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Year 2 Day 9
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 7:8-13 Message - Alan Burke Think back to Monday, I asked the question “Have you ever looked around and wondered what on earth is going on?”, today as we dive into these verses (7:8-13) they give us a clearer understanding of not only of the book of Exodus but redemptive history and what is being played out around us today. Where did we leave off, the first of eleven miracles, the staff of Aaron swallowing up the servants staffs that had likewise turned into snakes, gobble, gobble, gobble one after another. But there is something that we are here confronted with in this passage that doesn’t fit into our western scientific rational, it reveals to us that there is something far greater going at work in this world. Look at verse 11, it tells us… “Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts”. Their secret arts. You could call it demonic, dark magic, any number of names, but what it does here is remind us that there is so much more going on in Exodus that a mere battle for freedom from slaves against an oppressive nation. All that was being played out here was not simply a dispute between Moses and Pharaoh, a conflict between Israel and Egypt, but this was a battle between God and Satan. This was just another engagement in the invisible war that continually rages between Heaven and Hell. Whether Pharaoh, his wise men and sorcerers realised that they were serving Satan or not, they were controlled by “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12), evil forces that had at least enough power to perform a few miracles. Notice though, however, that the best they could do was to imitate what God did. Pharaoh’s sorcerers magicians and simply repeated Aaron’s sign. The limits of Pharaoh’s satanic power will become even more obvious as the plagues continue. His magicians and sorcerers were able to mimic some of the miracles of God, but eventually their secret arts were swallowed up by the almighty power of God. This is because Satan can only corrupt, never create. The Bible says that “the work of Satan [is] displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9). Satan is always a counterfeiter, never an innovator. This victory over Pharaoh, his officials, his wise men and sorcerers, teach us that although Satan’s power is real, it is not not absolute. Satan does not have the power to overrule the sovereign God, he can only do what the Lord God allowed him to do. The Exodus tells us of God’s triumph over Satan, although Satan’s power is real, it is not absolute, his power over sin was vanquished through the crucifixion. His power over death was swallowed up by the resurrection. When we feel so imprisoned by our sins that we fear we are still in spiritual bondage, all we need to do is hold on to Jesus, who defeated Satan through his cross and his empty tomb. That question I began with “Have you ever looked around and wondered what on earth is going on?” Ultimately what is going on us is and invisible war, Satan still rages for he knows his time is short but he is not and will not be victorious - he is a bound and defeated foe who will know the punishment of eternal hell (Rev 20:10). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 24 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)
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Year 2 Day 8
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 12v1-5 Message - Scott Woodburn Nothing spikes the interest quite like a discussion of the end times. Will we have barcodes on our foreheads? Will the Russians attack Israel? Is Beyonce a member of the Illuminati? I preached on such things before and will not jump into then fully today apart from introducing you to an antichrist called Herod. Notice I didn't call Herod THE antichrist. I believe that before the return of Christ the world will see THE antichrist. Paul calls him the "man of lawlessness...who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2v3-4) Until those tumultuous days arrive, we must be aware that many other antichrists have already come (1 John 2v18). They may lack the significance of the final antichrist but they are nevertheless fierce opponents of Christ and His church. Herod played the part well. He laid violent hands upon the church (v1) and even killed James with the sword (v2). James was the brother of John, one of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 4v21). Jesus had warned him that just as the Christ would die, James too would face death like his Master (Mark 10v38-39). The Jews were pleased at Herod's actions (v3) and this encouragement drove him to arrest Peter. Almost certainly Peter's death was at the front of Herod's mind but because it was during the days of unleavened bread, Herod left Peter in prison guarded by four squads of soldiers (v4). The situation looked lost. How could the church stand against the fury and resources of a man like Herod? James had been killed and it seemed Peter was next. The dark clouds of persecution were threatening to destroy the church. This is a story that is as old as time. The serpent rages against the church and will continue to do so until Christ returns. Until then the church responds with steadfastness in prayer (v5). It was Charles Spurgeon who once said "we shall never see much change for the better in our churches in general till the prayer-meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of Christians." His challenge is one for every age. In times of comfort and in times of distress, the Christian church is to be zealous in prayer. Not even antichrists can rob the church of the precious gift of prayer, nor can they stand when Almighty God answers the cry of His people. Pray (acTS) 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 2 Day 7
