19th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 3 and 2 Peter 1:19-21


Message Alan Burke 


This week I will be away on training and to allow me to focus on that you are getting three devotions from the best of 2021, I hope they are helpful to you. “First posted 4th October 2021”


The call of Samuel is a passage that we are all familiar with, mainly because of all those Sunday school lessons we sat through, with such delights as flannelgraph (if you don’t know what flannelgraph is just be thankful and think of it no more). There were many varied applications that were given to us in Sunday school, and the question to end with was ‘if the Lord speaks to you, how will you respond?’. 


I want to start by saying, and I hope it’s not news to you but we are not Samuel, these are not the days of the Judges, we are not in the temple with the Lord standing at our side, nor is he speaking to us directly in the way he did with Samuel. There may have been times that wanted an audible voice or a big neon sign in the sky but remember God speaking in these ways was not the normal every day experience of his people and these former ways have ceased, for as God through the author of Hebrews reminds us; “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” (Heb 1:1-2a). 


Before we start thinking of the call of Samuel on Wednesday we are going to think of what the Lord God teaches us through the epistle of 2 Peter 1. Peter explains how he was an eyewitness of the majesty of Christ (16), he was there at the Mount of Transfiguration and heard the very voice of God say… “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” (17). There Peter had seen and heard, he was an eyewitness to what happened. But look to what Peter then says immediately after in verse 19-21. First v19 “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed”. 


Yes Peter had seen, he had heard, he had been there on the Mount of Transfiguration, but he is making the point that we have something better, now we have the scriptures, the word more fully confirmed. He goes on to say that we would do well to pay attention (v19) to this word because it’s not from someones own interpretation or imagination but “from God, as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (v21)”


What we have before us in the scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the word of God, the complete revelation of God to us, it is everything we need, we do not need anything more, no new revelation, there is no need for an audible voice or a neon sign in the sky. We don’t need a Samuel experience for the Lord has given us everything we need. The bible before you is the very word of God, and when the Scriptures are faithfully proclaimed, God’s voice is truly heard (Lk 10:16, 2 Cor 5:19-20, 1 Thes 2:13, Heb 13:7, 1 Pet 4:10-11). God has designated preaching as the means for his voice to be heard in this world (Rom 10:14-17, 1 Cor 1:18-25). As you come to worship this coming Lord’s day, what are your expectations, are you ready to hear the voice of God as the Lord speaks to you though his word, do you have ears to hear his truth?


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q50 What is required in the second commandment?
The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word. (Deut. 32:46, Matt. 28:20, Acts 2:42)

18th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Matthew 20v1-16)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


I remember being told by a friend that she knew that she wasn't her grandmother's favourite. Why was she so sure? At Christmas the grandmother gave her grandson a substantial financial gift while my friend was given a fruit loaf that she suspected had been given to her grandmother by a local church. Humanly speaking we always want justice and fairness and equality. If my brother receives a gift of twenty pounds then I should get the same. Correct?


Jesus once told a story about a master who went out to hire workers for his vineyard (v1). He hired workers at dawn (v1b) and agreed to pay them a denarius for their day's work (v2). Three hours later he hired more workers (v3). After another three hours he hired more workers and then again three hours later (v5). Finally when the day was nearly over the master hired some previously overlooked workers for his vineyard (v7).


How much would you have paid each worker? There were individuals who worked for twelve hours and individuals who worked for only one. How much did each deserve? Remarkably in the Lord's parable each worker was paid the same. Those who were hired first complained and said "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat." (v12).


I'm sure you and I are sympathetic to the workers who laboured all day. You can imagine the blisters on their hands and the sweat on their brow and the slight sting of sun burn. How dare the master give them the same wage as the workers who only sweated for an hour! Nevertheless, the master didn't back down. He reminded the workers that they had agreed to labour for a denarius and despite their desire for a little bit more, they received what they were due (v13).


As far as the other workers were concerned it was the master's free choice to pay them the same (v14). The master had every right to take what belonged to him and use it as he saw fit (v15a). We might look negatively at the master in this parable and suggest he acted unfairly but perhaps an alternative would be to say that the master was incredibly generous. Indeed the master asked his grumbling workers "do you begrudge my generosity?" (v15).


