30th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 16v25-27)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


I've previously written in these devotions about the difference between a benediction and a doxology. What is the difference? A benediction is a "good word" from God to His people. It is a blessing pronounced at the end of every worship service. On the other hand a doxology is a song of praise to the Lord and the awesome book of Romans finishes with a doxology.


Romans is a book with eleven chapters of rich theology before Paul urges us from chapter twelve to sixteen to respond to the good news that we have believed, but it is fitting that the very last three verses point us once again to the praise of Almighty God. This doxology begins by directing us upward with the words "now to Him" (v25). In other words Paul has taught us our theology and he has challenged us to respond but now he finishes by turning our gaze to the King of kings.


This same awesome God is able to strengthen us by the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ (v25). We should never underestimate the necessity of the Gospel and regular faithful Christ-saturated preaching in our lives. I challenge you to attend church each Lord's day in 2024 for it is there that God speaks and the mighty Spirit applies the preached Word to your soul.


Long ago the things we now take for granted were not widely known. We are blessed that we can clearly and articulately declare that Christ died at Calvary and was raised again from the dead. Nevertheless, in the Old Testament whilst we see glimpses of the Gospel we do so in a veiled manner. This is what Paul means by "the mystery that was kept secret for long ages" (v25b). Even so, the time has now come for these things to be made known to all nations (v26).


The Apostle has taught clearly in Romans that the Gospel is for Jew and Gentile alike all saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This Gospel is for all who will believe with the purpose of bringing many to the obedience of faith (v26b). So with that stated let me paraphrase this song of praise - Today we praise the God who strengthens us every day by His Word and Gospel. This same God has graciously revealed His truth to us in the person and work of Christ and this mighty Lord across the world continues to bring many to faithful obedience by the preaching of Christ and Him crucified.


Perhaps you'll stay up late tomorrow night to see in the new year and maybe you'll even step outside at midnight to gaze at the stars and wonder what 2024 will bring. Regardless of your plans maybe we'll all take the time to sing this doxology in our hearts to the Lord. Only He is wise and as this year ends we sing a song of glory to Him through Jesus Christ our Lord (v27). As 2023 ends and as 2024 begins "Now to Him, we sing glory!".


Happy New Year my friends.


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Q29 How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ? We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.
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29th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - Acts 17:26-27


Message Alan Burke 


I was reading an article on Winston Churchill the other day. Today he is a figure that divides opinion because we look back with our own presuppositions on the past, that though is not why I mention Churchill, rather it was that he died in 1965 at the age of 90. That may not strike you as an unusual thing, many people live until they are 90 and beyond but life expectancy in the UK in 1965 was 71 years old and it is fair to say that Churchill did not look after himself. For Churchill the Lord had ordained all the days of his life, there was not one of them that was not written in his book before one of them came to be (Ps 139:16). 


God in his providence laid out the entirety of the life of Winston Churchill and our entire lives, everything that has happened and everything that does happen in this world is not a matter or mere chance or luck, nor is it a matter of blind fate. Our God has decreed in his wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will, whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time, (Eph. 1:4,11, Rom. 9:22–23, Ps. 33:11). To help us to understand that I want to take us to Acts 17:26-27 because there Paul speaks of something that the scriptures as a whole testifies to. That is God determines, appoints, purposes, decrees all that comes to pass, here in Acts it focuses on how the Lord has decreed where each man woman and child the times set for them as well as where they should inhabit. 


Not only did God determined the times set for them he also determined “the exact places where they should live”. Our God has determined the lives of all the inhabitants of the earth and where they should live. One naturally leads on to the other, if God has determined our days, ordained them all then of course he has determined where we should live. 


The understanding of this does not come naturally to us, I have said that before as we examined the scriptures teaching how its teaching does not come naturally to us. There is a sense in which we want to push back against this but knowing this should bring comfort to us every day in the situations that we face. Because this means, that our Lord and God is the one who is in control, there is no part of our lives that is outside of his control, not one single bit of it, so when things are going swimmingly or when life seems to be falling apart, he’s in control even when we feel that we aren’t. Let us remember that He reigns over all, he is far greater than we can even begin to imagine or comprehend and the one who has decreed all that comes to pass.


