7th September 22
Pray (AC-ts) Read — Romans 1:2-6 Message Alan Burke Today we talk about the Hypostatic Union. If you are wondering what on earth is that, or thinking to yourself it’s not relevant or important for me then think again. The Hypostatic Union is a theological term for the plain teaching of Scripture that Jesus Christ was fully God and at the same time through the incarnation was fully man. The Shorter Catechism it reminds us in Q21 as it asks Who is the Redeemer of God’ s elect? The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever. This truth of how Jesus was fully God and fully man to many in Paul’s day would have been scandalous, especially to the Romans! To them they could have comprehended if Jesus took on the form of a human for their gods sometimes did that, they took on humanity for a purpose, but to come by birth was to them a humiliation. In their mind no self respecting God would have come in this way but then we care once more confronted with the wonder of the incarnation, that Jesus, who was fully God would give up the riches of glory and condescend, that he would face what we faced, come into the world as we come into the world all that we might know the joy of salvation. Jesus came with sweat, blood and tears, he cried, filled nappies or what ever they had, he needed fed, there is nakedness of mother and child. In his coming, our God condescended, he came just like us, so that he might do what we could not. Pilate himself during the trial after Jesus was lashed and his bones visible cried to the crowd, ‘here is the man’ (Jn 19:5). The humanity of Jesus is key in our understanding of the atonement, without Jesus being fully man, a decedent of David then there can be no amends made for our sin, Jesus while fully God on our humanity and through his death the Devil’s power has been destroyed. (Heb 2:14-18). This is something that we should marvel in, that love that God had for his creation that in the midst of the fall, that he promised beforehand regarding the coming of His son, who took on our humanity to our impoverished and lowly estate to exalt us and make us rich in Him! “For it is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9 paraphrased), and “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). And it was in substitutionary death that as verse four emphasises, in how by the Spirit of holiness that is the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. In all the history of the human race Jesus has done enabled by the Spirit what no other man has. In the resurrection Jesus was declare with power to be the Son of God. This Gospel that was promised by God involved all three persons of the Godhead, the Father Son and Spirit in its fulfilment, the Father sent the son, the Son died for us and the Spirit raised the humanity of Jesus from the dead, brining him back to life so that his claim as the Son of God would be shown to be true. When the Spirit raised the corpse of Jesus from the tomb on that first Lord’s day, that resurrection day it was announced to the world that he indeed was the Son of God. This is good news, in the midst of the news you hear this day as you switch on your telly, scroll through that app, hear on the radio what ever it is, know that Jesus Christ who is the only Redeemer of God’s elect, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever, so that our sin could be dealt with finally and we who are the enemies of God by our nature could be reconciled, forgiven, become the children of the living God through faith. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC 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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6th September 2022
Pray (ACts) Read (Hebrews 1) Message (Scott Woodburn) By the grace of God over the next few months my devotions will focus on the book of Hebrews. At times it is a difficult book to understand and it is certainly the source of much head scratching over the issue of who actually wrote it. It has always been a controversial topic but in recent times the accepted wisdom was that the book was written by the Apostle Paul thus giving him fourteen New Testament books. Indeed if your Bible isn't a modern publication you might find the following words "The Letter of Paul to the Hebrews" Newer Bibles tend not to have that statement and if you have ever listened to Hebrews preached you will probably have heard Paul's name replaced by something like "the author to the Hebrews" What's the problem here? Quite simply today's scholarship suggests that Paul wasn't the author of the letter. Paul's fourteen letters have become thirteen and Hebrews is a little bit like the planet Pluto which has now been relegated to dwarf-planet status. Why the controversy? As simply as I can put it, Hebrews contains many of Paul's ideas but not Paul's language and style. You'll notice as you read Hebrews that it is anonymous and there isn't the usual greeting that accompanies Paul's other letters (there is however a suggestion of his usual farewell in Hebrews 13v16-25). Additionally we read in Hebrews 2v3 "The Gospel was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard" but Paul seems to say the opposite in Galatians 1v12 "For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." Also Hebrews was originally written in Greek and the style used is noticeably different from Paul's other works. Everything seems to suggest that Paul didn't write Hebrews. But who did? Many candidates have been put forward including Barnabas, Apollos, an unknown author or perhaps one of Paul's companions who wrote down a sermon preached by the Apostle. At this stage the majority position rejects Paul as the author without