Day 251

Pray (ACts)

Read - 1 John 3:1

Message - Alan Burke
It is hard to believe that tomorrow it will be December, maybe you plan to just to pretend that the next month is just like any other month and lock yourself away only leaving the house some time in January when it’s all over. Or maybe you’re the one of those people who have been counting the days and you have had the tree up for the past month and it’s going to be magical. Many of us though grew up living in fear when December came, hoping we wouldn’t get coal, constantly reminded of the lyrics he’s… “Gonna find out who's naughty or nice” and “He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake!”. Now children have a spy who sits on the shelf watching their every move, or the treat that Mummy or Daddy can ring and tell on them.

Yet there is nothing that you can do and there is nothing in you that in any way is deserving of God’s love. I’d say we have been ‘bad and naughty’, not ‘good and nice’ but that doesn’t really give the full picture of who we are in our natural state. The bible makes clear though that because of the fall, we lost communion with God,(Gen. 3:8,10,24) we face his displeasure and curse; so as we are by nature children of wrath, (Eph. 2:2–3) and justly liable to all punishments in this world, and that which is to come (Gen. 2:17, Lam. 3:39, Rom. 6:23, Matt. 25:41,46, Jude 7). It may not be nice reading but the fact of the matter is no matter how good or nice we may try to be, we are sinful, we are altogether sinful and are by our very natures the enemies of God. This truth makes the love that God has lavished on us all the more remarkable, for all we deserve is condemnation yet he choose to love us because He is love. This is the Love that God has lavished upon us that we may be his children, for Jesus came and for all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (Jn 1:12). We must always remember that God was under no obligation to save us from our sin. Even less was He obligated to grant us the privilege of sonship that we might receive an inheritance in His Son (Eph. 1:11).

God loves us in spite of how we are fallen sinful people, it is a love he has lavished upon us, a love that we will not experience in any other relationship.  Yet the love God shows towards us is lavish, for he God chooses to love us because he is love. For the believer, we can be confident that the title that we have been given the status that we have is secure, it will not be revoked, we cannot loose our salvation for we are the children of God and nothing can change that, this is the assurance of the believer, the confidence we have in all that we face, we are God’s children.

God loves you Christian! Not because you deserve, not because you’ve been ‘good and nice’ it because of Christ. Remember this great wonder, that God has lavished upon us, at the love God he has showed to us in making us His children. This is what has happened us through faith, we have become his children, we are such, it is a reality, this is our assurance in what we face, that we possess in the here and now and nothing can change it. That is what we are John exclaims!

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Q 27 Wherein did Christ’ s humiliation consist?
Christ’ s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, (Luke 2:7) made under the law, (Gal. 4:4) undergoing the miseries of this life, (Heb. 12:2–3, Isa. 53:2–3) the wrath of God, (Luke 22:44, Matt. 27:46) and the cursed death of the cross:; (Phil. 2:8) in being buried, (1 Cor. 15:3–4) and continuing under the power of death for a time. (Acts 2:24–27,31)
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Day 249

Pray (ACts)

Read - 2 Corinthians 11v16-33

Message - Scott Woodburn
"Paul is a fool, a fraud, a charlatan, a poor preacher, ugly and sleekit!" or so the false apostles would have you believe. But would a fraud put up with all the nonsense thrown at Paul? Would a fraud seek a life of constant danger?

Paul is no fool (v16a) but if the Corinthians insist that he is, then he has something to say (v16b). Speaking as one called a fool (v17) and according to the flesh (v18), Paul will speak. The Corinthians full of "wisdom" gladly bear with real fools (v19). These fools seeks to enslave the Corinthians, to devour them, to take advantage of them and even to strike them in the face (v20). Not so with Paul. He ministered in weakness by the grace of God and yet this weakness was used by his opponents to damage him. Ironically, this weakness meant that Paul would never have acted as the false apostles (v21).

What follows is testimony of Paul's troubles as an apostle. We shouldn't read these verses as Paul saying "Look at me! Look at me!" Instead he speaks as the "fool" the false apostles think him to be (v21b) and as he does so, he shows just how false these false apostles are. They like to boast of themselves. "Look at my achievements!" they say. "Look what I have endured!" they shout, but none of them come close to the real apostle.

