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Free will, John Calvin, John Wesley, justice, Predestination

The Messiah’s Secret – A Short Study on Predestination

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Mary Chosen by God
 
A Short Study on Predestination
 
Predestination Under the Law of Moses

Predestination – to determine beforehand; to preordain by an unchangeable purpose. 

Under LawIn the Hebrew Scriptures when God had a particular task for a person the Holy Spirit fell on them. They were singled out and filled with the gifts, whether it was to prophecy like Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, ”And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying “Blessed be the God of Israel, for he has visited his people,” or 
like Mary who was chosen by God to bear the Son of God, the archangel Gabriel said to Mary, “Hail, O favoured one, the Lord is with you. . . . “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”. . .  The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” Luke 1: 26-35
 
John the Baptist baptized Jesus and at his baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon him, they heard God speak, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.” Luke 3: 21-23 Hearing God speak would remind them of how God spoke to the children of Israel on their wilderness journey. Exodus 19: 9. 20: 22.
 
God had designated (office by appointment) Jesus to be the Messiah. 
In the synagogue at Nazareth Jesus opened the book and read from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Jesus went on to say “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”Luke 4: 17-30  
The men in the synagogue were filled with anger as Jesus had intimated that he was the Messiah. During his ministry Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when he opened the eyes of blind Bartimaeus, freeing the oppressed mad man at Gerasenes setting him free from the demons that possessed him. Many thousands of people who were healed of their illnesses and diseases, and the dead were raised like Lazarus. 
 
The Messiah’s Secret.
Jesus did not openly proclaim himself to be the Messiah nor did his disciples; it was often inferred, but never proclaimed. During the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus was preaching in the Temple, during the discussion that followed they discussed whether Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. “Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is this the man they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” John 7; 25-27. Jesus did not reveal that he was the Messiah because he foreknew that he had to die on a cross and be raised from the dead.
Matthew records Jesus telling his disciples that they must not tell anyone that he was the Christ. And then he revealed to them that he was going to suffer and die. “Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Matthew 16: 13-23
 
Jesus chose twelve disciples from his followers.
After he had called brothers Peter and Andrew James and John and Matthew, Jesus later spent all night in prayer choosing the twelve disciples from among the other disciples. Luke 6: 12-16.
Jesus knew Judas was the one who would betray him through the course of events that would take place when the time came for his departure from the world at Jerusalem. Luke 9: 31
 
Jesus’ message was all inclusive
Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum Jesus said, “For this is the will of the 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.”
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”John 5: 6: 40, 44, 45.
After hearing from Jesus that unless a person ate his flesh and drank his blood they would not have the life of God within them, some of his disciples decided not to continue to follow him.  “But there are some of you that do not believe.”     
For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe.” Jesus asked his disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?” Peter made his choice and replied, “Lord to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life.” John 6: 64, 66 – 68.   
All in the synagogue were taught by Jesus about him being the bread of life.  In the justice of God everyone present had the choice to believe or not.  
 
On another occasion Jesus said, “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” Luke 12: 8-10   
 
Jesus gave those disciples who turned away from him every opportunity to accept him.
 
God knew in his foreknowledge who would respond and those who would turn away.    
 
It was God’s plan to send Jesus to redeem us by his life laid down, God had predetermined that Jesus would come and save us through his death on the cross and resurrection. But even Jesus in his free will could have turned away from what God his Father had called him to do. Jesus could have called legions of angels to repel his suffering and death. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was tempted not to drink of the cup of his suffering and death. “Father if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22: 42. 
 Jesus died to his own will and as we know died on the cross and was buried in a tomb and God raised him from the dead, his blood being accepted by God as the final offering for the sin of the world.   
 