naming for certain a replacement. In this regard nothing has changed. Church councils in the late fourth century rejected any notion that Paul wrote Hebrews and later at the time of the Reformation both Martin Luther and John Calvin denied that the book belonged to Paul. So what do I think? I've always preached Hebrews as from Paul. I'm aware of the difficulties of this position and I'll not fall out with you if you think I'm wrong but I do see Paul's fingerprints in this great book and I'm encouraged by ancient voices from the church. Origen (185-253AD) wrote "If any church, then, regards this epistle as Paul’s, let it be commended on this score; for it was not for nothing that the men of old have handed it down to us as Paul’s.” and Clement of Alexandria (150-215AD) stated confidently “Paul wrote the Hebrews in the Hebrew language and that Luke carefully translated it into Greek.” Therefore these devotions assume that Paul was the author of Hebrews but needless to say Paul won't be the subject of these devotions. We can make a gentle case for Hebrews being a letter to Christians from a Jewish background probably in the city of Rome at sometime before the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70AD (although all of this is as disputed as the authorship). It seems that these Christians were tempted to return to their Jewish roots and the focus of the letter was to turn their gaze upon Jesus. Christ should still be our focus. We can fight and argue over trivial matters but as the Apostle shows us in Hebrews, Christ is supreme. He is greater than the angels, greater than Moses, greater than Melchizedek, greater than all. I trust we'll see that in vivid colours as we walk our way through Hebrews. Did Paul write Hebrews? Only God knows for sure but ultimately the Lord is the author of the Bible. May He speak powerfully to our souls and may we realise again that Christ alone is our supreme and greatest good. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q45 Which is the first commandment? The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 5th September 22
Pray (AC-ts) Read — Romans 1:1-2 Message Alan Burke Did you hear the news? Like when will it get any better, it’s just constant! If I am honest I haven’t read the news today, I try to avoid it because I like having a smile on my face for at least some of the day. Sunday morning is different thought, it is one of the first things I do, check the news that is, incase anything important has happened that I need to mention in the prayers of intercession. The reason why I avoid it is because what we normally hear on the news, or read is just doom and gloom. Well today I have some good news, it is wonderful news and sadly we forget just how wonderful that good news is, good news that is focused not on the teaching but the person of Jesus Christ, Jesus is the good news, he is the gospel (gospel literally means good news). Look at what Paul says about this good news of God that it was promised beforehand! Probably the place that most of us would turn to if we were to tell someone about the gospel, the good news about the person and work of Jesus Christ, would be the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Naturally enough that is what comes to mind when we thing of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of God. The last place most people would go is the Old Testament, but all of it, all of the Old Testament acts as big arrow, that was directing God’s people and us to what God was doing in salvation history. For all scripture is God breathed, all scripture from the beginning to the end is announcing the gospel of God, it’s not something new, its origins are from God himself, our creator, that speaks of His love and mercy for His creation. The first announcement of this gospel was in the midst of the fall, while it was the most tragic moment in history that took place, as sin entered the world and with sin, death followed. Even as the Covenant of Works lay in ruins, the Lord spoke of another covenant the Covenant of Grace. To Satan the Lord declared there in v15; “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall crush your head, and you shall strike his heel.” (v15). In those moments after the fall of humanity, the Lord God preached the Gospel to the Devil. It’s what is called by theologians as the protoevangel, the first gospel, because it contains the heart of the gospel that is unfolded in the rest of redemption history as it plays out. This is the gospel that Paul speaks of, this is the gospel of God that was first announced in Eden. God remained true to his promise that he would send one who would crush the head of the serpent, and he has in Christ Jesus. For Jesus came to do what Adam failed to do and what we by our sinful nature could not do. This was not new, its origins were not from man instead it was God, fulfilling what he had said beforehand, fulfilling the promises that he had made know. Paul here at the beginning of Romans was grounding this and everything he would go on to say in how this gospel, this good news, was what God has always been doing, the Holy Scriptures all pointing to His Son Jesus Christ Our Lord! And this is a message we need to hear, because some can fall into the trap and thinking that somehow God is different in the Old Testament and the New Testament, some people even come to the conclusion that there are two God’s in the bible, the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. Yet nothing could be further from the truth for throughout they affirm that God is merciful and that He is compassionate, the God who has been bringing salvation to a sinful people from the dawn of creation. The bible from beginning to end is one continual revelation of God’s covenant of Grace. As we are reminded in 2 Timothy 3: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (3:16)”, not just the New Testament, all of it! Pray (acTS) Sing WSC 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) 3rd September 22
