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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus is Alive

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus is Alive
 Last  week  Brenda gave me a book to read ‘Light Through Prison Bars’ It is about Rev Noel Proctor who had headed up Strangeways Prison Manchester Chaplaincy Team in the 80’s and 90’s.
There had been a rival in Strangeways Prison during the 1980’s hundreds of men had come to faith in Christ.”The revival was the talk of the Christian community in the North West. Christians around the region supported the work with house groups and by receiving a Prison Prayer Letter which Brenda still hands out each month.
In John’s first letter “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. “And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure,”  
The devil had been defeated as the Lord transformed the lives of the prisoners, and they were leaving prison walking in the light of knowing Jesus in a personal way and bearing witness through the change that had taken place within their lives, a high percentage didn’t re-offend. 1 John 3: 8, 9.
However, this was contested by the devil through the Strangeways Prison riot that took place on April 1st 1990. I remember seeing it on TV prisoners throwing slates off roofs and fires had been started in the buildings. It was the worst prison disturbance in the history of prisons.The Governor said that it had been an explosion of evil.
Noel saw all his work come to a sudden devastating end.
In his book he wrote, “A heavy weight was lodged around his heart, he felt guilty, constantly he asked himself whether there was anything he could have done on that morning of April 1st to stop the riot. He felt empty, as if nothing could reach him, he questioned his faith including the resurrection, shortly after the riot his wife died.
A friend told him that that he was experiencing the crucifixion of Jesus.
When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was deserted by his disciples, they all fled, in fear of being arrested. Jesus went on to experience spiritual separation from God his Father.  He was heard to cry out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.” Matthew 27: 46.
The cross and the Christian intertwine, it’s were Jesus spoke of his followers taking up their cross daily and that means at some point on our journey, we will know the suffering of Christ in various ways. However, it’s important to say that there are more times of rejoicing than times of suffering.
One of those ways Noel was experiencing his ‘emptiness’ were the presence of the Lord seemed to have totally disappeared.
Other Christians who have experienced the same: C. S Lewis it was after his wife died, Mother Teresa at the founding of her missionary work and Martin Luther when he was a young monk, God allowed this to happen to them like Noel for a reason.
You may know someone who is going through a similar situation and the Lord wants you to show them Jesus going through it as well, so he knows how they feel.
In the book ‘The Inward Journey’ by Gene Edwards
Gene described how it feels to be completely empty of the Lord’s presence, “It’s not a dry period, nor is it having a hard time, it’s not personal illness or persecution and it’s not that you have forsaken the Lord, nor has there been any reason that should cause the Holy Spirit not to be there. It‘s as if God has walked off.  
But take heart he writes, no believer has gone through what some call the ‘dark night of the soul’ without one day coming into the joy and surprise of a bright morning of resurrection.”                         
Noel’s resurrection
Noel went to visit a former prisoner in hospital who he had known for a number of years. This man had made comments in the past to Noel saying that the resurrection was a fairy story. That day he shared with Noel his ‘near death’ experience where he saw a light in the darkness, in his thoughts he struggled to get to the light, when he was almost there about to enter into the light when a door slammed shut and the light was no longer there. At that point he woke up, having been resuscitated. He confirmed to Noel that he is now a Christian and believes in the resurrection, life after death.                   
The Lord used this former prisoner’s witness to give Noel a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit, his faith had been strengthened by what he had suffered and he rejoiced in the hope of the resurrection.                                       
Two types of resurrection
Coming to faith in Christ
Firstly for an increasing number of people who have no Church background, it’s when they hear about Jesus  and turning to Jesus in faith repent, and die to sin, they are raised up with Jesus in his resurrection into newness of life.  Colossians 2: 12
Secondly- when Jesus calls out his church we receive our resurrected body
Luke’s account gives us some insight into Jesus’ resurrected body. 
His body had substance, whereas, a spirit does not have flesh and bones. Jesus showed them the holes where the nails had pierced his hands and his feet. He wanted them to touch his hands were the nails had been.
One of the differences; no blood in his risen body, we would say flesh and blood, but Jesus said, flesh and bones. His body had no blood, his heart had been speared by the centurion, so to touch his flesh must have been cold.
He asked for their food to eat, grilled fish and he ate it before them. In all probability he did this for his disciples benefit, so they could identify with their own body and not a spirit.
Another difference was that his body could pass through walls and disappear from human view in a moment. Jesus resurrected body the first of a new creation. 
Luke 24: 36-43. 2 Corinthians 5: 15-17                                                                                                                                                                       
Paul explained the resurrection to the Corinthians by the example of some creatures have fur, others scales, feathers, shells, celestial and terrestrial etc 1 Corinthians 15: 39, 40
We will receive our resurrected body when Jesus calls out the Church  
You can’t destroy matter so God will gather the dust, every fragment of our natural body bringing it together and it’s transform into an imperishable resurrected body.
Fulfilling Jesus words, “I AM the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me though they die yet shall they live,
This is where the dead in Christ  rise together with  those who are alive at the time of the call, as Jesus said, “and who ever lives and believes in me shall never die”  John 11: 25, 26.

 

Paul confirming Jesus’ word in his first letter to the Thessalonians,There will be a meeting in the air Christians those who have died in Christ, and those who are living on the earth. Our bodies will be changed at the twinkling of an eye. The whole church meeting with Jesus in the air. 1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17.
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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus and the Cross

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus and the Cross

 

Above a cross made out of olive wood.

Short study Luke 23: 26 – 31
Trees.
In the book of Genesis Moses inspired by the Holy Spirit placed the creation of humanity in a garden, with trees being a focal point: the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. Genesis 2: 9   

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. 
Adam and Eve were instructed by God not to eat anything from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they fell into temptation by the devil and ate some fruit from this tree, as a result they became separated from God.” Genesis 3: 1-7

 

The tree of life
Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden of Eden. God placed a Cherubim at the entrance to the garden bearing a flaming sword, he blocked the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3: 24. 

The wooden cross
Jerusalem must have very busy with those who had travelled from far and wide to celebrate the ‘Passover.’   After Jesus had been condemned by the crowd outside the Praetorium (Judgement Hall) he was scourged mocked by the soldiers and led away to be crucified. However, Jesus was so weak by the violence against his body that Simon of Cyrene was seized by a soldier to carry the cross for him.
Simon had just arrived in Jerusalem coming from Cyrene the capital of Libya.  Mark wrote that he was the father of Alexander and Rufus. Mark 6: 6-15. 15: 21. Acts 4: 27  

Above Jesus started out carrying his cross until Simon carried it for him..         
When Jesus spoke about his suffering, death and being raised on the third day, he went on to say that anyone following him should deny himself daily taking up their cross. Luke 9: 22, 23.
Simon of Cyrene did it literally he followed behind Jesus carrying his cross. We don’t know how Simon felt about carrying Jesus’ cross, but Mark wrote that his two sons became disciples, so it would seem quite likely that Simon became a follower of Jesus.
For us today denying ourselves to carry our cross daily for some sadly, tragically means being persecuted, imprisoned or losing their earthly life. For others it means putting Jesus first and foremost on an everyday basis in serving Christ in practical ways as well as prayer, study and witnessing about Jesus. Some Christians are called to missionary work abroad and that can be really hard to do, leaving family and friends behind.
At that point Jesus summoned the energy to speak to the wailing women who followed them.
 “Daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck. Then they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us and to the hills “Cover us.”
Jesus had earlier on his triumphant entry into Jerusalem wept over Jerusalem as he foresaw its destruction, so here he reiterated his earlier prophecy in telling them that their tears for him would not change what was to befall Jerusalem. Luke 19: 41-44.
“For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry.”
“For if they do this when the wood is green,” Jesus in the midst of the living dead, having come under man’s fallen nature and judgement from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
 “What will happen when it is dry.” After he died, he found life from the dryness of the tomb  God resurrected Jesus from the dead, would the people believe when they heard? 
Jesus the green olive tree that was to be felled because of the sin of Israel also bearing mankind’s sin.

