Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)
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Name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21
In this Christmas issue: 4.
The Unwavering Law of Faith
Edwin & Lillian Harvey (USA)
5.
Building Your Spiritual Immunity
Kenn Legg (Australia)
6.
When Eyes Open
Andrew Friesen (Columbia)
9.
Seasonal Sermon Outlines
Mathew Bartlett (UK)
15.
Merry Christians
Reinhard Bonnke (CfaN)
17.
Revelation 22 - The Challenge for Today
Mathew Bartlett (UK)
20.
Evasive Action
Daniel Kolenda (CfaN)
21.
Faith-builders Bible Study Mark 15
Derek Williams (UK)
25.
In Depth Study – Zechariah 5
Mathew Bartlett (UK)
28.
Philip the Evangelist
Haydn O. Williams (UK)
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Faithbuilders Bible Study Guide – Mark
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The Unwavering Law of Faith An extract from ”Kneeling We Triumph” by Edwin & Lillian Harvey BUY ON KINDLE! £3.86 Reproduced by kind permission of Harvey Publishers. Image© Elultimodeseo
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? (John 11:40). Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise (Heb. 10:35, 36). Through all God’s dealings with men there is one unwavering law: “by faith,” “by faith,” “by faith.” “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see,” is the Savior’s gentle reproach to those who would work and walk by sight. And God’s order and ordination in this life of faith must ever be, “believe that you may see; believe that you may have.” “Let us kneel our way through life,” said the old saint, “for our knees are Heaven’s knockers.” This is but another way of putting the same fact that “asking” of God is so much more potent than “doing” by man,
because it results in “doing” by God.—Northcote Deck.
so, but there was no other way.— Catherine Booth.
“Believing, ye shall receive.” The faith-heroes of old “through faith . . . obtained promises,” and there is no new way of obtaining them. Is it any wonder that, when we stagger at any promise of God through unbelief, we do not receive it? Not that faith merits the answer, or in any way earns it or works it out, but God has made believing a condition of receiving, and the Giver has a sovereign right to choose His own terms of gift.—Frances Ridley Havergal.
Entering a new year, David Livingstone wrote in his diary the prayer that it might be “a year of great believing.” This ought to be the overmastering desire of every one of us as we cross the threshold of another year.—Selected.
Now learn to hold on by faith for just what you need, and the deeper the need the faster hold on! Oh, if I had only done so more persistently through life, instead of letting the sense of my own weakness dishearten my faith, what a different experience mine would have been. Ah, there is no teaching like experience! You try and learn wisdom by mine. Be a bold believer, and the more you feel your own need, the closer cling to Him as your all and in all, able to magnify His grace where sin hath abounded, and His strength where there is no might.
The grand and blessed hour
Remember it is the blood that cleanses the soul. Works meet for repentance is one thing; the faith that heals is another; both are indispensable. The little child or the vilest sinner who dares trust for a full salvation, gets it, while the most careful, principled, and determined disciple who doubts, misses it. God cannot help it; He is bound to give or withhold according to our faith. It is not arbitrary on His part. In the very nature of the case, it is the only line on which He can meet us. I believe if He could have saved us in an easier way, He would have done 4
Faith is the grasping of Almighty power; The hand of man laid on the arm of God;
In which the things impossible to me Become the possible, O Lord, through Thee. —Anna E. Hamilton. The great things which the Bible says of faith, it says of it only because it is the channel, the medium, the condition, by and on which the real power, which is Jesus Christ Himself, acts upon us. It is not the window, but the sunshine that floods this building with light. It is not the opened hand, but the gift laid in it that enriches the pauper. It is not the poor leaden pipe but the water that flows through it that fills the cistern. . . . It is not your faith, but the Christ Whom your faith brings into your heart and conscience, that purges the one and makes the other void of offence toward God and man. —Alexander Maclaren.
inward man is being renewed day by day’ (2 Cor.4:16).
Building Your Spiritual Immunity By Ken Legg
Because his spiritual immune system was strong he was neither depressed nor discouraged, even though he was in prison. Likewise, he doesn’t pray that the Ephesians might be delivered from their adverse circumstances but rather that they would be strengthened in their inner man so that they would be able to withstand the trials which come their way. How do we build our spiritual immunity?
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In Paul’s amazing prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 he prays that we would ‘be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man’ (Eph.3:16). We have an inner man as well as an outer man. The inner man is the spiritual part of us and the outer man the material part. The world concentrates on building up the outer man through such things as diet and exercise. The healthier we are the more likely our immune system will be to resist viruses and diseases. So it is with our inner man. The stronger it is the more we can withstand spiritual sicknesses. Paul was in prison when he wrote this epistle. His outer man was breaking down. But he wasn’t breaking down. He wrote to the Corinthians, ‘Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the
When we think about strengthening our inner man our thoughts naturally turn to performing spiritual exercises like fasting, going on a prayer retreat, undertaking a Bible study course, etc. That’s because we are basically works oriented. But this is not what Paul prescribes. He says we will be strengthened with might in our inner man as Christ dwells there by faith. Faith has a specific object, and we see that it is the love of God that Paul prays we will come to know in greater measure, and to rest in. In fact he says we will never know everything that God wants us to know about His love in isolation. We will only ‘...comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height (of) the love of Christ which passes knowledge...’ (Eph.3:18-19). Love demonstrated Also, we will never know the love of God if we do not understand the cross. John says ‘In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that 5
we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins’ (1 John 4:910). The word ‘propitiation’ refers to the appeasement of God’s wrath concerning sin. The judgment that was due to us fell upon God’s dear Son. In this is love! In John 13:1 we read that Jesus ‘…showed them (i.e. the disciples) the full extent of His love’ (NIV). What is the full extent of His love? Jesus went on to explain: ‘Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends’ (Jn.15:13).
It was at the cross that God demonstrated His love to us in giving His Son to die in our place so that we might be redeemed and reconciled to Him forever. ‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Rom.5:8). The love of God is our default setting. It is our resting place. God causes us to rest here. No wonder the enemy will do all in his power to get us to doubt God’s love. But the more we meditate upon and believe in God’s love to us, so wonderfully demonstrated at the cross, the more we will experience Christ dwelling in our hearts. The result is that we will ‘be filled with all the fullness of God’ (Eph.3:19). Does that seem impossible? Maybe that’s why Paul concludes his prayer with these words, ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us’ (Eph.3:20!
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NEW BOOK! ‘When Eyes Open’ by Andrew Friesen Every now and then even Bible teachers like us need to taek a step back and read some living testimonies of what God is doing today; and so we turn to the evangelists for inspiration!
The following are just a few of the testimonies where I’ve witnessed first- hand His power and glory touching one individual life and then using that life to impact countless others.
Evangelist Andrew Friesen’s new boo kis full of greta encouragement about how God is moving today. Orioginally from Canada, Andrwe serves in Columbia. We hope you like this book as much as we did! By kind permission, here is an extract:
José’s Miracle
Miracle Testimonies As I reflect back on all God has done in and through my life, I am humbled and overwhelmed that I’ve been privileged to be used for the Kingdom in some truly amazing ways. Having been raised in a Christian home, I found myself frustrated, longing to see the same miracles found in the Bible. But in the midst of my questions, I discovered a more awesome and amazing Jesus than I have ever known. My entire thinking about God and the gospel changed. As it did, my life was transformed. Miracles became a part of me. This miracle life took me from my home in Winnipeg, Canada, to Colombia, South America, where I now preach Jesus and regularly experience extraordinary miracles in my own personal life and ministry. The basis of this book is what the Lord showed me through His Word regarding miracles.
