Living Word November 2014

The river of the water of life—as clear as crystal— pouring out from the throne of God. (Rev. 22:1)

www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk

I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily And send down his roots like a cedar of Lebanon. Hosea 14:5

In this month’s issue: 4.

For the Asking

Edwin & Lillian Harvey (USA)

5.

Sealed Until that Day

Kenn Legg (Australia)

6.

Revelation 20: Events at the End of the World

Mathew Bartlett (UK)

9.

The Living Church (Sermon Outline)

Mathew Bartlett (UK)

11.

Hearing His Voice Begins With “Turning Aside”

Daniel Kolenda (CfaN)

13.

Faith-builders Bible Study Mark 13

Derek Williams (UK)

17.

In Depth Study – Zechariah 3

Mathew Bartlett (UK)

19.

Gaius the Prosperous Soul

Haydn O. Williams (UK)

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any confidence in you. “I do not trust you. I have lost confidence in your character. I am forced to suspect every move you make.”

Hold God’s Character True An extract from ”Kneeling We Triumph” by Edwin & Lillian Harvey BUY ON KINDLE! £3.86 Reproduced by kind permission of Harvey Publishers.

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It was impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18).

Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar (Rom. 3: 4).

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Heb. 11:6).

Human sin began with loss of faith in God. When our mother Eve listened to Satan’s sly innuendoes against the character of God she began to entertain a doubt of His integrity, and right there the doors were opened to the incoming of every possible evil, and darkness settled upon the world.

The Bible talks about man’s being alienated from and an enemy to God. Should this sound harsh or extreme you have only to imagine your closest personal friend coming to you and stating in cold seriousness that he no longer has

Such a declaration would instantly alienate friends by destroying the foundation upon which every friendship is built.

Until your former friend’s opinion of you had been reversed there could be no further communion.

Only a restored faith could bring about a restored friendship. Now, it is well known that people do not go boldly to God and profess that they have no confidence in Him, and no one except the rare professional unbeliever is willing to witness publicly to his low view of God. The frightful thing, however, is that people everywhere act out their unbelief with a consistency that is more convincing than words.

Idolatry is the supreme sin and unbelief is the child of idolatry. Both are libels on the character of the Most High and the Most Holy. “He that believeth not God hath made him a liar,” wrote the apostle John.

A God who lies is a God without character, and where there is no character there can be no confidence. The joyous message of Christianity is that there is a way back from this place of unbelief and alienation. “He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

The Gospel message declares that the wronged God took the wrong upon Himself in order that the one who committed the wrong might be saved. Repentance is, among other things, a sincere apology to God for distrusting Him so long, and faith is throwing oneself upon Christ in complete confidence. Thus by

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faith reconciliation is achieved between God and man.—A. W. Tozer.

Our limitless trust in God seems to satisfy Him as nothing else can do, because it corresponds with His eternal faithfulness, it honors His veracity, and is a constant silent worship of all His perfections. God forever honors those who believe Him. He has organized us on a pattern of trust, and not to trust ourselves in God is to derange the very plan of our creation. Faith in God is at once the sweetest necessity, the sublimest duty, and the greatest privilege of a creature toward his Creator.—G. D. Watson.

The first requirement of prayer is to believe.

Believe that God is and that “he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Believe that God is alive and therefore has power—not only for Peter’s deliverance, but for ours.

Believe that God is love and that He cares for His own.

Believe that God is power and therefore no power can stand against Him. Believe that God is truth and therefore cannot lie.

Believe that God is king and that He will never abdicate His throne or fail in His promise.—Leonard Ravenhill.

The Blessings of the Righteous –Ken Legg After creation, the first act of God towards man was to bless him. This is God’s heart towards us. The Hebrew word for ‘bless’ is barak or baruch meaning to empower to prosper in all areas of life. After God made Adam He placed him in a garden to tend it, dress and work it so that it would yield its fruit.

The Foundation Of Blessing Is A Right Relationship With God The foundation of blessing is to be rightly related to God. So when Adam disobeyed God and became disconnected from Him he experienced the curse. Tending was replaced with toiling. The curse of the law means we have to toil to get what God originally gave us. But immediately after the fall God gave the promise of a Saviour. The Seed of the woman would come and bruise the head of the serpent and overturn the curse, restoring the blessing once again. The foundation of blessing, as before, would be a right relationship with God. But there’s a difference. We would not be innocent, like Adam, but righteous. Innocence means there is no guilt before God…yet! But we live with the knowledge that we can and will sin, resulting in judgment.

In contrast to this, righteousness means that the perfect righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us and we are therefore permanently ‘in the right’ with God and always qualified for His blessing. We are blessed because we are righteous. Christ has delivered us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us, so that we might experience the blessing of Abraham (see Gal.3:914). If we don’t understand this, every time something goes wrong in

our lives we will think that God is catching up with us for some personal sin or even a generational sin. Many Christians live like this.

The Blessing of Abraham Let’s look at an example of the blessings of righteousness in the life of Abraham. When he went down to Egypt he was afraid of the Egyptians. His wife was beautiful and he feared the Egyptians would kill him so that they could have Sarah. So he said to her, “Say you are my sister.” They went along with this plan to the extent that Pharaoh took her into his house. He was about to sleep with her until God plagued him and his house with ‘great plagues’. When the reason for this was revealed, Pharaoh blamed Abraham for behaving this way. He then restored Sarah to him, and gave him many sheep, oxen, servants, silver & gold.

At this point I can almost hear the cry, “Unfair!” Maybe you even think I’ve read the Bible wrong. No, I haven’t. In fact an almost identical situation occurred sometime later when Abraham went to the land of Gerar. The King of Gerar, Abimelech, was also led to believe that Sarah was Abraham’s sister. So he took her with the intention of having her as his wife. But God came to him in a dream and said, “You are a dead man if you touch this woman! She’s married. Now restore her to her husband otherwise you are dead!”

Abimelech rose early the next morning (as you would!) and restored Sarah to Abraham and gave him many sheep, oxen, servants and silver as well.

It would seem from the passage that Abraham didn’t do this just once or twice; it was his practice wherever he went (see Gen.20:13).

So how could God, who cursed mankind on account of sin, not punish Abraham for his sin? In fact, He blessed him while he was sinning! The reason is that though Abraham was not innocent, yet he was permanently righteous.

