Year 3 Day 16
Pray (ACts) Read - Daniel 3v1-30 Message - Scott Woodburn At the end of chapter two it appeared that Nebuchadnezzar had come to the Lord. He made a bold statement to Daniel saying “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery." Wow! Was Nebuchadnezzar saved? Sadly not. As chapter three begins it seems that the king was inspired to turn his dream to reality by making a ninety foot golden image and setting it up on the plain of Dura (v1). Whenever all the people of Babylon heard the sound of a cacophony of musical instruments they were to fall down before Nebuchadnezzar's golden image and worship it (v6). Anyone failing to do so would immediately be thrown into a fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar had not been saved, instead he was displaying the attributes of antichrist by demanding his subjects worship his false gods. The rise of Daniel and his friends had not gone unnoticed and so when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the golden image, their enemies quickly informed Nebuchadnezzar that certain Jews were paying no attention to the king's commands (v12). Nebuchadnezzar's rage was quickly kindled at the thought of anyone disobeying him. He had the three men brought before him and demanded to know just who they thought they were. As far as Nebuchadnezzar was concerned not even a god could save the young men (v15). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn't buckle before the king's rage. Their faith was in the living God. The Lord might save his servants from the fiery furnace and He might not, regardless they would not serve Nebuchadnezzar's gods or worship his golden image (v17-18). Nebuchadnezzar had heard enough. His fury had reached boiling point and so he ordered the furnace to be overheated and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to be thrown to their deaths. The heat was so severe that some of Nebuchadnezzar's own men were killed by the flames as they sought to execute Daniel's three friends (v22). Like all good despots, Nebuchadnezzar hung around to witness the brutal deaths of those who wouldn't obey him. But as he watched the execution of the three men he was astonished to see a fourth man in the furnace and all four men were unbound and walking in the midst of the fire (v25). Nebuchadnezzar described the fourth man as having the appearance like a son of the gods. Who was this fourth man? Some make the claim that this was a mighty angel and others suggest that this was an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament - a Christophany. Regardless of the fourth man's identity the servants of Almighty God were untouched and unharmed by the fiery ordeal (v27). Nebuchadnezzar once again recognised the brilliance and uniqueness of our God. He promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and declared “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Years later another Christian by the name of Polycarp would be cast into the flames because he refused to worship the Roman emperor. He said "Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour? You threaten me with a fire that burns for a season, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of everlasting punishment that is prepared for the wicked." Polycarp's life ended in the flames but by faith in Christ he was spared the fire of everlasting punishment. Brothers and sisters, the Lord will never forsake His people and He will be with us to the end of the age. Few of us will face a fiery trial like the men we have discussed today but we can still agree with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The Lord may save us from the flames of a king or He may not - regardless, we will not worship the false gods of this present evil age. Child of God, the flames of hell will never touch you and the Lord will not forsake you - ensure that you never forsake Him. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q22 How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.
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Year 3 Day 15
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 9:4-8 Message - Alan Burke Often people read the Bible as a series of disjointed stories, think of our time in Sunday school. There we were taught many things but most of the time if not all of the time they were disjointed accounts that didn’t help us understand the big picture of the Bible. Well here in the transfiguration as these disciples saw for a brief moment the Glory of the Son of God and there they saw two men standing with Jesus talking to Him, Moses and Elijah (4). In this we are reminded that the bible is one continual revelation One Lord, One Plan and One People that focus on Jesus, the terminal point of God’s promises. What took place on the mountain directly links what has come before to the coming of Jesus. Moses was the mediator of the Covenant with the people of God, he was Isreal’s deliverer, he foreshadowed Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, the true deliverer of God’s people. Whereas Elijah was one of the most prominent old covenant prophets, Elijah was supposed to appear at the dawning of the end time and God’s ultimate redemption of Israel. Both are mentioned in Malachi 4:4–6. God had proposed that he would send the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. In Matthew’s gospel account Jesus said that he fulfilled the law and the prophets, and we have here Moses and Elijah appearing, witnessing to him at the transfiguration (Mat 5:17). This is the juncture in redemptive history, we have Moses who represents the Law and Elijah the Prophets, for law and the prophets looked forward to the Messiah, the Christ, they were pointing forward to the coming of Jesus. The presence of Moses and Elijah there on the mountain would have made it clear for the readers and hearers of Mark’s gospel that the Kingdom of God had now drawn near (Mk 1:15). Then Peter in the midst of this wonderful revelation of the Glory of the Son of God, with Moses and Elijah standing there talking to Jesus, and he opens his mouth. It’s another impulsive response that we have seen time and time again from Peter, he’s talking