The stadium was packed with thousands of precious people the night I saw Jesus heal José Gonzalez from a crippling injury that left him hopelessly bound to a wheelchair. The smell of sweat, combined with humidity, filled the Colombian air as I looked at the mass of hungry people. “The gospel is the power of God!” I shouted with faith and boldness. I could feel the expectation rising like an ocean tide. While standing on that huge platform, I boldly declared, “Tonight the lame are going to be healed. Hallelujah!” It was as if the platform was shaking from the vast crowd lifting up praises to God. I noticed José sitting in his wheelchair intently listening to the Word of God. He was in the front row against the backdrop of countless thousands. After preaching my message, I invited people to receive the greatest miracle: forgiveness. I preached, “Jesus took all your sin and sickness on the cross. Jesus rose from the dead. It’s finished, but you must receive Him tonight by faith like a gift.” It was so overwhelming to see hundreds
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flooding the front with hearts melting because of the love of God. “I believe the gospel and receive Jesus!” the thousands of people roared like thunder while repeating a prayer of salvation from their hearts. It was as if peace like a river filled every heart and mind in that stadium. “Now the time has come for Jesus to heal the lame and paralyzed!” I said in a very calm but authoritative voice. “The power of God is here. How many can feel it?” “Amen!” shouted the crowd with conviction. “Now listen to me,” I instructed the people. “The Lord is working through me, and His anointing is upon me. Place your hand on the part of your body that needs healing. You don’t need to wait any longer. You have faith because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. You’ve heard the Word of God, and God has now given you the faith.” After praying a mass prayer for the multitudes, the power of God began touching them, and I commanded them in Jesus’ name to do something that they could not do before. “If you are in a wheelchair, get up! Stand to your feet! Jesus Christ heals you now!” What happened next would change the course of history for that city, like a domino effect. The invisible, nail-pierced hand of Jesus swept over each person, raining down miracles one by one. José Gonzales
who had not been able to walk since a car accident broke his hip, knee, and ankle was sitting in his wheelchair in the stadium. The doctors couldn’t help him. He was not a Christian, but Jesus has no discrimination and loves all people the same. José, who was twentythree years old, liked to party and drink with his friends, but the spark of Holy Spirit ignited José’s faith to be healed. While I was praying, José heard a voice behind him saying, “Tonight you are going to be healed and get out of this wheelchair.” Immediately, all of the excruciating pain left his body, and he stood up out of the wheelchair completely healed!
community of believers in a church in El Banco, Magdalena, Colombia.
José was the first of many to testify of miracles the first night of our great festival in that city. The crowd passed his wheelchair up to the platform, and José told with tears how Jesus had healed him, demonstrating to the multitude the power of Jesus by pushing me in his wheelchair. It was like a bomb of God’s love went off in the stadium. The crowd roared with praises to God.
“Come to the front if you feel you are healed,” I said, not knowing that Jessica’s blind eye had just opened as she lay on the floor ... too overwhelmed by the power of God to even stand up. As I often do when the power of Jesus is moving amongst the crowd, I asked people to move their bodies and do something they could not do before. Miracles were happening everywhere. It was wonderful chaos! I sensed in my spirit that Jesus was healing blind eyes as I helped Jessica onto the platform. She said that she had been totally blind in her left eye but now could see perfectly. While covering the other “good” eye, she counted my fingers and touched my nose on stage as the jubilant crowd rejoiced with thunderous praises to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The next day it was so exciting to visit José with my team in his home to hear more of his story. The cameraman started filming as José, along with his family and friends, shared with great excitement how Jesus had transformed his life. News reporters came, and it didn’t take long until a crowd had gathered to see what was happening. The Holy Spirit showed me the opportunity, and I was able to share the gospel with the amazed crowd. José’s neighbors and friends all received Christ! Today, José is a strong follower of Jesus Christ and is part of a healthy
Jessica In the auditorium, there were hundreds of hands lifted high in an act of surrender to God on the night Jessica’s blind eye was opened by Jesus. People were laughing, crying, and in awe of the tangible power of the Holy Spirit as we worshipped Jesus for His amazing sacrifice on the cross. I have discovered the more I rest in His presence, the more the Holy Spirit manifests. And that’s exactly what happened ... Jessica fell to the ground as if a bolt of lightning hit her.
Later, we had the privilege of interviewing Jessica’s mother and sister, who both confirmed the miracle to be true. During our conversation, we discovered just how big this miracle was and how the mercy of God reached out to
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their family. Jessica spent her entire life without a father. She contracted an eye disease that caused her to lose her vision at the age of eight. As time progressed, Jessica became violent and aggressive with her mother and fought with friends at school. Ibelieve this fighting was due to the rejection and wounds from her childhood as well as not being able to see out of her left eye. Searching for love and acceptance, Jessica became pregnant and had a son at the young age of fourteen. My wife and I sat in her small, simple house, listening to her story. The only thing that separated the bedrooms from the living room was a thin bed sheet stretched across the doorway. In that moment, it dawned on me that the amazing mercy and grace of God are from everlasting to everlasting. If there was ever anyone who would be unworthy in the eyes of religion to receive a miracle from God, it was Jessica. Now Jessica has hope, dignity, and worth in and through Jesus. How great is our God! Mauricio Mauricio Revolledo was born crosseyed in Ciénaga, Colombia, and I met him when he was eleven years old. His parents took him to a doctor who gave him special glasses that seemed to correct his problem a little bit, but never actually cured his eyes because Mauricio continued to suffer blurry vision and remained cross-eyed. The kids at Mauricio’s school would constantly make fun of his eyes and reject him for the way he looked. Mauricio’s aunt invited him to come with her to the “Gospel Festival with Andrew Friesen.” On the second night when I preached a message called, “It’s Easy to Be
Healed,” Mauricio’s vision suddenly cleared up, and his eyes were totally healed. The Holy Spirit had made real to him the Word of God that says, “By whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24b) I remember how happy he looked on the platform as he counted all the fingers I held up to him, showing that Jesus had indeed healed his eyes. In that moment, the Holy Spirit filled Mauricio with His presence and baptized him with the Holy Spirit. What a mighty God we serve! Later when we went to visit him in his home, Mauricio brought me a picture of how he looked before Jesus healed him. I could clearly see that his eyes had been crossed before but now were perfectly straight. We had the joy of filming this beautiful miracle that stands like a trophy for the Lord Jesus Christ. Mauricio told us what every normal boy would say: “Now that Jesus has healed me, I look forward to playing with my friends.” Mrs. Magdalena During one of our Gospel Festivals, the power of God hit the crowd like an invisible wave of anointing. Many were baptized into the Holy Spirit. There were miracles of deliverance from drugs and emotional abuse. Sicknesses of all kinds left people. We didn’t even have enough time to interview all the people who experienced miracles. How awesome is our God! The highlight of the final night, and possibly the entire Gospel Festival, was the amazing healing of Mrs. Magdalena, who was eighty-one. She came to the festival the last night a cripple, but she left just like
the lame man who was healed in the Bible: walking, leaping, and praising God. She was extremely enthusiastic and happy on stage while telling the amazed crowd how Jesus had healed her. She dramatically demonstrated on the platform how she used to walk in comparison with how she was now able to walk. Everybody could clearly see that this was a big miracle for any eightyone-year-old lady to be moving as she was. When it came time to end the festival, the people would not leave the soccer field. They were so profoundly touched by God. I give all praise to Jesus! We visited Mrs. Magdalena with our media team shortly after the festival in order to hear more of her story. When I asked her how she heard of the festival, she enthusiastically said, “Someone came to my house and gave me a handbill inviting me. I didn’t throw it away!” She then went and showed us the handbill. Mrs. Magdalena’s son and daughter were also instantly healed from problems they had in their legs and feet. Before ending our visit, all of them received Jesus Christ as Lord and savior with such gratitude. I’ll never forget how they waved goodbye to us from the front door of their house. Their eyes were closed, and their hands were lifted up. They just kept saying, “Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!”
experience the joy of bringing miracles to others. If God can use me, He can use you. As Jesus and His Word are revealed in the pages of the book, my hope is that your spiritual eyes will be opened to see Jesus like never before and discover the Jesus Style of helping people. (See chapter four.) I pray it will become a part of your own personal, day-to-day living. Looking at the Gospels, we see that a third of Jesus’ ministry was spent healing the sick. I pray you will learn the reality of John 14:12 when Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” My hope and prayer is that this book will inspire and equip you — the ordinary believer — to boldly live out and demonstrate the miraculous.
What This Book Is This book is about my journey with the Holy Spirit — the revelations of His manifested power carried out in powerful demonstration. This book defines what a miracle is. It points out how anyone can receive miracles and be used by God to 8
To buy “When Eyes Open” go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B 00OYZ3W0C
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Some help to make pastors Merry this Christmas! Easy to Use Seasonal Sermon Outlines 9
and gladly following wherever He calls.
Christ
This Christmas, we too have a guide to lead us to the Saviour – but rather than a star it is Christmas Day and the Christmas story. It causes all people to hear the good news of the Saviour’s birth, and guides them to think about, and believe in Jesus our King.
The Message of the Star Image © Andreus
‘We have seen his star…and are come to worship him’ (Matthew 2:2) Introduction When the star appeared over Bethlehem it served to give divine authentication to the heavenly credentials of the Christ child and to draw people to the worship of the new-born King. Recent times have seen renewed speculation about the nature and star meaning of the Star of Bethlehem, but our purpose in this study is to examine its place in the gospel narrative. For the gospel writer never intended our attention to be drawn to the star – rather, in the gospel the star serves to focus our attention on the Babe of Bethlehem.
