Partakers Christian Podcasts

Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 23

Jesus Prepares His Disciples Part 1

 

Welcome back to our series, AGOG – A Glimpse of God. We are on Day 23 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Today we look briefly at Jesus preparing His disciples for the coming few days when He will depart from them.

John 15:1-16 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. This I command you, to love one another.

Jesus and His disciples are now in Jerusalem. They had a triumphant entry. Jesus is saying goodbye to His disciples and giving them some final teaching before He departs. Several times He has told them He is leaving them and going away (John 13:33; John 14:3-4, 19, 28). His departure from them involved him being arrested, betrayed, condemned and crucified. Jesus was going away to die, be raised to life and ascend back to the Father.

As usual Jesus uses Old Testament language. In the Old Testament the nation of Israel is often described as a vine (Jeremiah 2:21; Psalm 80). However as a vine, Israel had not produced fruit that God had expected. With Jesus describing Himself as the true Vine, the implication is clear that the nation of Israel was but an imperfect precursor to His perfect self. With Jesus as the vine, his disciples are the branches, and will draw spiritual nourishment from Him. As part of this nourishment, sometimes pruning is required.

Cleansing is also required in order that fruit be borne from the disciples. They were cleansed of sin through faith in Jesus and His teaching. The disciples are to remain in Jesus! How are they do that? They are to be obedient to Him. This included regularly confessing outstanding sins to God and participating in the Lord’s Supper. Jesus tells his disciples these things so His joy may live in them. Peace and joy would be twins within his disciples if they stayed faithful to Jesus. For when in the very near future, Jesus has departed back to God the Father, His disciples have to prove they really are His disciples. In order for this to happen, Jesus commands them they are to continue loving Him and also to sacrificially love others joyfully (John 15:12-14). Jesus would prove His love for His disciples by laying down his life for them when he goes to the cross. That is the greatest love. This is to be Jesus’ disciples’ mission statement, and if they live this out, they will bear much good fruit for God’s greater glory (John 15:8).

Note that Jesus now calls them His friends. He calls them his friends because that is what they are. Jesus has made known to them all He has learned from the Father. There was more to teach them, but they would have to wait for the Holy Spirit in order to be able to bear that teaching. Jesus had chosen each of them to follow Him. Remember Matthew the tax collector? Jesus commanded him to follow – and Matthew did. That is one example. It is to the glory of God, that we in the 21st century if we are followers of Jesus, that Jesus’ disciples did as they were commanded to by Jesus.

Come back tomorrow for Day 24 of our series AGOG, as we continue to look together at that extraordinary man, Jesus Christ, through the Gospel accounts! We shall see together Jesus continuing to prepare His disciples for when He leaves them!

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Jesus Who - Pulp Theology 09

PulpTheology Books

Jesus Who?

Available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle

The title "Jesus Who?" was a question put to me by my father many years ago. He was asking me which Jesus I was talking about. The Jesus of Islam? The Jesus of the Anglicans or the Jesus of the Baptists? The Jesus of the imagination?

In this little book, we look at who I think Jesus was and is... It acts as a brief introduction to the greatest man who ever lived: Jesus Christ. Who was he? Why does he matter? What has he got to do with each of us? Jesus Christ. The name which is on everybody's lips at Christmas. But who was this man and so what? When the human we know as Jesus Christ was born, his name imbued the very reason he was born. His conception and birth were extraordinary at every level. Jesus very name, means “one who saves” and the entirety of his birth, life and death were centred on this very role. His role was to save all those who would follow Him.

Almost everyone has an opinion about Him. Jesus was born to confirm God's promises, to reveal God as a loving Father, invite people into His Sonship, and to be our representative before Almighty God. He gave us an example of how to live a holy life to the full. Jesus was not merely a man who received some special power, nor was he some strange creation that was half man and half God. As we will see together inside, He was much more than those ideas.

