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The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the First Fruit of the Resurrection

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John 20: 1-9.

The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgins womb and an empty tomb. Jesus entered our world through a door marked ‘No Entrance’ and left through a door marked ‘No Exit’.

The resurrection isn’t part of human expectation. Mary Magdalene finding the stone rolled away was for the benefit of the disciples to see that Jesus had been bodily resurrected.

Mary’s immediate re-action ‘where is his body?’ In a state of shock she ran to the house where the disciples where gathered and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have laid him!” The disciples in Mark’s Gospel were recorded as not believing that he was resurrected,  Luke’s Gospel the disciples thought her words were an ‘idle tale, and they did not believe them.” Mark 16: 13. Luke 24: 11.

Mary and the disciples were having their concept of the resurrection challenged.

The Pharisees believed that the resurrection would take place, on the last day, when the Christ comes.                                                                                                  

Job in his suffering said, “I know that my redeemer lives and at last he will stand upon the earth and after my skin is destroyed then from my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19: 25, 26. Daniel 12:2. Isaiah 26: 19.

Jesus taught that the resurrection would take place on the last day.  John 6: 40. “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life: and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Journey to Heaven by Leila, Leah Bronner

A retired Lecturer on Biblical Studies  quoting from Isaiah 37: 5.  “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to those bones: I will make breath enter into you and you will come to life.”    She  states that, “This imagery is more than a metaphor for the revival of the collective body, it is a graphic depiction of physical resurrection.”

It was more than a resurrection of people returning to their home land. It was speaking of a bodily resurrection.

God challenged the beliefs of the chief priest a Sadducee and the Pharisees. The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection and the Pharisees did believe in the resurrection, but on the last day.

As a result they came before Pilate and said, while he was still alive said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’   They had heard Jesus say, that he would be like Jonah  and rise from the dead after three days. Matthew 12: 40

So they asked Pilate for the tomb to be made secure until after the third day. Pilate accommodated their request sending a guard of soldiers and setting a seal on the stone. Matthew 27: 62-66.

Jesus challenges Christians today on our belief in his resurrection.   Reported by the Telegraph Newspaper BBC Poll taken on Palm Sunday 2017 found 23% of those who call themselves Christians don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Among Christians who regularly attend church 57% believe in the resurrection. 9% on non religious people believe in the resurrection.

Comments from the Bishop of Manchester

“This important and welcome survey proves that many British people, despite not being regular churchgoers, hold core Christian beliefs.  Alongside them it finds surprisingly high levels of religious belief among those who follow no specific religion, often erroneously referred to as secularists or atheists.   

The resurrection is essential to the Christian faith. Without the resurrection we are dead in our sins.   

In our reading it took several minutes for Mary Magdalene’s  message to sink in, then Peter and John ran to the tomb to investigate and found it just as Mary had said. Later that day Peter we are told saw the risen Jesus.

John went in and discerned that Jesus was risen from the dead even though he didn’t know the scriptures. The disciples had heard Jesus say that he would be killed and rise on the third day they couldn’t grasp what he was saying and they didn’t question him about it. Luke 9: 45.

John had the assurance that Jesus was risen, maybe Martha shared with John about her conversation with Jesus after the death of Lazarus and those words became real to him.

Jesus had said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again.” She replied, “I know that he will rise at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life, those who believe in me, though they die, yet shall they live, and whoever lives in me shall never die.” Martha said, “Yes Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” John 11: 24-27.

Her mind set, the resurrection on the last day.

Jesus, however, was saying something to Martha that she didn’t understand   “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Jesus the first fruit of the resurrection.  

Jesus the source of eternal life for all humanity, He has defeated death, dealt with sin, He is resurrected into eternal life, so that all who believe in Him will be resurrected.  

Paul wrote first Corinthian letter, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of those who sleep. When the earthquake struck some of the graves in Jerusalem were opened and after Jesus was resurrected the saints were raised from their graves and went and witnessed in the city.  Matthew 27: 52, 53.

Jesus said, “Those who believe in me, though they die, yet shall they live.”

Two aspects of the resurrection – The Spiritual resurrection and the bodily resurrection.

The spiritual resurrection – Martha didn’t have to wait till the last day to receive eternal life. For anyone today whose faith in Jesus, through repentance their sins are forgiven enter into a relationship  with God in a personal way, and live in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Baptised into Jesus’ death and raised up in his resurrection. Both can be experienced in the Spirit at different times.  

The Bodily resurrection –  What the Jewish people didn’t realise that Jesus had to die and be resurrected so that the rest of humanity could be resurrected into his resurrection.                                                                                                

Jesus calls out his church

 In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians: he writes that those who are alive and those who have died, together we meet the Lord in the air. God will gather a person’s ashes that have been scattered, it’s impossible to destroy matter.  God will unite those who have died in Christ with their resurrected spiritual body, and those who are alive their bodies will be transformed into their resurrected body.1 Thessalonians 4: 13- 18    

“And whoever lives in me shall never die.”    After being called out Christians go before the Judgement Seat of Jesus not for judgement, but for rewards. 1 Corinthians 3:  12-15.  2 Corinthians 5: 10.

The resurrection on the last day, Revelation 20: 11 – 15 reveals that it’s at the ‘White Throne’ where the opening of the books and judgement takes place. The Christians who have come to faith after Jesus has called out his church will be raised up into Jesus’ resurrection fulfilling his words that I read in John 6: 40 Everyone who believes in him,  Jesus will raise up on the last day.

God has become one of us  in order to give us eternal life now in the present and to be risen with Christ.  Also to have a resurrected eternal body.

Thank you, Jesus

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Cleopas and the unnamed disciple entered into the New Covenant

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Easter Evening Service

Psalm 105. Exodus 37: 1-14. Luke 24: 13 – 25

Someone said to Joseph of Arimathea, “That was such a beautiful, costly hand-hewn tomb, Why did you give it to someone else to be interred in?  ‘Oh’ said Joseph, “He only needed it for the weekend.

That weekend must have seemed a lot longer to those disciples gathered at the house in Jerusalem.

Cleopas in conversation with the stranger recounted what the women had reported that when they reached the tomb, they found that the stone had been rolled away and there they had seen a vision of angels telling them that Jesus was alive. 

Here the disciples were slow of heart, they did not see the truth revealed straight away.  It took several minutes for their message to sink in, then Peter and John ran to the tomb to investigate.

Cleopas said to the stranger on the road to Emmaus,  was present at the house that Peter and John returned and reported what they had seen the empty tomb, but they had not seen Jesus, after hearing this Cleopas and the other disciple left the house for Emmaus.

From the recorded conversation with the stranger their faith in Jesus was devastated and this maybe had caused them to leave the house and their fellow disciples.

Their faith was hanging by a thread, even though for three years Jesus had prepared them through his teaching to have faith in his words, John 14: 18  “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also.”

Jesus the stranger journeyed with them, as they talked along the way, in response to their conversation Jesus said that they were ‘Slow of heart’

The prophesies in the scriptures he used pointed to their fulfilment in his suffering, death and resurrection, the New Covenant which he established at the Passover Meal.

The Lord revealed to me yesterday, they must have been at the Passover Meal, because they recognised him when he broke the bread. Their eyes were opened at the breaking of the bread and they entered into the New Covenant.

I realise that the gospel writers are specific when they wrote that the 12 disciples are present at the Passover meal, but the other followers are rarely mentioned but were often there with him. When Jesus was arrested  and the disciples were scattered.  “A young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body; and they seized him, but he left his linen cloth and ran away naked.” Mark 14: 51, 52.

It would seem likely that they were present at the Passover Meal as they were there when the women came and told the disciples that Jesus was risen. “Some of those  who were with us went to the tomb.” Luke 24: 24.

In the upper room Cleopas and the other disciple maybe sat listening to Jesus and watched him, “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, ”Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”   And he 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.”   And likewise the cup after supper saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22: 17 – 20.

