Abraham and Sarah, faith, Jesus., Martha and Mary, veil

The Messiah’s Secret – Removing the Veil

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“For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be made known and come to light.” Luke 8: 17.

Abraham’s Journey of Faith.

God made a covenant with Abraham that he would be a father of a multitude of people. This covenant extended to his descendants, it was an everlasting covenant. Nations and kings would come from his descendants and that and the land of Canaan was given to him for an everlasting possession.
Abraham’s wife Sarah would have a son and she would be the mother of nations and kings would come from her.
On hearing this Abraham fell on his face and laughed as he thought to himself shall a man 100 years old and Sarah his wife of 90 years bear a child.
Abraham offered God Ishmael his son by his slave wife Hagar to fulfil the promise, but God said, “No.”
The customs of the day allowed Sarah to give her maid Hagar as a slave wife to Abraham to enable him to have an heir. Genesis Chapters 16. 17.

At the turn of the 19th century archaeologists excavating in Iraq found the Nuzi tablets. On these tablets they discovered customs relating to the time of Abraham. Theologians were particularly interested as these Nuzi customs as they were evident in the Biblical accounts written about Abraham.
(Eyre and Spottiswoode Study Bible.)
Archaeological evidence of Nuzi customs indicates that in some marriage contracts a childless wife was required to furnish a substitute for her husband, in oriental eyes childlessness was the greatest of tragedies. Nuzi custom stipulated further that a slave wife and her children could not be sent away. If a natural son was born later, the slave heir was disinherited to a great extent.”

Confirmation of Prophecy
God’s prophecy to Abraham was confirmed by the three strangers who called upon him at the Oaks of Mamre, he offered them hospitality and they stayed there for a meal. Whilst Sarah was preparing the meal they told Abraham that when they returned in the spring Sarah would have a son. Sarah was listening in on their conversation and she laughed to herself.
One of the three men who Abraham addressed as the Lord said,” Why did Sarah laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Sarah denied laughing because she was afraid, the Lord said, “But you did laugh.” The Lord knew her thoughts.

In the New Testament when Jesus arrived at Jarius’ house the mourners laughed when Jesus said that the little girl was asleep, as far as they were concerned she was dead. Jesus prayed and the little girl opened her eyes, got up and ate some food.
From the deadness of Sarah’s womb the Lord enabled Sarah to conceive and she bore a son whom they were told by God to name him Isaac which means laughter.

Abraham under Nuzi Law
Under the laws of Abraham’s day he offered his son Ishmael to fulfil God’s prophecy. But it was to be by faith and grace through the son of Abraham and Sarah that God’s prophecy would be fulfilled.

Jesus Removing the Veil of the Law of Moses from Mary
Jesus was invited to stay at Martha and Mary’s home for a meal. We are not informed by Luke whether Lazarus was also there.

It was the custom the Jews that women were the homemakers: this meant looking after their children, doing the household chores and preparing and cooking the meals.
The men were the head of the household and they worked to provide for the family. When the family attended the temple or the Synagogue the men were separated from the women. In the Synagogue the men were together worshipping and discussed the scriptures, any visiting Jewish men were invited to speak at their services. The women they sat apart or in the gallery, listening to the service. It was when they went home that the father would instruct and discuss with his family the Hebrew Scriptures.

Martha and Mary after welcoming their special guest would have started to prepare the meal. Only we read that Mary broke with convention, instead of helping with the preparing and serving the meal, she sat listening to Jesus.

We read that Martha was distracted by too much work; she couldn’t overhear what was being said by Jesus and she must have been too busy to attract Mary’s attention.

Martha’s frustration must have welled up inside of her to the point were she stopped what she was doing and went and spoke her mind to Jesus. “Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone, Tell her to help me.”
Martha had gone to a higher authority, Jesus the Rabbi asking him to administer the law to her sister.
Jesus’ response was not what she expected. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, one thing is needful and Mary had chosen a good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Martha was anxious and troubled by her sister’s behaviour, her disregard for their custom of waiting on their guests

On Sunday 11th July 2010 whilst preparing before I attended church, I was studying the passage on Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha’s home, I realised that Jesus was doing something very special that has its effect on women today.
As Mary was nourished with spiritual food coming directly from the living Word himself, Jesus. He had removed the veil of the law of Moses from Mary. As she sat listening looking into the face of Jesus nothing separated her from the love of Jesus.
In Christ nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Jesus was looking to beyond the cross when he said to Mary “which shall not be taken away from her.” The cross is the end of the law of Moses.
The Veil that enforced the law was torn in two, opening up the Most Holy Place where God dwelt in the midst of his people.

On the cross Jesus died, “And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain or veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” Matthew 27: 50, 51

The Messiah’s Secret page 100
Jesus has removed the veil of separation between us and God“God revealed himself in Jesus and as a result the veil of separation was taken away, because God had made the final offering, sacrifice for sin in Jesus. The law fulfilled in the temple of his body.”

The Veil of Jesus’ Flesh
For the law to come to an end Jesus fufilled all the demands that the law made in his body, his humanity. He paid the price for sin in being the sacrifice laying down his life. He died to our fallen nature, to sin and the causes of sin.
Jesus risen body a temple made without hands.

Paul in his letter to the Corinthian Church
2 Corinthians 3: 14. “For to this day, when the Jews read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.
15. Yes today, when ever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds.”

Martha was applying the customs of the law when she came to Jesus demanding that he should speak to her sister and tell her to help her serve.
If Jesus had told Mary to go and help her sister the veil of the law would have remained over Mary.

16. “But when a man turns to the Lord the veil is removed.”
Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet the barrier of ‘the fall’ that separated her from God, also her role under law was liberated.

The Messiah’s Secret page 36
Adam was disobedient to God when he chose to be guided by his wife Eve and of his own free will, ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they were both deceived by the serpent. Adam’s disobedience separated him from God and a curse was put on the ground by God. As a result of Eve’s disobedience she too was separated from God and God put a curse upon her, the pain of child bearing would be greatly multiplied, yet she would have a desire for her husband and he would rule over her.
Every generation from Adam and Eve has inherited their sin, Adam’s son was born in the likeness and image of Adam.Genesis 5: 3
St Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Rome that through one man’s (Adam) trespass led to the condemnation for all men, so one man’s (Jesus) act of righteosness leads to all acquittal and life for all men.
Jesus has redeemed humankind, male and female from being separated from God and from the curses that God placed upon the ground and those upon Eve.”

Jesus removing the veil of the law from Mary confirmed what I know in my heart that I’m not under the laws of Moses and that Jesus is the head and centre of my life.”
In St. Paul letter to the Galatian church he acknowledges that women are born again and are one in Christ with men, ” For as many of you were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave or free, there is neither male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3: 27, 28.

But when St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and to Timothy and Titus he re-established the laws of Moses when he forbid women to exercise ministry, to take part in worship. “As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home.” 1 Corinthians 14: 26, 33 – 35.

The Holy Spirit had been at work in the church at Cenchreae they had appointed Phoebe to the ministry of Deaconess. Whilst Paul was in prison at Rome he commended Phoebe to the church at Rome, that they should receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require, for she had been a helper of many and of Paul as well. Romans 16: 1, 2.

The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, all that is to come. John 16: 13
St. John writing at the end of the first century states that the love of God embraces whosoever accepts Jesus as their Saviour they will become children of God. Not born in the usual way through the coming together of a man and a women. But born through faith in Jesus directly through the operation of God the Holy Spirit acting upon the word read or heard through the preaching of the Gospel by either a man or a woman. It is as a person recognises through the Gospel that sin separates us from God and calls us to repentance, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all of our sins and we are raised up by God’s forgiveness to receive him into our lives for eternity, becoming children of God.
“But to all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of the blood nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.” John 1: 12, 13.
Jesus taught equality amongst his disciples.
“But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ.” Matthew 23: 8-10.

17. “Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord.”
Mary beheld the glory of the Lord when she looked directly at Jesus seeing and hearing the living words pour out of his mouth, from his heart.

18. “Are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another for this comes; from the Lord who is Spirit.”
When a person male or female accept Jesus as their Saviour from whatever their background or religion, all that would veil the Gospel is taken away through faith in Jesus.

I thank the Lord for Mary of Bethany, women like me are being liberated into the fulness of our inheritance in Christ.
“And if children, then heirs, heirs with God and fellow (joint) heirs with Christ, provided we suffer (and I am suffering, with tears falling as I type this ending to this blog) with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8: 17.

justice, principals., the messiah's secret, values

The Messiah’s Secret – Faith, Justice and Mercy

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During my life time, after the second world war I’ve seen a rapid change in our nations values and principals; when I was a child I rarely heard of someone being murdered, people left their doors unlocked and the majority of children played outside in safety. The community was a worshipping community with the cross and resurrection of Jesus at its heart. People didn’t grumble when suffering through hardship, they worked together, helping each other. The welfare state came from the heart of a nations love for its people; it was our nation’s faith in Christ at work.

The next generation of Christians with the commandments of God written in their hearts, will work out their values and principals guided by the Holy Spirit in a growing secular society.
“Our Lord God is the same yesterday, today and for ever.”
Hebrews 13: 8.

The Messiah’s Secret page 28
Faith in God First.
Jesus taught the law, weightier matters of the law: faith, justice, the love of God and mercy. Matthew 23: 23. Luke 11: 42.
Without faith it is impossible to please God and to fulfil the law, the law which is spiritual. Jesus summed up the law in his conversation with the rich young ruler. “If you would enter into life, keep the commandments and to love your neighbour as yourself and give to the poor rather than store up wealth for yourself.” Matthew 19: 17. Mark 10: 17-22.

Justice page 29
Jesus came not to condemn the people by making judgements. The man in the crowd shouted to Jesus. ‘Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!’ Jesus replied, ‘Man, who made me a judge? A divider over you?’ Jesus continued to answer his own question using the parable of pulling down and rebuilding bigger barns. Luke 12: 13-20. It is pointless building bigger barns to store even more because that the treasure that we store in this life is not important. One must be just in the eyes of God to ensure worldly wealth does not overshadow our priorities towards God. Our true inheritance is eternal life.
The treasure that we store in this life is unimportant if it overshadows our richness towards God.

Mercy page 29
Jesus visited the region of Tyre and Sidon. There were so many people following him that he had to enter a house discreetly. A Greek lady a Syrophoenician by birth found out where he was staying and went to see him, she asked Jesus to heal her daughter who was at home. Jesus pointed out to her that his ministry was to “The lost sheep of the house of Israel,” to the Jews and she as a Gentile had no invitation to be there. Respectfully she said to him, “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s bread crumbs.” As a result of her faith, Jesus told her that her daughter was well. Mark 7: 24-30. Matthew 15: 21-28.
“And the Lord said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord’; and I on whom I will show mercy.’” Exodus 33: 19

Faith, Justice and Mercy
Jesus has written his laws and commandments in the believer’s heart. From these we work out our Christian values and principals.

Values
e.g. Our relationship with the Trinity, family and friends.

Principals
e.g. Humility, honesty and truthfulness.

My father was a self employed plumber and he worked out one of his Christian principals through his work, he earned just enough to keep his family and he didn’t over charge. It meant that he didn’t over commit himself with work and as a result he spent time with his family. It frustrated my mother sometimes, I remember her saying,” Winston, you need to charge a bit more,” but he took no notice. Years later a man who knew my father said to me, “Your father was the salt of the earth.”

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17: 20,21.

God is Love
Blessed are you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You made the world in your love. You redeemed the world by your love,
You sustain the world with your love. May we ever abide in your love,
And give ourselves to you in love. Blessed are you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

An iceberg shows approximately one ninth above the water, known as the tip of the iceberg. (Iceberg – Ice Mountain)
We all experience God’s love in our humanity, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The depth of God’s love
Eight ninths of the iceberg is under water.
It is as we draw near to God we discover that thousands of years before Jesus was born, God had foretold the cost of his love for humanity in sending his Son into the world to be the lamb that was slain.

Abraham the Friend of God
Abraham was instructed by God to take his son, his only son Isaac, whom he loved to the land of Moriah, and offer him as a burnt offering. Abraham did as the Lord requested, saddling his ass, and taking with him two of his young men, his son Isaac; and wood for the burnt offering they set out. After travelling three days they arrived at the place. Abraham told the young men to stay with the ass while he and Isaac went away up the mountain. Abraham gave Isaac the wood to carry for the burnt offering and he carried the fire and the knife. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So they both went on together.
When Abraham and Isaac arrived at the place where God had told him, he built an altar, upon the wood he bound Isaac and just as he was about to slay his son, an angel spoke to him telling him not to slay his son Isaac. God knew that Abraham loved and trusted God and would not withhold his son from him.
Abraham looked up and immediately saw a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

God was testing Abraham’s faith, a lonely place of heart searching, but there Abraham believed that God would provide the sacrifice.
It also reveals the cost to God; it was prophetic of the cross, the offering of God’s only Son as the final lamb sacrifice for sin.

Abraham believed in the resurrection from the dead.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your descendants be named.” He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead.” Hebrews 11: 19

Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised, that is why his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness.
“But the words, “It was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also, it will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our sins and raised for our justification. (Justification – declared not guilty) We are declared not guilty by the means of Jesus paying the ransom for our sins by laying down his life.
“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 4: 23-5:1.

The Hymn ‘Such Love’ written by Graham Kendrick’s has put this reality of God’s love into words.

Such love, pure as the whitest snow;
such love weeps for the shame I know;
such love, paying the debt I owe;
O Jesus such love.

Such love, stilling my restlessness;
such love, filling my emptiness;
such love, showing me holiness;
O Jesus such love.

Such love springs from eternity;
such love, streaming through history;
such love, fountain of life to me;
O Jesus such love.

., Holocaust, Isaiah, mercy not sacrifice, prophesies, servant, the messiah's secret

The Messiah’s Secret – Isaiah’s Prophesies Fulfilled

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John carried a cross from Liverpool to London
Once a year my husband and I we spent a week at Scargill House in Kettlewell Yorkshire. The house is run by a community. In 2007 we where on a walking holiday there, when we met a young man who came for an interview to become a member of the community. In conversation with him he shared with me how God had spoken to him through his grandmother’s Bible. John at that time was on drugs and his life was in a mess. That day he was in his room when he picked up his grandmother’s Bible, it fell open and he read the words, “Whoever looses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10: 39 He said, “It was like someone breaking down the door of his bedroom, releasing him into freedom.” He went on to say that as a result of his meeting with Jesus he made a cross from part of their garden fence and he carried it from Liverpool to London, camping on the way. When people asked him why was he carrying a cross? He told them what Jesus had done for him. Jesus had sought and found him.

Jesus established the New Covenant through faith in what he accomplished on the cross in making the final sacrifice of himself to make us right with God. All that is required is for us to sincerely repent of our sin and to receive the Lord our God’s forgiveness.

For the last two thousand years it has not been necessary to bring to God a sacrifice ( a bird, an animal or grain)as a substitute for our sins against God.

The Messiah’s Secret – Mercy not Sacrifice Pages 92, 93.
“As Jesus sat at table in the house of Matthew, many tax collectors and outcasts came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9: 10-13.
Jesus the greatest person, who has ever lived on the earth, knowingly identified himself with ‘outcast’: the Jews of his day who were regarded as the lowest people in Jewish society. They had no status and no position because of their poverty, ill health, because they were lepers or had fallen away from the Jewish law or because they had been calibrating with the Romans and other Gentiles. Jesus described himself as a doctor, a physician. He had the cure for all ills. Turn back to God and His laws and he would heal them, belief in the Gospel of the kingdom, belief in him. Jesus said, ‘Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’”
Mercy not Sacrifice
Jesus said, ‘turn to me and I will heal you’; this was an appeal of love and reconciliation through the law,(Zacchaeus) steadfast love, and not sacrifice. His words and signs proved that he was from God. Jesus had the words of eternal life, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6
Jesus in saying that he desired ‘mercy not sacrifice’ he was pointing to the new covenant, which he brought into force after his death and resurrection and ascension. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, steadfast love and the knowledge of God, reconciliation forgiveness of sins, the law written in the heart through faith in him. Jesus endorses the commandments for all time by them being written on the heart, circumcision of the heart.
A scribe came to Jesus asking which the first commandment was. Jesus replied, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. The second is this to love your neighbour as yourself.” The scribe said that it was right to love your neighbour as oneself. To do this is much more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. Jesus told his disciples to love one another as he loved them; this was a new commandment, which fulfilled the law through faith in him.”

The Burnt Sacrifice
The offerings made at the temple in Jerusalem varied: the burnt offerings, the meal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering and other various sacrifices.
Extract from “The Book of Leviticus.” Charles R Erdman.
The first and most familiar of the sacrifices was the burnt offering, which expressed dedication. The very name indicates its distinct characteristic. The term means “that which ascends,” that is, to Jehovah. The entire sacrifice was consumed by fire on the altar, so that it was also described as the “whole burnt offering.” Of the other sacrifices, part was burned and part eaten by the priests or even by the offerer himself; but of the burnt offering, all ascended to God in flame and smoke. “
“The fire once kindled on the brazen altar was never to be extinguished. It was to be replenished, and a burnt offering was to be presented for the people every morning and evening. Therefore, this sacrifice became known as the “continual burnt offering.” The application is quite obvious. The consecration which God required of His people was not merely once for all. It was to be continuous, yet renewed consciously at the opening and close of each day. “The fire shall be kept on the altar continually; it shall not go out.”
The consecration as was symbolized by this ancient institution of the burnt offering has been embodied and realized only in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The continual burnt offering has not been offered since the destruction of the temple in 70 AD

Shoah Seminar – May 5th 2000 held at the Menorah Synagogue, Manchester.
Ten years ago I was invited to attend the Shoah Seminar at Menorah Synagogue in Manchester England. This day was in preparation for the first Holocaust Memorial Day in our area that took place on 27th January 2001. The government wants to ensure that the terrible crimes against humanity committed during the Holocaust are never forgotten and its relevance for each new generation is understood.