That does not only include good and pleasant things but things that are far from good and pleasant, in his holy, wise and powerful way, he governs all. This is one of the hardest concepts to understand, much less accept, is the absolute sovereignty of God. He is not only King of all kings. He is Ruler over every molecule, every quantum of energy, every event, and every outcome. He governs all the nations of the earth whether they recognise His rule over them or not, to direct and guide them for His purposes for history in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:9-10; Psa. 67:4; Prov. 16:9)!


Matthew chapter 10, reminds us of his care over us in the midst of all life’s  circumstance, God is Father to his children, just as he cares for the sparrows, and there is not one that falls to the ground without him knowing about it, he also knows the very hairs on his children’s head. The psalmist speaking in Psalm 139:16 (NIV) “…All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” This should be a comfort to you in whatever 2024 brings. 


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Q28 Wherein consisteth Christ’ s exaltation?
Christ’ s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, (1 Cor. 15:4) in ascending up into heaven, (Mark 16:19) in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, (Eph. 1:20) and in coming to judge the world at the last day. (Acts 1:11, Acts 17:31)
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28th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 16v23)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


It is thought that Paul wrote his letter to the Romans from the city of Corinth and this is given credibility by the fact that Paul is hosted by someone called Gaius. Who was Gaius? There was a man named Gaius who hailed from the city of Derbe which was situated in the region that we now call Turkey. This Gaius had been a travelling companion of Paul and was with him when a riot broke out in Ephesus (Acts 19).


However if Paul was writing from Corinth, it seems likely that the Gaius in verse twenty-three was the same man that Paul had once baptised during his ministry to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1v14). It would appear that not only did Gaius love the Lord but he also put his money where his mouth was and hosted both Paul and the church in Corinth. We have become accustomed to every church having their own buildings but in Paul's day many fellowships depended upon the financial generosity of men like Gaius who allowed their homes to be used for church gatherings.


Another individual named by Paul was Erastus who probably was the same man described as Paul's helper (Acts 19v22) who eventually remained at Corinth (2 Timothy 4v20). In today's verse the Apostle tells us that Erastus had risen to the position of city treasurer in Corinth and there is tantalising (but not solid) evidence that Erastus was another man of wealth. Was the city treasurer well paid? We have no idea and some argue that the position was significant while others say it was minor.


Even so, several years ago during an excavation in Corinth, an inscription was uncovered which said “Erastus in return for his aedileship laid (the pavement) at his own expense.” An aedile was an elected official in the days of Rome and this has caused many to wonder if Erastus the city treasurer and Christian had also paid to provide a solid pavement for his fellow citizens. We can't know for sure and it isn't greatly important but I allow myself to imagine that perhaps both Gaius and Erastus were men who were hearers and doers.


As a new year approaches let me remind you of James 1v22-24 which says "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."


I'm not calling you to make a grand list of mighty deeds that you achieve in 2024, instead I gently ask you to make a commitment to regularly hearing the Word of God read and preached. Brothers and sisters, God has given us His Word and the foolishness of preaching in order to convert us to Him and to grow us up in the faith. Read and hear the Word in 2024 and then go and do what it says. Don't be the person who makes big plans and doesn't do them. Don't be the person who loves a good sermon but leaves his faith in the church pew. Don't be the person who hears the Word and immediately forgets what it said.


I doubt you'll pay for a new pavement for the people of Ballynahinch and I suspect Edengrove will not need to meet in your conservatory. But that's okay. In small ways and in big, don't just hear the Word but also do, for Christ's sake. Amen. 


