18th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 15v4)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The so-called "weaker" Christian in the Roman church was probably someone coming from a Jewish background and asking valid questions about how the Old Testament laws applied to the Christian life. To such questions we can offer clear answers. The Old Testament is still valid, relevant and must be read and applied by all Christians. However, we must also be clear that the ceremonial and civic laws have been fulfilled by Christ and no longer apply to the church - all food is clean and the only day we must observe is the Lord's day.


What do we mean by the civic and ceremonial laws? The civic laws were those which applied to the day-to-day life of national Israel when she existed during the Old Testament age while the ceremonial laws directed how God's people were to worship. In those days the church of Jesus Christ had not left the boundaries of national Israel and the vast majority of true believers were from a Jewish background saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Christ had not yet come in the flesh, nevertheless men and women of faith looked expectantly to His arrival.


These issues are explained by our Confession which states in chapter 19 "God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly, holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the new testament. To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people; not obliging any other now, further than the general equity thereof may require."


So if much of the Old Testament no longer applies, why bother reading it? A simple answer is that Genesis to Malachi is as much God's Word as Matthew to Revelation. As Paul would elsewhere say "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3v16-18)


The Old Testament proceeds from the mouth of God and we read it, sing it, preach it and believe it because God has given it to us for our instruction (v4a). We are instructed in who God is and what He expects from us and in the Old Testament we clearly see the unfolding of God's plan of redemption. Christ is promised in Genesis and we see Him in type and in shadow throughout the thirty-nine books.


This instruction isn't a cul-de-sac but a road that has a clearly defined destination. As we study the Old Testament the Holy Spirit works endurance in us. In other words the Word of God urges us forward and calls us to keep on going. We see how God has worked in the past and we remember that He still works today. As we meditate upon the Scriptures our souls are encouraged and the good fruit of hope ripens in our hearts.     


I freely admit that the New Testament is a much easier read than the Old and the average Christian will feel much more at home in Romans than Leviticus. Even so, the bible has sixty-six books not twenty-seven and if we cut ourselves off from the Old Testament we are guilty of abandoning God's whole counsel. Let's not go that way. Instead may we see the clear purpose of all Scripture and drink deeply from the well of truth.


Pray (acTS)


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Q100 What doth the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us? The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven,” teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.
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17th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 18:17-30


Message Alan Burke 


The matchmaker has almost become a thing of the past, there was a time you were introduced to someone maybe by a friend of a friend and actually had to meet in person and talk. These days though you can use an app on your phone and meet people you’d never meet except an algorithm that has been designed sees you as a possible match for another person. Maybe these changes are good or maybe life would be simpler if parents just did all the matchmaking as takes place in some parts of the world. As we pick up Saul is attempting to be a matchmaker but he is doing it for selfish reasons and attempting to manipulate David. 


Firstly Saul offered his daughter Merab then his daughter Michael to David. They were attempts to remove the of David to him and his throne. Saul is shrewd, he knew that if he is the one who puts David to death that the people would revolt, whereas if David dies at the hands of the Philistines, it would be problem solved, David would die as a martyr but at least he would be dead. Outwardly at least, Saul is keeping up appearances, as he publicly offers his daughter Merab to David which serves to show he is a friend of David. This wasn’t a reward or recognition for David’s victory or valour, his daughter had a price, service, David was to serve Saul and fight the battles of the Lord. It was a request for allegiance to Saul alone and it was all done with the motivation of eliminating him. 


Saul wanted it to look on the outside that he was blameless, that he loved David, he was using his family for his own personal gain, it didn’t work with the first offer of marriage so he used the love his younger daughter Michal’s had for David to his advantage, a chance to put David in jeopardy, with no repercussions for himself. For David it was a chance to secure his claim on the throne, it was no small matter to become the king’s son in law, David was a poor man presumably unable to pay the bride price for a princess, he was still a nobody, insignificant even with his victory, a father could set the price he desired, Saul could suggest a ton of gold but instead he asks for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, giving David a deadline, hoping that he wouldn’t make it and that even better he would fall into the hands of their enemies the Philistines that they would capture or kill David. 


