5th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 15v25-29)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Although Paul's travel plans included a visit to Rome on his way to Spain, he first had to complete another work. The Apostle was returning to Jerusalem to take aid to the Christians in that great city (v25). We know that a terrible famine had swept throughout the territory of Israel and in response the wider church sought to send relief (Acts 11v27-30). Despite the famine ending in the year 48, it seems that the Jerusalem church continued to struggle for many years after.


Paul had urged the Corinthians to follow the example of other fellowships (v26) and to contribute to the need of their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16v1-4 & 2 Corinthians 8-9) and now, with the collection gathered in, Paul sought to travel back to Jerusalem to pass the gift to the struggling church.


We should note that Paul had every right as an Apostle to demand such a collection but it was certainly not forced. In 2 Corinthians 8v5 we read that the collection was "not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us." This attitude should always mark our financial giving. We do not give to the local church only when we are happy with the hymns played nor do we withhold our financial giving until a better minister comes. Instead our giving (or lack of giving) is always "first to the Lord". We give cheerfully and generously to the Lord or we withhold our finances from Him - the choice is ours.


The Gentile church had contributed generously and although Paul had not forced them to do so, he was aware that such giving was in some way owed (v27a). How so? Because the Gentiles had come to share in the spiritual blessings of the Jews. I've stated several times in these devotions some important things about the Jew/Gentile dynamic but please allow me to state a few things once more.


Firstly, the Gospel is the same throughout history, if anyone has ever been saved it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Secondly, the Jewish people have been blessed in the history of salvation. Paul would say elsewhere "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen." (Romans 9v4-5) Thirdly, the church of the Old Testament was primarily (but not exclusively) from a Jewish background whilst in the New Testament the church grew to be primarily (but not exclusively) from a Gentile background. Finally, despite the differences between Jew and Gentile, Christ has broken down the hostility between us and brought us together in the one church (Romans 11) by His precious blood (Ephesians 2v11-22).


Paul's point was that in response to the spiritual blessings which find their origins in God's work among the Jews, Gentile Christians were to seek to share their material blessings with their struggling brothers and sisters in Jerusalem (v27b). When the collection was delivered it was Paul's intention to visit the Romans on his way to Spain (v28), knowing that when he arrived both he and the Romans would know the fullness of Christ's blessing upon them (v29).


There is theology behind our financial giving. We don't give in order to be saved and "paying in" to a church will not improve our standing with God. We give because we have been saved and we respond to God with our finances. We give because the church is one and we have a Biblical duty to be concerned about our fellow Christians on the other side of the world. We give because we know that silver and gold will perish but the work of the Gospel is forever. We give because we love Christ and how we spend our money often shows who/what we truly love.


Money is a thorny subject in any church and in my years at Ballynahinch I've preached about it only sparingly. Was I right in that approach? I do not know but let us finish today with my imperfect voice falling silent and the Word of God ringing out, He has said "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9v7) Amen.


Pray (acTS)


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Q7 What are the decrees of God? The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.
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4th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 21:1-9 & Mark 2:23-28


Message Alan Burke 


Human need is a higher law than religious ritualism. That is the emphasis that Jesus makes when he uses what happens here in 1 Samuel to defend the actions of His disciples. What had happened in Mark which you have read is that the disciples were hungry and while going through a field of grain they pluck some heads of grain and eat it. Doesn’t sound that appetising but then we’re use to having the biscuit cupboard and crisp cupboard jammed packed with things that appeal to our desire for junk food. Anyway walking though they pick some heads of grain and eat. What happens in 1 Samuel is that David fled Saul and headed to Nob. What we learn as the passage continues is that David went to enquire of the Lord there (22:10,15). Remember at this stage there is still no Temple in Jerusalem and Nob had become the centre for worship after the sanctuary was destroyed in Shiloh. Nob was basically a priestly city Ahimelech is the great grandson of Eli the priest who oversaw things there. 


