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The Very Great and Precious Promises

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PART 2

Peter wrote that God has granted Christians his very great and precious promises. Peter in his second letter writes, “By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion and become partakers of the divine nature. “ 2 Peter 1: 4. RSV Bible.

The very great and precious promises that Peter referred to were those in connection with the Messiah and establishing the New Covenant. I personally believe that every promise is very great and precious, but it is reasonable to assume the promise of God sending the anointed Saviour, the Messiah is the first very great and precious promise.

The very great and precious promise – God’s promise to the Jewish people of the coming of the Messiah– Jeremiah writes, “Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise, I made to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” Jeremiah 33:  14,15.

The apostles identified Jesus as their Messiah, the appointed Saviour, a descendant of King David and they proclaimed this message for the first time at Pentecost. “Let the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him (Jesus) both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Acts 2: 36-39

The very great and precious promise – God’s promise of redemption – God’s chosen people, the descendants of Abraham.

Isaiah wrote, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43: 2.

Ezra proclaimed that the Jews leaving Babylon under King Cyrus’ decree were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. “Thus says the King of Persia: The Lord the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house (Temple) at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. “Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem.” Ezra 1: 2,3.  It was in this context that Isaiah wrote, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43: 2. God redeemed the Israelites from captivity in Babylon.

Jesus the Son of God and the Messiah’s commission to redeem humanity from eternal death through the redemption from sin – Jesus bore all sin (including curses) and its causes on the cross. The cross is significant because there on the cross, Jesus bore everything that separates humanity from knowing God our creator and Father.

This very great and precious promise – Jesus promised – “If a man (a person) loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14: 23. God in his great love for humanity sent Jesus to pay the ultimate cost of laying down his life’s blood for humanity when he suffered and died on the cross. Under the Law of Moses sacrifices were brought to say sorry to God for sin, this could be a bird or a lamb or a goat or the very poor brought grain, this happened every time sins were committed. Hebrew Scriptures state that without the shedding of blood there’s no forgiveness for sin against God.  Leviticus 17: 11. Hebrews 9: 22. God sent Jesus to be the final offering for sin, he became a personal substitute for every person’s sacrifice for sin and all that separates a person from God. Through faith in Jesus in what he has done for us on the cross, we receive a free pardon, forgiveness for our sins. In addition to being set free from sin, by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour: Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit make their home within every believer.

The very great and precious promise – Jesus promised the resurrection – Jesus would rise on the third day. “Jesus began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Mark 8: 31

On the third day, two of the followers of Jesus left the house at Jerusalem to go to Emmaus. As they walked along the road a stranger joined them. “One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened.” Luke 24: 18-21. The two disciples found out that the stranger was Jesus, when they invited him to have a meal with them at the Inn, There as they sat at the table Jesus broke the bread, and at that moment their eyes were opened, they knew then the stranger was Jesus, whereupon, he vanished from their presence. Cleopas and the other disciples returned to the house at Jerusalem and told what had happened on the road and at the Inn. it was on the third day when Jesus rose from the dead.

The very great and precious promise – The promise of receiving the Holy Spirit from Jesus. Hosea wrote, “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up. ” After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6: 2  Jesus fulfilled Hosea’s prophecy of God’s promise the disciples were raised on the third day when they received the Holy Spirit from Jesus who reveals God the Father and their redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The very great and precious promise – Jesus promised the comforter, the Holy Spirit – Jesus said to his disciples, “But when the Councillor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness of me.” John 14: 16,17.

Jesus fulfilled his word on the evening of the day of his resurrection, “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20: 21,22.

John the Baptist said, “I baptise you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the throng of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke 3: 16. 

Paul’s letter to the Galatians 3: 14. “In Christ Jesus ,the blessings of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3: 14.

The very great and precious promise – Jesus promises every Christian by accepting his invitation to come to him and they will receive from him, ‘living water,’ “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7: 37-39.

Ezekiel’s vision of water streaming out of the temple becoming a river and this water giving life and healing. The trees along its bank providing food and healing in their leaves. When the water reaches the Dead Sea the stagnant saltwater becomes fresh water and swarms of fish live in the water. The fishermen spread their nets and catch all kinds of fish.  Jesus’ body the temple of God and the living water that Jesus spoke of quenching thirst, this water drawn from the wells of salvation, that speaks of the Holy Spirit being poured out. The apostles filled with the living water pouring out the word of God and people being healed and receive Jesus baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Dead Sea is 53 miles from Jerusalem and  in the Acts of the Apostles we read that people from the surrounding villages came to the apostles at Jerusalem to hear the gospel message and were healed. “The people also gathered  from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5: 16 Ezekiel 47: 1-12.  