For it would have involved close hand to hand combat, they weren’t simply shooting over the trenches, or setting off a missile to hit the target, this would have been a bloody barbaric battle, Saul’s frustration grows his fear grows as he sees Davis success and realises that far from Michal becoming a snare she has joined with Jonathan and the people in supporting him, he could not see David as anything other than a enemy. David was victorious once more against the Philistines, Saul got twice as much as he asked for, hardly the result he wanted or expected he stuck by his word only because his plan backfired.


In this all Saul was resisting the Lord and his anointed, even though he knew that the Lord was David and not against him he tried without success to go against the plans and purposes of the Lord. Ultimately Saul would loose, all those who are against the Lord’s anointed will loose, they may succeed for a time, they may even look like they have gained the world but they will face his wrath for all eternity. Yet for those who are his through the anointed of the Lord, Jesus Christ, who have placed their trust in him they will have the victory through him (1 Cor 15:54-58)


Pray (acTS)


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Q99 What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; (1 John 5:14) but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord’ s prayer. (Matt. 6:9–13, Luke 11:2–4)
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16th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 15v1-3)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


We have spent several weeks working our way through Romans 14 and the subject of Christian liberty. In Rome there were "strong" believers who understood that all food was clean and all days were the same. On the other side of the debate there were "weak" Christians who had yet to understand their freedom in Christ. These men and women still believed that Old Testament dietary laws were still in place and restricted their eating accordingly.


In response Paul urged maturity on all sides. The strong were to ensure that they did nothing to cause their brother to stumble and in the same way the weak were not to become dictators. Even so, as a new chapter begins, the Apostle addresses the strong specifically even counting himself as a member of that particular group.


The strong were not to please themselves but were instead to bear with the failings of the weak (v1). It is clear from this verse that Paul isn't commending the "weakness" of the weak. He describes their weakness as a failing and there is no doubt that the weak Christian must seek growth and maturity. Nevertheless, the strong, from their position of strength, should strive to bear or put up with the failings of the weaker brother.


In the case of the Roman church the strong understood that all days were the same and all food was clean. Regardless, they were not to seek their own happiness in these issues but were to seek the good of his neighbour (v2). To many this seems like becoming a doormat for the sake of those who should know better, yet this isn't how Paul sees the situation. The reason given for the humble attitude of the strong Christian is to build up the weaker brother (v2).


Paul doesn't imagine the weaker brother remaining weak but instead growing up in the faith and growing into their Christian liberty. In such a scenario the stronger Christian should happily put aside his liberty for a time in order to seek the growth and sanctification of a weaker brother.


If we are still unconvinced the Apostle takes us to Psalm 69v9 and applies this verse directly to Christ saying "For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.'" (v3). Jesus was sinless and yet put aside His rights and privileges for the sake of His weaker brothers. In our weakness we were utterly unable to do any spiritual good or anything that merited salvation. Jesus stepped from Glory into a life of humiliation for our sake.


If we struggle with the weaker brother or sister we are not to meet that struggle with arrogance but humility. For a time it is necessary to bear with the failings of our fellow Christian in order to see them grow to a place of strength and grow they must, for no Christian should be content with a weak and shallow faith following man-made rules in the areas of doctrine and worship.


As Paul elsewhere says "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2v3-4)


Pray (acTS)


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Q98 What is prayer? Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.

15th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 18:5-16


Message Alan Burke 


One of the fatal errors as an assistant is to outshine your boss, to be fair that can be a fatal error in many professions but as an assistant minister it's very dangerous. I’ve even known ministers who when they are on holiday purposely try to find the worst preacher that they can find so they aren’t shown up. If you have ever outshined your boss then you know that it can lead quite quickly to a toxic environment where everything chances. From praise it moves to criticism, they dismiss your ideas, they exclude you from meetings and decision making and they do all that they can to set you up for failure. David was the new guy on the scene, who was too young and too little to fight and he had certainly outshone Saul who was the chosen king of the people, a head and shoulders taller than everyone else. What starts off with David being celebrated and brought into the service of Saul soon sees a toxic relationship follow all because David had outshone him. 