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 7:8-13 Message - Alan Burke Have you ever looked around and wondered what on earth is going on? These verses (7:8-13) give us a clearer understanding not only of the book of Exodus but redemptive history and what is being played out around us today. That may seem absurd, but over the next few days we are going to draw out what is happening in the text and see how that applies to the world today and think about that more this coming Lord’s day. Here these verses begin with Moses being sent to Pharaoh and he is to preform a miracle. This is unlike the signs that he had been given to preform before (4:1-9), this was a miracle that would make clear that as it was preformed this Moses had been granted divine authority , thus making it clear that he was as God to Pharaoh (7:1). We’re not told of the conversation that took place between Pharaoh and Moses, rather as the passage continues it gets strait to the point, they went to Pharaoh and Aaron cast down his staff and it became a serpent. Even if Pharaoh did not know Moses the first time, he would have known him now and likely found out that this was once a prince of Egypt before him. Believing that these men before him were nothing more than trouble makers, leaders who needed to be silenced for their insurrection. But the Lord had preempted Pharaoh’s request for proof and there in the royal courts, with Pharaoh and his servants looking on, Aaron cast down his staff as the Lord commanded and as the Lord had said it would be it became a serpent. This was a direct challenge to the power and authority of Pharaoh. You might wonder how, but do a web search for a ‘Pharaonic headdress’. When you see it, it will be instantly recognisable, covered in gold, they are ornamental, striking to all who seen them, and right in the centre about the forehead, it has what looks like a cobra. The reason why was because the snake represented Egyptian power. Moses and Aaron, throwing this staff to the ground, which then turned into a serpent was nothing less than a direct challenge to the power and authority of pharaoh. Many have attempted to explain what is going on here, that fits in with our western scientific rational. One of those explanations are that this was all illusion, and that Aaron just like the Egyptian magicians knew how to paralyse a snake by putting pressure on the back of its neck so it would be come rigid. There is something so much more that is going on here which we already know as the Lord had sent Moses, giving this to preform, which is evident at how the staff of Aaron we are told swallowed up their staffs. There were ten plagues but this was the first of what were eleven miracles. This might seem like nothing more than an insignificant or unnecessary prelude to what was going to follow, but what we are told here, what we learn from these six verses, is that the LORD God indeed would triumph over the false God’s of the people of Egypt. In everything that would follow, the God of Israel would show that he had dominion over the gods of Egypt, and that he has dominion over all of creation. We will think about this more on Wednesday but right now I want to leave you with the reminder that the LORD God has triumphed, not only over Egypt, the false gods of this wold, over sin and death and even when we look around wondering what is going on we know that He is and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. (Ps. 103:19, Matt. 10:29–31). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 22 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 2 Day 3
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 11v19-30 Message - Scott Woodburn The dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile has been destroyed by Jesus Christ and as Acts 11 comes to an end we see the Gospel continue making its way into the Gentile world. The Jews who were living in Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch heard the Gospel as did the Greeks in the great city of Antioch (v20). The Lord was at work and many came to believe the Gospel (v21). When news of this reached Jerusalem Barnabas was sent to investigate (v22). It would seem that the spread of the Gospel in the Gentile world was still a cause of some concern and in particular as Antioch was a city full of false gods. But when Barnabas arrived he saw God's grace in action (v23) causing him much gladness for he was a good man full of the Holy Spirit and faith (v24). As many were coming to faith Barnabas went and sought out Saul who was then brought to Antioch to help establish these new converts. Saul would exercise this ministry for a whole year meeting with the church and teaching many people (v26). Indeed it was in Antioch that the disciples first took the title "Christians". A prophet named Agabus