Year 2 Day 16
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 1:2-4 Message - Alan Burke Before Mark tells us more about the good news of ‘Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ he tells us of another man John the Baptist. As he does so he helps us to understand that what he speaks of is not unconnected to what has come before, rather this was all part of God’s plan in bringing salvation by giving us a quotation. Or rather it is a tapestry of three prophecies, from Exodus 23:20 and Malachi 3:1 in verse 2 and in verse 3 Isaiah 40:3. Each part of it tells us something significant, Exodus 23:20 contains God’s promise to send his messenger before the Israelites on their Exodus through the desert to Canaan. Isaiah 40:3 speaks of a second Exodus through the desert to the final deliverance prepared for God’s people. Malachi 3:1 warns that God will send a messenger to prepare the way before him prior to the coming of the day of judgment. All of these direct us to how the one who Mark now speaks of was the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord himself to come. What we learn is that John was a baptiser. At the time those who were converted to Judaism were baptised as a right of initiation, other baptisms were more of a ritual washing, but John’s baptism was different because it was a visible sign that signified moral and spiritual renewal. We also learn that he proclaimed a message of Repentance. It was a simple message, no doubt there was more said than ‘repentance for the forgives of sin’. Rather it was a more urgent call that that of the prophets for the imminent judgement of God was upon them which is the point Mark makes when he uses the Malachi quotation. What we learn from John in the other gospels (see Lk 3 :7-9) is that he didn’t beat about the bush, he called a spade a spade, if this was today, there is no way that John would have ever become moderator of the Presbyterian Church. For he called those who were coming to him, “You brood of vipers!” I should try shouting that to the congregation on Sunday and see what happens. John was saying things like this to what we would today call ‘Church people’ just like you and me. Those had grown up in the faith, they kept all the outward visible signs of belonging to the people of God and John lays into them calling them to repent. You may think that’s John’s message, that’s not the message of Jesus, well look down to verse in verse 14 we are told… After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Unless we have repented of our sin there is no salvation. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ? The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, (Eph. 1:13–14, John 6:37–39, Eph. 2:8) and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. (Eph. 3:17, 1 Cor. 1:9)
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Year 2 Day 15
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 13v1-3 Message - Scott Woodburn As Acts 13 begins the scene moves away from Peter and Jerusalem to Antioch. The remains of Antioch are in modern day Turkey and in the time of Acts is was an incredibly important city. The church there was strong with prophets and teachers (v1). Teachers would preach the word of God instructing Christians and passing on the Apostolic teaching. Prophets on the other hand would deliver more spontaneous messages from the Lord. Some of these prophets and teachers are named in Luke's account. There is Joseph whose nickname is Barnabas which means "son of encouragement". There is Simeon called "Niger " which means black. It would seem that Simeon and Lucius were Africans, hailing from Cyrene which is in present day Libya. Indeed some think that this Simeon may very well have been the famous Simon of Cyrene who carried the Lord's cross. There was Manaen who was a lifelong friend of Herod the Tetrarch and therefore a man of high social standing. Just a quick note on Herod. It was Herod the Great who was on the throne at the birth of Christ. When he died his kingdom was split into four with a quarter of the kingdom going to each of his three sons and the final quarter going to Herod the Great's sister. One of those sons was called Herod Antipas also called Herod the Tetrarch (tetrarch means "four rulers"). Manaen was raised with Herod the Tetrarch and it was this Herod who Jesus called a fox (Luke 13v32). Finally, the Herod in Acts 12 was Herod Agrippa the First, the grandson of Herod the Great. Saul was also part of the team in Antioch and after a time of worship, fasting and prayer the Holy Spirit made it clear that Barnabas and Saul were to set apart for the work of the Lord (v2). Just as this group in Antioch was made up up men from all corners of society and the earth, so too the Gospel was to be preached everywhere. Barnabas and Saul would take the good news to the Gentiles and many would be saved. Notice that the Gospel work was accompanied by much fasting and prayer. I think we've lost sight of this in the modern church. The work does not belong to us, it belongs to the Lord. No one is saved by our talent, but by the Lord. No one is strong enough for the work, except by the Lord. Soon Barnabas and Saul would leave Antioch and endure much for the sake of the Gospel. Brothers and sisters, may I assume we wish to see the lost won for Christ? If so may we call earnestly upon the Lord. May he raise up preachers like Barnabas and Saul and may the nations hear of the cross of Christ once more. Pray (acTS) 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. Year 2 Day 14
