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The Messiah’s Secret – Our Inheritance in Jesus

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The Messiah’s Secret – Our Inheritance in Jesus

      Sketch.  Fulfilling our commission to share the good news about Jesus
         
Parts:   Narrator –  Mrs Smith –  Mrs Jones 


Narrator.  Two neighbours Mrs Smith and Mrs Jones were going shopping and they met on the Street. 

Mrs Smith on the left Mrs Jones on the right

Mrs Smith. “Hello Mrs Jones have you got a minute, I’m really upset, it was our Fred’s birthday and they didn’t invite me, I only found out when I bumped into Sally and she let it slip. They couldn’t careless about me and they won’t talk to me since we fell out over Albert’s will.”
Mrs Jones. “I know someone who will listen and bring healing between you and your family.
Mrs Smith. “Who can do that? 
Mrs Jones “God, when we bring our concerns before him, we know he listens because Jesus his Son said, when you pray ask anything in my name you will receive.” 
Mrs Smith. “ What do I have to do?”                                                                                      
Mrs Jones. “Talk to God, say a prayer, We believe that God hears us because God sent his Son Jesus to remove the sin that separates us from God, he bore sin and the causes of it on a cross which led to his death. God raised Jesus from the dead. So through faith believing that our sin has been forgiven, we know that God will hear our prayer to him.”
Narrator. “What Mrs Jones was telling Mrs Smith is true. History records that Jesus lived and died and rose again, it is a fact. It is also true that God sent his Spirit into the world for us to receive and he reveals to us that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh and in his love for us he listens and takes care of us.
Mrs Jones. “Call on Jesus now and say sorry to God and ask Jesus to come into your life and you won’t regret it.” 
Mrs Smith (in tears). “Okay, I’ll have a word with Jesus.”
2 Samuel 23: 1-5.  Mark 16: 14 – 20
After taking that step of faith thirty years later Mrs Smith looked back to the time when she first heard about Jesus and praised God.

In our reading King David was looking back to when he heard a prophecy from the prophet Nathan verse 5.“ Yea, does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things secure.” 2 Samuel 23: 1-5
The prophecy that God gave to Nathan for David, ”When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body and I will establish his kingdom.. . . 16. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established for ever. 2 Samuel 7:12-16

During David’s life he continued to hear from God about his offspring, the Messiah, and he put the words into song, words that were sweet to David as he sang and played his lyre in the Spirit. Psalm 33: 2  
In the Anglican tradition at Evensong we used to sing the Psalms. 
A lady I knew when she came to know Jesus, she received the gift of composing songs, even though she could not sing or read music. She asked a friend who was able to write the music as she sang what the Lord had given her. 
David’s Psalms gave prophesies concerning the Messiah.
Psalm 2 God laughs in heaven as he knows his Messiah has the victory over his conspirators. David prophesied that the Lord’s anointed was born of God and his kingdom he will rule over the earth with Godly justice.
Psalm 16 he speaks of the resurrection his holy one would not see the corruption of his body
In 18 He sings of his own relationship with his Lord and God, David loved God, his strength was in God, who was solid as a rock. He knew to call on the Lord when he was in trouble and David praised the Lord for saving him from his enemies.

In Psalm 22 David foretold the Messiah’s agony of separation from God, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and of his suffering. He was despised and mocked by the people. His body being ravaged and encircled by evil. The second half of the Psalm God has fulfilled his purposes those who seek the Messiah shall praise the Lord and their hearts live for ever.  
Psalm 22: 27 “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. For dominion belongs to the Lord and Jesus rules over the nations.” 

Psalm 24. David’s prophecy of the Ascension   “Lift up your heads, O gates!  And be lifted up you ancient doors! That the king of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory the Lord strong and mighty, .  .  The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!                                                                                            
Last Thursday we celebrated the Ascension
What a welcome the Lord must have received on his return to heaven.
How the multitude of heavenly hosts must have praised God, just as we read they did at his birth. ‘Glory to God in the highest and peace to all men.”              
I can only liken it to the Queen’s coronation 1953 where the crowds lined the streets, cheering and singing ‘God save our gracious Queen’ flags waving, trumpets sounded (fanfare)and bands played and the church bells rang out throughout the land.
The Ascension is a crucial part of eternal salvation because Jesus united heaven and earth through his death, resurrection and his Ascension. His kingdom on earth within his believers as in heaven we have received eternal life.
At the time Some of Jesus followers still doubted they expected Nathan’s prophecy to King David to be fulfilled. 
The Jews expected to enter into their inheritance  from the covenants and promises God gave to Abraham and to his descendants and to David of inheriting God’s kingdom.
John the Baptist and Jesus both proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God. 
The writer of Hebrews pointed out, that before a person can receive their inheritance, a person has to die then the will comes into force, those who are to inherit then receive their inheritance Hebrews 9: 17. 

The Messiah had to die before the Jews could inherit the promises of eternal throne and kingdom promised to David. 
The Messiah’s Secret.
The death of the Messiah was hidden from the understanding of the Jewish leaders. They had taught from the Law that when the Messiah came he would remain for ever. John 12: 34                                                                              
Christians inherit eternal life through the death of Jesus. and as a result  we receive our inheritance, while living on the earth we are transferred into Christ’s eternal kingdom. Col 1: 13
St Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, “We have been blessed with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places.” Ephesians 1: 3. 

What are the spiritual blessings? 

While we live on the earth: We are citizens of heaven. Philippians 2:20.
Children of God and joint heirs in Christ. Romans 8:16, 17.          
We are raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6. Imitators of God, empowered to imitate Jesus by his Spirit and word in us. Ephesians 5: 1  Colossians 1: 27.
Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. 2 Corinthians 5: 20.

In our sketch the neighbour who was a Christian shared the good news about Jesus to a neighbour who had no faith in Jesus. It was important for her to know that Jesus cares about every person, and through prayer will bring about healing of broken relationships and to those who repent and turn in faith to Jesus the ultimate God’s forgiveness and love. Also the gift of eternal life in fellowship with our Lord God.