The Olive tree is spoken of as a green tree.
“The Lord once called you, (Israel) A green olive tree, fair and goodly fruit: but with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed.”Jeremiah 11: 16
Jesus bore the sin of the nation and took the punishment under law.
The prophecy to Ezekiel: “Prophesy against the forest of the Negeb, say to the forest of Negeb hear the word of the Lord, “Thus says the Lord God, behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched.” Ezekiel 20 : 45-48.  A fire within them speaks of judgement
“And if a man committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God; you shall not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance.” Deuteronomy 21: 22, 23.
Jesus fulfilled every law, he was taken down from the cross before nightfall by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and buried the same day.
“What will happen when it is dry?” After he died, God resurrected Jesus from the dead, would the people believe when they heard?  God raised Jesus bodily from the dead, his resurrected body the new living temple, God in Christ.
God left his temple at Jerusalem before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD
When the veil in the temple was torn in two the way to the tree of life was made open. Genesis 3: 5, 24. Matthew 27: 51. 
Below the empty cross

Jesus the Tree of Life. 
The way into God’s Kingdom is through Jesus’ death and resurrection, prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures through an incident on the Israelites way to the Promised Land, fulfilled in the New Testament by Jesus.  
The Israelites journeyed towards the Promised Land, they were desperate for water, they came upon a pool of water, but it was undrinkable, as it was bitter. The people complained, so Moses prayed to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree and he threw the tree into the water. As a result the water was sweet and drinkable. Exodus 15: 22-25.

The bitter water representing sin.
The tree- living we died (representing eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.)
The cross – dead find life (all of humanity’s sin borne by Jesus on the cross, the way is opened to the tree of life)
The sweet water- representing sins forgiven, resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

How amazing God is, the revealed plan of salvation as the Israelites journeyed towards the Promised Land. 
Below: Olive Tree

St Paul wrote that the natural branches (Israel) broken off because of unbelief. The Messiah’s calling was to the nation first and then to the world. The Gentiles have been grafted into the olive tree by faith in Jesus. Romans 11: 24.

The Messiah’s Secret
At Pentecost and after was the time for the nation’s leaders to accept Jesus as their Messiah. Not before Jesus’ death as I was brought up to believe. In 1996 the Lord revealed to me that it was impossible for the nation of Israel to receive, install Jesus as their King and Messiah before his death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus had to die for the sins of the whole world and universe, all things cleansed by the blood of the lamb of God, including the devil who held the power over death was defeated by the blood of Jesus.

Three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood.
John the Apostles wrote in his first letter. “This is Jesus who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree. 1 John 5: 6, 7.
Water is something that we all use for cleansing purposes and when we add a cleansing agent to it, stubborn stains, dirt and germs are removed. 
So when we think of Jesus’ baptism: the water together with the cleansing agent the blood of Jesus applied to our heart, we can understand the implications, it removes sin and its causes, things that spoil our relationship with God and other people too; selfishness, pride, envy, covetousness, rivalry, deceit, fornication, slander, lies, licentiousness and theft. 
So the water of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ blood cleanses us. We are made alive by Holy Spirit, a new creation, born again into the kingdom of God. Having received from God the Holy Spirit, one experience is worth a thousand arguments.

 
The Real Jesus.
Jesus is risen, he is alive, and he is real today. Lives are transformed by him as the Trinity indwells the believer, the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us. 
God is Spirit; God is love, love that is patient, kind, forgiving, just, tolerant, truthful, peaceable, fervent, generous, grateful, thankful, joyful, fun and faithful. Wise and discerning in knowing when to speak and when to be silent. Wanting the best for others and to be content in every circumstance.
 
Given grace to be yourself and at peace.
When we come to Jesus in faith he accepts us as we are. His indwelling presence changes the way we think and our attitudes, this takes effect immediately, but continues over many years as the Holy Spirit gives us fresh insight about ourselves.
 
The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus through the written word, especially his promises, here are four: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened to you. . . . .  how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11: 9-13.
The Holy Spirit is at work in the world and often at work in people’s lives without a person knowing him personally. He enables an unbeliever to be touched with the words about Jesus, in order to give every person the opportunity to make a choice to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour.
 
“All things are possible to them that believe.”Mark 9: 23. 
A friend reminded me of this when I was sharing this word yesterday. I was grateful for his word to me, he said, “Noah knew the dove had found dry land when it brought back an olive leaf to him, it’s like when we reach out to people with an olive branch telling them about Jesus.
We speak of giving or receiving an olive branch as a token of forgiveness, of peace. Genesis 8: 11.
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, may the leaders of nations in their conversations with each other have opportunities today to hand an olive branch of forgiveness and peace and may we too have opportunities to do the same. Help us to serve you with willing hearts and to put into practise carrying our cross today. In Jesus’ name.
                                                                                                      
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The Messiah’s Secret – Bethany

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The  Messiah’s  Secret – Bethany
 
 Evening  Lectionary: Exodus 6: 2-13.  John 12: 1-8 

 
Someone wrote – “Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish one’s growth without destroying one’s roots.”  

In our reading in Exodus Moses was being criticised unfairly as he sought to be obedient to God’s will by the people of Israel for being unsuccessful when he went with God’s message to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh refused to let the people go, instead he made the people work harder by having to go and collect the straw to make the same number of bricks.
The people complained to Moses concerning their suffering, but God was in their suffering, and we know now that God had to fulfil his purposes through Moses and Aaron, God would be victorious over the gods and magicians of Egypt, eventually releasing the people of Israel as a nation from their bondage to Pharaoh.
 
At last Tuesday’s Lent Bible Study we were discussing suffering “Why does God allow suffering? We looked at John 11 were Mary and Martha had sent for Jesus when their brother Lazarus was seriously ill, but he did not come and they must have wondered why, but in the purposes of God it was intended that Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead.
 
In our own situations we may find ourselves being criticised for not responding to someone’s need, there may have been a misunderstanding or forgetting to pick someone up, a mix up of some kind and as a result causing suffering. We may be doing too much and as a result a gentle word to point out that there is a need to re-asses their situation and looking carefully at their commitment in other areas of their ministry, and by prayer handing everything to the Lord in faith believing that his will be done.  
 
So as we picture the scene at Bethany while Mary was doing this beautiful act of anointing Jesus. The moment was interrupted by Judas who criticised Mary he was annoyed that she had spent so much on the anointment, saying, “Why was this ointment not sold for 300 danarii and given to the poor.”
 