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 1:1 Message - Alan Burke Did you hear the news today? Wasn’t it great to have a good news piece after everything we’ve gone through in the past year. You may be wondering what I’m on about, there may have been a good news story today or yesterday but in truth it’s debatable how many of these 'good news’ stories are really good news. Much of it is mere political spin that pronounces ‘good news’ in how we are moving forward, when actually life remains pretty much the same. News stories that move on so fast, filled with information that we soon forget that often is inconsequential to us, why then do we spend so much time watching and listening to it? I’ll leave that question with you, for today I want to take you to something that is actually good news, something that has significance for you. It’s not good news of the vaccine delivery or of restrictions being lifted, rather this is good news of the person and work of Jesus Christ. These twelve words at the start of Mark’s gospel act as a prologue, that summaries the entire message of this book, for Mark begins with the gospel itself that is the person and work of Jesus. He is the good news for He is the ‘Christ’, He is anointed one, the Messiah, the promised deliverer, the saviour and the ‘Son of God’. The title “Son of God” reveals Jesus’ unique and unparalleled relationship with God the Father, He as the ‘Son’ asserts nothing less than his Divinity. Jesus as the Son of God was able to serve and suffer for our redemption. The good news is Jesus, and for all who hear and believe in His name, He gives the right to become the children of the Living God. We receive the benefits of sonship of the living God thought Christ, who for our sake, God made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Jesus we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). It is in Christ alone that we receive the benefits sonship, not through what we pay, nor through what we do, not through how moral we are, how gifted etc etc etc, for none of us can atone for our sin, none of us can break its power. We can never come to God and say, surely what I have done is enough to compensate for my sins, instead God sent His own Son, who stood in for place, who lived a perfect life, and since He had no sin of His own to atone for He was uniquely qualified to atone for our sins. This Jesus is the Good News, the Gospel that Mark wants us to know and this is good news for sinners like you and I that Jesus has done it all. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q 28 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 2 Day 12
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 12v20-25 Message - Scott Woodburn At one time Adolf Hitler was the most feared and powerful man in the world. He died by his own hand in a collapsed bunker. At one time Josef Stalin stood like a colossus over Russia. He died after his aides allegedly ignored him as suffered a heart attack. Pol Pot waged a brutal campaign against his own people in Cambodia. He died suspicious and fearful and unloved. Evil always overreaches and antichrists never win. Herod raged against the church and even surrounding nations feared him. The people of Tyre and Sidon sought peace with Herod. The King was angry with them and they knew they needed Herod's favour for food (v20). Herod filled with arrogance put on royal robes, sat on his throne and began to speak (v21). We're not sure what Herod had to say but we do know the response of the people. They shouted that Herod's voice was that of a god and not a man (v22). Antichrists love nothing more than to receive praise that is not due to them. But perhaps Herod would be different? Perhaps he would turn the crowds gaze away from himself to the Lord? Sadly not. An angel of the Lord struck him down because instead of giving God the glory he took it all for himself (v23). Like antichrists before and since, Herod's end was not glorious. Luke tells us he was eaten by worms and died (v23). We do not know what disease afflicted Herod but we know that it was sent by God and Herod fell under the righteous wrath of the One he opposed. Meanwhile, in understated fashion, Luke mentions that the word of God increased and multiplied (v24). If only the opponents of the Gospel understood this. The Gospel cannot be stopped and every antichrist in every age will fall before the judgement of God. The King of France, Louis 14th preferred to be called "Louis the Great". At his funeral he insisted that only one candle remain alight and be placed on top of his coffin. After all, men in every age filled with their own arrogance, believe themselves to be the light of the world. The preacher that day was called Jean Baptiste Massillon and he climbed from the pulpit and blew out Louis the Great's candle. "Only God is great!" he declared "Only God is great!" We pray that the world would understand this message and today may we not lazily point to far off lands and denounce the foreign antichrists. Our own country is rotten, the Western world continues its decline into depravity. Evil is called good and good is called evil. May the Gospel of Christ thunder in the west and may these lands and the antichrists in them remember...only God is great and all will stand before Him. Pray (acTS) 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 2 Day 11
