19th July 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 8v8-13) 
Message (Scott Woodburn)
What was the purpose of the old covenant? As the ten commandments were delivered to the people at Mount Sinai they served a threefold purpose. Firstly, the commandments of God showed the Israelites their sin and misery and pointed them to their need of Christ. Secondly, the commandments educated the Israelites as to what everyday life was to be like in Israel - they were to love God and their neighbour. Finally, the commandments served as a summary of God's moral law which was in force then as it is now - the law shows us what God is like and what pleases Him. 
The old covenant was not another path to salvation. Instead anyone saved in the days of Moses was saved under the terms of the covenant of grace - by grace alone, faith alone in Christ alone. Therefore we can say that the old covenant was an administration of the covenant of grace. It was put it place for the nation of Israel but it was always temporary and would be revoked at the coming of Christ. 
Grace was still required during the days of the old covenant because no one was able to please God with their perfect obedience (v8). The Lord finds fault in anyone who strives to save themselves by law observance. Instead we all need a new and better covenant than the one that God enacted at Mount Sinai. 
As chapter eight closes the Apostle reminds us that the better covenant is the new covenant. Remember that the new covenant isn't brand new. It doesn't start in the New Testament. Instead we correctly say that the new covenant is the covenant of grace fulfilled by Christ. There is continuity in the Scriptures - there is one Gospel, one Saviour and one Covenant of grace which is administered from Genesis to Revelation. This is the covenant that we read about in Jeremiah 31v31-34 which is quoted in today's passage. 
The new covenant is the covenant of grace fulfilled in Christ and under the terms of that covenant the Lord promises that the law will be written on hearts and not tablets of stone (v10). God states in wonderfully covenantal language that He will be our God and we will be His people (v10b). We will know God personally as He turns our hearts to Him (v11). He will no longer find fault but He will show us mercy and remember our sins no more (v12). These promises are greater than those of the old covenant and with the arrival of the new covenant the old is made obsolete (v13). 
Those wishing to go back to the days of Moses had failed to see the gloriousness of Christ. During the days of Moses and the old covenant, Jesus could be seen in type and in shadow. But when He came in the flesh the fulfilment and the substance arrived. Wanting to swap the substance for the shadow was and is madness. 
Brothers and sisters, rejoice today in the covenant of grace. It was proclaimed in Genesis, promised to Abraham and made new in Christ. By this wonderful covenant even the vilest sinner can be saved. It doesn't call us to work our way into heaven, instead it declares "Jesus saves!" and praise God for He really, really does.  
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Q3. What is justification? Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.
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18th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 3:4-6)


Message (Alan Burke)


I’m confident although it may be foolishness that I’m going to leave my study and the lock on the door and everything will be as I left it when I arrive back hopefully not before Monday morning. Although I suspect my hope not to return before Monday morning is most likely a foolish hope and I take no confidence in this. There are some things that we put a great deal of confidence in, like our health but I know some of you who are reading this know just how fragile that is and your health hasn’t been great, we can put confidence in health, the bank balance, qualifications, in bricks and mortar among many other things. But before God the only way that we can have confidence before him is not through what we have done but through Christ, in Christ alone is salvation found, in home alone can we have confidence before God. 


Here Paul tells us that very truth, that we are to put no confidence in the flesh. Paul once took confidence in the flesh which he now understood the futility of, the foolishness of having confidence in anywhere but Christ. Before Paul’s conversion No One could have looked at him and thought that he was anything else than a Jew of Jews. His credentials were perfect. He was circumcised the eighth day (v5)— he was circumcised at the time that the law required. For those who were not circumcised there was a clause that the male child, which is not circumcised the eighth day, shall be cut off from among his people (Gen 17:14) this was literally observed in the case of Paul.


He was of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin aHebrew of Hebrews, as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church as to righteousness under the law, blameless. If anyone could be said to be blameless in following the law, it was Paul, not sinless but blameless. But before God it was no righteousness at all, for though Paul thought he was pleasing God, but after his conversion realised that he was foremost among sinners. 