Several speakers gave reports: 1. An historical account of Hitler’s rise to power. 2. Examining the Christian response to the ghettoes and concentration camps. 3. The lack of concern by the leaders of European countries for the plight of the Jews.
Eye witness accounts were given of the terrible suffering and death of Jews in the concentration camps throughout Europe.
It was made clear that today Christians deplore threats to ethnically cleanse or exterminate any race of people.

The Rabbi of Menorah Synagogue when he spoke on the Holocaust, Holocaust meaning ‘burnt sacrifice.’ he referred to the Jews that had been taken by the Nazis to the concentration camps fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 53 ‘the suffering servant’. The people of the Holocaust were the burnt offerings for the atonement for their nation’s sin against God. Also he said, God established the new covenant when the state of Israel came into being after the war, and the land of Israel, was their Messiah.

Whilst I respect Rabbi’s interpretation of his own Jewish scriptures, I as a Christian through the churches study of the Hebrew Scriptures, see the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the ‘suffering servant’ in Jesus.

King David prophesied that the Messiah’s body would not be burnt by fire.
Jesus’ body was not corrupted by sin. “David foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus, God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” Acts 2: 31, 32. Psalm 16: 10. 49: 9.

The Book of Isaiah was written over a period of 200 years 740 BC – 510 BC by three prophets: Isaiah of Jerusalem, Isaiah of Babylon and the third prophet not named. (Introducing the Old Testament by John Drain, The Complete Bible Handbook by John Bowker was Dean of Trinity College Cambridge.)
At the time of Isaiah the land of Israel was divided into Judah in the south and Israel in the north.
Isaiah of Jerusalem lived in Jerusalem during the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah, he wrote the first 39 chapters. He prophesied in chapter 5 of the destruction of Jerusalem, this prophesy was fulfilled approx 100 years later when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem and shortly afterwards he destroyed Solomon’s Temple.
He prophesied about the birth of the Messiah in chapter 7: Behold a young woman shall bear a son and call him Immanuel. In chapter 9:6 “For unto us a child is born a son is given and the government upon him, his name shall be called: Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Fulfilled when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
In chapter 11 Isaiah prophesied of the distant future that has still to be fulfilled. The tree felled with only the stump remaining, referring to the stump of Jesse, the Jewish remnant that will survive the Great Tribulation period through the Messiah’s intervention destroying their enemies.
“Then the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.” Isaiah 11: 9.
In chapter 14: 12-16 Isaiah has given us insight into the history of Satan.
Isaiah of Jerusalem was killed in the reign of King Manasseh. 687BC.

Isaiah of Babylon was a student of Isaiah’s prophesies.
After Jerusalem was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, Jewish people were taken to Babylon as slaves 597 BC. Isaiah of Babylon (150 years after Isaiah of Jerusalem) was one of them. He wrote chapters 40 – 55 in these he prophesied of the exiles return and the restoration of Jerusalem. God would make a road through the wilderness where streams of water would make the desert bloom. Jerusalem would be restored like a garden planted in Eden, full of joy and gladness. He also described Israel as God’s servants and the Messiah as the suffering servant.

“Introducing the Old Testament” by John Drane.
“The prophet talks of the nation of Israel as the servant of God and the person mentioned in the servant songs is often described in the same language as is used for Israel.”
Both were created by God himself.
This has led many scholars to conclude that when Israel talks of the suffering servant he is simply talking of God’s people Israel in another way. But there are four servant songs that speak of a person, a servant. 42: 1-4. 49: 1-6. 50: 4-9. 52: 13-53: 12

Israel the servants of God
‘But you, Israel my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen’. 41: 8
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not for I have redeemed you . . . For I am the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.” 43: 1-7, 21.
“Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun (title of Israel – upright one.) whom I have chosen.” 44: 2, 21, 24.

The servant the Messiah
“This servant will not loose hope or courage, nor has he rebelled or turned away from God.”
“Behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved with whom my soul is pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will no wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.” Isaiah 42: 1-4. & Isaiah 50: 4-9 and so is the servant of 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my spirit upon him, and he will bring forth justice to the nations.”
In addition he suffers patiently – not for his own wrongdoings, like the nation, but for the wrongdoings of others. 53: 3-5
Most significantly of all is the fact that while the nation needed restoration, this servant is sent to restore and renew Israel. 49: 5, 6. 53: 4-6.

(Print off and give a copy of these prophesies to a friend.)

These prophesies below are taken from the Book of Isaiah and also I’ve included 25 other prophesies that were fulfilled on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion is just amazing, only God could do this.

“32 Prophesies Fulfilled in One Day” 6pm – 6pm

Isaiah 52: 14 – end Isaiah 53: 5 – 12.
1/14. The prophecy of his marred body, due to the brutality of the soldiers. “As many were astonished at you; his body was so marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men.” Isaiah 52: 14.
Fulfilled. Pilate had Jesus flogged. ”Then Pilate released for them Barabbas, and having scourged, delivered him to be crucified.” Matthew 27: 26.

2/5. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Fulfilled. “And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to be crucified.” Mark 15: 20

Matthew wrote in his Gospel, “Jesus cast out spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8: 16, 17.
Jesus bore on the cross, the causes and results of sin that came into the world with the fall of Adam.

3/6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Fulfilled. “Jesus said on the cross, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 34.

4/7. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.”
Fulfilled. “Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you but he gave no answer, not even to a single charge; so that Pilate wondered greatly.” Matthew 27: 13, 14.

5/8. “By oppression and judgement he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgressions of my people.
Fulfilled. ”Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said, “Let him be crucified.” And he said what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more. “Let him be crucified.” Matthew 27: 22, 23.

6/9. “The place of the burial of Christ was predicted.”And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth.”
Fulfilled. Joseph from the town of Arimathea, believed the words that Jesus had spoken. Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council. “When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed.” Matthew 27: 57, 60.

7/10. “Yet it pleased him to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand;
Fulfilled. It was in the plan of God that Jesus would suffer and be killed and that on the third day God would raise him from the dead.
“Jesus said, “For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with transgressors’; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” Luke 22: 37.

8/11. He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.”
Fulfilled. ”For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.

9/12. “He bares the sin of many; He was numbered with the transgressors.”
Fulfilled. “And when they came to a place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left” Luke 23: 33

10. Prophecy. 1,000 B.C. The prophecy of the betrayal of the Lord Jesus by Judas,
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” Psalm 41: 9.
Fulfilled. ”And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray him to them.” Mark 14: 10.(Just before Day of Preparation)

11. Prophecy. The price paid for his betrayal foretold. “And I said to them, if you think good, give me my price; and if not forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Zechariah 11: 12.
Fulfilled. “What will you give me, and I will deliver him to you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.” Matthew 26: 15

12. Prophecy. What would be done with the money? How would Judas use the betrayal money? “And the Lord said to me, Cast it into the treasury: a goodly price that I was paid off by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them into the treasury in the house of the Lord.” Zechariah 11: 13.
Fulfilled. “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou to that. And he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said. It is not lawful for us to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel and brought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in.” Matthew 27: 3-7.

13. Prophecy. The prophecy of his scourging. “I gave my back to the smitters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” Isaiah 50: 6.
Fulfilled. “And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on his head.” Matthew 27: 30.

14. Prophecy of shame, reproach and dishonour. “You have known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour.” Psalm 69: 19.
Fulfilled. “They stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.” Matthew 27: 28.

15. Prophecy of the false witnesses against Christ at his trial. “False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.” Psalm 35: 11
Fulfilled. “Many bore false witness against him, and their witness did not agree.” Mark 14: 56.

16. Prophecy of the smitten shepherd. “Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” Zechariah 13: 7.
Fulfilled. “Then Jesus said to them . . . it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” Matthew 26: 31. “And they all forsook him and fled.” Mark 14: 50.

17. Prophecy of the parting of his garment. “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Psalm 22: 18.
Fulfilled. “So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.”. John 19: 24

18. Prophecy. It was seen in prophecy that he would fall beneath the cross. “My knees are weak through fasting.” Psalm 109: 24
Fulfilled. “So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha.” John 19: 17.
“And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: they compelled him to carry his cross.” Matthew 27: 32.

19. The prophecy of his thirst. ”I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried.” Psalm 69: 3.
Fulfilled. “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.” John 19: 28.

20. Prophecy. What would they give him to drink? “In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Psalm 69: 21.
Fulfilled. ““When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19: 30.

21. Prophecy. They stared at Jesus on the cross. “They look and stare upon me.” Psalm 22: 17.
Fulfilled. “They stare and gloat over me.” Luke 23: 35.

22. Prophecy. The pierced hands and feet. “They pierced my hands and my feet.”Psalm 22: 16.
Fulfilled. “And they crucified him.” Matthew 27: 35.

23. Prophecy . The pierced side. “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” Zechariah 12: 10.
Fulfilled. “And sitting down they watched him there.” Matthew 27: 36.

24. Prophecy. His heart was broken. “I’m poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” Psalm 22: 14.
Fulfilled. “But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” John 19:34 The blood and water issuing from his side, indicated extravasations of the heart: I.e., a broken heart.

25. Prophecy . Our Lord’s mother and friends in prophecy. “My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my wounds and my kinsman stand away off.” Psalm 38: 11.
Fulfilled. “And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.” Luke 23: 49.

26. Prophecy. The mockery of the people in prophecy. “I became also a reproach to them: when they looked upon me they shake their heads.” Psalm 109: 25.
Fulfilled. “And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God then come down from the cross.” Matthew 27: 39, 40.

27. Prophecy. The railing, hatred, and taunting of the mob. “ He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” Psalm 22: 8.
Fulfilled. “He trusted in God let him deliver him: let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” Matthew 27: 43.

28. Prophecy. The intense lonely cry in the hour of his suffering. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 22: 1.
Fulfilled. “Jesus cried with a loud voice . . . My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27: 46.

29. Prophecy. The cry of victory and triumph. “It is finished!” Psalm 22: 31.
Fulfilled. “When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19: 30.

30. Prophecy. Jesus commends his Spirit to his Father. “Into your hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31: 5.
Fulfilled. “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23: 46.

31. A wonderful prophecy uttered 1490 years before its fulfilment. “In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside of the house; and you shall not break a bone of it.” Exodus 12: 46.
Fulfilled. “But when they came to Jesus they saw that he was dead already, they did not break his legs.” John 19: 33. “For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled. A bone of him shall not be broken.” John 19: 36.

32. Prophecy The Messiah was to be cut off, but not for him. “And after three score and two weeks shall the Messiah be cut off, but not for himself.” Daniel 9: 26.
Fulfilled. “You do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather the children of God who are scattered abroad. “ John 11: 50-52.

33. Prophecy. The oldest prophecy of all, uttered by the Lord himself at least 4,000 years before. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3: 15.
Fulfilled. The heel of the Lord Jesus Christ was bruised when he was crucified, for the nails were driven through his feet, thus bruising his heels. John 19: 18.
The serpents head was there also bruised. John 12: 31-33. The execution of this sentence will take place when Christ returns. Romans 16: 20.

34. Prophecy. A great Calvary miracle prophecy uttered about 800 years before. “ And it shall come to pass in that day, said the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day.” Amos 8: 9
Fulfilled. This is one of the most profound prophesies of the word of God. On the day that the Saviour would be crucified, there would be darkness at noonday.
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. (12noon – 3pm) Matthew 27: 45.

Isaiah the Third Prophet
This prophet wrote chapters 56 – 66. He wrote at the time of the return from exile in Babylon 525 BC.
Cyrus the Persian King encouraged the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple. The actual building began a year before Darius became King and it was finished in the sixth year of his reign. Ezra 5 & 6.
Nehemiah did not arrive in Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls until 445 BC 55 years after the temples completion.
King Herod added buildings to this second temple which took forty six years to complete. John 2:20

Isaiah wrote of the Israelite rebellion against keeping God’s Laws and traditions
When the exiles returned they found that foreigners had settled in the land, bringing in with them their religious worship and practices. As a result over a period of time some of these practices had been combined with the Jews traditions and worship.
This was regarded as rebellion against keeping God’s Laws and traditions by the prophet. He prophesied in 65: 1 of God’s call to the Gentiles. “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that did not call on my name.” God was ready to speak to the other nation, the Gentiles. (In the Bible two nations Jew and Gentile.) It was approx five hundred years later when this prophecy was fulfilled.
Paul mentions this prophecy when he wrote to the church in Rome. “Isaiah was is so bold to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me. I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” Romans 10: 20
The Gentiles were being brought into the New Covenant by God calling them to hear the good news about Jesus.
God was reconciling all nations to himself through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Peter’s Vision.
The Lord confirmed in Peter’s vision that God showed no impartiality between Jew and Gentile.
After Pentecost the apostle Peter was staying at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa. Whilst Simon and Peter were preparing the evening meal, Peter had a vision, he saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.”
Acts 10: 9 – 16
While Peter was still pondering the vision, three men arrived at the house and asked for Peter. They informed him that the centurion Cornelius had been visited by an angel. The angel directed Cornelius to send for Peter who was lodging at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa.

Peter accompanied the men to the home of Cornelius at Caesarea. Peter related to them all about Jesus, “God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest . . . To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. Peter and his companions were amazed; God had shown no partiality between Jew and Gentile.” Acts 10: 38 – 45.

Today people are being found by God.

John the Telephone Engineer
My husband and I where on a walking holiday staying at Scargill House in Yorkshire. On the final day I was talking to a man who had been walking too and he shared with me how Jesus called him to be his disciple. John was a telephone engineer it was while he was working installing cable into a building when he heard within himself the word, ‘repent,’ over and over again the word kept coming to him. After work he searched his neighbourhood to find the Vicar of his local Anglican Church and when he did eventually find him, he asked the Vicar to explained to him what the word, ‘repent’ meant. John had never had any contact with the church, but he been sought and found by God.

Jane’s Testimony
In Sept 1989 Jane who had no links with any church met Jesus as she walked along the disused railway line.

“First I would like to explain that I finally forgiven someone, I mean truly forgiven. A few days later I was walking along the disused railway in Helmshore with our dogs. It was a pleasant day, very still. I felt a wind blow up, but nothing was moving. I saw in front of me a life size Jesus on the cross. He was dead, his body grey, stone like, I couldn’t bear to look, I turned away. I felt all the wrong that I had done being taken away from me, but I didn’t want him to, because I physically felt the pain that I had caused him. I felt ashamed and started crying. The next minute I felt a presence next to me. I wasn’t sure if it was Jesus or God, but I couldn’t see anyone. All the weight I had been carrying inside had been taken away. I felt so happy, so clean. Everywhere was so beautiful, the colours were so bright, I had never seen colour like it before.”

bread, glory of God, keys, the messiah's secret

Jesus the Living Bread

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the Living Bread

When Jesus said,”Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood,” he was referring to the partaking of his sacrifice for the sins of the flesh, which he accumplished on the cross. Signifying a change from being under law to grace which means unmerited favour from God.

Using the Revised Standard Version (RSV) Bible.

Visual Aids are used in this series of talks.

A Cross is made of textile material large enough to accommodate items on the following list.
Find material large enough to accommodate the largest object. (see picture above with two sizes of crosses, the larger accomodates the large doll, ‘the bride.’

A piece of cloth is cut to form two crosses and then sewn together.
Leave open the four ends to enable the objects to be placed inside the cross and pulled out at the appropriate time.

Loaf of bread
Small Bible
Two keys
Picture of Peter’s vision
Onion
Picture of sun set with a rainbow.
Picture of Ascension window (St. Alkmund. Whitchurch. Shropshire)

These are placed inside the cross.
Each one is pulled out in turn and its significance explained.
The verses of scripture can be handed out and read at the appropriate time.
The cross a place of change, a cross roads.
Life is often described as a journey and at some point we may be challenged to take a step of faith in the direction of Jesus.

Faith
It has become a habit before I go out in my car, I pray for a safe journey and a place to park. I’m always amazed when I arrive to find some one is just leaving their car parking space. Faith in the little things encourages us to trust the Lord in all things.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11: 1

Jesus the Living Bread

The Jews wanted a sign from Jesus like the one Moses gave them the ‘manna’ from heaven. In response Jesus declared himself to be the Living Bread from Heaven.
In John’s Gospel Chapter 6 verse 49 – 51 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

The manna was given to sustain the Israelites on their wilderness journey.
The miracle of the manna, it had a limited shelf life, it only lasted a short time before it went mouldy. The people had been instructed by Moses to gather only enough manna for that day. Those who did not listen to Moses and kept some over for the next day, they found it had worms in it. But amazingly when on the sixth day they gathered enough for that day and the following day, the Sabbath, it had not decayed. Exodus 16: 12 – 20.

