A God of Joy and His people

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Introduction

Book of Leviticus

Tonight, we look again in the book of Leviticus. Some of the words and phrases we commonly use come straight from the book of Leviticus. Words such as jubilee and scapegoat are commonly used today. And what husband hasn't offered a form of guilt offering to his wife!

Leviticus does have important things to tell us about sin, obedience and holiness. Perhaps most importantly it tells of God dwelling with His people. So tonight we delve into Leviticus chapter 16, which is the centre and pinnacle of the book. So please do turn in your bibles to Leviticus 16.

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A Story of Two Women!

Preached at Poulner Chapel on 7th April 2013

Let's pray!

2 Chronicles 22:10-12 - When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah's sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so that she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

2 Chronicles 23:11-15 - Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, 'Long live the king!'

When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the Lord. She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and musicians with their instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, 'Treason! Treason!'

Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops, and said to them: 'Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.' For the priest had said, 'Do not put her to death at the temple of the Lord.' So they seized her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.

Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king would be the Lord's people. All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

The two main characters which we will look at tonight as part of the series Old Testament Characters are Athaliah and Jehosheba. This story has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster! I can see Angelina Jolie playing the role of Athaliah and Julie Andrews as Jehosheba! What do you think? As hard as it is to believe, our two characters tonight are related! There is their family line. Clearly there is a lack of creative imagination in the naming of children though! Jehosheba had the same father as Ahaziah and was Athaliah's step-daughter! All very confusing!

With that in mind, let us set the scene together. So to our passage from 2 Chronicles 22 & 23. Down through human history, God has made covenants with humanity. Then with Noah, Abraham and Moses. God also made a covenant with David.

In that Covenant with David, God promised three things :

• A land forever (2 Samuel 7:10);
• A dynasty without end (2 Samuel 7:11, 16)
• A perpetual kingdom (2 Samuel 7:13, 16)

2 Samuel 7:12 predicts the birth of Solomon as David's successor to the throne with his role being to establish David's throne forever (2 Samuel 7:13). We see this link to Jesus Christ, through the genealogies to both Joseph: a legal right to David's throne (Matthew 1:1-17) and to Mary: a blood right to David's throne (Luke 3:23-38).

This book of 2 Chronicles covers the same period of history as 1 & 2 Kings, but from the spiritual perspective. It tells mainly of Judah, the southern kingdom after the life of David and deals mainly with the reforming kings: Asa, Jehosophat, Joash, Hezekiah and Josiah.

It is now about 8th century BC. The nation of Israel became a monarchy, firstly under Saul then mighty David and wise Solomon. Old Testament history shows that this is a particularly violent time. Soon after Solomon died, the nation of Israel was torn apart. The 10 northern tribes formed 'Israel' and departed from worshipping the true God, Yahweh, in favour of worshipping Baal, the Canaanite god. The 2 southern tribes formed the nation of Judah and they stayed loyal to the House of David, mainly because they had Jerusalem with God's temple and priests. By the time of our story though, about 100 years later, the leaders of both Israel and Judah had formed a kind of alliance in the face of common enemies. This included intermarrying and the result was that sometimes the lines of power were blurred. Baal worship was starting to now infiltrate Judah just as it had done for Israel. The god Baal was worshipped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, particularly by the Canaanites, the ancient enemies of Israel. The Canaanites considered Baal a fertility deity and one of their most important gods in the pantheon of gods. Judah was slowly slipping into a mire of moral bankruptcy and idolatry.

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Psalm 66

A Life of Joy

Today we are going to look at Psalm 66, which I consider to be a prayerful song of ecstatic joy - describing a life of overwhelming joy that exists between an Almighty God and one of His followers... So please do turn to that Psalm in your bibles.

Charles Spurgeon said of this Psalm "it is a marvellous psalm just to read; but set to suitable music, it must have been one of the noblest strains ever heard by the Jewish people."

The first impression I get from this Psalm is that there is a sense of a deep intimacy between God and the Psalmist.  Part of that intimacy and that relationship was joy, true joy.  Let us see together from Psalm 66, where joy fitted into the life of the Psalmist.  The author was probably King David and we have no reason to doubt that. Then we will go on to discover what I think joy actually is, before discussing what is one of the greatest barriers to joy. Then finally, we will see where joy is to fit into our life.

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1. The Psalmist and Joy!

a. Joy and the Earth (vs. 1-4)

1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!

2 Sing the glory of his name;

make his praise glorious!

3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power

that your enemies cringe before you.

4 All the earth bows down to you;

they sing praise to you,

they sing praise to your name."

Selah

Throughout the history of Israel, the majority of scribes and leaders of Israel usually gave praise to God in silence, in meditation and solemnity. This was of course acceptable to God and proper to do so.

But here, on this occasion, first of all for the Psalmist, among a great number of people, the whole earth is encouraged to shout with exuberant joy to God. It is quite natural for great crowds of people to shout in harmony. If praise is to be widespread, it must be vocal; joyful sounds stir the soul and cause great thanksgiving spread throughout the people. Of course everybody is different and each person praises differently! Some people are naturally loud and others naturally quiet! Whatever your own style of praise, God is to be praised in all styles and with both the voice and the heart.  The whole earth, everything and everyone, is encouraged to sing of the glory and power of God!

The psalmist encourages worshippers to turn their praises of joy to God alone! Turning in joy and admiration to a God who one day will cause all the earth to fear and tremble before him. For those who are enemies of God, who have never believed in him, never followed Jesus Christ, they too will be forced into submitting worship to Him before departing His presence forever. They will be forced to worship Him, due to His joyful magnificence and through forced submission, not because they choose to.

But their worship will not be like those who decided to follow Jesus Christ during their earthly life. The worship of all those who truly believe in Him, following Him intimately - their worship will be of truth, love, service and pure unadulterated joy. Their reward will be to praise God eternally.

b. Joy and the nation of Israel (vs. 5-12).

5 Come and see what God has done,

how awesome his works in man's behalf!

6 He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the waters on foot-

come, let us rejoice in him.

7 He rules forever by his power,

his eyes watch the nations-

let not the rebellious rise up against him.

Selah

8 Praise our God, O peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;

9 he has preserved our lives

and kept our feet from slipping.

10 For you, O God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

11 You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.

12 You let men ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance.

The psalmist now goes on to exhort great communal joy because of what God has done for Israel. He has done mighty works for his people. Did not God start the nation of Israel from Abraham in Genesis? Had not God led His people out of exile in Egypt by parting the Red Sea with His mighty hand so that his people could walk to freedom? Does not God rule forever by his mighty power and His outstretched hand? God watched over that nation of Israel, making covenants with Abraham and Moses, promising that He will be their God and they will be His people. The people of Israel were to be a people of joy, because they could look and see what God had done for them, and had a sure hope of what He would do for them in the future. They were His and He was theirs - a cause for great joy!

The psalmist continues to encourage the people to exhibit joyfully. God kept the feet of Israel from slipping. Even though Israel often turned their back on Him, God always kept a remnant of true believers for Himself. God sent Israel into exile under oppressive enemies, as punishment for their rebellious ways! Eventually He led them into the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey. That is why Israel could have exultant joy because of the hope they had in their God and the testimony they could give as a nation under their God!.

Indeed, in the book of Leviticus, which is little read these days in Christian circles, in 9:24 we read, "Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown."  How often have you heard joy linked with the book of Leviticus? WOW!! The Psalmist would certainly have been aware of that!

c. Joy and the psalmist (vs. 13 -20)

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings

and fulfill my vows to you-

14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke

when I was in trouble.

15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you

and an offering of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.

Selah

16 Come and listen, all you who fear God;

let me tell you what he has done for me.

17 I cried out to him with my mouth;

his praise was on my tongue.

18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;

19 but God has surely listened

and heard my voice in prayer.

20 Praise be to God,

who has not rejected my prayer

or withheld his love from me!