The disciples received the Holy Spirit from Jesus on the day he was glorified, resurrected from the dead. There in the house at Jerusalem he came and stood among his disciples saying, “Peace be with you, . . .” and he breathed om them the Holy Spirit. Jesus described the Holy Spirit to Nicodemus as being like the wind. “ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew. The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3: 7,8.

The very great and precious promise – Jesus’ promise of sending the Holy Spirit from the Father into the world –  The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost like a rushing mighty wind and filled the house and all the disciples in the house at Jerusalem. The disciples went onto the streets, the Holy Spirit empowering them to speak in the languages of the people they met. They shared the good news about Jesus’ resurrection. Peter addressed the crowd, telling them that it was in the foreknowledge of God that Jesus was crucified, but they were still required to repent as they had acted in ignorance. “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,  “Brethren, what shall we do?“ Peter said, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and your children and those afar off.” Acts 2: 37,38.3: 17. Joel 2: 28.

The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and enables them to recognise the righteousness of God in Jesus and are justified through their faith in Jesus.

The very great and precious promise – Jesus promised eternal life for all who believe in him – John recorded in his gospel Jesus’ prayer, “Since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” John 17: 2,3.

Jesus in conversation with Nicodemus promised – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” John 3: 16,17.

Every Christian who has died in the flesh, their Spirit in Christ enters eternal life. When Jesus calls out his church those who have died in the faith will receive their own resurrected body. Romans 6:5. Luke 24: 39.

The very great and precious promise – Gods promised to Abraham, “And by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.” Genesis 12: 3 Paul in his letter to the Galatians writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3: 28,29.

John the apostle writes, “To all who receive him who believed in his name, he 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.

Paul in his letter to the Romans writes, “When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 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 might be glorified with him.” Romans 8: 15,16.

Christians are children of God through faith in Jesus. Paul reminds us that Jesus suffered, one of these occasion after the feeding of the five thousand, “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” Matthew in his account states that he brought this problem to his Father in prayer. Matthew 14: 23.

The very great and precious promise of Jesus’ calling out of his Bride, the church, before he returns:  Jesus tells us that we need to be ready and watching as the Lord will call out the church in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. “Then two men will be in the field; one is taken the other left. Two women grinding at the mill; one is taken the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” Matthew 24: 40-42. The two people called out to meet the Lord in the air are Christians, The two left behind are not yet Christians. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians writes, “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with cry of command. . . . then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17. The Lord will call the church to a wonderful event ‘The fetching of the Bride, his church,’ to his home in heaven. It follows the sequence of a Jewish wedding: the virgins make sure everything is ready and all the guests are arriving, especially those gathered into the Banqueting Hall from the throughfares. Matthew 25: 6. 22: 9. The marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven before Jesus’ return. Revelation 19: 7.

The very great and precious promise of his return:  At the ascension of Jesus into heaven, two men said to the apostles, Luke writes from his eyewitness accounts,  “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which was near Jerusalem.” Acts 1: 10-12.

Zechariah prophesies, “Behold, a day of the Lord is coming, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in the midst of you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people (the remnant) shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that one half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and the other half southward. And the valley of my mountains shall be stopped up, for the valley of the mountains shall touch the side of it; and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord your God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” Zechariah 14: 1-5.

I understand the ‘holy ones’ are the angels in heaven, but I believe that the church is in this category as John writes in Revelation 19 verses 11-16 “He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses.  From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Revelation 19: 11-16. 2 Kings 6: 17.Joshua 5: 14. Ephesians 6: 11-18.

Only Almighty God knows when the Lord Jesus will call out the church and return to the Mount of Olives.

Apostle John writes, “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22: 21.

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The Reflection of the Cross – Encountering the Holy Spirit No 4

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The Reflection of the Cross –  Encountering the Holy Spirit No 4

Evening Service at St Mary’s Acts 2: 1-18 Luke 3: 15-23.