God does not impute sin to the righteous. In Romans chapter 4, where Paul discusses our righteousness in Christ, he quotes David who said: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin” (Rom.4:7&8). Under the New Covenant God promises: “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Heb.8:12). There are consequences for wrong doing. If we sow to the flesh, from the flesh we will reap corruption – not from God (see Gal.6:8). God does not impute our sins to us because they have been imputed to Christ.

Instead Christ’s righteousness is always imputed to us. That’s why there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ – not now, not ever. We are blessed because of Jesus!

That’s the good news of the gospel of grace: “…God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them…” (2 Cor.5:19 – emphasis mine). And if you are in Christ, God will never impute your sins to you.

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Revelation 21 The Eternal Day

Many Christian statements of faith include a line such as this: we believe in the everlasting conscious bliss of all who truly believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. In this chapter John has a glimpse into the eternity of joy which we shall call ‘the eternal day’. He sees a new heaven and earth, which Peter says, is “the home of righteousness.” He views the New Jerusalem, the church of Jesus Christ, as the grand masterpiece of God’s new creation.

John uses the best words human language will allow to describe the unspeakable beauty of the scene before him. His vision discloses:

The Future of the Church An Exalted Setting In Verse 10 John is carried away in the Spirit to a vast and high mountain, which speaks of the exaltation of the bride of Christ. The city comes down out of heaven from God. Already believers have been “raised up together and are seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2.6) And our greatest hope is to be “forever with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4.17)

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Truth for Today A brief extract from our forthcoming book.

By Mathew Bartlett

From the eternal viewpoint of the sacred vision, John sees this already fulfilled. The city HAS God’s glory.

Romans 5:1 tells us that having been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we rejoice in hope of the glory of God, which one day will be ours. In verse 11 John describes the beauty of the saints; and in verse 2 the church is compared to a bride beautifully adorned for her husband. At that time God’s people shall be beautified with God’s glory.

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Psalms 149:4

Image © Pidiyath100

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The glory of God’s people is to reign throughout eternity with him. You may recall from our earlier studies at the beginning of the book of Revelation that Jesus said “He who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne.” (Rev3.21) The church will occupy an exalted setting in eternity.

An Endless Stay In verse 3 we read: “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them”. The key to eternal bliss is God’s dwelling among people. As the bride of Christ descends out of heaven from God, her eternal communion with God has already begun and will never be interrupted. There will be no need for a temple in heaven, for God’s presence will be immediate and full.

God’s purpose to dwell among people forever will be fulfilled, hence the cry goes up - it is completed. God made humanity for fellowship with Himself, and sent Christ into the world to redeem sinful humankind, that he might dwell with them forever. The church will enjoy an endless stay in eternity - God with us and we with God.

An Everlasting Supply Our every need and wish will be supplied in heaven. In verse 6 Jesus promises to give the water of life freely to all who thirst. What is this fountain of the water of life? These are the deep supplies which, if I might use such a phrase, fuel the Godhead himself. God is all sufficient in himself and he chooses to share that all sufficiency with us.

That is the water of life, flowing from the throne of God. God is

never in want, and we shall not be in want. In his presence there is fullness of joy (Ps 16.11); but there is also fullness of all things. All things are freely given to us in Christ. As verse 7 highlights: The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Similarly, Paul writes: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32 Throughout eternity, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end will be our all in all. When we read these words, we should not think of the Lord Jesus Christ as akin to bookends – Alpha at the one end and Omega at the other. Instead, he is the A to Z, the sum total of all things, and all sufficient for us.

The fatherhood of God brings to us an all satisfying relationship. If only we could fully understand the words “I will be his God and he will be my son” we would know that all we need is found in Him. We are born of God’s Spirit and share his divine nature, so it is our place to be with him. The child of God will need no other amusement in heaven, for we will never be dissatisfied.

The future God has planned for his church is an exalted setting, endless stay and everlasting supply.

The Features of the Church in Eternity

It is laid out as a square, with three gates on each of its four sides, twelve gates in all.

These gates are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, whilst the foundations of the city are inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. God’s everlasting purpose in his dealing with men in both the Old and New Testaments is now fulfilled; its foundations show that the church in heaven is made up of Jews and Gentiles from every nation.

Each gate is a single pearl. That is a message in itself. The tropical sea pearl oyster secretes layer upon layer of a shiny substance called nacre onto any foreign object, such as sand or a parasite that enters into its shell. Eventually, over a period of seven years, a beautiful and valuable pearl is formed. The pearl is all that remains to tell of the oyster’s victorious battle with its sufferings. We will, of course, be in heaven because of the shed blood of Christ, a sacrifice that will never be repeated. Nevertheless the gates of the city, speak of:

The Shelter of the Church, The heavenly pearls are all that remain of the sufferings his church passed through on its way to heaven. No more suffering will reach us in that heavenly shelter; our suffering will be over forever, but what it produced in us, the perfect beauty of the likeness of Christ, will remain.

The Size of the Church John is using familiar words to describe heavenly realities. Having described the church as a bride, he also describes it as a city, indicating:

The Structure of the Church in Eternity.

We are not to think of the redeemed of the Lord as being some minor community. The people inhabiting New Jerusalem will be more numerous than the sand by

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the seashore. John has already described the church in heaven as being “innumerable” (Rev. 7.9).

Although I’m honestly not sure if we should take these measurements literally, I’ve done some calculations with them all the same. According to the earthly measurement used by the angel, the city covers a land area of 2 ¼ million sq. miles, 10 times the size of the British Isles.

However, the height of the city is remarkable. If it were on earth today, it would reach further into space than some satellites. If we were to flatten it out to the height of the highest skyscrapers on earth the New Jerusalem would occupy more than 30 times the surface area of our planet (including all the seas). To sum up, the point is very simply made: it is a vast place.

Symbolism aside, the message is clear - there is plenty of room in heaven for everyone.

Our attention is next drawn to the thickness of the walls - 144 cubits or (over 200 feet). In ancient times, the thickness of a city wall was a measure of its security. No enemy could enter through walls so thick.

This implies:

The Saint’s Security Sin (v8)(v27), death (v4), pain (v4) and sadness (v4) will never enter heaven. There will be no separation from God or each other. Notice: WE shall be forever with the Lord, not I. We will be with him but we will also be with each other, and with our Christian loved ones who have passed on before us, eternally.