Judas Iscariot
Looking at the character of Judas he had spent three years in ministry with Jesus. Along with the other disciples he had taken out the message of the coming kingdom and he took on the responsibility to manage their finances.
However, John informs us in this reading that Judas was not to be trusted because he stole from their money box. How hard it must have been for Jesus to go through his ministry with a disciple who was not trustworthy.  

We know now that Jesus appointed Judas as one of his twelve disciples knowing that he would betray him, therefore perhaps we should not be surprised when John wrote “Not that he cared for the poor.” He was insincere, he betrayed Jesus for money. Judas was not close to Jesus, he was not there at the transfiguration.
The interpretation of the parables did not have any effect on him, 
 
Jesus I am sure loved Judas with an unconditional love and continually forgave him, turning his cheek, putting into practise his own words. After Judas made these remarks to Mary, Jesus diffused Judas’ criticism of her by saying, “Leave her alone, and let her keep it for the day of my burial.” 
 
In Matthew’s account Mary anointed both his head and his feet, and he remembered more of Jesus’ words “She has done a beautiful thing to me,” How privileged Mary was to do something personally for Jesus.
 
Mary of Bethany fulfilled the Psalmist prophecy concerning the plan of God in anointing Jesus for his burial. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body in order to bury him in a tomb.  Joseph and Nicodemus embalmed Jesus’ body in the tomb.
 
The Psalmist’ prophecy 23: 4,5 These verses amazingly speak of that night at Bethany.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; thy rod and staff are a comfort to me; Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.”  RSV Bible 
 
Six days before Jesus’ death on the cross he was comforted by his friends at Bethany over a meal, where one of them was his enemy Judas. Mary anointed Jesus head and his feet with oil, anointing him for his burial. His cup overflowed with kindness towards Mary. 
 
Just as God fulfilled his promise to Moses
In Exodus 6 verses 2-13 I counted seven ‘I will’ as God promised to fulfil his covenant and set them free. Jesus accomplished his task in his death and resurrection, fulfilling his Father’s will in setting us free from our bondage’s so that we might live a Christ-like life.
 
Set Free from the bondage of drugs. 
At my sister’s church a former addict James met Jesus out walking his dog, he was preparing to end his life, when Jesus appeared to him in the park in the form of a brilliant light and he saw on the ground a rope going across the footpath and he heard the words, “Cross over that rope and you’re in eternal hell.” His thought changed, his addiction to drugs left him in an instant and today he is completely free and today he teaches and preaches the Bible.
 
Today the Lord is in every situation that we face and he will fulfil his purposes we may find out in due course or at some later date look back and see we need not have worried as the Lord had been directing our path.                                                                                                          
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The Messiah’s Secret – Discernment

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The  Messiah’s  Secret – Discernment. 
Evening Lectionary 
Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-16. John 8: 51-59

The Bishop of Bolton Chris Edmondson  at a Readers Quiet Morning(2009) gave a talk on ‘Discernment’. He gave guidance through 10 points, I’ll read one of them: Learn to discern the difference between ‘the world’, ‘the flesh’ and ‘the devil’ so that the devil does not get ‘credit’ for what is a purely human phenomenon.

 What is the human phenomenon?
I have worshipped at churches where you were not encouraged to say anything other than the liturgy.
‘Church Chuckles’ “I would be grateful if the member of the congregation who keeps calling out, “Praise the Lord!” would kindly cease and remember that this is the house of God.” 
Friendly banter, “The church members were meeting to discuss raising money to repair the roof. A wealthy member stood up and said he would donate £5. As he sat down a bit of ceiling fell on his head. He rose again and said he would make it £50. Another member was heard to say, ”Hit him again, Lord.”  
‘Church Chuckles’  by Phil and Mary Mason. Publishers Monarch. 

In John Chapter 8 a heated conversation took place between Jesus and the Jews in the temple at Jerusalem. Jesus made a distinction between the spirituality of those born of the seed of Abraham and those born the children of Abraham.
The people who were talking with Jesus he described as being of the seed of Abraham they were Abraham’s descendants, having the covenants and promises, but they were in bondage, under the influence of the devil. 
Whereas, the children of Abraham their spirituality would reflect the fellowship that Abraham had with God. Abraham sought to hear from God and he acted in faith and obedience. The writer of Hebrews wrote, “By faith Abraham went to Promised Land not knowing where he was going, and when he settled in Canaan he looked for a heavenly city whose maker and builder was God. 

Discernment  
Jesus said that those who were the children of Abraham would have listened and heard God in his words and received him in faith, they would have loved him  
Those listening their response indicated they neither discerned or heard what he said.  This fulfilled what Isaiah wrote “Go to this people and say, You shall indeed hear but not understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull’ and their ears are heavy with hearing, and their eyes have closed; lest they should receive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.” Isaiah 6: 9,10.  

The Lent Course the study of Mark 10: 32 – 45. 

Jesus told his disciples that he was going to be killed at Jerusalem and after three days be raised from the dead. They did not hear what he was saying, instead they picked up the word ‘kingdom’ and asked who should sit on his left and right in his kingdom. They were coming from the seed of Abraham the flesh, pride, self determined life, position and power. Jesus said are you able to drink the cup of his baptism? 
They responded by saying, ”Yes, we are able.” They followed him on the journey to the cross, where two criminals where crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. This is what Jesus was pointing to when James and John would be baptised into Jesus’ death and resurrection, crucified with Christ in dying to self determined lives, seeking the lowest place, not seeking positions of power and authority, instead “not my will, but Jesus your will be done. 
James and John suffered for their faith:  James was killed by Herod and John was exiled to Pathos. Many Christians are suffering today in Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Nigeria. Barnabas Aid asks us to pray today for the people of Eastern Nigeria who are being persecuted by Boko Haran.
  

We discussed the possibility that, “Surely having heard from Jesus of his death they would understand.” But in other scriptures Luke and Matthew’s Gospel they confirmed that the disciples could not grasp what Jesus was saying, “And taking the twelve, he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Luke 18:31- 34 
After God had revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus said that he was going to suffer and the third day rise from the dead. Peter said, “God forbid it Lord! This should never happen to you!”  Matthew 16: 13 – 23.

The prophesies in the scriptures were hidden by God  
Jesus’ parables as well as many of the prophesies were not discerned by the disciples as well as the Jews. Like the prophecy where Abraham took his son Isaac and laid him upon the altar and God provided the ram for sacrifice. Fulfilled in Jesus. 
Genesis 22 Isaiah 53. Hebrews 11: 17-19.  

Jesus said, “Abraham ‘Saw Christ’s day and rejoiced’.  Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus as he probably discerned that God had in mind of making an offering of his Son to suffer and die to make the final sacrifice for sin. 

Jesus words John 8: 51, “If a person keeps my words, they will never see death.” Christians  are born not of human descent, we are adopted by Jesus to become children of God. Adopted through the promise given to Abraham, therefore we are, inheritors of the kingdom of God.   