It Served as a Guide ‘The wise men said, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him’ (Matthew 2:2). In the first place, these Magi would not have known about the baby King if it were not for the star. Secondly, they would never have found him without its guidance. Although they travelled vast distances, and through dangerous terrain, nothing could deter them from seeking and worshipping the baby King. In our modern day when so may have the advantage of cars, or public transport, the example of the wise men puts to shame all those lukewarm Christians who find feeble excuses for not attending church regularly 10
Without Christmas, many would never think of Christ. Sundays no longer cause them to spare a thought for God; even Easter is not enough to remind them of Him. But then the star of Christmas appears, and they are led to the manger where the Christ was born, and hear again the angels saying, ‘Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:11). Will you do what the wise men did—follow the guiding star; that is, the true meaning of Christmas until it leads you to the Saviour? However far you have to travel from your usual experience, do not rest until you have met Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It Served as A Guarantee ‘When [the wise men] had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them’ (Matthew 2:9). The wise men had yet to meet Jesus – it was the star which assured them that he was there, and if they would seek then they would find. In a similar way Christmas gives us assurance concerning the promises of God.
It Verified the Promise of the Scriptures Even the chief priests and scribes had to admit that it was written in the prophecy of Micah, that out of Bethlehem should come ‘a Governor that shall rule my people Israel’ (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6). Through the star God was showing that he time had come to fulfil his promises. Christmas day serves in the same way – to remind us that God’s promises are true. People can say that the Bible is not true, but what happened at Christmas led to the fulfilment of at least 333 Old Testament prophecies concerning the birth, life, death and victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We find that both Old and New Testaments point to Christ (see Luke 24:27; John 5:39). If you will only test the validity of scripture for yourself, in your own experience, you will find God’s word to be fully reliable. It Signified the Presence of the Saviour The story tells us that the star ‘which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was’ (Matthew 2:9). Whatever Herod or the chief priests and scribes had to say about the birth of Christ did not alter the fact that Jesus, the Messiah, had really come. Men and women today try to tell us that Jesus is not alive, but we ask, once again, what about Christmas? The very fact that we are celebrating Christmas signifies that Jesus was born to be your Saviour and mine. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit not only to guide us to the Saviour, but to glorify Him (see John 16:1314). Through the Holy Spirit we
may be led to the Christ of Christmas.
It Served to Bring Gladness ‘When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy’ (Matthew 2:10). The Gladness of Finding Christ ‘And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother’ (Matthew 2:11). All doubt vanished and joy and gladness filled their hearts as the wise men discovered that their search had not been in vain. Without delay they fell down and worshiped Christ, ‘and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh’ (Matthew 2:11). Their gifts indicate that which they recognized in the nature of the King whom they worshiped. The gold identified his sovereignty; the frankincense his deity, and the myrrh his humanity. Having found the Christ, his sovereignty had claimed their allegiance, his deity had commanded their reverence, and his humanity had compelled their acceptance, filling their hearts with joy and gladness. Christmas can gladden your life for good; for Christmas reminds us that Jesus is a real King, a real God, and a real Man. Why not do what the wise men did: open the treasures of your heart to Him and acknowledge His sovereignty, deity and humanity in your life? He waits for you to offer your allegiance, reverence and acceptance. If only you will respond to the Christ of Bethlehem you will be filled with the joy of Christmas.
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The Gladness of following Christ We read that ‘being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way’ (Matthew 2:12). What the magi had seen, heard and experienced of the child Jesus determined their future action. Despite the invitation of Herod to return to Jerusalem they ‘departed into their own country another way.’ What mattered to them was following God’s leading. No one can meet the Lord Jesus and ever be the same again. When Christ becomes our Lord and Saviour he transforms both our character and our conduct.
Conclusion If we permit it, this Christmas day will guide us to Christ, the guarantor of all God’s promises, who brings joy and gladness to our hearts, not merely for one day, nor for lifetime, but for all eternity. The star of Christmas day will point you to Christ, who wants to be born in your heart. May your response be: O come to my heart, Lord Jesus! There is room in my heart for Thee (Emily E. S. Elliott).
Image © Glenda Powers
The Challenge of Christmas READING: Luke 2:1-11 Introduction At Christmas time God challenges is in a way that calls for our response. True, he always challenges us through his Word when it is proclaimed with authority and clarity. He challenges us too by the Spirit who convinces us of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8); and we in turn must challenge a sinful world with the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord. But God has for many years used the challenge of Christmas, presenting each year afresh the message of salvation. Let us consider: I. The Circumstances of Christmas We cannot examine the circumstances that surround the birth of Jesus without being impressed with the element of the supernatural. His birth was: 1) Accomplished by God’s Power The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ was supernatural; that is to say, whilst the process of birth was
natural, the conception was divine. The ‘seed of the woman’ (Genesis 3:15) was united by the Spirit with the holy life of the Father to produce the incarnate Son. Luke records this sublime mystery as follows: ‘The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God’ (Luke 1:35). What a challenge this is to our hearts! No one can afford to ignore a person who was born into the world in this unique way. 2) Advanced by God’s Providence Have you ever considered the timing of the circumstances that surrounded the birth of Christ? The whole event speaks of a supernatural overruling of Providence. Caesar Augustus, the leader of the Roman world announced that a census would be conducted, and so the whole world was moved in order that God’s son could be born in Bethlehem. The history of man, too, had all been prepared for this point, and the Bible describes it as the fullness of time, ‘when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his 12
Son, made of a woman, made under the law,’ (Gal 4:4). 3) Announced by God’s Prophets Out of the hundreds of prophecies concerning the first advent of our Lord, a number were fulfilled at his birth. This is one of the greatest proofs that the Bible is the Word of God. When the Wise Men came to the palace of Herod, asking for the new-born king, Herod’s scribes emphatically declared that Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judea, fulfilling the prophecy of Micah 5:2: ‘But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.’ II. The Crime of Christmas ‘She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn’ (Luke 2:7). When Joseph and Mary arrived at the wayside inn and requested accommodation for the night, they were told there was no room. The innkeeper’s refusal to take in these
weary travellers has been the crime of Christmas throughout the centuries. His attitude and action only symbolize:
significance of Christmas in order to wilfully reject the light it gives them (John 3:19). 3) The Sin of Worldly Involvement
1) The Sin of Woeful Ignorance ‘There was no room for them in the inn’ (Luke 2:7). The son of God turns up at the door but is turned away. In the same way, although he continues to knock at the door of their hearts, many people are still are turning Jesus away. No one who has ever heard the truth about Christmas can pretend to be ignorant of the saviour’s birth. Through that message of love revealed God continues to speak to our hearts each year, saying: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me’ (Rev 3:20). 2) The Sin of Wilful Indifference ‘There was no room for them in the inn’ (Luke 2:7). There was no excuse for the innkeeper for his indifference to the needs of these weary travellers. Surely he could see that Mary was heavily pregnant (Luke 2:5), and he would know that a woman in this condition not only calls for tenderness and consideration, but may be in need of emergency help. But the innkeeper was wilfully indifferent to all this. How typical this is of men and women in our day and generation! Wilfully ignorant of the consequences of their sinful condition and of the remedy God has provided or them in Jesus Christ. The annual reminder of Christmas each year means that they are without excuse – they pretend ignorance of the
‘There was no room for them in the inn’ (Luke 2:7). Undoubtedly, this innkeeper refused Joseph and Mary for business reasons. The census of Caesar Augustus was a good thing in its way, he told himself, for it filled his house with guests and his pockets with money. To have welcomed this couple would have meant turning out two of his other guests—and he was not about to do that! Probably he refused these travellers because they wore poor and shabby clothes. If Joseph and Mary had been able to hold up a purse of gold, he would have quickly found room in the inn. How true this is today! Men and women are far too busy with worldly involvement. They know very well that if Christ comes into their lives certain other things will have to go out. Or what is even more tragic, if Christ possesses them they will have to follow Him who was lowly, despised and rejected, and whose symbol is always a cross. Like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and went away sad when he realised that following Christ would mean parting with his possessions, so people today go from their Christmas encounter with Jesus with bags full of shopping but empty hearts and spiritually bankrupt lives. Are you guilty of this crime? Can it be said of you: Room for pleasure, room for business, But for Christ the Crucified, Not a place that He can enter, In the heart for which He died? 13
III. The Claims of Christmas ‘Unto you is born…a Savior’ (Luke 2:11). This angelic announcement spells out God’s claim upon every life. The names and titles of our Lord were very carefully chosen in order that we might understand from the very beginning that Jesus Christ came into the world to claim a people for His name. We see that Christ’s coming into the world has: 1) A Saving Claim Upon Your Life ‘Unto you is born…a Savior’ (Luke 2:11). When the angel appeared to Joseph to announce the coming birth of Christ, he said, ‘Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins’ (Matthew 1:21). This is man’s greatest need. There is a sense in which he has everything but a Savior. Prophets, priests and lawgivers had preceded the coming of Jesus Christ, but there was still no final solution for sin. What man needs is not just a message, a way of worship, or even a standard of living: he needs a Savior. If a man is drowning, he needs more than a voice that attracts his attention, or gives him instructions on swimming techniques: he needs a savior. 2) A Spiritual Claim Upon Your Life ‘Unto you is born…a Savior, which is Christ’ (Luke 2:11). The title Christ means ‘the anointed one.’ It is a term which marks Him the one upon whom the Holy Spirit came without measure. This points to the fact that God’s claim upon our lives is essentially a spiritual one. In other words, we are more than body and soul: we are spiritual beings; and until we are quickened to life from spiritual death, we are totally unqualified to stand in
God’s presence ‘God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth’ (John 4:24). Are you spiritually alive to God? Have you responded to the spiritual challenge of Jesus Christ? 3) A Sovereign Claim Upon Your Life ‘Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:11). This world will never be put right until Jesus Christ reigns as King of Kings and Lord of lords. What is true of the world generally is equally true of the individual personally. Your life will never know peace, purpose or power until Christ reigns with unchallenged sovereignty. He was born to be Lord. That is why the text says, ‘Unto you is born this day…the Lord’ (Luke 2:11). He died that He might be the Lord; He rose again that He might be Lord, for the Bible says that ‘Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living’ (Romans 14:9). In other words, the full purpose of the Advent is that God might reign in the hearts of men through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ the Lord. Have you given Him unconditional surrender? Is He Lord of your spirit, of your soul, and of your body? Conclusion Here, then, is the supreme challenge of Christmas—not only the circumstances that we have considered, and the awful crime which is perpetrated year by year, but these claims of Jesus Christ upon your life. What is your response to the challenge of Christmas?