In heaven after Jesus returns  
Reign and rule with Christ in his kingdom. Revelation 20: 4. Daniel 7: 22. 
Given authority over cities. Luke 19: 17 & Judge angels. 1 Corinthians 6:3  
One day we will look back to when we received our inheritance our salvation in Christ
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The Messiah’s Secret – The Way, the Truth, the Life

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The Messiah’s Secret –   The Way, the Truth, the Life 
Last week we heard Martin told us through the parable of the sheepfold that Jesus was the Shepherd and were his sheep, our way into the kingdom was through the gate of the sheepfold.  
The way was through belief in Jesus and Jesus knew his (sheep) children and called us personally by our name.
This theme continues this week but with the emphasis on Jesus’ identity. 
Children’s visual Aid
We expect what’s on the label to be inside the tin. What’s on the label? Answer Carrots 
(Child opens the tin with the pull ring.)
Inside the open tin we find carrots.(tip contents out)







Now if we take off this label, the label underneath tell us what’s in the tin. ‘The Trinity’ Father Son and Holy Spirit.

Turn the tin around, this outer tin represents God the Father,
 inside we have two tins:
Jesus (pull ring) and inside that one is another tin with the Holy Spirit on label
.







What it says on the tin we find is true that God is made up of three person’s Father Son and Holy Spirit.
God created the Universe all things by his word. God said, “Let there be light”. Genesis 1: 3
 Jesus the word of God clothed in flesh and blood. He was the word of God that said,”Let there be light.” Jesus is also called the Son of God and also the Christ and we know Jesus as Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit directing the word gave life to creation. He also directed his disciples where to go and who they should go with.   Acts 13: 2. 16: 6
When we believe in Jesus, we receive into our heart all three person’s of the Trinity:

Our sketch focused on finding the way to heaven. The way, the Truth and the Life.

John 14: 1-14      Acts 7: 55-end    
Every day for three years  the disciples were walking alongside Jesus they must surely have become very religious men and very close to him.                                                           
At the end of the previous chapter when Peter heard that Jesus was going away, he wanted to go with him and Peter said that he was prepared to die for him, Jesus told him that he would shortly deny him three times and where he was going they could not follow him, they were all troubled.
Probably one of the reasons they were troubled was because from the teaching that they had received from the chief priests, lawyers and scribes they claimed that when the Messiah came he would remain for ever. “The crowd answered him,” We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain for ever.” John 12: 34 This is another aspect of the Messiah’s secret, they did not expect Jesus who they believed was the Christ would go away and leave them, unfinished business.
The human heart when troubled can quickly become disquieted; Jesus thought that they knew where he was going to, but Thomas indicated he did not know. “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, show us the way.”                                                                                                 
He was going to heaven to prepare a place for them in his Father’s house,  
Jesus indicated that by following him, he would show them the way to get to heaven.

For us today Jay’s sketch shows us that the Bible is our map and compass it leads us to Jesus.
Jesus has reserved  our place in heaven having bought it with a price of his life laid down,  that cannot be sold or handed over to anyone else, a mother would dearly love to share her Salvation with her child, but we can’t do that, we each have to find the way to heaven through the cross for ourselves. Proverbs 23: 23

Right up to eight daysafter Jesus resurrection Thomas was still not convinced of knowing the way to heaven, he would not believe that Jesus had been resurrected until he saw where the nails  had pierced his flesh and the sword his side. Thomas found out the truth when he saw his risen Lord. Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” He recognised Jesus as his Lord (master) and God.

Jesus said to Thomas,”Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
My mother was brought up in the Unitarian Church, she was taught as a Christian Universalism. Universalists believe that Jesus was not God revealed in the flesh. They also  teach that there is one God over all world religions 
How ever, we believe that Jesus is God made visible in the flesh and only way to find God is through Jesus. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except by me.”

How my mother rejoiced in the truth when she too could say “My Lord and my God.” When she came to know Jesus for herself. Her life in Christ brought her physical healing. The emergency doctor was called out to my mum. He diagnosed that she had Parkinson’s disease. I took her to the hospital at the appointed time and they confirmed the diagnosis. Her shaking was quite bad. I suggested to her that I would take her to the house prayer and Bible Study meeting that I attended at Mr Oldham’s home, the Pastor at Winton Baptist Church, Eccles. My mother was healed that night of Parkinson’s disease, she stopped shaking and a few months later her doctor confirmed that she no longer had Parkinsin’s disease.

What it says on the tin Jesus heals today
You get what it says on the tin Jesus wants to bless us in having an abundance of life.
         
 Philip joined in the conversation and said “Show us the Father and we shall be satisfied.”
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you so long and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father.”

The Incarnation means Jesus being both man and God. Jesus’ Father was God,  giving him his divinity and Mary gave him his humanity.

Jesus said to those present: believe in God and  believe in me” and  that he and the Father were one of the same.
The Church of the fourth Centurymet together at Nicocea in 325 AD they took Jesus’ words in John 14 and  put together to form  the Nicene Creed. Making it clear to the world what Christians believe : Belief in God and Jesus being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.               
We also say in the creed: “He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.”

Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives.
 His ascension also fulfilled Daniel prophecy of 70 weeks of years from the completion of Zerubbabel’s temple 515 BC on the 69th week the Christ would be cut off from his people, which was fulfilled when Jesus  ascended into heaven, leaving what seemed unfinished business. Daniel 9: 24 end.( verse 25 7 weeks + 62 weeks)

Stephen witnessed that he saw Jesus in heaven. Acts 7: 55

Daniel prophesied this would be followed by followed by wars, famine, earthquakes and floods ‘a troubled time.’.  In  AD 70 the Jerusalem temple and city were destroyed.

What has yet to be fulfilled: verse 27 the last 7 years of the 70 weeks, this period will begin when the antichrist  appears and make an agreement with Israel followed by three and a half years of peace followed by what is called the great tribulation where the antichrist turns against Israel and her allies” 

So when will Jesus return? 
Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians 1: 10 he writes that Jesus will call out his church to the marriage supper of the Jesus and his bride, the church before the start of the tribulation. Revelation 19: 7-9.
 In John’s  Vision in the book of Revelation 19:11-21 Jesus returns with all the saints and his heavenly armies and defeats the antichrist and his allies. Jesus takes up with his people again and rules the nations with a rod of iron.
And Christians reign with Christ in our place prepared by Jesus in his kingdom.
joint heirs in Christ, one in Christ.

Celebrating the 20th Year of the Ordination of Women

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Celebrating  
20th Year of the Ordination of Women
in the Anglican Church.