Jesus the Bread of Life.
“The Jews disputed among themselves saying “How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you shall not have life within you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” John 6: 52 – 58

“Many of Jesus’ disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
Even some of Jesus’ followers couldn’t accept these words and didn’t follow him any more. John 6: 60, 66
For Jesus to suggest that they should eat his flesh and drink his blood was against the laws relating to food.
Under Law they were not allowed to eat shell fish, pork and other foods that would make them unclean. No meat could be eaten without first draining the blood from it, because life is in the blood. The blood removed from the meat made the food spiritualy sinless and clean. Food was spiritually part of them. Leviticus 11: 1-end 17: 11

The sacrifice that was made at the temple to atone for breaking the food laws. Jesus became that sacrifice ending the spirituallity relating to the food laws. Nolonger has food any spirituallity.
At Holy Communion the bread and the wine are symbols of Jesus’ sacrifice of his body and blood.

Jesus declared that all foods were clean.
On another occasion Jesus said that it wasn’t what you ate that defiled a person, but what came from the heart, the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Thus he declared all foods clean,)”
Mark 7: 18, 19
Jesus informs us what the word flesh means in Mark 7: 14-23. It is not what we eat that corrupts a person, but it’s what comes out of our heart and mind: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. Jesus bore these sins that defile a person’s heart for us on the cross.

When Jesus said ‘unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood’ he was referring to the partaking of his sacrifice for the sins of the flesh, which he accomplished on the cross. Signifying a change from being under law to grace which means unmerited favour from God.

Purification by the water of the Word. Ephesians 5:26, 27
Jesus went on to say, “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is no avail; (profits nothing) the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.”
John 6: 63.

Jesus the final sacrifice for sin against a Holy God
The Messiah’s Secret page 93 “At the last supper Jesus introduced the New Covenant through his body and his blood, his life laid down for the final atonement, for sins against a Holy God. When a Jewish person made a sacrificial offering for sin, an offering of an animal, fowl, or meal, was brought to the temple, were the person would place their hand on to the head of the animal to be sacrificed, their sin was transferred by prayer into the sacrifice; its blood was then sprinkled upon the altar to make atonement, a covering for sin. This was repeated time and time again. Leviticus 1: 4. 3: 2
This offering would be accepted to make atonement, reconciliation, and pardon. This meaning of the word atonement is ‘to cover.’ The transfer of guilt to the sacrifice, brought forgiveness to the offender. The sacrifice was regarded as a person’s substitute for breaking the laws of Moses.”

Today, when we turn to Jesus in repentance saying sorry to him for our sins against God. Jesus becomes our substitute taking our sin upon him on the cross, so releasing us into the freedom of God’s forgiveness through his resurrection.

The Ascension

At the base of the window we see the disciples looking towards heaven as they watched Jesus ascend into heaven.

Jesus prophesied his ascension
“Jesus heard their murmurings and said to them “Do you take offence at this? Then what if you see the Son of man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.”
John 6: 61 – 63
It was after Jesus’ ascension that he fulfilled the promise of sending the Holy Spirit into the world. The Holy Spirit gives life to the eternal words of Jesus, the living bread.

Jesus the Word of God, the living bread.
The apostle John wrote in his gospel and his letters about Jesus being the Word of God.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1: 1
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life. The life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.” 1 John 1: 1, 2.
Jesus wants us to eat the bread of his words which sustain every believer, providing food for the heart and soul. As we listen to them being read, inwardly digesting the words they have the power to transform a person’s life.

A word I was given on 30th May 1996 was that, “The disciples were setting up the kingdom in at the beginning of Acts.” It was as I understood to be in preparation for Jesus’ return with the angels of God. Mark 8:38
Keys

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 16: 18, 19

The Messiah’s Secret pages 113 and 118
Jesus had given the keys of the kingdom to Peter, at Pentecost he opened the door of the kingdom to the nation of Israel
When Peter visited Cornelius he opened the door of the kingdom to the Gentiles.
Peter’s Vision.

The Lord confirmed in Peter’s vision that the laws relating to food were ended.
After Pentecost the apostle Peter was staying at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa. Whilst Simon and Peter were preparing the evening meal, Peter had a vision, he saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.”Acts 10: 9 – 16
While Peter was still pondering the vision, three men arrived at the house and asked for Peter. They informed him that the centurion Cornelius had been visited by an angel. The angel directed Cornelius to send for Peter who was lodging at Simon the tanner’s house at Joppa.

Peter quickly realised the meaning of the vision; it was God’s intention for him to go and associate with these people who were not Jews. This would also include eating food from their table. Peter accompanied the men to the home of Cornelius at Caesarea. Peter related to them all about Jesus, “God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest . . . To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. Peter and his companions were amazed; God had shown no partiality between Jew and Gentile.” Acts 10: 38 – 45.

Two other scriptures confirm that all foods are clean.
“The heart is strengthened by grace, not by foods which have not benefited the adherents.”Hebrews 13: 9.
“Therefore let no one pass judgement on you in questions of food and drink.” Colossians 2: 16.

Peter initially opened the door of the kingdom to the Gentiles. It was Paul who was commissioned by the Lord to go to the Gentiles with the good news. “I have set you as a light to the Gentiles.”
Acts 13: 47.

The Messiah’s Secret page 126 Paul a Pharisee“Paul, a Pharisee, strictly adhered to the law. God had shown him that circumcision and the rituals and sacrifices of laws of Moses had come to an end, and the Holy Spirit would now write God’s laws into the heart of a person through faith in Jesus, the New Covenant. Paul’s beliefs had been turned upside down.”

Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus explaining the cross.“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace he has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.” Ephesians 2: 13 -16

In the temple at Jerusalem stood a wall separating Jew from Gentile (a dividing wall of hostility) Within the Jewish courts the rituals of the Laws of Moses took place.

Through Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension the ceremonial law and the law of commandments contained in ordinances (regulations) were removed.
By ending the Mosaic Law, Jesus formed one church of believers Jew and Gentile.

Oneness in Christ

An onion is made up of several layers making up the whole onion.
“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. . . . Father, I desire that they also, who you have given me may be with me where I am, to behold your glory which you have given me in your love before the foundation of the world.” John 17: 20, 21, 24

Jesus prayed for two things:
1. Oneness with himself and Father God, not just for his disciples at the time when he said this prayer, but for Christians, centuries later, who believe in their eye witness accounts, written in the Gospels and Letters.
2. Jesus desired that the disciples would be with him and see his glory, where he was before the foundation of the world.

The onion
1. Each layer of the onion represents a person and the whole onion the church.
When I begin to remove the brown outer layer, a very strong aroma is released, so strong that tears come into my eyes. This reminds me of when I started going again to church after a twelve year break. On hearing the Gospel I felt convicted that I needed to repent and get my life right with the word of God.
Repentance, saying sorry to God for wrongdoings will often bring tears, tears of sorrow.

After removing the brown outer layer we find a white layer. This reminds me of receiving forgiveness from God. Forgiveness brings our oneness with God the Father, and Jesus the Son of God.

In between each layer of the onion there is a fine silky membrane. This reminds me of the love of God between each believer.
In God we have three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit; all three are persons in their own right, but are united in love and form the three in one.
Each Christian is saved by grace through faith in Jesus, personal salvation and united by the love of God in the fellowship of the church.
“So we though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Romans 12: 5

2. The second prayer point verse 24 in two parts.
a) Jesus was looking back to the time before he came to the earth and he’s praying from the position of the second person of the Trinity.
b) Jesus desired that the disciples would see his glory where he was before the foundation of the world.

a) When Jesus prayed his prayer he was looking back to where he was with his Father before he came to the earth to fulfil God’s plan of reconciliation in uniting all things in heaven and on the earth through his death, resurrection and ascension.
After his ascension Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the world to make it possible for us to see his glory.
“Yet to all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John1: 13.

Jesus prayed his request to God, from his position as the second person of the Trinity. When we pray we should remember our position in Christ, we are children of God.
“We have been blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.” Ephesians 1: 3.
“Christ is all and in all.” Colossians 3: 11.
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or think.” Ephesians 3: 20
“We are seated with Christ in heavenly places.” Ephesians 2: 6

b) Like the disciples we too as children of God shall see his glory.
The Lord’s Glory as seen by Ezekiel
“And above the firmament over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of the throne was a likeness as it were of human form. and upward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were gleaming bronze, like the appearance of fire enclosed round about; and downward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was a brightness round about him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” Ezekiel 1: 26 – 28.

When I thought about Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of the Lord, I imagined the figure full of fire, being like a setting sun, with the sky the colour of sapphire and with a rainbow running through it.

The church was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world.
Paul wrote that we the church are a heavenly people, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3: 1, 2. 1 Peter 1: 20
“For he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.” Ephesians 1: 4.

The Jewish people are an earthly people they are from the foundation of the earth. Luke 11: 50. Abraham was the founding father of Israel. The Jews are looking for the Messiah’s reign on earth.
“Then the King shall say to those on my right hand, “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25: 34.
Jesus will return
Today many Jewish people are recognising Jesus as their Messiah, Christian Jews and I’ve noticed how their knowledge of the Torah brings to light more hidden truths concerning Jesus.
When Jesus returns with the angels of God, and all the saints, the remnant of the nation of Israel will recognise their Messiah, Jesus Christ.
“So that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:13
”And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born.” Zechariah 12: 10.

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The Messiah’s Secret – The Two Witnesses

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The Two Witnesses
John the Baptist was in the spirit and power of Elijah he witnessed to Jesus being the Messiah.

Using the Revised Standard Version (RSV) Bible.

Visual Aids are used in this talk.
A Cross is made of textile material large enough to accommodate items on the following list.

Water wings
Picture with Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus
Picture of Fortress of Antonia
Picture with Jesus on the cross
Picture of man at ‘Gate Beautiful.’
Picture of the Dispersion
Mustard seed or picture of Mustard tree
Picture Gas boiler

These are placed inside the cross.
Each one is pulled out in turn and its significance explained.
The verses of scripture can be handed out and read at the appropriate time.

Material large enough to accommodate the largest object. (An A3 piece of paper would be quite large enough)
A piece of cloth is cut to form two crosses and then sewn together along the dotted lines. This cross does not have an image of Jesus on it, as Jesus is risen.
Leave open the four ends to enable the objects to be placed inside the cross and pulled out at the appropriate time.

The cross a place of change, a cross roads.
Life is often described as a journey and at some point we may be challenged to take a step of faith in the direction of Jesus.

Faith

When my children were learning to swim they wore water wings. They put their faith in them to keep them afloat. It was hard for them to take the water wings off and start to swim without them.
It is easier to put your faith into some thing that you can see or touch, than to have faith in God who you can not see or touch. To take that step of faith isn’t easy, it is like swimming without the water wings. When we step out in faith we find it works, we are upheld, and supported by God.

Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus

Observing the rituals of the law Joseph and Mary went to the temple for Mary’s purification which was 40days after the birth of Jesus. Leviticus 12
Also they were presenting their first-born child, Jesus, to the Lord, to be consecrated to God. God declared “For the first-born are mine.” Numbers 3: 15

Simeon and Anna. Two witnesses.
Some time earlier the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that before he died he would see the Lord’s Christ. Luke 2:22
On the day Joseph and Mary took Jesus into the temple, Simeon lifted Jesus up in his arms and by the Holy Spirit he knew that this baby boy was the promised Saviour of Israel and also of the Gentiles. (In the Bible there are only two groups of people the Jews and the Gentiles.)
Simeon praised God for fulfilling his promise to him with these words:
Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace;
according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.”
Luke 2: 29-32.

At the same hour another person came into the temple, Anna the prophetess. Luke records in his gospel that Anna she witnessed to others present that Jesus was the Messiah the one who would redeem Jerusalem.
The Messiah would redeem Jerusalem from the Roman occupational army. The Fortress of Antonia was formerly a palace and was adjacent to the temple. A tunnel connected it into the Jewish Courts of the temple and stairs to the Court of the Gentiles, giving Roman soldiers immediate access into the temple.

Fortress of Antonia

The Messiah’s future reign over Rome and the nations. “Ask of me, and I will make nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessel. Now therefore, O Kings, be wise be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, with trembling kiss his feet lest he be angry, and you perish in the way for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.” Psalm 2: 8-11

John the Baptist heralded the news of Messiah’s coming
John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance in preparation for the Messiah’s kingdom being established. John witnessed that Jesus was the Messiah. “And they came to John the Baptist, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, ”No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.” John 4:26-28.

Jesus identified John the Baptist as Elijah. “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Matthew 11: 13-15. Malachi 4: 5. Luke 1: 17.
Also John records in his gospel, “Jesus said, “There is another who bears witness to me, and I know that the testimony which he bears to me is true. You sent to John (Baptist) and he has borne witness to the truth . . . But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing bear witness that the Father has sent me.” John 5: 32.

Under Law the testimony of two witnesses is true.
John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus with his baptism in preparation of the coming kingdom of God. God bore witness to Jesus that he was the Messiah in the works, healing and miracles that he did. John the Baptist did not do any signs. John 10: 41
“Jesus said, “In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true I bear witness to myself and the Father, who sent me bears witness to me.” John 8: 17.

Jesus crucified

“The Messiah’s Secret.” page 83
“As the people watched Jesus dying on the cross someone shouted, ’Lets see if Elijah will come and take him down.’ Mark 15: 36. They expected Elijah to come at the Passover, he was to come and announce the Messiah’s arrival. The man who shouted wanted to see if Elijah would come and rescue Jesus before he died and proclaim him as the Messiah, then they would believe in him. “Come down from the cross and we will believe in him,” said the chief priests, scribes and elders.”
“At the Passover table a place is set for Elijah, the herald of the Messiah, and he would announce that the Messiah had at last come. For the rabbis say the Messiah is most likely to come on the night of the Passover, so the traditional cup and an empty chair awaits him.”
It is not surprising that the people were not aware that Elijah had already come because John himself was puzzled by Jesus, why he did not proclaim himself as the Messiah? John the Baptist had identified Jesus as the Messiah to his own disciples.

John the Baptist sent his disciples to enquire from Jesus was he the Messiah? Jesus responded by showing them the signs, the blind had received their sight, the lame walked, lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard, the dead were raised up and the poor had the gospel preached to them. Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah’s ministry was partially fulfilled by Jesus.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book.” Luke 4: 18, 19.
He stopped half way through verse two, he did not say the remaining words which are significant. “And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.” Isaiah 61: 2
John the Baptist was expecting the Messiah to Bring in the Day of Vengeance. “His winnowing fork in his hand, clearing his threshing floor, and gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he would burn with unquenchable fire, the unquenchable fire of the Day of Vengeance, judgement. Luke 3:16,17.

The Messiah’s secret Jesus had to fulfil the cost of redeeming us from sin on the cross before he could bring in the Day of Vengeance. This did not allow Jesus to make it widely known that he was the Messiah.

A word I was given on 30th May 1996 was that, “The disciples were setting up the kingdom in at the beginning of Acts.” It was as I understood to be in preparation for Jesus’ return with the angels of God. Mark 8:38
The disciples of Jesus were expecting Jesus to return soon, because he had said, “There are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power. ”Mark 9:1. Luke 9: 27.

Times of Refreshing.
“When the disciples were together just before Jesus’ ascension, they asked him if he would restore at this time the kingdom to Israel? Would he bring in the times of refreshing, the restoration of the throne and land of King David, the Messiah’s reign?
Jesus’ response, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all in Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1: 6-8

The Healing of the man at Gate Beautiful
At Pentecost for the first time the disciples proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. Shortly afterwards Peter and John were going up to the temple to pray. As they came to the ‘Gate Beautiful’ were asked for alms from a crippled man who begged there regularly. Peter looked at him and said to him I have no money, but in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, ‘Walk.’ Peter took the man’s hand and as he rose up from the ground because his feet and ankles were strengthened. The man jumped up and began to walk and leap praising God. As the crowd gathered Peter gave testimony to the resurrection of Jesus and announced that they and their rulers had crucified Jesus in ignorance. If they would repent, the Lord would bring in the times of refreshing and send Jesus the appointed Messiah.
After saying this Peter and John were arrested and later brought before Caiaphas and others to be questioned. Peter and John witnessed to the resurrection of Jesus and that this man had been healed at ‘Gate Beautiful’ in Jesus’ name. Before they were released Caiaphas instructed them not to speak or teach in Jesus’ name. (To be found in Acts 3 and 4)
For several years the Christian community met in Jerusalem, witnessing to Jesus’ resurrection and that he was the Messiah.
“A great many priests were obedient to the faith.” Acts 6: 7
After Stephen’s death the persecution of Christians began.
The Dispersion of the Jerusalem Community of believers.

“And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles. Those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” Acts 8: 1.

Kingdom authority was exercised by the Apostles in preparation of Jesus’ return.
In Acts 8: 4 – 24 we read that after the dispersion, Philip travelled to the city of Samaria and proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ.
Simon the Sorcerer was a prominent man in the city of Samaria, he was highly esteemed by the Samaritans for performing magic. He seduced the people into thinking that he was more than just a man, but a god.

“Ancient ecclesiastical writers say that Simon claimed he was the father who gave the law to Moses that he came in the reign of Tiberius in the person as the son: that he descended upon the disciples at Pentecost in flames of fire; that he was the Messiah, the Paraclete, and Jupiter and the woman who accompanied him called Helena was Minerva, or the first intelligence.” Notes from Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible

The Bible makes it quite clear from both Old and New Testaments that engaging in Sorcerery (Witchcraft) is not to be practiced.
“Any one who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an auger, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord.” Deuteronomy 18: 10-12.