was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch. Prophets were gifted preachers of God's Word who on occasion could foretell events yet to come. The Holy Spirit told Agabus that a great famine was going to overtake the world (v28) and this news didn't fall upon deaf ears. The Christians decided to send help to the church in Judea and they choose Barnabas and Saul to take this aid directly to the churches in need (v30). These verses show us the remarkable inter-connectedness of the church of Jesus Christ. In the modern world individualism is seen as a virtue. When we come to church it is often with an attitude that seeks the best for "me first". We don't see that in Acts 11. The Gospel is spreading all over the known world. The church in Jerusalem sends spiritual help to the church in Antioch. The church in Antioch sends practical help back to Judea. These men and women take the name Christians and that glorious title unites them with people they have not and perhaps will never meet. As Christians in Ballynahinch we have more in common with Christians in Asia than we do with unbelieving members of our own family. We are to be concerned for the spiritual health of the worldwide church and we are to be concerned for the practical needs of the worldwide church. Christ died for His people and His people are in every corner of the earth. May the Lord forgive us our independence and selfishness and short sightedness towards the church of Jesus Christ. "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[d] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many." (1 Corinthians 12v12-14) Pray (acTS) 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 2 Day 2
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 7:2-5 Message - Alan Burke When Moses and Aaron had first gone to Pharaoh they had warned him that “the God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.” (5:3). Moses and Aaron had said this because they had been been worried about the consequences of Pharaoh’s refusal to let them go. Yet through this Pharaoh had been warned albeit unwittingly of the consequences that Egypt itself would face. The Lord God was going to make his power and glory known by bringing his people, the children of Israel out of Egypt. In this God was going to harden the heart of Pharaoh and by his mighty hand perform signs and wonders. Each one of them would be an invitation for the Egyptians to believe in the LORD the God of the Israelites, so that they would indeed know that He alone is God and not false gods like Pharaoh (7:5; 8:10, 22; 9:14, 16, 29; 14:4, 18). It was not only the Israelites who came to know that the Lord is God indeed but the Egyptians too and some of them left as the people of God for about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children as well as many other people who went up with them (Ex 12:37-38). This was a further fulfilment of God’s promises to Abraham, "In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." (Gen 22:18). It would be through Jesus Christ that ultimately this promise to Abraham would be fulfilled but the inclusion of the gentiles began long before his coming. It is the resurrection of Christ, the great act of salvation, whereby God displays once and for all his purpose for humanity. The final result will be that all people in all ages, whether they know the Lord in Christ or not, will acknowledge Him as the one who raised Christ from the dead. For “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10–11; Isa. 45:23). Egypt witnessed and indeed came to know the work of God, and the the nations have witnessed the gospel of Christ and one day all the world will acknowledges him as Lord. For they will know that the Lord is God. Finally, if you have your bibles in front of you turn to the book of James 4:6, where we read in chapter four verse six, God opposes the proud, and gives grace to the humble. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. Pharaoh was a proud man, he was self reliant, he was after all in his own mind god to his people and god of the Israelites, he was filled with a sense of his own importance. Those who are proud are like pharaoh, they are much less than they imagine they are. Whereas the humble are much more like Moses than they may seem. The proud will be humbled by God but all who humble themselves before the Lord will be exalted, they will be saved saved (James 4:10). How do you humble yourself before God, acknowledge God as Lord, obey as servant, knowing that it is in Christ Alone though faith alone that you have salvation, for there is but one way, Jesus Christ. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 20 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) Year 2 Day 1