What a blessed thought. The fellowship God enjoys with his people we shall also enjoy with each other in perfect and unending love and unity. Maybe that is why

there is only one street in heaven, a symbol of our unity and community.

The Saint’s Perfection The precious stones the city is built with speak of the saint’s perfection.

Each believer is a living stone, and precious to God. These precious gems represent the perfections of Christ which have now been revealed in and through the redeemed, who share his image.

For whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom. 8:29) As Ephesians 5.27 says, Christ will ‘present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.’ When we see Christ we shall be like him, for as 1 John 3:2 says, “we shall see him as he is.”

The perfection of the saints is also shown by the perfection of the city, since the numbers, all derivatives of 12, are taken by many scholars to be a reference to the perfections of divine character and government.

Next we turn our attention to the doors, which are eternally open.

This tells of:

The Saint’s Freedom The twelve gateways do not reveal the way to heaven, for there is only one way to heaven - the Lord Jesus Christ said ‘I am the Way’, and ‘I am the door’. But the gateways reveal the freedom of the saints. Open doors mean the freedom to come and go as we please. There will be no one to harass or stop us worshipping God in heaven. There will be perfect liberty. No church meetings will need to be held in

secret behind locked doors. The doors will never be closed, there will never be the need to lock up at night, for there will be no night; and though attended by angels, these must be seen as attendant servants rather than guardians of the city, since the city has no need of a guard – there are no more enemies to harass. “Open Doors” is a good name for an organisation seeking to help persecuted believers meeting behind closed doors for fear of their enemies. There will be no closed doors in heaven, but eternal freedom to worship God. We have dealt with the future of the church and its features in eternity, but finally, what will be the function of the Church in heaven?

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:18) Notice that the scripture says, ‘They shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.’ (v26) Here is something that the saints will take with them into heaven - their own glory, that is, their characters or own selves which have been purified and perfected in Christ.

What we are will not be abrogated in heaven. ‘I will know even as I am known.’ We will know each other in heaven. The saints themselves are to be to God’s glory - as Paul tells the Thessalonians ‘you are our glory and joy’. (1 Thess. 2:20).

To bring Worship to God.

The Function of the Church To Bring Glory to God. The church shall function in heaven to bring glory to God. Paul repeats this theme again and again in Ephesians. He tells us that the church will be to the glory of God for his grace: ‘our adoption as sons by Jesus Christ.. Is to the praise of the glory of His grace.. (Eph. 1:5-6) that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. (Eph. 1:12) ..the redemption of the purchased possession, will be to the praise of His glory’. (Eph. 1:14) It will be to the glory of God’s wisdom. Paul says that even now, “the manifold wisdom of God is made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (Eph. 3:10) And so for eternity the church shall display his wisdom.

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Looking briefly at chapter 22:3 we read: ‘His servants shall serve him.’

What will our heavenly service be?

It will consist chiefly of worship.

Worship has been described as the highest form of service. One of the final commands in the book of revelation is ‘Worship God!’ (Rev. 22:9). It is a command the child of God should delight to keep; worshipping God through eternity.

Conclusion The eternal day will be an eternity of joy for all the redeemed. The bride coming down out of heaven introduces us to what could rightly be called “The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” the eternal union of God with his people. No wonder the angel has earlier announced ‘Blessed are they who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’

(Rev 19.9) I’m getting ready for the marriage feast, are you?

SENSING THE PRESENCE OF GOD 2 CHRONICLES 5:13-14 A Sermon Outline by Rev. Ramon Hunston (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada) Image © Maryna Kriuchenko

It came even to pass, as the

trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God. (2Ch 5:13-14) INTRODUCTION There is a longing in us all to sense the presence of God. Whilst there is no gimmick or formula by which we might demand God’s presence, praise frees the human spirit to appreciate the presence of God.

The above reading relates to the inauguration of the Temple by Solomon and the installation of the Ark of the covenant; the event was accompanied by praise and worship. Similarly, when the Holy Spirit came to his temple (the Church) at Pentecost, he inspired praise and worship.

1. THE WORSHIP

REDISCOVERY

OF

The people of Solomon’s time were praising and thanking the Lord.

There will always be the outpouring of the Spirit when there is worship.

The people had been serving, but now they were praising. In the early church it was as they ministered unto the Lord, the Ho/v Ghost said....”

for His pure, lovely holiness - “holy, holy, holy....”

We praise God for his infinite wisdom - “In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...”

We praise God for his power everything is in His hand, and so answers can be received to our prayers. (b) “For His mercy endureth for ever....”

This is praising God for what He has done for us: His salvation; care and forgiveness –

(a) “For He is good...”

We note that the Ark was now in the Temple. In a similar sense, God is with us as an abiding presence.

Even when we fail God, God does not fail us.

This is praising God for who He is.

Those who have never come to Christ see no loveliness in God. But we who know Christ can praise God

There’s nothing between me and weeping and wailing....But Christ.

Thank God for his glorious intervention in Christ!

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(c) Thanksgiving is God’s Will In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1Th 5:18) Thanksgiving expresses faith. It is the experience of commitment.

2. THE REDISCOVERY FELLOWSHIP

OF

“They were as one.” (a) Their hearts were one.

There was nothing between them; this is the Biblical essential of relationships.

‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

(Psa 133:1-3)

Note also Jesus’ prayer: "That they may he one...and the glory that Thou gayest Me, I have given to them." (John 17:21-22)

God led the children of Israel by a pillar of fire in the wilderness. For the Church today he has sent the Holy Spirit, the fire of Pentecost.

(b) Their prayers were as one, just as on the day of Pentecost the disciples were all of one accord in one place.

(b) The priests could not stand to minister.

They made “one sound.” When we are united together by the same Holy Spirit, we enjoy corporate worship which is the secret of corporate blessing. (c) Their spirits were as one.

We must be united in one purpose to praise the Lord.

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 15:6) Our praises are only acceptable to God through Christ.

3. THE REALISATION OF GOD’S PRESENCE (a) The cloud filled the house (Temple)It was the same cloud as in the wilderness... but now a different generation.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity… for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Psalm 133:1-3 Image © Zoom-zoom 10

It was the same experience as when the Tabernacle was set up but once again it was now a different situation. On this occasion as then, God kindled the fire on the altar.