“The Adversary” by Mark I Bubeck. 1975 “Witchcraft – This sin of the flesh springs from our desire to contact the relate to the mysterious spirit world. In rebellious curiosity, we desire to learn the mysteries of the unseen world in a manner other than that revealed by God in His Word. This fleshly sin of witchcraft includes the whole occult realm. Ouija boards, tarot cards, séances, spiritism, levitation, astrology, the pendulum, and such like tools of this sin.”
St. Paul includes sorcerers (witchcraft) in his list “Now the works of the flesh are plain; fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcerers, strife, coveting, those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5: 19, 20. These words of Paul still apply to Christians today.
Mustard Tree
“Jesus said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man sowed in his garden; it grew and became a tree and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” Luke 13: 18, 19.
The seed of faith is sown in the heart, in the garden of a persons’ life. The birds which represent principalities and powers of darkness if allowed will come and build nests in the branches of our tree.
If we take onboard some of the New Age philosophises and practices they become nests, strongholds in our spiritual life.
During my life time I’ve seen a rise in popularity of “New Age” spirituality. It takes spiritual elements from an assortment of religions from all over the world.
In our shopping Arcades and town centres, New Age shops promote books, games and on T.V. drama and films.

Wikipedia “The New Age (also referred to as the New Age Movement, New Age spirituality, and Cosmic Humanism) is a decentralized Western social and spiritual movement that seeks “Universal Truth” and the attainment of the highest individual human potential. It includes aspects of Occultism, astrology, esotericism, metaphysics, alternative medicine, music, collectivism, sustainability, and nature. New Age spirituality is characterized by an individual approach to spiritual practices and philosophies, and the rejection of religious doctrine and dogma.

New Age practices and philosophies sometimes draw inspiration from major world religions: Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism; with particularly strong influences from East Asian religions, Gnosticism, Neopaganism, New Thought, Spiritualism, Theosophy, Universalism and Western esotericism. Additional terms for the movement include ‘All is One’ and ‘Mind, Body-Spirit.’”

Spiritual Health check The Manchester Diocese Healing Diocesan Day on the 4th October 2008 the guest speaker was Rev Beatrice Brandon the Healing Advisor of Archbishop’s Canterbury and York and one of the two co-editors of the ‘A Time to Heal’ Report.

As part of ‘A Time to Heal’ report Beatrice had contacted 90 Contemporary and Alternative Medicine establishments, she discovered that many were ‘New Age’ or coming from Eastern religions. On each one she did an analysis, finding out what the therapies and treatments were, how much people paid for them.

In one of the afternoon sessions as Beatrice Brandon spoke, a lady present stated that she was a Reiki practitioner and during one of her procedures she had a vision of Jesus, which resulted in her starting to attend an Anglican Church. She asked Beatrice was it possible to continue with her Reiki practice? Beatrice’s reply was ‘How can you equate Reiki symbols you use with Christian beliefs?’ The ladies response was that she didn’t want to give up her ‘powers.’ Later at the Communion service this lady came forward for anointing and the laying on of hands for healing.

Beatrice remarked on how people coming to church after having therapy treatments are shaped in their beliefs regarding the healing ministry so when they attend a church to receive healing in most cases they first have to go through a process of undoing the methodology of the practitioner. Beatrice concluded with guidance for any Christian seeking or being offered Contemporary and Alternative Medicine, ‘Always research the background, studying and reflecting upon the ways organizations and practitioners present their position, in order to understand their point of view on health and healing and approaches they offer and to discern where there may be differences between their understanding and Christian doctrine and teaching.’ (Taken from Resources for Training. B. Brandon)

Jesus’ baptism of repentance for forgiveness for sin and the receiving of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Simon was amazed at the signs and great miracles that were performed by Philip and when he heard the gospel from Philip he believed and was baptised.

Jesus’ Baptism of Repentance glimpsed in Book of Exodus
During the Israelites wilderness journey we see a glimpse of Jesus’ baptism of repentance. After crossing the Red Sea the Israelites 600,000 people began their journey towards the promised land, the land of Canaan. After travelling through the wilderness of Shur for three days they had run out of water. When they came to Marah, they found to their dismay, that the water there was bitter and undrinkable. Due to this they murmured against Moses. He cried out to God for his help. God told Moses to throw a tree into the water and the water became sweet and drinkable.
Exodus 15: 22 – 25

Jesus’ Baptism of Repentance
The bitter water of sin.
The tree, the cross where sin was dealt with by Jesus.
The sweet water of sins forgiven.

Water Baptism whether it is by sprinkling or immersing in water. It is making an outward expression, a public declaration, of accepting Jesus as Saviour. It is also were a person is crucified with Christ, in dying to sin through confession of sin against God, our heart is washed clean with the sacrificial blood of Christ. We are raised up in the likeness of Jesus’ resurrection.

Water speaks of the Holy Spirit. John 7: 37 On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, “Jesus said, “Is there anyone thirsty, then let them come to me and drink.” He spoke of the Holy Spirit who would be poured out after his resurrection and ascension.


The Holy Spirit is part of having faith in Jesus.
To enable the central heating system to work the pilot light is lit. The Holy Spirit responds to our faith in Jesus, he quickens our spirit when we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour. At some point on our Journey of faith we are empowered by the Holy Spirit for service and it is like the central heating coming on, ‘Whoosh.’

My sister Irene had already made a commitment of faith to follow Jesus, (her pilot light lit) and when three of her children were baptised at St. Gabriel’s Anglican Church, Manchester, England, she received the gift of the Holy Spirit empowering her for service. (It was like the central heating coming on.)

The Holy Spirit received through the laying on of hands
The Christians at Samaria had been baptised by Philip, however the gift of the Holy Spirit had not been given. Peter and John came from Jerusalem to pray for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the gift of the Holy Spirit was received through the laying on of hands he wanted to buy the ability, the power to lay his hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit.

In 1980 I regularly attended a Friday night prayer meeting, it was at one of these meetings that I received the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. The Vicar at the time had the gift of praying for people to receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. At least forty people if not more were blessed by his ministry, and as a result we were empowered for service within the body of believers.
Scripture teaches us that we should not lay hands on a person without seeking their permission first. 1 Timothy 5: 22

Confirmation
The laying on of hands at a Confirmation service is where the church seeks to give the gift of the Holy Spirit to a believer, like those Christians at Samaria.
It is also confirms membership of the church of England.

The Messiah’s Secret – page 111“Simon the man who wanted to buy the power to lay hands on people to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter said to him, “Your silver perish with you, because you thought that you could obtain the gift with money!” Peter told him to repent, Simon was afraid that something might happen to him, so he said to Peter, “Pray for me, to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” Peter forgave Simon.
Jesus the corner stone, everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on anyone it will crush them. The ruling rod of iron, sin and the causes of sin will be rooted out.” Psalm 2: 9. Isaiah 8: 14, 15. Mark 9: 42-50. 11: 12-14, 20. Matthew 15: 13. Matthew 13: 41, 42. 1 Corinthians 15: 24, 25. Revelations 19: 15.

Disciples commissioned by Jesus Simon was afraid that Peter’s words had the power to pass judgement upon him because on the evening of the Day of the Resurrection, when the Apostles were gathered together in the house in Jerusalem. Jesus came and stood in the midst of them. He said to them, “Peace be with you,” Their restless hearts must have calmed in a moment with Jesus presence entering into the room.
On one occasion I took a pottery order to the home Sister Irenie Mary, an Anglican Nun in Blackburn. On entering her house she greeted me and the peace of the Lord flowed out from her. It was a memorable moment.
Jesus calmed the Apostles fears with his greeting and proceeded to instruct them, sending them out with the good news of his resurrection and giving them the power to retain the sin of anyone and also the power to forgive the sins of anyone. Peter carried this out with devastating effect when he retained the sins of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. They were members of the Christian Community that met in Jerusalem. They had sold a piece of land and the proceeds they were giving to the community. However they kept some money back and when they gave the money they lied as to the amount that they had received from the sale. Peter spoke to them individually about it. Peter first of all told Ananias that he had lied not to a man but to God and he fell down and died on the spot. The same thing happened to his wife. Sin and the causes of sin had been rooted out by Peter. They both had been crushed by the stone.

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken.
Peter response was decisive which brought condemnation and a Godly fear on Simon. Simon fell on the stone and was broken, humbled, he repented of wanting to buy the power to enable people to receive the Holy Spirit through him.
Asking Peter to pray for him meant that Simon was willing to lay down his pride, which for him was a big change, as he had exalted himself over the people of Samaria.

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the King

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“The Messiah’s Secret” – Jesus the King
Using the Revised Standard Version (RSV) Bible.

Visual Aids are used in this talk.
A Cross is made of textile material large enough to accommodate items on the following list.

Jewelled crown
Towel
Picture of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey
Picture of the empty cross
Purple Robe & Crown
Aid Agencies Brochure
Bunch of grapes

These are placed inside the cross.
Each one is pulled out in turn and its significance explained.
The verses of scripture can be handed out and read at the appropriate time.

Material large enough to accommodate the largest object. (An A3 piece of paper would be quite large enough)
A piece of cloth is cut to form two crosses and then sewn together along the dotted lines.
Leave open the four ends to enable the objects to be placed inside the cross and pulled out at the appropriate time. This cross does not have an image of Jesus on it because it represents the risen Christ.
The cross a place of change, a cross roads.
Life is often described as a journey and at some point we may be challenged to take a step of faith in the direction of Jesus.

Faith
A couple sat in their car on the hard should of a motorway as their car had broken down. Eventually someone stopped and asked if they could help. Only to find that the couple were deaf and they had been praying and waiting for some one to stop and give assistance. Their prayers had been answered.

Jesus born a King

When wise men from the East came to Jerusalem they asked Herod, “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?” Matthew 2: 1, 2.
These men who visited Jerusalem were eastern in origin and probably came from Persia or Media.
They used a significant term; “Born a King” Jesus’ was not anointed a King by the chief priest or by a prophet like Samuel who had anointed Saul and David to be King. Jesus was born a king.

Jesus the Servant King

The description of the Servant King found in the Old Testament.
King Solomon had died and his son Rehoboam was made King by the people at Shechem. Afterwards they asked the new King to relieve them of the heavy yoke that his father Solomon had placed upon them.” Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you.” 1 Kings 12: 4
Wisely King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served under Solomon. The advice that they gave him pointed to the mark of a good King.
“And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants for ever.” 1 Kings 12: 7.King Rehoboam took no notice of the elder’s advice; instead he took the advice of his friends who encouraged him to increase the burdens upon his people.

The Elders description of the Servant King verse 7 in two parts:
Part 1 “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them.”Jesus taught his disciples, if anyone would be first, he must be last and servant of all.
Jesus demonstrated this when he himself took upon the servants role in doing the menial task of washing his disciples feet. On arrival at the house were they were to eat the Passover meal. With Jesus showing complete loss of distinction, the greatest man who has ever lived becoming the servant of all. Jesus took off his garments and wrapped a towel around his waist and washed his disciples feet, afterwards he put his garments back on and said to them, ”Do you understand what I have done to you. You call me teacher and Lord. You are right for so I am.” Their Lord and teacher had taken off his garments and became their servant.
Jesus must have seen the basin, towel and water were already there in the room. It was customary to have their feet washed on arrival. No one from among his disciples had offered to do the servants job of washing their feet on entering the house. So Jesus used this every day task to demonstrate the greatest becoming the servant of all.

Part 2 “And speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants for ever.”
“Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28 – 30.
These are the good words of our servant King, ‘Come to me,’ Jesus’ personal testimony of suffering being weary and burdened with well doing and the cost of laying down his life. We learn to give our burdens to the one who was willing to shoulder them on the cross. At some point on our Christian journey we will suffer, if we lean on Jesus as we go through it, then we find suffering strengthens us. This results in lightening the burden. His call upon us, to follow him, and enter into his rest. Our lives are hidden with Christ in God for ever.

Jesus King of Peace

From my reading of the gospels Jesus had a great presence of peace about him. He always spoke the truth and with great authority interpreted the Hebrew Scriptures, with signs following his message of healing and miracles. I also see a side to him of meekness, unassuming kindness, being at everyone’s beck and call. It is not surprising that the people wanted to make him their King.
Leaders of the Jewish Sanhedrin would be aware of Jesus’ growing influence upon the people especially after Lazarus had been raised from the dead. The crowd who had witnessed this bore witness to others. The reason many of the people who laid down palm branches when Jesus entered Jerusalem was because they had heard about Lazarus. They recognised Jesus as their King, they shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”
John records the fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on an ass’s colt!” John 12: 13 – 17.
After Jesus entered the city he was soon surrounded by a crowd, when he finished speaking with them, John wrote, “When Jesus said this, he departed and hid himself from the crowd.” John 12: 36. Jesus knew that being recognised by the people as their King was good, but it was not the time to make him their King.

On another occasion
“Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him King, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” John 6: 15
After the miracle of feeding of the 5,000 people on the hillside, some of them wanted make Jesus their King. When Jesus heard of their plan, he withdrew himself, walked away.

Had the people taken Jesus by force to be their King without the approval, acceptance of the Sanhedrin. It would have been unlawful, insurrection. God would not allow that to take place, it was for the nation’s leaders to recognise Jesus as the Messiah. But that couldn’t take place until after Jesus’ death and resurrection and ascension. He had first had to accomplish God’s plan of salvation for Israel and the rest of the world.

The Jews did not believe that the Christ would come and die.
“And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and the other on his left. And they who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross”” So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying,” He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.” Mark 15:26 – 32

They were taught under law that the Christ would not come and die. “The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that when the Christ comes he will remain for ever.” John 12: 34
The Jews at that time didn’t believe that God would allow their Messiah to come and die. They expected the Christ to come and take up the throne of King David and rule from Jerusalem the eternal kingdom of God. 2 Samuel 7: 12 – 17

Even Jesus’ own brothers did not understand his secrecy.
The Messiah’s Secret” page 72“His brothers tried to advise Jesus to go to Judea even though they knew that the Jews sought to kill him there. They said,”For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his brothers did not believe in him” John7: 3-5
After the ascension we read that his brothers were in the house waiting with the other disciples for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1: 14.
Jesus’ brothers discovered the truth about Jesus and they were open about it. Our hearts search for the truth, but when we find it, it is not easy to overcome our pride and be open to others acknowledging a change of heart.

Jesus prophesied his death and resurrection on many occasions.
“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Matthew 16: 21
“And taking the twelve, Jesus 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 Jesus’ resurrection and ascension Peter at Pentecost proclaims that Jesus’ death was in the plan of God. “Men of Israel hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in you midst, as you yourselves know this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God . . . . .”Acts 2: 22,23.

Jesus the king of the Jews

One of the charges brought against Jesus by the council, was that they accused him of making himself a king like Cesar. The soldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe; mocking him they came up to him saying,”Hail, King of the Jews!” They also put a reed in his hand.

The chief priest opposed the inscription “This is the King of the Jews” being nailed to Jesus’ cross. Inspite of this the inscription was put on the cross in several languages.

Those authorities who did believe in him did not acknowledge Jesus openly for fear of being put out of the synagogue. John12: 42. The leading Jews had already agreed if any one should acknowledge Jesus as being the Christ they would be put out of the synagogue. John 9: 22.

Jesus the King of Love
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16

Jesus descended to the dead
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took Jesus’ dead body down from the cross. They carried him to Joseph of Arimathea’s empty tomb. Matthew 27: 57 – 60.
Peter wrote in his letter to the Jews of the dispersion wrote that Jesus during those three days after his death he went and preached the gospel to those who were being held in what Peter described as a prison. Those who had died, without having the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Saviour during their life time.
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. In which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who in former days did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.” 1 Peter 3:18 – 20
“For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.” 1 Peter 4: 6.
Those who accepted Jesus rose with him on the day of his resurrection. “”And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared too many.” Matthew 27: 53. “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?”)
Ephesians 4: 8, 9.
Another teaching from this is the separation between the flesh and the spirit.
When God created us he gave a physical body and he breathed life into us so we became a living being. Comprising of body, soul and spirit. The soul and the spirit being the parts of us that leaves the body at death.
Taking an envelope in it we place the letter. The envelope is like our bodies and the letter like our spirit. When we remove the letter from the envelope it is like the separation that takes place when we die our soul/spirit leaves our bodies.
The envelope of our bodies returns to dust, dead matter, which cannot be destroyed and will one day be gathered by God, to form our resurrected body. Our soul/spirit is escorted by angels to be with Jesus in a place prepared for us in his Father’s house in heaven.

Living our lives in the Spirit
Just as in death a separation takes place between the flesh and the spirit/soul. When we accepted Jesus as our Saviour a transformation takes place within our human soul/spirit, this change unites us with Jesus, God our Father and his Holy Spirit, separating us from our former way of life.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4: 12.
As we progress on our Christian journey there can be a struggle between the desires of the flesh and the Spirit of God dwelling within us. Please myself rather than pleasing the Lord. The Holy Spirit will help us to discern and how to apply scripture to enable us to overcome them.

Jesus King of Kings

He said to Pilate, “My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world.” Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.”

Most Kings have titles: Supreme governor, Chief of Military, Defender of the Faith etc. Some of Jesus’ titles: King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called . . . . . . . . .of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9: 6, 7. Isaiah prophesied the Messiah’s reign.

The prophesies of King David had been fulfilled by Jesus.
“But God raised Jesus up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will dwell in hope. For thou will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption. “ Acts 2: 24 – 27. Psalm 16: 8 -11.”For David did not ascend into the heavens; but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make all your enemies a stool for your feet.” Acts 2: 34,35.