when he should be listening, and what he does is that he asks to build three shelters, tents or literally tabernacles. Again Peter understood but didn’t understand, he recognised that the new exodus had come, for Judaism held on to the hope that God would once again tabernacle with his people as in the Exodus. He understood but not fully, he saw but not yet clearly of what God was doing. As Mark makes clear that Peter spoke because he was afraid and didn’t know what to say, so he spoke from a human perspective. At that moment Peter is interrupted, a cloud appeared, again another illusion to what happened before in Exodus 24, the cloud envelopes them, it is a symbol of the presence of God overshadowing them, with the voice of God coming from the cloud saying “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (7). Never again would the disciples mistake Jesus for a mere man, they were eyewitness to his Glory, the Glory of the Son of God. Then as suddenly as the Glory of the Son of God is revealed to them it is gone. Jesus stands alone, Moses and Elijah are gone, Jesus again is cloaked in His humanity but these disciples even though they had their whole world rocked as Jesus had told them that He must suffer many things, be rejected, He must be killed and after three days rise again had seen the glory of the Son of God. They knew as never before that they were with the God incarnate. From beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation the Bible is about One Lord, One Plan and One People that focus on Jesus the terminal point of God’s promises. He reveals the Father to us, He has made the way that we who are the enemies of God by our nature might be saved. He is the one who came to make a the new covenant in His blood, which provided complete atonement for all the sins of God’s people, past, present, and future. My sin, your sin, the sin of all those who repent and believe in Him the Son of God. 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, (1 Tim. 2:5–6) who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, (John 1:14, Gal. 4:4) and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever. (Rom. 9:5, Luke 1:35, Col. 2:9, Heb. 7:24–25) Year 3 Day 14
Pray (ACts) Read - Daniel 2v25-49 Message - Scott Woodburn So Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that almost caused him to spill gallons of blood throughout his kingdom. What did he see that caused such anguish and provoked such fury? Praise God, for the Lord had given Daniel an answer to both the content and interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. It was just as Daniel had said, the magicians had failed "but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days." (v28) Daniel reported that the king had seen a huge, bright and frightening statue. It's head was made of gold (v32), its chest and arms were silver (v32b), its middle and thighs were bronze (v32c), its legs were iron (v33) and its feet were a mixture of iron and clay (v33b). But suddenly a stone which had not been cut by a human hand stuck the statue on its feet and smashed them to bits (v34). As the feet lay destroyed the statue collapsed and all the gold, silver and bronze blew away in the wind leaving no trace (v35). Yet the stone that had brought destruction to the statue became a great mountain and filled the earth. The Lord had also graciously told Daniel what this mysterious dream was all about. The golden head represented Nebuchadnezzar (v38). God had given him great power and might and glory to rule over the earth (v37). Yet nothing lasts forever and there would come after Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom of silver, a kingdom of bronze and a kingdom of iron (v39-40). The kingdom of iron would crush everything it its path but it would have an inbuilt weakness and eventually it too would collapse (v42). History informs us that the kingdoms that followed Babylon would be the Persians, the Greeks and then the mighty Romans. Although each would display tremendous power they would never achieve the unity of Babylon. It had one head whilst the other kingdoms were represented on the statue with multiple parts denoting factions and division. Equally the brightness of gold would give way to silver then bronze and then iron. The lustre of gold would also be exchanged for the hardness of iron. As I write this devotion all of these kingdoms have come and gone but the final kingdom remains. Daniel spoke and assured Nebuchadnezzar that the rock not carved by human hands would be another kingdom that would never be destroyed or given to another (v44). This is the kingdom of God. Rome stood against Christ but eventially fell before Him. Amazingly this was the content of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. In response to Daniel's explanation and interpretation of his dream, Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and honoured Daniel (v46). The king was even brought to a place of recognition towards Almighty God. He said “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery." (v47) Finally Daniel and his friends received a promotion. Daniel remained with the king and was put in charge over all the wise men and the whole province of Babylon while Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon. Just as Joseph years before had risen to power in Egypt via the interpretation of Pharaoh's dream, the Lord worked in the same way in Daniel's life. Daniel may have been far from his earthly city but by faith he had received a heavenly one instead. It remains the blessed hope of all Christians. Empires come and go but only the kingdom of God endures and while wicked men seek to advance by the bullet and bomb, the kingdom of God marches on by the preaching of the Gospel. Brothers and sisters, do not be alarmed by the storms of this world. There will be wars and rumours of wars and kingdoms will rise and fall. The Lord is not surprised by any of this. He is sovereign and He is good "therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12v28-29) Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q20 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, 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. Year 3 Day 13
