3rd February 2024

3rd February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 4v1-3)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


A previous generation could not have imagined online banking and rarely seeing physical cash. During my time in ministry I’ve heard of an old farmer who used to bury his money somewhere on his land, a husband and wife with a wee tin box filled with cash and another wee woman who kept bundles of cash in the cupboard above her cooker. For such individuals it was important to have money on hand and they all shared a distrust of banks.


Unfortunately I’ve heard other stories. The wee woman with the money in her cupboard was one day robbed of thousands of pounds and she suspected the thief was someone she knew and trusted. How could anyone do such a thing? Robbing a vulnerable elderly woman is a despicable act indeed.


Sadly the world is full of such acts. Humanity is often marked by inhumanity. Solomon saw such acts in his day as he witnessed the oppression of many people. The oppressors held much power leaving the oppressed with their tears (v1). No one brought them any comfort. This state of affairs led Solomon to contemplate that the dead were in a better position than the living for no further wickedness could be inflicted upon them (v2). But Solomon went further still and stated that the unborn were in a better position compared to both the living and undead (v3). How so? The child in the womb does not yet have any idea about the wicked deeds done on this earth.


The Preacher’s synopsis of the human life is bleak but entirely accurate. Lift any newspaper and you’ll be able to read about the latest oppression and injustice. As I write, the headlines speak of sex abuse, drug addiction, murder, war, sham courts, mental illness and much, much more.


The world has always been marked by such “oppressions” and many evil deeds are done under the sun. All oppression finds its source in the fall of humanity and human sin. I know this sounds like a simplistic explanation but it is Biblical and true. If wickedness abounds and no one cares about the oppressed then sin is the cause. This world was once paradise but paradise has long been lost and today, despite the “progress” and apparent glory of this world, wickedness abounds.


Nevertheless, I am confident of a better day and confident that there is someone who cares. Here is what we read about Jesus “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53v7) Christ became the oppressed for our sake and will one day destroy the oppressor. When that day comes those seeking comfort will find it and the Lord will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Come quickly Lord Jesus! Come quickly!  


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q59 Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath? 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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