Thirdly, now after joy as a community, the Psalmist turns to himself and gets personal! His own joy starts with a sacrifice of vows and burnt offerings - a sacrifice, which costs him something. The psalmist has given promises to God and he wants to fulfil those promises before his God. Because of his great joy, the psalmist tells others of the source of his joy. He gives testimony to the love of God: how he confessed his sins to God, and how God had listened to him and heard his prayers. The Psalmist told the people to come and "Listen to what God has done for me." They had all seen God's work, but they also needed to hear that He was a gracious God!  The psalmist has developed an intimate relationship with Almighty God, which is revealed in the joy of the psalmist through sacrifice, testimony and praise.

2. What is joy?

Now that is all very well you may be thinking, but just what is joy? Is joy merely a form of bloated happiness, or is it more?  Joy is not going around everywhere and at all times with a silly grin on your face!  That kind of joy is dependent upon circumstances and feelings!  The type of joy the Psalmist was talking about, was to a certain degree dependent upon circumstances and feelings but he was also talking about a deeper, inner joy that is not!  The source, object and target of the Psalmist's joy, was God and God alone! That kind of joy, however, is not to be confused with mere pleasure or feeling good!  That joy was a way of life and it permeates every facet of the person and not just at an emotional level.

To enhance that thought, hear what C.S. Lewis once wrote: "Joy is never in our power, and pleasure is. I doubt whether anyone who has tasted true joy would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasure in the world."  As Christians, we are all instruments in the orchestra of God's joy.  Does that describe your experience of joy?

As humans, we feel happiness or pleasure depending on our circumstances, while true internal, biblical joy is always separated from our circumstances and is a heartfelt response that endures regardless of circumstances. The world says happiness is looking out for number one, look out for your own interests and negotiate your own personal good in all you do and at all times. The world says the greatest good is your own personal happiness! They also mistakenly call that joy. But that is not true joy! That kind of happiness or type of joy doesn't last long so the perpetual search for happiness continues in a circle - like a dog chasing its tail.  Now I am not saying happiness is a bad thing, but in comparison to true joy - well there really is no comparison!

True joy as we have seen results from praise, testimony and sacrifice! Joy in the bible is more to do with peace and salvation rather than just an emotional state! Over and over again, joy is mentioned with peace and salvation.  Joy is always for the good of others, not for our own selfish gain. When we give away our will, for the sake of others, we receive the joy that Jesus desired for us. Happiness and joy are radically different.

True joy is never an end in itself. It is only as we make Jesus Christ our overwhelming first priority, that true joy, almost without our knowing it, comes. The source, object and target of our joy as Christians, is to be Jesus Christ and Him alone! Where Jesus is glorified in the power of the Holy Spirit, so is the Father and this pure, unadulterated joy is released upon us and in us!  If we seek joy for joy's sake alone, we will mislay it, because it cannot be caught. People of the world seek mere happiness, which is a form of anemic joy.  The happiness industry is big business!  "Me, me, me" they cry when in fact, true joy is "Jesus, Jesus and yet more Jesus!" True and unbridled joy, is given only by Jesus Christ and we receive it by serving Him and Him alone.

3. Joy and Suffering

I am aware that there are all sorts of barriers to having and exhibiting true joy. One of the principle things that will often hamper a life of joy is suffering.  I am not that naïve and to say otherwise would be to deny human experience.

We all suffer in some way.  I am sure some of you know very well from personal experience, just as I do.  In the New Testament, joy is often associated with all kinds of suffering. One day soon though, we will have perfect bodies and full health.  One day there will be no more persecution, terrorism, missiles, guns, wars or bombs.  No more will humanity's inhumanity to humanity be allowed.  No more pain.  No more sickness. No more death.  No more suffering. No more sin.  No more evil of any kind!

Suffering of any kind leaves some sort of scar or mark.  Do you have scars?  Physical, emotional or mental scars due to sickness. Perhaps you are scarred because somebody else sinned against you or as a result of your own sins?  Scars come as a result of human life and experiences.  Much like a house that has been lived in.  Scratches visible in the paintwork. Windows, which are broken or cracked.  Dents and knocks in the walls.  Our human bodies are the same. Yet...  Yet... One glorious day all those things will be gone!! Vanished!!  Perfection attained and with exultant joy, it is to the glory of God and His majestic doing, that this will occur.  Do you believe it? Do you live it? Salvation is to be your joy, as you are an instrument in the orchestra of God's joy! If you keep forgetting, put Psalm 66v1-2 and tape it to the bathroom mirror!

4. Applying it to ourselves.

Now, finally, we come to ourselves and what does all this have to do with us! If the psalmist's intimate relationship with God and life of joy involved sacrifice, testimony and praise, so that is also the key to our own joy!  Jesus prayed that his disciples would have joy: "I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them" (John 17:13). WOW! And not only for his 12 disciples, but also for all those who profess to follow Him!

As I look around in my daily life, I see faces and eyes devoid of joy.  When I look into their eyes, I see a hunger and thirst for joy and imagine how they have searched in their journey of life for true joy. Whether that is through materialism, drugs, sex, alcohol, the search for true joy continues.  Sadly that also includes people who would profess to be Christian.

If we are honest, sometimes we don't feel as if joy is part of us. We look around at the world we live in and see all the misery and injustice; we see human life being wasted by cancer and HIV Aids, and we don't feel very joyful. But when we do that, we are confusing happiness and true joy. If we have lost the joy of our Christian life, we need to put back into perspective just what God is calling us to do, remember what He has done for us, look ahead to the promises He has made us and consider if Jesus Christ is still truly first in our lives.

As Christians, we can never truly lose joy, but we can mislay it if our priorities get jumbled up. Once we make a conscious decision to claim the joy hidden in the midst of all kinds of suffering, life becomes a celebration. Joy never denies the sadness, but transforms it into a fertile soil for yet further joy. Joy unbounded if you like!  Joy is a relationship - it is Jesus Over Yourself. True Joy is the result of being in an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and Him alone. Joy stems from seeking to obey God in all things and through all facets of human experience!  The joy of Jesus Christ is transferred to us as we enter into a personal relationship with him and go about the task of serving him in this world. Joy is to be a quality about us, just as it was a quality of the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles and of the New Testament church. We are his disciples, his followers, and we are to practice joy!  Salvation is your joy, and your joy is to be your salvation dancing in action!  Joy was sacrifice, testimony and praise to the Psalmist. It was in the life of Jesus Christ and therefore it is to be for us as well if we call ourselves His followers.

a.  Praise - Firstly, there is Praise! Praising God lifts the heart, soul and spirit when we are feeling down. The psalmist praised God, and there was great joy in his heart. He had many reasons to praise God, God listened to His prayers, took his sacrifices and worship and forgave him when he had confessed his sins.  God had not withheld his love from him. Surely the praise of God's people should cause great joy to be spread amongst them.  Now if you want to praise God quietly that is fine! If you want to praise God loudly, that also is fine! Let us not decry each other's way of praising God but be joyful simply that God is being praised!

Praising God is not simply to be going through the motions, because praising God is to be a sacrifice! It is to be done with effort and not complacency! Praising God the Father joyfully through Jesus Christ the Son, regardless of our feelings, emotions, situations and circumstances.  As part of an intimate relationship with God, it can only be done through the comforting and encouraging power of the Holy Spirit who lives inside all Christians! Praise, is a reflection of the inner joy of both the individual believer and the community of believers!

b. Testimony, - Secondly there are testimonies! Testimonies and stories such as that given tonight by Andy! Testimonies telling people of what Almighty God has done should cause great joy in both them and us. Hearing people talk about what God has done for them should cause every one of us to have even greater joy. Telling others of God's mercy, grace and love is also to be part of our joy. The joy of God bubbling inside of us and demanding that we praise God the Father, through God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit.  Joy is praise in action!  Joy also comes from encouraging others, urging others on to grow in faith and being encouraged to do likewise!

c. Sacrifice - Then thirdly, there is sacrifice. The psalmist never presented a starving goat to God as a sacrifice, but always well fed and perfect animals of the very best fields.  In the book of Leviticus, all sacrificial animals were to be perfect - without spot, stain or blemish! We are no longer required to make sacrifices and offerings in accordance with the book of Leviticus, because of the sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross.