Jesus’ blood in the New Covenant shed on the cross to redeem the sins of the world, the Passover Lamb’s blood brushed on the door posts and lintels of Cleopas and the other disciple’s hearts, and all those who believe and follow him.

The unleavened bread, bread made without yeast, (the yeast representing sin,) this bread, the  body and blood of Jesus pure and sinless.  ‘Eat and drink in remembrance’ until he returns.

Jesus fulfilled those words found in the Jeremiah covenant, “They shall know the Lord, for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest and I shall not remember their sin anymore.” Jeremiah 31: 34. Hebrews 8: 11

Their eyes were opened at the breaking of the bread they had entered into the New Covenant.

John 14: 20 – 22  Before they left the upper room Jesus spoke to them  interpreting the prophecy of the covenant given to Jeremiah.    20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

The commandment he gave was to love one another, love and forgiveness in the same breath, the father had forgiven the prodigal son before he saw him, he was waiting for his son to turn and love him. The sacrifice has been made, a person has only to turn to Jesus to receive the forgiveness of their sin, as greater love has laid down his life for all humanity.

 That day Cleopas and the other disciple entered into the new covenant to know the actual presence of God not in place in the temple, not meeting God between the Cherubim on the ark of the covenant,  but meeting together with the Father and His Son Jesus within their being.

Cleopas may have been the husband to Mary’s sister who supported Mary the mother of Jesus at the cross. Although the spelling is slightly different. John 19: 25.

They may have been the least well known among his followers, the second disciples name not even recorded by Luke, but they were prepared to follow him, even though they knew that he was unpopular with the Jewish council.

Millions of Christians like myself can identify with the unnamed disciple, but we know that Jesus has found us and made himself known to us and we have entered into the New Covenant.

Why didn’t they go to investigate the reports from the women?

Maybe it was because they felt the least among the followers that they didn’t go to the tomb, but their love and faith in Jesus was all they needed to enter into the new covenant promise.

As we gathered this Easter morning to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, the act of receiving the bread and the wine was very special, It was a moment I shall always cherish. Thank you Jesus.

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Crisis of Faith – The Risk God took of Jesus not going to the Cross

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Good Friday –  Hour at the Cross

‘The risk God took of Jesus not going to the cross.’ (Part 1 of 3 )

There was a crisis of faith going on in Jerusalem, the leaders and people expected the Christ Messiah to bring in a day of wrath. God’s judgement on sin.

Jesus knew this: Luke 12: 49, 50. “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!”

The fire of judgement would not happen until after the Baptism of his death, but the people had been taught from the law that when the Christ came he would live for ever, and so the disciples believed this. John 12: 34

When Jesus said that he would be killed at Jerusalem and be raised on the third day. Peter rebuked Jesus, “God forbid Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Peter had been taught that the Christ, the Messiah would not come and die, but that he would remain for ever. Matthew 16: 22

God had hidden his suffering and death from the leaders and people so that Jesus would be the final sacrifice for sin.

God had given Caiaphas, the Chief priest a  prophecy, “One man would die so that the nation would not perish,” Caiaphas was the head man of the council. John wrote that Jesus should die for the nation. But Caiaphas did not believe in the resurrection, he was a Sadducee. John 11: 47-53

So from that day on they took council how to put him to death.

So it was God’s will that Jesus should die at their hands to fulfil the Jewish Law given to Moses by God. Only they were ignorant of the reason behind it. Acts 3: 17. 13: 27

Cleopas and the other disciple were devastated they too had been taught that when the Christ came he would live forever, “We had hoped he was the one who would redeem Israel.” Luke 24: 21.

The crisis in the Garden of Gethsemane was the greatest risk

But God’s faith in Jesus his Son was upheld, Jesus wrestled with his thoughts about not to go to the cross, he prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” We read that he could have asked God to send 12,000 legions of angels to his aid.  Matthew 26: 39, 53 RSV Bible

But would God have responded if he had asked? That would have been a crisis of faith for God.

Jesus spoke to those following him as he made his way to Calvary. He said, “Daughters of Jerusalem don’t weep for me,” He went on to indicate the future suffering of the nation. He was the offshoot of the stump of Jesse the tree that had been felled, the dry tree, and he was the green tree with new life. He was to redeem them from the curse put on tree of death and punishment, the cross. Luke 23: 28-31. Isaiah 11: 1

Another high risk was when Pilate asked the crowd to decide who should be set free Barabbas or Jesus. They freed Barabbas. Luke 23: 18

The real freedom from punishment of sin came through Jesus going to the cross 

The risk at the cross

On the cross we understand Jesus was separated from God when he cried out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” this is where Satan was sifting him like wheat to find sin in him,  to accuse him before Father God, in order to reject his blood having the power to cleanse humanity and the whole creation. Matthew 27: 46. John 12: 24. Luke 22: 31.

After his death the soldiers could have broken his legs, that would have broken the chain of prophesies fulfilled on that day. Dake’s Atonement Study Bible 55 prophesies had been fulfilled which was 36 trillion to 1 (more than one prophecy in a verse)

God’s plan of redemption through Jesus laying down his life, dying on the cross for the sins of the world Satan could find no sin in Jesus, he was defeated and disarmed. Jesus completed his calling, God the Father of Jesus raised Jesus from the dead.

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Palm Sunday – Jesus the Servant King

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Philippians 2: 5 – 11.  John 12: 12 – 19.

Hopes and dreams

The visual aid is from the Easter experience that took place in here last week, ‘Hopes and Dreams’ was their theme for Palm Sunday.

Martin Luther Jr “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

In 1964, 65, 68 the end of discrimination through the Civil Rights Acts.

We understand that the people in Jesus day were hoping and dreaming of the day when God would sent the Saviour, a descendent of King David who would come and set up God’s kingdom on the earth. The term used by the Jewish people Acts 3: 19 ‘The Times of Refreshing’ the re-establishing of the throne and land of King David.

There were two aspects of David the son of Jesse life that was fulfilled in Jesus.

Jesus the Shepherd King

Jesus included in his mission his disciples, it was to take the good news of the coming kingdom to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Matthew 10. 5, 6 records Jesus sending his disciples out with the good news of the coming kingdom, he told them to, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.”

Isaiah wrote of the Saviour, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40: 11

Jesus willed to do his Father God’s will, he had a servants heart, nothing was too much trouble for him, The Centurion sent Jewish elders to Jesus to pray for his servant who was poorly, the elders explained to Jesus that the Centurion had supported the Jews. Jesus responded and went with the elders and as they drew near to the Centurion’s house. The Centurion sent word to him not to come but just say the word and he’ll be healed. Jesus commended him for his great faith.

And in our reading John 12: 17, 18 after he raised Lazarus from the dead, as a result these witnesses recognised that Jesus was the Messiah, God’s Anointed One, their redeemer and Saviour and they told others and they came and  stood on the roadside rejoicing, waving their palm branches. They shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” The Hebrew word  for hosanna ‘‘Hashanah’ meaning ‘Save now’.

Zechariah’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus, in his humanity the shepherd King, riding into Jerusalem on the ass’s colt.

Visual Aid – The shepherds ministry placed on the road by some of the congregation. Pictures and words of some the healing, miracles and encounters with people that took place during Jesus ministry.

Part 2

 Billy Graham said, “Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. Out of pain and problems have come the sweetest songs and the most gripping stories.”

The other aspect of King David’ life was that of A WARRIOR KING

David the shepherd had courage to face Goliath, for us Goliath can be a fear, a worry, and we need courage to do the right thing, courage to face the future. Goliath is like the thief that comes only to steal and kill and destroy; Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10: 11

God sent Jesus into the world to redeem us from evil one. The battle was a spiritual one, but he had to do it from our perspective in human form.  He defeated the devil that held the power of death over humanity.

Hebrews 2: 14 “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”

 Jesus won this victory as we know on the cross, his bloodshed for the sins of the whole world and universe. In his ascension the proof of his victory he entered heaven to a tumultuous welcome.

Psalm 24: 7-10

“Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty, he is the King of glory.

Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi declared: “Jesus’ name, highly exalted  is above all names, that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

On the Easter experience the children were asked what were their hopes and dreams and to “Try to think of something you would like to happen – something really important for you, your family, or the world.”

This morning what are our hopes and dreams, our expectation as a result of our faith in Jesus?

In January the Lord gave me a picture of two rivers one river represented the world, the other represented the river flowing from God.

The scripture I found in Isaiah 8: 6-8. Judah had rejected the rule of God, the rule of God was described as the waters of Shiloh that flow gently. The Lord would bring the waters of the ‘Euphrates the King of Assyria and it would rise and overflow into the river Shiloh and cover Judah. Isaiah’ prophecy came true in 722BC the Assyrian Empire conquered Israel.

In my picture the two rivers were separated by rock. The rock stopped the huge river from overflowing into the other river.

The river of the world was flowing at great speed and volume, with dangerous currents, swirling and consuming everything in its path. This river polluted by the world tipping its pollution into it. Whoever drinks from this river will thirst again. It can’t quench a person’s thirst.

The river from God flowing fast but calm and clear, this water is living water, pure and good to taste, refreshing and quenching the thirst.

Jesus the rock

We have been given strength to witness to the world because we are standing on the rock in Jesu’s victory over the god of this world, and through our faith in Jesus we have the courage to stand for Jesus.

Another person shared his hopes and dreams.

God’s expectation of us – To fulfil the commission Matthew 28: 19, 20   “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We’re called to go and tell people the story about Jesus the shepherd and warrior King, to receive by faith in Jesus, God’s mercy in forgiveness of sins and to receive all the benefits of what Jesus has blessed us with: an abundant life, with the promise, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus is with us always, he lives within us, and his presence gives us hopes and dreams:

( added afterwards –  Further study revealed that the river Shiloh was in association with David’s calm peaceful reign and the river Shiloh originally a stream and it was channelled via an aqueduct to the Pool of Siloam. From this water the priest took water at the Feast of Tabernacles to be poured at the base of the altar in the Temple at Jerusalem.

On the last day of the ‘Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and drink, out of them shall flow rivers of living water.” John continued to identify the river as the Holy Spirit who came into the world when Jesus was glorified, the Holy Spirit being poured into the hearts of those who believe in Jesus. John 7: 37-39. Acts 2: 17. Joel 2:28.

What the picture signifies when we come to faith in Jesus the world has no dominion over us, Jesus has redeemed us called us by our name, and we belong to God. We are separated from the world. God’s Spirit confirms the existence of God, but the spirit of the world denies the existence of God, so the two don’t mix.

The Israelite was separated from the worship of other gods, as they are today.

The church has been washed by the water of the word, Jesus. We are cleansed from the spirit of the world. We are reminded Jesus prayed for his disciples saying that while they were in the world, but not spiritually part of the world. 

The rock is Christ.

Psalm 89 : 26 “He will cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God and the rock of my Salvation.”

Salvation means being saved by faith in Jesus.

Paul writing to the Corinthians pointed to Jesus being the rock.

1 Corinthians 10: 4 “Moses drank from the rock Jesus.” Numbers 20: 11.

Double meaning: In the book of Numbers the Israelite’s needed water Moses was told by God to strike the rock with the rod, he did and water came out of the rock, a miracle. The water saved the people, the water in reference to Jesus: He gives us life giving eternal water, the Holy Spirit.

Soon after in the Exodus the Israelites 600,000 people crossed the Red Sea into the Shur Desert they ran out of water. They found a pool, but the water was undrinkable it was bitter. The people cried out in anger to Moses, he prayed to the Lord, God told him to throw a tree that lay beside the pool into the water, as a result the water became sweet drinkable.  The cross was in the foreknowledge of God. Acts 2: 17. It’s there in the scriptures in Exodus 15: 25-28

The bitter water represents sin, the tree – Jesus’ cross bearing our sin and the sweet water forgiveness of sin and the giving of the Holy Spirit.

To me it’s a powerful prophecy that was a real life situation of life over death. God in action.

Jesus the rock: we say ‘as solid as a rock, Jesus is the rock of our salvation, it speaks of our salvation being permanent, immoveable.

It’s the house built on the rock that’s stable, everlasting.

(End of added material)

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Mothering Sunday – Moses in the Bulrushes

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Moses in the bulrushes.     Exodus 2: 1- 10. Luke 2: 33 – 35

Faith, hope and love

This true story about Moses in the bulrushes is a fantastic account of living by faith.

In those days the Hebrew people lived by faith in the God of Israel, from the time of Abraham up to Moses.

Martin Luther King Jr said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Corrie Ten Boom wrote, “Faith is the radar that sees through the fog.”

Levi Amram and Jochebed his wife had faith in God’s plans and purposes for their baby son even though Pharaoh had decreed that Hebrew baby boys to be disposed of in the Nile.

Now their son was three months old it must have been harder to hide him as babies cry when they’re hungry,

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews writes that they were not afraid of Pharaoh’s decree.

 “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the King’s edict.” Hebrews 11: 23.

They sought God’s help to save their son’s life.

They believed and expected that the God of Israel could change their sons circumstances.

That’s true for us when our faith leads us to pray and expect God to act on our situations.

William Barclay writes: When we pray, remember:

  1. The love of God wants the best for us.
  2. The wisdom of God that knows what is best for us.
  3. The power of God that can accomplish it.

Answered prayer leads to action.

Through their faith Moses parents were inspired to either make or find a basket that they could adapt to float on the waters of the Nile.

visual aid – A lady playing the part of Jochebed placed the baby in the basket and left him on our river scene in the bulrushes.

How hard it must have been for Jochebed his mother to let go of that basket.

Even when our children are older it’s hard to let go, when our girls left home to go to University it really came as a surprise how hard it was to let them go.

And last month our youngest daughter emigrated to Australia. This week we attended a leaving party for our nephew who has gone to Australia. We are trusting that Father God will take care of them, so we let go.

The baby not alone 

He was surrounded by God’s creatures. The children brought  forward and placed on the scene: ducks, mother hen and her chicks, birds WP_20180310_14_17_10_Pro

Hope

C S Lewis wrote, “”If you read history you find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next.”

Our hope rests on God being able to let go when Jesus was born into this world, God in his foreknowledge knowing he would suffer.

In our Gospel reading Simeon’s word to Mary the mother of Jesus, “Behold, (take notice) this child is set for fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against and a sword will pierce through your own soul also that the thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”

Being forewarned by God of the events during Jesus’ life that would cause them to worry about him.

Joseph had a dream

God spoke to Joseph in a dream, he was forewarned to take the young child and his mother to Egypt to escape Herod’s plan of slaying children under 2 years.

Joseph and Mary thought they had lost Jesus.

It’s really an anxious time when your child gets separated from you, while out shopping, so we can feel for Joseph and Mary when. at the age of twelve Jesus went missing and they found him totally unaware of time in the Temple at Jerusalem discussing the scriptures with the teachers listening to them and asking questions. Luke 12: 41-51.

We have incidents to go through with our children that may concern us, but acting on our faith we can put them into the hands of the Lord and rest in the hope that God has the whole picture present and future.

Miriam  the sister of Moses maybe knew about the plan or she saw her mother carry the basket to the river Nile, she watched closely as she waited to see in whose hands he would fall. Perhaps they hoped that the daughter of Pharaoh would come and bathe there.WP_20180310_14_21_44_Pro

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to the river Nile to bathe and she saw the basket and sent her maid to fetch it to her. Opening the basket she heard the babies cry and took pity on him.  The Daughter of Pharaoh named him Moses “Because I drew him from the water”.

Miriam’s hope for her mum that she would look after him , so she recommended to the daughter of Pharaoh that a Hebrew nurse could look after him.

Our Hope is that God is faithful that He will complete what He has begun.

How blessed Jochebed was to have her son in her arms safe and well.