My husband and I where on a walking holiday at Scargill House in Yorkshire. There we met John he had come for an interview to become a member of the Scargill community. In conversation with him he shared with me his testimony. He had been a drug addict and his life was in a mess. He said that he spent a lot of time in his room at home where most of the time he was high on drugs.                                  On this particular day he was in his room, when for no particular reason he picked up his grandmother’s Bible, it fell open and he read the words, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10: 39 John encountered the Holy Spirit He said, “It was like someone breaking down the door of his bedroom, releasing him into freedom.” He went on to say that as a result of his meeting with Jesus he made a cross from part of their garden fence and he carried it from Liverpool to London, camping on the way. When people asked him why was he carrying a cross? He told them what Jesus had done for him.  He was set free from the drug addiction that had bound him.

I’ve no doubt that his grandmother’s prayers had been answered.

Encountering the Holy Spirit

The encounter between Jesus and John the Baptist at Jesus’ baptism fulfilled the prophecy of John which was that “The Christ would baptise them with the Holy Spirit and the unquenchable fire.”

 In order for Jesus to baptize us with the Holy Spirit in our humanity, he received first the Holy Spirit in his humanity, and so when he sent the Holy Spirit into the world it was so that we can become like him, we are a heavenly people, translated into his kingdom, in the present,

At Pentecost the disciples received the Holy Spirit they left the house and went out onto the streets where they encountered people from across the known world. Luke was told that they were able to converse in languages that were unknown to them.

This was sign from God as uneducated men were able to speak in diverse tongues.

Peter confirmed that what the crowd were witnessing was the coming of the Holy Spirit prophesied by Joel ‘In the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” Joel 2: 28 and we read those who received his word were baptised and received the Holy Spirit.  The undisputable sign that Jesus is the Christ.

Jesus had spoken about the Holy Spirit to his disciples, he would be their comforter, and counsellor.

The Holy Spirit would help them pray to God when they were stuck for words. He would give them remembrance of his words and reveal Jesus to them, some would prophesy and others have visions and dream dreams.

The church was born at Pentecost, it consisted of Jewish people and proselytes, Gentiles that had converted to Judaism.

There at Pentecost Peter having been given the keys of the kingdom, here in Acts 2 he opened the door of the Kingdom to the nation of Israel and proclaimed publicly for the first time that Jesus was the Christ. With another key he opened the door to the Gentiles when he visited Cornelius. Acts 10

The Holy Spirit has brought me into studying the various aspects of the cross.

The Common Prayer Book says we enter into the benefits of his passion. To elaborate on that:

Isaiah used one of the titles of the Christ, Jesus the ‘Branch’ coming from the root of Jesse’s stump. The wooden cross being part of the total redemption, the cross withstood the earthquake, how Jesus must have suffered as the tremor shook it, his disjointed body taking the strain.

 He redeemed us through his dying to sin and its causes

from the curses put on man and the woman after they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

 And the curse put on the man who was faced with the penalty of death and was hung upon the tree, he had to be taken down before night fall. Joseph and Nicodemus took Jesus down from the cross before night fall. Deut 21:22,2.

He took our suffering upon himself, for example:

John 19: 25-27. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple , “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

From the cross Jesus spoke to his mother, (we see the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Jesus).

Mary must have been devastated and Jesus comforted and counselled  her

Mary was deeply hurt and no doubt her sister and John, Mary Magdalene were there supporting Jesus and Mary.

 But Jesus wasn’t silent he asked John to become his mother’s son, for Mary to adopt John as her son.

Paul wrote that we have been adopted into the family of God, God is our Father. Romans 8: 23. Galatians 4: 5

Alexander Tee ‘The Amazing Cross’.’The Aroma of Adoption’ “  

Who can conceive the content and kindness of the Calvary’s cross? The Messiah actually suffered inconceivable torment not only to redeem us from Satan’s slave market, but to promote every one of those slaves to an equal share of all his royal inheritance. The wealth and estate of any king is usually tremendous but Jesus is no normal king. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and ours is an inheritance on the basis of a joint heir! What love, other than divine love, could ever dream of such a promotion for such sinning slaves? Surely this aroma of adoption oozing from Calvary’s unique tree is very fragrant.”

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he wrote that Gentiles had no covenants with God, but in Christ,  the cross has united Jew and Gentile as one new man, so making peace and both have access in one Spirit to the Father. The Holy Spirit actively involved with this encounter and it’s still going on today.