Now just on this, in Mark Jesus speaks of here occurred in the days of Abiathar the high priest, that is his lifetime his father Ahimelech was high priest as 1 Samuel makes clear. The reason why Jesus said Abiathar rather than Ahimelech is that Abiathar had a much more prominent part in what follows. With David’s arrival Ahimelech trembles and asks, why are you alone, why is no one with you? There was no reason for Ahimelech to fear unless he knew fine well of Saul’s hatred for David and that he was even a hunted man. Even speaking to David,  Ahimelech was putting himself at risk, his actions would have been seen by the paranoid Saul as treason. 


In the conversion that comes between David and Ahimelech about the secret mission, the bread of the presence is really a fudge. What I mean by that is that David here is spinning a story for his own advantage, this is a blatant attempt to deceive Ahimelech. What you need to notice here and throughout this passage is that there is no moral judgement made by the text about David’s actions, there is silence. The question of David about the bread is one of those ones that wasn’t asked in ignorance, David would have known fine well that there was the bread of the presence that was only to be ate by the priest and his family (Lev 21). David is chancing his arm, and the priest plays his part, making the necessity of the men keeping themselves from women and being pure, in reality all of this is a nonsense. There is nothing in the letter of the law that allowed for the bread to be given to anyone else other than the priest. 


Jesus makes the same point in Mark 2 appealing to this passage when debating with the Pharisees. There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the disciples actions, the law of Moses said that as long as you didn’t use a sickle you could take what you needed from the field (Deut 23:25). The Pharisees saw the disciples as harvesting a violation of the sabbath. To them these disciples of Jesus were not only taking liberty with the sabbath but they were breaking it, they were sinning publicly, in such a way that it cast Jesus in a poor light. The Pharisees had taken something good, that God had given for good and they had by their method of interpretation misused it. That’s what we see here, their sinful hearts. 


To this Jesus takes the Pharisees to this passage in 1 Samuel pointing to how it was the priests who were alone allowed to eat this bread, yet David ate (cf. Exod 25:30; 35:13; 39:36; Lev 24:5–9). Jesus uses this to remind the Pharisees that although the action of David was contrary to the law, he was not condemned. Jesus does not claim that the Sabbath law has not technically been broken by David but that such violations under certain conditions are warranted. “Human need is a higher law than religious ritualism”. David’s need that day for food was more important than ritualism, more important than the law. After receiving the bread he then enquired of a weapon. Again David knew fine well that the sword of Goliath was there and he was given it by Ahimelech. Human need is a higher law than religious ritualism. Our Confession of Faith makes this point when it comes to the Christian Sabbath and how it is to be kept holy unto the Lord except in regard to the duties of necessity and mercy (XXI.8). There are times that human need comes above God’s word but those times are a lot less frequent than we might imagine and are more than some are willing to recognise. 


Pray (acTS)


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Q6 How many persons are there in the Godhead?
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. (1 John 5:7, Matt. 28:19)
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2nd December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 15v22-24)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Paul had long desired to visit the church in Rome but had been hindered from doing so (v22). What had put his plans on the shelf? His ongoing ministry to the Gentiles which had taken him from Jerusalem to Illyricum (v19). Paul's approach was not to swoop in and build on another's work, instead he knew and understood that his call was to take the Gospel to where it had not already been.


Even so, by the final chapters of Romans, Paul is able to admit that his work in the aforementioned regions was now complete (v23) and therefore it was his hope to visit Rome and spend time amongst the Roman Christians (v23b). He desired their fellowship (v24b) and help as Paul's road took him to another virgin land (v24a).


Where was Paul going to? The Apostle had set his sights on Spain. During Paul's lifetime the Roman empire stretched around the entire Mediterranean. If Paul had started in what is now modern day Morroco it would have been possible for him to travel through the entirety of North Africa, Israel, Turkey, the Balkans, Italy, France, Spain and even England without ever leaving the rule of Rome and so it was the Apostle's goal to preach Christ crucified in the land that many of us have visited on holiday.


Did Paul ever reach Spain? There is no Biblical evidence to say that he did but some Christian writers did assert that Paul reached sunny Spain. Clement of Rome wrote that Paul reached Spain calling that land "the farthest limits of the west", the Muratorian Canon speaks of Paul's journey to Spain, Cyril of Jerusalem seemed certain that Paul preached in Spain and Chrysostom mentioned Paul's return to Spain.