We must never restrict God to acting in the past. Pentecost was a once for all event in the plan of God, but God wants the same power of the Holy Spirit to be experienced by a new generation in our day. (c) The glory of the Lord filled the house (Temple).

Fire came down from God following Solomon’s prayer. (7:1-2) There was the same power and presence. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New. He has lit the holy fire of Pentecost, but consequently he would have us keep it burning in our hearts in a spirit of worship.

Ready, Fire, Aim 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.

The other day I went with my father to the shooting range. He was heading out on a hunting trip, and before he left I wanted to help him “sight in” the rifle

unless you fire, you will never miss, and unless you miss, you will never be able to make the adjustments necessary to hit the bull’s-eye.

what is working and what is not working. I am diligent to gather sufficient feedback, and then I will begin to tweak the “dials” based on that feedback.

I had bought him as a gift. We looked through the scope, which we had just attached, aimed at the target, and fired, knowing that we would most likely miss the bull’s-eye. But by firing at the target, we could see where we needed to make an adjustment to the scope. We were only able to make corrections when we saw how we were missing the mark.

Whenever I begin a new project or initiative, I never view my initial plan as the final draft. I dive into it knowing that I will learn as I go. This means that I’m not paralyzed by a fear of failure; rather I am looking forward to learning what not to do.

Even when I feel like everything is running smoothly, I will continue to step back often to analyse the process.

If something is working well, I will try to capitalize on it. If something is not working well, I will adjust it or prune it off altogether. It is an ongoing dynamic development that never ends.

I think this is typical of life. We usually learn more from our mistakes than our successes. But

I see my initial plan as an uncalibrated machine with many dials. The dials are all the different variables represented in that particular project. Once the machine is running, I can see 11

This process is where real progress is made, but until you take action, all of your planning

and strategizing untested theory.

is

simply

Having said all these things, let me be clear: taking action is not just a matter of trial and error.

At its core, it is a matter of faithfulness.

Even if there are a thousand things you cannot do for one reason or another, there is always something you can do. It may seem small or insignificant, but the eyes of God are on you.

He is watching to see what you will do with the opportunities He has given you, and your response will determine whether He entrusts you with more.

I was preaching in a church some time ago when a young man came up to me with tears in his eyes and said, “I have a calling like yours. The Lord has called me to preach the gospel. I believe I am going to win millions of people to the Lord, but I don’t know where to start.”

I put my arm around him and said, “I think I can help you.” He said, “You can?” I said, “Yes, I can tell you where to start.

Start by telling your unsaved family members about Jesus.

Then go and tell your unsaved friends about Jesus. Then go out to the street corners and preach the gospel to lost people wherever you can find them. As God sees your faithfulness, He will give you more.”

Another young man shared his vision with me one day. He said, “I am going to start a house of

prayer. I am going to have prayer, intercession, and worship going on twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, three hundred sixty-five days per year.”

“That’s a wonderful vision,” I said. “When will it begin?” He said, “Well, first I need to gather several dozen worship bands together and several hundred intercessors who share my vision.” I could see a problem in his plan right away.

“Can I give you some advice?” I asked. He was very eager to hear it. I said, “Why don’t you start with one evening per week or one day per month? Start by doing whatever you can do, and as you are faithful, God will give you more.”

Unfortunately my advice was too unexciting for that young man. He decided to do it the more dramatic way and wait until all the bands and intercessors had been assembled. I’m sad to report that several years later, he still has not started the house of prayer.

I did not start by preaching to millions of people. I started preaching as a teenager to lost people on the streets. I went door to door in my neighbourhood and witnessed to my neighbours. I went to the parks and stood on park benches and preached. I stood up in restaurants, outside movie theatres, on street corners. I have been escorted away by police on more than 12

one occasion for preaching the gospel.

When I first launched into fulltime evangelistic ministry, I had only one preaching invitation.

But that invitation led to another and another and another. Today I have more invitations than I could ever accept, but it all happened one door at a time.

There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.”

Perhaps you don’t know how to get from A to Z, but you don’t need to know that. All you need to know is how to get from A to B. Once you get to B, then you will go to C, and one step at a time you will find that the waters will begin to part as your feet get wet.

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.

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Mark Chapter 14

By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK) Image © Rorem The Plot Against Jesus 14:1 Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Although the religious leaders in Jerusalem had been talking for some time about ridding themselves of Jesus it was not until two days before the Passover that they met together to plan on how they could bring about his death by deceptive means. That they sought to do this by stealth reveals that they knew they had no justification for their actions.

14:2 For they said, ‘Not during the feast, so there won't be a riot among the people.’

They originally hoped to put the plan on hold until after the Passover, in case it caused uproar among the people, with whom Jesus was popular. So they planned to take Jesus after the feast, until circumstances caused them to change their plans. In fact, it was God’s own plan that was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem (Prov.

19:21; Job 5:12; Psalm 33:11).

This event took place in Bethany where Jesus often resorted when going to Jerusalem. This time the supper is held in Simon the leper's Image © Rorem house; since Simon was present he had obviously been healed by the Lord. The differences in Matthew's (Matt. 26 6-13) and Mark's account of this anointing with that of John's (John 12:1-8) might readily be explained if we assume that Martha and Mary had prepared supper in Simon’s house.

Jesus Anointed

Matthew and Mark place this event two days before the Passover; whereas John mentions Jesus arriving in Bethany six days before the Passover. But we have already seen in Mark that Jesus spent several days in Bethany before his execution, and so although he arrived six days before, the anointing may well have taken place

Mark Chapter 2 (abstract)

By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK)

14:3 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of costly aromatic oil from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head.

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(as Mark relates) two days before the Passover.

Although Mark does not name her, John affirms that is was Mary the sister of Lazarus who poured a liquid perfume made out of pure nard on Jesus’ feet (nard was extracted from the spikenard plant).

It was very costly and highly prized, being imported from Arabia, India and the Far East. Since Mary was someone who listened attentively to Jesus’ words (John 10:39), had she saved the perfume purposely, realising that she was anointing Christ for his burial; or did she act in ignorant devotion? She did not keep anything for herself but gave it all to Jesus.

