J O H N  10  v22-30.

 

John begins this passage telling about the Festival of Dedication.  This Festival is the last of the great festivals, often called by its Jewish name of Hanukkah  or the Festival of Lights. It is held on the 25^th day of the Jewish calendar month named Chislew, which is in our calendar December.  This is still held by Jews.

 The Festival was made in one of the great times of ordeal or heroism in Jewish history.  There was a king of Syria, who decided to destroy the Jewish religion, and replace it with Greek religion and Greek gods into Palestine.  Some of the Jews were ready to accept this, but the majority stood firm on Jewish faith.

 In 1750 BC, Jerusalem was attacked, and 80,000 were killed and a similar amount were taken into slavery. It became a capital offence to keep a copy of Jewish law, or to circumcise a child, and if any circumcise was found to have been made, both the one who performed the operation and the child, were killed. Temple Courts were vandalized, and Temple Chambers were turned into brothels, and finally the great altar turned into an altar to the Greek god Zeus. The Temple Courts were eventually destroyed, and the Temple Chamers purified.

 There were large illuminations in the Temple and in Jewish homes. The lights had meanings. First, the light of freedom to Israel, and secondly brought back an old legend.  It was held that when the Temple was purified, there was only a small amount of oil to give light, and this was in a small jar sealed by the ring of the High Priest, which enabled work to carry on for eight days in the Temple, so it was believed that God made the oil to last so long.

 Jesus is revealing Himself as the Good Shepherd, and also the Christ; One with the Father.  One day when He was at the Festival, and was seen to be walking in the Solomons Portico.  The Jews saw Him and wanted to know if He was the Christ, and if so to answer in clear words. Jesus answered  by referring to the times He had already done so, and reminding them of His miracles.  He pointed to their unbelief, and said they would know if they were His sheep. If they accepted Him as their Shepherd, they would know all He had said and they would have gained eternal life.  Everyone who knew Jesus and His Father were One who gave care to those who followed Him, and were safe in every way.

 The Jews regarded His words were blasphemous, by stating He was one with God, and in their fury went to a pile of stones, to collect some to throw at Him. He told them they should make a study of His words and accept them by faith. They abandoned the intention to throw the stones, and had Him arrested.

 The great majority of Jews did not accept what Jesus stated.  In Palestine people had followed Jesus and they were His flock. They belonged to the Good Shepherd and heard His voice. The Jews were not of His flock.  John is here saying were not destined to follow Jesus. 

 In the New Testament, the fact was everything happens within the purposes of God, yet everything happens in a way that man’s free-will is considered. The Jews made themselves such, that they were predestined not to accept Jesus, but as John sees it, that does not mean they are to be condemned.

 Though they did not accept Jesus, there were those who did.  He promised eternal life, a foretaste of the life which is the very life of God. He promised that    if they accepted Him as Master and Lord, and became part of His flock, all the weakness of earthly life would end, and they would know the splendor and magnificence of the life of God.  He promised life without end, and would not perish.  He promised a secure life which would not suffer, have no sorrow or death, but would mean, that in the worst moment and darkest hour there would be everlasting arms underneath and about them.  They would know a security which earth could not offer.

 This passage shows the tremendous trust and claim of the Lord Jesus. The trust was something which traced everything back to God.  He has been speaking about His flock and the sheep, that no one could snatch from His hands.  He is the shepherd that will keep His flock forever.  Jesus is not saying it is all in His own power, He was sure because of the love of God; He had the confidence of God; He was so certain of ultimate safety and victory because He gave all power to God.

 The claim I  and the Father are One, was acclaim that confused people.  This is written in the 17^th Chapter of John’s Gospel.  John tells of the prayer of Jesus for His prayer for His own people before going to the Cross.  He prayed. ‘Holy Father, through thine own Name, Thou has given me that they be as one as We are one’.  It was clear that Jesus knew of the unity of Christian with Christian, as His unity with God; He says so in so many words. In the same passage, He went on, ‘Neither I pray for them alone, for them also, who will believe in me through their word; that  they may all be one as Thou Father art, One and I in Thee, that they may also be one in us; that the world believe Thou hast sent me’.  Jesus is saying in simple terms which no one can mistake, that the Christian life is that Christians should be as one.as He and the Father are one.

 Jesus stated to us, ‘a new Commandment I give you, that you shall love one another; as I have loved you’.  Jesus’ one with God, because of His love for God.

We can go further; He said ‘if ye keep my Commandment, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept Father’s Commandments and I abide in Him.

 There is the essence of the matter.  The bond of unity is love; the proof is obedience. Christians should obey the words of Christ. When Jesus said He and the Father are one, He was not moving in the world of philosophy, He was moving in the world of personal relationships.

 The unity of Jesus with God, came from twin facts of love and perfect obedience. He was in love with God, because he loved perfectly and obeyed perfectly.  He came into this world to make us be like Him.

 We Praise the Holy Name of God and pray He be Glorified. 

We can go further; He said ‘if ye keep my Commandment, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept Father’s Commandments and I abide in Him.