Visual Aid – Baby Moses taken out of basket and given to Jochebed

LOVE

God is love,

How can God love so many of us personally all at once?                            

When someone challenged Galileo to explain how God could be so powerful and yet care for every person, he replied; “The sun, with all those planets revolving around it, are dependent upon it, and it can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if, it had nothing else in the universe to do.”

When I became a Christian I gave our two children to the lord for His hand upon their lives. They have heard the message of the cross and they have responded to it, then when they left home they were free to do their own thing. I had to let go and leave it to the Lord. I have since found that God allows our children to go their own way in order to find God for themselves.

Moses left Egypt

Moses always knew his true identity his mother told him, it was many years later when God intervened in his life to reveal himself to him, and so he fulfilled God’s plan and purpose for his life. Under his leadership the Hebrew people became a nation.

Our eldest daughter she came to a living faith through attending Kay Street Alpha Course. Her faith took on substance, head knowledge became heart knowledge

Our youngest daughter  I’m still praying for her, I believe it will happen one day.

Two years ago my sister’s son called her from Australia and told her that he had accepted Jesus as his Saviour and he recalled the holidays at Holly Bush Christian Camp when he heard and saw people come to faith.  Now he knew it for himself.

God’s Love will never let us go, his love fills the empty space within us that only God can fill.

Faith Hope and Love

Faith in God is where God takes his child by the hand and leads us to hope for the future. Hope reveals a plan of action, where we walk with the Lord following him and all is bound together in love.

Children give out the love gift of flowers.

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Lent Course – Faith in Crisis

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Psalm 73.   Luke 24: 36 – 49

Prayer – Lord may your word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, in Jesus’ name.

Is there a crisis of faith in the UK today?

Many would say “Yes” there is.” The media reflect the changes going on in society.

Ecclesiastes 1:9    “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

The Psalmist recorded the crisis of faith in Judah; the doubts and fears that brought about the invasion of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon. King Zedekiak had turned away from the God of Israel, even the priests were unfaithful. 2 Kings 25: 8-17.2 Chronicles 36: 19, 20.

As I see it the church is changing, not changing the ‘Good News Message’ about Jesus. But the buildings are changing, even here at St Mary’s we undertook a refurbishment of our building in 2006. Through the events I’ve attended over recent years, I hear Christians are using rented community buildings and I’ve been to meetings in brand new churches but they’re not built in the traditional style with high vaulted ceilings, but instead having a worship area with much lower ceiling, comfy chairs and with several  rooms to accommodate extra activities.

The most important fact is that our bodies are the temple of the living God, The Trinity of God’s presence dwelling within the Christian and not in purpose built buildings.

God’s purpose for calling us is to  walk by faith by having a relationship with the Lord.  To trust God and to be dependent upon him as we serve in the body of Christ

In our Gospel reading the ‘Crisis of Faith’ lasted just over three days from the time of Jesus arrest on the evening or beginning of the Day of Preparation to the  day of Jesus’ resurrection. Luke 24: 21.

The disciples had fled when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, they were in fear of being arrested, and after the crucifixion, they gathered together at the house in Jerusalem.

This was a time of great anxiety and stress

On Friday 16th February I attended a Seminar on “Anxiety and Stress” the speaker was Dr Stephen Critchlow he said, “When stress levels rise, it causes a person withdraw from other people.” We can see that Cleopas and the other disciple in their stress left for Emmaus in the early evening.  But the eleven had stayed together in the house at Jerusalem.

All the disciples and followers were in fear of being rounded up as one of his followers by the Romans. This must have been on their minds as they gathered together in the house. How traumatic it must have been to see Jesus beaten and crucified. They probably felt let down by him. Jesus had been popular among the ordinary people, many had wanted to make him their king. But now their relationship with Jesus was broken.

But on this occasion God had allowed the broken relationship between Jesus’ and the disciples to fulfil His purposes.

The Messiah’s Secret Revealed

Before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion God had hidden from the disciples understanding the scriptures that Jesus had to die, be resurrected and ascend into heaven before the Holy Spirit could come into the world.

Even though Jesus had told them he would die and rise on the third day they couldn’t grasp it. Luke 18: 34.

Here in verse 45 we read he opened their minds to understand the scriptures concerning his death and resurrection, but they had to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit in power at Pentecost before they went out with the news of his resurrection.

Relationships are important to God,

The Bible is all about relationships with God: Abraham’s relationship meant that God’s promises to him are still being answered today. Through Abraham, Moses, Jacob and King David and finally through Jesus the nations of the world are being blessed continually.

For Christians in our personal relationship with God our Father, “If God is your co-pilot swap seats,” Let God take control of your life. “Be patient with others as God has been patient with you,” “Give your troubles to God, He’s up all night anyway.”

For any person who has had a traumatic event in a their life, it can lead to cause mental illness as flash backs bring the circumstances continually back into focus, and with it: hurt, and bitterness. Unless we can truly forgive ourselves and those who have maligned us in some way, these flashbacks will continue to over many years.

Many of the soldiers in both world wars and more recently in Afghanistan have experienced the affects of the trauma of war.

Healing through Jesus’ ministry to us.

The Lord showed me in Luke 24 Jesus’ ministry to his disciples where he walked back in time to the events of the trauma:

When the stranger came along side of Cleopas and the other disciple, he indicated that he did not know what had taken place in Jerusalem, so they poured out with him the events they had witnessed; Jesus being delivered up to be condemned to death by their leaders and they handed him over to Pilate and he declared, “We had hoped that he was the one that would redeem Israel.”

Jesus walking back with the two disciples through their trauma  healing took place as he opened up the scriptures, their hearts burned within them. and later their eyes were opened they realised the stranger was Jesus.

The disciples and followers faith in crisis only lasted a short time. Jesus first healed the broken relationship between him, God and all of his disciples.

On the day of resurrection Peter had seen Jesus, so had some of the women, as they were talking in the house Cleopas and the other disciple joined the eleven disciples.  Jesus appeared in the room, they wondered if he was in a spirit form.  He asked them to touch his body, see my hands and feet that would reveal the marks of the nails. It is noticeable that only the flesh and bones are mentioned.

We spiritually discern that there is no blood, red blood cells in his risen body. His blood was poured out at the cross for the forgiveness of the sin of Israelis and for the people of the world.

The invisible God made visible when Jesus was resurrected.

The Incarnation is where Jesus the invisible God was born into this world God becoming visible. Jesus in his resurrection, he is the invisible God made visible. 

All those present rejoiced when they realised it was Jesus.

Jesus’ ministry is to heal the broken-hearted and to give sight to the blind and it’s the churches ministry today. Jesus’ ministry to all his disciples, he healed their broken hearts. Isaiah 61: 1, 2.

Let Jesus walk back to the point of trauma in your own life and ask in prayer for the Lord’s healing touch, through true forgiveness of those who have been involved at the time and confessing our part in it and asking Jesus’ forgiveness for ourselves and any others involved.

Heavenly Father,

We come before you remembering the trauma that we have experienced, we ask you to walk back with us and for your healing touch as we have heard where you healed your disciples of their trauma. In repentance and faith we ask for forgiveness where we have been hurt by others and were we have had a part in it. We ask for your forgiveness and we forgive those who have sinned against us. Fill us now afresh with your Holy Spirit, In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Prayer Leads to Action

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Luke 6: 12 – 16. Ephesians 6: 18-20.

What qualities and skills do you think Jesus would be looking for in a disciple?

Some of the points people made: Qualities: commitment, honesty, spiritual integrity, faith in Jesus, faith in God.  Skills: good communicators, boatmen for transport, Matthew the Tax Collector for finances, we know Judas looked after the money-box. Help to manage the crowds around Jesus.

The most important:

  • that they had faith in Jesus.

In John’s gospel from the discussions that took place between Andrew and Simon Peter and Philip and Nathaniel we find that they had come to a decision to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. John 1:49.

John the Baptist had witnessed to them that God had revealed to him that Jesus was the Son of God.”This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” John 1: 33, 34. 49.

