19th December 2023

19th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 16v19)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


What do you desire in the coming year? In just a few days time 2024 will arrive and bring with it the wonderful potential for change. Will you read more? Eat less? Walk until your legs hurt? Paul had a clear ambition for the people in Rome and it is one that we should seek for our own fellowships.


Firstly, Paul was clear that the Romans were not a disobedient people. Indeed, their obedience had become known to all (v19a). Whenever the Romans were spoken of in various other churches, their obedience to the Lord was a clear topic of conversation. Was the Roman church a perfect one? By no means! Such a place does not exist but nevertheless, the Romans had a reputation for obedience to the commands of God and this caused Paul to rejoice (v19b).


However it is a foolish church that believes themselves to be the finished article and so Paul prayed that the Romans would grow in wisdom to what was good and be innocent as to what was evil. In other words the Roman Christians were never to rest on their laurels and assume that their obedience would always be a well reported fact.


The obedient and faithful church will always be a target of the enemy and so such a fellowship should always seek to cultivate wisdom in the midst of this dark world. I'm mindful of Proverbs 23v23 which says "Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding." It seems to me that this would be a prudent mission statement for every church.


Such a place would know the inestimable worth of God's Word and seek to major in it. This approach would make the local fellowship wise to what pleases God and at the same time keep them from acts of wickedness.


I trust that your 2024 will be a memorable one. May you finally climb Slieve Croob, read War & Peace and lose that spare tyre round your middle. But even more I pray for your growing obedience, wisdom to what is good and innocence in wicked deeds. For Christ's sake.    


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q19 What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell? All mankind, by their fall, lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever.
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