 There is the essence of the matter.  The bond of unity is love; the proof is obedience. Christians should obey the words of Christ. When Jesus said He and the Father are one, He was not moving in the world of philosophy, He was moving in the world of personal relationships.

 The unity of Jesus with God, came from twin facts of love and perfect obedience. He was in love with God, because he loved perfectly and obeyed perfectly.  He came into this world to make us be like Him.

 We Praise the Holy Name of God and pray He be Glorified. 

 

 

A C T S   O F   T H E  /  A PO S T L ES .    

 

The Epistle for Sunday next, is from Chapter 9 in verses 36-43.

 

The scene of this passage is a town Named Joppa, situated on the coast of Israel just South of Tel Aviv. Most of the Epistles we use features the Apostle Paul, but in this story it is the Apostle Peter.

There was a disciple named Tabitha, a Hebrew name, known by a Greek name Dorcas, and she became ill and died. She was washed and laid in a room.  The fellow disciples learned that Peter was near, so sent for him. They met Peter and begged him to come with them quickly, which he did, and they led him to the room where the body lay. There were women who stood beside him weeping and showing him the clothes Tabitha had worn.  He made them go outside.

Peter prayed for her, and turning to the body said, ‘Tabitha arise’.  She opened her eyes, when she saw Peter she got up.  Peter did not say I heal you, he properly said, Jesus Christ healed you. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her to them.  He stayed in the town, where people heard of the action, causing many o turn and believe in the Lord.

Peter saw himself as only a channel of power, and would never claim himself to be a source of power.  This teaches us that sometimes we think we do so much by ourselves, and fail to recognize that what we achieve is through the power of the Lord.

The passage calls people as saints, so called from Paul referring to Church members. The word saints comes from a Greek word which means holy.  It describes that which is different from the ordinary. Here, the Christian is meant to be different from people of the world.   Hence, this was to describe the people of Israel who were specifically holy people, different from people of other nations, God choosing them to be His people and to do His work.

Israel failed in her destiny, being disobedient and rebellious, and by her actions lost privileges, the Church becoming the new Israel. The fact they are chosen is for special purposes of God. The Church must be different from others, being chosen for greater honor, prestige, and glory on earth.

We are saved to serve, and glorify God

 

 A C T S     O F    T H E      A  P O T L E S   Chapter 9  v 1-18

 

In this Chapter, we have the story of the most famous conversion in history, being that of Paul; and his first meeting with the Lord

Paul a Greek speaking Jew, who was born in Tarsus in the land we know as Syria.  He was first named Saul, and was a well educated man, but took the name of Paul.  He was a Pharisee, a member of a religious Party which believed in life after death, and held with conviction.

 As a Pharisee, spent his role as a persecutor of Christians, having them arrested and sometimes killed.  He believed he was serving God. In the pursuit of this he obtained  permission from the High Priest to travel to Damascus, and enter any Synagogue.  Prior to starting the journey, he was present at the stoning to death of Stephen, a disciple of Jesus.  This seemed to upset Him as he started the journey.

Soon after beginning on the Damascus Road, a light blinded him and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, why do you persecute me?  Paul answered, who are you Lord?  The reply was, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what to do. 

The men with him were speechless; they heard the sound but did not see any body. Paul got up but could not see, so they led him by the hand into Damascusand for three days he did not eat or drink anything.

In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias, who was called by Jesus, and told to go to a house in Straight Street, where Paul was waiting in a blind state, and lay hands on him to restore his sight.  Ananias was shocked for people knew Paul as a persecutor who was going to arrest all Christians  in the city. Jesus told Ananias that God had chosen Paul, to be serving with Jesus to tell the Gentiles about Jesus and make them Christian, and will show Paul how he will suffer for serving Jesus.

Ananias did as he was asked, laying hands on Paul to restore sight, and then baptizing him to fill him with the Holy Spirit.

Paul began his new life serving Jesus with devotion, enduring much hardship by beatings, chased out of cities, imprisoned for preaching, and other unpleasant happenings.  He was the greatest missionary, making numerous missions, wrote thirteen Letters for the New Testament, created Churches in cities of the ancient world.  His Letters were masterpieces of Christian teaching, leading and guiding both Christian and Jews to follow Jesus, and are as relevant to the Church to-day as they have been down the ages.

A great Apostle serving Jesus to his last day. Millions of people have become Christian by reading or hearing his words. It has often been said, when Paul spoke it was like God speaking.

May God be Praised and Glorified

 

 

JOHN 21 v.1/19

 

The scene in our Gospel story is the Sea of Galilee just after the crucifixion.  Seven of the disciples were there feeling probably a little guilty; only John had remained at the Cross,+- leaving the others to feel a sense of betrayal.  The main character in this story however is Peter, the man who denied the Lord and is now devastated with himself, a feeling which many Christians may have passed through.  Now things are going to change as he meets the risen Christ.

There is nothing to induce a feeling of hopelessness so much as a time of tragic failure.  Peter had wept bitterly after denying Jesus; he had been so close to the Lord for three years, and failed Him at the last days.  We may all have experienced a similar feeling when we have succumbed to temptation in a time of weakness.

