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Year 3 Day 149
Pray (AC-ts) Read — John 10.7-11 Message Scott Woodburn “First posted Year 1 Day 19 - 9 April” I am not a farmer or a son of a farmer. At one of my early funerals in Ballynahinch I brought unintentional laughter to a grieving family.I was leading them at home in prayer before the funeral and told them that a relation was running late and so he would meet them at church. I explained that he had been held up on the farm as one of the sheep was calving. The family glanced at one another and giggles turned to laughter as I stood wondering what I had said that was so funny. I’m no farmer and yet Scripture teaches us about the noble work of those involved in agriculture. Jesus here calls Himself the door of the sheep (v7). It would have been a familiar image for His hearers. The sheep gathered into the pen with the shepherd spreading his body across the entrance. Any sheep trying to get out would have to cross the shepherd and likewise any wolf trying to get in would have to cross the shepherd. It is an image of the shepherd’s care and protection for his flock. Jesus is our shepherd (v11a). He is good and He lays down His life for the sheep (v11b). Who protects the church? Jesus. Who guards us against our enemies? Jesus. Who gathers people into His church? Jesus. He is the door (v9) and anyone who wishes to be saved must go through Jesus (v9). There is no other way and there is no possibility of sneaking past Him. Jesus gathers, guards and defends His church. What a comfort this is! You see we live in days of war and not of peace. We have an enemy who rages against the church for he knows his time is short (Revelation 12.12). Admittedly he has been defeated at Calvary (Colossians 2.13-15) and today is bound until the end of the age (Mark 3.27, Revelation 20.1-3). But like an angry dog on a chain he rages and will destroy whoever he can sink his teeth into (1 Peter 5.8). Resist him and he will flee (1 Peter 5.9). The enemy is active and real and comes only to steal and kill and destroy (v10a). Christ, the good shepherd, comes to give abundant life (v10b). It is this Jesus who is the door to the sheep. The storm may rage and the enemy may growl but Christ remains triumphant. The Lord is for us! Pray (ac-TS) Sing WSC Q29 How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ? We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.
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Year 3 Day 148
Pray (AC-ts) Read Mark 5:6-13 Message Alan Burke “First posted Year 2 Day 114 - 14th July“ The disciples barely had time to gather themselves from what happened out on the sea of Galilee and now there is a man cowering before Jesus. He came running up, falling before Jesus, shouting “What do you want from me, Jesus Son of the most High God?”. This demon possessed man knew better than the disciples who Jesus was and recognised the absolute power of Jesus over him. All of this because Jesus had called the evil spirit out of this man (8) and then he forces the demon to unmask himself asking what was his name (9). His name was Legion. A Roman legion was six thousand, but this isn’t to be though of as the number of the demons within this man, rather to make the point that there were many, many demons within him, that he is truly tormented. The people were powerless against the demonic work within him, they had tried to bind him without success, but before the incarnate word the Legion no matter how strong is powerless before the Son of God Jesus Christ. The whole of Satan’s kingdom is subject to the authority of Christ. Jesus then permits the demons request to enter the pigs, and as they do the pigs or rather the demons hurl themselves down the steep bank, like an avalanche of pigs into the water, on top of each other, this is a dramatic demonstration of the power of Jesus over evil and Satan himself (14,16), it is also a dramatic demonstration of how Satan and the forces of evil only ever seek to destroy. They had sought the destruction of this man, whereas Jesus in his compassion for this man cast them out giving him his life back and the pigs were destroyed. The destructive power of the sea that almost sank the disciples’ boat now swallows up the pigs. This man before Jesus was worth more than two thousand pigs, do not miss that, you and all those who bear the image of God are more valuable to our creator than any other part of creation. Notice though that this was not Jesus who destroyed the pigs, it was the evil spirits who went into them (13). The evil spirits led these animals to destruction. You’re either thinking what a waste, that was a lot of bacon sandwiches or with disgust at what happened. But to the Jews in Jesus day, they would have celebrated, it was a token of God’s power and his vindication over the powers of evil. There is something more that we should be aware of, the destruction of the pigs reveal to us the purpose of the work of Satan in this world, for Jesus referring to Satan said, he comes to steal, kill and destroy. Whereas Jesus came that they might have life and that they might have it in abundance (Jn 10:10). Satan desires to steal, kill and destroy, he uses things that are not inherently wrong to destroy the lives of those he controls. Even though Satan rules this world, that he is capable of destroying lives, he is no match for the Lord of lords and the King of kings. And, by his death and resurrection, Jesus he triumphed over the