Scriptures Revealed. 
On the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection when Jesus appeared in the house at Jerusalem where his disciples were gathered and he breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit and he opened their minds to understand the scriptures that the Christ had to suffer death and be raised up by God on the third day. It was only then was the scriptures realised. Luke 24: 44 – 48.  Some of those scriptures were included  in the Gospels. John 2: 21, 22. 12: 16. Matthew 8: 17  

The Incarnation
Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, or ‘I solemnly declare to you’ “ Before Abraham was, I am.”   
Jesus the word of God clothed in the flesh. John  wrote In the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”  In his first letter he wrote describing Jesus’ presence among them, “We have handled the word of life.”  

Jesus honoured by God 
In heaven Jesus was honoured by his Father, the lamb that was slain he took the scroll from the right hand of him sitting on the throne. The angels and all the company of heaven said with aloud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, glory and blessing.” Revelation 4: 9 Jesus lifted high above all things.  

After Pentecost
Caiaphas the high priest had been given a prophecy from God that one man would die so that the nation would not perish. (be saved.) John 11: 47 – 53. 18: 14.

When at and after Pentecost the disciples witnessed to the resurrection of Jesus and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit prophesied by King David and Joel one would have thought that Caiaphas would have understood that the prophecy God gave him had been fulfilled, that God had hidden from their, the leaders understanding the Messiah’s death so that they would allow it to happen, and that afterwards he would be able to discern the resurrection being true, even though it was contrary to the Sadducee beliefs,  or was it because he was coming from the seed of Abraham.                                                                                  
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The Messiah’s Secret –

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The Messiah’s Secret – Church of England Today in UK

Christians Together Haslingden.

Salt and Light 
Jesus spoke of his followers being salt and light. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt had lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5: 13, 14.

Christian Titus Salt reflected his name’s sake Titus the Greek, he was generous and devout, the salt of the earth, an honest principled man with spiritual integrity. He used his wealth not just to build lots of mills, I believe he thought of the needs of his workforce.
Titus Salt built a town ‘Saltaire’ for his 3,500 workforce. The houses had fresh water, gas lighting and heating and every house had its own outside lavatory. It had its own park, church, school, hospital, library and a whole range of different shops, but he never built a pub,. He was not a Methodist, he was a Congregationalist.

Salt –purifies and preserves.
Light – searches the heart and gives direction. 

Titus  (Greek means) ‘Honoured’ or title of honour’ which is very fitting for this disciple. 

We first hear about Titus in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem  where they gave an account to the Apostles of the Gentiles receiving the Gospel message. Titus no doubt witnessed his conversion to those gathered at Jerusalem. Galatians 2:1-3, 5.   

Titus was one of a number of disciples who Paul chose to be messengers between the churches. Stephanas, Fortunatus, Archicus and Timothy and several more.  

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church
In Paul’s letter to the Christians at Corinth we read about the problems: Jewish Christians insisting on Gentiles becoming Jews, also some followed the individual leaders who baptised them. Pagan practices continued: incest and taking each other to court, all kinds of problems. The church in danger of disintegrating, it’s light going out.

Paul sent Timothy with his first letter to Corinth; pouring salt into the wound, his every word seasoned with salt making it clear that their behaviour did not comply with Jesus’ teaching. Paul states that there was no love between them, he goes on to describe the love of God and how it is worked out in practice. However, it made no difference to their situation 1 Corinthians 13:1, 2.   
Eyre and Spottiswoode RSV Bible 
In the concordance it states concerning this situation at Corinth, “Paul made a visit to Corinth hoping to settle the controversy; he met with defeat. Paul sent a another letter in stern and severe terms to Corinth by Titus.”   This letter is not in the New Testament.   2 Corinthians was written after these problems had been resolved.  

Titus’ delivered Paul’s stern and severe letter and stayed with the church at Corinth, he was salt and light by helping them to sort out their problems, subsequently, he reported back to Paul the good news that the church had repented and acknowledged Paul’s teaching. It was very important to the Gentiles that Paul’s  teaching was accepted. We understand that they had repented making peace with their fellow Christians, an amazing turn around. We read about it in 2 Corinthians 7: 6-16.  
Paul wrote in response in 2 Corinthians 4: 5, 6. “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ, who is the likeness of God. For it is the God who said, “ Let the light shine out of darkness,” The light Jesus’ presence  shining out of the darkness of the world.    
v 6 Jesus, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
After we heard or read about Jesus and asked him into our heart, his presence was realised, we know the gospels are telling the truth, Jesus did send the Holy Spirit into the world, so all that we can do is to thank the Lord for bringing us from the darkness of this world into his marvellous light. 

Church of England Today in the UK                                                                                   
In Paul’s letter to Titus he gave instructions that the Cretan Christians should submit to authorities both in the church and governments. Many people today like the Cretan church submit to the authority of the church, but underlying that there are Christians who are suffering and need our love and understanding over woman Bishops.

Most of us Anglicans who supported the ordination of women were pleased when 20 years ago the church appointed ‘Flying Bishops’ to help Vicars and lay people work  together to find a way through their problem of accepting women in the vocation of the priesthood by being listened to and the ongoing discussions that took place.
Should the church be complacent now were people are hurting over women being allowed to become Bishops?    
If we choose to say nothing have we lost our saltiness? And how effective are we going to be in the communities that we serve? 

Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for Christians like Titus who are obedient in response to your call to be peacemakers, help us to listen and discuss your word with each other. In Jesus’ name 

Afterwards in the conversations that took place I found out that a number of church study groups are studying ‘Titus.’                                                
from darkness to light, Jesus the light of the world, lighthouse keeper, reflected light, salt and light, Titus, transfiguration

The Messiah’s Secret – The Lighthouse

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The Messiah’s Secret – The Lighthouse

      We heard from two children as to why we have lighthouses: to stop ships from going onto rocks and people getting hurt and from an adult his local knowledge of the lighthouses in Sunderland where they were so important to the shipping. The shipping lanes are busy and the lighthouses navigated the ships safely into the harbour.        
Jesus is the light of the world. In the scene at his transfiguration  I saw Jesus like a lighthouse, his light  showing the way to find God, for people to navigate their way into the Kingdom of God.
A lighthouse is a tower or other type of structure that emits light from a system of lamps and lenses used for shipping to navigate dangerous coastlines and safe entries to harbours.
There are 64 working lighthouses in UK
John Smeaton in 1756 designed his lighthouse modelled on an oak tree, using granite stone blocks; he secured the blocks together using dove tail joints with marble dowels and developed lime mortar that set under water.
Picture of dovetail construction:
Years ago every lighthouse had a lighthouse keeper who kept the light operating saving many thousands of lives.
The Church is God’s lighthouse
The light the Good News about Jesus reaches out to save people from their lives being shipwrecked by the darkness.
The stones each one shaped to fit together and the cement that went between each stone reminds me of Jesus body the church. The Holy Spirit’s ministry shaping our lives acting on the word and the blood of Jesus running through the veins of his body the church giving life.
 The reflectors behind the light also had a magnifier which speaks of the light of the Church  being magnified by the number of Christians in the world. 

2 Corinthians 4: 3-6. Mark 9: 2-9

John Smeaton designed the shape of the tower so that it tapered as it grew in height, this allowed the waves to dissipate on impact with the walls. This construction was very strong and could withstand high winds a powerful waves. Christ’s church is so constructed that the principalities and powers can not destroy it.

Every Lighthouse had a lighthouse keeper who kept the light operating. It was an important job and probably a lonely one. Nowadays, solar power is used to keep the light shining. Lighthouses has saved thousands of lives.