But we are required to make sacrifices, indeed our whole lives as Christians is to be sacrificial! Making sacrifices takes effort, no room for complacency and shows gratitude to God in action. It means that we should always give our best to God - both as individuals and as a community. Joy derives from giving all things to God.  It could be sacrifices of praise as commanded by the writer to the Hebrews. It could be a sacrifice of time and money given to serving!  One of the hallmarks of the early church was true joy and members of the early church sacrificed time and material possessions.  Where somebody was in need, they fulfilled that need as soon as they could. They were radical in their sacrificial giving of time and possessions. Are we? The New Testament church made sure that giving was done and that the poor, the oppressed, the lonely and the widows were taken care of. People gave sacrificially. When anybody was in need, another member of the church fulfilled that need: physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs.  That is to be one of the hallmarks of a joyful church and not just at a local level here in Poulner but a statement about the global church!

Conclusion

In Hebrews 12v2 we read this "Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our saviour is now experiencing glorious joy in all senses of the word!

As I conclude, lets go to the end of the Bible and let me read to you Revelation 21:4 - "God will wipe away our tears.  There will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying and no more pain, for former things have passed away." What a gloriously joyful day it will be for those of us who love Him now.  Jesus Christ Himself, caressing our faces in His own hands, and wiping away our tears.  We often think of tears as meaning sorrow.  But tears can also be tears of overwhelming joy! WOW!  What a day, that will be!!  We will enter those gates with tremendous joy.

I finish with this quote from CS Lewis' last book of the Narnia Tales, "The Last Battle": "But for them it was only the beginning of the real story ... which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."  A life of pure, unadulterated and unending joy awaits you and I if we follow Jesus Christ alone and persevere to the end!

If you haven't that true joy because you don't know Jesus personally, come and see one of us after the service.  But if you are a believer here tonight, go out into the week with joy, knowing and remembering that salvation is your joy resting in God and joy is your salvation dancing in communion with peace! Let us go, both as individuals and a community of believers, practising joy by showing joy in action, through obedient service to God by way of testimony, praise and sacrifice!  Go and see where joyful praises, joyful testimonies about God and joyful sacrificing takes you! The secret to having true biblical joy is beginning and developing an intimate relationship with God, which involves praise, testimonies and sacrifice - all key elements in the life of all those who would call themselves followers of Jesus Christ. Go into this week, knowing you are indeed instruments in the orchestra of God's exultant joy.

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Correct thinking leads to correct action!

1 Timothy 1

Introduction

I am sure that some people here when they heard I was preaching tonight were expecting some obscure passage from the Old Testament or even something from that wonderful book of Leviticus. I know that Chris and Sue Cook were! But no! A change! Did I catch you out? Our passage tonight, wonderfully read for us, is found in the New Testament. The little letter of 1 Timothy, where the aged Paul is reminding and instructing Timothy, his much younger disciple, who is probably about 40 years old now. The whole of the New Testament church is growing and spreading far and wide away from its starting point in Jerusalem. Most scholars agree that this letter was written about 64AD, so it is now about 8 years after Paul's 3 year stay in Ephesus came to an end.

Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to be a first century Christian. The original followers of Jesus, the apostles have either died or will be soon, so who will ensure that good teaching and guidance will be given to me and others around me? Who will ensure that sound doctrine of salvation through Jesus alone by grace alone through faith alone will be preserved? Some of these concerns are met by the apostle Paul in what we call the Pastoral Epistles - 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus.

Paul is getting on in age now. He is in Macedonia, but his representative, Timothy, was left in Ephesus, and by all accounts was undergoing a particularly torrid time. The church in Ephesus was still made up of small groups of believers and each group had a leader with some experience, knowledge and therefore influence. So you can imagine the turmoil if their understanding of the Gospel would become twisted, contorted and infected with false teachings and myths. The turmoil would act like a virus going from group to group, person to person.

The records we have of the early church show that when false teaching had been encountered elsewhere, it had usually come from outsiders to that local church. However, here in Ephesus, the false teachers had come from within the church in Ephesus.  Even some of the house leaders setup by Paul!  Was Paul surprised? Not at all!  Paul had predicted this would occur. We read in Acts 20, written much earlier than this letter, Paul saying "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears."

So Paul has delegated his authority to Timothy, his personal representative in Ephesus. Timothy is encouraged to counter with sound doctrine any false teaching, particularly in regards to the Mosaic Law. It seems from this letter, that the leaders were mixing Jewish ideas and pagan myths into Christian thought. We read about those things in v3 and 4. These things were distracting the church from doing God's work and were instead promoting fantasy, controversies and meaningless talk.

So Paul writes to Timothy. He had already written his letter to the church in Ephesus - that was a few years ago now. This letter is a personal one.  He didn't write to the church itself again. He did this in order to bolster Timothy's authority and position against those who were spreading false teaching. That's probably why Paul puts forward his credentials at the start. Paul is saying to the church in Ephesus "I, Paul, am an apostle because God has commanded me to be so! Timothy is my ambassador, my man, so wise up, church - you Ephesians! Listen to him and you won't go astray from the truth." Timothy would have shared this letter with the church there.

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Freedom to Live

Romans 8:18-39

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Please do turn in your bibles to Romans 8:18-39.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Rachel's Story

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Reading Genesis 29v14-30

Now that may be to some a long passage, but it helps set up the story of Rachel. Sounds like a modern day soap opera like Holby City, Eastenders or Coronation Street doesn't it? Rachel had a fairly complicated family structure as we have seen, so lets try to unravel it!

Rachel's sister Rebekah was Jacob's mother. Rebekah trained Jacob to scheme in order to gain his father's blessing and promised him that she would take the results of the deceitful act upon herself. Rachel became Jacob's wife, but only after Laban had tricked him into marrying Leah, the older daughter first. We can wonder if Rachel encouraged Jacob in his trickery, or if she was influenced by him to think first of herself at the expense of others. Whether his mother and/or his wife influenced Jacob, or indeed if he influenced them, both Rebekah and Rachel serve as examples of the outcome of sinful deceit and discontent.

Introducing Rachel's personal details

So, who was Rachel?

• Born in Aramea (Syria)
• Daughter of Laban
• Second wife of Jacob, her first cousin.
• Mother of Joseph & Benjamin.
• Ancestress of three tribes of Israel- Benjamin, Ephraim & Manasseh (Sons of Joseph).
• Possessed great beauty (Genesis 29:17)
• Devious (Genesis 31:19, 34-35)
• Not single-minded in devotion to God.
• Probably did not put away her idols until shortly before she died.
• Her sorrow is depicted by Jeremiah (Jeremiah. 31), to signify the sorrow of Israel's people at the exile of Israel to Assyria and Babylon.

Now let us look at some of the main people involved in the life of Rachel: her father, sister, husband and children.

1. Her Father

2. Her Sister

3. Her Husband

4, Her Children

The Story continues

Conclusion

Perhaps there are 3 kinds of people here tonight.

Firstly, if you are a Christian here tonight, how and in what way are you like Rachel? As you go through your day, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you ways in which you may well be deceitful, vengeful, dwelling on the past bitterly or engaged in constant self-pity. Are you like Rachel, headed downhill on a course of dissatisfaction that may end in dishonesty and deceit, or in disappointment and despair? Accept God's love. Believe that in every trial He desires us to draw closer to Him, so that we can be energized by Him and realize that He alone and only He is enough. Ask for forgiveness for dwelling on the past and any inappropriate behaviour where those things were involved. God is faithful and just and will forgive if you go to Him with a penitent heart. Then no long dwell on those things, for they are in the past, are forgotten and not to be remembered any more. So forgetting what is past, go into the future with a new outlook of service to God and others. That way your life will be a living prayer and a living witness to others about the great God you serve, love and worship.

Secondly, you may be a Christian but you are the victim of somebody else's deceit and dishonesty - then forgive them before God and as far as it is possible, ask that person for forgiveness. Bitterness, envy and pride can eat away and cause much misery, sin and depression.