What has any of this to do with the kingdom of God? The Christian life is not a competition with other Christians. We do not need to look with jealousy at our more faithful brother or sister. Nor do we need to pour contempt on the Christian who we deem to be "less" than us. Regardless of the fame or otherwise of a Christian and regardless of their time labouring for the Lord, each sinner's sins have been paid for by the extraordinarily generous gift of Christ's blood. The Christian who has walked with the Lord for eighty years should rejoice over the man who trusts in Christ in the final moments of his life. There is no room for pettiness or jealousy or strife or malice in the kingdom of God.


A perfect example of this can be found in the life of the Apostle Paul (Philippians 1v15-18). He found himself in prison while the Gospel was being preached in the outside world. Some preached the Gospel out of love for the Apostle and to encourage him in his chains, others preached it to make themselves look good and to make Paul feel his chains that little bit more. Paul's response? "In every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice." (v18).


Brothers and sisters, we are walking to glory together and the Lord will surely get us there. Some of us will do great things for the Lord whilst others will cling to Christ by their fingertips. Some of us will spend a lifetime serving the King whilst others will follow for minutes or even dying seconds. Some of us will be respected and admired by the wider church whilst others will barely be known even in their local fellowship. All of us our recipients of God's extraordinary abundant gracious generosity in the Gospel of Christ. The Christian life is not like this world's "rat race", instead the last will be first and the first last.


"The feeble saints cost Christ as much suffering as the strong ones, the tiniest child of God could not have been purchased with less that Jesus' precious blood, and the greatest child of God did not cost him more." (Charles H. Spurgeon) 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q49 Which is the second commandment? The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
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17th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 1:21-28


Message Alan Burke 


This week I will be away on training and to allow me to focus on that you are getting three devotions from the best of 2021, I hope they are helpful to you. “First posted 8th September 2021”


It can be easy for us to get ourselves into the situation where we are left thinking “why did I say that”. Some times it’s because we said things that we shouldn’t have, had a barney with a loved one for example, there are other times though, it’s because we have got ourselves into something that we wish we hadn’t. Then we spend months or years trying to get ourselves out of it even though we feel obliged and if we said were going to stop we feel we would be letting someone down. In her prayer, in her brokenness, Hannah had prayed to the Lord, she had made a vow, saying “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life…”. Here’s the thing though, the Lord had answered her prayer and the question is now will Hannah keep her vow or keep her son, would she try to wrangle out of it. 


The time comes for them to make their annual sacrifice to the Lord and Hannah decides to stay behind with Samuel (21-22). Instead she tells her husband that after he was weaned then she would go. Now today things are different we have all types of different alternatives to breast feeding, many brands of formula milk although none of it is as good for a child as breastfeeding. In our culture babies are weaned from 6 months, as solids are introduced and the world health organisation recommends that breastfeeding should continue up to two years and beyond. It was not like this in Samuel’s day, as we know from sources at the time of Samuel mothers would breastfeed their children as long as three years. Knowing this, Elkanah tells to Hannah “do what seems best to you”. 


What is most surprising in all of this is Elkanah. He supports Hannah in the decision that she has made, in the culture of the time this is a big thing. Elkanah could have simply refused, brought her with him, he could have said that ‘you are not presenting this child to the Lord for he is mine’ and Hannah would have been unable to do anything else. If Elkanah had have refused her decision to take Samuel to Shiloh and present him there, Hannah would have been released from her vow (Num 30:8). But she did take him there, she gave him over to the Lord for her prayer was answered and she knew he was a gift from God. 


Two things I want to leave you with. Firstly some of those of you who are reading this may not have children, or your children may have flown the coop years ago, for others you are still a full time dad or mum dreaming of being able to drink a cuppa while it is still warm. If you are still full time dad or mum then know your children are a gift, teach them the faith, read and pray with them, bring them to worship, make it the priority for they are a gift of God and they are only lent to us like Samuel was with Hannah. Secondly For Hannah she gave the son she had longed for to the Lord, but for all of us in this life we should bear in mind the words of Jesus in Mark 10 when there seems a great cost what ever that cost may be. “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mk 10:29-30)


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q48 What are we specially taught by these words [before me] in the first commandment?
These words [before me] in the first commandment teach us, That God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other God. (Ezek. 8:5–6, Ps. 44:20–21)
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16th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Matthew 19v16-30)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Imagine a young man seeking your daughter's hand in marriage. He is an individual who is rich, who has never murdered, never committed adultery, never stole, never lied, loves his parents and loves his neighbour. If such an individual walked up your driveway I suspect you'd happily welcome him into your family.