In our Gospel reading of the transfiguration Jesus stood with Moses and Elijah his appearance was described as dazzling. Matthew in his account of Transfiguration wrote that Jesus’ face shone. In Luke’s account the three disciples John, James and Peter, described Moses and Elijah as being seen in the glory of the Lord, Jesus’ glory was reflected on them.

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians Chapter 3 verse 13 God’s glory was reflected on Moses, so much so that the people could not look at him so he had to put a veil over his face. Paul used this image of the veil, to get across his message that the law was veiled, the veil was removed by Jesus. Through the law every person could not have a personal relationship with God.                

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4: 5, “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ, who is the likeness of God. For it is the God who said, “ Let the light shine out of darkness,” The light Jesus’ presence  shining out of the darkness of the world. v 6Jesus, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 
After we heard or read about Jesus and asked him into our heart, his presence was realised, so all that we can do is to thank the Lord for bringing us from the darkness of this world into his marvellous light.
All of us personally are shining in the reflected light of his glory.
The light of God’s love is seen in a Christians eyes, the eye being the window of our soul. Also on rare occasions seeing Christ’s glory shining out from the whole face of a Christian.

Added afterwards (I’ve seen in five people Christ’s glory shining out from them: a young man sitting at a table I asked him what he was reading he said he was reading his Bible his face shone, a lady came to my market stall as soon as she witnessed her faith, her face literally lit up. Across a well lit room I saw a man with a halo around his head and the word love in the halo and Jim Wilkinson preaching at a Holly Bush meeting his face shining.)                                                                                          
2 Corinthians 3: 18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”                                    

The lighthouse conveys a message. 
It’s light gives warning that there are rocks near the surface, a danger to shipping. The beam of light can be seen across the sea for over twenty miles.


There is an old story of a lighthouse keeper who received his new supply of oil once a month to keep the light burning. Not being far from the shore, one night a woman came begged him for some oil to keep her family warm, another needed some oil for his lamp, another to lubricate a wheel. The lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone and gave them the oil. Towards the end of the month his oil was very low, soon it was gone and the light went out. 
That night several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, to his excuses and pleading their reply was, “You were given the oil for one purpose to keep the light burning.”
The people in the story had problems : the woman needed oil to keep her family warm etc The Corinthian Church had problems and its light was in danger of going out.
Christian Jews were trying to enforce Judaism on to Gentile believers. Paul’s had taught that the wall or veil of division between Jew and Gentile had been removed. Paul’s teaching created opposition against him.                                                                                                    
And in our reading verse 4 the gospel was also veiled due to some of its members compromising the word of God by continuing to follow the god of this world, Regardless of Paul’s letter some were continuing to practice their former pagan lifestyles and taking each other to court

Jesus spoke of his followers being salt and light. 
Salt disinfects, purifies – light  searches the heart.

 Paul’s first letter his words were seasoned with salt and light. 1 Corinthians 13: 1, 2. Paul told them that they had shown no love. Paul’s first letter was taken by Timothy to the Corinthian church, but it was to no avail, even after Paul had been to Corinth to sort out the church he had failed. In my Bible concordance it reads: “Paul made a visit to Corinth hoping to settle the controversy; he met with defeat. Paul sent a third letter in stern and severe terms to Corinth by Titus.”( this third letter must have been written before 2 Corinthians)                                                                     

In our recent study of Titus on Tuesday, we found that Titus’ delivered Paul’s letter and stayed with the church at Corinth, he was salt and light by helping them to sort out their problems subsequently he reported back to Paul the good news that the church had repented and acknowledged Paul’s teaching. 2 Corinthians 7: 6-16. 8: 23.
Today we are called to be salt and light in the world: to think before we speak and to coin a phrase that Duncan uses, “What would Jesus say?” We are to walk in the light of the gospel, the gospel having the power to illuminate the darkest of places and the grace to restore, to bring Christ’s healing touch.  
Jesus the lighthouse has saved millions of peoples lives from the death of eternal darkness, navigating them into the kingdom of God.

God our Father and all heaven rejoices is to see Jesus’ glory, his light dwelling in our hearts through faith in him and for us to see Jesus in each other, his reflected glory. Amen.

Book Markers given out


judgement seat of Christ, Refining fire, revival starts with repentance, Simeon and Anna, watch

The Messiah’s Secret – The Refining Fire

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The Messiah’s Secret – The Refining Fire

Evening  Lectionary Luke 2: 22-40. Malachi 3: 1-5. RSV Bible     
Nowadays, many messages are sent by text, I have put three examples on the sheet with the code to interpret the message. The phone is used as the means to communicate the message. 

Example: ‘Repent, 4 the KOH is at hnd.’

John Baptist was fulfilling Malachi’s prophecy 
John the Baptist is recognised by the church as being the messenger who communicated the message from God in preparation for the coming of the Christ “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3: 2. 
John Baptist pointed to the Christ who would baptise them with the Holy Spirit and the unquenchable fire. Luke 3: 16, 17.

 Malachi used the term, ‘the refiner’s fire.

The processes that purifies precious metals: The smelting process separates gold from the rock. The refining process vaporises other metals that has clung to the gold particles they are burnt off as gases to produce pure gold. 


Malachi is using the ‘Refiners Fire’ in connection with judgement. He writes, “But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?” judgement begins at the house of God. He spoke of the refining of the Levites, in the previous chapters we read of the offerings that were brought had blemishes, they should have not been accepted by the Levites as offerings only the best from their flocks would be acceptable to God.  

I am sure Jesus alluded to Malachi’s prophecy when he said, “I came to cast a fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptised with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!” Luke 12: 49, 50. 

’The fire that had not yet been kindled,’ the fire of judgement that both John the Baptist and Malachi prophesied.  In the verse he said that he was constrained, so what held back before he would bring in the unquenchable, refiners fire?

Two things:
1. When he saw the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his day. In his parable of the ‘Good Samaritan it reflects what he thought of the Levite who turned away instead of helping the injured man on the road to Jericho. Luke 10: 32. 

2. When he said that he was constrained because of fulfilling the baptism of his death, resurrection and ascension.

Jesus like pure gold was separated from the sin that he bore on the cross in his death by his resurrection. The sin that caused him to cry out, “My God , my God why have you forsaken me? It’s the only time in conversation with God were he did not call God his Father. We know he was sinless, therefore a fire of judgement could not touch him, but he had to die laying down his life to bear the sins of the world.  
So Jesus in himself was free from sin, he was innocent, and therefore, God raised him from the dead, the offering of himself which was acceptable to God.  

If God did not spare his Son, then no one is spared from refining fire. 

St Paul  in his letter to the Corinthians wrote, when Jesus calls out the church, the body of Christ, all Christians come before the judgement seat of Christ, not for punishment but for rewards. 1 Corinthians 3: 11-15.  2 Corinthians 5: 10 Romans 14: 8-12.  
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.” John 5: 24 
Christians born into the kingdom of God are purified from original sin and all past sin up to accepting Jesus as Saviour. 
Afterwards when we fall into sin and repent Jesus forgives us. Before we became a Christian sin and guilt had kept a continuous hold on our heart, weighing us down and oppressing the soul. Through faith and grace in Christ our ongoing repentance and receiving forgiveness for sin, sin has no dominion over us, no longer a slave to sin. Paul in letter to Titus 2: 14 wrote, “For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own, who are zealous for good deeds.” 