The Incarnate
Image © Photowitch
TEXT: ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14).
The Expression of God
Divine Condescension
The Intention of God
‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14). The Mystery of His Being ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (John 1:1). The Mystery of His Becoming ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14).
Divine Operation
‘the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14).
‘of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace’ (John 1:16).
Conclusion Like man He walked, like God He talked; His words were oracles, His deeds were miracles; Of God the true expression, of man the finest specimen; Full-orbed humanity, crowned with Deity;
‘the Word became flesh’
No trace of infirmity, no taint of iniquity;
A Sinless Birth
Behold the Man! Behold thy God!
A Supernatural Birth
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail, Incarnate Deity!
Divine Revelation ‘we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14).
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(Quoted in 1200 Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes by A. Naismith [Pickering & Inglis, Basinistoke. 1985]. p. 40.)
Merry Christians by Reinhard Bonnke. Image © Dave Bredeson Laughter and Songs of Joy The one thing the angel told Joseph was that He (JESUS) would save His people from their sins. So, what a time Christmas should be! Saved from our sins! Forgiven, redeemed! What gladhearted relief! James 5:13 says, ‘Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise’ (NIV). The word isn’t adequately translated with “happy.” The King James Version is nearer. ‘If any be merry let him sing psalms.’ “Merry” is what God-forgiven people feel. Then sing psalms! One appropriate psalm to sing is Psalm 126: ‘When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men that dreamed. Our mouths were filled for laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.’ The Christian experience of forgiveness is surely more than an equal cause of laughter and songs of joy. Jesus said, ‘Rejoice that your names are written in heaven,’
writer says, ‘I called to the Lord for mercy. You turned my wailing into dancing, removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.’ The Jewish people had those Scriptures, but Paul had to stand in the synagogue in the Pisidian Antioch and announce, ‘My brothers, I want you to know, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.’ An Utterly Unique Celebration
and even said, ‘Leap for joy!’ Jump for joy! Be physical about it! Let nobody dare suggest our light-hearted Christmas festivities can possibly be improper. They are very proper! Are they festive enough? ‘Worship’ in the Bible always indicated physical expression. ‘You have turned my mourning into dancing.’
Secular forces try to absorb the real glory of Christmas into its pantheon of impotent deities and mortal opinions. “Politically correct” fanatics object to the distinct proclamation of Christianity that Jesus is the only way to God. But their objections do not change reality. The simple truth remains. “No man comes to the Father except by me.”
In the entire world, including Israel, the idea had never been thought, that someone born on earth could save people from their sins. The angel’s declaration introduced a breathtaking, revolutionary dispensation. The psalmist had said, ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul! Who forgives all your iniquities.’ ‘Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered, whose sin the Lord does not count against him’ (Psalm 103:1, 32:1). But the Old Testament people did not fully delight in such a possibility. Yet in Psalm 30 the
When Jesus spoke those definitive words, He was revealing the God no one knew the way He did. God was a Father never before imagined. He existed in light unapproachable and love indescribable, but was perfectly unveiled in His Son, Jesus Christ. No one could know this Father unless Jesus revealed Him. So when we proclaim that Jesus is the only way to God, we are referring to Jesus’ own Father the unsurpassed, wonderful God revealed exclusively by Jesus
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Christ - not the finite gods or ideas set up by humans. That means Christmas is utterly unique - a festival like no other. No other religion has a day like Christmas. The celebration of Jesus’ birth is the celebration of God’s coming in the flesh, visiting our dark world, and disclosing Himself perfectly in His Son. That is not the celebration of a mere doctrine, an obligatory observance, or a traditional ritual. It is a spontaneous burst of hilarious joy coming from a revelation of the wonderful, glorious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a God is “the God and Father of Jesus”! And what a Son is Jesus! What a Savior! “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice”! An Utterly Unique Salvation Jesus is the One Who forgives and saves! He doesn’t just send a remedy; He IS the remedy. Jesus, as Savior, stands alone. When Peter said, “There is no other name given under heaven whereby we might be saved,” he was not just making a contentious assertion. He was making a categorical statement of undeniable fact. Jesus came to save the world, not to show us the way to save ourselves. We need Him to save us - to be our remedy and apply that remedy - because we did not have the ability to save ourselves. Sin dominates our world. Revenge, impurity, lying, violence, idolatry, and strife
fester in human hearts. But His blood washes all of that away when we believe. That means that Jesus not only forgives us, but He changes our will and disposition. He makes us totally new creatures. This is the real glory of Christmas. When we believe in Christ, the God Who came among us becomes the God Who dwells within us. So when Jesus forgives and transforms someone, it shows. Everyone forgiven and transformed by the blood of Jesus permanently has the Christmas spirit. For example, we give gifts at Christmas. When a tax-collector named Zaccheus encountered Jesus, he turned into a joy-filled giver. His shrunken little heart expanded and he pulled out his wallet, unzipped its purse, and gave away his money. The spirit of giving became a way of life for him, not just a special day. Christmas time also inspires celebrations with family and friends. But celebrations always followed the Son of God! After Jesus forgave a paralyzed man on a stretcher, he jumped up cured and went home. What a party his family must have had! And what a continual celebration for the former paralytic, daily experiencing God’s grace as a whole person! When Jesus forgave a woman of the streets, she entered the room where He reclined as tears of gratitude ran down her face, and she wept with love over the 16
very feet of Christ. As Jesus Himself said of her, that is the result of forgiveness. That is the kind of celebration that always followed Jesus. The real glory of Christmas is the incarnation of Jesus Christ revealing the true God, bringing true salvation, and infusing his people with the true spirit of Christmas permanently. The angel’s declaration indeed trumpets the real glory of Christmas for all ages to come: “Behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. Today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!”
This article reproduced with the kind permission of Christ for all Nations. To find out more, or to support the work of CfaN visit their website: http://us.cfan.org/?lang=en-US
Revelation 22 The Challenge for Today
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After recording his glimpse of heaven, John is brought back to present realities by the challenge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The challenge for every man and woman today is the challenge of Christian certainty.
existent one, more than sufficient for all our needs. So we can depend on him and be certain of Him. We can be sure that our eternal Lord gives the blessedness of eternal life to all who believe in him.