Finally, if it happens that you are not a Christian here tonight, then please do see one of the leaders or myself and we would be glad to tell you how you can be free from a life of dissatisfaction, deceit and dishonesty - both as the victim and perpetrator of such things. Know that Jesus Christ is above deceit, never dissatisfies and is never dishonest - His word is true and He seeks you, to be in a relationship with you, where His love is always serving, always humble and always satisfies. As I said, come and see one of us after if that is you..

Thank you.

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Aspects of Covenantal Love

(Song of Solomon 8:5-7)

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Introduction

Two weeks ago, we started this journey together at Song of Solomon 2:3-14 and Life under the Apple Tree. We saw together that Jesus, the tremendous lover, wants to hear the voice of His people and to be their king. Then last week, we continued the journey, looking at Song of Solomon 5:9 - 6:9. There we saw together that Jesus is the best of the best and that Jesus is altogether lovely in every aspect - his birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, exultation, holiness, glorification, grace, protection, tenderness, power, wisdom, vengeance, judgment, redemption and pardon! Altogether: lovely and glorious.

There are 3 main ways to interpret this book. Firstly as a story about the joys of biblical love between a man and woman. That bit even I can see. Some would say that it was erotic, but as a white Australian male, I just don't see it! Secondly, the earliest commentators and readers saw it as an allegory about God's love for His people Israel, particularly with their coming Messiah in mind. The third way shows that this Song of Songs speaks not only on a physical level about the importance of human love and intimacy between a man and a woman, but also the intimacy that exists, blossoms and grows between a person and Jesus Christ. Martin Luther called it the "noblest of all songs". Historically this book has been interpreted in 3 ways

We move on tonight, to perhaps, what could be considered the key verses of this book. The couple have now entered a covenantal relationship - a relationship committed to one another. So please do open your bibles and turn to page XXX and let us read the Song of Solomon 8v5-7.These three verses are the key verses of the Song of Solomon or the Song of Songs as other people call it. As the couple, the Lover and the Beloved, have now entered into a Covenant of love, we are, tonight, going to look at 4 Dimensions of Covenantal Love. A Covenant is a contract - a promise. Throughout Old Testament history, God had made covenants with people - people such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. The original readers and commentators would have known that and understood that. With that insight, we are going to ask together 4 questions about Covenant Love - Who? When? Why? How?

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He is the Best of the Best

(Song of Solomon 5:9-6:9)

Welcome back to the Song of Solomon. I don't know if you have re-read it since the last time I spoke on it back in January or not. Before we continue, I am sure there is at least one person here who is wondering how Solomon could have written this and also have had 700 wives and 300 mistresses, I would like to suggest that this Shulamite woman is quite probably Naamah, his first love and bride (2 Chronicles 12v13). This obviously is before he went astray and committed idolatry - both in a physical and spiritual sense. Song of Solomon, is the book the Jews called "The Greatest Song of All Songs," and people under the age of 30 were expressly forbidden from reading it due to its suggestive content. In the Jewish year, it belonged to the group of books that were read at Passover.

Martin Luther, we know called it the noblest of all songs! Perhaps it was the inspiration behind what he said when inviting a friend to the public ceremony of his wedding: "I feel neither passionate love nor burning for my spouse, but I cherish her." I am sure you will agree that was not the most romantic thing ever written but then Martin Luther and Katherine von Bora did get engaged and married on the same day! It's also a little known fact that Katie used to brew beer in the bathtub! I don't know of course if they ever bathed and drank it at the same time! I also don't know where you are at tonight. You may well be a mature Christian who has been cultivating spiritual intimacy with Jesus Christ for many years. You may well be just a new born Christian - this very day or week. You may indeed simply be seeking out Jesus Christ and do not yet know Him personally.

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You may have been happily married for many years. I am also aware that there will be people here who are having marriage difficulties, or are divorced, estranged or widowed. Where ever you are at, whatever emotions you are feeling or trials undergoing, allow the Holy Spirit to counsel you as we look at this passage of Scripture together. I am glad you are here - it's the best place to be tonight.

How & why is this lover the best? (v9) The context for this passage is that the lover has gone! He is missing! So, we start off with that amazing question! "How is he the best?" I don't know about you, but almost every day I am either asked or I read "How is your Jesus the best?" Perhaps the people you meet ask you the same question. Certainly the media ask it - a media that equates all religions as equal, valid but mostly silly. You may well be asking that very question tonight. So let us look together firstly at teasing out this portrait of the lover. Secondly, we will look at the response of the lover to His beloved.

1. Portrait of The Lover

Other Biblical portraits are not too dissimilar - Daniel 7v9 talking about the "Ancient of Days" or Revelation 1v12-18 showing us a portrait of the ascended and glorified Jesus Christ.  I wonder if I was to ask you how you would describe Jesus Christ and what one thing about Him you consider special, what would you say? Think about it for a minute. Perhaps it is His constant faithfulness or His compelling love? Perhaps it is that He is your friend. Perhaps, your only friend. Where ever you and I are at, our vision of Jesus is bound to be too small. We need to be constantly growing and cultivating our vision and experience of Jesus Christ. That is what we will be doing in Heaven - getting to know Him more and more. Is your vision of Jesus too small and limited? Let us take a quick look through these next 7 verses. I can see at least eight things about this person, this lover, who we now know as Jesus Christ.

a. Radiant! (v10) - He glows! The man glows! His face shines! Humanly speaking He is a picture of full health. This man shines brightly - He radiates! Shining brightly signifies holiness that radiates from Him. It reminds me of Moses, when he came down from the mountain after meeting with God in Exodus 34. His face was radiant because it reflected the holiness of God! Our saviour Jesus Christ is portrayed as radiant because He is God and it radiates because of His holiness and purity.

b. Unique! (v10) - He is outstanding among ten thousand! In Biblical Hebrew, ten thousand was the largest number, so this lover, this person is unique! In all of history, Jesus Christ is incomparable. Yet in human form, we read that during his earthly ministry he had no physical beauty that would draw people to him. We read that Jesus' body on the cross was so disfigured and tortured beyond that of any man and beyond human likeness. His work on the cross was what makes Jesus Christ unique.

c. Majestic (v11) - His head is made of the finest gold, and He is not simply a king with a crown. His hair is shining black to symbolize His eternal ageless character. This Jesus Christ did not decay in the grave - He overcame death in the grave and was raised again in a new and resurrected body! Paul writes in Colossians 2v3, that in Jesus Christ all the majestic treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who with unparalleled majesty is the head of the church. He is to be our Lord, our King and our Saviour, but will only be if we allow Him to be. Jesus Christ is majestic in power, authority, wisdom and knowledge!

d. Tender (v12) - Now she describes his eyes! His eyes are shining white and his pupils pierce the darkness. Surely this signifies that Jesus looks upon people with love, adoration, tenderness and compassion. The water streams referring to the tears of love and compassion that He exhibits. This lover, this Jesus is kind and sympathetic to all - his look of love on a world that is separated from God, and to whom God is calling back into relationship. The love Jesus had when he wept in the garden as he sweated drops of blood, before he was betrayed and crucified. The eyes that sweep the earth looking for those who are eager to return into relationship with Him.

e. Wise (v13) - We recall when Jesus spoke words during the three years of his earthbound ministry, people were amazed and astounded. They were astounded that He spoke with elegance and yet with authority, unlike the religious leaders of the day. They had never heard anyone speak like He did - with both grace and authority. The same is true today, if we are listening. That is why we read the Bible to find out what He would say to us. That is why we seek to hear Him speak to us and why we speak to Him.

f. Almighty v14 - This would seem to give the impression that the lover's arms are rippling with muscles. This man is strong, and is willing to protect and help his beloved. Jesus has overcome the world, will protect those who are in relationship with Him and He has given help in the form of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside each believer and is the seal of the relationship between Jesus and His followers. Whatever you are going through now, Jesus will protect and guide you.

g. Strong v15 - His legs are like pillars of marble, which portrays this man as strong and able to carry any burden that is laid upon Him. Jesus Christ is able to carry any burden you lay on his back. While the marble conveys a sense of strength, gold conveys a meaning of imperishability and of a solid foundation. If something has a solid foundation, it will not fall easily. Indeed Jesus Christ will never fall, such is His imperishability as the everlasting God. He is solid and strong, nobody and nothing can stand against Him, and if we are His and under his protection, then we ought not to fear anything.

h. Lovely v16 - The final phrase in this chapter "He is altogether lovely" gives the sense of exultation He gives out. He is without peer and nobody can match Him. He is beyond compare for the things He has done and the things He will do are matchless. He is lovely in regard to his person, birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, exultation, glorification, grace, protection, tenderness, power, wisdom, vengeance, judgment, redemption and pardon.