Every Christian goes through the refining fire 
Jesus’ refining fire will separate our oneness with Christ from where we have lapsed into working out our faith by doing things for Christ in our own strength, depicted as: wood, stubble and hay these are burnt up.                                                                                       
Malachi spoke of the Messiah coming suddenly to the temple
The Messiah will come without warning. However, the church has been given warning of his coming, like Simeon and Anna in Jesus’ day who were watching out for the Messiah, Luke 3: 15. 
They both in turn recognised that the baby Jesus was the promised Saviour                                                                                                            
Jesus spoke of his unannounced return to his disciples they should be found watching and ready to receive him. “Lest he come suddenly, and find you asleep. And what I say to you, I say to all; Watch.”  Mark 13: 32-37 Whereas the world will not be ready to receive him.  

Last September we had a Bible Study Day at Scargill House Kettlewell, Yorkshire we watched a clip from a Christian film were it portrait  Malachi, Jesus, Joel and Zechariah’s prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled,  the sun and the moon not giving any light, and the turmoil that followed. This takes place after the church has been called out 1(Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thess 1: 10)and after the period of the tribulation then the Lord comes.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory;”  Matthew 24: 29, 30.

The church and all the armies of heaven return with Jesus.                

Zechariah prophesied, “On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and half southward. And the valley of my mountains shall be stopped up, for the valley of the mountains shall touch the side of it and you shall flee as you fled from Uzziah K Judah. Then the Lord your God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” Zechariah 14: 4, 5.


Christian message for today Repent for the Kingdom of God is coming soon, these Biblical prophesies will be fulfilled.

One of the hymns we sang from Mission Praise 587 
“Search me, O God and know my heart today; try me, O Lord, and know my thoughts I pray see if there be some wicked way in me, cleanse me from every sin and set me free. 
I praise thee Lord, for cleansing me from sin; fulfil thy word, and make me pure within; fill me with fire, where I once burned with shame, grant my desire to magnify thy name.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly thine; fill my pure heart with thy great love divine; take all my will, my passion, self and pride; I now surrender – Lord, in me abide.
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from thee; send a revival – start the work in me: Thy word declares thou wilt supply our need; for blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.” 
J Ewin Orr.

After the service a discussion took place. 
“Dorothy, it says in the Creed, ‘He shall come to judge both the quick and the dead’ so we all come before Christ for judgement.” Matthew 25: 31 – 46.

My response, “There are those who become Christians during the tribulation and die (Revelation 7: 14) and there are Christians who are alive after Jesus returns with all the company of heaven. Both the living and the dead coming before the throne of Christ for judgement.Matthew 25: 31-46
Jesus reigns on the earth for a 1,000 years after that time John records that the devil will be released again into the world for a period of time. It is followed by where the dead are judged before the white throne as the books are opened. Revelation 20: 1-15.  

Go to: The Messiah’s Secret – Fire of God
Abraham and Sarah, awe and reverence, beauty of holiness, conversion of a Muslim to Christianity, glorified, rubbish, scroll, Simon Altaf, Summer garden, the lamb that was slain, winter garden

The Messiah’s Secret – The Calling of Nathanael

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The Messiah’s Secret – The Calling of Nathanael
Visual Aid. A garden with flowers.
When we see a garden in full bloom in summer, it’s hard to think that things lie hidden in the undergrowth.

It’s not until winter comes and the plants die back we can see what lies there.

(Removing the rubbish to reveal wind blown: plastic bottles, bags and other bits of plastic.)
Not all that has blown in the garden is rubbish there might be something there that we have lost. In the picture a silver cross and chain lost in the garden during the summer.
In our reading Nathanael did not think anything good could come out of Nazareth certainly not God’s promised Messiah. He soon was to find Jesus something very precious to him. Later he would learn that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. 

Some times we have to stand still and sift through our beliefs and remove some things that we have heard from other people and taken on board. We also may find again something in scripture that we might have lost.                                                                                   

Readings: Revelation 5: 1-10. John 1: 43 end.
The other week I was sifting out old CD’s to throw away when I looked at a CD with a name on it Simon Altaf and date Feb 2007. I thought I’ll check what’s it’s about before I bin it. I was glad I did look at the CD, it was Simon Mohammed Altaf’s testimony, Jesus had called him to follow him. 
He began by sharing his background, he grew up in Pakistan his family were Sony Muslims. and he was a committed Muslim. He said he had prayed every day for ten years that Allah would speak to him, but he heard nothing. He believed that there was a God and he wanted to know him.    
Mohammed said he became disillusioned with his religion and went on a Muslim website and began to talk to other Muslims. One day by accident, he read the heading of a blog, ‘Why I became a Christian,’ by a fundamentalist Muslim. After reading it he got in touch with him asking him all kinds of questions,  he started comparing the Koran with the Bible. He found out that Abraham had two sons, 2 heirs Ishmael and Isaac only Isaac was the son of the promise to Abraham. “But Abram said, O Lord God, what wilt thou give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said,”Behold, thou hast given me no offspring; and a slave born in my house will be my heir.” (Ishmael) And behold, the word of the Lord came to him,”This man shall not be your heir; your own son shall be your heir.” Genesis 15: 2-4.  
“And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live in thy sight!” God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” Genesis 17: 18, 19. RSV Bible.  
Simon had not been taught about Isaac, he did not know about him until he read the Bible.                                                              
He studied both the Koran and the Bible for a period of time, but it was while he was at work he heard Jesus’ voice saying to him, ‘Follow me’ immediately in his thoughts he said, what about my family? Again he heard the voice say to him ‘Follow me,’ and so he did. It was at great cost to him, later his marriage was annulled under Muslim law, he lost everything of importance to him, but he could not deny Jesus.  

In our reading Philip after being found by Jesus was asked to ‘Follow him.”  He realised that Jesus was the one who Moses had referred to in scripture, Deut 18: 15 “The Lord will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren him shall you heed.” 
Philip then went and witnessed to Nathanael that Jesus was the one spoken of by Moses. Nathanael was cynical in his response, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Perhaps he thought that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem.  

Philip said to Nathanael, ”Come and see,” so together they went to find Jesus, they found him and as they walked towards him, Jesus said to Nathanael, “An Israelite indeed, in whom there is nothing false.”  Jesus discerned that Nathanael was honest, and open to seek the truth, a Godly man. Mohammed Altaf was open to seek the truth and there are many more people like him who are open to seek the truth. He became known as Simon Altaf.

Nathanael replied, “How do you know me?” Jesus said that he had seen him before Philip called him sitting under the fig tree. Jesus had seen him not in the flesh but in the eye of his Spirit. The Spirit of Jesus searching for the people who would become his disciples. Jesus and the Holy Spirit is searching today for people who are open to hear the good news.    

Jesus looking for the lost in the garden of the world.  
On Tuesday afternoon at open door a young woman came in full of trouble, I tried to help her by giving her what she asked for some food.  I asked if I could pray with her and she was happy for me to do so. My continuing prayer is that she will come to know Jesus and as a result make a fresh start.  