So, when it came to the things of the flesh then, of all people it was Paul who could have confidence in his worldly achievement. He could have had much more confidence in what he once was than the Judaizers to which he is referring to, who were opposed to the teaching of Paul that salvation is by faith alone. The Judaizers had put their confidence in their accomplishments that what they had done would be enough to earn their salvation giving them reason to have hope and confidence in their own efforts but Paul is putting the church straight, this is not the case. For none of us can have confidence before the Lord unless it is through Christ alone. 


Paul once took confidence in the flesh which he now understood the futility of, the foolishness of heaving confidence in anywhere but Christ. It confronts us with the futility of thinking that we are good enough, that our works will see us alright, that we have done enough to keep our selves right with the Lord. Any confidence that we place in anything other than Christ Jesus just makes a mockery of the Gospel. For we are saying by our words and actions that we don’t need Jesus, his sacrifice, we are ok but we are not. Our greatest need is Christ. 


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Q24 How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.
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17th July 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 8v6-7) 
Message (Scott Woodburn)
Christ's ministry is more excellent than that of the Old Testament priests because He serves in the reality of heaven and not the copy of the earthly tent (v6). In the same way the covenant He mediates is more excellent than the old covenant because it is enacted on better promises. Let's slow down for a wee second and define what we mean by the old and new covenant. 
Firstly, the old covenant was made between God and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai. It was a covenant for the nation of Israel whereby they were promised the blessings of God in response to their obedience. Equally they would know God's curses in response to their disobedience. The old covenant resembled the covenant of works made with Adam in the garden of Eden. This is why some say that at Mount Sinai the covenant of works was "republished". However let me stress that the people of Israel were never saved by their obedience. Once Adam fell, the covenant of works could never save anyone. So the old covenant was made with Moses and the people at Mount Sinai. It couldn't save them but as God's law was published on tablets of stone the people were to see their sinfulness and flee to Christ. 
Secondly, the new covenant is the covenant of grace fulfilled. The covenant of grace was declared by God in Genesis 3 and it was promised to Abraham who is the father of those with faith. The new covenant is therefore the promises of Genesis 3 later declared to Abraham, fulfilled in Christ. It isn't brand new and it doesn't start in the New Testament. It is the ancient covenant of grace newly administered by Jesus. 
The old covenant declared "do this and live" whilst the new covenant declares "trust in Christ and His finished work". This is why we say the new covenant has better promises. The old covenant could not save and could make no one perfect. The new covenant is all of grace and calls upon you and I to trust in Christ. The old covenant was temporary and put in charge until the arrival of Jesus (Galatians 3v24). The new covenant is ancient and has never been worn out. 
Do you see what Paul is saying to the Hebrews? He couldn't be clearer. These men and women were looking back to Moses, Sinai, the old covenant and the Levitical priesthood. Yet Christ was and is superior to them all. Perhaps we Gentiles don't look back to Moses but how often do lament the demands our faith places upon us? Brothers and sisters may we not be like those of Malachi's generation who had become bored of God. 
The Covenant of Grace is glorious indeed and we are blessed to live in days of fulfilment. Christ has come and Christ has triumphed. Even now across the globe the mighty Spirit calls people to repentance and where there once was only darkness we now see little pockets of Christians worshipping God each Lord's Day. We do not mock the events of Mount Sinai - they were wonderful moments in the history of redemption. But we do not live at Sinai, our address is Zion where Jesus is. Why would we want to be anywhere else?
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Q31 What is effectual calling? Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
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15th July 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 8v1-5) 
Message (Scott Woodburn)
Those of us of a certain age will remember the days of the local video store. Mine was a place called "Zody's" on the Beersbridge Road. It's interior walls were painted black and it had three rows of VHS tapes available for the good people of East Belfast to rent. It was a weekend treat to go round to Zody's and pick out a few tapes to watch over the weekend and then when Monday came it was vital to return the tapes to avoid a fine. 
If Zody's was too much hassle there was also the black market of our local car-boot sale where you could buy copies of recent movies and they would be yours to keep forever. This was of course entirely illegal and although the copies were cheap the quality was poor and quite often unwatchable. The real thing was always better. 
The Old Testament's sacrificial system was also a copy. It didn't lack quality and it certainly wasn't illegal because it was instituted by God Himself. However the system of priests and sacrifice that we read about in the Old Testament was still of a copy of the real thing. What do we mean by this? The Apostle explains by saying that the priests of the Old Testament served a copy and shadow of the heavenly things (v5). It was Moses who had been commanded to erect the tent and to make sure it resembled everything that had been shown to him by God (v5b). 
What was the tent that Moses erected? If you have ever read the book of Exodus then you will know that the Lord gave Moses exact details about the construction of the "tent of meeting". Eventually when Moses had followed the instructions and built the tent, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all the journeys in the wilderness the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day and fire by night. 
Therefore the tent of meeting was an earthly copy of heavenly realities. Just as the Lord is reigning now in glory, the tent was a shadow and copy of that heavenly scene. The tent was God's idea but it was built and serviced by mortal men (v3-4). 
Once again, compared to the Old Testament system, Christ is superior by far. Where is Jesus now? He is seated at the right hand and throne of God in heaven (v1). He ministers in the original and true heavenly place. Christ's "tent" is not an earthly copy but instead it is the true tent which man has not built (v2). Jesus doesn't serve in a copy or shadow of the real thing, instead He is the real thing and today our great high priest intercedes for us in heaven. 
We don't need copies anymore and the church no longer worships in shadow. Christ is the fulfilment and substance of all the promises of God. Worship Him! 
Pray (acTS)
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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.
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16th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 3:1-6 focus v2-3)