Look at what we are told, firstly v5 how David did all he was sent to do successfully, it pleased the people and Saul’s officers. This should be something to celebrate, Saul had someone to fight and help deliver the people but what comes in v6 reminds us just the type of man Saul was. With the victory celebrations as the men returned from battle Saul heard nothing more than a jingle that ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’. The song is but an exaggeration, by those who are nobodies, this isn’t a statistic of battle that somehow David had personally killed tens of thousands of men and Saul only thousands, nonetheless it does convey the contribution that David made to the victory in killing Goliath the champion of the Philistines when for forty days king Saul and his men were struck with fear and powerless to act. 


Their song, Hebrew poetry, was anything but a dig at Saul their king, it wasn’t some kind of taunt about who is the greatest or fastest or best that children would do on the school playground, no their song, was a form of praise towards Saul, it wasn’t meant to be political, but Saul interpreted what they sang in the worst possibly way, he heard what he wanted to hear. Now he sees David as a threat, he has his eye on him, the suspicion and jealously went beyond David’s military achievements and he feared for the throne. David’s popularity and his own jealously was beginning to destroy him, and his relationship with one that brought him so much comfort, even though David had been a constant support and joy to Saul, now everything changes.


His anger and jealously grew, Saul became afraid of him, instead of seeing him as a means of grace. What I mean by a means of grace is that God had put David there to bring comfort to him, to help him in the midst of what he faced and Saul had become so detached from everything that he tries to kill him. Failing to kill him Saul sends him out from his court, as we are told in verse 13 and David is demoted, rather than continuing in his role over the men of war with his high rank he is instead made a commander. 


There is something here that I want to draw out, not the thrust of the passage but important because part of Saul’s downfall was his own pride, his sinful heart that was clouded by his own anger, resentment, fear. There can be emotions that in each one of us that are sinful and we allow ourselves to dwell on them, instead of helping us they cause us to fall further into sin and we must repent from them. Out of this I want to take you to Jesus who is David’s greater son, David’s Lord as we sang of from Psalm 110, Jesus is the Lord’s anointed, the true king who as come and how we respond to the Lord’s anointed maters, it matters whether it is love and affection or fear. Jesus put it simply, whoever is not with me is against me (Mt. 12:30). Are you for the Lord’s anointed or against him? David’s greater son the LORD’s anointed Jesus Christ has come, how we respond to the Lord’s anointed, Jesus Christ, matters for all eternity. 


Pray (acTS)


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Q97 What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’ s supper?
It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord’ s supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord’ s body, (1 Cor. 11:28–29) of their faith to feed upon him, (2 Cor. 13:5) of their repentance, (1 Cor. 11:31) love, (1 Cor. 10:16–17) and new obedience; (1 Cor. 5:7–8) lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves. (1 Cor. 11:28–29)
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14th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 14)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The Westminster Confession of Faith is not the Bible and should never be treated as such. It is however a time tested summary of Christian belief and, as I'm sure you know, it is the confessed belief of all Presbyterian ministers and elders. What you may not know is that the Confession has a whole chapter on the subject of Christian liberty and liberty of conscience. These are the issues that Paul deals with in Romans 14 and I thought I'd take a few devotions to outline the Confession's summary of Biblical teaching around the issue of the Christian's liberty.


Here is what we read in chapter twenty, paragraph four of the Westminster Confession of Faith  "And because the powers which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God. And, for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation; or, to the power of godliness; or, such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the church, they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against by the censures of the church."