forces of evil for all time. Paul would later say that "having disarmed the powers and authorities, [Jesus] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col 2:15). And the day will come that Satans power will finally be ended by the Word of God Jesus himself where he will crush Satan under his feet (Rom 16:20). This is scriptures final word on Satan’s power, and one day God will make all things new where there will be no more pain or sadness, crying mourning, sickness for all the former things will be no more. Pray (ac-TS) Sing WSC Q28 Wherein consisteth Christ’ s exaltation? Christ’ s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, (1 Cor. 15:4) in ascending up into heaven, (Mark 16:19) in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, (Eph. 1:20) and in coming to judge the world at the last day. (Acts 1:11, Acts 17:31) Year 3 Day 147
Pray (AC-ts) Read — Job 1.1-22 Message Scott Woodburn “First posted Year 1 Day 23 - 13 April 20” The book of Job is one of the oldest in the entire Bible, a substantial book with 42 chapters and a book that is a difficult read. We meet Job in the very first verse and he is described as blameless, upright, someone who turned away from evil and a man who fears God (v1). He was a family man (v2) and a successful business man (v3). Indeed he would often intercede for his family just in case they sinned against God in their hearts (v5). However, by the end of the chapter Job has lost everything due to the malice of Satan. We are told various things about the enemy in this passage. He is a wanderer with no place to call home (v7). He is limited in his power (v12). He is accountable to the Lord (v6). He hates the church of Christ and wishes to destroy it (v10-11). How can any of us stand against such a foe? Thankfully this chapter also shows us that the Lord is in control of our trials. If Satan was in charge we would be utterly undone. Yet here we see the enemy having to present himself before God - when God calls, Satan must answer. Satan is not given a free reign but is limited by the Lord - when God commands, Satan must obey. We have all probably grown up with an image of Satan as God's equal. These two great beings are locked in a cosmic battle with the outcome unknown. None of this is true. There is only one God and His name is Yahweh (Deuteronomy 6.4). Satan is not God but was part of God's creation before rebelling against the Lord (Ezekiel 28.11-19). God is sovereign over Satan, over us and over our trials. I'm keenly aware that what I have just written can seem very distant from the sting of our trials. We know that God is sovereign, we believe that He is for us, we know that He is good, but why does He allow me to suffer? What is His purpose in the sickness of my child? What is His purpose in the collapse of my marriage? My brothers and sisters I will not patronise you by offering you an incomplete answer. In my limited mind I simply cannot fathom the purposes and plans of Almighty God. But I offer you Biblical certainties to close. Firstly, our faith is not a guarantee of struggle free living. The Christian can expect trials of various kinds (1 Peter 1.6, John 16.33). Secondly, sometimes Satan plays his part in our struggles (1 Peter 5.8), sometimes they come as a result of our sin (1 Corinthians 11.27-30). Thirdly, the Lord does have a purpose in our trials, we may not see it, it may seem incomprehensible to us, but the Lord does have a purpose in our trials and it is good (Romans 8.28). Finally, this fallen world is collapsing in on itself. It cannot and will not last (Romans 8.19-22). All that blights us will one day be put under the feet of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15.25-26). Not yet, but soon. Oh Lord! Speed that day we pray! Until then, with broken hearts, dashed dreams and tears in our eyes, we worship. “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (v21) Pray (ac-TS) Sing WSC Q27 Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist? Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time. Year 3 Day 146
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 3:20-21 Message - Alan Burke “First posted Year 2 Day 77 - 7th June“ Families can be a royal pain can’t they? We may not see it when we are children but after a while they become complicated, relationships can be strained, fall outs can happen, yet many of us even with those things of complicated, strained relationships love our families dearly. They are those whom we are closest to. Here we are introduced to the family of Jesus and again the crowds are coming to Jesus, he is in constant demand not for what he was teaching but because he was a miracle worker. The reality of the constant demand of the crowds were far from idilic, here they were cramming in so much so that the disciples of Jesus are unable to eat. The crowds have become an obstacle to the mission of Jesus. In a sense there is nothing new here, we know this, the striking thing we are told is about the family of Jesus. When his family come to him likely Mary, Joseph, the brothers of Jesus, James and Jude, they are not there to support him or to rally round him, so that the disciples can get five minutes peace to eat, no they are there to silence him. “He’s out of his mind” they exclaim (21). The crowds crammed in and there on the outside the family of Jesus saying he’s out of his mind. For what ever reason they said this, they were ultimately in opposition to Jesus for they were blinded by