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Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 22

March 22

Jesus Teaches About Himself 2

 

Welcome back to our Easter 2013 series, AGOG – A Glimpse of God. We are on Day 22 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Matthew 17:1-13 After six days Jesus took only Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone.Jesus’ appearance changed in front of them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them and were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good that we’re here. Let’s put up three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (Peter didn’t know how to respond. He and the others were terrified.) Then a cloud overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Suddenly, as they looked around, they saw no one with them but Jesus. On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen. They were to wait until the Son of Man had come back to life. They kept in mind what he said but argued among themselves what he meant by “come back to life.” So they asked him, “Don’t the experts in Moses’ Teachings say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus said to them, “Elijah is coming first and will put everything in order again. But in what sense was it written that the Son of Man must suffer a lot and be treated shamefully? Indeed, I can guarantee that Elijah has come. Yet, people treated him as they pleased, as Scripture says about him.”

Jesus has now taken Peter, James and John with him on a trip up a high mountain. When they arrived there, as if to confirm their confession of Jesus as the Christ Messiah, Jesus transfigures into the glorified Son of God! Moses, the first great law-giver of Israel and Elijah the first great prophet of Israel also appear with Jesus! WOW that must have been an amazing moment! According to Luke’s account, they talk with Jesus about his coming death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.

The yeast talked about by Jesus was their hypocrisy and evil. This was seen in evidence in our last study where they asked Jesus for a sign. Yeast in the New Testament is often used to illustrate evil. A little evil can spread a long way, much like yeast can in bread. Just as false teaching can decimate a church. Jesus was also warning his disciples to be convinced of the signs they had already seen, without coveting yet more signs!

On the way back down the mountain to join the remaining disciples, conversation ensues. Again they were not to tell anybody else about what happened on the mountain top. If knowledge had become widespread, chaos would have ensued around Jesus. He would be surrounded by excitable crowds of people wanting to make Him their political King. All this happening, when He wanted to concentrate on his final preparation of his disciples. Jesus tells them again about his resurrection –his coming back to life after his death. Still Peter, James and John have difficulty grasping it and squabble amongst themselves.

They go on to raise some of the teachings of the scribes about how Elijah would return before the Messiah Christ would come anoint the Messiah as King and then everything would be restored back to perfection. Jesus affirms what they are saying, but not that he agrees with it. Still the disciples don’t understand the correlation between suffering and glory. Jesus also affirms that the Elijah prophesied about was indeed John the Baptist! The religious teachers had missed this as had the disciples. Just as John the Baptist was rejected and killed by the religious authorities, so would the Christ. Jesus explains that the road to glory for the Messiah was through his death and suffering.

Come back tomorrow for Day 23 of our series AGOG, as we continue to look together at that extraordinary man, Jesus Christ, through the Gospel accounts! We shall see together Jesus preparing His disciples for when He leaves them! See you soon at Partakers!

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Psalm On Demand - Psalms 31 to 35

Psalm 31 to Psalm 35

Often we hear the Psalms one by one, but today we offer you the chance to hear a group of Psalms read as a collection!

Psalm 31

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
as for me, I trust in the LORD.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.
9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.
11 Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
17 Let me not be put to shame, LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
19 How abundant are the good things
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in you.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.
21 Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.

1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 33

1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 34

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

1 I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 35

Of David.

1 Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield and armor;
arise and come to my aid.
3 Brandish spear and javelin
against those who pursue me.
Say to me, “I am your salvation.”
4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.
10 My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you, LORD?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good
and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 How long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22 LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.

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Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 21

Jesus Teaches About Himself 1

Welcome back to our series, AGOG – A Glimpse of God. We are on Day 21 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Mark 8:31-33 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a lot. He taught them that he would be rejected by the leaders, the chief priests, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. He would be killed, but after three days he would come back to life. He told them very clearly what he meant. Peter took him aside and objected to this. Jesus turned, looked at his disciples, and objected to what Peter said. Jesus said, “Get out of my way, Satan! You aren’t thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.”

We recently saw that Peter confessed who the disciples think Jesus is – the long awaited for Messiah! Jesus is now starting to tell his disciples more about his role as Messiah. Jesus starts elaborating on previous teaching and includes what suffering he must undergo as part of his mission to earth. He is teaching them that his mission would include rejection by both the religious and secular leaders. The Jewish religious leaders would scrutinize Jesus’ claims to be the Messiah, then reject Him deliberately. However, the real danger was failing to pass the scrutiny of God!