Such a young man is found in the pages of Scripture. One day he approached Jesus and asked “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (v16) The simple answer to this huge question is that good deeds do not save and to have eternal life one must repent and believe he Gospel. Yet the Lord Jesus sought to show this young man his poor spiritual condition.


Jesus said "If you would enter life, keep the commandments...You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (v17-19) An individual with a childlike faith would have been broken at this response. Who among us has ever met such a standard? But the young man was not perturbed for he believed that he had kept all of these commandments (v20a). Nevertheless, he still sensed that something was missing, asking Jesus "what do I still lack?" (v20b).


I have no doubt that this young man was a fine, upstanding member of the community and a credit to his family but he lacked a heart that had been transformed by the grace of the Gospel. How do we know? Because Jesus told him to go and sell all of his possessions and give the money to the poor (v21) which caused the young man to go away filled with sorrow. The young man was good on the outside but his heart was still dead in sin. His money was his idol, his wealth was his god. 


Having money and possessions is not inherently sinful but as we know all too well our hearts are easily captured by the passing glories of this world. Jesus said “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (v23-24). To be clear Christ doesn't teach that rich people can't be saved. He answered His disciples who asked “Who then can be saved?” (v25) by stating “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (v26).


God is able to save the rich just as He is able to save the poor. But the rich man's problem is that he all too often believes that he has no need of anyone or anything outside of himself and his own massive wealth. I dread to think how many have died with full bank accounts but rotten souls.


The Christian understands that their true treasure is Christ and their reward is kept for them in glory. Peter asked “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” (v27). Jesus assured Peter that his reward would be great indeed. Firstly, the disciples would play a role in the judgment of the twelve tribes of Israel at the last day (v28). Can you imagine this extraordinary privilege? Somehow, someway, the apostles will be active on the day of judgement.


But to everyone who has followed Christ, the Lord assures us that whatever we have "lost" in this world for the sake of Jesus will be paid back a hundredfold in the life to come (v29). Brothers and sisters we are often like little magpies who constantly fly to the next bright shiny thing without remembering that there is nothing in this world that compares to surpassing worth of knowing Christ. He blesses us in this life and He will surely bless us in the next. Therefore he sets us free from believing that in life we must be first all the time. We must have the best. We must be important. We must be paid more. In the age to come the "first will be last, and the last first." (v30).
We'll never know if the rich man went home and considered his true spiritual condition but today we can consider our own. May the Lord forgive our hearts which have been captured by love of our abundant possessions. May He sanctify us and cause us to increasingly fall out of love with this world. May He give us a hunger for home and a thirst for the age to come. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q47 What is forbidden in the first commandment? The first commandment forbiddeth the denying, or not worshipping and glorifying, the true God as God, and our God; and the giving of that worship and glory to any other, which is due to him alone.
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15th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 1:9-17, Hebrews 10:11


Message Alan Burke 


This week I will be away on training and to allow me to focus on that you are getting three devotions from the best of 2021, I hope they are helpful to you. “First posted 3rd September 2021”


Every man did what was right in his own eyes, remember that’s the context of what is happening here. It was the time of the judges, the spiritual rot impacted every area of society and and impacted those who were to lead God’s people in the worship of him. When Hannah came to pray we are told some things that should strike us. 


Firstly as we are told after eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up to pray, while Eli was sitting. Hannah standing, Eli sitting, it doesn’t seem like a big deal but Eli was the priest, he was meant to be overseeing the Tabernacle, but instead we have him as an old man sitting in the corner so he could watch what was going on and Hannah standing to pray. The contrast between the two, one sitting the other standing is to make point, Eli is not doing what he should be, he’s all the trappings of spiritual leadership but he’s not doing what he should. Rather as the high priest he should be repeating the sacrifices, ministering day after day, the author of Hebrews (10:11) makes the point that the priest can never sit because their job is never done. Yet Eli is sitting, whereas Hannah, is coming before the Lord Almighty in prayer. 