sin. Yes, Mary was a sinner and so were the brother of Jesus, so much so that they thought Jesus was a mad man, that he was out of his mind! Here there is a reminder that if the family of Jesus Christ did not understand him, that they thought he was out of his mind, that we shouldn’t be surprised when those who are unbelievers in our family do not understand us. When they think that were just a wee bit strange, old fashioned, out of touch, all for believing in Jesus, for worshiping him, for reading our bibles, for praying. This is what we should expect from those closest to us if they do not trust in Jesus as Saviour. And today as we take our faith seriously, if we speak the truth of Christ and His kingdom then we can expect to be accused today of being barbaric, cruel, fanatics, evil, unloving as this society rejects God more and more. It will happen in our work places, and as we socialise. If you think I’m barking up the wrong tree just listen to the radio and hear what people say about Christians, watch how they are portrayed on Television and in films, were not longer a bit odd or strange, we are seen as evil holding back the world from progress. All who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12), but can we expect anything different when even the family of Jesus cried out he was out of his mind (21). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q26 How doth Christ execute the office of a king? Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, (Acts 15:14–16) in ruling, (Isa. 32:22) and defending us, (Isa. 32:1–2) and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. (1 Cor. 15:25, Ps. 110) Year 3 Day 144 Read — Luke 10.38-42 Message - Scott Woodburn “First posted Year 1 Day 17 - 7 April" This extended time of isolation has changed the pace of life dramatically. Life once had its structure, working hours, exercise time, runs to and from church, school buses etc Suddenly we have been urged to stay at home and every day has taken on a unfamiliar hue. We’ve become home schoolers and DIYers and sofa sitters! Yet one thing is necessary...fellowship with the Lord. With more time on our hands may we spend more time at Christ’s feet. That’s where we find Mary. Christ has come to her house (v38) and she plants herself at the feet of Jesus and listens to His teaching (v39). Her sister Martha on the other hand is busy. She’s distracted with much serving (v40a) and understandably so. Christ has come, there’s work to do, food to prepare, guests to serve. Martha is attending to the work in front of her and calls upon the Lord to get Mary to help (v40b). Jesus answers her with gentleness, He is not making a fool out of her and he isn’t belittling her work ethic. Instead with a concern for her soul He answers “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things” Christ knows this woman’s heart, she is a worker and Jesus knows her troubles. What she needs is a bit of help. Surely Jesus will now tell Mary to get up. She’s had enough teaching, its time for her to get her hands dirty and take the weight from her sister’s shoulders. Yet Christ’s reply is to tell Martha that “one thing is necessary” (v42a), Mary is attending to the good portion and it won’t be taken from her (v42b). What is this necessary thing? Fellowship with the Lord. Martha needed help and Christ told her where that help could be found. Fellowship with the Lord. These are days with new realities and new responsibilities. Who teaches the children? Who cooks the meals? Who goes to Tesco? Who checks-in with elderly parents? Who apologies first when everyone’s nerves are getting frayed? My friends, one thing is still necessary. Fellowship with the Lord. If we can be thankful for this isolation and dramatic change to life then surely we can be thankful for the slower pace. It doesn’t mean that we will become lazy, there is still work to do. Yet there is more time. May we use it for the necessary thing. Fellowship with the Lord. Your hands are dirty from work. Wash them and sing Happy Birthday twice! Then find a quiet corner and sit at Christ’s feet. It is always the best seat in the house. Pray (ac-TS) Sing WSC Q25 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest? Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us. Year 3 Day 143
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 3:1-6 Message - Alan Burke “First posted Year 2 Day 67 - 28th May“ As a child the most hated day of my week was a… can you guess? It wasn’t a Monday when I had to start the school week, it was a Sunday. It just dragged, you couldn’t do anything on a Sunday, it was boring, drawn out, going to worship wasn’t that bad but it was everything else, you couldn’t hum, whistle, it was the only day of the week men had to do the dishes, you couldn’t cut your nails but for some reason men could still shave, you couldn’t watch TV unless it was Songs of Praise, Countryfile or the news, and you couldn’t wear jeans, there were lots of things that you couldn’t do and many of those things could get you a cauliflower ear if you did them. Well the Pharisees had thirty nine categories for work that you couldn’t do on the sabbath, it made the list of what I could and couldn’t do on a Sunday seem quite mundane by their standards. Here once more the problem is their religion not the law. Jesus entered the synagogue, and the peoples eyers were upon him, they wanted to see what he was going to do. It’s like a set up, entrapment, they had already heard and seen him healing people, what would he do now? Knowing this Jesus does something that’s like picking a fight, that was confrontational. He gets the man to stand up in front of everyone and asks… “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?”