The Challenge Certainty
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!" (Rev 22:16)
of
Christian
Then the angel said to me, "These words are reliable and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon." (Rev 22:6) As Christians we can know with Divine assurance that all God says is true. The visions John received were not the product of his fanciful imagination, or even what we might call his sanctified imagination. For the vision, in its entirety, was authored and given by God. The whole book of Revelation is divinely inspired; the words recorded in Revelation are the words of God that is why they are trustworthy and true. God’s word is always reliable, and in His own time, very soon, all these things will be accomplished. In this chapter Christ presents to us:
The Certainty of His Character Christians can be sure of Christ because of his character. We can depend on him because of who he is. The Eternal God: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. (Rev. 22:13)
Truth for Today A brief extract from our forthcoming book.
By Mathew Bartlett Images © Pidiyath100, Grace 121
All that happens in time, good or bad, becomes less important when viewed in the light of eternity. And our Lord Jesus is eternal. He has no beginning or end; he is the self17
Christ who is God. As the root of David Christ the Word of life - the creator and sustainer of all life. If we would have life - a deeply satisfying, meaningful life with purpose and direction then we must be connected to the root who gives purpose to life - the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ who is Man. As the offspring of David Christ is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, that he might die to redeem those who own him as their true King. But this verse not only emphasises Christ’s royal descent from King David, it represents his humanity. If we want help for every experience of life then we must be connected to the root who is also the offspring of David - Christ the man - for since he is a man he is a man he is able to sympathize with our human weakness. The man who has endured temptation is able to help us in our testing. The man who has known grief offers his loving touch to all who suffer pain or loss, bringing deep consolation to our souls. The Lord Jesus as the root and the offspring of David is the answer to all of man’s deepest needs. Jesus says, I am ‘the bright morning star!" (Rev 22:16)
The morning star, the brightest star in the sky just before the dawn, is in fact a reference to Venus, very bright that time of the morning. It’s appearance offers the assurance of a coming day. Jesus Christ is truly our Bright morning star. As we pass through earth’s dark night he is always before us to guide and lead us on our way to glory. Soon the eternal day will dawn and all because of him. Jesus is our hope of heaven and eternity, the bright morning star. And he will not change - he is our eternal light, this is the certainty of his character. Christ also presents us with
The Certainty of His Coming (Look! I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book.) (Rev 22:7) We can be sure that Christ is coming again. We rejoice in the blessed hope that our Lord will soon appear in glory. His promise to return is emphasized three times in this chapter: v7 Behold, I am coming quickly!; v12 And behold, I am coming quickly; v20 "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! We can be certain that at his coming:
the eternal day. Christ will surely come again and when he does he will reward the faithful. Christ will Repay the Faithless (Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he has done! (Rev 22:12) Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood! (Rev 22:15) At His coming Christ will not only reward the saints for their faithfulness, but repay the sinner for his faithlessness. To the righteous he will give eternal life, but to the ungodly eternal punishment, as their deeds deserve. This is an important note in the scripture. Christ does not say “according to their creed or beliefs.” But, “according to their works.” The Christian is challenged to live a life of faith, for as James emphasises, faith without works is dead. The unbeliever is challenged to see his own life in view of the near return of Christ and to repent! The question has to be to every one of us:
Christ will Reward the Faithful Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book (Rev. 22:7). He who believes God’s words and holds to them in faith and obedience shall see the fulfilment of them in his life. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city (Rev. 22:14). To be blessed by God is to be eternally and unspeakably blessed as we have already seen in the vision of
Are you living for the Lord in readiness for his coming?
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Or are you living like those Christ speaks of here, “dogs (godless), sorcerers (drug users), the sexually immoral (the word is pornographis – including those who have sex outside of marriage, those who have sexual relations with any other than their husband or wife), murderers, idolaters, and all who love what is false (the word is pseudo, a fake, including fake religious beliefs and worthless ceremonies). The evildoer must continue to do evil, and the one who is morally filthy must continue to be filthy. The one who is righteous must continue to act righteously, and the one who is holy must continue to be holy." (Rev 22:11) The warning given in verse 11 is clear. No further opportunity will be given after Christ’s coming. We must carefully heed the words of this prophecy, for the course of action we decide on after we hear it will determine our final destiny. There is to be no new revelation from heaven - no second plan for salvation. Salvation is found in Christ alone - whether men accept or reject it they will not make God swerve one iota from his purpose.
Those who choose to reject the gospel and remain in the filth of sin will remain in the filth of sin eternally, receiving the just penalty for their sin. Those who choose to live for Christ their Saviour and follow Him who is the way of holiness will follow him into the bliss of eternal day. What we are and where we will be after death is decided by our choice in this life, whether we accept or reject Jesus Christ. The full title of the book of Revelation is “The Revelation (or making known) of Jesus Christ”. All God’s dealings with humanity, especially in regard to salvation, are through Christ alone. Hence the most solemn warning is given of eternal vengeance for those who seek to add or take away one word from this book of prophecy. I testify to the one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. (Rev 22:1819) God’s revelation of His Son his final word and must not be distorted. Underline that this is God’s final word to man – there will be no second chance after this. That is why the writer to the Hebrews says “How shall we escape, if we neglect such great salvation?” Heb. 2:3 We must appreciate the certainty of Christ’s coming.
The Certainty of His Invitation
V10 Do not seal up the words of this book of prophecy for the time is at hand. Our series of studies has been aptly titled ‘Truth for Today’ and not ‘Truth for Tomorrow!’ The events written in this book shall come to pass very soon. Already governments are fretting over the near collapse of the world financial system - it will come. They are worried about future world conflict - it will come. Yet amidst all the uncertainties this world has in its state of rebellion and alienation from God, there is a burning message of hope. That hope is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the message of the book of Revelation, and He gives the invitation which closes the book - an invitation to come to Him. I want you to be sure that this invitation will be honoured. His invitation is to all men and women. It is given jointly by the Holy Spirit and by the church whom he indwells. V17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. If you are thirsty - if you are longing for God in your life; if you want to know the thirst quenching satisfaction of sins forgiven, peace with God and an assurance of a home in heaven then come, then come to Jesus. He is certain to meet your every need. Christ does not give us vague instructions to follow some kind of path of wisdom or to live a life of religious pilgrimage. His words are very clear, and they are personal invitation for us to come
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to him directly – come to the living Lord Jesus Christ himself. When you come to him He will freely forgive you, cleanse you from sin. Have you come to Jesus Christ? Whoever wishes, let him take and drink the water of life. God does not hide himself from anyone. He is waiting and wanting to be found. All we must do is thirst—that is seek for him—for the word ‘seek’ means to desire or long after. If we seek after God, he will allow us to drink freely from the living water; that never failing source of life which is God himself.
Conclusion Through the visions given to him in the book of Revelation, John has seen the end of all things - he has seen both heaven and hell. The challenge of Christian certainty begins with our choice today. The eternal outcome for every individual depends on the choice made by them in this life. You alone will decide your eternal destiny heaven or hell. You alone can make your choice, and it can be made today. This is truth for today. Only when you receive Christ as your Saviour can you be sure that your name is written in Heaven. Why not bow yourself and come to Christ, accepting his invitation. You can be sure that he will keep his side of the bargain, to forgive and save you. Will you keep yours? Will you come, and receive him into your heart, saying “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I have no certainty of a heavenly home. But I receive you as my Lord and Saviour today. Come into my heart and life, Lord Jesus.” Then you will begin to thank the Lord for the certainty he gives you that he has heard your prayer and given you a life that will not end.
Evasive Action Bible Study by Daniel Kolenda (CfaN)
Photo: © Ellah By kind permission of CfaN, an extract from Daniel’s new book-
Live before you die. £9.99 BUY NOW.
Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. Their procrastination impacts every area of their lives. They don’t mail their bills on time. They don’t file their tax returns on time. They wait until Christmas Eve to do their Christmas shopping. They wait until the last minute to complete school assignments. They miss many opportunities because they always delay taking critical action. In fact, their dawdling is so reliable some companies count on it for profitability, offering, for instance, generous rebates that will surely never be redeemed. What’s amazing is that these procrastinators do not always appear to be lazy people. In fact, they are often the busiest of all! However, though they are busy, they are not taking critical action. It’s important to recognize this distinction. Not only is there a difference between busyness and critical action, but also I have found
that a great deal of that busyness is actually time invested in inventing ways to evade critical action. For this reason the word procrastination (with its passive implications) seems like an oxymoron. Because procrastination is apparently quite a lot of work, I prefer to call it evasive action. There is a poem that describes this perfectly. "I’ve gone for a drink and sharpened my pencils, Searched through my desk for forgotten utensils I reset my watch, I adjusted my chair, I’ve loosened my tie and straightened my hair. I filled my pen and tested the blotter And gone for another drink of water. Adjusted the calendar, and raised the blind And I’ve sorted erasers of all different kinds. Now down to work I can finally sit. Oops, too late, it’s time to quit." I encountered a book once that changed my life even though I 20
never actually read it. In fact, I never even cracked open the cover, and I have no idea who wrote it. All I needed to see was the title:
Do It Now! I once was a master of evasive action. I was very good at inventing reasons a certain critical action could not be taken at that moment. There were always a myriad of reasons more planning or strategizing was necessary before something could be done. But when I saw the title of that book, something amazing happened. I think the Holy Spirit must have used it to convict me because afterward when I was tempted to procrastinate, I started to hear that little phrase ringing in my ear, “Do it now!” It made a huge, positive difference in my life. I pray that from now on, you will also begin to hear those words ringing in your ears—“Do it now!” It will change your life as well!