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 11v4-18 Message - Scott Woodburn Peter had returned to Jerusalem and immediately had to defend himself. In Caesarea he had met and ate with Gentiles and now members of the circumcision party wanted answers. Had Peter gone against the Word of God? Was he guilty of leading others astray? Peter answers every question with the truth. He had received a vision in Joppa of a sheet filled with various kinds of beasts and birds (v5-6). He had been told to get up and eat (v7) but replied negatively by saying "By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth." (v8). Peter was coming from the same theological place as those of the circumcision party. To eat unclean animals was not something Peter could or would do. But the Lord insisted three times "What God has made clean, do not call common." (v9-10). The Lord was moving among the Gentiles and the Spirit told Peter that he was to make no distinction (v12). So the Apostle travelled to the house of Cornelius and immediately set about preaching the Gospel and miraculously the Holy Spirit fell among the Gentiles just as He had fallen upon Peter back in Jerusalem (15). For Peter it was absolutely clear that the Lord was doing a new work. He was giving the Gentiles His Holy Spirit and therefore Peter would not stand in God's way (v17). How was Peter's report received? With silence (v18). Those who previously wanted to grill the Apostle have nothing left to say. It is clear from his wonderful report that God has granted to the Gentiles repentance that leads to life (v18b). We have been very clear throughout Acts that the Gospel cannot be stopped. Certainly not by the forces outside the church and certainly not by the forces inside. The circumcision party were inside the church and in this instance were probably mostly well meaning. They wanted to put Peter's actions under the scrutiny of God's Word and when it was clear that God was acting they fell silent. Brothers and sisters may we never allow the traditions of the past to hinder the work of the Gospel today. I have heard far too many stories about churches that split over issues that do not stand the scrutiny of Scripture. Church fellowships that shrink and die because buildings have become untouchable or because disputes have arisen over why the minister doesn't wear a clerical collar. May God forgive us when we make the irrelevant the essential. The Gospel was going to the Gentiles and the work of God was not going to be stopped. Every question was silenced in Jerusalem while the cross of Christ was proclaimed in Caesarea. The empty dead traditions of man do not compare to the life giving Gospel of Jesus. 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. Day 365
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 7 Message - Alan Burke We all know plenty of people who are full of themselves, who think the world revolves around them, but I doubt any of those would elevate themselves to that status of a ‘god’ and make us bow down before them, although that day might be coming. Pharaoh was ruler over Egypt, he was king, and he was also a ‘god’. It wasn’t that he had some kind of over inflated view of himself, he was on some kind of ego trip, no, pharaoh and the people of Egypt believed it to be true, Pharaoh was god in Egypt, He was the living representative of their gods. And it was this pharaoh who asked with such derision ‘Who is the Lord’ (5:2), for he did not know who the Lord God was, nor did he care because he was god who ruled over his people and the Israelites. No matter how much he believed it to be the case or his people believed it, Pharaoh was a false god just as many that are worshiped today all over this earth. Because of this the Lord though had made Moses like God to Pharaoh (7:1), it didn’t matter if Moses had faltering lips or not, it wouldn’t have mattered if he was the best public speaker or a real wheeler dealer who could have sold snow to the Eskimos because it wasn’t dependant on how gifted Moses was it was all the work of the one true God. And this Moses-God would defeat pharaoh. All of this so that Pharaoh would be in no doubt that the Lord God is God indeed, for the power of Moses came not from himself but came from the Lord that Pharaoh had challenged him about asking; ”who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go?, when he said I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go” (5:2). To Moses the Lord gives a “prophet” Aaron. There are few text that give us such a clear view of what it means to be a prophet of God than this one. The term and office of prophet tends to be widely misunderstood, many people think of prophets as those who predict the far off future, men and women who have supernatural insight of what will happen in the years ahead. Yes there were prophets who did have such insight, but here the meaning just as the word prophet in Ephesians 4 where we are told how God gave… “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12) were those who proclaimed. The term “prophet” means one who speaks on behalf of another - When we hear of the prophets of God, it was not them speaking their own views, desires, wishes, they weren’t making new decrees, new laws, changing policies that were already settled positions, for they were there speaking as God’s representatives. These men are to go, the excuses of Moses are no excuses at all, for the Lord would be the means by which his work of salvation would be accomplished, he was giving Moses, Aaron to speak on his behalf for those he calls he also equips. Moses learned this during his life and it is something that we should know to, the God who calls us to service also equips us to serve (2 Peter 1:3). Remember His grace is sufficient for you, His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9). Finally, Moses was like God to pharaoh, but Moses was not God. But there was another man who would come, who was fully man and also fully God. Jesus Christ who is able mediate both God’s word and salvation to us. Christ is the true “image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). It is through him alone that we might be saved from our sin, salvation is found in Jesus alone and what we need to learn, just like Moses that we need to look not to ourselves but to the God of Salvation through Jesus Christ. We can’t save ourselves but he has made a way. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 18 Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’ s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. (Rom. 5:12,19, Rom. 5:10–20, Eph. 2:1–3, James 1:14–15, Matt. 15:19) Day 364