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Q27 Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist? Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.
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27th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - Psalm 14


Message Alan Burke 


I’m doing a Hiram today. If you don’t know what I’m referring to well it is the devotions that by dear friend and brother Hiram Higgins writes each day. Why I say that is that normally Scott and I pick something that we are preaching on to write a devotion whereas Hiram sits in his shed looks out the window and sees what comes to him and since I’m in Killyleagh this Lord’s day rather than giving you a ‘best of devotion’ from last year I’ll do a Hiram today and on Friday and just write although I have no windows in the ministers room. In fact I have a fair idea of what I’m going to write about because it’s not even lunch time and while walking down to the minister room to I had a conversations with a man, he knows who I am and what I do and I simply asked how he was the day. Before I knew it when I didn’t mention anything to do with church or God or faith and I was told by him that he was a good person, not churchy good, but good and the Lord would see him alright. 


It broke my heart because last night (although not last night as far as this devotion is concerned but last night for me) I sat under God’s word as the minister preached Psalm 14 and it wasn’t easy listening, he handled the text before him with special prudence and care and wore his heart on his sleeve as he did it. We are told how “The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. (Ps 14:2–3).


The man I bumped into today and asked how he was the day (and yes I asked how he was ‘the day’ not ‘today’) believed he is good. By the worlds standards he is good guy, everyone speaks highly of him. I know plenty of people who believe because of their goodness that the Lord will see them alright. Yet as I listened to those words he spoke, inwardly I was screaming because I had heard the Lord speak the night before, his word is clear, there is none who does good, not even one and that includes me, you, the man who told me of his goodness. Before God none of us are good, Jesus said No one is good – except God alone (Mk 10:18). No one, our sin means that we deserve the wrath of God and the pains of hell forever, yet the Lord God himself made a way that we would be justified before him.


Justification is as God legally declares us as righteous in Christ, imputing our sins to Christ, and imputing Christ’s righteousness to believers by faith alone apart from works (Rom. 4:5, 8, 11-12, 16). There is no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus! (Rom. 8:1). We are declared righteous by Christ’s blood (Rom. 3:24-26). Our consciences no longer condemn us (1 Jo. 3:20). We are reconciled to God, and we have peace in our union with Jesus (Rom. 5:1).


As a result we have confidence for the day of judgement because of God’s love for us in Christ (1 Jo. 4:17-18). What a benefit to know that God has legally declared you righteous in Christ—there is no condemnation, no judgment awaiting for those who have faith! We will face the Judgment Seat of Christ clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ, and though our every word, thought and action has been tainted with sin, the Lamb without blemish has loved us and given Himself for us! (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:14-15). We are spotless in Him! We can rejoice with the Psalmist: “...Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”


The only hope for any sinner is in Christ, for our debt is so great that there is no other way that it could be dealt with other than by the infinite God himself doing it for us in the person and work of Jesus Christ for sinners like us. What a wonderful truth, that we can come with confidence through the saviour to approach his throne, knowing that it is not by our goodness but through Christ Jesus who was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was placed upon him, by his wounds we are healed (Is 53:5). Because of Jesus Christ, as we trust in him, we have been declared innocent by his work for us, we are given his righteousness, we have right standing through faith in him, declared just and justified through the Saviour Jesus Christ. 


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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, (Acts 15:14–16) in ruling, (Isa. 32:22) and defending us, (Isa. 32:1–2) and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. (1 Cor. 15:25, Ps. 110)
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26th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 16v22)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Although we know next to nothing about Tertius we can say for sure that he was the man who wrote down Paul's words to the church in Rome. How do we know? Because just as his job of transcribing Romans was almost done, he inserted verse twenty-two which says "I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord."


Tertius wasn't claiming ownership of this letter but he was certainly Paul's scribe who wrote down the Apostle's every word. This little verse is an interesting glimpse into the inspiration of Holy Scripture. What do we mean by that? Take the book of Romans. Paul is the human author and in Romans we see his thinking, his personality and his style. Tertius was involved in the process too as he listened to every word that came from Paul's mouth and committed them to paper, but there was something greater going on in the creation of the book of Romans.


Every word written by Tertius and spoken by Paul was inspired by Almighty God. Just as Monet was once inspired to paint by haystacks in the dying sunlight, the Lord moved in Paul's heart and inspired him to write his famous letter. Peter helpfully explains it like this "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1v21)


So Paul didn't wake up one day and decide to come up with Romans in his own strength and it wasn't by Paul's own will that he produced fourteen New Testament books. Paul and all of the Bible's other authors were carried along by the Spirit as God spoke through them.