Secondly look at Eli’s observation of Hannah as she prayed in her heart and her lips were moving but her voice was not hear (13), there Eli though she was drunk. Now when was the last time you seen a drunk person? If this happened today most people in the land we live in would have some idea that Hannah wasn’t drunk and she was in fact praying, but Eli didn’t. The sight before him is so unfamiliar to him as he watches on he sees a drunk person because prayer in the temple is so strange and foreign to him he didn’t know what he was looking at. 


It’s like a minister not knowing what prayer was like, Eli was more familiar to drunkenness than prayer. We may look around and see the spiritual rot of the country we live in take hold, it seems that every person does what is right in their own eyes but in reality we have nothing on the people of God and Shiloh in the days of the Judges. It was supposed to be the centre of religious life, a place of pilgrimage for the people of God but it was a shell of its former glory. Shiloh had become a spiritual desert like the rest of Israel. 


What’s the point in this, well it’s not only that Hannah was physically barren but the greater reality was the story of the spiritual barrenness of the people of God. In chapter three we learn that because of their apostasy, how they had turned from the Lord that the Word of the Lord was rare and there were few visions in those days (1 Sam 3:1).But in the midst of it all, God was at work just as he is today.


As we close we can see the spiritual barrenness in Israel at the time in their High Priest Eli, he should have been the spiritual leader of the people of God. No matter how dire Eli was, no matter how rubbish, he was the priest, he was the anointed mediator between God and his people, a role that has been filled by the coming of the Lord Jesus, our great high priest, who unlike Eli can sit, and is seated for he has offered a once and all sacrifice for sin. His work is done, and what is more he can sympathise with our weakness, we can come before him and pour our our griefs and sorrows to him, he can handle our tears, and he is at work in the midst of it all even though nothing may seem further from the truth. The place we are to come is to our God through Christ our Saviour. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q46 What is required in the first commandment?
The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; (1 Chron. 28:9, Deut. 26:17) and to worship and glorify him accordingly. (Matt. 4:10, Ps. 29:2)
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13th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Matthew 19v13-15)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


As children we were often sent out of the room when the adults were talking but even so I remember putting my ear to my bedroom floor in an attempt to hear what was being said downstairs. I may have been frustrated by my parent's approach but I practice it to this day in my own family - little ones don't need to know everything and we would be wise to guard our conversations in front of our children.


Nevertheless, we would be wrong to think that children are of little importance in the kingdom of God. One day parents brought their children to Jesus in order that He might lay hands on them and pray (v13). This seems to us like a reasonable request but the disciples rebuked the people for their actions. We are not told by Matthew the reason for the rebuke - perhaps the disciples felt that the Lord was much too important and much too busy to be bothered by eager parents and their little ones. Whatever the reason, the disciples soon discovered that Christ had all the time in the world.


The Lord said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (v14). Was Jesus saying that children are automatically members of the kingdom? Are all children saved? No. We must reject the false teaching that says children are innocent of sin until an undefined "age of accountability". However with that stated we should not treat our children's presence in the church as a frustration. Do you know what it worse than a child crying in church? A church that has no children. Rejoice over the little ones in your fellowship, be patient with them and allow them to sit under the Word of God each Lord's day.


As we consider the children in our own fellowships we remind ourselves that children are vulnerable and to be loved and protected by their parents. A little child is dependent upon his mother for everything. When are girls were wee and crying their hearts out, we'd ask each other "Is she hungry? Is she warm enough? Does she need changed?" We considered every possibility and we sought to help our child's discomfort.


Jesus welcomes the weak, the weary, the vulnerable and the dependent. He doesn't call good people in order to improve them by faith, He calls sinners to repent and believe the Gospel. Christ had time for the children and saw no need for His disciples' rebuke. In the same way the Lord invites us to exercise a childlike faith, one which clings to Jesus throughout the storms of life.