“But to all who received him and believed in his name, Jesus gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.” John 1: 12, 13.

The oak woodcarving above was carved in 1994 by Dorothy Newton (3rd July 2016 Woodcarving given to Manchester Diocese)
 “It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him.” Romans 8: 16, 17.

“Buy truth and do not sell it.” Proverbs 23: 23
Paul writes that we are bought with a price. ” 1 Corinthians 6 20. 7: 23 
Jesus paid the price of our Salvation by bearing our sin upon the cross, forgiving and healing our relationship with God our Father. Coming to faith in Christ is so liberating and in Christ walking in that freedom has been expressed in women’s Ordination into the priesthood of believers. We are all priests in Christ’s kingdom. Revelation 1: 5,6

A mother would dearly love to share her Salvation with her child, but we can’t do that, every person is called to find their way to Christ for themselves.  
Christ's body, Conflict, Make me a channel of your peace, money changers, Rebuilding the Church

The Messiah’s Secret – The Temple of Jesus’ Body

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The Messiah’s Secret – The Temple of Jesus’ Body

An American was being shown the sights of London by a taxi driver. “What’s that building over there?” asked the American. “That’s the tower of London, sir,” replied the taxi driver.
“Say, we can put up buildings like that in two weeks, “drawled the Texan. 
A little while later he said “And what’s that building we are passing now?” “That’s Buckingham Palace, sir, where the Queen lives.” “Is that so?” said the Texan. “Do you know back in Texas we could put up that place in a week?” 
A few minutes later they were passing Westminster Abbey. The American asked again, “Hey cabbie what’s that building over there?” “I ‘m afraid I don’t know, sir,” replied the taxi driver. “It wasn’t there this morning.” 
J. John & Mark Stibbe ‘A Barrel of Fun.’
Readings: Haggai 1: 13 – 2: 9.   John 2: 13 – 22.

In our Gospel reading the Jews said that it had taken a king Herod 46 years to build his temple.
Josephus the Jewish Historian Antiquities Book 15 Chapter 11 wrote about the life of King Herod. Herod had accumulated much wealth and so he decided to build a Temple as a memorial to himself by replacing Zerubbabel’s Temple with a much larger one. He knew that he would have to persuade the people to do this, so he gathered both men and materials before pulling down Zerubbabel’s Temple. He started the work in 20 BC and it was finished 46 years later in 26AD.
Conflicting views
However the translator of Josephus’ book in his notes wrote questioning was this third Temple and not as Jews and Christians say it was the second Temple.
Both Jews and Christians look to the prophet Haggai’s word in Chapter 2: 9 “The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.”
This verse is therefore taken as referring to the second Temple.
Jesus respected Herod’s Temple.
Jesus referred to it as his Father’s house and in our reading John wrote that he fulfilled the Psalmist’s words, “Zeal for thy house will consume me.”
Jesus fulfilled the prophesies concerning this Temple.
The Temple was a focus point especially at Passover time. Jewish people came from all over the known world to this feast at Jerusalem, so there would have been thousands of people wanting to change their currency in order to buy sacrificial offerings.
The city must have been in uproar after Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers and drove out the sellers of sheep, oxen and birds.  
As a result Jesus caused conflict between himself and the people involved. Some Jews came to him and asked him to give them a sign to account for his actions.                   
Last Tuesday a friend gave me a book to read, Joyce Hugget’s Book ‘Conflict’ Joyce gives an in depth study on the causes of conflict and ways of dealing with conflict in relationships. I discerned that the Lord wanted me to study this subject for Sunday yesterday’s evening service at St Mary’s.   In the morning service the intercessions (prayers) confirmed the word. Anne’s prayers were based on the Hymn “For I’m Building a People of Power” I had chosen the same Hymn for the evening service.
Joyce quotes from Richard Walters’ Book ‘Anger’ “Inner conflicts are often expressed in rage, resentment and indignation: rage seeks to do wrong, resentment seeks to hide wrong and indignation seeks to correct wrong.”
In our reading Jesus expressed indignation.Indignation in his fervent love for the integrity of his Father’s Temple.  
Joyce Hugget writes; “Conflict is part of our humanity and God allows ‘conflict’ but it’s how we respond to it, we can disarm the conflict from people by discerning the motivation that has caused it and then find ways of processing or channelling our response, so it can be constructive rather than destructive.”
The Jews response was constructive,they had asked for a sign and he gave them the sign of his resurrection, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” 
John witnessed when he wrote that Jesus spoke of the temple of his body. God resurrected Jesus’ body from the dead, rebuilding it in three days. His body a temple made without human hands.
In our Old Testament reading Haggai had stirred the people up to continue to build Zerubabbel and Joshua’s Temple.  
Jesus continually stirs up his people to build his church in every generation.                                   
In the process of building us up, some structures may need to be pulled down in our lives, especially were we have conflicts going on within us: like a bad habit or a belief structure that we have adopted or have been brought up with, or a past hurt through a broken relationship. 
My mother was brought up in the Unitarian Church. It was when she came to know Jesus in a personal way that convinced her that Jesus was God made visible in the flesh. Words alone could not convince her.
Our amazing God helps us grow out of those conflicts, like a child grows out of its clothes so we will grow out of those things, as we hand them over to Jesus. 
On some occasions a  ministry of healing prayer to a person is required, Jesus will drive out the cause of conflict from within, as every Christian’s body is Christ’s temple.
So we are built up by the Lord’s healing grace and grow as we learn how to stop and think before responding to what would make us angry, and take response- ability so that we will be constructive: if its indignation to speak out or to pursue peace and unity to create harmony rather than contribute to strife, rage or resentment.
I understand better now the prayer of St Francis of Assisi.

“Loving God, make me an instrument of your peace. 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
Where their is injury, pardon; 
Where there’s doubt, faith; 
Where their is despair, hope; 
Where there is darkness, light; 
And where there is sadness, joy. 
O, Divine Teacher, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand; 
To be loved as to love;
 For it is in giving that we receive;
 It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

 Extract from ‘Praying with Francis of Assisi’ by Joseph M Stoutzenberger and John  D Bohrer


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The Messiah’s Secret – Shalom – Peace

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The  Messiah’s Secret – Shalom – Peace
  Before they entered the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus had prayed that his disciples would still believe in him after his arrest, his trial and crucifixion, and as a result of his prayer they came together in the house at Jerusalem.