Notice that the Lord didn't turn the Bible's authors into robots or an ancient version of ChatGPT. Paul's writings are distinctly Pauline. He might say similar things to Peter but both of these men express themselves differently. Moses wrote differently from David and David from Solomon and Solomon from Luke and Luke from Paul. Even so, the process was the same. God carried these men along by the Holy Spirit and what they put on the page was the very Word of Almighty God.


Tertius is another of the Bible's lesser-known figures but what a job he had! Brothers and sisters, treasure your Bible, read it daily and desire to hear it preached for "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 3v16-17).


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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 and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.
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25th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - John 12:46


Message Alan Burke 


It’s Christmas Day the trees up, the feasting is about to begin and maybe you’re going to brave it out there and join with others or hibernate away longing for tomorrow when you have another 365 days until December 25th again (Remember next year is a leap year). Behind everything that goes on at this time of year we celebrate the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and his coming is one of the most important events in human history as God became man and dwelt among us. It is a message of light for we all know that light matters most when it is dark and this is a world of darkness as the scriptures remind us.


In John 1 we are told about John the Baptist who came to testify about the light so that everyone would believe, he wasn’t the light he only came to tell others about the light, the light that he came to testify about was Jesus. There are lots of people in this world who are trying to celebrate Christmas without the true light that of the world Jesus Christ. The nostalgia might be running high, the music might be filling our homes along with the smells that export us back to a different time and give us that warm fuzzy feeling inside but it will not give us real joy, it will always leave us wanting. The reason that Jesus came was to bring light into the world, John 12:46 tells us, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. (Jn 12:46).” In this world of darkness there is light, that light is the light of all who would believe and not remain in darkness the Lord Jesus Christ. 


He came, the light of the world, wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, he came into the dark world but to give himself as a  ransom for many, for those who would believe that they would become the children of God. Hidden behind the facade of the festivities, of the celebrations is an emptiness that is known only to us because even with all that is going on, as we try to bring light to the darkness we cannot. Instead we need to look to the true light who has come into the world and to all who receive him, who believe in his name he gave the right to become children of God.


The gift that God offers all is the light of the world, and because of the light Jesus Christ we can become the children of God, that is what we celebrate and that is what this world needs, the light of Jesus Christ.


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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. (John 1:18, 1 Pet. 1:10–12, John 15:15, John 20:31)

23rd December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 16v21)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


This will be my last devotion before the Christmas celebrations and although I'm tempted to break from Romans for just a day, I will resist. As Paul bids farewell to the Romans he mentions that Timothy, Lucius, Jason and Sosipater all send their greetings. Who were these men?


Timothy had travelled with Paul on his second missionary journey and as I'm sure you are well aware, he received two letters from the Apostle who saw Timothy as "my true child in the faith" (1 Timothy 1v2).


Lucius might be Lucius of Cyrene (Acts 13v1) but then again he might not. Jason was most likely from Thessalonica where his house was attacked and he was dragged before the city authorities (Acts 17v5-7). Lastly, Sosipater was from Berea (Acts 20v4). These men were called "kinsmen" by Paul which likely suggests they were Jewish converts to Christ but aside from these bare facts, that's about all I can say.


Perhaps I can mention that outside the Scriptures Jason and Sosipater were bishops of Tarsus and Iconium respectively. These men are also considered instrumental in bringing the Gospel to a place called Corfu - perhaps you've holidayed there? But once more...that's about it.


Whilst verses like this one can seem obscure and unimportant I think they are still worth reading and meditating upon. Not least because all Scripture is breathed out by God but also because I think they're very relevant for Christmas. Did you know that? Read verse twenty-one again, do you see anything remotely Christmassy?


I don't think I'm stretching to say that although I can't tell you much about three of the four men mentioned in this verse, I can say that all four of them required the birth of Jesus. The Lord's coming had nothing to do with trees or turkeys and everything to do with the lost of this sinful world.