. Obviously it is to do good, to save a life, yet there was silence, you could have heard a pin drop, nothing, they knew what was right, but if they had answered it would have meant that they would have to acknowledge his authority to heal on the sabbath. Jesus looks at them in anger and distress in their stubborn hearts, don’t miss that Jesus was angry, and the told the man to stretch out his hand. Jesus had in effect restored this mans life, given his life back to him. Jesus had done good, he had saved a life on the sabbath, look though to the response of the Pharisees, the went out verse 6 with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. The sabbath was given for the well being of man yet these men went of to conspire to kill, what irony is this. The withered hand of the man is nothing compared to the withered souls of these religious examiners. It did not dawn on them, that if Jesus words are not in accord with God’s will, the man would not have been healed, since it is God who forgives sins and brings healing. These Pharisees were in the presence of the one that they had been waiting for, their Lord, the bridegroom, the Lord of the sabbath had come and they are so blinded by their religion they couldn’t see it. Today religion does the same thing, people can become so blinded by their religiosity that they can’t see Jesus. Life that is filled with religion, but is not filled with the Saviour Jesus Christ. We can all be blinded by religion, and we all need to repent and believe, look to Jesus the Bridegroom of his Church comes to bring you joy, look to Jesus the Lord of the sabbath who comes to bring you grace and mercy, that is what you need, not religion. I want to leave you with how the Sabbath was ‘made for man and not man for the Sabbath’ (27). The Sabbath is a gracious gift from God, it is not and should not be burdensome obligation, it was given for our benefit, not to do what we like with, to treat it like any other day, rather it is because we need a Sabbath, we need rest. Our society seeks to normalise the Sabbath, make it like any other day but physically, mentally, spiritually we need it, God gives us one day in seven, before the fall God gave us this day, His day for our benefit and as a response we should worship and thank him for his gracious gift of rest. Our sabbath is a Sunday, is to be sanctified, set apart as a day of rest, let us uses it for what it was meant for, to reconnect with the holy and recharge our spiritual batteries instead of being conformed to the world around us. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q24 How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation. (John 1:18, 1 Pet. 1:10–12, John 15:15, John 20:31) Year 3 Day 142
Read — Psalm 90.12-17 Message - Scott Woodburn “First posted Year 1 Day 11 - 2 April” As I sit to write today's devotional it is after two days with two funerals. Unfortunately funerals are not rare or new. This week's funerals have been my 14th and 15th respectively since September and my 141st since the 1st July 2005. Death called the enemy in Scripture is the wages of sin and whilst it is always there, the events of these days have brought it more to the fore. In Psalm 90, the only Psalm we have by Moses, he pulls no punches. He speaks of our frailty (v3-6&9-10) and the shortness of our lives (v10) but he doesn't allow us to wallow in the bad news. He prays that the Lord would teach us to number our days and that we would have wise hearts in the midst of our weak condition (v12). We could approach life with an attitude that says "Life is short so live it up because you are a long time dead!", such an attitude is not new. Paul when discussing the resurrection says that if we are not raised to life then we we may as well eat and drink for tomorrow we die (1 Corinthians 15.32) BUT in Christ we will be raised to life. A great day is coming when Christ will come and the faithful will be raised imperishable. Today though, a pandemic is everywhere, the coming of our Lord seems distant, so how are we to live? Moses prays. He asks God for mercy and pity (v13). The Lord knows that we are dust filled with frustration and frailty. "Have pity on us!" Moses cries. Have mercy on us and return to us O Lord! He continues by praying that God's steadfast love, His covenantal love, would satisfy us everyday (v14). We know that life is fleeting and the joys of this life can be short lived. O Lord! May our souls be saturated and nourished by the knowledge of Your steadfast love! "I will be your God" says the Lord "and you will be my people." THE LORD IS FOR HIS BRIDE! His love for us will not be diluted, it will not wane, He loves us steadfastly. Knowing the difficulty of life Moses prays that we would see good days (v15). We will see evil, we will weep at gravesides, we will feel the weight of our frailty but Moses asks that we will see good, we will rejoice at the birth of our children, we will love and be loved, that the evil days would be tempered with God given gladness and that future generations will see the glorious power of the Lord (v16). We are all short sighted people. We think about today, my life, my family, my health. Yet Moses prays for the generations to come that they will know the Lord. Edengrove is almost 250 years old. It has stood through wars, empires, pandemics and it still stands. The Lord has been our dwelling place throughout many generations, may there be many more to come! Finally he prays that the Lord would establish the work of our hands, that our lives would have a significance (v17). You are one individual out of billions on this earth, yet in Christ your life is not in vain. We are favoured by the Lord because we have trusted Christ. Your deeds unheralded and unseen in this life are known by the Lord. O Lord, establish the work of our hands! So in fear and frailty we cry "teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom!” Pray (ac-TS) Sing WSC Q23 What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer? Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation. Year 3 Day 141
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 2:18- 22 Message - Alan Burke “First posted Year 2 Day 23 - 63 - 24th May“ Weddings are times of celebration, for the man and women as they join together covenanting themselves in marriage and for all those who join with them. If we receive an invitation in the coming weeks with restrictions lifting, were going to go and join the celebration, none of us are going to go and sit and mope in the corner. Here Jesus uses this idea of marriage and the bridegroom when he was challenged about the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting but his disciples weren’t (18). These two groups, lumped together here to challenge Jesus were fasting but for very different reasons. John’s disciples were fasting, it was an outward sign of their repentance as well as their mourning for John was languishing in prison (1:14), whereas the Pharisees were different, they were fasting to be seen. They may not have portrayed it that way but Jesus makes the point that that’s why they were fasting in Luke’s gospel (Lk 18:9-14). Here the issue was that people saw this devotion of the disciples of John who fasted out of repentance, and they saw the disciples of the Pharisees even though it was just to be seen as much as anything else, and they saw Jesus disciples possibly even the same day having a feed with sinners and tax collectors. They thought to themselves something didn’t add up here, after all to them godly religious people fasted and they look to Jesus and his followers and they weren’t fasting. Alarm bells ringing, they were thinking… “oh my, look at what this Jesus’ is doing, and those disciples of his, how can they claim to be religious” To their challenge, Jesus responds with three parables (19-22), the first of which uses imagery of a wedding party (V19-20). In the first Jesus reveals more of who he was and is, for he is the bridegroom and his coming was a time of celebration. Isaiah helps us to make sense of this for the Lord God almighty was called the husband of his people, and in Ephesians it is explained the bride of Christ is his church (Is 54:4, Eph 5:25-27). Here Jesus is saying that their God was with them, that he was the one that they had been waiting for, he was the Lord himself, the bridegroom had come, his disciples don’t fast because this is a time of celebration. In his presence there should be joy, it would be inappropriate to fast, but he does speak of a time that fasting will be right. Fasting will be right and proper when the bridegroom will be take away from them speaking of the cross. But even that was not to be permanent and the resurrection would come and their grief would be transformed once more to joy and celebration. To emphasises the point that it would be foolish for his disciples not to be filled with joy and celebration he gives two further parables (21-22). That of a new pice of cloth on an old garment or new wine in old wine skins. It may not be familiar to us but everyone there would have known that you just don’t do these things. The cloth patch sewn on an old garment would shrink and tear both the garment and the patch (Job 13:28), and old wineskins are hard putting new wine in them as it fermented would have burst them. What Jesus is saying to them is if they were going to receive him, their Messiah, the bridegroom of his people they would have to knock their expectations and their religion on the head. Their long awaited Messiah, the bridegroom of his church wasn’t going to fit into their religiosity, what they had made it about the things that they did, their traditions, they had the scriptures plus, to them they were sacred but they were things holding them back from faith. Today fasting does have a place in the life of the Christian (see Acts 9:9, 13:3, 14:23). It reminds believers of their dependence on God and should come from a desire to glorify God. That’s not what I want to leave you with, what I want to leave you with is Jesus, the bridegroom, who gave himself up for his church, that is us his people, so he might sanctify his church, cleansing his church, so that we might be holy and without blemish (Eph 5:25-27). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q22 How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body, (Heb. 2:14,16, Heb. 10:5) and a reasonable soul, (Matt. 26:38) being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, (Luke 1:27,31,35,42, Gal. 4:4) yet without sin. (Heb. 4:15, Heb. 7:26) Year 3 Day 140