Paul was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, lost at sea, constantly traveling, rarely sleeping, hungry, thirsty, cold and with constant anxiety for all the churches of Jesus Christ (v22-29). He had even escaped from Damascus by being lowered down a wall in a basket (v32-33). There's nothing luxurious about any of this. Would Paul have put up with it if he'd been a fraud? Of course not! Would you allow yourself to be beaten for a lie? Would you endure constant sleepless nights just so you could pull the wool over the eyes of the Corinthians? No! The false apostles want to boast and speak of their own greatness. Paul can take on the mantle of a fool and boast truthfully that his life as an apostle was incredibly hard. As the false apostles feathered their own nests, Paul was sleeping rough and watching his back. God was his witness that everything he said was true (v31).

But Paul doesn't engage in this debate to show off, he has deliberately spoken like a fool to show who the real fools are. If he has to boast at all, he will boast of his weakness (v30). His opponents saw Paul's weakness as a clear sign of his uselessness. Paul on the other hand understood that he could do nothing in his own strength. John the Baptist once remarked that in his life he needed to decrease with an increase of Christ (John 3v30). This is what the false apostles didn't understand. Less of Paul and more of Christ wasn't a useless ministry but instead the only ministry.

Paul's life wasn't spent in constant sunshine. There were incredibly difficult days for him and certainly more to come. Yet not one minute of it was outside of God's providential care. I heard a wonderful sermon recently on Joseph in prison. He correctly interpreted the dreams of two of his fellow prisoners and told one of them "remember me when it is well with you" (Genesis 40v14) The man in question got out of prison and promptly forgot all about Joseph. However the days of lockdown were not wasted in Joseph's life, nor Paul's days of trouble and certainly not your current storm. We may not look like much, there may not seem to be much victory but the Lord does not forget his people. Not once. Not ever. Not one dark cloud is in vain.

The false apostles have long been forgotten, their names lost and their influence gone but Paul's Spirit inspired apostolic teaching, sown in much weakness, remains. Brothers and sisters, keep going, keep going, keep going. In Christ your labour isn't in vain and He still speaks to His children saying "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15v5)

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Q26 How doth Christ execute the office of a king? Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

Day 248

Pray (ACts)

Read - 1 John 2:29

Message - Alan Burke
As John continues to encourage us, he seeks to give us assurance that we can be confident and unashamed before Jesus, the righteous one that John speaks of here is Jesus in verse 29 and the reason that he gives for assurance is that we know that everyone who does what is righteous has been born of him. Looking around there we see people who have no claim to faith who do things that we would applaud them for, those whom we see in the street who pick up that piece of litter that someone else has dropped, the neighbour who has called in with Mrs so and so ever since the pandemic came, making her a dinner every night, those on the front line of the pandemic, the NHS staff who have continued to do their jobs even though they place themselves at a higher risk, then there are the firefighters who willingly put their lives on the line to run into the building that’s on fire to save someones life, while there are many others who do things quietly for others not looking for praise, and many who morally upright who put us to shame. 

John does not mean that those who are morally upright in their actions, who have civil righteousness is a child of God, for we know that is not the case, there are many who are morally upright who do not profess faith. John has already made it clear that we must acknowledge (2:23), confess to be true, bear witness, make a public acknowledgement of ones allegiance, in Jesus Christ the Son of God, that we are to declare it as what one believes, for being a Christian is dependant on believing in Jesus and loving one another (3:23). Salvation is not dependant on our works, not on what we do but they are the visible result of what has happened within us. Whereas those who do what we would call civil righteousness are not united with Jesus by faith as branches are joined to a vine (John 15). It is only by this union that we can bear fruit, and if we are in union with him we cannot help but bear fruit. 