You may be aware of the so-called "sovereign citizen movement" which has developed primarily in the United States of America. What is it? To keep things as simple as I can, a so-called sovereign citizen is someone who claims that they are not bound by the laws of the land that they find themselves in. There are numerous videos on the internet which show interactions between sovereign citizens and the police or judges and, needless to say, these individuals quickly discover they don't have a legal leg to stand on.


In the same manner, the Christian has been given an extraordinary freedom by the virtue of Christ's victory over sin and death. We are not bound by any man-made rules in the area of our belief or worship and so we rightly resist anyone who issues commands which are contrary to the Word of God. Nevertheless, we must be clear that Christians cannot adopt the approach of the sovereign citizen movement.


The Lord has put in place both church and civil authorities and the follower of Christ has no right to oppose these bodies by claiming Christian liberty. In practice this means that the Christian is bound by both the laws of the land and the authority that God has invested in His church. So when you are pulled over by a PSNI officer who suggests that you have been speeding, you have no grounds to tell him that you are only answerable to Almighty God.


In the same manner, if you are ever called to account by your local church then you should respond with a Christ honouring humility rather than aggression rooted in a misunderstood liberty. Why would your local fellowship have to call you to account? Perhaps you maintain a practice that is "contrary to the light of nature" like some of the Corinthians who tolerated sexual immorality with a man having sex with his father's wife (1 Corinthians 5v1). Or perhaps you publicly and confidently proclaim a heresy that says Jesus was not God. Such activity is destructive to the peace of the church and your leaders have every right to call you to account. Still further, your leaders may examine you, find you guilty and publicly denounce your activity.


In such moments both your church leaders and the PSNI officer would be in the right. Christian liberty is not an excuse to sin, it doesn't allow you to live contrary to the light of nature or principles of Christianity and it doesn't allow you to act like a petulant child shouting "I'M A SOVEREIGN CITIZEN! ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE ME!"


One day God will certainly judge us all and so we would do well to use our liberty for the end that it was intended - to serve God and to glorify Him in this world. Thanks be to God, for in Christ we are free.


Pray (acTS)


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Q96 What is the Lord’s Supper? The Lord’s Supper is a Sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.
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13th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 18:1-4


Message Alan Burke 


It’s probably a bit of an understatement to say things are not like they were when we were wains, it’s 2023 and the differences that we have seen in our lifetimes is stark. We come to a passage today that the change that has taken place in the past number of years has influenced many peoples reading of the passage, the relationship of David and Jonathan the love that they had for one another. Some would say that it’s obviously not just a friendship. But then we are very good at coming with our own preconceived ideas and our baggage to scripture even reading ourselves into the text so this is not surprising. We pick up after David had just shot to fame the one who was too young and too little to fight was now a warrior of Israel. 


In a world like this then it misses so much of what goes on here in this passage reading those presuppositions into the passage, and for men when a deep friendship with another man can only be seen through this lens there is something sad about that which impoverishes us for in this age men are so often the one who lack meaningful relationships with other men. The Hebrew word that is used here and translated as love refers of many different types of relationships, we see only the emotional aspect, but it is used for God, for the Love of God’s people. 


There is something significant that happens here that makes this love that Jonathan has for David so surprising. As we think of that think to how many times we have seen it in, possibly even in our own lives people falling out over money, over land, over inheritance, it seems that it brings out the worst in people, the knives come out, the claws, the handbags and most of the time don’t realise that it won’t make you happier and you definitely can’t take it with you. What makes this significant is that Jonathan is figuratively handing over everything to David. 


Taking off his robe, his tunic, his sword, his bow and belt, everything here is confounding expectation because Jonathan is next in line to be the king, he should be weary of David, he should see him as a rival for the throne, for all he would inherit, he should have hated David but instead of eliminating his rival he embraces him, turning everything on his head. Everything that Jonathan gave to David was that which signified his position as the royal son, as the next in line to the throne and by giving them to David he was renouncing his claim on it, renouncing his position as crown price and transferring it to David, he is saying this is the successor of my father and not I. 