Message (Alan Burke)


I mentioned on Monday about the woke sensitivities of some that has caused many classic TV and Films begin with a warning, although I just think people want to be offended and have something to gurn about and these words of Paul would probably, no would most definitely come with one of those warnings if it was put on the telly. Now some people think that I’m a little close to the bone at times but believe it or not, there are many people I’ve come across that while I do not agree with what they teach, that I would even say that they teach a “gospel” that is not in accordance with the gospel of the scriptures, I still haven’t called them dogs as Paul does here. In my mind if I can’t say it to someones face, if I can’t have a discussion with someone about it, it should never ever ever be put in writing and so I think it’s safe to conclude that I’m a Teddy Bear in comparison to Paul. BUT, there is a reason why Paul says this and that it is because of just how important the truth is. 


What Paul says here is a loaded statement, one that would have had more significance to the listeners then that it has to us now. When someone is called a dog today it is used as a term of mockery and ridicule and the same was so 2000 years ago but to a much greater extent. Dogs were not domesticated pets, they weren’t household dogs that ate scraps from the table as would have happened in non Jewish homes, the dogs were wild, they were unclean animals, they were despised. Jews would have used dogs as way of speaking of the Gentiles, those who were not God’s people, unbelievers, it was a religious statement with overtones that would have been offensive to many, it is not the Gentiles who should be considered as dogs, those who were not God’s people, but the Judiazers. So it is with some irony here, Paul is hitting out at the Judiazers that it is they who deserve this label and not the Gentiles that they would have used it off. 


A Judiazer was one that taught that Levitical laws of the Old Testament as still binding on all believers. That means no selfish or bacon, that means boys get a wee operation on the 8th day and in their mind men who covered to Christianity would need to have the same wee operation. The Judiazers were insisting on everything, all the customs and the laws that the Jews followed were to be followed by Christians too. But we are freed from the Ceremonial use of the law and the Civil Law while the Moral law is still binding on us. 


But the Judiazers were expecting the Church in Philippi to observe that which Christ fulfilled and that which pertained to the nation of Israel. That is why Paul says of those dogs, referring them as “those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh”. The Judiazers though putting such significance on that which Jesus had come and fulfilled, they had failed to understand what had happened, they were still wearing the signs of law with pride and demanding others did the same but Paul says that in their pride they are really showing the sign of their own destruction. When we make the gospel about Jesus plus, Jesus plus this or that it robs us of our joy because we been to think that what matters is what we have done. But it is all about what Christ has done and in response we live a life of obedience and when we fail we pick ourselves up and look again to Christ. 