It isn't an issue to fight over and God did not intend for us to know but nevertheless I'm struck by Paul's passion for the lost and his confidence in the Gospel. Many of us struggle to cross the street to share our faith and even more believe that the church needs something more than the Word read and especially preached. Paul laboured in untouched territories with a simple aim to make Christ known. He preached Christ and Him crucified.


Did Paul see Spanish converts? Only God knows but eternity will tell the tale. In response may we seek to help and encourage the bold among us who seek to take the Gospel where we would never dream of going. I thank God for these men and women and from Spain to the ends of the earth, may God give the increase.


Pray (acTS)


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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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1st December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 20:23-42


Message Alan Burke 


The passage started with Jonathan doing all that he could to defend his father who was indefensible, as it continued we had David and Jonathan agreeing in effect to put Saul to the test to prove to Jonathan that David wasn’t spouting some nonsense and that his father really wanted to kill him. It’s now the time of the test with the new moon festival having arrived and their plan swung into motion and day one goes without a hitch, but then the second day comes and David is not there and Saul’s rage is evident. Jonathan received the full Saul’s anger, abusive, extreme, verging on the obscene. In the tongue lashing (30), Saul calls Jonathan “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman!” that’s the nice way of putting, you can use your imagination and infer what is being said in everyday language. The literal truth was not that Jonathan was the son of a perverse woman, but a perverse rebellious man. He perceives that his son has chosen the son of Jesse, rather the Lord had chosen the son of Jesse, Jonathan may not have understood it fully covenanting himself to David but it seems that Saul knew. 


Still in a rage, Saul tried to take the life of his own son, the heir to the throne, for he identified Jonathan with David, now Jonathan knew what it was to fear his father, the fear David had experienced, he knew that Saul had determined to destroy David, it demonstrated his fathers hatred. While David was better to have stayed away we could have hardly expected the severity of the response that comes from Saul, the vile anger that flares up within in. The crux of all of this is that Saul was rebelling against the Lord and his anointed, he knew that as long as David lived his kingdom would fail as a result it wasn’t enough just to exile David he need to kill him. 


Jonathan had to choose between his father, his own legacy and the LORD and he chose the LORD. What is it for us, are we focused on securing our own kingdoms our own legacies, is it on making a name for ourselves or is it on the Lord, do we live as crown princes desiring to make our own way, living how we want, making our mark or do we seek to live the Lord’s way, living how he desires seeking to leave his mark on all that we do? It was a costly choice for Jonathan yet it was the right one, it was a liberating one, and for us it is a costly choice, between the LORD and the things of this life, (like a building or an organisation) yet it is the only one choice and it is a liberating one, life that does not consist in achieving our own goals or fulfilling our potential but living for the LORD God. 


In the closing scene is an emotional one. There are recorded the last words Jonathan speaks to David, telling him to go in peace seem almost laughable when Saul was seeking his life, but Jonathan was being sincere, for he is not claiming that there is pace for David that he will not meet danger on every hand, but that David can go because there is peace between the two of them. There is an anchor here between these men that they will hold fast to one another in the midst of all that will now transpire. Jesus told his followers “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33). For all those who know and love the Lord we do not have peace because things are peaceful but because we have peace with God. We have peace, peace between us and the LORD because of what Jesus Christ has done, we have security because of the covenant in his blood and know that no matter what unfolds in this life, today, tomorrow that through faith we will spend eternity with him. So what ever we face, we know that even though there is much to fear in our present world, there are real enemies, dangers, just like David and Jonathan we can look to the future to the kingdom that is coming.


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Q4 What is God?
God is a Spirit, (John 4:24) infinite, (Job 11:7–9) eternal, (Ps. 90:2) and unchangeable, (James 1:17) in his being, (Exod. 3:14)wisdom, (Ps. 147:5) power, (Rev. 4:8) holiness, (Rev. 15:4) justice, goodness, and truth. (Exod. 34:6–7)
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30th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 15v17-21)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


There are some Biblical ideas which have made their way into everyday life. What like? How about "pride comes before a fall"? Your granny might have told you that but she got it from the Word which says "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16v18) Pride in your achievements or abilities often paves the way to a calamitous fall.