Nathanaels response, he declared that Jesus the Rabbi was the Son of God! and the King of Israel. 

Simon Altaf could identify the three in one God. 
Simon said that Jesus is God and as the Son of God he had the nature of God, and the Holy Spirit. Simon said that the Hebrew word for God is Yahweh. The Muslim’s name for God is Allah and they are not the same God. Allah is an impersonal god, transcendent meaning: superior and beyond reach, whereas Israel’s and the Christian’s God is a personal God, Yahweh, the true God. 

Nathanael had discerned for himself that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah from the scripture ‘Sitting under the fig tree’ which was the expectation of the peace and security with the coming of the Messiah and his kingdom. Zechariah 3: 10 “In that day, says the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbour under his vine and under his fig tree.”  
The day speaks of Jesus return, bringing in his kingdom, a place that is described as full of peace and tranquillity, hence the term ‘sitting with your neighbour under the fig tree.’

On the evening of the day of his resurrection when he appeared to his disciples in the house at Jerusalem, Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you!” The kingdom in their midst, the peace of the Kingdom of God. John 20: 19.

But what spoke to me in Revelation 5  Jesus was being lifted up into a place of honour in his meekness and majesty receiving blessings from God. And we can relate it to his parable of the wedding feast, were he made the point on arrival not to sit down on the top table, in case someone more important came, but instead to seek the lowest place and so you might be lifted up and asked to sit on the top table. Luke 14: 7-11    

All heaven was rejoicing as Jesus was the one who would open the scroll., “Worthy is the lamb who had been slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing.”Rev 5: 12. The scroll that contains the information of the events leading up to his return to the earth and being identified by his suffering bearing the marks in his resurrected body of the lamb that was slain for forgiveness of all that stands between us and our Father God. All the rubbish that has separated us from our creator God is completely removed, all is forgiven.

We in our humanity saw no beauty before we knew him as our Saviour and Lord, but in knowing him, we see the beauty of his holiness, the greatness of his victory over the devil and his minions and his eternal reign over all things in heaven and on the earth. 

No other is worthy of our praise, in awe with reverence, we see the lamb in great humility being adored, revered, worshipped and glorified.                                                                                                                                                                
Ezekiel 34: 26, from the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another, revival, Shepherd, Showers of Blessing Daniel W Whittle, the law written in Jesus' heart, Two Boxes

The Messiah’s Secret – Showers of Blessings

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The Messiah’s Secret – Showers of Blessings

In  this morning’s service a short poem before we said sorry to the Lord our God for our wrongdoings. Two members of congregation involved: one saying slowly the poem while the other mimed it with the boxes.
Two Boxes
I have in my hands two boxes which God gave me to hold.

He said, “Put all your sorrows in the black and all your joys in the gold.”

I heeded His words, and in the two boxes both my joys and my sorrows I store.
But though the gold became heavier each day, the black was as light as before. With curiosity, I opened the black I wanted to find out why and I saw
 in the base of the box, a hole which my sorrows had fallen out by,
 I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud, “I wonder where my sorrows could be.”
God smiled a gentle smile at me. “My child, they’re all hear with me.”
I asked, “God, why give me the boxes, why the gold, and the black with the hole?” 
“My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings and the black is for you to let go.” 

Readings: Jeremiah 31: 7-14. John 1: 10 – 18.                                                                  
After the readings a Christmas Quiz followed by my short talk

The adverts on TV before Christmas do not tell us why we give gifts to each other. As Christians we recognise that the giving of gifts is to bless one another, it is in recognition of God giving his Son as a precious gift to the world and it is Jesus’ birthday.                                         
Mary and Joseph had been blessed by the visit of the shepherds bringing the message from the angels “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.”  
Jesus as we know was the shepherd that Jeremiah had spoken of in the Hebrew Scriptures reading. Jeremiah prophesied great joy and peace as the Lord, the shepherd, came to redeem his people, gathering them from far and wide. Blessing them like a well watered garden, flourishing in the presence of their Saviour.

When Jesus grew up he declared God’s message of peace and a new beginning, he showered blessings on all the people who came to him from far and wide they received healing and miracles took place.
Even though these signs were evidence of Jesus being the Messiah, however, John records that the leaders of Israel did not recognise him.

But John wrote in verse 12 “Yet to all who receive him. To those who believe on his name he gave the right to become children of God.”

Yet all who receive Jesus become children of God,

That means for anyone today, who is seeking God will find him in Jesus. In faith we simply ask him into our heart, and he will come in. Jesus has promised that those who ask in faith and love, he and his Father will come and make their home within them. John 14: 23.

In John 1 verse 14 ‘The word made flesh,’ Jesus the living word, established Jeremiah’s new covenant in himself. Jesus had the very nature of God, grace and truth. 
Further on in Jeremiah chapter 31 verses 33, 34. The New Covenant.
 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all. know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
The law was written in Jesus’ heart, we recognise this when he healed people on the Sabbath Day. The Pharisees and Sadducees suggested he was engaging in sin by healing on the Sabbath Day. But Jesus said that it was right to do good on the Sabbath Day. Matthew 12: 12.
Love has no boundaries in doing good, and feels how God feels about sin. 

We have entered into new covenant where God has written his law into our heart so we can discern what God would have us do in a situation. When we get things wrong, we say sorry to God and he remembers our sin no more.

Having received Jesus we are being blessed by him.
John 1:16 “ From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
Personal blessings that follow coming into the Lord’s family, we receive kindness, helping one another and sharing God’s love.
Ezekiel prophesied “And I will make them and the places about my holy hill a blessing; and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.”

Expounded in a well known hymn by Daniel W Whittle
1.       “There shall be showers of blessing: 
           This is the promise of love; 
           There shall be seasons refreshing, 
           Sent from the Saviour above. 
Chorus:
           Showers of blessing,
           Showers of blessing we need;
           Mercy-drops round us are falling,
           But for the showers we plead. 
Every Christian experiences mercy drops personal blessings from God in both living out our lives in the world and in the church. The showers in the hymn are a prayer in song in order to bring revival. Our prayer is for the Lord to send prolonged showers to bring many people to faith.                 
 Visual Aid             Weather Report for week. 
In our region of Lancashire we have a high rainfall. 
The 5 day weather forecast for 4th – 9th January 2015.

 ‘Each day there will be showers especially in the North West of England, the showers will be prolonged later on in the week. 


We have had showers of blessing from the Lord in the 1800’s there was a mini revival at Stacksteads and over the last twelve years there has been a mini revival among the Church youth in bringing young people to Christ.  

2. There shall be showers of blessing . 
    Precious reviving again; 
over the hills and valleys, the sound of abundant rain.
                
How we long for people in our community to seek God like the shepherds and the wise men went to find the Christ-child, for them to know that God really does exist and has shown us his love for us all in Jesus. 