God chose 12 disciples

Prayer leads to action, after they were chosen, they were discipled, taught by Jesus a number of things:

  1.  To pray Luke 11: 1-4 records the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray: Luke gives a shorter version of the Lord’s prayer.
  2.  He taught them the meanings of his parables about the Kingdom of God.
  3.  They watched him administer healing by the power of his word and spirit.

For us today we apply Jesus teaching.

Jesus taught them that when they prayed not to be like the hypocrites being seen praying on street corners, but to go into a quiet place unobserved by others. For us today to pray unobserved in a quiet place. Matthew 6: 5,6.

Jesus would be where two or three are gathered. In the Garden of Gethsemane he asked disciples Peter, James and John to pray with him. For us it’s good to pray with others especially in a crisis situation. Mark 14: 33

Jesus pointed to his words being Spirit and life.

Jesus said, “63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6: 63.

The words he gave them were living words, coming from God the creator of life. In Luke 9 we read the disciples were ready to go out in his authority with the kingdom message and empowered to heal the sick.

Empowered by Jesus.

Joyce Huggett in her book ‘God’s Springtime’ writes, ‘Just as in Spring, life seems to pour from the ground into every bud and blade of grass, so in the springtime of our lives, God seems to pour new energy into us.”

The energy, in creation bringing forth life by the power of God. She continued quoting Ulrich Shaffer’s prayer, I’ve taken the last verse, “Circulate in me Change and renew because I know that only your Spirit can bring real life and fruit.”

Paul in his letter to the Colossians that Christ lived in them, “Christ in you,” he pointed to the energy that Jesus’ spirit within him mightily supplied him with energy. “For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he (Jesus) mightily inspires within me.” Colossians 1:29.

Jesus prayed for more disciples to take the message out

His prayer was answered and prayer leads to action when the seventy went out with the kingdom message. They prayed for the sick and they were healed. When they returned and told Jesus about their success Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.

We read in the Acts and the letters the growing ministry of Jesus in people’s lives.

Paul asked the church at Ephesus to pray for an opening to share the good news about Jesus.

Many of us came to faith through someone telling us about Jesus.

Three years ago Paul who came on the Alpha Course at Chatterton Hey from Tekoa House in Rochdale one of Langley House Trusts hostels for the homeless.

Langley House Trust is a Christian Charity

This year Langley House Trust is celebrating 60  years of helping men and women leaving prison not to re-offend. Langley run 18 houses in the UK. The good news is shared in every house and prayers are said with the residents. Many who work in their homes, their lives have been transformed while living there.. Prayers are said at the changing of shifts, and every Thursday at 10am throughout the Charity, Chaplains hold a prayer time for residents and staff.

So Paul heard about Jesus and was prayed for regularly, the staff at the hostel knew he was very poorly, Jesus revealed himself to him, and as a result John made a decision to follow Jesus. He wanted to learn about Jesus so he came on the Alpha Course at Chatterton Hey.

When I met him it was as if he had just come through the door into the kingdom, he had taken off his old clothes and was starting putting on his new clothes belonging to the kingdom of God. He was beginning to be discipled.

Prayer leads to action

Jesus hears our prayers and he intercedes as our high priest before the Father and God answers our prayers.

Archbishop William Temple said, “When I pray, coincidences happen, when I stop praying, the coincidences stop.”

We have people and things we pray for every day. But there will be times when the Lord brings something to our notice that will prompt us to release our faith and God will act and by His power things come into being – materialise, take form.

The Lord has been teaching me that faith is released when we tell someone we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour.

Another example of faith released is when the lady came to Jesus from among the crowd and touched his garment and immediately she was healed. John 5: 28, 34.

Jesus our example: His prayer of thanks to His Father for the bread and the fishes, the prayer was answered when he took some of the bread and fish and before the disciples eyes, he continually broke the bread and fish with his fingers and over 5,000 people were fed. The prayer had materialised, taken form. 

All that has been created and is being created is in God, in His being.

Everything in the universe is at God’s disposal and thinks happen at the blink of an eye, in an instant.

The missionary that Celia Edmondson knew who hadn’t enough money to complete her train journey, prayed for the Lord to undertake and the money fell out of her Bible.

At holly Bush they didn’t have the money to expand their vision to build a church on the farm. God’s provision: the potato pile never reduced in size even though tons of potatoes were taken from the pile.

Thank you for paying for the Job Club, we now have five new people on our ‘Steps to Employment Course’ ten of us altogether.

I’ve brought with me this morning this Board with an outline of a cross, please put your prayers within the cross. We’ll join our prayers with yours on Tuesday afternoon at our group meeting.

Prayer

Lord God, you have commissioned us to pray for the church and people, may we be faithful in our calling. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Faith and Prayer

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Faith and Prayer

Children’s Talk – Prayer bands to remind us to pray.

Colossians 1: 1-14.   Luke 18: 1-8

Two nuns were driving along when they ran out of petrol. Fortunately they could walk to a petrol station, where they asked to purchase a can of petrol. “I’m sorry, sister,” said the attendant, “but all I have for you to carry it in is an old chamber pot.” The nuns agreed that this would be fine. They returned to the car. As they were pouring the petrol into the tank, a man drove by, stopped his car, and said, “Oh sister, if only I had your faith.”

Paul in his letter noted the churches faith in Jesus at Colosse.

Faith is what we plan to do tomorrow, and it’s always in the future. Most of what we do, is in response to having faith in the things unseen.

We have faith in processes: emails texts, postal systems that they will reach their destination and we will receive a reply if we need one.

We put our faith in people like party politicians we consider what they say on issues that concern us and if we go along with what they say, we identify ourselves with them.

Faith in doctors that they will diagnose our illnesses and give the treatment to make us better.

Faith in a football team and decide to become a follower

Faith is associated with our freedom of choice when we are looking for answers to questions about: “Why am I here?” “What is the purpose to life?”

4,200 religious faiths in the world, and there are people, especially people in their twenties and younger  searching for the true way to find God,  and we believe that the Christian Faith reveals the truth, we read about Jesus’ resurrection where over 500 hundred people saw the resurrected Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world revealing Jesus as God made visible in the flesh.  Jesus said, “The truth shall set you free.”

The church at Colosse like the other churches were being challenged by the unbelieving Jews. They followed Paul and Barnabas speaking against what they were saying about Jesus. Acts 14: 19

It is thought the churches  were being challenged by what became known as Gnosticism.

 In my Eyre & Spottiswoode Study Bible. “Gnosticism meaning “Knowledge” Gnosticism was formulated in a Jewish frame work, it deprived Jesus Christ of his unique status as the Son of God and Saviour.” 

In the early church the Christians going through trial’s not of their own making, were being treated as criminals and outcasts.

  “Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.” Hebrews 10: 32, 33. N L T Bible.

“Matthew Henry’s commentary on Hebrews 10: 32, 33 wrote, “And those who have been kept faithful in great trials in a time past have reason to hope for the same grace to help them still to live by faith.”  For many their reason to hope is when faith has been strengthened or increased as suffering draws us closer to the Lord and the Lord upholds us as we go through times of trial.

We read in Jesus’ parable – the King heard the outcry of the woman who continually sought vindication, eventually he responded, But Jesus made the point that God would vindicate, declare innocent his people by a swift response to their prayers.

The Colossians were living the Christian faith and proving their faith . Paul encouraged them as he noted their faith and how God was upholding the truth as their church was growing

We read in Jesus’ parable- he said, ‘Pray and do not lose heart.’

Today in Barnabas Prayer we are asked to pray for the Christians in North Korea who are daily in great danger because of their love for the Lord Jesus.

This prayer has words that relate to Paul’s prayer in Colossians.

Praying that each would be filled with a peace that passes understanding, that they may have no fear as they put their trust in Jesus. For those in brutal prison labour camps, we ask that you would give them grace to endure, that their patience, love and fortitude may be a witness  that draws others to Jesus. Ending with, we ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and for His glory.