It therefore seems strange that Paul said he was proud of the work that he had done for the Lord (v17). Was Paul unaware of Proverbs 16v18? Did he not know that "The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers." (Psalm 5v5)? Paul was not ignorant of the Scriptures and his pride was not a sinful self-aggrandising pride, instead Paul boasted "in Christ Jesus" (v17a).


If we utter any boastful words then we would do well to boast only in the Lord. God says "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9v23-24)


Paul's boasts focused on what Christ had done through the Apostle's ministry which brought many Gentiles into faithful obedience (v18). Paul wasn't proud of himself but he took great delight in the work of God. Paul preached the Gospel and confirmed it by the signs of an Apostle (v18b-19a). The Word preached was underlined by miracles done, all accomplished by the mighty work of the Holy Spirit (v19b).


This awesome work saw Paul go from Jerusalem to the Roman province of Illyricum, which you may know as the region encompassing Croatia, Bosnia and Albania. It was in this great arc that Paul fulfilled the ministry given to him by Jesus (v19). Indeed this ministry was "brand new" as Paul made it his ambition not to preach anywhere where the Gospel had already been proclaimed (v20). Paul saw himself as laying a Gospel foundation rather than building on the work done by others (v20). Such a ministry was in fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy which said "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." (Isaiah 52v15).


In some circles Paul is an unpopular and controversial individual. He is seen as a bit of an extremist who if he existed today would certainly be a candidate for cancellation. I don't think this way and nor should you. I'm thankful for Paul's ministry and he could be rightly proud of the work that the Lord had done in him and through him. A life lived for Christ is not lived in vain. May I one day reach the finish line with lips that never tire of boasting in Christ. I hope you do too. "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory" (Psalm 115v1)


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Q3 What do the Scriptures principally teach? The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

29th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 20:12-22 


Message Alan Burke 


In your hand right now or in front of you, you have a device that is more powerful than the computer that put men on the moon. What we have is an amazing piece of technology before us, think just what it can do, things that would have been impossible just 20years ago is no longer science fiction but science fact. Like 20 years ago I owned a Nokia 6600 with one rear facing camera with an amazing 0.307 megapixel camera whereas today the latest phones have a 200mp camera that is over 650 times better. Phones track our locations, they can listen in on all our conversations we only say “Siri”, “Ok Google” or “Alexa” to get their attention. Can you imagine if Saul had at his fingertips the technology of today as he attempted to hunt David down, there would have been no chance for David and Jonathan would have unknowingly been used as bait.


While Jonathan did not want to accept that his father wanted to kill David he went along with the plan and gave David the assurance that he desired. Knowing that his actions meant that he was about to be disloyal to his father for the sake of what was right. The two men made a solemn covenant reassuring each other of their godly motivations. Jonathan asks that David would show him hesed love,  NIV in v14 uses the word and translated it as unfailing kindness, the KJV puts it as kindness, in v15 it comes again and in both the NIV and the KJV it translates the word hesed as kindness. Jonathan asked this for he knew that in the future it would be he that needed kindness and mercy and that David would be the one with the power to help, he understood that one day roles would be reverse, David would become king, and when he did he would be dependant on David’s grace, it was a speech and a request of extraordinary faith, Jonathan feared the one who was afraid.


The kind of love that Jonathan asked David to show him in a sense is peculiar for it is a word that is almost exclusively attributed to God alone speaking of his love towards his people. This word hesed is used in Exodus 34, where we are told, the Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed, and I’m taking this from the ESV because it is consistent… “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” Don’t forget that the Lord said these words to Moses just after His people had made a golden calf and worshiped it. Jonathan appeals for David to show him a love like that the Lord shows towards us a sinful people, a love that continues steadfastly, the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 


Why was all this necessary, the making the covenant, the swearing, the vowing, the oath taking? Well it is because we are sinful people and we all have at tendency to break our promises, Jonathan wanted more than mere platitudes. There is a question that comes out of this for us, in narrative that deals with loyalty, friendship, keeping our word, what do our actions and our words say about us, they ultimately speak volumes, they speak volumes about who we are, our relationship with the Lord our God, self examination can be difficult for us but maybe the thing that we should seek is a loyal friend to be honest. Also that love that the Lord shows us, his hesed love is one that we do not deserve. What we deserve just like the people who worshipped the golden calf is the wrath of God and not his mercy, not his love. Yet our God has shown his great love towards us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us, let us not forget the wonder of God’s love towards such people as us. 