Children’s short talk with a visual aid:   an orange  

              
The orange represents the church. 

The peel that holds all the orange is like Jesus’ love holding them all together in his name                                                                                                                                              

REMOVE OUTER PAPER 
The segments contain goodness of the orange. the juice and the seeds
The segments of the orange represents the disciples of Jesus. I’ve put on the names of the twelve disciples: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, Philip, Matthew, Simon the Cananaean Judas, James the son of Alphaeus, Bartholomew, and Thaddaeus.                                                                                                                                

REMOVE TWO SEGMENTS    
Two disciples were missing: Judas and Thomas (pull out two segments) Do you know why they were missing?  Answer: Judas, he was the one who had betrayed to the ruling authorities and died shortly afterwards by taking his own life                                                                                                                                        
Thomas was not there, he had doubts about the resurrection, he did not believe until he saw the risen Jesus 8 days later.

Later Matthias took Judas’ place.

PUT BACK TWO SEGMENTS.

So now they were together Jesus prayer is for us to that we should be one in him

So when we pray on behalf of Jesus for someone or something we pray add his name to our prayer, we end our prayer: in Jesus’ name. Amen and we can expect that our prayers will be answered. 

                                                                            
1 Peter 1: 3-9.  John 20: 19 – 23.

Peter wrote in his letter of a Christians faith being tested going through time of trial. He spoke from his own experience when he denied knowing Jesus in Caiaphas’ courtyard and seeing Jesus brought to trial, crucified and buried in a tomb.
                                                                                                                                                 

On the evening of the day of the resurrection the disciple’s faith in Jesus had been severely tested by his crucifixion, even though he had told them he was going to be die at Jerusalem and rise on the third day they did not understand what he had said.
In verse 9, “As of yet they did not know the scripture that he must rise from the dead, this I call the Messiah’s secret. God had hidden Jesus’ death and resurrection from their understanding because Jesus had to die on the tree of crucifixion and be raised from the dead.  

So they were taken by surprise when Jesus appeared before them in the house at Jerusalem, they must have been flabbergasted, especially when he spoke saying  “Peace be with you,” “Peace be with you,” and he then showed them his hands and his side, how they must have rejoiced within themselves. 
Shalom – a greeting of peace – St Paul in all his letters gave a greeting of peace and Peter in verse 2 of our reading wrote, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance”.
Shalom – farewell, goodbye Again Paul’s letters most not all of them ended with the peace, shalom. In his letter to the church at Philippi he wrote, ”And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.” Phil 4: 7.

Shalom is God’s peace that passes all understanding, it embraces the welfare of the whole of creation. God brought peace to the universe through Jesus: St Paul wrote,  “And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross” Colossians 1: 20 

Throughout the Bible there is a legal aspect running through. God always seeks justice rather than imposing his will on creation.
Shortly after the creation there was rebellion in heaven, Jesus confirmed Isaiah words, when he said that he saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. Isaiah wrote concerning Satan the Cherubim, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of the Dawn! How you are cut to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.” Isaiah 14: 12-15.    
On the cross Jesus Legally won the victory over the forces of the rebellion through his precious blood, the life of the living God, as a result Jesus has brought peace in the universe. It has also brought reconciliation between God and humanity.  
Forgiveness and the peace are at the heart of Christian message.  
To the church at Rome Paul wrote, “Therefore since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through faith in Jesus repenting of our sin before God enables us to receive his forgiveness, as a result we are justified, declared not guilty of any sin, and reconciled to God.                                                                                               

TO EXPLAIN

 In 2010 I was penalised for speeding, I had a choice either to pay the fine or spend a day at Preston on a Speed Awareness Course, to be convicted of my driving sins, so I chose Preston. At the end of the day I had repented of my driving sins, as a result the points on my licence were cancelled out, so likewise Jesus has legally cancelled out my sin. And I have received a blessing as well.

Just as Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit, so he breathes the Holy Spirit on us and fills us with great love, joy and peace.  God’s peace is complete in us and inspires peace of mind, satisfaction and good health.                                                                        


Sustained in peace by keeping our eyes focused on Jesus, Isaiah wrote, “Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.”  Isaiah 26: 3

In the 1990’s I met an Anglican Nun Sister Irene Mary, whose eyes were focused on Jesus. I met her through the pottery that I produced with Bible texts. On one occasion I called at her house with a pottery order and when she opened the door and greeted me the peace of God came from her.  
That same peace becomes apparent when we are going through a troubled time, caught up in a storm that is raging around us, then Jesus stills our storm and peace and calm follows, we are comforted by Jesus’ words,  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14: 27.                                                                                                                             

Peter wrote in v 5 “Who through faith are shielded by God’s power.” God’s power is in his name. Jesus prayer in John 17: 11 “ Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one.”
Jesus’ oneness with his Father is like the orange is one with the orange tree, we have that continuity

The visual aid of the orange portraits Jesus one with his church All the segments stuck together, unified one in Jesus. St Paul in his letter to the church at Rome wrote that we are individually members of the body of Christ and individually members of one another.  Each containing the Spirit of God’s goodness, the righteous love of God and bearing the seeds of faith that contain the words about Jesus and when sown into a person’s heart that person has the potential to be like Jesus.        

 Christians making up the whole orange.

Jesus said, “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  John 16: 33.
We are overcomers in Christ.

Jesus had prayed for their perfect unity, perfectly one, so God had answered Jesus’ prayer that the disciples should be kept together in their faith in him.

The church in the world will be perfectly one when Jesus returns, and all who confess that Jesus is Lord will be forever with the Lord.

34 Prophesies Fulfilled in One Day, Jesus on the cross

The Messiah’s Secret – 34 Prophesies Fulfilled in one Day

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The Messiah’s Secret – 34 Prophesies Fulfilled in One Day

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

2. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53: 5
Fulfilled. “And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to be crucified.” Mark 15: 20 

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

3. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53: 6
Fulfilled. “Jesus said on the cross, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 34.

4. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.” Isaiah 53: 7
Fulfilled. “Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you but he gave no answer, not even to a single charge; so that Pilate wondered greatly.” Matthew 27: 13, 14.