Mark says that Mary anointed Jesus’ head whilst John mentions his feet. It is quite likely that Mary (who had come to anoint his body for burial) would have anointed both.

14:4-5 But some who were present indignantly said to one another, ‘Why this waste of expensive ointment? It could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor!’ So they spoke angrily to her.

The act of worship which expressed Mary’s love for the Lord brought an angry response from the onlookers, including the twelve disciples. They all sharply criticised Mary. To them it was a complete waste of an expensive item which could have been used for better things. Their minds were still fixed on material benefits and so they were blinded to the spiritual significance of what Mary had done. In any case after all that Jesus had done for them should they begrudge him this honour? In John's gospel we are

told that it was Judas Iscariot that made the most objections, since he been stealing from the purse he had been entrusted with (John 12:6).

14:6 But Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her?

She has done a good service for me.

Jesus knew what was in Mary’s heart and comes to her defence, rebuking the disciples for accusing her. He commends Mary for her act of faith, declaring it to be good and beautiful as an expression of love.

14:7 For you will always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want. But you will not always have me!

Mary seemed to understand something that the disciples had not, although Jesus had repeatedly told them about it: he was leaving them. In fact his hour had almost come; now was the time to do something for him. There would always be poor people in the world for whom they could give help at any time.

14:8 She did what she could. She anointed my body beforehand for burial.

Jesus informs them quite clearly that she had anointed him for his burial.

14:9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.’

Mary's act of devotion would be remembered as a testimony to her wherever the gospel was preached; her actions are worthy of being commended as an example for all believers to follow – symbolising complete surrender to the Lord.

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Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 14:10-11 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus into their hands.

When they heard this, they were delighted and promised to give him money. So Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray him.

After this Judas Iscariot wasted no time. He had made up his mind to betray Jesus into the hands of his enemies and so conspired with the chief priests how he might betray him into their hands without the people knowing. They rejoiced to hear this, since this is what they had been waiting for. Who better to help them than one who was his disciple and professed friend (Psalm 41:9; Psalm 55:12-14)? The price that they would pay Judas for the life of the Lord was thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave.

The Preparation Passover

and

the

14:12 Now on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?’

When the disciples asked Jesus where he wanted them to prepare for the Passover, they found that God had already made preparations of his own.

14:13 He sent two of his disciples and told them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.

As they entered Jerusalem they would meet a man carrying a pitcher of water, an uncommon sight enough, as it was usually the

women or children who did this. He would lead them to the place which God had ordained for this last supper. Mark seems eager to affirm that God was not leaving any of the events surrounding his Son’s last days to chance.

14:14-15 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, ‘Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.

God had also prepared the owner of the house to receive the disciples, and when they arrived he guided them to an upper room which was already prepared for the Passover celebration.

14:16-18 So the disciples left, went into the city, and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. Then, when it was evening, he came to the house with the twelve. While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me will betray me.’

The disciples obeyed Jesus without question and it found things to be exactly as he had told them. So they prepared the Passover ready for his arrival. When we do exactly as Jesus commands us we will find that all things will work out right.

At evening time, Jesus arrived with the rest of the twelve, and as they sat down to eat, he dropped the first bomb shell of the evening. One of the twelve, one of those closest to him, was going to betray him. We cannot imagine what a shock this must have been to the disciples; all except for one.

14:19 They were distressed, and one by one said to him, ‘Surely not I?’ The disciples began to show their sadness at hearing this news; yet it is significant to notice that they did not ask “who is it?” or insist that “it isn't me”. Their hearts had been so pierced by Jesus’ words that even the innocent among them began to examine themselves, and asked him one by one “is it I?” 14:20 He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand with me into the bowl.

In reply, Jesus did not openly name the betrayer, but gives an almost “cryptic clue” so that the person himself would know that Jesus was not ignorant of his plans. According to John 13:26, it appears that only John saw who dipped his hand in the dish at the same time as Jesus, and so understood the betrayer to be Judas Iscariot.

14:21 For the Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.’

The fact that every minute detail of the plan of salvation was foreordained by God did not absolve Judas Iscariot from blame for the part which he played in it.

Like any other person, Judas had a free will; he did not have to betray Jesus. Jesus gave him plenty of opportunities to repent but he continually hardened his heart.

Therefore he would pay the dreadful penalty for his actions and there would never be a rest for his soul. That is why Jesus said “It would be better for him if he had never been born”.

14:22-26 While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks 15

he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it. This is my body.’ And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant that is poured out for many. I tell you the truth; I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Judas having left, Jesus proceeded to institute a new memorial - the communion - to replace that of the Passover. Just as the Passover involved the death and blood of a lamb, so the memorial Christ instituted would point to his own broken body and to his blood shed on the cross.

As Passover commemorated the Jews’ deliverance from slavery to Egypt, so the communion pictures the deliverance which Christ provided (through his death) from the slavery of sin. Christ gave himself for us that we might be redeemed, purchased for God by his blood. This blessing of redemption is closely related to the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7).

The Passover provided a number of types and pictures of the reality which was soon to be fulfilled by Christ’s death, and which thereafter would no longer be needed. Christ would never take Passover again, but he would share the blessings of the redemption which it symbolised with all the believers in his kingdom. Barnes says, “The observance of the Passover, and of the rites shadowing forth future things, here end… Hereafter, when my Father’s kingdom is established in heaven, we will partake together of the thing represented by these

types… the blessings and triumphs of redemption.”

Before facing his last and fiercest battle at the cross, Jesus paused to sing hymns of praise to God with his disciples. It is commonly accepted that the hymns sung by Jews on such an occasion Psalms 113-118. In Christ’s singing there was a note of praise for the victory which he was about to accomplish. Following the hymn, they set out for the Mount of Olives, where in a garden called Gethsemane, they often met to pray.

14:26-31 Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even if they all fall away, I will not!’

Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you the truth, today -- this very night -before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.’

And all of them said the same thing.

The Old Testament had predicted the scattering of Christ’s disciples at the time of his arrest and crucifixion. But Jesus introduced a new reality – he would gather them to himself again after he was raised from the dead. All the disciples, including Peter, were indignant at the suggestion that they would forsake their Lord.

They overestimated their own ability and loyalty; though Jesus ability to keep his word was never in doubt.