Pray (ACts) Read - Exodus 7:8-13, Matthew 27:46 Message - Alan Burke The Exodus tells us of God’s triumph over Satan, but that invisible war that continually rages between Heaven and Hell continues but the Lord God has had the ultimate victory. In the Gospel of John, as Jesus is with his disciples in the upper room, preparing to leave them for the last time. They together celebrate the last passover together and the first Lord’s supper, and Jesus tells his disciples, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me” (Jn 14:30). There Jesus as he is preparing his disciples for what lay ahead, giving them final instructions for what he came to do is about to be fulfilled, for Jesus knew that the ruler of this world, that is Satan was about to unleash his full fury upon him, he was going to be dragged though the streets of Jerusalem, a lamb to the slaughter, through the courts and to the cross, he would be tortured, nailed, and pierced, utter and brutal agony but all that Satan could do. Throughout his life Jesus had been opposed by Satan from the beginning, he had used the power of Herod as soldiers were sent to kill him, he had tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he used the religious leaders to accuse him, but only at the right time did God finally allow Satan to put Jesus to death. But it was by his death, by dying for our sins that Jesus delivered us from his power. He triumphed over Satan through the cross. Satan was doing his worst, but through this one death, it would seal Satan’s doom and would ensure the salvation of many. The physical pain that Jesus faced was nothing compared to the wrath of God that he bore, for there on the cross in his humiliation every sin of the elect was imputed to Jesus, all the ugliness of human violence was concentrated on His person. Once sin was concentrated on Jesus, God cursed Him. When the curse of the law was poured out on Jesus, He experienced pain that had never been suffered in the annals of history. Only one man has ever felt the pain of the fullness of the unmitigated curse of God on Him. In his anguish, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46). He who was the Word of God, he who had from eternity looked into the face of His Father and seen only love, then hearted only silence and could see no loving face, only alienation, this is the heart of the agony of the cross, the focal point of his suffering. This is the suffering, his forsakenness, this was the pinnacle of his life of sacrifice and he endured this for the joy that was set before him as the author of Hebrews makes clear (Heb 12:2). How could this be joy? For in his sacrifice it would lead to the joy of our rescue. The Jesus who died because of love towards us who are his very enemies on the third day he rose again from the dead, the most momentous event in human history, he rose never to die again, he did so that those who are his would know life everlasting, that we would be freed from the bondage of sin, Now we can say, as the book of 1 Corinthians 54-57, …Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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 26 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 2 Day 10
Pray (ACts) Read - Acts 12v6-19 Message - Scott Woodburn Peter was forced to sleep between two soldiers. He was bound with chains and sentries outside the door were guarding the prison (v6). Peter was done for. There was simply no way he was going to get out of this predicament. In the 1980s the A-Team would often find themselves held captive in an old buidling or garage. However by the time the bad guys would return, the A-Team had made a tank out of carboard, chewing gum and three lumps of coal. The A-Team were hard to find but thankfully Peter didn't need them. The church were passionate in prayer for Peter and the answer comes as Peter awakes at an angel's command (v7). His chains fell off (v7b) and the angel leads Peter past the guards and out the iron gate into the city (v10). Peter thought that he might have been experiencing another vision (v9) but as he walks down the street the angel departs and Peter realises that God had rescued him from Herod's hand (v11). Meanwhile the church continued to pray for Peter as they gathered in the house of Mary (v12). Again we see their committment to prayer and yet when Peter literally knocks on their door they don't believe it. Rhoda tells the gathering that Peter is outside but they think she is out of her mind (v15a). She insisted that Peter was knocking at the door but they told her "It is his angel!" (v15b). Finally they were amazed when they saw the Apostle with their own eyes (v16). Herod was not prepared to give up on his prize. The next day came the soldiers couldn't understand what had become of Peter (v18) and Herod's search for the Apostle was unsuccessful (v19). Peter was gone...safe in the hand of Almighty God. I'm encouraged by these verses. We see a miraculous escape by the hand of God - there is nothing too hard for the Lord! We see a fellowship committed to prayer - here is the duty and privilege of the Christian church! We see that even those zealous for the things of God sometimes doubt the answers He provides - see the grace of God towards those weak in faith! Regardless of the current strength of the church and regardless of the ferociousness of the current antichrist, the Lord answers prayer and He will not abandon His people. The current age might seem like a wilderness but the Lord breaks the chains and frustrates the enemy. We find a beautiful picture of how God cares for His church in the book of Revelation "But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time." (Revelation 12v14) The enemy rages, the Lord nourishes, the church will endure! Pray (acTS) 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. |
Alan
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