7th August 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 1:32)


Message (Alan Burke) 


As we come to the end of the chapter, we see how sadly that as God hands people over to their sin, we begin to see the true depths of human depravity verse 32. It is not only that we know these things that are listed in this passage to be wrong, it is not only that we know God’s righteous decrees, it is not that those who do such things deserve death; what we are confronted with here in this verse is that sinners not only engage in the sin itself but they give approval to those who sin as God withdraws his restraining grace on sinful man. The radical corruption of the human heart is that it not only rejects the truth of God even though it's clear to them and they are without excuse, it also attempts to have others excuse their sin, not tolerate it but to affirm it. Not only is it enough for us to sin privately, we seek to fool ourselves that we are not that bad and surround ourselves with fellow sinners so that they will approve our sin and we can approve theirs.  


Today that is where we are; it has been almost two thousand years since the Lord inspired Paul to write this letter to the believers in Rome, but the description given of sin and its effects when people reject the truth of God even though it's clear to them and they are without excuse is as true today as it ever was. While there is in each and every human being an innate sense of right and wrong, that the laws of nature testify to, the state of mankind is that we reject that which is clear and deliberately cast what we know about God and nature off. What is worse is that we applaud and rejoice those who practice such things and there are whole denominations and businesses who get on the bandwagon, politicians who call sin good and say that Christians who pray for certain sins should be deemed as having committed a hate crime. 


Sadly though, the sin against nature here that is told to us is one that we can quickest to react against, but what about the unmarried couple living together, or having restraint before marriage? What about willingly listening to the gossip rather than stopping the person who is sharing it and challenging them? What about those who are never satisfied and constantly envying the new car, the bigger and better thing who need the latest and best? What about how we flagrantly disregard the word of God when it comes to the Sabbath and in effect the Ten Commandments are Nine Commandments? The list could go on and when we see these things in ourselves we often dismiss it but for one of the sins listed here! There is a question we need to ask ourselves, are we seeking approval for our sin or are we seeking with God’s help to forsake all evil, to turn from that sin in our lives?


Because the reason that God takes sin so seriously is one that we often miss, it is not that He is just some killjoy who doesn’t want us to have any fun or that He is some mean tyrant who likes having things His own way, no, God takes sin seriously because He knows better than we know just how destructive it is. Sin destroys lives, it destroys relationships with family, friends, it destroys marriages. Today we are to witness to our culture about a better way, as we show purity and fidelity in marriage, we tell people that Biblical marriage is good, and that this is God’s design for where intimacy can be enjoyed between a husband and a wife, that we live as redeemed people, feeling sin, seeking obedience, that we speak of the great hope that we have in our God.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q33 What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.
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6th August 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 20


Message - Scott Woodburn


How long does it take for you to learn your lesson? For most of us, the mistakes we once made are the mistakes we continue to make. Abraham was no exception. In Genesis 12 he had lied about his relationship with his wife Sarai. The Egyptian Pharaoh saw her beauty and claimed her for himself. This act caused the Lord’s judgement to fall upon the Egyptians.


Surely Abraham wouldn’t make such a mistake again? As a new chapter begins Abraham wanders in Gerar where he said that his wife Sarah was actually his sister (v2). It wasn’t exactly a lie. Abraham would explain later that Sarah was his half-sister (v12) Yet he failed to mention that she was also his wife. Abraham saw that there was no fear of God in Gerar and so he feared for his life (v11). Essentially he lacked faith that God would protect him. 


Abraham’s actions once again caused trouble for Sarah. She was taken into the royal house of king Abimelech of Gerar. Sarah was an elderly woman and so some have wondered if Abimelech took Sarah to forge a partnership with Abraham. Equally Sarah would soon have a baby so perhaps she maintained a youthful appearance that caught the eye of Abimelech? Whatever the reason behind Abimelech’s actions, God spoke and warned him that because he had taken another man’s wife he would die (v3).