When we do this we are the circumcision because circumcision is of the heart, it is by the work of the Spirit with us. It is entirely possible to have all the outward signs of belonging to the people of God but without circumcision of the heart without being born again by the Spirit then we are lost. Our confidence is not on what we have done or can do, our confidence is on what God has done within us through Jesus Christ alone. 


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Q22 How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
A. 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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14th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 3:1-6 focus v1)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I’d a funeral a couple of weeks ago and normally my routine afterwards is to turn of the phone and get a Munchy Box from Ali’s in Crossgar and then sit watching mind numbing TV that was produced before 2000 that these days has a warning that comes up before the programme to warn you about how “… is a classic comedy which reflects the broadcast standards, language and attitudes of its time. Some viewers may find this content offensive.” Maybe the government should provide tissues to every home in the UK so they can dry their eyes when their woke sensitivities are offended. You can probably tell I’m writing this on a Saturday and it’s been one of those weeks. Anyway instead of going to Ali’s where I don’t even have to place an order anymore the guy just looks at me as I walk in and sorts it out, I got in the car and went to the beach for a swim, probably much healthier for me. 


When I got there there was a warning about undercurrents, there was a sign up that said swim between the flags, there was buoyancy aids to help people who get into difficulty in the water, there were lots of safeguards in place but by the time I got there the lifeguards were gone, it was getting dark and very few people about so pretty idliilc. You can guess by this stage that I survived in spite of the warnings and the buoyancy aids. They were there as a safeguard for me. Paul here says that it is not trouble for him to write the same things to the church in Philippi, it is a safeguard for them. We have lots of safeguards in this life that are measures taken to protect, to prevent undesirable things from happening. From the hard hat on the building site, the high vis jacket for the walker, the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms that are in our homes. 


The safeguard that Paul repeats the same things that he has already taught the church because it is a safeguard for them. We all like to think we have mastered the ABC’s of the faith but if you’re anything like me I have to be reminded again and again. Because the gospel is so counterintuitive, that it is not based on works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:9), it is all about grace, the unmerited favour of God towards wretched sinners like I. Here though specifically the safeguard for the church is to rejoice in the Lord. Don’t forget this is coming from a man who is languishing in prison whose life is pretty rubbish. It is a safeguard for us to rejoice not in the circumstances that we find ourselves in, rather rejoice in the unchanging saviour and the unchanging hope that we have the midst of all that we face. 


For the believer, our joy is not based on the here and now, the temporal happiness that many build their lives on, that drives them, happiness that is circumstantial, no joy comes from the confident hope we have in Christ. How this life is only temporal, and what is at the end of it is eternity with our God, where their will be no more sin, no more rubbish that we have to deal with on the way. Paul had told them this same thing already, and he was righting the same thing because it is a safeguard. A safeguard for us when our lives fell like they are in the troughs like that rib on the sea, whether that trouble may be persecution, opposition, ill health, the loss of a loved one, a rebellious child. Knowing that hope we have, it is a safeguard for us. 


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Q20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
A. 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.
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12th July 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 7v11-28) 
Message (Scott Woodburn)
Jesus Christ is our great high priest and He is superior in every way to the   priesthood that we see in the Old Testament. In what ways is Christ the superior priest? Firstly, perfection was not possible under the Old Testament priesthood (v11-12). During the days of the sacrificial system the priests came from the tribe of Levi. But the sacrificial system was temporary and supposed to point worshippers to Christ. It is only through Jesus that perfection is possible. 
Secondly, although Jesus isn't from the tribe of Levi, He is still our perfect priest (v12-14). Jesus came from the tribe of Judah and no one from that tribe ever served at the altar (v13) and Moses never mentioned anything about Judah and priests (v14). Jesus instead comes in the likeness of Melchizedek who was a priest long before Moses, the Levites, the Law and the sacrificial system. 
Thirdly, Jesus didn't become a priest because of His family descent but by the power of His indestructible life (v16). He died but rose again and is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (v17). 
Fourthly, Christ obeyed the law completely on our behalf. The law could not save us, it could make no one perfect but Christ has introduced us to a greater hope. By grace alone, faith alone in Christ alone, we can draw near to God (v19). 
Fifthly, the Levitical priests were introduced to their role without an oath but Christ was made a priest with an oath from God that Jesus would be a priest forever (v20-21). Sixthly, there was a multitude of Levitical priests because their role ended when they died, but only Christ is a high priest forever. Because Christ lives forevermore (v23-24), He is able to save fully any who draw near to Him and He lives to pray for them daily at the Father's right hand (v25). 
Finally, Jesus is the sinless, spotless, Son of God. He is perfect in every way and is exalted in heaven (v26). Therefore His sacrifice is once and for all and never to be repeated. He doesn't need to offer daily sacrifices for His own sin and that of His people - He has no sin and Calvary paid the price for His bride the church. The Levitical priests were appointed in weakness but Christ is the perfect high priest forever (v28). 
It's hard to believe that some of the Hebrews were seriously considering a return to the old system that couldn't save and the old priests who were as weak as them. Instead the Apostle pointed them directly to Jesus who was superior in every single way to the Levitical priesthood. 
Today if you would be saved then Jesus is the only way. Today if you need help then Jesus is the one to turn to. Today if you seek assurance of salvation then Jesus is at the right-hand interceding for you. Don't look back, instead look to Jesus who is the guarantor of better covenant (v22).   
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Q7. 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.
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11th July 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:25-30 focus v28-30)