When the chapter begins, they are all wondering what is going to happen to them, all their plans and hopes for the future have been blown apart, and they have to make their own way of living; no palaces for them, not rich, not able to cash in on their experiences.

In the passage, we see the poverty of the men getting into a small boat to fish through the night so as to get food.  Much of the fishing in the Sea of Galilee was done at night in those days as it is yet today. Fishermen used torches to attract the fish to the boat and then netted them. But although they were expert fishermen, the disciples had labored throughout the night and had caught nothing. That must have been a rather unusual experience for them. Yet. as this account makes clear, it was the Lord's intention that they catch nothing on this occasion

These were the men from whom Church bishops are (falsely)stated to be in a line of succession.  They were the creators, who took the gospel to other countries by just telling the story of Jesus, as he commanded, without raising doubts or making amendments.  How simple it must have been in the early Church, where there were no academics to discuss self-made irregularities to cause confusion. 

Those men spoke with conviction and dedication to Christ, and led eventually, to become the mighty Church of Christ.  This teaches us. that when men commit themselves to pure bible doctrine, even when there is full opposition, God will bless their labors, and ministry.  The shining example, of this was the (late)Billy Graham, the greatest preacher in Christian history, who could cause many thousands  to gather at every meeting, just by devoted bible doctrines. Billy always stated, it was God who drew the crowds not him.  Every honest preacher whose words are widely accepted, will also give any praise to whom it belongs, God.

God loves all people, and wants them to be saved, but the only way this can be done, is by truly telling the people what God has called for. The biblical illiteracy is momentous, as we have children growing up without any teaching of Christianity, the schools are encouraged to teach explicit sexual activity of every kind to very young children, but Christianity is deemed to

be hate speech in many Colleges and schools. If religion is taught, other faiths and atheism must be taught. The consequence is that generations are failing to carry forward the Christian message.

In Western countries, there is too much mockery of Christianity, and we need the people we taught, to come and teach Christianity here.  The majority are non-believers, and the word ‘Christ’ is nothing more than a swear word.

Christianity is based on the Cross, the very heart of our faith where Jesus died for the sole purpose of having God forgive us of our sins. God hates sin, and will not have uncleansed sinners in heaven. The cruel and painful death of Jesus, enabled God to make us righteous in His sight, the price having been paid by Jesus for our forgiveness. But God demands, that people must accept that Jesus did this, and we must accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord. If we do not do so, God will not accept us.

In the hundreds of funeral services I have taken, this has either not been known or not believed. People will not believe Jesus died and was risen again, because they can’t understand how that could happen.  The same people, cannot understand how a mobile phone can connect you to someone far away, or how you can watch events from around the world on a box in your living room, but they readily use both. 

The reason they do not understand the Resurrection, is because Ministers in the Church are reluctant to preach the message.  There is fear of someone complaining, but if a preacher never gets complained, he is likely not preaching the gospel fully.  Of course, some preachers don’t really believe the Resurrection story themselves.

 This is the third and final Resurrection appearance of Jesus.  The Apostles had left Jerusalem, and returned to Galilee, there were seven of them. Peter decided to go fishing and the others joined him, but through the night they did not catch any fish. Jesus was standing on the shore and called out to them to ask how many they had caught, and then told them to cast out their net on the other side of the boat.  They did not realise it was Jesus calling, but did as he said, and their net was filled with fish.

The Apostle John then realised it who it was calling and said, ‘it is the Lord’.

Peter took off his coat, and threw himself into the water to swim ashore as the others followed in the boat. When they went ashore, there was a charcoal fire with bread, and Jesus took some fish with the bread and cooked breakfast.

The Apostle John had written his gospel in the first twenty chapters, and it is thought he added this chapter to show once and for all, the reality of the Resurrection.  There have always been people who could not accept the reality, and claimed it was just visions.

All the gospel writers have emphasised this story, as the basic fact of Christianity; the tomb was empty, they had seen the scarred body of Jesus, and he was cooking them fish.  John stated there were  153 fish caught, but it has been interpreted as an indication of a large amount of different types of fish.

This story, shows the different personalities between John who understands, and Peter who acts. When they got to the tomb on Easter day, it was John first to go into the tomb, although Peter had got there first.  This is an example that the Church is for all kinds of people.  In years past, in the Church here in England, there was reluctance to welcome black skinned people, who in turn went and opened their own Churches. 

This was a lost opportunity, for it is those people who are truly committed to Christ, and could have been a blessing, but now it is those black Churches which are filling up with people. Indeed, I have been welcomed most warmly by the odd black family in Churches I have visited, and by people in Africa and Asia to whom I preach.

A black skinned lady, who I have known as a good friend, has a formidable knowledge of the Bible.  I once asked her why is it that black skinned people, mainly women, always have had a Bible, which is not carried as an accessory, but on the contrary is well understood, yet white people are embarrassed;and the answer was touching; God is always a friend to black people.  

 I find it hypocritical of many people, who deny the Resurrection of Jesus. The same people week after week go to services and recite the Creed, which states, ‘I believe…and in Jesus Christ his (God) only Son our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead and buried, on the third day he rose again from the dead. 