Jesus could only be received by the nation of Israel as their Messiah, after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension.

Jesus would have brought in the times of refreshing, restoration of the land, establishing the eternal kingdom and throne of King David. If he had been recognised as the Messiah at and after Pentecost by the leaders of Israel.

It was at Pentecost when for the first time the disciples proclaimed Jesus as the promised Messiah. “Peter and John spoke to the crowd in Solomon’s Portico, ‘and now brethren, I know you acted in ignorance as did your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus. . . . . . ’” Acts 3:17 – 20.
Now was the time for the leaders of Israel to recognise their King and Messiah.

A word I was given on 30th May 1996 was that, “The disciples were setting up the kingdom in at the beginning of Acts.” It was as I understood to be in preparation for his return with the angels of God. Mark 8:38

The Aid agencies have schemes to buy a goat for Africans etc as a present for a friend.
It really does work! In a village in Bangladesh villagers have been given goats paid for by these gifts that make the difference between survival or death. 5 goats then sold to buy a cow.

Christian prophet Agabus prophesied a great famine over the entire world.
In the days of Emperor Claudius there was a famine over the entire known world. The Christians at Antioch sent relief to the Christians who lived in Judea.
King Herod was in authority to distribute grain and other food grown in Galilee. The people in Tyre and Sidon depended on their trade links with Galilee to obtain food.

“Herod Agrippa grandson of Herod the great was born in 11BC. He grew up in Rome. In AD37 Herod was given the tetrarchies of Iturea, Trachonitis and Gaulinitis by the Roman Emperor Gaius, who also conferred on him the title of King. Later he was given rule over Galilee and Perea, and still later, under Claudius, his rule was extended to include Judea and Sameria. (Eyre and Spottiswoode Study Bible.)

Centuries before trade links had been established, when Hiram King of Sidon had made a treaty with King Solomon. Hiram would supply Solomon with Lebanon Cedars and Cypress trees along with carpenters to help build Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In exchange for 20,000 cors of wheat and 20,000 cors of beaten oil. 1 Kings 5: 1 – 12.
Much later in Ezekiel time he records the trade between Judah and Tyre. Tyre exchanged there merchandise for wheat, olives, early figs, honey, oil and balm. Ezekiel 27: 17

Herod Agrippa was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. The reason for his displeasure is not known. A delegation from Tyre and Sidon seeking peace had arranged with Herod’s Chamberlain Blastus to meet with King Herod.

Herod put on his kingly robes and sat on his throne gave an oration to the delegates from Tyre and Sidon. After Herod had spoken the delegates shouted, “The voice of a god and not of man!”
Herod’s demise, “Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod with an illness. He died 5 days later. First century historian Josephus wrote: “Herod fell into the deepest sorrow; a severe pain arose in his bowels, and he died after 5 days of illness.”
Herod’s death was seen by the writer of this account as an act of God because he did not give God the glory. In the following verse he wrote, “But the word of God grew and multiplied.”

Herod had earlier Killed James the brother of John and had arrested Peter and later by a miracle was freed from the jail by an angel. With the death of Herod Agrippa 1, the threat of Christians being arrested was diminished.

King of the Kingdom of God
Taking the view of the writer of this account in Acts 12: 23 “Immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not givethe glory to God; and he was eaten up by worms and died.” I saw this as evidence that God was upholding the disciples and followers of Jesus in their preparation for Jesus’ return within their life time. They were setting up the Kingdom of God in anticipation of Jesus’ return with the angels of God. Mark 8: 38.

Moses and John the Apostle prophesied the Messiah’s ruling with a rod of iron.
“Moses said, “The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in what ever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed from the people.” Acts 3: 22, 23
“He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end. I will give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father.” Revelations 2: 27

Jesus’ parable of the Vineyard
Israel the tenants were left in charge of the vineyard, the owner of the vineyard sent a servant to collect a proportion of the fruit. He was beaten and sent away empty handed. Another servant was sent but he was wounded and sent away. Finally the owner sent his son thinking that they would respect him. They killed him, casting him out of the vineyard. Jesus asked them a question, “What will the owner do? Jesus told them, “He will destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others to produce the fruit of it.”
The Pharisees who were listening when they heard, they said, “God forbid.”
Jesus continued and quoted from Psalm 118: 22 “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. Every one who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one it will crush him.” These words at the end speak of the ruling rod of iron of the Messiah’s reign.

The Jews were a rebellious people. During their history they were constantly falling away from the Laws of Moses. Prophets had been sent by God to make them aware of their sin, but they were treated with contempt. Finally God sent his Son and the leaders took no notice of his word and when he was proclaimed the Messiah by the Apostles at Pentecost the leaders rejected their witness of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
Those who did accept him were broken, “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said this to the apostles. What shall we do? And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2: 37, 38.
Those who rejected the message would be crushed. Woe to you Lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” Luke 11: 52

Jesus’ return delayed.
Clearly Jesus did not return within the life time of the Apostles. The authority the apostles had in setting up the Kingdom of God in preparation for Jesus’ return, changed with the destruction of the temple in AD70.

Daniel’s Vision of 70 Week’s“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince there shall be 7 weeks. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the people and the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and sanctuary.”
Daniel 9:25, 26.

One week in Daniel’s vision is counted as 7 years
Total 69 weeks 483 years. 1 week still to be fulfilled.
The rebuilding of the second temple took place during the reign of Darius 522 – 486 BC and was completed in the sixth year of his reign 516 BC. Ezra 6: 15.
(Abraham’s prophecy of Israel’s slavery was 400 years Genesis 15: 13. Prophecy was fulfilled after 430 years Exodus 12: 40. Not to the exact prophesied year)

The Jews were expecting Daniel’s prophesy in to be fulfilled with the coming of the Messiah. The leaders of the council of the Jews considered whether John the Baptist was the Messiah.
“As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ.” Luke 3: 15
Fulfilment of these two verses of Daniel’s vision with Jesus’ coming near to the prophesied time and ‘The anointed one cut off’ speaks of his rejection as being the King and Messiah of Israel and as Daniel’s prophecy predicted the destruction of Jerusalem along with the temple by the Romans in AD70

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus Son of God

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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the Son of God
Using the Revised Standard Version (RSV) Bible.

Visual Aids are used in this talk.
A Cross is made of textile material large enough to accommodate items on the following list.

Bird
Picture of Mary and Jesus
Picture of Jesus feeding 5,000
Bible (small bible)
Picture or wooden cross
Picture of Tracker Watch
Praying hands
Picture with Newspaper article
Picture of Toybox Logo

These are placed inside the cross.
Each one is pulled out in turn and its significance explained.
The verses of scripture can be handed out and read at the appropriate time.

Material large enough to accommodate the largest object.
(An A3 piece of paper would be quite large enough)

A piece of cloth is cut to form two crosses and then sewn together along the dotted lines.
Leave open the four ends to enable the objects to be placed inside the cross and pulled out at the appropriate time.

The cross a place of change, a cross roads.
Life is often described as a journey and at some point we may be challenged to take a step of faith in the direction of Jesus.

Faith

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow or reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” Matthew 6: 25, 26
Christians are called to live by faith in Jesus and in God’s promises to us. These promises are found in the Bible. The greatest promise is given to us that we shall come to know God through faith in Jesus.

Jesus the Son of God

The Virgin Birth.
In 1978 Louise Joy Brown was born, she was the first test tube baby. It seemed incredible at the time. Drs Steptoe and Edwards made medical history when they developed the means were they were able to plant Leslie Brown’s fertilised egg into her womb. We take these breakthroughs in medical science for granted now, but I remember a comment at the time, ‘scientists were playing at being God.’

God intervened in human affairs when Mary gave birth to Jesus the Son of God.
Angel Gabriel had given her the message that she had been chosen, highly favoured by God to bear the Son of God. The Holy Spirit would overshadow her, God provided both e sperm and the egg and placed them in Mary’s womb, without her flesh being touched. Mary gave Jesus his humanity; God the Father of Jesus gave him his Divinity.

To have faith in the Virgin Birth is to believe that all things are possible with God. When a person receives healing through prayer, God heals within the body, without touching the flesh.

Angel Gabriel gave to Mary a prophesy that God would give Jesus the throne of his father David, and that he would reign over the house of Jacob for ever.
Even the angels were not aware that Jesus had to die on a cross, be raised from the dead and ascend into heaven, and come again before he could take up the throne of King David and reign over the house of Jacob for ever.

Jesus the Son of living God

Jesus had the words of eternal life; the words he gave his disciples have been recorded by them in the Gospels. “Jesus said to Philip, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or believe me for the sake of the works themselves.” John 14: 9 – 11

Jesus the only Son of God. It is recorded by eye witnesses at the time that he raised the dead, changed water into wine, manufactured bread and fishes, created new flesh were the person’s flesh had been ravaged by leprosy; Jesus healed all kinds of sickness and disease. He walked on water.

Jesus manifested God’s love in his involvement with people; he loved them, showing so much compassion for the ordinary person of any age. A lot of the people in his day suffered from ill health and they came to him in there thousands for his healing touch upon their lives. So many people were healed that he couldn’t go anywhere without the crowds following him.
There were also great miracles; the first one is recorded by John when Jesus was at a wedding. Just like most weddings something goes wrong. I remember being half an hour late for my wedding. At this wedding Jesus’ mother Mary came to him for his help because they had run short of wine. He didn’t send the servants out to the vineyard, but instead he told them to fill six stone purification water jars with water, each one accommodating 20/30gallons. Jesus then told the servant to draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast. A glass of it was taken to the steward of the feast, as he tasted it he exclaimed, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
John 2:1-11
Jesus transformed the nature of the water to wine. Through faith in him he is able to transform the nature of our hearts from knowing about God, to knowing God personally.

Bible

Jesus the Son of God came to fulfil the laws of Moses.
Jesus fulfilled the original laws of Moses and ignored any additions made by the Pharisees.
“Jesus said, “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.” Matthew 23: 1 -4

“The Messiah’s Secret.” page 42
Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.
Jesus asked the Pharisees the question: “Was it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do harm, to save life or destroy it?” The Pharisees were furious. On another occasion the Pharisees said to the people there are six days on which work maybe done, come on those days and be healed and not on the Sabbath. Luke 6: 9
Jesus called them hypocrites, as they untie and lead their ox and ass to water on the Sabbath.” Which meant they too were breaking the law.” Luke 13: 11 – 17.”

Mark’s gospel records Jesus upholding the law. Jesus healed the man of leprosy and so he was instructed by Jesus to go and show himself to the priest and make an offering for his cleansing as Moses commanded in the law. Not one dot of the law would become void. God’s presence within the temple, ‘the Holy of Holies’ made the law holy and the people who kept the law righteous.

“The Messiah’s Secret” page 158
“Jesus lived up to the expectation of the Messiah regarding his miracles, but the leaders rejected his signs because he broke the Sabbath and other laws that were sacred to the Jews. The laws demanded obedience with ritual washings and sprinklings of water and sacrifices and punishment for breaking them. The Sabbath Day alone had hundred of rules over the centuries the leaders of the Sanhedrin had added their own rules to the laws given to Moses by God, because they were zealous they earned their righteousness under the law. These extra laws meant that the poorest people in Jewish society would not be able to afford the offerings that were necessary as atonement for breaking the law. The Pharisees called these people sinners. Jesus was accused of consorting with sinners and outcasts. In response he said that he had not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, as those keeping the law were made righteous through keeping the law whilst God’s presence was dwelling in the midst of his people in Jerusalem.”

Jesus the Son of God and High Priest
Jesus was as a descendant of King David from the tribe of Judah. They were not of the priestly line under law. Jesus the Son of God did not exalt himself to be made high priest, he was not self appointed but was appointed by God as high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews gives us insight into the resemblance between Melchizedek and Jesus.
“Another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily decent but by the power of an indestructible life.”
Hebrews 7:15,16.
“So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee” as he also says in another place, “Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
“Being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5: 5, 6, 10.
“Melchizedek is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” Hebrews 7: 3

Abraham (Abram) rescues Lot
The King of Chedorlamer and the three kings in allegiance with him conquered Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his family who lived in Sodom were taken captive by them. They took them north towards Damascus. One of Lot’s family escaped he went and told Abraham what had happened. Abraham gathered 318 his trained men and pursued them. They routed the enemy and brought Lot and his family back to Hebron.
Abraham having rescued his nephew Lot and His family brought them back to the Promised Land of Canaan. Abraham was given bread and wine and blessed by Melchizedek the high priest of God. Genesis 14: 12 – 20.

Melchizedek’s resemblance with Jesus.
The gospel of repentance had been preached by Jesus and his disciples throughout the whole of Israel. In doing so they rescued those lost to the law and brought them back into the fold. The disciples received the bread and the wine from Jesus the high priest of God. Mark 14: 22, 23
The incident between Melchizedek and Abraham took place before the law was given to Moses. Abraham’s faith in God was counted as righteousness.
Under law the Jews earned their righteousness by keeping the law
Jesus being a high priest of the order of Melchizedek. It is through faith in Jesus we are counted righteous before God.

The cross

“Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5: 8-10

“The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus is the High Priest and Shepherd.” page 143“Jesus fulfilled the office of high priest when he offered himself as the sacrifice, the ‘Passover Lamb’, the burnt offering, the sacrifice of atonement for the priesthood and for all the people. When he breathed his last breath, the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom, an act of God. It was customary for the high priest to enter the Holy of Holies once a year and sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed animal onto the mercy seat as atonement for the sins of himself, his family, the priesthood and for all the people of Israel. The offering brought for sacrifice was slain by the high priest at the door of the tabernacle. Leviticus 4: 4.
Jesus is the shepherd and he is the door by which the sheep must enter the sheepfold. John10: 9 The way to the door is through belief in him, belief in what he taught, and a way of life that love fulfils the laws of God. Jesus opens the door; his life laid down for our reconciliation with the Holy God of Israel, the cross, the sacrifice of himself puts us right with God.”

Jesus’ death a stumbling block to the Jews, they did not believe that the Messiah would become the high priest and the actual sacrifice of atonement even though their prophets had prophesied that he would. God himself had hidden it from their understanding.

These verses found in Old Testament
“The Lord had sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” Psalm 110: 4
“Yet it was the will of God to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53: 10, 11.

Rebuild the Temple
When Jesus said that he would rebuild the temple in three days; he meant the temple of his risen body. God raised Jesus from the dead. The apostles witnessed his resurrection and we read in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 15: 6 over 500 people saw Jesus during the 40 days before his ascension.

Jesus had fulfilled the law in the temple of his risen body.
“The Messiah’s Secret” Part Five: Fulfilment of the Laws in the Messiah page 92
Chapter 3: Love Fulfils the Law page 97
“St Paul writes to the Romans that love has fulfilled the law, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment are summed up in this sentence; “You shall love your neighbour as yourself. “Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” The cost of loving is demanding because it takes away self-interest, serving and caring for others. Paul stating that love has fulfilled the law does not mean that the commandments are no longer in force, the Holy Spirit writes the commandments into the heart of a Christian. Christ in you means that we have the nature of God dwelling within. The Holy Spirit transforms us we feel as God feels about sin, it is aberrant to us.”

Jesus had promised that both he and his Father would come and make their home within the believer, our bodies becoming the temple of God. He would send the Holy Spirit into the world, to equip the believer with his gifts.

The temple of Christ’s body.
“Do you not know that your God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3: 16
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not on your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20

Christ in You

My daughter uses a GPS Tracker when she goes our running. It is much bigger than a watch, and is worn on the wrist. Through the Tracker she is able to monitor her heart beat, pulse, steps, calories, speed, distance and a map of her route that she had taken. It is amazing technology. In a race she wears a tag which enables me to follow her on her route on my computer via the satellite link.
Christ in us is like wearing a tracker, it shouldn’t be surprising to us when the Lord knows our every movement, our thoughts, and he knows the condition of our body and our planned route the schedule of events in our life.
We put our faith in technology because we can operate it ourselves; we can control it.
In our relationship with the Lord, we are called to walk by faith. It means being reliant upon God to respond to our prayers. For us to listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit for guidance and to act on his promises to us.

This amazing relationship develops as we learn more about Jesus. Ever since I came to know Jesus personally, the Holy Spirit has shown me Jesus in the scriptures. I’ve had such a hunger and thirst to learn about Jesus and it has not diminished over time. In 1988 when we moved house, I found out that the store room in our old house was called the Bible room. I got such a surprise, for me it was a quiet place, near the kitchen.
We all need a quiet place where we can read, meditate on the Bible and pray.

Jesus High Priest of an eternal priesthood

Spending time in prayer, in conversation with God.“Consequently Jesus is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. . . . appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.” Hebrews 7: 25- 28

We direct our prayers to Jesus who intercedes for us before God
When we pray we revere or Father God’s name as we seek to fulfil his will every day for our lives: we trust in his care for us, as he provides for our needs, like the birds and all his creatures.
To ask for forgiveness were we have grieved the Holy Spirit or were we have failed to love and offer to forgiveness when we have been wronged, or hurt by others.
For the Lord’s conviction if we are tempted to look to ourselves for inspiration, guidance in order to fulfil the Lord’s call upon our lives and for protection when the evil one comes near. We earnestly desire our lives to reflect the glory of the Lord’s kingdom here on earth.

God hears our prayers because we are in him and he is in us, it is not about status or how long we’ve been a Christian. It is simply praying through faith in our Lord from our heart.
Prayers of thanksgiving and prayer for our family, our extended church family and community. For the sick and lonely, our nation and currant world affairs. Seeking always for guidance from the Holy Spirit even speaking in the language of the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues. All things working for good to praise his name. The name above all names, Jesus Christ.