Message (Alan Burke)


I did a wee check through the devotions because I started this one and thought to myself that I think I’ve written an introduction similar to this one before so I did a wee check through the over 1,600 devotions that Scott and I have written over the past five years and I had. Between us Scott and I have written over 1,000,000 words and to put that into persecutive the KJV has approximately 783,137 words, so we have written a volume bigger than the bible. I then scrapped the introduction I had and wrote this one. Why though are we doing this? Is it because we want the adulation we get? No it’s not that because we don’t get much adulation for doing them. Is it for the money? Well now what do you think! It’s not for the money unless a publisher decides to put them in a book and pay us the big bucks which ain't going to happen because neither Scott and I have big names that are going to sell books so no publisher would be interested.


We’ve talked about stopping before and then we get someone who’ll say how much they appreciate them who we never knew even read them. I even had some randomer thank me in a shop in Belfast one day (You’re probably reading this and sorry I don’t know your name) who got sent a devotion and had been reading them since, they knew who I was but I had no idea. Those things are encouragement to us but you know ultimate we are doing this for Christ and his glory. Neither of us know if they will make a lasting impact on anyone but if it is the Lord’s will yet we do what we do as ministers of the gospel for Christ. 


We don’t want fame or adulation for what we do, we simply want to honour our saviour who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Php 2:6–8). The motivation of Paul was doing all he did for Christ his saviour, he was languishing in prison because he lived for Christ. He was sending back Epaphroditus to the church a man who was doing all that he did for Christ his saviour and Paul tells them to welcome him with great joy. He tells the church to honour men like him. 


Why should we honour those like Epaphroditus? Because he was one who was willing to give his life for the sake of the gospel, for the work of Christ, he went where the church in Philippi did not go, he went on their behalf. There are those who leave their homes, who go today in the work of the gospel of Christ where we could not, they had been called by God to go at a cost to themselves, for Epaphroditus that almost lead to his death but for many who go the cost is great and they should be honoured in the Lord. Epaphroditus, for the Love of his Lord had went, he almost died, risking his life to help Paul on the church in Philippi’s behalf, he wasn’t doing what he did out of greed, his own self interest, vain conceit, he was doing all that he did for the sake of Christ. For all those who serve Christ they should be honoured, and for each and everyone of us who are in Christ, we should be those who are seeking to do all that we do for Christ and his glory, let us look to Christ, live for him, let the love of Christ lead us to live a life worthy of the gospel in every way. 