There you have the two confessed doctrines which people reject, but have no reluctance in professing, the Virgin Birth, and Resurrection. The real physical tangible body, despite liberal disbelief.  Jesus criticised hypocrites.

 Jesus then had a personal meeting with Peter, something we should all seek, for it is good to talk privately with the Lord. Three times Jesus asked Peter if the loved Jesus, and three times He said feed my sheep. By that Jesus meant teach people the Word of God, and what Jesus could mean to them. How we need to heed Jesus command, for the Word of God is not being taught in too many Churches, and is being vastly moderated, diluted and indeed twisted in others.

I once knew a Vicar who was so devoted to teaching about Jesus. He saw one of his congregation in a supermarket and went up to her, then introduced her to another unknown woman and said ‘this is Mary, she wants to tell you what Jesus means to her’, then left poor Mary together with the unknown woman.  Another time he was walking along a London street with a Vicar friend, and said the next person he met he would tell them about Jesus. They walked a few yards, and there was a window cleaner up a ladder. The Vicar shouted, ‘come down I want to tell you about Jesus.’ The window cleaner told him to go away, or words to that effect, so when the window cleaner stepped from his ladder on to a window ledge, the Vicar took away the ladder and said, ‘now will you come down’?

Jesus would not want us to be so committed perhaps as that dear Vicar, just want us to tell a friend we go to worship Him at Church would be a start. Better still, invite your friend to Church.

We have come to the last Chapter of the Gospel which many people feel is the most precious, because John was so close to Jesus, and who on the Lord’s death, took care of the mother of Jesus. 

We know from this Gospel, that the future history of Christians, both in life and death, is foreknown by Christ. The truth before us is comfort to a true believer, whilst to non-believers to know their future would be sorrowful. The whole future is known and arranged by Jesus, there is no such thing as luck, chance or accident, in the journey of life.
This may help those who lose someone dear, and find life in the present too awful to bear, can look forward with hope to once again be joined with that precious one. We walk a long road to heaven, but what joy when we will reach there. All has been arranged by our Lord. Let us pray while we live in health, that we may glorify God to the end.

We learn from these verses that whatever we may think of the condition of other people, we should think first of ourself. When Peter asked anxiously about the future of the Apostle John, he received an answer from the Lord, which was virtually a rebuke, in that Peter should just concern with himself. The Lord’s warning to Peter is needed in the present day, when Christians, by human nature fall into a wrong way.

We finally learn from this Chapter, the number and greatness of Christ’s works during His earthly ministry. John concludes his Gospel by stating there were so many other things which Jesus said and did, it would take many books to fill,, but the human mind would be unlikely to record them.

So we close this tender Gospel with feelings of thankfulness, and we can reflect how clear and plain, is the teaching it gives about the way of salvation. Those who read this Gospel, and believe Jesus is the Christ foretold in the Scriptures, and go on believing, has life through His Name. Be sure you are a true believer.

The fact Jesus was raised, was foretold through the Old Testament, and witnessed by people in the New Testament.  Just as the grave could not contain Jesus, and was raised by God, so one day all the followers of our Lord will also be raised.

In the words of Scripture. CHRIST IS RISEN. He is risen indeed

And God is Glorified

 J O H N   20  v19

The Gospel passage for this Sunday comes from John’s gospel in Chapter 20, and is the story of Jesus appearance to His Apostles in the Upper Room on the evening of the first Easter Sunday. 

The Apostles were in the Upper Room, terrified in fear for their lives.  This was because rumours had been spread around Jerusalem that they must have stolen the body of Jesus, and they feared the authorities might take action against them.  The doors were firmly shut, yet Jesus appeared in the room to their amazement, but also joy.   This suggests that His body was a supernatural body, and so if we are to be like Him in heaven, our future bodies will also be supernatural.   Jesus was giving a demonstration in confirmation He was alive.   This was no animation of a corpse; it was Jesus in a new form of being which could pass through doors.

You can imagine the reaction of the Apostles who must have thought they were hallucinating, for most people do at some time have visions, especially if you are longing for someone whom you never expected to see.  The Apostles were delighted to see the Lord however.

Jesus greeted them with the traditional Jewish greeting Shalom, words which mean not only ‘peace be with you’, but every kind of blessing.  He then showed them His hands and side, to prove that it was the same Jesus they had known when they were with Him, but by showing His wounds it verified that this was the Jesus who had been on the Cross and was now an alive person,

The Apostle Thomas was not present, but would not believe when he was told they had seen the Lord, and refused util he could examine the body of the Lord.  When Jesus returned the next week, he was challenged to touch on the body of Jesus, but he declined and answered  my Lord and my God.  Jesus was not impressed, and praised those whobelieved by faith not by seeing proof.

We have to sympathize with Thomas who just a natural fellow responding as most people would not accept a dead man was alive.