Christians need our prayers, and we need their prayers

At the beginning of December I sent an on-line prayer request to CAP Christians Against poverty asking for prayer: for perseverance and for more people to come on the Job Club course.

Just before Christmas I received this card from them, they wrote encouraging words, saying about David the shepherd started out as a shepherd over a small flock in number, compared to the large kingdom God gave him after he was faithful with the little.  They would continue to pray for us.

The card reminded us to be faithful to God’s call and wait for God to give the increase.

Paul ‘s prayer in response to his conversation with Epaphras he has prayed for them to have knowledge of God’s will in order to:  further the outreach in their community at Colossae.

God invites us to pray, to see what His will is, for us to do something to further the spread of the gospel about Jesus.

Spurgeon story

Some students visiting  church in London where invited to see the heating plant of the church. A man lead them down some steps and then opened the door.  In a subdued voice he said, “There, gentlemen, is our heating plant.” What the surprised students saw were approximately 700 people praying for the service which was soon to begin in the tabernacle above.  Then they were further surprised to learn that the friendly host was none other than Spurgeon himself.

Paul’s prayer for wisdom and understanding. Wisdom to work together as a body of believers.

Before we step out in faith, or apply faith in a situation, praying with others first believing that the Lord will give confirmation.

Below my testimony that I’ve never shared in a sermon before and I didn’t intend to share it today.                      (Shorter version this morning)                      In 1992 the Lord gave me a word to start a pottery business for the church, I questioned whether churches had businesses, I asked three ladies at church to pray with me about it. Soon afterwards, one Sunday evening we had a healing service, the lady preacher asked if anyone had any hurts from previous churches that needed healing, everyone there in the Full Gospel Church that evening got up and came to the front for prayer. As a result I was healed and the Lord shortly afterwards called me back into the Anglican Church. (I realised that men and women are equal in ministry) I was continually nudged by the Holy Spirit about the pottery business, so I started going to pottery evening classes at Accrington College. It wasn’t long before I realised I was hopeless at making pots with clay,  also I attended pottery painting classes and again I found I was hopeless, I had no flare, no talent to do it, maybe I had got it wrong and I had wasted my time.

However, I went to buy a kiln at Pilling Pottery, my husband thought that I was starting a new hobby. At Pilling Pottery the Potter Mr Cross had just become a Christian, I shared with him what I felt God had asked me to do, to start a pottery business for our church. Mr Cross told me to buy ready glazed mugs and put transfers on them. I knew God had spoken through him. I went away challenged by the next step that I had to make: to purchase pottery and decorate with floral transfers and Bible verses. I asked the Lord in prayer what Bible texts should be, I was given a picture and word ‘drinking in the promises of God’. Within half an hour I had enough promises to send to the transfer man ‘Photosilk Transfers’ in Burslem  Stoke-on-Trent, England. I travelled around the locality visiting the churches selling my china mugs at basic cost, the church added their profit margin.  Within two years my pottery business was growing I named it after my church ‘St James’.

In 1994 before we went on holiday the Lord gave me a picture of a net being cast and lifted up full of fishes. When we returned from the holiday I had received an order from a lady in Northern Ireland, an order for 12 mugs, I sent the order to her. Further orders came from Mrs Sinclare, she was helping to raise funds to re-roof Dunalong Church, Bready, Strabane. When I received the payment on one of the orders I realised it was from Londonderry where the troubles in Northern Island were going on and where the peace process was in progress. The texts that she had chosen related to their situation: “Do not be afraid,” “Nothing shall be impossible,” “I will never leave you or forsake you,” the beatitudes in single sentences. “All things are possible to them that believe,” “Ask what you will and it shall be done unto you.” God is Love”, “Love, Joy, Peace” and many more.

 It had become apparent why the Lord had wanted this pottery business. 400 mugs with the word speaking into a conflict that had been going on for years, they were added to thousands of prayers and words received from God, and the politicians playing their part, the peace process was successful. Praise the Lord!

(Wikipedia – Strabane suffered extensive damage during the Troubles, from the early 1970s and continuing throughout much of the 1990s, with bombings and shootings commonplace. . . . Strabane was once the most bombed town in Europe per size and was the most bombed town in Northern Ireland.) County of Londonderry or Derry

Answers to prayer increases our faith, and we grow in the knowledge of God in a personal way.

So, God calling for us is to pray in faith, in the Spirit, that is in the power and strength of God that produces endurance believing that Jesus will intercede before God on our behalf, so that the relevant things will happen to initiate a work and to move the work forward.

Prayer is the catalyst that God looks for, to actively work with us.

Finally to pray for the North Korean Church.

“Father in heaven, we pray for our brothers and sisters in North Korea, who live daily in extreme danger because of their love for Jesus Christ. Fill each one with a peace that passes understanding, that they may have no fear as they put their trust in You. For those in brutal prison labour camps, we ask that you would give them grace to endure, that their patience, love and fortitude may be a witness  that draws others to Jesus. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and for His glory.

 

 

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The Reflection of the Cross – Communion with God No 6

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The Reflection of the Cross –  Communion with God

The cross has made it possible for all humanity to have communion with God. Whosoever, anybody young and old, from any background can enter into a relationship with God? Jesus has made this possible through the New Covenant.

At the last supper, during the Passover meal Jesus introduced the New Covenant.

 “He (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. RSV Bible

Jesus gave thanks to God his Father for the unleavened bread.

This bread without leaven was eaten every year at this special meal of Passover. The bread had its significance it was baked without leaven the raising agent in the bread, in Judaism ‘leaven’ is often referred to as ‘sin’ therefore this bread represented purity, holiness, without sin.. Exodus 12: 15  Luke 12:1. Mark 8:15

Jesus breaking the bread spoke of his body that was broken by suffering.  

Within a few hours Jesus’ perfect body of a man in excellent health was reduced to a physical wreck by what he suffered. Jesus was scourged and in that entangled mess of sinews, bones, muscle and blood, his body bore all our sins, illnesses and diseases. His body taking the sins of the world upon himself on the cross, all sin leads to death, but his death was not the end, God raised Jesus from the dead, and death could not hold him because Jesus’ own body had no sin. He identified his sinless life with the unleavened bread.

God used this bread to symbolise the sinless body of the Messiah, the redeemer from sin. Paul realised the connection between the unleavened bread and Jesus the Christ. (Greek – Christ. Hebrew – Messiah)

 “Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed. . . . . . “Let us therefore, celebrate the festival not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5: 7, 8.

At the Communion we celebrate Jesus bringing in the New Covenant. by a new and better way, through faith in Jesus the Messiah, the Saviour of the world and grace – undeserved giving from God.

“For God so loved the world that he gave us His Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent His Son not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3: 16, 17.

God accepts us through faith, just as we are when we come to him. We cannot get ourselves right with God before we turn to him in repentance.

Point of need – To come to God in faith believing that Jesus is our Saviour.

Prayer – Almighty God I come to you in faith believing that Jesus is my Saviour.   I believe that you sent Jesus into the world, to save me from my feeling helpless unable to control my selfish desires, my contempt of falling into sin, by doing the things that I don’t want to do. I ask for my sins to be forgiven through my faith in what Jesus has done for me personally on the cross taking the penalty for my sin in dying for me and enabling me have communion with God. so that I shall be saved from eternal death and darkness,  In Jesus name. Amen

Jeremiah prophesied a change to our nature in the New Covenant.

 “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 31: 33. RSV Bible

God the Father has changed the law from being written on stone, (2 tablets given to Moses on Sinai) to being written in our heart. Only God can change the way I think and the choices I make by changing my nature to be like His. I know that the law given to Moses by God has revealed the wrong I do, but through repentance and forgiveness, God has written his law into my nature, it has become part of me: the way I think, my intellect and how I respond to our family, friends, neighbours, work, environment and society. Exodus 31:18. Ezekiel 36:26, 27

Point of need – in the cross we are released from the old nature.