Josephus recorded Jesus’ resurrection in his book ‘Antiquities of the Jews’ 
Book XVIII Chapter 3: 3’     
3. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ.   
And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”   
 
Under Grace the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost.                                                       
The Holy Spirit no longer fell on people as they were chosen by God for a particular task. After Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given to all who repented and believed in Jesus and is still received today.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.
“Jesus said, “I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”   John 12: 46  
Did Paul teach predestination?
Paul in his letter to the Romans wrote, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those he predestined he also called; and those who he called he also justified; and those who he justified he also glorified.” Romans 8: 28-30.
In the same letter Paul wrote, “But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is the word of faith which we preach) because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, the same Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. For, ‘every one who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Romans 10: 8-13
In the foreknowledge of Almighty God He knows all things from beginning to end, but in His justice He will give all the opportunity to receive Jesus as their personal Saviour.
Abraham in his conversation with God over His plan to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah said to God, “Will you thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? . . .  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Through Abraham’s appeal to God’s justice, Lot and his two daughters were saved from the destruction. Genesis 18: 22-19: 29
Predestination would teach us that our place in God’s kingdom is fixed once we have turned to Christ in true faith. This question of knowingly continuing to sin even though Jesus died for sin, this I feel is where predestination falls down.
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound.” Romans 6: 1
 
John Wesley “For Wesley, good works were the fruit of one’s salvation, not the way in which that salvation was earned. Faith and good works go hand in hand in Methodist theology a living tree naturally and inevitably bears fruit. Wesleyan theology rejects the doctrine of eternal security, believing that salvation can be rejected. Wesley emphasized that believers must continue to grow in their relationship with Christ, through the process of Sanctification.”  
 
Christians who teach Predestination say that God acknowledges those who have received Jesus as their Saviour and are secure from being turned away from the kingdom of God even though they later in their life they commit apostasy. 
This conflicts with the writer of the letter to the Hebrews wrote that once a person has received the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the Holy Spirit for themselves and then turns away from him, committing apostasy rejecting faith in Christ, then they are cut off from Christ.
“For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have been one enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the  goodness of the word of God and powers of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.” Hebrews 6: 4-6 
Strong words from the writer of Hebrews, if a person truly repents, I would like to think that Jesus would have mercy.

Updated two days after publication.This morning while continuing to think about it, I realized that the writer of Hebrews was enforcing the ‘Ruling rod of iron’ the Apostles were setting up the kingdom in expectation of Jesus’ return within their life time. “It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Watch therefore-for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cock crow, or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.” Mark 13:34-36. They had been told to be about their masters business until he returned. Parables Pounds and Talents Luke 19: 11-27. Matthew 25: 14-30. Jesus hoped to return within their life time Matthew 16: 27, 28. Mark 8: 38. 9: 1. Authority given to disciples to retain or forgive the sins of people. John 20:23. Peter retained the sins of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. Acts 5:1-11. Here in Hebrews verse 4 he wrote ‘For it is impossible to restore again to repentance . .” which would suggest sins being retained. (www.messiahs-secret-revealed.co.uk for more study on the Messiah’s Secret)
 
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
“Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in his love to be his sons through Jesus Christ . . .  In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the council of his will; we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1: 3-12.
John Calvin wrote, “When Paul declares that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world he certainly shows that no regard is had to our own worth; for it is just as if he had said, Since in the whole seed of Adam our heavenly Father found nothing worthy of his election, he turned his eye upon his own Anointed, that he might select as members of his body those whom he was to assume (true without proof) into the fellowship of life.”
Calvin  continues, “By saying the Christians of Ephesus were elected before the foundation of the world, he takes away the reference to worth. For what ground of distinction was there between persons who as yet existed not, and persons who were afterwards like them to exist in Adam? But if they were elected in Christ, it follows not only that each was elected on some extrinsic (not contained or included within) ground, but that some were placed on a different footing from others. . . . Whatever virtue appears in men is the result of election.” ‘Calvin Institutes’ page 496
I cannot see how, ‘Whatever virtue appears in men is the result of election” before the foundation of the world could in any way add to our salvation in Christ. Jesus did a complete work of salvation in his death and resurrection.
Adam’s sin is still inherited today, it continues to be passed down the generations. John the Apostle wrote, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”1 John 1: 8. 3: 4-9.
Paul wrote, “For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3: 23.
As I see it there is good in everybody as well as bad, under law a good tree bore good fruit and a bad tree bad fruit, the nature of a person could not and cannot be changed with or without the law.
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5: 8. Our nature is transformed by the Holy Spirit’s action upon our turning to Jesus in repentance and faith. ‘Come into my heart Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee.”
John Calvin wrote, “Because we know not who belongs to the number of the predestined, or does not belong, our desire ought to be that all may be saved; and hence every person we meet, we will desire to be with us a partaker of peace. But our peace will rest upon the sons of peace.”
John Calvin acknowledges God’s justice in desiring that all should be saved, but then he made it conditional by inferring selection by predestination when he wrote “But our peace will rest on the sons of peace.” Page 512
The Church, Christ’s body was in the mind and heart of God before the foundation of the earth. Jesus would have all to abide in him in love and faith. “Many that are first will be the last and the last first.” Mark 10: 31.