That this mission will include Him being killed. But… But… Jesus says that death will not get victory over him! No! Jesus said that He shall come back to life! Just as He had told the religious leaders when he cleared the Temple courtyard of the traders and money exchangers. Jesus was very clear in this teaching to them, so the disciples could be in no doubt what he meant! They could not make any mistakes regarding this part of Jesus teaching. Yet…

Peter, who we saw earlier coming along as the spokesperson for the disciples, took Jesus aside to rebuke him. Peter had great zeal obviously but didn’t want to rebuke His master Jesus in front of the others. Peter’s view was that it was absurd the Messiah should be crucified and die! Peter was holding Jesus and telling Jesus “Get a grip, man! Why on earth are you talking like this?” He tries to restrain Jesus from exposing Himself to death.

Yet Jesus censures of Peter. It may appear at first to be very harsh. Peter was using human wisdom but Jesus was urging his disciples to use wisdom from the Father, just as they had done when they confessed that He was the Messiah. Peter’s actions were an offense to Jesus. But Jesus sees who is really behind this – satan. It was satan that had prompted Peter to try to talk Jesus out of dying on the cross and following God’s will and intention. The suggestion was not blasphemous or crude but a smooth temptation.

As we saw yesterday, it was a hard concept for the Jewish people to believe that their Messiah would suffer and die. For Israel, the coming of the Messiah would be the climax of their development as a nation and the fulfilment of their history! All this is seen in the Old Testament scriptures. It is equally true that these same Scriptures show that the Messiah would also suffer and die. We saw glimpses of that at Jesus’ baptism, in the Messiah being the Suffering Servant. Through His suffering, Jesus would be able to fully empathise and identify with humanity. Without this identity, He would be no Saviour Messiah and not able to overcome the root of evil in the world. It was only by taking on death, and overcoming it, that Jesus as the Messiah would usher in the new kingdom. Not a temporary physical kingdom that was expected by people, but a spiritual kingdom that would be everlasting!

Such was Peter’s haste to rebuke Jesus that he along with the other disciples seem to have missed that last part of teaching. That yes, the Messiah would die but also be raised back to life 3 days later! Peter and the other disciples had not fully understood what Jesus was talking about. The idea of a resurrection, being bought back to life after death, was a concept that they would be familiar with. Only the Sadducees rejected a resurrection. But the disciples were discounting a resurrection that would happen in the present, because they accepted the resurrection was for a time in the distant future in the “last day”.

Come back tomorrow for Day 22 of our series AGOG, as we continue to look together at that extraordinary man, Jesus Christ, through the Gospel accounts! We shall see together another example of Jesus teaching about Himself! See you soon at Partakers!

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Psalm On Demand - Psalms 26 to 30

Psalm 26 to Psalm 30

Often we hear the Psalms one by one, but today we offer you the chance to hear a group of Psalms read as a collection!

Psalm 26

A Prayer for Divine Scrutiny and Redemption
A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate me, O LORD,
For I have walked in my integrity.
I have also trusted in the LORD;
I shall not slip.
2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart.
3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.
4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals,
Nor will I go in with hypocrites.
5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers,
And will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O LORD,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works.
8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house,
And the place where Your glory dwells.
9 Do not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
Redeem me and be merciful to me.
12 My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the LORD.

Psalm 27

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith
A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.
11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 28

Rejoicing in Answered Prayer
A Psalm of David.

1 To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock:
Do not be silent to me,
Lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplications
When I cry to You,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.
3 Do not take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.
4 Give them according to their deeds,
And according to the wickedness of their endeavors;
Give them according to the work of their hands;
Render to them what they deserve.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD,
Nor the operation of His hands,
He shall destroy them
And not build them up.
6 Blessed be the LORD,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
8 The LORD is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
9 Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.

Psalm 29

Praise to God in His Holiness and Majesty
A Psalm of David.

1 Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The LORD is over many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,
Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the LORD sits as King forever.
11 The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 30

The Blessedness of Answered Prayer
A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David.

1 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.
3 O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.
6 Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.
8 I cried out to You, O LORD;
And to the LORD I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me;
LORD, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

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Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 20

Teaching the disciples 2

 

Welcome back to our series, AGOG - A Glimpse of God. We are on Day 20 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Today we look briefly again at Jesus teaching his disciples!

Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will have been and will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been and will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Here we have a climax of the Gospels! Jesus has asked his disciples who they think he is. The disciples start out by saying who others thought he was. John the Baptist some say, yet others say Elijah or one of the prophets.  In Matthew's account of this conversation, they also say Jesus was Jeremiah! So let us have a look at a couple of those.

Firstly, John the Baptist! Some people were saying that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead.  Or perhaps he is Jeremiah raised from the dead! Of course, there is some similarity between the two men. Jeremiah was the 'weeping prophet', and Jesus was the 'man of sorrows'. Jeremiah called the people to true repentance from the heart, and as we know Jesus did. Both men were misunderstood and rejected by their own people. Both Jeremiah and Jesus condemned the false religious leaders and the hypocritical worship in the temple and were persecuted by those in authority. But that's where the similarity ends! Now we come to a climax of the Gospels.

Confession of who Jesus is

Jesus asks His disciples: "That's who others say that I am. But what about you? You have been with me for a while now, who do you say that I am?"

Peter rushed to answer "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!" Peter is emerging as a spokesperson for the disciples. Finally the eyes of the disciples are beginning to open to who Jesus truly is! Unlike a few days ago while crossing the Sea of Galilee, when they were whinging about a lack of bread while forgetting that Jesus had twice created bread out of nothing!

Jesus then imparts a blessing on Peter! "You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock I will build my church." It was revealed to Peter by God the Father. It is a play on words as the name of Peter means 'rock'! Peter is not the rock on which the church will be built but rather what he confessed when he said Jesus was the Christ Messiah! On this confession by Peter about who Jesus really is, the disciples or apostles would be the foundation of the church! Death or satan would not be able to stop and overcome the Church - the Church would be living and dynamic!

Jesus then goes further and says to all the disciples, not just Peter, that the keys to the kingdom will be given. Here Jesus is giving authority to all the disciples to establish His church and be its leaders!  Jesus who holds the keys of David (Isaiah 22:22 & Revelation 3:7) gives his own key to the disciples. Binding means to legislate and demonstrate. Loosing means to reprimand and excommunicate where necessary.  The disciples have received from Jesus the authority to determine true doctrine, punish false teachers and unrepentant sinners! They were to exercise complete authority in the church. They were also to go about and tell people the good news of Jesus and what that means for people!

Why did Jesus tell the disciples to keep quiet about Him?

Now Jesus warns the disciples to keep quiet about him for now. Why did Jesus do that? There are various reasons. These disciples still had much to learn about him and what it meant to follow him. Additionally, the Jewish people were expecting a victorious Messiah who would free them from their slavery under the Romans (Isaiah 11v1-5). However, they had forgotten that their Messiah must suffer and die (Isaiah 53:1-12; Luke 24:26). The Jewish people also thought that the Messiah would set up an earthly kingdom, but Jesus came to set up an everlasting spiritual kingdom (Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 7:13-14; Luke 1:33; Revelation 11:15). If the disciples had gone from this place immediately proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, people would have tried to force Jesus to be the Messiah they wanted him to be and make him their king. Rather than letting Jesus be the Messiah he was to be, who the Servant would suffer and die. Ergo, it was necessary for the disciples to keep quiet about Jesus for now!

Come back tomorrow for Day 21 of our series AGOG, as we continue to look together at that extraordinary man, Jesus Christ, through the Gospel accounts! We shall see together an example of why the disciples weren't quite ready to start fulfilling their mission and tell others about Jesus being the Messiah!

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 39

Psalm 39

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For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.

39:1 I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue.

I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”

39:2 I was mute with silence.

I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.

39:3 My heart was hot within me.

While I meditated, the fire burned: I spoke with my tongue:

39:4 “Yahweh, show me my end, what is the measure of my days.

Let me know how frail I am.

39:5 Behold, you have made my days handbreadths.

My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.”

Selah.

39:6 “Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain.

He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

39:7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.

39:8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

39:9 I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because you did it.

39:10 Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

39:11 When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, You consume his wealth like a moth.

Surely every man is but a breath.”

Selah.

39:12 “Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry.

Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were.

39:13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more.”