Abimelech called upon the Lord and protested his innocence. He had taken Sarah believing her to be Abraham’s sister. He had acted with integrity (v4-5). The Lord knows the hearts of humanity and so He agreed with Abimelech’s assessment. God knew the lie of Abraham and equally the integrity of Abimelech. If Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham then no judgement would fall upon him but if he refused he would surely die (v7).


Abimelech reported all of this to his household and great fear fell upon them all (v8). Later Abraham explained his foolishness to Abimelech (v11-13) and was met with an entirely gracious response. He gave Abraham sheep and oxen and servants (v14). He returned Sarah to Abraham (v14b). He offered Abraham freedom in the land of Gerar (v15) and as a sign of Sarah’s innocence, Abimelech gave her one thousand silver pieces (v16).


In response to the generosity of Abimelech, Abraham prayed for the man he once feared (v17). It was by the means of answering the prayer of Abraham that the Lord opened the wombs of the women in Abimelech’s house for they had previously been closed as God’s judgement fell upon Abimelech.


As I read Genesis 20 I’m reminded of the words of Christ when He said “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5v37) Jesus was teaching about false, empty and frivolous oaths. Instead of boasting and lies we are to be men and women of integrity. Abraham would have done well if he had trusted himself to the Lord’s protection and declared Sarah to be his wife. He didn’t and on two occasions his wife and the house of Pharaoh and Abimelech paid the price.


Brothers and sisters, let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. Brothers and sisters, pray that lies would not escape your lips. Brothers and sisters, walk in your homes, towns, jobs and churches with integrity. Brothers and sisters, flee from gossip and slander. Brothers and sisters, be quick to apologise and quicker to forgive. The days are running out and so it is time to walk in a manner that displays the glory of the Gospel. As Christ once said “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3v8)


Pray (acTS)


Sing

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Q32 What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which, in this life, do either accompany or flow from them.
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5th August 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 1:24-31)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I want to start by paraphrasing verses 18-23 of Romans in this way, as what we turn to today is connected to this: this is what we have learnt… ‘a sinful people reject the truth of God even though it’s clear to them and they are without excuse’. That is what we do, that is what we have been thinking of over the past number of weeks, that by our nature we reject the truth of God even though it’s clear and all are without excuse. Now, as we bear that in mind here in these verses, there is a clear teaching of scripture; it is not popular today but it is unmistakeable and it is God’s revealed truth. The word contained in the Scriptures principally teaches what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of us. What I want to do is to help you see the consequences of sin; the manifestations of that sin are seen in the society around us, but the passage we look at today tells us of a consequence of it.


Look to how v24 connects what is now being said to what has come before, as this passage starts with a ‘Therefore’. If you have a KJV before you, you’ll read wherefore. Wherefore and therefore have the same meaning. Therefore, as a result of what Paul has just said, in how a “sinful people reject the truth of God even though it’s clear to them and they are without excuse”, we read ‘Therefore God gave them over’! The ESV puts it as ‘God gave them up’; the KJV says ‘God also gave them up’; the literal meaning of the Greek word is ‘to hand over’. This is what God does to ‘a sinful people reject the truth of God even though it's clear to them and they are without excuse’, He literally hands them over to their sin. Three times in these verses we are told of God handing over human beings because of their rejection of Him (24, 26, 28); people are given over to the sin that they so desire. 


When we think of the wrath of God, we often think of the end times, when Christ will return. We think of that final day of the Lord when the Lord Almighty will judge the living and the dead, when He will come with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it (Isa 13:9). But look back to verse 18, for here and this is the context of God handing them over to their sin, God is revealing His wrath. The Lord is handing sinners over to their sin, the desires of their heart as we are told in v24, to shameful lusts v26, a depraved mind in v28, is all a result of His wrath. 


The Lord is handing people over to these things because this is what they long for, this is what they want. God is giving those who want sin over to their sin precisely what they want and allowing them to store up greater wrath for the day of the Lord, the day when all will be judged. But this is also revealing the wrath of God on them and this world in this way. God is withdrawing His restraining grace on sinful man. The more people reject God’s rule in their lives and in this society, as we reject what thirty years ago were moral absolutes, God will lift His restraining grace and abandon man to himself and to his sin, and the result is what we see being played out more and more today. God gives people over to what they want. 