 

“A lady died and went to heaven, on her arrival she looked around for the people she knew. However, to her surprise there were people there who she did not expect. And I would think the same would apply to the other place too.”
branches, justice, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, Naboth, tenants, the devil, the love of God., vineyard.

The Messiah’s Secret – The Vineyard ‘Christ in You’

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Evening Service following the Lectionary Isaiah 5: 1-7. Mark 12: 1-12

Isaiah tells us that the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the man of Judah.
God put everything in place for the vineyard on the hill to flourish, a wall and hedge around it, a watchtower was built and a pit dug for the wine press.

The Psalmist also wrote of Israel being the vine.
“Thou didst bring out of Egypt a vine, thou didst drive out the nations and plant it. “ Psalm 80: 8-19
The nation of Israel described as a vine when they left Egypt for the Promised Land where the vine was planted, the nation took root in the land of Canaan.
God tended, cared for and pruned the vine as they made their journey towards the Promised Land.

However, Isaiah prophesied Israel’s vineyard would produce wild grapes this was fulfilled in Jesus’ day. ”And he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded sour grapes.” Isaiah 5: 4.

The Parable of the Vineyard
Jesus described Israel as being tenants of the vineyard they were no longer the beloved vine. Jesus reproached the Pharisees for they neglected justice and the love of God; they were no longer producing good fruit.
Justice.
Jesus the true vine looked for justice; he taught that it was right to do good on the Sabbath Day. He acted on compassionate love very often going the extra mile to heal a sick person.
The Pharisees and Lawyers neglected justice they had taken away the key of knowledge; they added extra laws to the Laws of Moses these laws laid a heavy burden on the people, as they earned their righteousness under law. Luke 11: 42-52.
Love.
Jesus taught that the commandments were fulfilled in love: firstly to love God with all your heart, souls, strength and mind and secondly to love your neighbour as yourself. Loving the Lord with all your heart involves all the love we are capable of; with all the soul means giving the whole of our life to the Lord; with all our strength means doing everything to show love to him and with all our mind involves getting to know God especially through his word, for increased knowledge of him brings increased love.
The Pharisees, Sadducees, Layers and scribes their hearts were hardened, for them it was more important to keep the Sabbath day laws than for a person to be healed.
The towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were also condemned for their failure to repent after they had witnessed great miracles and healing. Luke 10: 13-16

The True Vine
Jesus said that he was the true vine, the root and stem of Jesse, the descendant of King David. Jesus bearing the fruit of God’s kingdom; healing the sick, raising the dead and the poor having the gospel preached to them.
John records Jesus prayer and towards the end of his prayer he spoke of being sanctified by the truth. “They, (his disciples) were not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.” John 17: 16 -19.

Sanctification – set apart for holy use.
Jesus sanctified himself by the truth of what he taught: The Sermon on the Mount Jesus spoke of plucking out and cutting off the offending member that leads us to sin.
Sanctification applies today in our walk in Christ; we are in the world but not part of it.
“The Word of God is living and active, sharper than a two edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4: 12.
We are called to be led by the Holy Spirit abiding in the words Jesus heard from his Father.
The writers of the Gospels remembered Jesus’ words they would be precious to them and a sincere person would want to record them accurately. Luke in particular emphasises to Theophilus that this was a truthful account of the eyewitnesses and ministers of the word that he may know the truth concerning the things of which he had heard from the beginning.