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 11v1-3 Message - Scott Woodburn When we consider the church in the days after the Lord's ascension we can often put on our rose tinted spectacles. In those days, we think, everything was united and wonderful and easy. The Apostles exercised their ministry faithfully and the church grew everywhere. They were perfect days, we propose, days of wonder and joy and days that we should seek to repeat. There's a small problem though. The church has never been a perfect place. As we enter chapter eleven we meet a group called the "circumcision party" (v2). This wasn't a traveling group of children's entertainers who would come to birthday parties to play games. This party was altogether more serious. We will meet them again in Acts and indeed their influence is felt in other places in the New Testament. Who were these individuals? The circumcision party was made up of Christians who had come from a Jewish background. This in itself isn't extraordinary. At this point in the history of the church Christians from a Jewish background were by far the majority. The Gospel was only now leaving the borders of Jerusalem and so it would be a little while before Gentile converts became the majority. So the circumcision party were Jewish converts who would insist that Gentile converts needed to be circumcised and follow the various regulations of Judaism. They greeted Peter's return to Jerusalem with the accusation "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." (v3). For those in the circumcision party this was unacceptable. Peter met and ate with unclean Gentiles completely disregarding Jewish customs and now he should give a reason for his actions. Peter's answer will come in the next verses but please notice today that theological disagreements are not new within the church of Jesus Christ. Ballynahinch is full of churches with each one having a different theological take on various aspects of the Bible's teaching. What is to be done? There is no substitute for knowing and understanding the Scriptures. Why do Christians no longer insist upon circumcision? Why do Christians enjoy pork and shellfish? Why do Christians meet to worship on Sunday and not Saturday? None of these questions are vitally important. They certainly don't compare to such a question as what is justification? But still...how would you answer someone within your fellowship causing division because they firmly believe that a Christian should seek to keep the dietry requirements of the Old Testament? The American Baptist preacher John Piper offers an answer. "When all your favourite preachers are gone, and all their books forgotten, you will have your Bible. Master it. Master it." Theology isn't just for the preacher...it is for you. Read the Bible, study the Bible, hear it preached...master it..."for all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3v16-17). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q17 Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. Day 365
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 7 Message - Alan Burke We all know plenty of people who are full of themselves, who think the world revolves around them, but I doubt any of those would elevate themselves to that status of a ‘god’ and make us bow down before them, although that day might be coming. Pharaoh was ruler over Egypt, he was king, and he was also a ‘god’. It wasn’t that he had some kind of over inflated view of himself, he was on some kind of ego trip, no, pharaoh and the people of Egypt believed it to be true, Pharaoh was god in Egypt, He was the living representative of their gods. And it was this pharaoh who asked with such derision ‘Who is the Lord’ (5:2), for he did not know who the Lord God was, nor did he care because he was god who ruled over his people and the Israelites. No matter how much he believed it to be the case or his people believed it, Pharaoh was a false god just as many that are worshiped today all over this earth. Because of this the Lord though had made Moses like God to Pharaoh (7:1), it didn’t matter if Moses had faltering lips or not, it wouldn’t have mattered if he was the best public speaker or a real wheeler dealer who could have sold snow to the Eskimos because it wasn’t dependant on how gifted Moses was it was all the work of the one true God. And this Moses-God would defeat pharaoh. All of this so that Pharaoh would be in no doubt that the Lord God is God indeed, for the power of Moses came not from himself but came from the Lord that Pharaoh had challenged him about asking; ”who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go?, when he said I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go” (5:2). To