You and I can fall into grievous sin. We must not think that we are above that danger, but we know that there is forgiveness for sin, even that which is detailed in this passage, for “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:8). We know that we will fall short of what is required of us, but we must not disregard the teaching of scripture. If we want to please God, we keep His moral law. Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. (Jn 14:23–24). We show that we are Christ’s by living according to the word of God.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q31 What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
​

4th August 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 19


Message - Scott Woodburn


Every generation believes that they live in the absolute worst of times and the darkest of days. The reality doesn’t quite match our perception. There is no doubt that we live in a wicked age but humanity has been well versed in wickedness from the start. The Lord is not apathetic about humanity’s evil. He judges it daily and will judge it completely at the last day.


The Lord told Abraham that He was going to bring judgement upon the wicked cities of Sodom and Gommoarh whilst preserving any righteous individuals He found in the cities. He sent two angels to bring about the judgement and they quickly found themselves in the crosshairs of those who lived in Sodom.


Abraham’s nephew Lot met the angels and begged them not to stay in the city square but to spend the night at his home (v2-3). After supper and before the angels lay down to rest, the men of the city came to Lot’s house enquiring about the visitors. Perhaps they wanted to welcome the angels? Perhaps the angels would be taken to meet the officials of the city and a big banquet would be thrown in their honour? Not at all. It was for the purpose of wickedness and great evil that the men of the city came to Lot’s door.


The men of Sodom ask Lot “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” (v5) This isn’t “knowing” in the sense of conversation - the men of Sodom didn’t want to discuss the likes and dislikes of the angels. Instead they wanted the two angels to be brought outside where they would be raped.


Lot courageously urges the Sodomites to reject wickedness (v7) while at the same time offering his virgin daughters to the sexual appetite of the crowd (v8). Some argue that Lot is here trying to use the legal standards of Sodom to diffuse the situation, knowing that if his engaged daughters were to be raped the Sodomites would be held accountable under Sodom’s justice system. I’m not so sure. I suspect we see Lot acting in a righteous manner in one moment and then making rash and foolish decisions the next.


Thankfully the angels intervene and they strike those outside Lot’s house with blindness before urging Lot and his family to flee the city. Despite the warning of impending judgement Lot and his family don’t exactly take off running or act righteously. Lot lingers in the city (v16). His son-in-laws think its all a joke (v14). Lot’s wife rejects angelic wisdom and looks back upon the city. She  immediately turned into a pillar of salt (v26). His daughters worry that they will not get husbands and so they get their father drunk and have sex with him, both falling pregnant (v30-38).


This is a horrendous chapter that reminds me of Psalm 14. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”


Psalm 14 applies to everyone mentioned in Genesis 19 and everyone alive today in this present evil age. Most look at the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and see it as a tale of fire and brimstone from a bygone era. “God doesn’t act like this anymore” they reason “and even if He did, He certainly won’t act like this with me”. My friends, our God has not changed. If we think the evil of Genesis 19 was great and the judgement of fire was awful then we have no clue what the last day will be like. When Christ returns the judgement delivered upon Sodom will be made to look minuscule by the scale of Christ’s universal judgement.


What should we do? Do not put down roots in this world which will not last, instead repent of your sin and put your faith in Christ. Do not look back for He is coming and coming soon. Flee the wrath to come.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
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3rd August 2026


I’m off for the next few weeks, and for our next series from September through December, we’re turning to Romans. We worked through the first three chapters back in the autumn of 2022, which is four years ago, and back then I had a skin head and not a single grey or white hair on head or in my beard. While I’ve changed, the good news is that we have an unchanging God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and his word remains as relevant today as it did to its first hearers. So over the next few weeks, I’ve picked some of the past devotions from the opening chapters that will hopefully give you a bit of a refresh so we can hit the ground running in September. 


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 1:24-32 (and if you have time 2 Tim 3:16, Eph 2:20, 1 Jn 1:3–4, 2 Tim 1:13, 2 Tim 3:16, Rev 22:18-20)).


