said.” (a34) A new era was dawning. No longer would Jacob work for free but instead he would be able to build his own flock and work in a new arrangement with Laban. Sadly though a leopard or a goat cannot change its spots and Laban remained untrustworthy and underhanded.


That day Laban removed all the striped and spotted goats and all the black lambs from his flock and sent them away with his sons at a distance of three days journey (v35-36). Laban was doing all he could to ensure his own prosperity and once again he proved himself duplicitous in all his ways.


In response Jacob met fire with fire. He cut fresh sticks of various trees and peeled the bark at certain places producing a striped stick (v37). It was believed that if an animal saw such an image during mating it would have an impact on their baby. He placed these sticks in front of the animals as they drank and mated (v38) and later when the animals gave birth they produced striped, speckled and spotted babies (v39). He kept the young animals for himself (v40) and he selectively bred the stronger animals, leaving the weaker flock for Laban and the stronger flock for himself (v42). Jacob prospered greatly in flocks, servants, camels and donkeys (v43).


What are we to make of such a passage? Firstly I’d suggest that we shouldn’t be surprised when the way of the world seems to be treachery, trickery and lies. No one is neutral in this world. Some are for Christ and some are against Him. We will encounter individuals both inside and outside the church who quite literally lie through their teeth and will do anything to succeed. Secondly I’d suggest that the Christian shouldn’t fight fire with fire. When a Laban enters your life and does the opposite of what was agreed you have no Biblical mandate to wage war on their terms. The Christian will not resort to name calling, slander, gossip or under handed means.


Instead we rest in Christ. Jacob responded to Laban by making striped sticks to manipulate the flock. Soon he will realise that it wasn’t the sticks but rather the Lord who gave the increase. It remains the same today. By the stripes of Christ we have been healed (Isaiah 53v5) and He sends us into a world full of wolves to be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves (Matthew 10v16).


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Q54 What is required in the third commandment? The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles, attributes, ordinances, word, and works.
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31st August 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 4:1-12 focus v1-3)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I may have mentioned this before, but I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not Martin Lloyd-Jones. If you’re wondering who he was, well, for almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London, and I have his series on Romans in my study, 14 volumes, which was based on his 366 sermons that were preached over almost 13 years of ministry. Which, if you were to do consecutively without taking a break, would be like preaching through Romans every Sunday morning for 7 years and 1 week. Anyway, the reason why I mention this is because we’re going to go through Romans 4 in two chunks, this week and next, and there are a whole load of bits that I’d love time to focus on more, but you can always check out Martin Lloyd-Jones and the seven sermons he did on this chapter if you want more detail. I’ll even lend it to you, but I’ll want a photo with you and the book as evidence that you have it. 


Today we’re on the first three verses. The context of the first three chapters brought us face to face with how we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, how there is not one of us who has kept the law of God, and as a result, we are all deserving of God’s wrath, each one of us, deserving of God’s wrath (1:18-3:20). He hadn’t finished though, for he took us to the wonder of how through Christ Jesus, there is a righteousness from God to all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile (3:21-31). He turns to Abraham to illustrate how even though we are deserving of God’s wrath, there is a righteousness from God that has been revealed. Paul rebuffs the belief that Abraham was justified by anything but faith alone. He does that by quoting from Genesis 15:6, where we are told, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 


It was faith that was credited to him as righteousness; it was faith that he was considered to be righteous, not because of anything that he had done, rather it was on the basis that he believed in the promises of God; he had faith in God. It wasn’t based on anything that Abraham had done, it wasn’t based on his works, it was because he believed, he had faith. Now this truth of scripture in a sense you could say caused ‘The Reformation’ in the 16th century with Martin Luther's Ninety-five Thesis. Roman Catholicism though teaches that you need faith and good works and at the Council of Trent they pronounced anathemas (that is to be cursed) to anyone who says that they are justified by faith in Christ alone and its decrees remain foundational to Roman Catholic doctrine. For example, Council of Trent, 1547, Decree on Justification Canon 9: "If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to obtain the grace of justification, let him be anathema.” Also don't let anyone tell you Trent no longer applies. It's cited on almost every page of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which I worked through on my Sabbatical last year and in the view of the Roman Catholic Church if you believe this teaching of the Bible you are an anathema, cursed! 