Newspaper Report on the ‘Man who had everything.’

In an article in ‘Evangelism Today’ by Keith Kelly he reported on the outcome of a house and its’ contents sale in Malawi. The first item in the sale was a painting of the late owner of his son. His son had died some years before his father. It wasn’t a good painting but it showed a resemblance of him. No one wanted it except the previous owner’s house keeper, she said, “I’ll take it, I want it, I loved the father and the son. This will remind me of the happy times we had together.” Everyone laughed at her. The auctioneer brought his hammer down. “Sold to the lady over there.” Then the auctioneer did a strange thing, he said, “The sale is now finished.” Gaps broke out all over, “What did he say?” “Finished,” “Why?” The auctioneer said, “The house owner left a message in his will that whoever wanted the picture of his son could have everything else free of charge.” So the housekeeper became rich for only 50 tambala and a little bit of love.”

If we want God’s Son everything else comes free as well. The abundance of God’s grace in coming to know Jesus as our Saviour and that God is our Father and that we have an extended family across the world. Those who through faith in Jesus have become children of God too.
“To all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who are born, not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.” John 1: 12, 13.

Love one another

Toybox is a Children’s Charity set up in 1996 to rescue the street children of Guatamala. It works in conjuction with Los Ministeries de El Castillo, Christians working on the streets supported by “Toybox” Amersham, Bucks, HP6 5YT www.toybox.org
A word I was given on 30th May 1996 was that, “The disciples were setting up the kingdom in at the beginning of Acts.” It was as I understood to be in preparation for his return with the angels of God. Mark 8:38
“The Messiah’s Secret” page 110
The Apostles expected Jesus to Return within their life time“The apostles were setting up the kingdom in preparation of Jesus’ return. They had been told by Jesus to be awake, watching, looking for his coming within their life time, to be about their master’s business.”

Jesus taught his disciples about his return through parables.
“The Messiah’s Secret” pages 53, 54“Jesus was expressing his desire to find the disciples busy at his work preaching the message of the kingdom. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, strength and will. To love your neighbour as yourself, to repent and believe in Jesus, the risen Christ, the Messiah. Jesus had told them that he would be returning with the angels and all the company of heaven, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. One can only imagine the splendour of his coming. It is amazing to think of Jesus in all his splendour, his majesty, the governor of the people of Israel, greeting his disciples and gathering them together around the table in his kingdom, and having them sit as he waits upon them like a servant. The humility of God, he suffered was mocked, scourged and crowned with thorns, crucifixion a violent death, and still he comes and serves. The disciples were not to be complacent; they were to be vigilant and must not think that he was delayed in his coming. Demands would be made of those who accepted the message of the kingdom and more would be required from them to prepare for the kingdom on earth, starting at Jerusalem in anticipation of his return.” Luke 12: 35-41

There are several parables were Jesus was concerned that the disciples should be looking for his return. Luke 12: 42-48.20: 18. Matthew 24: 44. 25: 13. Mark 4: 25. 13: 33.In some of these parables the ruling rod of the kingdom is evident.

“The Messiah’s Secret” page 108
“God was calling his people to repentance. Peter had told them that the rulers and people had acted in ignorance when they crucified Jesus; he had to die to accomplish the plan of Salvation for the Jews and for the world. If they would repent and acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus would return. The times of refreshing, after his coming he would restore the throne of King David, an everlasting throne and Kingdom, and the restoration of the land given to Abraham by God for an eternal possession. Those who were expecting, waiting would see the Kingdom come with power. Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”

Saviour of the world
Peter confirms to them that Jesus is the one that the prophets had spoken of. “And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, “And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness.” Acts 3: 24 – 26.

As these words were being said the temple guards arrived and arrested Peter and John.
The Apostles were preparing for Christ’s return, but the leaders of Israel didn’t accept Jesus as their Messiah.

Approximately thirty years later, Paul invited local Jewish leaders to his house in Rome where he was under house arrest. “When they had appointed a day for him, they came to his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, while others disbelieved. So, as they disagreed among themselves, they departed, after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive . . . Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” Acts 28: 23 – 28

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“The Messiah’s Secret – The Messiah’s Secret Revealed”

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The Messiah’s Secret – The Messiah’s Secret Revealed Blog

Using the Revised Standard Version (RSV) Bible.

Visual Aids are used in this talk.
A Cross is made of textile material large enough to accommodate items on the following list.

Adam & Eve (small dolls)
Picture Wilderness
Bible (small Bible)
Picture Jesus on the Cross
Picture Resurrected Jesus
Picture Two Trees
Girl (small doll)
Picture Jerusalem at the time of Jesus
Picture Whale

Material large enough to accommodate the largest object.
A piece of cloth is cut to form two crosses and then sewn together along the dotted lines.
Leave open the four ends to enable the objects to be placed inside the cross and pulled out at the appropriate time.

Objects are placed inside the cross.
Each one is pulled out in turn and its significance explained.
The verses of scripture can be handed out and read at the appropriate time.

The cross a place of change, a cross roads.
Life is often described as a journey and at some point we may be challenged to take a step of faith in the direction of Jesus.

Faith
Helicopter Pilot
An example of having faith has been explained to me by a Helicopter pilot when landing a helicopter at night on a Rig in the North Sea.
The pilot should not use his own judgement, he has to put his faith in the instruments to safely land on the Rig Helipad at night.
Having faith is part of our freedom to choose and it’s hard to put our faith into something that we can not see, like the pilots instruments making calculations of height, distance and speed for him.
The Bible describes faith “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11: 1
The Bible is like the instruments, we take from it the promises of God that has been given to us by Jesus to direct our walk in life. We focus not on ourselves but on Jesus the light of the world.

The writer of Genesis was inspired by God to write the account about the creation.

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve were told by God not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve was tempted to eat from it, by the old serpent, the Devil, Satan. Adam also was tempted to become like God himself knowing good and evil, both fell to his temptation. As a result they were separated from God.

Adam in succumbing to the temptation gave the devil power over mankind’s heart and soul which changed our nature we became self centred, self ruled. Sin, death, pain, sickness and disease entered into the world.
Adam was created in the likeness of God. Adam’s son was born in the likeness of his father Adam and not in the likeness of God. Adam’s fallen nature became hereditary. Genesis 5: 1, 3
God gave to human beings a promise that he would send a saviour to save us, from the power of the devil and renew our fellowship with God. Genesis 3:15 This promise was realised in Jesus and it’s through faith in him we discover that it is true.

Wilderness Temptations

Mary the mother of Jesus gave Jesus his humanity. God the Father of Jesus gave him his divinity as the Son of God.
Jesus the Son of man was the one who God used to restore our relationship with God that the first man Adam lost.
Romans 5 verse 19 puts it this way “For just as though the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man many will be made righteous.”
Where Adam fell into temptation, Jesus didn’t although he was severely tempted by the devil in the wilderness. The devil attempted to undermine Jesus’ role as the Son of man.

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry.” Matthew 4: 1, 2.

Three Temptations
1/ The devil suggested to him, “If you are the Son of God command these stones to become bread.” No human being can change stones into bread. But Jesus could have done so because he had the power of God as the Son of God.
If Jesus had responded as the Son of God and changed stones into bread to feed his hunger He would have gone from being like us, to being like God.
It would have disqualified him from claiming victory over Adam’s fall. Jesus could only save us by being one of us, having flesh and blood.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews confirms this view.
“Since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has power over death that is the devil.” Hebrews 2: 14
“For because he himself suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:18
“Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

Thankfully Jesus didn’t respond as the Son of God, but as the Son of man. He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
Like us Jesus needed food for his physical body and like us he needed to be strengthened by the word of God.

2/ The devil took Jesus to the highest point of the temple at Jerusalem. Using verses of scripture the devil suggested to him that if he jumped off the pinnacle God’s angels would prevent him injuring himself.
Jesus as the Son of God knew that he had to suffer and die on the cross at Jerusalem.
Jesus’ response as the Son of man, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”
When we are tempted to test God for the purposes of safeguarding our own interests not to do so.

3/The devil fraudulently offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he would bow down and worship him.
Jesus as the Son of God could have disputed the devils ownership of the kingdoms of the world.
Jesus the Son of man said, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” God is sovereign over all the kingdoms of the world and the universe.

Jesus was one of us.
Jesus in his humanity was full of the Holy Spirit which enabled him to face the full force of the devil and his scheming. Jesus’ prayer and fasting kept him focused on his spiritual battle against the devil.

Bible
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; and to comfort all who mourn.” Isaiah 61: 1, 2.

In the synagogue at Nazareth Jesus stood and read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18, 19Jesus doesn’t complete the last sentence; and the day of vengeance of our God; and to comfort all who mourn, instead he closed the book and sat down.
Jesus personalised those words from Isaiah because they were about his ministry as the Messiah. He didn’t finish the second verse in Isaiah 61 and go on to proclaim the day of vengeance because he had to be killed and raised from the dead before the day of vengeance could happen.

The Nation of Israel was expecting the Christ, to bring in the Day of Vengeance, a day of Judgement. The Pharisees were expecting Jesus to make a judgement on the woman caught in adultery, but he didn’t, instead he asked if any of them were without sin to cast the first stone.
Jesus during his ministry had said, “I came not to cast a fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled. But I have a baptism to be baptised with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished.” Luke 12: 49, 50.

“The Messiah’s Secret” page 47“
Jesus was referring to the fire of the Day of Vengeance, the Day of the Lord. The fire not yet kindled, not until after he brought in the good news of the impending kingdom, gathering the nation together. A loving heavenly Father giving the people who had fallen away from his laws, the opportunity to receive salvation through Jesus. He taught salvation through the laws of Moses, (Zacchaeus) without the generations of added precepts, whereby the Jew was blameless through good works, deeds, feeding the hungry, giving to the poor, helping the widows, observance of the law, the Day of Atonement.
His Father was dwelling in the temple at Jerusalem where they were still under the law. He was preparing the nation for the judgement to come. In Mark 9: 43, 44 he says that if one of your members causes you to sin, it would be better to enter life maimed than go to hell, to the unquenchable fire, with two hands.
Jesus did not come as a judge to condemn the people. In Luke 12: 50 he says “For I have a baptism to be baptised with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished.” The baptism was of his death and resurrection. He was constrained to bring in the fire of judgement until his death, resurrection and ascension had been accomplished. His death was a secret; it was hidden from the Jews.”
The disciples and followers didn’t realise at the time that the Christ had to die at Jerusalem, even though at the Transfiguration he had spoken of his departure which he was to accomplish there.
Luke 9: 31

Cross

Jesus won the victory over the devil’s power and influence over us. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was praying, he was deeply distressed in his soul because as a human being he was wrestling with his own will. Jesus knew that in order to save us he had to suffer and die by crucifixion. His choice was to call upon 20 legions of angels to his assistance to defend him against being arrested or to do his Father’s will and go through the process that would lead him to die a horrible death on a wooden cross. Peter or John who where there in the garden praying with Jesus, heard the words that Jesus prayed aloud. “ Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke Chapter 22:42
Soon after, Jesus was arrested without any resistance and taken to the high priests house.
Jesus had died to his own will and was willing to do his Fathers’ will and go to the cross,
Jesus resisted temptation to self determine his own life.
Through Adam’s fall we prioritise. We have a basic instinct to look after self and self preservation.
It is as we recognise our separation from God is through our self centeredness that we come to Jesus to make us right with God, through the price paid for our transgression and his life laid down for the sin of Adam and Eve. We are baptised into his death and raised in the likeness of his resurrection. Set free from the power of the devil over our soul, our fallen nature, a new creation in Christ.

“The Messiah’s Secret” page 73
“No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up that who ever believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3: 14, 15

Moses had led the Nation of Israel out of slavery from Egypt. When they were making a detour around Edom through the wilderness the people complained to Moses because they had no food or water. A large number of deadly snakes came among them and many of the people died. They came to Moses Asking to be forgiven for complaining and asked if God would take away the snakes. Moses prayed to God and he was told by God to make a bronze snake and put it onto a pole, so that everyone who had been bitten should look at the snake on the pole and they would live.” Numbers 21: 4-9

Jesus used this incident, in the exodus from Egypt, to demonstrate his death and resurrection. As a result of the fall of the first man Adam sin and death came into the world. (Serpent representing death)The second man Jesus through his victory over sin and death won eternal life (the dead serpent lifted up on the pole representing forgiveness and healing).

“The Messiah’s Secret” page 138
Adam and Eve had their eyes were opened to good and evil, and as a result they felt the need to cover their bodies. God cursed the serpent and prophesied that through the seed of a woman the Messiah would bruise the head of the serpent, and the serpent would bruise the heel of the Messiah.
A curse was also placed upon the woman that in child bearing her pain would be great and her husband would rule over her. The curse that God put upon Adam, he would sweat and toil the ground for food all his life, the amount of weeds would increase the toil. After death he would return back to the ground, dust, from which he had been created.
The serpent lifted up on the pole represents life over death, Jesus the second Adam. The victory over the serpent’s power over death has been won by Jesus in his death and resurrection. Jesus as a result bruised the head of the serpent.
The serpent bruised Christ’s heel; this happened when Jesus suffered the agony of the wooden cross, the death by hanging on a tree, crucifixion. Deuteronomy 21: 23. Genesis 3: 15. John 19: 5. Romans 5: 17, 18.

The crown of thorns that was placed upon his head by the soldiers at his trial, redeemed the earth
and Adam from the curse God put upon him. Matthew 27: 29
Eve through the victory of the cross has been redeemed from the curse that God placed upon her. Matthew 23: 10. There is no marriage in heaven between believers. Luke 20: 35, 36.
Through faith in Jesus we are cleansed by his blood from the sin of Adam and Eve and all our past sins.
The Son of man had to die and be lifted up so that those who believe in him and follow him receive eternal life.”
“The Messiah’s Secret – Revealed”
As a human being Jesus had to die on the cross and be raised from the dead to save us from the fall of Adam and Eve before the nation of Israel and the peoples of the world could be reconciled back to God. The disciples of Jesus proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah for the first time at Pentecost.

Jesus is risen

We understand from Luke’s gospel that the disciples at first didn’t believe when they heard from the women that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Their words seemed to them like an idle tale, and they did not believe them. Luke 24: 11.
During his ministry Jesus prophesied his resurrection but the disciples didn’t understand until they went into the empty tomb and saw the linen cloths lying on the floor.

“The Messiah’s Secret – Revealed” page 105“
After the resurrection the man at the tomb dressed in a white robe told the women that Jesus would see them in Galilee. He had made a particular request for them to tell ‘the disciples and Peter,’ Peter had denied Jesus at his trial and he was probably feeling very upset. Peter hearing from the women, what the man at the tomb had said, ran to the tomb. Mark 16: 7
Peter’s name was particularly mentioned by the man at the tomb and this showed the Lord’s love for him, he and John ran to the tomb and although John out ran Peter he stepped back to allow Peter to enter the tomb before him.
John in his Gospel wrote that they believed when they saw the linen cloths lying and the napkin that had been on his head rolled up in a place by itself. He went on to say that at the time they did not know the scripture that he must rise from the dead.”
John 20: 9
Prophesies found in the Psalms about the resurrection:
“For thou dost not give me up to Sheol, or let thy godly one see the pit.” Psalm 16: 10.
“That he should continue to live for ever, and never see the Pit.” Psalm 49: 9
Abraham believed in the resurrection of the dead.
Hebrews 11: 17-19.

On the evening of the day of the resurrection.
Jesus came into the house where the disciples were gathered and said, ”Peace be with you.” He showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. He said again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them , and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus breathed new life into the disciples, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God.
John the Baptist said that the Messiah would baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Luke 3: 16
John’s word fulfilled on the evening of the day of the resurrection.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came into the world
Peter standing with the other disciples proclaimed that the prophesy of Joel had been fulfilled with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit . . . before the day of the Lord comes . . . And it shall be whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and your children and all that are afar off.” Acts 2: 16 – 21, 38, 39.

2.000 years later and still these words prevail.
The Holy Spirit’s coming into the world is to reveal the truth concerning Jesus who has saved us from the power of eternal death held by the devil and to equip those who believe in Jesus with the love of God, the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Nine years after making my commitment to follow Christ, the Holy Spirit opened the eyes of my understanding to know Jesus as my Saviour. I was amazed to find that it all that I had read was true about him. I was filled with the presence of God, his love, and his word. I felt at one with creation and I had no longer a fear of death. I knew God as my Father and my creator. My life found purpose and fulfilment and a hope for the future, eternal life with Christ.

The Tree of Life.

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Verse 6. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Jesus informs us what the word flesh means in Mark 7: 14-23. It is not what we eat that defiles a person, food coming into our bodies through our mouths, but it’s what comes out of our heart and mind that defile us thoughts of fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. Jesus bore these sins that defile a person’s heart for us on the cross.
The death and resurrection of Jesus has the power of the Spirit of God to create a new nature within us, transforming our hearts and minds, writing God’s commandments into our hearts. To feel how God feels about sin, to seek the ways of God, to find fulfilment for our lives.

Paul wrote about crucifying the flesh, meaning when wrong thoughts come into our thoughts to reject them. If we submit to them, it’s like us going and eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, instead of the tree of life which is Spirit.
“We have become partakers of the divine nature. For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly and sisterly affection and brotherly and sisterly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:4-8

Cross working from within the heart.