The Tenants of the Vineyard
The owner sent his servant to collect some fruit from the vineyard, but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty handed. Another servant was sent but they wounded him and treated him shamefully. He sent another whom they killed him. Many others were sent some they beat and some they killed.
This is in reference to the prophets that God over many years he sent to convict the leaders and people of their need to turn back to God and repent.

Elijah spoke out against Israel’s King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s dishonesty. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel desired Naboth’s vineyard, but Naboth would not give or sell his inheritance to them. Jezebel plotted against Naboth, she wrote a letter in King Ahab’s name to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people; and set two base fellows opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” The elders and nobles of Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had requested in the letter. Naboth an innocent man was killed by being stoned to death. As soon as Ahab heard from Jezebel that Naboth was dead, she encouraged him to go and take possession of the vineyard so King Ahab went and took possession of it. 1 Kings 21: 1-16.
Prophet John the Baptist was killed by King Herod for speaking out against his sin; Herod had married his brother Philip’s wife which was against the law.

Jesus the true vine did not unite himself to the sin of the Pharisees, Sadducees, lawyers and scribes.

Finally the owner sent his son, surely he thought that they would respect his son, but they treated him the same.
God sent his Son Jesus, the Messiah, Israel’s leaders treated him with contempt.

Jesus prophesied his death, “This is the heir, let us kill him and the inheritance is ours.”

The unseen principalities and powers of darkness were hoping that by killing Jesus the devil had a claim on Israel’s vineyard.
Now it becomes clear as to why Jesus separated himself from the sin of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Lawyers. They were influenced by the inherited sin of their fallen nature.

The devil, who knew that Jesus was the Christ, but he did not know God’s plan of redemption through Jesus’ death and resurrection, which secured the victory over the devil’s power over death, sin and causes of sin, resulting in mankind’s fallen nature. Mark 1: 24, 34.

The tenants took the son they had killed and cast him out of the vineyard.
Another prophecy in the parable, Jesus was killed outside Jerusalem’s city walls, the Jews made a sin offering of a red heifer outside the city walls.
This sacrifice was to atone for “death.” its ashes were used for purification rituals and were kept at the gates outside the walls of the city.
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power over death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to life long bondage. Hebrews 2: 14, 15

Death has no more dominion over us.
The sin that leads to death has been dealt with by Jesus when he bore our sin on the cross and paid the price for it by lying down his innocent life and in his risen life we see the victory over death.
Through God given faith, hearing or reading, the living words of Jesus are received into the heart, the centre of our being. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us acts upon the words and by a miracle we are changed, our hardened hearts are transformed, made new, we know that death has lost its fear in us and that Jesus is our Lord God and Saviour.

The True Vine – Christ in You
Jesus the true vine, the natural make up of the vine, interpreting the way of abiding in Christ.
“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
The branches are totally dependant upon its life’s source from the main stem and roots and we need the care and attention of the vinedresser to help the vine to produce good fruit.
The branch, the Christian is called to walk in the Spirit and bear the fruit of God’s word so it’s us working with the living word Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.
A branch is complete, all that is required of it, is to grow and bear the fruit of its own harvest
and it is equal to all the other branches in its composition and description, the abundance of fruit does vary.
A Christian has the potential to be Christ-like using the gifts of the Spirit and is responsible for the working out of our calling in Christ’s body, the church.

The fruit of the vine the grape is widely used to make wine as it has more spirit content when fermented than other fruits.

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in his love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
Love is the sap that rises from the root of the vine to the branches. The Holy Spirit fills each believer with the love of God,
The Holy Spirit’s gift of discernment is given freely to the believer, today more than ever we need this gift of discernment to help us stand against the wiles of the devil. Jesus tells us to ask and you shall receive.

In the parable the vineyard is given to another to bear the fruit of it. When we read Luke’s account of this parable, the others are the Gentiles.
The vineyard is comprised of both Jew and Gentile. The cross breaking down the barrier between Jew and Gentile. Ephesians 2: 11-22.

The Messiah’s Secret
At Pentecost was the first time the Apostles proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ. However, the leaders did not repent and bring the nation to accept Jesus as their true vine, the Christ.