The Faith-builders Bible study series The ‘Faith-builders Bible study series’ has been developed a useful resource for today’s students of God’s Word and their busy lifestyles. Pastors, home or study group leaders and indeed for anyone wishing to study the Bible for themselves will benefit from using Faith-builders studies. Each volume is the result of many years of group Bible study, and has been revised again and again to be relevant, challenging and faith building whilst remaining clear and easy to understand. Each chapter has thought provoking questions to aid study and sample answers are provided. Below is an extract from the study notes for Mark chapter 9. Buy paperback now for £5.20 Kindle Edition only £2.01
The ‘Faith-builders Bible study series’ has been developed a useful resource for today’s students of God’s Word and their busy lifestyles.
Mark Chapter 15
By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK) Image © Rorem The Secular Trial of Christ 15:1 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. The religious leaders had tried and condemned the Lord Jesus Christ to death but had no power to carry out the sentence. So they brought him before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea. If Pilate were to symbolize the rulers of the world (Ps. 2:2) then we might suggest that at Jesus’ trial it was the world which was on trial before God. What would the world (symbolized by Pilate) choose to do with the only begotten Son of God? Notice that they tied Jesus up which shows that they still feared him.
15:2 So Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ He replied, ‘You say so.’
fact the king of the whole earth (Jer. 23:5; Dan. 7:14); the ‘King of Kings’ (Rev. 17:14).
Mark Chapter 2 (abstract)
By Derek Williams & Mathew (UK) Image © Rorem 15:3Bartlett Then the chief priests began to
Luke tells us (Luke 23:2) that the false charges made against Jesus were that he was perverting the nation and forbidding the payment of taxes. However, the correct charges were that he claimed to be the Christ, a king. It is in response to the latter charges that Pilate questioned Jesus, for it was a crime for anyone to set themselves up as a king apart from Caesar. It is significant that Pilate did not ask Jesus if he claimed to be king of the Jews, but if he was king. Perhaps the majestic bearing of Christ had already introduced some uncertainty in Pilate’s mind. At this point, Jesus freely acknowledged himself as king of the Jews. He is in 21
accuse him repeatedly. There were many other accusations that the chief priests made against him, but Jesus did not answer them. 15:4-5 So Pilate asked him again, ‘Have you nothing to say? See how many charges they are bringing against you!’ But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. Christ’s silence amazed Pilate, as it did Caiaphas in Mark 14:60; for he did not say another word. At this point, John informs us (John 18:39) that Pilate declared Jesus to be not
guilty, for he could find no fault in him. 15:6-8 During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, whomever they requested. A man named Barabbas was imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection. Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom. More willing to please the people than to see justice done, Pilate puts the decision about Jesus’ fate into the hands of a crowd which had already been made hostile against Jesus by the chief priests. Wishing to avoid responsibility for Jesus’ case, Pilate is conveniently reminded of the custom of releasing a prisoner at important festive occasions. Barabbas was a convicted criminal waiting to pay the death penalty for his crimes, just as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and must pay the penalty of sin which is death (Rom. 6:23). 15:9-10 So Pilate asked them, ‘Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?’ (For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.) By using this custom Pilate made a weak effort to obtain the release of Jesus; for he knew that the chief priests had only accused him because they were jealous of him. 15:11-12 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas instead. So Pilate spoke to them again, ‘Then what do you want me to do with the one you call king of the Jews?’
Through the agitation of the priests, the crowd called out for the release of Barabbas. In reply, Pilate did what no good judge would ever do: he asked the crowd to decide Jesus’ sentence. This is an example of mob rule at its worst. 15:13-14 They shouted back, ‘Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Why? What has he done wrong?’ But they shouted more insistently, ‘Crucify him!’ “Crucify him!” they cry. “Why?” Pilate asks, “What has he done wrong?” But to the crowd, it didn't matter what he had done. He may have done no wrong, but “crucify him anyway!” is effectively the crowd’s reply. Through all these events, Jesus knew that he was neither at the mercy of Pilate, nor of the crowds, for he was in the hands of God, and all that was happening was his Father’s will in fulfilment of Scripture: “it pleased the Lord to bruise him” (Isa. 53:10). 15:15 Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then, after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified. Like Barabbas, sinners today can be released and escape death through the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus who has paid sin’s penalty for all sinners (Gal. 3:13). Before the crucifixion, Pilate ordered that Jesus be flogged; that is, beaten with a whip made of leather thongs which is said to have had pieces of bone or metal on the ends. This was often given to people who had committed serious crimes and sometimes led to their death before being crucified. Peter refers to this the scourging as in 22
some way being the source of our healing (Isa. 50:6; 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24). 15:16-19 So the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor's residence) and called together the whole cohort. They put a purple cloak on him and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on him. They began to salute him: ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him. Jesus was next handed over to the Roman soldiers for them to do with as they wanted. Taking him into the 'Praetorium’, a judgement hall attached to Pilate's house, they called the whole garrison together to mock him, as he had predicted (Mark 10:34). Purple was the royal colour, so they gave Jesus a purple robe. Kings wore crowns, so they made him a crown of thorns and gave him a reed as a sceptre of authority (Matt. 27:29). They paid mocking homage to him and bowed their knees to him. Not one of these soldiers could have known that Jesus was the beloved Son and that all power and authority was his, and that he would come again in glory as their almighty judge (2 Tim. 4:1). 15:20 When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. When they had finished they took it all from him and led him out to be crucified. The Lamb of God Sacrificed for the Sins of the World 15:21 The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the
country (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). Simon would have been a Jew from the city of Cyrene (in North Africa) visiting Jerusalem for the Passover with his sons, Alexander and Rufus. A Rufus is mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:13, though it is not certainly the same one. 15:22 They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which is translated, ‘Place of the Skull’). Simon was compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Christ to a place called in Aramaic “Golgotha”, or in Latin “Calvary”, both names meaning “the place of the skull”. 15:23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. Before nailing him to the cross they offered him a mixture of wine and myrrh (myrrh would have dulled the pain) but he refused it for he had to experience complete suffering (Ps. 69:21). 15:24 Then they crucified him and divided his clothes, throwing dice for them, to decide what each would take. When they had nailed him to the cross, having stripped him of his clothing, they cast lost (a type of dice) to determine who should get what (Ps. 22:18). 15:25 It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. At nine o’clock in the morning they lifted him up and the crucifixion began (John 3:14). 15:26 The inscription of the charge against him read, ‘The king of the Jews.’
It was the practice of the Romans to write the crime which had been committed above the head of the criminal; thus it was with Jesus. Although the priests objected to this, Pilate insisted that it should remain (John 19:21). 15:27-28 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with TM the transgressors.” (NKJV ) In fulfilment of the scripture, on either side of him two robbers were crucified (Isaiah 53:12). 15:29-30 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘Aha! You, who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross!’ How evil the hearts of wicked men must be; for they did not cease to mock Christ even as he hung on the cross. They mocked him, saying that although he had claimed that he would destroy and rebuild the temple in three days he was unable to help himself. 15:31-32 In the same way even the chief priests — together with the experts in the law — were mocking him among themselves: ‘He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!’ Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. The chief priests joined in the ridicule, tempting Christ to save himself from death, just as he had saved others. The claim that they would believe what they saw is in fact a contradiction, for faith does not involve seeing (Heb. 11:1). The 23
reality was that if Christ had wanted to, he could have come down from the cross by calling more than 12,000 angels to come to his aid (Matt. 26:53). 15:33 Now when it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. From noon to three o’clock in the afternoon darkness covered the whole land as the Son of Man became sin for us and bore the penalty of sin on the cross. 15:34 Around three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ At three o’clock in the afternoon Jesus cried “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1); for at this point he experienced the wrath of God falling upon him for sinners. Some commentators say that Jesus suffered all the pangs of hell during the three hours of darkness. Those who reject Jesus Christ as their Saviour will experience being forsaken by God when they are in hell. 15:35-36 When some of the bystanders heard it they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah!’ Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Leave him alone! Let's see if Elijah will come to take him down!’ Some bystanders mistook Jesus’ cry as a call for help from Elijah and waited to see if Elijah would set him free. In response to his cry “I thirst” (John 19:28) they gave him sour wine (Ps. 69:21). 15:37 But Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last.