How often do we go the other way? We are proud and pretend that we are strong and in no need of anyone's help. Faith is not a receiving and resting in ourselves, it is a receiving and resting in Christ. As we have received, so may we rest for "unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18v3)  


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q45 Which is the first commandment? The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
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12th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - Mark 10:13-16


Message Alan Burke 


It is less than a week ago since the Coronation of Charles as King of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, in total Charles is King of 15 countries. When we think of kingdom what we often think of is the United Kingdom. In Scripture the idea of the Kingdom is something far more wonderful than any earthly kingdom can compare to. Jesus said to the disciples after they had rebuked those bringing their children;  “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”(14-15). 


The Kingdom of God is something that we have thought on before in Mark’s gospel, in fact throughout Scripture God’s people were being directed to the hope of the coming king and the coming kingdom. This King would be their Messiah, the Christ, both King and Redeemer. The hope was that again God’s people would live under his rule and blessing just as Adam and Eve had in the garden of Eden. 


Although the expectation of the people of God in Jesus day did not quite line up with the teaching of scripture. They were eagerly awaiting an earthly kingdom and rule, like that of David’s reign once more when God would free them from Roman Rule. But the kingdom of God that Jesus spoke is not like that kingdom of David or any earthly kingdom. As Jesus taught at the beginning of Mark’s gospel (1:15) when he had said the kingdom of God is near, the kingdom was near because their King was among them, for he was with them, and as he taught just before the crucifixion when questioned by Pilate Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36) because it’s fulfilment was yet to come. 


We have been given the King, Jesus and by his Spirit he gives to his people life bringing us into the kingdom. It means that we who are Christ’s who have responded to the gospel are citizens of heaven, we have heavenly citizenship by the fact that we have received Christ, this kingdom is thusly here and now because of the salvation that has been brought to the people of God who are under his rule, who are given citizenship of the kingdom of God through faith. While the kingdom of God is already here as we are citizens of that kingdom, it is not yet been brought to its climx, for the kingdom is now but it is not yet because we await the fulfilment of that kingdom. Here on earth we are citizens of that kingdom, we remain sojourners and exiles, we are awaiting the return of the King Christ to judge the living and the dead. (Rev 11:15). 


And these little children Jesus tells his disciples not to hinder for it belongs to such as these. How is that? Well the little children who were brought to Jesus could do nothing for themselves, just as when we were children and came into his world. The parallel account in Luke’s gospel uses a different word rather than little children, it is the word which means babies. Babies are totally dependant on others, whether a parent or a guardian, they are dependant on another. We are dependant wholly on the work of God, we receive faith which is a gift from God, we can’t earn his favour we can’t earn salvation and we can’t keep ourselves in the kingdom by our works, but we receive salvation as a gift from God. Children are the model that is used here because they have nothing to bring, they are dependant on another and entering into the kingdom of God is a gift for we have nothing to bring and is dependant on his great love which he lavishes on us in Christ Jesus it is only when we know this, accept it to be true can we be part of the kingdom.  


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q44 What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us?
The preface to the ten commandments teacheth us, That because God is the Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments. (Luke 1:74–75, 1 Pet. 1:15–18)

11th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Matthew 19v10-12)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Everyone knows the one true path - we are born, we go to school, we head for university, we get married, we have children and then we hopefully retire a little bit early. This is the way...or so we often think. But what if I told you that marriage isn't for everyone?


The Disciples listened to Christ's teaching on divorce and remarriage and in response they stated “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” (v10). What did they mean? Jesus had taught that marriage and divorce was a serious business with divorce only permissible under rare circumstances. The disciples wondered if it would be better to stay single rather than be trapped in a marriage that could never end.


Perhaps they spoke flippantly and without much thought but Jesus took their "saying" seriously. He answered and said “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given." (v11). To paraphrase, Jesus said that not everyone could reject marriage outright but only certain people to whom this desire is given.


This sounds quite cryptic but is actually quite simple. As I consider my own life I realise that I always had the desire to be married. I couldn't imagine not being married and I can surely testify that one of the greatest blessings in my life is to be married to a beautiful, kind and gracious wife.


But my story is not the story of one of my friends who has since gone to glory. He was always open to meeting the woman of his dreams but it never happened. He certainly wasn't opposed to walking down the aisle but for whatever reason my friend remained single and celibate for his entire life. He knew that he was free from the responsibilities of married life and so he used his extra time for the glory of God. Some people desire marriage and will know a lifetime of marital bliss, others may never marry and be no worse off for it.