Personal righteousness assures us of our salvation because it shows we reflect the character of God our Father. The “him” in verse 29 refers primarily to the Father, and it is only those who practice righteousness who have been born of God. Just as children in earthly families resemble their parents, so too will there be resemblance between the Father and His children in the heavenly family. When we come to know him, as we abide in him, we become living fruitful branches, we are enabled to do good works. Because we know we have a secure place in heaven, we need not be overly anxious about making a wrong step and losing our citizenship. Instead, we serve Him boldly, knowing that He is our Advocate when we fail. John has are lady told us of this truth, look back to verse one of chapter two, but if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence, Jesus Christ the righteous one. We have an advocate, Jesus Christ who pleads on our behalf, he stands before the Father pleading our case and the case is grounded in the work that he has done to secure a favourable verdict (Rom 8:1-4). So this day and every day, let us abide in him, knowing that when Jesus appears that we have confidence and will be unashamed at his coming for he has done it all on our behalf! 

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Q25 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, (Heb. 9:14,28) and reconcile us to God; (Heb. 2:17) and in making continual intercession for us. (Heb. 7:24–25)

Day 247

Pray (ACts)

Read - 2 Corinthians 11v14-15

Message - Scott Woodburn
Satan rarely kicks down the front door of any church - such an approach is much too noisy and much too public. Instead he operates quietly as church goers do his work by spreading gossip and division. He operates in the shadows behind a mask of righteousness. He much prefers the whispers in a carpark than a truthful discussion in full view of the fellowship. Paul tells us that Satan likes to disguise himself. He doesn't show his true nature, for if he did, we would see his rotten and repugnant self. Instead he disguises himself as an angel of light (v14).

That's interesting isn't it? We have bought into the myth that Satan has bright red skin, he has two horns on his head, a forked tail and a pitchfork. This description is not accurate. What does the Bible say about the accuser of God's people? Satan was not another God but instead was part of God's created order. Ezekiel 28v16 suggests that Satan was a "cherub" (angel) cast down from the mountain of God. We know that angels are ministering spirits sent out to serve God's elect (Hebrews 1v14) and therefore this was Satan's original purpose.

However in history past, Satan rebelled against God and was cast down to earth, with one interpretation of Revelation 12 suggesting that a third of angels fell with him. So when Christ meets and defeats the demons He is waging war against the fallen angelic allies of Satan. Jesus tells us that our enemy is both a murderer and a liar (John 8v44) and later Peter refers to him as a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5v8). Martin Luther's great hymn "A mighty fortress" describes Satan as being armed with great craft, power and cruel hate. This is our enemy and we shouldn't be surprised when he seeks to destroy the church of Christ.

We thank God today that while the Scriptures don't answer every question about Satan or his origins, we are told enough to make us ready to resist him. Paul is clear that Satan often does his work whilst wearing a disguise. He comes as an angel of light (v14). He pretends that he is still what he used to be. He manipulates us into believing that he is part of the team. He encourages us to consider his motives to be pure. Yet he is a liar. He comes only to destroy and to kill (John 10v10).

Indeed there are many within the church of Christ who take the same approach. They disguise themselves "as servants of righteousness" (v15a). What does this mean? False teachers, just like Satan, rarely come with a badge declaring them to be a false teacher. False teachers come sounding plausible, sounding sincere, sounding Christian, sounding good and yet there is a twist, a deviation, an addition. They take Christ and they try to add to Him or they take Christ and try to subtract from Him. All the while they smile and sing and gather a crowd around them.

It has always been this way. There was no golden church age when everything was wonderful. We meet the false apostles in Corinth, John tells us that even in his day "many antichrists have come" (1 John 2v18) and today we are still in danger from the devil's schemes. I'm not sure when you read these devotions, perhaps over a cup of coffee as the day begins. If so I'm aware that a paragraph or two about the devil isn't a joyously wonderful way to start the day. So let me say this. Make no mistake Christ comprehensively defeated Satan at Calvary. Our enemy may be filled with rage but only because he knows his time is short (Revelation 12v12).

Jesus came and bound Satan (Matthew 12v29) and to this day Jesus by the preaching of the Gospel sets Satan's captives free. Satan is not God's equal. Satan is not winning and today if we resist him, then he will flee from us (James 4v7). The devil, his angels and those who do his work on earth (wittingly or unwittingly) are part of the losing side. Their end will correspond to their deeds (15b). Christian rejoice! You are with Christ in this world and the one who stands with Jesus will never be put to shame.