Message (Alan Burke) 


Today we are going to focus not on the next passage in Romans, although we will get to that on Wednesday. We are going to think on the doctrine of Scripture. The reason why is because there are many who claim to be churches of Jesus Christ who have sought to get around certain teachings of Scripture and have sought to interpret many passages in ways that cannot be substantiated. This is how we will also begin on this coming Lord’s Day, for it is important that we know and understand two things. The first is summarised in WSC2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (2 Tim. 3:16, Eph. 2:20), is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. (1 John 1:3–4). The second thing leads on from the first and it is summarised, yes you guessed it, in WSC3. What do the Scriptures principally teach? The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man. (2 Tim. 1:13, 2 Tim. 3:16).


These are two truths: the Word of God, all of it, contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how to glorify and enjoy him, and they principally teach what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of us. These are not new truths, yet sadly in every generation, because of the sinfulness of the human heart, we try to, as the psalmist puts it, “burst their bonds apart and cast away their chords from us” (Ps 2:3), meaning we are trying to overthrow the rule of God in sinful rebellion, to have lordship over our own lives. 


The Bible is sufficient by itself (Rev 22:18-20). Those who truly know and love the Lord know that the Bible itself is sufficient (2 Tim 3:16-17). Sadly, there are those that claim to be churches of Jesus Christ that don’t hold to the Bible’s sufficiency; others who rejected the authority of the Word; others who have bit by bit chipped confidence in it away, and as a result, they have rejected God and have nothing to offer a broken world as a result. It breaks my heart; it should break all our hearts. Some say it is the Bible plus, the Bible plus tradition; there are others that hold the view and some of them, well-meaning, that  the Bible contains the Word of God but is not the Word of God; they believe that they can decide for themselves which parts are true and which parts are false. While there are others that hold the view and it’s a common held view today, who say that the Bible is the fallible word of man, but when people read it, God uses these fallible words by His Spirit, so somehow they may receive in their own minds the true Word of God. One man finds one part “inspired,” while another finds that another portion “speaks.”  


We need to understand and know that these views are not only dangerous but they are deadly. There are many who have the view that ‘Bible has to fit the current culture’; it’s sad, because those who say such things are actually living the Bible in a sense, for as 2 Timothy 4 warns, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine; instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” This is happening in our day and age; people are choosing to go after their own desires and rejecting God and His revealed truth. 


It is necessary for us to have an objective standard by which we may pattern our lives on. That is the Word of God; it is the rule that God has given us; it must be the supreme authority in our lives. God has given us His word, which He is the source and ultimate author of Scripture. Though written by human authors, Scripture nevertheless has the full weight of His authority. He is the author of the Bible and has given it to direct the belief and behaviour of His people. Our ideas about God and our conduct should be measured, tested, and where necessary corrected and enlarged by His word contained in the scriptures. It was through the recognition that the Bible cannot be subject to any person or group, however exalted.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q29 How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. 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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1st August 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 18


Message - Scott Woodburn


Abraham found himself sitting at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. If his mind was on the warmth of the afternoon he soon had altogether more serious business to transact for Abraham received a visit from the Lord God Himself.


We can’t be sure if Abraham initially knew who his visitors were, but regardless he extended a hand of grace filled hospitality to the Lord. Cakes were to be baked, a young calf was to be slaughtered and the visitors would be offered the meal with curds and milk. It was at this stage that the Lord made it clear why He had come to visit Abraham’s tent. The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (v10)


This was an extraordinary claim. Sarah by her own admission was “worn out” (v12) and so she laughed at the thought of a child so late in life. We can quickly judge Sarah’s laughter harshly and yet we are just the same! We know the promises of God and struggle to believe that they are true. How often have we been rebuked when the Lord has answered a prayer that we thought to be impossible? As Abraham and Sarah would be told “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (v14) The elderly couple would be given a son for the Lord is not in the habit of lying or failing to keep His promises.