It is interesting that Jesus uses the language of an unmarried individual being "given" something almost as if the unmarried life is a "gift". In our culture we don't often see the unmarried celibate life as a gift, indeed to our shame we can make our unmarried brothers and sisters feel abnormal. Nevertheless, Jesus speaks of "those to whom it is given."


To underline His point He uses the example of three individuals, a eunuch from birth, a eunuch made by men and a eunuch made by self (v12). What is a eunuch? A eunuch is a man who has been castrated by the surgical removal of his testicles and in some circumstances his penis too. These verses are not to be taken literally. A Christian by the name of Origen allegedly castrated himself in response to this teaching but the Lord is not commanding us to pick up a scalpel and to lop off body parts.


Christ's point is this - some were born with no ability or desire for sexual intimacy. Others in the ancient world were made into eunuchs deliberately so as to serve in a king's court. Still others chose for themselves a celibate life thus, figuratively speaking, turning themselves into eunuchs. These individuals made this choice in order to devote themselves more fully to the work of the kingdom of heaven (v12).


In the church of Christ there will be those who desire physical intimacy within the marriage bond - this is good and right and should be taken seriously. But there will be others who will believe that "it is better not to marry". Not everyone will think like this but the one who is able to receive this teaching should receive it (v12). The married Christian does not trump the unmarried Christian. The married Christian should not be considered "normal" whilst the unmarried Christian is called "odd". The married Christian should not be considered "less committed" to the cause of Christ than the unmarried Christian.


In the service of Christ some will marry and some will not - both should take seriously the road that Christ has placed in front of them.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q43 What is the preface to the ten commandments? The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

10th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - Mark 10:13-16 (v14 focus)


Message Alan Burke 


People were bringing little children to Jesus, these were babies and toddlers being brought likely by their parents to Jesus for him to bless them. It wasn’t uncommon at the time for parents to bring their children to great men to have them blessed so there is nothing out of the ordinary about what was going on, nothing at all. Yet to this scene that greets us we are told of how the disciples rebuked them. This sticks out like a sore thumb especially after what Jesus had taught them in chapter 9 after they had been arguing on the road about who is the greatest (9:33-37). Now we are told that Jesus in response to the actions of the disciples was indignant. 


We don’t have time today to go to each instance this word is used in the new testament in the gospels it is used a grand total of five times (you can see how it is used for yourself Mk 14:4, Lk 13:14, Mt 20:24 & Mt 21:14) but trust me on this that this word is used means indignant. It isn’t a mistranslation, there isn’t ambiguity in the greek work, no it’s clear, Jesus was raging with his disciples, the red mist had descended. Jesus was indignant, he was angry. 


Often we have this picture of Jesus that isn’t based on the scriptures, gentle Jesus, meek and mild. But here Jesus was angry. The greek word means a state of anger aroused by injustice, it is more that displeased, Jesus was indignant at what he saw his disciples do. Jesus, true God and true man was angry, indignant at his disciples for what they had done. Jesus was without sin, his anger was a righteous anger, scripture speaks of God being slow to anger, it does not say that he doesn’t get angry, but he can only do that which is holy, just and right. It means he doesn’t get angry like how we get angry, that often manifests itself without a moments notice over things that are just a nonsense, whereas God’s anger is a righteous anger, it is morally right, his anger comes because of injustice and sin. Jesus here was filled with a righteous indignation, his anger, his indignation is because of what he has seen that is not right, what is wrong, the actions of the disciples that are disregarding these children, that lead them to rebuke those who brought them. Anger at times as long as it has the correct motivation, when it is a righteous anger then that anger is permissible. 


We will get into the rest of the verse in more detail on Friday but for now I want you to think of what Jesus said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”. That story I began with on Sunday, that my mum recalls how some years ago the minister of the church that she was a member of at the time, stoping during the sermon to instruct a parent to take their child out somewhere more appropriate for them because they were a distraction and that this wasn’t for them. Well throughout the scriptures children are always included in the visible people of God, the people of God are instructed to gather the children in and not to start a creche (see Joel 2:16, 2 Chron 20:13), and the scripture teaches that the Spirit makes the preaching of the word effectual for salvation even if they are in our mind too young to understand or old and doating. We believe also that our children are part of the covenant and that initially their inclusion comes form the faith of their parents as they receive the sign of the covenant promises but I wonder do we need rebuked just like the disciples for our actions or our attitudes?