That is my Jesus, whom I seek to serve and seek to have contact with every minute of every day. Frequently I forget who I am as a Christian believer and fall back into old ways. Then I remember that I can go running to Him at any time to ask forgiveness and be forgiven. This Jesus who died on a Roman cross two thousand years ago. This Jesus who was raised from the dead, without decay, into newness of life and ascended to the right hand of the Father. The bride at the end of 5v16 states "This is my lover, this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."

2. How do we respond?

What is your response to this Jesus? Is it the same as the bride's response to the lover we see in 6v3:"I am my lover's and my lover is mine; he browses among the lilies." In other words, Are you His and is He yours? The idea and concept of browsing gives a sense of intimate contact. As the fellowship bond between Jesus and His people grows, so does spiritual intimacy.

Paul wrote equating the marriage between a man and a woman as a reflection of Jesus Christ's love for the Church. Perhaps he had the Song of Solomon in mind when writing such things. Sexual union, between a man and a woman in a committed married relationship, is a picture of the union of God and His people - Jesus Christ and His people. We can see that here in this book. That's why adultery and any form of sexual behavior outside the confines of a monogamous, committed marriage between one man and one woman is also idolatry. This book speaks not only on a physical level about the importance of human love and intimacy between a man and a woman, but also the intimacy that exists, blossoms and grows between a person and Jesus Christ.

This holy, radiant lover - Jesus Christ calls you and calls you by name into His bride, the church. In the first part of Chapter 6, we see a bride that is also beautiful, glorious, radiant and unique. If your view of Jesus is too small, then perhaps so is your view of His bride, the Church! The chapter starts off with the group of friends saying "Where has He gone?" Not only, how is your Jesus the best but also where has he gone, we can't see him! Isn't that what people today say also? Or am I alone in having people say that to me. I will let you in on a mystery! When people see us as the Church, they should be seeing the risen radiant Jesus and not somebody just going through the motions! That is the sense of intimacy that her response in verse 3 describes. Here in the lover's response, the beloved, the Church, reflects the lover, Jesus Christ. When the lover responds, He describes her as beautiful, glorious, radiant and unique! This is not as the Church is now, but as the Church will be! The Church is being perfected for a King who is unique, all-knowing, Wise, Almighty, Altogether Lovely and Strong... The Church is being prepared as a Bride being beautifully prepared for her husband! This is a picture of a Church that has beauty in holiness, is strong in her faith, radiating holiness and is totally unique. Unique because there is only one Church!

We know the Church has faults now - the media love to report it when the Church is perceived to have done something wrong. But the worldwide, universal church is being constantly changed into the very image, a reflection, of Jesus Christ, the head of the church! Each individual member of the church is being transformed into the very image of Jesus Christ by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, mould us, change us and guide us, the more we will be transformed into the very image of Jesus Christ. Where ever you go, the Church is there. Your workplace, your school - the church is there, because Jesus Christ is there with you. Church is not just on Sunday, but every other day of the week. That does not mean however we stop attending on Sundays, because we are also commanded not to give up meeting together to worship God, coming around His word and engaging in fellowship and Holy Communion together.

As Jesus Christ's bride, the church, we are to be seen as living a life that is free from disobedience to God and His commands. People outside the church watch to see how and what we do as the Church and are waiting for us to fall - both as a community and individually. We are to live a life that is blameless so that nobody can accuse us of being hypocritical. When we live a life that is holy and fully on fire for Jesus Christ, people will inevitably ask is the reason for the hope that we have. This bride, the Church is unique, and there is only one of her!

Not only is there one universal Church, but that Church is to be radiant - radiant in holiness. The church is being made holy, through the combination of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and the Holy Spirit's transforming work within individual believers. The church is holy, in that it is God's separated people living in the community, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and through a perfecting faith in Jesus Christ.

The church is also holy, in that every Christian believer is declared holy and righteous through a living relationship with Jesus Christ. The bride reflects the lover! This means that the church has imputed holiness and is seen as spotless and sinless. Despite being deemed holy, the New Testament church we know was also subject to much doctrinal error (1 Timothy 6v3), immorality (Revelation 2v14) and division (1 Corinthians 11v18). Dare I say, that churches today, are the same! The lover was and is holy, and so is His beloved, His bride. Augustine said that Jesus Christ's holiness is the reason for His bride the church being holy, and the church will be made perfect on the last day. To that we can say Amen!

Recap!

How is this lover the best of all lovers? How is this Jesus the best of all? We have seen that this lover is Jesus Christ. We saw together these things about him: Glorious in Holiness, Uniqueness, Majesty, Tenderness; Wisdom; Almighty; Strength and Loveliness.

We have seen that the bride, the Church, reflects the head, Jesus Christ and is to be beautiful, holy, unique and glorious! Therefore we, as His church, are to reflect Jesus Christ in every aspect of our life as we counter people who don't know this Jesus, and who think that Jesus is merely a swear word or an insignificant, charismatic yet enigmatic anti-hero on the dusty pages of history.

Conclusion!

So how do we finish up? You may not be yet a follower, so I would urge you most strongly to accept His call upon you. You may not get another chance. This same Jesus Christ said he was coming back again. Not as a baby next time, but in full glory, power and majesty. He will be coming back to gather those who are in relationship with Him and to wipe the tears of suffering and joy from their eyes. Those who are found not to be in relationship with Him, will spend eternity without Him. He gives each of us, innumerable opportunities to enter into relationship with Him. This Jesus wants to connect with you in an intimate, spiritual relationship - His eyes wander the earth looking for those willing to submit themselves to His authority. If that is you, then please do see Pastor Adam, one of the leaders or the person that brought you here tonight, to find out how you can start this relationship with the Living God, Jesus Christ. He calls you by name.

Lastly, if you are already in a relationship with Him, no matter if it is one hour, one day, one year or several decades, He wants to give you freedom to live a life worthy of Him. Is Jesus your life and your life in Jesus, just as the beloved and lover of this book are? That means He wants to have authority over every aspect of your life as you seek intimacy with Him. Cast your cares upon Him - He can take it. Perhaps you are caught in a trap of habitual sin. Maybe you are feeling the desolation and loneliness because of decisions made in the past. You may be happily married, struggling in your marriage, separated, divorced or single Where ever you are at, call out to your God, expressing your fears, your worries and concerns, as well as telling Him your joys and excitements. He is the Almighty God, radiating in holiness, speaking words of wisdom and tenderness to you. Whatever you are going through, give it to Him. Jesus already has all authority - on heaven and on earth. People are scared by the word authority, but that is because they usually confuse it with the word authoritarian. By authority, I do not mean authoritarian, because Jesus will not force you to give anything up until you willingly want to give up those things that are holding you back from serving Him in freedom and fullness. Forcing as authoritarians do; would mean going against God's loving principle of free-will. By authority, I mean power. Authority to forgive sins, conquer His enemies and authority to love and care for His people, His bride. He has Authority to love and loves to show His power and majesty to those who are in a dynamic relationship with Him. His love is compelling, and is always calling you and wanting to help you, in your relationship with Him.

How is Jesus better than all the rest? He is that tremendous almighty person who radiates loveliness and yearns to be in and develop an intimate relationship with you. Who do you say this Jesus is?