Maybe if Jesus had been stoned to death under law the leaders of the ruling council would have considered that Jesus was the risen Christ. But as we know Jesus was killed by crucifixion which was a Roman execution therefore to a Jewish person God had allowed him to be defiled by the Gentiles which was against the law. The high priest Caiaphas was a Sadducee and they did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. These difficulties proved to be a stumbling block for the Jews to respond to the call as a nation to accept Jesus as the Christ and for them as a nation of priests to take the good news of the Christ to the rest of the world.
The Apostles were setting up the kingdom in Jerusalem in expectation of Jesus’ return with the angels and probably were hoping for a change of heart like that of King Ahab who repented of his sin against Naboth when he heard what Jezebel had done. 1 Kings 21: 25-29.

Counterfeit Vineyard of the Antichrist.
Paul in his letter to the church at Thessalonica he wrote informing them that they had not missed the calling out of the church.
They were suffering persecution and were watching and listening for Jesus calling out his church.
Paul re-assures them that the antichrist has not yet been revealed.
“The lawless one revealed by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false.” 1 Thessalonians 2: 8-12.

Battle of Armageddon
“Angels gather clusters of grapes for the wine press, trodden under the severity of God. Revelation 14: 17-20
This is the battle were the powers of darkness will be defeated and where Jesus reigns on the earth with a rod of iron.

God is Love, justice, law of love, measurement of love, prodigal son

Measured by Love

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The Messiah’s Secret – Measured by Love

Large crowds were travelling with Jesus as he journeyed from town to town. Coming into a town they may have stopped for a rest and refreshment. While they relaxed from the heat of the day probably some would have asked questions and the rest of the crowd around him eagerly waiting to hear his answer.

Jesus often spoke in parables stories that he made up with an element of truth that he wanted to convey to his listeners. Luke records in Chapter 15 some of these stories, they consisted of characters and activities that were part of their every day life; like the shepherd who searched for the lost sheep and rejoiced when he found it and the woman who lost the coin and searched her house till she found it. After finding it she called her friends and shared with them her good news. The story of the prodigal son follows on, in this story the son after requesting from his father his inheritance, left home and made his way in life. Only to find that he soon lost all his money and his friends. Alone and weighed down by failure and guilt he returned back to his family were he received a tremendous welcome by his father.

In 2007 at our Diocesan Healing Day, Bishop Jack Nichols spoke on the ‘Prodigal Son’ during the course of his talk he said, “Forgiveness comes before confession, otherwise it’s earning forgiveness.” he went on to say ‘ the son rehearsed what he was going to say to his father when he returned home, verse 18 “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.” But before he had opportunity to say these words, on the road in the distance he saw his father running towards him with his arms outstretched ready to embrace him. When they met all was forgiven this was before he said he was sorry to his father.
Jesus was teaching the kingdom message receiving forgiveness without making a self sacrifice like the prodigal son who was offering to be treated as one of his father’s hired servants in order to make amends, to earn his forgiveness. Not only was it not necessary to make amends, he was not discredited either.
It still applies today it is not necessary to make amends, to justify oneself before receiving forgiveness from the Lord Jesus.

One of the many ways to receive the love of God into our hearts, is for the words received into our understanding our mind, which is head knowledge to drop into our heart, into our soul, that transition is the work of the Holy Spirit making Jesus known to us in a real way. The heart is strangely warmed with the love of God.

Justification – we are declared not guilty before God through faith in Jesus paying the penalty of our sin with his life’s blood, to satisfy the demands of the law.
Romans 5: 8,9.
We cannot earn our forgiveness from God, we can only receive it as a precious gift of love.
Grace – undeserved giving from God out of love for us.
Jesus loves you.