Such a wonderful promise is quickly followed by serious judgement. The Lord told Abraham that judgement was coming upon Sodom and Gomorrah. ”Then the Lord said, ‘Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.’” (v20-21)


These cities were well known for their wicked ways and while the Lord is always patient, eventually His bowl of judgement will be poured out. Abraham rightfully refuses to rejoice at the impending destruction of the wicked. Indeed he is concerned that those counted as righteous might be caught up in God’s wrath (v23). What if there are 50 righteous? What about 45? What about 30 or 20? What about just 10? Will the Lord sweep away a whole city along with 10 of His own?


The Lord’s response is gracious. “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” (v32) Did the wicked of Sodom and Gomorrah consider the grace of God? Did they know the danger they were in? Did they consider that the presence of God’s people was a blessing and not a hindrance? Of course not. They had no regard for the Lord or His people and continued upon their sinful path until it was too late. Many thousands of years have passed since the Lord visited Abraham’s tent and yet sinful humanity still refuses to be told. But told what?


Many Church leaders have spoken plenty in the past week about climate change and they have urged great action to take place before it is too late. I’d rather have many church leaders speaking plenty about Christ and urging repentance and faith before it is too late.


Humanity has not changed but praise be, neither has the Lord. He remains the God for whom nothing is impossible - even the salvation of sinners. He remains the God for whom sin is an abomination - never underestimate His holiness and wrath. He remains the God who cannot break a promise - rejoice that His Word is true. He remains the God who preserves all of His children - His eye rests upon the very hairs of your head. He remains the God who has appointed a day of judgement - the righteous will not be swept away but the wicked will perish. Rest in Him this day for our Lord will always do what is right (v25).
  
Pray (acTS)


Sing


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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, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.
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31st July 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (John 13:1-17 focus v12-17)


Message (Alan Burke)


I’ve got a wee problem, now before you say to yourself “Burke, you have many problems” and start to list them all, would you relax a wee bit? My problem, my wee problem, is actually a big stinking problem, and you have it too; it’s my sinful heart. Many people get on their high horse when you try to tell them about their problem with sin, how every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart is only evil all the time. I seemed to have put a few noses out of joint recently when I said such a thing, even though that’s the Lord’s verdict (Gen 6:5). Because of my sinful heart, how every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart is only evil all the time, I’m not very good at doing what we are taught here by Jesus. He’d just washed his disciples’ feet, and he asks them; “Do you understand what I have done for you?” These disciples had vied for position, they had spoken and acted out of their own misconceived ambition and pride. They were looking for a place in the kingdom, expecting it to be like the kingdoms of this world, but now they were confronted with the fact that in the kingdom of God and his Christ, things are not like the kingdoms of this world. 


What Jesus had just done was a powerful lesson in servanthood, driving the point home that if he, being their Lord and Master, was willing to wash their feet, stooping before them, performing a task that would have been left to the lowest servant, how much more should they, his followers, who are for one another and for all? He then commanded his disciples to wash each other’s feet to serve one another in love according to the example he set. To refuse to serve others, to refuse to humble themselves, no matter how high their position, was to place themselves above Jesus. He had exemplified to them his love, his humility, his servant-heartedness. He was the example to follow, even though his disciples had been told they are still unaware of the full gravity of what lies ahead. For his disciples, the humility of Christ should be the pattern for their lives; that is as true for those there in the upper room as it is for us here today. Instead of aspiring to dominate, we must be eager to serve. Head knowledge, intellectual understanding, is not enough but must be backed up by a commitment of life. It doesn’t mean that our works are the basis of our acceptance by God but that they are the evidence of a true faith; they show where our hearts lie. For faith and obedience are inseparable. 


The problem is that this isn’t how the world works; it isn’t how our sinful nature is wired. We’re not being taught here that we have to start literally washing each other’s feet but that we are to serve those in the body of Christ. We serve one another. Just think how it would be if we were those as the church in this place who, desiring to bring glory to God, put aside our big heads, personalities, our self-serving attitude, and follow the example of Christ our saviour. What a witness that would be to the community around us, that we serve one another, that we leave aside our own ambition, and we are those who love each other and serve each other, that we stop getting our knickers in a twist and don’t hold on to things that were said, we don’t take offence, that we are patient with each other, forgiving as we have been forgiven through Christ Jesus.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q27 Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?
A. 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.