It’s striking isn’t it, the next in line for the throne passes it to another, it goes against everything that we normally hear, expect, we would expect Jonathan to be promoting himself, its what people do, looking out for himself, trying to keep David down instead of wilfully submitting, but here everything was turned on his head, for in faith Jonathan saw that David was the Lord’s true king, he sees the Lord’s anointed, the Christ who would rule and surrenders his rights to him.


We as God’s people must be willing to like Jonathan give our selves, our entire lives, our future to the Lord’s anointed or are we just like the rest of the world, the people that surround us as Saul we will soon think as an example of, are we those who are so keen to strengthen and keep safe our own little kingdoms, of home and family, wanting it our way for us an those who come after or are we willing to submit to the Lord’s anointed, acknowledging him as the one who deserves our all. Each day we make choices to submit to the Lord’s anointed or not and that speaks volumes. 


Pray (acTS)


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Q95 To whom is baptism to be administered?
Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; (Acts 8:36–38, Acts 2:38) but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized. (Acts 2:38–39, Gen. 17:10, Col. 2:11–12, 1 Cor. 7:14)
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11th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 14)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The Westminster Confession of Faith is not the Bible and should never be treated as such. It is however a time tested summary of Christian belief and, as I'm sure you know, it is the confessed belief of all Presbyterian ministers and elders. What you may not know is that the Confession has a whole chapter on the subject of Christian liberty and liberty of conscience. These are the issues that Paul deals with in Romans 14 and I thought I'd take a few devotions to outline the Confession's summary of Biblical teaching around the issue of the Christian's liberty.


Here is what we read in chapter twenty, paragraph three of the Westminster Confession of Faith "They who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life."


Why has the Lord blessed us with Christian liberty? He has given us this gift because He has delivered us from our enemies. No longer are we dead in sin, no longer do we fear death and no longer has Satan any rule over us. In Christ we are free from our enemies and in Christ we are free to serve the Lord all the days of our life. This service doesn’t come from a fear of God’s wrath, instead the true fear of God loves the Lord as a precious Father and seeks to honour Him. The Christian isn’t perfect on this side of glory but by faith in Christ we are counted by God as both holy and righteous before Him. Therefore, Christ has set us free and in that glorious freedom we are to serve the King - this is the goal of our Christian liberty.


However, it is possible for this goal to be destroyed. How so? If a Christian claiming liberty makes a practice of sin or cherishes a particular lust in his heart, he has made a mockery of the freedom we have in Christ. Elsewhere in Romans Paul would speak this way “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6v1-2)


Our hard won liberty is not to be used an excuse for sin and this requires great watchfulness and discernment in our Christian walk. Jesus has freed us from blindly following the commands of men but we must be careful that as we exercise our Christian liberty we don't blindly follow our own deceitful hearts. The Christian who constantly says "How far can I push this?" or "How can I find a way to justify this?" is already in great danger of destroying the goal of their Christian liberty.


Beloved of God, remember the words of Peter who said "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (1 Peter 2v16) This is a perfect summary of how we are to exercise our freedom as we journey through this sinful world. Thanks be to God, for in Christ we are free.


Pray (acTS)


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Q94 What is Baptism? Baptism is a Sacrament, wherein the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.
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10th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 17:30-54


Message Alan Burke 


Now to the bit that you’ve all been waiting for David vs Goliath. David was brought to Saul he offered to go and fight Goliath. This battle was shaping up to be like Tyson Fury the world Heavyweight champion facing up against a seven year old. It’s a preposterous idea, ridiculous idea, over before it even starts and the bookies aren’t going to have anyone foolish enough to put a punt on the seven year old. Saul even rebukes David, rebuffing the suggestion for he is but a youth. He was too young and too little to even be there at the battle, he’s only there because he was bringing provisions, bringing food for those who should. 