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Q24 How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? 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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Day 246

Pray (ACts)

Read - 1 John 2:28b

Message - Alan Burke 
It wont be long now until we are tucking into that turkey, presents and cards will be sent and given, as we celebrate the incarnation of Christ, how the Son of God became man so that we might be saved by the shedding of his blood, the God Man. Now he is hidden from view since the accession although He is spiritual present with us his people by the Holy Spirit. Yet the day is coming that he will once more appear, he will come again being revealed from heaven. But this time it is to judge the living and the dead, Jesus is coming and he is coming as judge, not as the lovely little picturesk baby in the manger that we imagine that adorns so many of those seasonal greeting cards that are sent, but as Judge. Think back to what we thought about on Monday, where John told us to ‘Abide in Christ’. To continue, to remain, stay with, what ever way you want to put it, John is encouraging them and us to keep running the race, to keep going. It means to allow his Word to fill our minds, allowing his Word to direct all that we do and say, allowing his Word to transform who we are and all of our affections. Abiding in Christ is letting His Word dwell in us and the Spirit fill us. 

Abiding in Christ is important because of what John goes on to say “abide in Christ, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” When Christ returns he will come as judge, but if you abide in him this shouldn’t be an event to baulk at, to fear, to dread, rather if you know the Lord Jesus Christ this day, and if we continue, abide, remain in him then we may be confident and unashamed at his coming. That is what John wants those whom he writes to and us to understand, for if we remain in him, if what we have heard from the beginning the truth of the gospel remains in us (25), so that they and we can know the promise that we have eternal life (26). In the midst of all that is happening in this world, he wants the children of God though faith to look with hope and encouragement at what lies ahead for Christ is coming and we can have confidence before him. 

What ever you are facing this day, in your every day life, the ordinary every day toils, if you are weary and tired, if you are grieving, if you are down heartened, discouraged, if everything that lies ahead in the coming weeks and months just seems like too much then know the confidence that you have when he appears. Know this hope, this confidence that when this earthly life comes to an end, or when he returns which ever comes first that you can with confidence come before him. Know that if you remain in him, if you keep going on this race though the highs and many lows you can confidently come before him because of what he has done for you. This is good news for all of us, this is the hope that we need, this is the future we need to look to in the midst of all that we face, because although this world is passing away (17) we have a great hope that when he appears we will not shirk in shame at his coming (28).

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Q23 What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?
Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation. (Acts 3:21–22, Heb. 12:25, 2 Cor. 13:3, Heb. 5:5–7, Heb. 7:25, Ps. 2:6, Isa. 9:6–7, Matt. 21:5, Ps. 2:8–11)
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Day 245

Pray (ACts)

Read - 2 Corinthians 11v1-13

Message - Scott Woodburn
There were some in Corinth that considered Paul a fool. Worse than that, a fool who wasn't pleasing on the eye and a fool who didn't have much to say. "If you consider me a fool" says Paul "then bear with me a second as I explain my foolishness." (v1). Now, of course, the apostle was no fool but the Gospel has always been foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1v18) and so now Paul speaks against those who are the real fools.

Paul loves the Corinthians, they are like his daughter who he has presented for marriage to Christ (v2). They have believed the Gospel and called upon the Lord but Paul worries that they are now tolerating the foolishness of the false teachers. Just as Eve was deceived by Satan so Paul worries that the Corinthians are being led away from Jesus by those who look and sound much more impressive than Paul (v3). Sadly, they might sound the part, but they are preaching a different Jesus (v4a), they are proclaiming a different spirit (v4b) and they are publishing a different Gospel (v4c). Tragically the Corinthians are tolerating this false teaching (v4d).

Many may consider Paul a fool and much inferior to the so called "super apostles" (v5) but Paul is the real deal. He might not be a wonderful preacher but he doesn't lack knowledge and the Corinthians are certainly witnesses to this truth (v6). Paul has met the risen Christ and been appointed by Him. He truthfully bears the title "apostle" and therefore carries weight and authority. He might lack "fleshy" attributes but he lacks nothing from God.