Yet clearly what we are told here is that “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” We’ll work out more of what this means as the weeks go on, but for now what I want to leave you with is what it means to be righteous before God, for if you believe then it has been credited to you as righteousness. To be righteous means to be morally right, justifiable, to have right standing. To be righteous before God, to have righteousness before Him, means to be morally right, to have right standing, justified. And how Abraham was righteous, how he was justified before God was that he believed, he had faith, not works, but faith. It is so important that we get this, for even our best efforts in this life are fifthly rags; our best efforts are worthless, for we are all sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God; none of us can hope to stand before a holy God in our own righteousness. For us and all people everywhere, the only way that one can come before a holy God is through the righteousness He provides. Our Lord and God justifies the ungodly, not the well-intentioned.


Pray (acTS)


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Q53 Which is the third commandment?
​A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
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29th August 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 30v1-23


Message - Scott Woodburn


Perhaps you grew up having memorised the names of the twelve sons of Jacob? Can you still remember them? Here’s a wee refresher from the oldest to the youngest. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. From these famous sons there came the twelve tribes of Israel. Eventually the promised land would be divided up among eleven of these tribes with the tribe of Levi receiving no land but instead having the privilege of serving the Lord as priests.


But do you remember how these tribes started out? We’ve already seen the disciplining of Jacob as he is deceived by his uncle Laban. Jacob the trickster fell to his uncle’s trick. Jacob was forced into marrying Leah and he grew to despise her. Leah longed for her husband’s love which never seemed to come. Jacob served his uncle for a further seven years before also marrying Rachel. He loved Rachel but Rachel didn’t fall pregnant causing much anguish, bitterness and jealousy. The family is a mess and their troubled relationships are seen in the origins of the tribes.


To Leah is born Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun and a daughter called Dinah. To Rachel’s servant Bilhah is born Dan and Naphtali. To Leah’s servant Zilpah is born Gad and Asher. To Rachel is born Joseph and Benjamin. Can you imagine Christmas dinner with such a mixed bunch? How about arranging the seats for a family wedding?


The whole story is really quite sad. Our hearts go out to Leah who wonders if the birth of her son will cause her husband to love her. The absence of a child causes Rachel to envy her sister (v1a) and to wish death upon herself (v1b). Jacob is infuriated at Rachel as a result of her attitude (v2). Later Leah trades some mandrakes (roots from a plant believed to help fertility) with Rachel for a night alone with Jacob (v16). Ladies can you imagine have to barter with another woman just so you can spend the night in your husband’s bed? Can you imagine sitting looking at your mandrakes when you know your husband is with your sister?


Chaos. Utterly tragic chaos. And yet…God brings blessing in the midst of chaos. As we marvel at the inter-family bickering we shouldn’t miss the sovereign provision of twelve sons - God was building His people and keeping His Word. Did Jacob deserve such blessing? It would be hard to make a case for him. His underhanded ways have blown up in his face. God’s love was clear and yet Jacob still resorted to dubious methods to get one over on his brother.


Families are rarely perfect and I’m certain as you consider your own clan you probably have some stories to tell. You didn’t respect your father. You don’t speak to your brother. You love your sister but don’t approve of her choices. You sacrificed everything for your children but now you rarely see them. It would be easy to fall into bitterness and envy and strife but I would urge you to flee from such a path.


Our God is not stopped by family chaos or the darkness of the world. He fulfilled His promises in Jacob’s life despite the family politics and sinful decisions. He remains the God who spoke into the darkness and created the light. He brings order out of chaos. In response, walk rightly before Him. “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Romans 13v12-14)


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Q52 What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment? The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God’s sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath to his own worship.
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