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Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 19

Jesus Teaches His Disciples 1

Welcome back to our series, AGOG – A Glimpse of God. We are on Day 19 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Mark 8:13-26 He got into a boat again and crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus warned them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!” They had been discussing with one another that they didn’t have any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you catch on? Are your minds closed? Are you blind and deaf? Don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?” They told him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?” They answered him, “Seven.” He asked them, “Don’t you catch on yet?” As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged Jesus to touch him. Jesus took the blind man’s hand and led him out of the village. He spit into the man’s eyes and placed his hands on him. Jesus asked him, “Can you see anything?” The man looked up and said, “I see people. They look like trees walking around.” Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes a second time, and the man saw clearly. His sight was normal again. He could see everything clearly even at a distance.  Jesus told him when he sent him home, “Don’t go into the village.”

Jesus and His disciples have now crossed the Sea of Galilee. Jesus on the journey across the sea had warned them about the yeast of the Pharisees, Sadducees and King Herod. Why does Jesus include King Herod? Jesus mentioned King Herod because he was a fickle ruler who was mean and treacherous. Herod would do everything to compromise with others for his own benefit alone. Both groups had wanted further signs from Jesus! The Pharisees and Sadducees as we saw yesterday! Herod we discover later from Luke 23, had longed for Jesus to give him a further sign!

The yeast talked about by Jesus was their hypocrisy and evil. This was seen in evidence in our last study where they asked Jesus for a sign. Yeast in the New Testament is often used to illustrate evil. A little evil can spread a long way, much like yeast can in bread. Just as false teaching can decimate a church. Jesus was also warning his disciples to be convinced of the signs they had already seen, without coveting yet more signs!

The disciples however, were discussing between themselves the problem of not having enough food. They were thinking that the yeast Jesus was talking about was yeast which went into bread. Jesus knew what they were talking about. They had obviously forgotten that they had witnessed the great feeding of the masses, and that Jesus had the power to feed them. No wonder Jesus seems exasperated with them and rebukes them! It is as if he is saying to them “Look,guys! Don’t you realise who I am yet? Even though we have been together for a while now! Two times you have been with me and collected the leftovers after we fed the crowds together!”

Oh the disciples had seen and heard but they still were lacking spiritual discernment and were spiritually blind and deaf. Their hearts were still hardened towards him in that aspect for now. It was also an act of ingratitude towards Jesus, that having twice seen bread created from nothing, they were now showing anxiety about not having enough bread.

Then as if to exacerbate the point, Mark puts here a little story that isn’t in the other gospels. When they get to Bethsaida, a blind man is bought to Jesus. First Jesus heals his eyes in part. The man looks and sees people walking as if they were trees, so there is no clarity yet with his vision – but at least he can see in part! Then a second time, Jesus heals the man’s eyes fully and his sight is restored. Jesus didn’t want to be seen as only a healer and miracle worker, so he tells the man not to say anything.

Mark is making the point that the disciples at this time were like that blind man. They were like the man at the first stage of his healing. They couldn’t see the spiritual truths and lacked understanding. To the disciples at this time, Jesus was still only a miracle worker, wise man, prophet and healer. It would not be until later that they would fully see!

What about you? Again, I ask, who do you say Jesus is? What are you waiting for? Jesus is offering you free eternal salvation, by grace alone through faith alone! The choice is yours! Jesus loves you and because He loves you, He will not force you to love Him in return! But His love is compelling and He is calling you to come and take up His free offer of eternal life! It is not too late! Today can be the day of your salvation and new life! Are you going to acknowledge Him as your saviour or are you going to merely put him aside as a miracle worker or man of wisdom?

Come back tomorrow for Day 20 of our series AGOG, as we continue to look together at that extraordinary man, Jesus Christ, through the Gospel accounts! We will see together, another example of Jesus teaching his disciples... See you soon!

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 138

Psalm 138

(as read by Miranda)

 

138:1 I will give you thanks with my whole heart.

Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple,

and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;

for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

138:3 In the day that I called, you answered me.

You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

138:4 All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,

for they have heard the words of your mouth.

138:5 Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;

for great is Yahweh’s glory.

138:6 For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;

but the proud, he knows from afar.

138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me.

You will stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies.

Your right hand will save me.

138:8 Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;

your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.

Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

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