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Q2 What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, (2 Tim. 3:16, Eph. 2:20) is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. (1 John 1:3–4)
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28th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 15v14-16)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


I often hear that modern parents can't believe that their little ones can ever be guilty of bad behaviour. The teacher at a local school sends a letter home outlining little Johnny's shocking attitude, only to have a parent spitting fire the very next morning in defence of their "little angel". Regardless of whether this is true or not, Paul certainly doesn't fit the mould of a modern parent.


The Apostle unquestionably loved the Romans and was prepared to tell them that he was "satisfied" about them (v14). As far as Paul was concerned they were "full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another." (v14b). That's a resounding note of praise for any church. The Romans obviously loved one another and their love of the Lord flowed into a life of good deeds. Furthermore, they were a well taught fellowship who had "all knowledge" (v14b). This doesn't mean that they knew everything possible to know, instead they knew Christ, His Gospel and loved His Word.


You might say that the Romans were a theologically minded church but theology that only impacts the mind is half-baked. Good theology should always impact your life and in the case of the Romans, they took their knowledge and instructed one another in the ways of the Lord. They were an active, kind, loving, well taught and teaching church.


Even so, there is no perfect church and Paul reminded the Romans that on "some points" he had to speak very boldly to them (v15). In other words, the Apostle may have loved the Romans but at times that love showed itself in necessary correction. It is not unloving to tell your child to behave in school, just as it is not unloving to seek to address difficulties in a local fellowship.


At this point a grumpy Roman might be tempted to ask "who does Paul think he is?" It is incredibly unlikely that Paul started the Roman church and so some might wonder what gave him the right to speak boldly? In four words...he was an Apostle.


Paul knew that it was by the grace of God (v15b) that he had been called to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (v16a). The Apostle had at one time been an opponent of the Gospel and a persecutor of the church, but Christ had opened Paul's eyes and sent him to take the good news to the nations.


The imagery Paul used to describe his ministry would have been incredibly familiar to the ethnic Jews converted to Christ in Rome. Just as the priests of the Old Testament took the sacrifice to the altar, Paul described himself as being in the "priestly service of the Gospel of God" (v16b). He wasn't reintroducing the priesthood to the Christian church instead he sought to describe his role in redemptive history.


Paul took the Gospel to the Gentiles mirroring the promise of God which said "And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the LORD," (Isaiah 66v20) As we have already seen in this chapter, the salvation of the Gentiles was always part of God's plan. Paul like a priest of old pointed the Gentiles to Christ in order to bring many to salvation, sanctification and glory. In this manner, the Gentiles would be like an acceptable sacrifice to God washed clean by the blood of the Lamb.


Paul in his apostolic role had every right to rejoice over and rebuke the Romans as necessary. I hope we are satisfied with this. You may not be aware but your church is apostolic in the sense that it believes apostolic teaching. We are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets and so what Christ's messengers once said is still of great importance to the modern church.


This Sunday you will hear God's voice as the Scriptures are read and you will be blessed as the Scriptures are preached. This is God's simple but wonderful plan to convert sinners and to see them sanctified. Sometimes the Lord encourages us and sometimes He rebukes us but He always seeks to grow us. Brothers and sisters, may we be "full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another." but may we also with maturity receive difficult teaching when it comes. 