I’m accepted, I’m forgiven
I am fathered by the true and living God,
I’m accepted, no condemnation,
I am loved by the true and living God.
There’s no guilt or fear as I draw near
to the Saviour and Creator of the world.
There is joy and peace as I release
my worship to You, O Lord.
Rob Hayward Thank you Music
“And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3: 19

The Laws of Moses fulfilled in Love. Romans 13: 10
“Bear one another’s burdens so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6: 2.
The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through faith. The law of love in Christ
As we’re motivated by the Holy Spirit to bear the fruit of love we respond in obedience to his teaching and our salvation is worked out in the love of Christ.
Listed below are some of the references in scripture to our living out of our faith in love.
Love the Lord your God Mark 12: 30
Love Jesus John 21: 15
If you love me keep my commandments John 14: 15 Romans 13: 8-10
Love one another John 15:17
Walk in love Ephesians 5: 2
Speak the truth in love Ephesians 4: 15
Love justice Isaiah 61: 8
Love your enemies Luke 6: 27
Love righteousness Psalm 45: 7
Love not their lives Revelation 12: 11
Greater love has no man than this John 15: 13. 1John 3: 16
Pray love may abound Philippians 1: 9
Do it out of love Philippians 1: 16
Above all put on love Colossians 3: 14
Let love be genuine Romans 12: 9
Love builds up 1 Corinthians 8: 1
Love needed 1 Corinthians 13
Love covers all offences 1 Peter 4: 8. Proverbs 10: 12
Nothing can separate us from the love of God Romans 8: 39
Loved with an everlasting love Jeremiah 31: 3

The Parable of the Unjust Steward
Jesus’ followed the story about the prodigal son with the parable about the unjust steward. The content of this story is different, as it was directed at the Pharisees, who were listening to Jesus as he conversed with his disciples.

Luke 16: 1-14 “Jesus also said to his disciples, “There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. And he called him to him and he said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in your account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that the people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ’How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?” He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are shrewder in dealing with their own generation than the sons of the light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into eternal habitations.
“He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust you in the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. The Pharisees who were lovers of money, heard this, and they scoffed at him.”
Mammon meaning – riches, the god of riches.

After he ended the story there was a response from the Pharisees they scoffed at him as they discerned that they were the steward in the story.

Jesus has brought charges against the Pharisees
The Pharisees had wasted his goods by meddling with the laws of Moses in their interpretation and application of them.
The Pharisees encouraged the giving of a money gift to the temple to honour a person’s parents. Jesus saw this as not honouring to the parents were they needed practical help from their children.

Pharisees lovers of money
Jesus had observed the Pharisees giving their offering in the temple treasury.
Matthew 6: 1-4. 23:13. “When you give alms sound no trumpet before you, like the hypocrites.” (meaning the Pharisees.)
These alms boxes were shaped like a trumpet and there were 13 of them in the treasury.
This is were the saying; ‘blowing your own trumpet’ comes from.

The Prophet Amos
Many years earlier the prophet Amos he spoke out against the leaders of the nation of Israel, they too were lovers of money.

Amos 8: 4-7 “Hear this, you who trample on the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the refuse of the wheat?”
Israel had fallen away from the laws of Moses, the Sabbath had become like any other day. They had trade agreements with neighbouring countries. Ezekiel 27: 17. Acts 12:20.
The prophet Amos spoke out against their dishonest scales, the Sanhedrin had allowed poor quality grain to be sold at a high price.

The Messiah’s Secret page 43 True riches.
“Jesus was revealing the true essence of the Laws of Moses: sharing and caring for one another; dignity; honour; preservation of life; valuing the individual in mind, body, soul and spirit; and above all to understand the love that God has for his people. Jesus was peeling away the generations of ‘man made’ additions to God’s laws as given to Moses, there were so many added rules that they had become burdensome.”

In the parable the rich man’s response to the charges and evidence, the steward’s employment was terminated.

God’s Justice
Psalm 15
Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2/ He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3/ And has no slander on his tongue
who does his neighbour no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow-man.
4/ Who despises a vile man but honours those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts.
5/ Who lends his money without usury and does not except a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.

The law was given to give guidance and point out what God regards as sin.
Cheating will often lead to quarrelling and fighting, so the law showed that honesty payed the dividends of respect and peace.

Scales of Justice. Leviticus 19: 35 “Use honest scales and honest weights.”