Therefore we are blessed with the Father’s devotion and love towards us. The Holy Spirit working with Father God and Jesus, who only wants the best for us. His gives us his gifts to bless other Christians and for us to embrace the lost.

Mary would I’m sure remembered Simenon’s words. “A sword shall pierce your heart,” it became her experience heartbreak and suffering

As we journey with Jesus we find ourselves suffering, whether it’s in bereavement or when we have been hurt by others, we bring our deep hurts to the cross and know that Jesus cares for us, as he cared for and bore his mother’s suffering. He will lighten our load help us work through them and  very often heal through repentance.

Taking up our Cross

When we take up our Cross and lose our earthly life, we enter into these victories and many more that Jesus has given to us, we gain an abundance of life.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending the person of the Holy Spirit into the world. When I encountered Him he revealed the truth about who Jesus is, the Christ.  Thank you for all the benefits of Jesus’ victory that are ours in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Reflection of the CROSS – No 2 Jesus ‘The Branch’

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Reflection of the CROSS  – No 2  Jesus ‘The Branch’

The Cross – Nothing can shake loose or break the victory that Jesus achieved in his death on the cross.

Only once have I experienced locally a minor earthquake, it was about 7.30am I woke up hearing a rumbling sound rolling towards the house coming down the lane, the house gently shook, we hardly felt it and it continued on past the house.

I visualise in my mind what the scene was like in Jerusalem on the afternoon of the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. At the sixth hour the light began to fade, the birds stopped singing and a chilling wind filled the air. People suddenly heard a rumbling sound in seconds it grew louder and louder and the earth began to shake violently. People held on to what they could, some ran into the street, cracks and chasms began to appear in the ground, buildings began to crumble.

Jesus’ body on the cross must have shaken, the cross didn’t give way and break under the strain of the weight it bore. It was held firm in place in the ground, immovable by the quake.

 “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” Matthew 27: 51 RSV Bible

The temple building was damaged it’s recorded that the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place was torn from top to bottom revealing the interior of the most sacred room in the temple where the high priest entered once a year with the sacrifices of blood on the day of atonement. Christians believe that the torn curtain from top to bottom signified God leaving the temple. The new temple being the body of the risen Jesus.

From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour and Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27: 45-50 RSV Bible

The cross during those most crucial hours when Jesus took upon himself, in his being the penalty of the sins of the whole world and universe. His words tell us that he was separated, forsaken by God his Father. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Jesus died soon after saying those words.

Through Jesus’ death sin died with him. God defeated Satan and his principalities and powers, taking from Satan his power over humanity that caused eternal death separation from God our creator.

 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” Hebrews 2: 14, 15.

Point of need – Our every point of need to work out our salvation is found in Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross.

On the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection Jesus appeared before his disciples and in the house where they were staying in Jerusalem. There Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on his disciples, (the wind, the breath of God’s Holy Spirit) they were later told to wait for the Holy Spirit’s coming in power. The Holy Spirit came into the house where they where and filled them, it took place at Pentecost. John 20: 22.  Luke 24: 49. Acts 2: 1-4.

Through faith in Jesus and acknowledging that we need to be right with God we say sorry to God and ask him to forgive us, we repent and God forgives our sin, and by the action and grace of the Holy Spirit  we are united with Jesus in his death, dying for our sin and in his resurrection by being raised up with him into heavenly places. As a result of sincere faith we receive Father, Son and Holy Spirit into our heart.

We can’t say that this sequence happens in this way every time. God isn’t restricted to one way, but turning in faith to Jesus, seeking repentance and forgiveness of sins are the ingredients to being filled with the Holy Spirit.

We can ask in faith to receive God’s Holy Spirit as a gift, we say in a prayer:

Prayer   Lord thank you for all that you have done for me on the cross reconciling me to God my Father and I ask to receive your precious gift of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The cross part of Jesus

Every part of the work of redemption is in Christ, even the wood that bore the force of the earthquake.

Jesus referred to as ‘the Branch’ of a tree and a root out of dry ground.

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of its roots.”  Isaiah 11: 1. No coincidence that Jesus is called the ‘Branch’ one of the titles associated with the Messiah. Isaiah identifies the suffering of the Messiah, For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground.” Isaiah 53: 2.