The Corinthians should know this. Paul took no financial gift from them even though he was entitled to do so (v7). Indeed such was his desire not to burden the church in Corinth, Paul was supported by the poorer fellowships in Macedonia (v8-9). The truth of this won't be silenced in Corinth or in the surrounding regions (v10), Paul loves the Corinthians (v11)! None of this in normal circumstances needs to be said and yet Paul is forced to defend his ministry in order to undermine the foolish claims of the super-apostles (v12).

These men are false teachers, deceitful in all their ways and have merely disguised themselves as apostles of Christ (v13). It should amaze us that a congregation who knew Paul personally could be so quickly and easily led astray but it was certainly so. Today there are no apostles in the church of Jesus Christ. The office of the apostle was foundational and with the death of the last apostle so the foundations were complete. Yet today, we would be fools to think that the church is never in danger from false teaching. It can come from every corner. It infects the pulpit, it spreads through the pews, it is propagated in bibles studies, it is imbibed over the internet.

Let me ask you a question. Why do you believe what you believe? Is what you believe found in the pages of the Bible? Can you give a reason for the hope that you profess? Flee from the arrogance that says you will never be led astray! Run from the pride that says you've mastered the Bible! Sprint from the notion that you can only be taught by the famous internet preachers! Brothers and sisters, knowing that we are enemies of Satan may we shut the door to his subtle attacks as he seeks to undermine the Word.

Finally, if your pastor preaches faithfully, if he opens the Word truthfully, if he labours week after week diligently then I beg you to pray for him. Preaching and teaching is his primary work and he needs your help. Many pastors struggle on Monday to recover from Sunday. Many pastors increasingly have mental health concerns. Many pastors have experienced months away from the pulpit on stress leave. Pray for these men, ask God to protect them and may this island be filled with churches devoted to the teaching of the apostles.     

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Q22 How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

Day 244

Pray (ACts)

Read - 1 John 2:28a, John 15:17 'Abide in Him'

Message - Alan Burke 
When we look around to what is happening at this moment we may feel overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, filled with uncertainty. Well John had just written warning those to whom he had wrote to how this is the last hour (18), this world is perishing (17), the antichrist is coming and there are many antichrists have come (18). On one hand it would be easy for them to feel overwhelmed anxious, fearful, filled with uncertainty, on top of that there would have been all those things that they would have been dealing with that all of us have to deal with. Yet John now turns to encourage them and us for even though we may feel overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, filled with uncertainty at what John has taught and what we face, what we need to do in the midst of it all is to ‘abide in him’. We need to abide in Christ, for it is by abiding in Christ that we can have confidence in all that we face. On Wednesday we will look to the confidence that we have when Christ appears but for now let us think of what it means to abide in him. 

What thought does it mean that we are to abide, the idea is to continue, to remain, stay with, what ever way you want to put it John is encouraging them and us to keep running the race, to keep going. It means to allow his Word to fill our minds, allowing his Word to direct all that we do and say, allowing his Word to transform who we are and our affections. Abiding in Christ is letting His Word dwell in us and the Spirit fill us. This is only possible through the work of God in us, but it does not exclude the need for human responsibility and effort. That is what John wants those whom he writes to and us to understand, for if we remain in him, if what we have heard from the beginning the truth of the gospel remains in us (25), so that they and we can know the promise that we have eternal life (26). Abiding in him, in what he has done, knowing that it is not about position or performance, it is not about seeking His approval rather to abiding in Christ, trusting in him, knowing our dependance on him and what he has done.

Abide in Christ this day even though this is the last hour (18), this world is perishing (17), the antichrist is coming and there are many antichrists have come (18), when you are facing so much in your every day life, the ordinary every day toils, if you are weary, tired, grieving abide in Christ. The only begotten son of God that came to make an atonement for our sin so that we might be redeemed and become the children of God (John 1:12) and when this live ends or when he appears we might have confidence before him not our position or performance, rather in who he is and what he has done for us through faith.