14:32-41 Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James, and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed. He said to

them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.’ Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him. He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’

agony of the moment, Christ purposed to go through with the plan - not for his own sake, but for ours. He prayed, “yet not what I will, but what you will’ (v36). An angel appeared to strengthen him, lest the sorrow be too much for his human frame to bear (Luke 22:43).

Then he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn't you stay awake for one hour? Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ He went away again and prayed the same thing.

When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to tell him. He came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough of that! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

The Betrayal and Arrest

As Christ approached the garden of Gethsemane, he began to enter his agony, an agony which only he could face. The sorrow of it was itself sufficient to kill him (14:34).

Asking all his disciples, some further off and some nearby, to pray with him, he fell on his face to intercede with God for the last time as a man; asking that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. It was certainly possible, for Christ would not be forced to suffer and die for the sin of the world. Yet it was the only way for lost sinners to be redeemed for God; their redemption by any other means was impossible.

The salvation of sinners was the purpose for which Christ had come into the world (1 Tim. 1:15; John 3:16). Realising this, despite the 16

14:42 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!’

After his agonizing triumph in Gethsemane Jesus woke his disciples as his betrayer came near.

14:43 Right away, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law and elders.

Even as he spoke, Judas arrived with a detachment of temple police, heavily armed. Judas may have had some idea of what the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ arrest might be, particularly Peter's and so he may have advised them to bring weapons.

14:44-46 (Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.’) When Judas arrived, he went up to Jesus immediately and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Then they took hold of him and arrested him.

Judas had also agreed the means by which he would identify Jesus. The kiss was the usual form of greeting in New Testament times (Rom. 16:16); and among Christians this affectionate greeting demonstrated love and brotherhood (1 Pet. 5:14).

The callous way in which Judas used

the kiss and hypocritically addressed Jesus as “Rabbi” demonstrated that he had gone beyond all hope of repentance (Prov. 27:6). In this way Judas handed the Saviour of the world into the hands of cruel men.

14:47 One of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the high priest's slave, cutting off his ear.

John 18:10 reveals that it was Peter who made this useless attack upon Malchus, one of the high priest's servants, cutting off his ear. Luke informs us (Luke 22:51) that Jesus touched the ear of this servant and healed it immediately. Even to those who had come out to destroy him, Jesus showed love and compassion.

The one who commands “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44) never asks us to do anything which he did not do first.

14:48-49 Jesus said to them, ‘Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw?

Day after day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, yet you did not arrest me. But this has happened so that the scriptures would be fulfilled.’

Although it appeared that Judas was handing Jesus over to his enemies, and that they now had Christ in their power, Jesus remained in complete control of the situation. He even dictated the terms of his own arrest, confounding his enemies by challenging them (John 18:7-8).

Pointing to their weapons he reminds them that he was daily in the temple but they did not seize him. The fact that they had come armed under cover of darkness proved them to be wrong. Yet all things were happening in

accordance with the scriptures: God was in control (Isa. 53:7).

14:50 Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Here we see the fulfilment of Jesus’ prediction in verse 27; all the disciples left him and fled.

14:51-52 A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth. They tried to arrest him, but he ran off naked, leaving his linen cloth behind.

It is thought that this young man (who would have been in his teens) might have been Mark the writer of the gospel. The temple guards were unable to arrest him, but he only narrowly managed to escape by leaving his clothing behind.

The Religious Trial of Christ After Jesus’ arrest they took him to Annas, who had retired as high priest fifteen years previously and was the father-in-law of the present high priest, Caiaphas (John 18:13). It was Caiaphas who had prophesied that it was needful that one man should die so that the whole nation should not perish (John 11:50-51).

From there they led Jesus to Caiaphas, and the 71 members of the Sanhedrin (the religious authority of the Jews) assembled to put Jesus on trial, laying false charges against him.

14:54 And Peter had followed him from a distance, up to the high priest's courtyard. He was sitting with the guards and warming himself by the fire.

Peter, who originally fled with the rest of the disciples in the garden, returned to follow Jesus at a safe

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distance and gained entry into the high priest's courtyard through John's influence (John 18:16). He sat among the enemies of Christ, warming himself by the fire.

14:55-56 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything. Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree.

The fact that they had difficulty finding people to act as false witnesses against Jesus proves that they could not justify his arrest. The text suggests that they were forced to bribe people to make false accusations; but even then these could not agree, God throwing their false testimony into confusion.

14:57-59 Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands.' Yet even on this point their testimony did not agree.

At last there were some who came forward to say that they had heard Jesus threaten to destroy the temple and then rebuild it. This was of course true, but in context, Jesus had been speaking of his death and resurrection. “Yet his death did destroy the need of the temple and established the church as a new place made without hands in which God would dwell” (Wesley Bible).

14:60-61 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against But he was silent and did not answer.

Again the high priest questioned him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’

Caiaphas then took matters into his own hands, being amazed at Jesus' silent response to all the accusations being made against him (1 Pet. 2:23).

If he had chosen to believe the scriptures, Caiaphas would have recognised Christ as the Son of God by his demeanour without having to question him (Isa. 53:7).

14:62 I am, said Jesus, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.

Up until this point Jesus had not even let his own disciples openly confess him as Christ (Mark 8:30; Mark 9:9). But now there was no longer any need for concealment for his time had come.

So Jesus answered with an emphatic “I am!” This claim to be the “I am”, the deity, the messiahKing who was destined to sit at the right hand of God, from where he would come again in glory and judgement, was too much for the high priest.

14:63-64 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?’

They all condemned him as deserving death.

Caiaphas could not have asked for any better. As far as he was concerned this was blasphemy, justification enough to condemn Jesus to death. And so it was by the religious leaders of his time that the Lord Jesus Christ is condemned to death.

14:65 Then some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to strike him with their fists, saying,

‘Prophesy!’ The guards also took him and beat him.

The Sanhedrin had no power to carry out their sentence of death, for this could only be done by the Romans.

Nevertheless, all restraint and respect for Jesus was abandoned as they abused him shamefully, spitting in his face (Isa. 50:6). They blindfolded him, asking him to prophecy who hit him. In this way he was despised, rejected and set at nought (Isa. 53:3).

Peter's Denial 14:66-67 Now while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's slave girls came by.

When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked directly at him and said, ‘You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus.’

