October 22 Evening Service
Life wreckers: drugs, drink and crime. Nehemiah 8: 9-18. John 16: 1-11.
Summerset House was once the place where the nations General Records Office for births, marriages and deaths was located. All records from 1759 were stored on paper. When the computer came on the scene records were then stored on a floppy disk, a completely new way of storing information.
This change from storing information on paper to computer is to illustrate the change God made when he completed the old Covenant and introduced the New Covenant
Under law the temple was the dwelling place of God where its’ sacrifices, rituals and feast days took place.
Jesus tells us that he came to fulfil every aspect of the law. Matthew 5: 18.
In the book ‘The Feasts of Israel’ Victor Buksbazen. He includes Jesus fulfilling in himself: the feasts days as well as the temple rituals and sacrifices. Also the perpetual light, the candlestick, the shew bread etc
Jesus’ body the new living temple.
John records Jesus’ conversation with a number of Jewish men, Jesus said to those present, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” . . . but he spoke of the temple of his body.” John 2: 19-21. Acts 7: 48,
Under grace the new covenant is based on better promises, no longer hereditary descent but by faith in Jesus. A believer becoming a child of God, and receiving the eternal Spirit of God with the transforming of the nature, the law written in the heart. Matthew 5: 17
In our reading Nehemiah had completely restored the walls and the gates around the city. Now the Israelite’s were able to keep the Sabbath Day laws given to Moses by God, the Sabbath Day traders were unable to access the city. Israel celebrated with the Feast of Booths or Succoth, the feast commemorated Jacob building booths that were shelters for his live stock on his way to Succoth. Also they built booths on their wilderness journey to shelter them from the sun and desert winds. Genesis 33: 17. Leviticus 23: 43.
The prophecy that Jesus fulfilled in himself regarding the Feast of Booths’ is found in the Book of Amos.
Amos 9: 11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as the days of old.” ‘
A booth rebuilt from the ruins of David. Jesus’ booth sheltering, keeping watch over all the people. In his ministry he was rebuilding the ruins of people’s lives for instance the Jewish outcasts that were the lost sheep of the house of Israel: beggars like blind Bartimaeus and the tax collector Zacchaeus.
The repairs to the breaches, Jesus repairing the relationship with the Samaritans through his meeting with the woman at Jacob’s well and the rift between King Herod and Pilate was healed. John 4: 39-42. Luke 23: 12.
But Jesus warned his disciples that the leaders of the Sanhedrin ‘Hated him without a cause’ One instance ‘Without a cause’ is where Jesus had been unjustly accused of wanting to be made the king.
John recorded the incident: The people discerned that Jesus was their king when he fed them with the loaves and fishes. Perhaps they realised that he had fulfilled the Psalmists prophecy, “I will abundantly bless her provisions: I will satisfy the poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon himself his crown will shed its luster.” Psalm 132: 15-18
We read Jesus discerned, “Perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force and make him their king, Jesus withdrew to a mountain by himself.” John 6: 15. Jesus knew it was wrong to make him their king which was rebellion against the Sanhedrin and God.
Today we know that Jesus was born a king, the wise men looked for the babe that was born a king.
A similar accusation came against Nehemiah, Chapter 6: 5-8 Sanballat sent a letter to Nehemiah accusing him of wanting to make himself the King of Judah. Nehemiah dismissed his accusation saying that it was an invention from his mind and he saw it as an attempt to stop him rebuilding the walls. Nehemiah 6: 5-8.
Nehemiah’s presence kept the work going, now Jesus I think was concerned that after his ascension his disciples without his presence during those 10 days before Pentecost some of them might fall away so he gave them assurance of the coming from the Father, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.
After Jesus fulfilled the law in himself God was doing a new thing, transforming the nature of a person by the action of grace on faith in Jesus.
The Holy Spirit bears witness about Jesus through the disciple’s witness, the Gospels, Acts and letters. Two thousand years later the Holy Spirit works in the same way. When Miriam came to faith, she said it was like scales falling from her eyes, just like Saul of Tarsus had experienced when Ananias prayed for him. Acts 9: 18
The Holy Spirit is actively engaging with people who are unbelievers I met John the telephone engineer at Scargill on holiday, he told me his story, the question of faith he hadn’t given it serious thought. however, one day he was up a telegraph pole when he was convicted of his need to get right with God, these thoughts continued over several days. John said, he sought out a priest and he heard that God was calling him to repentance and through faith in Jesus dying for his sin He would receive forgiveness, and he responded.
God is reaching out to every person in some way. Forgiveness brings healing and the receiving of God’s righteousness, God’s righteousness is in the transformation of our nature to be like his. 2018 ‘Fixed Conference’ at the Bridge Church, Bolton. Paul and Vicky Lloyd were Guest speakers they head up Victory Church Outreach in Manchester they are part of the revival that’s going on in Cwnbran, nr Newport, Wales, They are doing a great work for Christ among the young people caught up, in this nation-wide drug epidemic, on the streets of our towns and cities.
The conference focus is on Jesus transforming lives wrecked by drugs, drink and crime. For many the realisation of the ruler of this world’s power over them is apparent when they became addicted to drugs, drink and gambling these addictions take people into dark places, a living hell
Swaney’s Testimony (from my notes)
Swaney was brought up to believe that it was normal for parents to take drugs and drink heavily and they gave him drugs. His father was always depressed, but he remembered their trips to the sea side. where his father was good fun playing football on the beach. At school, he felt so weak and the bullies were so strong, they would tie him up and torture him; slash his private parts with blades and pull out his toe nails with pliers. At 10 he was sexually abused and at 13 he wanted to die.
A lad befriended him and he started fighting back, He was expelled from school because of his behaviour.
Swaney ended up in prison for street robberies. He blamed the world for everything, he led a chaotic life, he said he felt angry and ashamed. He met someone and settled down to family life, and became a tattoo artist, and for the first time in his life he had money, he bought a house, and a car.
But he said he was depressed and suicidal at 40 and he thought that he would be doing his family a favour if he wasn’t there anymore. God stepped in when he met an American guy, who told him about Jesus, and he went to his church and there at one of the services, Swaney gave his life to Jesus and his life changed. Jesus released him from drugs and healed his anger and shame, and he forgave his torturers and his parents His nature has been changed he’s a new man
Every testimony I heard they started using cannabis and moved on to hard drugs. Canada has now legalised cannabis, this is not good news and if cannabis is legalised in the UK its opening a door to many more peoples’ lives wreaked by drugs, drink and crime.
What can we do? We can pray.
Heavenly Father, we know that every person before coming to know you is in a prison without bars, for some it’s an open prison with little condemnation for crime against God.
For those in solitary confinement for serious sins against God and people.
Many are found in between, but all have sinned against God.
Thank you for your great gift of grace in Jesus paying the price for all sin great or small. Thank you for our reconciliation in receiving forgiveness Thank you for our adoption into the family of God.
In Jesus name. Amen