At some point on our Christian journey we will each come into some kind of suffering, God will allow this to happen as part of our growing in faith to become more dependant upon the Lord for his help and for our needs. Also it acts like a refining fire, where we are blameless in Christ, Jesus died for our sins and we have been raised to a new life in Christ, but we are not faultless.

Extracts from “The Story of Job” by Jessie Penn Lewis
(Welsh Rivival)
“It doesn’t matter when suffering comes if the person is truly yielded to Christ. The Holy Spirit will gather every thread of pain and weave it through his loom into a beautiful pattern of the life of Christ.
New Christians experience the joy and delights, emotional and many secret manifestations of God and mountain heights of uninterrupted union and communion with God.
They will also experience wilderness temptations, trails, conflict, dryness, inward and outward darkness and distress.

Separation from the world
A holy sorrow for sin, without any sense of guilt. An abiding sorrow for sin is a holy suffering, needful for spiritual progress. It maintains the believer the principle of perfect repentance, it deepens humility it kindles the feelings of gratitude. It keeps the heart in touch with the blood of Jesus. It worships the deity of God. It intercedes for others and thirsts for the perfect reign of God, when sin will pass away, like a tide going out.
The sorrow for past sins, is a blameless fruitful form of suffering, under the Holy Spirit and is free from despair, despondency or of bitterness.

The Holy Spirit will at times let a true, humble heart feel the malice of others, painful shootings through the heart. This is real inward suffering; this painful sense of being despised by our fellows, yielded to God in humble prayer will bring great tenderness and love.”

Jerusalem at the time of Jesus

A word I was given on 30th May 1996 was that, “The disciples were setting up the kingdom in at the beginning of Acts.” It was as I understood to be in preparation for his return with the angels of God. Mark 8:38
Jesus during the 40 days after his resurrection spoke to the apostles about the kingdom of God. After Jesus’ ascension the apostles and followers of Jesus gathered in the upper room in the house where they were staying at Jerusalem. Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, the coming of the Holy Spirit in to the world.

“The Messiah’s Secret – Secret Revealed.” Part Eight page 169
At the beginning of the Acts of the apostles Luke recorded that there were 120 people present in the upper room, this was the number required to form a town according to the rules of the Mishna, one tenth being the officers. Matthias took Judas’ place to make up the number to twelve, one tenth. (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible. Before the Mishna came into being the Jews had the oral law which became both the Mishna and the Talmud.)
It’s no coincidence that the number gathered in the house were the exact number required to set up a community. The problem of being one short to make up the required number of officers was prophesied in the Psalm quoted by Peter. Acts 1: 20. Psalm 109: 8
Thousands of people became part of the community of believers after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

The Messiah’s Secret – Revealed. The Apostles proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah for the first time at Pentecost. Jesus had to die and be raised up from the dead and ascend into heaven before the nation of Israel could receive Jesus as their Messiah. We read in Acts 7: 56 Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, was he standing in readiness to return with the angels of God?

Whale

The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection, nor angels, nor spirit, but the Pharisees did believe in the resurrection of the dead. When Jesus was in conversation with the Sadducees and Pharisees he told them of his resurrection, he gave them a sign of the prophet Jonah.

“The Messiah’s Secret – Secret Revealed.” page 179- 181“
An evil an adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”
Matthew 12: 39
James Bartley found alive inside a whale. Dake’s Annoted Reference Bible page 1961
“The April 4th 1896 Literary Digest gave a story of a Mediterranean whale that demolished a harpoon boat. Two men were lost. One found alive in the whale’s belly a day and a half after it was killed. James Bartley lived with no after effects except that his skin was tanned by the gastric juices.”
Jonah was in the body of a fish for three days and nights and lived. The people of Nineveh when they heard Jonah’s message from God they repented. When the King of Nineveh heard of God’s message he repented and made a proclamation that all the people of Nineveh should repent.

The leaders and people of Jerusalem, through the apostles had heard the kingdom message of repentance and forgiveness and had seen the signs of the resurrection and the pouring out of God’s Spirit in the last days. Thousands of people did accept the apostle’s message and repented and joined them, but the majority of the leaders of the Sanhedrin, rejected the apostles message that Jesus was the Christ they would not bring the nation to repentance.

“The men of Nineveh will arise at the judgement with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold something greater than Jonah is here.” Matthew 12: 41
Jesus saw how sinful the nation’s leaders were. They had not accepted the Baptism of John and they did not believe the Gospel of the kingdom and the prophesies concerning Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Jesus continued Jonah’s prophecy as explained in Matthew Chapter 12 verse 43 when he said, “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.” He ends with the words, “And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So it shall be with this evil generation.”
Through the baptisms of both John and Jesus for the repentance of sin, the majority of the people of Israel had been cleansed from their sin. Through the rejection of Jesus as the Christ this prophecy in Matthew’s Gospel had been fulfilled. Within a short period of time the nation was brought to its knees. In AD 70 Jerusalem was destroyed and the people where scattered throughout the world.”

Jesus said not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah, Son of man, the messiah's secret

The Messiah’s Secret – A Kept Secret

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“The Messiah’s Secret” – A kept secret
This talk is in addition to the 2006 Series on “The Cross” by Dorothy Newton.
Using the Revised Standard Version (RSV) Bible.

Visual Aids are used in this talk.
A Cross is made of textile material large enough to accommodate items on the following list.

Picture “Sat Nav.”
Three nails
Treasure hidden in a field
Blindfold
Bible
Picture “a garden.”
Oyster shell with pearl
Picture “Waiting for a bus.”

These are placed inside the cross.
Each one is pulled out in turn and its significance explained.
The verses of scripture can be handed out and read at the appropriate time.


Material large enough to accomodate the largest object is cut into two crosses and then sewn together along the dotted lines. Leave open the four ends to enable the objects to be placed inside the cross and pulled out at the appropriate time.

The cross a place of change, a cross roads.
Life is often described as a journey and at some point we may be challenged to take a step of faith in the direction of Jesus.

Sat Nav (picture taken out of the cross)


Nowadays when we’re about to embark on a journey we may chose to use the Sat Nav. By keying in the post code, the Sat Nav gives us the route to follow.
We set off, through the Sat Navigator’s voice we receive stage by stage instructions until the voice will ultimately say, “You have reached your destination.” “You have reached your destination.”

On our journey of faith we need to be clear about where we’re going and who’s giving us our direction. Many religions believe in God, but which one has the truth that reveals God himself and the way to find him?

Christianity directs us to Jesus, the accounts written about him are found in the Bible, in the New Testament. In Matthew’s Gospel he records the conversation between Jesus and his disciples, Matthew was one of them. In this conversation they discover Jesus’ identity the Christ.
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said,”Some say John the Baptist; others say, Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them,”But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you Bar-Jona!” For flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father in heaven.” Matthew 16: 13-17

Jesus the Son of man
“The Messiah’s Secret.” PART FOUR: THE SON OF MAN Page 67
“The mystery of the Son of man is revealed in Matthew’s Gospel. The Jews knew that the name ‘Son of man’ was one of the names associated with the Messiah. The crowd implied that the Son of man was one of the prophets that God would raise from the dead. Jesus asked his disciples who did they think the Son of man is. Peter’s replied that he was the Christ this was acknowledged by Jesus as having been revealed to him by God. Jesus by asking this question has revealed that the Son of man is the Christ.
All the signs were visible that Jesus was the Messiah such as the undeniable miracles and healing, which took place over approximately three years of Jesus’ ministry. This evidence linked with his resurrection would prove that he was the Christ when after Pentecost the apostles proclaimed Jesus’ resurrection and that the prophesies concerning his death and resurrection had been fulfilled in Jesus that he was the Christ.”

Peter and the disciples had found out the truth concerning Jesus who he was, the Son of man, the Christ.

Some were expecting the “Son of man” to be a resurrected prophet
The disciples recalled what they had heard from the people regarding the title “the Son of man.” They referred the title to one of the prophets who had died, John the Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah. John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod some time before this conversation took place. Some believed that God would resurrect one of these prophets who would be the Christ, the promised Messiah who would bring in God’s kingdom. Mark 6: 14. 8: 27-30.                                                                                                                                               (Added March 2013 blog Jesus our Redeemer – Qumran Scrolls the Essene Community were in existence before the Pharisees and Sadducees. “Many scholars believe that they were connected with rise of the Pharisees in the centuries before the birth of Jesus,” Introducing the Old Testament” by John Drane. The scrolls indicate that they believed in two Messiahs. In the Damascus Document – one of the Messiahs would return.)

At Pentecost Peter gave assurance to the people that King David although he had prophesied the resurrection of the Christ that he was not the Christ, the Messiah.

“The Messiah’s Secret” page 78
“Both Peter and St. Paul found it necessary to explain to the people that King David was not the Messiah.
 “Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried . . . . For David did not ascend into the heavens.” Peter at the outset stated clearly that King David had died and had been buried in Jerusalem and his remains lay in the grave.”
“St. Paul on his first ministry tour at the synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia told them, ”For David, after he had served the council of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption” Acts 2: 25 – 36. 13: 36.

Victor Buksbazen in his book “The Gospel in the Feasts of Israel” quotes in chapter five page fifty two concerning the Feast of Tabernacles “A Messianic Prayer, the Last Day of the Feast of Tabernacles.” This prayer I found also substantiated my view that some of the Jews had believed that God would resurrect King David and see him as the Messiah.

“The Messiah’s Secret” page 77
“A voice heralds and saith:
Turn unto me and be saved,
Today if ye hear my voice,
Behold the man sprang forth – Branch is his name – David himself.
Stand up! Be buried in the dust no longer!
Ye who dwell in the dust.
Wake up and sing.
Glad will be the people when he ruleth.
The name of the ungodly shall perish.
But to his anointed, the Messiah David, he giveth grace
Grant salvation to the eternal people to David and his seed for ever.
The voice heralds and saith.”

Some of the people were expecting King David to be resurrected in order to have immortality to enable the eternal kingdom of God to be ruled by him.

Three nails (Taken out of the cross)

Nails were used to hold Jesus on the cross. God’s love took him there.
The Son of man had authority to forgive sin.
The leaders and people didn’t expect the Son of man to have authority to forgive sin; Jesus had that power, which was exclusive to Jesus. Even King David didn’t have that authority from God to forgive people their sins.
“The Messiah’s Secret” page 68
“Jesus had authority to forgive sins on the earth without a person receiving baptism or offering a sacrifice. “But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”
When the paralytic man was healed it caused controversy because the scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy because only God could forgive sins. Jesus proved he had power and authority over sin by telling the paralytic to get up and walk, and as he responded he was healed immediately. Jesus proved to the Pharisees that his authority was God given; only God could make a person clean, whole.” Mark 2:5-12. Luke 5:17-26

Some Jewish people believed that sickness and disease were the result of sin. By forgiving the paralytic his sin and healing him, Jesus proved to the scribes and Pharisees that his authority was from God.
The Psalmist wrote:
“Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he sent forth his word, and healed them.”Psalm 107:17-20
“As for me, I said,”O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against thee!” Psalm 41:4
The Pharisees denounced the man as a sinner who had been born blind, who testifies that he had received his sight from Jesus. “The Pharisees answered him,”You were born in utter sin, and would teach us.” And they cast him out.” John 9:34

By forgiving sins Jesus made himself equal with God. Therefore scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy and healing by the power of Beelzebub from Mark 3:22

Jesus also made it clear that not all sickness was as a result of sin. We find an account of this when Jesus’ disciples asked him about the blind man, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.” John 9:1-3

In the letter to the Galatians we read that it was because of Paul’s bodily ailment he stopped off in their region. ”And though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.. . . for I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.” Galatians 4:13-15.
“It’s not known for sure what Paul’s bodily ailment was. No definite conclusions may be drawn from the little Paul says about it here and in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. From Paul’s words one may infer that it was chronic, recurring, and painful, repulsive to the spectator, and humiliating to Paul.” Eyre & Spottiswoode Study Bible page 1742
Luke was Paul’s doctor and carer on Paul’s ministry tours.

Treasure hidden in a field (Taken out of the cross)

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys the field.” Matthew 13: 44

The knowledge of Jesus being the promised Messiah was to be kept hidden like the treasure in the field.

Continuing with the account in Matthew’s Gospel Chapter 16, Jesus made it clear to his disciples that they were not to identify him as the Christ to the religious leaders and people.
In verse 20 “Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.”
It wasn’t easy for the disciples to keep Jesus’ identity a secret. It must have been really hard when people asked directly “The Jews gathered around him and said to him,” How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ tell us plainly.” John 10:24
Jesus responded by telling them to look at his work for God, the miracles and people being healed of their ailments so that they could and judge for themselves.

“And many followed him and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen my beloved with whom my soul is pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will no wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.” Matthew 12: 15-19
To fulfil Isaiah’s prophecy, the Messiah would not make himself known by proclaiming himself on the streets as the Christ during his ministry. At the Transfiguration, God said to those who where there, ”This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.” Luke 9: 35, 36
We find that the unclean spirits recognised Jesus as the Son of God, they cried out in submission to his authority. Jesus’ response was to stop them from making him known from Mark 3: 11, 12
After the healing of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus strictly told them that no one should know this from Mark 5:43
Two blind men were healed of their blindness. “And Jesus sternly charged them, “See that no one knows it.” Matthew 9: 27-30

All four Gospels confirm that Jesus wanted his identity as the Christ, the Messiah, a kept secret.

Blindfold (Taken out of the cross)
“Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” Luke 22: 63, 64
The disciples didn’t understand when Jesus told them that he was going to die and it was not revealed to them by God.
Sometimes there can be a blindfold over our understanding of the scriptures, and as a result we can not see God in Jesus or the way to find him.

Matthew continues in verse 21 “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
In verse 22 “And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid. Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
Jesus’ death was hidden from the disciples and people’s understanding.
Luke wrote in his gospel from material given to him from eye witnesses, the disciples and followers of Jesus. “And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marvelling at everything he did, he said to his disciples. “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of man.” But they didn’t understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.” Luke 9:43-45
“And taking the twelve, Jesus 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

What Jesus had told them about his death conflicted with what they had been taught that when the Messiah came he would live for ever.

The people were taught that when the Messiah came he would live forever.
Peter’s response to Jesus’ words concerning his death,”God forbid. Lord! This shall never happen to you,” confirmed what the Jewish people were taught from the Law of Moses that when the Messiah came he would live for ever. “The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?” John 12: 34.

The Jews at that time didn’t believe that God would allow their Messiah to come and die. They expected the Christ to come and take up the throne of King David and rule from Jerusalem the eternal kingdom of God. They were the people who God would use to take the news of the Christ to the ends of the earth.
The disciples like everybody else were taught that when the Messiah came he would remain on the earth.
We find other examples in the gospels: “So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, “He saved others but he can not save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 15: 31, 32.
On the road to Emmaus two of Jesus’ disciples were talking a stranger about the crucifixion of Jesus. “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened.” Luke 24: 21
After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension Peter at Pentecost proclaimed that it was in God’s plan that Jesus had died “Men of Israel hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in you midst, as you yourselves know this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God . . . . .”Acts 2: 22,23.

When we experience for ourselves the Lord’s words being revealed to us. Then we realise that all that has been written about Jesus is true. One experience is worth a thousand arguments.

Bible (Taken out of the cross)

The author of a book can reveal an event before it happens. God’s plan of saving the nation of Israel, the nations of the world and the universe was given in a prophecy to Caiaphas.
“So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” But one of them Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but that the high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation.”
John 11: 47-51

The head man of the Sanhedrin, the governing body of the nation of Israel was given a prophesy. This directive from God indicated that in order to save the nation Jesus had to die. The true identity of Jesus was hidden because had they known him they would not have sacrificed him.

The prophet Isaiah foretold how hardened the hearts of the Israelites would be towards Jesus.
Matthew quotes Jesus quoting from Isaiah,” You shall indeed hear but never 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 perceive with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand in their heart, and turn for me to heal them.”
Matthew 13: 14, 15. Isaiah 6:9, 10.

Through this prophesy given to Caiaphas we also understand that Israel as a nation will never perish.
Prophecy defined.
Prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit given in several ways; to present the truth, the ability to supernaturally convey God’s message for the moment in the language of the speaker and hearers.

Picture of a garden (Taken from the cross)

Jesus the Son of man the second Adam
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Hebrews 2: 14
The first Adam’s separation from God gave Satan, the devil the power over mankind’s heart/soul. As a result sin followed bringing into the world pain, suffering, sickness, disease and death known as the fall of man. Human beings became self- centered, self-ruled in heart, mind and will, but man’s conscience bore witness to God. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it? I the Lord search the mind and try the heart. . . .” Jeremiah 17: 9, 10
Jesus was God’s answer to redeem us from the fall. He partook of the same nature, he knew our weaknesses and failings and ultimately he was separated from God himself when he bore the sins of the whole world upon the cross. “Then as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men.” Romans 5:18
Jesus the Son of man, the second Adam, in his humanity went to the cross, to redeem us from the inherited fallen nature of the first Adam for all those who would believe in him.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in his resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. . . . let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey its passions. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God. . . . Romans 6:5-14

The cross is at the start of our journey of faith and continues to bear witness within us of the need to be right with God, and we will, to do the will of God, walking in his ways, living out the gospel of love and grace. We have a Saviour who understands our weaknesses and failings. “For he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2: 18
If we confess our sin and ask for his forgiveness with the intention of not continuing to sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7-9

A word I was given on 30th May 1996 was that, “The disciples were setting up the kingdom in at the beginning of Acts.” It was as I understood to be in preparation for his return with the angels of God. Mark 8:38

The Adam and Eve of the New Testament
Ananias and Sapphira they were part of the early church community, they committed themselves to selling a field and giving the proceeds to the community. However they changed their minds and lied to Peter to cover up the fact that they had gone back on their word. Peter through the gift of knowledge told them individually that they had lied to God and as a result they both died in turn falling at Peter’s feet. Acts 5:1 -11

On the evening of the Day of his resurrection Jesus had given his disciples his authority over the retaining or the forgiveness of sins. Later when the apostles had set up the community of believers in Jerusalem Peter administered judgement on sins these were not forgiven on Ananias and Sapphira because they had lied to God. As a judgement they in turn fell dead at his feet. We read that this incident caused a Godly fear amongst the people.
Peter was given this authority as a result of the disciples being told by Jesus that they would have judgement over the twelve tribes of Israel in the kingdom of God.
“You are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Luke 22: 28-30
The apostles were told by Jesus to remain in Jerusalem, even when the persecution and scattering of the church took place they remained waiting for Jesus to return.