Then Jesus gave them command saying, just as God had sent Him He was now sending them out to preach the gospel in His name.  This is essentially and fundamentally what the Church should and must be doing, preaching the gospel that He left us and abandoning all the modern fancy ideas aimed at pleasing society.  We don’t go out saying the Bible says…,but, I’ve got a better idea, we go in His name saying what  He said. 

Jesus then when parting He again said ‘peace be with you’ as a form of good-bye, and then breathed on them.  At His baptism, the Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus, and He now tells the Apostles as God had given Him the Holy Spirit, He (Jesus) was giving them the power of the Holy Spirit to go out and tell the world about His offer of eternal  salvation for all who accepted and believed in Him.  If anyone did not, they were condemned eternally.

Jesus has passed on this mission to the Church all down the ages, to go out and speak for His message, so that when people hear that message from us, they are indirectly hearing the words of our Lord.

Jesus also said He was giving them the Holy Spirit in which they could forgive people’s sins, or if necessary to refuse to do so.  It is from this passage that the Churches of Catholic persuasion, Roman or Anglican, claim authority to pronounce absolution.  This is contrary to Scripture, which teaches that only God can give forgiveness, and there is nothing in the Bible that I can find which supports priestly absolution.

Every Christian can seek forgiveness from God directly, but if we are considering wanting to make a confession of sins, and seeking assurance, then for good order and discipline, one could reasonably state a priest is the person to approach rather than just any member of the Church.  I have known instances, where people have met for study groups and during the meeting been invited and encouraged to speak out on personal troubles, which is quite seriously unwise as there is no moral demands on friends to keep confidentiality.  There is no doubt that by talking out a worrying matter, it can ease one’s mind, but a priest (or ordained minister) is the one who should be approached, bound as he is not to reveal any confidence. 

What Jesus is meaning, is that when the Apostles were convinced a person had truly repented o their sins and accepted Jesus as Saviour, they could be assured God had forgiven them; but if as on a later occasion when Peter was not assured of a person’s sincerity, they could not be given assurance of forgiveness.

The Church has to a large degree lost its purpose for being; we are here to preach the gospel, but there is a greater desire in many places to be more busy in social activities as well as political.  Bishops were very active in advising how to vote in the Brexit referendum, and some are now participating with advice how to vote in elections.  If they were as active in advising how to fill the Churches, which are emptying at an alarming rate, they would be fulfilling their proper day job.

God wants us to be out into the world doing what Jesus did. At His baptism, God sent the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove on to Jesus so that He could go in the name of God and make disciples.  Now Jesus is sending us out in the power of the Holy Spirit to be His hands and feet and voice.

This chapter will not be fully explained in some Churches today, as there will be a problem, namely that there are clergy who do not believe in the physical resurrection. A man who had challenged the resurrection was some years ago, being consecrated into his Office as a Bishop in York Minster. Later the same night a bolt of lightning struck and blew out the rose window of the Cathedral.  When this was suggested to be God venting His anger, that was mocked and ridiculed by the liberal establishment, yet there was no such experience in any other part of the city. People will say about a passage you can’t expect me to believe that, it is now 2025.  Yet they will believe many things even harder to understand.

A team of meteorologists, studied weather maps of the whole county area at the time of the incident, and those experts unanimously declared the only answer can be, it was an act of God.

If I press 13 buttons on my mobile phone I will within seconds speak to my son in China, the words flying across thousands of miles across millions of other messages being transmitted.  Explain that.  You drink white milk taken from a black cow, which eats green grass without working it out. Why do people limit the power of God?  But they do.

 

You hold meetings in your Churches, a function of the PCC is to promote mission in the parish.  Without a fixed spiritual leader this is a difficult task, but we hope it will soon be resolved and the function can be exercised.  One essential for every Church I have always believed, is to emulate business.  Firms spend millions on advertising their product; we are in the Lord’s business, and have what no other business can offer, yet we fail to circulate any message. 

I published my Church magazine for 17 years, and so have had an interest in Church magazines. I find articles about past events, articles of much interest to members, but little or nothing for the outsider; never a gospel message   We hold Church fetes to which locals attend, and what a great effort is made to make cakes and collect items all for sale, and work hard in the process.  Yet how much effort is made to get people inside the main building; in most events little, if any, effort is made in advertising our Sunday Services.   Compare with the publicity political parties use, and little of it is true. We are to be equally vibrant with our unique message, which makes an offer no other party or institution can.

We have just come out of Easter, and most Churches had large attendances, responding to glorious hymns and preaching about Jesus, This proves people do still have a need and desire to worship if they are offered such similar services,  Obviously we can’t offer Carols, but Our hymn books are filled with delightful spiritual hymns and music of Charles Wesley.

When you receive Communion this Sunday, you are part of a tradition which has been passed down from that Upper Room.  Many people have tried, and are now trying harder than  ever to take Christianity out of public life, but while empires have come and gone, the Christian Church has survived, and millions and millions of people have found their lives enriched by their faith, and the words of Jesus are still relevant, ‘the gates of hell will not prevail against it’.    There may be resistance in this and other Western nations, but in Africa, China and beyond there is massive turning to the Lord Jesus; devoted Christians face opposition in countries where Christianity is not the main faith, and yet are leading others to hear of Jesus.