Pray (AC-ts) Read — Acts 8v9-25 Message Scott Woodburn “First posted Year 1 Day 340 - 27 February" We can rejoice at the extraordinary impact of the Gospel in Samaria but sadly, not everyone believed rightly. In Samaria there was a magician by the name of Simon. His abilities were so amazing that the people associated Simon's power with God Himself (v10). Where did Simon's power come from? Perhaps he was just a really talented trickster or perhaps his abilities came from a more sinister and satanic place. Regardless, he amazed the people (v11). Then one day a preacher called Philip came to town. The people received Philip's message by faith (v12). Signs and great wonders were performed (v13) and Simon was amazed. Indeed we are told that Simon believed and was baptised and continued to follow Philip. Wonderful! Another saved man! Sadly, not quite. Later as Simon witnesses the mighty works of the Apostles he offers them money so that he too might be able to perform mighty acts (v18-19). Peter's response is fierce. He rebukes Simon with the words "may your silver die with you" (v20), literally he says "to hell with you and your money!". Simon saw the gift of God as something to be bought and something to be used. His heart wasn't right before God (v21) and now Peter urged him to repent and if possible to be forgiven (v22). According to Peter, Simon is still in his sinful chains (v23b) and is full of bitterness (v23a). The magician's spiritual condition is dire. He has professed faith in Christ but he is not a true believer. The Gospel was another mighty trick that Simon could perform. The Holy Spirit was "something" to used for fame and profit. Simon had heard the Gospel but he had not received it by faith. Simon asks Peter to pray for him so that nothing of what Peter has said will come true (v24). Tragically however there is no evidence that Simon prayed for himself and repented of his sin. What are we to make of Simon the Magician? John Trapp once said "a man may go to hell with baptismal water on his face." In other words, just because a man professes Christ and is baptised, doesn't mean that such a man is truly born again. The visible church has always been a mixed body with the wheat and the tares growing together. Brothers and sisters, we should not be surprised when there are those within our fellowship who do not truly believe. All is well for many years and then from nowhere we see a heart bound to sin and a spirit of bitterness. We are surprised by such a man's actions or such a woman's words and we weep when by their actions churches are divided. Christ warned us about such individuals. We would recognise such false Christians by their actions (Matthew 7v16). The true Christian has been declared righteous by God Himself (justification) and is growing in Christlikeness everyday (sanctification). The true Christian knows that God is not "something" to be used for fame or fortune. Instead they have received Christ by faith and they know that Jesus is their greatest treasure. This isn't worked by magic but by the grace of God, the power of the Gospel and the working of the Holy Spirit. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC 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. News from Scott and Alan,
We have said before that little did we think when we started writing devotions for the initial six week lockdown that we would still be doing them now. As you are aware the case for last year we have posted some of our ‘best of devotions’ to allow us to take some time off. Now that it is September we are both back on the horse as the saying goes and when talking we have decided that we are no longer going to preface the devotions with how long it has been since Boris announced lockdown, instead from today we will simply preface the daily devotions with the date they are posted. We hope that they have been of benefit to you and they will continue to be. Yours in Christ Scott and Alan 2nd September 22 Pray (AC-ts) Read — Romans 1:1 Message - Alan Burke Paul was more than a servant, he was a slave of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. It was on the road to Damascus that the Lord Jesus called him to himself in two regards. The first was the call of the gospel on Paul’s life, that is the external call that called him from his sin to salvation to which he responded to enabled by the Spirit of God within him enabling him to repent and believe. In much the same way we hear the external call that only is effectual by the work of the Holy Spirit enabling us to repent and believe. There is another sense that he was called and it was to be an apostle. Often, when we think of an apostle we can think of the twelve disciples and can interchangeably use the word disciple with apostle, but then there was Judas who betrayed Jesus who was replaced by the disciples by Matthias. So how was Paul an apostle? Well the criteria for apostleship was that either had been a disciple of Jesus during his earthly ministry, so that is not Paul and no one today. The second criteria is that an apostle is one who was an eyewitness of the resurrection and the third and most important criteria was that they were directly and immediately called by Jesus (Acts 1:20–26). Paul was an eyewitness to the Resurrection on the road to Damascus and he was called by the Lord Jesus himself. Paul was called by Jesus himself on the road to Damascus, it was