Whilst all this was going on, Peter was still warming himself by the fire, keeping company with those who were Christ’s enemies. Nor did he go unnoticed, for a servant girl recognised him and accused him of being a follower of Jesus.

14:68 But he denied it: ‘I don't even understand what you're talking about!’ Then he went out to the gateway, and a rooster crowed.

Peter pretends that he doesn't understand what she means – this is the first denial - and the cock crew - Peter had begun to fall, just as Jesus had predicted.

14:69 When the slave girl saw him, she began again to say to the bystanders, ‘This man is one of them.’

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The girl was not going to let Peter get away with such a denial, and on seeing him again she made her accusation to others standing by that he was one of Jesus’ followers.

14:70 But he denied it again. A short time later the bystanders again said to Peter, ‘You must be one of them, because you are also a Galilean.’

This time, Peter denied that he was a disciple of Jesus – this was the second denial. The third time Peter was approached by those who stood with him, for his Galilean accent betrayed him. Surely, if he was a Galilean, he must be one of Christ's followers.

14:71-72 Then he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about!’ Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: ‘Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.

On this third occasion Peter denied with oaths and curses that he ever knew Jesus at all - and the cock crowed again. Peter completely falls. At this point Luke reveals that Jesus looked at Peter - not with a look of condemnation but a look of love.

It was enough; Peter remembered Jesus' prediction and was completely broken in spirit and wept. Like Jeremiah before him, Peter had learned to admit “my heart within me is broken” (Jer. 23:9). This was not to be the end of Peter; for his broken and contrite spirit and the fact that Jesus had prayed for him remained as his allsufficient protection (Psalm 34:18).

Our In Depth Study Zechariah Chapter 4

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

Vision Four: The Cleansing of the High Priest vv. 1-7 3:1 Next I saw Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

Joshua the high priest was among those who had returned from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem. Zechariah sees him in vision form standing before the angel of the Lord with Satan making accusations against him. The devil had done the same to God’s servant Job (Job 1:6-12), and presumably does so to all God’s servants, since he is known as ‘the accuser of the brothers’ (Rev. 12:10).

3:2 The LORD said to Satan, "May the LORD rebuke you, Satan! May the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Isn't this man like a burning stick snatched from the fire?"

Joshua stands in front of the Lord as one who is justified in his sight, and so the Lord rebukes Satan for daring to bring an accusation against God’s servant (Rom. 8:33); for if God be for us, who can be against us (Rom 8:29-31)?

3:3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood there before the angel.

The dirty clothes which Joshua wore were symbolic of his own sin and possibly (since the high priest represented the nation) that of all Israel. The scripture had already declared all people to be sinners, and all human righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6).

3:4-5 The angel spoke up to those standing all around, "Remove his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "I have freely forgiven your iniquity and will dress you in fine clothing." Then I spoke up, "Let a clean turban be put on his head."

So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood nearby.

But in a picture of cleansing, forgiveness and justification, the angel ordered Joshua’s soiled clothes to be removed and that he be clothed instead with clean robes. Joshua also received a clean turban, the sign of high priestly office, which bore a gold plate engraved with the words HOLINESS TO THE LORD (Exodus 29:6; 39:30).

For the Jews, this would have been an indication that God would honour his covenant. The sin of the 19

people was to be removed, and they would once again be seen as the nation belonging to God, with a renewed and cleansed priesthood and rebuilt temple. Their enemies, represented in the vision by Satan, would be unable to overcome them or thwart God’s purposes.

The early church realised that this vision provided an illustration of what Christ has done for Christian believers. Christ has carried our sin away in his own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24) so that our filthy garments might be taken away and our sins are forgiven (1 John 2:12).

Subsequently, Christ clothed us with the garments of his righteousness and salvation (Isaiah 61:10). By faith in Christ we are justified in God’s sight (Gal. 2:16); that is, we are accepted as part of God’s covenant people, in a right relationship with God. Christ has cleansed us in order to make us holy; we are a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6) that we might serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Heb. 12:28) offering spiritual sacrifices to the Lord (1 Peter 2:5).

3:6-7 Then the angel of the LORD exhorted Joshua solemnly: "The LORD who rules over all says, 'If you live and work according to my

requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you.

Having cleansed and justified Joshua, the Lord next gave him a solemn commission. The Lord’s charge to Joshua was for him to perform the duties of high priest, the vision thereby ordained Joshua as high priest in the eyes of the people.

But more than that; for the return of the nation of Israel to the Promised Land was a reestablishing of their God-given call to be witnesses to the nations; and this was to be inaugurated by the consecration of their high priest as much as by the rebuilding of the temple.

Having been made holy, Joshua was to serve God in holiness of life’ keeping his commandments blamelessly. This is always to be the result of consecration to God’s service. Like Joshua, it is only once we have been cleansed that we can be consecrated to serve the Lord; just as in Exodus 29:20 Aaron and his sons had to have the blood of the sacrifice applied to them before they could minister. The result of our cleansing and consecration is to be obedience (Rom. 6:1-2); for the deeper our appreciation of our forgiveness, the deeper will be our devotion to God (Luke 7:47).

The Greater High Priest to Come vv. 8-10 3:8 Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you are a symbol that I

am about to introduce my servant, the Branch.

God sends a message to Joshua and his contemporaries about the servant of God who was one day to appear, whom Isaiah and Jeremiah had already identified as ‘the Branch’ (Isa. 11:1 and Jer. 23:5). It was important to note that this branch was to be of the line of David; yet Joshua the high priest is set forth as a picture of him in order to indicate that he would also be a priest, bearing the sin of many (Isa. 53:10-11). Of course, Israel knew that this could never be – priests only came from the tribe of Levi; yet as the writer to the Hebrews explains, the priest God spoke of was appointed after the order of Melchisedec, not the order of Aaron,; that is, according to the power of an endless life.

Jesus Christ is the branch born of the seed of David, who because of his endless life remains a priest of God forever (Rev. 1:18; Heb. 6:20).

3:9 As for the stone I have set before Joshua -- on the one stone there are seven eyes. I am about to engrave an inscription on it,' says the LORD who rules over all, 'to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

It is uncertain whether an actual engraved precious stone was placed before Joshua during his consecration; at least in this vision of his consecration. If so, it would have served as a perpetual reminder before the people of God’s promise in this verse – to remove the sin of the people through the ministry of ‘the branch’.