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Q18 Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? 
A. 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.
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10th July 2025


Pray (ACts) 
Read (Hebrews 7v5-10) 
Message (Scott Woodburn) 
We've established that in Melchizedek we see a little glimpse of Christ but is that all we learn? By no means. In Hebrews we are constantly told that Christ is superior to the angels, to Moses, to Melchizedek and to the Old Testament priesthood. The Hebrews wondered if they should return to their roots and leave Christ behind. They considered swapping Jesus for the shadows of the past. 
Paul couldn't fathom why anyone would want to take this path. Why go back to human priests when you had the great high priest called Jesus? He was and is superior in every way to the Old Testament priests and He was foreshadowed by Melchizedek. For example the priestly line of Levi took tithes from the people (v5) but Melchizedek took tithes from Abraham who had received the promises of God. 
Melchizedek (the superior) blessed Abraham (the inferior) and Abraham honoured him with a tenth of the spoils of war (v7). The Levitical priests received tithes from mortal men but there was no Biblical mention of Melchizedek's death (v8). Indeed it is possible to say that Levi himself was paying tithes through Abraham who was Levi's ancestor (v10). 
What's all this about? Paul wishes to stress the superiority of Christ. Jesus was not a priest because He was descended from Levi. He was a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. In other words Christ is far superior to the Old Testament priests. He's not following in their footsteps, His priesthood is more glorious in every way. 
So when Abraham met Melchizedek in the King's Valley, he was interacting with a type of Christ long before the sacrificial system and the priesthood was introduced. Abraham saw a figure of the priesthood of Christ. 
Jesus is our priest par excellence. His priesthood is without beginning, without end and without equal. How could anyone consider leaving Jesus for any other? Brothers and sisters, never allow your eyes to drop from Christ. Never allow yourself to look back to your past life. Never allow yourself to wonder "Is there another way?" Instead, for every look you take of yourself, take ten looks at Christ. May you realise again what Paul never forgot - no one compares to Jesus. 
  
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Q5. 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.
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9th July 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:25-30 focus v26-27)


Message (Alan Burke)


I’m not a big reader of the Sunday World but I have a mate who is along with many other news agencies and the only one that he won’t touch is the BBC. Anyway what I got sent an article about a Kilkenny hurler called DJ Carey. According to wikipedia Carey has been described as "GAA's first superstar" and a "hurling legend”. During his playing days he won nine All-Star awards, as well as being named Texaco Hurler of the Year on two occasions. Bet you didn’t expect to be reading this from me but what makes this stick out is that Carey had pretended to have cancer to defraud people out of money. 


The sad thing is that this isn’t a unique case, there have been many who have done similar things and have been before the courts because of what they have done. Today we hear more of Epaphroditus who had been ill, who had almost died and was more concerned for the church in Philippi than he was for himself. He was concerned for them because he had the affection of Christ Jesus. Paul himself had already spoke of how he longed for the church in Philippi with the affection of Christ Jesus (1:8). When we come to saving faith by the work of God within us, not because of anything that we have done in ourselves causes us to have a deep affection and concern in Christ for our spiritual family. 


How do we feel when we learn when a brother or sister, part of the family here are going through trials, temptations, when they are ill, struggling emotionally, financially, are we those who are distressed for them? Are we those who are in a position to do something about it doing something about it because there is many ways that we can practically help? Epaphroditus was a man who was living the reality of what Paul had taught the church in v3, where he said; 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves (Phil 2:3), but often we are those who focus on ourselves. Instead we should be those who are praying that God would work within us, that he would enable us to have such concern for others, that he would work by the Holy Spirit within us, cultivating a spirit of concern and affection within us as believers in this place, who love one another (1 Jn 3:11), who care for one another selflessly. 


The church in Philippi were distressed at what happened to Epaphroditus. When someone is ill and dies the reality of the misery of this life comes to the forefront. Remember the response of Jesus our Lord when he came to the tomb of Lazarus, the shortest verse in scripture it may be but it conveys so much to us, for when Jesus came ‘he wept’ groaned in the spirit being troubled (John 11:34-35). Death is not a natural thing, we should not make light of it, death is caused by sin and is part of mans misery. 


Brothers and Sister, let us not be so caught up in ourselves that we act like DJ Carey but instead let us have a concern for our brothers and sisters, knowing the reality of how we live in a fallen sinful world, in fallen sinful bodies that face illness and death, caring for one another, being concerned for one another, praying for one another, let us look to Christ who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Php 2:6–8). May the love of Christ be seen in our concern for one another. 


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Q16 Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
A. 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.
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