When you wake on Christmas morning remind yourself that without the birth of Jesus and His ultimate death and resurrection, you and I would be spiritually dead and facing the fearsome wrath of a righteously angry God. But thanks be to God! A child was born and a son was given. He did not come to save the rich and famous but all who would believe and remarkably the Lord knows the name of even the least of His saints (2 Timothy 2v19).


You may be unknown in this world and sometimes you might feel like no one would miss you if you were gone...but I know that's not true. By faith in Christ you are known to God and acceptable in His sight. This Christmas if we could somehow read the names in the Lamb's Book of Life then we would see among many others Timothy, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater and you. What a gift. What a Saviour. May you have a wonderful Christmas. 


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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.
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22nd December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - Matthew 1:18-25 (focus v23)


Message Alan Burke 


If you read Matthew 1:18-25 we are told in effect Jesus has two names. One being Jesus the other Immanuel. Today as we think of the ‘The Name Of Immanuel, ‘God with us’ v23’ we look to why that is the case. The name Jesus we have already thought about so let’s park that for a moment and think to what we are being told about Immanuel. The prophecy here that is being referred to is from Isaiah 7:14,  14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Is 7:13–14). The Lord was giving his people a sing, a virgin Mary who was with child, that was conceived within her by the power of the Holy Spirit but why was he called Jesus and not Immanuel, who is calling him Immanuel we have no record of Jesus being called Immanuel by his family or followers. Well the answer is simple, Jesus describes who he is and what he has done for he was the one who came as saviour, to save his people from their sins, Immanuel describes the event of the incarnation, how the every presence of God is with us through the Lord Jesus Christ, his coming. 


Jesus is Immanuel, he is God with us, he is the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah and for those who have trusted in him, who have received him, who have believed in him, as we are saved by his grace, we have become children of God, born of the Holy Spirit, we in our lives testify to the truth of Immanuel for God is with us, within us. It is Immanuel, God with us who is the very reason for the churches existence. Both Jesus and Immanuel testify to us who Mary carried for those months in who womb, the saviour of the world who is God with us. Matthew’s gospel finishes with the words of Jesus “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20).


The coming of Jesus, Immanuel is something for us to marvel at, that the Lord God would intervene in the events of human history to bring salvation to us part of Adam’s sinful race. But it was not only his coming but his death that was prophesied. The promised one, the Christ Child was to die according to the plans and purposes of a Holy God, even before God created Adam and Eve he knew that they would sin, and even before their sin and the creation of the world he knew that he would send his only begotten Son to take the punishment that that sin deserves. Jesus was despised, rejected, stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted, to be pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, led like a lamb to the slaughter, cut of from the land of the living (Isaiah 53). 


The eternal son of God became man. And in becoming a man he did not cease to be God. And his becoming man was not a charade. The true God became a true man without ceasing to be fully divine and fully human. And on the cross God poured upon him all the sins of those who have received him, who have believed in his name, the sins remembered and forgotten, the sins not yet committed and gathered them from all the children of God throughout the ages, the sins of his people, Noah’s drunkenness, Jacob’s lies, how Moses murdered another man, Rahab’s profession, Marta’s worry, Peter’s denials, Alan Burkes selfishness and stupidity, and your sins remembered, forgotten, hidden, not yet committed and he poured it upon Jesus. In that moment the child that we celebrate his coming into the world cried out “Eli, Eli lema sabachthani,” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). 


It was not with the pain of the crown of thorns or the nail pierced hands or feet but our sin which he bore so that he could be Jesus, who saves their people from their sins and Immanuel God with us. If you know and love the Lord Jesus Christ this day know you have been bought with a price and live accordingly, he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We deserve what he faced, each one of us, to be condemned for our sin which he did not share, yet it pleased God to make him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co 5:21).


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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, (Heb. 2:14,16, Heb. 10:5) and a reasonable soul, (Matt. 26:38) being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, (Luke 1:27,31,35,42, Gal. 4:4) yet without sin. (Heb. 4:15, Heb. 7:26)
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21st December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 16v20)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


I'm certain that over this Christmas season you will have heard about the promise of God in Genesis 3v15. It states "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” By way of reminder, God spoke these words to none other than Satan. Don't miss this - God preached the Gospel to Satan.