The Lord Jesus Christ is again and again referred to as a ‘stone’ in the scriptures. He is a chosen and 20

precious stone (1 Peter 2:4), yet he is the stone which the builders rejected (Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11) and the one who became a trap and snare to those who did not believe (Isaiah 8:14; 1 Peter 2:7).

On this stone, the Lord says, are seven eyes (originally, possibly seven facets), a symbol speaking of the all-knowledge of God. The servant who is anointed with the sevenfold Holy Spirit (Rev 4:5; Isa. 11:2) will also possess such allknowledge. Engraved on the stone, which is Christ, is the sign that God would remove the iniquity of the people in a single day - the dreadful day when Christ hung on a cross at a place called Calvary and God laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:6).

3:10 In that day,' says the LORD who rules over all, 'everyone will invite his friend to fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree.' " The result of Christ’s removing the iniquity of the people is described vividly in terms of fellowship, abundance and peace; a message which would have been welcomed by the fearful exiles. Moreover, the fact that everyone would have his own supply and could sit in peace, suggests that they would be no more slaves or servants (as they had been in Babylon). Through Christ we enjoy fellowship with God (1 Cor. 1:9) and one another (1 John 1:7). Through Christ we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1) and with each other (Eph. 2:14).

Through Christ we have abundance (Rom. 8:32). Through Christ we are no longer slaves or servants but sons and friends (Gal .3:26; John 15:15).

From ‘Meet These Men: Character Studies in the Bible’ A forthcoming book based on studies by the late Haydn O. Williams. Image © Dvest James The Lord’s Brother AS far as we know, there were three people named James who followed the Lord Jesus Christ.

count it a privilege to know Jesus Christ, for to know him is eternal life.

1. James the son of Zebedee and brother of John was one of the twelve apostles (Matt. 10:2), and was executed at the order of King Herod (Acts 12:1-2).

It is this third James that I wish to focus on in this study.

2. James son of Alphaeus was also one of the twelve apostles and was known as James the less, to distinguish him from the other James (Matt. 10:3). He was probably just not as big!

3. The third James is called “the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19) and is believed to have been the eldest brother of Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph. (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55-56). To be a natural brother of Jesus must have been a great privilege, when you think of who Jesus was - the great creator who became our Saviour. James would have played, schooled, studied and went to the synagogue with Jesus as the custom was, and perhaps they even worked together in Joseph’s carpentry shop. James may have been able to tell us more about the obscure years of Jesus. As Christians we too

New Creation of James Although James was Jesus’ brother, he had not always been a believer or follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that at one time His own brothers did not believe.

So Jesus' brothers advised him, "Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing. For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." (For not even his own brothers believed in him.)

(Joh 7:3-5) This reminds me of Joseph’s brothers who did not believe his dreams, but who later came to understand when Joseph revealed himself as ruler of all Egypt. Many Christian parents have wept because their children do not believe.

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Conversion The life of Jesus must have profoundly influenced his family, because a day came when they believed and followed him.

All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

(Act 1:14) In a similar way, how a Christian lives can greatly influence their families for Christ. (1 Peter 3:14).

We don’t know when or how James came to believe, but some accept that it may have been after Christ’s death and resurrection, because the Lord Jesus Christ personally appeared to him after he rose from the dead.

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. (1Co 15:7) Salvation is brought about by divine revelation, as it did to Paul on the Damascus road. The Holy Spirit convinces of sin and makes known the risen Christ. We must believe in the miracle of the resurrection in order to be saved (see Romans 10:9).

Devotion James was a son of Israel but by faith in Christ he became a son of God (John 1:12). He became a devoted follower of Jesus. We notice that James was a humble man, referring to himself as the “bond servant” (a servant of love) of Jesus Christ. He also confessed Christ to be his Lord. In this James is an example to all believers who are also bondservants, confessing Christ as Lord.

The High Calling of James His Obedience Having trusted in Christ James proved his devotion by his obedience. He was among the 120 disciples who obeyed the command of Jesus to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the father. As a result he was gathered with the others in the upper room. (Acts 1:14).

Consequently he received the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. If we claim that Jesus is our Lord then we too will obey him.

He is Lord, but we must prove he is our Lord by obedience. We too must receive the Holy Spirit.

And we are witnesses of these events, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him." (Act 5:32)

His Office James the Lord’s brother was not one of the twelve apostles but he was certainly a man of importance and considered a leader or Pastor of the Church in Jerusalem.

When Peter was released from prison by an angel he said ‘Tell James and the brothers these things," (Act 12:17)

When the church at Jerusalem met to discuss the matter of circumcising Gentile converts, James was not only present, he had the final word to say on the issue (Acts 15:13).

Later, when Paul came to Jerusalem for the last time, he reported news of his mission to James (Acts 21:18).

James was truly blessed with a great ministry.

The Excellent James

Character

of

If we accept that James the Lord’s brother wrote the epistle of James then we can see from its contents that he must have been a holy and good man of God.

God to bow his knees in prayer that he had “camels knees”, worn by constant use in this habit.

He was a Patient Man James wrote about patience.

So be patient, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's return. Think of how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient for it until it receives the early and late rains. You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord's return is near. (Jas 5:7-8) This kind of patience means persevering in our faith despite trials until Jesus comes again.

Indeed, perseverance in the face of suffering was the theme of Job, whom James urges us to emulate.

He was a Practical Man James was a wise counsellor and his writings reveal him to be a practical man. He insists that pure religion is practical, that faith without works is dead, and that we must not just hear but be doers of the Word.

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (Jas 1:27) So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. (Jas 2:17) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (Jas 1:22)

He was a Praying Man James knew from his own long experience that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). James was a man of prayer. Church legend has it that so used was this man of 22

Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job's endurance and you have seen the Lord's purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (Jas 5:11) James also wrote of having patience with others: Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. (Jas 1:19)

He was a Perfect Man It might seem strange to end on this note, for James certainly did not consider himself a perfect man in these sense of sinless perfection (James 3:2). But he did speak of perfection as a measure of spiritual maturity (James 1:4).

James was an elder to whom other elders looked up; and he was rightly called to be the leader of the church at Jerusalem.

Our Latest Gospel tract – order in time for Christmas!

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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 23

Are you in darkness or Light?

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