30th July 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 17


Message - Scott Woodburn


Thirteen years later Abram and Sarai still did not have a son. Ishmael was growing up but he still didn’t have a little brother. Abram was now 99 years old and humanly speaking was as good as dead (Hebrews 11v12). Into this scenario the Lord moved.


In this chapter the Lord does several things. Firstly, he reiterates His covenant with Abram, summed up by the wonderful phrase “to be God to you and to your offspring after you.” (v7) Secondly, he changes Abram’s name from Abram to Abraham. Abram means “exalted father” which perhaps stung Abram as he longed for a son. Abraham means “father of a multitude” which would soon prove to be a suitable name for Abraham the man of faith.


To underline that He fully intended to keep His promise, the Lord gave Abraham a covenant sign. Abraham and his descendants were to be circumcised as a reminder in their flesh that God was faithful (v11). What would the significance of such a reminder be? As the foreskin was removed and blood was shed, Abraham and his descendants would remember that a seed was coming. This seed would be cut off for our sake, His blood would be shed and in Him all the nations of the world would be blessed. Circumcision was not an empty ritual but was to be received by faith in the Redeemer to come.


Later the Lord would promise Abraham a son called Isaac meaning “he laughs” (v19). Isaac would come from Abraham and Sarai despite Abraham wondering and laughing “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old?” (v17). But nothing is too hard for the Lord. A child would be born to Abraham and whilst the Lord would make Ishmael a great nation (v20) the covenant would be established with Isaac (v21). That very day Abraham and the males of his house were circumcised in faithful anticipation of what the Lord was about to do (v23).


We can be thankful for living on this side of the cross. We see in the pages of the Scriptures that the Lord did all that He promised and that the seed of the woman was Jesus Christ our Lord. Today we baptise not circumcise. Christ was cut off for us and His blood was shed, so now circumcision has been replaced by baptism, reminding us of the cleansing flow of God’s forgiveness. Yet we haven’t done away with the imagery of circumcision.


A Christian is someone whose heart has been turned from stone to flesh. Their heart has been cleansed. Their heart has been made new. A true follower of Christ has received the Gospel by faith and doesn’t go through the motions of religious rituals. Paul would put it this way “But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” (Romans 2v29)


The ancient sign of circumcision is no longer practiced in the church of Christ and yet as the Holy Spirit works, sinful hard hearts are circumcised through faith in Christ. This is a supernatural and miraculous work and one that should cause you great joy. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5v17)    


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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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.
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29th July 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (John 13:1-17 focus v6-11)


Message (Alan Burke)


I was off to use the little boys’ room at the church hall a while back, and there was someone in there with the blue gloves on, fishing out sweetie wrappers, crisp packets that some wee fella had put down the toilet after using it, along with some brown stains that had ended up on the floor, obviously from some ‘chocolate’. The person in question had gone to the little boys’ room, saw the mess, without saying anything to anyone, went and got gloves, some disposable towels, a bag, and a mop, and was in the process of sorting it out when I arrived. Would you have done the same? There are all kinds of things that we think are beneath us, that are someone else’s job, our status in life, our sense of pride, persona— all play a part in that. In Jesus’ day, one of those things that many people believed was beneath them was washing the feet of others. It was the task of a servant, regarded as one of the lowest household tasks. 