In response to the fall of humanity and the entrance of sin and death into the world, the Lord promised that a child would come. This child would be bruised but he would not suffer a fatal blow. On the other hand, the child would bruise or crush the serpent's head. You can survive a blow to your heel but a crushing blow to the head is lethal.


We should never forget this promise. It was fulfilled at Calvary when Satan was comprehensively routed and it's full fulfilment will be seen at the last day when even death will be placed beneath Christ's feet. Paul didn't want the Romans to forget and so he counselled them that "the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." (v20a). Whatever they faced, they were to remember that Satan is a defeated foe who rages for he knows his time is short.


Brothers and sisters, we would do well to call this to mind. Let me stress today that Satan is not winning. I know the world is dark and if my eschatology is correct then it will get much darker, but even so, Satan will not win. He has been crushed decisively by Jesus and will be crushed further beneath the feet of the Saints of God (v20a).


Whatever trial or suffering befalls you in 2024, it will pass. One day, by faith in Christ, you will receive the unfading crown of glory and nothing that Satan can do will ever pluck you from the hand of Jesus. 


May the grace of our bruised but victorious Lord Jesus Christ be with you (v20b).  




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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, 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.
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20th December

Pray (ACts)


Read - Matthew 1:18-25 (focus v19)


Message Alan Burke 


I keep trying to emphasising how scripture from beginning to end is about One Lord, One Plan, One People and is the title of a book by Rodger Crooks which I can recommend to you. The bible in his words with “all its sixty-six books focus on Jesus, the one Lord who is the terminal point of God’s promises. It is the story of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, ascension, reign, and return which is the Bible’s big theme”. For Mary and Jospeh the child that was to come, that baby who was born, that they held in their arms, was like no other, for he was part of the unfolding plan of God fulfilling what he had decreed before the foundations of the world. One that the Lord had been revealing throughout the history of the human race of the coming of the child that would be born to Mary. 


Throughout the Old Testament God was pointing his people to the hope that they had in the one who would come, with numerous prophecies about the coming that the people could look to and live in the hope of the one to come from the very first announcement of his coming. In the midst of the fall as part of God’s judgement he said to the serpent;“15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Gen 3:15 NIV). This first prophecy was making it clear that the coming of the Lord Jesus the one that Mary and Jospeh would hold in their arms as a newborn baby was like no other, born as baby he was destined for Calvary, all unfolding according to God’s plans and purposes, to what he had decreed before the foundation of the world. Today as we think of The Name Of Jesus, He Will Save His People From Their Sins in v19 it is this plan of God that was being fulfilled. 




Well here the earthly father of Jesus is told by the angel that he is not to break of the engagement instead he is to marry Mary and to name the son that is within her ‘Jesus’, the reason why we are told is that ‘he will save his people from their sins’. 


The name Jesus that we are told here Jospeh is to name him because he will save their people from their sin comes from the name Joshua, it is a shortened version of it. Joshua (Yehoshua) means ‘The LORD is Salvation’.He came to save his people form their sin, the penalty of their sin, the eternal judgment that they deserve so that they would be justified before God but also to save his people from the power of their sin, breaking the chains that bind us something that we forget today so that we may grow in our sanctification, grow in our holiness, more and more into the likeness of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Notice who he had come to save from their sin, his people. Who are his people, 1 John tells us who his people are, they are those who receive him, those who believed in his name, to those he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (Jn 1:11–13 para.). It’s unlikely that either Joseph or Mary fully understood the significance of this and what that it would entail. Jesus came for all who would receive him, who would believe in his name, he came as their saviour. If you have not received him, if you have not believed in his name, if you have not been born of God then unless you receive him, believe in him then the salvation that he has brought is not yours, receive him, believe in him and it will be.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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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, (Eph. 1:4) 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. (Rom. 3:20–22, Gal. 3:21–22)
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