there that Jesus called him to himself and thusly Paul was one who spoke as an apostle, with the authority of Jesus Christ. This truth is really important as we begin the book of Romans because there is this attitude among some that leads them to reject the teaching of Paul, either as not as authoritative, or as important as Jesus, or they outright reject everything he says. Today one of the big reasons for rejecting Paul, well there are two, but the first and most obvious is his teaching on sexual purity and that is just revolting to this society. Secondly they want to reject his teaching because of how he speaks of the roles of men and women grounding these roles in creation. There are no more apostles, they were those who laid the foundation, they are still laying the foundation of the church today as we have the scriptures of the old and new testament. There are some today that claim that they are apostles, but signs of a true apostle were performed among the early church with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. (2 Cor 12:12) have ceased, no one can demonstrate the signs of an apostle. God himself has given us all that we need in the pages of scripture, that is why the word of God closes in the book of Revelation with the warning against those who add or take away from his word (Rev 22:18-19). Paul was called to be an apostle, there are no more apostles, he was though called to service. Although it is not the focus here of the passage, we are each one called to service, we are called to bring glory to our God, we are in all that we do seek to. Before Christ we live for ourselves, afterward we live for Him, for we were bought with a price. As a result all of our lives should be lived for the Glory of God. That means in our work places, in our homes, and God calls us to serve him in the every day mundane things, cleaning the toilet, doing the dishes, his call on our entire life, our lives in their entirety have been bought, we are slaves to God in Christ Jesus so it should influence us in every aspect of our lives. What a challenge it is for us today, we are in God’s service in the every day mundane things, yes even cleaning the toilet we should be doing all for the Glory of God. 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) News from Scott and Alan, 1st September 22
We have said before that little did we think when we started writing devotions for the initial six week lockdown that we would still be doing them now. As you are aware the case for last year we have posted some of our ‘best of devotions’ to allow us to take some time off. Now that it is September we are both back on the horse as the saying goes and when talking we have decided that we are no longer going to preface the devotions with how long it has been since Boris announced lockdown, instead from today we will simply preface the daily devotions with the date they are posted. As you will know that today is the 1st September 22 and likewise that is the preface of the devotion. We hope that they have been of benefit to you and they will continue to be. Yours in Christ Scott and Alan 1st September 22 Pray (AC-ts) Read — Acts 8v3-8 Message - Scott Woodburn “First posted Year 1 Day 336 - 23 February” As chapter eight begins the church is experiencing great persecution at the hands of a man called Saul (v3) and yet the story of the Gospel doesn't end. The Lord governs all creation with a wise and providential hand and even the persecution of His church is used by the Lord for good. How can this be so? The persecution in Jerusalem scatters the church here, there and everywhere and wherever the believers ended up, they preached the Word (v4). Philip ends up in Samaria and immediately set about preaching Christ (v5). The Samarian response was wonderful. The crowds listened intently to what was being said and the message was confirmed by signs and wonders (v6). Unclean spirits were driven out and the paralysed and lame were healed (v7). The Gospel had arrived in Samaria and the result was great joy (v8). Today, if we could somehow put joy into a bottle we would make an absolute fortune. This year was supposed to be radically different from 2020 and yet in the past week our lockdown has been extended. When we do meet, we keep our distance and talk about Granny who has received her vaccine. Every day seems like the last one. Homeschooling tests our patience and family bond. We grow angry when we see the number of cars heading for Newcastle and wonder if we are the only ones taking Covid seriously. Oh what we would give for a bit of joy! My friends the joy in Samaria came as a direct result of the Gospel. The problems those men and women faced didn't suddenly disappear. Those healed of demons and physical ailments still had to get on with life. Work needed to be done. Families needed to be fed. Leaky roofs needed to be fixed but still, Gospel joy had come. I pray today for that same joy to return abundantly to our lives. Even in the midst of our problems may the extraordinary gift of the Gospel ring in our souls. Christ has made an end to our sin and His resurrection is a certain guarantee that we too will stand again on this earth. We have been blessed by the gift of the Holy Spirit who strengthens our legs for days like these and even if the world is turned upside-down we know that nothing can pluck us from Christ's hand. Christmas may be an increasingly distant memory but brothers and sisters "joy to the world! The Lord is come!" Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q41 Where is the moral law summarily comprehended? The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments. |
Alan
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