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Life Under the Apple Tree

(Song of Solomon 2:3-14)

Introduction

I of course don't know when you last read it, heard a talk about it or if you have ever read it or heard a talk about it! So, if you are in that category, it's a new thing for you! In my preparation, as I talked to other Christians about this book, I have found that some people are aghast at some of the very frank and provocative language used! But this should not stop us from reading it, studying it and learning from it. It is, after all, part of the Bible and therefore part of God's Written Word. Jesus Himself and the Disciples would have read this book at Passover time. It is a book that tells of the love of a woman (the Beloved) for a man, the man probably being Solomon. Different translations have different places where the beloved, the lover and others are actually speaking. But for ease of use tonight, we will use the guidelines of the church bibles, the New International Version. The Jews called it the Greatest Song of All Songs. Martin Luther called it the noblest of all songs! It is poetry that is full of love, romance and some say eroticism. Greater than Shakespeare's sonnets if you can believe that! Tonight, we are delving only into Chapter 2.

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Historically this book has been interpreted in 3 ways Firstly as a treatise on the joys of biblical sexual love; Secondly as an allegory for God's love for His people Israel; These two interpretations have great merit! However, some of you may be sad to know and others very happy to know, that I am going to concentrate principally on a third way that encompasses those two and that is seeing it as a picture of the immense love that exists between Jesus Christ for His church and its people, where the bridegroom is Jesus and His bride is the church. Paul highlights this relationship in his letter to the Ephesians. Before I forget, I should say that I am also aware of another difficulty, and that is that British men and Australian men have one thing in common - we are not very good at saying or doing things to do with love! We find it embarrassing and cumbersome. I don't know about South Africans or other nationalities though! So, hopefully with the help of the Holy Spirit, this may also make us become better men as well as feeding our minds and hearts about the love that exists between Jesus and the church!

The Beloved's Portrait of the Lover

(Song of Solomon 2:3-6)

This is the beloved's portrait of her lover, the bridegroom. He is an apple tree! Wives, have you ever called your husband an apple tree! And of course He is an apple tree, because this lover, this bridegroom provides her with shelter, protection and food. And she enjoys it. Delighting in being strengthened, refreshed and being in love. As he embraces her, she feels his compassion, his warmth, his love for her and his strength. How does that talk of Jesus and his love for the church, His people, His bride?

Jesus is the Bread of life

Three times in John 6, Jesus refers to Himself as the living bread. By this He meant that He was the only one who could satiate the appetite and yearning of every person's spirit. For those He was speaking to, bread was a basic staple food for living, just as it is for millions of people today. Jesus indicates when saying He is the bread of life, that He will supply all needs! Just as He said to the woman at the well in John 4v4, that whoever drinks His living water shall never again go spiritually thirsty. When Jesus referred to the manna in the desert (John 6v49) he talked of it being merely temporary, despite being a gift from God. He, however, as the true bread of life gives permanent satisfaction and life everlasting to all those who believe and follow Him (John 6v51)! But this bread He offers, has to be eaten; it has to be taken up by the person wanting spiritual life! If you are seeking spiritual nourishment, then ask! Have you eaten of this bread?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus is the great protector, the great Shepherd. It is through Jesus and Jesus Christ alone, that salvation and spiritual protection and is found and through Him alone as the door or the gate, that people are led safely and soundly into spiritual freedom, spiritual light and spiritual sustenance. Unlike others who come only to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus offers spiritual safety & nourishment. Jesus protects those whom He loves and who loves Him! Jesus does not just offer a way out, but also a way in! The security offered by Jesus is because He is always in close proximity to those who follow Him. Jesus calls all those who follow Him by name (John 10v3) and they know each other. Jesus is the great shepherd only through the sacrifice he must make for His sheep. Here Jesus is looking ahead to the sacrifice He makes on the Cross. The cross is referred to in the New Testament as the tree on which Jesus hung. His protective and nourishing love for all of humanity compels Him to make the ultimate sacrifice of His death on the tree. Just as all shepherds will endanger themselves for the protection and safety of their sheep, so too did Jesus endure the pain and suffering of the Cross, so that people can be led into the eternal safety of God's kingdom. It is in this role of shepherd, that Jesus exhibits true leadership, which is self-less and sacrificial.

I saw this week an example of a shepherd protecting his flock. It was up near Crowe and I was driving back from Burley, and there were a flock of sheep on one side of the road and the shepherd on the other. He was on a bicycle and the sheep were looking at him for directions! His sheep knew him and were looking to him and he was protecting them from being run over by a maniac in a green Fiesta! Are you looking to the great shepherd, Jesus Christ for safety, protection and guidance?

These are just two examples of Jesus himself saying He protects, nourishes, gives shelter and loves. Many more examples can be found in the Gospels. Just as there is only one lover for this woman, there is only one Saviour for the world. Jesus does not say I am a true vine; a way, a truth and a life. He does not say I am a door to life, just as He does not say I am a shepherd, a door, a light or a bread of life. No - Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only life. Jesus is the one great shepherd and the only door to life. Jesus is the only light of the world and the only true bread of life. Jesus is the apple tree, and calls everyone to partake of the nourishment and shelter only He can provide.

The Beloved Encourages Others about the Lover

(Song of Solomon 2:7-9)

Read verses 7-9 Here now, the beloved addresses her friends and other people, not be impatient! These women were being persuaded by the beloved not to engage in sexual love until their marriage! Who were they? We don't know! But we do know from the rest of Scripture that sexual love is only for those in a committed monogamous marriage between a man and a woman. Sexual union, between a man and a woman in a committed married relationship, is a picture of the union of God and His people - that's why adultery and sexual immorality is also idolatry. Then the Beloved calls out "Listen! Look" Here he comes! She is expecting him to arrive at any time! The Beloved is waiting for her lover! She has a glimpse of Him but is waiting for His bodily presence with her. Is this not a picture of us, as the church awaiting Jesus Christ to come again? Before Jesus ascended into the clouds, He said He would be coming again! Not as a little baby next time, but coming from the clouds in great glory, honour, jubilation and exaltation! Nobody knows when that will be! There are hints in the Bible, but they are only hints! We are to wait expectantly and to live lives that are worthy of Him now, as we partake of righteousness and wait for Jesus to come again.

When ever Youngmi and I go together to London, we meet up with old friends. Last time, it was a blast! We had a banquet, and there were 9 adults and 6 kids in our favourite Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown. We have all known each other for over 14 years now. One person wasn't there though. When we were walking and talker later on, two of my friends, individually of each other, told me about John. John has recently remarried and he and his new wife have been trying for the last few years for a baby. They showed me the messages they have received from him. It transpires he is giving up God, as he calls it, over this issue of not having the baby. My friends asked my advice. I said, to keep on encouraging, letting John know that while he may have let go of Jesus, Jesus has not let go of him or his wife. I also suggested that there are probably deeper issues as well, that John is not talking about. So my friends are going to continue encouraging John and uplifting him in prayer to the One who won't let go.

So be encouraged! Don't give up! Encourage others who may be struggling. See and remember what the Lover is like! Be encouraged! Keep going! As Christians, if you are one here tonight, you are to bear fruit by remaining close to Jesus, as He is the vine and we are the branches. And why are we as Christians to bear fruit? As a means of bringing glory to God the Father (John 15v8). Be encouraged and be encouragers of others.

Lover is like no other and wants to hear your voice.

(Song of Solomon 2:10-15)

The beloved speaks of the lover's voice. (Read v10-13) Then finally we hear the voice of the lover! (Read v14-15) Ever felt like God is far away? Well you aren't alone! It is an experience that is common to all Christians, at some point or another. I know I have experienced that in the past. But I also know from personal experience, that Jesus always comes through in difficult times. Although He may not come in the time I think He should come, because He knows when I need Him most. This woman, the beloved, is so expectant of the Lover's arrival she can hear his voice, his tender words! He is calling her to Himself!

Jesus Christ is also calling you, to Himself! He wants you to be a partaker of the good news about Him. He wants you to be part of His family, the church. He is ever calling, ever beckoning people to enter into relationship with Him. His love for the church is indicative of verse 13, where he calls the beloved His beautiful bride. That is the church - warts and all - is His bride! By faith, He will see you through - Remember in the Gospels, when the disciples were in the storm and Jesus came to them walking on the water. Remember Jesus saying "Come" and Peter went to Him. This must have encouraged the other disciples, for upon seeing Jesus' power they worshipped him. Whatever troubles you are undergoing are temporary, and Jesus will see you through.