Isaiah’s clear reference to the Messiah in describing him being a descendent of King David through Jesse’s line.  The Spirit of the Lord resting upon Jesus, as a boy aged 12 he knew that God was his Father and he had the characteristics of his Father God in his amazing miracles and healing ministry that revealed God in their midst. Isaiah 11: 1-9. Luke 2. 41-52.

Nathaniel in conversation with Jesus immediately associated Jesus’ reference to the Messiah when Jesus said to him, ”Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathaniel replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” John 1: 48, 49.

Jesus saying that he saw him under the fig tree perhaps Zachariah’s vision came to Nathaniel’s mind.

Zachariah wrote what the angel had said, “Behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, upon the stone which I set before Joshua, upon a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave its inscription, says the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day. In that day, says the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbour under his vine and under his fig tree.” Zachariah 3: 10.

Jesus the Branch “I will remove the guilt of this land.”  

Jesus’ death on the cross removing the guilt of past sins and the curse God put on a man punished under law, hanging from a tree, to be removed before the end of the day otherwise the land would be defiled.

Jesus became sin, the curse that God put upon the man who hung from the branch of the tree.

“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God; you shall not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21: 22, 23.

Point of need –  On the cross Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the righteousness of God, setting us free from God’s condemnation, from being accursed by God.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree.” Galatians 3: 13, 23.

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body down before the end of the day.  John 19: 31. Matthew 27: 57-62

Jesus, ‘having become a curse for us’ smitten by God and afflicted, he became all that separated us from God the Father: God in his wrath put upon the ground of thorns and thistles after Adam’s disobedience of God’s word to him that he was not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The curse put on woman: having pain in child-bearing and the rule of man over her. Jesus has redeemed mankind from the curses and every sin and wrong thoughts, attitudes and actions. Genesis 3. Isaiah 53: 4

Prayer  Thank you, Lord for redeeming me from the curse put upon man/woman/child and for all curses coming down my generational line over the third and fourth generations of my ancestry. My goodness, righteousness is in Jesus Christ through repentance and faith in Jesus, I’ve been born anew of the Spirit of God my Father. In the name of Jesus. Amen

Point of need –  to be aware of putting curses upon ourselves.

James 3: 10 “From the same mouth come blessings and cursing.”

He writes that with our tongue we can bless the Lord and curse people in the same sentence.  To bless someone is to want God’s favour to rest on them. To curse is to come against someone with remarks to cause hardship and ill will.

The late Derek Prince on his DVD ‘Generational Curses’ says, “Wrong attitude can lead to self-imposed curses, we should not say, ‘I’m tired of living’ or ‘I’m a failure’. If someone says that to us, revoke the negative with a positive, he gave the example of Jesus in conversation with Peter his disciple before and after his resurrection. In the courtyard of the high priest Peter denied Jesus three times and Jesus revoked it three times when he asked him, “Do you love me?” three times.” John 18: 15-27. 21:15-17. Matthew 26: 74

We can make mistakes and our Lord God has given us protection for those mistakes in our redemption through Jesus dying on the cross for all curses and their causes.

Point of need – protection from hindrances.

Sitting under the branches of the tree, gives protection from direct sunlight and a place to invite a friend, a neighbour to sit in fellowship.

The Branch Jesus, the cross shelters and protects us from the fiery darts that would otherwise hinder and preoccupy our time.

  • Time spent in prayer for the needs of others, instead of ourselves.
  • Time spent listening to God, instead of wrestling with enemy.
  • Time spent with others engaging in bringing people to know Jesus as their personal Saviour.

The devil will try to hinder and frustrate the ministry of the church. Being aware of his tactics we can through prayer and Godly wisdom working together discern his activity.

God discerned that Jesus’ strength in his body was failing when Simon of Cyrene was commandeered to carry his cross on the journey through the streets of Jerusalem. Matthew 27: 32

There are times when in our ministry we need to discern when to be supported by others, or to maybe hand the baton to someone else. Recently I’ve handed the baton of leading the Ladies Fellowship to another lady, who graciously has taken up the ministry, this has enriched and blessed her and  the Fellowship.

If we find our strength failing and the task feels  too great, may we humble ourselves before you and pray for your help and grace at the point of our need.

Prayer Thank you Lord, for when we recognise  we are weakened by the limits of our humanity. You are our example and It’s good to know that when the cross we carry is hard to bear, we share with fellow Christians the tasks that you have called us to.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.