This drink enabled Jesus to make his final cry from the cross. Only John records the words of that cry: “it is finished” (John 19:30). Christ had completed the work of salvation according to his Father's plan; giving up his life so that sinners might be redeemed. Ultimately it was neither the religious leaders, nor the people who cried “crucify him”, nor Pilate nor the Roman soldiers that took his life – for he gave it (John 10:18). 15:38 And the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The moment Jesus died the veil that barred the way into the Holy of Holies, the presence of God, was torn in two as God accepted the once and for all sacrifice of his Son for the sins of the world (Heb. 10:10; Eph. 2:13-16). 15:39 Now when the centurion, who stood in front of him, saw how he died, he said, ‘Truly this man was God's Son!’ It was the centurion, a Gentile, who after the crucifixion was the first to acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God. 15:40-41 There were also women, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and given him support. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were there too. Mark closes this section by telling us the names of the women who had followed Jesus and who were with him at the end; being eye-witnesses of his sufferings. Among them was
Mary, his mother, to whom Simeon prophesied (when she presented Jesus in the temple) that her heart would be pierced through with a sword of grief as she beheld him being crucified (Luke 2:35). Christ's Burial Having become sin for us, Jesus took sin to the cross where it was put to death and buried (Rom. 6:38). This burial was also according to the scriptures (Isa. 53:9), and served as proof that he had indeed died. 15:42 Now when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), The Jewish day was from sunset to sunset. Jesus died at about three o’clock in the afternoon on the preparation day for the Sabbath. To leave a body hanging on the cross over the Sabbath would be a desecration of the day; which is why the Jews asked Pilate to break the legs of those who were crucified to make certain they were dead so that they could be buried before sunset. When they came to Jesus they found him already dead so there was no need to break his bones (John 19:31-36; Ps. 34:20). 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin, who until now had been a secret follower of Jesus, came right out in the open, and went boldly to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.
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15:44-45 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. When Pilate was informed by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. Pilate could not believe that Jesus had died already; it usually took a few days for someone to die by crucifixion. So he sent for the centurion in charge who confirmed that Jesus was dead. 15:46 After Joseph bought a linen cloth and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone across the entrance of the tomb. Then Joseph and Nicodemus (another secret follower) took the body of Jesus down from the cross and embalmed it according to Jewish burial customs (John 19:3940). They placed it in a tomb which Joseph had originally prepared for himself. A huge stone was rolled across the opening and, at the request of the chief priests, was sealed. A guard was also set over the tomb, since the Jewish leaders feared that Jesus would rise from the dead as he had said (Matt. 27:62-65). 15:47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was placed. Two of the women watched all this so that they knew where to come back after the Sabbath to anoint the body. NOW TRY THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON PAGE 25!
Our In Depth Study Zechariah Chapter 5 By Mathew Bartlett Photo © Jacob Gegory
Scripture taken from the NET Bible®.
This article is an extract from The Prophet of Messiah – a Zechariah Bible Commentary Buy Paperback £2.54
Introduction Although the exiles had returned from Babylon to rebuild the temple, God had still had his own work to do to make them a people worthy of such a place of worship; and worthy of the God who would be worshipped there. In their immediate context, the two visions Zechariah sees in this chapter deal with the issue of sin being purged from the land. It was not sufficient for God’s people to worship him in a holy temple; the worshippers themselves were to be holy and observe God’s laws. In the same way that they had been taught to purge out yeast from their homes before Passover (Ex. 12:15), so they were now to purge iniquity out of the land; and they were to begin by looking at their individual lives. Christians are similarly instructed to cleanse malice and wickedness out of their lives (1 Cor. 5:7) we too must be a holy people to serve God (1 Pet. 2:9).
Vision Six: The Flying Scroll vv. 1-4 5:1-2 Then I turned to look, and there was a flying scroll! Someone asked me, "What do you see?" I replied, "I see a flying scroll thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide." In this vision, Zechariah saw a scroll of huge dimensions flying in the sky. This scroll was open to its full extent, presumably so that even from its aerial position everyone could see what was written on it. It may further be significant that the dimensions of the scroll match those of the porch in Solomon’s temple, for with the rebuilding of the temple came the renewed call for holiness and purity among God’s people who would approach him to worship. 5:3 The speaker went on to say, "This is a curse traveling across the whole earth. For example, according to the curse whoever steals will be removed from the community; or on the other hand (according to the
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curse) whoever swears falsely will suffer the same fate." Most commentators regard the scroll as representing the word of God, or at least some part of the law given by Moses. The law contained blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (e.g. Deut. 28). If the exiles themselves failed to take action against the wicked in their midst (e.g. Deut. 13:5; 22:22) they are assured that God himself would act in this matter. Those who wronged their neighbours in any way (the word used for ‘steals’ is suggestive of any wrong doing) and those who wrong God, by swearing falsely or using his name in vain would both would be cut off from the community – they were not to be counted among God’s people. This declaration may well have provided an opportunity for individuals and the nation as a whole to repent before these unspecified judgments came upon them.
Ezekiel had already taught Jews the concept of individual responsibility (Ezek. 18:4), and Zechariah marries this concept to that of national purity. The purity of the whole lump is compromised by the presence of just a small batch of yeast. In the New Testament, Christians are warned to expel from their midst those who–although professing Christ as Saviour–live in open defiance of his commands (e.g. 1 Cor. 5.1-2) and to withdraw from the company of those who are disobedient (1 Tim. 6:5; 1 Cor. 5:11; Rom. 16:17; 2 Thess. 3:6; 2 Thess. 3:14). 5:4 "I will send it out," says the LORD who rules over all, "and it will enter the house of the thief and of the person who swears falsely in my name. It will land in the middle of his house and destroy both timber and stones." Not only would evil befall the offenders who persisted in their sins, but their very houses would be levelled. This may literally have been enacted, but is more likely to be a metaphor for the utter calamity that they would experience. God has ways of bringing retribution throughout the world. Zechariah here calls him ‘the LORD who rules over all’. There is nowhere to hide our secret sins from an all knowing God; and he is a God who will punish sin in the present life as well as in the next. Vision Seven: The Woman in the Basket vv. 5-11 5:5-6 After this the angelic messenger who had been speaking to me went out and said, "Look, see what is leaving." I asked, "What is it?" And he replied, "It is a basket for measuring grain that is moving
away from here." Moreover, he said, "This is their 'eye' throughout all the earth." The next vision is of another flying object, this time a basket of grain departing from Zechariah’s position. The basket was recognised by the prophet as being an ephah, a measuring basket that was used in everyday life and also in the worship of God in the temple. Their ‘eye’ (NET above) is better rendered ‘resemblance’ (AV). The angel is about to show Zechariah something which may be observed among all the peoples of the world. 5:7-8 Then a round lead cover was raised up, revealing a woman sitting inside the basket. He then said, "This woman represents wickedness," and he pushed her down into the basket and placed the lead cover on top. The angel then lifted the cover of the ephah to show Zechariah what was inside. That this cover was made of lead may indicate that a heavy weight was required to prevent the escape of the contents. Within the basket was a woman; so either this was a very small woman or the ephah was unusually large – for usually it held between 5 and 10 gallons, and so was not large enough to hold a person. The identity of the woman was unimportant, it is what she represents that matters: wickedness or immorality. Not the iniquity of an individual or even of the nation of Israel, for the angel had already said she represented iniquity which is found ‘in all the earth’. 5:9-11 Then I looked again and saw two women going forth with the wind in their wings (they had wings
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like those of a stork and they lifted up the basket between the earth and the sky. I asked the messenger who was speaking to me, "Where are they taking the basket?" He replied, "To build a temple for her in the land of Babylonia. When it is finished, she will be placed there in her own residence." Some commentators believe these verses are a depiction of God’s removal of Israel’s sin by his grace, but this over-simplified position is a difficult one to defend. When God removes his peoples’ sins, it is ‘as far as the east is from the west’ (Psa. 103:12); whereas the ‘iniquity’ in this vision is removed only as far as Babylon. Even the Old Testament makes clear that the promise ‘to remember their sins no more’ is connected to the ‘New Covenant’ – and no new covenant is spoken of here. It may be, however, that much of the moral filth which had affected the nation was to be removed and symbolically put back where it belonged. These Jews had lived in Babylon, the idolatrous capital of the world. The woman was taken away to a house (possibly a temple, as NET above) denoting her idolatrous influence would be removed from the nation. The meaning then becomes plain, the people who worshiped God in the new temple in Jerusalem were to be pure worshippers of Jehovah, not idolaters – for idolatry had been the cause for their being carried captive into Babylon in the first place. It may in this connection be significant that under later reforms introduced by Nehemiah, those Jews who had married foreign wives were compelled to send them and their children away, because of