Jesus is praying for you, will come to you, grow you and help you through troubles. By being obedient to God, you are encouraging others by showing your salvation and showing that faith is not blind, but active! Jesus wants to hear your voice talking to him... Not just for half hour in the morning but all day long. We are to yearn to talk to Him and for Him to talk to us. Prayer is a 24 hour communication exercise. Prayer, according to the Church Father Augustine, is a constant yearning for assistance and strengthening of desire towards the ultimate goal - eternal happiness and worship and knowledge of God. God Himself assists as we pray: by correcting and strengthening the yearnings. Prayers express desires and thoughts in a contributory way to the journey we are on. That means tell Jesus how you are feeling, both in the good and the hard times. Tell Him of your wants, your needs and all your cares.. Let His arms surround you! To him your voice is sweet and dulcet. Your face to Him is a delight. Seek him! Ask him! Talk to him! This is how you are spiritually energized! When you talk to God, you strengthen your relationship with Him! When you and I ask others to pray for us, Church unity is strengthened!

Recap!

So, how do we recapitulate. In this chapter, we firstly saw together the Beloved's portrait of the lover and how He feeds, nourishes protects and shelters her. We see this as an encompassing picture of Jesus and His love for His people, the Church. Then we saw how the Beloved lady encouraged others to wait and see this tremendous Lover. That is why we encourage one another and spur one another on as we see the day approaching when our bridegroom, Jesus Christ comes again in glory! Then lastly we saw how the bridegroom loves to hear the voice of the Beloved and gaze into her face. Jesus Christ, the great lover and bridegroom, loves to hear our voices as we express our love, gratitude, cares, worries and feelings to Him.

Conclusion

And what, in conclusion, do we do with all this? Jesus is the only nourisher, protector and feeder. Jesus Christ, the apple tree, provides for all your needs, your nourishment, gives you strength, protects and comforts. I don't know what situation you are in at the moment. This credit crunch, this economic crisis is affecting everybody. I guess there are probably three kinds of people here tonight.

Firstly, there will be those who do not know this Jesus Christ personally. Please, do not leave here tonight without asking one of the leaders or your friends here, about how you can get to know more about this Jesus. The time is short, the waiting for Jesus to come again grows ever shorter, and when He does come again, the time will be too late to change your mind.

Secondly, if you are in need of some love, some protection, some nourishment, then don't leave without having prayed with somebody or letting one of the leaders know of your needs. As Jesus Himself said, "Ask, Seek and Knock!" Jesus Christ is making intercessions for you, as He knows. He feels your cares and your worries, and knows what you are going through.

Finally, if you are not in either of those situations yourself, you will know somebody who is. Therefore go and encourage those you know who are struggling and are in need of protection and comfort. This week, go and tell the good news of Jesus Christ to somebody who doesn't know Jesus personally.

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A God and His church!

Preached Poulner Baptist Chapel on Sunday 19^th August 2012

Last week you may remember we looked at what it meant to be as disciples of Jesus Christ.

As Christian Disciples, we declare that we believe in God! That's what we have been doing in our praises and testimonies! Somebody asked last week what I meant by a WOWFactor of God! Just that - testimonies of how great is our God.

As Christian Disciples, we declare that we not only believe in the existence of God, but that we can know God personally! We declare that we can grow in our knowledge of this great and Almighty God who is infinite and beyond our limitations of space and time! This great and awe-inspiring God we trust, obey, follow and worship, amazing as it sounds, is personable and knowable. This God we worship is a personal God and not a remote being or an un-emotive statue to place on a shelf. More than that, this God wants to be known. So with that said, just who is God?

1. Who is God?

Through reading the Bible, we know that this Almighty God, is spirit, yet a personal and infinite being, who can be pleased, angered, offended, loved and is filled with boundless joy! Light shines from within and with-out!

To start our journey tonight, we are going to see who this God is and what is this God like? So in this short journey, let us be reminded of the attributes & characteristics of this great and awesome God we proclaim to serve and adore as followers and disciples!

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God's Natural Attributes

First of all there are His natural attributes!

Our God is transcendent, in that is He is self-existing apart from and independent of creation. His transcendence reflects God's majesty and greatness. Romans 11:33; 1Chronicles 29:11; 1Kings 8:27

Our God is immanent, in that He is wholly present everywhere, filling the universe in all its parts without division Psalm 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:23-24

Our God has power to do all things that are consistent with His nature, for with God all things are possible and for this Almighty God, nothing is too difficult! Of course there are things God cannot do = specifically those things which are contrary to His nature, such as commit sin.

Our God also has perfect knowledge of all things - actual, past, present, future and possible. He knows all things and He has infinite understanding. This God, our God, has no limits and he has an internal and a qualitative absence of limitation and has boundless activity.

Our God is unchangeable or immutable! He changes not and is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Our God is Eternal! He is without beginning or end. He is the alpha and omega. Our God is outside of time and time is in God! Our God is free from the succession of time, because He lives in the eternal present! Past, present and future, are NOW for God

Our God is invisible and indestructible. Our God is boundless light, energy & activity with a Personality imbued with self-consciousness & communication. WOW!

God's Moral Attributes

Those are His natural attributes; let us look briefly now at His Moral Attributes!

Our God is Goodness! Our God is absolute perfection and always seeking the welfare of His creation - including us!

Our God is Love and He communicates and gives of Himself. Our God yearns to forgive us from His dual wellsprings of Grace and Mercy! Our God is Grace, giving us what we do not deserve! Our God is Mercy in that He does not give us what we do deserve. This great and wonderful God exhibits tenderness & compassion to those in distress! Our God is patient, long-suffering and slow to anger. Our God is Truth and is the source and foundation of all truth!

Even more, this God, our God, is personal and personable!

As an example of this, listen to Jesus speaking in John 14:15-17: "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." How's that for a personal and personable God! WOW!

This God, our God, is also a personal God! A personal God must be capable of having and sustaining relationships. We know that God is spirit, yet also a personal and infinite being. Down through the Old Testament we hear "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" Yet... Yet we also see through the Bible, that this God is also three co-equal and eternally existing persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our God who wants to be in a loving relationship with humanity, knows what love and relationship is all about - because God is Trinity!

That is the word which the Church historically has come to define the God-head as - 'Trinity' or "Tri-unity" - which means "three are one "or" the property of occurring three at once". The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, coequal and coexisting. One thing we can say with quite absolute certainty about the inter-Trinitarian life of God is that it is a mystery beyond our human comprehension, experience and language.

In the New Testament, Jesus regularly impressed upon the Twelve Apostles the distinction between the Father and Himself, and clearly taught about the Holy Spirit as being distinct yet again.

What is more, this Trinitarian God is Indivisible! There is in God, one indivisible essence or substance of which God is made. The totality of God exists in the Father, also in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Each member of the Trinity is self-conscious and self-directing. The three members are always in union and harmony. WOW!

There is a communal honour between the Trinity Persons (John 15:26; 16:13-15; 17:1, 8,18,23). In the work of salvation, there is a co-ordination in the Triune Godhead (Hebrews 10:7-17; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6). God the Father 'elects' (Ephesians 1:4); God the Son 'redeems (Ephesians 1:7); and God the Holy Spirit 'seals' (Ephesians 1:13-14). Between the three Persons, there is an eternal unison in active purpose and yet seemingly external distinctive between the Three members of the Triune Godhead. Wow!

This Godhead Trinity, with its inherent qualities of relationship, shows that God is indeed love, and the work of salvation is an act of love from God the Father, an act of love from God the Son and an act of love from God the Holy Spirit. Love is an endemic quality of the Trinitarian Godhead. The Father loves the Son and the Spirit. The Son loves the Father and the Spirit. The Spirit loves the Father and the Son. If God was merely a single Unitary being, that if God was not the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, then how could love possibly be shown, as love requires more than one Person for love to exist, let alone be active? The God we serve as Christian Disciples exhibits love and this God commands us, to love one another so that He will be seen (John 13:34-25). By showing love, we reflect the Trinitarian God, in whose image we are made.