5. “By oppression and judgement he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgressions of my people. Isaiah 53: 8
Fulfilled. ”Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said, “Let him be crucified.” And he said what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more. “Let him be crucified.” Matthew 27: 22, 23.

6. “The place of the burial of Christ was predicted.” And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth.” Isaiah 53: 9
Fulfilled. Joseph from the town of Arimathea, believed the words that Jesus had spoken. Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council. “When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed.” Matthew 27: 57, 60.

7. “Yet it pleased him to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; Isaiah 53: 10
Fulfilled. It was in the plan of God that Jesus would suffer and be killed and that on the third day God would raise him from the dead. 
“Jesus said, “For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with transgressors’; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” Luke 22: 37.

8. “He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53: 11
Fulfilled. ”For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.

9.  “He bares the sin of many; He was numbered with the transgressors.” Isaiah 53: 12
Fulfilled. “And when they came to a place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left” Luke 23: 33

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jeremiah wrote Lamentations, Mother of Sons of Zebedee James and John, MP Jake Berry's Bill to protect children from gambling advertisements before watershed., two blind men

The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

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The  Messiah’s. Secret  –  Jesus Heals the Two Blind Men
Evening Lectionary: Lamentations 3: 19 – 33.  Matthew 20: 17 – 34
 
 Every time we  come to the Lord in prayer we might remember these word’s of Jesus to the mother of James and John “What do you want” and to the two blind men “What do you want me to do for you?”

How gracious is our Lord Jesus that he wanted to meet the needs of the mother of James and John and the two blind men and praise the Lord for he is waiting to hear from you and me today to meet our needs. “What do you want me to do for you?”

The mother of James and John came humbly kneeling before Jesus and he said to her, “What do you want” she made her request to him, could her two sons sit one at his right hand and one at his left in his kingdom? Jesus’ response indicated that he could not give her the answer she wanted to hear, as these positions were for those appointed by his Father.

Whether this request came indirectly from James and John through their mother, it may have been the case. Earlier in a conversation among the twelve they discussed as to which one of them was the greatest.
“And they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent; for on the way they had been discussed with each one another who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them. “If any one would be first, must be last and servant of all.” And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who has sent me.” Mark 9: 33-37
Jesus teaching them to have a child-like humility towards each other and the things of God.
 
In our reading Jesus mentions to those who seek to be the greatest or the first among them would be servant or a slave.
Definition of a servant – A person in service of another.
A Slave – A person who is the property of another.
Jesus’ implied that both these words ’servant’ and ‘slave are part of the Christian life; meaning – to humbly surrender our life to Christ, and as part of that to drink from his cup of suffering in a world that seeks darkness rather than light.
Many Christian leaders are suffering today: Brother Yun. “We’re not called to live by human reason. All that matters is obedience to God’s Word and his leading in our lives. if God says go, we’ll go. If he says stay, we’ll stay. When we are in his will, we are in the safest place in the world.” (extract from Brother Yun Quotes website)

Those have suffered for their faith down the centuries: Martin Luther King. “April 4 is the death anniversary of one of the most admired freedom fighters in history, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Luther was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movements. Apart from the anti-discrimination activism he was involved in throughout his life, he is also known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs.”   (extract from Martin Luther King website)                                                

Jesus says rejoice in your suffering, in the Spirit of his holy love.
We remind ourselves of the humility in the holy love of God “Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hoped all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7


Jesus said to the two blind men “What do you want me to do for you?”  they where sat by the road side and when they heard that Jesus was coming so they cried out to him, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” Jesus responded by asking them, “What do you want me to do for you?” They replied, “Lord let our eyes be opened,” and he touched their eyes and immediately they received their sight.                                  
 
 
Jesus says to us “What do you want me to do for you?” That made me pause . . . 

Jesus stopped as he heard the blind men’s desperate plea.
He also would have heard those people standing close to the men telling them to be silent.                                           
Why would those stood near them want the blind men to be silent, were they ashamed of them? Maybe their appearance so reprehensible to them; poorly dressed beggars.  Perhaps they were regarded as sinners, therefore, too unclean to be touched by Jesus. 
 
The good news is that no one’s cry is beyond the reach of God.
I have had a number of conversations tried to persuade a person that nothing can come between them and the love of God no matter what their circumstances or what they have done.
 
In the old testament reading, Jeremiah wrote, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3: 22
Jeremiah lamented over the unfaithfulness of God’s people.  
The Book of Lamentations consist of five poems, these are understood to be essentially an adaptation of the mourning songs that were sung at every funeral, and it is thought that they may well have been intended to reflect the all-embracing character of the tragedy (fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon’s Temple) which left people emotionally and morally distraught.  The people were forced to accept of what prophets like Jeremiah had been saying all along: the destruction of Jerusalem had been allowed by God. It had been brought about as a result of their disobedience and  unfaithfulness towards the things of God.                                                                
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”Lamentations 3: 25, 26.
Jeremiah had a burden for the people of Israel.  
Jeremiah in his suffering was burdened and cried out in his poems, his laments to God. He grieved the loss of the people exiled into Babylon and the Jerusalem Temple’s destruction. In the third Lamentation his suffering has been great, but he continues to look every morning, waiting and hoping that the day of Salvation would soon come. Hoping that God would answer his prayer and turn the Israelites back to God.

How Jeremiah would have longed to be in those two blind men’s shoes, kneeling before his saviour and hearing directly from him those words, “What do you want me to do for you?” How he would have longed to have seen his Saviour face to face.
 