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 9:2-3 Message - Alan Burke In the transfiguration of Jesus we are given a glimpse of the Glory of the Son of God that was veiled in human flesh in the incarnation. Before we think to the wonder of the transfiguration, look at what we are told, firstly that this takes place after six days. Now think back to where we just were in Mark’s gospel, or rather look back. Peter had confessed that Jesus was the Christ (29), then Jesus had told his disciples that the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, he must be killed and after three days rise (31). This was followed by the rebuke of Jesus by Peter (32) and then Jesus rebuked Peter saying “Get behind me, Satan!”(33), followed by Jesus teaching them on the cost of discipleship (34-9:1). Now six days have passed, hanging over the heads of the disciples would have been the uncertainty of what the future would entail and Jesus takes three of them, Peter, James and John with him. Secondly there is something else I want you to notice, the place. We are told Jesus let them up a high mountain, we are not told the name of the mountain, rather what is significant is that it is a high mountain. You might be wondering what these things matter, what odds is it that six days have past and that it is a high mountain, but for Jewish readers and hearers of this passage they would have even before they were told of the transfiguration would have been expectant that something significant was about to happen. And that is because of what happened in Exodus 24, when the Lord God made a covenant with His people (Ex 24). These are clues to us that there is something truly significant about to happen in redemptive history. There as Jesus led them up without warning we are told that He was transfigured before their eyes. For a brief moment these three disciples were able to see the Glory of Jesus, the glory of God. Up to this point they had only seen Jesus in human form but they were able to see Jesus as he is as He was transfigured before them. What we are told is that, His clothes began to shine, they were radiant, dazzling white, as white as snow, whiter than any amount of vanish stain remover could achieve, or bleach or what ever cleaning agent we use. What we have here is that suddenly the glory and the deity of Jesus Christ that had been vailed is now bursting forth before the eyes of Peter James and John. In the parallel accounts in Matthew 17:2 we are told how “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” in Luke 9:29 “As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning”. There before them light was flowing out of Jesus, the Glory of God was being revealed to these disciples, it’s not that Jesus is mirroring the glory of God like a reflection in the mirror, rather they were seeing what had been hidden from their eyes in his humanity, they are now able to see the deity of Jesus, for He is the incarnate God. What a sight was before them, as the radiance of the Glory of God shone around, as the radiance of Jesus was before them. I want to leave you with this, Jesus had told his disciples that there is a cost to their discipleship (8:34). We all face a cost in discipleship, we may even suffer for the sake of following Christ and we will all face the final enemy death, but in spite of it all nothing compares with the glory that is to be revealed to us that the disciples that day were given a brief glimpse of. For when this life ends, on that day… "We shall see him as he is.”(1 Jn 3:2). Peter, James and John saw only a brief glimpse of the Glory of the Son of God, a foretaste of what lay ahead. But for all who repent and believe, in heaven we sill see him as he is, we will be able to look on the face of our creator. In the midst of this life, living in fallen broken sinful bodies, in trial and temptation, in the highs and many lows, remember the future glory that awaits all who believe. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q19 What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell? All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, (Gen. 3:8,10,24) are under his wrath and curse, (Eph. 2:2–3, Gal. 3:10) and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. (Lam. 3:39, Rom. 6:23, Matt. 25:41,46) Year 3 Day 11
Pray (ACts) Read - Daniel 2v1-24 Message - Scott Woodburn When Martin Luther King had a dream he spoke eloquently about it and inspired generations. Nebuchadnezzar was no Martin Luther King. The ruler of Babylon also had a dream but it wasn't about children playing together or the quality of a man's character. It was about...well...actually...what was it about? To answer this question Nebuchadnezzar called all of his magicians and enchanters and put them to the test. His dream was more akin to a nightmare, it had troubled him greatly and caused him to lose sleep (v1). So he called his staff together and challenged them to tell him the content of his dream (v2). If they were able to do that then Nebuchadnezzar could trust them to interpret the dream (v9). Great riches and honour awaited the successful enchanter (v6). The enchanters, magicians and sorcerers had been put in an impossible situation. Their boss was essentially asking them to read his mind and so they were forced to admit the task they had been given was impossible . Only the gods could help and unfortunately "their dwelling is not with flesh" (v11) Nebuchadnezzar responded to this with unbridled rage. He had threatened to tear his wise men limb from limb and to destroy their families (v5) and so he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be killed (v12). Behold the pettiness and vindictiveness of sin. Nebuchadnezzar was prepared to slaughter thousands for the sake of an unknown and uninterpreted dream. Daniel and his friends would certainly have lost their lives in the purge (v13) and so Daniel acted with great urgency. He sought a meeting with Nebuchadnezzar to discuss the issue (v16) and he asked his friends to seek the mercy of Almighty God in revealing to them the mystery of the dream (v18). Years later James would be inspired to write "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." (James 1v5) Daniel lacked wisdom but just as Nebuchadnezzar was troubled at night, so God answered Daniel's prayer in a vision by night (v19). You would think that Daniel would rush straight for the palace, but instead he fell straight to his knees and praised the Lord (v19b). Daniel's song of praise is a wonderful reminder that to our God belongs all wisdom and might (v20). He rules over times and seasons and kings and queens (v21). He generously gives wisdom and knowledge to His people, revealing to them deep and hidden things (v21b-22) and He deserves our thanks and praise for how He answers our prayers and guides our paths (v23). And so with a song of praise lifted to the Lord, Daniel made further arrangements to stop the slaughter in Babylon and go and see the king (v24). Nebuchadnezzar could not be helped by his vast array of staff. The magicians, enchanters and sorcerers likewise could not be helped by their occult practices and false gods. The king was tormented by his dreams, his government was tormented by the king and all these years later nothing has changed. We live in towns where people search for truth everywhere except before the Lord's throne. Many have built their lives on gut feelings, following the heart, false religions, crossing fingers, ouija boards, granny speaking from beyond the grave, praying to "angels" and a host of other dangerous nonsense. If we seek truth, if we thirst for wisdom, if we long for peace then we absolutely must look to Christ. "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power." (Hebrews 1v1-3) Here is our Saviour! He laughs at the gods of wood and stone! He is wisdom! He is truth! He is light in the darkness! He made his dwelling with flesh! "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! 'For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?' 'Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?' For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11v33-36) Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q18 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. Year 3 Day 10
Pray (ACts) Read - Mark 8:34-9:1 Message - Alan Burke Following Jesus comes at a cost. That may not be surprising for you to hear but there are many times that I have heard people say things that just don’t equate with the words of scripture or they misapply scripture in a way that is just horrendous. We have an eternal hope of a new heaven and a new earth and that when we die believers immediately go to be with our Lord but until then we live in fallen sinful bodies in a fallen sinful world that lies in the power of the evil one (1 Jn 5:19). In the midst of the disciples expectation of a glorious, triumphal Messianic reign that Jesus had just left in tatters telling them he would suffer, be rejected and die he tells them the true cost of discipleship in this world. Gathering all those who were there, the crowd and the disciples Jesus takes the imagery of crucifixion and applies it to discipleship.What would have happened is that for those who were sentenced to death they would have had to carry the transverse beam to the place of execution, that’s the horizontal beam, the one that your arms would be attached to. Well for those who wish to follow Jesus well you got to pick up your cross, being part of the ranks of those who will suffer, those who are rejected, those who are despised and doomed. And the reason why we are to do this is clear because if we v35 want to save our lives we will loose it. Remember at the time Isreal was under Roman rule, a ruthless regime, and it was the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law who were conspiring to kill Jesus. From every side, secular Roman rulers and the religious of the day, in the midst of opposition if they wanted to follow Jesus they should take up their cross, walk as those who had a target on their head, carry their noose in their hand, what ever mode of execution. For those who follow Him can expect that this would be the outcome that they would also face, they must be prepared to die for what they believe, be willing to stand for Christ in the midst of life. Life as a christian today is very different, we do not face the same clear opposition although that day might be coming, but there are for many disciples of Jesus today, that these words resonate within the believer. For to be a follower of Jesus Christ in different parts of this world, to be His disciple may not mean that you carry a cross, but you will simply disappear and death this is what happened when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Not every believer is called to the same kind of suffering, some like Peter will be martyred for their faith, others will live to a ripe old age like John, some of us will know much for the cause of the gospel other will no little but we should not expect that it will be a life of ease as we profess our alliance to Christ as we seek to live according to His word. It may cost us little or it may cost us much, but we will be saved eternally. We may make attempts to store up for the future, but nothing in this life can ransom our soul, for thats the point. We may think that what we need is everything this world has to offer, car, house, holidays, success , fame, we want ease, we want comfort, what ever it may be on your list, but when we place those things before Christ then it comes at a greater cost. Our bodies the world may kill but for all who trust in Christ alone then they will receive new resurrected bodies, and eternally lives with Him. Christ should come first, our obedience to Him is paramount, even when there is a cost in this life. That may not be something we want to hear but we are call to take up our cross, and it involves a cost, personally, privately, employment, friendship, relationships, there is a cost and the world hates those who are being conformed into the image of Christ and if the world hates us, remember it first hated Christ our Saviour (Jn 15:8). Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q17 Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. (Rom. 5:12) |
Alan
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