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q42 What is the sum of the ten commandments?
The sum of the ten commandments is, To love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourselves. (Matt. 22:37–40)
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9th May 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Matthew 19v1-12)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


If you can remember as far back as Matthew 5 then you will know that the Lord Jesus spoke clearly about the thorny issue of divorce. It would seem however that the Pharisees saw the topic as one that could test Christ and perhaps damage His reputation and ministry (v3). They asked Him “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” (v3). 


In the Lord's day the attitude to divorce was varied. Divorce was permitted in the Mosaic Law with Deuteronomy 24v1 stating that a man could divorce his wife if he "found some indecency in her" One school of Jewish thought took this verse to mean moral or sexual indecency. For example if a man discovered his wife to be having an affair then it was permissible for him to divorce her. Another school of thought wasn't as strict and they interpreted Deuteronomy to teach that a man could divorce his wife for almost any reason. Indeed there is evidence to suggest that finding a more beautiful woman was valid grounds to divorce a wife.


So would Jesus prove to be strict or loose or even anti-Moses when it came to divorce? The trap was set. The Lord answered with a reminder of the wonderful nature of marriage. Jesus quoted from Genesis 1v27 and Genesis 2v24 stating “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’ So they are no longer two but one flesh." (v4-6)


Christ couldn't take marriage more seriously. He taught that marriage was between a man and a woman and the relationship would see the two becoming "one flesh" before the Lord. We would do well to meditate on these words. Marriage isn't merely an excuse for a grand day out, nor is it just something couples do until they change their minds. There is something serious that takes place when a man and a woman say "I do." When a husband and wife join together sexually there is a much deeper bond produced than we can possibly imagine. Marriage is a most serious business.


No wonder then that Jesus said "What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." (v6). We still announce this at weddings as a solemn reminder to everyone that a marriage shouldn't end in three months just because the husband or wife has found a more appealing partner. Why do we take marriage seriously? Why do we stand against modern day redefinitions of marriage? Why don't we promote sex before marriage? Because the Lord takes marriage seriously and so should His people, the Lord defines marriage in the pages of the Bible and the Lord speaks of the "one flesh" dynamic standing against the notion that sexual intercourse is just a bit of fun.


In response the Pharisees asked “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” (v7). Christ's teaching had obviously not suited the Pharisees and perhaps they saw an opportunity to denounce Jesus as an opponent of Moses. Jesus answered “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so." (v8). According to the Lord, divorce was not the plan in the beginning but it was permitted and regulated in the Mosaic Law because of the hardness of human hearts.


What did Jesus mean? My friends we are not good people. If the sinful human heart sees an opening it always wants to take it. The Lord hates divorce (Malachi 2v16) but He allows it to restrain the very worse motives of sinful humanity. Nevertheless we must stress that divorce is only permissible under specific circumstances.


Jesus said "I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” (v9). This is not popular in 2023 but it is the Biblical standard. We confess that there are only two grounds for divorce - sexual immorality and wilful desertion (1 Corinthians 7v15).


What should we do with such teaching? To the married couple I would stress that marriage can be hard and painful but we must be prepared to fight for our marriage. May we protect our hearts from allowing other men or women to capture our thoughts. May we desire only our husband or wife physically and keep the bedroom door locked to all others. May we ponder the "one flesh" dynamic in our marriage and humble ourselves before the Lord in response.


Finally, to those thinking about marriage, dreaming of marriage, waiting for marriage...understand that marriage can sting. Marriage is not always like what you see in the Ulster Tatler. Jim might be handsome but does he love the Lord? Sarah might tick some of your boxes but is she serious about marriage? Are you and your future partner just "having a bit of fun" or are you seriously considering a bond that will make you "one flesh" in the sight of the Lord? Think on these things before you get anywhere near exchanging rings.


Marriage and divorce are to be taken seriously because marriage is about much more than a dress and a venue. Let the Lord speak today and let everyone else listen, He says “'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5v31-32)


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q41 Where is the moral law summarily comprehended? The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments.
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