The song writer’s words; ‘No turning back, no turning back’ the devil will try to regain his place at the centre of our lives, but the cross has become a place of freedom, joy and hope, a place of healing the scars of past guilt and passivity. We can embrace the future with confidence in our new found faith in God, His faithfulness, his love, His generosity, His challenges, growing in faith through suffering and assurance of faith through what we experience in a real way.

Prayer

Dearest Lord, when you broke the bread and gave it to your disciples and from that time all who believe down the centuries receive the bread, the blessings of the benefits of your passion. I give thanks that your bread brings healing, thank you. I will to do the will of God, not the will of myself or the will of the devil, I will only to do your will. Take my life and let it be only for your service and glory.  In Jesus precious name.  Amen.

Knowing the ways of God through having a personal relationship with God.

34 And no longer shall each man teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 31: 34

God has poured out His grace on those who believe to bless us daily in all we do: in our families, at work and socially. In the Spirit praying in faith for the well-being of others, and for the good news about Jesus, his saving love on the cross, being shared with those who don’t know about him? In accordance with the gospel to stand up for justice and to help people where help is needed.

Communion with God

The Apostle Peter a man brought up under the strictness of the law only knew rules and regulations and failure to observe the law meant that he had to pay a penalty; an offering of a dove, lamb or grain etc

Through what the Holy Spirit revealed to him after Pentecost Peter in his letters he knew God had brought in the New Covenant by faith in Jesus, he experienced faith, love and grace working together.

Peter wrote in his second letter that we partake of God’s power, promises and nature.

“His divine power has granted to us, all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises . . . . and become partakers of the divine nature.”  2 Peter 1: 3, 4.RSV Bible

Jesus demonstrated the power of God in his speech: he spoke with authority on the scriptures, in his interpretation taught people how to respond to injury, debt, attitudes towards their enemies. Stewardship towards God and government.  In his healing ministry, he broke the barriers of class and those stigmatised by disease. He made known the spiritual activity of the devil as he came to destroy the works of darkness.

In Christ we are empowered by God to speak out the gospel message that brings people to faith in Jesus and by grace for them to receive new life that leads to living Godly lives.

The promises of God are ours by right as brother’s and sisters in Christ. We take hold of them as we serve Jesus, having faith to believe that God will do what Jesus has promised. In 1992 the Lord gave me some of the promises to put on my pottery, ‘Drinking in the Word.’ Below are just a few promises taken from scripture?

“All things are possible to those who believe.” Mark 9: 23.

 “Whatever, you ask in prayer believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” In Matthew’s account he ends with, ’If you have faith.’ Mark 11.24. Matthew 21: 22. “

Jesus said, “Have faith in God,” Truly, truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.” Mark 11: 22-24

“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11: 28

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 12: 12 

“Instead seek his kingdom and these things will be yours as well.” Luke 12: 31.

”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.

Point of need – In faith to take hold of the promises of God and expect God to respond.

Prayer   Thank you Lord, for faith working together with your promises that will bless your church. Help us to discern when to step out in faith on a word of scripture and the promise that will encourage and bless others. In Jesus’ name.

The early church known as ‘The Way’

Jesus distributed among those sat at the table the unleavened bread representing his body. The giving of this bread makes it possible for all to receive from his loving nature, faithfulness and obedience and his brokenness, in his risen body the forgiveness of our sins, redeeming us from sin.

Jeremiah’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus, “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31: 34

Having been forgiven our sins when we accepted Jesus as our Saviour. As we work out our faith in practice. The Holy Spirit convicts us to know when we have grieved the Holy Spirit by our thoughts, spoken words and actions.

Peter continues in his second letter to instruct us on our walk following Jesus. He writes that we supplement our faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly and sisterly affection with love.

These things will make us effective and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1: 5-8. RSV Bible

We have Jesus’ nature revealed in his fellowship with his disciples, “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15: 12.  His spiritual integrity when in conversation with the Pharisees. ‘It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Matthew 12: 12. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4: 4 RSV Bible

Point of need –  To listen and learn what pleases God our Father.

Prayer.  Help me Lord, to listen to the beat of your heart, and to be sensitive to know when I need to say sorry for the things I get wrong. Thank you for the restoring and renewing of my faith. For His names sake, Amen.

“Do this in remembrance of me.”

Eating and drinking is something we do all our natural lives so it fits in comfortably with us. The service of Communion we follow in the Church of England remembers the sequence of the events and conversations between Jesus and his disciples before and during the Passover meal where Jesus instructed his followers to participate together in sharing the bread and the wine in remembrance of his life laid down and in God raising him up from the dead. In this act of remembrance we are fellow heirs in the victory in the triumphant Jesus over the devil. At the same time to embrace the humility of Jesus in being prepared to do this act of reconciliation between humanity and God His Father.

Point of need – to remember and enter into all the benefits of His passion, that are new every day. Psalm 103: 1-5

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live[a]
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s

Prayer – Heavenly Father, thank you for sending at great cost of love Jesus to be our Saviour. May I remember Jesus’ obedience in dying to his own interests on the cross, in order to defeat sin and its causes, and so help me to be prepared not to count the cost in my own life, but always be willing to do your will Lord.   I know that I am loved and cherished by God my Father, He has blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.” “I am a joint heir with Jesus Christ.” What belongs to Jesus belongs to me. “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for them that love Him.” In Jesus’ name. Amen

The New Covenant wine representing the blood of Jesus

Holding the cup of wine Jesus said, “For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26: 28.                                                                 

The cross reflects the whole of Jesus the Lamb of God, the lamb’s body sacrificed and his blood being used by God brushed onto the door posts and lintels of our bodies, so that death and the devil and his demons have no dominion over us.

The blood is always available to us to continue to cleanse and purify us. 1 John 1: 7

 “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sin.” Lev 17: 11. Hebrews 9: 22

“For the life of every creature is in the blood of it.” Leviticus 17: 14.

Paralleled with our blood

In our blood red cells are very tiny, and every red cell travels in the blood to the lungs where it picks up oxygen. After picking up the oxygen a single red cell offloads the oxygen to a single tissue, the oxygen gives combustion and heat to the tissue. The red cell takes the waste away from the tissue and disposes it out of the body through the lungs, skin, bladder and bowel.

Like the red blood cell, the blood of Jesus has the power to spiritually cleanse us and remove our sin and the causes of sin.  The oxygen carried by the red blood cell is like the Holy Spirit quickening our created spirit with the Holy Spirit acting on the words of Jesus. As a result we live and walk in the knowledge and love of God. John 6: 63.

This interaction between our created spirit and the Holy Spirit is like a when pregnant woman at around 3 months experiences the baby’s first movement in the womb.

We are individually members of the body of Christ separated by the ministry of the blood and joined by the movement of the blood between each member.                                                                                

Point of need – to see through the eyes of God our creator.

Prayer  – Almighty God and Father thank you for the understanding of what has taken place in my life as I have come to know you through my faith in Jesus. I have been cleansed with the blood of Jesus. I have been transformed in my mind, heart, will and soul, therefore I am crucified with Jesus, his sinless body bore my sin, infirmities and diseases on the cross and I have died to sin with Him. Just as God raised up Jesus from the dead, I know I have been raised up with Jesus, to sit with Christ in heavenly places, Jesus having united heaven and the earth. Thank you Jesus, Amen.

Realisation on the morning 18th December 2017 while out walking my daughter’s dog.

‘If I sin against my body, I sin against Jesus’ body,’ as a result I repented.

 It also relates to being part of the body of the church.

Jesus forgave the man’s sin and healed him.

On one occasion Jesus was at home at Capernaum, and a lot of people had gathered to hear him preach the word to them. Four men carrying their friend on a pallet couldn’t get near to Jesus, so they removed the roof from above where Jesus stood below and lowered their friend down from the roof.

Mark writes, “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes who were sitting there questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” , , ,  Jesus said to them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know, that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he said to the paralytic – “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose, and immediately took up his pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying “We never saw anything like this!” Mark 2: 1-12.