Pray (acTS)

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Q21 Who is the Redeemer of God’ s elect?
The only Redeemer of God’ s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Tim. 2:5–6) who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, (John 1:14, Gal. 4:4) and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever. (Rom. 9:5, Luke 1:35, Col. 2:9, Heb. 7:24–25)
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Day 242

Pray (ACts)

Read - 2 Corinthians 10

Message - Scott Woodburn
The world needs more people like you. You never make mistakes, your motives are always pure, you aren't like everyone else, let's say it again...the world needs more people like you. Perish the thought! Allegedly G.K. Chesterton responded to the question "What's wrong with the world?" with two words "I am". He may or may not have said or written this, but it doesn't rob the statement of its truth. Whenever we're tempted to believe in our own greatness, it's time to pause.

Paul understood this completely. He referred to himself as a wretched man and the chief of sinners and here he makes it clear that he certainly won't extol his own virtues like the false apostles. He will not boast beyond limits (v13a) but only speak of the area of influence that God Himself has given (v13b). Paul would never have set foot in Corinth without the Lord's will. Paul would never have seen a single sinner saved without the Lord's will. Paul would never have been the first to preach the Gospel in Corinth without the Lord's will (v14).

The false apostles took a different approach. They had arrived in Corinth and immediately set about destroying Paul's reputation. They boasted about themselves despite the fact that the Corinthian church had been built by the grace of God through the labours of Paul (v15a). On the other hand Paul hoped that the faith of the Corinthian church would increase (v15b). Not to see himself glorified but so that Paul could preach the Gospel far beyond Corinth (v16a). He had no desire for his name to be exalted or to build on another man's foundation (v16b) instead he lived his life to preach Christ and Him crucified.

This is a useful corrective to our natural attitude that says we are the centre of the universe. Everyone and everything must revolve around me...or else. Brothers and sisters we have nothing to boast about except Christ. If we are gifted with talents, they come from the Lord. If we are blessed with influence, it comes from the Lord. If we see much fruit from our labours, it comes from the Lord. No wonder Paul quotes Jeremiah 9v23-24 when he urges the boaster to boast only in the Lord (v17). The full verse in Jeremiah states that the one who boasts should boast of this "that he understands and knows me."

Understanding and knowing God is the only source of boasting. Boasting not out of arrogance or pride but out of sheer grace saturated joy that we have been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. We belong to Jesus! This is the difference maker. We can spend a lifetime trying to commend ourselves in the eyes of the world (v18a) but ultimately the only one who is approved, is the one who the Lord Himself has commended (v18b). This commendation comes only through faith in Christ which in itself is a gift of God so that no man may boast.

So to every "king of the castle" and every "daddy's little princess", the world needs much less of you and much much more of Christ. May we decrease as He increases, may He be gracious in giving us a platform to speak and influence among the nations, and when the God given opportunity comes, may we always proclaim "Behold the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world!" 

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Q20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.

Day 241

Pray (ACts)

Read - 1 John 2:26-27

Message - Alan Burke
Parents have many hopes for their children growing up, one of them is that they will have a good group of friends who will gather round them. Maybe when you were a wean you were guldered at by your ma or da because they thought your friends were leading you astray or got a cauliflower ear because of what you got up to with them. Well John as he wrote to these his spiritual children (2:2,12,18), to his beloved (2:7) his desire is that they may not be led astray. Who were those that were trying to lead them astray, well they were the antichrists, because they deny the truth of Christ (2:18, 23). They are those in every age, Jesus himself taught about the future and warned about the coming of false christ’s and false prophets that would arise, who would appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect, Jesus wanted to be on our guard (Mk 13:22, Mt 24:24). 

John mentioned this so that they would be prepared for that which would threaten their faith, that they would hold on to Word of life and not be swayed by the nonsense being spouted, the false teachers, the antichrists. As believers we should be in no doubt that there are those who are trying to lead us astray, antichrists, heretics, apostates, those who are opponents of Christ and teach nonsense, untruths. There is danger and they as well as we need to know it, not so that we may live in fear but that we may protect ourselves, so that we may know that not everyone who speaks, speaks the truth and sadly there are those who claim to be ministers of the Gospel who deny the truth whether they are aware of it or not.

But we who believe, we should not be deceived by the false teachers because we have been warned by John, that’s what John now makes clear in verse 27, “as for you, as for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you and you do not need anyone to teach you". 