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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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27th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 20:1-11


Message Alan Burke 


Families are fun to say the least. I say that as we come to this passage because there is part of me that if I was in Jonathan’s company I’d want to give him a slap on the bake for he’s being a dose. Here the delusional Jonathan is defending his father when not to long ago he had been told by his father to kill David and now is refusing to accept the reality of what has happened and what David is accusing his father off. At the same time this doesn’t surprise me, I’ve seen parents defend their kids when their actions are indefensible and blame others for what has happened and I’ve seen kids do exactly the same for their parents. The idiom ‘blood is thicker than water’ springs to mind. What we have here is almost painfully awkward, like come on Jonathan wake up, catch yourself on lad. Especially when you consider what happened back in chapter 18 when Jonathan figuratively handed over everything to David, making a covent with him and we are even told that Jonathan loved David as his own soul (18:3). That covenant is the reasons why David has come to Jonathan and as he does so he was risking a lot in the hope that Jonathan would not just hand him over to his father Saul who wanted to kill him.


David desires to know why all this is happening to him, he asks Jonathan “What have I done”? David is looking for answers to why he is now a fugitive, a hunted man when he has done nothing to wrong Saul. Notice then just how shocking what David has said to Jonathan in v2, depending on the translation you have you’ll likely see ‘Never’, ‘Far from it’ or ‘God forbid’ all express the disbelief that Jonathan had at the words of David. He didn’t want to believe that his father would internally do any of this. Even though Jonathan had been ordered by his father to seek out and kill David as we are told at the beginning of chapter 19, it seems that he was Jonathan is convinced that it was nothing more than a momentary lapse into madness that had consumed his father rather than anything more sinister. Even going as far as to defend his father to David and is convinced that his father would do nothing without telling him, it was based on his confidence in his relationship with his father. 


We might want to ask what is Jonathan is playing at, the evidence is more than weighted against the character of Saul. We might think the lad needs to get seen too, but then we can do that with our family, we want to believe the best, we don’t like seeing their failures. We may choose to give Jonathan the benefit of the doubt, after all he last appeared in 19:7 and we haven’t heard of him since, maybe he genuinely did not know all that had transpired, maybe he thought it was all in David’s head. What we have here is a situation where Jonathan was torn between his friend and his father, he was torn between the Lord’s anointed and the King. To convince Jonathan, David we are told took an oath and managed to convince Jonathan. But with the elaborate means by which Saul was to be tested at the new moon festival. 


Note that in this, in David’s desperation he and attempt to save his own bacon we see that David even though is a man after God’s own heart is a sinner just like you and I. David is seeking that Jonathan would betray his father, this is deception at David’s behest. The reality of living in the shadow of the fall is that there are times that it is necessary for us all to choose sides, to at times be disloyal even to those who were close to if they are in the wrong, Jonathan was disloyal to his father, it would come at a cost yet in this there was godly motivations as we are about to see. Living in the shadow of the fall is hard and so many of our relationships have been marred by it, yet we have the hope through the Lord Jesus Christ that it will not always be like this for he will return to make all things new. 


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Q107 What doth the conclusion of the Lord’ s prayer teach us?
The conclusion of the Lord’ s prayer, (which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen. (Matt. 6:13)) teacheth us, to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, (Dan. 9:4,7–9,16–19) and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him. (1 Chron. 29:10–13) And, in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen. (1 Cor. 14:16, Rev. 22:20–21)
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25th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 15v13)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Verse thirteen is beautiful and a prayer which should become part of our own prayer life. The Apostle prays for his brothers and sisters in Rome and asks that the God of hope would fill the Roman Christians with all joy and peace in believing. Let's break that down. Firstly, God is the God of hope. The Lord isn't like us and so He does not sit in heaven fretting and hoping that all will go well.


He knows the beginning and He knows the end. He is not afraid of the darkness and He does not fear the future. He is the source of every good and perfect gift including the treasure of hope. The classic movie "The Shawshank Redemption" has hope as its central theme. The character called Red says that "Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man mad." but his friend Andy isn't so sure saying "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things." Both of these fictional characters found themselves in prison with little to no hope of a brighter future. 


I am so thankful for the hope we have in Christ. We know that this world is hard and sore but in Jesus we have not believed in vain. The Christian isn't a fool and they haven't made a mistake in receiving the Gospel - our hope isn't dangerous and it will not drive us mad, instead it directs us Christ-ward and it causes us to long for home. Peter calls our hope a "living" one which hopes in a Saviour who knew death but also a glorious resurrection. In Christ we have a heavenly inheritance which can never perish, spoil or fade (1st Peter 1v3-4). I think hope is a good thing, not the best of things but a precious jewel nevertheless.