Jesus had a burden for the whole of mankind 
 In our reading Matthew records the prophecy of Jesus of his suffering, death and resurrection. In his suffering he felt the disapproval of the high priest and scribes. Fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy, “ He turned his cheek to the smiter.” Lamentations 3: 30
 
.His Father God asked and expected Jesus in the Spirit of His love to take this yoke of mankind’s sin and bear it in death on the cross. In fulfilling his prophecy Jesus made it possible for all to receive the healing touch of God.
After Jesus’ resurrection Matthew recognised that Jesus’ healing ministry had not ended with his death, “This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8: 17   
 
The Healing of our Nation   
In response to the prayer of his church, God is raising up men and women like Jeremiah. Only recently we were asked as a church to support the Jake Berry’s Bill to protect young people from the gambling advertisements before the watershed of 9pm.
On April 1st 2014 our MP Jake Berry presented his Bill to the House of Commons  to prohibit the advertising of gambling on broadcast media before the watershed. He outlined the reasons for bringing this concern to the House: 
 “I have also been in touch with parents and grandparents throughout my constituency, all of whom have spoken to me of their deep concern about the way in which their experience of watching television with their children and grandchildren is changing. Gambling advertisements now seem to dominate their screens, and children ask them about gambling and about how they can gamble during sports matches. . .  I do not wish to prevent any adult from having access to gambling, or from receiving information about it. However, it is an age-related activity, and it seems only right and proper for us to protect young people from being exposed to advertisements for what is for some, albeit a small number, an addictive and harmful activity. Advertisements on television have great power. Young people, and indeed some adults, believe that if something is advertised on TV, it is bound to be harmless. Constant advertisements for gambling condition young people to believe that it is a fun or glamorous activity; indeed, some advertisements are endorsed by celebrities. We must restrict such advertisements to adults, who are better able to weigh the odds, to understand the risks and, crucially, to deal with the consequences of any gambling losses. Tobacco advertisements were banned from television in 1991, and we must act similarly now to ban gambling advertisements before the watershed.”  Extract from Jake’s Speech    
He has support from across all political parties, but there is a lot of others who are opposed. Second reading in Parliament on the 16th May 
 
 So when Jesus asks  “What do you want me to do for you?”  
My prayer today is;  Lord please bless our nation; give wisdom to those in authority both in the church and in Parliament. Strengthen those who are raised by you to uphold Christ’s teachings and give them your love and grace to be faithful witnesses. Amen                                                                                                                                                                       
                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Bronze snake, James the brother of Jesus, putting our faith into practice

The Messiah’s Secret – James the Brother of Jesus

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The Messiah’s Secret – James the Brother of Jesus.

James became a follower of Jesus after Jesus’ death and resurrection. 
John the Apostle recorded the fact that James and the other brothers of Jesus did not believe that he was the Messiah during his ministry. 
“After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing. 4 For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his brothers did not believe in him.” John 7: 1-5 

How hurtful it must have been for Jesus to hear these words coming from his brothers. They would send him into danger.

The resurrection of Jesus convinced his brothers of Jesus being the Messiah, we read that they joined the believers in the house at Jerusalem.  “All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Acts 1: 14  

James had a vision of the risen Lord. 1 Corinthians 15: 7. He was regarded as an apostle. Galatians 1: 19. James occupied a prominent if not the chief place in the church at Jerusalem, being the president of the first council.  Acts 15: 13. 

Lectionary Readings:  James Chapter 5.   John 3: 14-21.                                     
In James’s letter to the twelve dispersed tribes of Israel in Chapter 5 he put emphasis on some of the things that he has referred to earlier in his letter: they were showing in their attitudes towards each other no signs of the righteousness of God: They were making distinctions between rich and poor, there was jealousy and they were grumbling against each other, (unbridled tongues) and he reminds them of the consequences the judge was at the door.  

The problems about which he wrote we can compare with the incident on the Exodus journey, where the Israelites had to make a detour around the King of Edom’s territory which led to the Israelites to grumble and they complain to Moses over their diet; God had provided manna, quail and water, but still they moaned so God sent poisonous snakes among them and many died. Realising their sin they asked Moses to intercede to God on their behalf. God instructed Moses to make a replica snake and place it top of a pole so that every person bitten by a snake looked up at it would be healed. Numbers 21: 4- 9  

 In John 3: 14 Jesus spoke of the Son of man being lifted up like the brazen snake lifted up and placed on the top of a pole. Nicodemus and Jesus’ disciples would not realise at the time that Jesus was referring to the cross. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

We understand that the serpent lifted up on top of the pole represented life over death. Jesus being lifted up on the cross, he was the final offering for sin. As a result he won the victory over the devil’s power over death. 
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3: 16-18 

James found out that his brother Jesus suffered and died for his unbelief and in that realisation the pain of repentance must I think have been tremendous and being saved by him must have impacted him greatly, he was able to write a letter so forthrightly to those who were implicated in storing up wealth and those Christians who were grumbling.  He knew more than anyone the cost to his brother. 

James was urging them to put their faith into practice so that their deeds could be seen as being of God: to go and  feed the hungry.  To pray for the sick anointing them with oil. 
The prayer of faith will raise up a person from the depths to which they have sunk: doubts, fears, divisions and sickness.  

Praying not to an object like the bronze snake but to Jesus at God’s throne of grace, where he intercedes with God for us.   

For approximately 9 centuries the Jewish people kept Moses’ serpent on the pole, but we read in the course of time they offered incense to it as an object of worship.  
  
“King Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David had done. He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Ashe′rah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had burned incense to it; it was called Nehush′tan.”   2 Kings 18: 4  
The serpent up on top of the pole had become a focus of worship.

The bronze snake illustrates when sometimes the Lord gives us a way forward which usually blesses us and we hold on to it (not as a form of worship)but as a result the means of our blessing becomes the focus of our attention rather than on where the Holy Spirit is leading us to next.

The Christians who James wrote to had been blessed, but they had not moved on from receiving their salvation. They were still looking at Jesus on the cross, holding on to worldly riches and attitudes. They had not entered into the new life of the resurrection which meant stepping out in faith which was and is essential to fulfil their commission and our commission.      

 “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  Mark 16: 17,18  

The Lord may choose to bless us in various ways as we step out in faith: the Alpha Course or another course or young people’s ministry, house groups or cells, through a ministry of healing or other gifts of the Spirit. 
However the Lord directs our path, may we be faithful and always ready to respond to the leading of his Spirit.

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                      
James acknowledges Jesus as his Saviour., James the Lord's brother, Job, no discrimination between rich and poor, testing, trial's

The Messiah’s Secret – James Remembers Job

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    The  Messiah’s Secret – James remembers Job  
James’s under lying thread running through the letter is the life of Job He shows us by the example of Job that God will allow a Christian to be tested through trials and temptations to reveal the faith of the Christian in God. 