The Church in England has adopted the false doctrine of accepting same sex marriage, and cannot therefore expect God’s blessing, but there are still many Churches who have rejected that doctrine. 

When Jesus was first seen after His resurrection by Mary Magdelene, He told her to go and tell His Apostles.  Such a challenge is laid on all Churches and Christians, go and tell you have found Jesus.

If you are looking for a Church to attend, choose where the Bible is at the heart of the service; where you can find salvation which leads to a future life with Jesus in heaven.

I hope you all enjoyed your Easter days, and pray that you will continue to worship and serve the Lord Jesus.

 

May God be glorified and His Holy Name be ever Praised

Acts of the Apostles 5 v 27=32

The Epistle for the coming Sunday is the passage from Acts.

 The Apostles had been preaching and performing wonders, to the annoyance of the Pharisees. They were consequently arrested, and the High Priest called a whole Council to which the Apostles faced.

The High Priest opened the proceedings by reminding the apostles of the prohibition of their preaching, which had been addressed to Peter and John, but it was obviously directed to the whole Church..  Further, they were accused of lying the guilt, for the death of this man, the High Priest refusing to name the man, Jesus. 

By accusing the Jewish leaders of murdering the Messiah, whom God had raised from the dead, the Christians were in effect calling for divine retribution upon them.  The Jewish leaders regarded the death of Jesus, as a result of the legal trial of a malefactor; the Christians were making it out to be murder; and then claiming that the Jewish leaders were guilty men.

Peter’s reaction to the accusation, was a plainer and more direct reaffirmation of what he said previously, that they could not obey such an order.  The orders of God take precedence over human commands.  It is the price of being a Christian, that we must obey God rather than man, and bear the cost of doing so.

Peter reaffirmed the statement meaning the Jewish leaders were guilty.  He again mentioned that God raised Jesus from the dead. He was in fact alleging that it was the ancestral God of the Jews who had done this. For the Jewish leaders to have killed Jesus, was an act against the God they claimed to worship,

This crucified man, was however the One God had called to sit at God’s right hand.

Peter said they were obeying God not men.  God had risen Jesus from death and exalted Him as Leader and Savior; they were witnesses and had been led by the Holy Spirit, which was given to them by God.

We pray that God be glorified 

 

Jesus Is Mocked

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman [m]cohort around Him. 28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a [n]reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. 31 After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

32 As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, [o]whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.

 

The Crucifixion

33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.

3

5 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting [p]lots. 36 And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. 37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him [q]which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

 

38 At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those passing by were [r]hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

 

 41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, 42 “He saved others; [s]He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He [t]delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.

45 Jesus Is Buried

 

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man took the body and wrapped in clean linen cloth

 

Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very                                                      

frightened and said, Truly this was the Son of God!”

 

 A prophecy from Isaiah 53 long before the death of the Lord Jesus

He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

 

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

 

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

 

ll of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

 

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,

And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth.

 

By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, who considered

That He was cut off out of the land of the living

For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

 

All Scriptural verses are taken from New American Standard Bible

 Easter Sunday

This Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, as countless millions have done so over the centuries, but we face a battle to proclaim our message as secular extremists try to create a spiritual vacuum. Our message is, that Jesus Christ is the One who died on a Cross for the forgiveness of our sins, and rose again on the third day. That is unique miracle, which no other religion could perform

The story begins with Mary Magdelene, the one who loved Jesus dearly because of the help He had given her, being last at the Cross and first at the tomb, crying bitterly. She ran for Peter, who with John ran to the tomb, and John being the younger got their first, but he let Peter enter the tomb being the stronger character. They realised Jesus must have risen as He had foretold, for there were no clothes present.

We notice here two believers, one gentle and reserved as John, whilst Peter was always more impulsive and decisive, each revealing their devotion in different ways. There is room for all characters in the Church.

The men left the scene, but Mary stayed, she loved Jesus when He was alive and then was too grieved to leave. Mary was the last person to stay with Jesus at the Cross, and first to go to His tomb. This was a testimony to her loyalty for none of the men stayed. She remained sobbing, but she was rewarded when she became the first person to meet the risen Lord. We see that those who are loyal to Christ are honoured by Him, and those who are most true will have most communion with Him

As she wept, she saw two angels in white, and they asked why she was weeping. She said it was because they had taken away the Lord, and she did not know where they had laid him. She then turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus asked her, why she was weeping, and who was she looking for. Supposing him to be the gardener, she told him she was looking for the Lord and wanted to find his body so she could take it away. It was rather optimistic and unrealistic, for to expect herself, a frail woman, to carry a dead man’s body any distance. Jesus the identified Himself, and told her to go and tell His disciples, so making her to become the first Christian witness.

According to the other gospel accounts, other women besides Mary went to the tomb early that morning. It is sometimes claimed that the Bible accounts cannot be true because of variations in the gospels; that in fact only offers credibility. If everyone here this morning was given a piece of paper, and told to go home and write an account of what happened from the beginning of the service until the time you left, I guarantee when you later compared all the writings, no two would be the same, yet no one could doubt you were here. Any lawyer will confirm that when two witnesses offer an identical statement, there is an immediate suspicion they have colluded.