The Jews believed that only God could forgive sin and that sickness was due to sin Jesus proved that he is God by forgiving the paralytic his sin and healing him. Psalm 38: 3. 107:17 Zephaniah 1 : 17. John 5:14. (‘The Messiah’s Secret’ Dorothy Newton)

The disciples confirmed what the Jews believed

On another occasion the disciples of Jesus asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, the man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man had sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be manifested in him.” John 9: 1-3 Ezekiel 18: 20

Therefore, not all sickness is due to a person’s sin.

The four friends

In the house at Capernaum the four men demonstrated their love for their friend and were determined to see him healed by Jesus.

The fellowships of believers today are equipped with the gifts of Jesus’ ministry.

Faith like that of the four friends that was determined to be acted upon by God has its’ place and faith too that seeks quietly for God to respond. There is only one requirement ‘faith’ and on some occasions God acts only on the faith of the person doing the praying. It helps if the Lord gives a word to stand on.

Last October my husband had a sore throat that got worse over three days. At the doctor’s surgery on the second visit, he was rushed into hospital and diagnosed having a quinsy, the bacteria from it were tracking down to his organs. He had an operation to remove the puss from the quinsy and a ventilator was put in place and he was sedated, an induced coma, and the fight to save his life began.

The family were called and were advised to expect he might die. I informed St Mary’s Prayer Chain of the situation and within a few days the septicaemia had tracked back. But the antibacterial drug that worked against the bacteria had yet to be found. A week after his entry into hospital the Lord gave me a word, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” Exodus 14: 14.

I entered on the journey towards the Promised Land that the Jewish people had endured. After 3 weeks no drug had been found to work. The bacteria. was being drained out of his mouth and several places in his neck. It seemed like we had reached the Red Sea, going through it was the scariest place and yet it was a safe place  surrounded by walls of water and behind us the pursuing Egyptians.  At the end of week 4  ‘Micro fungi’ the antibacterial drug was found to work.

For 36 days he was on a ventilator and in a coma and all the way through the prayers of my fellow Christians: Hospital Chaplains, St Mary’s, Chatterton Hey, family and friends had brought about healing and had upheld me and our family. Every day I had prayed with my sleeping husband and others joined me occasionally. I knew the Lord would fulfil his promise and I believed my husband would recover. The staff at Royal Blackburn Critical Care B Unit were truly brilliant, their dedication and skill were fantastic.

It was a miracle; one year later my husband is fully recovered.

Thank you Lord, we give you all the glory.

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Christmas Cracker – Faith working through love

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Sunday Morning Service 17th December  17 at St Mary’s                                           Faith working through love.           

Children’s short talk

The Christmas Cracker

1-Cracker

Several children and one adult helped to pull the cracker. Inside the cracker were three items: the joke, the gift and the crown.

1-Cracker items

The joke or puzzle: Who was the best comedian in the Bible? The answer: Samson he brought the house down.

Other Christmas cracker jokes were distributed among the congregation and read out.

The gift – baby Jesus.

During the run up to Christmas we look for the perfect gift for a friend or family member. We want it to reflect how much we think about them and that it suits their need and will last, not put away in a drawer and forgotten about.

God has given to the world, the perfect gift of Jesus, he comes with God’s promise, those who believe that he is God’s Son will be welcomed into the family of God.

Through faith working through love, God has given us Jesus out of His love for us and He has met our need in our receiving God’s love, love that will last forever.

The crown

The crown represents a royal ‘diadema’ crown, a crown for a king. The wise men who came to Jerusalem to Herod’s palace, asked, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? Jesus was born a king, he wasn’t made a king by the people. Matthew 2: 2.

Sermon  Luke 1: 26-38 

Two weeks ago I stayed for a weekend at Holly Bush Farm, the place in Yorkshire where there was a revival in the 1980’s and 90’s Every Friday night they have visiting speakers and I heard Tom Billingham’s testimony:

“When he was at school he was bullied because of his size, at 16 years he attempted to take his own life. When he started work it helped, but he had continuing mental health problems. A few years later while he was working at a food bank, he shared his problems with a Christian lady, who said to him, “You need Jesus,” and he replied flippantly, “You need medication.”

However, he agreed to go to church, but it took him three months to actually go. He said that it was not what he expected, and left that morning thinking’ I want what they have’. A few days later in the afternoon at 3pm he was about to cross the road, when he heard a voice at the side of him say, “Don’t cross the road,” a few seconds later a crash happened in front of him. He broke down in tears, he saw the man who had spoken to him, he believed he was an angel, the incident changed his life, he has found his Saviour.”

I wondered if Archangel Gabriel’s appearance was like Tom’s angel, and looked like an ordinary man. I thought this because his greeting troubled Mary, his words puzzled her, and his message regarding having a baby boy must have come as a shock.

Mary’s overriding thoughts were not  on his lineage and God’s plan for the child. Without hesitation she asked who the father would be? Gabriel revealed to her that he would be God’s Son.

I think Mary questioning Gabriel, showed why God chose her, she was discerning, she had integrity towards Joseph, but her faith in God was more important to her, so Mary’s priority was to do God’s will verse 38 ”Let it be to me according to your word.”

Joseph probably thought at first that Mary was crackers to believe that God would Father a child, and like the cracker they found themselves pulling in opposite directions until one side gave way. God spoke to Joseph in a dream telling him to have faith and believe that the child was God’s Son and to call him Jesus.

In the cracker we had a puzzling word.

Called by God to fulfil His purposes – mission in our community

God has called us to do something for him, we look for confirmation Mary checked out Gabriel’s word, she went with haste to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth and found that it was true, Elizabeth in her old age was six months pregnant. Mary stayed with them for 3 months and then returned home

Paul writes, “That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. ! Corinthians 2: 5.

Confirmation from God either through a word of scripture or through sharing and praying with other Christians

God’s will be done in our lives by stepping out in faith.

 “A work of faith and a labour of love” 1 Thessalonians 1: 3

Faith is like when one day we will be asked to get into a car driven by a computer. How hard that will be to put our trust in a computer when the roads are so busy.

Many Christians would describe their relationship with Jesus like  he is in the driving seat of their life. It’s by stepping out in faith we become dependant upon God, for Him to open up opportunities and to answer prayers.

At the job Club we are dependant on God to send people to us. This year we’ve had a gentle flow of people looking for help with CV’s etc

God has opened up opportunities for referrals from Rossendale CAP Debt Centre

Answered prayer has meant a change in my link person at Job Centre Plus, so now I’ve been asked to go into the centre, and talk to Job-seekers about the Tuesday morning Job Club.

The gift of Jesus comes with God’s promise, those who believe that he is God’s Son will be welcomed into the family of God.

2 Corinthians 6: 18 “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters says the Lord God Almighty.”

It’s by faith we receive Jesus into our heart. “Faith working through love.” Galatians 5: 6

John’s Baptism was in preparation for the establishing of the throne of King David by the Messiah.

Jesus’ Baptism is about receiving Jesus into our heart by faith through repentance.

God loves the sinner, but hates the sin in our lives and so by acknowledging that we need to get right with God. God graciously forgives us our sins against Him. And then pours out His Spirit of love into our hearts.

Paul wrote that love is the Spirit that binds believers together and also that we continue to grow in faith and love.

Paul wrote in his witness to Timothy, “And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”    1 Timothy 1: 4

The crown that Jesus would have worn  on earth was the ‘Diadema’ crown a royal crown that of a King. On the cross the Romans nailed on a board, ‘The King of the Jews’ in their mockery they had wrote exactly the truth. Archangel Gabriel’s word to Mary. “The Lord would give him the throne of his father David.”                                                                       The crown is the icing on the cake, for us it’s the victors’ crown, the ‘Stephanos’ crown.

“A crown of love and compassion.” Psalm 103: 4

Through faith in God’s word and acting upon it, the church can change our society, by people in the world wanting what we have in Jesus, we can win the fight  over the devil and build a stronger church that will be heard in our land.    Amen.