• Fairness when weighing foodstuffs.
• Fairness also in dealing with legal disputes: weighing the claims and evidence of both sides and dispensing justice without favouritism.
• Not having a preconceived view of a person.

The Pharisees prejudged Jesus and jumped to conclusions about him. They had seen him consorting with tax collectors, prostitutes and lots of people who were regarded by them as outcasts and sinners. Luke 15: 1,2.
They didn’t believe John the Baptist or Jesus’ message of repentance and forgiveness in preparation for the coming in of God’s kingdom.
“(When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors, justified God, having been baptised with the baptism of John; but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptised by him)” Luke 7: 29,30.

The steward in the parable showed no remorse like the Pharisees who showed no remorse they refused to acknowledge the miracles and healing works and words of Jesus and they made it known that his followers would not be allowed in the synagogue. John 9: 22

The steward in the parable cunningly devised a plan to reduce his master’s creditor’s bills so that they became part of his wastefulness and therefore hoped he would not be discredited by them.

Jesus’ parable for today.
The steward actions in this parable can be seen reflected by the bankers in our recent banking crisis it arose out of bad judgements on lending and taking risks on the financial markets by a handful of people. No one has been discredited and somehow we’re all part of it.
No checks and balances put in place and no one spoke out as far as I am aware.

Checks and Balances – A measurement of Love in Christ
Nearly thirty years ago whilst I was at a house group meeting, I had an experience of knowing the measurement of God’s love in a person’s life. I was sat opposite our Vicar (now deceased) in the house group, as I looked across at him, making eye contact I saw deep within him a measurement of God’s love, it was 50/50 50% love for Jesus and 50% love for the lost in the world.
I didn’t fully understand at the time what it was about, it’s only over the last few weeks that I have had some understanding about it.

I wondered where I would find Jesus’ teaching on ‘checks and balances’ in the gospels?

Luke 6: 35-38 “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put in your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Checks and Balances on our lives.
Jesus puts a check in place, making it clear that we are not to judge or condemn people and as we put this into practice, the love of God flows out of our hearts. The measure of God’s love is given to balance out what we have given out. The promise from the Lord is that he will give us more of his love running over in our lives and that’s by grace.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. . . . If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you abide in my Commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” John 15: 1-10

Jesus puts a check in place, making it clear that it is necessary that we live by his word (commandments) and as we put it into practice we bear the fruit of love. This is balanced by the Father pruning us to allow the sap of God’s love to rise and overflow to produce an abundance of grapes that are pleasant to the taste.

The fruit of love.
The Mother’s Union today seeks to help families: one way we help is by providing blankets for cots in hospital prem units, the blankets are hand knitted by MU members. These blankets are often taken home by the parents as a keep sake in association of their babies well being.
We also provide ventilator bonnets, angel pockets and various other garments for babies in hospitals. www.themothersunion.org

“A work of faith, a labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1: 3

A Check on Worldly Love
The Television media brings into our homes worldly love. The choice of programs for a Christian is very limited. Making that choice by yielding to the Word and Spirit of Jesus; like a tree that bends in the wind we are called to yield ourselves to the Lord’s teachings.
But also we must be aware of the strategies of the devil that attacks the love of God. We are to be like the tree that puts down its’ roots deeper on the side were the Storm’s strong winds would fell the tree.

 “Do not love the world or the things in the world . . . the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 2: 15.
 “Love of money will not be satisfied with money.” Ecclesiastes 5: 10
 “Love of praise of men more than the praise of God.” John 12: 42
 “Those who I love I reprove.” Revelations 3: 19
 “Put on the whole armour of God.” Ephesians 6: 10-18

Our anxieties can leave us vulnerable to the devil’s ploys. Peter wrote “Cast all your anxieties on Jesus for he cares about you. Be watchful the adversary the devil is like a roaring lion seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you.”1 Peter 5: 7-10.

As we humble ourselves before the Lord, knowing that God our Father blesses us now in this life with an abundance of life. This abundance is given for us to share with others, the more we give, the more we will receive.


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

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

The Messiah’s Secret – Faith, Justice and Mercy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Principals
e.g. Humility, honesty and truthfulness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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