3.    There shall be showers of blessing; 
       Send them upon us, O Lord;   
       Grant to us now a refreshing,  
       Come, and now honour Thy Word.  
We have a Saviour who is able to do exceedingly more abundantly than we ask or think, through his very great and precious promises”  

4.   There shall be showers of blessing:
      This is the promise of love; 
      There shall be seasons refreshing, 
      Sent from the Saviour above.
Paul in his second  letter to the Corinthians 1: 20 “For all promises find their “Yes,” in Jesus.”    And in his letter to the church at Ephesus 1:3 “Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places.” The Lord Jesus keeps his word to us and will fulfil his promises to us.                                                                                               
5       There shall be showers of blessing:
         Oh, that today they might fall, 
         Now as to God we’re confessing,  
         Now as on Jesus we call! 
As we confess our faith to those who don’t know God, we call on Jesus to confirm his promise to them that all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Romans 10: 9.10.                                                                                                                                                                            
6.    There shall be showers of blessing,
       If we but trust and obey;
      There shall be seasons refreshing, 
       If we let God have His way.   
The response to this verse is personal to each of us. 

Prayer   
Heavenly Father, thank you for the New Covenant in Jesus and for the gift of Jesus and your Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The shepherds went to Bethlehem to find the babe and as the wise men sought to find Jesus by following a star. Our earnest desire is for your blessings showered upon our community as you put on people’s hearts to seek you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Following talk we sang Daniel W Whittle’s Hymn ‘Showers of Blessings.’ and the service continued with Creed and prayers. Invitation offered for prayer at conclusion of service.        

Peom taken rom ‘A Barrel of Fun’ by J John and Mark Stibbe, Monarch Books.
(For a more expounding of the word go to: my blog www.messiahs-secret-revealed.co.uk)                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                              
assurance given by the Holy Spirit, Christ formed in us, Christ is born, christmas pudding, Formed in Mary, holly bears a berry, presence of God within us, Rooted and grounded in love, Rosetta Meteor

The Messiah’s Secret – Christ Born in us

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The Messiah’s Secret – Christ Born in us

 

The  Christmas Pudding originated in the 15th Century The pudding is composed of many dried fruits held together by egg and suet, sometimes moistened by treacle or molasses and flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and other spices.
A plate with different spices on it was passed around in order to taste and guess what the spices were: Ginger from Southern China. Cinnamon from Sir Lanka, Nutmeg from Indonesia etc.
 
The fruits of God’s creation, the fruits and spices reminds us of Christ’s church with its diversity of people across the world, the egg flour, milk and molasses the many good gifts that God has given to us as we work together in making Christ known.

What is the most important gift?  The most important gift is of Jesus. 

The holly on top of the pudding, symbolising the crown of thorns and the red berries Jesus’ blood shed for the forgiveness of our sin and the gift of eternal life. So we remember what these things mean to us as Christians in the carol, ‘The Holly and the Ivy”.
“The holly bears a berry as ripe as any blood and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do us poor sinners good.” Mary giving Jesus his humanity and God his Father giving Jesus his divinity. 
 
 Luke 1: 26-38.  Romans 16: 25-27
 
If we extend that picture of the pudding to the universe to the millions of stars and planets. The way everything exists and works in the universe can only give emphasise to the existence of the presence of God.  
 
Space exploration has recently been in the news: the European spacecraft on 12 Nov landed on the Rosetta meteor after 10 years of travelling through space. The scientists had calculated the route, the speed the spaceship required to resist the pull of gravity as it passed close by planets, they knew the laws that govern the Universe, the laws put in place by God.
 
Just like the Rosetta meteor scientists knew its orbit 10 years before.  God did not chose Mary at random, we can be pretty sure that her life had been prepared by God on a designated path, which was unknown to her.
 
In our reading Archangel Gabriel came from where he stood in the presence of God to the home of Mary where he made two announcements: the first that Mary would give birth to the Son of God and the other announcement her cousin Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant.  Verse 36  
 
Archangel Gabriel’s role he was God’s messenger, his greeting “Hail, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!”his greeting  troubled Mary, Gabriel gave her assurance by saying, “Be not afraid, Mary you have found favour with God.”   
 
Mary perhaps was apprehensive at what being favoured would mean. Gabriel went on to say that she would be the mother of the Christ, she would bear the Son of God.  
Mary up to that moment was a young girl engaged to be married to Joseph. Her immediate reaction was “How can this be, I have no husband.” Mary was given assurance that God would be the Father.  God his Father gave him his seed implanted in Mary’s womb Jesus developed and was nourished by Mary supplying his food from the ambilcul cord.
 
Gabriel a high ranking angel ministered to Mary comforting her saying that God had favoured her from among women and that nothing was impossible for God.  
Many years before Gabriel ministered to Daniel the prophet when he gave him the interpretation of the vision of the last days, he gave Daniel strength, wisdom and understanding of the vision.  
 
Today that role comes from the Holy Spirit John 14: 16, 17. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever the Spirit of truth. The world can not accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”  
 
The ministry of the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus
Mary conceived the Son of God by the power of God and we accept this truth by faith. For God is not under any law: the laws of the universe or the laws of nature. Our God is an awesome God. 
 
 In the discussions on Thursday’s Advent study Mary said ‘Yes’ to bear the Christ-child, Christ was to be formed in her. We too are called to be Christ bearers. To say, ‘Yes’ to him being formed in us.” 

Jesus is formed in us by the power of God through faith in Jesus and, the truth is borne out in our witness that Jesus dwells within us in Spirit, we are born of the Spirit of God.                                                                                                                                     
Paul in his letter to the Ephesians 3: 16-19. “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through the Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith: that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God.” 
 We are strengthened by Jesus’ presence within us, we are rooted in the Spirit of his love, God is love there are no boundaries: the breath, depth, width and height of God’s love, even surpassing knowledge.
The Holy Spirit gives us assurance – my mother was constantly needing assurance concerning the Holy Spirit, she had doubts whether she was filled with the Holy Spirit. I could see and hear the Holy Spirit in my mother and I would say to her  “Ask the Lord to give you assurance” and he did, time and time again. If you dear reader need the Lord’s assurance of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ living presence within you, “Simply ask!” “Heavenly Father, please confirm your presence in my life, in Jesus’ name.” “Come into my heart Lord Jesus there is room in my heart for thee.”
We are grounded with the understanding of how to apply the love of God in any situation we are faced with.  Grounded in Jesus’ teachings like the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan applying the love of God, breaking down religious barriers between the Jews and the Samaritans who were hostile to each other and showing compassion on the man beaten by the robbers applying ointment to his wounds and his generosity paying the Inn keeper for looking after him. We also from the parable note the promise of the Samaritan’s return to pay any excess to the Inn keeper, which spoke of Jesus’ return, his second coming.
 
Terry last month gave thanks in the service for the way he knew he was being upheld by the presence of the Lord, Terry is rooted in Jesus and the prayers of fellow Christians we applied the Spirit’s love in bringing him to God’s throne of grace in prayer for his situation to be blessed as he underwent surgery.
 
If we feel we need strength and understanding to face tomorrow or direction in a situation, or for someone else, then expect the Holy Spirit, Christ in us to respond to our need, as God our Father loves us.

Prayer    
Father God, forgive us when we have doubted your presence within us, may we be strengthened with the might of your Holy Spirit and grow in understanding of some of the mysteries that surround Jesus, so that we can enlighten those in darkness., especially those we may come in contact with over Christmas.
In Christ our Saviours name, Amen                                                                                                                                                   
(Angels continue to minister to people today) The Church of England Advent Wreath Course 

By Dorothy Newton