This is what Easter is all about, the real spiritual message that Jesus rose from the dead, not the money making enterprise it has become. Easter is celebrated to remind us, that when our days on this earth are over, we have the assurance we shall live with our Lord; if we have accepted Him as Savior. The resurrection is the foundation of Christianity.

Whilst there is much about our faith that is respected by people who are not practising Christians, such as being forgiven of sin, hearing that God is love (very popular), but they think that is a free for all without any commitment. They will come to Church for a baptism, and make all sorts of promises simply because it is a necessary requirement, but they don’t take things seriously or literally. Things are not made any easier by the irresponsible liberals within the Church, who themselves question much of the faith.

If someone had said a hundred years ago, that we could sit in our homes and by watching a box in the corner of the room show events then happening on the other side of the world; or that by taking a small handset pressing a few buttons you could speak to someone in any part of the world, they would have been deemed to be insane. Yet it happens every day by man’s efforts, and people accept although they do not understand, and yet still question what the Almighty God who created and controls this world can achieve.

If Easter had not happened; if Jesus had not been raised from the dead, then we have no faith. Christianity rises and falls on the resurrection of Jesus. This has been proclaimed down the ages, and if not true, the Bible writers would have lied and millions of people would have made great sacrifices in the cause of the faith in vain. Why would educated men like Paul, and down to earth fishermen, lie when they had nothing to gain by doing so? Paul had a brilliant mind, one of the finest minds of his day, and was a determined opponent of Christianity, yet God convinced him and in consequence Paul suffered very much for the sake of the gospel.

Through centuries that have followed, brilliant men and women have experienced the same fellowship and power in their lives, in addition to peace of mind. They were not simple minded people, but some of the greatest scholars of their day who have forsaken the chance of earning great wealth in other professions, in order to serve God and His Church.

If Jesus had not been raised there would be nor forgiveness, we would have no future, but the evidence is overwhelming in favour. First century witnesses and documents tell. We have testimony from men present at that time that the resurrection of Jesus was real, objective and physical, This is what the Church has always believed in over two thousand years of Christian witness that has sustained the hearts of millions.

The Apostles Creed does not say I believe in the forgiveness of sins and the spiritual resurrection of Jesus, it says I believed in the resurrection of the body.   The deniers who deny the resurrection, will recite the Creed week after week, and which requires people to say they believe in the Virgin Birth, the death and burial  and resurrection of Jesus.

After the resurrection we find the Apostles preaching openly and fearlessly, and suffering violently for doing so. Men do not invent stories to be put in prison, and get beaten up, or hung on a cross like Peter.

When the stone was rolled away, it let not only Jesus out, but let Him into our hearts. The resurrection happened 2,000 years ago, but the risen Lord Jesus has continued to meet with those who seek him ever since

Let us always remember that Jesus never changes, He is the same yesterday to today for ever, and will take care of all who believe and put their trust in Him.  If you have not believed nor accepted Jesus as Savior, this Sunday is a perfect time to do so.

 

We Glorify God and acknowledge His gift of sending Jesus to Easter Sunday

 L U K E  22  V1-23

his chapter opens to begin Luke’s account of our Lord’s suffering and death. The events take place at the last supper Jesus had with His Apostles.  In a few hours He would be betrayed, and taken away to be beaten and put on trial, and then taken to the Cross,

 None of this would come as a surprise to Him, it was all part of the divine plan which had been foretold.  The chief priests and scribes wanted desperately to have Jesus killed.  The very ones who should have welcomed Him as the Messiah, were the men who conspired to end His life.  They were supposed to be godly men, some of them in direct line of succession to Aaron. 

  The second step towards our Lord’s crucifixion was the treachery of Judas, one of His own twelve Apostles.  He had been with the Lord during His ministry, heard Him teach, and seen Him perform miracles, and yet he turned out to be a hypocrite betraying his Master. 

 The Jewish authorities were anxious to arrest Jesus, but as there was only a small detachment of troops stationed in Jerusalem, they were afraid that if they tried to arrest Jesus there would be a riot.  Their problem therefore was solved by Judas. 

  Just as God is looking for people to be His servants, so also is the devil.  A person can be an instrument for good or evil, but it needs us to open up a way for the devil.  There is no handle on the outside of the door of the human heart, it must be opened from the inside.  We all have to ask God as the psalmist did, to search us try us and know our hearts. 

The lengths people will go to in religion and yet be without grace and sincerity, is far greater than many others will recognise. 

  We see the love and lure of money;  Judas did it all for cash.  For love of money, Judas was willing to betray His Lord. 

 This passage however, is closely associated with the Passover feast.  It was for this feast that Jesus went to Jerusalem.  The death of our Lord took place at the time of the Passover, in accordance with God’s plan to show Jesus was the true sacrifice.  What the sacrifice of a lamb had been to Israel in Egypt, Jesus sacrifice would be to sinners all over the world.  He would be the atonement for all our transgressions.