Peter’s response to what Jesus was doing was to vehemently protest to his master, before him dressed not as a conquering king but in a servant’s towel. His response reveals just how shocking what was unfolding would have been to the disciples that night. Peter found even the thought that Jesus would wash his feet as absurd; this was a servant’s task; he did not feel worthy that his master should be acting like this towards him. He said to Jesus, “You shall never wash my feet,” and Jesus counters his adamance by saying: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Whatever Peter's own expectations may have been, Jesus’s repose makes it clear that he must accept Jesus in the path that God has chosen for him to follow. He hears what Jesus has said, but again, Peter fails to understand, and he moves protesting that Jesus would wash his feet to say: “Not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”. The explanation that Jesus gives is that after one has bathed, he only needs to wash his feet for his whole body to be clean. The imagery would have been easy for the disciples to understand; feet were constantly soiled by the dust of the ground. The imagery used by Jesus speaks of how they are clean; they are clean because they have faith in him, for it is through Christ Jesus, through his life, and his death and resurrection yet to come that we are made clean. For it is through his blood that we are cleansed (see 1 Jn 1:7). 


For those among them and who have trusted in the saviour, they have been cleansed by his atoning work through the ignominy of the cross. We are clean, cleansed completely. Just as the disciples were cleansed not because they have purified themselves and made themselves worthy, it is the same for us; it is through what Jesus has done that we are made clean, in his surrender of himself on the cross. Brothers and sisters, it is only through what Jesus has done for us that we are made clean; we are washed in his blood; cleansed by him. Yet on this side of glory, we remain sinners; the effects of sin are daily apparent to us, apparent in our relationships, in our bodies, in every part of our lives. Hence Jesus says: “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean…”. In our lives it is important that we come daily to our Father and we confess our sin because our continuing sin affects our fellowship with our Father. We need to do this, because our “vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depend on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh” (John Owen Mortification of Sin).


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Q25 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. 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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28th July 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 16


Message - Scott Woodburn


How long should you wait to get what you want? A few weeks? Months? Years? Sometimes we get sick of waiting and decide to take matters into our own hands. Abram had received God’s promise by faith but now was going to bring about the promise by the flesh.


Abram and his wife Sarai were childless and so came up with the plan for Abram to sleep with his wife’s servant Hagar. If all went according to the earthly plan Hagar would produce an heir and so the promise of God would be fulfilled. Unsurprisingly none of this was with the Lord’s blessing.


Hagar did indeed fall pregnant but she was immediately filled with sinful pride and arrogance towards Sarai. Sarai for her part is filled with bitterness and cries to Abram “May the wrong done to me be on you!” (v5) It seems that Sarai has forgotten that the whole episode was her idea! Abram’s response doesn’t cover him in glory. “Do to her as you please” he urged his wife (v6). Or in other words Abram’s attitude is “nothing to do with me!”


The whole story is a sinful mess that came about due to the unwillingness to wait upon the sovereignty of Almighty God. Sadly it gets worse. Hagar is forced to flee from Sarai’s harsh treatment and so this young pregnant girl finds herself alone in the wilderness (v7). Sin upon sin upon sin and the outcome is bitterness, division and isolation. Utterly tragic.


However if Abram washed his hands of the matter, the Lord didn’t. In verse seven we meet an angel for the first time in the Scriptures, only this angel is THE angel of the Lord (v7). Whenever we meet such a statement we believe that we see a pre-incarnation appearance of Christ. Jesus is eternal and before he came in the flesh He was very much active and appeared throughout the Old Testament.


It was the Lord therefore who came and sought out the outcast telling Hagar that she was indeed pregnant with a son. His name would be Ishmael meaning “God hears” for the Lord had heard the cries of Hagar’s heart. From Ishmael would come a multitude of people who would know trouble and strife.


Hagar understands that not only does God hear but God sees. The name of the well where the Lord met with Hagar was to be called “Beer-lahai-roi” (v14) meaning “the well of the living God who sees” and so Hagar returns to Abram with the news of her meeting with the Lord. The message to her master would be clear - God hears and sees and will surely keep His promise.


Brothers and sisters waiting is hard but rushing into to sin is even worse. At times it may seem that the Lord has no regard for us and that we currently walk through the wilderness. But today we remember that the Lord came to seek and to save the lost. We were once dead in sin and had no regard for the Lord and then on a bright shining day, he sought us out and opened our eyes. He has not changed. He is still for you. He remains the God who hears and sees…just you wait and see.       


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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.