Does that mean Scott and I are redundant, after all we set aside to teach? Well there would have been no point of John writing this letter if it wasn’t necessary for him to teach, he is not denying the importance of gifted, truth professing teachers in the church (Cor 12:28, Eph 4:11). Rather it is a reminder that in faith we have received this anointing given by Jesus, and it is still at work in us in our hearts by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is at work inside the believer and is the safeguard we need against falling away, the safeguard from listening to the nonsense and believing in it. The Spirit of God and the Word of God, what we have heard from the beginning is at work when we remain in Him (27). There is no secret knowledge that we need, no gospel plus that we must follow, it is simply the truth that God has given to us and applied to our lives by His Spirit at work within us. The promise here of divine grace does not exclude the need for human responsibility and effort, everything that we read and hear should be examined against the Word of God and the Spirit of God will work within us. This coming Lord’s day and every Lord’s day have your bible open, is what is being said the truth, or are you being deceived. 

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Q 19 What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, (Gen. 3:8,10,24) are under his wrath and curse, (Eph. 2:2–3, Gal. 3:10) and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. (Lam. 3:39, Rom. 6:23, Matt. 25:41,46)

Day 240

Pray (ACts)

Read - 2 Corinthians 10

Message - Scott Woodburn
The most famous children's address in the world is based around the well known passage in 1 Samuel 16. A new king would be anointed but the prophet Samuel was to learn that man looks at the outward appearance while God looks at the heart. I suspect that every pastor or preacher has at one point or another taught this very truth to a gathering of little ones at the front of our church buildings.

The Corinthian church was a place where public appearance had been raised to an incorrect position. Paul sums up what his critics have said about him. His letters were weighty and strong but he was weak physically and a poor preacher (v10). Why would you want such a pastor? We all know that the best pastors are young, they're amazing preachers, they run a 5K most days, they don't button the top four buttons in any shirt, they've got funky glasses and they have a bible verse tattoo somewhere on their body. If we've ever believed any of this then Paul offers a gentle rebuke.

We are not to build castles of sand based on what is before our eyes (v7). Paul might not have been a wonderful physical specimen but he was a Christian. If his critics were confident that they belonged to Christ then they needed to remember that Paul did too (v7b). The man in your church pulpit may not be as exciting as the guy you watch on YouTube but he belongs to Jesus and is therefore worthy of your love, respect and prayers.

Paul could also rightly speak of his authority as an apostle. He might have to speak about it too much (v8a) but he isn't ashamed of it (v8c). He is an apostle for the building up of the church (v8b). Not to destroy the church or frighten them with his letters (v9) but to strengthen them and to show them the glory of Christ. To answer his critics Paul states that whatever he writes he also says in person (v11). He doesn't have two faces, he doesn't deal in truth and also falsehood.

The Apostle refuses to be drawn into comparing himself with his critics (v12a). For them it is about how you look and how you sound and yet they do not realise that when they spend their days measuring and comparing themselves against someone else "they are without understanding" (v12b). It is a fool's errand, it is a nonsense, it is like Samuel thinking Eliab would be king based on appearance alone.

I'm sorry to say that over lockdown I've heard of ministers who have received fierce criticism over the "quality" of their online work. Some men have done their best with limited resources while others have produced online content with high production values. Neither man should be criticised but unfortunately like magpies we are attracted to the brighter, shinier, trendier resource. 

How dare we! Instead we should ask ourselves...is what I have heard true? Does this resource point me to Christ? Has the Word been read and preached faithfully? If we have become obsessed with the production values of our congregational videos or grown frustrated that our church hasn't done one of those amazing worship songs with lots of different people singing in different homes then perhaps we are more like Paul's opponents than we care to think. We live in a visual age which also has the attention span of a goldfish, if we aren't grabbed in the first three minutes then we disappear to Instagram to post a photo of our lunch.

Brothers and sisters, may God forgive our appearance obsessed mentality. May He our forgive our desire for "not too much" of His Word. May He quench our thirst which always wants something new. The Lord does not change and He remains the One who looks on the inside. By His grace may he continue His work of sanctification and soften our hardened hearts.  

Pray (acTS)

Sing

WSC
Q18 Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.
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