In the midst of this we learn something of the character of David, he’s not just a young upstart but he is one of great faith, either that or he delusional, but he wasn’t delusional, he was confident that the Lord would be with him. We see that in the response of David to Saul, of the experiences he had as a shepherd, while he had never fought a man in war never mind one as big as Goliath, David had faced lions and bears. He didn’t just leave them to carry off the sheep, he pursued them and killed them. He clearly had confidence in the Lord and understood that it was the Lord who had delivered him from lions and bears and likewise in faith he believed that he would be delivered from the hand of the Philistines through God, he had confidence in the Lord his God. Goliath mocks the young David saying ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks’. Goliath was angry, likely a more terrifying sight than he had been on the battle field for the bast forty days as the red mist descended on him, cursing David by his God. 


David’s response again shows faith in the Lord, there in v45 David came against Goliath in the name of the Lord. Goliath wasn’t facing a boy who was too young and too little to fight he is facing a believer who knew that people stand or fall by the word of the Lord, he gives and takes away, he is the one who gives his people victory or caused defeat to fall upon them. What makes David stand head and shoulders above all the other men of Israel is that he had faith in the Lord to give him the victory. In all of this we see a man who was truly after God’s own heart, the reason why he had been chosen to succeed Saul as king (16:7). David before all gathered publicly declaring that salvation is not by means of sword or spear but by the Lord. 


With this said and Goliath rushing towards him David launched a stone from his sling, and God gave him the victory providently guiding the stone and David slay’d Goliath. It was not by sword or spear but victory by the Lord’s hand. Goliath is then decapitated and the Israelites are moved from fear to fight, pursuing the Philistines to Goliaths home turf. David is then once more brought closer to Saul and is in his service.


David was one who stepped out in faith, he was given the victory, it was not by might or power but by the Lord’s hand. David looked foolish to all the Philistines gathered that day, he was mocked by Goliath but the Lord had the victory, the Lord uses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise, the weak to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27) the ultimate example of that is the Cross and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor 1:28). David’s victory was in the Lord for the people but the greater victory has been achieved though the cross of Christ. The message in the midst of this is not about us and your trials or problems, it is not about how we can overcome the giants in our lives and in the midst of the taunts of God’s enemies it is that victory is the Lord’s. The victory is over sin, death and the grave, it is the victory that means that we are more than conquerers though Jesus Christ our Lord who loved us (Rom 8:37). And while the enemies of God looked intimidating, caused fear to control the people of God ultimately we are reminded that the Lord delivers his people who even now is putting his enemies under his feet (Ps 2, Ps 110:1, 1 Cor 15:25)


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Q93 Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?
The sacraments of the New Testament are, Baptism, (Matt. 28:19) and the Lord’ s supper. (Matt. 26:26–28)
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9th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 14)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The Westminster Confession of Faith is not the Bible and should never be treated as such. It is however a time tested summary of Christian belief and, as I'm sure you know, it is the confessed belief of all Presbyterian ministers and elders. What you may not know is that the Confession has a whole chapter on the subject of Christian liberty and liberty of conscience. These are the issues that Paul deals with in Romans 14 and I thought I'd take a few devotions to outline the Confession's summary of Biblical teaching around the issue of the Christian's liberty.


Here is what we read in chapter twenty, paragraph two of the Westminster Confession of Faith "God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to His Word, or beside it in matters of faith or worship. So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commandments out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience; and the requiring an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also."


What is the conscience? Here's what I wrote a wee while ago "Have you ever been condemned by your own conscience? What do I mean? As you are lying in bed at night you feel the weight of guilt over something you've done or said. We are moral creatures made in God's image and we have all been given a sense of what is right and wrong. This shows itself by an inner voice whereby we wrestle with our actions. It is a joy when we can say that our conscience is clear but at times we are tormented by our conscience when we know that we have done wrong. The conscience isn't the voice of God, the conscience isn't perfect and not everyone pays heed to their conscience but nevertheless, we willingly submit to the authorities for conscience sake."