Read — Psalm 34.1-8 Message Scott Woodburn “First posted Year 1 Day 9 - 30 March” At age 40 I'm glad to say that I still have all my own teeth. Perhaps a day is coming that I won't be able to utter that boast but today it is true. I have no need as yet for dentures but if I ever do I want to be like those people in the adverts. They apply new cream to their dentures and suddenly they are living life, eating all sorts of food and finishing by water skiing in the Mediterranean. No fear! Yet life is not like the adverts. Fear and worry are unwelcome but often constant companions. We fear Covid19. We fear getting old. We fear our children getting sick. We fear the state of the world. We are not alone. David wrote Psalm 34 after pretending to be insane to avoid the vengeance of Achish the king of Gath (David had killed Goliath of Gath). In it he is a man of fears and troubles (v4&6&17). He also speaks of the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit (v18). I've heard it said that life is only the good bits in-between the bad news. What a bleak picture of life! Today we cannot be magically made unafraid but David speaks of another fear that enables us to bless the Lord at all times (v1). It is the fear of the Lord (v7&9&11). The one who fears the Lord knows Him, loves Him and seeks to honour Him above all else (v2&3). The Christian life was never promised to be without trouble and yet in this Psalm we read that our God delivers us from our fears and troubles (v4&6). He will never put us to shame (v5). He hears us when we cry (v6). We are called blessed because we have taken refuge in Him (v8). Indeed Christ Himself (called here THE angel of the Lord) camps around us and will deliver us (v7). My brothers and sisters today your cheeks may be wet with tears and your soul my be burdened with the weight of fear but can I invite you to do something with me? Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together (v3). Let us taste and see that the Lord is good (v8). Pray (ac-TS) Sing WSC Q21 Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect? The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever. Year 3 Day 139
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 1:10 and Isaiah 64:1 Message - Alan Burke “First posted Year 2 Day 23 - 14th April“ In these verse we are given three signs that confirm who Jesus is, the first is heaven being torn open. This is a picture of the sky opening, being ripped apart, darkened room, open the curtains and reveals so much more, this is a revelation of God. We need to go to the book of Isaiah here as those who were gathered from Judea and Jerusalem would have been familiar with how the prophet is moved to instruct God’s people on how to pray for demonstrations of God’s saving power and in this, with eloquence Isaiah pleads with God to make His presence unmistakably clear; he says "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down…”(Isa 64:1). Rend, tear, the same meaning. The heavens being torn open here is a revelation for all who had eyes to see, hearts to understands. This great tearing open of the heavens at the baptism of Jesus is the moment that they the people of God had been waiting for, the Messiah had indeed come and was being revealed to them, and to the world in an unparalleled manner. This is the announcement of God’s saving activity. This imagery of being torn is used in one other instance in Mark’s Gospel, one that no doubt that we are familiar with as the temple curtain (Mk 15:38) is torn in two from top to bottom. In both cases these are barriers being removed between God and man, barriers being torn open, torn apart, supernatural in their occurrences that reveal Jesus as the Son of God. A tear in the curtain at his death at the crucifixion signified that he accomplished his ministry and a tear in the heavens at his baptism signified the beginning of his ministry, this is the glory of the incarnation that God revealed himself to us. The barriers are torn down and torn open, and God is now in our midst. At that moment the Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove which marks the beginning of a new creation, the coming of the Spirit signifies a news creation a turning point in the history of salvation, this was a new beginning. Before we go any further, I want to draw something to your attention, in Mark’s Gospel there are only six references from beginning to end about the Spirit. Yet three of them are here in chapter one at the beginning, verse eight which we thought about last week, verse ten that we have just thought about, and verse twelve that we will think about next week. Half of the references to the Spirit in this opening chapter. Why? Because Mark wants to make it clear to us, right from the beginning that the Spirit is essential in the ministry of Jesus, and that Jesus when his work here is done will give the Holy Spirit to those who are his. And there is something significant that happens here, this new beginning matters, this start of the ministry of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit matters, as Jesus at his ascension would give us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us (Acts 2). No longer do we need to go to the temple in Jerusalem which was signified was the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, instead the Spirit of God dwells in the believer, as we are baptised by the Spirit. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, (Eph. 1:4) did enter into a (covenant of grace), to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer. (Rom. 3:20–22, Gal. 3:21–22) |
Alan
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