Pearl in Oyster Shell (taken out of the cross)

The oyster suffers to produce the pearl. A pearl is formed in the shell of an oyster through a parasite entering into the damaged shell. The suffering oyster sends to the parasite a chemical that covers it. The solution builds up over a period of time to form the pearl.
Like the Oyster Jesus suffered as a result of the parasite, sin, the solution given to overcome the sin Jesus’ life laid down, Jesus’ blood poured upon the parasite of sin. The pearl being formed of great value, highly prized, the resurrection of Jesus the pearl of salvation.
In the Book of Revelation we read that entrance into the heavenly city Jerusalem is through the gates which are made of a single pearl.

Jesus opens the minds of his disciples to his suffering.
“Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened up their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness should be preached in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24:44-47
In Luke’s account of the evening of the Day of the Resurrection when the disciples where gathered in the house Jesus came among them. Jesus opened up their minds to understand the scriptures concerning his death and resurrection. As these scriptures were revealed to them they later included some of them in the gospels:
“Jesus said, “For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled, in me, “And he was reckoned with transgressors for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” Luke 22:37.Isaiah 53: 12
“This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8:17 Isaiah 53: 4
“His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for thy house will consume me.” John 2:17. Psalm 69:9 This is in connection with Jesus casting out of the temple the money changers and sellers of offerings.
“His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, and then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him.” John 12:16. Zechariah 9 :9 These words were in response the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
“And many followed him and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen my beloved with whom my soul is pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will no wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.” Matthew 12: 15-19. Isaiah 42: 1-3
In the gospels these prophesies were given to prove that Jesus was the Christ.
Thirty three Bible prophesies were fulfilled on the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Waiting for a bus (Taken out of the cross)

We can stand for what seems a long time waiting for a bus. Throughout the Acts and Epistles there is an expectation of Jesus’ return within the Apostles life time because Jesus had indicated this to them.
“Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” Mark 9:1
“The saying was spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is the Lord’s will that he remain until I come, what is that to you.” John 21:23
It was at and after Pentecost when for the first time the disciples proclaimed Jesus as the promised Messiah. “Peter and John spoke to the crowd in Solomon’s Portico, ‘And now brethren, I know you acted in ignorance as did your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.’” Acts 3:17 – 20.
“The Messiah’s Secret” page 108
“God was calling his people to repentance. Peter had told them that the rulers and people had acted in ignorance when they crucified Jesus; he had to die to accomplish the plan of Salvation for the Jews and for the world. If they would repent and acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus would return. The times of refreshing, after his coming he would restore the throne of King David, an everlasting throne and Kingdom, and the restoration of the land given to Abraham by God for an eternal possession. Those who were expecting, waiting would see the Kingdom come with power. Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”

“The Messiah’s Secret – A Kept Secret.” Jesus didn’t want his identity made known during his ministry. Peter discovered who he was “the Son of man, the Christ as God revealed it to him.” Why Jesus wanted his identity kept a secret because he knew that he had to be killed, die on a cross, be raised from the dead and ascend into heaven. The prophesies about Jesus had to be fulfilled. He came to redeem mankind from the power of Satan, before the nation could receive him as the Messiah and take the good news to the rest of the world.

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The Messiah Secret – The Imperishable Seed

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The Messiah Secret – The Imperishable Seed
(An imperishable seed cannot die again, it lives forever)

Sunday 31May 2015 Evening Service ‘The Cross’ members of the congregation spoke for four minutes on the concept of faith with each item and the scripture verse attached to it. I enjoyed listening to each one, and the theme emerged ‘prayer’ the Holy Spirit enforcing talking to the Lord in prayer.
Items: The Bride, the Russian Dolls (Trinity) Promise to pay the bearer £5, chalice, Bible, card with peace on it, Praying hands, Engagement ring, String of pearls and Prison Week card.

One of a Series of Talks by Dorothy Newton on ‘The Cross’ covering concepts of faith stemming from the cross.
Using the Revised Standard Version (RSV) Bible.

Visual Aids are used in this talk.
A Cross is made of textile material large enough to accommodate items on the following list. I used dried wheat straw, a goblet to represent a chalice and a paper crown.
Letter
Chalice and bread (white or brown bread)
Wheat
Water (bottle)
Bible (small)
Twenty pound note.(£5 or £10)
Engagement ring. (in a box if possible)
Crown
These are placed inside the cross.
Each one is pulled out in turn and its significance explained.
The verses of scripture can be handed out and read at the appropriate time.

Cross ( Pointing to the material cross)
The cross is a symbol of the Christian Faith. It’s a symbol of suffering, hope and love.

Letter (Taking the letter from inside the cross)

Life is often described as a journey and at some point we may be challenged to take a step of faith in the direction of Jesus.
Faith means to believe in some one or something e.g. If we’re feeling ill we go to the doctor, we have faith in the doctor that he will prescribes some medicine that we believe or have faith that it will make us better.
It’s also like sending a letter, we put on the address
pay the price of a stamp required and stick it on
and post it in faith, believing that it will reach its destination. It may be that we expect a reply and sure enough in due course it arrives.
Any body who takes a step of faith and believes that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died on a cross to pay the cost of our sin against a holy God will receive eternal life.
Jesus’ words recorded by John the disciple in his gospel Chapter 3: 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

The Chalice and the Bread (Taken from within the cross)

Jesus gave meaning to his death on the cross when he said these words below at the last supper at Jerusalem.
The Chalice
The Chalice holds the wine representing the blood of Jesus, the blood of the new covenant.
”Jesus gave thanks and said,’ Drink this all of you for this is my blood of the New Covenant which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins.’ ”
Matthew 26: 27

The Bread
The bread is representing Jesus’ body.
‘Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ‘Luke 22: 19
By laying down his life Jesus ended the covenant between God and Moses.
In the letter to the Hebrews Chapter 8: 13“In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
The writer of Hebrews was referring to the covenant between God and Moses. The Laws God had given to Moses on Mount Sinai became obsolete when Jesus made the final sacrifice for sin on the cross.
“The Messiah’s Secret” page 93
“At the last supper Jesus introduced the New Covenant through his body and blood, his life laid down for the final atonement, for sins against a Holy God. When a Jew made a sacrificial offering for sin, an offering of an animal, fowl or meal, was brought to the temple, were the person would place their hand on to the head of the animal to be sacrificed. This offering would be accepted to make atonement, reconciliation, and pardon. The meaning of the word atonement is ‘to cover.’ The transfer of guilt to the sacrifice, brought forgiveness to the offender. The sacrifice was regarded as a person’s substitute for breaking the Laws of Moses. Today a person coming to God asking for forgiveness transfers their sin to Jesus, his life laid down, the offering of his life sacrificed for our sin to make reconciliation with God our Father for us. Jesus took upon himself the sins of the whole world.”
The New Covenant was then established in Jesus for all the people of the world. It is through repentance, faith and grace we enter into the New Covenant. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our need to get right with God. It’s then as we come in faith and repentance, saying sorry to God and accepting Jesus’ offering that he made on our behalf for sin. We receive forgiveness for all wrongdoing, all that separates us from our heavenly Father. There is nothing so terrible that God cannot forgive.
Some times our memories are difficult to deal with, perhaps it’s were we need to forgive as well as receiving forgiveness. It might help to talk things over in confidence with a Christian friend and ask them to pray with you about your concerns or alternatively in prayer simply talk to God as you would to a friend.
After taking that step of faith we enter into the New Covenant, God’s nature becomes our nature written in our hearts. We feel how God feels about things like; deceit, immorality, the need to feed the starving or help the poor.

The Wheat (Taking the wheat from within the cross)

Jesus’ disciple John wrote in Chapter 12: 23,24
“ Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
“The Messiah’s Secret” page 35
“One of the secrets hidden in Jesus’ parable of the Sower had its fulfilment after the resurrection of Jesus. The seed, Jesus had to die and become the first fruits of the resurrection. One of the amazing facts of life is that a seed has to die before it can start to grow and in the fullness of time the plant produces many seeds after its own kind.”
Jesus died on the cross to produce the seeds of his eternal life. It was after Jesus’ ascension there at Pentecost when Jesus was for the first time proclaimed by his followers that he was the Messiah. These words about Jesus are the seeds containing eternal life.
Jesus’ disciple Peter wrote in his first letter Chapter 1:23 “You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable seed, through the living and abiding word of God.”
The Holy Spirit bears witness, showing us within our being, our mind and conscience of a change that has taken place through receiving into our heart the words that tell us of what Jesus has done for us on the cross and in his resurrection. These words are the imperishable seeds of faith that germinate within us transforming our heart, the way we think, and our way of life, we become ‘Christ-like’, a Christian.
Contained in the seed is the complete makeup of a wheat plant, its colour, height etc.
“The Messiah’s Secret” page 145. “The seed of faith sown in the heart is complete in itself, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It contains the potential to grow to its fullness.”

The Bottle of Water (Taken from within the cross)

Water represents the Holy Spirit.
John the disciple records in Chapter 7: 37-39
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus
stood and proclaimed, ‘If any one thirst, let him come
to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the
scripture has said, Out of his heart shall flow rivers of
living water.’ Now this he said about the Spirit, which
those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet
the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not
yet glorified.”
The Holy Spirit convicts us of the truth concerning Jesus, that God raised Jesus from the dead by the power of his love. The Holy Spirit reveals the Love of God as he is the Spirit of God. God is love and he dwells within us through faith in Jesus. Our thirst is satisfied, as the Holy Spirit gives us guidance and empowers us working through the anointed natural gifts and the gifts that he has established within us. The use of these gifts are like the words of John 7 ’ rivers of living water flowing’ out of the Christian.

God is Love (short prayer by Dorothy Newton)
Blessed are you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You made the world in your love.
You redeemed the world by your love.
You sustain the world with your love.
May we ever abide in your love,
and give ourselves to you in love.
Blessed are you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

The Bible (Taken from within the cross)

The Bible is a book that gives us the revelation of our God and creator through the lives of God’s chosen people, Abraham and his descendants and through Jesus, his disciples and the church.
The Bible has words with meanings that have remained the same over thousands of years, words like; faith, righteousness, repentance, forgiveness, grace, love and many more.
Throughout the Old Testament, we read of the need to seek and get right with a Holy God. The law was brought in to make known to us, the way in which to live our lives that would please God. The law was impossible to keep so God promised to send a Saviour, the Christ. Christ means the Anointed.
Messiah has the same meaning, the Anointed One.

Prophesies relating to the Messiah have been fulfilled in Jesus. It’s in the New Testament in the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Letters and Revelations where we read about these prophesies being fulfilled in Jesus and have been witnessed by his followers.
In Acts of the Apostles Chapter 3: 17, 18. Peter speaking to the crowd in Solomon’s Portico said, “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.” The whole of Isaiah Chapter 53 prophesies the suffering of the Messiah. But God had hidden these prophesies from the Jewish leaders. It wasn’t in God’s plan that the leaders of Israel should accept Jesus as their Messiah before his death.
In the book Acts of the Apostles in Chapter 13 we read about Barnabas and Saul, who was later called Paul on their first ministry tour. When they reached Antioch in Pisidia they entered the synagogue. Paul proved to them and us that God had hidden the death of the Messiah from the leaders in Jerusalem.
“ For those who lived in Jerusalem and the rulers, because they did not recognise Jesus or understand prophesies given to the prophets, they fulfilled them by condemning him to death.” Acts Chapter 13: 27
Some believed and others rejected Paul and Barnabas’ message that Jesus was the Christ.
“The Messiah’s Secret” page 125
“Even after his (St. Paul) transformation when he preached that Jesus was the Son of God, the Christ, his message didn’t change the minds of the leaders of the Sanhedrin in accepting Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah.”
At some point in early church history the realisation that the Jewish leaders had acted in ignorance when they crucified their Messiah has been disregarded, maybe lost in the fact that the same leaders rejected the Apostles message at Pentecost. The Jewish race since have suffered as a result.
I went recently to listen to Singer Helen Shapiro she told us her life story. Helen is of Jewish decent born in London in 1946. At the age of six she went to a state school. She told us of how she remembered a child coming up to her in the playground and saying, ‘You killed Jesus.’ She was devastated and never forgot those hurtful words. In the late 1980’s she discovered Jesus as her Saviour and the Messiah promised to the Jews.

Twenty Pound Note (Taken from within the cross)

If you look closely at the note, printed on it are these words, ‘I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of twenty pounds.
Andrew Bailey,
Chief Cashier of the Bank of England.’
The twenty pound note has this promise that must be honoured by the Bank of England.
Jesus has given to us very great and precious promises these promises are honoured by God. We can trust in and act on the promises that the Lord Jesus has given to us.
The promise is to all comers who believe in Jesus as their Saviour.
“But to all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” John 1:12
Some promises come with a condition that we are actively engaging with the word of God.
Jesus said “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7
Some promises simply require faith,
”If you can! All things are possible to them that believe.” Mark 9:23
Some don’t depend on us at all
“I will never fail you, or forsake you.” Hebrews 13: 5


Engagement ring (Taken from within the cross)

In the Bible we understand that Israel is known as the wife of God. In the New Testament we understand that Jesus, the Son of God is betrothed, engaged to the church. The marriage between Jesus the lamb of God and his church, the bride, has yet to take place.
In Arnold G Fruchtenbaum book ‘The Footsteps of the
Messiah’ he writes, “To fully understand the background of the ‘Marriage of the Lamb’, one must first understand the background of the Jewish marriage system which was present in that day and which involved four distinct steps.
1. The father of the groom made the arrangements for the marriage and paid the bride –price. Sometimes it occurred when both children were infants, and at other times it was shortly before the marriage itself. Often the bride and groom did not even meet until their wedding day.
2. Fetching of the bride, this could have occurred weeks years or decades after the first step. The bridegroom would go to the home of the bride in order to bring her to his home.
3. The wedding ceremony, to which a few would be invited.
4. The marriage feast, would follow, and could last for as many as seven days. Many more people would be invited to the feast.”
Almost 2,000 years have passed since the first step, the betrothal, the dowry, representing Jesus’ death on the cross.
The next step is the fetching of the bride which is the church. Christians are to be in readiness for Jesus’ return when he comes to fetch the bride and to take her home to his Father’s house.

Crown (Taken from within the cross)

St John the disciple whilst he was living on the Island of Patmos wrote the book Revelation. He was given visions about the second coming of Jesus. He also indicates that those who keep their faith to the end of their life are given a victors’ crown. “Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming soon; hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. Those who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God;”
Revelations Chapter 3: 10, 11.
In Arnold G Fruchtenbaum book ‘The Footsteps of the Messiah’ he writes, that there are two words in Greek meaning crown.
The crown of a sovereign – diadem
The other – stephanos which is the crown given to an overcomer, a victor, one who has won a race.
The race Paul talks about is the life long walk of a Christian. The race is won through our being faithful to what we believe in about Jesus, that he is our Saviour and Lord and that we love God and love one another. Then we may obtain the stephanos, the victors’ crown.


God is Love (Dorothy Newton January 1995)
Love participates in unity
bending the will to love another.
Love doesn’t hide itself or shy away.
Love takes hold of the prickly thorn
and caresses it.
Love picks up the bruised heart
and cherishes it and makes it it’s own.
Love gives off a radiance like the
heat of a summers’ day.
Love its fragrance enriches unity,
time stands still.
Love has a strength all of its own.
Love gives in to love.
Love is a safe place without any walls,
no barriers of fear and wars.
Love prepares to serve all human
weaknesses.
Love bears the pain of love,
rejection grieves the lover.
Love ceases not to love,
Love is God our Saviour.

On September 29th 2013 Evening Service
Readings chosen: Isaiah 53.  Colossians 2: 8-15

At our service of ‘Evening Prayer’ I used the cross with its’ contents: a candle, a towel, a Bible, Chalice and bread, engagement ring, a box containing 3 Russian dolls(one inside the other representing the Trinity), a picture of a door, two cards: Make me a channel of your peace and the other card ‘Peace’ with an inscription,  a £5 note with the promise from the Bank of England Cashier to pay £5 to the bearer, an angel, and a silver paper crown.

Each item had with it the appropriate scripture.

I invited some of the members of the congregation to chose from the items taken out from the cross and to say a few words on it, this replaced the Sermon by one person. I found that it worked really well and we were blessed by each other in what was said.

By Dorothy Newton