God alone is the Lord of your conscience and in matters of what you believe and how you worship, he has left your conscience free from following the teachings of men which cannot be supported Biblically. What does this look like in practice? Imagine a fellowship that insists the preacher wears a clerical collar - this is not commanded by God in His Word. Imagine another church that teaches the only acceptable musical instrument used in worship is the organ - once again this finds no support in the Scriptures. True freedom of conscience is destroyed when we are forced to obey such man-made rules as if they come from the Lord Himself. These teachings might be well intentioned and there might even be some wisdom behind various rules but the Lord has left our conscience free from a blind obedience to such demands. Christ has set us free and we are bound by the teaching of Scripture alone.


Any church which takes Christian liberty seriously should not require you to have an implicit faith. This in simple terms means that you don't need to believe something just because your church demands it and you shouldn't believe something just because a superstar Christian tells you to. Nor should an absolute and blind obedience be required from church members. This would destroy both the liberty of your conscience and your own ability to reason.


Let me be clear, if you deny that Jesus is Lord or if you believe that there are many ways to heaven, then you have gone against the clear teaching of Scripture. However if it is your contention that wearing a suit to church isn't demanded by Scripture or if you believe that your minister has no business in telling you who to vote for, you are well within your rights as a free and reasonable Christian bound only by the Word of God.


The Lord has blessed you with a conscience and He alone is the king of it. Thanks be to God, for in Christ we are free. 


Pray (acTS)


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WSC


Q92 What is a Sacrament? A Sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.
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8th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 17:12-29


Message Alan Burke 


So often when it comes to David’s defeat of Goliath all we remember is that, that David defeated Goliath and we forget what came before hand. Firstly we have the Israelites and the Philistines facing off and Goliath taunting the people to choose a champion out to fight. Saul should have been the man, he was the chosen of the people (1 Sam 8:18, 1 Sam 12:13), but the enemies of God’s people go unanswered, the taunts keep coming. Again before we go on this passage is not about us and your trials or problems, it is not about how we can overcome the giants in our lives and in the midst of the taunts of God’s enemies while we may may have a reprieve and I say may we will not be delivered finally until glory. 


We’ve already been introduced to David when he was anointed and was called into service in Saul’s court, this second introduction acts as a public introduction to the nation. He is being portrayed in a very ordinary way, there is in a sense nothing remarkable about him, he is the youngest son of Jesse who is obediently doing what his father asked of him. We learn that God’s people were taunted by Goliath for forty days and Saul their King who was to fight their battles and the men of Israel paralysed with fear David, he hears Goliaths taunt and asks of those who stood by him asks something that should have been asked along time ago there in verse 26 “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 


While Saul and his army were terrified of what faced them, David sees only an uncircumcised Philistine. What I mean by that is that he sees an enemy of God whose gods are but wood and stone whereas the Israelites had the only Living and True God of all creation on their side. The shepherd boy who was too little and too young to come and fight understood something more than the incumbent king, more than the terrified army and was that in the midst of all of this is that Israel were a chosen people, he knew that even though they were facing the might of Goliath or the Philistine army that nothing is impossible for the living God. If only Saul and the people had listened to the warning of Samuel in his farewell speech when he said;  For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. (12:22). The young David understood this and believed this. God’s enemies will always try to defy his rule but ultimately the Lord will have the victory over them.


We are not the Israelites, we are not in the midst of a Holy War against the Philistines but there is something that we need to remember in a world that things seem to be going from bad to worse, where sin is called good and truth is called intolerant, even hate speech, where believers all over the world are persecuted for their faith, tortured and martyred. We may wonder where will it end, we may loose confidence in the Lord but we can have confidence just like David in the Lord. Because there is a day coming when Jesus will return and this time it is not to deal with sin but sinners and we can have confidence that while the world rebells against the Lord, the Lord dictates how, He dictates how far, he will not allow it to go on forever, he decrees the good that will come out of it and he even laughs as men scream furiously against him because of the futility of our rebellion and it will lead to the judgement of all people where the enemies of God will be held to account.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q91 How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, (1 Pet. 3:21, Matt. 3:11, 1 Cor. 3:6–7) and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them. (1 Cor. 12:13)