God is the God of hope and Paul prays that He will fill us with joy and peace as we believe (v13a). I don't plan to patronise you today by saying that the Christian life is only joy and peace. I suspect you know all too well that at times we can carry heavy joyless burdens with hearts filled with dread. Even so, we should do business with today's verse and pray earnestly that the Lord would bless us with joy and peace as we believe. 


The Christian's great joy is none other than Jesus. In Christ we know that our primary need has been addressed, no longer are we enemies of God but rather His friends. By faith in Jesus we have peace with the Lord and whilst in this life we will certainly know trouble, we can take heart because Christ has overcome the world.


As Paul's prayer ends, he asks that the church in Rome wouldn't know a "touch wood" or "fingers crossed" kind of hope but rather a Holy Spirit worked abundant hope. I pray for that too, so that in good days and bad we would hope abundantly in the better future won for us by Christ. Look around you today and remember that what you see is not all that there is. Look inward today and remember that the Lord has promised you a day without the pain you feel or the depression which calls regularly.


Brothers and sisters, let's pray these words for each other. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15v13) Amen.   


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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24th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 19


Message Alan Burke 


But by the grace of God go I. You may even have used those words yourself because like me you know your propensity to sin and it is expressing your gratitude for the grace of God in your life that has kept you from what could have been a very different path. Sin is such that it deceives, entices and when a starts we can think to ourselves that this is enjoyable but the problem is that sin that began can grow and devour us. Saul is one of those men for whom it could have been very different but sin had got its hold of Saul and his son Jonathan was doing all that he could to prevent his fathers sinful desire to kill David to come about. 


There is lots left in this passage that we are not going to get to draw out this week but I want you to notice a few things today. Firstly how Jonathan convinces Saul and Saul listens vowing not to kill David (7). This is a wonderful turn of events but in the ensuing verses we learn of David’s victories, how an evil comes on Saul which was part of God’s judgement upon Saul, what we may miss is that we can face judgment here and now for our sin not only for eternally and God brought this about in Saul for he had rejected the Lord. Then Saul attempts again to kill David, sending men to kill him, now Saul’s daughter disobeys her father lying to his men and her father. This is grim, the cycle of the fathers sin is reading havoc in this family and David is forced to flee to Samuel at Ramah. 


This is the bit that today I want to focus on. For the most striking thing that is recorded in this entire chapter comes in these closing verses. David goes to Samuel at Ramah hoping for sanctuary, but there is no where safe from Saul and they go to Naioth but word came to Saul that this is where they were and he sent men after them. The first group that were sent with Samuel standing there with a group prophesying the Spirit of the Lord comes upon them and they also prophesied. Saul was told, sent more men then and the same thing happened, then a third time and finally Saul went and Saul prophesied. 


It didn’t matter where David fled to he was never out of reach of the strong arm of Saul or so Saul though. For rather than letting Saul capture or kill his anointed the Lord intervened in a very real way so much so that the people were left saying “is Saul also among the prophets”. 


Saul became one whom the people asked was he among the prophets. There is an application here which we may not think is relevant but I’ll drive it home in a moment or two and it's this; Just because someone is ministering in the name of the Lord, someone is speaking for him locally or internationally does not mean that they are saved. In Matthew 7 Jesus says 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Mt 7:21–23). 


Just because someone is involved in ministry, or is a minister in the Presbyterian church of Ireland, in the local Baptist Church or the Free Presbyterian, Reformed Presbyterian what ever it may be is no proof. Unless we have trusted in the Lord for our salvation then we are lost, we trust in Jesus for our salvation not in what we do in his name. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q105 What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
In the fifth petition, (which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, (Matt. 6:12)) we pray, That God, for Christ’ s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; (Ps. 51:1–2,7,9, Dan. 9:17–19) which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others. (Luke 11:4, Matt. 18:35)
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