their idolatrous influences. Did they return to Babylon? In the New Testament, believers are referred to as the temple of the Living God, and are command to flee from idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14; 2 Cor. 6:16). Our worship of God today must be no less pure than that which, through Zechariah, was demanded of Israel. It is worthy of note that the vision of the woman in the basket may have had a wider symbolic meaning, especially to the writers of the New Testament. The vision of the woman representing wickedness is used again in Revelation 17, this time to denote the sinful world system which controls people’s hearts in opposition to Christ. This antichrist spirit is manifested in world politics, world religion, and even in world finance and commerce. In this regard, several New Testament writers refer to iniquity as a spirit, or a worldwide spiritual phenomenon. The secret mystery of lawlessness is already at work in the world (2 Thess. 2:7). Sin itself is a powerful controlling force in the hearts of men and women, and its power is derived – at least in part –from the satanic forces of darkness (Eph. 2:2); which are themselves in rebellion against God. Only Christ can break the hold of this evil power in individual lives (Col. 1:13). Having been set free by Jesus, the Christian is not to become bound again by the spirit of this age. We are to avoid ungodly companionships (2 Cor. 6:14; James 4:4) as John hears during one of his visions in the Book of Revelation – God’s voice calling – ‘come out of her my people’ (Rev. 18:4). The message of Zechariah to the Jews of his day is in this sense identical to the message of the
Bible for Christians today, ‘be holy for I am holy’ (1 Pet. 1:16); separate yourselves from idolatrous influences, drawing near to God and worshipping him in his holy temple; which today is the function of the church of Christ. Since Zechariah’s vision was used by New Testament writers to link into their apocalyptic visions, one further step might be tentatively taken in our understanding of this vision. In the very last days, the mystery of lawlessness will find expression in a man who will epitomise rebellion against God, submitting the allegiance of his soul entirely to Satan, and deceiving the whole world of that time to worship Satan instead of Christ. This man embodies the spirit of antichrist, and so is often referred to simply as the antichrist. Clearly we cannot carry the parallel too far, for the antichrist is said to rule from Jerusalem not Babylon, yet similarities are also apparent. Firstly, if the woman in Zechariah’s vision was restrained by a heavy lead weight, Paul tells us that the manifestation of the man of sin will be restrained by the Holy Spirit until God’s appointed time (2 Thess. 2:7). He will ultimately be destroyed, and so will the whole world’s opposition to Christ, for he will come to reign as absolute ruler, with all things subjected under his feet. Moreover, Jerusalem, though not referred to as Babylon, is referred to as Egypt and Sodom in Revelation 11:8 and Isaiah 1:10. This demonstrates that the actual location of Babylon may not be as significant to the understanding of the text as the unfaithfulness to God that it represents.
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Continued from page 22
Discussion Questions for Mark Chapter 15 1. vv. 1-5. Why do you think Jesus remained silent during his trials before the chief priests and before Pilate? What effect did his silence have on them? 2. vv. 16-25. Consider Jesus’ sufferings. In what way might it be said that Jesus was in control through all of his sufferings? 3. vv. 33-37. What do you think was significant about Jesus’ cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 4. v. 38. What was significant about the tearing in two of the temple curtain? 5. vv.42-47. What impresses you most as you read the details about Jesus’ burial?
Philip the Evangelist Acts 21:8 Brief extract of a forthcoming book based on studies by the late Haydn O. Williams. Image © Dvest
We are first introduced to this remarkable character by Luke in Acts 4:5, where we see that he was chosen by the Jerusalem church as one of the first seven deacons. In Acts 8:5, being forced to flee Jerusalem to escape the persecution which broke out after Stephen, had been stoned to death for preaching the gospel, we find Philip in Samaria, proving his calling so effectively as he preaches that from then on he is known as “Philip the Evangelist.” The Great Commission Jesus had given the great commission to all his followers, not just the twelve, and Philip knew this. He knew too that signs would follow all who believe (Mark 16:18). This great commission still applies to all followers of Jesus. It is our duty and privilege to make Christ known in all the world. Jesus promised us power to carry on this great work. (Acts 1:8) Philip certainly was full of the Holy Spirit and was used powerfully in supernatural signs and wonders. The Good Example Philip was a good example in evangelism and soul winning. Billy Graham was not the first to practise mass evangelism. Acts 8 tell us that the whole city was stirred by Philip’s
preaching and the signs and wonders. In the same chapter we have a picture of a personal soul winner, as Philip leads an Ethiopian to Christ. In Acts 21:9 we see something of Home Evangelism, for he had four daughters who were saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and using spiritual gifts. What an example for families to train and teach children in the ways of God! The Bible does not have much to say about Philip’s character, but everything that it does say about him is good. He was a man chosen to be one of the seven deacons (Acts 6:3-5), since he was honest, trustworthy and reliable (1 Tim. 3:8). Character plays a large part in our Christian lives. We must practise what we preach. People don’t read their Bibles but they do read our lives. “He that wins souls is wise.” Note how wise and tactful Philip was in leading the Ethiopian to the Lord. He did not force himself upon the man. This can harden a soul. But he gave a clear explanation of God’s Word. Without a vision the people perish. The Lord told his followers to look on the fields which are white to harvest (John 4:35) and Philip had 28
caught this vision of lost souls. Have we? When Philip saw the lost, he went with the good news motivated by concern. He had a love for the lost. God grant us a real love for the lost! Lord crucified give me a heart like thine! O to be like thee, full of compassion, seeking the wandering sinner to find. We won’t go far in winning souls without a real passion and concern for the lost. Let us catch the vision. Hear the Lord of harvest sweetly calling, who will go and work for me today, who will tell the dying, who will point the way? Philip did not go alone; God was with him, for he went in the power of the Holy Spirit. He did not depend on self-confidence but was filled with the Spirit (Acts 6:3). The Holy Spirit has come in answer to prayer of Jesus. Philip received this gift which is available to all (Acts 2:38-39). The Holy Spirit gives us authority and ability to work and witness. He was guided by the Spirit to the Ethiopian. He was used by the Spirit. The book of acts is called the Acts of the Apostles but could also be called the acts of the Holy Spirit. God wants our bodies to be temples of the Holy Spirit, for he is building a people of dynamic spiritual power.
Christmas Gospel tracts – worldwide delivery. Order in time for Christmas! Image © Subbotina
Many people see Christmas as the most wonderful time of the year! But even now, as the Christmas lights are switched on, darkness is all around us in our world. On TV we see reports of terrorism, war and murder. Terrible crimes are committed against the innocent. Some terrorists even say they have committed their crimes “in the name of God.” Doesn’t God care about what is happening in our world, supposedly in his name? Hate, envy, murder and greed are all deeds of darkness. But the Bible says: “God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.” This Christmas - a time for celebrating Christ’s birth - millions will be drinking too much, partying, taking drugs and behaving immorally. This sinful darkness has nothing whatever to do with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said:
“I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
means we all have a choice to make.
Jesus Christ, the true light, has come into the world to bring us out of the darkness of sin and into a relationship with God. His Light shows up our actions and thoughts for what they really are - sinful. The reason God sent His Son Jesus to die on a cross, bearing our sin and its punishment, was that He might “rescue us from the power of darkness and bring us into the kingdom of His Beloved Son”. Jesus rose from the dead and is alive today to bring men and women “out of darkness and into His marvellous Light.”
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To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ is to be saved from the darkness of sin now and forever; to be guaranteed a place in the eternal light of God’s glorious heaven. To refuse to believe the Lord Jesus Christ is to condemn yourself to what the Bible calls “the blackness of darkness forever”. Jesus clearly taught that anyone who died not believing in Him would spend forever in a place called hell. Jesus said “in hell, the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” He called it “outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This Christmas, as we celebrate that Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, has been born, let us not forget the reason why He came. His birth 29
Are you in darkness or Light?
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