God allowed Job to be tested and brought to trial by Satan. 
Job was a wealthy man, Satan the accuser, challenged God to allow all that Job had to be taken away from him, he believed that Job would cease to serve God and deny his allegiance, his faith in God. 
Job lost his riches, all his possessions: his cattle, sheep, camels and his servants, all except the ones bearing the bad news that told him of his children’s death. Job 1: 20, 21. Even after the loss of his children he did not renounce God   
James saw the humility of Job in his faith in God while he was a rich man. God gave to him the kind of love that produces faith and steadfastness.  

James wrote of the lowly person being exalted and the rich person being humble. 
Christians should not to make distinctions between rich and poor, but to treat everyone the same and he encouraged them and us not to store up possessions in this life.  Josephus records in his ‘Book of Wars’ in 70 AD many rich Jewish people had stored their wealth in the temple at Jerusalem, only to see it burnt up in the fire. 
Wars of the Jews Book V1 Chapter 5 verse 2  
“And now the Romans, judging that it was in vain to spare what was around about the holy house, burnt all those places, as also the remains of the cloisters and the gates, two excepted; the one on the east side, and the other on the south; both which, however, they burnt afterward. They also burnt down the treasury chambers, in which there was a great quantity of money, an immense number of garments, and other precious goods there reposited; and, so to speak all in a few words, there it was the entire riches of the Jews were heaped up together, while the rich people had there built themselves chambers [to contain such furniture]. The soldiers also came to the rest of the cloisters that were in the outer court of the temple, whither women and children, and a great mixed multitude of people, fled, in number about six thousand.” 

 God’s faithfulness   
James taught that the most important lessons a Christian can learn is to step out in faith, faith without works does not reflect Christ. 
He advises his readers to show good works in meekness and wisdom, that reflect the nature of the righteousness of God. If someone is hungry then we should feed them as kind words are not enough. 
 He gave the example of Abraham who put his faith into practice when he offered Isaac as a sacrifice, but God intervened, a ram was provided by God and was sacrificed instead of Isaac. Abraham believed in the resurrection he believed that God would have raised Isaac in order to fulfil his promise to him that through his heir a great nation would be brought into being by God. Genesis 22: 1-18. Hebrews 11: 17-19  
Also the example of Rahab the prostitute whose faith was justified by works when she hid the Israelite spies from the king of Jericho’s men. God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Joshua 2: 1-7 

James also states that God does not tempt people to sin.    
God gave us free will which allows us to choose what we say or do.  He gives wisdom to those who ask, so we are able to discern between what is right and what is wrong. We are able to use the scriptures through the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth. 

Satan again came before God and challenged him, asking if he could touch Job in his flesh and he would renounce God. Job 2: 5.
Job’s wife found that it was too much to see her husband suffer, she told him to renounce God and die. Job told his wife that she should be able to accept the bad news as well as the good from God, he did not blame God.  

James wrote “But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.” James 4: 6-10.  

Job in his humility kept his eyes on God, even when God was silent and he only heard from his three friend

Job’s faithfulness    
In his poverty Job went and sat on the ash mound, the dung hill, full of sores. (Elephantiasis a form of leprosy) His three friends: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zopher came and sat with him and for seven days they spoke with unbridled tongues. Eliphaz bluntly told him to now uphold the advice that he had given to others to acknowledge his sin and repent and turn back to God. Bildad said that his sin had brought all this upon him. Zopher remarked that he should cry to God actions speak louder than words. They judged him as being self-righteous as he constantly declared his integrity  

 Jessie Penn Lewis’s book ‘The Story of Job 
 “It is sometimes necessary to leave someone in the hands of God and encourage them to believe their way through the path of trial, because maybe God has allowed sickness as part of his purposes for that person.”   

Christians grumbling with unbridled tongues   
To leave someone in the hands of God – anyone who is going through a time of trial or sickness needs prayer support from their church without judging that person as to why they are in their present circumstances.

Job was prepared to die.    
And God was silent, be still in the darkness, do not kindle a fire yourself, wait upon God. Job did not renounce God. He had a vision which was prophetical, “I know that my redeemer lives and at last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall I see God.” Job 17: 16. 19: 25, 26 
Job would see his redeemer face to face after his resurrection from the dead.

James wrote, “Behold, we call those happy who were steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” James 5: 11  

Elihu 
 Listening to the conversation between Job and his three friends was a young man Elihu. He held himself back until there was a pause in their conversation. The friends ceased to answer Job. Elihu had a message from God,” deliverance through the ransom.” Job 33: 24  
 Elihu had understood the dealings of God with Job, but he does not attempt to combat his insistence on integrity, as the other men did. He told him God had brought his soul from the pit, not on the ground of his own integrity, but on the ground of his faith and trust in God. 
God had enlightened Job with the light of his living redeemer and the resurrection of the dead.

Jesus the Redeemer     
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16
“Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects” James 5:13-16.

Job’s three friends repented before Job and he prayed for his friends and they were restored, sins forgiven. God restored Job with a new spirit as a child; a new freshness of life in heavenly youthfulness; a new power in prayer and joy in the knowledge of God; a new assurance of righteousness in union with the righteous one. God restored to him his flocks and herds and once again sons and daughters graced his home. Job lived for a further 150 years after the time of his trial. 

God allowed Job to suffer as he knew Job’s thoughts and intentions of his heart was sincere towards his God. His three friends were saved from the error of prejudging Job through their repentance and forgiveness. 

 I believe James and his brothers were not convinced by his interpretation of  Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth and the miracles and healing that Jesus did. John 7: 1-5. Matthew 13: 54-58.
James found out the truth through the death and resurrection of Jesus that he was the Son of God and he too saw the fulfillment of the vision that Job had of seeing his redeemer face to face, not on the ground of his own integrity but on the ground of his faith and trust in God. 

For us today we too can say, “I know that my redeemer lives, and in my flesh I see God in Jesus.”                                                                                                      .                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                            
ash mound, I know that my redeemer lives, Job, patience of Job, ransom

The Messiah’s Secret – A Short Study of Job

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A short study of Job.  
 