Moses the Lord gives a “prophet” Aaron. There are few text that give us such a clear view of what it means to be a prophet of God than this one. The term and office of prophet tends to be widely misunderstood, many people think of prophets as those who predict the far off future, men and women who have supernatural insight of what will happen in the years ahead. Yes there were prophets who did have such insight, but here the meaning just as the word prophet in Ephesians 4 where we are told how God gave… “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12) were those who proclaimed. The term “prophet” means one who speaks on behalf of another - When we hear of the prophets of God, it was not them speaking their own views, desires, wishes, they weren’t making new decrees, new laws, changing policies that were already settled positions, for they were there speaking as God’s representatives. These men are to go, the excuses of Moses are no excuses at all, for the Lord would be the means by which his work of salvation would be accomplished, he was giving Moses, Aaron to speak on his behalf for those he calls he also equips. Moses learned this during his life and it is something that we should know to, the God who calls us to service also equips us to serve (2 Peter 1:3). Remember His grace is sufficient for you, His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9). Finally, Moses was like God to pharaoh, but Moses was not God. But there was another man who would come, who was fully man and also fully God. Jesus Christ who is able mediate both God’s word and salvation to us. Christ is the true “image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). It is through him alone that we might be saved from our sin, salvation is found in Jesus alone and what we need to learn, just like Moses that we need to look not to ourselves but to the God of Salvation through Jesus Christ. We can’t save ourselves but he has made a way. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 18 Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’ s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. (Rom. 5:12,19, Rom. 5:10–20, Eph. 2:1–3, James 1:14–15, Matt. 15:19) Day 363
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 7 Message - Alan Burke The Lord was sending Moses to Pharaoh (28-29) but yet again we read how Moses is giving another excuse to the Lord. There is a large part of me that thinks would it not have been easier for the LORD to just to pick someone else, anyone else other than this Moses. Because Moses had been given excuse after excuse, excuses at every opportunity and he had been banging this drum of his speech for a while now (4:10, 6:12, 30). Notice thought that just as in verse 12, the Lord God does not respond to the excuses of Moses, he just tells him what he is to do. Moses may have been making it all about himself, he may have attempting once more to get himself out of the task at hand but it was not about Moses, it didn’t matter if he had faltering lips or not, it wouldn’t have mattered if he was the best public speaker or a real wheeler dealer who could have sold snow to the Eskimos because it wasn’t dependant on how gifted Moses was it was all of God. It was the Lord’s presence with him that would enable Moses to do all that the Lord required of him, it was the Lord’s presence that would guarantee salvation, for salvation was not his work, salvation was and is God’s work. Don’t miss this, because it’s a lesson that we need to be reminded of time and time again, for salvation is not our work, efforts, endeavours, it is not dependant on us rather salvation was and is God’s work. This flawed hero Moses would learn that, and we likewise need to learn it. Moses was a flawed hero of the faith, he was a fallen sinful man just as I am, and all of us by our very nature are fallen sinful people who are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all that is spiritually good, who need to learn that just like Moses that what we need to do is to look to the Lord God, to trust in the Lord God for salvation for just as He did indeed achieve that salvation for Moses and the Israelites He has achieved it for us. Remember it wasn’t because Moses great ability because of faltering lips, it wasn’t because who he was, it was because of God and likewise we, wherever we are need to know that salvation isn’t because we are cracking individuals who deserve it or can bring it about, it is because of God that we have salvation through Jesus Christ, his work for us in his life, death, resurrection and ascension. This is good news, great news, because would you want your eternal salvation to reliant on your own endeavours, on your own ability, on how good you were, on how many times you prayed today, on how many times you read his word, or how good a job at loving the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and might and your neighbour as yourself? (Lk 10:27). What we need to know is that Salvation is his work, from beginning to end it is God’s work. For it is “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 16 Did all mankind fall in Adam’ s first transgression? The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression. (Gen. 2:16–17, Rom. 5:12, 1 Cor. 15:21–22) |
Alan
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