 The feast of Unleavened bread lasted for a week in April, and the Passover meal was held on the first day.  It commemorated the deliverance of the Jews, from the tyranny of Egyptian slavery.  Pharaoh had refused to let the Jews leave, despite Moses pleas, and after God had delivered nine plagues. 

  Finally after the tenth, the first born son in all Egyptian families died, but the angel of death passed over all the Jewish houses, which as a sign had the blood of a lamb sprayed on, and the Jewish boys were spared. On that night, they left so quickly there was no time to bake the bread with leaven, so it was unleavened bread they ate. 

  Every male Jew living within fifteen miles of Jerusalem was expected to attend the celebrations, but it was the ambition of every Jew, to attend at least once in their lifetime.

 This feast, one of the most important in the Jewish calendar, was one which every Jewish family would come together to celebrate as one  It was a solemn remembrance for God bringing Israel out of slavery.  .    

The family would eat bread which was without leaven,  the head of the household retells the Passover story, and prayers of thanksgiving are made and four cups of wine are drunk.   Still, the Jews keep the Passover and they pray that next year they will do so in Jerusalem. 

It is estimated that there were two million people in the city, when the last days of Jesus were played out.  Jesus knew what He must do.  The better class houses had two rooms, one on top of the other, and it was common for a Rabbi to meet with his followers to talk things over with them.  Jesus sent Peter and John to look for a man He described, to book an upper room. 

The feast went on, and Jesus used the ancient symbols of bread and wine, to give them a whole new meaning and significance.  He took the bread and said ‘this is my body’.  This is what is meant by a sacrament.  It is something which is normally a very ordinary thing,, which has acquired a meaning far beyond itself. 

 In all our lives, there are things which have a special significance for us, but to nobody else, because they bring back to us a special person or occasion, bringing a meaning beyond ourselves.  This is often some article, which belonged to a loved one no longer with us. 

The bread which we eat at the Communion service is just common bread, but to the Christian who understands, it represents the very body of Christ. 

Jesus said the cup, is the new covenant made at the price of His blood.  Jesus is saying the ancient Jewish festival will be fulfilled in Him.  His blood will be shed on the Cross, and He will die in our place, and figuratively the angel of death passes over all our lives.   

This is a gift of God, because of God’s amazing grace.  He offers this gift to all, but to benefit and be saved, we have to accept that gift.    

The Jewish system of sacrifice, was meant to restore that relationship between man and God, by the offering of animal sacrifice to atone for sin.  Jesus offered us an alternative relationship, between us and God through His death.  It cost Jesus His life to restore that relationship.     

 The main object of the Lord’s Supper was to remind Christians of Christ’s death for sinners.  Jesus specifically told His Apostles that they were to do what they did in remembrance of Him.  So when we take the bread and wine, we are not taking part in a sacrificial offering, but are commemorating what Jesus did. 

The bread is to remind us of Jesus body, given on the Cross.  The wine we drink, is to remind us of the blood shed. They are to appeal to our minds, to keep afresh the Jesus once and for all sacrifice.  We are to do this in faith, and our faith is increased by receiving the bread and wine.   

Jesus however, knew how easily the human mind forgets, so He commanded we do this to remember Him.  He calls us to enter in to the reverence and peace of His house, and do it with other followers of Him.        

 The message of the Cross is the focal point of Christianity.  Billy Graham stated every sermon he ever preached, would contain reference to the Cross, but it is not one that every preacher adopts.  In fact, I cannot recall hearing such a sermon

  The observance of Holy Communion, or Eucharist or Mass, is a duty binding on all Christians.  Jesus was quite emphatic on this point, and we are called to obey.

    

I sincerely believe the Lord will exonerate us at the present time in this country, for all the main Church denominations have adopted services in contravention of Scripture, which oblige Christians to attend Apostate places of worship.

Paul said every time we come to take the sacrament, we are proclaiming the Lord’s death, and we are to take it worthily.  As we come, we are acknowledging our faith, that He is our Lord and Savior, and accept that He died for each one of us.

Since the service of Holy Communion has become the normal main service of the Churches ,there is always the danger that it is taken too casually or automatically, without recognising it as something very significant.

Often people in a Church, will use the time that is being taken for others to come forward, as a time to chat with others about events in their lives, whereas it should be used as a time for meditation on what is being celebrated.

We should not consider all who commemorate, are true believers.  Judas at the first service obviously wasn’t, yet Jesus accepted him.

What has often saddened me, is that I have seen devoted people, (mainly women I have to say) coming to the Communion rail only for a blessing, because they have not been confirmed.  I know many priests and churches support this action, and whilst I respect that view, I cannot ever imagine Jesus would question whether a person of such faith was confirmed or not.  Neither do I.

If a person has such faith and belief, which motivates them to come forward, and all I have spoken, to say they would have liked to take the sacrament, then I have no hesitation whatsoever in offering it to them.   

Confirmation is desirable and important within the Church, but I believe should not preclude sincere faith being manifested.

When you take Communion, remember the Cross and its message for you, and resolve to keep trusting in its power.

We praise God and seek to Glorify His Holy Name