Perhaps the most amazing thing, the most amazing WOW Factor about this God, is that He wants to be known by humanity - His creation! Stretching all the way back to the beginning of time, God has made Covenants with humanity! Firstly there was the Edenic Covenant made with Adam & Eve! Then after they broke the Covenant, God made another Covenant, the Adamic covenant! Then down the years, there was the Covenant with Noah, followed by the Covenant with Abraham, then with meek Moses and finally, mighty King David! All these Covenants were part of the process to restore humanity back into relationship with this amazing and Almighty God! The final covenant is the New Covenant... But before we look briefly at that, we have a break and a song!

2. Our Relational Response

As we were saying, God desires to bring people back into relationship with Himself! To do so, God established a New Covenant! This Covenant has four main features:

• Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed.
• Promised Holy Spirit - God will live inside people and they will be led by Him.
• Regeneration -God will renew & restore people.
• Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be His people.

This new covenant is sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross. Jesus' death pays the penalty for the sins of all people. This new Covenant can be summarised in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

All those who have taken God up on his offer of Grace, are the Church! The Church - a living organism made up of many believers from across all nations, each of whom has a vital and necessary function! The Church - the bride of Christ, imbued with passion, purity, holiness and faithfulness and it suggests the great love that God the Son has for His Church! The Church of Ringwood - being all Christians in this town from across all the church fellowships and none! WOW!

So if that is the Church in relationship with God, let us look briefly at just three brief responses about our relationship with each other borne from our relationship with God.

Fellowship

Firstly, fellowship. Fellowship results from our walking with one another as Disciples of Jesus Christ. Fellowship is rooted in the words koinōnia and koinōneō. Fellowship is a mutual sharing together and not merely a mutual association. It was both in having fellowship and giving fellowship that the New Testament church understood the word. How are we doing at that here - not merely association but mutual sharing?

When we have fellowship, Paul says in Romans 15:7, God is glorified. It is as a collective body, that as a fellowship, we will grow in maturity together, overcoming by grace the weaknesses of each individual member. And each one of us, in different areas, is weak and in need of help from others. Do we only help those we are friends with, while turning a blind eye to those others who we know are in need? Or are we so proud, that when in need, we don't ask for help? Another reason for fellowship is for mutual exhortation "toward love and good deeds". When was the last time you encouraged somebody you don't normally talk to? Whilst God deals with us as individuals, it is through a corporate fellowship that God strengthens the individual, for individuals are to be "complemented, supported, healed and compensated" by other Christians. Again, how are we doing that here at PBC?

Fellowship sees us having common purpose, common belief, common hope and common needs. Just as Christian Disciples have fellowship with the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit, so we also have fellowship with each other. We have fellowship when we gather to worship, to pray, to enjoy each others company as well as sharing our possessions, sufferings and the Gospel. Do we only talk to those we like and are friends with when we meet here weekly? Yet, I know that some who have left here, where the only person that talks to them is the person handing out the bulletin or with Adam as they leave the building. And not by their own choice, but because people don't talk to them.

Worship

As we fellowship with God, and have fellowship with each other, worship of Almighty God results. What is worship? Worship is an intimate and dynamic encounter with God, because Jesus is in the midst of His disciples who are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Worship is giving God alone the glory due His name in the beauty of His holiness and presence. The prime element of worshipping God in the context of a church service such as this, is where we give honour and respect towards God alone. We do this "in spirit and in truth", where Spirit denotes the personal status of worship involving our mind, body and will. Truth speaks of worship's content, in that all true worship reflects God's character. Worship by nature is multiform in practice, with richness in the breadth of its distinctive styles across all the churches, to the one God, Father, Son and Spirit, deserving of our all. WOW!

Why worship? There are various reasons as to why the church worships God, although primarily because God commands it. Not only is it a command, but God deserves worshipping by His church for He alone personifies goodness, mercy, holiness and power. God is to be worshipped by His church in obedience to Him as creator but also as its Saviour and Lord. Worship brings exuberant satisfaction. Does that describe your time of worship here?

Perhaps the greatest manifestation of public Church worship is seen in the sacraments. As a church here at PBC, we only have two sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Very soon we will be engaging in Holy Communion as a public act of worship and fellowship!

Evangelism

Lastly, a third part of this relational response to God is in the area of evangelism. As we fellowship with God and have fellowship with each other, we gather to worship this Almighty God. As we live a life of worship worthy to God, telling others naturally emanates from us. Evangelism is the virtue of bringing God's message of salvation to all people of all time in all places without barrier or hindrance. The message of our evangelism is this. "We are all - every one of us - hurting and broken. We do wrong things. We think wrong thoughts. We don't do right things or think right thoughts. We adopt wrongful attitudes and forego right attitudes. None of us has got our act together. Not one. It's only in God that we're fixed, justified, restored and renewed. When we come into relationship with God through Jesus, every bit of us will be transformed. Inevitably, it'll mean we change. Always change for the better as we let God change and transform us." That is our message.

Why do we evangelize? First of all, we are commanded to go and teach, in Matthew 28:19-20! Another prime motivation for evangelism is out of gratitude for what God has done for the church, in that the church loves because He loved first. It is a loving response to the "overwhelming experience of God's love" which we ourselves have received. Also, God is a missionary God. Jesus was sent to save the lost and redeem humanity! The Holy Spirit was sent from the Father and the Son! We are called to be His messengers. While some are explicitly called to be evangelists (Ephesians 4:11), it also falls on every one of us to do the work of an evangelist. How are you doing since the Blowing Your Cover course?

How then can we conclude? We looked firstly at who God is! We discovered a God who is love and a God who is in control! A God who wants to be known by all of humanity! Then we looked at how we can relate to this God! We can relate to Him, because He became one of us, in the person of Jesus Christ. We have a God who is not immune to the sufferings of this world, but rather became one of us, in order to suffer and die, so that humanity could choose to be restored to God Himself or not. We can relate to Him because He is a God of relationship. Because of this relationship we are to engage in fellowship with each other, symbolizing our fellowship with Almighty Loving God. Because of this relationship, we can worship this Almighty Loving God together. Because of this relationship, we can tell & show others about this Almighty Loving God.

We are to be a community of believers who are seen to be radical by those in our society who are outside the church. We are to be a community of people which involves joining together isolated and solitary individuals. We are to be a community where people are imbued with love, showing care to each other. We are to be a community of people, imbued with what somebody once called the "creative passion for the impossible." Let's go do that, to the praise of God the Father, through the Son in the power of the Spirit. Let God reign in Ringwood.

Jesus' WOWFactor

As I close, here is my own WOWFactor about Jesus, the Son of God.

My Jesus is unique, majestic, tender, wise, strong, and lovely. My Jesus, whom I seek to serve and obey in every facet of life. I often don't achieve it, but I know that when I fall and fail, I can ask for forgiveness and He will grant it from His wellsprings of grace and mercy. It is this Jesus whom I depend upon and personally know to be totally reliable in every way.

When people let me down, turn away from me, discourage me, think wrongly off me, or incorrectly assume my motives. This Jesus always picks me up. He never turns me away. He always encourages and embraces me. At the end of the day, I know that Jesus has been dependable, going ahead of me throughout the day! I give Him thanks.

Amazing! This Jesus who died on a Roman cross two thousand years ago was the same Jesus who was raised from the dead, without decay, into newness of life and ascended to the right hand of the Father.

What is more, this Jesus is coming back to gather His followers, to Himself. Jesus is coming back, but not as a baby this time. There will be no kitchy-kitchy koo factor this time. No! Jesus the Son of God, is coming back as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Are you ready?

Amazing! This God-man, Jesus, is coming back and He will do the most extraordinary thing. We read about it in Revelation 21:4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Isn't that just the most amazing verse of Scripture? Picture the scene! Jesus Christ taking your face in His scarred hands and wiping away your tears - tears of suffering and tears of joy. You will say to yourself, it was all worth it - the trials, temptations, sufferings and experiences I have had for the sake of Jesus Christ my Master.

Are you ready for Him?

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