In the warm  and dry land of the East, the dung was not mixed with straw, but was carried in baskets to a place outside the village where it was usually burnt once a month. The rains reduced the ashes to a solid hill of earth, and the place used by the inhabitants of the village as a watch tower and a meeting place.
The Book of Job is regarded as one of the oldest books in the Bible. Job did not worship the stars or anything terrestrial; he worshipped the same God as Abraham.
He offered sacrifices for himself and his family; this was before the law was given to Moses by God. Job was regarded as a man of integrity, just and true, he had a fear of God and faith in him.
God described Job as there being none like him in all the earth, a man blameless, true, Godly, abstaining from everything evil. A man who God set a hedge about him and blessed the work of his hands.
In the Book of Job we get a glimpse into the spiritual world, we read of Satan walking up and down, going to and fro upon the earth, he’s never still, having no rest.
Satan the accuser challenged God to allow all that Job had been given to him, to be taken away from him and then Job would cease to serve God and deny his allegiance to him.
God allowed Satan to test Job, Job lost his possessions: his cattle, sheep, camels and his servants, all except the ones bearing the bad news that told him of his children’s death.
Job 1: 20, 21.
Job remembered how he came into the world with nothing and therefore he does not deny God.
Satan again came before God and challenged him, asking if he could touch Job in his flesh he would renounce God. Job 2: 5.
Satan attacked Job’s body with a disease; (Elephantiasis a form of leprosy) Job’s wife found that it was too much to see her husband suffer, she told him to renounce God and die. Job told his wife that she should be able to accept the bad news as well as the good from God, he did not blame God.
Jessie Penn Lewis’s book ‘The Story of Job’
“It is sometimes necessary to leave someone in the hands of God and encourage them to believe their way through the path of trial, because maybe God has allowed sickness as part of his purposes for that person.”
To leave some one in the hands of God – any one who is going through a time of trial or sickness needs prayer support from their church without judging that person as to why they are sick.
The three friends of Job: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zopher for seven days they sat with him on the ash mound. Job cursed the day of his birth. Job 2: 13.
Job was suffering so much he began to see death as a way out, an escape.
 
Eliphaz
The First of Job’s three friends Eliphaz spoke out in his usual candid way. He said, “Job you have instructed many in their pain, now it’s your turn and to remember your own advice, ’Trust in the knowledge of God, men reap what they have sown.’” Job 4: 7-11
Eliphaz had a dream, “A spirit passed before my face, a form was before my eyes, and I heard a still voice say, “Shall mortal man be just before God. Shall a man be pure before his maker?” Job 4: 12-17.
Eliphaz’s interpretation: Job was a sinner like everybody else therefore he should he should accept God’s chastening upon him so therefore he should ‘Go back to God.’ Job 5: 17
Job saw this as an attack on his integrity, he had not left God; he rebuked his friend Eliphaz, even though he knew that he did not understand. Job 6: 22-24.
 
Bildad
Bildad was regarded as his humble friend.
Bildad used the “if” word. If Job had sinned his suffering then would be as a result of it. (They believed that through the fall of Adam and Eve sickness and disease was a result of sin. The fall opened the door to sickness and disease, not all sickness is a result of personal sin.)
Job’s reply, “How can a man be just before God?”  Job 9: 1,2.
Job asked God for forgiveness, knowing that he could not forgive on behalf of God, he could not cleanse himself. Job 9: 32, 33.
Who would plead to God for him and who would speak to him from God? He could only be declared not guilty by God.
Job pleaded to God; knowing that he alone knew all about him and perhaps it was his will for him to suffer. Job 10: 13
 
Zopher
Zopher said to Job, “Should a man who’s full of talk, be justified. Job 11: 1, 2, 13. 12: 3
“Cry to God and be forgiven.” Job replied, “I am not inferior to you.” Zopher was making him a laughing stock. Job said, “Do you not think that I am too proud to admit my sin, but I have not sinned.” Job saw their ignorance against him.
Job can not say how a man is justified before God, yet in his heart he believed that he ‘shall be justified.’ He would thrust himself upon God.
As yet he had no clear assurance of the life to come after death. Job 14: 14.
 
Eliphaz
Eliphaz accuses Job of having no fear of God because of the way that he had argued against their assumptions that he must have sinned.  Eliphaz did not think that a man could be righteous before God; as even the heavens were not clean in God’s sight. Job 15: 14, 15.
Job had aroused the indignation of his three friends. His friends saw Job as being self-righteous as he constantly declared his integrity.
Job knew from his experience that God was approachable, he was clinging to the fact that God knew his life and therefore he would vouch for him that he had walked with him in the integrity of heart, the sacrifices he made pleased God and he had been blessed by him.
Job was prepared to die. Job 17: 16.
God was silent, be still in the darkness, do not kindle a fire yourself, wait upon God.
Job did not renounce God. He had a vision which was prophetical, “ “I know that my redeemer lives and at last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall I see God.” Job 19: 25, 26  
Job would see his redeemer face to face after his resurrection from the dead.
Job’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus
Jesus died on the cross, suffering for the sin of the world. Jesus suffered: the loss of everything material, the broken will, to live for God in complete surrender. He was crucified, laying down his life for our justification, Jesus pleads to God for us, redeeming us from our sin.
Through our faith in him we are made clean from sin and the causes of sin.  Jesus also speaks to us from God through his resurrection revealing himself in his word. Over 500 Christians had the privilege of seeing the risen Lord. 1 Corinthians 15: 6
 
Elihu
Listening to the conversation between Job and his three friends was a young man Elihu.
He held himself back until there was a pause in their conversation. The friends ceased to answer Job. Elihu had a message from God,” deliverance through the ransom.” Job 33: 24
Elihu had understood the dealings of God with Job, but he does not attempt to combat his insistence on integrity, as the other men did. He told him God had brought his soul from the pit and had enlightened him with the light of the living, his redeemer lives and the resurrection of the dead.
God had allowed Job to be withdrawn from the life he had, that he might save him from spiritual pride. God had brought him down from his high place, to make him know, himself, and his dependence upon God for every breath of life.
Job had seen his redeemer as the living one, who would vindicate him. Elihu spoke of the redeemer as the ransom, the one who would be gracious to him, and deliver him from going down to the pit, not on the ground of his own integrity, but on the ground of his faith and trust in God.
God would restore him with a new spirit as a child; a new freshness of life in heavenly youthfulness; a new power in prayer and joy in the knowledge of God; a new assurance of righteousness in union with the righteous one, the light of the living.
God restored to him his flocks and herds and once again sons and daughters graced his home.

 

Job lived for a further 150 years after the time of his trial.

By Dorothy Newton